In No Rest for the Wicked by ML Sparrow, the first nineteen years of Elira's life had not been easy for her. Having lost her mother when she was little, she was taken in by an orphanage where life was very rough. On leaving the orphanage, she found work as a maid, but had to quit to put an end to her master's advances before it was too late. Her luck, however, took an unexpected good turn when a kind stranger rescued her near dead body from the park one harsh winter morning. When her rescuer offered her work as a maid, she was hesitant to accept, for her previous experience had left her untrusting. However, with winter in full force, she desperately needed a place to stay. Her new home was no ordinary home, for she was now living in a house with a wizard for a master, who lived to defy all rules and expectations set by society. Elira soon settled into the routine of her new home but then things got complicated with two major situations; her master had a powerful enemy bent on destroying anyone and anything that stood in his way, and Elira was the perfect pawn for his cunning schemes. Then there was the issue of the forbidden but undeniable attraction between her and the boss.

There is something deep and enchanting about Elira and Anthony's story that comes through right from the very beginning. I was amazed at how ML Sparrow was able to bring this feeling to the surface straight from the preface and to do so using very simple words and situations. Right away I knew, without exactly knowing, what to expect from the rest of the story. I was immediately drawn into the plot. The house, with a life of its own, was another character and added a new and captivating layer of charm to what was already an amazing read. It is one of those books you read so fast because you are unable to put it down, but once it ends you wish you had not read so fast because now you are sad to see it end; it is that good.

No Rest for the Wicked has magic, romance, family drama, and hot sex. Needless to say, this story was right up my alley! At first I found the relationship between Anthony and Elira a bit rushed, but the more I read the more I could see the beauty in it. When he asked her 'What scares you the most?' I was flooded with memories of when I first found out I was pregnant with our oldest when she responded with 'getting pregnant'.

When he said he loved her and she didn't have to say it back because her knowing how he felt was enough, my heart melted. He was so sure of their future that he would wait for her to be ready to say the words. From the moment he lifted her out of the snow and brought her to his home you knew there was something there. Every glance. Every touch. Every second they were in the same room together seemed to burn with the heat between them.

Elira did not make things easy for him nor for herself as she fought against falling for him. Although we all knew that it was a losing battle. Them both talking about their families was very touching. When she stopped him from killing his brother even though he had every right to do so showed her compassionate human nature. Even though she fought him at every turn, having her ask him to marry her was awesome. Her responding to him asking where she wanted to go by saying anywhere as long as it was with him was perfect.

Aside from those characters I also loved Moira. I want a cook or housekeeper exactly like her. She wasn't afraid to tell them what she thought. Her and Han were a great addition to the story. She reminded me of an old babysitter of mine when I was younger. Very caring and loyal while still minding her own business when she had to. Han being a beginner magician and having Anthony there to help was cute.

In conclusion I give this story a 5 star rating. No way would I have given it anything less. I think I found my new favorite author. I'm going to have to look around for more books by M.L. Sparrow. What a very talented author. The characters and events were very relate-able and as realistic as characters and events in a story can be. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I thought this was a great book by M.L. Sparrow. I enjoyed the character of Elira. I think she was a very smart girl! Elira had a hard life growing up but things change for her. I think it reminds me of Cinderella a little bit. But there where no Wizards involved in Cinderella. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*