A Furious Muse (The Golden Key Legacy #1) by AJ Nuest

What They Say:

Since the day of her birth, Princess Faedrah Austiere has been defined by her place within the kingdom. As the single heir to the half-blood gypsy king and his prophesied white queen, she is fiercely protected, shuttered inside an ivory castle and well-trained in the art of war. Yet neither her obligations as future queen nor the black infestation threatening her kingdom fail to hinder the mysterious pull of the antique armoire hidden in her parents’ bedchamber. And stealing the golden key for a leap through time is the only way to confront the dark lord haunting her dreams.

One face. The image of one defiant, relentless woman has been stuck in Rhys McEleod’s head ever since he was old enough paint her luscious curves on the canvas. But the day she walks into his life off the street—sexier than hell and itching for a fight—he’s not convinced she’s the same women he’s envisioned since childhood. That is, not until he spots the golden key around her neck—an object he’d never fully shown in any of his paintings.

Now if he could just persuade his lovely muse he’s not the enemy. Unless the elusive Faedrah Austiere learns to trust him, he’ll never have her in his bed—the one place he’s convinced she belongs.

What I Say:

I would like to thank Harper Impulse for approving me to read this on NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Since AJ announced she was writing a follow-up to The Golden Key Chronicles I have been dying to read these but as I knew once I started I would be dying to read them all I have been saving them until all the books have been released and what perfect time to post my reviews than #HIFortnight.

This first book is set twenty years after The Golden Key Chronicles and when we first meet Faedrah she is training to follow her mother into the Elite Palace guard. Faedrah has a lot to live up to as her mother is Rowena from the chronicles. In a way, I feel sorry for her as she has a lot to live up to and is trying too hard. Faedrah makes a rash decision to disobey her parents and jump through the time. Where she then meets Rhys and her life is turned upside down. Rhys is a very talented artist, but all his paintings are of Faedrah, so much so that everyone thinks he is mad. He isn't mad he's very hot, how can Faedrah resist him?

Faedrah struggles to make sense of her destiny and slowly she lets Rhys in. Together the make a formidable team just like Rowena and Caedmon before them. Rhys finds that he wants to protect her.

AJ teases us with what they are to face to prove their love and there is always a dark shadow looming in the background. This a really great beginning to Faedrah and Rhys story and I know from previous books of AJ’s they life won’t be plain sailing. AJ pulls the story along at a fast pace and ends with a cliffhanger, so of course I had to read the next one (I knew I would never have been able to wait for it to be originally published).

If you like a touch of fantasy and romance then these books are definitely for you.

5 out of 5 stars

About The Author



Multi-published, award winning author, AJ Nuest resides in a small farming community in NW Indiana. A wife, mother and freelance editor, she shares her home with a variety of spoiled-rotten pets. She and the cat are currently vying for dictatorship.