Book Review: Dark Secrets

Author: Shona Husk
Title: Dark Secrets
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Feb 18, 2013
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley & Carina Press in exchange for an honest review

Book Blurb: Six years ago, Haidyn Mast left his home and his betrothed Anisa to follow his magical calling. Too weak to join the Arcane Guild and too ashamed to return home, he has made a life as a prostitute—to all outward appearances. In truth, he sells his mind but not his body, using magic to let his clients experience their most secret fantasies while his hands stay clean. Even the Lawman, the arbiter of justice in Reseda, is one of his clients, but Haidyn would rather not know the extent of that man's depravity.

Though successful, Haidyn is shunned as a whore and his lack of formal training is causing his power to grow out of control. He's ready to retire and leave the city, but when he sees his Anisa standing at the Lawman's side, he knows he must rescue her from the abusive enforcer. Risking his life and his sanity, he devises a plan, knowing that failure will mean death for him, and a lifetime of torment for her…

For more Arcane stories, download Dark Vow today.

Review: I have to admit, the cover of this book is what really made me want to read it. I'm not usually influenced by covers in that way, but along with the blurb, I thought that this might make an interesting read, and I wasn't disappointed.

I love a book told from the man's point of view. Since I read a lot of romance that doesn't happen often. Now don't let that comment make you think that this is a romance novella, because it really isn't. Haidyn is the owner of a pleasure palace or lust house, so to speak. He's a prostitute, but he doesn't actually have sex with his clients, he uses magic and his mind to make them think he does.

Freaky, right?

Not many 90 page novellas can boast the action and character development that Shona Husk has done with Dark Secrets.

Haidyn was such an interesting hero. He did what he had to do in order to survive and he did it well, even though he had regrets.

I only wish we could have gotten to know Anisa a bit better, but in a novella, you can't go into the lives of all the characters, even though she's Haidyn's love interest.

Haidyn really took initiative when I saw that his former love is now married to the Lawmaker, who is not such a nice guy. (He has some nasty sexual proclivities)

If you go by the book's blurb you may think that this is going to be an erotic fantasy novella, but it really isn't. There's not a lot of sex here at all, just a pretty great story. I look forward to trying more of this series.

Rating: 4 flowers