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Celta's Heartmates #12.5
Lost Heart
RITA(R) Award-Winning author Robin D. Owens’ first Celta novella!
Celta, a place of magic, telepathic animal companions, and romance . . . Lost Heart, a story rife with hidden agendas and dangerous secrets.
Barton Clover, Chief of Security for his large and noble family, is deeply aware of his responsibilities. When two young relatives repudiate the family and later disappear, he's determined to find them and convince them to return. He has no time or inclination for love . . . but his family disapproves of his nothing-but-work life. They decree that he must visit a matchmaker or lose his position.
Enata Licorice, a respected librarian, has been doing research in a mysterious records vault . . . and is finding odd blanks in her memory. Lonely, she yearns for a good husband and arranges a matchmaking session of her own.
It's love at first sight for Barton and Enata, but both are crucial members of their families. Clans who practice opposite lifestyles. And both families demand the couple's time and attention, causing strife.
While trying to resolve their issues, Barton discovers Enata's secret and they must work as a couple to resolve the puzzle that includes Barton's missing relatives -- if they dare. And if they fail, more than their own lives are lost.
Celta, a place of magic, telepathic animal companions, and romance . . . Lost Heart, a story rife with hidden agendas and dangerous secrets.
Barton Clover, Chief of Security for his large and noble family, is deeply aware of his responsibilities. When two young relatives repudiate the family and later disappear, he's determined to find them and convince them to return. He has no time or inclination for love . . . but his family disapproves of his nothing-but-work life. They decree that he must visit a matchmaker or lose his position.
Enata Licorice, a respected librarian, has been doing research in a mysterious records vault . . . and is finding odd blanks in her memory. Lonely, she yearns for a good husband and arranges a matchmaking session of her own.
It's love at first sight for Barton and Enata, but both are crucial members of their families. Clans who practice opposite lifestyles. And both families demand the couple's time and attention, causing strife.
While trying to resolve their issues, Barton discovers Enata's secret and they must work as a couple to resolve the puzzle that includes Barton's missing relatives -- if they dare. And if they fail, more than their own lives are lost.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
August 30, 2018
Well, Robin jumped the shark on this one. I wonder if she'll be able to recover from it?
I wanted to love this book. I was just unable to do so. In short, while not every Celta Heartmate book is of the same quality and enjoyableness, I have to rank this one at the very bottom of the heap by an extremely wide margin. While I enjoy Robin's writing immensely, the direction she chose to go here completely destroyed any lingering enjoyment I might have had in the story. The three stars are for my initial enjoyment and for the quality of the writing. If I was going on how I felt as the story ended, I'd have to give the book only one star.
Edit: I've downgraded my rating to two stars after re-reading the story to try again to like it. /End Edit
And I can't really talk about why without spoilers so......be warned that everything below this line will contain spoilers.
I truly hope that Robin decides to abandon this plot device and make this a non-Canon Celta story and go in a different direction because I cannot begin to conceive of how she can retain the spirit of this series if she continues on the road she's currently going down.
I wanted to love this book. I was just unable to do so. In short, while not every Celta Heartmate book is of the same quality and enjoyableness, I have to rank this one at the very bottom of the heap by an extremely wide margin. While I enjoy Robin's writing immensely, the direction she chose to go here completely destroyed any lingering enjoyment I might have had in the story. The three stars are for my initial enjoyment and for the quality of the writing. If I was going on how I felt as the story ended, I'd have to give the book only one star.
Edit: I've downgraded my rating to two stars after re-reading the story to try again to like it. /End Edit
And I can't really talk about why without spoilers so......be warned that everything below this line will contain spoilers.
I truly hope that Robin decides to abandon this plot device and make this a non-Canon Celta story and go in a different direction because I cannot begin to conceive of how she can retain the spirit of this series if she continues on the road she's currently going down.
August 1, 2023
Yes! I really did read this novella, 12.5, on purpose. It's the last audiobook in the series. Cost me 5 bucks for 5 hours of brain pain. Cause I had to catch up to the mechanics of this world. I tell ya, what a great job. It is simple.
So, over 400 years ago! Humans left earth in a living star ship. They colonized a new planet. As human will always human. A society is formed. There are animal familiars, fated mates, heart mates, lovers, and the usual friends and family.
Just one issue the Librarian is having weird headaches and dizzy spells. No time to figure that out cause her family decided she needs to marry. A family group of 5 people isn't enough to sustain a working library.
The adventure ensued! I'm not telling. Besides it looks like anyone can start reading from here. And enjoy the rest of the series.
So, over 400 years ago! Humans left earth in a living star ship. They colonized a new planet. As human will always human. A society is formed. There are animal familiars, fated mates, heart mates, lovers, and the usual friends and family.
Just one issue the Librarian is having weird headaches and dizzy spells. No time to figure that out cause her family decided she needs to marry. A family group of 5 people isn't enough to sustain a working library.
The adventure ensued! I'm not telling. Besides it looks like anyone can start reading from here. And enjoy the rest of the series.
April 22, 2016
While I love Robin Owens' Celta novels, I had some problems with this novella. First of all, I definitely prefer longer books from this author. The character development was weaker than in her longer books. Second, a new character is introduced that left me cold. I can't give a lot of details without spoiling things, but I believe this entry into an already rich mythology was unnecessary and problematic.
I gave the book three stars because there were elements I liked, but I really believe Robin should stick to the longer form. Her full-length novels are much stronger.
I gave the book three stars because there were elements I liked, but I really believe Robin should stick to the longer form. Her full-length novels are much stronger.
April 28, 2016
I have to say this was a really weird addition to the series. No heartmates but still instalove that originally seemed drug induced, lots of smexy times for a novella, and a really strange reveal to a mystery. Not my favorite Celta book.
April 28, 2016
This short story was a little different from others in the series, our couple were not heartmates, but matched. I liked seeing this different aspect of life in Celta. It seemed like the matchmaker did a great job. I sort of didn't expect that as Barton was so not in the mood for a mate/wife. I loved that once given the potion that would open Barton's mind his hidden romantic came out and he wooed Enata. There didn't seem to be any sort of conflict for the couple to overcome, just lots of love and smooth sailing. Of course you know something is going to happen, but it wasn't anything to break the couple apart, instead they were let in on one of Celta's oldest and most secret secret. I find myself not sure what to think of the secret. Part of me likes the idea behind it, but another part of me thinks like Barton and don't like how these people are manipulated. I was glad that Enata was able to make her point and things will change going forward.
May 30, 2023
Interesting new twists in the Celta story. As usual, terrific characters, human and fam and otherwise. It's a novella, so there are fewer of the amusing sub plots.
April 28, 2023
I was lost as I was hoping this was a standalone.
December 16, 2017
A novella involving the love story of one of the Clovers with a woman of great flair.
May 13, 2016
This joint review was originally published at The Book Pushers
Reviewed by: E and Marlene
E: I was browsing author websites looking for upcoming releases as I tend to do on a monthly basis when I saw Owens talking about a recently released novella. Shocked because I usually keep track of her publication dates I did a bit more research and discovered she had self-published this one. Immediately I had to mention it to a fellow Bookpusher who I can always count on to share my Owens love and we decided we needed this story in our lives.
Marlene: When E told me that there was a new Owens Celta book that we had both missed, I was all in. I love this series and always hate waiting a whole year between books. Lost Heart looked like a terrific treat. For this reader at least, looks can be deceiving.
E: Once more Owens proved why she is on my auto-buy list. While I was reading about the now familiar world of Celta and a few characters who have appeared in previous stories I thought this one included some very interesting twists. Relationships between opposite personalities or even arch enemy families have previously occurred in this series but this was the first time I think the differences really made me wonder how or if they would be overcome.
Marlene: Unfortunately I did not have the same reaction to Lost Heart as my fellow Book Pusher. I think that later, I’m going to be glad I read this one because I believe that the resolution of the central mystery in this story, which we are both carefully not revealing, will have an impact on future events. Which does not mean I particularly enjoyed the way it got introduced and temporarily resolved in this novella.
E: In addition to the struggle between Barton and Enata as they tried to establish and define their life as a couple, Owens proceeded to throw in something I found very unexpected. In a way, this unexpected twist helped Barton and Enata grow together yet it also set them up for potential conflict as they had to make some tough choices for the future, and then live with the results of those choices. Of course watching Enata stand up for certain things made me cheer.
Marlene: While the hinted at unexpected plot twist does ramp up the action in this story, I had problems with Barton and Enata as a couple. The way that they find each other and fall into insta-love (or in Barton’s case insta-lust and insta-possessiveness) came out of left field for me. We’ve seen Heartmates meet and still struggle to fall for each other and make the relationship work. We’ve seen couples who are not Heartmates meet and fall in love what we might call “the old-fashioned way”. But this is the first time we see a matchmaker use a potion and have the couple fall all over each other. It felt forced. And maybe it was, but the way it happened still doesn’t fit with the Celta that Owens has built over 14 books in the series.
And I’ll confess this is my own personal pet-peeve. After the awesome introduction of the Licorice family as the Celtan librarians in Heart Fortune, in Lost Heart we see the family back home. And possibly due to the circumstances behind this story, they have descended straight into the stereotype of librarians that most of us hate and are entirely too sensitive about.
Getting down off soapbox now.
E: I enjoyed Lost Heart, especially as a surprise to me installment and I am really curious to see how the events of this story impact not only other characters but the main world. I was also quite glad to see Barton find a focus outside of the physical security for his family. He was such a steadfast ally to his cousin in a previous story I liked seeing him as the focus. I really can’t wait to see what Owens does next.
I give Lost Heart a B
Marlene: The first half of Lost Heart was a surprisingly slow read for me when it comes to Owens. I didn’t like the characterization of the Licorice family, and I also didn’t much care for Barton as a character or the way he treated Enata. When the action ramps up in the second half of the story, things got more interesting for me, but also added more issues. I’m still adjusting to the new vision of Celta that Owens gives us in this story, and wondering where it will take us next. At the same time, where we are now seems like a radical change in worldview, and while it’s an interesting concept, it isn’t slotting into place for me with the Celta we’ve known so far.
I give Lost Heart a C+
Reviewed by: E and Marlene
E: I was browsing author websites looking for upcoming releases as I tend to do on a monthly basis when I saw Owens talking about a recently released novella. Shocked because I usually keep track of her publication dates I did a bit more research and discovered she had self-published this one. Immediately I had to mention it to a fellow Bookpusher who I can always count on to share my Owens love and we decided we needed this story in our lives.
Marlene: When E told me that there was a new Owens Celta book that we had both missed, I was all in. I love this series and always hate waiting a whole year between books. Lost Heart looked like a terrific treat. For this reader at least, looks can be deceiving.
E: Once more Owens proved why she is on my auto-buy list. While I was reading about the now familiar world of Celta and a few characters who have appeared in previous stories I thought this one included some very interesting twists. Relationships between opposite personalities or even arch enemy families have previously occurred in this series but this was the first time I think the differences really made me wonder how or if they would be overcome.
Marlene: Unfortunately I did not have the same reaction to Lost Heart as my fellow Book Pusher. I think that later, I’m going to be glad I read this one because I believe that the resolution of the central mystery in this story, which we are both carefully not revealing, will have an impact on future events. Which does not mean I particularly enjoyed the way it got introduced and temporarily resolved in this novella.
E: In addition to the struggle between Barton and Enata as they tried to establish and define their life as a couple, Owens proceeded to throw in something I found very unexpected. In a way, this unexpected twist helped Barton and Enata grow together yet it also set them up for potential conflict as they had to make some tough choices for the future, and then live with the results of those choices. Of course watching Enata stand up for certain things made me cheer.
Marlene: While the hinted at unexpected plot twist does ramp up the action in this story, I had problems with Barton and Enata as a couple. The way that they find each other and fall into insta-love (or in Barton’s case insta-lust and insta-possessiveness) came out of left field for me. We’ve seen Heartmates meet and still struggle to fall for each other and make the relationship work. We’ve seen couples who are not Heartmates meet and fall in love what we might call “the old-fashioned way”. But this is the first time we see a matchmaker use a potion and have the couple fall all over each other. It felt forced. And maybe it was, but the way it happened still doesn’t fit with the Celta that Owens has built over 14 books in the series.
And I’ll confess this is my own personal pet-peeve. After the awesome introduction of the Licorice family as the Celtan librarians in Heart Fortune, in Lost Heart we see the family back home. And possibly due to the circumstances behind this story, they have descended straight into the stereotype of librarians that most of us hate and are entirely too sensitive about.
Getting down off soapbox now.
E: I enjoyed Lost Heart, especially as a surprise to me installment and I am really curious to see how the events of this story impact not only other characters but the main world. I was also quite glad to see Barton find a focus outside of the physical security for his family. He was such a steadfast ally to his cousin in a previous story I liked seeing him as the focus. I really can’t wait to see what Owens does next.
I give Lost Heart a B
Marlene: The first half of Lost Heart was a surprisingly slow read for me when it comes to Owens. I didn’t like the characterization of the Licorice family, and I also didn’t much care for Barton as a character or the way he treated Enata. When the action ramps up in the second half of the story, things got more interesting for me, but also added more issues. I’m still adjusting to the new vision of Celta that Owens gives us in this story, and wondering where it will take us next. At the same time, where we are now seems like a radical change in worldview, and while it’s an interesting concept, it isn’t slotting into place for me with the Celta we’ve known so far.
I give Lost Heart a C+
May 28, 2016
Robin is an incredible world builder and I always get sweep away when I read one of her books. It’s always a delight to return to Celta rather it is for a short visit or long visit. Robin’s lastly is no different.
Barton Clover seems to be under a lot of pressure both from his family to find a wife and from himself to keep the family safe and to be perfect. He puts the family before himself and immerses himself in work. Enata is the Licorice Heir and has many responsibilities as such. Enata realizing that she will need a husband if the Licorice line is to continues. Since Enata doesn’t have a heartmate she goes to the Matchmaker T Willow to be found a match.
T willow is good and within a few minutes he matches Barton and Enata. T willow has always been my second favorite male character so getting to see him at work was a little treat. It was really interesting that T Willow gave both Enata and Barton a potion called “Recognition” to make them more open and receptive to each other. It had Interesting effects. Makes you wonder what was really in that potion. Barton and Enata can’t keep their hands off each other.
It’s great though Barton and Enata found each other so early in the story now they have the rest of the story to figure out how to make it work. Most stories don’t deal with what comes after the characters fall in love. We don’t usually get to see how they make it work and I am glad Robin is showing us now. It’s just one of the many ways that Robin’s stories get better and better and no two are totally alike.
But there are many other bumps and twists in Enata and Barton’s road to their HEA. Right out of the gate both doubt the match despite not being about to keep their hands off each other. And soon Barton and Enata realize there will be more problems to come. For one where they will live. Enata has to stay in her family’s house and take care of the library as Licorice heir and Barton has to stay in Clover compound as he is the chief of security for the Clovers. Time and time again they were both tested throughout the story and in the beginning they failed both individually and as a couple. Both Barton and Enata are intelligent, responsible and introverts and realized they were going to have to work at their relationship and comprise on a lot of stuff. It was fun watching them navigate their relationship. Once they opened up to each other and got to know each other better and realized that they were now a couple and a team they off running together solving the behind Reglis, Savi and Balanso disappearances.
The direction the story took with the island went a little out in left field. Robin surprised me with Celta. I hadn’t thought that the story would go quite like it did. Celta is a little creepy and scary. Robin sure knows how to pack a punch and clean up some loose ends. This was another fantastic book in Robin’s Celta series.
Barton Clover seems to be under a lot of pressure both from his family to find a wife and from himself to keep the family safe and to be perfect. He puts the family before himself and immerses himself in work. Enata is the Licorice Heir and has many responsibilities as such. Enata realizing that she will need a husband if the Licorice line is to continues. Since Enata doesn’t have a heartmate she goes to the Matchmaker T Willow to be found a match.
T willow is good and within a few minutes he matches Barton and Enata. T willow has always been my second favorite male character so getting to see him at work was a little treat. It was really interesting that T Willow gave both Enata and Barton a potion called “Recognition” to make them more open and receptive to each other. It had Interesting effects. Makes you wonder what was really in that potion. Barton and Enata can’t keep their hands off each other.
It’s great though Barton and Enata found each other so early in the story now they have the rest of the story to figure out how to make it work. Most stories don’t deal with what comes after the characters fall in love. We don’t usually get to see how they make it work and I am glad Robin is showing us now. It’s just one of the many ways that Robin’s stories get better and better and no two are totally alike.
But there are many other bumps and twists in Enata and Barton’s road to their HEA. Right out of the gate both doubt the match despite not being about to keep their hands off each other. And soon Barton and Enata realize there will be more problems to come. For one where they will live. Enata has to stay in her family’s house and take care of the library as Licorice heir and Barton has to stay in Clover compound as he is the chief of security for the Clovers. Time and time again they were both tested throughout the story and in the beginning they failed both individually and as a couple. Both Barton and Enata are intelligent, responsible and introverts and realized they were going to have to work at their relationship and comprise on a lot of stuff. It was fun watching them navigate their relationship. Once they opened up to each other and got to know each other better and realized that they were now a couple and a team they off running together solving the behind Reglis, Savi and Balanso disappearances.
The direction the story took with the island went a little out in left field. Robin surprised me with Celta. I hadn’t thought that the story would go quite like it did. Celta is a little creepy and scary. Robin sure knows how to pack a punch and clean up some loose ends. This was another fantastic book in Robin’s Celta series.
October 28, 2023
Love at first sight, and a startling revelation
Enata Licorice and Barton Clover fall in love at first sight in Lost Heart, a novella of Celta. Enata is a dedicated PublicLibrarian. Barton is head of security for the newly ennobled Clover Family. On the surface, they have little in common: she is cerebral and highly Flaired (she has strong psychic magic), while he is physical, highly trained and skilled in fighting and tactics. Nonetheless, the premier matchmaker on Celta declares them a perfect match, and Barton and Enata enthusiastically agree. But when Barton learns of Enata’s intermittent loss of memory and the emotional distress it has caused, their joint investigation of the source leads them to a clue regarding Barton’s missing relatives… and a startling discovery about the nature of Celta itself.
If insta-love makes you cringe, you might be a little resistant to the depth and intensity of the love (and lust) Enata and Barton experience on first meeting each other. Although Enata and Barton are not Heartmates, there is another explanation for their instant bond, which comes to light in the second half of the novella. The first half deals with their initial relationship and marriage (including several steamy scenes), as well as their relationships with each other’s families. While that was fun, I found the mystery surrounding Enata’s memory loss and Barton’s missing cousins more interesting, especially because the early scenes gave me a little more information than Enata has. And I really didn’t expect the surprise revelation toward the end. I hope Ms. Owens will explore that further in future stories or novels. (So far, she hasn’t, and it has been 7 years since the last book came out.)
You could probably read this novella without a background in the Celta’s Heartmates series, but it will work better if you read it after reading (at least) Heart FortuneHeart Fortune, the story of Enata’s sister Glyssa and her Heartmate Jace, which briefly includes Enata and Barton’s meeting and marriage.
3.5 stars, edging toward 4.
Review originally published on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
Challenges: The Backlist Reader Challenge 2023; COYER Upside Down, Chapt. 2
Enata Licorice and Barton Clover fall in love at first sight in Lost Heart, a novella of Celta. Enata is a dedicated PublicLibrarian. Barton is head of security for the newly ennobled Clover Family. On the surface, they have little in common: she is cerebral and highly Flaired (she has strong psychic magic), while he is physical, highly trained and skilled in fighting and tactics. Nonetheless, the premier matchmaker on Celta declares them a perfect match, and Barton and Enata enthusiastically agree. But when Barton learns of Enata’s intermittent loss of memory and the emotional distress it has caused, their joint investigation of the source leads them to a clue regarding Barton’s missing relatives… and a startling discovery about the nature of Celta itself.
If insta-love makes you cringe, you might be a little resistant to the depth and intensity of the love (and lust) Enata and Barton experience on first meeting each other. Although Enata and Barton are not Heartmates, there is another explanation for their instant bond, which comes to light in the second half of the novella. The first half deals with their initial relationship and marriage (including several steamy scenes), as well as their relationships with each other’s families. While that was fun, I found the mystery surrounding Enata’s memory loss and Barton’s missing cousins more interesting, especially because the early scenes gave me a little more information than Enata has. And I really didn’t expect the surprise revelation toward the end. I hope Ms. Owens will explore that further in future stories or novels. (So far, she hasn’t, and it has been 7 years since the last book came out.)
You could probably read this novella without a background in the Celta’s Heartmates series, but it will work better if you read it after reading (at least) Heart FortuneHeart Fortune, the story of Enata’s sister Glyssa and her Heartmate Jace, which briefly includes Enata and Barton’s meeting and marriage.
3.5 stars, edging toward 4.
Review originally published on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
Challenges: The Backlist Reader Challenge 2023; COYER Upside Down, Chapt. 2
April 19, 2016
"Lost Heart" is the newest story in Robin Owens' Celta series. It brings together Enata Licorice of the Public Library family and Barton Clover of the newly ennobled and extremely prolific Clovers. These are characters we've briefly met in earlier novels of the series.
Enata has an unnerving experience with a supernatural book deep in the vaults of the Library and it begins to weigh on her emotionally and physically, while Barton is obsessed with finding two missing Clover youngsters.
Neither of them is destined for a heartmate in this lifetime, so their respective families arrange appointments with the premier matchmaker of Celta, T'Willow, to find them loving spouses.
After they are successfully matched and married, they discover each others' obsession and compulsion and vow to find out the reasons for them. This leads to a journey and a totally new twist in the saga of Celta and her human colonists.
Robin Owens has brought a new character into play in her Celta saga, one that has huge implications for all the colonists of Celta.
Enata has an unnerving experience with a supernatural book deep in the vaults of the Library and it begins to weigh on her emotionally and physically, while Barton is obsessed with finding two missing Clover youngsters.
Neither of them is destined for a heartmate in this lifetime, so their respective families arrange appointments with the premier matchmaker of Celta, T'Willow, to find them loving spouses.
After they are successfully matched and married, they discover each others' obsession and compulsion and vow to find out the reasons for them. This leads to a journey and a totally new twist in the saga of Celta and her human colonists.
Robin Owens has brought a new character into play in her Celta saga, one that has huge implications for all the colonists of Celta.
June 8, 2016
4 stars
This novella didn't have Heart Mates, the fated pairing in the Celta world, but it did add something different that will likely come into play in Vinni T'Vine's book. Lost Heart also added a different perspective about the negatives of having a Heart Mate and that a few feel a relief of not having one. The couple in this book do have their own special twist giving them instant attraction and lusty thoughts. I found their journey unique in comparison to other books in this series. There's an added element that will impact this world and has the potential to add something fresh to the series. This was a fun and romantic read!
This novella didn't have Heart Mates, the fated pairing in the Celta world, but it did add something different that will likely come into play in Vinni T'Vine's book. Lost Heart also added a different perspective about the negatives of having a Heart Mate and that a few feel a relief of not having one. The couple in this book do have their own special twist giving them instant attraction and lusty thoughts. I found their journey unique in comparison to other books in this series. There's an added element that will impact this world and has the potential to add something fresh to the series. This was a fun and romantic read!
July 4, 2016
I am thrilled that Robin Owens is venturing into self publishing and there are lots of things to like about this Celta novella.
The couple and their families are great. I like that the romance is a match and not heartmates.
I am not thrilled with the mystery of the book and the reveal but I will withhold judgement until it gets more revealed.
If you just love this world, you will enjoy this voyage. 3.5
The couple and their families are great. I like that the romance is a match and not heartmates.
I am not thrilled with the mystery of the book and the reveal but I will withhold judgement until it gets more revealed.
If you just love this world, you will enjoy this voyage. 3.5
January 21, 2020
Excellent!
Ms. Owens is always a fun read. Delta is one of my favorite places to visit. The Clover clan as I call them; is diverse and complicated. She brought together people from her other books to let us know what happened to them. A great way to tie them all together. Thanks Ms. Owens for a fun read. Bel
Ms. Owens is always a fun read. Delta is one of my favorite places to visit. The Clover clan as I call them; is diverse and complicated. She brought together people from her other books to let us know what happened to them. A great way to tie them all together. Thanks Ms. Owens for a fun read. Bel
June 6, 2016
So, there were twists in there that will definitely impact my reading of the rest of the series. This is not about heart mates, but the two main characters have a lot of chemistry. The beginning kept confusing me and I almost didn't finish the story. This is self published and you could tell because it is not as polished as previous books. However still an ok read.
July 22, 2016
So disappointed. Love this series but this novella was just, I don't know, even more insta-love than with heartmates, it almost felt creepy, like these two people were drugged into it. Stopped reading after 2 chapters as it was squicking me out.
Read
April 18, 2016Another great story! Love seeing the younger ones get their own story! Barton was great! One of my all time favorite series!
May 31, 2017
This novella is a wonderful addition to the lore of Celta; one of my all-time favorite worlds.
June 19, 2016
Forgive the pun, but that was an earth-shattering surprise! But I'm not sure keeping such a secret between a married couple wouldn't put a huge strain on the relationship.
January 3, 2017
I didn't quite love it as much as I do most other Celta stories—it was a departure from the norm and had me reeling a bit. I have hope that I'll enjoy it more on my next read.
December 2, 2017
I am not completely sure how I feel about this book. I am vaguely horrified and definitely disturbed. I started off giddy, giggly, and excited as I had read the previous blog posts and deleted scenes on this pairing long before it came out. I thought I knew what I was walking into. Some of the books in this series have taken dark turns and were handled so beautifully that it never bothered me, it in fact often drew me deep into the characters until their pain was mine as well. I did not get that here.
From the beginning, I was so disturbed that I did not enjoy the scenes that normally would have made me laugh and smile. There was a niggling of worry and doubt that sort of ruined this book for me. The overall tone of this book is disjointed and disconnected from the rest of the series. I am still feeling horrified by the plot twist. I am worried that this book marks a turning point in the overall series and how the future books are handled. Whether it is a turn for the worse or the better still remains to be seen. By the end of this book I felt like there were two different writers, the tone had changed that much.
Beyond the worries for the future of this series I did want to say I really enjoyed seeing more of Barton and Enata. It was good to see a different side of Enata and the reason behind her action in Heart Fortune. Seeing the Clovers again is always good even if they did not come off the same as they have in past books. I liked seeing a non-heartmate couple, but as the series is literally named heartmates I do hope it is kept to a minimum in the future. The insta-love was a little too much at first, but I did like to see the way they handled the relationship throughout the entirety of the book. Overall the relationship itself gives the book a solid 4 stars, but the plot and tone of the book dragged it back down to a 3.
From the beginning, I was so disturbed that I did not enjoy the scenes that normally would have made me laugh and smile. There was a niggling of worry and doubt that sort of ruined this book for me. The overall tone of this book is disjointed and disconnected from the rest of the series. I am still feeling horrified by the plot twist. I am worried that this book marks a turning point in the overall series and how the future books are handled. Whether it is a turn for the worse or the better still remains to be seen. By the end of this book I felt like there were two different writers, the tone had changed that much.
Beyond the worries for the future of this series I did want to say I really enjoyed seeing more of Barton and Enata. It was good to see a different side of Enata and the reason behind her action in Heart Fortune. Seeing the Clovers again is always good even if they did not come off the same as they have in past books. I liked seeing a non-heartmate couple, but as the series is literally named heartmates I do hope it is kept to a minimum in the future. The insta-love was a little too much at first, but I did like to see the way they handled the relationship throughout the entirety of the book. Overall the relationship itself gives the book a solid 4 stars, but the plot and tone of the book dragged it back down to a 3.
September 4, 2023
Lost Heart on Books On Track
RTC
Previous books:
✦ Heart Legacy (Celta's Heartmates, #14) ~ ★★★ (06/08/2023)
✦ Heart Fire (Celta's Heartmates, #13) ~ ★★★ (06/07/2023)
✦ Heart Fortune (Celta's Heartmates, #12) ~ ★★★ (07/06/2023)
✦ Heart Secret (Celta's Heartmates, #11) ~ ★★★ (16/05/2023)
✦ Heart Search (Celta's Heartmates, #10) ~ ★★★ (07/11/2022)
✦ Script of the Heart (Celta's Heartmates #9.1) ~ ★★★ (03/10/2022)
✦ Heart Journey (Celta's Heartmates, #9) ~ ★★★ (09/05/2022)
✦ Heart Change (Celta's Heartmates, #8) ~ ★★★★ (03/11/2021)
March 30, 2018
Really Cool!
In the course of writing a huge series with LOTS of characters, it’s inevitable that even the best of authors will let an inconsistency or two slip in. This book addresses some characters that disappeared over the course of the series in a really neat and interesting way.
Of course, that’s not the MAIN plot, but (as always) the main love story is also really good. I’ve loved watching the Clover family adjust to their nobility, and the Licorice family is also fun to watch.
Anyway, in short, if you love Celta, you really can’t miss this. If you don’t know about Celta, you should discover it - it’s a great place to spend some time. I hope Robin Owens writes a whole bunch more Celta stories.
In the course of writing a huge series with LOTS of characters, it’s inevitable that even the best of authors will let an inconsistency or two slip in. This book addresses some characters that disappeared over the course of the series in a really neat and interesting way.
Of course, that’s not the MAIN plot, but (as always) the main love story is also really good. I’ve loved watching the Clover family adjust to their nobility, and the Licorice family is also fun to watch.
Anyway, in short, if you love Celta, you really can’t miss this. If you don’t know about Celta, you should discover it - it’s a great place to spend some time. I hope Robin Owens writes a whole bunch more Celta stories.
July 18, 2018
Excellent story. I really have enjoyed ALL of the novels written about Celta. This is really rated a 4.5 because although the story is engaging and provides excellent world building information, there are a few vocabulary glitches. I have found this to be common in self published writings. I suspect that when you do not have a large publishing house editing the work, you are going to encounter these errors in the use of the English language. The problem is that it does detract from my enjoyment of the story. To me, reading is an opportunity to not only enjoy a good story that takes you out of the real world, it is also an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the written word. I do thank the author for an excellent story.
June 4, 2023
Okay, so this novella is self published, and is rather noticeable in the chapter placements (top of the page). Anyway, at first I thought that the main characters were a little drugged up, after all, there's love at first sight, but, this was like lust at first sight. I kept reading and it did explain and even get better (at first it was going to be a 2 star read) and I won't say the book got better, it just wrapped up nicely and explained where some missing characters went, so, okay. Not sure if I like the whole Celta avatar thing, it didn't exactly mesh well with the rest of the series, but, it was different. I'm keeping the novella, because I still enjoy the series, not sure if I'll read it again anytime soon, though.
October 20, 2022
3 1/2 stars. This book takes place on another planet where humans have relocated and developed "flair", something like magic, and also heart mates. Not everyone has flair though, nor does everyone have a heart mate.
I liked the mains and their story. Had no problems with the instant connection. Each main had a problem to solve - his a disappearance of family members, and hers a physical ailment and memory loss. Both were good, though I don't think their two problems plus the blossoming of their relationship blended very well. In the end, it was short of anticlimactic.
The narrator was sometimes smooth and sometimes stilted. The voice of the kitten was terrible for a kitten.
I liked the mains and their story. Had no problems with the instant connection. Each main had a problem to solve - his a disappearance of family members, and hers a physical ailment and memory loss. Both were good, though I don't think their two problems plus the blossoming of their relationship blended very well. In the end, it was short of anticlimactic.
The narrator was sometimes smooth and sometimes stilted. The voice of the kitten was terrible for a kitten.
July 23, 2017
Not as enjoyable as the full-length novels in the series.
I kind of enjoyed the concept of
I wanted to love the main couple but just couldn't warm up to them. I think I needed more time to get to know them, which wasn't going to happen in the shorter format.
Oh, well, there's always Vinny's story to look forward to.
I kind of enjoyed the concept of
I wanted to love the main couple but just couldn't warm up to them. I think I needed more time to get to know them, which wasn't going to happen in the shorter format.
Oh, well, there's always Vinny's story to look forward to.
September 13, 2019
2019 bk 291. Another novella in the Celta universe. This is the story of the librarian and the warrior/guard. Brought together by a matchmaker and married that same night, this romance is unusual in ,that the romance takes place after the marriage as the two learn to love and trust each other. At the same time both Barton and Enata are dealing with family members who have disappeared. Where are their kin? What is causing erratic behavior in their families? Can our pair solve the mystery and truly unite as a couple?
August 18, 2019
I like the characters but I don’t like the premise. I’m going to try and forget this bit of world building. It adds creepiness to the place. Up to this point it’s been kind of uplifting for the most part, aside from a few jerks. This bit where people disappear and are forgotten is just horrific. I don’t like reading horror.
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