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Alliance of the Amazons #1
The Reluctant Amazon
The last thing Rebecca Massee expects on her wedding day is to go from jilted kindergarten teacher to Amazonian Earth warrior. But when she causes an earthquake after her groom says I don’t, she discovers that not only does she possess incredible powers, she is one of four lost chosen sisters who must fight to keep humanity safe from rogue gods and demons. Luckily she has help: ruggedly handsome Scottish warrior Artair MacKay, her protector and teacher.
An immortal, Artair has trained countless warriors for more than four hundred years. He understands Rebecca’s confusion at the new world she’s been thrust into and worries she is too emotionally vulnerable, but that doesn’t stop his growing feelings for the beautiful and fearless woman.
When an evil force threatens to destroy the Amazons, Rebecca must claim her full powers--but they come at a cost. Can she sacrifice the man she loves if it means saving the world?
An immortal, Artair has trained countless warriors for more than four hundred years. He understands Rebecca’s confusion at the new world she’s been thrust into and worries she is too emotionally vulnerable, but that doesn’t stop his growing feelings for the beautiful and fearless woman.
When an evil force threatens to destroy the Amazons, Rebecca must claim her full powers--but they come at a cost. Can she sacrifice the man she loves if it means saving the world?
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2012
190 people are currently reading
735 people want to read
About the author
Sandy James
39 books272 followersSandy lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis and is a high school psychology teacher. She is published through Grand Central Forever Yours and Carina Press as well as indie-published. An Amazon #1 Bestseller many times, she has won numerous awards, including two HOLT Medallions.
Please visit her website at http://sandyjames.com for more information or find her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/sandyjamesbooks)
Please visit her website at http://sandyjames.com for more information or find her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/sandyjamesbooks)
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January 15, 2015
The Reluctant Amazon is book #1 in the Alliance of the Amazons series by Sandy James.
Rebecca Massee is twenty nine years old, teaches kindergarten, lives with her Aunt, and is about to get married. She’s in her huge gown filled with frills and lace, standing at the alter, when her husband to be says no, he can’t marry her. Attempting to flee in shame, she is met at the doors of the church by the most beautiful man, in a kilt no less, who wants her to go with him.
“I came for ye, Becca.”
Her life is about to change forever. Rebecca is told she is one of four Amazons, born to be warriors for the greater good. One Amazon for each element, water, air, fire, and for Rebecca, earth. Becca has been dormant all this time, not yet needed for service. But now she is called, and not only must she accept this new life, she has to train, overcome her fears, learn to use weapons. How will she ever rise to this new role? Becca is not strong. She is afraid of heights. She is not a fighter. All it takes is one attack by the nasty zombie like creatures called revenants to make her believe all she is being told.
Artair MacKay is a Sentinel. He is immortal as are the Amazons. His job is to train the Amazons, to prepare them for battle. He has to toughen them up, turn them into fighters, help them to bond as sisters. Right away, though, he feels something different towards Becca. An overpowering need to protect her. Any kind of relationship with one of his charges is strictly forbidden so he compensates by being tougher than ever on her. But soon enough, it will become too difficult for Becca and Artair to fight the attraction that is pulling them towards one another. This was to be Artair’s last assignment. A new replacement Sentinel has already been chosen. He longs for a normal life, a mortal life. But now, with Becca, how will he ever be able to walk away?
There is evil at work and there are two of the older Amazon’s missing. The new Amazons need to be ready. Can Becca ever be strong enough to fight? To live up to the goddesses’ expectations that called her to service?
“Rebecca Massee was no longer the kindergarten teacher who had been abandoned at the alter. She was no longer the one who looked to others for her self-esteem. And she was no longer the woman who was afraid to take the lead, to charge to the front. Rebecca Massee was an Amazon.. She was Earth. And she was here to save humanity.”
With the other Sandy James books I have read, I was in love on page one. I do want to admit that it took a bit longer with this book for me to become emotionally involved. But when it hit, it hit hard. By about half way through, I couldn’t put it down. The action scenes towards the end were gripping and I love the way things played out at the end. I wouldn’t call the ending a cliff hanger but one main issue still isn’t resolved. So I will look forward to continuing with The Impetuous Amazon which will be Megan’s story who is the fire element. So even though it took me awhile to really get into this one, I still ended up really enjoying it. I mean, who could resist a sexy man in a kilt?
“Now and forever, Artair. I’m yours now and forever.”
October 4, 2013
Ok- here's the thing- book bub said this was a fantasy novel and it was free, so I was all, totally. But it is not a fantasy novel. It is a straight up romance novel set with mythology denizens background. Exhibit a) instalove male lead character who is exceedingly handsome, has a very large sword, in a kilt, with a brogue. But wait there's more. Exhibit b) he is her protector, guardian, teacher. They are forbidden to love. They fight against it, but alas, the wicked hot tub is a dangerous place to scantily clad lusty warriors. Exhibit c) -and this is how you really know it is a romance novel and not a fantasy, well, it is a fantasy, just not a literature genre fantasy.- he wants to give up his warrior ways and settle down with a wife to have babies. If u are looking for a sweet new fantasy/paranormal about kick ass amazons and their man slaves(as I may have been) u will be disappointed. As a romance novel it wasn't terrible. Love scenes a plenty but not super unbelievable. Just mildly silly. Not eww gross. And nothin kinky. Sorry bondage fans. That's eww gross in my book.
September 7, 2012
My Rating:★★★½
Book Description:
The last thing Rebecca Massee expects on her wedding day is to go from jilted kindergarten teacher to Amazonian Earth warrior. But when she causes an earthquake after her groom says I don’t, she discovers that not only does she possess incredible powers, she is one of four lost chosen sisters who must fight to keep humanity safe from rogue gods and demons. Luckily she has help: ruggedly handsome Scottish warrior Artair MacKay, her protector and teacher.
An immortal, Artair has trained countless warriors for more than four hundred years. He understands Rebecca’s confusion at the new world she’s been thrust into and worries she is too emotionally vulnerable, but that doesn’t stop his growing feelings for the beautiful and fearless woman.
When an evil force threatens to destroy the Amazons, Rebecca must claim her full powers--but they come at a cost. Can she sacrifice the man she loves if it means saving the world?
My Thoughts:
I picked this book up after receiving an email blast from Carina Press about it. The description of the book looked really interesting so I figured that I'd give it a read. I enjoyed the story because it co-mingled mythological elements with modern and paranormal ones. There were goddesses, Amazons, demons, and changelings in a push-pull battle of good vs. evil. I love that Rebecca's character went from weak and ineffective to strong and extremely capable. She became the strongest in the lot of Amazon's because of her inner strength, love for her sisters and Artair, and ultimately her humanity which kept her from succumbing to the power of the Ancients.
The story was very well written and detailed. My only mild complaint was that it dragged in a few spots because of the world building and character development. Overall, this was a very interesting, unique, and enjoyable story.
Reading Time: 7 Hours
Book Description:
The last thing Rebecca Massee expects on her wedding day is to go from jilted kindergarten teacher to Amazonian Earth warrior. But when she causes an earthquake after her groom says I don’t, she discovers that not only does she possess incredible powers, she is one of four lost chosen sisters who must fight to keep humanity safe from rogue gods and demons. Luckily she has help: ruggedly handsome Scottish warrior Artair MacKay, her protector and teacher.
An immortal, Artair has trained countless warriors for more than four hundred years. He understands Rebecca’s confusion at the new world she’s been thrust into and worries she is too emotionally vulnerable, but that doesn’t stop his growing feelings for the beautiful and fearless woman.
When an evil force threatens to destroy the Amazons, Rebecca must claim her full powers--but they come at a cost. Can she sacrifice the man she loves if it means saving the world?
My Thoughts:
I picked this book up after receiving an email blast from Carina Press about it. The description of the book looked really interesting so I figured that I'd give it a read. I enjoyed the story because it co-mingled mythological elements with modern and paranormal ones. There were goddesses, Amazons, demons, and changelings in a push-pull battle of good vs. evil. I love that Rebecca's character went from weak and ineffective to strong and extremely capable. She became the strongest in the lot of Amazon's because of her inner strength, love for her sisters and Artair, and ultimately her humanity which kept her from succumbing to the power of the Ancients.
The story was very well written and detailed. My only mild complaint was that it dragged in a few spots because of the world building and character development. Overall, this was a very interesting, unique, and enjoyable story.
Reading Time: 7 Hours
September 12, 2012
I finished it so it gets 2 stars for that, but I have quite a few problems with this book.
* There is a lot of telling and not showing. This tendency made me feel like I had a very shallow (or no) rapport with the characters. It also made the romance seem really sudden.
* The world and the concept of the Amazons is very interesting, but it wasn't well fleshed-out. There was a lot more that I wanted to know. A lot of major questions were skimmed over or left unanswered which left me unable to immerse myself.
* The sex scenes weren't well integrated.
* Despite being about Amazons and including goddesses, the book has some sexist elements. For example, Artair keeps thinking about wanting a son specifically. I understand that people sometimes wish for a child of a specific gender but I would have thought that being surrounded by strong women for centuries would have made him a little less adamant about having a boy. This is mitigated slightly toward the end but still... What annoyed me more was that having children was referred to as the most important part of being a woman several times in the last part of the book. Here is a quote: "They sacrificed all that made them women to be the saviors of the world...." Ick factor for me. Some women want children; some don't. Those who don't want kids are no less of a woman than those who do. Hello, 21st century and all that!
Overall, a neat concept that didn't go nearly as far as I'd hoped. I'll likely not be reading more if there are other books to follow.
* There is a lot of telling and not showing. This tendency made me feel like I had a very shallow (or no) rapport with the characters. It also made the romance seem really sudden.
* The world and the concept of the Amazons is very interesting, but it wasn't well fleshed-out. There was a lot more that I wanted to know. A lot of major questions were skimmed over or left unanswered which left me unable to immerse myself.
* The sex scenes weren't well integrated.
* Despite being about Amazons and including goddesses, the book has some sexist elements. For example, Artair keeps thinking about wanting a son specifically. I understand that people sometimes wish for a child of a specific gender but I would have thought that being surrounded by strong women for centuries would have made him a little less adamant about having a boy. This is mitigated slightly toward the end but still... What annoyed me more was that having children was referred to as the most important part of being a woman several times in the last part of the book. Here is a quote: "They sacrificed all that made them women to be the saviors of the world...." Ick factor for me. Some women want children; some don't. Those who don't want kids are no less of a woman than those who do. Hello, 21st century and all that!
Overall, a neat concept that didn't go nearly as far as I'd hoped. I'll likely not be reading more if there are other books to follow.
September 20, 2012
Recensione completa qui: http://leggendariamente.blogspot.it/2...
The Reluctant Amazon è stata una piacevolissima lettura, soprattutto per una ragione: fa morire dal ridere! E' un romanzo ironico e sorprendente e anche se include una serie di cliché che solitamente in un romanzo detesterei, qui sembrano starci benissimo.
Rebecca è pronta a sposare il fidanzato, col quale da sempre condivide i sogni di una casa e di una famiglia. Ma lui, improvvisamente, sembra aver cambiato idea e non se la sente più. Questo scatena l'ira furibonda di Rebecca, che non si sarebbe mai aspettata di venire lasciata sull'altare, il giorno del loro matrimonio. La sua ira provoca un evento strano e inspiegabile, un terremoto che sconvolge tutti i presenti, compresa lei. E, proprio in quel momento di confusione, spunta (letteralmente:P) un misterioso, bellissimo uomo in spada e kilt (esatto, avete capito bene!XD) a tirar fuori la ragazza da quella situazione. Lui sembra conoscerla e insiste per portarla via. Lei, nonostante non sia esattamente abituata a fare cose imprevedibili, si lascia tentare e fugge con lui (chi non l'avrebbe fatto, del resto:P)
Lui è Artair MacKay, l'incarnazione della perfezione, tant'è che le descrizioni del suo aspetto favoloso si sprecano.
Ma ciò che soprattutto colpisce di lui sono i suoi modi sprezzanti e autoritari che, viste le resistenze post-fuga di Rebecca a fidarsi di uno sconosciuto, sarà costretto a tirar fuori, provocando nel lettore parecchia simpatia per questo scozzese omaccione:)
Artair è una Sentinella e il suo lavoro è trovare le guerriere Amazzoni e addestrarle per il combattimento.
Per ogni generazione nascono 4 donne con poteri straordinari, ma qualcuna è morta, qualcun'altra scomparsa e adesso viene chiamata Rebecca a servire la causa. La sua missione è salvare la terra. Da cosa? Beh, c'è l'imbarazzo della scelta in questo romanzo! E' incredibile il mondo descritto dall'autrice, vi convivono divinità di ogni cultura (greche, latine, maya, egizie... tutte insomma), creature mitologiche, ma anche esseri malvagi come, ad esempio, i Revenants (veri e propri zombie).
Intanto, nell'ardua ricerca delle altre "sorelle", Rebecca prenderà coscienza dei suoi poteri e della sua vera natura, grazie anche a Sparks, una "sorella" e guerriera Amazzone come lei, venuta a cercarla insieme ad Artair, e con poteri altrettanto straordinari. Mentre Rebecca possiede quelli della Terra, lei invece maneggia il potere del Fuoco. Per quanto le sembrerà tutto assurdamente impossibile, per quanto la sua voglia di tornare dalla sua cara zia (l'unica persona che le voglia davvero bene) e dai suoi alunni, Rebecca si renderà conto che davvero in lei c'è una guerriera, per quanto provi a negarlo. E Avalon (quella di Re Artù, esatto!), il luogo in cui la portano Artair e Sparks (la loro sede), l'aiuterà ancora meglio a capirlo.
Ma c'è ancora tanto altro da scoprire in The Reluctant Amazon. Rebecca, scatenando il terremoto il giorno del suo matrimonio, ha richiamato l'attenzione su di sé dei Revenants e di altri terrificanti demoni, che daranno loro la caccia e, tra inseguimenti e scene di azione, anche molto divertenti (la ritrosia di Rebecca ad usare le armi, per dirne una), verremo trascinati in una lettura sempre adrenalinica e ricca di suspense. In più, sarà straordinario vedere come un uomo bruto e dai modi arroganti come Artair, quando è con Rebecca, venga ispirato da sentimenti dolci e raffinati e sembri più sensibile di quanto non si mostri di solito. Lui è immortale e allena da secoli le guerriere Amazzoni, ma mai nessuna lo aveva turbato quanto lei. Che cosa avrà di tanto speciale poi questa Rebecca?:P I dialoghi tra loro due strappano continui sorrisi, ma soprattutto quelli tra Artair e Sparks, perché Sparks conosce Artair da lungo tempo e non perderà occasione di fargli notare i cambiamenti del suo carattere. A proposito di caratteri, bisogna dire che qui sono tutti ben definiti, soprattutto quello della protagonista che fa un percorso davvero interessante e da ragazza dalla vita ordinaria arriverà a diventare una guerriera a tutti gli effetti (ammettiamolo, però: l'addestramento di Artair le è servito parecchio:)). E poi, c'è un'ottimo lavoro fatto con la mitologia, sulla quale si capisce l'autrice si è ben documentata. La storia non è mai scontata e, tra colpi di scena e avventure, si giunge ad un finale strepitoso, ad un lieto fine che non ci si aspetterebbe di sicuro:)
Mi sento di raccomandare questo romanzo a tutti, è il primo di una serie e sono sicura che anche i prossimi libri ci regaleranno faville! Se cercate eroi straordinari e divertenti, azione a non finire, mitologia, demoni da distruggere, pericoli da sventare, allora fa senz'altro per voi:) Purtroppo, se vorrete leggerlo, lo potete trovare soltanto in inglese al momento:(
The Reluctant Amazon è stata una piacevolissima lettura, soprattutto per una ragione: fa morire dal ridere! E' un romanzo ironico e sorprendente e anche se include una serie di cliché che solitamente in un romanzo detesterei, qui sembrano starci benissimo.
Rebecca è pronta a sposare il fidanzato, col quale da sempre condivide i sogni di una casa e di una famiglia. Ma lui, improvvisamente, sembra aver cambiato idea e non se la sente più. Questo scatena l'ira furibonda di Rebecca, che non si sarebbe mai aspettata di venire lasciata sull'altare, il giorno del loro matrimonio. La sua ira provoca un evento strano e inspiegabile, un terremoto che sconvolge tutti i presenti, compresa lei. E, proprio in quel momento di confusione, spunta (letteralmente:P) un misterioso, bellissimo uomo in spada e kilt (esatto, avete capito bene!XD) a tirar fuori la ragazza da quella situazione. Lui sembra conoscerla e insiste per portarla via. Lei, nonostante non sia esattamente abituata a fare cose imprevedibili, si lascia tentare e fugge con lui (chi non l'avrebbe fatto, del resto:P)
Lui è Artair MacKay, l'incarnazione della perfezione, tant'è che le descrizioni del suo aspetto favoloso si sprecano.
Ma ciò che soprattutto colpisce di lui sono i suoi modi sprezzanti e autoritari che, viste le resistenze post-fuga di Rebecca a fidarsi di uno sconosciuto, sarà costretto a tirar fuori, provocando nel lettore parecchia simpatia per questo scozzese omaccione:)
Artair è una Sentinella e il suo lavoro è trovare le guerriere Amazzoni e addestrarle per il combattimento.
Per ogni generazione nascono 4 donne con poteri straordinari, ma qualcuna è morta, qualcun'altra scomparsa e adesso viene chiamata Rebecca a servire la causa. La sua missione è salvare la terra. Da cosa? Beh, c'è l'imbarazzo della scelta in questo romanzo! E' incredibile il mondo descritto dall'autrice, vi convivono divinità di ogni cultura (greche, latine, maya, egizie... tutte insomma), creature mitologiche, ma anche esseri malvagi come, ad esempio, i Revenants (veri e propri zombie).
Intanto, nell'ardua ricerca delle altre "sorelle", Rebecca prenderà coscienza dei suoi poteri e della sua vera natura, grazie anche a Sparks, una "sorella" e guerriera Amazzone come lei, venuta a cercarla insieme ad Artair, e con poteri altrettanto straordinari. Mentre Rebecca possiede quelli della Terra, lei invece maneggia il potere del Fuoco. Per quanto le sembrerà tutto assurdamente impossibile, per quanto la sua voglia di tornare dalla sua cara zia (l'unica persona che le voglia davvero bene) e dai suoi alunni, Rebecca si renderà conto che davvero in lei c'è una guerriera, per quanto provi a negarlo. E Avalon (quella di Re Artù, esatto!), il luogo in cui la portano Artair e Sparks (la loro sede), l'aiuterà ancora meglio a capirlo.
Ma c'è ancora tanto altro da scoprire in The Reluctant Amazon. Rebecca, scatenando il terremoto il giorno del suo matrimonio, ha richiamato l'attenzione su di sé dei Revenants e di altri terrificanti demoni, che daranno loro la caccia e, tra inseguimenti e scene di azione, anche molto divertenti (la ritrosia di Rebecca ad usare le armi, per dirne una), verremo trascinati in una lettura sempre adrenalinica e ricca di suspense. In più, sarà straordinario vedere come un uomo bruto e dai modi arroganti come Artair, quando è con Rebecca, venga ispirato da sentimenti dolci e raffinati e sembri più sensibile di quanto non si mostri di solito. Lui è immortale e allena da secoli le guerriere Amazzoni, ma mai nessuna lo aveva turbato quanto lei. Che cosa avrà di tanto speciale poi questa Rebecca?:P I dialoghi tra loro due strappano continui sorrisi, ma soprattutto quelli tra Artair e Sparks, perché Sparks conosce Artair da lungo tempo e non perderà occasione di fargli notare i cambiamenti del suo carattere. A proposito di caratteri, bisogna dire che qui sono tutti ben definiti, soprattutto quello della protagonista che fa un percorso davvero interessante e da ragazza dalla vita ordinaria arriverà a diventare una guerriera a tutti gli effetti (ammettiamolo, però: l'addestramento di Artair le è servito parecchio:)). E poi, c'è un'ottimo lavoro fatto con la mitologia, sulla quale si capisce l'autrice si è ben documentata. La storia non è mai scontata e, tra colpi di scena e avventure, si giunge ad un finale strepitoso, ad un lieto fine che non ci si aspetterebbe di sicuro:)
Mi sento di raccomandare questo romanzo a tutti, è il primo di una serie e sono sicura che anche i prossimi libri ci regaleranno faville! Se cercate eroi straordinari e divertenti, azione a non finire, mitologia, demoni da distruggere, pericoli da sventare, allora fa senz'altro per voi:) Purtroppo, se vorrete leggerlo, lo potete trovare soltanto in inglese al momento:(
October 22, 2018
Being left at the altar would be enough for a woman to handle in one day. Being jilted and then finding out you’re an Amazonian Earth warrior with supernatural powers? It’s enough to make kindergarten teacher Rebecca Massee think she’s losing it. Except it’s all true. Rebecca is one of four Amazons tapped to save the world from evil. She and her newfound Amazon “sisters” are to train and become a fighting force unlike any Rebecca could have ever dreamed. The only problem? Rebecca is no warrior, and unlike her fellow Amazons she’s not exactly falling into her new role with ease.
Immortal Sentinel Artair MacKay has trained numerous Amazons, but none has ever affected him like Rebecca. He’s breaking all the rules falling for his beautiful Earth Amazon, but Artair can’t seem to keep his need for Rebecca in check. He worries that Rebecca isn’t cut out to be an Amazon and he knows his feelings for her are compromising his ability to train her properly. Then a dangerous enemy threatens the Amazons and Artair has to put all his faith in the strength of his reluctant Amazon.
Magic and danger go hand-in-hand in the explosive first installment of the Alliance of the Amazons series. In The Reluctant Amazon author Sandy James’s deft hand with world-building shows, for she delivers an intriguing world that I’m eager to learn more about. Since the fun is in the journey when it comes to the paranormal elements of The Reluctant Amazon I’m, well, reluctant to say much about my favorite aspect of the book. Suffice it to say that The Reluctant Amazon is unique, engaging, and will leave you wanting to learn more about the world of the Amazons.
As for the titular Amazon, Rebecca is a heroine you have to admire. I love that Ms. James didn’t make her some kick-ass superstar who took to her role like a fish to water. I respect Rebecca more because becoming a warrior wasn’t easy for her. She works hard, fails from time to time, and eventually becomes all that she needs to be in a completely organic matter. Artair, by comparison, wasn’t quite as compelling. There’s nothing wrong with him, but there wasn’t much about his personality that stood out. Where The Reluctant Amazon faltered for me was in the romance. Rebecca and Artair fall in love very quickly and since I never really understood why, I wasn’t invested in the love story aspect of The Reluctant Amazon. Indeed, the pacing of the story slowed down a bit too much for me in some spots and it might have been the romance storyline that caused the dragging.
A host of secondary characters round out The Reluctant Amazon and Ms. James does an excellent job in giving them all depth while never losing focus on Rebecca and Artair. From Rebecca’s sisters to the changelings to the Sentinels to the goddesses, I was fascinated. I finished The Reluctant Amazon eager to read the next Alliance of the Amazons book, The Impetuous Amazon, for I cannot wait to see what Ms. James has in store for Megan, the feisty Fire Amazon.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
Immortal Sentinel Artair MacKay has trained numerous Amazons, but none has ever affected him like Rebecca. He’s breaking all the rules falling for his beautiful Earth Amazon, but Artair can’t seem to keep his need for Rebecca in check. He worries that Rebecca isn’t cut out to be an Amazon and he knows his feelings for her are compromising his ability to train her properly. Then a dangerous enemy threatens the Amazons and Artair has to put all his faith in the strength of his reluctant Amazon.
Magic and danger go hand-in-hand in the explosive first installment of the Alliance of the Amazons series. In The Reluctant Amazon author Sandy James’s deft hand with world-building shows, for she delivers an intriguing world that I’m eager to learn more about. Since the fun is in the journey when it comes to the paranormal elements of The Reluctant Amazon I’m, well, reluctant to say much about my favorite aspect of the book. Suffice it to say that The Reluctant Amazon is unique, engaging, and will leave you wanting to learn more about the world of the Amazons.
As for the titular Amazon, Rebecca is a heroine you have to admire. I love that Ms. James didn’t make her some kick-ass superstar who took to her role like a fish to water. I respect Rebecca more because becoming a warrior wasn’t easy for her. She works hard, fails from time to time, and eventually becomes all that she needs to be in a completely organic matter. Artair, by comparison, wasn’t quite as compelling. There’s nothing wrong with him, but there wasn’t much about his personality that stood out. Where The Reluctant Amazon faltered for me was in the romance. Rebecca and Artair fall in love very quickly and since I never really understood why, I wasn’t invested in the love story aspect of The Reluctant Amazon. Indeed, the pacing of the story slowed down a bit too much for me in some spots and it might have been the romance storyline that caused the dragging.
A host of secondary characters round out The Reluctant Amazon and Ms. James does an excellent job in giving them all depth while never losing focus on Rebecca and Artair. From Rebecca’s sisters to the changelings to the Sentinels to the goddesses, I was fascinated. I finished The Reluctant Amazon eager to read the next Alliance of the Amazons book, The Impetuous Amazon, for I cannot wait to see what Ms. James has in store for Megan, the feisty Fire Amazon.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
Read
September 18, 2012So, I didn’t actually finish this book. It is a DNF for me, it’s not that the book was bad, but that it was kind of boring. I got about 65% of the way through and I just couldn’t dredge up any more enthusiasm to continue the book. I kept thinking about all the other books I had waiting for me, screaming to be read and I just clicked off this book and never picked it up again.
Why was this book boring you ask, I think it mostly has to do with our heroine, who mostly whines throughout the book… Ok, yes, she kept with her training to be an Amazon, which is a redeemable quality but dang she whined a lot. Whined that she wasn’t good enough or pretty enough or Megan was so much better, whined that Artair was leaving or that there was no way he could care about her, blah blah blah… On top of being a whiner our heroine was completely forgettable, I had a hard time even remembering her name while I was reading, that is really bad. I get forgetting the heroines name after the book is done, but while you are reading, that’s all sorts of forgettable; there was nothing that stuck out about her. Then there were the fight scenes which again were pretty much a snooze fest. They basically fight zombies, which they call something else but I can’t remember the name of them. The zombies felt contrived, was this the author’s way of trying to get in on the current zombie craze?
This book, had such potential, I really wanted to like it. The Amazons were an interesting concept along with all the gods and goddesses. I wish this book had lived up to its potential. I did quite like Megan who was Fire, she was everything Fire should be feisty, headstrong and brash. If I was this author I would have started with Megan’s story, she had the personality to stick out. I may look out for this series to see if Megan’s story will come out next.
Book provided through NetGalley for an honest review.
Rating: DNF
Why was this book boring you ask, I think it mostly has to do with our heroine, who mostly whines throughout the book… Ok, yes, she kept with her training to be an Amazon, which is a redeemable quality but dang she whined a lot. Whined that she wasn’t good enough or pretty enough or Megan was so much better, whined that Artair was leaving or that there was no way he could care about her, blah blah blah… On top of being a whiner our heroine was completely forgettable, I had a hard time even remembering her name while I was reading, that is really bad. I get forgetting the heroines name after the book is done, but while you are reading, that’s all sorts of forgettable; there was nothing that stuck out about her. Then there were the fight scenes which again were pretty much a snooze fest. They basically fight zombies, which they call something else but I can’t remember the name of them. The zombies felt contrived, was this the author’s way of trying to get in on the current zombie craze?
This book, had such potential, I really wanted to like it. The Amazons were an interesting concept along with all the gods and goddesses. I wish this book had lived up to its potential. I did quite like Megan who was Fire, she was everything Fire should be feisty, headstrong and brash. If I was this author I would have started with Megan’s story, she had the personality to stick out. I may look out for this series to see if Megan’s story will come out next.
Book provided through NetGalley for an honest review.
Rating: DNF
September 12, 2012
★★★½ Stars
Rebecca is a little difficult to warm up to as a heroine. Rescued from her disastrous wedding day by a sword-weilding Scotsman, she starts out as a mundane, denial-addled school-teacher who just wants to be normal. More passive and delicate than her “sisters”, she spends most of the book striving, but lacking the wherewithal of a competent Amazon warrior. But she does eventually grow into a more likable character.
This reviewer particularly enjoyed the use of the elements in designation of not only powers, but personalities of the four Amazons. Much to my regret, Air and Water were left out of most of this book. However, this certainly leaves plenty of leeway for some promising sequels.
The author took adequate care and time in building a believable compatibility between the hero and heroine, for which I am most appreciative. The prose is competent and effective, whisking the reader along at a steady pace. But while the writing and physical descriptions are solid, the story felt somewhat constrained by forgettable dialogue and anemic world-building. (With so many goddesses and quazi-deities running around, some readers may find it difficult to discern the rules that limit, or fail to limit them, and why.)
Rebecca is a little difficult to warm up to as a heroine. Rescued from her disastrous wedding day by a sword-weilding Scotsman, she starts out as a mundane, denial-addled school-teacher who just wants to be normal. More passive and delicate than her “sisters”, she spends most of the book striving, but lacking the wherewithal of a competent Amazon warrior. But she does eventually grow into a more likable character.
This reviewer particularly enjoyed the use of the elements in designation of not only powers, but personalities of the four Amazons. Much to my regret, Air and Water were left out of most of this book. However, this certainly leaves plenty of leeway for some promising sequels.
The author took adequate care and time in building a believable compatibility between the hero and heroine, for which I am most appreciative. The prose is competent and effective, whisking the reader along at a steady pace. But while the writing and physical descriptions are solid, the story felt somewhat constrained by forgettable dialogue and anemic world-building. (With so many goddesses and quazi-deities running around, some readers may find it difficult to discern the rules that limit, or fail to limit them, and why.)
March 23, 2022
Mashup of mythologies in which four Amazons per generation are born, and activated as needed to fight supernatural bad guys from all the various myths. The heroine discovers she's one of them just as her fiance backs out of their wedding right there at the altar. The guy who's come to fetch her for the battle is really hot, so she goes with him as a good exit from the church. The plot is pretty standard as far as these "destined warrior" stories go. There's some "you're crazy!" stuff, then a fight with zombie creatures, then acceptance. There's a whole lot of lusting between hero and heroine, especially during the training sequences. We meet the goddesses who set up the Amazons, and the rest of the crew. The bad guys make an appearance, then fights and rescues, advances in the hero-heroine relationship, more fights, and eventually, resolution. The bad guys only lurk until the last 1/4 of the story. It's a decent read. I liked it.
October 3, 2014
Great storytelling!!!
Wow! This was good, I stayed up reading this and I hope there are more books in this series (I'm going to look it up). One of the scenes I found most awesome was the first one, it grabbed my attention from that very moment. I said, this girl deserves something great after this, well, she has to earn it. But I'm not writing spoilers. The author really know how to tell a good story and how to keep the reader's interest in every turn of the page. The romance is perfectly mixed with the action scenes, and the plot makes sense. Hey, I read a bunch of books where the plot is like an ornament, but in The Reluctant Amazon is great.
Wow! This was good, I stayed up reading this and I hope there are more books in this series (I'm going to look it up). One of the scenes I found most awesome was the first one, it grabbed my attention from that very moment. I said, this girl deserves something great after this, well, she has to earn it. But I'm not writing spoilers. The author really know how to tell a good story and how to keep the reader's interest in every turn of the page. The romance is perfectly mixed with the action scenes, and the plot makes sense. Hey, I read a bunch of books where the plot is like an ornament, but in The Reluctant Amazon is great.
April 16, 2021
This was OK. The blurb describes it well enough, but it lacked the intensity and depth that I had hoped for. The collision of ancient gods wasn't leveraged sufficiently, and a lot of key motivations have been held off until the next book.
I'll pass unless someone tells me that #2 is much better.
I'll pass unless someone tells me that #2 is much better.
August 2, 2013
An immortal, Artair has trained countless warriors for more than four hundred years. He understands Rebecca’s confusion at the new world she’s been thrust into and worries she is too emotionally vulnerable, but that doesn’t stop his growing feelings for the beautiful and fearless woman.
When an evil force threatens to destroy the Amazons, Rebecca must claim her full powers–but they come at a cost. Can she sacrifice the man she loves if it means saving the world?
I have read a number of Sandy James’ works and found them always to be well written, constructed logically and with a fine grasp of the overall plot and story concepts. And it was because of my previous enjoyment that I was OK with reading a sort-of paranormal kind of romance mixed in with the contemporary as long as it was authored by her. It’s not my usual pick of themes, but I have to admit that I really enjoyed the story and was excited to be able to move right on to book 2 in the series.
To say that our heroine was “reluctant” is sort of a misnomer. She was not only reluctant, she was really unprepared and not well suited (in her opinion) to what she was being asked to do as an Amazon warrior beholden to the Earth goddess Rhiannon. Rebecca was so apparently unsuited to her “calling” that the goddess herself was prepared to return her to her earth existence with no memory of her unhappy and often painful experience of preparing herself to fight the forces of evil alongside her other Amazon “sisters.” Rebecca was a thoughtful, considerate, careful and caring kind of woman who felt right at home teaching little kids and fitting in with her friends and teaching colleagues. She didn’t deserve to be mislead and snookered by her loving-mom-above-all-else kind of bridegroom, a man who evidently was so weak-willed that he had to get drunk in order to abdicate his betrothal obligation in front of all Rebecca’s friends as well as the triumphant leer of his mother. Add in the fact that she was then claimed by a sexy Scotsman at the door of the church, given the choice of running away with him, and faced with the possibility of leaving behind the hurt and humiliation. Who wouldn’t have gone with him? However, to have found out that she was entering into a completely different life, one where she would be living on a different plane of existence was a large jolt, especially when she found out that her former friends and her students wouldn’t even remember her.
Yet this book is about the journey of discovery Rebecca had to make to discover her own inner strengths, to become aware that she had powers of good judgment and leadership she had either been unaware of or ignored in the past. She also had to discover that she did indeed have the physical wherewithal to meet the demands of what it meant to be an Amazon warrior. That’s probably the greatest difficulty she faced immediately. Later there were other challenges that served to make her stronger. Suffice it to say that this woman’s expanded awareness of her capabilities was WAY beyond anything she could have ever imagined in her former existence.
This is a very captivating story of one woman’s experience that took her into unexpected directions. She discovered a new level of relationship with her Amazon sisters, with the Ancients (as the various goddesses were called) as well as seeing a new level of evil that threatened humanity and demanded her special skills. Her relationship with her Sentinel Artair was problematic in that her goddess lusted after him and was not very happy about the attraction that seemed to be developing between him and her Earth Amazon. Yet in spite of the idiosyncrasies of this powerful Ancient, the love story between Artair and Rebecca is interesting, certainly laced with difficulties, but entertaining to read and a vital part of this novel.
One of the most compelling aspects of this story is the nature of the relationships between the various Amazon warriors. Each seemed to have their needs and hang-ups–they were human, after all–and yet in spite of their capacities to fight evil in their own special way, they were first and foremost women of heart and intelligence and who valued the friendship and sisterhood that formed during their training phase. There are times when these loyalties are challenged and strained but I would hazzard to comment that every relationship is subject to stresses that put those ties to the test in all our lives. Their willingness to cover each other’s back, to be supportive when not in a leadership role, to defer to the wishes of their goddesses and Sentinels while still maintaining their own sense of self was, for me, a delight to read. All of the women in this novel were special in their own way and being under the guidance and direction of others didn’t dilute that special quality in any way. I love it when characters are given those traits.
This book was released in the Fall of 2012 as the first in a new series. While the books in the series are stand alone, I think it is important to read this first book to gain a good foundation for enjoying the novels to come. It’s a very good read that combines lots of literary themes and will be entertaining for lots of readers on lots of levels.
I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.
This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Judith.
When an evil force threatens to destroy the Amazons, Rebecca must claim her full powers–but they come at a cost. Can she sacrifice the man she loves if it means saving the world?
I have read a number of Sandy James’ works and found them always to be well written, constructed logically and with a fine grasp of the overall plot and story concepts. And it was because of my previous enjoyment that I was OK with reading a sort-of paranormal kind of romance mixed in with the contemporary as long as it was authored by her. It’s not my usual pick of themes, but I have to admit that I really enjoyed the story and was excited to be able to move right on to book 2 in the series.
To say that our heroine was “reluctant” is sort of a misnomer. She was not only reluctant, she was really unprepared and not well suited (in her opinion) to what she was being asked to do as an Amazon warrior beholden to the Earth goddess Rhiannon. Rebecca was so apparently unsuited to her “calling” that the goddess herself was prepared to return her to her earth existence with no memory of her unhappy and often painful experience of preparing herself to fight the forces of evil alongside her other Amazon “sisters.” Rebecca was a thoughtful, considerate, careful and caring kind of woman who felt right at home teaching little kids and fitting in with her friends and teaching colleagues. She didn’t deserve to be mislead and snookered by her loving-mom-above-all-else kind of bridegroom, a man who evidently was so weak-willed that he had to get drunk in order to abdicate his betrothal obligation in front of all Rebecca’s friends as well as the triumphant leer of his mother. Add in the fact that she was then claimed by a sexy Scotsman at the door of the church, given the choice of running away with him, and faced with the possibility of leaving behind the hurt and humiliation. Who wouldn’t have gone with him? However, to have found out that she was entering into a completely different life, one where she would be living on a different plane of existence was a large jolt, especially when she found out that her former friends and her students wouldn’t even remember her.
Yet this book is about the journey of discovery Rebecca had to make to discover her own inner strengths, to become aware that she had powers of good judgment and leadership she had either been unaware of or ignored in the past. She also had to discover that she did indeed have the physical wherewithal to meet the demands of what it meant to be an Amazon warrior. That’s probably the greatest difficulty she faced immediately. Later there were other challenges that served to make her stronger. Suffice it to say that this woman’s expanded awareness of her capabilities was WAY beyond anything she could have ever imagined in her former existence.
This is a very captivating story of one woman’s experience that took her into unexpected directions. She discovered a new level of relationship with her Amazon sisters, with the Ancients (as the various goddesses were called) as well as seeing a new level of evil that threatened humanity and demanded her special skills. Her relationship with her Sentinel Artair was problematic in that her goddess lusted after him and was not very happy about the attraction that seemed to be developing between him and her Earth Amazon. Yet in spite of the idiosyncrasies of this powerful Ancient, the love story between Artair and Rebecca is interesting, certainly laced with difficulties, but entertaining to read and a vital part of this novel.
One of the most compelling aspects of this story is the nature of the relationships between the various Amazon warriors. Each seemed to have their needs and hang-ups–they were human, after all–and yet in spite of their capacities to fight evil in their own special way, they were first and foremost women of heart and intelligence and who valued the friendship and sisterhood that formed during their training phase. There are times when these loyalties are challenged and strained but I would hazzard to comment that every relationship is subject to stresses that put those ties to the test in all our lives. Their willingness to cover each other’s back, to be supportive when not in a leadership role, to defer to the wishes of their goddesses and Sentinels while still maintaining their own sense of self was, for me, a delight to read. All of the women in this novel were special in their own way and being under the guidance and direction of others didn’t dilute that special quality in any way. I love it when characters are given those traits.
This book was released in the Fall of 2012 as the first in a new series. While the books in the series are stand alone, I think it is important to read this first book to gain a good foundation for enjoying the novels to come. It’s a very good read that combines lots of literary themes and will be entertaining for lots of readers on lots of levels.
I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.
This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Judith.
October 25, 2022
Amazing Book!
I love this book! All of its characters and the whole story! I was crying like a baby when Artair died in the cave but then cried again when Rebecca brought hom back to life! And such a fantastic ending! A really amazing author!
I love this book! All of its characters and the whole story! I was crying like a baby when Artair died in the cave but then cried again when Rebecca brought hom back to life! And such a fantastic ending! A really amazing author!
October 31, 2012
Originally posted at Book Lovers Inc.
If my groom said "I can't do this" at the altar, in front of the officiant, I wouldn't just punch him in the nose, I hope I'd take another shot at him...and aim considerably lower and with more force. Assuming the jerk has anything down there to hit, considering that he called off the wedding to go back to mommy. His actual mommy. No joke. (Except possibly on Rebecca for thinking she might want to marry him in the first place!)
Calling up the earthquake was definitely a bonus. Artair showing up, looking utterly delicious and wearing a kilt, offering Rebecca a way to walk out of her own called-off wedding with her head held very high, seemed like manna from heaven.
Until she saw the beaten up van he was driving, and the gorgeous redhead he was traveling with. Then her inner wise-woman told her that Artair was too much bad boy for her. Not to mention, threesomes were definitely out of her league. Then the zombies showed up, and all hell really broke loose.
As kick-ass beginnings go, this was a doozy. It's too bad the rest of the story doesn't live up to it.
After that wild and crazy beginning (the closest thing to it I've seen is the beginning of the movie Monsters vs. Aliens, and that was a blast!) The Reluctant Amazon settles down to a fairly traditional contemporary fantasy romance story.
It turns out that Rebecca is one of four Amazons, each of whom is the avatar for a particular element, Earth, Air, Fire or Water. Those are the traditional elements, too. Rebecca is Earth. When the world faces a particularly terrible evil, the Amazons are called. Think World War II.
Rebecca is called because the previous Earth Amazon is missing, and the Amazons need to be at full-strength. Someone is now targeting them. That other woman in Artair's rust-bucket van is the previous generation's Fire Amazon. Her task is to teach the new generation what only Amazons know. Artair is the immortal (of course he's immortal, it's part of the trope) Sentinel. He's their weapons trainer. Think of him as their drill sergeant, only much better looking.
When he dropped out of mortal life 400 years ago, he was entitled to wear that kilt. It figures, doesn't it? But he's seen generation after generation of Amazons train, fight, and die on his watch. He may not look old, but he's seen too many deaths. He wants his humanity back. He wants to live a normal life, find a woman, have a family. And grow old and die when that time comes. He's had enough.
Of course, Rebecca is the woman that he wants. And he can't have it both ways. If he gives up being the Sentinel, he'll be made to forget the Amazons. The regular world can't know about the otherworldly evils. There would be widespread panic.
And the Amazons are not immortal. They are longer lived than normals, but they do die. Even if they aren't killed in the line of duty, as all too often happens. And Amazons can't bear children. Not just because it would be a distraction, but because the process of gaining their powers makes it impossible.
Rebecca is a normal woman who does not believe she is, effectively, a superhero. She fights the belief that she can, literally, move mountains. She always believes that she is less than the women who are now her sisters, because her powers are less flashy. It's only when they are threatened that she begins to see that she has great, and sometimes terrible power of her own.
Verdict: The Reluctant Amazon has an absolutely fantastic beginning. The sound of her ex-fiance's nose crunching has a wonderful echo. In an earthquake. How cool is that? But then we head straight for the insta-love romance between Rebecca and Artair, with a side-plot of jealous patron goddess, which is very not-cool.
Likewise, the concept that all the different manifestations of the cultural pantheons are all simultaneously valid and still active, was actually both cool and worked, especially when Rebecca's head almost exploded as she tried to wrap her mind around it. Mine would too. I love mythology, but suddenly finding it had any basis in even supernatural reality would leave me shaking in my boots, too.
Other hand again, the Amazons as a force for good, fantastic. Having female superheroes, double-fantastic. Making part of the plot hinge on your heroine being a literal unknown goddess-daughter, that went too far into the trip to cliché-city.
Did I have fun reading this? Oh yes! The mish-mash of myth, tech, love and sisterhood is incredibly appealing. I want to see what happens in the rest of the series. There are three more Amazons whose stories have yet to be told, and the big evil got away. I just want the rest of the series to live up to the promise of that first chapter.
I give The Reluctant Amazon 3 stars, one for each remaining Amazon. This universe has serious potential.
If my groom said "I can't do this" at the altar, in front of the officiant, I wouldn't just punch him in the nose, I hope I'd take another shot at him...and aim considerably lower and with more force. Assuming the jerk has anything down there to hit, considering that he called off the wedding to go back to mommy. His actual mommy. No joke. (Except possibly on Rebecca for thinking she might want to marry him in the first place!)
Calling up the earthquake was definitely a bonus. Artair showing up, looking utterly delicious and wearing a kilt, offering Rebecca a way to walk out of her own called-off wedding with her head held very high, seemed like manna from heaven.
Until she saw the beaten up van he was driving, and the gorgeous redhead he was traveling with. Then her inner wise-woman told her that Artair was too much bad boy for her. Not to mention, threesomes were definitely out of her league. Then the zombies showed up, and all hell really broke loose.
As kick-ass beginnings go, this was a doozy. It's too bad the rest of the story doesn't live up to it.
After that wild and crazy beginning (the closest thing to it I've seen is the beginning of the movie Monsters vs. Aliens, and that was a blast!) The Reluctant Amazon settles down to a fairly traditional contemporary fantasy romance story.
It turns out that Rebecca is one of four Amazons, each of whom is the avatar for a particular element, Earth, Air, Fire or Water. Those are the traditional elements, too. Rebecca is Earth. When the world faces a particularly terrible evil, the Amazons are called. Think World War II.
Rebecca is called because the previous Earth Amazon is missing, and the Amazons need to be at full-strength. Someone is now targeting them. That other woman in Artair's rust-bucket van is the previous generation's Fire Amazon. Her task is to teach the new generation what only Amazons know. Artair is the immortal (of course he's immortal, it's part of the trope) Sentinel. He's their weapons trainer. Think of him as their drill sergeant, only much better looking.
When he dropped out of mortal life 400 years ago, he was entitled to wear that kilt. It figures, doesn't it? But he's seen generation after generation of Amazons train, fight, and die on his watch. He may not look old, but he's seen too many deaths. He wants his humanity back. He wants to live a normal life, find a woman, have a family. And grow old and die when that time comes. He's had enough.
Of course, Rebecca is the woman that he wants. And he can't have it both ways. If he gives up being the Sentinel, he'll be made to forget the Amazons. The regular world can't know about the otherworldly evils. There would be widespread panic.
And the Amazons are not immortal. They are longer lived than normals, but they do die. Even if they aren't killed in the line of duty, as all too often happens. And Amazons can't bear children. Not just because it would be a distraction, but because the process of gaining their powers makes it impossible.
Rebecca is a normal woman who does not believe she is, effectively, a superhero. She fights the belief that she can, literally, move mountains. She always believes that she is less than the women who are now her sisters, because her powers are less flashy. It's only when they are threatened that she begins to see that she has great, and sometimes terrible power of her own.
Verdict: The Reluctant Amazon has an absolutely fantastic beginning. The sound of her ex-fiance's nose crunching has a wonderful echo. In an earthquake. How cool is that? But then we head straight for the insta-love romance between Rebecca and Artair, with a side-plot of jealous patron goddess, which is very not-cool.
Likewise, the concept that all the different manifestations of the cultural pantheons are all simultaneously valid and still active, was actually both cool and worked, especially when Rebecca's head almost exploded as she tried to wrap her mind around it. Mine would too. I love mythology, but suddenly finding it had any basis in even supernatural reality would leave me shaking in my boots, too.
Other hand again, the Amazons as a force for good, fantastic. Having female superheroes, double-fantastic. Making part of the plot hinge on your heroine being a literal unknown goddess-daughter, that went too far into the trip to cliché-city.
Did I have fun reading this? Oh yes! The mish-mash of myth, tech, love and sisterhood is incredibly appealing. I want to see what happens in the rest of the series. There are three more Amazons whose stories have yet to be told, and the big evil got away. I just want the rest of the series to live up to the promise of that first chapter.
I give The Reluctant Amazon 3 stars, one for each remaining Amazon. This universe has serious potential.
May 14, 2013
3.75 stars
THE RELUCTANT AMAZON is the first storyline in Sandy James’ Alliance of the Amazon series. The premise focuses on the background information about a female race of Amazonian elemental warriors-Earth, Water, Air and Fire and, how each member of the Alliance must work together with their fellow ‘sister warriors’ to put a stop to the end of the world. The storyline and series premise also pulls in mythological gods and goddesses, demigods and demons, and a hierarchy of power and control that is tested by the very Amazons trained to defend the world. But as the women are pulled together to locate three of their missing sisters, they will face betrayal and the pain of loss at the hands of one of their own.
Like many supernatural storylines, our heroine is not aware of her heritage or powers until a handsome immortal stranger takes her under his wing. Meeting her fellow warrior sisters, Rebecca soon realizes she is not on the same level of playing field as the others. As an Earth Amazon, it is her heritage to nurture and grow, and she has a difficult time mastering everything that she needs to know. But as the story progresses, Rebecca will discover that she is a leader as well as a warrior, and the others will eventually have to look to Rebecca for guidance and direction. We follow as the Amazon sisters are trained to defend and protect, fight for what they believe and, finally come to the realization that that trust must be earned and should not be given freely.
The relationship between Artair (Highland warrior Sentinel) and Rebecca is immediate but a relationship that may place everyone at risk as Artair’s attention and need to protect Rebecca moves his focus from the women he is supposed to train onto the woman who has stolen his heart. As the history of the Sentinels and Amazons unfolds, we are privy to Artair’s long history with the Amazon warriors and his desire to re-enter the human world. Artair believes it is time he retired but in doing so, he must give up the woman with whom he has fallen in love.
THE RELUCTANT AMAZON is an interesting storyline that blends mythology with a contemporary storyline. The different elemental Amazons are each ruled by a goddess specific to each bloodline, but the goddesses are not without some issues of their own. Sandy James weaves a tale that places an ancient warrior with a modern woman who has yet to discover her true self but when she does sometimes having too much power is never a good thing. The storyline has a little bit of romance, a little bit of sex, a little bit of action as well as betrayal, heartbreak and love. The story does not end on a cliffhanger but with the knowledge that the evil is still out there and the Amazon warriors will be needed once again.
Copy supplied by the author
see all of my reviews at : thereadingcafe.com
THE RELUCTANT AMAZON is the first storyline in Sandy James’ Alliance of the Amazon series. The premise focuses on the background information about a female race of Amazonian elemental warriors-Earth, Water, Air and Fire and, how each member of the Alliance must work together with their fellow ‘sister warriors’ to put a stop to the end of the world. The storyline and series premise also pulls in mythological gods and goddesses, demigods and demons, and a hierarchy of power and control that is tested by the very Amazons trained to defend the world. But as the women are pulled together to locate three of their missing sisters, they will face betrayal and the pain of loss at the hands of one of their own.
Like many supernatural storylines, our heroine is not aware of her heritage or powers until a handsome immortal stranger takes her under his wing. Meeting her fellow warrior sisters, Rebecca soon realizes she is not on the same level of playing field as the others. As an Earth Amazon, it is her heritage to nurture and grow, and she has a difficult time mastering everything that she needs to know. But as the story progresses, Rebecca will discover that she is a leader as well as a warrior, and the others will eventually have to look to Rebecca for guidance and direction. We follow as the Amazon sisters are trained to defend and protect, fight for what they believe and, finally come to the realization that that trust must be earned and should not be given freely.
The relationship between Artair (Highland warrior Sentinel) and Rebecca is immediate but a relationship that may place everyone at risk as Artair’s attention and need to protect Rebecca moves his focus from the women he is supposed to train onto the woman who has stolen his heart. As the history of the Sentinels and Amazons unfolds, we are privy to Artair’s long history with the Amazon warriors and his desire to re-enter the human world. Artair believes it is time he retired but in doing so, he must give up the woman with whom he has fallen in love.
THE RELUCTANT AMAZON is an interesting storyline that blends mythology with a contemporary storyline. The different elemental Amazons are each ruled by a goddess specific to each bloodline, but the goddesses are not without some issues of their own. Sandy James weaves a tale that places an ancient warrior with a modern woman who has yet to discover her true self but when she does sometimes having too much power is never a good thing. The storyline has a little bit of romance, a little bit of sex, a little bit of action as well as betrayal, heartbreak and love. The story does not end on a cliffhanger but with the knowledge that the evil is still out there and the Amazon warriors will be needed once again.
Copy supplied by the author
see all of my reviews at : thereadingcafe.com
September 24, 2012
Favorite Lines: “Rebecca Massee was no longer the kindergarten teacher who had been abandoned at the alter. She was no longer the one who looked to others for her self-esteem. And she was no longer the woman who was afraid to take the lead, to charge to the front. Rebecca Massee was an Amazon. She was Earth. And she was here to save humanity.” (p. 224, egalley)
When I read the premise for The Reluctant Amazon it sounded different from what I’d been reading and piqued my interest. Usually when I’m into a book I can read it in a day, but that’s not what happened with the story. I began reading it, disliked the heroine and put it down. I waited a while and tried again with the same result. Finally, yesterday I decided it was time to woman up and pound through the book. At the midpoint of the story, I began getting into it. By the last quarter, I was happy and quickly flipped through the remaining pages.
See it’s all about characters with me sometimes. I absolutely couldn’t stand the heroine Rebecca. She worked my last nerve. The same day she meets the hero she is looking at him with “hope and trust in her eyes” causing the hero to feel “humbled” that she “could offer him those gifts after the way he’d manhandled her all day.” Seriously? It was too much, way too fast. It was superficial and the main reason I wanted to put the book down. However, I’m glad I gave the book another chance because I’d have missed a great hero had I not finished.
Artair is a manly man who’s been training Amazons for four goddesses for over 300 years. He is tired of war and watching the people he loves die so he tenders his resignation in hopes of becoming a mortal capable of settling down with a wife and raising a family. That’s all before he meets the Amazon who slightly changes his mind. He sees the strength underneath the weak front Rebecca wears. She’s a nurturer, beautiful and the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Artair is caring, intelligent and stubborn. I love that he is able to step back and let his woman lead the way. Time is allowed to pass before he acts on his feelings toward the woman he calls “Becca-mine.”
I liked the romance because it meant Artair would be happy and it evolved with a more mature Rebecca than we are initially introduced to. The growth made Rebecca a strong heroine capable of giving her hero the balance he needed in order to have a happily ever after. The passion is secondary to the action and mystery surrounding the characters, so when it shows up it feels realistic and not forced.
It’s not one I’ll be reading again, but I’m glad I took the time to finish The Reluctant Amazon.
Scooper Speaks
When I read the premise for The Reluctant Amazon it sounded different from what I’d been reading and piqued my interest. Usually when I’m into a book I can read it in a day, but that’s not what happened with the story. I began reading it, disliked the heroine and put it down. I waited a while and tried again with the same result. Finally, yesterday I decided it was time to woman up and pound through the book. At the midpoint of the story, I began getting into it. By the last quarter, I was happy and quickly flipped through the remaining pages.
See it’s all about characters with me sometimes. I absolutely couldn’t stand the heroine Rebecca. She worked my last nerve. The same day she meets the hero she is looking at him with “hope and trust in her eyes” causing the hero to feel “humbled” that she “could offer him those gifts after the way he’d manhandled her all day.” Seriously? It was too much, way too fast. It was superficial and the main reason I wanted to put the book down. However, I’m glad I gave the book another chance because I’d have missed a great hero had I not finished.
Artair is a manly man who’s been training Amazons for four goddesses for over 300 years. He is tired of war and watching the people he loves die so he tenders his resignation in hopes of becoming a mortal capable of settling down with a wife and raising a family. That’s all before he meets the Amazon who slightly changes his mind. He sees the strength underneath the weak front Rebecca wears. She’s a nurturer, beautiful and the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Artair is caring, intelligent and stubborn. I love that he is able to step back and let his woman lead the way. Time is allowed to pass before he acts on his feelings toward the woman he calls “Becca-mine.”
I liked the romance because it meant Artair would be happy and it evolved with a more mature Rebecca than we are initially introduced to. The growth made Rebecca a strong heroine capable of giving her hero the balance he needed in order to have a happily ever after. The passion is secondary to the action and mystery surrounding the characters, so when it shows up it feels realistic and not forced.
It’s not one I’ll be reading again, but I’m glad I took the time to finish The Reluctant Amazon.
Scooper Speaks
January 3, 2014
If you want a romance novel full of action and magic, this is the book for you.
Rebecca is the main character, and though she’s very cautious, she’s also badass when she needs to be. At times her caution annoyed me — I just wanted her to be kicking ass and being the Amazon I expected her to be. But she had another path she had to follow — one true to her nature. Slowly but surely, Rebecca became the Amazon she was supposed to be. Though she wasn’t what I originally thought she would be like, she was still an amazing character to read about. As I kept reading, I liked her more and more.
However, there were a few times where I felt the author really wanted to emphasize Rebecca’s virtues, most of the time when we were in Artair’s point of view. Artair is Rebecca’s Sentinel; the man who is supposed to teach Rebecca how to master her powers and how to fight. But since this is a romance story, he becomes much more. Once he falls in love with Rebecca, there is a LOT of praising her in his head. Yes, I understand he loves her. Yes, I understand he thinks all of those things about her. But the way his praise was written wanted me to roll my eyes every time he mentioned something she was good at or something he was proud of. He repeated things over and over and at times I found myself skipping over his little monologues about how he shouldn’t love Rebecca because he’s her Sentinel (and other reasons), etc. This really was the only thing that annoyed me, though.
Now, this isn’t to say I didn’t like being in Artair’s head. He was a very interesting character to watch and I really enjoyed his point of view. Artair is strong and really cares for his Amazons and it shows. (Oh, and he’s Scottish. Who doesn’t love a Scottish hero?!)
I enjoyed the mythology that came along with this novel. Being a fan of mythology, I found myself interested in the new twist Sandy James put on it. She changed a lot of things and rearranged some myths here and there and truly put her own spin on it.
The secondary characters were vital to the book, not merely there to fill up the background. Without many of the characters, the two protagonists would not have been able to do most of what they did in this novel. I particularly enjoyed the other Amazons, and hope for more books with their stories in them.
And let’s not forget about the action and magic! There was a lot of mystery and kick-buttery in this book. I constantly found myself wondering what new information would come out of hiding and connect the dots for me. The ending was very satisfying for me and leaves me wondering what else is going to happen in the rest of the series.
I definitely recommend this for fans of romance, magic, action, and a bit of mystery squeezed in!
Rebecca is the main character, and though she’s very cautious, she’s also badass when she needs to be. At times her caution annoyed me — I just wanted her to be kicking ass and being the Amazon I expected her to be. But she had another path she had to follow — one true to her nature. Slowly but surely, Rebecca became the Amazon she was supposed to be. Though she wasn’t what I originally thought she would be like, she was still an amazing character to read about. As I kept reading, I liked her more and more.
However, there were a few times where I felt the author really wanted to emphasize Rebecca’s virtues, most of the time when we were in Artair’s point of view. Artair is Rebecca’s Sentinel; the man who is supposed to teach Rebecca how to master her powers and how to fight. But since this is a romance story, he becomes much more. Once he falls in love with Rebecca, there is a LOT of praising her in his head. Yes, I understand he loves her. Yes, I understand he thinks all of those things about her. But the way his praise was written wanted me to roll my eyes every time he mentioned something she was good at or something he was proud of. He repeated things over and over and at times I found myself skipping over his little monologues about how he shouldn’t love Rebecca because he’s her Sentinel (and other reasons), etc. This really was the only thing that annoyed me, though.
Now, this isn’t to say I didn’t like being in Artair’s head. He was a very interesting character to watch and I really enjoyed his point of view. Artair is strong and really cares for his Amazons and it shows. (Oh, and he’s Scottish. Who doesn’t love a Scottish hero?!)
I enjoyed the mythology that came along with this novel. Being a fan of mythology, I found myself interested in the new twist Sandy James put on it. She changed a lot of things and rearranged some myths here and there and truly put her own spin on it.
The secondary characters were vital to the book, not merely there to fill up the background. Without many of the characters, the two protagonists would not have been able to do most of what they did in this novel. I particularly enjoyed the other Amazons, and hope for more books with their stories in them.
And let’s not forget about the action and magic! There was a lot of mystery and kick-buttery in this book. I constantly found myself wondering what new information would come out of hiding and connect the dots for me. The ending was very satisfying for me and leaves me wondering what else is going to happen in the rest of the series.
I definitely recommend this for fans of romance, magic, action, and a bit of mystery squeezed in!
February 21, 2015
This is the first book in the Alliance of the Amazons series by Sandy James, and what an amazing first book it was. You know things are going to be good when the story opens on the bride punching the groom because he is jilting her at the alter, in front of all their friends and family - the big momma's boy!
Rebecca Massee is almost your stereotypical earth mother. She is a kindergarten teacher who helps put together and maintain neighborhood garden plots, who dreams of a home of her own with a husband and children. Unfortunately, her husband-to-be jilts her at the alter and shatters her dreams. Just as her wedding and future is falling to pieces, a handsome man in a kilt shows up and tells her to follow him that "it is time." Astair MacKay is the centuries old Sentinel that trains Amazons as they are called up for duty. And Rebecca has just been called up. Each generation has 4 Amazons, Earth, Fire, Water & Air. Whether they are needed is dependent upon the health of the previous Amazons and how many demigods and demons are trying to take over.
After the last world war, the then current Amazons thought that they would be the last generation needed. But when some being strips the powers from an Amazon and then kills her, the 4 goddesses who each sponsor a particular Amazon know that something big coming and calls up the next generation. Astair is planning on retiring from Sentinel duty, but agrees to help the new Sentinel train one last generation. They each take 2 Amazons to train. Astair goes for Rebecca, and as the Earth Amazon, she leads them to the other Amazon nearby, Fire. Typically the Earth Amazon has the role of Guardian for the Amazons and helps to lead the next generation into their powers. But this time the Earth Amazon is missing and Sparks, the last generations Fire has taken on this role. The new Amazons must train and learn to use their powers quickly to try and save the lives of their sisters. At first Astair does everything in his power to make her angry, as this is the typical trigger for the Amazons powers. But he eventually figures out that doesn't work with Becca. Her powers are triggered by another emotion, Love.
I really liked this book. It caught my attention from the very beginning and kept things moving. Where the author could have gone with a cliche, she went with originality. I was kept guessing and was never was quite sure where we were going to end up, but what a ride. The next book is Fire's story. Here's to hoping that it shares in the ups, downs and wild ride of the first. The Reluctant Amazon got a 4 star rating for me on Goodreads.
Rebecca Massee is almost your stereotypical earth mother. She is a kindergarten teacher who helps put together and maintain neighborhood garden plots, who dreams of a home of her own with a husband and children. Unfortunately, her husband-to-be jilts her at the alter and shatters her dreams. Just as her wedding and future is falling to pieces, a handsome man in a kilt shows up and tells her to follow him that "it is time." Astair MacKay is the centuries old Sentinel that trains Amazons as they are called up for duty. And Rebecca has just been called up. Each generation has 4 Amazons, Earth, Fire, Water & Air. Whether they are needed is dependent upon the health of the previous Amazons and how many demigods and demons are trying to take over.
After the last world war, the then current Amazons thought that they would be the last generation needed. But when some being strips the powers from an Amazon and then kills her, the 4 goddesses who each sponsor a particular Amazon know that something big coming and calls up the next generation. Astair is planning on retiring from Sentinel duty, but agrees to help the new Sentinel train one last generation. They each take 2 Amazons to train. Astair goes for Rebecca, and as the Earth Amazon, she leads them to the other Amazon nearby, Fire. Typically the Earth Amazon has the role of Guardian for the Amazons and helps to lead the next generation into their powers. But this time the Earth Amazon is missing and Sparks, the last generations Fire has taken on this role. The new Amazons must train and learn to use their powers quickly to try and save the lives of their sisters. At first Astair does everything in his power to make her angry, as this is the typical trigger for the Amazons powers. But he eventually figures out that doesn't work with Becca. Her powers are triggered by another emotion, Love.
I really liked this book. It caught my attention from the very beginning and kept things moving. Where the author could have gone with a cliche, she went with originality. I was kept guessing and was never was quite sure where we were going to end up, but what a ride. The next book is Fire's story. Here's to hoping that it shares in the ups, downs and wild ride of the first. The Reluctant Amazon got a 4 star rating for me on Goodreads.
September 3, 2012
I enjoyed this book enough to know I can't wait until she gives us more... :-)
Rebecca is having the day from hell on what should have been the happiest of her life. I mean she's dumped at the altar... lives thru an earthquake... and is now being told she's an Amazon??? How much more messed up can this day get? Well we find out because she gets attacked by revenants (zombies) and taken away to Avalon. In the midst of all this she meets Sparks and her "sister" Amazon. She is one of the chosen Amazons who happens to wield the powers of Earth. She isn't a fighter when this begins but is more the mothering type but once she figures out who she really is and accepts her powers she becomes the warrior she was always meant to be even if she didn't know it. She's conflicted most of this book by her feelings and doesn't really want all the power she can wield. I have to say this is what I liked about her. She can be annoying due to her self-doubts but she isn't willing to take the easy way out when she is offered it. She loves and loves deeply plus has a deep need to protect and nurture.
Altair.. sigh.. sexy to the extreme this Alpha male will have your heart as quickly as he has hers. He's longing for a wife and family but his duty is important to him so stays on while his replacement is trained. He finds Rebecca enthralling but realizes very quickly that he needs to push her to keep her safe and not get others killed. He is willing to take a stand even if it gets him in trouble with the Goddesses. I loved how as hard as he tries to keep away from her that when he tears the walls down to have her he stays true to his character and loves her with all his being. He knows that as an Amazon she can't have kids but he discovers he wants her more than he wants what he thought his dream was.
There is a lot of action in this and people get killed that you care about but the story is compelling and the hits keep coming. I loved watching two people find each other plus loved seeing how the ending played out. I am looking forward to more set in this world...
Thanks to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
Rebecca is having the day from hell on what should have been the happiest of her life. I mean she's dumped at the altar... lives thru an earthquake... and is now being told she's an Amazon??? How much more messed up can this day get? Well we find out because she gets attacked by revenants (zombies) and taken away to Avalon. In the midst of all this she meets Sparks and her "sister" Amazon. She is one of the chosen Amazons who happens to wield the powers of Earth. She isn't a fighter when this begins but is more the mothering type but once she figures out who she really is and accepts her powers she becomes the warrior she was always meant to be even if she didn't know it. She's conflicted most of this book by her feelings and doesn't really want all the power she can wield. I have to say this is what I liked about her. She can be annoying due to her self-doubts but she isn't willing to take the easy way out when she is offered it. She loves and loves deeply plus has a deep need to protect and nurture.
Altair.. sigh.. sexy to the extreme this Alpha male will have your heart as quickly as he has hers. He's longing for a wife and family but his duty is important to him so stays on while his replacement is trained. He finds Rebecca enthralling but realizes very quickly that he needs to push her to keep her safe and not get others killed. He is willing to take a stand even if it gets him in trouble with the Goddesses. I loved how as hard as he tries to keep away from her that when he tears the walls down to have her he stays true to his character and loves her with all his being. He knows that as an Amazon she can't have kids but he discovers he wants her more than he wants what he thought his dream was.
There is a lot of action in this and people get killed that you care about but the story is compelling and the hits keep coming. I loved watching two people find each other plus loved seeing how the ending played out. I am looking forward to more set in this world...
Thanks to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
December 30, 2012
This was a fun book with plenty of potential for future novels. I loved the kick-ass women who were destined to fight against evil. The mythology was interesting, without being too complex and the plot was fast paced with a few surprising twists.
The novel had a strong opening sequence. I liked the introduction of Rebecca along with her sentinel Artair and the fellow Amazons. Rebecca punching her groom in the face was a great first scene and really made me cheer for her from the beginning. Megan’s introduction was also fun and exciting and I loved the bond that formed between the two women.
Rebecca was a good character and I actually liked her reluctance to accept this destiny that was being forced upon her. I think her flaws made her very relatable and I didn’t have a hard time connecting with her. My one problem with Rebecca was that I think she needed more of a back-story. The reader is never given a clear reason why Rebecca ended up with her runaway groom and what her life was like before becoming an Amazon.
I liked how each Amazon was a fighter for the goddesses of Earth, Air, Water and Fire. Their affinities for the elements made for a lot of fun action scenes. The baddies were great and I was actually very surprised by one twist. There were a few gut-wrenching scenes where I was on the edge of my seat.
The aspect I liked the least was the romance in the book. It was sort of a shame because I loved Artair and Rebecca. He has a Scottish accent and wears a kilt! How awesome is that? However, the romance needed more of a natural development. It was too much like insta-love and it turned me off for the rest of the book. I liked the forbidden angle of it, but it was too mushy, too quickly.
Overall, a great read with memorable characters. The plot was solid and I think the series is definitely a keeper.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book for review!
The novel had a strong opening sequence. I liked the introduction of Rebecca along with her sentinel Artair and the fellow Amazons. Rebecca punching her groom in the face was a great first scene and really made me cheer for her from the beginning. Megan’s introduction was also fun and exciting and I loved the bond that formed between the two women.
Rebecca was a good character and I actually liked her reluctance to accept this destiny that was being forced upon her. I think her flaws made her very relatable and I didn’t have a hard time connecting with her. My one problem with Rebecca was that I think she needed more of a back-story. The reader is never given a clear reason why Rebecca ended up with her runaway groom and what her life was like before becoming an Amazon.
I liked how each Amazon was a fighter for the goddesses of Earth, Air, Water and Fire. Their affinities for the elements made for a lot of fun action scenes. The baddies were great and I was actually very surprised by one twist. There were a few gut-wrenching scenes where I was on the edge of my seat.
The aspect I liked the least was the romance in the book. It was sort of a shame because I loved Artair and Rebecca. He has a Scottish accent and wears a kilt! How awesome is that? However, the romance needed more of a natural development. It was too much like insta-love and it turned me off for the rest of the book. I liked the forbidden angle of it, but it was too mushy, too quickly.
Overall, a great read with memorable characters. The plot was solid and I think the series is definitely a keeper.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book for review!
October 8, 2013
There are two stories in this book: a five-star paranormal adventure and a three-star romance. The adventure kicked butt. I loved how it evolved. Rebecca, our reluctant protagonist, holds so much promise, but she's soft. In this, James' sets up a satisfying adventure in self-discovery.
The romance wasn't as well developed as I hoped. As a writer, James gives us the romantic formula, but I found myself skipping over the steamy parts to get to the adventure. That could be a personal preference. Burly Scottish lairds don't do it for me. However, it could also be a disconnect.
Writing is such a personal endeavor. James' passion for Rebecca and the Amazons is evident. There were long stretches of page-turning action and sisterly camaraderie. The women came alive for me.
Romance is another matter all together. A writer has to get in touch with the relationship, put her passion into it, and it shows either way. I'm not suggesting a disconnect in skill. McKay is a well-developed, believable character and his interactions with Rebecca serve the story. It seemed an element was missing, some spark that would have engaged me more in the romance.
This is not Sandy James' only writing endeavor. This book is the first in a series. The first story has to convey the history and the world, in addition to all the other elements, and that is always a tall order. James' admits that her genre of romance is "shape-shifter" taking her readers through time and from horse-racing to demon hunting. The disconnect I sensed could actually be an evolution into something better. I'm looking forward to finding out where this will lead James' characters.
The romance wasn't as well developed as I hoped. As a writer, James gives us the romantic formula, but I found myself skipping over the steamy parts to get to the adventure. That could be a personal preference. Burly Scottish lairds don't do it for me. However, it could also be a disconnect.
Writing is such a personal endeavor. James' passion for Rebecca and the Amazons is evident. There were long stretches of page-turning action and sisterly camaraderie. The women came alive for me.
Romance is another matter all together. A writer has to get in touch with the relationship, put her passion into it, and it shows either way. I'm not suggesting a disconnect in skill. McKay is a well-developed, believable character and his interactions with Rebecca serve the story. It seemed an element was missing, some spark that would have engaged me more in the romance.
This is not Sandy James' only writing endeavor. This book is the first in a series. The first story has to convey the history and the world, in addition to all the other elements, and that is always a tall order. James' admits that her genre of romance is "shape-shifter" taking her readers through time and from horse-racing to demon hunting. The disconnect I sensed could actually be an evolution into something better. I'm looking forward to finding out where this will lead James' characters.
September 6, 2012
Artair MacKay certainly knows how to make an entrance. As Rebecca stands at the alter facing her soon-to-be husband and is rejected by him her life takes a spin. She is angry and rightly so. Rebecca throws and connects with a much deserved punch to the loser's face. With the turmoil of feelings swirling in her she makes the earth quake but does not realize that it is of her doing. In her wedding dress, Rebecca chooses to walk out with her head held high as she is escorted out by a handsome man in a kilt- Artair.
I always enjoy the time where a character learns of who they really are. The reaction and events to follow are always a joy to read. Rebecca, Becca, has had no clue that she was anything other than a Kindergarten teacher. With only an Aunt to care for her when growing up she did not know of her ancestry. Apparently, she is more than mere human- She is Amazonian. Her job and her fellow Amazonian sisters are tasked with keeping evil in check on Earth. Demons, Demi-Gods, and other conspirators love to come out and use Earth as a playground and humans as their play-things but the Amazons are the line of defense fighting for humanity.
All in all, The Reluctant Amazon was an interesting read. The plot had it's own unique-ness among others in the genre. I've only read one other series that has Amazons headlining and I enjoyed this one far better. The most surprising element was the antagonist- I never seen that one coming. The next book in the series is titled, The Impetuous Amazon, and is expected to release in January 2013.
I always enjoy the time where a character learns of who they really are. The reaction and events to follow are always a joy to read. Rebecca, Becca, has had no clue that she was anything other than a Kindergarten teacher. With only an Aunt to care for her when growing up she did not know of her ancestry. Apparently, she is more than mere human- She is Amazonian. Her job and her fellow Amazonian sisters are tasked with keeping evil in check on Earth. Demons, Demi-Gods, and other conspirators love to come out and use Earth as a playground and humans as their play-things but the Amazons are the line of defense fighting for humanity.
All in all, The Reluctant Amazon was an interesting read. The plot had it's own unique-ness among others in the genre. I've only read one other series that has Amazons headlining and I enjoyed this one far better. The most surprising element was the antagonist- I never seen that one coming. The next book in the series is titled, The Impetuous Amazon, and is expected to release in January 2013.
August 25, 2013
Rebecca Massee was ditched at the alter by her momma's boy of a fiancee. Her anger triggers an earthquake and a sexy Scottish man comes to her rescue. They fight some foul looking and smelling creatures named Revenants that are basically zombies. Rebecca initially didn't want to believe him that she is an Amazon, but after seeing the monsters and a display from a Fire Amazon she has no choice.
Artair MacKay, a sexy Scottish warrior finds the new Amazons (Earth, Fire, Air, and Water) and trains them to ensure they will be the best fighters and know how to control their powers. Mister tough guy is always hard on his Amazons to ensure they learn everything they need to, but with Rebecca he is different. Though still tough, he has the urge to hold her when she is upset and things to that effect.
Rebecca and the Fire Amazon, Megan, begin their training by running several miles daily and also learning to fight both hand to hand and with weapons. She is very slow on learning to fight and I was slightly worried she wouldn't make the cut. After training for awhile the team goes in search for the two missing Amazons of the previous generation, and a lot of fighting ensues.
The Reluctant Amazon is a breath of fresh air that kept me on my toes. I haven't read anything like this before, but enjoyed it immensely. I highly recommend this book, and will be starting book two very soon!
Artair MacKay, a sexy Scottish warrior finds the new Amazons (Earth, Fire, Air, and Water) and trains them to ensure they will be the best fighters and know how to control their powers. Mister tough guy is always hard on his Amazons to ensure they learn everything they need to, but with Rebecca he is different. Though still tough, he has the urge to hold her when she is upset and things to that effect.
Rebecca and the Fire Amazon, Megan, begin their training by running several miles daily and also learning to fight both hand to hand and with weapons. She is very slow on learning to fight and I was slightly worried she wouldn't make the cut. After training for awhile the team goes in search for the two missing Amazons of the previous generation, and a lot of fighting ensues.
The Reluctant Amazon is a breath of fresh air that kept me on my toes. I haven't read anything like this before, but enjoyed it immensely. I highly recommend this book, and will be starting book two very soon!
March 21, 2013
What's a kindergarten teacher to do when she is abandoned at the wedding altar by her momma-loving groom and yanked out the door by a sexy Scotsman who claims she is an Amazon in training? Such is the experience for a woman who is thoughtful to a fault, considering all the aspects of any situation before she moves or decides. Now she is placed in a situation where she must not only get her mind wrapped around the whole concept of being the Amazon answerable to the Earth goddess Rhiannon as well as having to learn martial arts, swordsmanship, climbing and rappelling--this last being completely at odds with her fear of heights. Its a delightful book and one that is quite out of the ordinary in that the heroine is a person no one would ever expect nor are the challenges that face her as she wonders if she will ever meet the expectations of her goddess much less be successful in fighting the forces of evil that keep presenting themselves. It's a fine piece of writing with wit and verve, lots of energy, some sneeky romance and of course, the sexy Scotsman who is the Sentinel for all the Amazons, a man who has given his total loyalty to Rhiannon and has been around for 300 years. No doubt that is one of the reasons he really knows his way around a woman! Great and entertaining reading.
September 3, 2012
A fun read. However, the usual speed of declaration's of undying love in Urban Fantasy book's never cease to annoy. Especially since the thing that seems to endear Artair to Rebecca is that she is simply a normal human being. If the man had simply had a conversation with any decent woman on the planet I doubt he would've fallen in love. I also wish Rebecca's fiancé had been better explained. Why didn't he want to marry her? What made him such a coward? And why did she want to marry a man that she knew didn't want her? Answering these question's would've made Rebecca a much more interesting person. Some Goddesses are selfish, some seem more altruistic. The big mystery was a bit drawn out, and not shocking, I hope it come's back to bite the character's in the butt in future installments of the series. I think as the series goes along it will get better, and I will definitely be going along for the ride.
August 3, 2016
I loved the general storyline of the book. A woman finds out she has incredible powers after being rejected on her wedding day and must master her powers.
Rebecca was a pretty cool character. She was not perfect and had a lot of doubts about her new-found position as a warrior. I loved the bond she develops between her fellow Amazons.
Her relationship with Artair was a bit fast and had an insta- love feel to it, of which I am not a fan. He grew on me, due to his hotness, but they really needed to develop more before professing their love and the like. I liked the forbidden romance aspect of the novel, though.
The villains were pretty bad, so I was happy about that. It led to some really entertaining fight scenes. Although the action and myth were second to Artair and Rebecca's attractions.
I would definitely recommend it to romance readers who love aspects of myth and magic and fans of hot Scottish warriors and kick- butt heroines.
Rebecca was a pretty cool character. She was not perfect and had a lot of doubts about her new-found position as a warrior. I loved the bond she develops between her fellow Amazons.
Her relationship with Artair was a bit fast and had an insta- love feel to it, of which I am not a fan. He grew on me, due to his hotness, but they really needed to develop more before professing their love and the like. I liked the forbidden romance aspect of the novel, though.
The villains were pretty bad, so I was happy about that. It led to some really entertaining fight scenes. Although the action and myth were second to Artair and Rebecca's attractions.
I would definitely recommend it to romance readers who love aspects of myth and magic and fans of hot Scottish warriors and kick- butt heroines.
October 14, 2013
I love the storyline. It's a refreshing change in this genre.
The more I think about it, I still really liked the book. The beginning lacked character building, so I didn't feel a connection with the main characters. The beginning felt super rushed, and before I knew it this random woman had jumped into the back of a creepy van with two strangers. I didn't feel appalled or worried--I barely knew her! So it started out with a little detachment from the characters. I also had a really hard time picturing Artair. I could've used more info on him.
If the beginning was too fast, the middle was too slow. It was sneaky slow though. Apparently months had passed? I liked their relationship though.
The end was a little quick. I feel like the baby was thrown in at the last minute-- it felt a little random.
The more I think about it, I still really liked the book. The beginning lacked character building, so I didn't feel a connection with the main characters. The beginning felt super rushed, and before I knew it this random woman had jumped into the back of a creepy van with two strangers. I didn't feel appalled or worried--I barely knew her! So it started out with a little detachment from the characters. I also had a really hard time picturing Artair. I could've used more info on him.
If the beginning was too fast, the middle was too slow. It was sneaky slow though. Apparently months had passed? I liked their relationship though.
The end was a little quick. I feel like the baby was thrown in at the last minute-- it felt a little random.
May 12, 2013
This novel has it all-romance, interesting and good looking characters, non-stop action and a fun dip into Amazonian mythology. Rebecca Massee is an almost thirty kindergarten teacher who's just been jilted at the altar. As the realization that she's not getting married sinks in, her world is taken in a completely new direction when she finds out she's an Amazon who has been called to duty. Rebecca's task is to help fight an unidentified evil who is killing other Amazon warriors. Along the way, she learns how to wrap foes up in vines, meets women who can throw fire, control water and conquer air, and even manages to fall in love with a Scottish laddie. In between all of this, she has to figure out a way to save the world. If you want a fast-paced ride that has a little something for everyone, this is a story for you.
February 13, 2014
I never knew reading about mythology could be so much fun. This is one book that was very action packed and made you realize that not all warriors will be the same. Sometimes love is better than anger and that is what makes Becca Masse shine more than any other Earth Warrior ever thought about.
Artair MacKay has feelings for Becca and it isn't something he should be feeling. He is supposed to train the Amazons not fall in love and let his heart rule him.
I can't wait to see what else this author has written.
Artair MacKay has feelings for Becca and it isn't something he should be feeling. He is supposed to train the Amazons not fall in love and let his heart rule him.
I can't wait to see what else this author has written.
October 16, 2013
This was a happy find I got off the Amazon free list. I liked the take on the elemental powers the women have and the mixing of the different pantheons of gods. The sex wasn’t so abundant it became boring and I genuinely had a smile on my face through most of it. Spectacular ending! I enjoyed this first book in a 4 book series that I tore through them all back to back in a week!
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