A Flame Through Eternity
The Wanderer Series #3
By Anna Belfrage
It started 3,000 years ago. It ends now. Who survives?
Helle may believe in second-chance love, but she sure doesn’t believe in reincarnation. Okay, she didn’t believe in stuff like that until she met Jason Morris a year or so ago. By now, she has accepted that sometimes impossible things are quite, quite possible—like an ancient princess being reborn as an ambitious financial analyst.
Finding Jason was like finding the part of her that had always been missing—a perfect match. But handling Sam Woolf, the reborn version of their ancient nemesis is something of a trial. No sooner do you have him well and surely beat, but up he bounces again. Sheesh, will it take an oak stake to permanently rid their lives of him?
Sam Woolf is a powerful adversary. Too powerful, even. Jason and Helle will need help from unexpected quarters to finally bring this tangled, ancient love-and-hate triangle to some sort of conclusion. Question is, will they survive the experience?
“It isn’t over yet. He’s not gone. He’s back. And this time he intends to win...”
After 3,000 years you would think that Samion, Prince of Kolchis, would give up. But there was darkness in his soul, a cruel evil. He wanted Helle. He wanted to own her, possess her, dominate her. He would beat her into submission if he had to. But in this life, he would be victorious, and he would get what he thinks he deserved.
Trapped in an endless cycle of reincarnation, Helle Morris knew only this, that her life meant nothing without Jason by her side. He was the first and only man she had ever or would ever love. But she could not shake off this terrible feeling that Sam Woolf (Samion) was still lurking in the shadows, waiting — waiting for her.
Jason Morris was under no illusion that Woolf was still alive, and he would come for Helle. It was just a matter of time. However, Jason was determined that he and Helle would have the life that had been so cruelly denied them until now, and he would do everything in his power to destroy Woolf once and for all.
From the protected comforts of Tor Cottage, that stands in the shadows of the mystical Glastonbury Tor, to a heartbreakingly life-changing confession in the place where it all began, A Flame Through Eternity: The Wanderer Series #3 by Anna Belfrage is the dramatic conclusion to a story that spans three turbulent millennia.
Knowing how Belfrage summons every emotion conceivable from her readers, I came prepared with a box of Kleenex. It was a wise decision! This book made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me grimace, it made me cry again, but it left me with a smile on my face and hope in my heart. What more could you ask for in a book?
I have waited with eager anticipation for the final chapter in what has been the utterly mesmerising story of Jason and Helle as they battled not only to stay alive but to stay together. This is a novel like no other. It is a story of ancient souls, and an unquenchable and undeniable love that would not be shaken and nor would it be denied. These characters, this setting, and this narrative are as enthralling as they are unforgettable.
Oh, this series! It captured my attention from Book #1 and did not let me go until that final heart-warming sentence. It is a story of violence, hate, bitter rivalry, fear, betrayal, regret, but above everything else, it is a story about love. And what a love story it is. Helle and Jason’s romance is the kind that makes a reader swoon, and I was desperate for them to have that happy ending, and for a terrible moment, I wondered if Belfrage was going to be incredibly cruel and not give it to them. The tension was almost unbearable because the antagonist was just so terrifying.
Woolf is a powerful and wicked man who corrupts everything he touches. He is the kind of villain that even hardened criminals would submit to. Woolf is a terrifying antagonist and one I really loathed. His power is so immense it seemed the only way Jason and Helle would be safe is if they died, but of course, their fight to be together would start again in the next life. If, they did not vanquish Woolf, now, they would never know peace. This compelling portrayal was played out with an elegant turn of phrase and a riveting narrative which made this book next to impossible to put down.
There is a cast of wonderful supporting characters in this book, but Nefirie the Wanderer who was Jason’s mother in his first life was a character that really drove the story in this book forward. There are a lot of terrible revelations which change the perception that I had of Nefirie at the beginning of the series. Nefirie is a very powerful old soul, but her reaction and her treatment of Helle meant that although at times I sympathised with her, I could not like her, try as I might. She is very manipulative, very possessive, and there were many similarities between Nefirie and Woolfe, which were very unsettling. I think Belfrage has depicted Nefirie with a great deal of skill and care. Belfrage gives us an understanding of why the characters act like they do and make the choices that they make as well, which was incredibly insightful and certainly helped to move the story forward.
I have to mention Korine. I simply adored Korine — who is Helle’s and Jason’s daughter from their first life. She is such a sweetheart, who has the gifts of both her father and her grandmother, but because of this, she knows things, and she sees things that she should be oblivious to. Her life is one of emotional torment, but also determination. Korine is determined that her parents will find peace with each other, and she will do everything in her power to help them. I thought Korine’s depiction was fabulous. I loved everything about her.
Lastly, I have to mention Helle and Jason. These two characters irrevocably stole my heart. The love that they share, the devotion and the desire to live a normal life together is irresistible. Belfrage certainly knows how to make characters that her readers can care about.
Belfrage is an author that keeps giving. I am never disappointed by her books, they just get better and better, and this series is another example of how much of a master, Belfrage is at her craft. Her attention to detail, her ability to conjure a scene with such animation and imagination is a real treat for any reader, and her lucid understanding of human nature makes her characters not only real in the telling, but relatable, especially with regards to Jason and Helle’s relationship — for most of this series they are living in fear, but there are also moments when they get annoyed with each other, as happens in any normal healthy relationship. I thought that made them really compelling and far more importantly, believable.
I cannot praise this series enough. It is in all ways a triumph, and it is one that I have enjoyed immensely.
If you are looking for your next great time-slip adventure, then stop searching for you have found it. The Wanderer Series is deserving of your time, and Belfrage is an author that demands your respect.
I Highly Recommended.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
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A Flame Through Eternity
Anna Belfrage
Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests: history and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England. She has recently released the first in a new series, The Wanderer. This time, she steps out of her normal historical context and A Torch in His Heart is with a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense with paranormal and time-slip ingredients.
Find out more about Anna by visiting her website, or herAmazon page.
