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Sons of Destiny #1
The Sword
The first novel of the Sons of Destiny...a romantic tale of magic, superstition, and a love that transcends dimensions.
Eight brothers, born in four sets of twins, two years apart to the day-they fulfill the Curse of Eight Prophecy. To avoid tempting their destiny, the brothers are exiled to Nightfall Island, a land where women are strictly forbidden. But, when the youngest of the mage-brothers rescues a woman from another universe, their world is altered forever.
Kelly Doyle had wanted to get away from the world. Threatened, attacked, and accused of witchcraft, Kelly had enough of her narrow-minded small town. And now she has somehow landed in another, magical dimension-the only woman in a realm inhabited by eight men who are desperately in need of a woman's touch.
Eight brothers, born in four sets of twins, two years apart to the day-they fulfill the Curse of Eight Prophecy. To avoid tempting their destiny, the brothers are exiled to Nightfall Island, a land where women are strictly forbidden. But, when the youngest of the mage-brothers rescues a woman from another universe, their world is altered forever.
Kelly Doyle had wanted to get away from the world. Threatened, attacked, and accused of witchcraft, Kelly had enough of her narrow-minded small town. And now she has somehow landed in another, magical dimension-the only woman in a realm inhabited by eight men who are desperately in need of a woman's touch.
313 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 2007
86 people are currently reading
2236 people want to read
About the author
Jean Johnson
51 books820 followersBerkley/Jove Authors Bio
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author, science fiction author
Jean Johnson currently lives in the Pacific Northwest, has played in the SCA for 25 years, sings a lot, and argues with her cat about territorial rights to her office chair. She loves hearing from her readers, and has a distinct sense of humor. Right now she's living in a home with zone heating & decent plumbing, but hopes to some day put turrets and ramparts on it so that it looks like a castle.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author, science fiction author
Jean Johnson currently lives in the Pacific Northwest, has played in the SCA for 25 years, sings a lot, and argues with her cat about territorial rights to her office chair. She loves hearing from her readers, and has a distinct sense of humor. Right now she's living in a home with zone heating & decent plumbing, but hopes to some day put turrets and ramparts on it so that it looks like a castle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
November 13, 2012
This book was recommended to me as part of my quest to find solid, well-written, feminist romance. However, since it's probably unfair to place the expectations of a not-really-existent genre on an author, I'll try to base most of my review on reading it without that last criterion.
Overall, I'd say it was okay, 3.5 stars. The world-building aspect is excellent, and the characters interesting enough to make me consider reading the sequels. There are some clever ways of working in various story elements and while a few came off as contrived, I'll give the author points for making them plot-relevant later.
There were parts of the writing that didn't work well for me, most notably a few instances where poor editing should have caught repetitions. More than once, a sentence starts and ends with the same phrase along the lines of "As the storm settled, [some stuff happened], as the storm settled." Worse were the endless descriptive repetitions. Those are fair enough early on when the reader needs to sort out which brother is which, but when Kelly joins most of the brothers for breakfast and is introduced to them, that should have been the end of redefining and describing them every time they enter a scene. It got to the point that I dreaded Rydan's appearances because he'd once again be mentioned as the night-loving or daylight-shunning brother. We didn't need to read about Kelly's aquamarine eyes and strawberry hair constantly either: I'd have preferred those kept to when they were meaningful, such as the material for her dress. By overusing the word aquamarine, the impact of the silk for that dress was diminished.
And while I can respect the choice to go with fairly modern colloquialisms in the dialogue, such as "gonna", I personally prefer a more formal dialogue style in this sort of setting. But it was at least consistent, so I'll give credit to the author for that.
It's a nice story insofar as it wraps up on its own but still leaves some threads dangling to entice you into the sequels. I'd have liked more hint about who has been sending the monsters, but fair enough to put it off to a sequel.
As for the feminist angle, I could see early on that the author was trying to present a strong heroine who demands respect, and I appreciated that. The first few pages having the hero throw her over his shoulder and spank her rankled, but when he realized that he was being a bully, I gleaned that the author was going somewhere in examining the gender roles so I was willing to put up with it.
Then a whole Snow White trope came in: Kelly apparently loves cleaning and the men are all inept on their own. That made me sigh and roll my eyes. Fair enough that she's into sewing and SCA stuff: that part was very cool. But really, a woman taking over "womanly" duties to get the castle clean? Ugh.
But again, the author adeptly wove that in as a useful plot device, so I grudgingly accepted it.
What really bothered me, though, and what makes me give 3 stars instead of 4 (since I can't do 3.5), is the bit near the end where Kelly goes on a rant which starts out very cool amidst promise of sequels exploring gender roles in interesting ways, only to diminish it all by claiming that women are smarter than men and better able to handle diplomacy. No. That's not okay with me. My feminism isn't at the expense of men, and combined with the stereotype of a bunch of bachelors living in filth, unable to mend their own garments or clean their yard despite having magic spells that do these things for them, the whole thing made me wince. I can accept the baddies as hit-on-the-head-obvious misogynists and even the good guys needing to lose some of their own preconceived notions of gender, but I have a big problem with pseudo-elevating of women by diminishing men.
I'll probably read the sequels at some point, but I feel the need to try some other books first.
Overall, I'd say it was okay, 3.5 stars. The world-building aspect is excellent, and the characters interesting enough to make me consider reading the sequels. There are some clever ways of working in various story elements and while a few came off as contrived, I'll give the author points for making them plot-relevant later.
There were parts of the writing that didn't work well for me, most notably a few instances where poor editing should have caught repetitions. More than once, a sentence starts and ends with the same phrase along the lines of "As the storm settled, [some stuff happened], as the storm settled." Worse were the endless descriptive repetitions. Those are fair enough early on when the reader needs to sort out which brother is which, but when Kelly joins most of the brothers for breakfast and is introduced to them, that should have been the end of redefining and describing them every time they enter a scene. It got to the point that I dreaded Rydan's appearances because he'd once again be mentioned as the night-loving or daylight-shunning brother. We didn't need to read about Kelly's aquamarine eyes and strawberry hair constantly either: I'd have preferred those kept to when they were meaningful, such as the material for her dress. By overusing the word aquamarine, the impact of the silk for that dress was diminished.
And while I can respect the choice to go with fairly modern colloquialisms in the dialogue, such as "gonna", I personally prefer a more formal dialogue style in this sort of setting. But it was at least consistent, so I'll give credit to the author for that.
It's a nice story insofar as it wraps up on its own but still leaves some threads dangling to entice you into the sequels. I'd have liked more hint about who has been sending the monsters, but fair enough to put it off to a sequel.
As for the feminist angle, I could see early on that the author was trying to present a strong heroine who demands respect, and I appreciated that. The first few pages having the hero throw her over his shoulder and spank her rankled, but when he realized that he was being a bully, I gleaned that the author was going somewhere in examining the gender roles so I was willing to put up with it.
Then a whole Snow White trope came in: Kelly apparently loves cleaning and the men are all inept on their own. That made me sigh and roll my eyes. Fair enough that she's into sewing and SCA stuff: that part was very cool. But really, a woman taking over "womanly" duties to get the castle clean? Ugh.
But again, the author adeptly wove that in as a useful plot device, so I grudgingly accepted it.
What really bothered me, though, and what makes me give 3 stars instead of 4 (since I can't do 3.5), is the bit near the end where Kelly goes on a rant which starts out very cool amidst promise of sequels exploring gender roles in interesting ways, only to diminish it all by claiming that women are smarter than men and better able to handle diplomacy. No. That's not okay with me. My feminism isn't at the expense of men, and combined with the stereotype of a bunch of bachelors living in filth, unable to mend their own garments or clean their yard despite having magic spells that do these things for them, the whole thing made me wince. I can accept the baddies as hit-on-the-head-obvious misogynists and even the good guys needing to lose some of their own preconceived notions of gender, but I have a big problem with pseudo-elevating of women by diminishing men.
I'll probably read the sequels at some point, but I feel the need to try some other books first.
March 28, 2009
The Eldest Son shall bear this weight:
If ever true love he shall feel
Disaster shall come at her heel
And Katan will fail to aid
When Sword in sheath is claimed by Maid
This is the opening of the Song of the Son's of Destiny. 8 sons born, 4 sets of twins, all with magical powers, have been exiled to the island of Nightfall. Saber and Wolf are the eldest, Dominor and Evanor are next, the third set is Trevan and Rydan, and the final set of twins are Koranen and Morganen. Morganen is the powerfullest of the 8, all trained mages.
This is Saber's story, He is the warrior of the 8. The eldest and leader of the Sons of Destiny. Kelly Doyle was spotted by Morg thru a type of looking glass and brought from our world to the Brother's world. So this is to start the Destiny as foretold.
I loved this book!! Just the interaction of all the brother's and Kelly is so funny in places. kelly is a redhead, well strawberry blond and has a temper to match. Saber is domineering and hardheaded to say the least. Just some of the things that are said and done really get you laughing, especially the way Kelly uses her training in Kung Fu over Dominor. It is well written and the characters are well developed. To me the author makes them feel "real". Can't wait till I can buy the next one in the series.
If ever true love he shall feel
Disaster shall come at her heel
And Katan will fail to aid
When Sword in sheath is claimed by Maid
This is the opening of the Song of the Son's of Destiny. 8 sons born, 4 sets of twins, all with magical powers, have been exiled to the island of Nightfall. Saber and Wolf are the eldest, Dominor and Evanor are next, the third set is Trevan and Rydan, and the final set of twins are Koranen and Morganen. Morganen is the powerfullest of the 8, all trained mages.
This is Saber's story, He is the warrior of the 8. The eldest and leader of the Sons of Destiny. Kelly Doyle was spotted by Morg thru a type of looking glass and brought from our world to the Brother's world. So this is to start the Destiny as foretold.
I loved this book!! Just the interaction of all the brother's and Kelly is so funny in places. kelly is a redhead, well strawberry blond and has a temper to match. Saber is domineering and hardheaded to say the least. Just some of the things that are said and done really get you laughing, especially the way Kelly uses her training in Kung Fu over Dominor. It is well written and the characters are well developed. To me the author makes them feel "real". Can't wait till I can buy the next one in the series.
December 30, 2016
hmm, not as good as her sci fi. But not as bad as the first half of the book indicates. Overall, I'm mostly just highly amused that they end up saving the day with housework.
August 27, 2016
Review revisited - Reviewed for Romance Junkies in 2007...
The superstitious people of Katan exile eight brothers on Nightfall Isle. Afraid that the brothers' predicted curse will bring disaster to them all, their hope is to contain the brothers so their prophecy never becomes reality. However, restraining four sets of twin brothers with magical talents may be impossible. The youngest of the eight has a plan to break the number one rule. No contact with women!
His deed is noble, to save a woman from another realm who is about to be burned alive. Really, how much trouble can one woman possibly create?
Kelly Doyle finds herself in more of a mess than she could possibly dream up on her own. Waking in a strange world after what she assumed was a nightmare, only to find out she had been about to die a cruel death like those suspected of witchcraft, is enough to make anyone's hair stand on end! Then to land in a world full of male mages who disdain independent women, is quite over the top for this quiet medieval hobbyist.
Saber, the eldest of the brothers and the first brother prophesized, is horrified that his youngest brother broke the rules and tempted their fate. He's determined to find a way to put Kelly back where she belongs before she turns their castle inside out with her meddling. Can he resist the lure of the woman meant to be his destiny? He may not have a choice if magic and his libido have anything to do with it.
THE SWORD kicks off a paranormal adventure series that will appeal to fantasy and historical fans, plus time travel lovers as well. Each of the brothers has a special talent and even as twins, you can sense their distinct differences. I picked my favorite and I'm salivating for his story. Talk about one hot, dark, dangerous and mysterious mage! As with any group of brothers, there are some very funny moments while they adjust to a spunky modern woman in their magical midst.
Jean Johnson has created a mystical world of lessons taught, very much like the great folk tales we love to hear over and over. It's like 'Alice in Wonderland' meets the 'Knights of the Round Table' and you're never quite sure what's going to happen next. Delightful entertainment, THE SWORD left me wondering who's next and who will tame them! An enchanting tale with old world charm, THE SWORD will leave you dreaming of a sexy mage for yourself.
Reviewed by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies in 2007. Book provided by the publisher for an honest review.
The superstitious people of Katan exile eight brothers on Nightfall Isle. Afraid that the brothers' predicted curse will bring disaster to them all, their hope is to contain the brothers so their prophecy never becomes reality. However, restraining four sets of twin brothers with magical talents may be impossible. The youngest of the eight has a plan to break the number one rule. No contact with women!
His deed is noble, to save a woman from another realm who is about to be burned alive. Really, how much trouble can one woman possibly create?
Kelly Doyle finds herself in more of a mess than she could possibly dream up on her own. Waking in a strange world after what she assumed was a nightmare, only to find out she had been about to die a cruel death like those suspected of witchcraft, is enough to make anyone's hair stand on end! Then to land in a world full of male mages who disdain independent women, is quite over the top for this quiet medieval hobbyist.
Saber, the eldest of the brothers and the first brother prophesized, is horrified that his youngest brother broke the rules and tempted their fate. He's determined to find a way to put Kelly back where she belongs before she turns their castle inside out with her meddling. Can he resist the lure of the woman meant to be his destiny? He may not have a choice if magic and his libido have anything to do with it.
THE SWORD kicks off a paranormal adventure series that will appeal to fantasy and historical fans, plus time travel lovers as well. Each of the brothers has a special talent and even as twins, you can sense their distinct differences. I picked my favorite and I'm salivating for his story. Talk about one hot, dark, dangerous and mysterious mage! As with any group of brothers, there are some very funny moments while they adjust to a spunky modern woman in their magical midst.
Jean Johnson has created a mystical world of lessons taught, very much like the great folk tales we love to hear over and over. It's like 'Alice in Wonderland' meets the 'Knights of the Round Table' and you're never quite sure what's going to happen next. Delightful entertainment, THE SWORD left me wondering who's next and who will tame them! An enchanting tale with old world charm, THE SWORD will leave you dreaming of a sexy mage for yourself.
Reviewed by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies in 2007. Book provided by the publisher for an honest review.
February 19, 2015
I think the first 150 pages were great, but it got a bit boring, then picked up again. There were parts in here that had me laughing so hard I had tears streaming down my face! For instance, when Kelly is giving the brothers her rules? I about died laughing! It was a silly, fun read, very girl power...you have all these big tough males, and this little female (she calls herself their alpha female) pushes them around! It's great!
Quick summary: Kelly is from Earth, Saber and his 7 brothers live on a different planet. They were nobility, but were exiled because it is a superstitious and magical planet. They were born in 4 sets of twins, and very powerful mages, thus fulfilling a prophecy that should they fall in love, disaster will be brought forth, yadda yadda. Their world is similar to our Middle Ages...but with magic. Kelly is ripped from a house fire where she would have died, and brought to Saber due to his very powerful match-making little brother Morganen. Morg figures you canNOT escape destiny, so might as well try to control it. He's been watching women for his brothers for 3 years now so he can fit each with his true love.
What made this book a 3 rather than a 4 is that the lust between Saber and Kelly was real, very believable. But...the love? One day he's grunting and avoiding her, the next he's in love? I don't buy it. Plus, it felt a little too silly to feel too much emotion. it was cute, don't get me wrong, and I'll read the next book, because one of the brothers was taken in a sly tricksy move that I never saw coming. Plus, Kelly's one friend Hope seems to be Morg's destiny, and I like them.
On the whole, a quick, easy read.
December 28, 2011
I'm not sure if what I mention in this review would be spoilers to some people, so I'll just hide the entire thing to be safe.
Now, on to the review:
Firstly, I did not like Kelly. Her ranting on feminism really bugged me; not because I don't support feminist ideals, but because she preaches them like a radical pastor preaches Jesus.
The beginning was promising, in my opinion. Kelly was brash, but that was understandable considering her situation. Initially, I liked how she didn't roll over and play the distressed damsel. But as the book progressed (sometimes, verrrry slowly), her demeanor didn't change what-so-ever. She was still a bitch to Saber and many of his brothers, and her constant, talk of 'I'm a modern woman and can't live in such filth' and 'I'd love some women to speak to around here' (Which wouldn't have been so bad, if not for the way the author wrote this, making Kelly sound like the most arrogant cow I've ever encountered in a book thus far), made me feel that the sexism against females in this book (which, really, is not nearly as bad as some others I've read) was pretty much eclipsed by the discriminatory way in which Kelly treated men.
I read this book a while ago, and my dislike of Kelly's character is the only thing that has really stuck with me. Saber was at first a somewhat alpha male (again, not as bad as some of the ones I've read about in the past), but was gradually beaten down by Kelly's pig-headedness. It soon became apparent that Kelly wore the pants in that relationship. I assume the author was trying to make it appear that Saber was beginning to respect Kelly as an equal, so I'll cut her some slack for trying. But I believe a good relationship doesn't just mean that the female's thoughts and wants are considered, but the male's, also. That is what makes them EQUALS, which is basically why feminism came about in the first place; not so women could turn around and do to men what they'd previously done to women, thus making them hypocrites.
On a side note, wtf was with her taking charge and literally deciding that she will be the queen of the island? That arrogant, bossy, self-absorbed... GAHH, I really don't like her!
Anyway.
The book was slow in coming to the main conflict. At times, I didn't mind much because the dawdling wasn't painful. I have a feeling the author was in love with the world she'd created and wanted to incorporate as much of it as possible. Which is fine, because some of the world's aspects were fascinating (like those demonic spider things, and the water snakes, etc). However, it got to the point where I was annoyed at the lengthy descriptions and dialogue.
An example of this that stands out in my mind was the scene where the Anti-female invaders (which were obviously added just so Kelly could once again rant about how abominably the men throughout history have treated women) were trying to convince Kelly and the brothers that magic was not needed for one to be powerful (or something like that) and that machinery used by the invaders required them to stimulate their minds as well as their bodies. He asks Kelly (apparently in a smug, you-can't-be-smart-because-you-are-a-woman tone, and I did rather hate the asshole for it, so the author did manage to do that right) how she would lift a heavy stone bench without the aid of magic. Kelly then goes on a long tirade of the different inventions she could create that would lift the bench, and though I was impressed at first at her cleverness, after the third or fourth one I'm thinking, 'Okay. You're smart. We fucking get it already.'
I gave this book 3 stars because there were moments that I genuinely enjoyed. The spider invasion and Kelly's arrival to the magical world were two scenes I thought were very creative and fun to read. However, the overload of descriptions and the obnoxiousness that is Kelly among several other little things that I won't bother going into now, really distracted me from the positive aspects of this book.
Now, on to the review:
Firstly, I did not like Kelly. Her ranting on feminism really bugged me; not because I don't support feminist ideals, but because she preaches them like a radical pastor preaches Jesus.
The beginning was promising, in my opinion. Kelly was brash, but that was understandable considering her situation. Initially, I liked how she didn't roll over and play the distressed damsel. But as the book progressed (sometimes, verrrry slowly), her demeanor didn't change what-so-ever. She was still a bitch to Saber and many of his brothers, and her constant, talk of 'I'm a modern woman and can't live in such filth' and 'I'd love some women to speak to around here' (Which wouldn't have been so bad, if not for the way the author wrote this, making Kelly sound like the most arrogant cow I've ever encountered in a book thus far), made me feel that the sexism against females in this book (which, really, is not nearly as bad as some others I've read) was pretty much eclipsed by the discriminatory way in which Kelly treated men.
I read this book a while ago, and my dislike of Kelly's character is the only thing that has really stuck with me. Saber was at first a somewhat alpha male (again, not as bad as some of the ones I've read about in the past), but was gradually beaten down by Kelly's pig-headedness. It soon became apparent that Kelly wore the pants in that relationship. I assume the author was trying to make it appear that Saber was beginning to respect Kelly as an equal, so I'll cut her some slack for trying. But I believe a good relationship doesn't just mean that the female's thoughts and wants are considered, but the male's, also. That is what makes them EQUALS, which is basically why feminism came about in the first place; not so women could turn around and do to men what they'd previously done to women, thus making them hypocrites.
On a side note, wtf was with her taking charge and literally deciding that she will be the queen of the island? That arrogant, bossy, self-absorbed... GAHH, I really don't like her!
Anyway.
The book was slow in coming to the main conflict. At times, I didn't mind much because the dawdling wasn't painful. I have a feeling the author was in love with the world she'd created and wanted to incorporate as much of it as possible. Which is fine, because some of the world's aspects were fascinating (like those demonic spider things, and the water snakes, etc). However, it got to the point where I was annoyed at the lengthy descriptions and dialogue.
An example of this that stands out in my mind was the scene where the Anti-female invaders (which were obviously added just so Kelly could once again rant about how abominably the men throughout history have treated women) were trying to convince Kelly and the brothers that magic was not needed for one to be powerful (or something like that) and that machinery used by the invaders required them to stimulate their minds as well as their bodies. He asks Kelly (apparently in a smug, you-can't-be-smart-because-you-are-a-woman tone, and I did rather hate the asshole for it, so the author did manage to do that right) how she would lift a heavy stone bench without the aid of magic. Kelly then goes on a long tirade of the different inventions she could create that would lift the bench, and though I was impressed at first at her cleverness, after the third or fourth one I'm thinking, 'Okay. You're smart. We fucking get it already.'
I gave this book 3 stars because there were moments that I genuinely enjoyed. The spider invasion and Kelly's arrival to the magical world were two scenes I thought were very creative and fun to read. However, the overload of descriptions and the obnoxiousness that is Kelly among several other little things that I won't bother going into now, really distracted me from the positive aspects of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2016
The first of many books in the Sons of Destiny series, and I'm not sure if all of them are time-travel, but this one sure was. Found it to be mostly lighthearted, funny (at times), kinda silly most of the time. Probably a good idea to suspend all belief prior to reading. I didn't think the writing was all that great and felt the interaction between the main characters, Kelly Doyle and Saber of the Sword, was missing something.
It was odd that the main characters went from one extreme to the other all of a sudden. I was surprised and because of the fast contrast, it just didn't jive. I thought Kelly's bullying of the brothers into cleaning and her using her Kung-fu on these BIG men was ridiculous. Her rules and how she laid them out was stupid.
I did not get interested in the characters or story, but plugged along hoping I would. Didn't happen. I hovered just outside the story line and often found myself too tired to read anymore, so this book got put down a lot.
One scene was fairly hot, but the other intimate scenes were glossed over, so not sure how to rate this. PG13 other than the one scene.
It was odd that the main characters went from one extreme to the other all of a sudden. I was surprised and because of the fast contrast, it just didn't jive. I thought Kelly's bullying of the brothers into cleaning and her using her Kung-fu on these BIG men was ridiculous. Her rules and how she laid them out was stupid.
I did not get interested in the characters or story, but plugged along hoping I would. Didn't happen. I hovered just outside the story line and often found myself too tired to read anymore, so this book got put down a lot.
One scene was fairly hot, but the other intimate scenes were glossed over, so not sure how to rate this. PG13 other than the one scene.
December 17, 2008
Bad book! Heroine? Ick. Every single character was a moron and/or asshole.
Try this exercise, when the female character does something, imagine if it was a man doing the same thing. If it had been written that way it would *never* have been published. She is deeply unlikable, and for some bizarre reason I finished the entire book (secretly hoping she'd be killed?) and actually have the second in the series started (it's a book that stays in my car and I read when I don't even have a cereal box handy). My only defense is that I got them both VERY cheap from the bookstore bargain bin.
Try this exercise, when the female character does something, imagine if it was a man doing the same thing. If it had been written that way it would *never* have been published. She is deeply unlikable, and for some bizarre reason I finished the entire book (secretly hoping she'd be killed?) and actually have the second in the series started (it's a book that stays in my car and I read when I don't even have a cereal box handy). My only defense is that I got them both VERY cheap from the bookstore bargain bin.
February 11, 2021
I always forget how much I adore this series every time I go back and read it and it seems like there are many people out there who haven't. It's awesome, well planned, and beautifully written. Read it if you enjoy fantasy romance.
June 26, 2014
Originally Posted At My Blog: Addicted To Romance
3.5 Rating
The Eldest Son shall bear this weight:
If ever true love he should feel
Disaster shall come at her heel
And Katan will fail to aid
When Sword in sheath is claimed by Maid
Kelly Doyle has worked herself practically to the ground to make her shop survive, but when her neighbors assume she is a witch, they try to burn her house to the ground with her inside. But then she is saved by the youngest of the mage brothers who brings her into their realm, a island with eight men all brothers and all powerful in their magic, but cursed. Saber, the eldest of the brother, will do anything to protect himself and his brothers, at any cost. When a woman appears, he is furious, and what would he want with a feisty wildcat? But Saber and Kelly are destined and despite his determination, Saber can't resist falling in love with this one woman who has brought a order to their home they have never seen. Only with Kelly and the brothers working in unison, will they defeat the upcoming danger.
The Sword is the first installment in the series, and sets the stage for all the other books as well. This series is about eight brothers, each of them cursed, but will each have a woman of his own that matches him in every way. The Sword starts with the oldest brother, and as this is the first time reading this series, I really had no idea what to expect, however I really liked the basis for the story line and I felt like the characters were pretty well developed. The story sets off at a good pace, but then slows down until about halfway, and then you really get into it, and it picks up pace until the end. I only had one issue with this story, I never felt the love connection with this pair, even though I really wanted to. I felt like that despite the engaging personality of the story, it laked a romantic flair that would have made this story phenomenal. Having said that I do want to point how that I truly enjoyed this story and the way the plot thickens especially toward the end....it really surprised me.
This story has some very unique and strange elements, that when you put it all together, become a story of taste and style. I really liked the idea of this one woman taming the eight brothers to a point. It was such fun seeing her corral them into cleaning for her, and forcing them to be more than animals. They definitely need a woman's influence, and Kelly does a fantastic job of being forceful but still caring too. Now for Kelly and Saber....they like to fight, bicker, argue, and yell. But once you get past the tough exterior of their personalities, you see how they really are wonderful together. There isn't much heat in the book, but there are a few scenes that are sensual and yet playful too.
Overall a charming, warm and a entertaining tale of fantasy, romance, brotherhood, and magic. ENCHANTING!!
3.5 Rating
The Eldest Son shall bear this weight:
If ever true love he should feel
Disaster shall come at her heel
And Katan will fail to aid
When Sword in sheath is claimed by Maid
Kelly Doyle has worked herself practically to the ground to make her shop survive, but when her neighbors assume she is a witch, they try to burn her house to the ground with her inside. But then she is saved by the youngest of the mage brothers who brings her into their realm, a island with eight men all brothers and all powerful in their magic, but cursed. Saber, the eldest of the brother, will do anything to protect himself and his brothers, at any cost. When a woman appears, he is furious, and what would he want with a feisty wildcat? But Saber and Kelly are destined and despite his determination, Saber can't resist falling in love with this one woman who has brought a order to their home they have never seen. Only with Kelly and the brothers working in unison, will they defeat the upcoming danger.
The Sword is the first installment in the series, and sets the stage for all the other books as well. This series is about eight brothers, each of them cursed, but will each have a woman of his own that matches him in every way. The Sword starts with the oldest brother, and as this is the first time reading this series, I really had no idea what to expect, however I really liked the basis for the story line and I felt like the characters were pretty well developed. The story sets off at a good pace, but then slows down until about halfway, and then you really get into it, and it picks up pace until the end. I only had one issue with this story, I never felt the love connection with this pair, even though I really wanted to. I felt like that despite the engaging personality of the story, it laked a romantic flair that would have made this story phenomenal. Having said that I do want to point how that I truly enjoyed this story and the way the plot thickens especially toward the end....it really surprised me.
This story has some very unique and strange elements, that when you put it all together, become a story of taste and style. I really liked the idea of this one woman taming the eight brothers to a point. It was such fun seeing her corral them into cleaning for her, and forcing them to be more than animals. They definitely need a woman's influence, and Kelly does a fantastic job of being forceful but still caring too. Now for Kelly and Saber....they like to fight, bicker, argue, and yell. But once you get past the tough exterior of their personalities, you see how they really are wonderful together. There isn't much heat in the book, but there are a few scenes that are sensual and yet playful too.
Overall a charming, warm and a entertaining tale of fantasy, romance, brotherhood, and magic. ENCHANTING!!
June 3, 2017
I'll be honest. I gave this book three stars not because of the quality of the actual book but because i'm sucker. Firstly, the protagonist (Kelly) loves sewing and so do I and I'm a sucker for people who share my interests. And secondly, there's abs on the cover and I'm a sucker for abs.
As to the actual quality of the Sword, it's not great. Here's why.
-the guy's name is Saber. That's almost as bad as that book where the town is called Climax.
-Kelly's personality is that of a hag. Granted, she has a difficult past involving attempted immolation by witch hunters. But that doesn't excuse the way she blatantly bullies her new hosts, Saber's brothers, into cleaning the house they're graciously letting her stay in. When one of them refuses to follow her orders, she forces him into submission by throwing him to the ground and grinding her foot into his face. Now I'm all for women power but that's just plain rude. The author tries to play Kelly off as "strong and feisty" but I'm not buying it. There's a difference between standing up for oneself and putting others down.
-Jean Johnson spends a lot of time in the book just up the premises for the rest of the books in the series (somewhat unrelated books involving the love lives of Saber's seven other brothers). I wished she'd focused on the story at hand.
-Perhaps because the author wasn't entirely focused on the Sword's own plot when writing it, the romance doesn't flow naturally. One moment, Kelly and Saber are fighting verbally and physically at every opportunity, the next they're naked in a bathtub together and planning their wedding. Saber himself says something along the lines of, "I don't know when/how I fell in love with her", and I was like, "Yeah, me neither, Saber! How'd you manage that?!" Overall I was missing the process of falling love between them.
One thing I did enjoy about the Sword was the world building. Jean Johnson explains it slowly so I could sympathize with Kelly's confusion and wonder about the strange medieval-like world she landed in. I especially liked the mekha-whatever man-eating spider monster, very original.
So, for reasons mentioned above, 3 stars.
As to the actual quality of the Sword, it's not great. Here's why.
-the guy's name is Saber. That's almost as bad as that book where the town is called Climax.
-Kelly's personality is that of a hag. Granted, she has a difficult past involving attempted immolation by witch hunters. But that doesn't excuse the way she blatantly bullies her new hosts, Saber's brothers, into cleaning the house they're graciously letting her stay in. When one of them refuses to follow her orders, she forces him into submission by throwing him to the ground and grinding her foot into his face. Now I'm all for women power but that's just plain rude. The author tries to play Kelly off as "strong and feisty" but I'm not buying it. There's a difference between standing up for oneself and putting others down.
-Jean Johnson spends a lot of time in the book just up the premises for the rest of the books in the series (somewhat unrelated books involving the love lives of Saber's seven other brothers). I wished she'd focused on the story at hand.
-Perhaps because the author wasn't entirely focused on the Sword's own plot when writing it, the romance doesn't flow naturally. One moment, Kelly and Saber are fighting verbally and physically at every opportunity, the next they're naked in a bathtub together and planning their wedding. Saber himself says something along the lines of, "I don't know when/how I fell in love with her", and I was like, "Yeah, me neither, Saber! How'd you manage that?!" Overall I was missing the process of falling love between them.
One thing I did enjoy about the Sword was the world building. Jean Johnson explains it slowly so I could sympathize with Kelly's confusion and wonder about the strange medieval-like world she landed in. I especially liked the mekha-whatever man-eating spider monster, very original.
So, for reasons mentioned above, 3 stars.
July 15, 2009
A great start to the series. This story is about Saber and Kelly. Saber, well, he's really not my type, but I love these books because there are so many other brothers to chose from. Kelly, slightly insane and demented, especially nearing the end with the pages of feminist dialogue. Definitely had to skip through that. Otherwise, I like the pacing and story premise. I am actually looking forward to read Dominor's story more that Wolfer's but I'm the type to read stuff in order, just for a cohesive plot.
This is definitely a fun read. There is nothing serious here. It's a mix of YA fantasy with sex scenes. The humor has its highlights, though Kelly is a little demented sometimes and says the darndest things. I don't hate her, she's just kinda...weird. Like her character is part-bitch, part-quirky, part-genius. Considering her background, she's a little too much of an elixir of knowledge of modern technology and world cultures, another odd thing. Bra-making, Guns, cars, levers and physics. Mostly, its her demanding character that gets me. And that feminist triad. Saber is definitely not an Alpha, though he pretends to be.
This is definitely a fun read. There is nothing serious here. It's a mix of YA fantasy with sex scenes. The humor has its highlights, though Kelly is a little demented sometimes and says the darndest things. I don't hate her, she's just kinda...weird. Like her character is part-bitch, part-quirky, part-genius. Considering her background, she's a little too much of an elixir of knowledge of modern technology and world cultures, another odd thing. Bra-making, Guns, cars, levers and physics. Mostly, its her demanding character that gets me. And that feminist triad. Saber is definitely not an Alpha, though he pretends to be.
July 4, 2013
The books are about four sets of male twins, all mages, all with their own specific powers. A thousand years ago, the most powerful Seeer of them all, predicted their birth, and if they ever find their mates, a big disaster will befall Katan. So their fellow mages from the mage council have exiled them to Nightfall Isle. There is an enormous castle on the island, and an ancient water purifying plant, running on magic, so there is enough clean water for them. They do grow some of their own food, and hunt animals, but they also get provisions twice a month, in exchange for the magical objects they produce themselves. Of course, it is forbidden for any woman to go to Nightfall Island. Each brother has his own book, but the overall story arc continues, which is why I would recommend reading this series in order.
The first book is about Saber, the Sword, the oldest brother. He is the leader and protector of his younger brothers. But it is the youngest brother, Morganen, who is also the most powerful amongst them, who got the job of matchmaker. Otherwise, his brothers would be content to live their lives in exile without any women around them, as they don’t want to be responsible of the Disaster that will follow. Imagine a realm where most things technical we know, is done by magic. Mage specific magic, and also objects someone without any magic can use.
Morganen has been searching for a suitable wife for Saber, and he has found 5 potential women in all the worlds. But when he spots Kelly Doyle on the brink of being burned to death by bigoted Midwestern men, he rescues her by yanking her through the mirror Portal to his workroom. Badly burned and unconscious, the seventh brother, Koranen, heals her. Fire is his specific power.
Kelly has had a miserable decade. After her parents died, she was alone in the world, and almost penniless. Then she got a great job offer, and had to leave her friends behind to move to the Midwest. When the company that hired her, went bankrupt, she had to find some other way to support herself, and at first it went fine. She has always loved sewing and embroidery and lace making, and likes to join the Medieval Society, re-enacting history. But some bigots in town think she is a witch, and they have been harassing her, driving away her customers. So she is on the brink of starvation, and the harassment is just getting worse and worse, and the sheriff will do nothing about it.
And just when she thinks she will die in her own bedroom, when her house is set on fire with her inside of it, she is yanked out of it, and to this strange magical dimension. Filled with 8 gorgeous men. But she will not be treated as inferior, or a prisoner, she demands civility and a clean castle. Nor will she be a free loader, she will work for her food and lodgings, and so she starts repairing their clothes. Saber is very much against her presence on Nightfall Island, but when Morganen tells him it will take him 5 months before he can put Kelly safely back on her own planet, he just has to get used to her presence. And as he insists on being the one to take care of her, to prevent his brothers to fall in love with her, they are often together. And of course one thing leads to another.
There is also the danger of regular invasions of deadly animals in the castle. The brothers have an unknown enemy who wants to kill them all, but so far they managed to stay alive and kill all the beasts. Still, Kelly has no magic to defend herself with, and one day both she and Saber get poisoned by water snakes, and need to spend a lot of hours immersed in a bath tub. And that means they have a lot of time to talk about themselves and get to know each other and their customs. Saber is fighting his falling in love with Kelly, but when she points out another explanation to his verse in the prophecy, it might not be all that bad …
I liked Kelly, she is strong and capable, and thanks to her love for history and all things fabric related, she knows how to survive in something medieval, but with magic. Still, she comes across as very feministic, wanting to be the equal to the brothers, even taking the position of Queen of Nightfall, claiming their independence of Katan. I did enjoy how she made them clean the castle (by magic mostly), as it was really filthy, but men just don’t care much for cleaning. She was technically a virgin, but certainly not an innocent. And she wanted to act on her attraction to Saber.
Saber was not pleased with a woman in his castle, and he wanted her gone as soon as possible. But he is also a gentleman enough to want to take care of her, make her eat more, and give her whatever she wants. His yelling and roaring was fun, as Kelly just outsmarted him by talking logically when necessary. She had a fresh look on things, and that was needed on Nightfall Island. The romance between them is believable and steamy.
I also liked Morganen a lot, the youngest brother, called The Mage, as he is the strongest one. He is a meddler, and he knows and sees much more than he tells the others. The other brothers are also great secondary characters, all so very different from each other.
I did enjoy all the kinds of magic and magical objects in this book, the characters you can easily fall for, well, except for Dominor perhaps, the third brother. There is humor and action, some danger and scary beasties, but also some hot love scenes.
The Eldest Son shall bear this weight:
If ever true love he should feel
Disaster shall come at her heel
And Katan will fail to aid
When Sword in sheath is claimed by Maid
9 stars.
Full review on my blog, www.boeklogboek.blogspot.com
The first book is about Saber, the Sword, the oldest brother. He is the leader and protector of his younger brothers. But it is the youngest brother, Morganen, who is also the most powerful amongst them, who got the job of matchmaker. Otherwise, his brothers would be content to live their lives in exile without any women around them, as they don’t want to be responsible of the Disaster that will follow. Imagine a realm where most things technical we know, is done by magic. Mage specific magic, and also objects someone without any magic can use.
Morganen has been searching for a suitable wife for Saber, and he has found 5 potential women in all the worlds. But when he spots Kelly Doyle on the brink of being burned to death by bigoted Midwestern men, he rescues her by yanking her through the mirror Portal to his workroom. Badly burned and unconscious, the seventh brother, Koranen, heals her. Fire is his specific power.
Kelly has had a miserable decade. After her parents died, she was alone in the world, and almost penniless. Then she got a great job offer, and had to leave her friends behind to move to the Midwest. When the company that hired her, went bankrupt, she had to find some other way to support herself, and at first it went fine. She has always loved sewing and embroidery and lace making, and likes to join the Medieval Society, re-enacting history. But some bigots in town think she is a witch, and they have been harassing her, driving away her customers. So she is on the brink of starvation, and the harassment is just getting worse and worse, and the sheriff will do nothing about it.
And just when she thinks she will die in her own bedroom, when her house is set on fire with her inside of it, she is yanked out of it, and to this strange magical dimension. Filled with 8 gorgeous men. But she will not be treated as inferior, or a prisoner, she demands civility and a clean castle. Nor will she be a free loader, she will work for her food and lodgings, and so she starts repairing their clothes. Saber is very much against her presence on Nightfall Island, but when Morganen tells him it will take him 5 months before he can put Kelly safely back on her own planet, he just has to get used to her presence. And as he insists on being the one to take care of her, to prevent his brothers to fall in love with her, they are often together. And of course one thing leads to another.
There is also the danger of regular invasions of deadly animals in the castle. The brothers have an unknown enemy who wants to kill them all, but so far they managed to stay alive and kill all the beasts. Still, Kelly has no magic to defend herself with, and one day both she and Saber get poisoned by water snakes, and need to spend a lot of hours immersed in a bath tub. And that means they have a lot of time to talk about themselves and get to know each other and their customs. Saber is fighting his falling in love with Kelly, but when she points out another explanation to his verse in the prophecy, it might not be all that bad …
I liked Kelly, she is strong and capable, and thanks to her love for history and all things fabric related, she knows how to survive in something medieval, but with magic. Still, she comes across as very feministic, wanting to be the equal to the brothers, even taking the position of Queen of Nightfall, claiming their independence of Katan. I did enjoy how she made them clean the castle (by magic mostly), as it was really filthy, but men just don’t care much for cleaning. She was technically a virgin, but certainly not an innocent. And she wanted to act on her attraction to Saber.
Saber was not pleased with a woman in his castle, and he wanted her gone as soon as possible. But he is also a gentleman enough to want to take care of her, make her eat more, and give her whatever she wants. His yelling and roaring was fun, as Kelly just outsmarted him by talking logically when necessary. She had a fresh look on things, and that was needed on Nightfall Island. The romance between them is believable and steamy.
I also liked Morganen a lot, the youngest brother, called The Mage, as he is the strongest one. He is a meddler, and he knows and sees much more than he tells the others. The other brothers are also great secondary characters, all so very different from each other.
I did enjoy all the kinds of magic and magical objects in this book, the characters you can easily fall for, well, except for Dominor perhaps, the third brother. There is humor and action, some danger and scary beasties, but also some hot love scenes.
The Eldest Son shall bear this weight:
If ever true love he should feel
Disaster shall come at her heel
And Katan will fail to aid
When Sword in sheath is claimed by Maid
9 stars.
© 2013 Reviews by Aurian
Full review on my blog, www.boeklogboek.blogspot.com
November 3, 2019
Way too descriptive for me. At times it reminded me of the beginning of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers! That part was hilarious ^_^
The finale was inventive but since I was expecting something related to the main issue of the brothers, it was a bit strange. Not a direction I expected this story to take!
Entertaining though :)
The finale was inventive but since I was expecting something related to the main issue of the brothers, it was a bit strange. Not a direction I expected this story to take!
Entertaining though :)
Want to read
July 4, 2023so sick of the shirtless men agenda…
January 29, 2010
I was disappointed that this book was just an okay read for me, especially since I've collected the first 5 in this series... My problem with this book is the same problem I have with a lot of paranormal romances. There's hardly any romance! The hero and heroine think eachother are hot, think lustful thoughts about eachother, and BAM - that somehow means they are in love! In this book the heroine spends the vast majority of her time with the hero's brothers during the first half of the book (the hero avoids her), hardly talks to the hero at all, but decides he's the one she wants with no good reason given to us by the author except for the fact that it is their "destiny." There's none of the relationship development that I like to read about when I read a ROMANCE novel. And then after the two get together the author creates her romantic tension by making the heroine not admit she loves the hero until the last pages of the book...her reason? Well, she loved him pretty much right away but wasn't in love with him. Then she wasn't sure it was true love. But by this point she had already married him...she just won't say "I love you" to him when he says it to her. Honestly, this just made me roll my eyes.
This is why I prefer to read about the paranormal/supernatural in urban fantasy rather than in paranormal romance. Far less eye-rolling. Not to mention I've found that relationship development in urban fantasy to be far more interesting than in paranormal romance, usually. For some reason Lust = Love far too often in paranormal romance.
This is why I prefer to read about the paranormal/supernatural in urban fantasy rather than in paranormal romance. Far less eye-rolling. Not to mention I've found that relationship development in urban fantasy to be far more interesting than in paranormal romance, usually. For some reason Lust = Love far too often in paranormal romance.
February 23, 2017
Plot: 4/5
Characterisation: 3/5
Prose: 3.5/5
How much I enjoyed it: 3/5
Re-reading one of my favourite series. Although this book is certainly not one of my favourites, there's a lot of important backstory to the series in it.
Characterisation: 3/5
Prose: 3.5/5
How much I enjoyed it: 3/5
Re-reading one of my favourite series. Although this book is certainly not one of my favourites, there's a lot of important backstory to the series in it.
October 4, 2009
Really, really good book. This series definitely has promise. Not only did I like Saber, but his brothers also got a fair amount of coverage in the book as well. I liked Kelly a little better at the end than in the beginning. she did this bossy take-over thing with the brothers early on. It was major presumptuous and totally set me off of her. I think she could have gone about it better. She didn't make me hate her but I can understand those that did. The plot line is good and interesting. It was a bit confusing at first, as if I should have already known about the curse. Once I found the foretelling by the Seer in the back of the book it made a bit more sense.
This series is of eight brothers, who happen to be 4 sets of twins, who had been foretold by a Seer to each have a specific Destiny involving meeting their future loves. They were exhiled to an island because the first son's destiny involves a disaster that the citizen's fear. So for 3 years the brothers live together, just the 8 of them on an island known as Nightfall, in hopes of avoiding their destined fates. Well, SOME of the brothers want to avoid destiny...
Off to the next!
This series is of eight brothers, who happen to be 4 sets of twins, who had been foretold by a Seer to each have a specific Destiny involving meeting their future loves. They were exhiled to an island because the first son's destiny involves a disaster that the citizen's fear. So for 3 years the brothers live together, just the 8 of them on an island known as Nightfall, in hopes of avoiding their destined fates. Well, SOME of the brothers want to avoid destiny...
Off to the next!
April 25, 2011
"The Eldest Son shall bear this weight;
If ever true love he should feel
Disaster shall come at her heel
And Katan will fail to aid
When Sword in sheath is claimed by Maid"
Eldest son, Saber, has been avoiding women due to the verses of his song. Kelly from earth is pulled into his realm as she was being burned to death by arsonists. There is no avoiding destiny and fate even when eight brothers were exiled by their kingdom to avoid disaterous songs predicted by a powerful Seer.
This book was fun, hot and more on the lighthearted romance then the deep emotional, epic read. The honeymoon scene was so hot, I can't help but think...this is what I was hoping for for Edward and Bella, lol.
I like Kelly, modern-kungfu-independent-medieval historian. For someone who never experienced love, soon she found herself protecting eight men and outsmarted bullies using her brain...and force when she needed too. I love the brothers and how Kelly's getting along them, not at first but she won their hearts, especially after enforced Dom the 'eat dirt' move.
If ever true love he should feel
Disaster shall come at her heel
And Katan will fail to aid
When Sword in sheath is claimed by Maid"
Eldest son, Saber, has been avoiding women due to the verses of his song. Kelly from earth is pulled into his realm as she was being burned to death by arsonists. There is no avoiding destiny and fate even when eight brothers were exiled by their kingdom to avoid disaterous songs predicted by a powerful Seer.
This book was fun, hot and more on the lighthearted romance then the deep emotional, epic read. The honeymoon scene was so hot, I can't help but think...this is what I was hoping for for Edward and Bella, lol.
I like Kelly, modern-kungfu-independent-medieval historian. For someone who never experienced love, soon she found herself protecting eight men and outsmarted bullies using her brain...and force when she needed too. I love the brothers and how Kelly's getting along them, not at first but she won their hearts, especially after enforced Dom the 'eat dirt' move.
May 6, 2011
This was the first book to an 8 book series. We meet and learn all about this universe Ms. Johnson has created. If I may say so, wow! What a universe, I personally loved diving into Katani culture and learning about all the brothers.
However because this is the first book, you may feel confused because there are so many brothers. 8 - get it? However if you reread you'll get them down in no times.
Now Sabar is a true man's man. Mister Hey I'm in Charge. Too bad his lovley woman Kelly is the same way. And guess who wins that mind battle? The chick!
My favorite parts of this book is when Kelly makes Dominor eat dirt, and the water snakes! I also enjoy the Kelly, who is from our perspective of reality, trying to learn to fit into Sabers world of Mage's, prophesies and oh so much more!
Don't under estrimate this series. Its got it all, romance, mystery, travel, magic, destiny and prophecy!
However because this is the first book, you may feel confused because there are so many brothers. 8 - get it? However if you reread you'll get them down in no times.
Now Sabar is a true man's man. Mister Hey I'm in Charge. Too bad his lovley woman Kelly is the same way. And guess who wins that mind battle? The chick!
My favorite parts of this book is when Kelly makes Dominor eat dirt, and the water snakes! I also enjoy the Kelly, who is from our perspective of reality, trying to learn to fit into Sabers world of Mage's, prophesies and oh so much more!
Don't under estrimate this series. Its got it all, romance, mystery, travel, magic, destiny and prophecy!
February 16, 2016
A curse of Nightfall.
As soon as I read the description of the book I knew I have to read this book. It falls into the category I usually like that is Fantasy romance.
I enjoyed reading the entire book. There were few situation where I wished the author could have done better but still it was good. The curses of the foreign world was really very foreign and sometimes it just crepped me out. I usually don't hear curses in the fantasy world which is more or less like a medival period so reading them was a bit of odd. I would have liked it way better without them.
The characters of the book were amazing. I liked every one of them.
The blend of our world into the other world was very much interesting especially when Kelly tried to explain them to the others.
I am looking forward to read the rest of the series.
As soon as I read the description of the book I knew I have to read this book. It falls into the category I usually like that is Fantasy romance.
I enjoyed reading the entire book. There were few situation where I wished the author could have done better but still it was good. The curses of the foreign world was really very foreign and sometimes it just crepped me out. I usually don't hear curses in the fantasy world which is more or less like a medival period so reading them was a bit of odd. I would have liked it way better without them.
The characters of the book were amazing. I liked every one of them.
The blend of our world into the other world was very much interesting especially when Kelly tried to explain them to the others.
I am looking forward to read the rest of the series.
January 26, 2016
I got such a kick out of this book. This is not a serious book at all. In fact I laughed through a large portion of it. I am so glad that I finally read it. I kept putting it off , what a dummy. I really need to get the next one. This kinda reminded me of L.O.U,By G.S. ... Remember I said kinda. They are mange. But they live in a castle alone. No women. Each have abilities and are unique. Each crack me up too. Oh and they aren't from here, they are in another demention (universe or whatever)... Kinda live old school. lol
August 4, 2010
I've actually read almost all of the books in this series because I thought that they would be really good, but, I didn't love them...The background stories were good and the whole concept of each story telling the situation of a different brother per book...But, I don't know something just didn't make me say like oh yes! I love this series! It's cool and others who like a little magic and some steamy sex scenes may enjoy it, this is only my personal opinion...There's definately enough testoserone to go around with these brothers for sure....
May 30, 2015
This book is a rollicking good read. Excitement, adventure, romance, and a thoroughly satisfying ending. If you like strong heroines, magic, exta-dimensional travel, and seeing justice prevail, this is a book I highly recommend. Chock full of wit, snappy repartee, and hunkalicious hotties, The Sword lives up to every bit of hype written about it while delivering a unabashedly enjoyable break from the hum-drum of the everyday. This is my...oh, sixth or seventh reading of this series, and each time I only enjoy the books more.
March 11, 2008
I really enjoyed this book. 8 exiled brothers and a prophecy. This is the story of the oldest brother and Kelly, a woman from another world. His Destiny. Her new life. Fast paced and fun paranormal
December 21, 2010
Sweet book. Kelly Doyle is saved from an arsonist by being plucked into an alternate universe and then falls in love with the oldest brother. Sometimes she got on my nerves but overall this was a cute story. I'm planning on reading the second book.
April 11, 2023
Read this before GR era, so I rated this just by what I feel after I finish read :')
July 6, 2017
1st Read: Mar 2011
Reread: Dec 2016
Reread: Dec 2016
May 24, 2015
Did not like Kelly. Liked all the dudes. But Kelly i would have dropped a house on. Ugh. Sorry to hear she pops up in the other books, like a weed.
dnf
March 13, 2016RATING: DNF @45% :(
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