Grace Andreas comes from a long line of Oracles, women descended from the original Oracle of Delphi, but she never expected to have the Power fall to her. After all, Grace's sister, Petra, was the one who inherited it from their Grandmother. But when Petra and her husband are killed in an accident that left Grace badly injured, the Power and obligations of the Oracle are not the only burdens that fall on her doorstep, as Grace is given guardianship of Petra's two small children.
Khalil is a Djinn Prince of the House of Marid -- the oldest and most powerful of Djinn Houses. In repayment of a debt owed to the powerful vampiress, Carling, Khalil soon comes face to face with the new Oracle, and is completely taken aback by her lack of deference towards beings of great Power.
Overwhelmed by grief, debt, and the sudden and unexpected role of parenthood, Grace is struggling to balance family life with her newly acquired burden of Power. The last thing she needs, or wants, is a cocky Djinn meddling in her affairs.
But when it becomes apparent that Grace and the children are in danger, it isn't long before it becomes apparent that Khalil is exactly the sort of protector that her family needs -- and perhaps even the type of man that she wants...
I've had a bit of a crush on Khalil ever since he first appeared in the last book, Serpent's Kiss, and had been desperately hoping that he and Grace would get a book together. Sexy, incredibly powerful, a bit of a mystery (especially since he's the first "non-wyr" hero to feature in the series), he's also got the whole "tortured hero" thing in regards to his daughter. He's arrogant, bossy, and powerful, yet he also has a very obvious soft spot for children, without turning into some sappy squishy weakling, which I loved.
Grace is easily my favorite heroine in the series as well. Human, with only minor psychic powers before having inherited the mantle of "Oracle", Grace is the easiest heroine in the series for me to relate to. While she's not a wilting flower, she's not some incredible, ancient, kick-butt action star either. Instead, she's just a young woman who has been forced to put her life on hold to take care of her niece and nephew, try to pay the mortgage, grieve for her sister and brother-in-law, and still maintain the dignity and level of service required of the Oracle. She's not perfect, and she doesn't try to be, and I think that's one of the reasons I loved her so much.
In short, this was actually my favorite book of the series, and considering how I fangirled all over Dragon Bound, that should definitely tell you something. The chemistry between Khalil and Grace was absolutely wonderful, and both characters were beautifully developed on their own. While I think some readers may feel as though the main external conflict was not on as large a scale as those of the previous novels, but I personally felt that the "smaller" conflict fit well with these particular characters.
An unbelievably solid 5/5 Stars, and recommended for old fans of the series and newcomers alike.
{Full Review available on The Romanceaholic. I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review}