Captivated by Dominik (The Ralston Brothers) by Sarah Westill

Archaeolibrarian
4 hours ago
3 min read

@authorsarahwestill

@authorsarahwestill

#PostApocalyptic, #ScienceFiction, #Romance,

When beast master Dominik Ralston agrees to pose as Sienna Heathwood’s husband for a government assignment, he anticipates the pretense and even the deceit. What he doesn’t expect is the fierce desire she awakens within him, or the struggle to keep the need to claim her from clouding his judgment. Disguised as a scientific expedition to New Columbia, their true mission is to uncover whether the nation is secretly mining iron and supplying it to an emerging superpower that treats its people as mere commodities.

As Dominik and his hawk navigate the treacherous wilds of an unexplored region, he begins to suspect Sienna’s genetic talent is far greater than anyone, including Sienna herself, could imagine. Dominik has to acknowledge a startling and unwelcome fact: their own government may have been exploiting her for years. But revealing the truth could shatter her fragile world, for Sienna has already sacrificed her freedom, her trust, and even her very heart, in service to her nation. She has endured marriage after marriage to men chosen not for love, but for their country to maintain control over her.

The one thing Sienna can’t deny is the fire Dominik alone has been able to ignite within her. For the first time, Sienna experiences true passion at Dominik’s hands. And as they get closer to discovering the truth of New Columbia’s deceit, Sienna might have to decide if a life with Dominik is worth risking the future of the ranked guardian position that has always defined her.

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5 out of 5 (exceptional)

CAPTIVATED BY DOMINIK is the first book in The Ralson Brothers series, and features Dominik (obviously) and Sienna. Dominik is a hawk beastmaster, while Sienna works for the FIO (First Intelligence Office) as a diplomat.

Sienna has quite a strong gift, but the downside of that is that she has been contracted every year for a 12-month "marriage". She is on a dual mission to New Columbia, where the Royal Governor has taken a bit of a slimy shine to her, so she needs Dominik to help with that, as well as their other mission. It doesn't help that her boss is on the dodgy side, too! Poor Sienna.

Their relationship worked perfectly! It was both hot and slow-burn. Dominik was understandably p!ssed about how Sienna had been treated in the past, both by her boss and by her so-called husbands. I loved how he gave her the control and never once pushed her beyond what she was comfortable with.

If I had one niggle, it would be that the informant was never named. We know it's a 'he', but that's it, and that just about killed me. The only male that sprang to mind was her stylist, but I'm really hoping it wasn't him. I would love to know who it actually was!

This series promises delights with the Ralston clan. I love how we see the siblings interact, and I can't wait for more. Of course, some of the Ralston clan have already found their mates, but there is so much more to come. And, of course, I do hope Markus and Bella show up occasionally too!

One final comment - have you seen that cover? It's absolutely gorgeous, reflects the book, and look how wonderful Alstair is! A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa

Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!