Hungary:
Months ago Count Mathias Duma and his English born wife were attacked by wolves. His wife was killed. Mathias was bitten and turned into a werewolf.
England:
Katherine’s favorite book in her uncle’s library was Destiny and Astrology. She had just curled up with the book when in walked a Count Duma. There was an instant attraction between the two. Katherine was the first woman to stir the Count’s heart since the death of his wife. He had mourned her for months. He longed to return to his home land of Romania but his former mother in law was trying to make that impossible. She was trying to take his daughter away from him. He had recently purchased an estate in the area so that his daughter would also know she had a connection to her mother’s home land.
Eventually Kate and Mathias were able to return to his home in Hungary. His rival Count Vargar was determined to steal Katherine away from him. Mathias demanded total loyalty. Filled with jealousy and rage he accused Katherine of being disloyal.
This book is extremely entertaining. The plot is sensual and romantic. Katherine and Mathias play were together. This is the first book in a new series. I look forward to reading the next entry.
Tami Dee, Author of "The Mists of Time Series"
Under a Viking Moon
Dawn of a Viking Sunrise
5 STARS
The Hungarian is a thrilling tale of mystery, intrigue, and the unquestioning trust which comes from true love. Set in 1901 England the author takes her readers on a delightful journey through era appropriate travel from England all the way to Hungary.
From the first page Katherine Archibald and Count Matthias Duma endear themselves into the readers' heart. Their attraction for one another is instant, yet Ms. Burkhart allows Katherine and Matthias to take their time learning about one another and grow in their affection.
The challenges Matthias and Katherine face as a couple are complex and many.
I admire how Ms. Burkhart allowed them to not only acknowledge and understand their unique problems, but to work together to find realistic and satisfying solutions, even as they took `one step forward, and two steps back' to do so.
Matthias is a widower trying to raise a young daughter with only the help of his Hungarian staff. The challenges of this labor of love are magnified by the fact that he is also a werewolf.
After his first wife is killed by a pack of wolves, one wolf of which is responsible for his own `condition', Matthias finds himself trapped in England being sued for custody of his daughter, Emily, by her grandmother, Lady Ashton.
Lady Ashton, driven by her grief at having lost her only daughter, claims that Matthias is an unfit father, who staffs a household of gypsies and witches.
Katherine, an orphan raised by a loving uncle and his not so loving wife, is a respectful, yet independent young woman with a great love for the stars, books and thirst for adventure.
That thirst is quenched when she and Matthias meet. The attraction between the couple is strong, and after getting to know one another their love grows and blossoms.
Katherine feels an instant kinship with Matthias daughter, and wants, more than anything, for the child to remain with her loving father and not forced by the courts to live with her bitter grandmother.
Matthias asks Katherine to marry him, but along with the proposal he tells her that each month when the moon is full, he transforms into a werewolf.
Katherine is shocked by the news, but open minded enough to believe the unbelievable. She does not answer him right away, taking instead some much needed time to consider what her life would be like married to a man whose moods and body are governed by the phases of the moon.
Katherine accepts his proposal, and they marry in a quiet little ceremony in her uncle's home.
As a werewolf, Matthias does not age at the same rate as normal persons. He will still look and feel young for hundreds of years. Due to that, Matthias fears getting Katherine pregnant, knowing he could not bear outliving any children they may have together.
While Katherine understands his concerns, and loves his daughter as her own, she longs to have children with her new husband. Their most emotional conflict is a direct result of this very matter. The love scenes which touch on Matthias resolution to this problem are well written, catering to the adult reader.
Matthias, still haunted by doubts about his first wife's faithfulness and his own mothers fidelity, is very insecure. His jealousy causes quite a bit of trouble between the two, and Katherine's soft heart and trusting nature often times unwittingly feed his insecurities.
Ms. Burkhart takes the reader though the intricate emotional ups and downs her hero and heroine go through, and the reader feels a since of accomplishment and joy as Matthias and Katherine grow and mature throughout the story, learning to trust one another completely.
Ms. Burkhart pulls the reader right into Matthias transformation with her details of not only his physical changing, but also his mind and emotions while this painful process takes place.
Ms. Burkhart's writing is crisp, her imagery vivid. The story is compelling and the reader will find their selves not wanting it to end.
A fantastic story. Stephanie's writing is superb in this paranormal romance. The Hungarian is rich with sharp, intelligent, likable characters that make the reader love them and root for them and cry for them along the way. Count Matthias Duma is dealing with the fallout of the tragic, somewhat mysterious death of his first wife. Suspicious of his involvement in her daughter's death, Matthias's mother-in-law has made it her mission to smear his name and prove him an unfit parent to her only grandchild, Matthias's daughter, Emily. An ugly custody battle has forced Matthias to leave his home in Hungary and establish a temporary residence in London for the duration of the investigation and proceedings. While there, he meets Lady Katherine Archibald, the modest, beautiful, vibrant young niece of a close friend and business associate. From the moment of their fateful meeting, she brings sunshine and optimism into his lonely, brooding life, along with hope for a future of new love and salvation from the dark cloud of his tragic past. While their romance blossoms over a summer-long courtship, it also stirs whispers and condemning gossip that threatens to ruin his chances of winning his custody suit.
And then there's another hairy situation to contend with - literally. What would his mother-in-law and Katherine think if they found out the truth behind his reason for loathing the moon...
Stephanie takes us on this emotional ride with grace and eloquence. She brings history to life, from noble life in Victorian Era England, to the mystic, rural countryside of Hungary. She takes you on location with vivid descriptions that bring the sights, sounds, and smells to life. Their period clothing unfold before our eyes. The descriptions of the smells of the spices and foods make the mouth water. Few authors can bring such detail to their writing without burdening and cluttering the pages, yet Stephanie does so with seamless, easy beauty. By the time Katherine discovers Matthias's secret, Stephanie has us thoroughly invested in this endearing, page-turning tale of werewolves, witches, friends, and enemies, all striving and driving for one end -- happily-ever-after. This is a must-read for anyone who loves a good love-story with a twist. You won't be disappointed.
Katherine Archibald knows that she is considered an oddity in society because of her height and love of certain books. Knowing she will probably never marry, her dream is to own her own bookstore.
Count Matthias Duma lost his wife to a horrific carriage accident that left him scarred and changed forever. He never thought he would feel the rush he did for his wife until he set eyes upon Katherine.
There is something about the intensely moody Count that has Katherine aching for him. As he begins courting her, she finds herself more intrigued and at the same time repulsed by his ever changing mood. Figuring it has to do with the court battle over his daughter with his ex-in-laws, Katherine just shrugs it off for the time being. But once that battle is over, another one starts between Katherine, Matthias, and the man who came between him and his first wife.
The Hungarian shows us the darker emotional side of being a werewolf, with the angst Matthias feels about his relationship with the moon versus how alive he feels when Katherine is near. Ms. Burkhart tells this tale in such a voice that we can practically feel the waves of emotions both characters are feeling coming off the pages. I did find myself tiring quickly with Matthias’ continuous testing of Katherine’s loyalty, trust, and faith. The way he quickly turned from being so distrustful to trusting her was a little hard to grasp. With only a few mild hang-ups, this tale is one that was nicely written and will keep a reader entertained.
Generally speaking, I'm not a paranormal fan... which is why I was surprised to enjoy THE HUNGARIAN by Stephanie Burkhart as much as I did. I don't enjoy books that make werewolves little more than pack animals, driven solely by the most basic animal instincts. THE HUNGARIAN is different.
Burkhart takes the focus off the animal, placing it fully and wholly on the man. Her writing is vivid, her historical detail used to paint a beautiful image of the time and place. She draws you into the emotion of the story, and the beauty of the love between Mathias and Katherine. If you enjoy werewolf/paranormal stories, this is an absolute winner. But then again, if you're not necessarily a paranormal fan -- but a fan of a deeply emotional romance -- you could very well enjoy it still.