Nathaniel by Dianne Hartsock

Title: Nathaniel

Author: Dianne Hartsock

Genre: Fantasy

Length: Novella (101pgs)

Publisher: Etopia Press (2nd March 2012)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Only true love or magic could make the sex burn so hot…

From the moment Taden rescues Nathaniel from the Sutherlin soldiers’ torture, he finds himself caught in the gaze of the most beautiful eyes he’s ever seen; amazing eyes that hold him thrilled and confused. The Sutherlins are planning to invade the beautiful Tahon Valley, but as Taden secrets Nathaniel from their reach, he finds himself drawn to the young man. Not only does he feel the urge to protect him, but he feels an ache he hasn’t felt in many long years.

Nathaniel claims to be a traveler from a distant continent, saying he comes in peace. True or not, the youth has powers beyond anything Taden has seen—control over men and animals and the very weather. Taden falls hard for the strange traveler, protecting him not only from the Sutherlins but from his own mistrustful people, who don’t understand Nathaniel’s powers and accuse him of being a witch…

Purchase Link: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-nathaniel-739041-143.html

Review: Taden is a lord who rescues a young man from enemy soldiers; he realizes later that the man has magic, which puts the man in danger in his land.  But, the man is running from someone from his own land, who has paid the Sutherlin soldiers to capture him. Nathaniel is trying to get himself and his friend to safety, but can’t seem to escape, when Taden offers his help he begrudgingly accepts, but nothing goes well.

This is quite a well written little fantasy. Nathaniel is running from something in his past and his best friend Miranda has run with him, as she can help to keep him balanced. Taden runs across Nathaniel and rescues him and offers him help. This is a story that should have been very good or even great, but for me lacked reason. Reason? You ask. Yes, reason, I say.  (lol I’m going insane).  you see, as this book progresses, even though the descriptions are fantastic and the plot good the execution failed a bit for me, as we have people following others blindly for no reason and accepting capture and falling instantly in love and then we get implausible reasons as to why they are running in the first place and why they are being chased… it was as though the author couldn’t quite make up her mind about what the story-line was.

Want me to explain. Well, here goes. Nathaniel has killed someone by setting them on fire, because they were touching Miranda. Nathaniel runs and Miranda goes with… they end up in Taden’s land and Nathaniel hides Miranda before the soldiers capture them.  Why do the soldiers want them? Well, because Nathaniel’s cousin wants Miranda (who left with Nathaniel because he is unstable and she keeps him calm). So, the cousin sets soldiers on them. Taden enters and Nathaniel takes advantage of the fact that the man fancies him. After Nathaniel and Miranda have fled, Taden for some reason goes with the cousin to find them.  Sorry, but there is just too much going on for a novella. If it was a novel and had another hundred or so pages then it would have been more spread out and we could have made some sense out of some of the actions.

So other than that it is an interesting story, but just too much so I couldn’t enjoy it at all. There were also some places where more detail would have been welcome; background on Nathaniel’s land and people, why Taden’s people feared Nathaniel’s, why were Taden’s people at war with the Sutherlin’s… those are details that I wanted, not too much going on with the characters.

I will recommend this to those who love fantasy, hot sex, an interesting story-line and lots going on with action.