"Four fantasy couples face tragedy and trouble."

SHATTERED LEGACY is a prequel to Ms. Leigh's new contemporary Legacy series; she makes it clear in the preamble that this is the beginning of the series and does not have a "Happily Ever After" (HEA) ending. Fortunately, by the end of this novel, we look hopefully towards a blissful ending for the characters in their own stories to follow.

SHATTERED LEGACY introduces four couples, four immortal warriors of the Guardians and four Mistresses of the powers of the earth. After a crushing defeat to Jonar, the dark lord, the Shadow Warrior Devlin and his three comrades -- the Mystic Joshua, Irish Prince Derek, and the Viking Shanor -- seek the aid of the powerful Wizard Galen. At the Wizard's enchanted castle, they meet his daughters, Chantal (Earth), Arriane (Fire), Caitlin (Water), and Ariel (Wind). The Wizard Galen informs the men that the key to defeating the evil Jonar is to join forces between the Warriors and the Earth Mistresses. The four pairings are tempestuous and set the stage for tragedy.

At first, I didn't know if I wanted to invest my time in a non-HEA romance. I also was sceptical that four couples in one novel would be too much to properly develop each character and their relationships. I should know better by now, as Ms. Leigh skilfully blends these stories together, so that each one enhances the other without repeating histories or necessarily following each relationship from start to finish. Each couple struggles with a unique set of problems that are not variations to the same theme, but set up their own stories to be resolved more successfully in their coming novels. I eagerly anticipate reading Ms. Leigh's new contemporary Legacy Series.

Sexual Content: Some rough sex and anal play.

Reviewed by Karen Williston for Sensual Romance.

Reviewed by Sensual Romance
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted June 25, 2003

Summary

This is the "prequel" to a four-book series. This story sets up the history of each of the couples who will star in the following books. This book itself does not have a "happily ever after" ending.