Brides of Caralon 1: Rituals of Passion

Maven of Myrtell has longed for marriage, longed to find out what man is worthy to become her betrothed. However, upon discovering that her father, Enrick, Ruler of Caralon, has given her to Dane of Rawley, a man known far and wide as simply Dane the Dreadful, she is disappointed and angry. Dane has built his reputation on fear and strength, and Maven knows he simply is not the man for her. She nonetheless prepares herself for her upcoming marriage by attending her Orientation, where she learns all the sexual secrets that have long been hidden from her as a royal daughter. Maven is shocked, thrilled, and very aroused. Of course, thoughts of Dane quickly blanket any excitement she has about her upcoming wedding.

Dane of Rawley is a fierce man who is looking forward to his wedding. He longs for a union of happiness, respect, and dare he hope for it, love; the kind of union his parents shared before their death. He likes the look of Maven upon his introduction to her, but he does not like her shrewish behavior or her obstinacy in not ceding in herself to him. He has high hopes nevertheless, especially when he finds out how sexually compatible he is with Maven. He has a lot to learn about his wife though, and the fact of the matter is, she’s determined to dislike everything about Dane unless he claims her as an equal rather than just claiming her in ownership. Will their union have a chance when the husband and wife are standing on opposites sides of the fence?

Rituals of Passion is the first book in the Brides of Caralon series, and wow, what a way to begin! Explosive passion, a sexy Alpha male lead coupled with an equally strong and sexual female lead sets the sparks flying off the pages from the very beginning. Lacey Alexander uses a fascinating story about the Maran tiles, a game invented to help a new bride overcome her uneasiness about her wedding night, to create a thrilling connection between Dane and Maven from the very first. The setting, though futuristic, reminded this reader rather quaintly of medieval times, and there were several hints about how the world Maven and Dane live in came to be. So much so that it seems like the setting plays an important role in future books. All these elements come together perfectly, creating a fluent story with a great plot, heated sexual encounters, and the beginning of a strong and enduring love. Lacey Alexander knows how to hook a reader, and Rituals of Passion is an excellent example of her talented and imaginative stories.

Reviewed by: Sarah W