Review: HeartMate by Robin D Owens

The Particulars:  Futuristic Romance,  Berkley,  available as e-book and in print
The Source: My bookshelf
The Grade: B+

The blurb:

All his life, Rand T'Ash looked forward to meeting his HeartMate, with whom he could begin a family. Once a street tough but now a respected nobleman and artisan, he has crafted the perfected HeartGift, which, in the custom of the psychically-gifted population of the planet Celta, is the way a man finds--and attracts--his wife...

Danith Mallow is irresistibly drawn to the magnificent necklace on display in T'Ash's shop, but she is wary of its creator, despite an overpowering attraction. In a world where everyone is defined by their psychic ability, Danith has little, and thus is at the opposite end of the social specturm from T'Ash. But T'Ash refuses to accept her rejection, and sees it as a challenge instead. They ARE HeartMates, but can T'ash persuade his beloved to accept her destiny by his side?


The review:

This  is a fast paced read, filled with romance, action, and Zanth of course.   No Celta book would be complete without a Fam.    The setting is a refreshing mix of regency customs and magic.  Every part of the world feels solid.  From the nobles to the Downwind gangs.  But what made the book so good were the romance between Danith and T'Ash.  
I loved reading about T'Ash and Danith's romance.   Everything went wrong from the start for T'ash. Danith rejects him.  But their romance shouldn't be an easy one.   T'Ash is a powerful GreatLord, with a large dose of inborn arrogance. Danith is a commoner, an orphan, with very little Flair.  

Meeting T'Ash turns Danith's life upside down. Suddenly she is showered with gifts, since T'Ash is determinded to follow every step in the etiquette book.  ( That scene made me smile)     It isn't just the gift that affect her.  She finds out she isn't as Flairless as she thought.    With every change, she clings harder to the familiar.
I loved how Mitchella stuck by her friend, even if her help might have caused problems between T'Ash and Danith.
But the romance plot were  intertwined with so many other things. From T'Ash past, to HollyHeir's request that he honor a blood debt, to events unfolding in the background.  All of the action and danger stems from this part of the plot.

So for what I didn't like.  It felt like everything happend too fast. For example,   Danith went from being flairless, to having a unique Flair.   Yes, it is spread out during the book, but I wish it had taken a bit more time. But, on the other hand it wouldn't have been the same story without it.   Also, I didn't feel that tugging that I get from really good Robin D Owens novels.