Hearts and Swords is comprised of four stories of the fascinating people and world of Celta. The world was colonized by refugees of Earth. But the colonists were more than refugees, they were survivors of a society that feared and hated them because of their Psi powers. Celta was not the world they had planned to reach, but it was the planet that welcomed them and enhanced their powers. Through the centuries a unique society developed, based on the strength of an individual’s Flair (Psi), Family ties and HeartMates – those destined to be together and bound tightly by the golden bond between them.

Heart and Sword: The colony fleet is lost after a disastrous experience with a wormhole. A trip estimated at fifty years has already exceeded two hundred and fifty, and fuel and supplies are almost gone. One of the ships is on the verge of mutiny and none of the captains are in accord about whether to continue forward or take the risk of landing on a planet whose readings are unclear. Kelse Bountry is awakened from cryro-sleep to captain the ship, squelch the mutiny and unify the fleet. That is a huge task for someone just waking from a centuries-old nap.

Heart Story: Blush Willow’s mother has dominated and manipulated Blush her entire life, even to the extent of running off her HeartMate. Now her mother has died and Blush’s son is the new GrandLord. Blush calls her HeartMate to her from across the continent, with the naïve hope that she has a new chance with an old love. Dris answers the call, but with his own agenda and his own deeply-held resentment against Blush and her family. Unresolved issues and anger threatens all that they could be and should have been.

Heart and Soul: Genista Furze lives quietly and incognito in a smallish town as an apprentice for a clock maker and repair shop. She left behind nobility, scandal and heartbreak, determined to rebuild her life and find her worth as an individual. All seems well, except for the slight annoyance of her neighbor who quietly makes his presence felt. An injured warrior, he always seems to be outside working on his yard or house when she leaves for work in the morning and when she returns, forcing her to be sociable when all she wishes is to be left alone. But her identity is not as secret as she thinks, and her neighbor is not at all who he appears to be.

Noble Heart: Walker Clover thought he had caught his young student’s flu, until he wakes up three days later to discover he has gone through Passage, a time when a Celtan’s Flair comes to full strength. Walker is a commoner and should not have enough Flair to throw him into Passage, but this is just the first of many changes to come. His Passage brings the truth of a long-held family secret and enormous responsibility for his Family. Walker’s Passage has elevated him into the rank of Noble and changed forever the course of his Family. Fortunately he has a guide to help him navigate the intricacies and landmines of his new position, but he wants so much more from her.

For readers of the Hearts series, Hearts and Swords is a satisfying visit to Celta. We are given an in-depth view of the founding of the world and a nice tying-up of stories of secondary characters from the series, each with their own intriguing story. For those who have not read the series, it is a wonderful introduction and hopefully will whet your appetite for learning more of Celta. The love and loving is lusty and strong, the characters are vivid and the culture is absolutely fascinating. It is a world where love is a solid golden bond between mates, where animals are Familiars and talk to their Famman/woman, and where the planet itself is alive and nurturing. Mysteries abound and human spirit triumphs here.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; Original edition (December 6, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425243419
• ISBN-13: 978-0425243411

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Books in the Heart series in the order they should be read:
Heart Mate
Heart Thief
Heart Duel
Heart Choice
Heart Quest
Heart Dance
Heart Fate
Heart Change
Heart Journey
Heart Search