BINDS BY REBECCA ESPINOZA
Book Synopsis
Ophelia Brand’s life is in shambles. Married to an abusive man and forced to act like the perfect politician’s wife in public, her freedom has been completely stripped away. Alone and without purpose, Ophelia feels as if there isn’t much in this world to live for. Everything changes when an employee kidnaps her from a state dinner. Ophelia is thrust into a new world filled with people who claim to be an ancient race of Mages. They also claim that she is one of them.
While the country falls into the hands of a tyrannical dictator, Ophelia finds herself torn between the friendly Reece who wants nothing more than to protect her, and Spencer, the leader of the resistance who sees her as a tool to fight the war. Tensions run high as Reece and Spencer both try to help her master her powers and unravel the spells that restricted her from using them. As revelations of her past come to light, and the war is brought to her feet, Ophelia must quickly make a choice of who to trust.
Binds is the first in a series of adult urban fantasy novels with sexy Mages, a sugar skull army, and an unfortunate set of Hello Kitty pjs.
While the country falls into the hands of a tyrannical dictator, Ophelia finds herself torn between the friendly Reece who wants nothing more than to protect her, and Spencer, the leader of the resistance who sees her as a tool to fight the war. Tensions run high as Reece and Spencer both try to help her master her powers and unravel the spells that restricted her from using them. As revelations of her past come to light, and the war is brought to her feet, Ophelia must quickly make a choice of who to trust.
Binds is the first in a series of adult urban fantasy novels with sexy Mages, a sugar skull army, and an unfortunate set of Hello Kitty pjs.
I want to start off by saying, I LOVED this story! And, I will probably repeat myself before I finish. I’m crazy about stories with magic and that is was Binds had. And, it had just the right amount of magic in it. Good humor, beautiful characters and enough disturbances, to keep me on my toes. Rebecca kept me guessing until the very end! Now for some of the story.
Ophelia is a very special little girl but she has no idea. Her mother planned it that way. She managed to keep Phee’s talents hidden from the one she thought was most dangerous but she didn’t take into account someone else. That said, she wasn’t at all prepared for what would come later in life.
Ophelia met her husband, Donovan, in college. While they were dating he was caring, kind and supportive. They shared their dreams of the future and what that future held for them. Now they are married. Donovan’s middle name may as well be evil incarnate. He is cunning and very cruel. Ophelia has the scars to prove it. It seems he changed almost as soon as his ring was on her finger. The times she tried to escape she was always stopped. If she left, she was found. He let her know he’d always find her. Years later, she still has no idea why he changed.
Ophelia shows up late to a political dinner for her father-in-law, Oberon and after a mishap with champagne bubbles, Donovan violently orders Phee to leave. Her driver, Reece is there to take her home but he has other plans. Now, she’s not only worried about what Donovan will do to her once she’s home, she’s actually concerned about the safety of her kidnappers. But, all her warnings go unheard. Here is where she meets Cass, Jinx and Spencer. Out of all the questions running through her head, she blurts out “Why is everyone so hot?” I laughed out loud at this point. Because yeah, I wouldn’t mind to be nabbed by these guys! Spencer shows her nothing but disdain in the beginning. Not believing for a second that she has no clue what is happening around her. They tell her she is a Mage, like them. I can see Phee looking around for cameras at this. She’s asking if she had any idea what she was, why stay married to a monster that beat her! She’s confused and angry but all Spencer is worried about is whether she’s a liar. She allows Spencer to get into her mind and quickly things turn around for Ophelia. She’s now a guest, not a prisoner and is treated as such. She’s getting her answers, learning the truth of herself and it is not always pretty. In her anger, she is able to break the binds her mother cast. No thanks to Spencer and all she wants to do is avoid him. It’s hard to do and I love the chemistry with them. But he’s so hot and cold with her, she’s not sure where she stands with him. Plus, half the time she isn’t even sure she can trust him as far as she can throw him.
Over the next couple weeks, Reece works with Phee to harness her natural talents. While doing this, Oberon makes a televised announcement. Turn Ophelia and Reece over to them or there will be consequences. In short, war has been declared. Spencer and Reece both claim to want to protect Phee but she senses they are both hiding something from her. She has to trust them to protect her but which one is the lesser of two evils? During their first encounter with the soldiers, Phee is caught along with Allie, a human. She comes face to face with her husband. And, He. Is. Mad!! Ophelia and Allie take turns being beaten and tortured in hopes they will give up information. During all this the other shoe drops. And when I say that, it’s more like a closet full of shoes. Ophelia finds out all the levels of betrayals against her and they keep coming. I NEVER saw all this coming! Rightfully so, she is angry. I guess this is what happens when you put your trust in the wrong hands.
This story had me hooked from the very beginning to the cliffhanger of an ending. I’m sad and disappointed about the role of a couple people but I hope I’ll see them again. Not once in this story did I want to skim. If I had, I would’ve missed something good and the flow was perfect. It all played out like I was watching a film. I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment. Thank you Rebecca! I enjoyed my time of Mages and magic!!
Purchase Binds here...
http://www.amazon.com/Binds-Series-ebook/dp/B00C6R4EP2/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1365182731&sr=1-5&keywords=binds
Purchase Binds here...
http://www.amazon.com/Binds-Series-ebook/dp/B00C6R4EP2/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1365182731&sr=1-5&keywords=binds
About the Author:
Rebecca Espinoza
An Army wife, has lived in 8 different houses and 5 different states in the past 10 years and she can’t wait for the next move. She is skilled in the arts of basket weaving, origami, and bullshitting. She is a book thief and likely to pilfer any she sees lying around in friends’ houses, so keep an eye out if you invite her in.
She currently resides in beautiful Wahiawa, Hawaii (Army wives will get this joke) with her two sons and dog, Tosh.0 (her most favorite person in the world…the dog, not the comedian), and her husband pops in from the field, missions, or deployment every now and then to say hello. She tends towards the sarcastic when referring to herself in third person. Rebecca is a Turtle, are you?
Connect with Rebecca's author page on Facebook
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