Trudi’s romance quickie: ’22 Nights’
Linda Winstead Jones' "22 Nights" is a paranormal romance that borders fantasy.
Bela carries a magic sword called Kitty. The emperor has his sights set on Bela, but she tricks General Merin into the traditional marriage of the Turi, knowing he would not be around to be husband to her.
Now that she is no longer eligible to marry, she is allowed to pursue the manly arts of warfare. When General Merin returns to bring Bela to the emperor as part of a bride selection, he discovers that they are indeed married and that there is a 22 night ritual required to undo the Turi marriage.
The couple must remain tied together with a black, red and white rope. The black stands for the strength required to make a marriage work, the red for the passion, and the white for the purity of true love. If the rope is severed before the 22 days are complete the couple must remain married for another three years before the ritual can be attempted again. If at the end of the 22 days, the couple still want to dissolve the marriage, the marriage is then null and void.
Bella and Merin are given the most menial of tasks to accomplish together. They must do everything together including bathing and other personal necessities. During the 22 days, Bela and Merin decide to venture to the forbidden mountains where Bela's brother found Kitty, Bela's sword. Here they encounter magical crystals and find that the love they have for each other is real.
There are other mysteries revealed during this journey, such as who the sword truly belongs to and for what purpose. When they return to the village, they discover that they have lost several days and their marriage has been dissolved. They must now remarry to fulfill their dreams.
This story also includes the happenings of another woman chosen to attend the emperor's bride selection. She, Lady Leyla, is accompanied by General Merin's brother Savyn. Lady Leyla is a known witch and is in love with Savyn, although he is only a blacksmith. Because she must go to the emperor, she uses her power to make Savyn forget their time together so he may have the family he deserves. Their path is full of obstacles and intrigue. Discover how they manage to avoid the assassin sent to kill Lady Leyla and how she uses her power to dispatch the killers.
This story sort of leaves the reader hanging, but don't worry, the sequel will be released in March.
Can't wait!
