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Druids of Avalon #2
The Grail King
All who dwell in Avalon possess the powers of the Old Ones. But only some are keepers of the Light. One among them has dared to call upon the Deep Magic, conjuring up a dark storm that bodes ill for the people of Britannia…
The vision came upon him a delicate Roman beauty materializing out of the swirling whiteness of the snow. Her appearance near his ruined Celtic village makes no sense, but when the trance leaves him, she remains, demanding that he use his Sight to help her find a stolen grail. The last thing Owein intends is to use his gifts for his enemy, yet something tells him this innocent lass has the power to heal his wounded heart.
The vision came upon him a delicate Roman beauty materializing out of the swirling whiteness of the snow. Her appearance near his ruined Celtic village makes no sense, but when the trance leaves him, she remains, demanding that he use his Sight to help her find a stolen grail. The last thing Owein intends is to use his gifts for his enemy, yet something tells him this innocent lass has the power to heal his wounded heart.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2006
26 people are currently reading
337 people want to read
About the author
Joy Nash
67 books120 followersJoy Nash is a USA Today Bestselling Author and RITA Award Finalist applauded by Booklist for her "tart wit, superbly crafted characters, and sexy, magic-steeped plots." Joy, best known for the Druids of Avalon and Immortals series, writes romantic fiction in historical, contemporary, and alternate-reality settings. Her newest series is the apocalyptic fantasy The Nephilim: Demons Among Us.
Joy once read a book about a girl living on the moon and thought it was real, until her big sister messed everything up with the truth. Ever since, Joy's been of the opinion that fiction is way more interesting than reality. She credits her love of tortured heroes to the Brontë sisters, her fascination with magical adventure to J.R.R. Tolkien, and her weakness for snarky humor to Douglas Adams.
Join Joy's mailing list at www.joynash.com for info about new releases. Connect with Joy at facebook.com/joynash.
May the stories never end!
Joy once read a book about a girl living on the moon and thought it was real, until her big sister messed everything up with the truth. Ever since, Joy's been of the opinion that fiction is way more interesting than reality. She credits her love of tortured heroes to the Brontë sisters, her fascination with magical adventure to J.R.R. Tolkien, and her weakness for snarky humor to Douglas Adams.
Join Joy's mailing list at www.joynash.com for info about new releases. Connect with Joy at facebook.com/joynash.
May the stories never end!
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 1, 2021
Eh, this was alright. Not as good as I was hoping. I thought the plot would be interesting, but I found it a little boring. The side characters were more entertaining than the main characters. I have the other books in the series, which are the others character's stories, but I am undecided if I will continue reading.
August 21, 2025
Lost in a sea of pain and memories, the hero has secluded himself deep in the wilderness. He's escaped his enslavement but the scars run deep. He also mourns the death of his wife and unborn child as well as the loss of his culture to the Roman invaders. Set upon by a vision of blood once again, he awakens to discover a near frozen woman lying in the snow before him. Even knowing she is Roman and therefore his enemy, he can't let her die, not when it's in his power to save her. He barely has the strength to carry her back to his hut but he manages and in front of the fire, he sets about warming her chilled limbs.
When the heroine awakens, it's the starting image of a large celtic brute who has stripped her of her clothes and obvious can't stand the sight of her. She asks him about the Wise man she's been sent to find and is stunned to realize that this beast is the man she seeks. He is neither old nor fragile and in fact, he practically vibrates with presence and strength. Though the beard and the braided hair is not what she typically finds attractive on a male, something about this man compels her like none other. She pleads with him to aid her in finding the magical cup needed to save her fathers life but he refuses. Wanting nothing to do with saving a Romans life or the temptation of having a woman so near to him, especially one as beautiful as this, the hero is stern in his rejection to her plea. But when he realizes this cup she seeks is a powerful Druid artifact, he accepts her request for help....on the condition she kiss him.
As they travel, the heroine is haunted by the kiss that shook her to her bones. She lives in fear that this man will press his suit while at the same time being disappointed when he doesn't. They are bound together on this quest through the harsh and freezing land, bundling together at night for warmth and sharing brief but intense sexual encounters. The hero battles his painful visions of blood and the heroine is taken deep into his memories as well as his thoughts. He's not sure what she is but he knows she possesses extremely powerful abilities including mind reading and telepathy. He tries to keep her out but she manages to invade his mind on many occasions, pressing her desire to know him, to help him battle his demons in anyway she can. But they are not meant to be. She is betrothed to another male and he can not offer her anything but a harsh life as an outcast. No matter how much she may love him, he can't risk endangering her life so he pushes her away. Stubbornness, pride and fear keep them apart but magic and a true emotional bond will draw them back together again.
The first time I read this book, something stuck with me to tell me that it was deserving of a second read. Although it was some time ago and every year I seem to by pass it in favor of another, I am happy I got to read it again because it was special. First of all, I found the hero to be extremely sexy with his beard and braided hair. Also, he is described as being quite a larger and intimidating man which paired well with the more small and fragile heroine. He must not have mourned his wife so very deeply, more so the loss of his child than anything, because he was certainly seductive to the heroine. He asked for favors in exchange for his help or in return for agreeing to doing something her way. A kiss, a night is his arms, he wasn't shy about his attraction for her and enjoyed making her blush or act frazzled. He was a tortured man who both cursed and blessed his gift of vision but regardless it left him weak following. His back is riddled with scars from a flogging that should have seen him dead and he watched his family and people burn to death by Roman soldiers. The heroine was a complex woman. She resents her being sold to a man by her father yet will do anything in her power to save her fathers life, even knowing her fate. She is seductive and intrigued by the hero's desire while at the same time pushing him away. She is Roman but a Druid as well. She was intensely driven to helping the hero even though he became enraged when she read his thoughts. Even when he pushed her away and made her feel like her love was not wanted, she sought to help him. They had a relationship that could be sexy and intimate while at the same time tense and riddled with reasons why she shouldn't feel this love. I enjoyed their story very much. The setting was cold and I could feel the chill just reading about their trek through the snow and freezing their hands in the brisk wind. I don't recommend reading this book during the winter, much better to have the warm summer sun to combat the bitter cold.
When the heroine awakens, it's the starting image of a large celtic brute who has stripped her of her clothes and obvious can't stand the sight of her. She asks him about the Wise man she's been sent to find and is stunned to realize that this beast is the man she seeks. He is neither old nor fragile and in fact, he practically vibrates with presence and strength. Though the beard and the braided hair is not what she typically finds attractive on a male, something about this man compels her like none other. She pleads with him to aid her in finding the magical cup needed to save her fathers life but he refuses. Wanting nothing to do with saving a Romans life or the temptation of having a woman so near to him, especially one as beautiful as this, the hero is stern in his rejection to her plea. But when he realizes this cup she seeks is a powerful Druid artifact, he accepts her request for help....on the condition she kiss him.
As they travel, the heroine is haunted by the kiss that shook her to her bones. She lives in fear that this man will press his suit while at the same time being disappointed when he doesn't. They are bound together on this quest through the harsh and freezing land, bundling together at night for warmth and sharing brief but intense sexual encounters. The hero battles his painful visions of blood and the heroine is taken deep into his memories as well as his thoughts. He's not sure what she is but he knows she possesses extremely powerful abilities including mind reading and telepathy. He tries to keep her out but she manages to invade his mind on many occasions, pressing her desire to know him, to help him battle his demons in anyway she can. But they are not meant to be. She is betrothed to another male and he can not offer her anything but a harsh life as an outcast. No matter how much she may love him, he can't risk endangering her life so he pushes her away. Stubbornness, pride and fear keep them apart but magic and a true emotional bond will draw them back together again.
The first time I read this book, something stuck with me to tell me that it was deserving of a second read. Although it was some time ago and every year I seem to by pass it in favor of another, I am happy I got to read it again because it was special. First of all, I found the hero to be extremely sexy with his beard and braided hair. Also, he is described as being quite a larger and intimidating man which paired well with the more small and fragile heroine. He must not have mourned his wife so very deeply, more so the loss of his child than anything, because he was certainly seductive to the heroine. He asked for favors in exchange for his help or in return for agreeing to doing something her way. A kiss, a night is his arms, he wasn't shy about his attraction for her and enjoyed making her blush or act frazzled. He was a tortured man who both cursed and blessed his gift of vision but regardless it left him weak following. His back is riddled with scars from a flogging that should have seen him dead and he watched his family and people burn to death by Roman soldiers. The heroine was a complex woman. She resents her being sold to a man by her father yet will do anything in her power to save her fathers life, even knowing her fate. She is seductive and intrigued by the hero's desire while at the same time pushing him away. She is Roman but a Druid as well. She was intensely driven to helping the hero even though he became enraged when she read his thoughts. Even when he pushed her away and made her feel like her love was not wanted, she sought to help him. They had a relationship that could be sexy and intimate while at the same time tense and riddled with reasons why she shouldn't feel this love. I enjoyed their story very much. The setting was cold and I could feel the chill just reading about their trek through the snow and freezing their hands in the brisk wind. I don't recommend reading this book during the winter, much better to have the warm summer sun to combat the bitter cold.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
January 28, 2010
Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
With The Grail King, Joy Nash once again writes a beautiful story of ancient Scotland and the people who populate this enchanted, mystical land.
In this first story in the Druids of Avalon series, readers again meet Owein, younger brother of Rhiannon, the heroine of Celtic Fire. Now he is all grown up, and about to encounter his own destiny…
Owein is blessed, or cursed, depending on how you look at it, with the abilities of a Seer. His latest vision is of a young beauty drenched in blood, who is begging for his help to find a magical object. When the vision ends, just before he gives in to the pain these foreshadowings always bring him, he sees that the woman is in fact very much alive and real… and one of the hated Romans.
Clara has crossed miles to find the Wise One, a druid of untold ability who can aid her in her quest. For several generations, her family has possessed a Mystical Grail that holds within the ability to heal even the most mortal of illnesses. This grail has recently been stolen and without its powers her father, the leader of all Romans in Britannia, will surely die.
Owein is reluctantly drawn in to Clara’s quest, though he harbors his own secret desires for the grail. Now these two will find they must battle the gravest of dangers, a powerful Celt who has harnessed the power of the Deep Magic, intent on bringing a dark fate down upon Romans and Britons alike. In the midst of these battles, Clara will discover a secret legacy she carries in her blood and Owein must come to terms with his tortured past, from which Clara alone can free him. But can they overcome it all to save Britannia from evil? And what of the tender emotions they shockingly harbor for each other?
With The Grail King, Joy Nash has once again written a story that will take readers away to a long ago time and place where dreams and unusual happenings are seen as signs from the heavens. As with Celtic Fire, religion plays an important role in the characters’ lives. Seeing how the different beliefs between good and bad magic and Roman beliefs mesh is fascinating to behold. These conflicting beliefs and an additional level of conflict to the story, giving a different perspective to the typical romance genre.
Owein agonizes over his inability to prevent the deaths of his family and cannot allow himself to move past his perceived failure. The complications arising from the physical pain caused by his Sight also contribute to his desire to remain separate from society. When Clara comes in to his life, she is the sole person who has the ability to help him overcome his personal demons. Clara’s greatest desire is only to recover the magical grail and heal her father and she will go to great lengths to complete that quest, even if it means lying to the one man she has grown to love. Watching these two overcome their differences and their internal battles makes for an engrossing story.
Add in the slight mystery of who is calling upon the Deep Magic for their own nefarious purposes and readers are in for a most compelling read. Make sure you have plenty of free time before starting The Grail King by Joy Nash because you will not want to stop reading until reaching the stunning conclusion, which hints at what is to come in future books.
© Kelley A. Hartsell, July 2006. All rights reserved.
With The Grail King, Joy Nash once again writes a beautiful story of ancient Scotland and the people who populate this enchanted, mystical land.
In this first story in the Druids of Avalon series, readers again meet Owein, younger brother of Rhiannon, the heroine of Celtic Fire. Now he is all grown up, and about to encounter his own destiny…
Owein is blessed, or cursed, depending on how you look at it, with the abilities of a Seer. His latest vision is of a young beauty drenched in blood, who is begging for his help to find a magical object. When the vision ends, just before he gives in to the pain these foreshadowings always bring him, he sees that the woman is in fact very much alive and real… and one of the hated Romans.
Clara has crossed miles to find the Wise One, a druid of untold ability who can aid her in her quest. For several generations, her family has possessed a Mystical Grail that holds within the ability to heal even the most mortal of illnesses. This grail has recently been stolen and without its powers her father, the leader of all Romans in Britannia, will surely die.
Owein is reluctantly drawn in to Clara’s quest, though he harbors his own secret desires for the grail. Now these two will find they must battle the gravest of dangers, a powerful Celt who has harnessed the power of the Deep Magic, intent on bringing a dark fate down upon Romans and Britons alike. In the midst of these battles, Clara will discover a secret legacy she carries in her blood and Owein must come to terms with his tortured past, from which Clara alone can free him. But can they overcome it all to save Britannia from evil? And what of the tender emotions they shockingly harbor for each other?
With The Grail King, Joy Nash has once again written a story that will take readers away to a long ago time and place where dreams and unusual happenings are seen as signs from the heavens. As with Celtic Fire, religion plays an important role in the characters’ lives. Seeing how the different beliefs between good and bad magic and Roman beliefs mesh is fascinating to behold. These conflicting beliefs and an additional level of conflict to the story, giving a different perspective to the typical romance genre.
Owein agonizes over his inability to prevent the deaths of his family and cannot allow himself to move past his perceived failure. The complications arising from the physical pain caused by his Sight also contribute to his desire to remain separate from society. When Clara comes in to his life, she is the sole person who has the ability to help him overcome his personal demons. Clara’s greatest desire is only to recover the magical grail and heal her father and she will go to great lengths to complete that quest, even if it means lying to the one man she has grown to love. Watching these two overcome their differences and their internal battles makes for an engrossing story.
Add in the slight mystery of who is calling upon the Deep Magic for their own nefarious purposes and readers are in for a most compelling read. Make sure you have plenty of free time before starting The Grail King by Joy Nash because you will not want to stop reading until reaching the stunning conclusion, which hints at what is to come in future books.
© Kelley A. Hartsell, July 2006. All rights reserved.
May 16, 2011
If you are a fan of legends of the Holy Grail and also of Celtic lore, then you will undoubtedly enjoy this book. The hero of The Grail King was first introduced in Ms. Nash's previous novel, Celtic Fire, as a young man. For those of you that have read that book, you will enjoy seeing Owein's return in this novel. If you haven't read Celtic Fire, not to worry, this is a stand alone book and you will get to know (and love) Owein quite well throughout the course of this tale. The author begins our tail in the year of A.D. 130, well before Arthurian legends associated with the Grail, throwing us headlong in to the aftermath of the conflict between the Romans and the Druids.
Owein is a Seer and a bitter recluse, wanting nothing more than to be left alone to live his life away from the Romans. Clara, a pampered Roman daughter, is on a mission to find what has been lost so that she can save her father's life. On the advice of a slave, she seeks out the man that was once the “wise one” of the slave's village in the remote hills away from the city. When Owein realizes what it is that Clara searches for, he agrees to help her, for the Grail once belonged to the druids of the mystical Isle of Avalon, where the druids once again reside in secret.
Owein is the perfect combination of gruff and caring, while Clara is determined and independent, refusing to take no for an answer. They offset each other fabulously and, whether ready or willing to admit it or not, they are exactly what the other needs. Clara is just perfectly the right combination of spunky and vulnerable, fearless and cautious to be completely believable. Ms. Nash's extensive knowledge of the time period made this a very interesting read, making you want to know more about the time period, the Druids and Romans, and the legends associated with Avalon. The ending was also left open to a sequel involving some of the secondary characters that you come to like.
The magic portrayed in the book is interesting and believable. The legend of how the Grail came to be, and what happened to it, is also fascinating. You will find yourself speculating and, quite possibly, looking into more legends once you've finished.
If you enjoy all of these elements, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. Even if you don't, pick it up anyway – you may find yourself a fan afterwards. No matter what, I can guarantee that you will be looking forward to the hoped for sequel.
originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
Owein is a Seer and a bitter recluse, wanting nothing more than to be left alone to live his life away from the Romans. Clara, a pampered Roman daughter, is on a mission to find what has been lost so that she can save her father's life. On the advice of a slave, she seeks out the man that was once the “wise one” of the slave's village in the remote hills away from the city. When Owein realizes what it is that Clara searches for, he agrees to help her, for the Grail once belonged to the druids of the mystical Isle of Avalon, where the druids once again reside in secret.
Owein is the perfect combination of gruff and caring, while Clara is determined and independent, refusing to take no for an answer. They offset each other fabulously and, whether ready or willing to admit it or not, they are exactly what the other needs. Clara is just perfectly the right combination of spunky and vulnerable, fearless and cautious to be completely believable. Ms. Nash's extensive knowledge of the time period made this a very interesting read, making you want to know more about the time period, the Druids and Romans, and the legends associated with Avalon. The ending was also left open to a sequel involving some of the secondary characters that you come to like.
The magic portrayed in the book is interesting and believable. The legend of how the Grail came to be, and what happened to it, is also fascinating. You will find yourself speculating and, quite possibly, looking into more legends once you've finished.
If you enjoy all of these elements, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. Even if you don't, pick it up anyway – you may find yourself a fan afterwards. No matter what, I can guarantee that you will be looking forward to the hoped for sequel.
originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
August 3, 2016
Oh my, I was looking for some historical fiction, and instead, I stumbled into an Iron Age bodice-ripper.
He's a savage, barbarian holy-man. Young, strong, skilled, and yet still innocent enough to blush at the sight of a bared thigh.
She's a beautiful, even younger, Roman aristocrat. Proud, spoiled, used to the good things in life, she's still willing to bat her eyelashes to get what she wants.
First thing he did when he met her is take off all her clothes, so at least got to see her ya-yas. I'll hang until at least the first sex scene to see how it goes.
Chock-full of dull contrivances that could only exist in a modern romance. At first an endless series of him threatening rape, she protesting "No, no, no" (but her body says yes, yes, yes), but him ultimately backing off (you see, despite him being a proud barbarian warrior/holyman/chieftain, he never takes a woman against her will). Once they do seal the deal, it shifts gears into the whole "I could FIX him if he'd only let me IN!" cliches.
So boring. Even the sex was boring. Avoid at all costs. (Unless you dig the whole endless-cock-teasing/helpless-woman-is-really-in-charge/man-needs-woman-to-overcome-his-dark-past story lines, but if that's the case, there's no helping you.)
He's a savage, barbarian holy-man. Young, strong, skilled, and yet still innocent enough to blush at the sight of a bared thigh.
She's a beautiful, even younger, Roman aristocrat. Proud, spoiled, used to the good things in life, she's still willing to bat her eyelashes to get what she wants.
First thing he did when he met her is take off all her clothes, so at least got to see her ya-yas. I'll hang until at least the first sex scene to see how it goes.
Chock-full of dull contrivances that could only exist in a modern romance. At first an endless series of him threatening rape, she protesting "No, no, no" (but her body says yes, yes, yes), but him ultimately backing off (you see, despite him being a proud barbarian warrior/holyman/chieftain, he never takes a woman against her will). Once they do seal the deal, it shifts gears into the whole "I could FIX him if he'd only let me IN!" cliches.
So boring. Even the sex was boring. Avoid at all costs. (Unless you dig the whole endless-cock-teasing/helpless-woman-is-really-in-charge/man-needs-woman-to-overcome-his-dark-past story lines, but if that's the case, there's no helping you.)
April 26, 2011
I found this a very satisfying paranormal historical fantasy. I enjoyed it a lot. Ms. Nash hooks the readers in about 5 pages and doesn't stop delivering awesome-ness at all. I immediately went and ordered the first book in this series, Celtic Fire, which I believe features Owein's sister, but that is my guess, I haven't looked into it more. I adored Owein, he is hot, powerful, kind, and a deeply scared man who didn't let the bad in his world change him when it could have most people.
I love the fire in Clara, she wants to help her father and she is prepared to do anything it takes to make it happen. I love fierceness and sheer will in a character and Clara has both of those things. I also adored many of the secondary characters, which I am sure we will see more of, like Rhys and Gwen...I am intrigued if we will see anything Arthurian related in this series, I am DYING to know... just dying. I will definitely continue with this series and this author. I loved her writing style and her characters.
Also...just an FYI, her sensual scenes are pretty darn hot!
I love the fire in Clara, she wants to help her father and she is prepared to do anything it takes to make it happen. I love fierceness and sheer will in a character and Clara has both of those things. I also adored many of the secondary characters, which I am sure we will see more of, like Rhys and Gwen...I am intrigued if we will see anything Arthurian related in this series, I am DYING to know... just dying. I will definitely continue with this series and this author. I loved her writing style and her characters.
Also...just an FYI, her sensual scenes are pretty darn hot!
March 21, 2021
Fans of the Arthurian saga would be familiar with the search for the Holy Grail, and though there have been many other fictional works covering this quest, few speculated on how the Grail came to be connected to Avalon. I must commend Joy Nash for weaving that into this story very convincingly.
Apart from the rather standard development of the romance between Owein and Clara, sworn enemies by virtue of their identifies, The Grail King is an imaginative tale of magic, upheaval and conflicts the triumph of Light over Darkness, Good over Evil, Love over Hate. Ms Nash has woven a fantastical world of druids and Avalon that I would love to continue exploring. You could tell she has really done her research, and there’s nothing to ground a historical work more soundly than sticking with the times.
Apart from the rather standard development of the romance between Owein and Clara, sworn enemies by virtue of their identifies, The Grail King is an imaginative tale of magic, upheaval and conflicts the triumph of Light over Darkness, Good over Evil, Love over Hate. Ms Nash has woven a fantastical world of druids and Avalon that I would love to continue exploring. You could tell she has really done her research, and there’s nothing to ground a historical work more soundly than sticking with the times.
March 2, 2015
All who dwell in Avalon possess the powers of the Old Ones. But only some are keepers of the Light. One among them has dared to call upon the Deep Magic, conjuring up a dark storm that bodes ill for the people of Britannia...
The vision came upon him suddenly: a delicate Roman beauty materializing out of the swirling whiteness of the snow. Her appearance near his ruined Celtic village makes no sense, but when the trance leaves him, she remains, demanding that he use his Sight to help her find a stolen grail. The last thing Owein intends is to use his gifts for his enemy, yet something tells him this innocent lass has the power to heal his wounded heart.
The vision came upon him suddenly: a delicate Roman beauty materializing out of the swirling whiteness of the snow. Her appearance near his ruined Celtic village makes no sense, but when the trance leaves him, she remains, demanding that he use his Sight to help her find a stolen grail. The last thing Owein intends is to use his gifts for his enemy, yet something tells him this innocent lass has the power to heal his wounded heart.
July 24, 2011
I judged this book in a published-author contest a few years' ago (have my autographed copy!) and this is now one of my favorite books IN LIFE! Reluctant Druidic Celtic hero, beautiful runaway Roman heroine, the mystical Avalon. GREAT conflict. Wonderful secondary characters. I love how well-fleshed-out the characters are - there is no black and white, all manners of shades of gray. hard choices and true consequences. The power of a compromise.
READ THIS BOOK! I recommend it to everyone!
READ THIS BOOK! I recommend it to everyone!
July 6, 2016
Fun summer read
This book was much better than the first in the series. The plot and dialogue moved at a quick pace and the descriptive passages made it feel as if you were truly in the action.
This book was much better than the first in the series. The plot and dialogue moved at a quick pace and the descriptive passages made it feel as if you were truly in the action.
April 8, 2011
Due to time constraint, I had decided to skim through the book. I did like it.
September 12, 2016
:| Honestly don't really remember it..
January 26, 2015
This was more entertaining than I expected. I can't wait for Valgus to show up in the next book. I want a Cormac origin story.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews