Earth Bound

Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart #4

by Christine Feehan

#1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan returns to the mysterious coastal town of Sea Haven where six sisters of the heart are bound by the elements, and one is stalked by an inescapable past...After escaping from a cult, Lexi found refuge with her sisters on the farm that more than sustained her body-it nurtured her soul as well. But she never forgot the terror she left behind or the always present fear that the cult would find her again, and claim her. Then her nightmare came true.Lexi was discovered and threatened-only to be suddenly saved by a stranger. He is Gavriil Prakenskii, and he's awestruck by the woman he's rescued. She is destined for him. He can feel it in his soul. But how can Lexi find happiness with a man steeped in secrets and shadows, one intimately acquainted with violence, and whose very love could be the death of them?

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Magic, Contemporary, Fiction

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 7, 2015

About the author

Christine Feehan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author multiple times over with her portfolio including over 100 published novels, including five series; Dark Series, GhostWalker Series, Leopard Series, Drake Sisters Series, the Sisters of the Heart Series, Shadow Riders, Torpedo Ink and her Romantic Suspense novels. All of her series have hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestselling list as well. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature (PEARL) in 1999. Since then she has been published by various publishing houses including Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards since Dark Prince.
Her series include:
The Dark Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/darkb...
The GhostWalker series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/ghost...
The Leopard Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/leopa...
The Shadow Series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/shado...
Torpedo Ink series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/torpe...




IN HER WORDS:
I've been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me. I read everything; I mean everything! All kinds of books, even encyclopedias. I am fascinated by the written word and I love storytellers. It is a great privilege to be counted one myself. (www.christinefeehan.com)

Reviews

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 2 out of 5]

I so wanted to like this book.
The 4th book in Christine Feehan's Sisters of the Heart Series and tells the story of Lexi and Graviil Prakenskii.

I just could not engage with the two main characters. Their whole interaction just seemed a bit off for me.

The plot was okay but the story just moved so slow and with so much repetition...the same thing over and over again.

What made me finish the book was that I wanted to finally get to see the Prakenskii brothers finally being together again.
And the scenes with Benito were a joy to read...he's a really unforgettable character.

I'm not sure about this series that has not grabbed me as much as the author's Dark Series and even the Drake Sisters stories.

[Azet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtaking,inspiring and addictive,"Earth Bound" is the fourth instalment in the Paranormal "Sisters of the Heart"-series and tells the tale of the most tortured and scarred heroine among the six women Lexi Thompson who have survived the horror and abuse from a cult where she suffered all kinds of abuse on the hands of those monsters.She has found her peace in the town of Sea Haven off the northern California coast together with her sisters of the heart Blythe,Lissa,Airiana,Rikki and Judith.But in this book her tormenters have found her and she gets saved by the deadly assassin Gavriil Prakenskii.Where no one else notices,she sees the pain and agony inside of Gavriil and she invites him into her home...not realizing he has already claimed her forever.

***
"Gavriil, do you have any idea how truly lost you are? I'm broken and I know it, but I also know better than to throw away my life. I'm not afraid of death, and it's not like I have tons to live for, but life is something precious. A gift. I've learned that much. You're so ready to throw it away."

-Lexi
***

My heart and tears went out for Lexi Thompson and everything she had been through.While she did find peace in Sea Haven,she lived only half-alive.She also have a passion for everything related to the nature-which also explains her gift of using the element of earth.I find her so courageous and beautiful as a heroine.It took much determinatin and bravery to escape from that hell and still preserve her goodness and light when many other people would have given up.She saw inside of Gavriil and selflessly gave pieces of herself to him.It was so sweet the way she handled him and had him around her little finger without knowing.Their bond was so strong already from first that she trusted him with her life.I am so happy for Lexi that she found the love of her life where she least expected it.

***
"Do you know what that means? Solnyshko moya? It means 'my sun.' That's what you are to me. The sun. The world. All the bright, good things in the world right here in this tiny little package. My world was dark. I lived in the shadows, and damn it all, I belonged there. I wasn't a good man until I found you. You make me a better man. I'm fighting for my life here, Lexi. I need you to fight for me, not against me." -Gavriil
***

I have no words...my mind is completely all over the place right now because Gavriil Prakenskii was a force entirely different and mindblowingly dangerous for MY PIECE OF MIND!There is so many words to explain his character and in another way there are NO WORDS ENOUGH for this glacial violent phantom of a man!He is a man who carries death everywhere he goes.Cloak of darkness and have a mind of steel and are so controlled that he can`t even be considered human.But human he is,which he realizes when he meets Lexi and loses his heart immediately.Lexi tamed him in a way he never saw coming and showed a world he never dared to dream for himself.He was completely at loss in front of her,his soul naked and vulnerable in front of her green forest eyes.Gavriil stole my heart with the way he had looked after his brothers all these years,especially the youngest one Ilya Prakenskii.And his obvious adoration for his dogs Kiss and Drago.But the one thing that most drew me towards this Alpha-male was his obsessive craving,passion,care and eternal love for his Lexi.He couldn`t even breath without her,she was moth to his flame and he would have died for her without any hesitation.

Christine Feehan does an amazing job at delivering the power of love between soulmates destined for each other.I love all her heroes and heroines.They all are powerful together.Watching five of Prakenskii brothers coming together made my day-i just love Gavriil,Maxim,Stefan,Lev and Ilya and all their badass tendencies and how over the moon they are over their women!Now i am left to read about Casimir and Viktor Prakenskii!Lissa are running away to avoid the remaining Prakenskii brothers-but seriously,among all countries in the world she really choose Russia!?LOL am i in for a ride!

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did a reread at the end of last year, and it was still great. Loved the relationship between Gavril and Lexi. How Lexi was protective of Gavril and wanted to take care of him, which seems totally flipped around since she's the one who has been wounded as a child. But then, hasn't Gavril? Being trained from childhood to be an assassin and tortured physically? This story isn't as complex as some of the others, but I didn't mind the focus on Gavril dealing with the monsters who were stalking Lexi. And I loved the impromptu Prakenskii reunion. I lived for that! So excited about the new series with the dudes from Viktor's assassin school.

Gavriil Prakenskii, be still my heart. The man knows how to make an entrance. Wow, Ms. Feehan. Really, did you have to have him walk out of the cornfield to kick lowlife butt in a long black coat? Are you trying to kill me? Well thank you for that. I do mean it. I never get enough of ruthless, lethal Russians who fall head over heels for their women, that's for sure. So, maybe you can find more Russians to write about. I've only got two more Prakenskiis left to wait for. I heard a rumor you were writing a series about some of the guys from the Russian spy schools. Yes, please! (I digress..)

If you thought about the 'right man' for Lexi, I don't know, you might be tempted not to pick Gavriil, but it turns out that he's perfect. The strategy to win Lexi was to need her. While Gavriil might be the boogeyman to evil men that he gets assigned to eliminate, he is a protector and guardian angel for those who need him. I love how he has watched over his brothers, specifically Ilya over the years. Aww! And he loves his dogs. Most of all, he loves his woman, Lexi. His scene where he makes his intentions for Lexi known to his brothers had me tickled pink. Gavriil is all that and a bag of jalapeno chips.

Lexi's such a sweetie. I loved her. She's a lot stronger than she thinks she is. Her heart is so big and good and I think that the plants respond to that more than her earth elemental power. Plants like pets love being nourished and loved on. I think that if I had any elemental power, it would probably be either Rikki's or Lexi's. Maybe both. Since I love plants and water so much, I think having both is awesome. Lexi feels like she isn't strong or brave like her other sisters, but her ordeal is so much worse and she managed to go on with her life and make something of it, and that is true bravery. Also to meet her fears face on. And to take a chance on a wounded, hurting killer, the man who came in from the cold, Gavriil. Even in the face of what he had been, she saw a man who needed a safe haven and love and gave it to him.

I still give this five stars because it's awesome sauce, but I wish it had been longer. I guess you can't win them all. I love this series and these men and women. It was wonderful to follow up with the sisters and their Prakenskii men. And the Prakenskii mini-reunion (including Ilya) was what I was waiting years for. I think that Gavriil and Lexi are beautifully paired and I was hoping they would end up together. This book is full of some wonderful set pieces and imagery that I loved. I also like the fact that Gavriil can be gentle for a woman who was abused like Lexi, but brutal to evil men who deliberately and willfully harm others with no remorse.

I'm so happy that Lissa's book is coming out next month, and even though she leaves Sea Haven to avoid the last two single Prakenskiis, she finds one in Russia. Lissa is really cool. I appreciated how she bonded with Gavriil in a way that felt totally natural. She saw him as her equal and they were drawn together by the mutual love for Lexi. I would think she would have thought twice about going to Russia, but maybe she was subconsciously hoping to run into a Prakenskii. In that case, who could blame her?

I would apologize for the random stream of consciousness nature of this review, but that's what came out of me when I started writing it.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance[divider]

Summary

Lexi has made a new life for herself in Sea Haven with her five sisters that made a bond with each other in a counseling session years ago. They came to Sea Haven to begin anew, all of the six have special abilities with the elements of the earth, and Lexi connects with the earth and has a talent for growing plants and vegetation. All six bought the land and share in the responsibilities of it. Lexi loves what she does and thrives in it, and it keeps the past and the monsters of her past at bay. But one day, she goes to the outer boundaries of the property and she is faced with a demon from her past, the man who destroyed her family, and sexually abused her as a child and made her his sex slave and "wife". But Lexi has power and her power traps this man who once trapped her. And a stranger arrives on the scene, a stranger that is one of the Prakenskii brothers, and a man who intrigues her and a man she is now bound to. Graviil is a shadow, as the older of the brothers, he has a more vicious past than the others do, but all of them have a hit on their heads now and he has come to Sea Haven to warn them, but when he sees Lexi, he can't leave her, she is his in a way he doesn't comprehend, he only knows that if anyone can save him from his past she can. Soon Graviil and Lexi are drawn into a world of enemies, danger and a passionate love they never imagined could happen for them, but soon they will embrace a love that could save them both from their past.

The Hero

Graviil Prakenskii, is a man with secrets and hidden dangers. He is a man who is more powerful than the other brothers. When Graviil was just a boy, his parents were slaughtered and each of the seven brothers were separated and taken to different training schools, the one that Graviil was sent to was rumored to be one of the most brutal. Graviil was trained to be lethal and exacting, to never miss his mark. Even though he has kept his eye watchful on each of his brothers, he has never appeared to them until now, especially to the baby of the family, Illya, the one he never saw grow and was just a babe when their parents were killed. Graviil was a hero that has a painful past and doesn't feel he is redeemable in any way, but Lexi proves him wrong. Graviil is a character that is heartbreaking sad at times, suffers from more emotional wounds than physical (which is hindering him), we see him strength and power and boy what he can do in a bedroom. But Gravriil really captivates you from the beginning, because you see how much he needs love and affection.

The Heroine

Lexi, is a woman who is haunted by her past, more so than the others. She was taken when she was young, and brought into a cult that viewed woman as less than animals, to be used and abused for a man's pleasure. She has only known pain under a man's touch. She managed to escape, but her family paid the price, and they were all killed. Now she has changed her name, met five woman like her with similar gifts and emotional pain, and she connected with them, and built a life for herself. But her past haunts her, she has trained herself in a number of weapons and fighting skills, sleeps outside because she has never felt safe inside her own home, and her plants make her feel alive and centered. Lexi is a sweet and lovely woman who has trouble dealing with her past, but you see the goodness in her, and how she is haunted. I quite adored her character because she is full of courage and strength where it matters.

Plot and Story Line

Earth Bound is an emotionally shattering story that completely won my heart. Out of all the books in the series so far, this really is the most intense of them when it comes to the emotional side of things. From the beginning, we are brought into a painful world that Lexi and Graviil live in. Both characters are quite strong in personality, but are both wounded in different ways and both need healing. We see how they find a balance in a relationship that at first is a bit uneven at times. Lexi and Graviil find a balance between what haunts them and what makes them strong. Both love being in charge and being the "boss" and love seeing these two go at it for who should be in charge. The plot is quite intense and we have the cult members trying to get to Lexi. We see Lexi face her greatest fear and she does and quite admirably too. We also see all the other couples and the four kids and they played a role in the book as well. And we even get Illya and Jonas--makes me want to read the Sea Haven series again just series those two back in action. I love that Feehan has connected these two series together. I would have loved to see Jolie though--she was always my favorite of the sisters. Another fun aspect was seeing the way that these two fall for each other, and it's not your typical love story. In fact they take their time getting to know each other, and I loved how it wasn't insta lust and must satisfy now. It was let's get to know each other and become friends before the passionate sex. The book itself is quite captivating and a page turner, you won't have a hard time getting into this one, I never do with Feehan. I was super charged with this story, because it had a level of high intensity to it, and you get drawn into a world of danger, magic, and a healing love story. What I also found interesting was how these two accepted each other, and embraced their relationship even with all they have to deal with from their pasts. They don't let the past keep them from discovering what they can be together. We see how they fit perfectly in numerous ways and balance each other out. If you have yet to read Feehan or this series, It's a must for any romance lover. I guarantee that you will fall for it just like I have!!

The Cover

This is such a beautiful cover, and matches Lexi and the tone of the story. I love the cornfield and the "country" theme to it.

Overall View

Earth Bound is a emotionally charged romance that will enchant you from the beginning. A tale that is beautifully mixed with intense fast paced action, characters facing their trauma pasts, and embracing their new lives together....simply SPECTACULAR!!



 

“The first touch of her hands nearly had him coming off the bed in alarm. Her eyes were closed, but her hands lay against his skin lightly, palms down. Every muscle in his body tightened. Every cell responded to her touch. The feel of her skin against his skin took his breath away. He’d felt a woman’s hand on his body many times, strokes and caresses meant to inflame him, to arouse him, yet not a single one had ever affected him the way her touch did.”

[divider]

I don't want you to go, Lexi. I want you to choose me. Stay with me. I know I'm not much of a prize. I know my faults. I need a commitment from you. I need that, Lexi. Not marriage if you don't want it. If you give me your word, that will be enough. We're always going to have these moments of doubts, but if we both make that commitment, we'll always know the other will stand with us through them. I need to know you'll stand with me. I've got this hole a mile deep inside of me, and only you manage to fill it. No one else. There's never going to be anyone else. Neither of us is perfect, but together I know we can be whole. Give yourself to me. I'll always cherish you.

[divider]

You're the only one that can make me whole. I want you with every breath in my body.



 

Water Bound (1) --Lev and Rikki

Spirit Bound (2)--Stefan and Judith 



Air Bound (3) --Maxim and Airiana 



Earth Bound (4)-Graviil and Lexi









 

[Maayan · Rating 5 out of 5]

6+ Stars!
I simply adored this book. It was amazing. The H was phenomenal. Extraordinary. The h was sweet and I rooted for her to conquer the demons in her past. This couple were PERFECT for each other. I truly loved it. And I'm so gonna order a paperback. This book would be one I'm gonna re-read over and over and never tire of it. I loved the way he loved her. No other words to describe his love for her. You have to experience it. All I'm gonna say is....READ THE BOOK! :D

Safety Gang Safe. No ow / pushing away.

[Julia's Book Haven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this is my favourite Christine Feehan series. I love love love these books. Lexi and Gavriil were so cute and I just wanted to hug them through out the whole book. I can't wait for the next book which from foreshadowing in this one will hopefully be Lissa's book. Fingers-crossed cause I'm really interested in her back story now that we got a glimpse of it. I will give anyone who is a thinking about reading this a heads up, this is very much insta love. I know a lot of people don't like that, but I felt like with the previously established storyline throughout the series and these two characters backgrounds that it was really well done. Also for everyone else who was patiently waiting, we get a TON of brother interact in this one, which made me super happy cause in the first 3 I was like "COME ON, HAVE A BRO SIT DOWN ALREADY AND JUST CHAT ABOUT KILLING PEOPLE" Lol so yeah we finally get some of that.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favorite series of Feehan's. I gave up on the Dark series long ago, and while I've read some of the Leopard and Game books, this is the one I get most excited for. I dove in as soon as I received the book for review. While I enjoyed it, I didn't love it as much as some of the others in the series.

I still love the relationship between the sisters most, and now the added bonus of the brother's forming their own relationships with each other. My favorite part of this book was Gavrill's initial visit to Ilya. His need to protect his little brother coupled with his natural wariness over not knowing him at all came across very well. I also liked Gavrill's natural protectiveness toward Lexi.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Wit and Sin

Two scarred and wounded souls find healing, hope, and love in Earth Bound . Lexi’s book was the one I was waiting for most in the Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart series and Christine Feehan did not disappoint.

At eight years old Lexi was kidnapped and taken to a cult by a sadistic pedophile who imprisoned, raped, and abused her. When she escaped at seventeen, her entire family was murdered. Years later Lexi has found some semblance of peace on the farm she and her “sisters of the heart” – five other women who also lost loved ones to violence – own. Lexi carries both visible and invisible wounds from the past and it all comes flooding back when members of the cult find her. She’s saved by the most deadly man she’s ever met: Gavriil Prakenskii. In Gavriil Lexi sees another wounded soul, one she can help. Their bond is instantaneous, knocking them both for a loop.

The Prakenskii fated mates bond (for lack of a better term) kicks in immediately for Lexi and Gavriil, but that doesn’t mean the road to happily ever after is an easy one. Lexi is a survivor and I loved her quiet strength and caring heart. But she’s also incredibly wounded and suffers from PTSD. Having both the cult members after her and this new and frightening attraction to Gavriil come at the same time increases her panic attacks and I so desperately wanted to see her find peace and happiness. Gavriil is her perfect match. He’s terrifying even to his hardened brothers but there is so much love in him that no one but Lexi can see. He’s lethal, yes, and definitely protective, but he shows Lexi patience and understanding right off the bat. He’s open about falling for her but he doesn’t ever pressure her and makes it clear that he never will about any aspect of their relationship. Gavriil helps Lexi continue her healing journey but she helps him as well. He’s so alone and he’s deadly because he has to be but she sees him as a person. She sees his humorous side, his caring, and she is as protective of him as he is of her. I absolutely loved them as individuals and as a couple. Their love story is one of healing, understanding, and unconditional support.

Earth Bound is the fourth book in the Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart series but it can easily be read as a standalone. That being said, the most exciting moments for me outside of Lexi and Gavriil’s relationship were those with Gavriil and his brothers. The seven Prakenskii brothers were taken as children and raised to be weapons. Gavriil is the second oldest and he’s incredibly protective of his younger brothers, especially Ilya. I loved seeing all five brothers who are currently in Sea Haven unite in this one and it added another level of emotion to this story. And I cannot write about this book without mentioning Lexi’s sisters. Their bond and love for one another is vital to this series and it was a joy to watch them all together. I’ve read Earth Bound twice and was enchanted by it both times. I cannot wait to see what Feehan has in store for Lissa, the fire element who is more than she seems, in Fire Bound.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Ira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Feehan paired the damsel in distress or the weakest link of the sisters with the badass of the brothers in this book, smart:)

I guess you can skip this book in term of the series storyline, except the one tried to kill Ilya Prakenskii, this book more about Lexi's childhood abusers wanted to kidnap her again. Of course won't that easy, she have her sisters, brothers in law and Gavriil this time.

However in this book, you will see the Prakenskii brothers reunion for the first time and that was an awesome scene:). The brothers treated Ilya, who must be a badass and alpha male in his book, as he was here, an adorable baby brother! Lol..
Trust me, you won't miss that reunion:)

So, yes I like this book very much and Lissa's story next.

[Shabby Girl ~ aka Lady Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know whether it’s just me or it’s Christine Feehan, but that was so ordinary. The last three Sisters of the Heart books were very enjoyable, good story lines, lot of stuff happening, an interesting set up and a great group of characters. But this one was just off. There was barely any story line at all, just constant interaction between Gavriil, the hero, and Lexi, the heroine, but not even growing together because they were perfect together within minutes of meeting each other.

Both are very damaged people. Lexi had been kidnapped into a cult when she was about eight and forced to marry a psychotic pedophile many years her senior who raped and beat her for years, among other rotten things he did to her, and who eventually murdered her whole family. Not a lot else you could do to her bar killing her.

Gavriil, also, when he was a young teen had his mother and father murdered in front of him and he and all his Prakenskii brothers were kidnapped and trained to be assassins. He is about 37 now, never having had a relationship with anyone, woman or family or friend, and has murdered countless men since he was a young teen.

But in this story, it’s insta love, and I’m talking in the first couple of pages and from then on they are both the most perfect people who talk constantly about their problems, but still have the most perfect relationship you can imagine. He’s all lovey dovey to her and the people around them. I mean, they are both perfect. He goes from the hardest, no relationship, cold hearted assassin ever, to perfect man who knows just what to do and she, after all those things she had done to her (and she’s only very young still) has trouble connecting even with her sisters who she loves to death, and with very little trouble becomes the perfect girlfriend. Lots of talking about problems, but not any actual showing they had any trouble. * big sigh* There’s no character development at all because, well, they’re perfect together right from the moment they meet.

I’m beginning to think Feehan does the insta love thing, mated pairs, because either she can’t write getting to know you and falling in love or she’s just too lazy to do it. It certainly does take away from the story because there’s no tension at all to make it interesting. I don’t have a problem with mated pairs, but I still think even so they do need to grow into each other and it needs to be shown. It is very boring just reading about their worries over their perfect relationship over and over. Oh, yeah, she must have realised it because towards the end the inevitable take down of the cult members comes who want to take Lexi again. Again * big sigh* didn’t see that coming *sarcasm*.

The only fun bits were when Gavriil met up with Ilya, his brother and hero from one of the Drake sister books, and when the other “sisters” are there with their Prakenskii men and the kids who were introduced in the last book. Whenever they were all together it was good, but it would be cut short so Gavriil and Lexi could go off and talk about their relationship again. There is so much material in the overarching story, but nothing really used in this book. The bit that was most interesting was when Gavriil met with Lissa in an obvious reference to what's going to be happening in the next book. Lissa (smart chick) has noticed a lot of Prakenskii men taking the women in her group and she's getting the hell out of dodge before a Prakenskii comes for her, that made me laugh!

This book was very disappointing. Her last books for me have been disappointing. I don’t think it’s me as I recently reread some of her earlier Ghostwalker and Leopard books and loved them all over again. I just think she’s gone off, doesn’t seem to be worrying about giving us a good plot, character development or anything. She seems to have a big picture going on, but she’s not putting any effort into the actual stories (see last Leopard book - same). There was barely even a story in this, just constant reassuring each other that they are perfect together and how much they care about each other within hours of meeting.

I sound like a big whiner, but far out that was boring and, I don’t know, there’s no passion from the author or any care or even much thought gone into the story. The last three were very good, this one, a big yawn. I feel sad about that because the characters were built up to be interesting and I liked them, but they just weren’t given a good story, any story ... they met ... and that's it. I think Feehan needs to have a look at what she’s doing and take a break or start looking to give a sh*t. I think her readers deserve a good story.

[Dawn Livingston · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read a few of Feehan's Dark series and they're okay, some I like better than others but I don't go out of my way to read them. They can be a little too.. romance novel corny with too many eye rolling moments for me. I have liked the series that this book is part of (Sea Haven?) though. I especially liked the one with Rikki as she's the only Autistic heroine I've seen so far.

This book... it was a disappointment. I haven't read any of Feehan's Sea Haven series in years so maybe the pendulum has just swung the other way and I'm not as into romance novels as I used to be or... maybe this one just wasn't that good.

Earth Bound seemed so repetitive going over and over how broken is the main character, Lexi. How she's fragile but tough and how he's so tough. Among his brothers the main hero is bigger and badder than they are and they're a little afraid of him. He's had it bad you see, been in the business of killing people for too long (longer than them), abused so much as a youngster (bore the brunt of such things in comparison to his brothers). He may not be redeemable because he's a really bad man, he's killed so many, manipulated so many, only had relationships that were fleeting or to get something he wanted. He's a bad man according to him, but not really according to her because though he kills people his heart's in the right place, he does it for the right reasons. Yes, my eyes are rolling right now, I can't help it. I also thought about gagging. But I didn't.

A big issue for me was the idea that he's such a tough loner, not used to love and the softer side of a relationship or any relationship but somehow he's a great communicator and does things just right. They talk and talk and talk. Borrrrring. Oh, and they end up with a bond that allows them to talk telepathically. It would have worked better if it only allowed them to feel emotions to help smooth the way when they're not communicating the best because they're not used to having to. So... the telepathy...just more talking really. Borrrring.

Twice the author referred to the heroine's jeans as "vintage"... My eyes are rolling again. She should have just said "old" and left it at that.

Page 125 the word physic is used. They meant psychic. Clearly books nowadays or maybe just any written word that used to have an editor either has none or less exposure to one. I don't remember there being errors in books like there are now.

The cover... it actually features the heroine, looks like her description and fits a "scene" in the book. Unfortunately I don't think the heroine on the cover is all that attractive but I guess you can't have it all.

The one thing I did like was the reunion of the brothers Prakenski and their interaction.

I know this is a romance novel and it's not supposed to be realistic or entirely make sense but... it went too far for me. I have enjoyed others in this series, just not this one. If you're a fan of Feehan, or this series, give it a try, maybe you'll be more forgiving but the truth is I just don't think this is one of her better books of the Sea Haven series.

[Stephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexi’s nightmare comes true, the cult has found and threatened her but unlike her nightmares, Gavriil Prakenskii saves her in this sensational paranormal romance.

Gavriil knows that Lexi is destined to be his but he doesn’t think that Lexi can find happiness with a man full of secrets and shadows and well acquainted with violence and the reader can’t help but get caught up in this heart gripping tale as Lexi and Gavriil’s personal demons slowly give way to their chance at happiness. The attraction between Gavriil and Lexi is sweet and slow building but no doubt well deserved as nightmares are slowly replaced with something sweeter while the emotional turmoil and the depth of the horrors that both have faced captures the heart… be prepared for sad and happy tears. These two characters are strong, compelling and easily related to while the steady to fast paced plot keeps expectations high with lots of suspense, turmoil and romance.

Danger and excitement comes in several different ways in this story which keeps tensions building throughout the story as you have the emotional chaos between Lexi and Gavriil in the romance, Lexi’s past has come back to haunt her as the cult members have set their sights on her once again and the Russian bad guys have put all the Prakenskii’s on a hit list including Ilya. Well written scenes and details capture the imagination and make it easy for the reader to immerse themselves into this emotionally turbulent romance and the magic while the heart capturing bond between those sisters and their men ensures that the readers come back for more.

Once again the Sisters of the Heart captured my heart with a sensational romance that shows how nightmares can be turned into truly wonderful dreams of happily ever after and I just love how the Sisters decide to get their revenge… a truly spectacular spectacle, so of course I can’t wait to read the next one.
- Eva

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit, I read this book to relax. Also, I'm a little OD-ed with sex. One can only read so much BDSM and non-con. Sometimes, I need my mind cleared out just like a nice sorbet between dishes in a 12 course meal.

I like this series because of the whole family connection. I love these deadly Russian assassins. What's not to like? Sexy accent, hawt body, loyal and lethal killers are all up my alley.

This one features the "youngest" sister Lexi. She doesn't like being around men and for good reason. Her past sucks donkey dick. The fact that she survived and isn't a victim is pretty amazing. Gavriil Prakenskii is her mate and he's even more deadly than the other brothers.

Seriously, each brother is more dangerous? How does this work? All I know is that this is very arousing and appeal to me. Gavrill is a messed up guy and he has a heart of gold. Stereotypical profile for an alpha-male which works well. Will I remember this book in a few months? Probably not. Still, when I read it, I enjoyed it because Ms. Feehan is a great storyteller. She entertains and writes another enjoyable book. Can't wait to read about the other two brothers.

One last thing to note. In this story, it is mentioned that daiyu is Chinese for black jade. I have no idea what she's talking about. Dai is not black in Mandarin or Cantonese. The only word I know for black is 黑 which sounds like "hei" is the best I can romanize it. Yu is close enough to jade. Not sure which dialect she's using, definitely not Mandarin.

[Penny Watson]

I'm not sure how to rate this.

I loved the hero and heroine. This was a fantastic pairing of personalities. If Feehan had just focused on the romance instead of the horribly traumatic and disturbing backstories of so many characters, this would have been perfect for me.

Unfortunately, Feehan's new favorite themes seem to be sex trafficking, torture, and rape. Including the abduction, rape, torture, and murder of children. The trauma these characters have endured is brought up repeatedly in the books, and is too disturbing for me. I'm sure some readers have no problem with this stuff, but I do.

When the hero and heroine of this book finally make love for the first time, they are discussing the heroine's rapist during sex. :(

So, I'm out. This will be the last book by CF I read. She is a talented writer and creates some fantastic characters, but the darkness and violence in her books is no longer appealing to me.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Can two broken people find love?

Opening Sentence: “Pain was a strange entity.”

The Review:

I haven’t read any books in this series, this is my first. That being said, it was definitely one that while you may be missing some of the backstory you don’t feel completely lost reading out of order. So for me to fill that backstory, I am going to definitely go back and read the first three books. Lexi is a survivor from a cult; she has joined her sisters on their farm and is in hiding from the cult. Gavriil is an assassin who is on his way to the farm to let his brothers know all of them are on a hit list. That was one of the few things that I want to find out more and I am hoping by reading the first three books that will be explained to me. Why are they on hit list? All of them seemed to have experienced tragic lost and horrible childhoods.

Gavriil was separated from his brothers after their parents were brutally murdered and forced into a brutal assassin program. So at the age of 37 he is a harden killer. Lexi was taken under duress at age 8 and forced to marry cult leader, Caine. She experiences all kinds of sexual, physical and mental abuse before escaping at 17. It was a little unclear how long she had been on the farm and how old she is now, so there is a bit of an age gap between her and Gavriil. They first meet after he saves her life when Caine and a couple of followers attack her outside the farm. They are immediately drawn to each other, especially since in his family some kind of itching on the hand indicates they have found the one! Okay seriously…that happened!

Lexi is earth bound and can make earthquakes and use the ground to swallow people and give her calm. From all the abuse she is isolated and hates being indoors and suffers from panic attacks and paranoia. Gavriil of course is the least likely mate for her, but she senses the pain inside and hopes to help him. I do like that while there was major instant love, the author really took her time with their love story and intimate relations. Gavriil showed major restraint and understanding with Lexi because of the abuse she has endured.

The cult despite Caine’s death is still stalking Lexi, so they do have to deal with them. I really enjoyed the fact that the sisters were the ones who really kicked butt and took names. I did enjoy this book and it wasn’t a struggle to read. I just didn’t quite connect as much as I hoped I would with the main characters. I am not sure if it was me or what, but I did feel the loss, with two broken individuals I really felt this could have been a powerful coming together. That is really the only thing bad I can say about the book, and more likely it’s more a me thing than something that is wrong with the book. It’s also not enough to deter me from reading more in this series.

Notable Scenes:

“She was the one person who never betrayed me.”

“That was it took, and she had his heart in the palm of her hand.”

“Determined to rise like the phoenix from the ashes of her past.”

FTC Advisory: Jove/Penguin provided me with a copy of Earth Bound. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Laura V. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me pregunto si habrá algo detrás del interés de esta autora por continuar esta serie. Es OBVIO que está escrito para sacárselo de encima. ¿Se habrá aburrido de los Prakenskii? ¿No sabe cómo hacerlos parecer humanos y a la vez pedazos de carne entrenados para matar? Debe ser ya su comodín favorito sacarse de la manga el hecho de que Gavrill sienta que Lexi es LA mujer que está DESTINADA a ser su compañera de VIDA en cuanto la VE.

Le queda muy cómodo que estos "pedazos" de hombres sientan un AMOR tan fuerte y tan PARA SIEMPRE a la primera que las ven. Demasiado cómodo diría, total ni tiene que desarrollar un romance decente ni siquiera unas interacciones sanas y confortables, porque ya de una van el todo por el todo. Es todo tan cómodo que no debería ni asustarme que Gavrill a dos horas de conocerla le DECLARE su amor, y empiecen a hablar ASÍ COMO SI NADA de lo difícil que será para ellos dos llevar adelante una relación cuando es obvio que es la primera vez para ambos y es algo muy "frágil" y "nuevo" lo que están construyendo.

Francamente, para quienes apreciamos a los Prakenskii y a Ilya más que a nadie, esto podría ser considerado un insulto. Nos está tomando el pelo, vendiéndonos una historia mediocre que lo único que tiene de "preciado" es que uno de los protas lleva el apellido Prakenskii y se sitúa en Sea Haven. A ver, no. No funciona así.

Llegué a la conclusión de uno de cada tres libros de Feehan vale la pena, los otros son relleno. Simplemente no puedo creer que esta mujer sea la misma que escribió los libros de Elle y Joley Drake. ¿Dónde está esa mujer? ¿Dónde están los Ilya del mundo? Gavrill simplemente parece un oso recién salido de la guerra que ama dar abrazos. Sólo piensen en esa imagen mental. A ver, es todo tierno, todo blando, todo delicado y es "el más malo de todo los Prakenskii". Wata.

Por otro lado, la consideración que tuvo con la historia de Lexi es poco sensible. Un trama sexual del nivel de Lexi dudo que se solucione de la noche a la mañana y solo porque Gavrill es el indicado. O sea, no, a ver, basta con estas terapias del sexo. Me aburren estas ideas del "buen sexo que tapa el recuerdo del mal sexo". Esperaba un acercamiento más delicado a esta cuestión, no un abordaje "Prakenskii y a lo macho".

¿Puntos positivos? Ver a Ilya ♥. Sentir el amor de Gavrill por su hermano pequeño. Gavrill no es una bestia, dentro de todo cae bien, lo que está mal es el modo en que la autora decidió desarrollar su historia con Lexi. En dos días, ya tenía una declaración de amor y una propuesta de casamiento con o sin hijos (a elección). Y sucede todo tan lento que más de la mitad del libro pasa en una tarde. Creo que en donde termina el libro es donde en realidad debería empezar.

Ahora bien, solucionadme una duda: ¿qué edad tiene Gavrill? Es el mayor así que yo le calculo 45-50, y Lexi 20-25 seguramente.

[Christa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had been on my radar for a while because of the cover.

There were two things that bothered me about this book.

The instalove.
This comes at 2% on my kindle.
He knew her. He had always known her. He’d known she was somewhere in the world waiting, and the itch in his palm and the pain paralyzing his mind told him this woman belonged to him and only him. How completely unexpected and unacceptable was that?

There’s a lot of telling not showing.
She detested being the weak link on the farm with her panic attacks and paranoia. She tried to make up for her failings by working long hours and making a success of their family business.

I was looking forward to reading about a traumatized heroine falling for a scary man who only has a soft spot for her. But instead, I felt like I was being told about the story instead of being caught up in the story. It might have something to do with the third person POV. But this one wasn’t for me.


Recommend if you want a story about magical sisters falling for psychic men on a farm with some love at first site. I’d borrow before buying unless you are a fan of the authors other works.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't care for this story. I know to expect insta-love, insta-claiming and all that, but it just didn't work at all for me.

The one part I did like was that the brothers FINALLY reconnected. The best part of the book, too bad they didn't get more page time together.

I'm not sure I care enough at this point to read the final two books.

[TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This installment of the Sea Haven series isn’t as chock-ful of action and suspense as the others so far. Instead it deals with two very broken people and how they help each other find happiness and love again after a lifetime of absolutely horrifying experiences. That isn’t to say there isn’t action and intrigue, it’s just that the focus is more on the relationship side - in a very good way.

[JenMcJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll take a Gavriil, please.
And washing machine sex...

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with Air Bound, Earth Bound is also a darker tale involving the abuse of children for Mrs. Feehan. This book is about Lexi and does contain child molestation/pedophilia. However, if you have been following this series since Ilya you know that she has taken the path of sex trafficking for this series. While there is no extreme sexual description regarding the actual acts, you do get a keen sense of what took place, as well as descriptive scenes explaining the punishments doled out for noncompliance.

Gavriil is the second oldest of the seven Prakenskii brothers. Like his brothers, he is a hired hitman, trained since childhood to commit assassinations. He lives his life in solitude, protecting his youngest brother from afar. Using his real name, Gavriil ventures to Sea Haven with hopes of drawing the attention away from his family—that is until he discovers Lexi in the fields. At this point, our fierce hero knows he will not be going anywhere. His new mission is to protect his soulmate with everything in his arsenal. From the first moment he sets foot on the farm and lays his eyes on Lexi, Gavriil knew without a doubt that she would be his. Every rational thought and action paled in comparison to the uncontrollable need he felt when it came to possessing and branding Lexi with his mark.

Gavriil knew his way around compassion and tenderness. He was a tough mercenary, one who avoided any type of commitment or feels. In order to thoroughly execute carnage he had to be stone cold. The thing his training did not prepare him for was Lexi. Gavriil was so amazing with her. He was patient, loving, and an absolute sweetheart. He had immediately become solely hers, with that came his undivided attention and ultimate protection, whether that was over her emotions or against anyone he perceived as the enemy. Gavriil was truly captivating when it came to his gentleness and perseverance. And while our hero would differ in opinion, that man had one hell of a charismatic personality, including some swoon worthy panting melting scenes. Obviously, like his brothers, Gavriil’s need to control knew no bounds (he wouldn’t be a Prakenskii if he was any other way), and sometimes the intensity of it caused some bold unexpected reactions from Lexi.

I loved Lexi’s personality and spirit. She had an amazing strength about her, even when she perceived herself to be vulnerable and fragile. Lexi lives her life centered on the only means of survival she knows, the farm and her sisters of heart. Lexi feels the most comfort and peace when she is shifting through the sand, or among her crops/flowers. She snagged my heart when she stood up for herself, along with protecting and caring for Gavriil at the same time. Lexi was loving, spirited, and sassy. I thought she handled her initiation to Gavriil inserting himself squarely into her life perfectly. I found her to be extremely brave and courageous. With all the abuse she suffered through, I loved watching her blossom under Gavriil’s soft and assured touch.

I always love when a book highlights characters that have strong family/friend connections. It can make it easier to slip in to them as a couple. Our protagonists were beautifully developed characters, both damaged with heart breaking pasts, and beyond guarded when it came to the opposite sex—until they found each other. Gavriil and Lexi were made for one another, a solace to each other’s souls. I loved that their friendship and love offered them a sanctuary, a place to be themselves without judgment clouding the way. It also offered a place of safekeeping, allowing Gavriil and Lexi a healthy transition towards freedom and healing. Gavriil was the peanut butter to Lexi’s jelly. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with.

Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW, for the complimentary copy of Earth Bound.

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earth bound is the fourth book in the Sea Haven series and tells the story of Lexi, the sister gifted with the earth element and Gavriil Prakenskii, one of the oldest brothers.

When Lexi moved to Sea Haven with her five sisters to start anew she was pleased to run their farm being responsible for a farm isn’t easy but Lexi loved taking care of it. It also helped that she could feel what the earth needed. But Lexi’s past isn’t that different from that of her sisters’.

Her past is once again haunting her. Lexi was just eight when she was kidnapped from her home and forced to live with a monster who abused her. She may have escaped and moved on but she has never forgotten her past. When the monster of her past comes looking for her she is the one that will trap him this time. But there is another man at her farm, only he isn’t there to harm her but to protect her.

Wow! Gavriil was so defferent from his other brothers. They were all forced to watch their parents get killed, they were later separated and trained. Gavriil was supposed to be a killing machine, he was trained to be and they succeeded. But he never forgot his brothers. As one of the oldest, he always watched over them from afar. Now they are all in grave danger and he has come to warn them, especially Illya, the youngest of all.

Lexi and Gavriil were very alike. They have both suffered physical and emotional wounds but together they managed to heal. Gavriil was a very likeable character. He had endured much but yet he never once broke. He loved his brothers and he came to love the young farmer who teased and protected him from the porch while he lay healing on her bed.

Earth bound was an amazing book. The story was heartbreaking and emotional but in the end the pain was worth it. I loved that we got to see Illya and Jonas. I’d have loved to see Jolie too but that didn’t happen.

Lexi and Gavriil’s story captivated me. I read it in one sitting. I just wanted to find out what their future held and I did. I hope we get to see more of them in the upcoming books. I’m really looking forward for more.

Posted on: http://sofialovesreading.blogspot.co....

[Cocktails and Books]

This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books

I admit that I enjoy most of what Ms. Feehan writes, but I also admit that it’s been so long since I’ve read one of this series, that it took me a minute to get all the supportive cast straight. That said, even with needing to stop and think about who’s who, I think someone who just picked up this book could just enjoy it for the fascinating paranormal romance that it is.

Lexi has every right and reason to not trust men, and to not want to ever have a relationship after her life in a cult, but Gavriil Prakenskii is a very patient man who thinks his soul is too stained for Lexi.

I loved that Gavriil was so patient and caring with Lexi and that Lexi sees through all of the bad things Gavriil has done to the core of the man. He’s a good man who’s done bad things and would do them again if it meant protecting those he loves. I like that about him. He’s not apologetic, and he stays the same brusque and unique character even has his relationship with Lexi blossoms.

The same can be said for Lexi, while she changes a bit because she’s more willing to open up and be with Gavriil, she stays the same independent character who survived, I like that they didn’t become shadows of themselves because they fell in love.

Overall, this is a story with magic, suspense, love and a bit of violence as these two characters fight for their right to love and live in peace.

Reviewer information can be found under the Tags section of the post on our site.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one worked much better for me than the last one did. I thought that Lexi and Gavriil balanced one another and each had what the other needed to heal. I did think that for Gavriil being such a bad mamajama that he got in touch with his more sensitive side awfully fast when it cameto Lexi, but it was enough to detract from the story. Lexi was kidnapped at 8 years old from her bed and forced to live with a cult and forced to marry one of the leaders at a very young age, as well as suffer horrible abuse. So the overcomes a lot in order to be with Gavriil. My only real issue with the story was that I felt it ended rather abruptly. I would have like t have had more time with Lexy and Gavrill working the farm and being together without any outside stressors that they had been dealing with. On a side note, it looks like Alissa has caught on to these Prakinski brothers and has decided to go on a trip(she is running scared) but I wonder which brother is going to get in on the chase? We still have two brothers that are in the wind right now. I really enjoyed seeing all the brothers meet for the first time, at least the ones that are currently present. Even Ilya (Jolie's hubby)came over to meet his brothers. He was a baby when they were all separated. Can't wait to find out who the next brother is to get his HEA.

[Ezi Chinny · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was my kind of PNR. Damaged characters, angst, assassin alpha males etc.
37 yr old Gavriil Prakenski came to Sea Haven to warn 3 of his brothers that their lives are in danger when he spies Lexi being attcked her fields. Gavriil saves Lexi and decides that Lexi is the one his heart has longed for and decided to prove to her that they belong together.

Lexi isn't convinced she has a future much less one with Gavriil. She is in hiding from a religious cult that kidnapped her at age 8 and married her to their leader Caine. Lexi escaped at age 17 but the group has vowed to find her and kill her. She has begun receiving threatening phone calls and so she knows the cult is closing in.

Gavriil has to prove that he loves her and can keep all of them safe including the sisters' families too.

This installment was slightly better than book 3. I was pleased that the sex scenes declined. I loved the family dynamic as they all wanted to protect each other. They were sensitive to the needs of others especially the children.

Gavriil was a really good hero. For an assassin and a loner, he worked hard to gain Lexi's trust. He was kind, thoughtful and patient. They were a great fit together as a couple. I felt the chemistry immediately. This series is as entertaining as the Ghostwalkers series.

[Reading In Pajamas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review & Giveaway: Earth Bound (A Sea Haven Novel) by Christine Feehan http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-2KP
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publication Date: July 7, 2015
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4 Stars

REVIEW:
This is a touching story of two tragic, lost souls learning to find trust and love in each other. It was more an emotional love story even though the physical part finally came and was worth the wait. Although I wish it had moved past the “I’m not good enough for you” stage faster, I did enjoy their journey. She helped him feel and he helped her find confidence to cope with her past intruding once more. I really liked Gavriil but then I am partial to the strong, deadly silent types and his hidden scars only added to the allure. His relationship with his brothers was interesting but I wish there was more immediate chemistry between them. I have not read this series and found that it was easy to pick up on the back stories. I now have them on my TBR list. I think I like Sea Haven.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about Gavriil at the start of this one, but quickly he won me over. I loved how Gavriil was instantly smitten with Lexi, but knew he needed to go slow with her. It was fun to see all the others at the farm warn Gavriil, warn him that if he hurt her they would all come after him.

I loved how Lexi saw a different side of Gavriil, one in which he was a bit softer. You had to laugh every time she was defending him to her sisters.

I liked how Gavriil slowly became a part of the farm and how all the sisters and the Prakenskii brothers worked together to eliminate a threat at one of their own. It really allowed the brothers to not take the sisters lightly.

Some highlights of the book for me was the kids. I liked the lesson that Benito learned, it was a hard one, but one he needed to learn. I also liked how Lucia was able to face her feelings by talking with Lexi and feel more settled in her new life.

[Varied Books]

10/22/17 Ammy sale $1.99

Audio Book- Narrator has a sexy voice.

As I'm listening he's not that great w/ voice inflections. I'm not hearing the harsh or stern voice or any real change to express character emotions. But I am loving the H. He is fun in a yummy way.

It's bad when u want to fall asleep during the sex scene that finally happens. The narrator sounds like he is giving a documentation of the scene.

Sad b/c when the narrator gives the H a Russian accent he sounds sexy.

I am rating the narrator as below par for this book.

[Eva Millien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexi’s nightmare comes true, the cult has found and threatened her but unlike her nightmares, Gavriil Prakenskii saves her in this sensational paranormal romance. Once again the Sisters of the Heart captured my heart with a sensational romance that shows how nightmares can be turned into truly wonderful dreams of happily ever after and I just love how the Sisters decide to get their revenge… a truly spectacular spectacle, so of course I can’t wait to read the next one.

See my full review at:http://paranormalhaven.com/2015/07/re...

[TIffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, was hoping to love it based on some of the reviews I read...there were moments were I was hooked and loved it and moments like others had mentioned were I rolled my eyes and even became annoyed. But all in all I really liked it, Love Gavriil and Lexi!! would recomend.