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I have to admit I tend to be a sucker for books with a mystical/paranormal twist to them. Done in the context of a romance, this plot device is a good way to bond the hero and heroine. In Julie Miller’s Shadow of the Hawk, our hero and heroine, Hawk and Sarah, are not only bound together by the experiences they go through but also by the mystical twist to the novel.
Sarah is a teacher and she has planned to take five of her students on an archaeological dig to the island of Tenebrosa. When Hawk hears this at a town meeting, he know for certain that Sarah should not go. The island holds bad memories for Hawk because a friend died there and Hawk feels responsible. It’s more than that, though; Hawk is a shaman and knows that there is certain evil and danger on the island. Sarah is unconvinced. She’s had to fight the town in order to get permission to go and she is not about to let Hawk change her plans, no matter how attractive he is. Hawk decides that if she won’t stay, he’ll have to go with her. Sarah is none too pleased with this. She has led a quiet, sheltered life, always doing what’s expected of her. For her, this is an adventure of a lifetime, and the last thing she wants is Hawk tagging along. Her students, five teenage girls, are quite happy to have him along though!
Very soon the trip turns into a nightmare. The dig is not what they thought it would be and their lives are in danger. Their guides are raiding the tomb of King Meczaquatl and unfortunately Sarah and Hawk discover this. Not only do they have the very real danger of thieves tracking them but Hawk has formed a psychic bond with long dead King Meczaquatl. The king’s tomb has been raided and he is on a path of destruction that endangers not only Hawk but Sarah and the girls as well. When Hawk becomes possessed by the king, the only person who can pull him out of his trance is Sarah. This bonds the two – even with the hardships we get to know them and they get to know each other.
Hawk is afraid of getting close to Sarah because of his gift. He’s had women shy away in fright and be repulsed by him when he’s in one of his trances. Sarah never passes judgment but tries to understand Hawk and get to know him. At the same time, Hawk also begins to understand Sarah’s needs. Sarah has no idea of her own appeal and has been hurt by a man before. These are two wounded people and through love they begin to heal each other. Their love story is very sweet and definitely produced a few sighs from this reviewer.
There is also a fair amount of action in the book but it’s never too much and doesn’t overshadow the love story. There is just enough action to keep the story moving without bogging down the plot. I also enjoyed the secondary characters – Sarah’s students and Raul, a nephew of one of one of the thieves. There were times I wanted to shake Sarah though for not seeing the forest for the trees but it was never more than a passing thought. Overall, Shadow of the Hawk is an enjoyable way to spend an evening.
Grade: B+
Book Type: Paranormal Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 16/07/99
Publication Date: 1999
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.