Also in this series: Water Bound, Air Bound, Bound Together
Series: Sisters Of The Heart #4
Published by Penguin on July 7th 2015
Genres: Fantasy Romance, Favorites, Paranormal Romance
Pages: 384
Format: eBook
ISBN: 9780698180529
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Air Bound returns to the mysterious coastal town of Sea Haven where six sisters of the heart are bound by the elements, and one is stalked by an inescapable past…After escaping from a cult, Lexi found refuge with her sisters on the farm that more than sustained her body—it nurtured her soul as well. But she never forgot the terror she left behind or the always present fear that the cult would find her again, and claim her. Then her nightmare came true.Lexi was discovered and threatened—only to be suddenly saved by a stranger. He is Gavriil Prakenskii, and he’s awestruck by the woman he’s rescued. She is destined for him. He can feel it in his soul. But how can Lexi find happiness with a man steeped in secrets and shadows, one intimately acquainted with violence, and whose very love could be the death of them?NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHEDFrom the Paperback edition.
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Summary
Lexi has made a new life for herself in Sea Haven with her five sisters that made a bond with each other in a counseling session years ago. They came to Sea Haven to begin anew, all of the six have special abilities with the elements of the earth, and Lexi connects with the earth and has a talent for growing plants and vegetation. All six bought the land and share in the responsibilities of it. Lexi loves what she does and thrives in it, and it keeps the past and the monsters of her past at bay. But one day, she goes to the outer boundaries of the property and she is faced with a demon from her past, the man who destroyed her family, and sexually abused her as a child and made her his sex slave and “wife”. But Lexi has power and her power traps this man who once trapped her. And a stranger arrives on the scene, a stranger that is one of the Prakenskii brothers, and a man who intrigues her and a man she is now bound to. Graviil is a shadow, as the older of the brothers, he has a more vicious past than the others do, but all of them have a hit on their heads now and he has come to Sea Haven to warn them, but when he sees Lexi, he can’t leave her, she is his in a way he doesn’t comprehend, he only knows that if anyone can save him from his past she can. Soon Graviil and Lexi are drawn into a world of enemies, danger and a passionate love they never imagined could happen for them, but soon they will embrace a love that could save them both from their past.
The Hero
Graviil Prakenskii, is a man with secrets and hidden dangers. He is a man who is more powerful than the other brothers. When Graviil was just a boy, his parents were slaughtered and each of the seven brothers were separated and taken to different training schools, the one that Graviil was sent to was rumored to be one of the most brutal. Graviil was trained to be lethal and exacting, to never miss his mark. Even though he has kept his eye watchful on each of his brothers, he has never appeared to them until now, especially to the baby of the family, Illya, the one he never saw grow and was just a babe when their parents were killed. Graviil was a hero that has a painful past and doesn’t feel he is redeemable in any way, but Lexi proves him wrong. Graviil is a character that is heartbreaking sad at times, suffers from more emotional wounds than physical (which is hindering him), we see him strength and power and boy what he can do in a bedroom. But Gravriil really captivates you from the beginning, because you see how much he needs love and affection.
The Heroine
Lexi, is a woman who is haunted by her past, more so than the others. She was taken when she was young, and brought into a cult that viewed woman as less than animals, to be used and abused for a man’s pleasure. She has only known pain under a man’s touch. She managed to escape, but her family paid the price, and they were all killed. Now she has changed her name, met five woman like her with similar gifts and emotional pain, and she connected with them, and built a life for herself. But her past haunts her, she has trained herself in a number of weapons and fighting skills, sleeps outside because she has never felt safe inside her own home, and her plants make her feel alive and centered. Lexi is a sweet and lovely woman who has trouble dealing with her past, but you see the goodness in her, and how she is haunted. I quite adored her character because she is full of courage and strength where it matters.
Plot and Story Line
Earth Bound is an emotionally shattering story that completely won my heart. Out of all the books in the series so far, this really is the most intense of them when it comes to the emotional side of things. From the beginning, we are brought into a painful world that Lexi and Graviil live in. Both characters are quite strong in personality, but are both wounded in different ways and both need healing. We see how they find a balance in a relationship that at first is a bit uneven at times. Lexi and Graviil find a balance between what haunts them and what makes them strong. Both love being in charge and being the “boss” and love seeing these two go at it for who should be in charge. The plot is quite intense and we have the cult members trying to get to Lexi. We see Lexi face her greatest fear and she does and quite admirably too. We also see all the other couples and the four kids and they played a role in the book as well. And we even get Illya and Jonas–makes me want to read the Sea Haven series again just series those two back in action. I love that Feehan has connected these two series together. I would have loved to see Jolie though–she was always my favorite of the sisters. Another fun aspect was seeing the way that these two fall for each other, and it’s not your typical love story. In fact they take their time getting to know each other, and I loved how it wasn’t insta lust and must satisfy now. It was let’s get to know each other and become friends before the passionate sex. The book itself is quite captivating and a page turner, you won’t have a hard time getting into this one, I never do with Feehan. I was super charged with this story, because it had a level of high intensity to it, and you get drawn into a world of danger, magic, and a healing love story. What I also found interesting was how these two accepted each other, and embraced their relationship even with all they have to deal with from their pasts. They don’t let the past keep them from discovering what they can be together. We see how they fit perfectly in numerous ways and balance each other out. If you have yet to read Feehan or this series, It’s a must for any romance lover. I guarantee that you will fall for it just like I have!!
The Cover
This is such a beautiful cover, and matches Lexi and the tone of the story. I love the cornfield and the “country” theme to it.
Overall View
Earth Bound is a emotionally charged romance that will enchant you from the beginning. A tale that is beautifully mixed with intense fast paced action, characters facing their trauma pasts, and embracing their new lives together….simply SPECTACULAR!!
“The first touch of her hands nearly had him coming off the bed in alarm. Her eyes were closed, but her hands lay against his skin lightly, palms down. Every muscle in his body tightened. Every cell responded to her touch. The feel of her skin against his skin took his breath away. He’d felt a woman’s hand on his body many times, strokes and caresses meant to inflame him, to arouse him, yet not a single one had ever affected him the way her touch did.”
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I don’t want you to go, Lexi. I want you to choose me. Stay with me. I know I’m not much of a prize. I know my faults. I need a commitment from you. I need that, Lexi. Not marriage if you don’t want it. If you give me your word, that will be enough. We’re always going to have these moments of doubts, but if we both make that commitment, we’ll always know the other will stand with us through them. I need to know you’ll stand with me. I’ve got this hole a mile deep inside of me, and only you manage to fill it. No one else. There’s never going to be anyone else. Neither of us is perfect, but together I know we can be whole. Give yourself to me. I’ll always cherish you.
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You’re the only one that can make me whole. I want you with every breath in my body.
Water Bound (1) –Lev and Rikki
Spirit Bound (2)–Stefan and Judith
Air Bound (3) –Maxim and Airiana
Earth Bound (4)-Graviil and Lexi
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve re-read this series (or the connecting one as well). It’s intense, painful, and draws the reader into their world so effortlessly. I’m forever a Christine Feehan fan, I don’t deny that… and this series is one of my favorites (well, actually they are all favorites especially after I’ve just read a story) 🙂
Excellent review, you took me right into Lexi’s world and showed her power and the love of her life. And now I have to do a re-read again – and perhaps put a newer review for the series on one of my sub-genre romance blogs. But a good book never, ever grows old they’re just waiting for us to return to them. 🙂