What the back of the book says:
"Darkness covers the north, for the black mage has begun his assault on the isolated kingdom of Neroche. Legend has it that only the two magical swords held in trust by Neroche's king can defeat the mage. Now the fate of the Nine Kingdoms rests in the hands of a woman destined to wield one of those blades...
The Mercenary - Morgan is a practical woman with no use for magic. Yet she feels compelled to offer her sword to the sorcerer king of Neroche. Her fateful decision will lead her to a magical destiny...and a man whose love will change her life forever.
The King - Adhemar of Neroche's connection to the magic of the land is fading. Helpless to defend his country against the black mage's forces, his only hope is to travel in disguise, searching for the one who was foretold to bring victory.
The Mage - Miach, the archmage of Neroche, is Adhemar's youngest brother--and duty bound to aid his king. Though they find what they seek, Miach will lose his heart in a way he never could have foreseen.
In this land of dragons and mages, warrior maids and magical swords, nothing is as it seems. For the king is less than he should be, the mage is far more than he appears, and the mercenary will find that the magic in her blood brings her troubles she cannot face with a sword--and a love more powerful than she has ever imagined..."
What the back of the book says:
"Darkness in the kingdom...
Neroche is under assault by a mysterious magic that has stripped its king of his powers and unleased nightmarish creatures as weapons in a war of evil. Morgan of Melksham is fighting against that menace as well as for her life. Struggling to regain her strength after a near-fatal attack, Morgan realizes that she must decide between two fates: that of being a simple sheildmaiden or accepting her heritage as an elven princess. If only she could forget that she was the daughter of the perilous black mage of Ceangail...
Magic in the blood...
Duty bound to aid his king, Miach of Neroche is torn between what his responsibilities demand and what his heart desires. He is willing to risk his life to rescue Morgan from the darkenss that haunts her, but he must do so at the peril of his realm. Forced to choose between love and the burden of his mantle, Miach sets out on his most deadly quest ever."
What the back of the book says:
"When darkness falls...
As the mercenary daughter of Gair, the black mage of Ceangail, Morgan is the only one who can stop the terrible sorcery her father unleashed. To do so, she must race against time and find the spell that will allow her to close the well of evil he opened. But that quest will lead her to places she never dreamed existed and into a darkness she would give anything to avoid...
The magic rises.
The fate of the kingdom of Neroche is intertwined with the closing of Gair's well. Miach, the archmage of Neroche, is determined to help Morgan find what she needs, not only because the safety of the Nine Kingdoms hangs in the balance but also because he will do anything to protect her. Together they must search out the mysteries of Ceangail, and the dangers of Morgan's own bloodline.
Now to rescue the kingdom from total ruin, Morgan and Miach have only each other to trust, heart, and soul..."
What I have to say (about the entire series):
I've had my semi-rant about romance novels before, but finally found a series that seems to defy all that lust crap! Now, I am not going to tell you that this is the best series ever, fantasy-wise. I don't remember the last time I enjoyed a romance novel this much, though. Kurland created some really awesome characters here in Miach and Morgan (though Morgan gets a little less cool after the first book). Miach is kind of dark and powerful and brooding, and I do have a thing for guys like that, but he's sweet too! And the romance in this series is really romantic. There's no sex scenes (thankfully) and I feel like the romance was more real for it. The story wasn't really complicated, but I guess I wasn't reading it for a complicated plot. She seems to focus more on the characters, and that's ok. An author with a complicated plot and complicated characters would probably make my brain explode, which isn't what I'm going for in light reading.
So, my final thoughts are this. They're good. Not fantastic, not the best books ever, but they're good. The characters are funny and the plot isn't too boring. The romance is something I feel comfortable with reading in public (/class) without feeling dirty. Also, it's cute. Miach might not beat out Ash in my list of best guys in books, but he is on that list. So read them, they're fun and interesting light reading. I'll probably end up buying them, which is shocking since they are considered romance. That's saying something.
I ended up buying the first book. :) I decided the series looks interesting, and it comes with your recommendation, so it's going on The List (which, you'll notice, has now attained capital letter status). Where on The List, I'm not entirely sure. But probably soonish...
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