Ashes

by Sarah Purdy Gilman

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

I fully expected to not like Ashes. It's one of those cases where I just got excited based on the cover, PHOENIX, but didn't read the blurb. Then I did and was like...oh. Pregnancy is sooo not my thing, especially in a romance, but luckily it is not the focus of the story. It's just what gets the love interests together. Ambrosia (awful name!) is sent to interview some guy who claims to have found a phoenix. Well, he's crazy, thinks she's there to steal his story, so he beats her and leaves her to die in the desert. Ambrosia manages to find a shack where Reece resides, he tends to her wounds, and immediately kicks her out. Reece is the phoenix, and he's about to go up in flames and start a new life. Ambrosia sees the fire and goes back to help him, unknowingly inhales some ashes and winds up pregnant. Oops.

I didn't dislike Ashes as much I as expected, but it still wasn't great. Luckily the pregnancy is mostly in the background once Reece tracks down Ambrosia, explains the situation, and whisks here away to Hawaii, since phoenixes need lots of sunlight and warmth to survive. I actually really loved how the author explained phoenixes, and enjoyed the world she created for them. Although the talking trees were kind of weird, but that's okay. The romance is pretty good. It's not insta-love. Reece and Ambrosia get to know each other over months and are lovers in the meantime, but not in love. That comes later. I was totally disappointed in the lack of sex, especially since I had to deal with a pregnancy. I feel cheated.

Ashes could have gotten another star, except I realized that the plot was completely dropped! That man Ambrosia was going to interview, Wade, just disappears. Reece had been after him too, since he can't let the secret of his species get out. Wade is also dangerous and comes after Ambrosia in her home town, which is actually how Reece finds her, and he makes a huge deal out of protecting her and looking for him. Then it starts getting cold, they go Hawaii, and Wade is forgotten. Kind of a waste.

So, I liked Ashes, but it wasn't anything special. It's super short, so everything moves along pretty fast. The phoenix mythology is great, but the plot and romance were lacking.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.