Haunting Warrior, by Erin Quinn, is the second installment in her PNR Mists of Ireland saga. Originally released in early 2010 I happened to run across the re-released mass-market paperback in the aisles of my grocery store, of all places! Haunting Warrior is absolutely a well-written and whimsical tale but not really what you would expect for a PNR.
Plot:
When his father vanished after uncovering the secrets of the ancient Book of Fennore, Rory McGrath transformed from an innocent boy into a troubled, cynical man. Leaving Ireland, he shunned his family, his heritage-and the very magic that defined his people for centuries.
Then he began dreaming of an ethereal beauty, who calls him to return home to a destiny that will take him beyond the realm of anything he imagined.
Then he began dreaming of an ethereal beauty, who calls him to return home to a destiny that will take him beyond the realm of anything he imagined.
Lured to the castle ruins where his father disappeared, Rory is plunged back in time, and into the body of another man-a man betrothed to the very woman of Rory's dreams. In possession of the secrets of his past, his family, and his identity, her hold on Rory is inescapable. For she is his doom, his salvation-and his destiny.
Haunting Warrior opens with our Irish lead male, Rory, who’s currently residing in America plagued with the recurring dream of a young fiery gal on what seems to be her wedding night. As the story starts to unfold in the first pages you quickly find that things are not what they seem, a family of ghost comes to haunt in the present as Rory is forced to return to Ireland. These first few chapters really sucked me into the book from the start.
Saraid comes into the story as the young gal who’s been forced into a marriage with a savage rival clan's bloodthirsty son. Hated and feared in equal measure, this warrior male and soon to be husband is the key to Saraid’s clan's peace and the end of a long and gruesome war. What I liked about Saraid was her spirit and wit; even in the face of danger she tuffs it out with gritty courage and determination to get the job done, whatever that job may be. Body and soul this gal’s got a lot going for her mixed with passion and loyalty that only added to the overall character.
What threw me for a loop though was the epic feel of this story, it has such a strong fantasy flavor it felt more like a regular fantasy book instead of a Paranormal Romance. With loads of magic and spells and a book that holds deep and dark magic I would think this should be moved to a Fantasy Romance genre. As with fantasy you can really dive deeper into the world of myths and legends.
A few of the dream sequences were a little over the top and dragged longer than they should have. In addition, some of the fighting sequences between the bad guy overlords with powerful armies and the smaller folks who should have been out numbered seemed to stretch the already fantastical scale far into the “ok this is just so fake” category. But that being said the tale itself is one that’s well thought out and gripping.
The romance between our lead pair was believable and touching at times as their feelings grew throughout the story, but as we move along it becomes rushed and predictable. Even though plenty of time is given to “inner debate” the actual act of romance (or gettin it on) felt pushed along. I wouldn’t want to read the story again BUT I was happy with what I got and would most definitely try this author again.
Getting 3 and ½ Sheep
KD