Centauri 2: Centauri Twilight by Cynthia Woolf

Publisher: Cynthia Woolf/Smashwords
Pages: 158

Lara Danexx suffered years of torment at the hands of the evil and twisted Ranzon Slavarien. But she escaped and raised an army of rebels to destroy him. Victory is within her grasp when an unwelcome intruder hunts her down and spins wild tales of her lost family and royal blood. This arrogant invader stirs her long dead emotions and threatens to ruin all of her plans. She can’t allow herself to desire his touch, or believe his lies…too much is at stake.

General Anton Coridian gave his word that he would find his beloved queen’s long lost sister, Princess Jondalara. He expects a pampered princess. Instead he finds a guerilla leader with an army of loyal cut-throats and rogues at her back. Every instinct he has demands that she is his lifemate and he must steal her away to safety. But the dark determination and pain in her eyes reminds him of his own tortured past. She offers him redemption and the chance to right an unspeakable wrong. Destiny must be laughing, because now he’s fallen in love with a woman who will stop at nothing to free her people…even if it means sacrificing herself. Anton is determined to join her, both in bed and in battle. Now he must convince Lara that his love can save not just her life, but her battered heart.

General Anton Coridian has suffered at the hands of the Centauri mortal enemy, the Slavarien family. The cruel society perpetuated by the elder Thoriz Slavarien, their leader and master of his sons. Slavers in the true sense of the word. Everyone conquered by them are leashed, treated like animals, displayed to keep the general citizenry compliant and dominated. He was beaten and tortured almost to the point of death before his escape was made with the help of his queen and one time fiance. Though his body is healed, his mind is still suffering, bent to the point of breaking. Only the need to find his queen's sister and vengeance holds him together. He has refused the help of healers, his pain is his own, private.

Lara Danexx was abandoned by her family or that's the story she been led to believe since the death of her uncle and protector. She has suffered a far worse fate than just beating and torturing, her body has been used and abuse by Ranzon Slavarien, and he was taught by the best, Thoriz. And, she's the only woman to escape from Ranzon's captivity. She has raised a small band of followers, vowing to take the lives of Thoriz and Ranzon for their cruel treatmeant not only of her, but to all those they touch. She can almost see victory within her grasp when General Anton Coridian steps into her life with lies of a family who has been searching for her, who want her back, who need her. She won't be dissuaded.

Anton has made promises and plans to keep him, first to his queen, then to the Slavariens. Without Lara, the darkness will take him. Anton and Lara have the ability to heal each other as well as seek their vengeance, but will they? Can they? Can they learn to trust, even as a lifemate?

Centauri Twilight by Cynthia Woolf is a futuristic space scifi paranormal romance. It's set in a world where the cruel Slavariens control the fate of a world, their captivities used until death takes them. It's Lara's leadership of a small ban of rebels that provides the only hope. When Anton threatens to take her away from her vengeance, she rebels. Her emotions long dead from abuse, her heart frozen with the need to take the Slavariens from power. Anton also needs to heal his emotions, he needs a balm to salve his rawness. Lara could be that balm, if she'll let herself, if she can start to feel again. But, neither will truly rest until Thoriz Slavarien has either been captured or killed. When they finally come together, even on Lara's limited terms of need, sparks fly, and if Lara will allow it, love will grow.

Centauri Twilight has the makings of an excellent paranormal romance, and with a little growth and editing to mesh the pieces together to perfection, it will be. I am an early reader of this book, and was offered this book as a consolation prize for a contest held by Ms. Woolf and Jean Murray, before it's release in October 2011. I had already read Ms. Murray wonderful book, Soul Reborn. This is the third self published release from Cynthia Woolf, and she has potential. The big thing, and this is terribly hard for a self published author, is to show instead of tell. Cynthia does this pretty well, and with a little more development, she'll have a winner. I like the cover art on the first book of this series better, so that's something I would work too. Remember, cover art helps sell the story, the blurb is a fantastic synopsis, excellently told for this story. It's a wonderful story of the wound tortured hero, and a heroine who has suffered as well (I loved it), and it's created a hard protective shell that heroine hides inside, refusing the love that could save her. The story of need and desire of this pairing is great. I'll keep watching this author to see how she grows and what she gives us next.

Three and a half fairy kisses for this reader (and I'm leaning toward four).

I received my copy as a consolation prize (I already owned Soul Reborn). I happily read and reviewed, excellent attempt by this emerging author.