Author: Penny Brandon
Publisher: Loose Id
Length: 178 Pages
Category: Paranormal, Fantasy
At a Glance: I was intrigued to find out details about Simon, the keeper of the mirror. Recommended for fans of this series, and lovers of romance with a bit of magic.
Reviewed By: Sadonna
Blurb: As the keeper of a magic mirror that shows those lucky few their one true love, Simon dreams of the day it will show him his, but he never dreamt of a punk-assed kid with ripped jeans and rainbow colored hair. Devastated, Simon tries to push Alex away, refusing to tell him they were fated, but Alex keeps coming back, showing all the signs of a man drawn to his soulmate. Realizing he’s made a terrible mistake, Simon figures the only way to fix it is to be the man Alex wants because Alex is the man Simon needs if he’s ever to have a future.
Never before has Alex fallen so hard for a man who obviously doesn’t like him, but Alex is sure there’s a passionate man beneath Simon’s prickly exterior. Peeling away Simon’s layers is like ripping off a bandaid, but it’s worth it when Alex finally has Simon in his arms. The problem is, though he may have Simon’s body, he doesn’t have his heart, and that’s the part Alex wants most. Until he finds out Simon has lied to him.
Review: Simon is the keeper of a magical mirror. Men come to his antiques store—really, are compelled to walk in the door—and Simon shows them the mirror. The mirror does not show a reflection of the viewer, but rather, the picture of the viewer’s one true love—his soul mate. For nearly ten years, Simon has been faithfully executing his duties as the mirror’s keeper.
One day, a youngish guy dressed in street clothes, with rainbow dyed hair, approaches his desk at the shop. He asks him about the trick with the mirror, at which time Simon is dismayed as he hadn’t even heard the man come into the shop, or head toward the mirror. As they approach the mirror together, the man asks again how the trick is done, and why he is seeing Simon in the mirror rather than himself.
Simon is nearly apoplectic with this revelation. All these years, he thought he would see his one true love, not that he would be the image that another would see. He’s shocked and outraged; it seems to him that for once the mirror has gotten it all wrong. He’s furious and kicks the man, Alex, out of the store.
But, Alex will not be deterred. He continues to seek out Simon at the store, and win him over. It’s truly a hard sell, but Simon does begin to soften towards him, over time, which Alex takes as a positive sign. Simon is still confused and not sure he believes that Alex is his soulmate, but he definitely feels a pull towards him. He reveals details of this past to Alex that he’s not shared with another soul. He does begin to trust Alex even though that’s the last thing he thought would happen.
Then, another customer who is drawn by the mirror comes into the store. He tries to flirt with Simon, but when the mirror’s purpose is explained to him, and he sees his boss reflected there, he freaks out. Alex grows a bit suspicious, but Simon manages to get the man out and explain away the conversation.
Of course, Simon being less than honest with Alex is bound to cause problems, and boy, does it! When Alex finally discovers the truth of the mirror and realizes that Simon hasn’t exactly been forthcoming about the mirror or his job at the antiques shop, he does not react well. Simon isn’t sure how to fix what has happened, but he’s determined to try.
I enjoyed this third installment of this series. The first book, Choices, is still my favorite (the books are best read in order), but I was intrigued to find out details about Simon, the keeper of the mirror. This is truly a case of not judging a book by its cover. Simon completely reacts to Alex’s exterior and his expectation for the mirror and himself. Alex is a good guy who fights for Simon—even though he’s not really sure why. I liked watching Alex try to figure out how to worm his way into Simon’s good graces, and Simon try to resist—to no avail. Recommended for fans of the series and lovers of romance with a bit of magic.
You can buy His Heart’s Desire here:
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