The Lord of Illusion

Book excerpt: One of Booklist's 101 Best Romance Series of the Last 10 Years from a highly imaginative, award-winning author A unique combination of historical and fantasy romance, The Lord of Illusion is an adventurous romance. Readers of Karen Monin, Jennifer Armentrout, Kresley Cole, and Diane Duval will be engrossed by Kathryne Kennedy's use of magic, violence and romance to paint a picture of an alternative history of England. Lord Drystan Hawkes dreams of fighting for England's freedom from the endless evils of the Elven Lords. But first he must find the beautiful girl who holds the secret to his quest. Enslaved for years in a realm of illusion, Camille Ashton has learned to trust no one. But she's truly spellbound when she meets Drystan, and somehow when they are together, she can see what's true. Together, Drystan and Camille must solve the mystery to open the portal and gain England's freedom from Elven rule. What readers and reviewers are saying about The Lord of Illusion: "A wonderful tale as the heroic protagonists are prepared to die for their noble cause while each is willing to sacrifice themselves for the other." "An enchanting story about love, passion and magic." "...an epic adventure." "The world sings with vivid imagery and fantastic magic, and all the previous characters join forces in a thrilling final fight for humankind."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review "While this novel remains true to romance-genre mores, Kennedy infuses it with unexpected plot twists that will keep fantasy readers enthralled, too."—Booklist, STARRED Review "Superb writing and a fast-moving plot combined with magical passion make this a real page-turner!"—Publishers Weekly "An enchanting world with characters that live and breathe between the pages... The Lord of Illusion is sensory nirvana."—Long and Short Reviews "Exquisitely imagined... Startling magic and vivid illusion... An action-packed adventure that will appeal to both romance and fantasy fans..."—Library Journal "Kennedy's world-building is unparalleled in the fantasy genre and her plotting is amazing. This is a book any romantic fantasy fan would be thrilled to read."—Debbie's Book Bag "Few authors grab the imagination and the heart so deeply."—Merrimon Book Reviews "As darkly imaginative as Tolkien, as richly romantic as Heyer, Kennedy carves a new genre in romantic fiction."—Erin Quinn, author of Haunting Warrior "[Kennedy] has created characters that live and breathe between the pages; a talent which is, in my opinion, a hallmark of skilled storytelling."—Fresh Fiction "Simply delightful... imaginative, historically vigorous, and ripe for further adventures."—Publishers Weekly