Review: Wicked Whispers (Dangerous Desires #2) by Tina Donahue

Print Length: 300 pages

Publisher: Lyrical Press (May 24, 2016)

From Goodreads.com: As the Inquisition gains force, even the faintest rumor can brand one a heretic. In this world it is Sancha's gift--or curse--to be blessed with the gift of healing. But the villagers are in need of her arts more than ever, and she feels it is her duty to help them at the risk of losing her life. And at the sacrifice of her heart . . .

Enrique has never wanted a woman as he does Sancha. Determined to have her love, he woos her with exquisite passion, giving her refuge to pursue her healing in secret. But their very desire and escape from the ruthless forces of the world may be their undoing. And together, they must pit themselves against a jealous rival and archaic tradition to secure their place in a hopeful new dawn . . .

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My Rating: 4 stars out of 5

I have to say that I enjoyed this story A LOT more than I enjoyed the first in this series. When reading the first story - Loving Lies -  I found nothing to endear me to either of the main characters - and this story was just the opposite; I loved Enrique and Sancha! 

To begin with Sancha was everything that I love in a strong female lead. She knew her utmost desire, and she was not willing to conform to society's rules and sacrifice what she wanted no matter whom her heart loved. She was always willing to look past the wealth of her station in life and see the waste, in fact this was mentioned in the story. As for Enrique, he managed to be both the "lord" of his lifestyle while still considering Sancha and what would make her happy. More than once he allowed her to use her gift of healing, even going so far as to help her, during a time in which some things (especially for women) were equated with witchcraft. Even the villain of this story was well done - you couldn't help but hate her and smile when she got her just desserts. 

The plot was well thought out, and easily allowed the reader to become immersed in this world, seeing the scenes as they played out instead of simply reading the words on the page. I finished this novel in a day and a half simply because I couldn't put it down. 

I will admit that there are scenes of a sexual nature that occur before marriage. And these scenes do at times seem to take away from the overall plot rather than add to it, however these scenes are easily skipped without losing any of the story.  

Overall,  I would recommend this story. It is absolutely a stand alone story (meaning you need not have read the first one in order to be able to understand and enjoy this one).  It brings to life a world that wasn't kind, but presents it in a way that makes it not only believable, but enjoyable as well. 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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Wicked Whispers (Dangerous Desires #2) is available from Amazon.com