Heart Thief By Robin D. Owens

This book on of my all time favorites. In fact its truly what got me hooked into this style of book. It’s a complex telling of how Ruis Elder, introduced to readers in Heart Mate as a thief with no flair, finds his path in a world where he is the ultimate opposite. He does not just have flair, but in fact completely negates it. In a world were flair is used for every, even such a simple thing as opening doors, a person with his abilities would be completely handicapped. Ruis is brought before the First Family council on charges of theft. While he waits his trial he meets Ailim D’SilverFir who is going before the council to ask for a loan to pay off her family large debt. Her abilities as a flair ability as a telempathic which she use as a SupremeJudge for Druida. Her ability laterally allows her to feel emotion and experiences from everyone around her. So for her Ruis Nullness is a gift a tranquility. This brief tranquility enders Ruis to Ailim, and opens the doors for a more in-depth relationship. And luckily Ruis Uncle failed in calling for a death sentence for crimes that appear to have circumstance evidence. In fact Crone D’Vine, a powerful prophetess, warns the council that “Not everything is predetermined in this matter, but be assured by seeking to punish Ruis, you will turn the river of Destiny to flood yourselves.” But prejudice against Ruis prevails and the council banished him. On the way to the gate, the guardsmen are prevented from treating Ruis violently when Ailim steps into the situation using the power of her position to see that fairness is given. Outside the gate D’Ashe gives Ruis a Fam, named Samba, and gilt. Ailim also comes to express how Ruis affects her and how she feels about the verdict given. Ruis is so better and disturbed by his longing to be with her. Ruis sneaks back into the city and relocates to the Nuada’s Sword, the ship that relocated the colonist to the planet and has since been abandoned. The ship accepts Ruis as Captain and Ruis spends his energy repairing the ship. As he continues to repair the ship and court Ailim by helping her with his Nullness his bitterness and anger begin to abate. Ailim is also having her own issues with an overbearing family and a neighbor trying to sabotage here family residence. As the story unfolds Ruis and Ailim discover that Ruis uncle is a common enemy out to destroy both of them. It isn’t until Ruis is captured in the city and again brought before the council for his death sentence that Ailim is given an opportunity to speak for Ruis. But by speaking she is striped of her positions as judge and her title as head of her family. Before Ruis can be killed, a poor soul sets a fire spell on the council. Ruis rushes to save the members by sacrificing himself. His Nullness depresses the flair fire. He survives and the council is called to defend itself against the extreme charges Ailim brought before it. Just is finally serves, when prejudice is addressed and rights are truly given to Ruis. I love this story because of the complexity of the characters and the core concept of equality. Ruis and Ailim are so in love almost from the begging.

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Heart Mate By Robin D. Owens

This book was originally released as the first “Magical Love” romance genera by Jove in 2001. This book literally takes you to a plant in which psychic talent, called flair, is greatly valued to the point in which nobility is defined by. Our hero, Rand T’Ash is of the nobility class but also a product of the slums. He grew up as a Downwind Scruff after his family was brutally murdered; he was only six when he escaped the murderers. His only goal after he avenged his family was to rebuild his home and start a new family with his heart mate. Unfortunately fate introduced Danith Mallow, a stubborn woman who was considered lower middle class because she has no flair nor family, the two most prized things on the planet. She refuses to go along with T’Ash demands right from the start. The entire book is about the difficulty in romance when two people both suffer from low self esteem and self doubt. Along the way Owens introduces the differing characters and complexity of a class society. This entire book is a great set up for the entire serous. It was recently released with a new graphic cover. I haven’t had a chance to see if the book has also been redrafted by the author. It should be noted that the original book is a RITA® Award Winner for Best Paranormal Romance.

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(It’s a great set up book for the rest of the series! Stay tuned for these reviews.)