Finally I've got my hands on this long awaited sequel! The release date for this book was extended at least once, and I am so glad the wait is over. Except that I read it so fast, I'm back to waiting for the next book. Oh well, this will have to hold me over for awhile.
Picking up where we left off in The Winter King, Dilys Merimydion is collecting his reward from Khamsin Coruscate in helping her in the battle for Summerlea. He is awarded the chance for his men to find wives among the Summerlea women, and for Dilys in particular to court Khamsin's three sisters. There is no guarantee that any women will agree to marriages, but the Calbernans do not fret. Apparently they've been trained from boyhood on many things, including how best to make the women in their lives happy.
Dilys plans on focusing his attentions on the princesses who seem the most powerful, Spring and Autumn, with the hopes of acquiring a powerful mother to a future Calbernan queen. The third princess, Summer (Gabriella), is too gentle and doesn't have as much power as her sisters. Despite Dilys' well thought out plans with his political advisors, he experiences almost instant attraction to Summer.
Summer has turned wearing a mask to the world an art. She holds within her a dangerous power that she puts every thought and action of her being into hiding and keeping under control. However, lately she seems to be losing that control (and her temper) more easily. Upon meeting Dilys, she too experiences an instant attraction, but she becomes conflicted. She doesn't want and fears love, so she pushes him away in every way she can think of, including magical means.
All the while, the sea has been plagued by pirates that Dilys must get under control for the best interests of his country. A pirate who has unheard of powers that are defeating Dilys' best men. His mother, the Calbernan Queen, seems almost near Fading (basically dying), and if Dilys does not have a daughter before her passing, the throne will go to a cousin. The poor guy has a lot on his plate, and is just trying to do what's best for his country.
Dilys is very cocky and that bothered me a lot in this book. He was too confident in his romance skills, and he was way too pushy as well with Summer in my opinion. He does acknowledge his mistakes however, and tries to make things right. Many of the scenes between him and Summer made me laugh, and some made my heart hurt. There were some scary situations that happened in this book that made me nervous, and nearly throw up. I will give fair warning to readers that there is rape in this book. I don't know how I got through it, because usually I can't stomach it. I still feel sick thinking about it, and I honestly do wish it was omitted from the book.
This book was a roller coaster of emotions for me, and I think partially because of that I couldn't put the thing down. I'm highly anticipating the next book in this series, The Jaguar King. Hopefully the wait will not be as long.
**ARC provided by Publisher**
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