Incandescence by Elena Leman

LOVE, the only crystal I'd never bothered to collect, in fear it would stop me from flying. But now I was floating in space, with my man next to me, with no rules, no portals, no solstices. Free.

Incandescence by Elena Leman

Standalone - Shadowlight #1
Genre - supernatural/fantasy romance
Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5
Format & Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 342 pages

Orobella is a cosmic wanderer, living borrowed lives in borrowed bodies. Her mission on planet Instaar is the same as always—collecting Crystals of Emotions while having as much fun as her new physical form allows, no strings attached. But once she meets the hypnotically mysterious Sambor, both her body and soul yearn for more. She makes him an offer he can't refuse.

In the world where creatures of death and darkness drive men mad, emotional detachment has been Sambor's greatest life achievement. As the future leader of the Lasota tribe and a spiritual tattoo artist, he can't afford the luxury of mental weakness. Yet his meticulously constructed equilibrium is shaken up when an alluring nymph promises to save his baby sister, in exchange for a sacred Lasota tattoo. He can't say no. Even if that means his demons will get the best of him.

Filled with elemental magic, spirit animals, psychic terror, and a whole lot of steaminess, this romantic fantasy is more than a love story. It’s a journey through a soul.

Buy this book: Amazon US * Amazon CA * Amazon UK * Amazon AU

★★★★

Whenever I try a new-to-me author, I attempt to go in without any expectations. Do I want to be impressed? Most assuredly. But I also want the experience to be free and for my enjoyment to grow from nothing. So did Incandescence deliver? Absolutely!

Orobella was a cosmic entity whose only purpose was to visit different planets to exchange crystals while inhabiting an inhabitant. These gems lived in one's soul and while her main gift was JOY, she was able to exchange with many beings for a taste of what they had to offer, such as passion or honor. While she has come across many people, none fascinated her more than the leader of the Lasota tribe, Sambor. He was handsome, strong and fierce, a brooding hero that neither Oro nor I could resist. Their story was at once frivolous and mature, heartwrenching and heartwarming. I was wooed by their differences, their push and pull, their inevitable courtship, and their special relationship.

Reading Incandescence was such a joy!
🌙 steeped in mysticism and wonder, I was awed and inspired by every depicted scene, conversation and event.
🌙 sultry, sexy and passionate, this story was rich in sensual vibrations (not all of which were sexual).
🌙 lively, vibrant and lush, Instarii inspired a tale that gave way to unique experiences, true and loyal friendships, and a strong foundation between its protagonists.
🌙 beautiful characters, fascinating imagery, and a distinctive voice made reading this a breeze and I'm looking forward to whatever comes next for this series.

Elena Leman is a traveler, poet, English teacher, and the author of Happy Ever(ywhere) After and Shadowlight series. Her twelve years of expat life in Turkey, Costa Rica, Colombia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Italy, Brazil, and Portugal filled her imagination with magic, adventure, and a bit of drama--all the essential ingredients for a pageturner. Currently, she’s living in Lisbon, Portugal. When she’s not writing, you can catch her kicking the guts out of a punching bag, finding her zen in meditation, swaying her hips to kizomba beats, or... traveling some more.

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