Book Review: The Great Pursuit by Wendy Higgins

The Great Pursuit (Eurona Duology #2) by Wendy Higgins

Blurb:

Lochlanach has traded the great beast for something far more terrible, a Lashed enemy veiled in beauty, deception, and a vengeance passed down through generations: Rozaria Rocato. And she’s offering the hunter Paxton Seabolt power and acceptance he could never receive in his homeland. Pax must decide how far he’s willing to go under her tutelage, knowing she is the opponent of Princess Aerity Lochson.

In a land where traditionalists dread change, the Lochlan throne must contend with mysterious foes and traitors, while attempting to keep revolt at bay. As dire circumstances strike the royal family, matters of the castle are left in Aerity’s hands. It's time to put aside her fears and grasp the reign, taking actions that have the potential to save or destroy her people.

One hunt has ended, but the pursuit for love and justice continue. In this sequel to The Great Hunt from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, political intrigue and romance intensify in another thrilling fantasy. Princess Aerity embraces a quest for identity and passion before making the ultimate sacrifice for her kingdom.

My Review:

One beast is dead, but Rozaria Rocato is just beginning her destructive path of Eurona in The Great Pursuit. Princess Aerity of Lochlanach is engaged to Lord Alvi of Ascomanni who has eyes for her cousin Wyneth. Meanwhile Aerity's true love Paxton Seabolt has left Lochlanach with the Zandalee tribe, possibly to never return again.

With King Lochson not wanting to give in to Rozaria's demands or to listen to his daughter's ideas and Aerity's upcoming nuptials to Lord Alvi pressing in on her Aerity leaves the palace with the soldier, Harrison to search for Paxton. Meanwhile Paxton has entered the lion's den - Rosaria Rocato's camp of Lashed. She's building an army of Lashed to overthrow Lochlanach and the rest of Eurona. Can Paxton get close enough to Rosaria to find out her exact plans so he can keep the love he's not allowed himself to have from harm's way?

Vixie Lochson and Paxton's younger brother Tiern have feelings for each other, but with the Lashed blood running in Tiern's family he knows he shouldn't want Vixie. He has to think of the kingdom first. But he can't stay away and Vixie makes it terribly hard to resist her - especially after she sets her mind to tracking down Aerity.

Lady Wyneth has decided her mourning period for Breckon has to come to an end. She has to move on with her life and she wants to do all she can for the kingdom during this time of strife. Is there a possibility for her to find love again? With someone she never would have expected?

With danger and war looming over their heads and traitors in their midst it will be a fight for the kingdom of Lochlanach and the rest of Eurona. Lashed and Unlashed will have to set aside their differences for the homelands they love to overpower Rozaria and her band of Lashed. Will Princess Aerity be successful? Will she and Paxton ever have a chance at happiness? Will life ever be the same?

I was really looking forward to The Great Pursuit and it didn't disappoint. I liked the follow up to The Great Hunt and the conclusion to Aerity's story. All of your favorite characters are back and the thing I was most worried about was which characters were going to end up together in the end.

That left me wide open for plot twists I wasn't expecting, some I liked but one that left me a little confused. This book jumps between character perspectives a lot from the main characters to the secondary characters to the villain and even a random unnamed character riding Paul Revere style through the towns during the beginning of the war but we only hear the fate of Aerity's parents in passing. I would have liked to have seen something in either her mother or father's perspective right before the end. What were they doing during the period when they were taken? Did they even try to escape? Were they certain someone was coming for them? Were they afraid? Trying to comfort one another? Being tortured?

It's just that there were a few parts of this book I thought were a little too drawn out and took too long to get through, there was nothing about that part of the story - like a big gaping plot hole.

Overall, I liked this story. Wendy Higgins continues to be one of my favorite authors, but although I liked this conclusion I'm not sure I liked it as much as The Great Hunt.

My Rating:

🌟🌟🌟🌟

4 of 5 Stars!