Lia was born to fulfill the Prophecy that would make her queen (Damaia) of the world N’yota and bring together factions that had been in conflict for centuries. Tired of being treated like an object in a political chess game, she had managed to escape from her guardians and had gone to ground on a small, far-away mining planet where no one knew her. She had lived quite happily for twelve years, but now her husband from birth, Talon, had finally found her -- to take her back to what she considers luxurious imprisonment. Can she make Talon realize that she is not merely the Damaia, but also a woman with feelings and desires? And will he be able to protect the Damaia from those who are trying to assassinate her before her coronation?

This novel has a number of things going on! The author skillfully manages to keep separate plotlines going -- Lia’s fight for self determination, an assassination plot, and a love story -- and bring them to a unified finale at the end. I like the characters of Lia and Talon, although Talon seems to be a little dense when it comes to women! The sex scenes are more sensual than graphic and are quite romantic. This book was one of the interesting SF romances, and I think it is a great read. But beware! I suggest you start reading this early in the day. One of my personal indicators of a good book is the fact that if I find a book interesting, I can’t put it down until I’m done -- and this one gave me a very late night, I can assure you!

Reviewed by: Jean