Review: A Warrior’s Heart by Jaclyn Osborn
SYNOPSIS:
Malik
I’ve watched over Troy his whole life. But I no longer see him as the boy he used to be. He’s strong, brave… beautiful. Being a warrior is all I’ve known for so long. Yet with him, I find myself wanting more.
He makes me feel alive again.
When King Triton sends me on a mission to find a powerful legendary weapon, I know it will be dangerous. The human king wants a war with my people, and if this weapon falls into his hands it could mean our destruction. Failure is not an option.
I must put aside my feelings for Troy no matter how much I crave him. Love has no place in my world. Not when danger follows me wherever I go.
Troy
Malik is stern, overprotective, and stubborn. He still sees me as the young, scared boy he used to protect, but I want him to see me as the man I’ve become. When he sets out on a quest to the surface world, I leave the protection of our underwater kingdom and go with him.
Trust is hard for me. Intimacy is harder. But Malik makes me feel safe. Treasured. In his arms, my broken pieces begin to mend.
However, tension between the land and sea heightens and war seems inevitable. It’s up to us to save not only our kingdom, but each other.
REVIEW:
This was an enjoyable addition to a magical series. The world building, lore, and mystery is top notch. Just when I think I know how things are going to play out, Jaclyn Osborn throws a curve ball. But the romance in the story fell a little flat for me.
We learn that Malik and Troy are pining for each other in The Nymph Prince but there was a lack of transition from the pining to the relationship. It went from nothing to all in real quick and it felt out of place with the high stacks adventure of the book. There was a lack of balance between the risks of the mission and the tender romance. Not to mention the fact that these two spent a decent portion of the story separated which just kinda threw off the romance for me.
Troy demands to go on this mission with Malik. The mission reunites all the characters from the previous books and it was a fun, playful little reunion. I missed Flether’s story telling and how Alek positively loves boat life. After the mission gets underway and tensions rise, this will they or won’t they aspect just didn’t fit he narrative of the story. Will Malik finally kiss Troy or won’t he…and after they finally give in everything felt rushed before they are forced to separate.
Eventually they reunite but honestly at this point, I was less invested in if Troy and Malik were going to get an HEA and way more invested in how the war was going to play out. The whole Ezra, Triton, Lorcan drama was so enticing. The ending leaving me with lingering questions that I really want answered.
Yet, I don’t know if I will continue on with the series. King James for the majority of the series has been a horrid character and I saw that the next book is supposed to be his. I believe in redemption arcs but also some characters are past redemption and one of the scenes during the battle put King James on my past redemption list.
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