Mine to Take by Dara Joy is the third book in the Matrix of Destiny series.  The first two are Knight of a Trillion Stars and Rejar.

This book was eagerly awaited for some months and lived up to every expectation and surpassed most of them.
 
This is the first book of the Matrix series which has no connection with Earth through the main characters.  Knight of a Trillion Stars featured a heroine from Earth and Rejar was set, for the most part, in Regency England.  I must admit that when I realised that this book had no strong connection with Earth, (by reading the back cover), I was uncertain as to whether I would like it as much as the others.  I could not have been more wrong.  I loved the first two books in this series but this one is my definite favourite.....at least so far.

Jenise is a pawn in the power struggle for the kingdom her mother married into.  She scorns power and wants none for herself.  When she discovers the plot of her betrothed to rule her kingdom and have her she makes a decision to outsmart him and escape to another world.

The key to her escape is a prisoner in the dungeons.  A Familiar who she believes can help her escape if she can help him escape too.  Together she believes that they can succeed in her daring plan.  She only has to convince the prisoner to trust her...

Gian is a Familiar, a member of a race of beings who have the ability to transform into a cat.  It is also part of their abilities to sense their mates.  And when Jenise walks into his dungeon cell he knows that she is the one.

Accepting her proposals they escape together and go on the run in an effort to save Gian's people from slavery and worse.

Together they set out on an adventure across the universe, Jenise fighting for her freedom both from power and from Gian.  For she realises that he is determined to keep her a prisoner too and as a Frensi, a race of nomads, she cannot let that happen.

I love the way that Ms Joy works plots through the books so that the series is a continuing adventure.  We get to see Rejar, Lilac, Adeeann and Lorgin once again as their stories continue and the suspense builds to what promises to be a wonderful climax.

The story of Jenise and Gian is told so well and it is hard to see how the rest of the series can possibly match this high standard.  And there are certainly more of the series to come.  Longstanding fans will know that Traed's story is coming and hopefully there will be many more.

RATING : 
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Links to  online stores

Also by Dara Joy :  Knight of a Trillion Stars, Rejar, and Tonight or Never

Read an Interview with Dara Joy
 
Visit Dara Joy's website