This fantasy is the first in the Dark Magick series. Aislinn Finvarra is a resident of the Summer Court ruled by the Seelie Summer Queen. She is ordered to be the guide for Gabriel who has come from the Unseelie Court and is petitioning for entry into the Seelie Court.

Aislinn isn't interested in the Unseelie incubus who has a well-known reputation for seducing women. She is just getting over being jilted by a lover who was just using her in his quest for higher status in the court. Aislinn has been growing bored in the court which emphasizes social events and gossip. She has a Secret.

Gabriel also has a Secret. He has been ordered by the Shadow King to seduce Aislinn into joining his court. The Shadow King claims to have no ill will toward Aislinn but Gabriel doesn't know what he intends for her. Gabriel thinks his task will be easy. After all, he's had centuries seducing women. But Aislinn is a challenge.

The world building is interesting in this story. The fae have all been rounded up and imprisoned by the Phaendir who are a race of druids. They are mortal enemies of the fae. There are mixed views among the Phaendir. Some are content with keeping the fae imprisoned. While others especially Gideon, a viewpoint character, want the fae all killed.

There is a book and three talismans that have the key to ending the fae's imprisonment. Aislinn has inherited the book from her father. Because only the Queen practices magic in the Seelie Court, Aislinn has never been taught to use her own magic. The draw of learning her magic is one of the lures Gabriel uses to seduce Aislinn to the Unseelie Court.

Meanwhile, Gideon is determined to recover the book and the one talisman that has found its way into Piefferburg - the fae prison. And the fae who want to be free are searching for the two talismans they don't already have, and which are somewhere in the human world.

The main focus of this story - besides the smoldering romance between Gabriel and Aislinn - is the quest to defeat the Shadow King who wants Aislinn dead. ( )

Gabriel goes to the Seelie Court to court Aislinn. She has a secret, she's not the pure Seelie everyone thinks. His job is to seduce her to the Unseelie Court but she resists his charms. Their attraction grows and leads unexpected places, with intrigue surrounding them from both courts and the Phaedir who have imprisoned the Fae.
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Wicked Enchantment
4.5 Stars

Synopsis:
Numerous fae races are in existence and they have been incarcerated for hundreds of years. Aislinn Finvarra, one of the Seelie fae, has been assigned to escort Gabriel Mac Braire, an Unseelie fae, who has apparently decided to defect to the Seelie. Aislinn will soon discover that everything she believes about herself is a lie, and that dangerous forces both from within and without are working to destroy everything she holds dear. Ultimately, she and Gabriel must trust each other and work together before their world is annihilated.

Review:
The only reason I didn’t give this book 5 stars is because it starts off a little slow but once it gets going – look out!
The plot is imaginative and Bast has constructed an immersing and detailed world incorporating magical abilities as well as social, political and familial intricacies. The characters, both primary and secondary, are well developed with interesting back stories and the dialogue is engaging. Aislinn is a sweet character with just the right amount of independence and vulnerability, and Gabriel , a mysterious and gorgeous incubus, belongs to my favorite type of hero - bad boy with a heart of gold. Boy does he fall hard!
The romance is fiery and sensual and while the sex scenes are steamy, they do not overshadow the story and contribute to the emotional connection between the characters. The battle scenes are also well written and never become confusing to the reader.
Recommendation: I can whole heartedly recommend this book and will definitely be continuing with the series. ( )

good buildup in the first few chapters - overall I find the characters unsympathetic - the author appears to be building dark characters with dark motivations ( )

The beginning of this novel is somewhat confusing. There's quite a bit of info dumped on the reader and it was hard to follow along for the first 3 or 4 chapters. After that it really settled into the story, however, and things kind of fell into place.


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