jbronderbookreviews

The Midsummer Wife by Jacqueline Church Simonds

It’s The Time Foretold, and Ava Cerdwen, the twenty-one-year-old High Priestess of the Sisterhood, knows she must go and assist the heirs of King Arthur and Merlin to return and heal Britain devastated by a nuclear blast that took out London and decimated the country. But the constant panic attacks and agoraphobia she suffers make it an even more daunting task than it seems.

Nothing goes as planned: she falls for the wrong heir, the panic attacks are getting worse, and then the Goddess tells her Morgaine will probably defeat her when she attempts to make come to fruition the Plan set out 1500 years ago.

Somehow, some way, she has to make it happen. Or Britain is finished.

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Praise for The Midsummer Wife

“Sex, magic, and power collide in this [Urban] Fantasy that begins when a devastating terrorist attack on modern London sparks the long-foretold return of King Arthur to heal Britain. Simonds boldly continues the Arthurian saga into the present day, as heirs to Arthur, Merlin, and the woman both men once loved struggle to understand and fulfill their destinies and outwit the sinister agenda of the sorceress Morgaine.” ~ Lisa Jensen, author Alias Hook and Beast: A Love Story

“Imaginative, mesmerizing, and emotionally complex, Simonds’ unique story boldly expands the Arthurian legend into exciting new territory. The fantastical elements—rituals from old Celtic religions, dark magic, forces of fate—are well drawn and skillfully integrated into a contemporary setting. And then there’s the romance… the palpable chemistry between Ava and Ron (the Arthur heir), complicated by their respective destinies, makes their relationship a riveting read.” ~ Mary Fan, author of Starswept, Artificial Absolutes

Author’s Bio

I am an author and publishing consultant living in Reno, Nevada. I love (in no particular order) books, writing, reading, beagles, coffee, good bourbon, publishing, and politics. I have always loved the King Arthur saga and am a big fan of such books as THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING, THE MISTS OF AVALON, and the Mary Stewart Merlin books.

In 2018, my Contemporary Fantasy THE MIDSUMMER WIFE about a woman who assists the heirs of King Arthur and Merlin to save Britain, which has been devastated by a nuclear attack on London, will be published. It is Book 1 of a series, of which I have drafted two further books.

I have a novella series that is a prequel to the forthcoming book: THE BOOK OF ANYA. It is basically a mouse-eye view of the doings of Camelot, King Arthur, Merlin and Morgaine. They novellas are titled, ANYA: THE HEALER OF CAMELOT (Book 1), ANYA: KING ARTHUR’S MISTRESS (Book 2), ANYA: MERLIN’S WOMAN (Book 3), and ANYA: MISTRESS OF DRUNEMETON (Book Four). These titles are available on Amazon and the Apple store.

You can follow more about my writing and what I am reading by visiting http://jcsimonds.com.

My previous novel is CAPTAIN MARY, BUCCANEER, a historical adventure novel loosely based on the real pirate women Ann Bonney and Mary Reade. Because who doesn’t love pirates, especially women pirates?

My day job is as a publishing consultant/book shepherd and editor. I wrote THE SELF PUBLISHER’S FAQ that is available as a paperback or ebook.

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My Review

5 stars

A nuclear attack on London has devastated everything but it has also triggered the decedent’s of King Arthur and Merlin to return to fulfill the prophecy. Ava Cerdwin is the high priestess that is in charge of helping find and assist the heirs to reclaim their place in this new world. But Ava has her own issues to fight with. But just as Arthur and Merlin arise, so too does Morgaine. Morgaine is not just going to sit back and let the prophecy run, she is going to do everything to keep the three from succeeding.

I admit that I don’t know much about the Arthurian legend except snippets from television and movies. So I easily got into this story and thought it was a great retelling of what I knew. Of course you have a great modern twist and how can you not like Ava. She is a relatable character and even though she tries her hardest it seems what can go wrong will.

I think this was a great start to the series and I’m really curious to see what it is going from here. I am also curious to read the original telling of King Arthur to see what I am missing. Oh, I do have to say that I am absolutely in love with this cover. So beautiful and eye catching.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank the Author for the opportunity to read and share this book.