This is not a typical Nora Roberts romance, although there is a romantic element. Instead, at its heart, the story is Breen’s. It’s her journey to herself, and the way she finally found the life she was always meant to have. The Breen we meet at the beginning of the book is not the Breen of the end, even as her new life is still something she’s settling into. It was empowering to watch her grow from the subservient mousy girl-woman her mother had molded her into to a strong, capable women who’s embraced her autonomy. There were so many moments that I wanted to reach into the book, grab her mother, and shake her silly!
One of the things I loved most, beyond Breen’s growth, was the support system she had…in our world and in the Fey world. Her best friend, Marco, is the kind of best friend we all need. He loves her fiercely, believes in her, pushes her just the right amount to get her to live her truth and see the best in herself. He’s 100% in her corner, always. And Sally, local drag queen and bar owner… she embraced Breen as her own becoming Breen’s “mother of her heart.” She and Derrick, her husband, along with Marco, were the loving family Breen didn’t have with her own biological mother, and that kind of love was truly beautiful.
But the Fey world… the family and friends Breen had known and forgotten so long ago. They embraced her as one of their own, as if the absence had not been so long. The setting was so beautiful and enchanting, the perfect place for Breen to come into her own once again.
I loved this book so much. The magical and lush setting, the quirky and diverse cast of characters, the sweeping epic feel of the story… all of it was utterly engrossing!