A Flame Through Eternity
The Wanderer Series #3
By Anna Belfrage
It started 3,000 years ago. It ends now.
Who survives?
Helle may believe in second-chance love, but she sure doesn’t believe in reincarnation. Okay, she didn’t believe in stuff like that until she met Jason Morris a year or so ago. By now, she has accepted that sometimes impossible things are quite, quite possible—like an ancient princess being reborn as an ambitious financial analyst.
Finding Jason was like finding the part of her that had always been missing—a perfect match. But handling Sam Woolf, the reborn version of their ancient nemesis is something of a trial. No sooner do you have him well and surely beat, but up he bounces again. Sheesh, will it take an oak stake to permanently rid their lives of him?
Sam Woolf is a powerful adversary. Too powerful, even. Jason and Helle will need help from unexpected quarters to finally bring this tangled, ancient love-and-hate triangle to some sort of conclusion. Question is, will they survive the experience?
“It
isn’t over yet. He’s not gone. He’s back. And this time he intends to win...”
After
3,000 years you would think that Samion, Prince of Kolchis, would give up. But
there was darkness in his soul, a cruel evil. He wanted Helle. He wanted to own
her, possess her, dominate her. He would beat her into submission if he had to.
But in this life, he would be victorious, and he would get what he thinks he
deserved.
Trapped
in an endless cycle of reincarnation, Helle Morris knew only this, that her
life meant nothing without Jason by her side. He was the first and only man she
had ever or would ever love. But she could not shake off this terrible feeling
that Sam Woolf (Samion) was still lurking in the shadows, waiting — waiting for
her.
Jason
Morris was under no illusion that Woolf was still alive, and he would come for
Helle. It was just a matter of time. However, Jason was determined that he and
Helle would have the life that had been so cruelly denied them until now, and
he would do everything in his power to destroy Woolf once and for all.
From
the protected comforts of Tor Cottage, that stands in the shadows of the
mystical Glastonbury Tor, to a heartbreakingly life-changing confession in the
place where it all began, A Flame Through Eternity: The Wanderer Series #3 by
Anna Belfrage is the dramatic conclusion to a story that spans three turbulent
millennia.
Knowing
how Belfrage summons every emotion conceivable from her readers, I came
prepared with a box of Kleenex. It was a wise decision! This book made me cry,
it made me laugh, it made me grimace, it made me cry again, but it left me with
a smile on my face and hope in my heart. What more could you ask for in a book?
I have
waited with eager anticipation for the final chapter in what has been the
utterly mesmerising story of Jason and Helle as they battled not only to stay
alive but to stay together. This is a novel like no other. It is a story of
ancient souls, and an unquenchable and undeniable love that would not be shaken
and nor would it be denied. These characters, this setting, and this narrative
are as enthralling as they are unforgettable.
Oh,
this series! It captured my attention from Book #1 and did not let me go until
that final heart-warming sentence. It is a story of violence, hate, bitter
rivalry, fear, betrayal, regret, but above everything else, it is a story about
love. And what a love story it is. Helle and Jason’s romance is the kind that
makes a reader swoon, and I was desperate for them to have that happy ending,
and for a terrible moment, I wondered if Belfrage was going to be incredibly
cruel and not give it to them. The tension was almost unbearable because the
antagonist was just so terrifying.
Woolf
is a powerful and wicked man who corrupts everything he touches. He is the kind
of villain that even hardened criminals would submit to. Woolf is a terrifying
antagonist and one I really loathed. His power is so immense it seemed the only
way Jason and Helle would be safe is if they died, but of course, their fight
to be together would start again in the next life. If, they did not vanquish
Woolf, now, they would never know peace. This compelling portrayal was played
out with an elegant turn of phrase and a riveting narrative which made this
book next to impossible to put down.
There
is a cast of wonderful supporting characters in this book, but Nefirie the
Wanderer who was Jason’s mother in his first life was a character that really
drove the story in this book forward. There are a lot of terrible revelations
which change the perception that I had of Nefirie at the beginning of
the series. Nefirie is a very powerful old soul, but her reaction and her
treatment of Helle meant that although at times I sympathised with her, I could
not like her, try as I might. She is very manipulative, very possessive, and there
were many similarities between Nefirie and Woolfe, which were very unsettling.
I think Belfrage has depicted Nefirie with a great deal of skill and care.
Belfrage gives us an understanding of why the characters act like they do and
make the choices that they make as well, which was incredibly insightful and
certainly helped to move the story forward.
I have
to mention Korine. I simply adored Korine — who is Helle’s and Jason’s daughter
from their first life. She is such a sweetheart, who has the gifts of both her
father and her grandmother, but because of this, she knows things, and she
sees things that she should be oblivious to. Her life is one of emotional
torment, but also determination. Korine is determined that her parents will
find peace with each other, and she will do everything in her power to help
them. I thought Korine’s depiction was fabulous. I loved everything about her.
Lastly,
I have to mention Helle and Jason. These two characters irrevocably stole my
heart. The love that they share, the devotion and the desire to live a normal
life together is irresistible. Belfrage certainly knows how to make characters
that her readers can care about.
Belfrage
is an author that keeps giving. I am never disappointed by her books, they just
get better and better, and this series is another example of how much of a
master, Belfrage is at her craft. Her attention to detail, her ability to
conjure a scene with such animation and imagination is a real treat for any
reader, and her lucid understanding of human nature makes her characters not
only real in the telling, but relatable, especially with regards to Jason and
Helle’s relationship — for most of this series they are living in fear, but
there are also moments when they get annoyed with each other, as happens in any
normal healthy relationship. I thought that made them really compelling and far
more importantly, believable.
I
cannot praise this series enough. It is in all ways a triumph, and it is one
that I have enjoyed immensely.
If you
are looking for your next great time-slip adventure, then stop searching for
you have found it. The Wanderer Series is deserving of your time, and Belfrage
is an author that demands your respect.
I
Highly Recommended.
Review
by Mary Anne Yarde.
The
Coffee Pot Book Club.
Pick up your copy of
A Flame Through Eternity
Anna Belfrage
Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d
have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial
professional with two absorbing interests: history and writing. Anna has
authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century
Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The
King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century
England. She has recently released the first in a new series, The
Wanderer. This time, she steps out of her normal historical context and A Torch
in His Heart is with a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense with
paranormal and time-slip ingredients.
Find out more
about Anna by visiting her website, or herAmazon page.
There are days when, as a writer, I doubt myself. There are moments when I wonder WHY I write. And then I read a review like this and I bounce up re-energised and oh, so very, very happy! Thank you!
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