Review: Branded by Fire - Nalini Singh

Author: Nalini Singh

Publisher: Berkley Sensation

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 978-0-425-22673-5

Book purchased by reviewer.

Summary:

'Hailed by Christine Feehan as “a major new talent,” New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh now brings together two fierce changelings in her most explosive story yet.

Though DarkRiver sentinel Mercy is feeling the pressure to mate, she savagely resists when Riley Kincaid, a lieutenant from the SnowDancer pack, tries to possess her. The problem is not simply that he pushes her buttons; the problem is that he’s a wolf, she’s a cat, and they’re both used to being on top.

But when a brilliant changeling researcher is kidnapped from DarkRiver territory, Mercy and Riley must work together to track the young man—before his shadowy captors decide he’s no longer useful. Along the way, the two dominants may find that submitting to one another uncovers not just a deadly conspiracy, but a passion so raw that it’ll leave them both branded by fire . . .'

Review:

Explosive, unyielding; a smouldering fire encompassed by skin and a loyalty borne from a trial of trust, portrays the two protagonists – the lieutenant wolf, Riley and the Sentinel leopard, Mercy – beyond their facets of separate personalities throughout the scenes of BRANDED BY FIRE.

Both dominants, vying for control; the pursuit of a working relationship through ploy turned a brutal truth in the form of sensual strategy. Contradicting and equal desires each, the heroine and hero lay open the field for emotional predation: doubts, fears, lust, longing – whilst slipping into a web of changing perception.

Their romance is a war made of idealisms not met; desires that would never mould, never conform to their budding relationship. Other desires infiltrate beneath the fire, ensuing in the brooding silence and voice of thought.

Conflict and judgements pending, Mercy and Riley thwart and submit to one another in a dance of dominance and wills. The interpretations and boundaries cut between them – both simple and complex – drizzle away the constructs of their realities, re-wiring the motives of their actions with an irredeemable passion to sate their hunger for one another.

Questions are raised, tensions mounted and the trial of acceptance churns for the length of the book.

Whilst their positions within the DarkRiver and SnowDancer pack oppose their romantic ties, the determination, resolution, and promise that they belonged to one another – their willingness to test the limits of their tentative relationship and search for a middle ground – struck a chord within me.

Ms. Singh’s blend of unique detail, opposing forces, variety of characterization, and convoluted plot and subplots captivated me in one sharp perusal of the first page.

Both characters possessed an inner integrity, an endurance of emotional experiences and flaws to call their own. The mistakes and frustrations felt; resoundingly human qualities that pulled on my strings of sympathy.

BRANDED BY FIRE provides insight into the workings of the Changeling society and illuminates the trait of honesty between them. Readers are given a glimpse into a population where no lies, deceit or hidden intentions revolve. Where in reality, humans do all three numerous times throughout life, I found this aspect refreshing, compelling and all too enticing a facet of this fictional world.

The plot is intrinsically rife with action, sacrifice and logic defied. Passion unhinged in the makings of chaos and the resulting consequences from risks taken from Mercy and Riley. The pivotal points circling the three sectors of beings involved within the pages of BBF: the Changelings, Psy and Human Alliance, pulsate into overriding arcs where the bond of tenderness runs parallel with understanding and conforms into a twisted, decimated evolution of love.

Vast, complex and beautiful to behold, the seeds for side characters developing connections and ongoing relationships hook the senses in a vague but equally captive hold as the scenes primarily focused on the couple.

The intensity of emotions – pain-inspiring and heady – with the potential to fulfil and/or break characters makes an appearance whilst playing a central role in this sixth instalment of Singh’s Psy-Changeling series.

The capacity of truth and blindness is a theme explored throughout. The heat of emotion striking against the arctic brush of its absence, managed to both divert and fasten my attention from my surroundings for a time.

Constructed in third person, the style is unique, detailed and cast in a meandering phase of high and lows, the worldbuilding complementing rather than detracting from the characters and romance. Exotic and like the infinite web of stars, all the key components of a Paranormal Romance worth investing in are present.

The scenes that touch upon the Psy harness an eerie quality of sensation, gifting as much as blinding the reader with the new birth of information gleaned. A balance of shades is consistent; holding the threshold of a dark or lighter tone of entrance or ending.

An intoxicating rush, BRANDED BY FIRE is a dynamic, lush unfolding of a slow descent of binding love.

A hard line distinguished between “I frigging adore,” and “You touch; you die.” Sentimental value towards books has a new meaning in my hands.

Rating: 5 stars out of 5. 

For those wandering about the ending, Ms. Singh delivers a HEA with some murky facts, tantalizing revelations and a heroine and hero that’ll imprint on the memory long after finishing.

Recommended to readers in pursuit of a feisty heroine, a hero who earns his title and a world to submerge into.

You can find Nalini at her blog, site or twitter.