Review: Siren's Song

Siren's Song (Gray Court #5)

by Dana Marie Bell

Blurb:

A crescendo of evil could destroy their perfect harmony.

Oberon is well and truly lost, with no memory of who he is, where he came from, or where he’s going. One woman makes his palms sweat and his heart race, a woman with turquoise eyes and a beautiful voice. Instinct tells him she’s the only one who can save him.

Cassie knows the truth—he is the High King, her truebond, the one man born to be hers and hers alone. Restoring his memory and keeping him out of the Black Court’s clutches is her mission, though success means losing him. Yet to give the world back its High King, she will make that sacrifice.

As soon as Oberon’s memory comes crashing back through his mind’s closed door, he makes one vow. Though beset by enemies, chased and attacked, he will return to his rightful place with his Queen by his side.

Except when he makes good on his vow, all hell breaks loose. And when Cassie's life is threatened, the Fae world will bow before the High King or pay the price in blood.

Themes: erotica, paranormal, magick, MERMAIDS!

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

For any fan of Fairy/Faerie lore, the story of Oberon finding love again after his Titania turns to the dark side is one that cannot be missed.  I am an avid Bell fan and have loved this series since I read the very first story several years ago.  While I was surprised to see the flexibility of the world these characters existed in, I have known from the beginning that there were two characters’ stories I just HAD to read, Robin “Puck” Goodfellow and King Oberon, and holy hell did both of their stories take me on an amazing adventure.  The last story was in fact Puck’s and left us with MANY loose ends and lots of intrigue around Oberon and his future.  The wait is finally over and after reading Siren’s Song I can honestly say, there was no better mate for Oberon than a rebellious, intelligent, and spunky mermaid Princess.

Cassie has been in a few stories now, giving us a chance to get to know more about her, but never really explaining just how important her role will be. When Oberon’s memories are stolen, she sets out to return him to his life and his throne, knowing the entire time that in doing so she might lose any chance with him, even though he is her truebonded mate.  Oberon, even without his memories, retains a scary amount of intelligence and all of his not insufficient magick, but he senses the connection with the sexy siren that has come to his rescue.  As Cassie and Oberon travel across the country, working to recover his past, they both fall deeper and deeper into their connection, and when his memories come back in a rush, there is no way to deny that a connection between them still burns.  But with enemies circling the waters even closer to them then they realized and the future of their entire world hanging in the balance, can they overcome all obstacles and arguments and have their happy ending? Or will it all wash away with the next tide, leaving them both duty-bound and desperately lonely?

I just loved both Cassie and Oberon’s characters and the love that developed between them.  The chemistry is obvious from the first minute, though they both try to deny it for different reasons.  Cassie is layered with mystery and as we are slowly given more info, I come to understand just how unique a woman she really is in her world.  Independent, compassionate, sweet and sensual, she refuses to give up her happiness without a fight, even if it will leave her on the run from her own parents her entire life.   The way she slowly brings Oberon back to himself, healing him, even at her own expense, shows the love that she already has for the enigmatic ruler of their world—and her heart.  Oberon is the quintessential “onion” male—the layers to him are endless, and each one if more surprising when it is uncovered.  Obviously his heart is heavily guarded, having suffered the ultimate betrayal from his first mate, Titania, but that heart is not cold by any means; his love for his family and closest friends and the faith he has in the goodness of others shows that if a woman could get past his fears she would become the most cherished woman that any could ever hope for.  I loved watching Oberon take charge and kick ass when his woman is threatened, but turning around and using his quick and cunning mind to keep his kingdom free of strife. 

Overall, Siren’s Song, definitely lives up to its name, drawing the reader in and the taking them on a wild ride through the minds and hearts of the rulers of the magickal kingdom and the people that support them.  Seeing previous couples and the ways their lives have changed through the books was a real enticement as well, especially Shane and Akane and Robin and Michaela.  Cassie was a sensual, exciting, intelligent, and beautiful soul that perfectly complements the darkness that lingers in Oberon’s heart, but her strength and rebel nature are just as interesting.  Oberon has a long road to travel to regain his memories, but as he travels it he remembers the beauty of love and finds himself believing in others once again, starting with his tenuous trust of Cassie.  When they finally both give in to the desire and destiny circling them, the heat burns through the pages and there is no denying these two have enough chemistry to sustain their passions through their immortal lives.   Once again Bell has given me a story that I can sink my teeth into, and the history and mythological freedom she takes, strays just enough that you can still understand and appreciate the original mythos but believe the new direction she has taken as well.  Cannot wait to find out whose story might be next, though I have my suspicions and it will be AWESOME!

*eARC provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.