Synopsis
Emotionally unrecognisable to all who knew him before, Lawrence Gunvald is more than the king of wolves: he's a mate, a husband, a father, a dancer, and more than all of that, he is whole.
For five years, the Gunvald Estate has been filled with happiness and laughter – his and his family's. Mated life is the best it can be. His six children colour their home with their innocent exuberance, and Adam and Tiegan's two – soon to be three – are as close as extended family.
So when old friends in need come knocking, it brings the bittersweet past to the fore as well as a truth that remains hidden – one Lawrence had all but forgotten he knew.
Is Taylor compassionate enough to forgive him the crucial secret he kept, or does his compassion have limits after all?
And is his young and still-growing family strong enough to welcome a new arrival? One who will change the dynamic of their unit in intricate ways while paving a path into a future that looks far darker than the past five years.
This is the final story in the After the Storm novelette series.
Publisher's note: After the Storm is a series of novelettes that take place at relevant points in the immediate months and years after Eye of the Storm. They concentrate on the healing our characters need to go through after everything that happened. They do not need to be read to understand the main story – they are additional reads for fans that also contain 'Easter eggs' for what is to come.
For five years, the Gunvald Estate has been filled with happiness and laughter – his and his family's. Mated life is the best it can be. His six children colour their home with their innocent exuberance, and Adam and Tiegan's two – soon to be three – are as close as extended family.
So when old friends in need come knocking, it brings the bittersweet past to the fore as well as a truth that remains hidden – one Lawrence had all but forgotten he knew.
Is Taylor compassionate enough to forgive him the crucial secret he kept, or does his compassion have limits after all?
And is his young and still-growing family strong enough to welcome a new arrival? One who will change the dynamic of their unit in intricate ways while paving a path into a future that looks far darker than the past five years.
This is the final story in the After the Storm novelette series.
Publisher's note: After the Storm is a series of novelettes that take place at relevant points in the immediate months and years after Eye of the Storm. They concentrate on the healing our characters need to go through after everything that happened. They do not need to be read to understand the main story – they are additional reads for fans that also contain 'Easter eggs' for what is to come.
Review
Jewels of the Crown by Dianna HardyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Jewels of the Crown is the fourth novellette in the After the Storm series. I loved it!
This book is set five years after the Eye of the Storm series.
Lawrence, Taylor, Ryan and Lydia now have a household full of children. I have missed these characters so much. It feels like meeting family once more after not seeing them for some time. This story ties up some loose ends not only from the Eye of the Storm series, but The Witching Pen series too, including The Last Dragon, and introduces the newest characters – the children – who will continue to grow into their powers in a new series that the author is yet to write at the time of this review.
I have always loved the dynamics between the wolves. Lawrence, being the king, has always had to balance what is good for his family and the pack as a whole. Taylor acts as an anchor between the wolf and human world. These two never really openly share their vulnerabilities with one another. Taylor is more open with Ryan or Lydia, maybe because those two have shared their vulnerability more often with him. Lawrence and Taylor have an innate respect that shines through with deeds rather than words. So when Lawrence shares his worries with him in this book, it is something to behold.
It is the last few pages that set the scene for the new series, containing the children Axel, Christopher, and Elias (triplets), Brendan, Layla, and Ethan, as well as Jasmine from Aftershock. Jewels of the Crown is the culmination and crowning glory of an epic series spanning several books and two series (or is it three, since there’s the offshoot Bloodshadow series too?). I’m sad this is now the end of an era. However, I’m looking forward to seeing how the author is going to weave the new one into being.
I have been following Dianna Hardy as a reader since 2012. I love her books, whether it's dark fantasy, romance, paranormal romance, or fiction. She has the ability to create characters with flaws that make them relatable (even if you love to hate them).
Unlike other books by this author, this book doesn't have any romantic scenes of explicit content, though what scenes there are aren't as detailed due to children running around. I highly recommend this book (and series) if you love contemporary or paranormal romances, dark fantasy and urban fantasy genres.
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