Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Guilt-ridden after the massacre of his family, Isaac Salvatore turned to binge drinking to escape the pain. Now twenty-four years old, Isaac is a recovering alcoholic woefully out of practice in the magical arts, leaving his fire affinity hanging on the edge of disaster. After a month of rehab, he returns to Beacon Hill and his family, determined to remain sober, learn to control his magic, and figure out a plan for his life that doesn’t involve drinking.
Constantine Batiste is the oldest, most powerful vampire in the city. Born in ancient Gaul, the bastard son of a Celtic king, his long life has been shrouded in tragedy and horrors. Recent mistakes have left him wary and determined to guard his clan from all foes. When two of his clan members fall victim to an ancient evil, he summons the Necromancer of Boston for aid. Accompanying his older brother to the Tower is the handsome young fire mage once wounded by Constantine’s arrogance, and their encounter reignites an attraction that burns within both Constantine and Isaac.
The answer to who is targeting the vampires of Boston is buried in the dark, early days of Constantine’s transition to an immortal life. Isaac finds himself saddled with a painful insight into the evil cutting a swath through the supernatural population of Boston. While his brother, Angel, takes over the hunt to find and stop the threat to the city, Isaac struggles to find a balance between helping his brother and finding his own purpose and place in the world, free from his brother’s shadow.
Falling in love wasn’t part of his plan, but mastering the flames that burn between him and Constantine soon becomes the most important thing in his life, even as an ancient evil seeks to destroy them.
Mastering the Flames is the fourth book in The Beacon Hill Sorcerer series and is not a standalone. The series should be read in order for maximum enjoyment and understanding of the plot and characters.
Through the preceding stories in The Beacon Hill Sorcerers Series, the main focus has been on the older Salvatore brother, Angel. We have watched him develop his bond with his soul mate vampire Elder Simeon, gotten to know his close circle of friends/found family, and seen incredible character growth from haunted young man still reeling over the traumatic events of the last of the Blood Wars to the powerful necromancer that looms large over the city of Boston now. Isaac Salvatore, the surviving troubled younger brother was mentioned as someone Angel has to go rescue, look after, even parent as it were. As the series progressed, the arc enlarged and more of each player and their roles were revealed, the readers got to see more of Isaac and just how deeply the past has damaged him.
Isaac was broken, vulnerable, and yet so engaging. We needed his story and we wanted him to heal.
Mastering the Flames (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #4) by SJ Himes is that story we’ve been waiting on. There is so much to this story. Isaac had abandoned his magic and now tries to reclaim it. He’s a fire mage so this tale is full of flames and heat. It’s in the romance and in the recovery of Isaac as a functioning being. Of course, his soulmate is one we have met before,Constantine Batiste. This turns out to be as much his story as Isaac’s interestingly enough. The author has done wonderful research here into Batiste’s background and makes that era come alive.
There is a mystery here that aligns with the growing romance and bond between Isaac and Constantine that keeps you intensely connected in every way to the characters and action happening on the pages before you. All your favorites appear as the stakes are raised for survival of all in Boston.
This is one exciting, high stakes story, full of romance, redemption, recovery, passion, and love.
And the series isn’t over yet, thank goodness. More questions are raised that need answers and I can’t wait for more.
If you are a lover of urban fantasy and haven’t found this series yet, start at the beginning and read them in the order they were written. They are fantastic and I highly recommend them all. See the list below. Trust me, you will adore them as I do
Cover arti s perfect for Isaac and works with the series covers overall.
Sales Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YM2XF52
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YM2XF52
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07YM2XF52
Amazon AU: www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07YM2XF52
Amazon FR: https://amazon.fr/dp/B07YM2XF52
Amazon DE: https://amazon.de/dp/B07YM2XF52
Amazon IT: https://amazon.it/dp/B07YM2XF52
Amazon ES: https://amazon.es/dp/B07YM2XF52
Book Details:
The Beacon Hill Sorcerer Series – Goodreads links
In this M/M retelling of the Grimm fairytale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, Reuben, a soldier, is on his way to the castle to offer his services to the king, who is sorely troubled with the question of his family’s honour. His wayward daughters go out dancing every night, and refuse to tell how or where.
A HISTORY OF TROUBLE
Ioan Mic, the half-blood grandson of the vampyree king, is eagerly awaiting his eighteenth birthday, when he’ll finally be able to be with Daniel Small, the American vampyree he’s loved for the past four years. Although vampyrees are notoriously promiscuous, Ioan’s refused sex with all who offered — he’s willing to wait. But when Daniel arrives at the party, he’s accompanied by a wife, leaving Ioan devastated.
Ren has always wanted to leave, to escape his quiet village life. He wakes up from gold-tinged dreams with his heart pounding and a yearning for something he can’t name, can’t hold. He longs to experience something magical just once in his life.
Every action has consequences.
There’s not enough Yuletide spirit in the world to fix this holiday disaster…
ven love can die without trust.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 