Kissed by a Demon Spy (Solsti Series Novella) by Sharon Kay-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 7, 2014

This novella is a companion piece to the Solsti series and can be read as a stand-alone.

Kidnapped as a teen and forced into a life of sexual slavery, Garnet vowed long ago to do whatever she could to spare others her fate. When karma comes full circle with an offer of freedom for her and her young son, she jumps at the chance.

Masquerading as a village innkeeper, Aden keeps his espionage work secret from the gentle pixies he lives among. Using his skills to prevent a group of vicious demons from attacking the innocent, his world is draped in mist, shadow, and danger.

Steeped in shame, Garnet is loath to share her past with Aden. But Aden senses a sweet, loyal strength in her that no amount of horror can erase. His dangerous work is the opposite of the stability Garnet craves. Yet Aden’s patience and strength make him the hero she never had. When the enemy targets them, Garnet and Aden realize that honesty is the truest form of courage.

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REVIEW: A novella such as this is like a decadent little morsel of a dessert like a petit four or a French macaroon. Sweet heaven packed into a little slip of a morsel. Despite how short this novella is, I savored every bit of this book. It was a good story that left me wanting more and I mean that in a good way. For those of you who are following the Solsti series know about Garnet who helped Kai and Brooke escape Stroehm, you get to find out about what happens to her.

After bearing….wait for it…172 years of slavery, Garnet and her six year old son Dash are offered a fresh start in life. The uneventful death of the leader of Stroehm paves the way for Garnet and Dash to escape with the help of Mathias and Bianca who was sent by Kai and Brooke. Lucky for Garnet, Kai and Brooke never forgot the time when Garnet helped Kai and Brooke escape Stroehm in Wicked Waves. It seems to me that Kai and Garnet have an interesting relationship of helping each other and paying back the kindness. First Kai helps Garnet out her thrall slavery, then Garnet helps bust Kai and Brooke out of Stroehm and then Kai sends help to get Garnet and her son out of Stroehm.

Anyways, you get to learn about Garnet and her background before she was forced into her slave life. You learn about her special abilities and her hometown in which she decides to come back to and start her life over there. To make things even better for Garnet and Dash, everyone around them is extremely kind to them. Dash even adjusts really well to going to school. To me it actually seems like Garnet and Dash’s fresh start is perfect. I liked Garnet and Dash but I have to admit that I wish for more dimension to Garnet’s character like when she worked on growing plants or her work in the kitchen, she shows her strengths in her skills and I wish she used them more and in detail more in the book. I found that side of her entertaining. Aside from that, I enjoyed Garnet. She was the epitome of feminine softness in the sense that she was very maternal, alluring yet demure at the same time, and compassionate. Garnet is a really likeable character and wasn’t in the least bit annoying to me. And then there is Aden. Where do I being with Aden? Of all the guys I met in this series, I felt like Aden was the most romantic one. He was very kind, compassionate, understanding and most of all patient with Garnet. Given her history as a thrall slave he never pushed her into doing something she didn’t want to do, he saw to her pleasure before his own when they did finally get together and from what I can see it seemed like when it came to doing some things he gave her the control to take things where she felt comfortable. The extra bonus was that Aden and Dash got along very well. Aden was chivalrous gentlemen. Despite that, he also has a rough side to him where he is tough and fights like a warrior.

I loved this book and I enjoyed the privilege of reading it. I love fresh starts because let’s face it life gets messy. We do things we regret or not proud of, we forget who we are in the face of trying to please everyone around us, we end up in very unfavorable circumstances and fall into a bad rut that we sometimes all need that clean slab to start over on. Garnet and Dash free themselves from a sordid and bad destiny into a good one where they have freedom and choices, security of a home and a sense of community and belonging in Ivydale. I love that despite the abuse Garnet had to face, she was still willing to open herself up to be loved. Not that it was an easy feat for her due to her inner demons thinking herself worthless and “damaged goods” but that she deserves to be loved and taken care of for a change. I love that despite Garnet’s past and even her extra baggage; Aden was able to see and admire a woman of strength, courage and selflessness. I really look forward to reading more on this awesome series. Give this series a try because you won’t regret it.

Series Reading Order
Wicked Wind
Wicked Waves
Wicked Flames
Kissed by a Demon Spy

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Xtina