Promising Light by Emily Ann Ward was such a sweet and entertaining read! I absolutely loved the historical setting, vividly depicted scenes and overall medieval-ish atmosphere. It was astonishing! This book is full of surprises: first, there's romance, after that - heartache and confusion, and then next thing you know, you're being totally sucked in by the marvelous supernatural world, full of shape shifters, Protectors, secrets, curses and magic. What an explosive and insanely intensive read!
At the beginning of the story, we're introduced to Grace and Dar. Lady Grace Ellengreen is the beautiful daughter of the King's general. Sir Dar is the handsome and wealthy son of a respected governor of Shyra. These two have been sneaking around and secretly dating behind Grace's father's back for a while now. The reason for wanting to keep their relationship a secret is simple: Grace's father wouldn't approve of them being together. Whether it's because of the bad reputation of Shyra, or something more personal, one thing's for sure: he dislikes Dar and his family. Not to mention that, supposedly as a cover-up, Dar is courting Lady Rebekah Morten. The situation get's even more weird and complicated when a mysterious, cloaked man tells Grace that Dar is a dangerous man, and warns her to stay away from him. When Grace tells Dar about the bizarre encounter, he breaks it off with her and disappears. How much weirder can it get? Well, a lot! There's a whole world out there that Grace didn't know existed. A world full of magic, supernatural creatures, mind readers and old curses. What will she do when she uncovers Dar's secret?
Wow. Emily Ann Ward is a truly remarkable storyteller. I was amazed by her creativity and imagination. The story flowed smoothly, the dialogues were dynamic and sparkly, and, most importantly, the plot line was great. It's amazing how tension in the story was steadily building up, and how mystery would work with conflict to raise the emotional level to the point that you'd shift impatiently in your seat, eager to find out what will happen next. It's the kind of story that readers will be captivated by and fully invested in.
I must admit that I wasn't very fond of Dar at the beginning. I didn't understand why he chose to court Lady Rebekah while he was secretly meeting Grace at the same time. When he disappeared from Grace's life, leaving her confused and slightly heartbroken (I say "slightly because, let's face it, Grace is not the kind of gal to sit around and weep after a guy!), I disliked him even more. And when they met again, and he was giving her the proverbial "cold shoulder", my feelings solidified. But that's of course all part of the big mystery, and once you get to know him better and learn more about the secrets he was keeping, and his tragic past, you begin to see him in a different light. Grace, on the other hand, was a character I liked from the very beginning. Smart, brave, with a healthy dose of sass, she was a very positive heroine and I had a great time following her adventures.
Right from the first sentence, Promising Light, is amazing, adventurous, fun and entertaining. Emily Ann Ward created a beautiful, engaging story. I had a a fantastic time reading her novel and am definitely looking forward to her next books!
