Paranormal/Futuristic
Salome at Sunrise
By Dottie
Jun 6, 2010 - 3:07:15 PM

Bryton Haruk is the King of Eldwyn’s captain.  He has been King Taric’s guard since he was fifteen. Now Bryton is searching for the Skullmen; two hundred murderers wrongly given their freedom and turned loose on the kingdom.  Bryton carries a list of the names and prison numbers.  Though many of the names have been crossed off, the one that Bryton hungers to kill is still on the list.  They are holed up in the mountains and terrorize the kingdom, killing any possible witnesses.  Bryton’s wife, Katina, was killed by the Skullmen, and Bryton is out to avenge her death.  He takes many risks since he has a death wish, as he wants to be reunited with his wife.  He has no intention of coming home alive from his mission. Though he has a young daughter, Jana, he believes she deserves more than a bitter man as a father.  He has left his daughter with King Taric and his queen, Myla, who is very powerful.  When he went hunting with the king, the queen gave Bryton the magic gift of foreshadowed knowledge to protect the king. 

Salome is a shape shifter…one that is bound to help Bryton find peace.   She is a bird-shifter with the ability to harness the air and to turn herself into a beautiful woman.  Now it is her mission to bind Bryton’s pain and help him find peace.  Using a haunting melody on the wind, she communicates to Bryton.  Originally, she found Bryton in answer to the queen’s spell.  As a windsinger, Salome’s blood and her magic are fueled by the rhythm of nature.

As Bryton prepares to leave on his mission, King Taric tries to get him to see reason, not take as many risks and to come home safely.   When he can not get Bryton to see reason, the king commands him to return home alive.  After Bryton leaves on his mission, the queen asks the king’s permission to do what she can to help the captain find peace and lay his pain to rest.  Though the king is not happy about using magic, he gives the queen his permission.  Through the night, she performs her magic.  As exhaustion overcomes her, her call is answered. 

Bryton notices the bird, which will not leave him alone, even settling on the ground, watching Bryton and showing no fear.  Bryton knew this has to be the queen’s magic.  He hears a haunting melody in the wind, and it keeps replaying itself in his mind.  On the wind, the bird lets Bryton know that she is there to soothe his ache and give him peace.  When he commands the owl to show herself, she descends and just before she lands beside him, she steps off the air as a woman.  Though he does not want her help, she is bound to help him.  He is attracted to her, but, at first, he fights it, eventually giving into the passion.  He is entranced by her, but he is equally irritated by her. Despite his feelings, he is still determined to continue his mission alone.  As Salome’s love for him grows, she fears it will not be enough to keep him from getting himself killed.

SALOME AT SUNRISE is a beautiful paranormal romance, which I absolutely loved reading.  This is the first story I have read by Inez Kelly, but I definitely look forward to reading more of her works.  Although Bryton struggles against his attraction to Salome, just the feel of her hands is enough to spread heat through his body.  The passion between them was inevitable.  Salome is an innocent and she takes things literally, which adds humor to this story. Author Inez Kelley brings her story to life right before your eyes, enabling the reader to see the beauty and passion of her tale.  Brimming with humor, death, passion, an originally creative plot, complex characters and magic, this story is a winner.  I highly recommend SALOME AT SUNRISE to anyone looking for a wonderful fantasy.  It was not what I expected, but it is a story that I plan to keep and read again and again.

Courtesy of Netgalley.com