Reviewed by Nikyta
Title: The Changeling Soldier
Author: Shona Husk
Series: Court of Annwyn #2.5
Hero/Heroine: Ella/Isaac
Genre: M/F Paranormal Romance
Length: 114 Pages
Publisher: Shona Husk
Release Date: June 3, 2014
Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, Smashwords and Kobo
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: Her time in the mortal world is running out…
After fleeing Annwyn three centuries ago, Ella built a life in the mortal world making gowns for European royalty and playing in mortal intrigues. Now those Courts are long gone, and she dresses Hollywood starlets. Mortals come and go, and she is always alone. She longs for the home she left behind.
He has been dreaming of the coming battle all his life…
Isaac Norton is a returned soldier. Now home, he is restless, and his reoccurring dream is becoming more frequent: he is fighting in a snow covered field stained with blue blood. When he sees Ella, he knows she isn’t human. And she knows what he is: a changeling.
Ella can give Isaac the answers he needs, but there will be a price to pay. His soul.
Review:
First things first. I want to make it clear that I haven’t read anything by Shona Husk before, which means I haven’t read this series before. While this book is technically numbered at 2.5 in the Court of Annwyn series, it can be read as a standalone. At least, as far as I’m concerned, I didn’t feel like I was lost or missing anything when I started the book.
With that said, this story focuses on Ella and her need to return home. While she misses Annwyn, she doesn’t want to go back just yet. Unfortunately, with winter approaching, it means that the king is dying and if she stays in the mortal realm much longer, she might die too. She promises herself one more job before she returns to Annwyn and as a fashion designer, that shouldn’t take too long. Isaac is the sister of the starlight she’s designing a dress for and their meeting reveals unexpected surprises in more ways than one. Sadly, Isaac’s sister is obsessed with being famous and knowing Ella’s a fairy, she’ll stop at nothing to get what she wants.
I was pleasantly surprised by this story. I started it expecting to be a little confused on what was going on but the author does a good job of making it easy to follow. I have no idea if the story is connected at all with the other books in the series but either way, the writing had a nice gentle feel to it that made me want to continue reading. Ella is not the typical fairy in that she’s been around mortals so much she’s grown a little soft. She doesn’t take pleasure in taking advantage of naive or ignorant mortals but she’s hardly a delicate flower either. Isaac is an ex-soldier who’s always felt like he didn’t belong. I loved that he trusted his visions so much and that he let them guide him in the right direction. It was interesting to see how those visions led the way to Isaac and Ella’s future.
The conflict in the story revolves around trying to release Ella from Isaac’s sister, Melody’s, clutches. Ella unknowingly steps into a trap with Melody and almost pays dearly for it by being captured and held hostage until Ella grants Melody a deal to make her famous. In the meantime, Isaac is just as trapped and unable to help Ella like he wants to. I would consider this a more slow burn romance in that, while the connection between Ella and Isaac doesn’t take off until just about the end, there’s still the sexual tension between them that starts as soon as they meet and I loved that about them.
I absolutely adored this book but I really wished we had gotten more of a glimpse into Ella and Isaac’s welcoming in Annwyn. I was a little saddened that the transition between the last chapter and the epilogue skipped over what must have been months so there wasn’t even a hint at experiencing Isaac and Ella getting into the flow of things. I think it would have been awesome to experience everything new happening in Annwyn.
Still, I really enjoyed this one. While the story is short, I still felt like I got to know the characters pretty well. The premise deals heavily with Ella knowing she must return to Annwyn or risk dying in the mortal realm and her trying to get through one last hurdle to make it back with Isaac trying to help her. I loved that this one dabbled with holding a fairy hostage to get a ‘wish’. This was my first book by Shona Husk (I know, I came to the party late!) but it won’t be my last because now I have the urge to go back and read this series from the beginning! If you’re looking for something quick to read with an intriguing world filled with fairies, then give this one a try!
Overall Impression: I loved it!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*
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