Synopsis
He doesn’t want to be her enemy. She doesn’t want to be his friend. But when their paths keep crossing, can a change of heart lead to a chance at love?
In the Kingdom of Kalopsia, Dahlia has grown tired of the cloying perfumes and swirling silks of ballrooms. Her reality is to do the bidding of her social-climbing father, biting her tongue and being a perfect lady of society. But in her heart, she dreams of change—to escape to the beautiful land of Orphia. A land where she’d find freedom, and perhaps find herself as well.
For Xanth, the fisherman’s son, his dream is much more literal. Ever since a chance encounter at a ball, he hasn’t been able to stop thinking of the nameless beauty most nights. But with his father wanting him to take on more of the family business, he has no time to waste on the mystery lady. Equipped with a jest and a smile, he hides his insecurity at the prospect pretty well. But considering most of his endeavors end in disaster, he’s convinced he’ll just disappoint everyone he loves.
When their worlds collide, the line between dream and nightmare is blurred. Dahlia is a welcome distraction, but Xanth can’t understand why she warmly welcomes the friendship of others but spurns him at every opportunity. To Dahlia, Xanth’s carefree attitude seems like every other egotistical man that hurt her. But as they’re continually thrown into one another’s company, their perception of the other begins to change. When the unexpected upends their lives, Dahlia and Xanth must confront the most astonishing, terrifying change of all—that of falling in love.
Return to Orphia in this third, stand-alone installment of the “Fallen Stars” series. Blending historical fiction with a fantasy land absent of magic, this clean and wholesome story of natural beauty, found family, humorous mishaps, and enemies-turned-friends romance is sure to delight the hearts of readers young and old.
Amazon
Review
I did not realize that this was the third book in the series. I read the first book but not the second. However, it is not necessary to read these books in order, you just might miss out on some of the minor character’s relationship and how they came to be in this installment.
That aside, this was a fun read. It is a clean fairytale romance set in a kingdom similar to one you would see in England or another European country. Dahlia is being forced to marry someone she doesn’t love. She is gun-shy already, but her father is forcing this marriage. So she does what any wise woman would do: run away! It is in the town of Orphia that she finds herself and love. While Dahlia may be 19, she is still young and immature. Being on her own, forced to make a living, she discovers more about herself and what she can do. I enjoyed watching her character mature and become a more confident woman.
Xanth is a young man without a path. He has done what he thinks his family expects, even at a cost to him. He reminds me of many young people who are floundering, trying to determine their future. There are some great conversations with him regarding this situation. I don’t want to spoil anything but know that all of the characters in this book care about one another and each person’s happiness. I like that he is awkward, especially around Dahlia. I think this helps to ease possible tensions, even when situations are misunderstood.
There are some interesting twists near the end of the book regarding Dahlia and her brother, Daniel.
I enjoyed most of the minor characters. Some are from previous books, and others are new. Xanth’s siblings are precious!
There is one analogy that I really liked. Dahlia asks Xanth how he can forgive so easily. He likens it to holding a handful of glass shards. He can hold onto the resentment and hurt himself, or release the anger and forgive the person and lift the weight off of his shoulders and the glass from his hands. It really makes you think about how you handle forgiveness.
We give this book 5 paws up!
About the Author
Madison grew up in a small town in Florida, surrounded by her loving family. She has always enjoyed getting lost in the fictional worlds of movies, literature, and her own imagination. Her favorite stories are clean and sweet with happily ever afters. She enjoys traveling, drawing, going to the beach, spending time with her friends and family, and playing with her dog, Sprinkles.
