Ashes - By Sarah Gilman

Journalist Ambrosia Pellerin accepts an assignment involving the legendary phoenix, expecting, if nothing else, a little entertainment. Instead, she gets pregnant—by a surprisingly human-looking firebird, Reece Bennu.

Ambrosia and Reece struggle to make the best of their predicament, igniting a tentative romance despite Reece’s furious and powerful relatives who resent the mixed-blood child, a violent human out to prove the existence of phoenixes at any cost, and Ambrosia’s forced separation from her family and isolation in her new home.

Reece’s relatives plot murder while Ambrosia’s family faces a dire medical situation and ask her to return. Will the couple survive when Reece denies Ambrosia his trust and her freedom when she needs both more than anything?

"Ashes" is a short, sweet paranormal romance. The love story between Ambrosia and Reece isn't unexplained though the explanation is minimal considering the length. I liked the new take on pheonix as a paranormal shifter. I disliked the name Ambrosia but the character has a good back story and her personality holds true throughout. Reece is amusing as a failed romantic, often putting his foot in his mouth. Pheonix island sounds like paradise but I've always had a thing for tropical islands. I would have liked extra length allowing Gilman to explain scenes that come off as slightly abrupt. Regardless, it's a solid read with a satisfying ending.

4/5
xxx Literary George
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Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Gilman and Entangled Publishing, LLC for the copy.

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