stacey_is_sassy
Written on Oct 3, 2018
Every time I start a new instalment of the Alice Worth series, I consciously set an end to my reading time. It is very easy to get sucked into Alice’s world with all her dramas and I’m always desperate to know what will happen next. I sneak peek at what’s ahead in the next chapter even when I know I have to stop for sleep/work/life. But, how can I stop when the baddies drop a magic bomb, Jack just went douchewaffle, Charles is manipulating, Malcolm just went skew-whiff, and Sean just growled???
Heart of Ice was everything I hoped for and more. Alice is back and she’s stronger, fiercer and smarter than ever before. But, she’s also showing a wee bit more of her vulnerabilities especially when it comes to the attachments she’s forming.
Alice is letting the barriers (and wards) down from around her heart. The constant tally Alice has kept, balancing out her past (that she had no control over) with the good deeds of her now, must surely be even. The risks she takes with her safety are pushing her friends to their limits. Finally, she realises that it hurts those around her when she doesn’t let them keep her safe as much as she keeps them safe. It is a work in progress, but she is making headways on trusting those around her. Her Heart of Ice may even be thawing enough to form attachments and stop her from running away.
Malcolm, her trusty, ghostly side-kick is still at her back fighting and helping to investigate in a quiet and lurky way. I feel like I’ve gotten to know him even better in this instalment. We get to know more about his history and how he came to be haunting Alice. They are nearly separated but Alice’s quick-thinking saves their link to each other. Malcolm also manages to play matchmaker, romance counsellor and storm brewer.
Sean…oh, my favourite werewolfy Alpha, you are one good man…with animal tendencies. Poor Sean, he’s finally realised that he can’t change Alice, and he’s going to have to live with her “issues” to keep her. Sean’s pack is giving him grief over dating a non-shifter and it seems that a few of them will go to any length to stop him from mating with Alice. There’s a certain pack member who I would have liked to fall off the side of a cliff. He and his wife were not my favourites and I was kind of cheesed off that they’re still around. I can’t see them putting aside their grievances and becoming happy packs with Alice around.
Charles, that fangy bugger, boy I wanted to kick his butt. I have never met (in a reading kind of way) a more manipulative, frustrating and jerky, jerk face in ages. I hate him one minute and the next, I’m contemplating Alice leaving Sean for him. But, like Alice, I know that his idea of love and commitment is a far cry from the normal. I almost need Charles to find his own HEA. I don’t want him with Alice because SEAN IS AWESOME!! I kind of want him to apply that same devotion he shows Alice to someone else. Hmmmm…there was a certain rum punch buddy of Alice’s at the end that could certainly give him a run for his money.
Talking about rum punch buddies…THAT WAS AWESOME!! I loved getting a glimpse of the mysterious and secretive Cyro.
Another fantastic instalment to the Alice Worth series. Heart of Ice is probably my favourite…since the last one. Lisa Edmonds’ has a fantastic writing style that is engaging and shows intelligence, imagination and thoughtfulness. It is also quite a coup that she provides a near perfect advanced copy where I don’t have to leave my grammar and spelling mind on the sideline. Each read from this author is a pleasure and I can’t wait for more.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.