by Thea Harrison
Blurb:
King Oberon reigned over his Dark Court in
Lyonesse for centuries, until an assassination attempt laid him low. Now he
lies unconscious in his snow-bound palace, while his Power battles the
enchantment that threatens to end his life.
A
skilled trauma surgeon and magic-user, Dr. Kathryn Shaw reigns at the top of
her profession in New York. Then comes a challenge she can’t resist—she is
asked to cure the uncureable. Just getting close enough to try healing Oberon
is a dangerous proposition. When she does reach him, he awakens too soon.
Roused
from darkness by Kathryn’s presence, Oberon confronts the beautiful stranger
who claims she wants to save his life. But the enchantment has frozen his
emotions. How can he learn to trust her when he can’t feel anything?
Oberon’s
desire is icy, devoid of all tenderness. Not only must Kathryn match wits with
him, she must also fight her reaction to his touch, because there is so much
more at stake than her own endangered heart.
For
the Dark Court faces its most deadly peril yet. Its ancient enemy Isabeau,
Queen of the Light Court, is obsessed with its annihilation, and Oberon must be
brought to remember his loyalty and affection for his people.
Because
if he won’t fight for them, Lyonesse itself may very well be destroyed…
Themes: Paranormal, Fae, Magick
Rating: 4.5 stars
Heat Rating: 
Review:
This
final story in the Moonshadow trilogy, a fun offshoot of the larger Elder
racers series, is one that will leave you on the edge of your seat wondering if
King Oberon will be saved and if the Dark Court will ever find a way to rebuild
even if Kathryn finds a way to save him. This series has interested me from the
very beginning and I enjoyed learning more and more about these characters and
seeing Oberon find his way back to his true self without the influence of the
spell he was under. The story moved
quickly, with some seriously heavy moments and a few times where the fear was
almost overwhelming, but in the end Oberon showed us that his inner strength was
truly immeasurable. Kathryn at the same
time was a match for Oberon in every way, her strength of character and her
powers leaving her as a perfect foil for him as he heals and takes his place
back as the leader of his people. I enjoyed seeing this series unfold through
the three stories but the best part was watching Oberon making an ass of
himself as he tried to seduce Kathryn even as he fell in love with her. While the darkness and seriousness of this
novel was not to be underestimated, there were truly moments of laughter and
love as well to keep the book from becoming too dark and dismal. While I am sad
to see the trilogy end, I know that the Elder Races series will continue and
just continue to keep getting better so that’s something to look forward to
from Thea in the future.
Kathryn
has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime, even though she is reluctant to
accept; a chance to travel to an Other World and test her skills against the magical
sickness that has trapped King Oberon in his own mind for over 100 years. She has resisted in the past, but now the
needs of the many far outweighed her desire to resist the request. Once she arrives at her destination, with a
little help of a friend, Kathryn has no idea how she will get through to Oberon, but
just when she is about to give in a miracle happens and he opens his eyes. Oberon awakens after being trapped in his own
dreams for a LONG time, to find that a stranger has invaded his castle and none
of his most trusted advisors are around to reassure him of her intentions. Thankfully Kathryn is able to convince him of
her intentions and together they decide that working together to get past the
spell that has held him in thrall for so long will be no match for them if they
work together. Spending time together
they soon begin to share a passion that is irresistible and the heat that
radiates between will soon burn out of control unless they find a way to defeat
the spell and embrace the emotions that could truly bring them together.
Kathryn
was an intriguing character, her determination to complete her task despite the
danger facing her, especially once Oberon wakes from his coma like state, shows
that she is the type of woman that will never let any challenger defeat
her. I enjoyed getting to see her
working, combining her medical and magical knowledge in a perfect combination
in order to save Oberon from the dark spell he was under. She was also a passionate woman, fighting
with and for the man that she came to love, even to the point that it drained
every bit of her own energy and power.
That love and dedication made her the perfect match for Oberon, or at
least the true man he becomes again once the darkness is removed from him. Oberon begins the story as mostly an asshole,
threatening Kathryn at every turn, trying to kill her, and questioning her
motives with every move she makes. Slowly, as Kathryn works her magic, Oberon
returns to his true self and we get to see how great a man he was once, a man
that inspired true dedication in all of his people. Oberon peels away the dark outer shell that
has kept him buried and we get to see the light come shining through. I loved getting to meet the true Oberon, his
sweetness and strength, passion and love and of course his playfulness with
Kathryn made him a truly sensual mate for the woman that has stolen his
heart. The newly minted Oberon may have
a lot of dark memories to handle, but he remember the emotions that once ruled him
and he knows that going forward, his emotions and passions will be required in
order for him lead his people against their ultimate enemy and come out on top.
Overall
this story had a lot of serious moments, especially as Oberon and Kathryn battled
for his magical freedom and then for their people’s freedom from oppression
against their ultimate enemy. Thankfully
Harrison’s skill at romance and laughter through tears, keeps the story from
becoming TOO dark and leading readers into sadness instead of ultimate happiness. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Kathryn spread
her wings (sorry couldn’t resist the pun) and find her place in Oberon’s world
and ultimately at his side. Oberon on the other hand needed a few swift kicks
in the ass before he became the truly loveable King and leader he once was, but
in the end he proved that he was always meant to be in charge and to be Kathryn’s
mate, even if he had to wait for her for thousands of years. The heat between these
two is palpable from the very moment they are together even when they are
battling each other or butting heads, but they truly excel when they stop
fighting one another and instead give into their passionate need for one
another. I loved every second of this
book, including all fun moments where supporting characters returned and we got
to see more of where the Elder Races stories might be going in the future. I am waiting impatiently to find out where
Thea is leading us in the overall Story Arc and I know it will be awesome.
While Oberon and Kathryn’s story brings to a close this amazing trilogy of the
Moonshadow series, Harrison will not be letting us leave this world anytime
soon and I am so ready for more.
*eARC provided by author for the
purpose of an honest and unbiased review.
No compensation was provided.
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