manuscript review by Publishers Weekly, an independent organization
From the moment she set foot in the capital city of Vranion on a quest to find her missing fiancé, Lady Nianne E'Jelenya's journey seemed doomed to be a perilous, and tedious, affair. Arriving at dusk with nowhere to stay, she found out that the Empress Layne's strict curfew law promised violators would be executed on the spot. Nianne sought quick, emergency shelter in the basement of an abandoned building only to unwittingly fall into the company of "the most notorious underlife in Vranion," Detries E'Vornafall and his toady, Grid. Nothing if not noble, after trying and failing to sell her back to the House of Jelenya, the pair promises to help Nianne navigate the dangerous city of Vranion and locate her lost lover. In the meantime their business brings them into contact with other underground forces plotting to overthrow the Empress. But action-packed expedition and romance is too long and too predictable to work any significant magic.
Amazon Top Reviewer
"The Dragon and the Butterfly" engrossed this reviewer right off the bat. The descriptions and characterizations are concise yet complete and provide a depth that allows one to feel a part of the action. The story moves quickly with an ongoing sense of tension, making the reader want to continue with it. Although it is a fairly common story type, the telling of it makes all the difference in this case. Nianne has come to Vranion seeking her fiancé. Unfortunately, she forgot about the curfew and arrived after dark and could not get any of the inns to open their doors, as the patrols came closer and closer. Since the penalty for being out during curfew is instant execution - no exceptions - Nianne has to find someplace to hide. She finally finds an open window into a warehouse and slips inside - to find the irrepressible Grid inside. Grid is waiting for his friend - a mysterious nobleman only introduced as "D" - and once D arrives, they leave the safety of the warehouse and travel to a manor, walking brazenly and slowly down the middle of well-lighted boulevards, yet strangely unnoticed by any patrols. It seems Nianne might have fallen into strange companionship. Nianne is only a simple country girl and Vranion is a large city with many rules - she is about to find out just how complicated things can become as she searches for her fiancé. I feel safe in recommending this story - it is well-written and interesting and I would definitely enjoy reading the entire book.
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