{"id":636,"date":"2014-03-07T19:57:33","date_gmt":"2014-03-08T00:57:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=636"},"modified":"2017-01-29T05:58:55","modified_gmt":"2017-01-29T10:58:55","slug":"review-broken-dove-fantasyland-4-by-kristen-ashley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=636","title":{"rendered":"Review: Broken Dove (Fantasyland, #4) by Kristen Ashley"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buy: Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Review<\/strong><\/h4>\n

4.5 KA lovin’ stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

I love the Fantasyland series! Kristen Ashley\u2019s wonderful imagination runs wild in this series where everyday women are transported into a parallel world, encountering magic, danger, intrigue and an outrageously hot alpha and fall madly in love.<\/p>\n

This book features Apollo \u2013 General of the Queen\u2019s Army, cousin of Frey Drakkar from the first book, and a widower raising his two children (the fabulous Christophe and Elan) and still morning the loss of his one great love \u2013 his wife, Ilsa.<\/p>\n

In a different twist on the guy from the fantasy world discovering that the woman he is falling for is actually from a completely different world, this time Apollo is calling the shots. He knows all about the \u2018other\u2019 world which carries a twin of the people in his own world, and he sets a witch onto the task of finding the twin of his departed wife, and bringing her to him.<\/p>\n

When they find her, the \u2018real world\u2019 Ilsa is living a life he would never have expected. She is on the run from a brutally violent husband who, in yet another fabulous twist, is the \u2018twin\u2019 of Apollo \u2013 but the man is an evil, sadistic bastard. So when Ilsa is saved from a beating from her husband by a guy who looks exactly like him (but also hotter, and dressed like a romance novel hero), she is understandably shaken.<\/p>\n

I love Ilsa! She has been through hell in her life, and while being whisked away to a magical parallel world would be enough to freak anybody out, she sees it as her opportunity for a new life – one in which she no longer has to live in fear. And so, rechristening herself \u2018Madeline\u2019- both as a way of moving forward, and a way to differentiate herself from Apollo\u2019s deceased wife – she embraces her new world, and her new life with excitement and wonder. This, combined with her great wit and caring heart, makes pretty much everybody fall in love with her. Well, everyone except Apollo.<\/p>\n

He was expecting her to be the twin to his wife, and is shocked and disappointed when she isn\u2019t. She challenges him, stands up for herself and battles against him, and he\u2019s a total dick about it \u2013 even though he still intends to claim her. But after seeing how all those around her love her fiercely, and getting to know her more himself, he realises the error of his ways, and starts to realise that perhaps she could be just what he was looking for.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019d had a broken dove in his hand and instead of setting about mending it, from near on the moment he brought her to his world, he\u2019d done nothing but tighten his grip, fracturing her further.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe wanted more.<\/em>
\n With Maddie, he always wanted more.<\/em>
\n But he had to win that before she gifted it to him.<\/em>
\n And he would.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I love this relationship! It takes some extreme circumstances for them to find their way together, but Maddie and Apollo quickly establish an intense connection that had me swooning madly and fanning myself at all of the hotness. And OMG, there is hotness! Certainly more than I was expecting (not that I\u2019m complaining of course). Apollo is a machine! A machine with a dirty mouth who has dominant tendencies, and likes to bring some nasty into the bedroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want to explain that?\u201d I asked.
\nHis belt undone, his fingers at the buttons of his fly, he looked to me again.
\n\u201cNo, I want your mouth between my legs . Then I want to watch you ride my cock. When we\u2019ve both climaxed and my seed is dripping from inside you, I\u2019ll explain about Brunskar.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But it\u2019s all balanced beautifully with his gentle and tender nature. He is so loving, and seeing him with his children is absolutely gorgeous! And even though he has a lot of responsibilities that take him away from Maddie, he makes it his priority to give her everything that he can, everything that she has never had before, and all that she could possibly want.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe needs time. I\u2019m giving it to her.\u201d
\n\u201cThis is uncharacteristic of you, cousin,\u201d Achilles remarked.
\nApollo held his gaze when he replied firmly, \u201cI\u2019m a man falling in love. We do many things that are uncharacteristic.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And Maddie gives it right back to him\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cJust so you know, honey, if your intention is to give me better \u2026you\u2019re succeeding.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They both have their moments of stupid, but thankfully they are short lived, and the resolution usually involves either by steamy hot sex or moments of epic swoon \u2013 or sometimes both! WIN! Apollo, particularly has moments of great dickdom, but he doesn\u2019t hesitate to say that he was wrong, and he works hard to make amends, and OMG, he does it in SENSATIONAL Style!<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is my responsibility as the man who loves you and wants you to be his wife to mend what\u2019s broken in you \u2026 I\u2019ll not forget again that I must treat you with care.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cRemember this kiss,\u201d he ordered on a whisper, his eyes staring into mine.<\/em>
\n There weren\u2019t many kisses Apollo had given me that I didn\u2019t remember.<\/em>
\n I didn\u2019t share that.<\/em>
\n I asked, \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/em>
\n \u201cBecause it is special,\u201d he answered.<\/em>
\n \u201cThey\u2019re all special, Lo,\u201d I pointed out and watched his eyes smile even as I felt his lips do the same.<\/em>
\n \u201cThey are, dove,\u201d he agreed. \u201cBut this one, the first I will give you knowing you return yours with love, will be the one I most treasure for the rest of my life.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

SWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!<\/p>\n

You can really tell the difference between published and self-published KA. This one is self-published, and is FULL of KA-speak, epically long conversations and internal monologues, and beautiful moments. And after recently reading her published work, I soaked this one up in all of its word-heavy, drawn out glory!<\/p>\n

Fans of the series will be thrilled to know that there is a lot of time spent with the couples from the earlier books. Frey and Finnie, in particular, are very present, but Lahn and Circe, Tor and Cora also play a big part \u2013 and they have their kids with them. It was so amazing to catch up with these much-beloved characters and see how their lives are progressing, and I love how they all revel in the special bond that they share. It led to some absolutely amazing scenes.<\/p>\n

The whole book builds to the big action scene at the end. With evil witches and bad guys scheming and plotting against our heroes, there are little bursts of action throughout the story with kidnappings (of course), attacks by evil creatures, wolf attacks, dragon attacks (awesome!), sword fights, and even Dax Lahn charging in on his horse in an epic rescue (be still my heart!). I had to concentrate to keep up with all that was going on, but that could be because it’s been ages since I read the earlier books. And then there\u2019s the final action scene which is full-on, leading to the girls and the boys getting a chance to be all badass and save the day (along with some help from a surprising addition to the story\u2026).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all finished off with an epilogue that completes the story beautifully, and left me hugging my kindle and floating on a KA-induced high.<\/p>\n

This is a really long book, but I felt engaged from the very first pages right through until the end. Full of old-school KA awesomeness, it\u2019s full of humour, action, drama, beautiful family moments, plenty of hot guys, steamy time and epic romance.<\/p>\n

I loved it! 4.5 stars.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Fantasyland Series<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"Wildest<\/a>\u00a0 \"Golden<\/a>\u00a0 \"Fantastical<\/a>\u00a0 \"Broken<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"Midnight \u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Wildest Dreams (#1) <\/strong>(Frey & Finnie)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy: Kindle Ebook<\/a> | Paperback<\/a>\u00a0| Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

The Golden Dynasty (#2)<\/strong> (Lahn & Circe)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy: Kindle Ebook<\/a> | Paperback<\/a>\u00a0| Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Fantastical (#3)<\/strong> (Tor & Cora)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy: Kindle Ebook<\/a> | Paperback<\/a>\u00a0| Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Broken Dove (#4)<\/strong> (Apollo & Maddie)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy: Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a>\u00a0| Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Midnight Soul (#5)<\/strong> (Noc & Franka)
\nBuy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a>\u00a0| Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Gossamer in the Darkness: A Fantasyland novella<\/strong>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

For more KA awesomeness, check out our Kristen Ashley Author Spotlight\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Buy: Kindle Ebook\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback Review 4.5 KA lovin’ stars I love the Fantasyland series! Kristen Ashley\u2019s wonderful imagination runs wild in this series where everyday women are transported into a parallel world, encountering magic, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":711,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":4.5,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"Product","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[173,522,10,9,29],"tags":[63,22,48],"class_list":["post-636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-epic-romance","category-fantasy","category-paranormal","category-romance","category-steamy","tag-fantasyland","tag-kristen-ashley","tag-review"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Broken-Dove-2.jpg?fit=150%2C225&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-ag","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=636"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}