Review: Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Reviewed by Zelda Gillian
Rating: 
(2 Books)
“Sexy Contemporary Mythology, Over-the-Top HEA”
The Plot: Fantasy Lover, the first book in the Dark-Hunters series (almost a prequel, really, since it does not actually feature any of the Dark-Hunters), is the story of Grace Alexander, a psychiatrist who just can’t seem to find a boyfriend. When her best friend, the unflappable psychic Selena, sets out to try to change that, Grace finds herself chanting incantations into an ancient book in hopes that her “fantasy lover” will come to life and fulfill her desires. Lo and behold, Grace soon finds herself with an ancient Macedonian houseguest!
Julian of Macedon is the son of Aphrodite and a heartless and unforgiving warrior who is imprisoned inside a book after having put a spell on a woman to make her fall in love with and marry him instead of her lover. Julian’s only temporary escape from his prison is when lustful females magically call him forth for single months at a time to grant them their every sexual pleasure. He is used and abused, and then cast back into his abhorred blind and motionless existence inside the book.
Even in the 21st century, Julian finds himself at the mercy of the immortal gods and goddesses that are his family as he tries to bargain and fight his way to his freedom and a return to his previous life. But, despite the call of the old world, the siren call of the gentle and caring Grace may just be enough to keep him in modern times.
Zelda’s Take: Well, I must say that I picked up this book with high hopes of vampire romance, given all the Dark-Hunters chatter that I’d been hearing. I am a sucker for hot vampires. Period.
But I was SOOOOOO disappointed with this one! There were NO vampires. Not one! And, to boot, there were a bunch of mythological characters that I just couldn’t get into. It’s funny, I’ve never been a huge fan of mythological gods and goddesses, but I love supernatural creatures — go figure. Anyways.
So Fantasy Lover, unfortunately, never got off the ground for me. In addition to the vampire withdrawal I was experiencing, I felt that the relationships and backstory were a bit weak throughout — the plot contrived. I personally had a hard time relating to Grace and Selena; their lives seem a bit too “exotic suburbia” for my tastes. Not to mention the random, crazy-stalker subplot that is thrown in to create a sense of danger and need for Julian’s protectiveness. Of all things, I think what irritated me the most was the ridiculous HEA ending — they’re free and together… ooh, now they’re rich, too! Gag me.
At this point in the review I’m supposed to turn to what I did like about the book. Well, I can say that I finished it. It was captivating enough that continued reading it to the end. Despite the fact that I’m so not interested in mythological characters, tired quickly of the sexual tease, got irritated by the fact that Julian felt sorry for himself too often (not that I wouldn’t if I’d been stuck in a book for centruries!), and hated the HEA, mommy-comes-to-the-rescue ending, I did make it to the end. Phew.
I’m told that the second book in the series is the true introduction of the Dark-Hunters, and that I will fall in love with them at that point. But, my dislike of this first book may have been enough to turn me off the entire series. I mean, my TBR pile is loaded as it is with books that I’m stoked to read — why bother torturing myself? Only time will tell whether I pick up the second. In the meantime, I think I’ll find my own fantasy lover, thank you very much.
Zelda Gillian is a wife, a mother and a lover, likes strong espresso, stiff corsets and never strays far from her Kindle.
