Knight Awakened (Circle of Seven Book 1)

Night Awakened was a good book. This book had assassins, priestesse's, and dragons. In this book named character Afina Is a woman on the run, but it's not just her life she's worried about. She has to keep her daughter's life safe too. But things don't really go the way she planned when I strong handsome looking assassin comes into her life and kidnaps her and her daughter. Xavain Is a man with a tortured past and a certain skill set. Being an assassin really is the only job that's good for him. He was hired to capture and return this woman to very powerful man, but the moment he laid eyes on her he knew he had to protect her and her baby.This book has a consensual Virgin scene, and many more spicy scenes. One of my favorite books to reread. Spicy scale is a 2-3 out of 5 🔥🔥.

Wow! I don't know how she does it. This is her 4th book of 2013 I am officially obsessed with Coreene Callahan! I have come to expect an engrossing story that sucks me into it and doesn't let go until the last page. Knight Awakened did not disappoint me. It is a historical romance, paranormal, fantasy mashup with characteristic Coreene complexities and it captured my imagination! (did you like my alliteration there? lol)I enjoy a good historical romance. When you add in paranormal elements like dragons *squee!*, magic and a priestesses-in-training plus an emotionally wounded warrior that discover how much they need each other... I'm in heaven. Knight Awakened is the first book in the new Circle of Seven series set in the 14th century, in Transylvania no less, I was intrigued by the premise and knew I had to try it.This adventure kicks off in 1331 A.D. I appreciate that Coreene Callahan writes fierce, alpha heroes (which she does incredibly well!) and strong, powerful, women. The heroine, Afina, is definitely someone I admired. Afina has become the mother to her deceased sisters' daughter. They've been hiding from the new lord of Transylvania, Vladimir Barbu, for the last few years. She's protecting a powerful amulet that he needs to be declared the official ruler of the country. She doesn't really know what the amulet does... her mother was power hungry and abused her power and her children and didn't pass on the hereditary training she should have. Afina just knows that she will NOT let the necklace fall into the wrong hands and be used for evil.Xavian is an assassin. He has a traumatic past and was brutally trained in a school for killers called Al Pacii. But he's left that life and is trying to start something better. He was approached by Vladimir to track down Afina and deliver her over. I love that he didn't take the job but went to scope it out and see if it was a task he wanted.The initial meeting between Xavian and Afina reveals that there's more to the story than he'd been told and he has to make some quick decisions that she is not thrilled with and their relationship starts out on rocky ground.As they get to know one another he finds her strength, bravery and fierce mother's love very attractive. Afina is drawn to his protectiveness and power and that he can be gentle with her and her child. There's a magnetic draw between the two of them. Yum! I was swept up into their developing emotions and passion.The historical elements felt natural and the story races along with world building elements stacking up like Lincoln logs. Afina begins to discover the strength in her bloodline and explore the bond between her and Xavian. There's magic unleashed and a goddess' power. There's cursed dragons! Evil warlords, and intriguing secondary characters that I really, really want stories for.I couldn't put the book down until I'd finished this part of the journey. The foundation has been laid for an epic battle between good and evil and I am looking forward to the adventure.Here are just a few of my favorite lines.♦ "That's it, draga."Afina blinked away tears. Draga? Oh, that was nice. No one had ever called her "darling" before. And that voice. Incredibly deep, with a soothing cadence that reminded her of warm honey and sugery sweets.♦ Xavian stared at her , unable to believe her audacity. She'd disobeyed and ... stayed when no one else would have. Of a sudden, his ribcage felt too small for his lungs.♦ His arms slid around her, brought her closer as a shudder racked him. "I am no good for you.""Not true.""Jesu, I had it all planned, but I never expected..."Holding him tight, Afina waited.Finally he said, "You. I never expected you."I raced through this book and I'm caught up in the passion, intrigue and drama. I want more! I need to know about the coming conflict, the dragons, the Circle of Seven and the enemies that seek them. If you enjoy steamy historical romance with strong paranormal elements, fascinating mythology and complex characters that grab your heart and don't let go, give Knight Awakened a try.(((hugs))) KatThe Queen of Tarts*ARC provided by author for my honest review*I bought the print book for my collection

I know I'm just one of many that reviewed this book. But I just had to add my own anyway. I have no remembrance of getting this book. I don’t know if it was a freebie – if it was, alas it isn’t now, I don’t know if I read a good review, I don’t think I bought it by the cover – something I’ve done before. I don’t think it was the book blurb as it doesn’t sound like something that would influence me. All I do know is I ordered it Oct 19/14. And what it was that even prompted me to start this book I don’t know. I have A LOT of books now between the three different ‘readers’, Kindle, Kobo and IBooks. But I did figure I would give this one a try on the weekend and WOWZERS, WOWZERS, WOWZERS. THIS BOOK IS DA’ BOMB!!Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness. It is EVERYTHING I love in a book.Gritty: checkTortured hero: checkBrave, kick ass – but not too much – heroine: checkInteresting story line: checkLots of action and adventure: checkGreat setting: checkGreat supporting cast: checkYep, this book has it all.Afina Lazar is a young woman in hiding in Transylvania in the year 1331. She has sole responsibility of her niece. She is being hunted by the wanna-be ruler who also killed her mother and sister. The current hunter is a man named Xavian Ramir. He was stolen when he was just a child and raised to be an assassin, a killing machine. His training was vicious. He has escaped the people who taught him and is trying to find redemption by rescuing young boys who have been stolen for the same thing as he was. He plans on collecting the money for finding Afina and retreat to a fortress with his young charges and a few other assassins who followed him.But he changes his plans when he does track down Afina. Right from the start there is a very strong connection between the two of them though he refuses to act on it. He has a lot of self-loathing for the life he has lived and doesn’t think he is nearly good enough for her. He steals her away, in part to protect her against other assassins that may be sent after her and in part, to become a part of his people. She is a healer and they need a healer.But Afina is more than he realizes and more than even she herself knows. She is a high priestess with newly discovered powers that she is struggling to learn. As Xavian and Afina make their way to his holding, they have all kinds of adventures She is wanted by the evil wanna be king and Xavian is being hunted by the people who turned him into an assassin, they need to kill him as an example against others trying to escape this life.This is a fascinating, wonderful story that kept me buried in the story, very reluctant to look up at all. It was a perfect blend of medieval, fantasy and paranormal. There was good and evil and some we weren’t sure about. There was a damsel in distress, a wonderful noble and handsome hero who the reader can REALLY appreciate, fire breathing dragons. What there wasn’t which kind of tickled my funny bone were any vampires even though Transylvania is the setting.I am thrilled beyond belief to have found this author and already purchased the next book in this series. She has another series that I plan to get and read too I’m that impressed.

3 1/2 stars.A new and very different series from an author that I love. This is a mix of historical romance with a mystical twist. You've got a budding High Priestess, a tough yet loveable assassin, various side characters to fall in love with and wish for their own stories and some serious bad guys. There is major world building which you would expect from a first book which at times was perhaps too long, it retracted from the story at times and made it all to tempting to skim over. The romance angle is a slow burner which is actually refreshing for a change. Instead of jumping straight into it the lead characters had time to develop and we could get to know them singularly before they became truly mated. It lost half a star due to the odd mix of language, as it's set in the 1300's you wouldn't expect to find a mix of modern day sayings/swearing, just seemed abit odd and out if place.It's a great start though and am very much looking forward to the next story.

I enjoyed this book as a stand-alone novel as I could engage with the characters as the plot unfolded. Personally, it didn’t grab me enough to reach for the next book in the series though.

Loved the storyline , love , fighting a true romance was very hard to put down . Ready for book two now .

Well written very enjoyable story thoroughly entertaining and exciting. Will enjoy reading more of this Author's work, well constructed story.

Thoroughly enjoyable read. Strong characters, fast paced and a good balance of action and romance. Overly descriptive at times but didn't detract from the story.