Courting Fate is the first book in A.R. Kaufer’s The Courtship Saga. Author Kaufer is going to introduce you to a young woman who has no idea just who she really is and the fate that lies ahead for her. A “random” attack sets her on the course to discovering the truth of who she is and potentially even finding a love that she never thought was truly possible. Secrets swirl all around her, and danger lurks around every corner, but as long as she has her friends by her side she just might have the strength to make things a little better.
Courting Fate is the first book that I have read by A.R. Kaufer. Ana’s story piqued my interest and I was curious to see exactly how it would unfold. That being said, I was surprised in the way that things go. She’s saved from further harm by a character by the name of Rafe in an alley attack when he hears a shot ring out. He helps call for help and gets Ana rushed to the hospital. But it’s the events that follow that will raise eyebrows.
Ana has been attacked by a random man, and then, in turn, saved by a random man. So, her allowing Rafe to stay with her without truly knowing anything about him is strange, to say the least. The deeper you dig into the story and learn more than a few things about Ana’s history the more bizarre it appears in retrospect.
I say this because as you read this book you will get the strong sense that Ana has been traumatized in her past. The heaviness and frequency of her reactions (crying, vomiting, running away, and locking herself in a room) will also give credence to the theory that this happened with more than just one individual. This begs the question – why isn’t Ana seeking some form of therapy or counseling? Obviously what happened to her in her past has deeply impacted her on multiple levels. This is proven again and again by her reactions to various situations. So why not seek help? Why lock these emotions all away and say “never, never never” only to then decide now is the perfect time to say “okay” to everything when it comes to Rafe?
Readers really need an explanation or sound reasoning for Ana’s behavior and why she has refused to get any form of help. As it is, it appears that we’re supposed to just take it at face value that Ana simply wants to be in a relationship NOW, but keep the “ask me no questions or else” tactic. It’s bizarre and could potentially leave readers confused or refuse to continue forward in the book.
The romance moves extremely quickly between Rafe and Ana, especially seeing as they “meet” under dire circumstances. There is a “soulmate” connection, but even if that angle is pointed to, it’s still moving pretty fast. Especially when you add that they don’t know that there is that connection until later in the book. Ana has no idea of the truth behind everything that is going on around her. So, her rushing things with Rafe is a real head-scratcher.
It’s reads like “savior syndrome.” Rafe was there when she was attacked, saved her, and is there in the aftermath, so now she feels drawn/attracted to him. Ana has never even been in a relationship, but she’s quick to jump into one with a guy she barely knows? I can’t help but keep getting whiplash. First, it’s “I’m not interested in a relationship.” Then it’s – “Okay, we’re a couple now.” Shift to her later saying to Kara – “I never want to have sex” to “He thinks I’m ugly and doesn’t want me” because he puts the brakes on them getting hot and heavy. It’s difficult to keep up with the emotional pendulum swings.
This is a fantasy romance novel, but don’t expect the fantasy angle to make a quick appearance after a few chapters. You’re going to have to read at least a third of the way into the book before you get any taste of fantasy. I know it’s a long way to go, but if you hang in there then you’ll be rewarded. You just have to get through the quagmire of emotional turmoil that is Ana.
When it comes to the characters sometimes Ana’s behavior is trying enough that even a saint would struggle. There’s a lot of running away and crying with her. Unfortunately, she comes off as emotionally unstable. Any little thing seems to set her off. Say the wrong thing? She’s running to her room or the bathroom and crying. Touch her in the wrong spot? She’s running to her room or the bathroom and crying. Some of the incidents make sense and are understandable, but then there are some that leave you questioning – “What just happened??” One, in particular, is when Rafe grabs her wrist and accidentally bruises her. With no explanation or cry of pain Ana simply runs to the restroom, throws up, and refuses to speak to him.
Fortunately, she has a good friend in Kara. Brace yourself for some on-going drama between her and Ana, but you're going to like that throughout it all Kara stays loyal to Ana no matter what. It's nice to see somethings begin happening for Kara as well. She deserves some happiness, but here's the question - will even Kara be allowed this or will it be snatched away as well?
When the story shifts toward the fantasy element inviting it in, you get a mild break from emotionally exhausting Ana but don’t get comfortable. That part of her is just taking a break and will be back shortly. When she’s not being overly emotional, Ana is an interesting character. But when it’s one emotional/mental breakdown after another she’s just exhausting.
Ana is in an unknown place, but one of the big positives is that she doesn't sit around bemoaning her situation. She is told the truth and she decides to make the best of it. She throws herself into doing what she must and planning a brighter future for the people she is now responsible for. You're just going to want to cheer her on and hope for the best. Don't hope too hard though! You might jinx her! LOL! Oh, and watch out because one thing that the author makes sure to toss in this book? Palace intrigue. All may look "all is well" but sometimes...things look a little too well...if you know what I mean.
Courting Fate has a lot of potential, but the story gets bogged down with Ana constantly being written as overly emotional. I understand that she has been through multiple traumas in her life, however, it appears that almost anything can/will set her off. When she has more of a backbone and shows confidence it makes her more likable as a character. You want to cheer for her in those moments, but then a situation arises and she folds so quickly. You’re left in a constant state of whiplash. Ana shows some growth but loses it too quickly.
Unfortunately, it appears that she develops a backbone more towards her best friend, Kara, whom she’s known for years than she does Rafe. Rafe asks her repeatedly about the scars she has on her wrists. Kara asked ONCE and Ana shut her out for a week. Rafe asks multiple times and says he’ll never ask again (but does) and Ana is quick to forgive in a matter of seconds. Yeah and cue WTF moment. LOL! I’m sorry, but if MY friend was quick to forgive a guy when they literally ignored me for a week...I’d have some choice words for them. Because honestly? Not cool. Is everything meant to be fair? No, but the difference is stark. Kara asks ONCE, while Rafe makes it a point to “swear never again” and yet break his word...again...and again.
Courting Fate is written heavily in favor of the main characters. Forbidden love that if found out would mean loss, attempted assassinations, attempted murders, and more. You’d think that there would be more incidents where things do not go in their favor, but that’s rarely the case. There are some close calls or situations that go left, but most favor Ana. It’s a disappointing aspect of the story.
Cut back on some of the melodramatic emotional turmoil, have the story be less in favor of Ana to create more drama, and this book would be an exceptional piece of work. As it is, readers might struggle with a few of the elements that bog the story down, and cause them to not like some of the characters so much.
Courting Fate has its positives and its negatives, but at times the negatives outweigh the positives. The characters need to be more consistent and flip-flop less from one emotion or thought to the next. Since this is the first book in the series, I think it’s to be expected that it be rough around the edges. Hopefully, as the author finds her stride the next book will improve and better reflect in what readers get. This is a series that, for now, I would continue reading to see where things go from where they left off and to see how the characters grow and develop from here.
Pros:
- Fantasy element is interesting.
- Ana shows some spunk and backbone at certain points in the story.
- Has a best friend who truly cares about her.
- Becomes more engaging around a third of the way into the book.
Cons:
- Ana’s emotional reactions to her past frequently block the overall flow of the storyline.
- Romance happens too quickly.
- Leans too heavily to be advantageous to the main characters.
- Story takes too long to bring in the fantasy element. There needed to be more hints along the way.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Thank you to the author, A.R. Kaufer, for the opportunity to read and review this book.
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