With one act of gallantry, Captain Gabriel Huntley escapes a future fillef with proper etiquette, decorum and respectability and instead steps into the world of The Blades Of The Rose. To fulfill the dying wish of a stranger, Gabriel travels to Mongolia where he meets the unusual Thalia Burgess; unusual because in this 19th century setting, she is nothing of the expected genteel, demure Englishwoman. Instead Gabriel watches her, dressed in men's clothing, as she sets off with only one male companion on a mission he is determined to assist in.
The reader is simultaneously introduced to the magic of the world of the Blades with Gabriel, and as Thalia is forced to endure Gabriel's persistent presence, she gradually realizes he is not altogether unwanted. The romance between them is fraught with tension, due mostly to previous heartbreak and the presence of her father's disapproving manservant, but it becomes harder to ignore as the plot thickens. The magic in this world is different from anything I have yet read; the magic being stored in ordinary, everyday objects, and the mystery surrounding the magic of each object increases the reader's anticipation and curiosity.
Warrior, the first book of four, is an exciting and exhilarating start to THE BLADES OF THE ROSE. The time period makes for a new approach to fantasy romance and it is almost historical in certain elements. The different settings around the world makes each new book as exciting as the last as they give you the chance to explore a new setting as you simultaneously meet new characters. Both the romance and the action of the books coexist seamlessly and both serve to further each other. This series is definitely worth giving a try!