Shadow and Ice

Launching the Gods of War epic fantasy romance series, Showalter (Everlife) beautifully blends seduction and suspense. Vale London and her foster sister, Nola, are on the trip of a lifetime to the Arctic Circle when they become stranded. They have shelter, but no food or guide. When they venture out in a desperate attempt to survive, they come across a strange cave filled with human beings encased in ice—and thanks to global warming, that ice is melting. Knox and his fellow All War combatants have been in deep freeze for the past 1,400 years. All of them, conscripted by the rules of their various worlds, are locked in a fight to the death, and the winner’s liege will claim ownership of Earth. Thawed out, Knox suddenly finds himself in a strange new place, and Vale discovers there’s more to the world than she ever imagined. Despite an excess of exposition, sizzling sexual tension and fantastical action make the story satisfying, if exhausting, to read. Agent: Deirdre Knight, Knight Agency. (Nov.)