Review: Heart Fire by Robin D. Owens

Posted January 22, 2015 by Holly in Reviews | 7 Comments

Review: Heart Fire by Robin D. OwensReviewer: Holly
Heart Fire by Robin D. Owens
Series: Celta's HeartMates #13
Also in this series: Heart Fate, HeartMate, HeartMate, Heart Thief , Heart Duel , Heart Choice, Heart Quest , Heart Dance , Heart Fate , Heart Dance, Heart Journey, Heart Legacy, Heart Change, Heart Sight (Celta's Heartmates), Heart Secret
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: November 4th 2014
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 368
Add It: Goodreads
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED
On the planet Celta, accepting a HeartMate can be the greatest challenge in the universe…
Antenn, an architect hired to build a cathedral in Druida City, dares not think of his HeartMate. Even though he yearns for her, he’s taken steps to ensure she will be forever unknown to him. After all, how could he, a commoner who grew up in the slums, the brother of a murderer, be worthy of any woman?
Tiana, a priestess, has her own fears about being a HeartMate. She's watched her friends struggle with such a stormy destiny. She's sure her HeartMate has never claimed her due to a terrible scandal involving her Family, and she's set aside hopes for love.
Antenn's gotten the commission of his life. The cathedral will make him famous, but more, it will last for ages and prove to others he can contribute to Celta...if the controversial structure isn't destroyed while being built. Tiana, too, is an integral part of this process, but the villain who wrecked her Family is ready with firebombs. Can they trust each other in dangerous circumstances to succeed...and to love?

Antenn and Tiana! I’ve waiting for this book for years and years.

We first met Antenn back at the very beginning of the series, in Heart Mate. He and his brother were downwind boys who joined a gang. Antenn’s brother merged with two other boys to become a triad who shared thoughts and power, and he went mad when his triad brothers were killed. He ended up firebombing the council and killing several people. As his brother, Antenn carries the taint of a murderer, though he had nothing to do with it. Many of the Noble Families turn their nose up at him, and others spurn him outright. Building a new Cathedral, the first one for this new religion, is a way to overcome his past. Not only will it cement his place in society, but the Cathedral will live on forever, which offers him a bit of immorality.

The last thing he wants is to get involved with the Priestess assigned as liaison to the project, especially one with such a large chip on her shoulder. But he can’t deny his attraction to her, or his desire to see her happy.

Tiana is no stranger to scandal. When she was a girl her family was accused of practicing black magic and their home was destroyed. They were forced to flee under cover of night and their reputation was ruined. She’s spent many years trying to overcome her anger and grief at the injustices done to them, but hasn’t been successful. She’s up for a big promotion, but the High Priestess makes it clear she won’t consider Tiana unless she’s able to rid herself of her anger and focus on other things. This project is a way to help her channel that negative energy in a positive way. If only she didn’t have Antenn to deal with.

Though neither are interested in a relationship, especially with each other, they can’t deny their feelings for long. Especially when it looks like they may be Heart Mates…

The story was well done and did justice to both, I think. They were both a bit broken and scarred by their pasts. They worked very well together. Antenn offered Tiana a place to be herself, without her constant worry about her family and their smeared reputations – and even more, the injustice in what was done to them. For her part, Tiana offered Antenn unconditional acceptance, something he struggled to find within himself. 

The world is so amazing, I always end up fully immersed. Celta feels like a real place to me, and its inhabitants good friends. I always look forward to my visits with them, though I admit this book renewed my love for the series.

4 out of 5

four-stars


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7 responses to “Review: Heart Fire by Robin D. Owens

  1. The Celta / HeartMate series is so terribly underrated!

    Mind you, Ms Owens does have some writing tics which mean that I can never read more than two of these in a row, but I love the world she has created here, and many if not all of the characters.

    Thank you for sharing the love!

  2. Book 13??

    THUD *faints dead away*

    I must confess to getting tired of endless series books – whatever happened to a nice trilogy or even *gasp* a standalone? 😀

    • 😀

      I do see your point, and yet…

      Well, I would say that the first few books–four or five–can be read as a full series, and they are very good. The first one, in particular, the way the world is introduced…and definitely the second one.

    • I think the first 7 books need to be read as a series. The ones after are a new generation of characters and are written as trilogies. They’re only included in the main series because they’re set in the same world, which is really fantastic.

      I started the series with book 7. It’s still my favorite, but 1, 2 and 3 are also fabulous.

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