Water Bound

Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart #1

by Christine Feehan

The last thing Lev Prakenskii remembered was being lost in the swirling currents of the ocean and getting sucked deeper into the nothingness of a freezing black eddy off the coastal town of Sea Haven. Just as quickly, just a miraculously, he was saved—pulled ashore by a beautiful stranger. But Lev has no memory of who he is—or why he seems to possess the violent instincts of a trained killer. All he knows is that he fears for his life, and for the life of his unexpected savior.

Her name is Rikki, a sea~urchin diver in Sea Haven. She has always felt an affinity for the ocean, and for the seductive pull of the tides. And now she feels drawn in the same way to the enigmatic man she rescued. But soon they will be bound by something even stronger, and their tantalizing secrets will engulf them both in a whirlpool of dizzying passion and inescapable danger.

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

481 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 27, 2010

About the author

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




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

Reviews

[Azet · Rating 5 out of 5]

It feels so good to be back to the warm and breezy town Sea Haven in "Water bound" which is the first book in the "Sisters of the Heart"-series which is also spin-off series to my all time favourite series about the "Drake Sisters" which i came to love with all my heart.Six tormented women bonded through counseling,all are victims of great loss.They decide to live on a farm together in Sea Haven and they come to love each other like sisters.I also know that every one of the women will fall in love with the six remaining Prakenskii brothers,since the youngest one Ilya Prakenskii already found his soulmate in Joley Drake in "Turbulent Sea"."Water Bound" was everything i expected it to be:magical,stormy,thrilling,shattering and so sensual and romantic that it would break my heart.

Rikki Sitmore is authentic and anti-social who had rather dive into the sea instead of staying on land.She is a sea urchin diver who saves a drowning man who can`t remember his past,and takes him to her home as her responsibility.She has a fiery spirit but was so broken inside by the guilt and confusion and torment from her past.Her parents had been killed by fire,her two foster homes had also burned down and her fiance also got killed by fire.The police has always suspected Rikki of starting the fires-Against odds she managed to carve out a life for herself in Sea Haven which makes her a admirable heroine to me.

***
"I see you, Lev.I will always see you,no matter what skin you have to wear or how many times you have to shed it and grow a new one.I`ll see you when you are in the shadows.The real you is always safe here with me.I´m not going anywhere."

-Rikki
***
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Lev Prakenskii (yeah his name means Lion and damn he was a sexy one) is one of the seven russian Prakenskii brothers,which makes him automatically exciting and sexy to me!!!The russian government made him into a killing machine to exterminate the enemies and also capable of manipulating,experiencing torture and sexual techniques without any emotions at all.In "Hidden Currents" i knew he survived the wave,and in this book he gets saved by Rikka-who he falls madly and irrevocably in love with.His soul called to her and he needed and craved her with everything in him.Lev indeed was a predatory lion at heart,dangerous and lethal,tortured but cold-blooded.But also loving,caring,protective and obsessed with Rikki.Rikki was his salvation and hope and happiness,she saw past all his shadows.His one and only true desire and love-his strong connection and chemistry with Rikki undid me.They belong together,their love so powerful it made me cry with the pure beauty of it.

I am so intrigued by Blythe Daniels who is leader of sisters of the heart and also a cousin to the Drake sisters and i KNOW she is soulmate to the oldest Prakenskii brother-I AM SO DYING FOR HER BOOK!It was so nice meeting my favourite couple Jonas and Hannah,still madly in love with each other as always.I also find it so heartbreaking that all the Prakenskii brothers were separeted when they were little boys into different orphanages and turned into lethal assassins at young ages because of their telepathic gifts.All of them obviously know of each other but are forbidden to even contact each other.If they do the governemnt will eliminate them immediately.I came to love both Lev and Rikki with their shadows and all-but together they were one.Christine Feehan did an amazing job with this story and i am really looking forward to the next book in "Sisters of the Heart" series.

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

*Listened to audiobook from 6/23-6/29/11*
My thoughts:

*I thought the narrator was pretty good. I think she tried to vary her speech to signify that different people were talking. Her Russian accent was pretty good. Sometimes her female voices (for Rikki's 'sisters', particularly Blythe) sounded a little hokey. But overall I was happy, because she brought the characters to life. I could easily picture them in my mind as I listened. She made Rikki adorable and fierce and loving. Lev was the sexy, awesome lethal man I know and love!
*I have never listened to an audiobook with sexual situations, so I admit I giggled on some of the love scenes, hearing the descriptive words. I admit they were pretty stirring as well (blushing). I'm glad I was not in mixed company while I listened.
*Although Ms. Feehan has a tendency to use three words when she can use one, I am a stone cold addict for her books. Being able to listen to this during some pretty heinous commutes was a blessing from God. I am definitely appreciative.
*I still like reading books more than audiobook, but I admit this kept my interest and kept me awake even when I was driving at 4am in the morning and after a very long day yesterday with a nearly 2 hour drive home to deal with.

I'd rate the audiobook as 4.5 stars, but the book still stands as 5 stars. I'd recommend this audiobook to Feehan fans or for newbies looking for a good book to listen to on CD.

Original Review Below:


Ms. Feehan, you've done it again. This is now one of my favorites by you.

This was such a beautiful, gorgeous book. Ms. Feehan's descriptive writing brings things to vivid, lush, captivating life. Seeing the world through Rikki's eyes was like nothing I've seen. People tend to think of autism as a liability. It does make it harder to integrate into the usual world. But, being in that place of beauty that belongs only to you, how wonderful that must be. I appreciate Ms. Feehan for the time she took to write this story and open my eyes to Rikki's world.

I've always been a water person, and I felt the affinity and love of water that Rikki felt. Since she was an outcast in many ways, it was good that she had the ocean, the water to be her home, to be her safe place that settled her.

Rikki is probably one of the most special and unique heroines I've encountered. She was created with such love and devotion that I can't help but love her. I liked that she is so complex, and has such a strength to make a life for herself, despite the many obstacles she faced. She knew that Lev had a past as a cold-blooded killer, and was a dangerous man--but she looked into his heart and saw the true man that he was. She was never afraid of him. She was willing to give him a chance to be the man who he yearned to be. She didn't realize that to Lev, she was his chance.

The love story in this book affected me deeply. Rikki and Lev found that connection that I crave in romance novels. The scene where they are under water, and their eyes meet, and it keeps Lev from succumbing to the fierce anger of the ocean. Her eyes anchor him. For the first time in his life, he feels like he has a home. Rikki might disturb or upset others because she doesn't know the social cues, with her piercing black gaze, but she gives him peace when she focuses those eyes on him. The way in which their love story unfolds has won this book a place on my keeper shelf as an all-time favorite romance. The intense love between Lev and Rikki shouts off the page. The sensuality is so powerful, as Rikki and Lev explore that magic that unites them as soulmates. The way that Lev would take care of Rikki, and vice versa. Their humorous exchanges. How they could be real with each other. It all comes together to make an unforgettable love story. Utterly sighworthy! This sappy girl was in heaven.

I loved how Lev didn't try to change Rikki to fit him. He found his place in her life, and adjusted himself to hers. She needed constancy and routine, and he understood that. But he enhanced her life by giving her that emotional bond that she'd never had, even with her fiance. Their love was so mutual and so beautiful. Making something stronger and enduring through their union.

Lev is the dangerous hero fangirl's Christmas gift. But, he's also a gentle, loving man with Rikki. That's my kind of hero--completely lethal, but like a Golden Retriever puppy dog with his woman, unless she's in danger, then he's like an fierce wolf protecting his mate. I never thought I'd love you more than Ilya, Lev. But I do!

I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy this new series by Ms. Feehan. I think that each of Rikki's adopted sisters are interesting. They bring unique gifts and personalities to the table. I like their created bond of family for each other. How they accept each other for who they are. I'm dying to meet more of the Prasenkii brothers. What is it with me and dangerous Russian men?

I appreciated how Ms. Feehan touched on the issue with Lev being on the boat while Elle was being held captive. Jonas did exactly what he should have done. Yet, I could understand why Lev did what he did. He was in a really tough situation. No question there. There's going to be some fallout, but I have a feeling it's going to work out.

I wish that Sea Haven was a real place. I would so move there. It's a happening place with the Drake sisters and spouses, Rikki's adopted family, and the Prasenkiis. Yet another favorite by an author who has won my devotion, book by fantastic book. Thumbs way up!

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Water Bound is the 1st book in Christine Feehan's Sisters of the Heart Series, a spinoff from her Drake Sisters Series.
The synopsis of the series:
Six women of varying age meet in special grief counseling group composed of victims of violent crimes. Each has suffered unbelievable loss. Working through their grief, they learn to love one another and trust only each other. Pooling their resources, they purchase a large farming community. Each has their own home and five acres, sharing the rest of the farm. Though not related by blood, they form a loving family, calling themselves sisters of the heart. These stories are of the sisters and the men who dare to love them.

This is such a beautiful and poignant story about two broken people who help each other find peace and love in their lives.

Rikki, autistic and broken has finally found a place where she is able to lead a normal life, surrounded by her loving and caring sisters. She has a magical connection with water and spends most of her time in the ocean and water friends as she hunts for sea urchins, which she sells for a living.

When she rescues a strange man, near death in the sea, she will have to face all her fears and uncertainties to finally find a human being who she feels so connected with.

Lev Prakenskii is a man without a past or an identity. Trained from childhood by the Soviet government to be a killer, he’s now become expendable and he’s on the run to escape being killed. Rescued from certain death in the swirling waves of Sea Haven, struggling with no memory of who and what he is, he will find himself questioning his life and feelings when he meets his rescuer….

He has made brief appearances in previous books, Turbulent Sea (Drake Sisters #6) and Hidden Currents (Drake Sisters #7) and we know that his brother, Ilya is married to Joely, one of the Drake Sisters. We do get a glimpse of some of the characters that we have met before, which I really enjoyed.

The beginning of the book started a bit slow but I liked the slow build-up of the romance between Lev & Rikki. Even though he was a true alpha-male, he showed a gentleness towards her that was really great.

One of my favorite quotes:
“I know what it's like to battle every day of my life, just for acceptance, just to survive.”

An exciting start to a new series by one of my favorite authors.

[Maria Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/Me gusta mucho como escribe la Feehan y me ha encantado encontrarme con un personaje totalmente nuevo en cuanto a novela romántica: con un autista. A parte de esto, la historia engancha, pero me ha faltado más ¿maestría?

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rikki Sitmore is not your average female. She has strange reactions to things people may consider normal. She only likes to eat peanut butter and broccoli and likes everything to be pristine and untouched. She might also be a sociopath because her parents, foster families, and fiancé’s houses all burned down and many of them died. But being a possible serial arsonist is not even the oddest thing about her. The winner is that she has the ability to control water (think water-bending in “Avatar: The Last Airbender” style). Rikki is therefore surprised that she didn’t sense the giant tidal wave until it was literally crashing down upon her. The tidal wave doesn’t just bring water, however, but also the most dangerous-looking and handsome man Rikki has ever seen. Against her better instinct, she decides to save him. During the rescue, she shares a moment with this dangerous man that is sure to shake her world.

Lev Prakenskii is a very dangerous, deadly, and handsome man. This is the one thing he knows as he finds himself slammed against the rocks after falling into the ocean. The next thing he knows, he is saved by a beautiful woman whom he can’t help thinking must be a mermaid. She pulls Lev out of the ocean and the dizziness and uncertainly causes him to react in a way that would have King Triton stabbing him with his triton. Rather than throwing him back into the ocean, the strange woman responds angrily to his actions. This rather sobers Lev up to the fact that Ariel did not save him, since she is yelling and not singing to him. Despite his dangerous behavior, the woman takes him home. Lev soon realizes he can’t remember anything except that he has killed a lot of people. The one thing he does know is that he wants to spend his life with this mermaid-like woman.

I’m the first to admit that I’m no literary expert, but my biggest problem with this book was what I found to be poor writing. The author overuses adjectives and has the tendency to be repetitive and redundant. I did not need to be reminded on every page that Rikki is a strange woman. I also got the point after the first fifty times that Lev is a deadly and dangerous man who has killed a lot of people. I was tempted to start a drinking game every time I came across the words strange, deadly, dangerous, handsome, and a quite a few others. Needless to say, I would have been very drunk by the time I came to page two hundred, and the book is near five hundred pages long. Also, do we need a twenty page sex scene? A paragraph about walking into a grocery store? This book really could have benefitted from a strong editorial hand. The weak editing really ruined the story for me. I could not concentrate or care about the story because I kept trying to edit it in my mind.

Setting aside the editing issue, the story was rather weak as well. I really felt no connection to either Lev or Rikki. None. I’ve never read a book where I’ve never even felt a small connection. Because I felt no connection to either of the characters, I could not care less about what happened to them. There were exciting scenes here and there, but they are quickly overridden with the overuse of repeating themes and thoughts. I really thought when Lev’s past was revealed, the story would take an interesting turn. It didn’t. The major plot points are who is starting the fires and trying to kill Rikki and whether Lev can escape from his dangerous and deadly past. Both are resolved in the most lackluster way possible.

Oh yeah, Rikki and Lev got together at the end and I was relieved that the book was over. Those who don’t mind a lot of adjectives and repetitiveness will probably like this book better than I did. As it is, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

[Penny Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Water Bound by Christine Feehan

Okay, I'm the first one to admit Christine Feehan's stuff is sometimes over the top. Her Dark series is extremely melodramatic, her alpha male heroes are one step short of cavemen, her 80-pg. love scenes go on and on about creamy skin and velvet sheaths. Nevertheless, I love her books.

Why?

Well, Christine Feehan knows something about what women want, and what is the essence of romantic fiction. One man, filled with purpose and integrity and courage, whose entire life centers around one single woman....his lifemate. He would kill for her, die for her. This theme, which is repeated over and over again, is incredibly romantic. It works. It makes for extremely satisfying HEAS, too. My only concern with Feehan is that the violence against women has escalated over the last couple of years, and in my opinion, is not necessary and detracts from the core of her books.

Because of that, I was nervous about starting this next series. I refused to read Hidden Currents because of the disturbing content, and I was pretty pissed off since I'd stuck with the whole Drake sisters series, and was really looking forward to Elle's book. I figured this spin-off series would also be too violent for me, so I was gonna pass on it. However, in a moment of boredom at the grocery store, I saw Water Bound and decided to give it a go.

I am so, so, so glad I did! This book is not typical for Christine Feehan...it's more subtle, more emotional and incredibly satisfying and romantic. I think it's the most romantic book she's written.

First of all, she took a chance on creating an autistic heroine. Rikki is strong and capable in spite of her autism. She is also loving and protective of her "sisters." The first scene in the book where Rikki and Lev "meet" underwater is absolutely amazing....their instant connection is surprising to both of them. I just loved this scene! Honestly, I sometimes forget how spectacular Feehan is in terms of her paranormal creativity. Rikki's affinity for water is one of the coolest things I've ever read....the water sparkles, plays, takes on a life of its own. The descriptions of Rikki connecting with water are astounding. What a great, unique paranormal concept. After an overload of vampire/werewolf descriptions, the water angle is fabulous, mesmerizing, inspiring.

Lev is one of my favorite Feehan heroes. He recognizes right away that Rikki is "different." He is patient with her and takes the time to learn the things he has to do to accommodate her special needs. This is one of the most romantic, wonderful gestures a hero could ever do. It made me fall in love with Lev. He's a trained, cold-hearted killer who learns to love and trust through his relationship with Rikki.

For both of them, falling in love is a huge leap of faith. Rikki has to step outside of her comfortable limits, which is a huge undertaking for someone with severe OCD issues. Lev wonders if he can truly shed his skin as a cold-blooded killer and become a "normal" man with a new identity.

It's simply a wonderful love story.

The only thing that bugged me a little bit was waiting for the conclusion to two separate conflicts at the end of the book...the arsonist problem and Lev's assassin. Didn't need two conflicts here....one would have sufficed.

I was very surprised by this book. It's not your typical Feehan story...but I thought that Rikki and Lev are a truly original and wonderful couple. I hope that the rest of this series continues on this path.
Grade: A

Next week.....Dark Peril is out! Yippee!

Having an awesome reading week and loving every minute of it,
Penelope

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Water Bound is the first book in Christine Feehan's spinoff series, Sisters of the Heart. It's exciting, beautiful, passionate, and fans of the Drake Sisters series are sure to love this story!

Off the shores of Sea Haven, a beautiful diver rescues a man from drowning, a man with no memory of who he is-or why he seems to possess the violent instincts of a trained killer. But soon, he and his savior will be engulfed in a storm of dizzying passion and inescapable danger...

Generally speaking, I don't often read this type of story - part fantasy, part paranormal - because of the fantasy influence, of which I'm not a fan. But Christine Feehan is a favorite author, so I decided to give Water Bound a try, and found I enjoyed it a lot.

There's a great deal of emotion to this book. Angsty, heartbreaking but uplifting, humorous, and very sexy. I found the story and the characters to be quite compelling, and though it took me a bit of time to connect to them, when I did, it was all in.

Fans of Ms. Feehan are familiar with the way she tells a story, with "prose" rather than words. Meaning, she uses lots of lovely descriptives and often times takes paragraphs to visualize a scene. It's one of the things I most enjoy about her writing, and at times, one of the things I least enjoy about it, too. My point is, she runs true to form in this book, and sometimes I felt like things were running on... but the important scenes, the way elements are described made me feel as though I was there, living through the storms, the raging fires, the inferno in Rikki's soul... It felt so real, and I was there.

If you love stories about family, about love and acceptance, tolerance and forgiveness, I hope you'll give this book a try. The scenery is breathtaking, the story is exciting, and Rikki and Lev are all kinds of wonderful.

Originally read in 2011, but never reviewed, I am now doing so as part of my ongoing New Years Resolution to clean up my Goodreads bookshelves.

[Mollie *scoutrmom* · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sea urchin diver finds an injured man underwater and shares her air supply with him to save his life. She has no idea what kind of man she has rescued or what she has let herself in for.

I was amazed and surprised by the characters Christine Feehan chose for her protagonists. I've gotten used to the men she writes, agressive killers with a protective streak a mile wide. This one started out a little closer to sociopathic killer than I was comfortable with. Feehan redeems Lev by having him suffer quite a bit from his head injury, so he seems less of a threat, and then showing how he is first surprised at having emotions, then later cherishes the ability to feel. By the last part of the book he is able to laugh, to joke, and to tease.

Our heroine Rikki is also someone I was not at first comfortable with. We first see her reflecting her fears that she somehow unconsciously started the fires that killed her parents and her fiance. She is unable to stand being touched, unable to socialize in public, she makes others uncomfortable, and she fears she is a sociopathic killer. In contrast to this, Feehan shows us her heart of gold, her care for her adopted sisters and for a local homeless man.

We later learn that someone else started the fires, and that her socialization problems are because she suffers from autism, though she is apparently what they call "high-functioning". Her solitary career as a sea urchin diver enables her to make a living in spite of the handicap. I'd never before thought that an autistic person could feature as the heroine in a love story, but Feehan's skill brings us to understand her character very well.

This series is set in Sea Haven, though the only Drake sister to make an appearance is Hannah, just for a single scene. Her husband, our fond sherriff Jonas, appears a few times, but one need not have read the Drake Sisters series to appreciate this book. The town of Sea Haven is a welcoming and understanding place, as Rikki finds when she freezes up at the grocery store and the kindness of others makes it possible for her shopping to be completed.

The plot centers on Lev's character growth, on his need to leave behind forever his former life as an undercover agent and sometime assassin, on his need to feel that he is a better person than that and worth loving, and on his need to convince his former employers that he no longer exists. Rikki's autism ends up as a weapon and a shield in this task.

There is a second primary plot featuring the threat to our heroine from the deranged arsonist who targets her and everyone she loves. I love the paranormal scenes in this story. Rikki is a water elemental, and Feehan wrote some lovely scenes illustrating how that might play out. In addition, this talent is what finally defeats her foe.

Lev's talents are a bit more varied and are hinted to have much to do with his former profession, but the more acceptable ones illustrated include telepathy and the ability to control birds and to see through their eyes. One time he physically moves Rikki with the power of his mind from a distance to keep her from falling into the pond.

This story is a great romance in that the developing relationship and the character growth of the protagonists overshadows all other plot elements. I now want to go back and read the entire Drake Sisters series through with this one tacked on to the end. I can hardly wait for the next installment. (Christine Feehan, if you die before completing this series, I'm going to want to curse your immortal soul, but I'm too nice to actually do it.)

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dear Mrs. Feehan,

Yes yes yes I know Rikki has a form of autism, that she acts/thinks different, people think she is rude, got quirks, she stares at people, doesn't like to be around a lot of people/crowds or have them touch her, and doesn't like people in her home. I also know she likes to be near the ocean, loves her routines and that she loves peanut butter and so on with lots of other things. And yes we know Lev is the big bad dangerous alpha male with lots of weapons and a smoking hot body. For the love of god we get it!!! There's no damn reason to tell us this shit every few pages.

*PS - BTW us readers can remember stuff like that even if we're told once or twice.

Sincerely Lisa

I really wanted to love this book. Loved the plot I love books with H/h's that are different from the norm. I think I would have loved it if was like a 150 or so pages shorter. Way too much repetitive internal dialog and way too much with the descriptions of what everything looked like and other stuff. I tried to read it, I got to around page 280ish and gave up and read the end. I did enjoy Rikki and Lev just wish I could have gotten though the book. I give up with her books this is the second one i tried to read guess her writing style is not for me.

[*TANYA* · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story in itself was good, this book had so much potential. But how many times did I really need to know that Rikki was a water element and that she had a deep connection with water!?!?

[Erin (Historical Fiction Reader) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope.

[GymGuy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Truly, the dumbest and worst books I've ever read!!

Unless you're into 100 pages of explicit sex, 100 pages of descriptions of autism (which are about as enlightened as Wikipedia) and 100 pages of ho-hum plot, RUN FROM THIS BOOK! I can't believe I finished it.

The characters are dumb, dumb, dumb. Some combination of reality and fantasy. What the heck is a 'water element'? Ever met one?? A 'fire element'? Well, that's an arsonist.

Have to hand it to the author....she managed to keep an orgasm going for 20 pages. Not bad.

Every character is contrived. The local cop is married to an international super model. Good God! How many international super models do you know who live in a po-dunk town and are married to a local cop??? And a sister who makes her living making koleidescopes??? How quaint.

And to top it all...so realistic...our hero is a life-long assassin who has killed maybe hundreds of people...by his own admission...has now suddenly found redemption and settles down to raise vegetables and go scuba diving. Could I make this up??? Well the author did.

I recommend you find another book to read.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread 9/20 - It had been a lot of years since I read this book. I decided to reread it after a discussion about it with Tracy. While I still enjoyed the story as a whole, more things bothered me this time around. I like Rikki and Lev together, and the way her character is written. The writing is kind of disjointed and it didn't flow very well.

Still, it's a good read. 4/5.

_________________

Re-read 9/10 - I wasn't sure what to expect when I re-read this. I loved it the first time around, but many of the Drake books didn't hold up on second read.

I'm happy to report this one did. I adored everything just as much this time around. Definitely one of my top reads of 2010.

__________________



It was lovely returning to Sea Haven and I very much enjoyed the new characters introduced her, as well as the glimpses we had of the previous characters. This book picks up right where Hidden Currents left off. I think this can be read as a standalone, but the characters - especially Lev - have more depth if you read Hidden Currents first.

I loved Lev. He decided he wanted a new life, one that included Rikki, and that was that. There was no waffling about his feelings for her or attempts to hold himself away from her. He did everything possible to care for her. Because she's autistic, though very high-functioning, she needed things other people wouldn't. Lev wasn't discouraged by that. Nor did he treat her as if she were inferior to him in some way, or less intelligent than she was. To him, Rikki was a woman and that's how he treated her.

Rikki's autism was very well written. She was able to do almost everything someone without her disorder could, but she had trouble with change, and lights and sounds bothered her. As a result she was a solitary creature. One with a need for a very controlled environment. She didn't allow other people into her home and she had strict routines she had to follow. But she wasn't someone I felt sorry for, or thought of as challenged in anyway.

It will be interesting to see how things go with the Drake's and Lev (The Drake sisters, with the exception of Hannah, were all on their honeymoons) in later books, especially since he was there and saw the torture Elle suffered in Hidden Currents.

4.5/5

[Lover of Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rikki, a diver in Sea Haven, is a woman that enjoys solitude and has a affinity with the sea and its elements. So when she went diving she ends up rescuing Lev Prekenskii, who has no memory of his past, and almost kills her viewing her as a threat. After he realizes who she really is, she takes him home with her. At first Rikki has a hard time with Lev so close to her, but amazingly she adjusts to his presence in her home and she is drawn to this enigmatic man that has wakened up every cell in her body. As their relationship intensifies, so does the danger that threatens them both and Rikki's family and all that she holds dear. Only when she learns to trust in her own abilities and in the man who has stolen her heart, will she be able to survive the inescapable tide.
Ever since I read the Drake Sisters Series, and when I read Turbulent Sea, I wondered if Christine Feehan would work on the Prakenskii brothers, and I am happy to say that this series: Sisters of the Heart deals with each Prakenskii brother and each sister that has formed such a close bond to each other, even though they aren't related by blood, they are sisters at the heart. Water Bound is the first installment in this series, and just as enjoyable as every one of Feehan's books. I found both of the characters charming. The plot had me from the first page until the very last, leaving me satisfied yet I can hardly wait for the second one "Spirit Bound". I think one of the things that I loved about this story was how much Lev and Rikki need love more than anyone, and they need that strong connection to one another. A True Romance filled with danger, passion and magic!

[Bree Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A full review is to come over on my blog.

I haven't given paranormal romance the chance it deserves and I have a personal goal to fix that this year. One random night at Barnes and Noble I was browsing the shelves and came across Christine Feehan and was amazed at how many titles she had. I didn't leave the store that night with anything but she stuck in my mind. Fast forward about a month or so later and I couldn't take it anymore. I started hauling books in her Sea Haven series and finally read book 1.

Water Bound was the first reading experience in a while that I could've just binged this 400+ page book in one sitting if I wanted to, but kept putting the book down because I was loving it so much and needed a break. Does that sound strange? I never really thought of a paranormal/suspense romance before but now I'm hooked!

Water Bound is the romance between Rikki and Lev; two people who are truly loners but find themselves in each others lives. Lev is a pretty dangerous guy in the beginning and even throughout the book but he is hooked on Rikki because she sees the true him. Rikki is one of my new favorite heroines. She lives with autism, she is an elemental and has amazing control over water. Once I have my thoughts more put together, I will have a review up on my blog, but I definitely loved this and am keeping my fingers crossed that the rest of the series is just as amazing.

[Jen Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christine Feehan’s Water Bound is sort-of a continuation of her Drake Sisters series, but not really. It is set in the same town of Sea Haven and features a handful of our familiar characters. Our hero is Lev Prakenskii –an undercover Russian operative who has lost chunks of his memory and identity following an accident at sea. Our heroine is the spunky sea urchin diver, Rikki, who finds him in the water and saves his life and later, his soul.

PLOT SPOILERS:
The book picks up loosely where Hidden Currents left off. Lev (which I think is pronounced LEEV, but I’m not sure and it bugs me) is in the water after his yacht goes down. Rikki is diving in the water; she finds him and they have a “moment” beneath the surface. She takes him home to nurse him back to health. It’s revealed Rikki is a “water-element” and can manipulate water and rain. She’s also autistic. In her past, are several fires where her loved ones have died. She’s not sure if she is to blame or if she was a target. Rikki now lives with 6 other women who have created a makeshift family where they work a farm together and help each other out. Lev falls for Rikki and she helps him put his dark, violent past to rest… while he helps her uncover what sparked those old fires and protects her from it happening again.

WHAT WORKS:
I love the fact that we’re seeing more of the Prakenskii brothers. I would have loved a spinoff series featuring them. But alas, we can only hope for cameo appearances.

WHAT DOESN’T:
I had issues with an autistic heroine. Maybe my understanding of autism is limited, but I kept thinking that a man like Lev would be seriously taking advantage of an autistic woman. I know it was written that his feelings for her were real, but it bothered me.

I also felt like there was way too much detail wrapped up in the diving process, scenery and the like. Give me more dialogue and action. And sex. If I’m reading a Feehan book, it’s not to learn about diving, people. And I feel cheated that I didn’t get to see Lev’s reunion with his brother Ilya.

OVERALL:
Probably one of my least favorite Feehan books. Too much time spent talking about stuff I’m not interested. And the heroine’s disability kept me from connecting with the story. 3 stars… maybe 2 1/2.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book a lot and rate it a 4 1/2 star read for me. The characters were so different from any other I have ever read and that made this book special. It took a while for the heat but the wait was well worth it. There were parts that had me LOL. I just wish that the action would have been just a bit more. I am very interested in reading the next book in this series and possibly also reading The Drake sister series.

[Sassy Mystic Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

A spicy adventure

[Ally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow! This was not at all what I was expecting. It wasn't what I imagined it to be like. I was thinking it would go down the same line as the Drake Sister's series but it didn't. It wasn't good but it wasn't bad either, it was different.

For Sid, the last thing he remembered was been on board a yacht that was quickly sinking, the mysterious bodyguard was lost in the swirling currents of the ocean, and sucked deeper into the nothingness of a freezing black eddy. Just as quickly, just as miraculously, he was saved pulled ashore by a beautiful stranger. Her name is Rikki, a sea-urchin diver in Sea Haven. She always felt an affinity for the ocean, and the seductive pull of the tides. And now, for the enigmatic man she rescued. But soon they will be bound by something even stronger each other’s tantalizing secrets which will engulf them both in a whirlpool of dizzying passion and inescapable danger.

Sid, who's real name is Lev Prakensii and is the brother of Ilya Prakensii (Turbulent Sea #6) changes his name to Levy to make himself sound more American when he's hiding from a Russian assassin and trying to keep Rikki safe, was a really interesting character. I found him quite similar to Ilya, a real tough, rough alpha male who was suddenly out of his depth and couldn't remember what job he'd taken and how he'd ended up in the sea. Had his government finally come after him? Had one of his jobs gone bad? The possibilities were endless to him.

I quite liked Rikki once I'd got over her quirky ways of living. At first I found it hard to understand but as the story went on I found a special fondness for her. I'm looking forward to her popping up in other books from the other Sisters.

Waterbound takes off from where Hidden Currents (Drake Sisters #7) ended. It's not necessary to have read the Drake Sisters series before reading Waterbound as Ms Feehan does explain everything with the Drake family and how they fit into Sea Heaven and how Lev fitted into the previous storyline of those books.

Waterbound took me by total surprise, I did really like the book but it wasn't Ms Feehan's usual storyline style. Although Waterbound is a romantic suspense, it read more like a contemporary romance and it wasn't until I was more than halfway through the book that I realised this. I wished I'd known this before reading Waterbound as then I wouldn't have felt like something was missing the majority way through reading it and my have possibly enjoyed it more than I did.

So far Waterbound has enticed me to continue reading the next book in the Sisters of the Heart series as I'm interested in the other characters and how the "Sisters" meet their hero's and how they all bond together.

[Jacqueline J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good read. I am always looking for something different. The heroine here is a very high functioning autistic. Plus she has a magical power. The hero was briefly in the book about Elle in the Drake sisters series. He is the brother of Ilya who is married to Joley. He is one of seven brothers who all also have some sort of powers.

He seemed to be more damaged than Ilya. But once he discovers Rikki he leaves his old life behind and never looks back. He does a very good job coping with someone who is different. You know that he will continue to do everything he can to make her life easy. I loved the way he loved her.

She is very well written. I'm sure it might have been easy to make her a stereotype. You could see her OCD/autism but you could see how she learned to function around it. She was a flawed yet very strong character. I enjoyed reading about her.

Here and there the writing was a bit heavy handed when the author kept mentioning for example that she had no people skills. Once would have done it with some follow up showing scenes. But that is a pretty minor quibble. There were 3 rather lengthly love scenes that for me held up the action. They weren't bad or anything but I guess I was so interested in the story that they dragged the pace down.

This one avoided the overly sweet feeling that some of the Drake books gave me. I really enjoyed it.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually loved this book. The heroine’s autism is handled really well and is only labeled as such maybe 2-3 times total.

Here, in this house, there’s only us. What we do, how we act, doesn’t matter to anyone else. If you need order, teach me your order and I’ll follow it.

I’d have given it 5 stars but there were some times where the plot dragged, IMO. Loved the romance and the hero, though.

Safety Overview

Safety Stats:

Ages:Both are adults, neither is a virgin, probably 30s+. That’s what I get for forgetting to highlight the ages.

Cheating:None.

OM/OW:Brief mentions of the heroine’s fiancé, who died. She acknowledges that her feelings for her ex were not as strong as her feelings for the hero, though, so there’s no real comparison or jealousy from the hero. (Also, personally, I thought the dead fiancé sounded pretty self-centered.)

Separation:None.

Triggers: I’d say none, but some people might have a problem with the dead fiancé. There’s no real jealousy issues from the hero, though, or a lot of sadness from the heroine over it.

HEA?Yes, married at the end.

[Stevie Girl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book in one of those take a book leave a book libraries. I was really disappointed. I always want to give Feehan a chance but I just need to accept that I am not her target audience for books. I really wanted to live it because for some strange reason I have an obsession with Russians in my romance novels. It’s just one of those things that I love. I just love the whole falling in love with the Russian bodyguard/ assassin cliche. To be honest it’s probably the only reason I will continue with this series.

[Varied Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

1/9/17 on sale for $1.99.

[Anna Serene · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5ish stars

[Di]

Gotta love when a book pulls you in immediately for you to just kinda lose interest after a while. Maybe it is just the dark place I am in right now. Have to try it again another time.

[Roxanne (The Novel Sanctuary) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75*
Loved the Autism rep

[Lady Tea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 1.7 / 5

So...I'll be blunt: I didn't like this.

The premise starts off pretty good, and while I did think it felt a bit odd that so many things were unexplained, like the author expected us to already know them or interpret them from previous knowledge, I figured that was just a way of building in mystery around the plot, but that those fantasy elements would be well-explained later on.

Over 120+ pages later and...yeah, she still doesn't explain anything.

It felt like...well, like while the main plot was around Rikki and Lev, that the rules of this world were already established, probably in the author's previous books, and that the author for some reason expected that everyone would have already read those books, and therefore been able to understand wtf was happening and what those rules were prior to starting this story.

YEAH, that's not how it works.



This is the first book in this series, and therefore it SHOULD have some exposition to the plot. God, I never thought I'd be asking for exposition--that's usually something to complain about if you have too much of it--but in this case not having any AT ALL is really a turn-off from the book overall. The author just dumps information and conclusions at you without precisely explaining where they're from.

Like...okay, apparently Rikki's a "water elemental", but what does that mean?

Apparently her entire family of five other "sisters" are also paranormally special in some way, but this isn't at all clear.

Lev ALSO seems to have some powers, but whether it's psychic telepathy or sensing danger/presences, etc., you as the reader just never KNOW, because it isn't expanded upon.

There's also another family called the Drakes (which I saw was another entire book series from this author), but THEY'RE not talked about, even though apparently they can "stop" a large tsunami-wave, no problem, but this is NEVER EXPLAINED.

If I had to compare this to, say, an essay, it's like the author's just constantly writing paragraph after paragraph of conclusions, without any support as to what the terminology means or where it comes from.

What's especially distracting is that this kind of DOES play a big part in the plot from what I could understand, in that Lev and Rikki have this "connection" thing between them; but again, it's NEVER EXPLAINED.

*sighs* Anyway, that's my two cents in on this, but suffice to say that I WON'T be continuing this series, or possibly even coming back to this author. Next time, I'd advise the following:

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not really sure what to say about this book, for I find myself somewhat conflicted regarding how I feel about it. On the one hand, I loved it, hence my 5 star rating, on the other, there were several things that annoyed me to a greater or lesser extent in it. Overall my reaction is definitely positive, though that might have changed had the book been very much longer. One thing I will note is that I think you'll get a lot more out of this book, or at least some things will make a lot more sense, if you've read the Drake Sisters series first, as this one picks up pretty much right where Hidden Currents, the last book in that series, leaves off, actually overlapping the end of that book a bit to show some of what happened "elsewhere" during the climactic scene at the end. Certainly this book can be understood on its own, since enough is explained of prior happenings and people, but the reading experience will definitely be a lot richer I think if you have the full background of the other books going into this one.

Starting on the plus side, I loved the watery world that Rikki lives in that Ms. Feehan starts building for us pretty much from page one. The vivid descriptions of the ocean, and the way that Rikki feels when she's in the water bring the diving experience alive and make you feel like you're there with her. I personally find the whole concept of certain people being so highly attuned to an element such as water to be an intriguing one, and look forward to seeing which elements each of the other "sisters" represent and how they will all interact with one another once those affinities are more out in the open. Some of them are somewhat easy to guess, though not all (and there are six women, but only five elements if you include spirit, so it will be interesting to see how the sixth one fits in with the rest). Rikki herself is an interesting and multi-faceted character, and not the typical sort of romance novel heroine which makes for a bit of a nice change of pace. She is "damaged", both by traumatic experiences in her past that have left her living in fear, as well as by a "disability" that considerably limits the extent to which she is able to function in and relate to the real world. To call her "disabled" would be a misnomer, however, as she has apparently done an outstanding job of finding a niche that she can fill and excel at to make a living and an environment to live in that allows her to work with or around her limitations and lead a fairly normal life.

In contrast to Rikki's well-developed character, Lev remains rather two-dimensional throughout the book in my opinion. Those who have read Hidden Currents will remember him from there, as he was a notable character in that book, however secondary his role in it was. Personally I was more than a little disappointed that his character wasn't fleshed out more, for his brother Ilya was one of the men who most intrigued me in the Drake Sisters books, and I was looking forward to discovering his brothers, or at least one of them, in this series. Instead, while we're told repeatedly about his extensive training in everything from fighting, to weapons, to sexual techniques that turned him into a lethal weapon, and how doing that job turned him into a cold and calculating assassin/bodyguard, we never really get to see inside of him to learn what makes him tick the way we do with Rikki. We do see the lethal assassin in him in action a few times during the book, but mostly we see the "real" Lev, the good man/person he innately was underneath all the training and self-protective demeanors/attitudes, and he definitely seems like a man worth getting to know. But while we get to see some of his mental struggles to overcome the lethal sorts of instincts that were drilled into him so that he can give himself over fully to the new life that he wants to build for himself, his character development overall just seems rather flat, at least compared to others. Maybe we'll get to know him better in future books once he's had more time to get to know himself, who he really is, and who he wants to be.

As to other things that bothered me about the book, primary among them would be the amount of repetition in it. We are told numerous times about how Lev can't remember much of his past at first, but of what he can remember "none of it is good". He tells Rikki that many times until it got to the point where I just wanted to tell him, "ok, I think she's got it, give it a rest". The many reminders of his training and abilities/reputation get a bit tiresome as well, especially since it's all an echo of things we heard many times about some of the men in the Drake Sisters books, especially as regards Ilya, Lev's brother, who had a similar background, as well as Aleksandr, Ilya's boyhood classmate and friend. Not that the descriptions aren't accurate, but again, it's just that it's repeated so many times that you just want to grumble, "I got it already, can we move on now?" Besides the repetition issues, I wasn't all that thrilled to see some of the espionage storylines from the Drake Sisters book revisited here, especially since there's more than a few hints that those stories are far from over. I did expect to see them brought up, at least to some extent, but I can't say I'll be wholly thrilled to see them continued, though that's mostly just a personal preference issue since espionage/crime thrillers aren't really my thing. They were mostly just a side note in this book, mentioned largely because it's an important part of Lev's immediate past, so I can't really complain too much about it here. Those who like such storylines likely won't mind their inclusion as much.

To conclude, while there are many minor points I had issues with in this book (including some I won't go into as it would be a bit too spoilery to do so), I still greatly enjoyed it and found it a fascinating read in many respects. It's worth reading for the vivid area and ocean descriptions, as well as for the almost magical attraction that Lev and Rikki feel for one another that Ms. Feehan brings to life wonderfully as always. It's a strong start to what will hopefully be a fascinating series and defintely one I'd recommend to fans of paranormal romances.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars I'm rounding up for the depiction of autism in this book.

I enjoyed this story even though it was a little slow at times. This story really is all about Rikki and how she filters her world. I loved how strong the depiction of autism is in this novel. There was so much to love about Rikki and how she has learned to function in a world that doesn't always make it easy for someone different. She's found herself a niche and carved out a perfect little nest for herself with her adoptive sisters. The arrival of Lev in her carefully orchestrated world throws everything into chaos, but also provides the opportunity to find the answers she's never gotten about her own past.

I liked Rikki and Lev together. Sure it's a bit insta-lovey but I accept that more in my paranormal stories than in any other. Lev is in a lot of ways your stereotypical alpha male, but I did love how he worked his life around Rikki's needs. He always worked things with a great balance between accepting the parts about Rikki that were always going to be a little different and also helping to push her boundaries and expand the world she could function in.

I liked being back in Sea Haven and look forward to more in the series. If there was one downside in this story it was not getting to see Lev's reunion with his brother and I do hope we get to see that in the future.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you mention the name of paranormal romance writer Christine Feehan, most anyone that enjoys reading romance has picked up at least one of her books out of the many series she has written. I started with the Carpathians in the Dark series several years back. I think I made it to the eighth or ninth book and then became burnt out on the repetitive, one dimensional, alpha men reciting the famous "you are my lifemate” speech. So when Water Bound, the first release of the Sisters of the Heart series, came across for review, I jumped to see if Ms. Feehan had evolved into a fresher, more modern style of writing. While I liked the character development and enjoyed the story more than the latter Carpathian books, I'm still not completely sold on the series.

Rikki is a high functioning autistic with sensory dysfunction. She leads an extremely tight, organized, lifestyle with an obsessive compulsive approach to her home and her work. A sea urchin diver by trade, Rikki has a deep connection with the water and is even able to command water at will. While out on a routine dive, Rikki finds and rescues Lev from almost drowning. Upon their first meeting, Rikki and Lev both feel an instant connection to each other. Lev does not remember the specifics of who he is but does know that he is dangerous and a former killer. What Lev immediately feels toward Rikki is a fierce desire to protect her and know her. Rikki is drawn to Lev like the water. It is unforced and although Rikki knows Lev is dangerous, she does not fear him. She only fears her ability to cope with his intrusion on her life. As both Rikki and Lev adjust to his recovering in her home, he begins to see Rikki as a person, how she functions, her lifestyle and longs for a sense of permanency with her. While Rikki conforms to her abruptly disorganized home with Lev now living in it, he in turn brings a sense of grounding to her emotions and gives her even more inner strength to cope with day to day changes. Both Lev and Rikki have a dark part of their past that comes back to haunt them and both vow to win the battle in order to have the freedom to love and live in peace with each other.

I have to say that this book was much slower paced than what I remember of past Feehan novels. It drug, a lot. The story it's self was slightly boring and I wondered if I would make it through the entire lengthy book. Also, Water Bound picks up immediately from her prior series, the Drake Sisters, which partially explains why I was confused in some parts of the book and had a few questions that had me baffled. What was really surprising was that there was no sex until 280 pages in! This is a major switch from her sexcapades in the Dark Series. In fairness, however, because of Rikki's autism, there had to be a great amount of trust building to establish an intimacy level that could progress to sex. But 280 pages? I was shocked! And in reading the sex scenes I felt like I was in an 80's time warp which was reminiscent of how I felt when reading her previous novels. Now, what has improved, in my opinion, is character development. Ms. Feehan conveyed great detail into the sensory mindset of a functioning autistic person. You felt the frustration, the obsession, and the compulsion that Rikki fought within herself and you cheered when she was able to form coping strategies in her daily activities. However, Rikki was never a character you felt sorry for. She was a strong, independent survivor and had a fierceness that jumped from the pages. And with Lev, while he had some alpha moments, it did not dominate his overall character and you saw more of his patience, nurturing and loving nature that he showed toward Rikki. Both characters drew and gave strength from and to each other which is consistent with Feehan's style. My greatest praise to the author is her overall growth and transformation she brings to her characters in order to find and accept love and it was evident to me more in Water Bound than in any of her previous books that I have read. Even though the first book didn't convert me to the series, avid readers of Ms. Feehan's work should dive into Water Bound for a good read.



Favorite Quote:

"The trust in her eyes, the need and passion, aroused him as nothing else could. There was possession in her touch for the first time. A claiming of her own."