Reviews for HeartFast

(Book 1 of the HEARTFAST Series)

Reviewed by Lilac, Whipped Cream Erotic Romance Reviews

With HeartFast, the author has created a world filled with fascinating characters and a premise that I found highly entertaining.

I was intrigued from the very first moment of this futuristic story as two of the elite sixteen Guardians, who are defenders of the planet who also have special powers, find themselves forced into a mating bond thanks to a law and lottery requiring a couple to procreate. Friends and coworkers, Star and Hunter find themselves in an interesting predicament as they must follow the law. It was interesting to watch them deal with the changes that came their way because of the circumstances beyond their control.

Star is a strong female character who is very much a survivor. An outcast due to her special abilities, she has finally found a place with the Guardians and fears losing that spot due to the changes that her situation with Hunter have caused. I really felt for this character and couldn’t help but be touched by all that she goes through during this emotional story…and there are definitely some emotional parts so have those hankies handy while reading.

Hunter, the hero of the story, is also a strong character who has a few secrets of his own that come to light as the story progresses. He fascinated me and I longed to know more about this strong and serious man who is very much a protector. Star definitely brings out the best in Hunter and it is interesting to watch his transformation as the bond between he and Star grows stronger.

And while the lottery might have brought this couple together, it was evident that they already had a strong connection and I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if not for the lottery. This is something that I loved about the story. The fact that the couple had a prior relationship made the transition from friends/coworkers to lovers go smoothly and make sense as things must progress rather quickly thanks to the HandFast Law. Star and Hunter share a bond with one another and it is wonderful to watch their relationship blossom as they grow closer with one another.

The story also contains a few secondary characters that enhance the story from the mysterious group of men who have a vested interest in Star and Hunter’s mating to Star and Hunter’s fellow Guardians. The Guardians truly fascinated me with their various special abilities and all of them practically scream for stories of their own. I would love to see more of them in the future.

As for the plot of the story, it progresses nicely and I enjoyed every minute of its fascinating premise and setting. I became lost in the story and didn’t want it to end. The stunning conclusion touched my heart and made me feel for all of the characters of the story. Everything from the characters to the setting to the plot comes together quite nicely making for one strong read.

From its action-packed beginning to it heart wrenching conclusion, HeartFast is an unforgettable story that I highly recommend.

Reviewed by Nancy Eriksen, ParaNormalRomance

"An intergalactic romance that will keep you up all night reading!"

Master Hunter and StarLight have worked together for over 2 years. They know more about each other than they know about themselves. Brought together by the Handfast monthly lottery, these two Guardians of their planet are sworn to stay together until a child is conceived or to the end of one year; whichever happens first. Little do they know this is part of a plot to destroy the Guardians and all they stand for.

Assisting each other in saving other planets, battling the Ombirta ships and finding time to make love is the least of their worries. The plot to destroy the Guardians, along with the entire planet is coming closer and closer to Master Hunter and StarLight.

This book was wonderful! The characters were well developed and each of their personalities came through as a main part of the story. The plot was planned out perfectly to keep the reader's attention and the addition of characters along the way was a pleasant surprise. Well worth the time to read - which won't be too long, as you won't be able to put it down!

Reviewed by Christine, Simply Romance Reviews

StarLight and Master Hunter live on a world where a cold and impersonal law handfasts couples to procreate. After almost half of the planets’ population was deemed unsuitable to reproduce viable children, this law went into effect.

StarLight and Master Hunter are immune to the Handfast Law. Or so they thought. After it is announced that they are to handfast, a web of intrigue, deception, and greed is slowly and artistically rendered by the author.

HeartFast was not just a satisfying romance, it was also a mind-teasing mystery and science fiction read as well. Visual imagery was well written, and the mystery surrounding the unsanctioned handfast skillfully told. While I can usually figure out what’s coming, this story kept me guessing to the end.

Emotionally conveyed, StarLight and Master Hunter’s story was equally touching, painful and poignant to read. I look forward to further stories in this new series.

Reviewed by Jean, Fallen Angel Reviews

The Guardians were sixteen people with unusual super powers who had taken an oath to protect the planets of their sector. Because of their super powers, and the great danger they underwent in their work, the Guardians had never been forced to participate in other customs of their planet, such as the Handfast. Each month, the Handfast required twenty couples to “marry” and take an oath to create a child within a year. But this time, two of the guardians, StarLight and Master Hunter, were chosen to become Handfasted, causing an uproar among the population and the rest of the Guardians. How would this affect Star and Hunter’s ability to do their physically dangerous work? And how would they react to this government-mandated mating?

When I started this book, I was very interested in seeing how the author had managed to mix standard science fiction with the comic book concept of super heroes. Though I thought the beginning of the story was a bit stilted and slow to get going, by the time I got a couple of chapters in, I was caught up in the action and in the lives of the characters. Star and Hunter are two sympathetic protagonists, and the reader quickly comes to care about them and their happiness. The love scenes are very erotic and romantically satisfying. For those of you who enjoy a science fiction romance, I think you will enjoy this one as much as I did.

Reviewed by Diane Mason, The Romance Studio

Guardians. A group of men and women with special powers and abilities. Their job is to protect the people of their world. Because of a disastrous event in the past that resulted in sterilizing much of the past and present population, the governing body created the HandFast lottery. They have certain specifications they use to pick the couples and the ultimate result is for each woman to produce a child. Because of the danger involved in their daily missions, the Guardians have been exempted from the HandFast. Not this year. Word is out that at least one of the Guardians is going to be named. Surprise! Two of them are to be HandFasted to each other. Imagine the shock when StarLight aka Terrin DiLyric and Master Hunter aka Udo Vosstien find out they are one of the couples to be HandFasted.

Linda Mooney has created this fantastic world where superheroes are more than someone hiding their identity so they can go out and save the world. The Guardians are portrayed as being like regular people except they have special powers and abilities. Star and Hunter are one of the best couples I've met this year. Star is a young woman from another planet who has not had the best of lives. Made to feel like a misfit because of her powers, she leaves her home world and eventually joins up with the Guardians. Still, she finds it hard to let any of her new teammates see her 'real' self. Hunter grew up in a different world. He has two parents and one brother. He basically had as normal a childhood as a person possibly could have. I loved watching these two come together and try to build a life together while still doing their jobs as Guardians. Hunter is so gentle yet firm with Star that it brought tears to my eyes. Still, the main question is who entered Star & Hunter in the lottery in the first place and why? The answer may surprise you.