Raintree: Sanctuary: A Fantasy Romance Novel

This book is the third in a series of three. I loved how it brought everything together.

Raintree: Sanctuary (Silhouette Nocturne) I enjoyed this book so much I would love to know of any other authors and titles of this same style of writing. I liked the mythological angles mixed in with the suspense and romance. I do not particularly care for vampire stories but enjoy the myth. I purchased this book because Beverly Barton is a favorite author. This is the third book in a series with the first two written by Linda Howard and Linda Winstead Jones. The entire set was excellent.

The Raintree clan is arch enemies with the Ansara clan and war between the two is inevitable. Mercy Raintree is the guardian of Sanctuary, the Raintree royal family home place. Mercy fears the coming war may mean the secret she has held for the past six years will be revealed. As the Dranir of the Ansara clan, Judah Ansara is gearing up for the coming battle with the Raintree. Judah plans to eliminate all of the Raintree and has declared Mercy Raintree as his to kill. When Judah encounters Mercy and her daughter Eve, he realizes he may be forced to change his battle strategy. I have adored this series! Every book is equal in its deliciousness. All three authors managed to maintain the continuity of the mythology and deliver engaging stories. Beverly Barton concludes this fantabulous series with Raintree: Sanctuary and it is heart-breaking, heart-pounding and heart-melting. With a strong and empathetic heroine, an alpha and mouth-watering hero and a climatic battle between good and evil, Beverly Barton's Raintree: Sanctuary is marvelous! Annmarie reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

The showdown begins.... Mercy Raintree guards the Raintree Sanctuary, but she has a secret of her own. Judah Ansara is Dranir of the Raintree's sworn enemy. He has claimed Mercy as his kill, but his brother Cael, intends to kill her first and start an all-out war between the two enemies. The final confrontation is coming... will Mercy survive the battle when Judah holds her heart in his hands? What a finale! Beverly Barton finishes this trilogy in spectacular fashion. All of the elements have come together to create one heck of a story. We finally truly see the animosity between the Ansara and the Raintree clans as SANCTUARY is the first book to take full advantage of the fabulous mythology created by these authors. The character development in SANCTUARY is spectacular. Judah is definitely a bit rough around the edges and his domineering attitude would be deplorable if not for the great insight into his character provided by Beverly Barton. She humanizes and softens him, making him likeable despite his flaws. There is one scene, however, that I would caution readers about as it is certainly over the top. The attraction between Judah and Mercy is overall very well done but in one scene Ms. Barton pushes the boundaries past what one would expect, as the scene really edges upon being rape. The context is there to explain the scene, but it is rather disconcerting and may offend some readers. SANCTUARY is the end of what has developed into a fantastic trilogy. While I wasn't overly impressed with the first book, both tales following the initial book have built upon the world as the authors have produced some excellent and entertaining stories. SANCTUARY provides for a very satisfying conclusion. COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Two centuries ago two clans with magical powers fought a battle that left the Raintree victorious and the Ansara family devastated. While the Raintree brood thought that was the war to end all wars, the Ansara healed and regrouped on a Caribbean island with their home base Beauport magically enclosed so that the nearby humans would not know of their existence. Judah leads the Ansara clan, but is being undermined by his half-brother Cael, who craves power and wants to rule. Cael sends one of his men to infiltrate the Raintree Sanctuary in the North Carolina Mountains protected by a magical shield that keeps humans away. It is in the care of Guardian Princess Mercy who had a one night stand with Judah that led to the birth of their daughter Eve who is more powerful than either of her parents. When Judah goes to stop the assassination of Mercy, he meets Eve. Judah plans to kill Cael and bring Eve home with him before his sibling starts clan war III; Eve has other ideas for her parents. This concluding electrifying Raintree saga is a powerful spellbinding romantic fantasy thriller with a final twist that will shock the audience who never will anticipate it coming yet it seems plausible. Fast-paced and action-packed like its predecessors (see RAINTREE: INFERNO and RAINTREE: HAUNTED) RAINTREE: SANCTUARY is character driven tale making the clans seem genuine as if they actually exist in real life. Fans will enjoy the struggle of the Romeo and Juliet like lead pair, as each feels they must decide between clan loyalty and love. Harriet Klausner