Christine Feehan’s Fire Bound Sizzles
Fire Bound, the latest story in Christine Feehan’s Sea Haven: Sisters of the Heart series, draws you in immediately, and keeps things interesting through the last page. The Sea Haven series features a group of women who have all experienced violence and loss in their lives, and have come together for support. Fire Bound focuses on Lissa Piner, a reserved glassblower who secretly seeks to avenge the deaths of her parents. Her work takes her to Europe, where she also goes to reconnect with a beloved uncle who wants to help her in her quest for revenge.
This uncle, however, isn’t exactly trustworthy. Although he’s helped Lissa become a lean, mean killing machine, not to mention a mistress of disguise, his motives don’t become clear until the deadly assassin (and Lissa’s new bodyguard) Casimir Prakenskii, gets involved. Casimir has demons of his own. He is an alum of a chain of schools that conscripted boys into a life of crime and danger. He has been trained to kill since childhood, and he is still traumatized by many of the things he witnessed.
This story has many draws, and one of the biggest is the element of sisterhood. The story starts with Lissa on the Sea Haven farm she purchased along with her fellow “sisters”, which instantly gives readers a feel for the love between them. To say that Lissa feels protective of her sisters is an understatement. Indeed, the strong bond they share is one of the best parts of the story, and really quite beautiful to witness.
Casimir and Lissa also complement each other well. As two people with exceptionally painful pasts, they each need someone who understands where they come from on an emotional level. Lissa is the perfect foil for Prakenskii’s tough-guy attitude, and he gives her the devotion and loyalty that has been lacking in her life. They each seem to be at their best when they are together.
Then there’s the sex. Lissa and Casimir have an amazing connection, and things get quite heated up in the best way possible. Readers definitely get the sense that Lissa, who is usually so quiet and reserved, has a lot bubbling beneath the surface, and Casimir, with his rough past and soft heart, is ready to give her the best he’s got.
All in all, Fire Bound is a highly entertaining read, one that just might earn a deserved spot on your permanent romance bookshelf. And don’t feel bad if you’re not starting the series from the beginning; as someone who never read any of the earlier books (including Water Bound, Spirit Bound, and Air Bound) I was delighted when I realized that they did not have to be read in perfect order to enjoy any of them. Feehan does a terrific job of weaving in enough detail and providing just enough backstory in Fire Bound so that newbies aren’t confused and, I’m sure, so that the series’ veteran readers are not bogged down by too many details.
Fire Bound is on shelves April 26.