Heart Choice (Celta's HeartMates, Book 4) [Mass Market Paperback]

Robin D. Owens (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 5, 2005

On the planet of Celta, where psychic talents thrive and desires flourish, Straif Blackthorne is the last of his kind. After his family dies due to a genetic disorder, Straif is determined to find a cure and rebuild his heritage. Nothing else matters--until he meets Mitchella Clover. But Straif cannot give Mitchella his heart, for she is unable to bear children. Only when tragedy threatens to destroy them do they realize what truly matters, and what they truly mean to each other.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Mitchella Clover, a talented interior designer, moves in to renovate the long-deserted Blackthorn residence after Straif Blackthorn returns home to claim his heritage. The noble and the commoner are intensely attracted to each other, but she, being sterile, knows a relationship with a man who is the sole survivor of his line, the line he wants to rebuild with his own DNA, must marry someone who can give him children. With the title of the property in question, they race to rebuild before a council deadline. His spoiled cat and her teenage foster son create lots of problems for the protagonists and add depth and humor to the story. In Owens' fourth stand-alone science-fantasy romance in the award-winning Celta series, the romance is passionate, the characters engaging, and the society and setting exquisitely crafted. Diana Tixier Herald
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Character driven story, brilliant dialogue...Terrific writing with a very realistic and sensual romance, make HEART CHOICE a fantastic read. -- Jani Brooks, Romance Reviews Today

Maintaining the "world building" for science fiction and character driven plot for romance, is near impossible. Owens does it brilliantly. -- The Romance Reader http://www.theromancereadersconnection.com/reviews/owensrobind1705.html

Well-written humor-laced, intellecutally and emotionally involving story which explores the true meaning of family and love. -- Library Journal Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (July 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425203964
• ISBN-13: 978-0425203965
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,149 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

http://www.robindowens.com RITA Winner (Oscars of Romance) 2002 for HeartMate. Heart Thief out 06/03/03, Heart Duel out 04/04, Heart Choice 7/05, Heart Quest 8/06. Creativity exercises, affirmations on my website. I am a serious writer of 10 years, past President and contest chair of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. My most pressing interest in the craft of writing is CREATIVITY. My book, HeartMate, was the first futuristic-fantasy romantic adventure published by Jove in it's Magical Love line. It won the RITA for Best Paranormal Romance and finalled in Best First Book.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reason to sit up late, July 13, 2005

By 

Elaine C McTyer "avid reader" (Dawson, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heart Choice (Celta's HeartMates, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

Robin Owens takes us back to the wonderful world of Celta. This fourth in a series brings back our favorites and adds several more including a few new Fams.

Mitchella Clover is a warm, beautiful, loving woman. She has faced the fact that due to a childhood illness she can never have a child of her own. But Mitchella knows that children are not just born, they can also be discovered. And love can make any child a child of her heart. She has faced her demons and found one child already, Anteen Moss is the child of her heart and she will add more until she has the loving family she wants for herself. She may even find a man to share her life with, but it won't be a greatlord, because they only want children of their bodies to increase the flair in their lineage. knowing this and abiding by her decisions are two different things. A heart is not easily reclaimed when it follows where love leads.

Straif Blackthorn is the last member of his greathouse left. They have a defective gene which allows a common virus on Celta to kill them. He has searched for 17 years for a cure and now he has come home to Druidia to repair the family mansion. While aquiring a Fam he is led to Mitchella, who is a wonderful designer and interior decorator. Straif knows he has a heartmate but he is unwilling to find her until he has a cure for the affliction of his family. He is very attracted to Mitchella and decides an affair is fine for now.

Mitchella is fasinated by Straif and doesn't realize he is a greatlord until she has fallen under his spell. Straif hires her to repair his residence, unknowing that both of their lives and strengths are about to be tested. She thinks he knows she is barron and can't have children. He is unable or unwilling to give up the hope for an heir of his own body. Although he knowa he has a heartmate his feelings for Mitchella are so deep and full of passion he doesn't know if he can live without her.

While fighting for control of their love they find that Straif is being attacked in counsel by a blackthorn he never knew was alive. And someone or something is trying to hurt or kill Mitchella. The wonder of their love and the conclusion of their story is full of pitfalls and vipers. Sometimes the only way to save everything you need is to loose everything you have.

Wonderful book. I loved it.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4th Celta is pure brilliance!, June 12, 2005

By 

Deborah MacGillivray "Author," (US & UK) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heart Choice (Celta's HeartMates, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have been waiting for Straif Blackthorne's story since Heartmate, the first of the Celta books from talented Robin D. Owens. There was something about this solitary man that called for his own story. I am delighted to see in this, the fourth book in the series his story, is finally realized.

Straif is the only descendent of his family line, years he has mourned this loss, years he has searched for the reason why. On Planet Celta family is everything. Ancient descendent from planet Earth, they value their lines, rites and traditions, and being the head of a first family carries great honor and responsibilities. Only Straif is the last Blackthorne. His ancient family estate has stood empty, unloved as he has journeyed hard and long trying to unriddle the curse that has plagued his family, but failed to claim him. Finally coming home to Druida City, he hires Mitchella Clover to bring alive the long neglected manor house of his estate.

Mitchella has the key to discovering her heartmate and is determined to find him, but Blackthorne keeps cloaking the fact he is the one, knowing he cannot marry this woman. To do so would seal the end of the Blackthorne line.

As with each set of lovers in Owens very original series, the premise is there is a Heartmate for true lovers. As young men and women come of age they go through a series of three passages and if the have a heartmate they will generally glimpse this person. Straif has glimpsed a woman, but like the family that bore him, their romance is doomed. He must marry to produce heirs to carry on the Blackthorne line - heirs he hopes can survive. The woman in his visions is Mitchella Clover, a woman who cannot have children. This is very painful to her, as she comes from a very fertile family. Her lack of the ability to have children is only magnified with so many nieces and nephews around her. She longs for her own family, but knows her having suffered Macha's Disease stands between her growing love for Straif. Mitchella soon learns Straif is her heartmate but he refuses to accept her because he believes it would be the end of the Blackthorne family.

There is a dark menace killing young first familiar members and as Straif tries to stop him, he fears the evil shall claim the one thing he loves - Mitchella.

Of course, there is another darling FamKitty. This one is Drina. Ah, sigh, if Straif and Mitchella would just listen to the smart know-it-all Drina!! But such is the lot of a FamKitty!!

Owens paints with pictures, not mere words, pulling you into her very intricate world of Celta and kitties with telepathy and the power to speak. One cannot wait for the next Celta tale.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Right up there with Heart Mate, July 6, 2005

By 

Jane C. "Jane" (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heart Choice (Celta's HeartMates, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book. This has the quality and the intensity that she hasn't matched since Heart Mate. If you liked Heart Mate, get this book. It'll also answer the question as to whether T'Blackthorn's father knew of T'Ash's use of his shed.