Review: Owner of My Heart

Owner of My Heart by Valentina Heart

My rating: 3 of 5 stars





They say the hardest thing for a parent to live through is the death of a child. In OWNER OF MY HEART, this holds true for both Rin and Merin. This war that tore a nation apart seems to be more trouble than it's worth. Merin is doing his best to shelter and protect Rin. At every turn, it seems as if there is an assassin ready to kill Rin. Why is this?

The conflict arises in two folds. Rin's nation believes Rin should have more say and rule beside Merin. They threaten to break the strained nation apart. The second conflict is the constant assassination attempts on Rin. These issues I lay all at Merin's feet. I'm not sure if Ms. Heart purposely designed Merin this way, but he comes across as too kind hearted and easy to forgive. It seems his subjects need to respect him through fear. No one fears him. He needs to be more ruthless. For example, instead of letting all the previous lovers go, I'd have assessed which ones would be threats and killed them. Funny how death as a consequence will encourage people to behave better.

This second installment came across as a bridge for the next story. There were several pieces that felt glossed over. Rin's continued education in magic was interjected as an afterthought. We were told he's rapidly learned how to use his powers. The last book showed a man who was completely sheltered and undereducated. In this one, he's suddenly a powerful mage. Rin's sudden change to be able to rule when he was kept ignorant of politics was also a bit confusing. How did Rin become so assertive?

The tale still hits the angst button with losses for both Rin and Merin. I was actually surprised this happened. Fortunately, Ms. Heart did not leave it in this rather depressing place. It pulled the two lovers together and as a combined force, they were able to accomplish quite a bit. I enjoyed the sensual side of Rin and Merin.

This story was more about a sweet loving romance than a rough and edgy romp fest. It's also interesting to note that the point of view changed from Rin to Merin. This helps the reader understand Merin and like him better. Although, it is exhausting to see things from his perspective because it feels as if the entire world is on his shoulders. But his worries and mistakes make him a bit more relatable. This sweet m/m romance is recommended for fantasy lovers who enjoy a bit of angst.



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