The Destined Queen    by Deborah Hale Order:  USA  Can Luna, 2005 (2005) Paperback     Reviewed by Martina Bexte Maura Woodbury has already done the impossible and carried out her first quest; she has found the Waiting King in the person of notorious outlaw, Rath Talward. She even discovered that she and Rath were meant to be man and wife. Though she believes her duty to her country is complete, her true task has only just begun. She and Rath must continue their quest to free Umbria from the Han, cruel subjugators who have taken much of the male population into slavery to work their mines. Those of Maura's kinsmen still at large expect her to use her gift of simple magic to free them completely from Han occupation. A message arrives on the wings of a small bird, directing Maura and Rath to the mysterious and dangerous Vestan Isles. They search for the magical staff of Verlarken, that will grant Rath, the 'awakened king', a single wish to free his people. But first, they must match wits with a dangerous and wily sea captain and confront various adversaries (as well as false allies) in their continuing search for the staff. Will Maura and Rath find themselves tempted to ignore their destiny and their country's fate? Will their love prevail? And when they do find the staff, will Rath use his one wish wisely? If you're in the mood for gentle, meandering fantasy and uncomplicated characterizations, then The Destined Queen is for you. You may want to fill in previous background by reading the first of the series, The Wizard's Ward, but that's not essential. In this sequel, Hale does a nice job of filling in some of the backstory and loose threads she left dangling, as well as putting a clever spin on the conclusion. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews