After resigning his position as Captain of the Thirty-Third Regiment of Foot in Her Majesty Queen Victoria's army, Gabriel Huntley thought he would find a lovely wife and quiet life as a cloth merchant in Leeds. Within moments of stepping foot in England, he finds himself embroiled in an unequal battle defending a stranger. After the man saves Gabriel's life at the expense of his own, Gabriel vows to fulfill his final request-- travel to Outer Mongolia and repeat a cryptic phrase to a gent named Franklin Burgess.

Despite her gentle birth, Thalia Burgess has known little but the freedom of the northern Mongolian steppes. Her father, Franklin, is a member of the Blades of the Rose, a secret society sworn to keep sacred and safe the Sources, artifacts responsible for much of the magic in the world. The Heirs are a group of Englishmen who wish only to harness the power of the artifacts for selfish and world-conquering purposes. When Gabriel Huntley appears and relates a warning from another Blade, Thalia knows the Heirs cannot be far behind. Her father is healing from a badly broken leg, so it is up to Thalia to find and secure the Source in the harsh beauty of the steppes.

WARRIOR is one of the best books I have read in years. Zoe Archer pens a blood-pounding paranormal adventure woven through with humor, hardship, and a romance based in earthy sensuality. Her research is impeccable, bringing to life a little-known time and place so vividly the reader falls a little in love with the setting as well as the characters. Unlike many historical romances set in the Victorian Era, the hero is a commoner, a man who earned an officer's rank through grit and his own moral code. Gabriel's rough edges are not gentled by society manners but are a perfect match for Thalia's warrior heart. This is a story that will linger in my mind; and thank all the gods, there are more books in the Blades of the Rose series heading our way this fall.

Book Summary

To most people, the realm of magic is the stuff of nursery rhymes and dusty libraries. But for Capt. Gabriel Huntley, it's become quite real and quite dangerous...

In Hot Pursuit...
The vicious attack Capt. Gabriel Huntley witnesses in a dark alley sparks a chain of events that will take him to the ends of the Earth and beyond—where what is real and what is imagined become terribly confused. And frankly, Huntley couldn't be more pleased. Intrigue, danger, and a beautiful woman in distress—just what he needs.

In Hotter Water...
Raised thousands of miles from England, Thalia Burgess is no typical Victorian lady. A good thing, because a proper lady would have no hope of recovering the priceless magical artifact Thalia is after. Huntley's assistance might come in handy, though she has to keep him in the dark. But this distractingly handsome soldier isn't easy to deceive...