Ratings Overall: 8 Sensuality: 7 Fantasy Element: 8

This is an Official Review by a Fantasy Romance Writer Official Reviewer

Review for 22 Nights
Author: Linda Winstead Jones
Date of Review: 12/16/08
Reviewed by: Heather

Reviewer Comments: Merin receives a surprise when he finds out that one drunken night he married Bela according to the Turi traditions. He has returned to her clan area to escort her to his Emperor so he can choose a bride. Once he realizes he and Bela are married, they decide they need to go through the marriage dissolution, 22 nights tied together with neither allowed to break the rope. If the rope is broken they are married for at least another three years.

Bela is not your typical retiring shy type. She is considered a warrior who also has a special sword whose power cannot be transferred to another, and resents it when she has to revert to womanly attributes. She, at times, is even baffled by womanly traits and can’t understand what the fuss is about when it comes to sex. Merin has always liked Bela but comes to realize she is more special as they spend more time together.

A parallel story introduces Lady Leyla and Savyn. Lady Leyla is also being escorted to the Emperor as one of the selection of brides. Unbeknownst to the assassin following them, Leyla is also a witch but he finds out in when he tries to kill her and she curses him.

As a reader, I found the secondary story to be more interesting than the main story as the Savyn and Leyla had to endure more to be together than Bela and Merin. It really showed the trials that some couples go through to be together. The two stories seem separate until the significance is mentioned much later in the story. The ending does leave some unanswered questions so there is room for another story. The story moved enough for me to want to continue reading.