The Reluctant Amazon (Alliance of the Amazons) [Kindle Edition]

Sandy James (Author)

Book Description

A 2013 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award Finalist
USA Today Recommended Read


The last thing Rebecca Massee expects on her wedding day is to go from jilted kindergarten teacher to Amazonian Earth warrior. But when she causes an earthquake after her groom says I don't, she discovers that not only does she possess incredible powers, she is one of four lost chosen sisters who must fight to keep humanity safe from rogue gods and demons. Luckily she has help: ruggedly handsome Scottish warrior Artair MacKay, her protector and teacher.

An immortal, Artair has trained countless warriors for more than four hundred years. He understands Rebecca's confusion at the new world she's been thrust into and worries she is too emotionally vulnerable, but that doesn't stop his growing feelings for the beautiful and fearless woman.

When an evil force threatens to destroy the Amazons, Rebecca must claim her full powers--but they come at a cost. Can she sacrifice the man she loves if it means saving the world?

96,000 words

Book 1--Alliance of the Amazons

Read the other Amazons' stories:
Book 2--The Impetuous Amazon
Book 3--The Brazen Amazon
Book 4--The Volatile Amazon (Coming Sept. 2013)


"It's a very good read that combines lots of literary themes and
will be entertaining for lots of readers on lots of levels." Judith ~
Book Binge

Editorial Reviews

Review

A USA Today Recommended Read!

I enjoyed this book enough to know I can't wait until she gives us more...--Bookaholic Anon

There was really never a dull moment in the story... --Tracy's Place

I think as the series goes along it will get better, and I will definitely be going along for the ride. --See Jaime Read

Night Owl Romance ~ 5 stars ~ Reviewer Top Pick! ~ Ms. James has outdone herself with this new series, Alliance of the Amazons.

Smexy Books ~ I like the world in this book. I can’t help but enjoy a big Scottish hero that whisks the heroine away to a magical place...

Sinfully Delicious Books ~ The end was a whirlwind of action leaving off with a very satisfying ending and an opening for what's to come in the next installment.

The Book Girl ~ I loved the twist and turns the story took and can’t wait to find out what happens next in the series.

Did I have fun reading this? Oh yes! The mish-mash of myth, tech, love and sisterhood is incredibly appealing. ~ Book Lovers Inc.

In The Reluctant Amazon author Sandy James’s deft hand with world-building shows, for she delivers an intriguing world that I’m eager to learn more about. ~ Joyfully Reviewed

Product Details

• File Size: 480 KB
• Print Length: 258 pages
• Publisher: Carina Press (September 3, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B008JH5CL8
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #264,719 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Unputdownable September 9, 2012

By Jim Cangany

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This novel has it all-romance, interesting and good looking characters, non-stop action and a fun dip into Amazonian mythology. Rebecca Massee is an almost thirty kindergarten teacher who's just been jilted at the altar. As the realization that she's not getting married sinks in, her world is taken in a completely new direction shen she finds out she's an Amazon who has been called to duty. Rebecca's task is to help fight an unidentified evil who is killing other Amazon warriors. Along the way, she learns how to wrap foes up in vines, meets women who can throw fire, control water and conquer air, and even manages to fall in love with a Scottish laddie. In between all of this, she has to figure out a way to save the world. If you want a fast-paced ride that has a little something for everyone, this is a story for you.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazonian Awesomeness - LOL March 3, 2013

By Tonya Kellum

Format:Kindle Edition

This book is just well "Amazing" it grabbed me from the start - man goes to leave woman at the alter, woman punches him in the nose clearly rearranging it, storms down the isle during an earthquake to run smack dab into the most gorgeous man in the world - wearing a kilt. LOL yep Rebecca meet Altair. And wait earthquake, what is that all about. Talk about throwing you right into the story I loved it.

And before Rebecca can make any sense of it this hulking gorgeous man is dragging her off like a sack of potatoes and tossing her into a beat up ratty old van with a really beautiful woman driving it that he calls Sparks, what kind of name is that. Well as you read you see how perfect it is, fitting her position and personality to a "T".

Rebecca is in for a wide awakening right from the start when she is faced with a tale to tall to believe yet its her destiny her life and its happening right then. Off to find another like her but different and faced with dangers from the get go Rebecca's world is out of control. She is slow to grasp, slow to catch on but fast falling for this gorgeous, frustrating yet amazing Altair.

Soon Rebecca learns she is an Amazon and that her old life is no more everything she once loved and cherish gone forever. Soon they would all forget her. She was born for this, her aunt a priestess to the goddess Rhiannon the earth goddess. The goddess who would bestow Rebecca with her earthly powers, even earthquakes. But the goddess isn't so sure her little Amazon is going to cut it, she is progressing slower than the other new Amazon Megan "Fire" and her sentinel Altair, the one she has always wanted but always been denied (why is that if she is an immortal) seems to have a thing for little Rebecca.

Rebecca trains harder and longer, pushes and pushes but still can't seem to grasp it. Altair pushes her harder and harder, knowing he can't bare the thought of her getting hurt or losing her and knowing the goddess is not pleased with her he can't let her fail. While training goes on the search for two missing Amazons continues, the connection to them is lost, have they died like their sister? What has happened to them. As the search continues they know the battle this time is coming to them.

As Rebecca and Megan (Fire) train with Sparks (The original Fire) and Altair (their Sentinel) she begins to fall for Altair something completely forbidden by the goddess Rhiannon but she can't control her feelings and Altair can't control his. But she knows that once the new Sentinel with her other sisters (Air) and (Water) arrive Altair will go back to his mortal life to take a wife and have a child to live a life he has long dreamed of. How can she take that from him, but what does fate have in store for them.

Things get really dicey really fast in this story as Sparks is desperate to find her sister Helen (the original earth) and sets out on her own, a dangerous mission that has things moving faster and Rebecca is quickly put to the test. As the fight against good and evil heats up so does the passion between Rebecca and Altair. I will honestly say that I was crying towards the end of this book, tears of worry at some points and tears of joy at the end.

This is a really amazing book. Looking forward to reading book 2 about Megan (Fire) and book 3 about (Air) hoping book 4 about Water comes out soon too :) GREAT BOOK!!!!!!!! Absolutely loved it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars "...unique, engaging, and will leave you wanting to learn more about the world of the Amazons..." January 20, 2013

By M. Nix

Format:Kindle Edition

Being left at the altar would be enough for a woman to handle in one day. Being jilted and then finding out you're an Amazonian Earth warrior with supernatural powers? It's enough to make kindergarten teacher Rebecca Massee think she's losing it. Except it's all true. Rebecca is one of four Amazons tapped to save the world from evil. She and her newfound Amazon "sisters" are to train and become a fighting force unlike any Rebecca could have ever dreamed. The only problem? Rebecca is no warrior, and unlike her fellow Amazons she's not exactly falling into her new role with ease.

Immortal Sentinel Artair MacKay has trained numerous Amazons, but none has ever affected him like Rebecca. He's breaking all the rules falling for his beautiful Earth Amazon, but Artair can't seem to keep his need for Rebecca in check. He worries that Rebecca isn't cut out to be an Amazon and he knows his feelings for her are compromising his ability to train her properly. Then a dangerous enemy threatens the Amazons and Artair has to put all his faith in the strength of his reluctant Amazon.

Magic and danger go hand-in-hand in the explosive first installment of the Alliance of the Amazons series. In The Reluctant Amazon author Sandy James's deft hand with world-building shows, for she delivers an intriguing world that I'm eager to learn more about. Since the fun is in the journey when it comes to the paranormal elements of The Reluctant Amazon I'm, well, reluctant to say much about my favorite aspect of the book. Suffice it to say that The Reluctant Amazon is unique, engaging, and will leave you wanting to learn more about the world of the Amazons.

As for the titular Amazon, Rebecca is a heroine you have to admire. I love that Ms. James didn't make her some kick-ass superstar who took to her role like a fish to water. I respect Rebecca more because becoming a warrior wasn't easy for her. She works hard, fails from time to time, and eventually becomes all that she needs to be in a completely organic matter. Artair, by comparison, wasn't quite as compelling. There's nothing wrong with him, but there wasn't much about his personality that stood out. Where The Reluctant Amazon faltered for me was in the romance. Rebecca and Artair fall in love very quickly and since I never really understood why, I wasn't invested in the love story aspect of The Reluctant Amazon. Indeed, the pacing of the story slowed down a bit too much for me in some spots and it might have been the romance storyline that caused the dragging.

A host of secondary characters round out The Reluctant Amazon and Ms. James does an excellent job in giving them all depth while never losing focus on Rebecca and Artair. From Rebecca's sisters to the changelings to the Sentinels to the goddesses, I was fascinated. I finished The Reluctant Amazon eager to read the next Alliance of the Amazons book, The Impetuous Amazon, for I cannot wait to see what Ms. James has in store for Megan, the feisty Fire Amazon.

Shayna for Joyfully Reviewed

More About the Author

Sandy lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis with her husband of thirty years and is a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband own a small stable of harness racehorses and enjoy spending time at the two Indiana racetracks.

The Alliance of the Amazons urban fantasy series from Carina Press has premiered with book 1, The Reluctant Amazon, and book 2, The Impetuous Amazon. The Brazen Amazon, book 3, is now on sale! The series concludes with The Volatile Amazon in September(now available for pre-order).

Look for a new contemporary romance series--Ladies Who Lunch--from Grand Central Forever Yours beginning in February 2014! The first book--The Bottom Line--is now available for pre-order!

Please visit her website at www.sandy-james.com for more information or find her on Twitter (twitter@sandyjamesbooks)or Facebook (www.facebook.com/sandyjamesbooks)

Represented by Browne & Miller Literary.