Ronin McTaver was the only survivor when the Serpent, Lothlian, destroyed his family castle, Roseneath. Vowing to avenge his family and lands, Ronin escaped into the forbidden Loch Nidean forest where it was said fantastic creatures protected the forest's secrets and no traveler that went in was ever heard from again. Waylaid by the forest dwellers, Ronin took their leader captive to ensure his safe passage through the forest. Unwittingly, however, Ronin kidnapped the Princess Kalial, mistaking her for a boy. His only goal was to reclaim his family lands and seek vengeance upon Lothlian, and therefore taking the captive was only to get through the forest, not to access any of the forest's secrets.

Kalial, princess of the Loch Nidean forest, had the ability to communicate with animals. With a Scottish McCat by her side, she led her people in the preservation of the enigma of her forest home. When the stranger braved the forest, Kalial's one goal was to protect the forest and its secrets. However, she underestimated the cunning of the stranger and was taken captive.

What ensued between Ronin and Kalial was a battle of wills. While the physical connection between the two characters was great, their wills became entangled in their desire for one another. Ronin couldn't abscond with the notions of what he viewed as a female's traditional role--submission and subservience--while Kalial couldn't submit to compromise in leadership or control over any aspect of her life.

UNDER A WILD SKY takes the reader on a journey that explores the walls of preconceived notions held by the characters as they relate to their time period and respective culture, and it builds a story around the crumbling of those walls.

Sasha Lord, a new voice in the Romance genre, is a generous writer and leaves nothing untouched in her first novel, UNDER A WILD SKY. She freely gives to her reading audience strong characters that are heroic and honorable, action that is fast paced and intricate, and conflict that builds and finally spills over into a fulfilled story. While the Fantasy aspect isn't a genre I am acutely familiar with, I liked Kalial's ability to communicate with and through the animals. At times the chemistry between Ronin and Kalial, including their dialogue, felt stilted and forced, but their connection fused as the story unfolded. Sasha Lord is a writer to watch and one that will become a delicious read.

Review by Maci Walker