The Not-So-Good: The ending was cute but not the best.
The Bad: The lack of connection to anything (mcs2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise
The Not-So-Good: The ending was cute but not the best.
The Bad: The lack of connection to anything (mcs, their connection, side characters, world, etc)
Overall: This was disappointing. I felt like it was just a ACOTR ripoff...and not in a good way. I'm fine with authors taking inspiration from other authors, because I think that just happens. But this was hard to follow or at least get into at first because the world wasn't presented in a smooth way -- enough that I was even wondering if I missed a book at one point. I just didn't feel the connection between the mcs and they didn't have hardly any enjoyable side characters to relate to either. I struggled to finish this tbh and I'm sad I'm in the minority yet again.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Opal and Dade's story. There is a war going on and it is between the two types of fae and, as a strategy to get more military help, Opal's dad offers her hand in marriage to a human prince. Only the other fae attacks and things go wrong. Opal finds herself with the other fae's king and they are connected in an unexpected way. There are some suspenseful scenes, some sexy times, and some big changes...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Opal and Dade's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. I did skim some, but that was mostly because I was bored.
Quick Opinion: I know! 72%! And the 3rd book! I was just so bored. I was skimming the abundance of sex scenes that, again, felt like filler. DNF @ 72%
Quick Opinion: I know! 72%! And the 3rd book! I was just so bored. I was skimming the abundance of sex scenes that, again, felt like filler. I needed substance. I have way too many books on my tbr list and with the limited time I've had lately to read, I don't want to spend any more time with this one. I am honestly surprised I made it this far. Especially after feeling meh for the 2nd book. Oh well! If you want a smutty fantasy romance with a slight ACOTAR feel...this might work for you....more
Quick brief opinion: This felt like filler to me. I think it's the stereotypical cursed 2nd book in a series. It felt like not that much happen3 Stars
Quick brief opinion: This felt like filler to me. I think it's the stereotypical cursed 2nd book in a series. It felt like not that much happened except the h being a little annoying with holding her anger way too long, a bunch of steamy scenes, and a climactic cliffhanger to get us to get the next book. Was it still enough for me to go on to read the next book now? Yes. But I feel like I'm toeing that line of calling it quits if it doesn't pick up soon...
Safety This should be safe for my safety gang gals...more
Quick brief opinion: This was a fun start into the fantasy series. It was a little too much smut for me and I wanted more to happen. I predic3.5 Stars
Quick brief opinion: This was a fun start into the fantasy series. It was a little too much smut for me and I wanted more to happen. I predicted the big twists that are revealed at the end, but not in a way that I found it annoyingly easy. The characters and world are good. There are definite parallels to other wildly famous fantasy series, but again, not in a way that was annoying. Ig was just different enough to feel new and interesting. This ending leaves me on a cliffhanger, so I'm ready to start the next book, A Kingdom of Blood and Betrayal...
Safety: (view spoiler)[the h is betrothed to the H's half brother, so you can technically call it cheating because she develops feelings for the H and is intimate with him. But, it is a forced betrothal and she doesn't hide that it isn't what she wants, so there is that (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the suspense, the pacing up until the very end.
The Not-So-Good: The chemistry/romantic connection. I g3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the suspense, the pacing up until the very end.
The Not-So-Good: The chemistry/romantic connection. I get that they had a lot going on otherwise, but I would've liked some more tender moments for the romantic connection to shine through.
The Bad: The ending and lack of closure.
Overall: This was an enjoyable duet. I didn't feel like it was enough though tbh. I was drawn to this because it looked like it was 2 books for their story to be told (which it seems isn't al, that usual for fantasy), but I didn't get nearly enough closure and I definitely wasn't happy with their ending. I guess I could continue on with the series, but I'm disappointed that it didn't end in a place where I felt that was necessary! Any recommendations for a fantasy stand-alone or short series would be appreciated!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Lara and Aren's story. It continues where the last book ended and Lara is now the "traitor queen." When she finds out that Aren has been taken by her father in a more than likely attempt to lure her to him, she is eager to save him. There are some secrets revealed, some kingdom politics they have to navigate, and some suspense...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Lara and Aren's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the end. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove: They're already in love when this begins.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Aren. He was the king of mixed signals. He didn't know what to do with the h and I found it a little frustrating at times.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Lara. She was a fighter for sure! "Little cockroach," while such an ugly nickname, was pretty well suited!
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ the H pushes away for most of the story and I'd say the h is the main pursuer (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Alright. They have one scene.
Descriptive sex: Yes and No, not super descriptive.
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for a while, but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends kind of abruptly and with what I would call a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they've shared "ILYs," the H's kingdom is in an alright place, and the H has said he wants her to stay (hide spoiler)]. I was worried when I hit the 91% mark on my kindle app and it wasn't looking like I was going to get the closure I liked (especially after 2 books), and I was sadly right. Nowhere near enough for me!
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the H pushing the h away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
The Not-So-Good: The end. Not nearly enough closure!
The Bad: The drama with the spouses. I don't know 3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise.
The Not-So-Good: The end. Not nearly enough closure!
The Bad: The drama with the spouses. I don't know why the author didn't just let it be messy by their abduction in its own.
Overall: This was alright. The psychological thriller part of it was interesting and engaging, however I felt like the romance was lacking. This is compared to Still Beating, and I honestly don't think it's a good comparison. I mean, yes, they go through a similar ordeal -- but it wasn't nearly as good or angsty. It was just okay for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Maeve and Ledger's story. The strangers wake up after being drugged and abducted in a cold basement by a madman. They have to endure psychological warfare type things and they only have each other to rely on to survive. There are some secrets revealed, some suspenseful moments, and big life changes...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Maeve and Ledger's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good, I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Ledger. I liked him. I appreciated his protectiveness and how loyal he was.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Maeve. I liked her. I appreciated her strength.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Not really
Heat level: Low. They have some mild tension and two kissing scenes scenes.
Descriptive sex: No
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ they both are married to other people when they are abducted, tortured, and fall in love (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: Kind of, but not descriptive (view spoiler)[ there is a scene with the h and her husband after they get out (hide spoiler)]
Separation: No, I don't consider them "together" to consider it a separation.
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ kidnapping/assault/attempted murder/psychological and emotional abuse/torture (on page), both of the mcs are married to OP, cheating (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in an alright place but nowhere near enough closure for me to call it a HEA ending. I would call it HFN and I had a lot of unanswered questions.
Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does have cheating - Does have a semi-descriptive sex scene with the h and OM - Does Nit have the h or H pushing away - Does Not (technically) have a separation between the h and H - Does have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the relationship among brothers.
The Not-So-Good: The chemistry, both romantic and sexual.
The Bad: T3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the relationship among brothers.
The Not-So-Good: The chemistry, both romantic and sexual.
The Bad: The ending.
Overall: This was an alright read. Especially because it was a freebie! Not anything spectacular and not anything that has me ranting because it was so upsetting either. I was a little bored but I never skimmed and I definitely think it could've had better chemistry and a better ending. Just okay for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Magdalena and Rook's story. Magdalena is trying to hire a fake boyfriend for her yearly birthday dinner at home, only she approaches the wrong man at the diner. Rook is a little bored with life after retiring as a hit man, so when this case of mistaken identity lands at his feet -- he decides to play along. What neither of them expect is to run into trouble and get kidnapped together. There is some family drama, some suspenseful scenes, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Magdalena and Rook's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. I never skimmed but I did feel like it was slow at times.
Instalove: No, while it is quick in the grand scheme of things, it didn't feel insta.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Rook. I liked his protectiveness over the h, but didn't feel necessarily connected to him.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Magdalena. I liked how she was strong but other than that...meh.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Not really
Heat level: Alright. They have some alright tension and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. I felt like it was lacking chemistry.
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Violence/Kidnapping/torture /attempted rape/drugging/murder (on page), the H was a hit man before meeting the h, and the H is older than the h (~14 years?) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ending in an alright place but I felt like the epilogue was more about the h's family drama than giving us the good closure for their relationship. I would call it a HFN even though I'm sure others will be fine calling it a HEA (view spoiler)[they're living together and about to get married (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does Not have the h or H pushing away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the humor/banter.
The Not-So-Good: The romance. I feel like I needed a lot more for it to achieve th3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the humor/banter.
The Not-So-Good: The romance. I feel like I needed a lot more for it to achieve that good balance between suspense and romance. I also would've liked to get the H's POV! I think it would've helped a lot with the romantic connection.
The Bad: The ending. I needs so much more! We didn't even get closure on the suspense, let alone the romance!
Overall: It's no secret that I'm not entirely sold on the pnr romance subgenre, but I thought I'd give it yet another chance. This is one of the better vampire books I've read! I still was frustrated with the lack of focus on romance and the ending was super disappointing. But! All in all, it was enjoyable and I might revisit this series again someday...
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Leila and Vlad's story. Leila had an accident when she was younger that caused her to have an electrical charge that shocked people and she could see into their past sins, present, and sometimes their future by touching them or items with their essence. She gets kidnapped by some vampires that were sent after her after a powerful vampire found out about her abilities and wants her to track down another very dangerous vampire, Vlad. When she does, she ends up communicating with him and connecting through her abilities, and they end up working together to find the vampire in charge of her abduction. They also give in to their attraction and end up starting a relationship while working together. There are some secrets revealed, some suspenseful moments, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Leila's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and thought it flowed well
Instalove: No, they (view spoiler)[don't even share "ILYs" -- the closest is the the h thinks that she's falling for him and he reads her thoughts (hide spoiler)]
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Vlad. I would've liked to get his POV because I didn't connect with him as much as I wanted to.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Leila. I liked her strength and how she didn't get dramatic about things.
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not very many scenes and not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Mild (view spoiler)[ there is another vampire that Vlad allows to pursue the h and they kiss (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Violence/kidnapping/torture/murder (on page), loss of a parent (off page), loss of a spouse (off page), and the h was a virgin (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in an alright place but not with nearly enough closure for me. I wouldn't necessarily call it a cliffhanger, but it doesn't give closure to the suspense aspect as well as the romance. I'd call it a HFN ending.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The h. She was portrayed as this strong under the surface chi3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The h. She was portrayed as this strong under the surface chick, but I didn't like how she completely checked out multiple times. Especially with her dad! It was kind of annoying tbh even though in the end she did what she needed to.
The Bad: The lack of conflict. They have outside forces causing conflict, but as for their relationship it was pretty smooth sailing throughout (even thought the h pushed away very little at one point). I think this made it a little too fluffy for me, especially considering this was a mafia romance.
Overall: This was alright. I liked their overall connection, but I think it needed that conflict between them because it was too easy.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Gemma and Matteo's story. Gemma just got married to one of her father's business associates when she meets Matteo and they kiss. When her new husband ends up dead the same night as her wedding and her family is making a new announcement, she is shocked that it is her cousin and best friend that is now being married off but this time to Matteo. When her cousin gets taken captive, Matteo takes Gemma captive in exchange. There are some lines that are crossed, some personal growth, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Gemma (mostly) and Matteo's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: Not really. Instalust for sure, but they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Matteo. I liked him. I appreciated how he didn't hide how he cared for the h.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Gemma. I liked her, but then I didn't (see above).
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ The h pushes away for a while after his engagement to her cousin, and I'd say that the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[The h is married to OM shortly, there is someone stalking her, and the H is engaged to her cousin/best friend (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: Yes, technically (view spoiler)[ The h is married to OM when she meets the H and kisses him. The H is engaged to OW (h's cousin and best friend) as a business arrangement while with the h (never is with the OW) (hide spoiler)]
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Violence/murder/assault/attempted rape (off and on page), loss of a parent (off page), and the h is a virgin (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a good place with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they get married again and she's pregnant (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one is probably Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does technically have cheating (see above) - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the h pushing the H away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: I enjoyed the overall uniqueness of the story, but it fell a little flat at times. It felt like we were told about their grea3 Stars
Overall Opinion: I enjoyed the overall uniqueness of the story, but it fell a little flat at times. It felt like we were told about their great connection through game playing but I never felt that connection. I think a big part of that is because they already had their feelings developed before the story begins, and that is typically my favorite part! While I was rooting for them, I also was disappointed that certain things didn’t happen like I had hoped. I think it’s just another case of my expectations getting the best of me! I still, however, would recommend other readers to go into this blind like I had and try to avoid too many spoilers. Overall, this was just okay for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: I’m going to keep this short/vague in hopes of not ruining it. This is Posey and Dario’s story. They’ve been together and things change drastically when Dario is shown a video of Posey with another man and is told that she cheated on him. Posey is then on the run from the mobster when he realizes that he made a mistake and tries to find her...and they eventually get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Posey and Dario’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, but feelings were already developed when the story begins.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Dario. I liked him. He was hard to like at first but once you realize that he cares for the h the only way he knows how, it was easier to like him.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Posey. I liked her, but I wanted her to be more upfront about her needs and feelings.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[They both push away and I’d say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Sex scene with OW or OM: No (view spoiler)[There is a sex tape with the h and OM (from years prior to them meeting) that the H sees (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated month/s (ish?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Violence/revenge porn/assault/captivity/murder/rough handling (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a pretty good place with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they’re married and she just had his baby (hide spoiler)]. I would’ve really liked to have (view spoiler)[her tell him she loved him (hide spoiler)] in the end though.
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM (see above) - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does have abuse - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was a book that was enjoyable for what it was. I like to delve into the sci-fi and paranormal romance genres every once 3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a book that was enjoyable for what it was. I like to delve into the sci-fi and paranormal romance genres every once in a while to get that true case of escapism. Yes, it’s a little reminiscent of The Golden Dynasty (like the first book was) — but I don’t really mind all that much. It even squeezed out a few tears at one point! The ending kinda sucked in its abruptness. And while the H gave good grovel, I wanted to shake the h at times. Otherwise it was a fun world to escape to.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Nelle and Seerin’s story. Nelle is all alone and starving when she illegally hunts to get dinner for the night. Seerin is a horde king and when he finds out about the human’s violation of his laws he has to punish her. Neither of them expect to connect instantly and Seerin ends up taking her back to his horde. There is some outside influence drama, some sweet moments, and some sexy times…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Nelle and Seerin’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well
Instalove:No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Seerin. I liked him. He messed up, but he owned his mistake.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Nelle. I liked her, but then I wanted her to stop being stubborn at the end.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few tears but didn’t need any tissues
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ They both push away and I’d say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. It is what I call a slow burn because they aren’t intimate until ~64%.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No, other than some mild jealousies
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for ~3 weeks (?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends too abruptly for my liking but with what I would call a HEA (while grumbling) (view spoiler)[they’re married and she’s pregnant (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was better than I expected! I loved experiencing the drastic chan4 Stars (Originally Read 10/22/2021)
4 Stars (Re-Read 6/25/2023)
Overall Opinion: This was better than I expected! I loved experiencing the drastic changing of dynamics between these two and how they come into their fierce love. It was traumatic, so anyone with triggers probably needs to check my trigger spoiler below and stay away. Also, yes — he was with her sister, but I think that is what makes it so much more tragic and brought on the emotions! So, if you don’t think you can handle that he was with her sister before her, I would suggest staying far away as well. I only had a few reasons for this not being higher rating. The h bordered on cruel sometimes with her hot/cold treatment of the H. It might be that I loved his character so I couldn’t tolerate his mistreatment — but it bugged me. I also wanted more time between when their conflict was resolved and the epilogue. I would’ve loved to experience them (view spoiler)[dating and out with other people (hide spoiler)]! Then there was a feature that I hate in books with cheating…(view spoiler)[the author made the h’s sister expose that she had cheated on the H (hide spoiler)]. I wish authors would leave well enough alone! There doesn’t need to be that for it to justify the mc’s actions!! Otherwise, I still liked it.
Re-Read Note:. I don't have much to add here. Same rating and same issues (h's hot and cold, the ending right after the conflict solution, and the justification). I enjoyed re-reading it. It for sure isn't a fluffy unicorn and rainbow story. It seems like I gravitate towards the messy romances like this one -- so that makes sense to me!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Cora and Dean’s story. Cora barely tolerates her sister’s long-term boyfriend and when they both wake up in a basement chained to a pole by a madman, she learns to appreciate his presence. Dean has always loved pushing Cora’s buttons, but knows things are changing between them the longer they are forced to do things and spend fearful days under a psycho’s hold. Once they get out, neither can deny that things have changed between them and they have to navigate their trauma and new realities both together and on their own…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was broken down into parts with alternating between Cora and Dean’s POVs.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No. They thought they hated each other before they turned into allies and then into more.
H (Hero) rating: 5 stars. Dean. I loved him. He was a great guy!
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Cora. I liked her but she was kind of cruel to the H at times where she rubbed me the wrong way.
Sadness level: Moderate/high. I shed some tears and needed a tissue here and there.
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[They both push away (h more so) and also pursue the relationship at times (H more so) (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ The H was with the h’s sister before (and some after) their abduction (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes, but not in the typical way (view spoiler)[ The h is forced to be with their abductor (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: Yes (view spoiler)[The H was with the h’s sister when they are forced to be intimate during their abduction and feelings have developed afterwards for emotional cheating IMO. They aren’t intimate again until after he breaks it off with the sister. (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for ~8 months, but there was confirmation that neither had other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Abduction/assault/rape/murder (on page), the H was with and engaged to h’s sister for ~15 years (on page), loss of parent (off page), parent with cognitive decline (on page), loss of a dog (on page), and miscarriage (off page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they’re married with kids and dogs (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does have cheating - Does have a descriptive sex scene with the h being forced by OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does have abuse - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was just alright for me. I liked the premise, but everything else just fell a little flat for me. I borderline didn’t li3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was just alright for me. I liked the premise, but everything else just fell a little flat for me. I borderline didn’t like the h a lot of the times even though I think I was supposed to appreciate her sass and take it as strength. I did like the H, but that could only go so far because his character didn’t have a lot of depth (literally). I thought it was wrapped up a little too easily and quickly in the end, and I was left with too many questions about their future to be satisfied. It was alright ...more
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable! I haven’t read the previous two books in the series and while I never felt lost or anything, there were so4 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable! I haven’t read the previous two books in the series and while I never felt lost or anything, there were some dots that felt like it would’ve been better if I had connected them prior to this story. Not too bad though! I liked the characters, I liked the captivity theme, I also enjoy the occasional mob boss story. My biggest gripe is with the pacing. I felt like this had a few ebbs and then a huge flow in the last 10ish%. I still liked it and I got a good enough ending to be satisfied in the end — so that’s a plus! Random note here... but the cover oddly makes me think of SJP in Hocus Pocus ...more
Overall Opinion: Starting off with the good — this felt reminiscent of Mia Sheridan’s older works that were associated with the astrologica 3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: Starting off with the good — this felt reminiscent of Mia Sheridan’s older works that were associated with the astrological signs! She is the master at creating these damaged characters that find peace and love in each other despite their struggles and past baggage — and that was definitely my favorite part of this book! I did, however, feel like it was lacking enough of those good times that I need with all of the angsty goodness. It was definitely a unique and heartfelt story, so don’t get me wrong! I just didn’t connect emotionally as much as I would’ve liked. I think it might also be the lack of my emotional connection with the H, and I think that’s because I didn’t get his POV. I think it could’ve been soooo much better if we knew what was going on with him throughout the story! I also felt disconnected with their intimate scenes. I didn’t feel any emotion behind them and they sometimes felt awkwardly detached in a way that was confusing. So! Overall, this was great in being the type of unique story from MS that I grew to love so much with her earlier works, but not so great that it let me down with the emotional connections.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Karys and Zakai’s story. They grew up together in captivity in a vast desert where they are called the ‘twins’ and have to perform sexual acts for deprived customers. Zakai is angry all the time and protective while Karys is naive and optimistic. She is his light through the darkness. When they suddenly find their worlds turned upside down and in New York, their close relationship starts to deteriorate. They are some sad moments, some sweet scenes, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Karys’ POV and Zakai’s only for the epilogue.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they’ve known each other since they were children but do already love each other when this story begins.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Zakai. I liked him but I didn’t fully connect with him and I think that could’ve been solved with getting more of his POV.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Karys. I appreciated her strength, optimism, and how she loved the H.
Sadness level: Moderate. I shed some tears but never needed any tissues.
Heat level: Alright. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[The H’s modeling agent causes drama and the h gets engaged to OM (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes (view spoiler)[ There is a scene with the h and OM during one of the separations with the H (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated a few times and up to ~3 years. The h was with one OM that she ends up getting engaged to and the H is seen with OW but says later that he hasn’t been with anyone other than the h sexually (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Sex trafficking/captivity/violence/suicide/death of a loved one (on page), sexual assault (off page), and unexpected pregnancy (mostly off page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had pretty good closure and what I’d call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they’re married with children (hide spoiler)], but of course, this greedy reader wanted much more ...more
Overall Opinion: I’m bummed because I was in the mood for some age gap/taboo type read and in the past when I’ve read books with Daddy kink2.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: I’m bummed because I was in the mood for some age gap/taboo type read and in the past when I’ve read books with Daddy kink I’ve been pleasantly surprised. This actually felt....off to me. I think it was what I expected those other books to feel. It didn’t feel right her calling him Daddy. It felt awkward and I cringed a few times. It could be my mood too! I’ve had some meh books lately and I wanted to be scandalized (in the best way ...more
Overall Opinion: This was kind of a wild idea for a story! I’m happy I read it! I feel kind of bad for saying so though, because rape is never4 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was kind of a wild idea for a story! I’m happy I read it! I feel kind of bad for saying so though, because rape is never a good thing ...more
Brief Opinion: This was a good start to the trilogy. I enjoyed the Greek mythology ties and how it was just different enough to still use my 3.5 Stars
Brief Opinion: This was a good start to the trilogy. I enjoyed the Greek mythology ties and how it was just different enough to still use my previous knowledge about Greek mythology to make my own predictions about the story, but still needing to read on to truly get the answers to my questions. I enjoyed the characters except I did want the h to stop pushing away so much, while I also understood why she was pushing away. I hope the rest of the series keeps me engaged. On to the next...
Safety: Safe (view spoiler)[there is some OW drama of an old f-buddy of the H, the h was a virgin, and murder/assault/fantasy violence (on page) (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: Well...it's obvious that Ms. Draven is a fan of reading the romance genre herself. I read of similarities of this book in rev 3 Stars
Overall Opinion: Well...it's obvious that Ms. Draven is a fan of reading the romance genre herself. I read of similarities of this book in reviews, but man! There was a lot! Here's a spoiler in case you don't want to read about them: (view spoiler)[ There was the obvious The Golden Dynasty similarities (wearing gold, women servants, nomadic town, warrior/king H, "it is their way" comment, even some of the "native" language seemed similar, etc.). But! I also found similarities to other books I've read. There was the extra appendage on the male that was just like Ice Planet Barbarians to make the sex different. I even felt like how the h was dealing with the creatures that the alien race ride very similar to the h and her experience with the elephants in Kiss an Angel! There was also the "don't be nice to me" thing that the h did when she was not wanting to get emotional from something the H said that I can't remember where I read that before too (hide spoiler)]...more
Quick Opinion: I know, 65%! I kept on going thinking that it'd get better, but I just didn't really like the h. She was so wish washy with thDNF @ 65%
Quick Opinion: I know, 65%! I kept on going thinking that it'd get better, but I just didn't really like the h. She was so wish washy with the H and how she dealt with him that it was rather annoying to me. I thought the H was alright, but confusing at the same time. It was sweet how he was with the h, but that wasn't enough for me to continue, especially after she said she (view spoiler)[lied when she "surrendered" (hide spoiler)]...I guess she just wanted the D ...more
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