Book review: Rowena's Key + Candra's Freedom - AJ Nuest (The Golden Key Chronicles #1 & #2)

Rowena's Key

 

The blurb.

The key would unlock his future and the safety of his kingdom, but he never imagined the sorceress would unlock his heart…

Antiques restorer, Rowena Lindstrom, finds herself the owner of an ancestral armoire containing a hidden key and a magic mirror leading to another realm!

But the handsome warrior prince waiting on the other side is truly the final straw. This must be an elaborate joke, right? As she struggles to discover the truth, Rowena learns Prince Caedmon Austiere needs the key to save his kingdom. In the end, she cannot deny him anything. Including her heart.

My opinion.

Reading the blurb, it was Rowena's profession (she's an antiques restorer) that caught my eye. You just know that antiques equals exciting stories. And I wasn't disappointed. Rowena buys an armoire, a purchase she's regretting until she finds a hidden key and magic mirror.

The story starts off rather slow: I liked how Rowena showed the right amount of skepticism. It made her more likable and the story more believable (I know, it's fantasy, but I enjoy it more if there's a hint of reality in it). From the moment she embraces the existence of her prince and his world though, the story really kicks off and, together with Rowena, your thrown into this magical world.
Rowena has no idea what's going on and she's trying to discover all there is about this other world. It's a bit confusing, all this new information at once and right when you think you're starting to catch up, the novella ends on a thrilling cliffhanger.

Can you fall in love in just a day? Rowena certainly has the hots for this prince. AJ Nuest brilliantly describes the tension between them and although they are worlds apart (literally), the heat is just undeniable.

I cannot wait to find out what happens next. Luckily, Rowena's Key is the first novella in The Golden Key Chronicles, so this story WILL be continued.

Find out all about AJ Nuest and The Golden Key Chronicles on her website and blog.

Big thank you to the lovely AJ, for asking me to review this novella.

I was very honored and it was a pleasure to read and review Rowena's Key!

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the Chronicles!

Candra's Freedom

The blurb.

The key would unlock his future and the safety of his kingdom, but he never imagined the sorceress would unlock his heart…

Lost in a world she doesn't recognize, Rowena struggles to find her place.

Yet her abilities with a blade and the loyalty of a fierce falcon don't discourage the heated advances of the handsome Prince Caedmon, and the connection between them seems much deeper than her troubled heart can recall.

My opinion.I decided to add this review to the one for Rowena's Key because I finished them in the same week + Candra's Freedom just isn't a story without Rowena's Key.

I was - obviously - very excited about reading the next chapter in The Golden Key Chronicles. The first one ended on an amazing cliffhanger and I just couldn't wait any longer to read what was next for Rowena and her prince. Candra's Freedom takes place 2 years after Rowena entered this new world. She was expecting a happily ever after with her prince, and so was he. 

What neither of them expected is that Rowena lost her memory and doesn't remember anything.. including prince Caedmon. Before they can try and work it out though, Caedmon is sent away to save is father's kingdom. After two years in captivity, he's finally headed home to his love, Rowena. Both Caedmon and I were not expecting the welcome Rowena gave him(!).

Will Caedmon be able to convince Rowena of his love for her?

Rowena is a very strong character, even more so now than she was before. This new, unknown world has made her a though fighter. But has she become to headstrong to see what's right in front of her?

I was very surprised by how their story continued and even frustrated when it ended! I was completely absorbed into the story and had not seen the page count. Just like she did before, AJ Nuest leaves you desperate for more! 

I'm cheering for Rowena and her prince; can't wait to see how/if they'll make it and overcome all these obstacles.

Many thanks again to AJ Nuest for giving me the opportunity
to continue reading Rowena and Caedmon's story.