Storm Wood (Elven Kingdom #3)

Donna Grant

Blurb:

Deepest loyalty. Fiercest defiance.

I never wanted to fall in love. My sister’s disappearance damaged me for such things. I’ve devoted my life finding her—no matter where that leads me.

I could never have imagined it would bring me to him. A human with haunting celadon eyes and a determination that rivals my own. He’s strong, brash, and gorgeous.

Maybe that’s why I was caught off guard when he acknowledged that I was a covert agent. It’s a secret few know, and if word gets out, I’m as good as dead.

Too much rides on my identity remaining hidden. I have no choice but to help him navigate the perilous depths of the Below—and all who reside there.

But the lines that were once so vivid between us slowly begin to blur. We have only each other to survive and trusting him with my life is one thing. With my heart…that’s something I can’t even consider.

Yet, I can’t stop wondering what his lips would feel like against mine. I can’t help the ache I feel to be near him. And I can lie to him, but not myself. I crave his hard body next to me.

I never wanted to fall in love…but he stole my heart before I had a chance to safeguard it.

Now fate is pulling us apart, but I intend to fight for him. For us.

Even if it means my death.

Themes: Elves, Magick, Fae

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating:

Review:

So, I have to tell you I am more and more surprised by this series and being a hard-core romance reader I have mixed feelings about it. I can’t truly say that I would categorize this series as being romance, though each one revolves around a new couple on some grand adventure and they do ultimately find some way to form a relationship that turns out to be love. That said their relationship is way off the radar as being the main plot driver and is often what I would feel is just an after-thought. The third installment is even more so this way in my opinion, with the couple, Farah and Rohan being mistrustful and enemies through the first portion of the book, then becoming reluctant partners and finally friends later on as they come depend on one another for their safety, but it’s not until almost the very end that they come to show any kind of romantic interest beyond a few random statements about sexual attraction that they both stringently deny even to themselves and fight hard against. Farah is a wood elf that has been undercover in the darkest and most depraved environment looking for her missing sister for years, but now her entire mission and her very life is at stake thanks to the human male that has ruined it all. Rohan has become the defacto leader of his entire tribe of humanity since his father’s death and with the abductions thinning his settlement, and more importantly the kidnapping of his sister, he is willing to do whatever it takes to save and stop the evil. Now Roan and Farah are forced to work together and find a way to trust one another if they want to stay alive as they try to get back Rohan’s people and both of their sisters. But that level of evil is never that simple or easy, and soon when dark truths are uncovered, Farah and Rohan along with a few old friends will have to come to terms with the truth and defeat their enemies even if it means giving up their missions in the more deadly of ways. This story was filled with twist, turns, and lots of darkness, but I am enjoying the way Donna is giving us a glimpse of the darkness of humanity, politics, and commerce and why we should always fight for our freedom, stand up for what’s right, and never give up the goodness inside us for an easy life. While I would say if you were looking for a simple romance or something that is along the lines of one of Donna’s other romance series, this isn’t going to be your cup of tea, as it is much more a Dark Fantasy with a romantic twist here and there. But if you are willing to look into that darkness in our society and souls and fight against it as she parallels it in this world of Elves and magic, grab your copy of this series and dig right in.

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.