Lovin' los libros

A Matter of Heart (Fate Series #2)
   by: Heather Lyons

Publication Date: June 25, 2013
Publisher: Cerulean Books
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by InkSlingerPR and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 424 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars




My Review:

I decided today was Heather Lyons day on the blog! I went ahead and posted my 5-star A Matter of Fate review earlier this AM so you can read that here. Wow, this series. I've never been in more emotional turmoil as I have been reading these books. Seriously, it makes my heart absolutely ache. A Matter of Heart picks up a bit after A Matter of Fate. Chloe is living in Annar, working on the Council, and engaged to Jonah. However, as happy as Chloe pretends to be on the outside, she is anything but. Kellan, while out of the picture, is never far from her mind. When she is with Jonah, the heartache isn't quite so bad, but when they are apart, she can't help but dwell on the fact that a part of her is missing. Kellan's return to Annar does not help clear her confusion and Chloe is once again stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I won't lie. Chloe drove me batty in this book. She feels so much guilt and grief over her situation with the twins. I can't blame her and I understand the Connection is strong, but at some point someone is going to have to say enough is enough. How in the world Heather is going to resolve this, I have not the slightest idea. Jonah and Kellan are two amazing men who would do anything for Chloe. They want her happiness and they will even sacrifice their own for her, which both do. Plenty of times over. Neither is unreasonable in their requests of her. Jonah, as her fiancée, realizes that Kellan is a part of her life and will set aside his own feelings so that they can be friends. He makes it clear to Chloe up front what he can handle and what he can't. Kellan, on the other hand, has done everything he can to stay away from Chloe. He loves his brother and does not want to hurt him. But at what point, do you just say the hell with it all? These three are inextricably bound to one another, whether they like it or not. Heather is definitely not afraid to put her characters through the ringer and she does so in every way in this book. Hearts and trust are so very fragile already and we begin to see a very dark deterioration of the characters' emotions in this book.

Callie is back in this book and surprisingly enough, in a good capacity. She also realizes that if she wants the twins in her life she is going to have to get along with Chloe. I like her no-nonsense attitude and you can tell as much as it sucks that her ex-boyfriend is in love with someone else, she is going to step up and be the bigger person so he can be happy. Chloe hasn't been spending a lot of time with Cora, Lizzie, or Meg so Callie becomes the main girlfriend that she has.

Chloe is also having some trouble with the Council and the Guard. She is forced to assume her responsibilities as Creator much sooner than everyone would like, but out of necessity she must comply. After a mission gone wrong, Chloe now faces false accusations from a fellow Guard member who will go to extraordinary lengths to make sure she is crucified.

I ended up giving this one 4.5 stars just because Chloe tore me apart. It is so hard to get on board with her decisions when you know they're wrong. SHE'S wrong in what she does. (And she's not the only at fault.) But- she doesn't have a choice either! So I was at war with myself for most of this book. I understand her feelings, why she is doing what she does, and how she can't help any of it. And the other side of me is all, 'You're not being fair!!!!!' Sigh. My warring brain will be quiet now.

Overall, I thought the second book in the Fate Series did a great job of conveying the happiness, heartbreak, and confusion that Chloe feels over her situation with the twins, the Council, and her family. Your heart will ache at the end, and you will definitely be left wanting Book Three!

 

What’s it like having a twin? What are the positives and negatives?

When I was little, my mom used to tell us that we were special, because we started out as one egg that eventually split into two people. So, Kel and I have always felt a bit like we’re extensions of one another in that regard. For most of my life, he’s been my rock and support. I guess the downfall would be that, since we can sense what the other is feeling and talk to each other our way—in our heads—sometimes it’s really hard to have true separation from one another unless we purposely block the other.  

 

How would you describe Kellan in 5 words?

 

Smart, tenacious, altruistic, loyal, and . . . (thinks about it) self-destructive. Gods, I hope he doesn’t find out I just told you that.

It’s no secret that both you and Kellan have feelings for Chloe. How do you handle that?

 

Uh . . . not well, I think. (is silent for a long moment) I’ll be honest, it makes me furious. And sad. And a whole bunch of other emotions that I’d really rather not feel, especially in terms of and toward my brother and my Connection. It’s f*cked up, you know? (pauses) Sorry—this isn’t my favorite topic to discuss.

You and Chloe are now officially engaged. What kind of life do you envision for yourselves?

It may sound really clichéd, but I love the idea of growing old with her. There’s something to be said for loving the same person from childhood to old age, you know? I want us to be able to share our highs and lows together and everything else in between.

 

Can you tell us about the first time you officially met Chloe? What thoughts were running through your head at that moment?

 

Officially, as in real life? Or when we first met in our dreams? Because I pretty much had the same thought both times—that she couldn’t possibly be real, that she was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen. That sounds trite, doesn’t it? But it’s the truth. I still feel that way every morning I wake up and see her face.

How would you describe her when you first met her? And now?

As a little kid . . . huh. I guess a cross between quiet and mischievous. She took some time to warm up to me, although I think she’d argue that point. And now? She’s still quiet—she’s also incredibly loyal and her heart is bigger than anyone else’s I’ve felt. (pauses) She feels deeply.

For those who might not know what a Magical is- can you explain that for them? And how you serve as an Emotional? What are the drawbacks to being an Emotional?

 

You know it’s forbidden for us to tell nons this, right? But I guess I can tell you, as long as you don’t mind me tweaking your memory afterward to forget what I said. (laughs) I kid. I won’t do that to you—at least today. But to answer your question, Magicals are a group of people who influence the course of events within the different planes’ civilizations. We tend to set things in motion—such as weather, natural disasters, acquisition of knowledge, the rise and fall of societies—and then let the citizens affected shape the outcome. The ancients based their mythologies around us, if that helps.

As for an Emotional, I’m responsible for influencing societies on a number of fronts. For example, if the Council deems a rebellion necessary in a region, I’ll go in and incite discord. If a disaster such as an earthquake happens, I’ll go in and help the community or country affected to rally around rebuilding and rebirth. It’s my job to get the necessary emotions started for Council ordered events.

Being an Emotional can be tough, I think—especially when you have to set off something that you know will most likely end up with people getting hurt. Also, I’ve found that most Emotionals are pretty crappy at expressing their own feelings to people. Chloe would definitely agree with that one, no doubt. She’s always on me for opening up more. But when you deal with such strong feelings so often, they can get overwhelming. Getting ahold on your own is the only way to save your sanity.

 

 What are your feelings on the Council and the Guard?

 

Necessary. Being on the Council, I obviously work more with them, but occasionally I get to join my brother or Chloe on Guard missions. I know I’m young and new on the Council, but everything we do has a value and eventually helps the worlds we work with grow. Stagnant societies do no one any good. As for the Guard—they are definitely badass. I have mad respect for what they do.

You made a promise to Chloe’s father about staying chaste until you’re married. Are you kicking yourself about now? :D

(blushes and tugs at his collar) Uh, yeah. All the time. To be honest, Noel caught me off guard that day, if you know what I mean. I was clearly not thinking straight, which seems to be a common occurrence nowadays. (laughs)

What advice do you offer others who are waiting to have sex until marriage?

I’ll say this from an Emotional’s standpoint—anyone either waiting to have sex or contemplating doing it now, there are always lots of emotions attached to the act, sometimes highly complicated ones. Act accordingly to what’s in the best interest of the people involved. There’s never a need to rush into anything without thinking it through first.

(considers what he just said) Wow. Does that make me sound like an old man? Kel would crucify me for that answer. (shakes head)

 

What can you tell readers about A Matter of Heart? What’s one thing they can expect to see more of in this book?

 

Hmm . . . I’ll admit this story is appropriately named for all three of us involved. I wish I could tell you that it’s a clear cut HEA, but as are matters of the heart—wow, sorry, pun only semi-intended, ha ha—relationships are often complex.

Thanks for stopping by and chatting with me today!

Thanks for having me!

 

 

About Heather:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.






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