DIVIDED LOVE - Sally Painter
Torrid Tarot: Queen of Cups
Ellora’s Cave www.ellorascave.com
ISBN: 978-1-4199-1435-5
January 2008
Erotic Fantasy Romance
Rated: S-ensuous

Present Day

It has been a year since Reci Waters abdicated her throne and her life as the Queen of Cups.  She’s as happy as she can be living on land, even though a part of her yearns for her life in Cups.  On the one year anniversary though, something strange happens, Reci feels as if she is literally being torn in two, and it is only as she mentions this to Kit, her closest friend and former aide, that Kit remembers the curse.  If a queen abdicates her throne, on the one-year anniversary she will literally be split into two people, and if she doesn’t return to Cups, she will die.  Reluctantly, Reci agrees to call Arthur, the man who had been her Captain of the Guard, and the man she secretly loves.

Arthur has been waiting months for Reci to call him.  He has always loved her, and when she left Cups a year ago, he gladly followed her, but then she sent him away.  He’s disappointed when Kit explains why Reci has contacted him, but then she walks into the room and right into his arms.  All of Arthur’s dreams have come true as the sultry woman in his arms declares her love – only to be yelled at by another Reci.  The woman he’s holding – who prefers to be called R.W. – is everything he’s always imagined Reci to be, but the Reci across the room is the sternly controlled Queen he has faithfully served.  Arthur will gladly return Reci to the throne, yet is this finally his chance to let the woman he will always love know how he feels about her?

DIVIDED LOVE is a fascinating story.  While Reci talks about how much she loves living on land, she secretly wishes to be back in the sea.  Unfortunately, her abdication wasn’t as voluntary as she has led Kit, Arthur and all of the citizens of Cups to believe.  She’s working on a plan to reclaim her throne, yet suddenly time has run out.  Reci also feels as strongly about Arthur as he does about her but, as Queen, she is expected to marry a royal.  When she splits into two separate people, Reci remains the strictly proper queen whose first duty is to her subjects, whereas the emotion-driven part of her becomes R.W. – and R.W. would rather spend the last days of her life free on land than being controlled and proper.  Both halves of her love Arthur, who has remained loyal to Reci since the first time they met.  He’s also ignored her command to find another life, and has spent the months apart following her and keeping her safe without telling her.  There is a reason for the split, which is explained very well, but as the explanation comes later in the novel, I’ll leave it for the readers to find out.

With its unique premise and captivating characters, DIVIDED LOVE is a novel I highly recommend.

Jennifer Bishop