Review: West of Want – Laura Kaye

Betrayal is all he’s ever known, but in her, he’ll find a love strong enough to be trusted…

When Marcella Raines’ twin brother dies, she honors his request to be buried at sea, never expecting the violent storm that swamps her boat. Recently divorced over her infertility and gravely injured, Ella still fights to survive.

Zephyros Martius is the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, but being the strongest Anemoi hasn’t saved him from betrayal and loss—worse, he’s sure his brother Eurus is behind it. When Zeph’s heartbreak whips up a storm that shipwrecks a human, his guilt leads him to save her, but he vows not to get involved.

Ella’s honesty, empathy, and unique calming influence attract Zeph like no other, and he finds himself wanting…everything. Ella knows Zeph’s different and fears rejection, but falls for his otherworldly masculinity and ancient, sad blue eyes. When Eurus threatens Ella, she and Zeph struggle to let go of the past, defend their future, and embrace what they most want—a love that can be trusted.

Series:  Hearts of the Anemoi #2
Release Date:  July 10, 2012
Publisher:  Entangled Publishing
Source:  Provided by Publisher
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Reviewer’s Thoughts:

Laura Kaye’s Hearts of the Anemoi series gets better with each release.  Laura creates characters who have to overcome emotional hurdles, but also display a strength of character that has you loving them…no matter what they may have done.  Zeph and Ella are not exception and the emotionally struggle they both struggle to get past have you cheering for them from the very first paragraph.

Ella, grieving the death of her brother, hopes to fina some lasting connection with him when she moves into his house.  But all she finds is herself alone.  When she’s caught in the freak storm while scattering her brother’s ashes, she figures she’s on her way to join him.  Once she opens her eyes in the hospital and spies the hot man in the scrubs, her life changes forever.

When Zeph is provoked (and it literally poking the bear) by his brother, he causes a storm in the Atlantic without realizing he’s done so.  When he comes to his senses, it to find a sailboat has suffered the brunt of his anger and hurt and more importantly, the female occupant of the boat.

Struggling between the chaos he’s caused and the damage he’s forced upon this woman, he breaks a few cardinal God rules by helping to heal her.  But Zeph finds more with Ella.  They share a sense of loss and an undeniable chemistry with each other.  Ella doesn’t shy away from Zeph, even after finding out what he is, but accepts him.  While he has a mountain of emotional baggage due, and unjustly accuses Ella of doing what his lovers have done in the past, he knows that he can’t lose the only woman who understands him.

Ella isn’t sure what to think of the sexy man who offers to help her, but he makes her feel more than she has in a long time.  When she discovers the’s the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, she accepts who is because not matter who or what he is, they have a connection that grows the more they’re together.

If you love your heros with emotional angst, this is definitely one to pick up.  Zeph definitely has reasons for all the emotional baggage he carries, but he’s got a pretty strong woman to help him weed through it all.