Laura Kaya – West of Want

The second book in the Hearts of the Anemoi series, published June 26, 2012.
Genre: paranormal romance
Cover: nice



When Marcella Raines' twin brother dies, she honors his request to be buried at sea, never expecting the violent storm that swamps her boat. Though she's gravely injured--and still emotionally damaged from her recent divorce - Ella fights to survive.
Zephyros Martius is the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, but being the strongest Anemoi hasn't protected him from betrayal and loss. Worse, he's sure his brother Eurus is behind it. When Zeph's heartbreak whips up a storm that shipwrecks a human, his guilt forces him to save her.
Ella is drawn to the vulnerability Zeph hides beneath his otherworldly masculinity and ancient blue eyes. And her honesty, empathy, and unique, calming influence leave Zeph wanting ...everything. When Eurus threatens Ella, she and Zeph struggle to let go of the past, defend their future, and embrace what they most want - a love that can be trusted.


Ella is doing the sad job of dispensing her twin brother’s Marcus ashes while on their sailing boat, True Blue, when a sudden storm surprises her. She is swept overboard, one of her arms not working anymore, still clutching the urn. Will she die here, in Chesapeake Bay? Her twin was only 30 when he died suddenly, and left her his sole heir. Their parents died when they were 20, and he was all she had left. Especially after her husband left her when she was diagnosed barren, for her best friend who was 4 months pregnant with his child already.
Coming back home to Marcus’ house, now her house, was just what she needed to start living again. Marcus left her well off, and she doesn’t need a job for a long time. Perhaps she can do something for the environment on a volunteer basis here. Ella loves nature in and around Chesapeake Bay.
But now, she is dying, and no one will care.

When sensing an innocent human is dying in the cold waters below him, Zephyrus, God of the West Wind, reins in his rage and sorrow, and sets out to safe that soul. When he finds Ella, he drags her back on board, and steers the boat towards the coast, where other people will take care of her. He is sure of that. Still, he cannot just leave her, he has to find out for himself what will happen with her. After all, he cause the accident to happen in the first place.
When Zeph finds out she has no one, he stays with her in the room, healing her as much as he can without raising suspicions. Somehow, she is soothing him with her quiet gentle energy. When Ella is released a few days later, he decides to take care of her, if she will let him. He has to make it up to her.

At first, Ella is spooked to find a strange man in her bedroom, but there is just something about him. After trying to escape him, and hurting herself even more, he carries her back to her bed, and does nothing to hurt her. He calms her fears, and she eventually lets him heal her. In exchange, she offers him to stay at her place if he has nowhere else to go at the moment. And Zeph is touched by that, it has been so long since anyone offered him any kindness at all, any thought for his wellbeing. It will give him a chance to get to know Ella better, and the strange way she soothes him and gives him new energy.
But his jealous and spiteful younger brother Eurus won’t leave them alone, won’t let Zeph find any measure of peace. He does his best to ruin everything for Zeph, but will he succeed, again?


I enjoyed this book very much, I loved Ella, and how she struggles with the hard blows life has dealt her. Still, she is very accepting of Zeph, and what he is. I think she could have been a little sceptic for a little longer. A fun detail though: Ella googles Zephyrus and stumbles upon Wikipedia. This made me curious and do the same thing. And yes, I found the same page, only most of the names are different in Dutch.
Back to Ella: I liked her, how she still loves the little things in life, her flowers, sailing, and wants to share it with Zeph.
And Zeph, well, talking about a tortured hero. He lost everyone he has ever loved, and most of them thanks to the machinations of his younger brother. So I was glad to see he got what he so richly deserved. It was difficult for him to trust Ella, but he fell for her, hook line and sinker, and together they decided to give it a try. Even though he is a God, with all the duties that entails, and she just a human.

I enjoyed the story very much, and it was totally different from the first book, even though I was very happy to meet Owen again, and Boreas. To learn a little more about the realm of the Gods, and how everything comes at a price. A price (or sacrifice) that can be very high indeed. I am very much looking forward to reading the third book, South of Surrender, which I have pre-ordered months ago. I really love Chrysander in this book.

There are a lot of hot love scenes in this book, if you enjoy that kind of thing, and the story itself is well written, and good paced. I like Laura Kaye’s writing style, and her subtle sense of humor. She managed to surprise me with the plot, and I like that in a book.

8 stars.

© 2012 Reviews by Aurian