Assassin's Touch (Iron Portal #1)
by Laurie London
Blurb:
Two worlds. Two enemies.
Haunted by loss, Cascadian assassin Rickert
D’Angelus is on a mission of vengeance. Determined to stop the Pacifican army
from finding a portal to his world, he leads a group of warriors into New
Seattle with one goal—to kill all Pacifican soldiers.
Neyla
Trihorn had the perfect life until a deadly accident revealed her latent
para-abilities. Now, the former fashion designer is the Pacifican army’s
hottest commodity in their fight against the invaders.
When
Rickert discovers a beautiful, unconscious soldier on a cold mountain ledge
near the portal, he realizes she’s a Protection-Talent and cannot be killed. To
prevent the army from using her skills again, he takes her as his prisoner
instead.
One fated touch…
But
when he pulls her into his arms, a sexy and compelling vision appears,
awakening something inside him. Something he can’t ignore.
Torn
between duty and passion, Rickert must decide if the vision is a Talent trick
designed to foil the enemy or the answer to his deepest desires...
Review:
Well I’m just not really sure where to start
with this story. The first story in the Iron Portal series
certainly had its high points and a few low points, but overall was a great
beginning to an all new series set in a strange alternate reality with some
interesting twists and turns. Laurie
London also writes one of my favorite vampire series, the Sweetblood series, so
when I saw her branching out I was very excited, though certainly a bit skeptical
about this new world. With vivid world building,
heart-wrenching betrayals, frequent action and a love story between two deeply
connected individuals Assassin’s Touch was one of those stories that will touch
your heart and pull you into the characters' lives from start to finish. Can’t
wait to find out more about these two worlds and the individuals that make it
unique while keeping familiar enough to remind you that all humans are the same
at the core, with the free will to choose what they will be—good or evil.
Our
story revolves around the warring factions of two worlds separated only by a
magical portal. Neyla is a woman that
has been conscripted into the army, forced to use her protection-talent to aid
the Pacifican army in its battles against the Cascadian soldiers that venture
into their world. The Cascadians caused
an accident that brought her para-abilities to the notice of the army (or so
she’s led to believe) and she was forced out of her life and into a life she doesn’t
want to lead and onto a team where no one really respects her or wants her
around. When she is injured on
assignment and found by a Cascadian military leader, her life changes
forever. Rickert has never felt a
connection to another woman like he feels for the little soldier he discovers
near death on the enemy’s side of the portal, but he’s determined to put her to
good use. Dragging her across the portal
and into his world he begins to learn more and more about Neyla, while sharing
information with her that turns her world upside down and challenges all her
beliefs. But when the enemy travels to
Cascadia to retrieve Neyla and enact some very frightening evil plans, Neyla
and Rickert must put aside their differences and work together if they are to
ever have a chance to be together and conquer the real evil in their worlds.
From
the second Rickert touches Neyla the passion he feels for her complicates his
life and challenges all his long held beliefs.
Rickert is a tortured hero for sure; an alpha military leader on a quest
of vengeance, he never imagined that a mere slip of a woman could come between
him and his agenda in this war. His
passions run high only where Neyla is concerned and the protectiveness he feels
toward her is even more confusing to him than the desire. But when he learns the true nature of this
compassionate, sweet and naïve woman, he cannot help but fall in love. Neyla is different; she lived the majority of
her life following her dreams and keeping herself away from danger, until a
freak accident makes it impossible for her to be what she once was. Adapting to her changed life, or trying to
anyway, Neyla tries to make the best of her situation. Being the brunt of most of her comrades’
jokes and the scapegoat for their anger puts her in some awkward
positions. She only really comes alive
when she travels to Rickert’s world and finds herself surrounded by the
laughter and beauty that has long been removed from her life. Though she resists the changes to her life initially,
when she begins to trust Rickert and he opens her eyes to the truth about their
worlds and the war, she finds her place in the world and makes her stand,
saving the day in the end.
This was a great new series that I am really looking
forward to seeing more soon. Rickert
and Neyla were a great combination of strength and vulnerabilities, coming
together in a blazing passion and inevitable destiny that was both heartwarming
and exciting to experience. The world
building was full of vivid descriptions, imagery, and mythology, which I enjoyed
immensely and will look forward to delving into more deeply. Can’t wait to find out more about Asher in
the next book, Rogue’s Passion and hope I don’t have too long of a wait for it!
Another great series, Laurie, and I’m glad you took the time to take on us this
journey to another world of your imagination.
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