Genre: Paranormal
Standalone novel
ISBN: 0-8217-5963-9
Releasedate: August 1988
Publisher: Zebra
Format owned: MPB
For sale at: Sorry Out Of Print - check for secondhand

Synopsis
Bearing a striking resemble to Christina O'Mara, a beautiful woman who disappeared without a trace years ago, Kristine Gavin is transported back in time into the body of her double and falls for Christine's devastatingly handsome husband Sean O'Mara--a man who might be a murderer.

REVIEW
This book was published in 1988 – I was ten years old – and not in the slightest interested in reading Historical Romances. It’s amazing to see how writing novels have progressed since then. Nowadays books have to be erotically charged, emotional rollercoasters and daringly bold. I found it refreshingly appealing to read a novel from way back when, when conversations were lighter and emotions there but no as heavy-loaded.

Constance Oday-Flannery has made my heart flutter lightly like a butterfly in my chest when I read this novel. First off because Sean O’Mara has an Irish-heritage, second off because he made Rivanna into a stud-farm – I just love horses! – and third off it has a touch of time-travelling in it, combined with a blooming romance, it’s a perfect historical novel to me.

Back then the books still had over 500 pages! So the story didn’t have to be edited into 375 pages. I can’t imagine I had this book laying around for over a year and not touch it before. Constance writes in a funny but lovely way. It made me burst out in laughter and it made me grin and giggle a lot!

I don’t know if Constance has written a lot more books but I do know if I ever come across another it will be added to my : ‘buy straight away list’, because in my bookcase at this moment she stands out as a good read for in between the A+-list novels of this time.

QUOTE:
Still laughing, Sean crossed his arms over his face to protect himself and backed away from her. Eventhough the towel could do little damage, she was wielding it like a saber, slashing at him like a trained swordsman.

3,5 Stars

Genre: Fantasy
Book 2 in the Lords of Avalon series
ISBN: 0-0607-9662-6
Releasedate: October 31, 2006
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishing Inc
Format owned: HC Rhapsody & MPB
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
For countless centuries, I've been the assassin for the infamous Merlin, even though the woman who birthed me sits at the right hand of our enemy, Morgen le Fey. Now both my mother and Morgen have decided that it's time I take my place on their side of this conflict.

Normally, telling them no wouldn't be a problem, except for the fact that the good guys I protect think that I'm an even worse demon than the ones we fight. Hmm, maybe they're right. I have to say that I do enjoy maiming anyone who gets in my way.

At least until my mother gives me a simple choice: join Morgen's Circle of the Damned or see an innocent woman die. I'm all for saving the innocent, but Merewyn isn't as innocent as she seems. And she's none too fond of the fact that her fate is in my dubious hands. Personally I'm all for taking the easy way out, but leaving her to Morgen is rough, even for me. Now the only way to save both our lives is to face the evilest forces ever known-;my mother and Morgen. And two people who know nothing of trust must learn to rely on each other or die: provided we don't kill each other first.

REVIEW
They always told me never judge a book by it's cover, but I judged this book sinfully by its cover and boy the inside was more sweet than any honey I ever tasted!!!

Varian - a selfconfessed evil to the bone - knight in shining armor; Merewyn - a self-turned ugly to the bone-servant. And both captured my heart.

I still find it difficult to read past the nowadays language, the use of movies and tv's in the time of King Arthur as there is no further mentioning of some sort of time travelling whatsoever still is misplaced to me within this series. Unlike 'Sword of Darkness' I had to read a few chapters before I got caught into this story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book but I'm still not getting the connection as a series. What I miss most, I think, is the book about what happened in King Arthurs last years. Bits and pieces were explained in this one.

"Beau" has captured my heart by storm. I want my own 'gargoyle-baby...' And ofcourse I loved the "Erik-bros" Merrick, Derrick and Erick as well as Blaise. Dare I say either Faran or Damé Fortune is 'Lord of Avalon's' Acheron Parthenopaeus or Adam Black (Monings Highlanders)??? I laughed my head off when Merewyn fell into the 'pit of despair' and ranted on for hours in her depressing state of mind. Mentioning Varian's bits and pieces...(quite literally!!!!).

What I loved from the start was no matter how Varian tried to come across as tough and evil, I kept seeing through it and in my mind knowing that he was just one of the threads woven by fate (Damé Fortune in this case) - the perfect balance of duality that, in Sword of Darkness existed between Kerrigan and Seren, existed here within this gorgeous knight who entered my heart (But then again every man with gorgeous looks and a tormented soul does... sigh!!!!).

I'm left confused however with all the "Merlins" flying around, it's either 'Penmerlin'; 'Merlin'; or 'Waremerlin' they all call themselves Merlin. But if this series continues on, I'm hoping that the things that are still confusing me will later on have a purpose and clarify themselves piece by piece.

After reading these two books I am curious to find out what the next one brings. With this series Kinley MacGregor is slowly going towards my keeper bookshelf (and that's partly because I'm completely blown away by the covers, partly because as Sherrilyn Kenyon she is one of my favorite authors and now added onto that because Varian's story caught my heart, not as much in the historical King Arthur kind of way but more leaning towards the Fantasy part. It made me feel a bit like it was leaning towards the Lord of the Rings-queste - but maybe that's only in my twisted mind (lol).

4,5 Stars