The Azure Kingdom - Book Review

By Michelle Dare

Synopsis

One key, one door, one man, one leap.

Alison Wescot inherited the antique store the day her mother died. It was nothing she wanted, but she couldn’t part with it. The antiques inside were all she had left of her mother. She thought she knew every piece in the store, until one day she discovered a box with a key inside, along with a letter from her mother. A key to a door she never knew existed.

Lucas Azure is the leader of the kingdom’s elite guard, a group of men whose sole purpose was to protect their territory and people. The youngest of the king’s four children, he was also the deadliest. The men in his group followed him faithfully, never questioning his orders. When Alison appeared, he knew he had to protect her at all costs.

The day Alison walked through the door, her recurring dream became a reality. The man who always remained a mystery was standing before her. There were dragons flying overhead and a castle in the distance. She was now in the Azure Kingdom.

Review

I don’t read many paranormal romances anymore, but when I read the synopsis for this one, I was definitely intrigued. A woman crossing over to another realm and literally running into the man of her dreams? Sounds too good to pass up.

Alison is a 23 year old divorcee whose mother died a year earlier from cancer, leaving her the antique store she owned. Taking over the store as a way to stay connected to her mother, she feels like she’s just wondering through life. When she discovers an antique box containing a key and a letter from her mother telling her about her father and about the portal to another realm, she barely thinks twice before going through the portal. When she arrives, the first person she sees is the man from her dreams, who has been dreaming about her as well. It would seem that Alison and Lucas are fated to be together, that is until she tells him her father’s name. Alison is left unsure who to trust: follow her heart and be with Lucas; or follow her mother’s letter and go to her father.

For a young woman, Alison was quite mature. She takes a giant leap into a world she knows nothing about and handles it all very well. I liked that she wasn’t one to go back and forth doubting her choices or decisions. She has some doubts about whether she can trust Lucas’ family, but she follows her heart and in the end it works out for her. I can’t remember a lot about Lucas as almost the entire story is told in Alison’s POV. What I can remember is that he is fierce, strong, protective and loyal…and he rides around on a dragon. That’s right, a freakin’ dragon.

As I said, THE AZURE KINGDOM is told in Alison’s POV, with the epilogue being told in Lucas’ POV. It comes with a HEA and at this stage it does appear to be a stand-alone, but I wouldn’t mind if it was turned into a series as I’d like to see other characters in this book find their soulmates as well.