Book Review
Title: Fantasy Lover (Hunter Legends #1)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy/Romance
Rating: *****
Review: I read Fantasy Lover way back in the day when I was probably a little too young to be reading these kinds of books and understand what they were which is why I never read anything else in this universe. However, since then Sherrilyn Kenyon has become a huge name in adult erotic fantasy romance and I really want to give her another go as an author. Before I even get into this review properly, I have to say I forgot how easy this book was to read. I honestly flew through the first quarter of this book in less than 40 minutes which was surprising for me. We are introduced to Grace Alexander and her friend Selena who are discussing Grace’s non-existent sex life after her last relationship with Paul fell apart. We learn pretty quickly that Paul was emotionally abusive towards Grace and maybe more but I don’t remember that much and that she has actively avoided dating for four years. During this time Selena has set her up a few times but nothing happened and with Grace working as a sex therapist it was rather ironic to say the least. Grace is an intelligent woman but often gives into Selena’s random urges to do things like perform séances and that information is going to come in very handy shortly.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, Selena goes over to Grace’s for her birthday bringing along a book which she believes will summon Julian of Macedon who was cursed to be a sex slave and please the woman who summons him for a full month. Selena convinces Grace to perform the ritual and they believe it hasn’t worked which is what Grace wants as she doesn’t believe in the same things Selena does. However, when a very naked Julian appears on her sofa, Grace’s reaction was appropriate; scream and run. Although Grace much like I would have done in that situation ends up flat on her face and it was hilarious to say the least. Julian is amused by Grace and somehow instinctively knows it has been a very long time since he was summoned previously and tries to fulfil his intended purpose only for Grace to push him away. While he doesn’t understand this Julian respects it which I love in my fictional men. While Grace is trying to wrap her head around Julian actually being real, we learn that it has been 107 years since he was summoned last and while he is trapped inside the book, he can hear what goes on around him but he can see, smell, taste or anything inside the book which is torture as we see him savour simple things like food, water, and sunlight because he only has them for a small period of time before he is sent back to the book. We also learn that he wasn’t treated well by some of the other women that have summoned him and he finds Grace’s reaction to him to be refreshing and it allows him to do things like comfort her and sleep in her bed without sex having to something required of him. However, since this has been his only purpose for centuries/millennia he does feel a little lost. The next morning, we get the beginnings of a steamy scene but it is halted when Selena calls and Grace confesses that the ritual worked which causes Selena to race over like any good BFF would. We are also beginning to fill in the blanks on both Julian and Grace’s views on sex and how in their own ways giving into Julian’s charisma now would only make them both feel used which neither wants but Grace also knows she will give in to Julian eventually but she isn’t going to go easily or quietly.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, we see Grace try and help Julian acclimatize to being in the modern world but she is also painful aware of the effect Julian seems to have on every woman who lays eyes on him which isn’t a good thing since Julian can only please Grace and no other since she is the one who summoned him. Through these interactions we get to see Julian and Grace learn more about each other and develop their bond which is strengthened by the attraction and sexual desire literally coiled around them. When Grace asks Selena to help her look for a way to break Julian’s curse, he tells them that Eros might be able to help but they haven’t been on speaking terms for a long time but he attempts to summon him anyway. However, we get side-tracked her when Julian saves a little boy from being hit by a car since he can’t die as the Fates have forbidden it and, in that moment, Grace sees something so human and fragile as Julian cradles the sobbing boy to calm him down and Grace wonders whether Julian was a father before he was cursed. After this Eros does appear only to be promptly punched in the face by Julian where we learn that both Eros and Julian are the sons of Aphrodite which would explain Julian’s magnetism and why the opposite sex flock around him near constantly. We learn through the following fight/argument that Priapus is the brother of both Julian and Eros and he is the one responsible for Julian curse, when Eros realises how severe the curse is, he goes to consult their mother but the results aren’t what either of them were expecting. Eros explains that Julian need a woman of Alexander to break the curse but he can’t have sex with her until the final day before he is supposed to return to the book. Since Grace’s last name is Alexander it is almost like fate brought them together but we know how much the Fates hate Julian, however, the pair have a lot to overcome before they can think about breaking the curse. Julian explains that he only slept with one of Priapus’ virgins and offended the God because Priapus killed Julian’s wife, Penelope.
As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, we also learn that Julian had asked Eros to make Penelope fall in love with him but that love is only an illusion of the real thing but Julian still doesn’t want to ask Grace to help him break the curse especially after he learns of Grace’s past. It turns out Paul took advantage of the grieving Grace and took her virginity in a cruel way even refusing to stop when she was in clear pain. A few days later she overheard Paul and his friends making fun of her as he only slept with her because they had a bet to see who could sleep with the most virgins which is why Grace has been put of men for years and I don’t blame the girl. Eros also adds that every day that Julian doesn’t sleep with Grace will slowly drive him insane until he can’t control himself and will take her anyway but he gifts his brother with some magical chains which will bind him should Grace ever need to do it. After talking it through Grace decides she is going to help Julian no matter what but he is unsure that he truly belongs in this time as he can’t even read the language as the spell on the book only extends to spoken language and he doesn’t know what he would do for a job or how to get around on his own. Grace explains that she will help him as much as she can as long as he doesn’t give up trying and he agrees. During this time, we see the pair get closer, so much closer in fact that Julian is able to give Grace her first orgasm at almost thirty and Julian opens up to her about what really led to him being cursed. These scenes back to back gave me emotional whiplash as one was extremely hot and the other almost made me cry.
As we cross into the second half of the novel, Julian is starting to feel the effects of the curse and at one point has to tell Grace to run from him so he can control himself but it is becoming more and more difficult for him especially after he realises that he is falling in love with Grace. Things are made more complicated when he gets a visit from Athena telling him that if he can break the curse then the Gods will return him to a point in time before he was taken into the book but he can’t change the course of history and he seems excited about returning to a time he belongs in even if he can’t have his family back. However, when he tells this to Grace who had been falling in love with him, she closes up, putting her walls back up realising that she won’t get to keep Julian in the end and it hurts them both. However, when a patient begins harassing Grace at home the pair soon put it behind him but it loams over everything, they do that very soon Julian will be leaving Grace for good and it isn’t really something either of them want but both are too scared to open up to the other about their feelings as they’ve both experience pain and rejection before. Things get even more complicated when Julian’s sword and shield are sent to him presumably by Aphrodite indicating that Julian might have to face his brother before his curse is lifted and while the sword won’t kill Priapus it will make it so he has to take Julian’s place within the book. While I can’t remember the exact details of how the book ends, I am almost certain it is a happy ending but then again, I’ve remembered things about books wrong in the past.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, the curse’s effects are getting stronger with every passing day and it is beginning to test Julian to the point he has to wear the handcuffs Eros gave to him much earlier in the novel to prevent himself from taking Grace. However, during this time Grace gets a visit from Aphrodite who explains the real reason why Julian was taken from her and how they have both suffered so long over something that could have been repaired if they had just spoken to one another. Aphrodite doesn’t want to share Julian as she wants him all to herself but after watching Grace take care of him, she realises that Grace loves Julian too and decides to help by offering him some relief from the curse. By the time Julian has recovered his strength the night of the full moon is approaching and while Grace is completely in love with Julian she also knows the decision over whether he stays with her or goes back to his own time is his alone but she prays that Julian stays with her because she has come to realise that Julian is the only person she can’t live without and we have seen him begin to overcome his greatest fear of staying in this time which was not being able to fit in which he has managed to do quite well. I have to say I completely adore Julian as a characters as he has a rich and heart-breaking backstory but he truly cares for Grace and we see this as he protects her from rogue patients, beats up her abusive ex and just generally provides Grace with the love and support she hasn’t had since the death of her parents several years before and that’s why Fantasy Lover is still a book I greatly enjoy.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, I was forced through a roller coaster of emotional whiplash before we got to the most satisfying ending, I have ever read from a fantasy romance novel. Honestly, I have to say even though I didn’t get what Fantasy Lover was about the first time I read it I still really enjoyed it, rereading it I can honestly say I loved it and I can’t wait to read even more from the Hunter Legends series and more from Sherrilyn Kenyon in general as her writing is so easy to sink into and immerse yourself in. Her characters are well rounded and likeable with believable internal and external conflicts within the parameters of the story and her romance scenes are worthy of chef’s kisses because they are damn fine.
Buy it here:
Paperback/Hardcover: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Kindle Edition: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
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