Memories Revised

All Talia wanted from the goddess Gillian was help in choosing between two potential husbands, but the goddess wasn't interesting in seeing Talia settle for a man she doesn't feel passion for. But when in the normally timid woman's life has she ever felt passion?

Well once, when the army came through her village and a handsome soldier saved her from near-rape. Talia had been too frightened to make the soldier stay with her in spite of her desire for him. As the goddess said, she's always lived more in her dreams than in the real world.

When Talia dreams that night of what might have happened had she invited the soldier Remak into her home, she understands what the goddess wanted her to know...that life without passion and true love is not for her. She must find her warrior and see if another chance could be had with him.

But that day was long ago and to find Remak Talia will have to summon her courage - and possibly risk her life for love! 

And then Talia did remember. One day, years ago, there had been a man…and she’d felt something she hadn’t felt before—or since.

It had been a terrible day when the army had arrived in her village. It was their ruler’s army, sworn to protect their lands, but the soldiers had spread through the streets and taken what they wanted without paying for it, their commanders not stopping the looting…and worse.

Talia had been out delivering her weaving and was caught by three of the soldiers bent on “worse”. She’d screamed and cried and fought the men, but they had been larger and stronger and she’d been overpowered.

Her arms bound by a rope, she’d been dragged into an alley and pushed to the wall. One had held her while a second lifted her skirt. The third was pulling off his pants when he had arrived. All she’d seen was a shadow move in the open end of the alley, then the man with his pants down had been tossed against the wall, his head smacking into it with a sickening hollow sound. He’d crumpled to the ground, stunned but breathing.

The two men on either side of her had gasped, and the one holding up her skirt dropped it to draw his sword. “She’s ours, Remak. Go find your own woman,” he said, threatening with his weapon.

“ I don’t take what isn’t given freely,” the new man had said quietly, pulling the short sword at his side. He’d swung with the flat side of the blade and the blow hit the other man’s arm hard.

The ugly man had dropped his sword, cried out in agony and cradled his arm. “I think you broke it.” His face showed his pain.

The other man’s face had remained in shadow, his voice enigmatic. “Then find a healer to fix it. And on your way, tell the other men that I said to leave these people alone or they’ll answer to me. Those in this village aren’t our enemies and we shouldn’t be theirs.”

The one holding her let her go and she’d stumbled back into the wall, using it for support while the uninjured man helped his semiconscious friend to his feet and followed the one holding his arm into the street. She’d been left in the alley with her rescuer.

For a moment she’d stared at him, stunned by her near rape. Then he’d moved toward her, sword in hand, and she’d shied away, tripping on the uneven ground. With her wrists still bound she’d have fallen, but he’d caught her with one muscular arm and cradled her against his body. For a moment she’d lain against his chest, gazing into eyes that had blazed at her.

Now she tried to remember. What color had they been, those eyes that had thrown such heat at her that she could still feel it now in her flesh? Brown? Maybe, but not the muddy color that brown eyes usually had. Instead his eyes had golden lights that brightened them, gold like the streaks that highlighted his dark hair. The latter was bound at the nape of his neck with a cord, but some long strands had escaped to trail down his neck and onto his chest.

She’d wanted her hands free of the rope, just to touch those wayward strands and see if they were as soft as they looked, as soft as the yarn she used in her weaving.

His face could never have been called handsome, but there was something arresting about it anyway. It was all hard lines and planes, featuring a nose with a ridge across it from where some blow had broken it. A face well used, like the body holding her.

This was a man who’d lived most of his life outdoors, bronzed by the sun and hardened by the elements. Hardened by a life of fighting as well, with his massive fists and the sharp sword he still carried in his other hand.

A hard man. A soldier. And yet the arm that held her did so carefully, as if afraid she’d break against him. He was a man who’d saved her from his fellows and even warned them to stop the harassment of her village or answer to him.

A man unlike any she’d ever known, and she’d imagined how it would be to kiss him. For long moments they’d stared at each other and she’d wondered as his lips pressed together if he could know her thoughts. Would he kiss her? Would she like it?

In the pit of her stomach something clenched and then far lower another part of her woke and she grew warm and wanting. Wanting his kiss. Wanting more than a kiss.

4.5 Stars - Just Erotic Romance Reviews … Ms. Starr has made Talia and Remak so believable that the readers can almost feel them thinking and dreaming. True, the feeling of dreamy fantasy doesn’t go away but you see them sharply in front of you and not hidden behind any curtains. Ms. Starr should be applauded for bringing so much passion and tenderness to a sweet, simple storyline. - Mahaira

Five Angels - Fallen Angels Reviews Cricket Starr has penned an ephemeral story that colors outside the box. Talia and Remak are fantastic characters that made this story work so well. The give and take between them is interesting and realistic, yet just fantastical enough to help you escape into the story. As erotic as some of the incidents were, I still came away with the feeling that this was a sweet story. My favorite part of the book was definitely the Goddess and her unique way of making Talia take stock of her life. A story of courage and strength, Memories Revised was a great read. – Serena

Romance Junkies Blue Ribbon Rating 4.5 ...To receive the full impact of this story, I recommend that you also read Cricket Starr's companion story MEMORIES TO COME. Reading both books adds intensity to an already outstanding tale. I loved MEMORIES REVISED both for its interesting concept and its remarkably well-written characters. Starr has penned a bona fide must-read with MEMORIES REVISED. – Robin