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Celta's Heartmates #6
Heart Dance
DuFleur Thyme is a scientist who's secretly experimenting with time. She'll allow no distractions from her work-not even from a HeartMate. Meanwhile, Saille T'Willow has sent his HeartGift out into the world in hopes of finding his HeartMate, who, it turns out, is DuFleur. Still, DuFleur wants nothing to do with Saille, especially when she discovers that it was his grandmother who brought about her father's ruin. Unfortunately, her body can't help but submit to the passion he stirs in her. But when a scandal threatens Saille's position as head of the family, will DuFleur stand by his side?
367 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2007
28 people are currently reading
615 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
April 15, 2017
I just did a reread of this book---I have read it more than 4 times.
I love the world of Celta. This book is a treasure of a heroine who everyone thinks of as plain but who is a great power. I love that she isn't always likable but so loyal.
The hero is wonderful as he wants his love. His pursuit is lovely.
There is so much healing an finding of value in Robin Owen's work which is balanced with the charm of talking cats and really moving love stories.
A great book especially if you love a best hero with a will of iron.
I love the world of Celta. This book is a treasure of a heroine who everyone thinks of as plain but who is a great power. I love that she isn't always likable but so loyal.
The hero is wonderful as he wants his love. His pursuit is lovely.
There is so much healing an finding of value in Robin Owen's work which is balanced with the charm of talking cats and really moving love stories.
A great book especially if you love a best hero with a will of iron.
July 3, 2020
[This is an old review I'm just now adding to GR.]
In Heart Quest , Saille T'Willow gave his HeartGift to Trif so that she could deposit it in a public area. The HeartGift got picked up by a variety of people before finally finding its way to Saille's HeartMate, Dufleur Thyme. Unfortunately, the timing was awful, and the sudden fluctuation in Dufleur's Flair brought her to the attention of a group of people who were ritually killing people with unstable Flair. She almost died.
This book continues Saille and Dufleur's story. Saille now knows who his HeartMate is and hopes to pursue Dufleur more openly. First, though, he has to wait for her to officially accept his HeartGift (or at least keep it in her possession for long enough to satisfy society and the legal system). The problem? She keeps throwing it out or locking it up. Dufleur wants nothing to do with HeartMates and love. All she cares about is her work. Although her beloved father blew himself and the Thyme Residence up while conducting his time-related experiments, Dufleur remains convinced that his experiments weren't dangerous. In an effort to clear her father's name, she illegally uses her Flair to continue her father's research and prove the usefulness of his work.
Saille has more hurdles to overcome than just Dufleur's unwillingness to accept his HeartGift. First, there's his discovery that his grandmother, the previous D'Willow, was so determined to keep him from taking over as the new head of the Family that she spent years matching couples even though her matchmaking Flair no longer worked. If this information gets out, it could ruin the Family. Second, there's the fact that D'Willow is technically still alive, held in stasis until a cure can be found for the disease that's killing her. If she's ever cured, it's guaranteed that she'll try to take over as head of the Willows again.
I liked both Dufleur and Saille well enough in the previous book. The reasoning behind Saille's decision to send his HeartGift out made sense. I didn't think the implications through, though, until I began reading this book.
Okay, so in Heart Quest, Ilex's HeartGift didn't make an appearance until the end of the book, after he and Trif became friends and then lovers. Heart Dance flipped things around so that the relationship began with the HeartGift, and I loathed it. You have to understand, HeartGifts are basically little lust bombs. A person who is near their HeartMate's unshielded HeartGift finds themselves suddenly overwhelmed by lust. They mentally connect with their HeartMate for a bout of what is basically dream sex. Public orgasms are a possibility. And Saille sent his HeartGift out so that his HeartMate could potentially stumble across it anywhere. In addition to that, after Dufleur was attacked in Heart Quest, Saille's HeartGift was retrieved and he was given the option of taking it back. Since his HeartMate had been revealed to him, it wasn't strictly necessary to send it out again, but he did it anyway. So she could potentially stumble across it anywhere, again. Like I said, the implications didn't really hit me until I started reading Heart Dance.
Saille kept emphasizing that he wanted to be strictly ethical in his pursuit and courtship of Dufleur, but it was such a lie. There was even a scene in which he checked the rules about HeartGifts to see if there was anything he could take advantage of, in order to pressure Dufleur into accepting and marrying him.
I wanted Dufleur to be angrier, more forceful in her rejection of Saille's HeartGift, because he quite frankly deserved it. I wanted Saille to realize that what he'd done and thought of doing was wrong. If he had to be the other half of this couple, I wanted him to at least do some serious groveling. Sadly, I instead got a story in which, near the end, Dufleur was considered the one who had done the most harm and the one who had to grovel.
For people who were supposed to be HeartMates, Dufleur and Saille were incredibly badly matched. They spent most of the book hurting each other and hiding important information from each other. Dufleur didn't tell Saille her suspicions about her father's death, and Saille didn't tell Dufleur about D'Willow matching couples even though she'd lost her Flair. They only seemed to do well together in bed, and even that was questionable due to the influence of Saille's HeartGift.
On the plus side, I was mildly interested in the mystery of what really happened the night Dufleur's father died, and the developments involving Dufleur's Flair kept my attention. The scene with the remnants of the Thyme Residence was wonderful, but then I'm partial to anything involving the Residences. Also, Fairyfoot, Dufleur's Fam, was delightfully clever in her greediness. If only she hadn't been such a terrible Fam, betraying Dufleur to Saille because she wanted to live in Saille's Residence.
I have two unread books in this series. I had thought I could power through all my Celta books in one go, but Heart Dance has significantly reduced my enthusiasm. Heart Change will have to wait. I will say this: Heart Dance made me even happier that I never bought Heart Fate, Tinne Holly's book. I can't imagine how it could be anything but unpleasant.
Extras:
- A list of characters
- The Holly/Blackthorn family tree
- A map of Celta
Rating Note:
I had been considering giving this 2 stars until Owens set things up so that Dufleur had to apologize to Saille. The HeartGifts being invoked a few more times didn't help. They were such ordinary objects that I couldn't help but laugh during what was supposed to be two very emotional moments. Why are some HeartGifts useful objects when they render HeartMates completely useless?
(Original review, including read-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
In Heart Quest , Saille T'Willow gave his HeartGift to Trif so that she could deposit it in a public area. The HeartGift got picked up by a variety of people before finally finding its way to Saille's HeartMate, Dufleur Thyme. Unfortunately, the timing was awful, and the sudden fluctuation in Dufleur's Flair brought her to the attention of a group of people who were ritually killing people with unstable Flair. She almost died.
This book continues Saille and Dufleur's story. Saille now knows who his HeartMate is and hopes to pursue Dufleur more openly. First, though, he has to wait for her to officially accept his HeartGift (or at least keep it in her possession for long enough to satisfy society and the legal system). The problem? She keeps throwing it out or locking it up. Dufleur wants nothing to do with HeartMates and love. All she cares about is her work. Although her beloved father blew himself and the Thyme Residence up while conducting his time-related experiments, Dufleur remains convinced that his experiments weren't dangerous. In an effort to clear her father's name, she illegally uses her Flair to continue her father's research and prove the usefulness of his work.
Saille has more hurdles to overcome than just Dufleur's unwillingness to accept his HeartGift. First, there's his discovery that his grandmother, the previous D'Willow, was so determined to keep him from taking over as the new head of the Family that she spent years matching couples even though her matchmaking Flair no longer worked. If this information gets out, it could ruin the Family. Second, there's the fact that D'Willow is technically still alive, held in stasis until a cure can be found for the disease that's killing her. If she's ever cured, it's guaranteed that she'll try to take over as head of the Willows again.
I liked both Dufleur and Saille well enough in the previous book. The reasoning behind Saille's decision to send his HeartGift out made sense. I didn't think the implications through, though, until I began reading this book.
Okay, so in Heart Quest, Ilex's HeartGift didn't make an appearance until the end of the book, after he and Trif became friends and then lovers. Heart Dance flipped things around so that the relationship began with the HeartGift, and I loathed it. You have to understand, HeartGifts are basically little lust bombs. A person who is near their HeartMate's unshielded HeartGift finds themselves suddenly overwhelmed by lust. They mentally connect with their HeartMate for a bout of what is basically dream sex. Public orgasms are a possibility. And Saille sent his HeartGift out so that his HeartMate could potentially stumble across it anywhere. In addition to that, after Dufleur was attacked in Heart Quest, Saille's HeartGift was retrieved and he was given the option of taking it back. Since his HeartMate had been revealed to him, it wasn't strictly necessary to send it out again, but he did it anyway. So she could potentially stumble across it anywhere, again. Like I said, the implications didn't really hit me until I started reading Heart Dance.
Saille kept emphasizing that he wanted to be strictly ethical in his pursuit and courtship of Dufleur, but it was such a lie. There was even a scene in which he checked the rules about HeartGifts to see if there was anything he could take advantage of, in order to pressure Dufleur into accepting and marrying him.
I wanted Dufleur to be angrier, more forceful in her rejection of Saille's HeartGift, because he quite frankly deserved it. I wanted Saille to realize that what he'd done and thought of doing was wrong. If he had to be the other half of this couple, I wanted him to at least do some serious groveling. Sadly, I instead got a story in which, near the end, Dufleur was considered the one who had done the most harm and the one who had to grovel.
For people who were supposed to be HeartMates, Dufleur and Saille were incredibly badly matched. They spent most of the book hurting each other and hiding important information from each other. Dufleur didn't tell Saille her suspicions about her father's death, and Saille didn't tell Dufleur about D'Willow matching couples even though she'd lost her Flair. They only seemed to do well together in bed, and even that was questionable due to the influence of Saille's HeartGift.
On the plus side, I was mildly interested in the mystery of what really happened the night Dufleur's father died, and the developments involving Dufleur's Flair kept my attention. The scene with the remnants of the Thyme Residence was wonderful, but then I'm partial to anything involving the Residences. Also, Fairyfoot, Dufleur's Fam, was delightfully clever in her greediness. If only she hadn't been such a terrible Fam, betraying Dufleur to Saille because she wanted to live in Saille's Residence.
I have two unread books in this series. I had thought I could power through all my Celta books in one go, but Heart Dance has significantly reduced my enthusiasm. Heart Change will have to wait. I will say this: Heart Dance made me even happier that I never bought Heart Fate, Tinne Holly's book. I can't imagine how it could be anything but unpleasant.
Extras:
- A list of characters
- The Holly/Blackthorn family tree
- A map of Celta
Rating Note:
I had been considering giving this 2 stars until Owens set things up so that Dufleur had to apologize to Saille. The HeartGifts being invoked a few more times didn't help. They were such ordinary objects that I couldn't help but laugh during what was supposed to be two very emotional moments. Why are some HeartGifts useful objects when they render HeartMates completely useless?
(Original review, including read-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
February 10, 2018
Heart Dance by Robin D Owens
Book 6 of the Heartmates series. Sci-if romance. Can stand alone but refers to many prior characters and events. It’s been ten years since I read the prior books and while I didn’t remember the events I did remember the world. It’s unique still with it’s own vocabulary.
The romance: predestined.
The heroine: not interested in a heartmate. She wants to clear her father’s name. Even if it means she has to practice her Flair illegally. But she doesn’t mind the dream sleep sexual encounters that her heartmate continues to initiate.
The hero: willing to patiently wait for his heartmate to accept him. Ah. Not really. But he will do whatever he can to win her. And for the most part he is patient. Except for with sex. They go at it quite often for not even really dating.
It’s a bit of a cult following. Once you know the world, you appreciate the differing Flairs, the wording and the character. I have the rest of the series and will read them in time. Thyme. Ha.
I would recommend starting with the first book in the series.
Book 6 of the Heartmates series. Sci-if romance. Can stand alone but refers to many prior characters and events. It’s been ten years since I read the prior books and while I didn’t remember the events I did remember the world. It’s unique still with it’s own vocabulary.
The romance: predestined.
The heroine: not interested in a heartmate. She wants to clear her father’s name. Even if it means she has to practice her Flair illegally. But she doesn’t mind the dream sleep sexual encounters that her heartmate continues to initiate.
The hero: willing to patiently wait for his heartmate to accept him. Ah. Not really. But he will do whatever he can to win her. And for the most part he is patient. Except for with sex. They go at it quite often for not even really dating.
It’s a bit of a cult following. Once you know the world, you appreciate the differing Flairs, the wording and the character. I have the rest of the series and will read them in time. Thyme. Ha.
I would recommend starting with the first book in the series.
October 2, 2022
2022 bk 298. Time - we all use it, but only Dufluer Thyme can manipulate it. But that flair has caused her problems in the past and now it is illegal for her to experiment with it after the explosion of her father's lab and his subsequent death. Saille T'Willow has been denied use of his talent by a his aging grandmother, until illness placed her in a suspended animation capsule. The two individuals each want their heartmates - but both wish to keep their own secrets. This is the one book for which I wish had illustrations - of Dufleur's embroidery.
January 5, 2020
Kind of meh, but it was solidly written.
July 26, 2016
I'm rereading this book for the second time. It's one of Robin Owens worst in the series because it's so poorly edited and the story is told in such a rushed manner it feels patched together. In one scene Saille announces he's been invited to Dufleur's bedroom for the night but after four rereads of the previous pages I still couldn't find when the invitation took place. There are a lot of non sequiturs and a ton of useless repetitions that would have been removed if the author had done a good final edit. Also, nothing in any of the character's dialogues distinguish them. Character is beautifully illuminated in dialogue, yet I didn't find a single example of dialogue being used in this book for anything other than moving the plot forward. Sometimes I wonder if the author just didn't care about this book, or rather maybe she only cared about her cool brain child of a character with "time" magic. She gave so little attention to their personalities that having read it twice I still have no idea what Saille and Dufleur look like apart from both having good smiles (which we were told).
One thing this book does well is treat the phenomenon of sentient residences with novelty and care. The scene in which Dufleur finds and rescues the Thyme househeart is sublimely soft and gooey. This sensitivity is echoed with the relationships between the Winterberrys and their residence and the Willows and theirs. A very novel idea and beautifully rendered.
A recurring theme in robin Owens "Celta" romances is the idea that personal growth is essential before heartmates can truly join together.
My very privileged real world is full of people who have time and money to workshop the hell out of their traumas and undergo years and years of psychotherapy for their sadnesses and anxieties. And still I see people walking around with colossal rifts in their auras and scabs all over their psyches. The idea that through ritual and internal healing and work and truthfulness Celtans can magically arrive at a clearer sense of self and be more supportive mates to their partners is quite magical. In this, Heart Dance is successful, even if the romance part of the book is forced.
And for that I'll keep returning to her books. Long may Celta remain.
One thing this book does well is treat the phenomenon of sentient residences with novelty and care. The scene in which Dufleur finds and rescues the Thyme househeart is sublimely soft and gooey. This sensitivity is echoed with the relationships between the Winterberrys and their residence and the Willows and theirs. A very novel idea and beautifully rendered.
A recurring theme in robin Owens "Celta" romances is the idea that personal growth is essential before heartmates can truly join together.
My very privileged real world is full of people who have time and money to workshop the hell out of their traumas and undergo years and years of psychotherapy for their sadnesses and anxieties. And still I see people walking around with colossal rifts in their auras and scabs all over their psyches. The idea that through ritual and internal healing and work and truthfulness Celtans can magically arrive at a clearer sense of self and be more supportive mates to their partners is quite magical. In this, Heart Dance is successful, even if the romance part of the book is forced.
And for that I'll keep returning to her books. Long may Celta remain.
October 6, 2009
Rereading...
Heart Dance is book 6 in the Celtan Heart Mates series. The hero is a great lord, only recently become the head of his family. He finds that his grandmother [who hated him and seemingly men in general:] has hidden his heartmate from him. In the last book, he sends his heart gift out into the city, hoping she will be attracted. With the help of her fam, she finally receives it but has no real interest in a relationship - not because she isn't attracted but because she is hiding a very dark secret of her own; she is experimenting with time which is forbidden.
This pair have several strikes against them - his grandmother ruined her father and got experimentation banned, her world view has been tainted by an extremely dysfunctional family, and to prove the success of her time experiments she will have to heal his grandmother [currently in cryogenic suspension on the ship:] which will damage him and his family both internally and externally through scandal. The two slowly come to terms with each other, their families, and their expectations. I liked the resolution.
One of the strengths of Robin Owens' writing is her believable world-building. She has crafted a fascinating, self-consistent world that she draws the reader into - background information always appears when needed and is never presented out of context. The characters have depth and you see their world, and their stories through their eyes.
Do not read the series out of order...
Celta Heart Mates series
1. Heart Mate (2001)
2. Heart Thief (2003)
3. Heart Duel (2004)
4. Heart Choice (2005)
5. Heart Quest (2006)
6. Heart Dance (2007)
7. Heart Fate (2008)
8. Heart Change (2009)
Heart Dance is book 6 in the Celtan Heart Mates series. The hero is a great lord, only recently become the head of his family. He finds that his grandmother [who hated him and seemingly men in general:] has hidden his heartmate from him. In the last book, he sends his heart gift out into the city, hoping she will be attracted. With the help of her fam, she finally receives it but has no real interest in a relationship - not because she isn't attracted but because she is hiding a very dark secret of her own; she is experimenting with time which is forbidden.
This pair have several strikes against them - his grandmother ruined her father and got experimentation banned, her world view has been tainted by an extremely dysfunctional family, and to prove the success of her time experiments she will have to heal his grandmother [currently in cryogenic suspension on the ship:] which will damage him and his family both internally and externally through scandal. The two slowly come to terms with each other, their families, and their expectations. I liked the resolution.
One of the strengths of Robin Owens' writing is her believable world-building. She has crafted a fascinating, self-consistent world that she draws the reader into - background information always appears when needed and is never presented out of context. The characters have depth and you see their world, and their stories through their eyes.
Do not read the series out of order...
Celta Heart Mates series
1. Heart Mate (2001)
2. Heart Thief (2003)
3. Heart Duel (2004)
4. Heart Choice (2005)
5. Heart Quest (2006)
6. Heart Dance (2007)
7. Heart Fate (2008)
8. Heart Change (2009)
April 29, 2023
Reread.
There's only one thing that I didn't really like about this book. The main man acts as if he knows best when it comes to her flair (magic) and trots it out there as if he knows he is absolutely right and even goes so far as to call her knowledge of her own magic wrong. That really kind of pissed me off and I am glad it was straightened out. But, other than that, I really enjoyed this book, and what was starting to pester me in the previous books - the talking cats being so snotty and manipulative to the point that they were very annoying and trying to be the main focus. I enjoyed how, even though there are two cats in this novel, they took a hard back seat to everything else. So this book is one of my favorites in the series so far.
There's only one thing that I didn't really like about this book. The main man acts as if he knows best when it comes to her flair (magic) and trots it out there as if he knows he is absolutely right and even goes so far as to call her knowledge of her own magic wrong. That really kind of pissed me off and I am glad it was straightened out. But, other than that, I really enjoyed this book, and what was starting to pester me in the previous books - the talking cats being so snotty and manipulative to the point that they were very annoying and trying to be the main focus. I enjoyed how, even though there are two cats in this novel, they took a hard back seat to everything else. So this book is one of my favorites in the series so far.
October 13, 2020
Celta's Heartmates #6
I truly enjoy the continued world building in this series. In fact the only real problem I have with this series as it stands is the narrator. He is constantly mixing up his he's and she's, his and hers, he and she… Etc. for example: "he took her in her arms…" Obviously it should've said, "he took her in his arms". This is just one example of many in this book alone. It is a prevailing problem throughout the entire series with this narrator. It's not anything horrible but it is very irritating which detracts from the enjoyment of any scene in which this happens. I would also like to say though that I have heard far worse narrators. He does have a marvelous voice even though he doesn't really use it to the best of its abilities.
Read:
October 12-13, 2020 – Audible Plus
I truly enjoy the continued world building in this series. In fact the only real problem I have with this series as it stands is the narrator. He is constantly mixing up his he's and she's, his and hers, he and she… Etc. for example: "he took her in her arms…" Obviously it should've said, "he took her in his arms". This is just one example of many in this book alone. It is a prevailing problem throughout the entire series with this narrator. It's not anything horrible but it is very irritating which detracts from the enjoyment of any scene in which this happens. I would also like to say though that I have heard far worse narrators. He does have a marvelous voice even though he doesn't really use it to the best of its abilities.
Read:
October 12-13, 2020 – Audible Plus
December 17, 2017
Great book.
January 6, 2020
Another fun trip to Celta, this time we have a Thyme playing (illegally) with time, and a matchmaker trying to make his own match!
May 16, 2020
This series isn't really for me. Boring
November 19, 2020
That was interesting lol
Read
September 7, 20215/5/2010 Reread 1/4/19
February 15, 2013
DuFleur Thyme and her mother are living with their cousin D’Winterberry since her father blew up their Residence while experimenting with time. As D’Winterberry’s sons are estranged from their mother, D’Thyme is named as D’Winterberry Heir. DuFleur also has a strong Flair for working with time, and her secondary Flair is embroidery. So she works at a shop, and embroiders items. But her mother and aunt have different plans for her. They have contacted D’Holly to sponsor a Season for her, so she can find a husband, preferable a rich and titled Lord who can keep them all in good style. DuFleur really is not interested in all of that, but she has no choice, and has to allow D’Holly to buy some gowns and accessories for her. Even jewellery from T’Ash. But T’Ash has an other solution, he wants her to repair some no-time vaults that have stopped working, and in exchange for that service, she can have her pick of his jewellery both for her self and for her FamCat FairyFoot.
She really can’t work anymore at the shop, as the Season will cost her a lot of time and energy, but D’Holly has a solution for that as well: her embroidery is so beautiful, so three dimensional, it is art. And as her own father, T’Apple is the premier artist in Celta, she knows what she is saying. And so DuFleur gets her work exposed in the gallery owned by T’Apple and his son, AppleHeir. She is overwhelmed, she never knew her work would be considered art and bring in so much money. Now she can pay for everything she needs for the Season herself, and she can buy some more equipment for her secret laboratory. DuFleur is determined to clear her father’s name and get the ban on experiments with time lifted.
DuFleur’s HeartMate has other ideas. He knows who she is now, and is determined to woo her, and get her. In his life, in his heart and in his bed. He doesn’t really care for her Flair for time, as he doesn’t understand it, and thinks it is dangerous. He has just gotten his title of T’Willow a few months ago, when the previous D’Willow got to sick to function as head of the house anymore. But instead of dying, his MotherDam (grandmother) made an arrangement with the Ship: she is in cryogenics until a cure is found for her illness. But she was losing her Flair for longer, and has made some very bad matches. The Willow Flair is in matchmaking, finding HeartMates and normal marriages, suitable mates. If this would come out, the Willow reputation would be irreparably damaged. So T’Willow does his best to find out the status with those marriages, and if he can still rescue them. Like the one between Tinne Holly and his wife Genista. Theirs is shaky at the moment.
T’Willow really wants his HeartMate, but he vowed not to pressure her. He will let fate take its course, and perhaps the circumstances will put them together sooner. His MotherDam really hated his guts when it became clear he would be her Heir, as his Flair was the strongest in centuries. After all the female Heads of the Willow House, there would be a male one. So she banished him to the country, and forbade him to use his Flair. But now he has come home, and he will stay T’Willow, no matter what happens with his MotherDam. The House and the household are happy with him, as D’Willow was a manipulative and harsh mistress, hiding the HeartMates of her own family from them.
It was lovely to find out more about the previous heroes and heroines, and to just go on with the story. There is not so much time between book 5 and this one, as there is between the first 5 novels. A lot happens, good and bad, and as DuFleur was one of the surviving victims in the previous book, the effects of that have great impact on her life now.
I liked DuFleur, she dedicated her time to clearing her father’s name, as his Flair is hers as well, and even greater. She loves her mother, even though there is little to love in the woman. For that reason she won’t take the title of D’Thyme from her. In the end the mother really did surprise me though. DuFleur really didn’t want a season, or find a husband. A husband, let alone a HeartMate, would never approve of her experiments with time, and too many obligations would befall her. She wanted to stay alone, as she has been her whole live.
The part with the HouseHeart of Thyme is really lovely.
But I did not really care for T’Willow, he demands too much after all, and doesn’t want to understand her. And when she doesn’t accept the HeartBond fast enough, he draws back from her, resenting her secret, but also not sharing his own with her.
Still, another great instalment in this series, which will be forever on my shelves. Some nice lovescenes, but the book also made me cry and smile. DuFleur’s Fam is a selfish cat, but T’Willow’s Fam is a great character. Ofcourse Winterberry and his FamFox have a part in this book as well, which I liked a lot.
9 stars.
Full review on my blog, www.boeklogboek.blogspot.com
She really can’t work anymore at the shop, as the Season will cost her a lot of time and energy, but D’Holly has a solution for that as well: her embroidery is so beautiful, so three dimensional, it is art. And as her own father, T’Apple is the premier artist in Celta, she knows what she is saying. And so DuFleur gets her work exposed in the gallery owned by T’Apple and his son, AppleHeir. She is overwhelmed, she never knew her work would be considered art and bring in so much money. Now she can pay for everything she needs for the Season herself, and she can buy some more equipment for her secret laboratory. DuFleur is determined to clear her father’s name and get the ban on experiments with time lifted.
DuFleur’s HeartMate has other ideas. He knows who she is now, and is determined to woo her, and get her. In his life, in his heart and in his bed. He doesn’t really care for her Flair for time, as he doesn’t understand it, and thinks it is dangerous. He has just gotten his title of T’Willow a few months ago, when the previous D’Willow got to sick to function as head of the house anymore. But instead of dying, his MotherDam (grandmother) made an arrangement with the Ship: she is in cryogenics until a cure is found for her illness. But she was losing her Flair for longer, and has made some very bad matches. The Willow Flair is in matchmaking, finding HeartMates and normal marriages, suitable mates. If this would come out, the Willow reputation would be irreparably damaged. So T’Willow does his best to find out the status with those marriages, and if he can still rescue them. Like the one between Tinne Holly and his wife Genista. Theirs is shaky at the moment.
T’Willow really wants his HeartMate, but he vowed not to pressure her. He will let fate take its course, and perhaps the circumstances will put them together sooner. His MotherDam really hated his guts when it became clear he would be her Heir, as his Flair was the strongest in centuries. After all the female Heads of the Willow House, there would be a male one. So she banished him to the country, and forbade him to use his Flair. But now he has come home, and he will stay T’Willow, no matter what happens with his MotherDam. The House and the household are happy with him, as D’Willow was a manipulative and harsh mistress, hiding the HeartMates of her own family from them.
It was lovely to find out more about the previous heroes and heroines, and to just go on with the story. There is not so much time between book 5 and this one, as there is between the first 5 novels. A lot happens, good and bad, and as DuFleur was one of the surviving victims in the previous book, the effects of that have great impact on her life now.
I liked DuFleur, she dedicated her time to clearing her father’s name, as his Flair is hers as well, and even greater. She loves her mother, even though there is little to love in the woman. For that reason she won’t take the title of D’Thyme from her. In the end the mother really did surprise me though. DuFleur really didn’t want a season, or find a husband. A husband, let alone a HeartMate, would never approve of her experiments with time, and too many obligations would befall her. She wanted to stay alone, as she has been her whole live.
The part with the HouseHeart of Thyme is really lovely.
But I did not really care for T’Willow, he demands too much after all, and doesn’t want to understand her. And when she doesn’t accept the HeartBond fast enough, he draws back from her, resenting her secret, but also not sharing his own with her.
Still, another great instalment in this series, which will be forever on my shelves. Some nice lovescenes, but the book also made me cry and smile. DuFleur’s Fam is a selfish cat, but T’Willow’s Fam is a great character. Ofcourse Winterberry and his FamFox have a part in this book as well, which I liked a lot.
9 stars.
© 2013 Reviews by Aurian
Full review on my blog, www.boeklogboek.blogspot.com
March 22, 2017
loved it!
October 28, 2020
I like this book, but less than I liked the others. Not just others before it, but others after it as well.
Defluer was one of my least favorite ladies. Everyone one is this book was a bit weak or selfish. I like a flawed character, don’t get me wrong but none of these characters seemed to be “good”.
Good story. Has some great parts. Loved getting to see more of The Hollys.
Defluer was one of my least favorite ladies. Everyone one is this book was a bit weak or selfish. I like a flawed character, don’t get me wrong but none of these characters seemed to be “good”.
Good story. Has some great parts. Loved getting to see more of The Hollys.
May 15, 2009
Heart Dance is the latest in the HeartMates series that for me has become an addiction. In Robin D. Owens' SF/F series, she has created a wonderful alien world of soul mates and a complex society for them to inhabit. Everything in her world has feelings, whether they are housepets or indeed, the house itself. Her latest entry is impressive.
Dufleur Thyme's father was a scientist whose flair (magic) was time experimentation. She has the same trait as her father, which was outlawed after their house exploded, killing her father. Society blamed him; after all, a person's residence is most sacred, and his disregard for his flair, which caused such destruction, is unacceptable. Dufleur and her mother now live with their cousins. She embroiders for money, but in her spare time secretly experiments with time, trying to determine what went wrong. She is bereft - her mother is now cold and bitter - and they barely have any money to survive. She wants to clear her father’s name and be allowed to practice her flair openly, without fear of arrest or exile. After she discovers her father may have been murdered, she decides to investigate in order to learn the culprit's identity - and why he committed the murder.
Saille T’ Willow is Dufleur’s heartmate and a matchmaker. Saille was banished to another estate when he was younger by his MotherDam (his grandmother), a very powerful matchmaker for her time. His MotherDam is now in a coma from a debilitating disease and he returns to take his rightful place as the Willow heir and to help others find their heartmates. Salle’s grandmother never revealed his heartmate; she is heartless and wanted him to suffer for really no reason at all. She is one of the most heinous villains I've read in ages, and since she's in a coma throughout the story, that's saying something. Her past actions continue to cause Saille considerable pain as he discovers the lengths she went to in destorying other people's lives and he prays that she doesn’t awaken from her coma to cause even more heartache and despair. The one joy Saille has is that he now knows who his heartmate is and will try everything to convince Dufleur to accept him.
This story is rich both in in character detail and description of this alien world, with particular focus on the importance of a heartmate in marriage and relationships. Past world-building and the previous introduction of characters makes this one impossible to read on its own. And this word of warning pertains to the entire series: There is a constant presence of household pets called Fams. These are usually cats that can talk telepathically with their owners. If you are not a cat fan - or familiars - you may find yourself bored with their interactions. I find the Fam animals adorable and appreciate their rightful place in the story. They simply bring comic relief during times that would otherwise have depressed me.
The path to true love is never easy, and Dufleur and Saille are perfect proof of this. Even though Dufleur knows she has a heartmate, she feels she can not have him because of her dedication to her work, and the situation involving her father’s death. Saille was so damaged by his MotherDam and her selfishness that he isn't sure he will ever find happiness and fix the wrongs that have been done to him, his own mother, and those innocent victims - which even include Dufleur.
I wholeheartedly recommend this wonderful journey into a fantasy world of magic, love, and yes, even those telepathic animals that will have you laughing.
Dufleur Thyme's father was a scientist whose flair (magic) was time experimentation. She has the same trait as her father, which was outlawed after their house exploded, killing her father. Society blamed him; after all, a person's residence is most sacred, and his disregard for his flair, which caused such destruction, is unacceptable. Dufleur and her mother now live with their cousins. She embroiders for money, but in her spare time secretly experiments with time, trying to determine what went wrong. She is bereft - her mother is now cold and bitter - and they barely have any money to survive. She wants to clear her father’s name and be allowed to practice her flair openly, without fear of arrest or exile. After she discovers her father may have been murdered, she decides to investigate in order to learn the culprit's identity - and why he committed the murder.
Saille T’ Willow is Dufleur’s heartmate and a matchmaker. Saille was banished to another estate when he was younger by his MotherDam (his grandmother), a very powerful matchmaker for her time. His MotherDam is now in a coma from a debilitating disease and he returns to take his rightful place as the Willow heir and to help others find their heartmates. Salle’s grandmother never revealed his heartmate; she is heartless and wanted him to suffer for really no reason at all. She is one of the most heinous villains I've read in ages, and since she's in a coma throughout the story, that's saying something. Her past actions continue to cause Saille considerable pain as he discovers the lengths she went to in destorying other people's lives and he prays that she doesn’t awaken from her coma to cause even more heartache and despair. The one joy Saille has is that he now knows who his heartmate is and will try everything to convince Dufleur to accept him.
This story is rich both in in character detail and description of this alien world, with particular focus on the importance of a heartmate in marriage and relationships. Past world-building and the previous introduction of characters makes this one impossible to read on its own. And this word of warning pertains to the entire series: There is a constant presence of household pets called Fams. These are usually cats that can talk telepathically with their owners. If you are not a cat fan - or familiars - you may find yourself bored with their interactions. I find the Fam animals adorable and appreciate their rightful place in the story. They simply bring comic relief during times that would otherwise have depressed me.
The path to true love is never easy, and Dufleur and Saille are perfect proof of this. Even though Dufleur knows she has a heartmate, she feels she can not have him because of her dedication to her work, and the situation involving her father’s death. Saille was so damaged by his MotherDam and her selfishness that he isn't sure he will ever find happiness and fix the wrongs that have been done to him, his own mother, and those innocent victims - which even include Dufleur.
I wholeheartedly recommend this wonderful journey into a fantasy world of magic, love, and yes, even those telepathic animals that will have you laughing.
May 16, 2015
Honestly I don't think I'm going to finish this one. I'm about half finished and about the only thing I've enjoyed about it was the brief cameos of couples from previous books. All of the new characters are just plain unlikeable people, the main couple are very very poorly matched, and even the psychic cat-- normally the highlight of the series for me-- is so inconsistent and unlikeable that I can't find any reason to care.
Dufleur, the leading lady, is inconsistently written, professing a complete lack of interest in romance and very little interest in sex one minute and then being so in love with Saille, her counterpart, the next. I probably would have liked Dufleur as a character if this story wasn't written as a romance, but seeing her character constantly flipflop is frustrating at best and nauseating at worst.
It certainly doesn't help that Saille's entire plotline seems to be about how much he hates women. Oh certainly he seems to like Dufleur (or at least have a raging boner for her, since he certainly doesn't seem to like much about the traits that are basic tenets of who she is as a person) but pretty much every time she's not in the room, he's angsting about how his family has been ruled by women for generations. He has to constantly mention how all his relatives are female, how he has to change his sentient house's voice to a masculine one because he couldn't bear to listen to the feminine voice his grandmother, the previous family matriarch, had programmed it with, how he was hated by his grandmother simply because he was male. This makes him a really unpleasant love interest.
These two seem to have no reason to be together other than the biological imperative of being Heart Mates and it's just...not remotely compelling.
I'm more than halfway through the book and there's no real plot thus far; what plot there is-- concerning Dufleur's mother trying to prove her worth as WinterberryHeir and Dufleur's quest to make time experimentation legal-- is only hindered by the stubborn insistence that we're supposed to want these two to get together.
Pros: the subplots outside of the romance seem like they'd be more interesting if they were given the attention they deserve
Cons: everyone is unlikeable
Dufleur, the leading lady, is inconsistently written, professing a complete lack of interest in romance and very little interest in sex one minute and then being so in love with Saille, her counterpart, the next. I probably would have liked Dufleur as a character if this story wasn't written as a romance, but seeing her character constantly flipflop is frustrating at best and nauseating at worst.
It certainly doesn't help that Saille's entire plotline seems to be about how much he hates women. Oh certainly he seems to like Dufleur (or at least have a raging boner for her, since he certainly doesn't seem to like much about the traits that are basic tenets of who she is as a person) but pretty much every time she's not in the room, he's angsting about how his family has been ruled by women for generations. He has to constantly mention how all his relatives are female, how he has to change his sentient house's voice to a masculine one because he couldn't bear to listen to the feminine voice his grandmother, the previous family matriarch, had programmed it with, how he was hated by his grandmother simply because he was male. This makes him a really unpleasant love interest.
These two seem to have no reason to be together other than the biological imperative of being Heart Mates and it's just...not remotely compelling.
I'm more than halfway through the book and there's no real plot thus far; what plot there is-- concerning Dufleur's mother trying to prove her worth as WinterberryHeir and Dufleur's quest to make time experimentation legal-- is only hindered by the stubborn insistence that we're supposed to want these two to get together.
Pros: the subplots outside of the romance seem like they'd be more interesting if they were given the attention they deserve
Cons: everyone is unlikeable
June 21, 2014
I love this series! That being said, this is my favorite Celta story, seconded by Heart Mate (Celta #1). We were introduced to Dufleur Thyme and Saille T'Willow in Heart Quest as secondary characters; that story covered the courtship of Ilex Winterberry (the constable to the first families and Dufleur's cousin) and Trif Clover. "Flair" is what the Celtans call their Psychic abilities, and their society was constructed along support and encouragement of these abilities. Flair is wondrously diverse and seeing what Robin has envisioned is a good part of the fun of this series, IMO.
Heart Dance stayed focused on Dufleur and Saille and we really got to see how heartmate flair can be complementary. The obstacles they face are deeply personal and both characters grow believably. This is a variation on the Ugly Duckling theme, with a deep vein of science fiction thrown in, for Dufleur's family flair is Time Manipulation - the hot and cold food storage system of "No-Time Safes" were developed by her ancestors. But her immediate family has fallen into disrepute and Dufleur cannot legally practice her primary Flair. If she is caught experimenting with Time, she would be banished from her home.
Saille is the first male matchmaker in his family in several generations, and his grandmother was a power hungry despot who had banished him to a lesser estate, denying his gift and decrying his abilities. She also prevented members of her household from making heartmate matches, so there is a lot at stake for Saille T'Willow as head of house.
Dufleur wants to clear her father's name and reinstate the family by reversing the ravages of a disease through time manipulation - and the best way to do this is to heal Saille's grandmother, who is in cryogenic sleep for just such an eventuality. But her return could displace Saille as head of house...deeply personal stakes, indeed. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I'll stop there, but it is worth the read!
Heart Dance stayed focused on Dufleur and Saille and we really got to see how heartmate flair can be complementary. The obstacles they face are deeply personal and both characters grow believably. This is a variation on the Ugly Duckling theme, with a deep vein of science fiction thrown in, for Dufleur's family flair is Time Manipulation - the hot and cold food storage system of "No-Time Safes" were developed by her ancestors. But her immediate family has fallen into disrepute and Dufleur cannot legally practice her primary Flair. If she is caught experimenting with Time, she would be banished from her home.
Saille is the first male matchmaker in his family in several generations, and his grandmother was a power hungry despot who had banished him to a lesser estate, denying his gift and decrying his abilities. She also prevented members of her household from making heartmate matches, so there is a lot at stake for Saille T'Willow as head of house.
Dufleur wants to clear her father's name and reinstate the family by reversing the ravages of a disease through time manipulation - and the best way to do this is to heal Saille's grandmother, who is in cryogenic sleep for just such an eventuality. But her return could displace Saille as head of house...deeply personal stakes, indeed. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I'll stop there, but it is worth the read!
August 1, 2025
Defleur has struggled living under the stain of her fathers death and the destruction of their home. But regardless of what anyone says, the accident does not mean that experimenting with time should be outlawed. Defleur does so in secret, but she is determined to continue
her fathers work to clear his name.
Saille has inherited the title of T'Willow when his grandmother's illness put her into a coma. Learning that she had lied about her flair and making incorrect partners, Saille is trying to make Willow's a noble name again. He knows his heartmate is a beautiful young woman
who has had a horrible experience at the hands of villains who hurt her badly. He knows why she denies their link and fears losing control again, but he is unable to ignore his love for her.
I didn't find this book to be particularly special nor the love story between Saille and Defleur full of passion. That didn't make me dislike it and I could actually appreciate the realism in their relationship because of it. Just because they were heartmates, it didn't
mean that they were instantly in love, or trusting of one another. In particular, Defleur was a damaged woman. She couldn't let down her walls to let Saille in and in her persuit of time study, she ends up hurting him badly.
However, the story left something to be desired. I couldn't find anything to grab hold onto to interest me beyond Saille and Defleur's strained relationship. I couldn't even figure out who was the villain really.
This installation of the series was a forgettable one but not a bad one.
her fathers work to clear his name.
Saille has inherited the title of T'Willow when his grandmother's illness put her into a coma. Learning that she had lied about her flair and making incorrect partners, Saille is trying to make Willow's a noble name again. He knows his heartmate is a beautiful young woman
who has had a horrible experience at the hands of villains who hurt her badly. He knows why she denies their link and fears losing control again, but he is unable to ignore his love for her.
I didn't find this book to be particularly special nor the love story between Saille and Defleur full of passion. That didn't make me dislike it and I could actually appreciate the realism in their relationship because of it. Just because they were heartmates, it didn't
mean that they were instantly in love, or trusting of one another. In particular, Defleur was a damaged woman. She couldn't let down her walls to let Saille in and in her persuit of time study, she ends up hurting him badly.
However, the story left something to be desired. I couldn't find anything to grab hold onto to interest me beyond Saille and Defleur's strained relationship. I couldn't even figure out who was the villain really.
This installation of the series was a forgettable one but not a bad one.
April 5, 2013
Dufleur is determined to win her father's good name back, Once she lost her father it seemed as if she lost a part of herself but now experimenting with time, which is her flair, she doesn't plan on Saille T'Willow to ruin everything or to give in to being his heart mate. Saille, knows who his heart mate is, Dufleur, and he knows it won't be easy to win her over especially after what his grandmother did to her family. However now that he is head of his family now, he plans on making changes, positive ones, and he hopes to reverse as much damage as he can including the damage against his heartmate, with the hope that she may love him and accept him and trust in him...Heart Dance was a fantastic read, and its been a while since I have read a science fiction fantasy romance, but when I discovered this series, I just knew I had to try it out. Heart Dance is the sixth installment and even though its in the middle of the series I didn't feel lost or anything, Owens portrayed this world that she created very well, with vivid description that it almost felt like I was there. The only problem I had with Heart Dance would be that the flow seemed choppy at times, so I think if it had just run a bit more smoothly, that it would have been have a fantastic read. Overall it was still a wonderful read with enough conflict, romance, magic and a powerful story that will just leave you wanting for more.
November 7, 2012
Reread 11/2012: I was more annoyed with Defleur this time around. I also enjoyed the overall story less and found myself impatient for it to move on. I still like Saille and the world.
Original review 11/2009: I liked this book, but not as well as some of her others.
I loved Saille. I thought he was a strong, honorable man. He really stepped up and tried to fix all the problems left by his predecessor. I think I just liked him as a person. He was kind and loving, but also strong enough to stand up for himself and those he loved.
While I understood Dufleur's reasons for pushing Saille away, I found it became tedious after awhile. It was obvious, even to her, that he loved her, yet she refused to trust him. That became very frustrating.
I liked both Myx, Saille's Fam, and Fairyfoot, Dufleur's Fam. I especially liked that Fairyfoot had to be taught some manners. She was far too smug for my tastes in the beginning.
Original review 11/2009: I liked this book, but not as well as some of her others.
I loved Saille. I thought he was a strong, honorable man. He really stepped up and tried to fix all the problems left by his predecessor. I think I just liked him as a person. He was kind and loving, but also strong enough to stand up for himself and those he loved.
While I understood Dufleur's reasons for pushing Saille away, I found it became tedious after awhile. It was obvious, even to her, that he loved her, yet she refused to trust him. That became very frustrating.
I liked both Myx, Saille's Fam, and Fairyfoot, Dufleur's Fam. I especially liked that Fairyfoot had to be taught some manners. She was far too smug for my tastes in the beginning.
December 22, 2014
Ever wonder what life would be like on a different planet?
Robin Owens give a very fun and exciting glimpse of what this would be like. She brings our most beloved animals with us. And a few that just make ya laugh.
I do suggest that you start at the beginning of the series, just to help with the explanation of her (different) unique items/object and things that she talks of.
HeartMate, Heart Thief, Heart Duel, Heart Choice,Heart Quest, Heart Dance, Heart Fate, Heart Change, Heart Journey, Heart Search, Heart Secret and Heart Fortune.
Hearts & Swords is a collection of stories, sprinkled throughout that timeline, but should be read at least after Heart Fate, I think.
Hope you enjoy as much as I do.
Robin Owens give a very fun and exciting glimpse of what this would be like. She brings our most beloved animals with us. And a few that just make ya laugh.
I do suggest that you start at the beginning of the series, just to help with the explanation of her (different) unique items/object and things that she talks of.
HeartMate, Heart Thief, Heart Duel, Heart Choice,Heart Quest, Heart Dance, Heart Fate, Heart Change, Heart Journey, Heart Search, Heart Secret and Heart Fortune.
Hearts & Swords is a collection of stories, sprinkled throughout that timeline, but should be read at least after Heart Fate, I think.
Hope you enjoy as much as I do.
March 9, 2014
This series is simply wonderful, with the continual unfolding of the planet Celta. This time,we learn about the Flairs of Time and Matchmaking coupled with overcoming a troubled family past. Dufleur Thyme is a multi-layered complex personality, I'm kept guessing what decisions she'll make. Saille T'Willow is more predictable but he is coping with the dark legacy of his relative.
I loved the characters and the plot, both excellent. This author reminds me, in a good way, of Anne McCaffrey with the romance coupled with psi powers.
Best read in order, to appreciate the fullness of the world-building and its people.
I loved the characters and the plot, both excellent. This author reminds me, in a good way, of Anne McCaffrey with the romance coupled with psi powers.
Best read in order, to appreciate the fullness of the world-building and its people.
November 29, 2011
Why does every heroine in this series lift her chin? Numerous times even. Makes me think they just go around with their chins tucked into their chests and only actually raise their head when they're feeling a bit of an attitude. Weird.
And of course, the "nobody loves me; everybody hates me, guess I'll go eat worms" trope seems to apply to Every. Single. Volume.
Some editing problems too - like people are from the generation between themselves and someone else? How can you be from a generation other than the one you were born in?
And of course, the "nobody loves me; everybody hates me, guess I'll go eat worms" trope seems to apply to Every. Single. Volume.
Some editing problems too - like people are from the generation between themselves and someone else? How can you be from a generation other than the one you were born in?
November 3, 2015
I love this series. I love the plant surnames. (Thyme, Willow, etc.) In this story Dufleur Thyme is a scientist experimenting with time. (Cute huh!). Her heart mate is Saille T'Willow, head of a matchmaking clan. Saille's evil grandmother hid Dufleur from him so part of the story is her realizing who he is. Another part is dealing with the evil grandmother who is still alive in a cryogenics tube. Naturally, the road to true love even for heartmates is not easy. Fortunately, Saille and Dufleur have the help of their FamCat companions.
October 12, 2014
This one got a little old after a while. Dufleur realized pretty early on that Saille was her heartmate. She was ok seeing him and even sleeping with him, but wouldn't bond with him. Her own issues made me not like her very much and feel sorry for Saille that he was stuck with someone like her. Due to that I found the larger political aspects of the story more interesting. I am hoping the next one is better.
September 28, 2014
Ok, should have started closer to the beginning of series so I would be up on "lingo"-- however was good and entertaining enough to definitely go forward and backward (since this is about THYME/time I guess that is appropriate. Both Dufleaur and Saille a little too stubborn but may be linked to the fact there are or are not that many heart mates. That is one thing I need to learn about but well worth the time!! haha
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