REVIEW: Bay of Sighs by Nora Roberts

In Bay of Sighs (The Guardians Trilogy #2)  by Nora Roberts, Three men and three women are currently in midst of a dangerous search for the remaining two stars out of the three created in celebration eons ago by the goddesses. Having already rescued and hidden one star, they find themselves on the beautiful island of Capri pooling their resources in the hopes of defeating the Goddess of the Dark who wants the stars for herself. But if Nerezza is allowed to gain control of the three stars, the world will be filled with evil and darkness with no hope for the future.

“…On this island, in these waters, in the songs, in the sighs, the star waits, blue and pure, for the innocent and the valiant. It is not tears that form the Water Star, but tears will be shed before it is found.”

Mermaid Annika is the one most likely to be at the center of this particular mission, given that the Water Star is of the sea just as she is. New to being on land, she loves the five people she travels with and still finds so much wonder in this world. She is especially filled with wonder, and longing, for human Sawyer. Annika has a lot of respect for his time travel abilities with the magic compass his grandfather gave him. And Sawyer would do just about anything to keep his friends safe. Including not giving in to his feelings for Annika. They have such little time left together that he worries it will be more difficult when they must part ways. But some things are just too strong to be denied.

“Annika.” Overwhelmed, he buried his face in the curve of her neck. “I need you.”
His words shimmered through her. She knew poetry, and song and story. But no words she knew had ever moved her so deeply. To be needed by him lifted her heart, sent it soaring.

Bay of Sighs was a thrilling fantasy novel pairing sincere emotions with characters who had a great mix of personalities. And although I haven’t yet read book one, Stars of Fortune, I fell into this storyline pretty easily and was completely captivated from the start.

So this was the first fantasy or paranormal I’ve read by Nora Roberts and I have to say that I loved it. I’ve read several of her other romance and romantic suspense novels and of course enjoyed her writing voice. I was pleasantly surprised a little bit here that her ‘voice’ changed slightly with this genre. To me, there was a different flow to the story, one that evoked a sense of wonder while we were carried along with the six main characters in their fight against evil. I loved being wrapped up in the world Roberts created filled with time travel, magic, and fantastical creatures.

The main couple focused on this time was Annika, a mermaid, and Sawyer, a human capable of time travel thanks to his magical compass. I fell right away for both characters and thought they made a great team and a great romantic pairing. Annika was a lovely, generous, naive woman filled with a capacity to love that was breathtaking. And Sawyer was a fun, easygoing guy who wanted to do right by his friends, proving his loyalty more than once. I kind of liked that he tried to keep things platonic with Annika, knowing that their time was limited. It felt like a natural reaction and one that was commendable. Although watching her go after Sawyer and try to make her feelings known was such fun! They were ridiculously cute together.

The rest of the motley crew, Bran, Sasha, Riley and Doyle were absolutely delightful and entertaining as well. I loved how they all worked as a team, planning and fighting against Nerezza. They made me laugh with their antics and the playful teasing between them all. That’s not to say there weren’t some disagreements with people’s feelings or ideas being stepped on. It was rather realistic how they interacted even though this was fantasy. That human element, the emotions and tough situations they faced made me cheer them on that much more.

If you’re looking for a new fantasy series to capture your attention, I think Nora Roberts’ Guardians Trilogy is the answer. From ambitious and inventive fight scenes, to moments filled with tenderness and a wonderful depth of emotion, Bay of Sighs will be sure to please.
 

Book Info:

Publication: June 14th 2016 | by Berkley | The Guardians Trilogy #2

The new Guardians Trilogy novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stars of Fortune.

To celebrate the rise of their new queen, three goddesses of the moon created three stars, one of fire, one of ice, one of water. But then they fell from the sky, putting the fate of all worlds in danger. And now three women and three men join forces to pick up the pieces…

Mermaid Annika is from the sea, and it is there she must return after her quest to find the stars. New to this world, her purity and beauty are nothing less than breathtaking, along with her graceful athleticism, as her five new friends discovered when they retrieved the fire star.

Now, through space and time, traveler Sawyer King has brought the guardians to the island of Capri, where the water star is hidden. And as he watches Annika in her element, he finds himself drawn to her joyful spirit. But Sawyer knows that if he allows her into his heart, no compass could ever guide him back to solid ground…

And in the darkness, their enemy broods. She lost one star to the guardians, but there is still time for blood to be spilled—the mermaid’s in the water and the traveler’s on the land. For she has forged a dangerous new weapon. Something deadly and unpredictable. Something human.