Heroes At Risk (Moira J. Moore)

Now that Shield Lee Mallorough and her incredibly handsome Source, Shintaro Karish, have done their fair share of grunt work in the Southern Islands, they have returned to the city of High Scape to resume their duties as a Pair. But upon their arrival, they discover that the city once besieged by immense disaster seems to have calmed down. Instead, the townspeople are obsessed with ritualistic magic -- one that anyone can study and learn.

Lee most certainly doesn't believe in magic -- or at least not this kind. But she can't deny that tomb robbing for ashes to use in spells is rather disturbing, especially when even the living are being murdered for their remains. Lee fears that Taro is in grave danger, for who could be thought to work better as a charm than her handsome and talented Source?

This was a good addition to this series. I was a little frustrated by Lee's unwillingness to accept the obvious in a certain situation. It also left quite a few loose ends and ended in a bit of a cliff hanger. Looking forward to the next book.

Heroes Adrift (Moira J. Moore)

Long-suffering Shield Lee Mallorough and her all-too-charming Source Shintaro Karish are summoned to court by the Empress, who asks the fractious Pair to undertake a mission of utmost importance and secrecy: locate the descendants of her illegitimate, exiled sister.

As their recent chaotic exploits have proven, Lee and Taro are completely ill suited to such a task, but they are in no position to refuse. So, in search of lost royalty, they travel to the Southern Islands, where the heat is unbearable, the clothing is just short of optional - and the less-than-friendly locals could care less that Lee and Taro are working for the Empress...

This was my least favorite of the series so far but it was still a good read. I liked seeing how these characters reacted to situations that were so reversed from their normal life.

Looking forward to the next in the series being released in August.

The Hero Strikes Back (Moira J. Moore)

The weather in the city of High Scape is off the charts. It's snowing in the middle of summer, and the townsfolk are desperate for Shield Lee Mallorough and Source Shintaro Karish to fix it - which they can't do. But try explaining that to an angry mob...

Meanwhile, there's a crazed killer targeting aristocrats. Karish has forfeited the Dukedom of Westsea to continue working as a Source, but Lee fears that technicality won't matter to the murderer. It certainly doesn't matter to Karish's mother, who's bound and determined that he take the title.

Only by working together will Lee and Karish be able to figure out the weather, catch the killer before it's too late, and most importantly...get rid of Karish's mother.

This one was even better than the first!

Resenting the Hero (Moira J. Moore)

Since she was a child, Dunleavy Mallorough has been nurturing her talents as a Shield, preparing for her day of bonding. Unfortunately, fate decrees Lee's partner to be the legendary, handsome, and unbearably self-assured Lord Shintaro Karish. Sure, he cuts a fine figure with his aristocratic airs and undeniable courage. But Karish's popularity and notoriety- in bed and out- make him the last Source Lee ever wanted to be stuck with.

The duo is assigned to High Scape, a city so besieged by disaster that seven bonded Pairs are needed to combat it. But when an inexplicable force strikes down every other Source and Shield, Karish and Lee must put aside their differences in order to defeat something even more unnatural than their reluctant affections of each other.

I liked this one much more than I expected. I loved Karish's character. I enjoyed seeing how the relationship between the Pair developed.