Reading Assignment Challenge: Earth Bound by Christine FeehanAfter escaping from a cult, Lexi found refuge with her sisters on the farm that more than sustained her body--it nurtured her soul as well. But she never forgot the terror she left behind or the always present fear that the cult would find her again, and claim her. Then her nightmare came true.
Lexi was discovered and threatened--only to be suddenly saved by a stranger. He is Gavriil Prakenskii, and he's awestruck by the woman he has rescued. She is destined for him. He can feel it in his soul. But how can Lexi find happiness with a man steeped in secrets and shadows, one intimately acquainted with violence, and whose very love could be the death of them?
Another amazing entry in the Sea Haven series!! While I didn't love it as much as I did Air Bound, I still thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Lexi and Gavriil. I have been intrigued by Lexi since I first read about her, the youngest sister of the heart has always seemed fragile and yet she would do anything to protect those she loves. I wasn't let down! Lexi is out tending her beloved farm, the first place she has felt safe since she was eight years old, when she decides to take another peek at the adjoining land her brothers-in-law are in the process of buying. It is there, away from the safety of the farm, that her horrendous past revisits in the form of Caine, the man who kidnapped her as a child and "married" her in a cult which used the twisting of God's word to get away with heinous crimes. Lexi freezes in panic but is able to use her connection to the earth to trap Caine. It is at this point that Gavriil Prakenskii glides in and helps Lexi escape.
Gavriil has been another object of interest to me; the brother that was stabbed viciously seven times while protecting an important Russian physicist. He endures pain every moment of his life but has learned to coexist with it in order to continue to do what he does best: kill those who would harm the ones he protects. He has a violent past and doesn't expect anything from his future until he sees Lexi. The itching no his palm signals that his plans have just changed and for the first time he gives in to impulse and ties Lexi to him with the Prakenskii brand. It turns out that this broken man is perfect for Lexi who has spent much of her adult life putting the broken pieces of herself together as well.
Lexi and Gavriil have both had everything taken from them in violent ways: their families, their innocence, their sense of safety. And yet Lexi and Gavriil both coped in incredible different ways. Together they shore up each others strengths and weaknesses in surprising ways. While Air Bound felt like one long non-stop action adventure, Earth Bound is much quieter with the main focus being on Lexi and Gavriil's budding relationship. All of the story takes place on or near the sisters' farm emphasizing the quiet intensity of the story. While there wasn't as much external action, the internal conflict of two souls who are trying hard to build a relationship when their only common ground is heartbreaking history keeps the tension strung tight and the pages turning fast.
Lissa also stepped into the limelight in a way she hasn't up to this point, and I am beyond relieved to get her story next! I can only hope that Casimir is as amazing and sexy as the rest of the Prakenskii brothers. Another delightful book that I am sure to reread again.
