Robin D. Owens – Biography/Bibliography

Robin D. Owens – Biography/Bibliography

Biography
Robin D. Owens has been writing longer than she cares to recall. Her fantasy/futuristic romances finally found a home at Berkley with the issuance of Heart Mate in December 2001. She credits the telepathic cat with attitude in selling that book. Since then, Heart Thief was a launch book for Berkley Sensation in June 2003, Heart Duel was published in April 2004, and Heart Choice in July 2005. Her Luna Books series includes shape-shifiting fairies and average American women Summoned into another world to fight monstrous evil. The first, Guardian of Honor, came out in February 2005 and Sorceress of Faith will be out in February 2006. My best writing moment— winning the Romance Writers of America RITA award! My worst writing moment is every time a rejection hits.

I’m a true INFJ personality type = Introverted, intuitive vs. factual, “feeling” rather than thinking, and make quick judgments.I’m a nightowl, Scorpio, love pets, and I learn best through touching (tactile). I’m usually optimistic. My other creative outlet (and major achievement) is as a member of the Lungfish Theater improv group.

I love to read and read everything, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thrillers, romance. I firmly believe that any man who reads a well-written romance will learn what a woman wants.

Bibliography

Celta (Heart)
HeartMate – 2002

Heart Thief – June,  2003
Heart Duel – April, 2004
Heart Choice – July, 2005
Heart Quest – September, 2006
Heart Dance – July, 2007
Heart Fate – September 2008
Heart Change – November 2009
Heart Journey – August 2010
Heart Search – August 2011
Hearts & Swords – December 2011

Heart Secret – August 2012

Summoning (Exotique)
Song of Marwey (read online)

Guardian of Honor – February, 2005
Sorceress of Faith – February, 2006
Protector of the Flight – February, 2007
Keepers of the Flame – January, 2008
Echoes in the Dark – January, 2009

Luna
Enchanted No More – January 2011

Enchanted Again – January 2012
Enchanted Ever After – December, 2012

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Heart Secret by Robin D. Owens – a Review

Heart Secret by Robin D. Owens – a Review

Heart Secret is the latest book of Robin D. OwensHeart Mate  series, and it is the 11th book in that series.  I have really enjoyed this series, and Heart Secret continues the wonderful journey in the world of Celta.  The destined mates in this book is Garrett Primross and Artemesia Mugwort Panax.   

Garrett is a private investigator, whom we got to know in Heart Search.  He is a friend of Laev T’Hawthorn.  Artemesia, is a second level healer, whom we met in the last book also, and we know of  her sister Tiana as Camellia’s friend. 

18 months ago, a terrible sickness caused many deaths, including Garrett’s ex love.  He has never been able to get over this loss.  Until now, there have been no repeat of this Iasc sickness, when a young boy becomes sick.  The healers decide to be proactive, and they have asked Garrett to help discover why he was the only one who got sick at that time, and survived.  They know it is something with his blood, and they want him to volunteer to help be a guinea pig.    The first level healers assign Artemisa to be his healer, and they are locked in a residence to block the disease for getting out.  Garrett is injected with the virus. 

One of the fun things of this series, is how residences talk like people.  Very cool.  I enjoyed the Turquoise House (TQ) helping clean the germs, and talk to both Garrett & Artemesia.  Later we meet another residence in the Mugwort home…Balm Heal House. 

While infected and sick with the virus, Garrett has many nightmares, and Artemesia learns about his dead love, Dinni.  It is Artemesia who helps Garrett through the roughest part of the virus, which he eventually will overcome again.  During his lock down, a kitten gets into the house and decides he is Garrett’s FamCat.   Rusby is adorable, and I totally fell in love with him.  But then again, I love most of the fam animals of the Heart series.  Later, Artemesia finds her own fam animal in Randa a cute raccoon. 

Garrett, treats Artemesia coldly and mean early on.  She has no idea why he acts like that to her.  Even Rusby tells his Fam Man  that he is so nasty with the healer.  Truth be told, Garrett has known that Artemesia is his Heart Mate, and he has no desire to have any relationship, since he cannot get over Dinni, and does not want to suffer the heartbreak again.   In his arrogant behaviour, he tells Artemesia that she is his Heart Mate, and he is not interested in her.  She is hurt, and angry.  It is against Celta laws to tell your mate, who does not know, that she is your Heart Mate. 

Heart Secret is also a mystery, as there is a murder, and Artemesia is a suspect, even though she has an alibi, being locked in the TQ house asleep at the time.  The only reason besides finding the body later, is that her family was accused many many years ago of something they did not do.  The murdered man was part of that.  This disgrace is another reason why Artemesia is only a second level healer, though she is an excellent healer.  Her boss, Ura Heather, was not likeable at all, a typical snob, and I hated how she treated Artemesia. 

Working together to help the police solve the murder, Garrett finds himself becoming more and more aware of Artemesia.  She ignores him, and has decided to search for a husband (not a heart mate), who will love her, and give her children.  This also begins to bother Garrett, to see her with other men.  As things get exciting, Garrett begins to open up his heart, and he sees Artemesia as his Heart Mate, and then works to woo her, and win her back to him.  

This was not quite as exciting as Heart Search, but an excellent story nevertheless.  I also enjoyed that Garrett used the feral animals for help to solve his cases.  He fed them everyday, and we would watch them talk to him to tell him what was happening.  A cute idea, to use these telepathic animals as his helpers to find clues. 

Garrett’s rudeness to Artemesia early on was somewhat of a turnoff, as I felt bad for her.  But with the help of Rusby, this was a very nicely done romance, that grew over the course of the book. I enjoy the way Owens uses some of her characters from earlier books, and this was a great way to see them again.   It was a great ending, as there was a big surprise in solving the murder. Another great addition to the Heart Mate series.  If you have not read this series, I suggest you start from the beginning and read them all. Life in Celta is fun, not to mention I want a Fam Cat for myself. 

LINKS TO ORDER:
The Book Depository
Amazon Paper Books
Amazon Kindle
B&N Nook and Paper books

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by the Author

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HEART MATE (Celta’s Heartmates #1 ) by Robin D Owens-a review

HEART MATE (Celta’s Heartmates #1) by Robin D Owens-a review

HEART MATE (Celta’s Heartmates #1) by Robin D. Owens

HEART MATE is the first storyline in Robin D Owens’ Celta’s Heart Mates series. A fantasy romance novel, Heart Mate is the story of two people, each with a past filled with sorrow and pain, and a loneliness that threatens to engulf their being.

Background: Celta is a planet colonized by the people of Earth over 400 years ago. The people of Celta have magical powers known as Flairs and psychic ability is the norm. The political structure includes the 13 Greathouses and the colony First Families. A society and culture based on magical spells, Divination (foretelling) dice and cards, life Passages, animal familiars and a belief that each man and woman will find their Heart Mate-their one true love.

Rand T’Ash is 37 years old, a Greatlord, Nobleman and member of the Noble Council, Stonemaster, gem caller and the sole surviving member of the Ash Grand Family. As a Noble he is respected, but he is also feared for the ‘berserker savagery’ and the murder of the people who destroyed his family and his home when he was only 6 years old. Rand T’Ash knows he will find his Heart Mate this night, but will she accept the HeartGift he crafted during his last Passage almost 20 years earlier. But growing up in the Downwind ghettos of Druida have pummeled his self-esteem and with that the knowledge that he was never properly raised in the art or procedures of courting.

Danith Mallow is a bookkeeper, with little Flair who regularly shops at T’Ash Phoenix-a high end, upscale jewelry store where the pieces magically call to her. But this evening one piece in particular grabs her attention. Believing the necklace has been charmed, Danith runs from the shop to find that intentions of the shop owner are beyond her beliefs. When a mysterious stranger is found in her home bearing the necklace, she is once again drawn to its’ powers. But the necklace had been stolen and someone from T’Ash’s past has made his presence once again known.

Throughout the story Rand T’Ash will struggle in his attempts to convince Danith that they are Heart Mates. She is a non-believer in the lure of a Heart Mate and continues to refuse T’Ash’s gifts of jewels and flowers. At times the number of gifts becomes humorous especially when Princess aka Pansy, Danith’s cat struts through the house bedecked in all of the jewels including earrings and chains. Rand’s Fam Zanth is an overgrown house cat who is both companion and conscience for a man troubled by his past and continues to play match maker whenever he can. And it is Zanth’s presence that soothes Rand whenever his inner beast wants lose.

There are several storylines that coalesce and merge. Danith’s discovery of her Flair and affinity to animals: Rand’s friendship with the Holly Family and his honor to pay back a debt: the gang-style slayings and attacks against Rand, the Holly Family and his Fam: Danith’s friendship and falling-out with the Clover family: and of course, Rand’s sad albeit humorous attempts to woo and court Danith. Zanth’s demands for an emerald collar will remind everyone of a spoiled child.

HEART MATE is a fantasy of fairy tales and the HEA. To be honest, I do not know WHAT the people of Celta are, but for the sake of the storyline, they are Celtans with magical powers and the ability to teleport and speak telepathically. As I read I thought Fae or Elves, but they are what they are –characters from the imagination of Robin D Owens. A heart-warming storyline, that at times I had to reign in a few tears especially when Rand T’Ash admitted he was lost, a strong and powerful man lost in the knowledge that he had been rejected by the one person who could save his soul. These storylines get me every time.

LINKS TO ORDER:
Amazon Paper Books
Amazon Kindle
B&N Nook and Paper Books
KOBO

Reviewed by Sandy

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