I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A clash of the past and present leads a powerful magician and Wiccan high priest to challenge the complex notions of love itself in author W.L. Hawkin’s “To Dance with Destiny”, the fifth book in the Hollystone Mysteries Book series.
The Synopsis
Twin wolves howled beneath a turquoise crescent moon, their bushy manes wild and ruffled and knotted by the winds of change. “It’s us. You over my heart, and me beside you. It’s our destiny.”
In the captivating sequel of To Kill a King, ancient magic collides with modern trickery, as a gifted magician and Wicca high priest embarks on a thrilling journey, defying the boundaries of time to challenge the very fabric of destiny. This gripping urban fantasy novel follows Estrada who, armed with extraordinary powers, ventures into the past hoping to alter Michael Stryker’s future. A maelstrom of unforeseen events unfolds, weaving an intricate web of chaos that changes the course of history itself. For in the intricate tapestry of time, even the most well-intentioned actions can have devastating consequences.
While attempting to prevent the tragic outcome of To Render a Raven, Estrada struggles with the complexities of love, archaeologist Sorcha O’Hallorhan slips into her own time warp with a woman she once adored, and Conall Ceol, an Iron Age Druid bard, walks into the future to challenge Michael Stryker for Estrada’s attention.
DESTINY IS A SEDUCTIVE, YET WICKED, DANCER.
WOULD YOU CARE TO YOU DANCE?
#LGBTQ+ #urbanfantasy #thriller
The Review
As a longtime fan of history, mythology, and fantasy, the author’s narrative really spoke to me. The way the author was able to build upon themes and storylines so flawlessly from previous books in the series while also building upon new concepts and ideas was fantastic to see come to life on the page. The erotic element of the novel kept the tension heated and the imagery passionately written, engaging the reader to understand the characters on a deeper and more personal level.
This was a brilliant read, thanks in large part to the fantastic character development and the powerful blend of mythos and magic. The added combination of both fantasy and sci-fi thanks to the time-travel elements of the narrative and the complex and emotional development of Estrada as a protagonist kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to delve deeper and deeper into the action-packed time-travel adventure. Add to this brilliant LGBTQ themes and storylines and readers will be in for quite the treat.
The Verdict
Memorable, captivating, and engaging, author W.L. Hawkin’s “To Dane with Destiny” is a must-read erotic fantasy meets sci-fi thriller you won’t want to miss. The twists and turns in the narrative and the shocking revelations not only heighten the anticipation and passionate moments between the characters but the direction this series is taking as a whole, which is just so thrilling and gripping. If you haven’t yet, be sure to preorder your copy today or grab your copy on October 31, 2023!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
W. L. Hawkin writes adventurous cross-genre fiction charged with “myth, magic, and mayhem” from her home in the Pacific Northwest.
Her urban fantasy series, the Hollystone Mysteries, features a coven of Vancouver witches who solve murders using their wits, ritual magic, and a little help from the gods. To Charm a Killer, To Sleep with Stones, To Render a Raven, To Kill a King, and To Dance with Destiny, follow stage magician and Wicca high priest, Estrada, as he endeavors to save his friends while working through his own personal issues.
Her standalone novel, Lure: Jesse & Hawk (2022) won a National Indie Excellence Award, a Gold Reader’s Choice award from Connections E-magazine, a Crowned Heart Review from InD’tale Magazine, and placed as a finalist in The UK Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Lure is a small-town romantic suspense story set on a Chippewa Reservation in the American Midwest near the fictional town of Lure River.
As an intuitive writer, Wendy captures what she sees and hears on the page and allows her muses to guide her through the creative process. In an upcoming book, Writing with your Muse: a Guide to Creative Inspiration, she explains her writing process and offers tips and techniques to help writers get their words on the page.
Wendy is a book reviewer and publisher with a background in Indigenous Studies and Humanities. Born in Toronto, Canada, she completed a BA in Indigenous Studies at Trent University, then moved to B.C. where she completed diplomas in Humanities at SFU and taught high school for several years.
She also spent a year as a relief lighthouse keeper, enjoying the rugged isolation of the West Coast, and blogging her adventures at http://lifeonthebclights.blogspot.com Her experiences color “To Render a Raven.”
An introvert, Wendy does most of her musing while walking her yellow lab through the forested trails of B.C. “I continue to explore my ancestry, often in my writing. I love nature, history, archaeology, myths and magic, and feel I was born in the wrong century. If I could, I’d travel back in time to experience cultures long since changed or vanished.”
Website—http://bluehavenpress.com
Twitter @ladyhawke1003
Instagram @w.l.hawkin
Pinterest.ca @W. L. Hawkin Author
Facebook @wlhawkin
Thank you, Anthony. I always look forward to reading your commentary. Bear in mind that Estrada is running this show and I’ve no control over his heart which dictates his actions. Glad you enjoyed this!
Thank you Anthony! I always appreciate the thought and care you put into your reviews. I’m so glad you liked Estrada’s latest adventure. He’s growing, methinks.