Emerald Blaze (Hidden Legacy #5) – Ilona Andrews
Published: 25th August 2020
Source: Purchased
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
My Rating:
As Prime magic users, Catalina Baylor and her sisters have extraordinary powers—powers their ruthless grandmother would love to control. Catalina can earn her family some protection working as deputy to the Warden of Texas, overseeing breaches of magic law in the state, but that has risks as well. When House Baylor is under attack and monsters haunt her every step, Catalina is forced to rely on handsome, dangerous Alessandro Sagredo, the Prime who crushed her heart.
The nightmare that Alessandro has fought since childhood has come roaring back to life, but now Catalina is under threat. Not even his lifelong quest for revenge will stop him from keeping her safe, even if every battle could be his last. Because Catalina won't rest until she stops the use of the illicit, power-granting serum that's tearing their world apart.
I will always say when I am wrong. And I was wrong in my review of Sapphire Flames, Alessandro is amazing and these books do not fall down on their romance. They just take a whole to develop.
I immediately began reading Emerald Blaze almost immediately after finishing Sapphire Flames. I may have had some grumbles after finishing the last book but I did really enjoy the story and I loved all of the characters in the Hidden Legacy series (even if Alessandro had failed to impress me). I was excited to see how Catalina’s new role within the National Assembly and working with Linus would change things and I really wanted to see what was next for her with her grandmother, Victoria. I have a bit of a soft spot for Victoria Tremaine, she is in no way a good person, but I find her really interesting her schemes and her plans. She seems like she is on the side of the Baylor’s even when she’s hatching ridiculous plots to work against them.
I’ll begin talking about the romance because that is where the last book fell down for me but I am here to eat my words and say I was wrong. I wasn’t convinced by the connection between Alessandro and Catalina before, it felt forced as there wasn’t enough history between the two to explain this connection they seemed to have. I think the fact Alessandro was constantly keeping things to himself and refused to answer questions yet expected Catalina to fall all over him was ridiculous. He had respect for Catalina but wasn’t seeing her for the badass she so obviously was. I think he was fooled by her quiet introversion and I didn’t like that because I knew she could totally handle herself. This time around he arrived with full respect for her abilities and expected nothing from her but hoped that she would let him protect her. I liked him so much more when he was giving Catalina the control in the relationship. Did he always do as he was told? Hell no, but you could tell he was following Catalina’s lead and just hoped that she would give him something. I also believed Catalina and her heartbreak so much more than her fantasy love for an Alessandro she hardly knew from the last book. I believed it this time around and I enjoyed the book so much more because of it. I was hoping they could find a way to be together which never happened last time around.
I really loved the plot of this one, as well. The last book was interesting, there is always a good plot with an Ilona Andrews book as you figure who did what where and figuring out who the bad guy is. But this time I couldn’t stop reading. Sure, I think the first 30% of the book was a little slower. There was the build up of what the plot would be and who the major players were, but once you figured that out I was just there for the ride. Ilona Andrews manages to write a fast paced plot interspersed with some good quieter moments of the characters just being together with friends or family and I love that.
And my favourite part? That will always be the Baylor family and their friends. I loved seeing Nevada and Rogan in this one, they didn’t get enough page time before. It’s always fun to see characters you have followed in previous books from another characters perspective. I just really love those guys. They aren’t the only ones I love, though. Leon got more page time and it was great, he is such a fun character who is way too impulsive, but he cares about his family and definitely puts on a persona to deal with some of what he has to do with his abilities. And Arabella! When she was talking about how she just stood there and let someone shout at her I so felt her pain that she didn’t react. I really hope this series continues and we get some books from her perspective because she is so entertaining and the total opposite to Catalina and Nevada. You know she would be fun.
I think I’ve done a terrible job of reviewing this book but I just really enjoyed it. I love this series way more than the Kate Daniels series and cannot wait to see what comes next.
Have you read this book or this series? And have you ever been forced t eat your words about a series when the next book proves you wrong?
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