Book Review: Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews

Emerald Blaze

Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Hidden Legacy (Book 5)
Publication: Avon (August 25, 2020)

Description: Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling author, continues her spellbinding series set in the Hidden Legacy world where magic controls everything…except the hearts of those who wield it.

As Prime magic users, Catalina Baylor and her sisters have extraordinary powers—powers their ruthless grandmother would love to control. Catalina can earn her family some protection working as deputy to the Warden of Texas, overseeing breaches of magic law in the state, but that has risks as well. When House Baylor is under attack and monsters haunt her every step, Catalina is forced to rely on handsome, dangerous Alessandro Sagredo, the Prime who crushed her heart. 

The nightmare that Alessandro has fought since childhood has come roaring back to life, but now Catalina is under threat. Not even his lifelong quest for revenge will stop him from keeping her safe, even if every battle could be his last. Because Catalina won't rest until she stops the use of the illicit, power-granting serum that's tearing their world apart. 

My Thoughts: Catalina Baylor has gotten over her broken heart from when Alessandro Sagredo left after their case together. Or, at least, she has managed to convincer her family that she is over it. But when a Prime is murdered and his father hires Alessandro to kill the one who killed his son and Catalina has to find the murderer as a part of her job as Deputy Warden of Texas, the two of them need to work together.

Alessandro knows that the man who murdered his father when he was a young boy has added Catalina to his hit list. Alessandro has been tracking him for years; that's why he left Catalina after their case together. Now he is determined to protect Catalina from that man no matter what the difficulties might be.

The man who has added Catalina to his list isn't opposed to targeting her family to get to her. When an attempt to out her sister Arabella fails and an attempt to get her cousin Leon arrested for murder, Catalina knows she has to solve her case and find him to keep her family safe.

The murder victim was part of a group who were trying to reclaim an area in Houston that is called the Pit and, besides being a swamp, is contaminated with all sorts of magical residue. Catalina is attacked by residents of the Pit on a few occasions and barely manages to escape. It becomes even worse when she learns that the Pit itself is an entity that was dosed with an illicit serum that was the original cause of the magic and psychic talents that some people have. The serum was declared illegal and should all have been destroyed but a few samples are still around and the Wardens need to collect and destroy all of them before some idiots create chaos again.

I liked the story and love the worldbuilding. Catalina is a great character who is smart, talented, and driven to take care of her family. I liked her growing relationship with Alessandro despite the legions of reasons why a relationship could never work. I also really like Catalina's relationship with her family and the respect and caring they all have for each other. 

Fans of this series won't want to miss this latest episode.

Favorite Quote:

If I closed my eyes, I could conjure him right here next to me. I remembered his voice, his face, his scent...He was engraved in my memory. The relationship might have meant nothing to him, but it was my first. I hadn't known it was necessary to guard myself against committing completely. I didn't realize it was doomed from the start. I just fell in love.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.