synopsis from 

“The Secret Fire” is set in Paris….no…let’s do this one again.
“The Secret Fire” is set in Oxford….hmmm not quite :).
“The Secret Fire” is actually set in both Paris and Oxford where we follow French immortal Sacha Winters and British student Taylor Montclair who has just come into her powers.

The further back in time we go and learn about the protagonists’ ancestry, we discover that they came from two enemy clans, but here in the present time, they are both on the same side which is a ray of hope for Sacha whose immortal self, won’t be so once he reaches his eighteenth birthday.

New to her powers Taylor, happens to be the only one in the world able to save him, if she somehow manages to break the curse her ancestor and witch Isabelle Montclair put on the Winters’ family all those centuries ago. Failure to do so will unleash the greatest evil our time is yet to see.

No pressure, I guess! 🙂

I was in Paris when I read this book so I was able to go on my own personal “Secret Fire” trail and visit some of the sites that both Sacha and Taylor set foot on. Not that you need to be anywhere near Paris or Oxford to get the feel of the surroundings described in the book. The language used will make it real enough that you will feel that you are right there with Sacha and Taylor wherever they are, even when they are fighting the “Bringers”.

One another thing that you will certainly feel is the obvious romantic connection between our two characters, and I dare you to not route for our Parisian charmer Sacha to try and still a kiss from fresh and innocent Taylor.

Going back to “The Secret Fire” being co-written by both authors. This collaboration seems to have been quite a symbiotic relationship. It is literally impossible to see where C.J.’s voice ends or where Carina’s begins. Impressively both authors somehow became one when writing this story.

On a final note, I would like to share what I will take away with me from this book which I supposed are the elements I enjoyed the most. (I am sure you will have your own :)).

I absolutely loved being introduced to Carcasonne in France, which by the way totally kicks Salem’s backside in terms of historical sorcery. I also really enjoyed the new to me world of alchemy, which although linked to a magical world of fantasy is deeply rooted in a past which is actually not that far back in time.

I am really looking forward to the second book in this series and am happy to recommend it to all.

Fantasy lovers will absolutely devour it!!

LaChouett

You can also check out the authors youtube interview I did with fellow blogger Sablecaught right here.

Thanking the teams at @atombooks and @midaspr for providing me with a review copy of this title.