Book five in the Nuworld series follows the lives of the Twins, Andru and Ana who will rule in their parents places one day, Gilroy, who is both Ana's claim and Andru's 2nd in command, and mostly, of Meah, the lady Andru claimed in book four and who left to go on her "time of searching".

Meah has been gone for almost 5 years and Lord Darius is putting some serious emphasis on Andru choosing a new mate. When a diplomatic situation occurs that could see a marriage between the heir to the Gothman throne and another nearby race, Darius puts the pressure on Andru to dissolve his claim to Meah and take the daughter of the Neurian leader.

Meantime, Meah has been visited by the vision of the dog lady, and is headed home to the Runner and Gothman Nations. She, however, has a bit of a surprise for Andru, 4 year old twins that she had been unknowingly pregnant with when she chose to leave on her time of searching.

With Meah headed back and Darius's plans about to be thwarted by her return, Darius sends Gilroy out to intercept and kill her, but Gilroy puts a rather lack luster effort into the task and Meah manages to elude the hunters tracking her and make it to Andru with her twins in tow. It only takes one look at the remarkable resemblance to ascertain they are indeed Andru's children.

With Meah back, things begin to heat up as she must come to terms with the intense relationship Andru and Ana share, and, as she and Gilroy are thrown together more and more often as second in command to Andru and Ana, the attraction between the two becomes more and more explosive.

If the unusual relationship between the four of them is not enough, there is still the need to deal with the diplomatic situation and Meah and her son Tory, the heir to the heir of Gothman, becomes a pawn in the fight that's brewing between opposing factions of the Neurian Nation particularly the side that doesn't want a treaty with the Gothman Nation.

Things take a wild turn when Darius is injured while rescuing Tory and Andru may very well become the next leader of the Gothman Nation sooner than he dreamt.

Lori O'Clare's characters are not your standard happy ever after type characters and the novels are well developed and follow faithfully the cultures and characters as they evolve and find their own way. Nuworld is an excellent series for anyone who likes to see characters evolve and foster change even though it may be different that the cultural morales. The characters are very much unique to their situation and definitely follow a path less traveled, which for my money is certainly one of many wonderful aspects of this fascinating series. The character development is true to each individual and I find myself becoming an even greater fan as the series develops, especially with the melding of the Runner and Gothman cultures in this second generation, and their struggle to stay loyal to their races, their leaders and their loves.

Note: The story contains scenes of, and references to, incest.

Synopsis
Lord Andru has a claim. Five winters ago he claimed the feisty Meah. And five winters ago she left him. Celibacy doesn't appeal to Andru, but no matter the women, none seem able to replace Meah. When a proposition arrives from the Neurian nation, an offer to unite the daughter of that nation with Andru, Meah has to be found-or declared dead.

Meah knows she's been gone from Andru for too long. It's time to return and to settle down as Andru's claim. His infidelity bothers her, but her loyalty is strong. She will walk beside Andru, and somehow keep her feelings in check regarding his promiscuity.

Returning to Gothman becomes more than a battle of wills for Meah and Andru. Meah must deal with a woman from another nation being offered to Andru as his new claim, and also with Lord Gilroy, Andru's first commander, who is getting a rise out of more than her temper with his suggestive advances.

Decisions need to be made. Meah and Andru take each other on, battling for control, and for each other, in this sizzling continuation of the Nuworld saga.

Note: Story contains references to incest.