Warning: This title contains explicit material.

Tia Jamison stood outside her home in Australia clutching a piece of paper that once read, changed her whole life.  Her mother had recently died—no, scratch that—her adoptive mother, according to the paper in her hand.  She felt betrayed and wondered why she hadn’t been told.  Mental abuse and extreme physical punishment had been a common theme in Tia’s childhood and right now she couldn’t stop the fury that enveloped her.  As her anger grew so did the weather from a sunny day to a lightning storm.  The lightning strikes got closer and closer but Tia couldn’t seem to calm down, the betrayal bit so deep.  Suddenly a strike hits Tia and she almost welcomes death over the pain in her heart.

Lord Connor of Alterra finds a woman lying in the snow outside his country lodge and can’t believe his eyes.  This woman has all the physical marks that would name her Oracle, The Prophetess of Alterra.  How can that be when High Lord Damon, Connor’s uncle has the Oracle living near him in the city?  But this strange woman has the white blonde hair, ice blue eyes, titian streak in her hair and the diamond shape birthmark on her forehead.  Only missing is the Living Crystal, emerald ice green resting on her forehead.  What is going on?

Alterra, in the center of the Bermuda Triangle is home to people from another world.  They live there unnoticed by most but occasionally a ship or place gets too close and must be brought through the shield to Alterra.  Once treated as free citizens, they are now slaves according to the tyrannical rule of High Lord Damon.  It is up to Tia and Connor to right the cruel practices of Damon and show the current Oracle as an imposter.  Connor and Tia must succeed or their lives will be forfeit.

Alexis Fleming has written a face-paced, emotionally charged romance in a superb fantasy setting.  Tia Jamison is a woman who has suffered since childhood but still knows the difference between apathy and doing the right thing.  Connor has lived in the shadow of his evil uncle but now, as an adult, he is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the woman he loves.  Emerald Ice is a well-plotted, smooth, seemingly effortlessly written fantasy romance for readers to enjoy several times over.

Reviewed by Lisa D. Guest
8/13/2006

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