Book Review: Moth and Spark by Anne Leonard

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: February 20, 2014
Publisher: Viking Adult
368 Pages

A prince with a quest. A commoner with mysterious powers. And dragons that demand to be freed—at any cost.

Prince Corin has been chosen to free the dragons from their bondage to the Empire, but dragons aren’t big on directions. They have given him some of their power, but none of their knowledge. No one, not the dragons nor their riders, is even sure what keeps the dragons in the Empire’s control. 

Tam, sensible daughter of a well-respected doctor, had no idea before she arrived in the capital that she is a Seer, gifted with visions. When the two run into each other (quite literally) in the library, sparks fly and Corin impulsively asks Tam to dinner. But it’s not all happily ever after. Never mind that the prince isn’t allowed to marry a commoner: war is coming to Caithen. 

Torn between Corin’s quest to free the dragons and his duty to his country, the lovers must both figure out how to master their powers in order to save Caithen. With a little help from a village of secret wizards and a rogue dragonrider, they just might pull it off.

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I hadn't heard anything about Moth and Spark before being contacted by the publisher, but after reading the summary, it was impossible not to be intrigued. Who doesn't love a great fantasy with romance and dragons? Plus, the cover? Intense and eye-catching. I was immediately on board with reading it. It's a good thing, too, because this was a fantastic book.

Tam is the doctor of a highly respected doctor. She has no title, but when invited by her sister-in-law to the royal court, Tam quickly catches the eye of the crowned prince of Caithen. Corin is drawn by the beauty and strength with which Tam presents herself. They quickly get caught up in their affair, knowing their romance will lead them nowhere as a commoner cannot marry a prince. Their budding love is soon threatened by war as their kingdom is betrayed by another. To survive, and save their kingdom, Tam and Corin, with the help of their most trusted friends, must find their hidden talents, free the dragons and keep their beloved kingdom from the hands of a cruel ruler.

I am a romance buff. Always have been, and most likely, always will be. Moth and Spark is very much a romance. The relationship between Tam and Corin is always in the foreground. We watch their love bloom as they battle to save their kingdom. There is a bit of insta-love, but I think it was handled well by the author, Anne Leonard. I wasn't bothered by how quickly their relationship moved. 

The love between the two main characters was not the only important relationship in this story. Family played a large role as well. The way Tam described her family showed an obvious adoration, and the reader will witness firsthand how precious Corin's family is to him. It is not often that I have read of such great familial bonds in fantasy novels as I did in Moth and Spark. That was a breath of fresh air. I loved reading their interactions, and banter. Their additions, and the additions of the other minor characters, were fantastic. 

The writing is gorgeous. Descriptive and elegant, Leonard has produced a story that I won't soon forget. Her readers will be immediately captivated by the beautiful prose and well-developed plot. This book moves pretty slowly at first, but it doesn't take long for the action and adventure to begin. Personally, I wasn't bothered by the pace. In fact, I thought it fit the plot and the fantasy of the story extremely well. It was not too fast, nor too slow. Moth and Spark really kept my attention, and had me so involved that it was nearly impossible for me to put it down. 

Moth and Spark is highly enjoyable. It has all of the elements of a good fantasy novel and a heavy dose of romance. I would definitely recommend it to fans of Fantasy Lite. It's full of mystery, adventure and a royal quest to save the world as these citizens know it! I loved it, and am very much looking forward to Leonard's next novel!