Grey Warden

Tempered by Lucy Varna
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars (Liked It)

Synopsis: Among the People, Hawthorne the Chronicler is well-known for two things: Her faithful rendition of their history and her inclination to behead those who betray her. To mortals, Hawthorne is better known as Al C. Hawthorne, a fantasy writer with a stellar imagination and a knack for complex stories. It is in this guise that she must track down the sources of comic book illustrator Aaron Kesselman's modernized tales of Rebecca the Blade.

Hawthorne's blunt words and lithe grace intrigue Aaron, enough for him to take her up on the offer of sharing her bed. Before he knows it, his heart begins the fall into love, a fall he's willing to take if only he can persuade Hawthorne that she isn't a two thousand year old immortal descended from one of the most ruthless warriors in British history.

The past isn't the only obstacle standing in the way of true love. The Eternal Order is on the move, targeting key members of the People in their never-ending quest to extinguish the Light. Hawthorne soon learns that a strong arm and a sharp blade aren't always the best weapons in a Daughter's arsenal, especially when her heart is involved.

Daughters of the People: Immortal Amazons unjustly cursed, struggling to save their People, and their hearts

***Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for a review from Fire & Ice Book Tours.***

Coming into a series mid-way is always a gamble since you really don't know what's going on. This book doesn't let that happen; it's easily readable as a stand-alone and provides more than enough info to keep you in the loop.

As a Daughter of the People, Hawthorn is cursed with immortality until she can find a man to truly love and trust (known as Surrendering Her Will), which will break the curse and render her mortal. Along comes Aaron- an illustrator she meets at a Con and has an instant connection with. Sparks and clothes fly, Aaron is clearly smitten and Hawthorn likes him too- enough that she begins to wonder if there could be more- provided he can come to terms with the whole Immortality thing. Plus there's a Prophecy involved stating that all the Daughters eventually become mortal but there's dissent amongst the ranks with those who see their immortality as a gift and are very reluctant to relinquish it. And will take any steps they deem necessary to protect it.

The only real issue I had here was Hawthorn's speech patterns. I liked her a lot but characterization aside, her deliberate, clinical way of speaking often knocked me out of the romantic, sexy scenes: nothing kills the mood like a woman asking a man to 'copulate', etc. Repeatedly. It's like the poor guy was banging a Terminator. Aside from that, even though it's basically a romance novel it's also UF, so I was hoping for more action.

Tempered is the kind of book that makes you want to read the rest of the series. What's better than that?