Radiance Paperback – January 11, 2015

Mrs. Draven is a master storyteller and I have at this point, read all her work. World building skills that are simply amazing sucks me in with each and every book of hers I read. The characters are so beautifully flawed and as an avid reader (and PNR/Fantasy author), I have found Grace Draven's work simply stunning and filled with characters that are not just three dimensional, but ten dimensional. You will fall in love with them and root for the hero/heroine (and the side characters too!), just as much as you will detest the antagonists. She is a master at her craft and knows how to make fantasy completely believable. I can read 400 books a year easily, and when I read talent that blows me away, I definitely become a hard core supporter. I have a circle of ladies and gentlemen that depend on me getting through the "meh" on the market, and sharing the "AMAZING" with them in the PNR/Fantasy Romance genre. Though, if you look at my recent reviews, you will also find a review for an author that is dark romance that I was blown away by. Her and Grace are definitely in my top reads of 2014/2015. This book, as well as the rest of this authors work, is very highly recommended by moi. :))Keep writing brilliantly, Grace. I will most certainly keep reading and sharing the love of the beautiful worlds you've created.**Not recommended for those under the age of 18 due to sexual content. That said, it was mild compared to some work in the same genre. It was divine, those few scenes we got, but it's fantasy with SOME sex, not sex with SOME fantasy. Go into this work with an open mind and be prepared to not want to put your kindle down for awhile. Some books are like cheap beer...completely forgettable as soon as it's been consumed. But some books, and it's getting harder to find them these days, are like a rare vintage of a limited edition wine that sets your taste buds on fire and make you feel the complex development of the grapes as they've aged to perfection in the most divine oak casks. In my humble opinion, this author's art (yes, writing is an art), her art is definitely a rare, delicious vintage that I will stock every time she has a release. I would also like to add that I NEVER re-read fiction. It bores me when I've already read the story once. I will in the future read all her work again however. It is THAT GOOD.My favorite I think, if I had to choose one, would be "Entreat Me." I loved the re-telling of Beauty and the Beast and since that was the first book of hers I read, it was the one that got me addicted to her writing. All of her books are worth every penny they're listed for, and then multiply that at least four times and I would still buy it. Her worlds are priceless and it's so very appreciated that she doesn't break the bank on her books. :))The quality of this work is well worth the payment. Sometimes I want the hours of my life back after reading something that just never redeemed itself. (I see a book through, I always have to if I've spent money on it)...but in this case, as with her other work, I was sad when it ended as I would've happily given more of my time up for sure.Happy Reading!!! xoxo~J. SagePS. The eyes thing did freak me out a little with the no blinking thing and it amazes me that I would find black, unblinking eyes, claws for hands and grey-toned skin very handsome, but as with all of Grace's flawed-physically characters, I completely did. The scorpion thing too. Ewwwww, lol. But LOVED the heroine's bravery when it came to the strange new world, and foods! The connection and respect that ultimately turn to love between this very physically mismatched pair is just divine. And I'm not giving any more away...you'll just have to read it for yourself!

First, let me just say that I ADORE this cover. I’ll freely admit that I’m a cover whore. I’ve been known to pick a book based solely on the cover and, in fact, I decided to read this one BECAUSE of the cover. I just love the contrast of the characters and how the male’s skin color and nails show how not human he is.As for the story, this one is about Brishen and Ildiko, who are pushed into an arranged marriage to create an alliance. Neither want to be married to the other because their races are so different in not just culture but appearance. Brishen is of the night while Ildiko is of the day. Both find the others’ looks repulsive but their personalities allow them to find some common ground within their forced marriage. As the time passes and they spend more and more time together, they slowly start to realize that their feelings have developed to something neither of them expected and what was once hideous is now… radiant.When I picked up this book, I had NO idea what it was about besides knowing it was M/F, fantasy and had an arranged marriage. Once I started the book, though, I was drawn in immediately because of how refreshing and different the story is. This one isn’t about lust at first sight or how attractive the love interest is. The love story in this one is solely based off the characters personalities. They fall in love with each other because of how much joy and fun they have in one another’s company. I really loved that about the story because most of the books I read, it’s all about how handsome the hero is or how gorgeous and beautiful the heroine is. Ms. Draven went outside the norm and made a story where the heroine found the hero hideous and the hero found the heroine repulsive.As for the characters, I really loved them together because they started out as friends. But I also liked that Ildiko was so spunky and down to earth. She wasn’t a spoiled brat and demanded things but she was adaptive and fierce and had one hell of a sharp tongue! At the same time Brishen was very laid back, too, and, for being such an intense man, was very caring and attentive to Ildiko and her needs. They fit very well as a couple and I loved every minute of them together!I really, really, really loved this one! But I did have two issues. One, I felt like the dialogue was stilted at times and, while entertaining, a little runoff. Beyond that, I was a bit disappointed in the ending because I felt like it was rushed. We don’t get to see any of the preparations of finding Brishen and certainly didn’t get to experience his time while he was kidnapped.In the end, this was like a diamond in the rough. I’ve heard of Ms. Draven before but never looked into her stories. Now, I’m glad I finally read her because her writing style is definitely engaging and her characters have very strong personalities. I absolutely loved the world and the relationship between Brishen & Ildiko. I can’t wait to see what comes next for this series!

Ughhh, I just love this trilogy!! Idilko is a human of a royal family. Brishen is a prince of a race called Kai. They're pawns in an arranged marriage meant to create a treaty between the two races. They both find each other ugly at first, lol, but as they get to know each other, their feelings and attraction grow. I loved the dual POV, it was essential in order to get into the heads of these two wildly differentcharacters. They have great banter and it's fun to watch their bond grow. The Kai race and this fantasy world are both very richly detailed. It's a slow burn at first, but then it definitely shifts into 18 and up territory later on. It's also interesting how their physical differences are tackled as far as intimacy goes. Definitely didn't expect to love these characters so much, but the author really did a great job writing such engaging characters.