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When we last saw Willem, the (pervy) gargoyle in Heart of Stone, he died.
Okay, kinda, sorta. But I won’t go into detail—you must read that story for yourself!
Willem awakens on a muddy riverbank with no memory of past or present. He’s greeted by a water goddess, Lady Maris, who tells him because of his sacrifice to free her son, Eduardo, he has been granted a chance at a life and love of his own… after he fulfills his destiny. Think Pinocchio “You’re a real boy!” Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Lady Agnes appears again. In Beauty and the Faun, she was Kayla’s godmother. Turns out, she’s a real fairy godmother and it’s her job to train Willem in the ways of magic and spells. He goes along with the plan, though he’s still confused and convinced he’s not being told all the facts.
Though he appears as a human now, Lady Agnes gifts him with a pendant that makes him a gargoyle shifter with the ability to transform at will.
And he does. To clear his head and jog his memory, Willem spreads his massive wings, takes flight, and visits the other side of the world. And he’s devastated as his memories return. All the treachery and betrayal; pain and loss, and knowledge of what he can never have.
My heart broke for poor Willem! He did the right thing for the right reason and paid a steep price. Now all he wants to do is run away and forget, but Ladies Agnes and Maris insist he is the only one who can fight the coming evil. Lord Montrose implores him to save his daughter’s life.
This quick, feel-good read made me smile because even with all the swords and sorcery, and magic and spells, Willem will learn to defeat the evil of dark magic and gain his own identity, the source of his greatest power will be love.
How cool is that?
Was good to see and hear mention of characters from the Once Upon a Princess Duet, and to see everyone so happy.
This is such a different ending from what I imagined for Willem in Heart of Stone. It’s better because he’s alive and in love. And yeah, he’s still a little pervy, but gotta love him, right?
Enjoy!
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Formula for Fairy Tale Love: 1 adventurous Heroine + 1 tortured-but-noble Hero = Happily-Ever-After.
In the rich and fertile land called Montrose, humans and creatures of magic exist together in a complex web of harmony…and deceit.
A Sequel to Once Upon A Princess: Heart of Stone
Willem was created of magic and trapped in the Land of Dreams by a curse in which he shared his gargoyle form with Eduardo. When Eduardo freed himself from the evil spell his jealous half-brother Erokan cast on him, Willem survived and was given a new life by the faeries. Haunted by the duality of his previous existence as well as the woman he and Eduardo both fell in love with while hexed, Willem, now a gargoyle shifter, meets the daughter of Lord Montrose. Compassionate, graceful and adamant about marrying for love and not riches, Cicely is far more wondrous than her outside beauty suggests. Suddenly, everything he’s ever wanted is within his grasp. But he isn’t the only man who longs to capture her.
Aware that Cicely descends from the royal line and was hidden away as a child to keep her magical ability a secret, a mysterious stranger intends to bend the powerful fire elemental to his will. To succeed, he has only to dominate Willem, still anguished by the curse that trapped him…and easily beguiled by a fair princess.
Cicely knows she possesses magical ability, but her origins are a mystery even to her. She loves her family and her land. Falling in love with the courageous, self-sacrificing Willem may be the key to awakening…or unleashing…something formidable buried deep inside her.
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/bzvjgL
Amazon U.S. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WKL6JDQ
Amazon global store links: mybook.to/LandofDreams
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