Seduction of the Phoenix

Francesca is a thief. She trained as a Wushu artist from a man who was forced from the Zhang city due to the artform of the art. Her master was killed by the Zhang family and her master sent her to steel the Jade Phoenix. The Phoenix is a part of life for the Zhang empire. It is dearly protected by the ancestors. Little does Jin know that she is going to be his bride, not by his choice. The theft is somewhat difficult but is mastered and Francesca leaves the planet with the Phoenix. She is know being hunted by the Zhang family including Jarek from The Pirate Prince (Lords of the Var, 5). She is captured and brought back to Lintian. The seduction has already happened before the theft but now it really begins to skyrocket. I did not think this book was quite as good as the series from Dragon Lords or Lords of the Var. However since the Zhang Dynasty series Zhang Dynasty: Seduction of the Phoenix and Temptation of the Butterfly are part of the other series, I had to read it. I did like it though.

During a traditional bride selection ceremony, Prince Zhang Jin is "compelled" by a ghostly ancestor to choose a completely unsuitable woman. Although he knows this, he can't seem to resist the pull of this foreigner. As he begins to know her, he discovers much to desire about the secretive woman, but will his desire bring about the destruction of his family and way of life? Francesca La Rosa is on a mission. As one of the best thieves in the galaxy, she knows she could get the Jade Phoenix and begin the destruction of the Zhang Empire. In her eyes, the Zhang family lives in gilded cages, following tradition with no understanding of the consequences of their actions. Yet Jin is more than she ever bargained for. How will she ever complete her mission once she gets to know the man behind the princely façade? Seduction of the Phoenix is a journey filled with twists, turns, and sizzling heat. Jin and Francesca are two completely different people, yet they have very similar beliefs, wants, and needs. As they discover more about each of their respective pasts, they grow as characters and you just want more! Ms. Pillow is wonderful at describing the emotions in each of her characters. I truly enjoyed watching Francesca evolve to become a completely different royal than ever before in the Zhang Empire. Follow along as these two grow, fight, and love. Georgia reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

How they met: Prince Zhang & his eligible brothers are enduring a long & tedious royal ceremony in which women from all over the planet present themselves as prospective brides. Francesca is a intergalatic thief trained in forbidden fighting skills, on a mission of vengence, to steal the most important sacred object of the royal family. Caught in the act, the struggling foreign women was brought before the royal family, while screaming curses and threats, interrupting the bride ceremony. This is a very good book involving duty, honor, betrayal and vengence, in which 2 unlikely people fall in love.