Dark Romance – Goodys.Blog

Publish Date: February 20th, 2022
Number of Pages: 204 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre(s): Reverse Harem, Erotica, Romance, Fantasy

Total Star Rating: 3 Stars

‘Open up, darling.’ He orders. I part my lips. He gets in close and spits in my mouth. ‘That’s all you’ll get from me.’“
– Nikki St. Crowe, “The Never King”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

The stories were all wrong — Hook was never the villain.

For two centuries, all of the Darling women have disappeared on their 18th birthday. Sometimes they’re gone for only a day, some a week or a month. But they always return broken.

Now, on the afternoon of my 18th birthday, my mother is running around the house making sure all the windows are barred and the doors locked. But it’s pointless. Because when night falls, he comes for me . And this time, the Never King and the Lost Boys aren’t willing to let me go.

NOTE: The Never King is a reimagining of Peter and Wendy . Characters have been aged up for this darker, grittier version. If you like your enemies to lovers romance with hot, ruthless, morally gray love interests, you’ll enjoy The Never King and the Lost Boys. You can expect hate kissing, fighting, bickering, and ‘touch her and I’ll unalive you’ vibes. Book one ends on a cliff.

~~Please check the author’s website for CWs.~~

~~~

Talk about short and sweet and to the point!

This was a dark and sexy retelling of Peter Pan, but with a reverse harem twist. I’ll admit it wasn’t the GREATEST retelling one could probably read on this story, but it’s definitely one to check out. It’s one of those books that’s not entirely there plot-wise or character development wise, but more for the vibes and the spice.

With the lack of character development, I’m mainly hoping it’s just because it’s book 1 and that much more of it will happen with the other books in the series. It’s a book that will definitely leave you with more questions than answers, so that’s why I seriously think reading the whole series is how you see the plot and character development as a whole.

This book was very short, so if it was longer I’m sure there would be more development in these regards. But this book can definitely be considered if you’re just looking for something quick and mindless and smutty.

~~~

Maybe we’re all mad, in our own way.”
– Nikki St. Crowe, “The Never King”

~~~

What I Liked:

How the Author Reimagined This Classic Fairytale! I’m very picky when it comes to retellings—I couldn’t tell you why—but this one was a story that really drew me in because of its promise to be dark and smutty. I find it fascinating when authors are able to turn what used to simply be a Disney animated movie and give it such a grittier and sexier makeover for the grown-up version of me!
The Anticipation of More to Come! With this book being so short, I can definitely tell that I’ve only cracked the surface of this story and with three other books in the series, there’s plenty more to come!

What I Didn’t Like:

The Book is Too Short…While part of me enjoyed that this was such a fast and easy read, I felt like so much got glossed over because of how short it was. Like I feel like literally everything would benefit if more was put into this book: the worldbuilding, the descriptions, the backstories, the side characters. When I finished the book, I felt like it was too short and sweet and too the point and there could’ve been a LITTLE bit more fun exploration of this twisted new version of Neverland.
Not Enough Story/Character Development…There’s some very subtle hints with some of the characters, so there’s hope for more later on in the series, but there was just such minimal development amongst the cast, it felt like they weren’t entirely fleshed out. I could be totally wrong about this with it only being one book, but if you want to see character growth, this isn’t something you should expect a whole lot of in this book.

Conclusion:

Overall, It was hot and steamy and definitely lives up to the hype in those regards…BUT as far as retellings go, this one left more to be desired than I’d hoped.

I’ll admit I’m curious enough to want to keep going and see what possibly happens next because there’s some brewing tension with that Fae Queen at the end that definitely has some interest with me, but it really will depend how book 2 goes to see if I see this series being worth continuing

Thanks for reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Erotica, Horror, Mystery/Thriller, New Adult, New Adult Romance, Romance

My Review: Haunting Adeline (Cat & Mouse Duet #1): by HD Carlton

January 18, 2024 nicholasjgoodsell

Publish Date: August 12, 2021
Number of Pages: 607 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre(s): Suspense/Thriller, Dark Romance, Mystery, Horror

Total Star Rating: 4 Stars

Because then I wouldn’t be true to myself, little mouse. I love that I scare you. I love that you try to run from me. The push and pull. The cat and mouse game. I fucking love it. And I think a part of you does, too.”
– HD Carlton, “Haunting Adeline”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

The Manipulator

I can manipulate the emotions of anyone who lets me.
I will make you hurt, make you cry, make you laugh and sigh.
But my words don’t affect him. Especially not when I plead for him to leave.
He’s always there, watching and waiting.
And I can never look away.
Not when I want him to come closer.

The Shadow

I didn’t mean to fall in love.
But now that I have, I can’t stay away.
I’m mesmerized by her smile, by her eyes, and the way she moves.
The way she undresses…
I’ll keep watching and waiting. Until I can make her mine.
And once she is, I’ll never let her go.
Not even when she begs me to.

While not required, it is highly suggested to read the novella, Satan’s Affair, first.

Author’s Note: This book ends on a cliffhanger. For CWs, please check the author’s website.

~~~

I’ve always been a firm believer in how books are a way for us to explore ideas and circumstances that we wouldn’t necessarily ever experience in our real lives. Its a safe way for people to explore these ideas or even fantasies that we may have in a fictional and more controlled way that allows us to see how far we can go with things, but then also push away when we know we’ve reached our limit, and it can be as simple as shutting the book and putting it aside. People have all sorts of content that they find triggering because of past experiences, but not everyone wants to face those past experiences again or be reminded of them.

This one definitely explores a darker idea of having a stalker, but what if someone liked the attention? What if you liked being chased? The danger? It’s a work of fiction that explores these ideas that some people are definitely curious to look further into…

I’m not someone who comes with a lot of needs for trigger warnings personally, but I’ve found it interesting how different and how torn people are with them in the book community, specifically the dark romance community, which has really skyrocketed in popularity recent years. That brings me to this book, Haunting Adeline, which feels almost like the foundation of the sub-genre! If you’re familiar with dark romance or have even skimmed the surface of it, there’s no way you haven’t at least heard of the Cat & Mouse duet by HD Carlton. From my perspective, these books have put dark romance on the map whether you like it or not. But that also means I don’t believe these are truly the “gateway” to the sub-genre either…you definitely should work your way up to these because WOW these get graphic in more ways than one!

Not sure if this is relevant or not, but this is also not my first HD Carlton novel either; I did previously read Does It Hurt, which was a more recent standalone by her, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it, so of course it lead me to checking out this duet, which is by far the author’s most popular titles.

Okay now onto the review of the actual book:

The story revolves around a young woman named Adeline who moves into an older, Victorian mansion that was her great-grandmother’s. Adeline is a budding author and its soon discovered about her grandmother’s mysterious murder that happened within the house.

The story is told in a duo-perspective as we also meet Zade Meadows, a definite anti-hero vigilante-type character who’s dark himself, but also comes out after dark to rid the world of other dark beings, like serial killers, rapists, human traffickers, etc. One night he goes into a bookstore, and he discovers Adeline at a book signing of hers, and becomes absolutely obsessed.

It doesn’t stop there.

Soon Addie is starting to feel a presence that is more than just possibly restless spirits in that old mansion as single roses mysteriously are left about, creaks and moans are heard in the dark of the night, and shadows dance at the end of her vision… soon it becomes clear she’s not always alone in that house at some point…

Normally they say an adult book is 18+ and I’d even normally be on the side of arguing “read what you want to read” with no censorship…..but this one was really something, I’m not going to lie. It gets pretty graphic. It’s truly not for every reader, and please look into the trigger warnings for this book because it is a lot and deals with some dark content with human trafficking too. And Like I say in this review, Zade Meadows is ABSOLUTELY NO DISNEY PRINCE…he’s not even a Damon Salvatore…well maybe he is, but if Damon Salvatore was XXX and not from The CW network if that makes sense? Maybe not still even…

This book comes with many warnings is what I can sum it up to. And I actually completely mean that.

~~~

What I Liked:

The Murder Mystery Of Adeline’s Great Grandmother! I love a good whodunnit murder mystery story, and bonus points if a creepy house and romance/spice are in the mix, so right off the bat with that made this book feel right up my alley for that alone.
The Overall Creepy Vibes! Creepy Victorian Mansion on top of a hill that Adeline inherits? Check. Roses being left randomly around the house? Check. Her great-grandmother was murdered in said house? Check. See’s creepy dude in a hoodie lurking outside at night? Also check! The Vibes are definitely here for this book and its a perfect choice for spooky season!
How Morally Grey/Anti-Hero Zade Meadows Is! Call him an anti-hero or call him morally grey, either way I think we can all agree: Zade Meadows is a bad dude. He is a freakin’ piece of work. It doesn’t matter that he hunts down serial killers and human traffickers and kills them to make the world a better place in that sense, some of the things he does to Adeline in this book are ABSOLUTELY questionable and even atrocious at times…I mean no one’s perfect, but holy shit Batman are there red flags galore here! Despite all that, I will say it all adds to making Zade an incredibly enigmatic and and very enticing character. When he shows up, you pay attention and you perk up a little bit because you KNOW shit is about to go down more than likely.

What I Didn’t Like:

That Gun Scene…Even as a human of the male gender variety, even I had to say OWWWWWWWWWWW when I read that scene.
It Could’ve Been Shorter…I feel like this book could’ve definitely compressed a little bit and didn’t need to be 607 pages long. Maybe some more editing would’ve taken out some scenes that the book would maybe survive without? I don’t know, but I will admit it felt long and drawn out in some parts and just that it didn’t need to be as long as it is. Maybe this opinion of mine will change for book 2?

Conclusion:

Overall, this book was a dark and twisty and also extremely HOT book read that was a total binge-able guilty pleasure…It’s one you’re either going to absolutely love or absolutely despise with hardly any in-between! I personally enjoyed it and liked that it explored so many dark avenues in a safe, fictional, bookish way. I’m the type of reader where if a book comes with a ton of warnings like this one does, it makes me MORE curious and draws me rather than scare me away!

I’ll definitely be checking out book two, but I also can’t necessarily say this is a book I’d recommend to all the readers either. Try it if you dare but yes, it’s not for the feint of heart!

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Erotica, Horror, Mystery/Thriller, New Adult Romance

My Review: Does It Hurt?: by H.D. Carlton

April 26, 2023 nicholasjgoodsell

Publish Date: July 22nd, 2022
Number of Pages: 430 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre(s): Dark Romance, New Adult Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Horror

Total Star Rating: 4 Stars

There’s a place in the ocean, so deep, where not a single point of light penetrates through it. And for so long, I’ve been trapped there, unable to breathe. When I met you, you lifted me out of that darkness, and it was the first time I came up for air. You’ve become my oxygen, bella ladra, and I can no longer breathe without you.”
– H.D. Carlton, “Does It Hurt?”

~~~

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

Who am I?

I’ve forgotten the answer to that question long ago. Ever since I ran from that house, so desperate to escape, I left with only the clothes on my back and socks on my feet. After that day, I’ve only ever walked in stolen shoes.

Could I be a girl who is searching for the meaning of life in faceless men? They were all so forgettable. Until he came along. He took me under a waterfall and made me forget my name, and in return, I took his instead.

Enzo Vitale.

An enigmatic man that will only ever love the deep sea. Or rather the predators that inhabit it. Turns out, he’s not so different than the monsters he feeds. He lured me onto his boat like a fish in the ocean, seeking vengeance for my crime. Had I realized his intentions, and that a massive storm would leave us shipwrecked, I would’ve run.

Now, I’m a girl who’s seeking refuge in a decrepit lighthouse with a man who loathes me almost as much as he craves me. He wants to hurt me, but the old caretaker of the abandoned island may have intentions far more sinister.

It’s no longer a question of who I am, but rather, will I survive?

~~~

Okay readers, this is my first H.D. Carlton book before I hit up the Cat and Mouse duet which seems to be her most popular work, so I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed at all! In fact, this book is one I’d say is a great bridge into the darker themed romances this author and plenty of others are known for. It definitely had the darker themes, but I’d say it wasn’t too overwhelming for a reader who wasn’t sure and merely wanted to dip their toes into before taking the plunge.

This story is about a young woman named Sawyer Bennett who’s on the run from her dark past. She’s become a chameleon and has resorted to stealing people’s identities in order to move around and stay hidden; the first chapter is her making an impulse decision to board a different plane at the last possible moment out of pure paranoia of word of her being seen getting back to whomever is stalking her or looking for her…

She winds up in Australia and at a bar where she runs into Enzo Vitale, an enigmatic marine biologist who specializes in sharks, and things VERY quickly get hot and heavy between them…until the next morning Sawyer steals his information and gets a new credit card in his name! Dun Duh DUN!!!

Enzo’s a smart guy, and he quickly figures it out, but a confrontation leads to them being stuck out at sea during a storm and then shipwrecked on a small island with a lighthouse and it’s old caretaker…. and I’ll stop there before I reveal any more of the story because I don’t want to spoil too much for you if you actually do wind up grabbing a copy for yourself.

~~~

What happened to you does not define you. It only forged a new path that will take you to a different version of yourself. But no one can force you to walk that road; only you can determine who you will be once you get there. It’s your choice who you become, Sawyer.”
– H.D. Carlton, “Does It Hurt?”

~~~

What I Like:

The Insta-Lust! While I’m not the biggest fan of insta-love, insta-LUST can freakin’ GET IT because sometimes we don’t need a slowburn, spice right away is also a great way to have a story go! The chemistry between Enzo and Sawyer was absolutely sizzling, despite all the other things going on in the story alongside their developing relationship. The spice was phenomenal, and there were some kinks explored too that I won’t talk about, but you can find out about if you do some research! I will say though, BRAVO ENZO!!
The Darker Themes! This was definitely a mystery/suspense/thriller type of story with even a few horror-like elements thrown in too in a few spots, and it made the perfect setting for some of the darker themes explored in this story. Without going too into detail, both main characters have traumatic pasts that come up, and the experience they have being stuck on an island with a strange man is also traumatic, this book is definitely not for the readers who prefer the rom-com, lighter toned stories. It’s as dark and gut wrenching as the ocean during a hurricane, but I’d still say this may be an easier dark romance to get into for someone who’s curious to try it out for the first time.
Sawyer Bennett! She gets MVP for this book for sure. She’s got to be the most adorable identity thief I’ve ever run across. Even though she does a terrible thing to people in order to survive, she’s still incredibly likeable as a character and is extremely hard to not absolutely fall for!

What I Didn’t Like:

The Slow Midpoint…Okay, so after about the first 25% of the book, it feels like the plot really slows down. This is when Enzo and Sawyer are stuck on the island and just get their bearings. It’s where their relationship takes centerstage and gets the most attention, and yes there’s spicy scenes. But everything else kind of drags…the mystery of the island, the intentions of the old man named Sylvester, the sounds they hear at night, everything else gets the slowburn treatment…If not for the spice and the assholeness we see of Enzo, I’d probably have been really bored with this book in all honesty.

Conclusion:

Overall, I enjoyed this book as my first trek into H.D Carlton’s bookland. I’ve taken notice of how loyal her fanbase seems to be; I mean, people are willing to spend $1000+ on limited printing special editions of her books, that definitely made me curious to see what she’s all about!

I’d say this is an excellent candidate for anyone who’s curious to try out dark romance for the first time but are worried about being overwhelmed with the triggering content. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely some content in this book that some will definitely not like or be able to handle, so one last time, if you think you’re a reader who is like this….do your research on trigger warnings before opening this book.

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Erotica, Romance

My Review: Sea of Ruin: by Pam Godwin

January 12, 2023 nicholasjgoodsell

Publish Date: July 1st, 2021
Number of Pages: 465 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre(s): Dark Romance, Erotica, Historical

Total Star Rating: 4.25 Stars

Love isn’t a decision. It arrives unannounced, breeds madness, and leaves a sea of ruin in its wake. Hate him or love him. Either way, he’s in certain hell.”
– Pam Godwin, “Sea of Ruin”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

Bennett Sharp is on the run.
Wanted for piracy, she fears neither God nor death nor man.
Except Priest Farrell.

The unfaithful, stormy-eyed libertine hunts her with terrifying possessiveness. Nothing will stop him from coming for her. Not his unforgivable betrayal. Not when she’s captured by the ice-cold pirate hunter, Lord Ashley Cutler.
She must escape Ashley’s prison and Priest’s deceit. But can she walk away from their twisted desires?

Two gorgeous captains stand on opposite sides of the law. When they collide in a battle to protect her, the lines blur between enemies and lovers.
Passion heats, secrets unravel, and hearts entangle until they break.
Can love prevail in the sea of ruin?

~~~

First posted book review of 2023!! And it’s also one of the top books of 2022 for me too!

This book actually really surprised me with how much I really enjoyed it, Pam Godwin really sucked me in with her writing and the story that she put together here. This was my first book by her, but it’s also the first book of hers that really intrigued me enough to really want to dive in–pun slightly intended–and read what this book was all about. It gave me Pirates of the Caribbean-meets-Outlander kind of vibes a little bit, just without the fantasy aspects that go with the epic, swashbuckling Disney adventure series. Don’t let that draw you away from this book though, the story is still quite an adventure.

The story is about Bennett Sharp, a high society darling turned woman pirate captain–think very much Elizabeth Swan vibes–who’s currently on the run not only from the King’s Navy, but also her Pirate Husband! Well, soon to be ex-husband? He was caught cheating in an affair, she’s devastated, and was like “Peace out, Bitch,” and sailed off into the sunset, but not necessarily with a happily ever after… Priest Farrell, the accused cheater, isn’t just letting her go without a fight though.

At about 25% into the story, she’s captured by a feared Commodore, Ashley Cutler, and is taken aboard his ship as prisoner. And that is where I’ll cut off my recap of this experience of a book, so definitely give it a read if you want to see what possibly happens next!

This is a book that’s better going in as blind as possible, which is of course ironic with the many trigger warnings that go with this story too, but I say do your research and if this is still a story that sounds like one you’d enjoy, hopefully you don’t see spoilers because how you discover how things come to be is truly part of what makes this such a fun read! I mean, you can kind of guess some based off the synopsis, BUT there’s still plenty more to find out!

~~~

Love prevailed, not in the windless calm of life, but in the ruin.“
– Pam Godwin, “Sea of Ruin”

What I Liked:

The Dialogue Sounded Historically Accurate! One feature I noticed and really enjoyed was the dialogue and how it sounded so historically accurate! Well I mean, I’m no historian so don’t take my word for how accurate it actually is, but what I mean is it didn’t sound like everyone was just speaking modern day English like a lot of novels do these days. Not that that’s a bad thing for me or makes or breaks a book, but I do like when a book actually does sound like it comes from the time period it takes place in. It also still sounded natural too in this book, which I also appreciate!
Lots of Spice! Need I say more?…If you’re looking for a spicy, piratey adventure story, you’ll get that here!

What I Didn’t Like:

The FMC Is In Danger….A LOT….As a female Pirate Captain, Bennett gets into pretty hot water, like, A LOT of the time. Like, seriously….a lot. Half the book is her threatened to be assaulted, or worse she actually gets assaulted…like damn! Lets give her some time to breathe maybe? Or not have to worry about almost every male character and where his penis goes…I bet this is maybe pretty historically accurate what with how much rape is in Outlander….but even I’m like “Okay…this is getting a tad excessive” by a certain point. I think we’re supposed to marvel over the strength of the FMC and all that she overcomes, but YOWZA does this author really put her through the wringer…I guess at least she has her two hotties to make up for it?
LOTS of Trigger Warnings…I’m not an easily triggered reader, so the only reason I really have this listed on here is really for it to be my warning to other readers to look into the triggers that go with this book, and that because of the many warnings, I know I can’t recommend this book to others and be able to talk about it with others…..I know, woe is me, right?

Conclusion:

Overall, this was quite an adventure filled with dark perils and forbidden seduction that absolutely rivets you to keep on steering forward at a purposeful pace. I really enjoyed it, I loved the danger and how I actually worried about the well-being of the main characters, and Pam Godwin’s writing felt so smooth and natural and flowed so extremely well, she’s definitely a pro at the craft.

If you like the following: Pirates of the Caribbean, Outlander, the New Camelot Trilogy by Sierra Simone, or something that’s kind of a mix between all three of them: definitely give this book a whirl and see what you think!

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Erotica, New Adult, New Adult Romance

Exodus (The Ravenhood #2): by Kate Stewart

November 3, 2022November 3, 2022 nicholasjgoodsell

Publish Date: July 31st, 2020
Number of Pages: 450 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre(s): New Adult Romance, Erotica

***Warning! This book contains spoilers from the previous book in the series, so continue reading at your own risk! You’ve officially been warned!***

To see my review of book #1 – Flock – Click HERE

Total Star Rating: 4.5 Stars

Until we meet again. Until we can feel the rain on both our faces. There has to be a time for us in the next life. I don’t want any part of a heaven where I don’t see you.”
– Kate Stewart, “Exodus”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

Can you live a lie?

It’s a ghost town, this place that haunts me, the one that made me.

It’s clear to me that I’ll never outgrow Triple Falls or outlive the time I spent here.

I can still feel them all, my boys of summer.

Even when I’d sensed the danger, I gave in.

I didn’t heed a single warning. I let my sickness, my love, both rule and ruin me. I played my part, eyes wide open, tempting fate until it delivered.

There was never going to be an escape.

All of us are to blame for what happened. All of us serving our own sentences. We were careless and reckless, thinking our youth made us indestructible, exempt from our sins, and it cost us all.

I’m done pretending I didn’t leave the largest part of me between these hills and valleys, between the sea of trees that hold my secrets.

It’s the reason I’m back. To make peace with my fate.

And if I can’t grieve enough to cure myself in my time here, I’ll remain sick. That will be my curse.

But it’s time to confess, to myself more so than any other, that I’d hindered my chances because of the way I was built, and because of the men who built me.

At this point, I just want to make peace with who I am, no matter what ending I get.

Because I can no longer live a lie.

~~~

dfgdfbh…

…

…That’s it.

That’s my review of this book.

…

No I’m totally kidding!

…But in all honesty, I have NEVER needed a cigarette more than after I read this book…or therapy. And lets be clear: I DON’T SMOKE CANCER STICKS, but after this book…… I get it now!

I couldn’t wrap my head around all that happens in this book and the emotions it all brought with it. I started reading these books to hopefully get over this reading slump I’m in, but little did I know I was going to put myself in an even WORSE book hangover after this book! Holy Moly….

The last time I remember feeling this whack after taking in some sort of media (movie, tv show, book, etc) was when I watched the infamous Tiger King documentary series on Netflix and couldn’t help but crazy laugh to myself at how crazy the story got and wonder what could possibly happen next and how things could possibly get worse, but they somehow do!

This book immediately picks up where “Flock” left off where Cecilia and us meet the big head honcho in charge of the operation: The Frenchman. Everything we thought we had figured out from the first book is completely out the window and everything has changed. Like you literally have no idea what to expect if you’re going off just the previous book. It’s so chaotic and mindboggling!

At this point it’s almost needless to say Cecilia’s (and YOUR) lives are flipped upside down.

Kate Stewart really surprised me with this one; the tone was a lot darker and instead of a seemingly normal new adult summer romance, this all of sudden turned into a dark mafia story…that’s all I’m going to say about that. Actually, I’m going to say just a little bit more because honestly, it’s hard to talk about this book without getting spoilery, so really I say go check out what I liked and disliked but beware of spoilers….

~~~

We love rainy days don’t we baby?”
– Kate Stewart, “Exodus”

~~~

What I Liked:

The Tone Got More Urgent & Dark! The tone in this sequel got a lot darker and things are moving at a much faster speed and overall just so much more is happening…so much so that it’s actually a lot to take in. More than I was honestly expecting. All of a sudden I’m reading a dark mafia romance and there’s worry of people getting shot! It was chaotic, but I liked it! I was definitely hooked!
More Spice! Awwwwwww yeahhhhhh just what the dick-tor ordered! (I’ll see myself out for that one)
The Story Goes So Deep and EVERYTHING is Connected! I was majorly impressed with how well Kate Stewart connected everything within the story and how literally ALL the characters had a specific role in how things played out. I love it when you discover that every character served a purpose like that, even if it doesn’t happen in present time within the book.

What I Didn’t Like:

Weird How Dominic and Sean get Shafted…I liked Sean, and I was a sucker for Dom, but wow did I feel like they got the biggest brush-off in this book! The Frenchman, Tobias, swoops in and shakes things up even bigger than Rhysand did in A Court of Thorns and Roses, but luckily the two guys didn’t get reduced to being two Tamlins…still, I was hoping they’d play a bigger part in this book than what we actually got.
That Death…It was definitely one of those scenes where I had to triple check I’d just read what I actually read…this reminded me of when I first read Finnick Odair’s death in Mockingjay and part of me was inwardly panicking as to what just happened and if it was somehow not true….but it was, and wow did it hurt right in the chest.
I’m VERY Torn on Tobias…I’m just gonna start this one off and say that Tobias isn’t a good guy. And his relationship that develops with Cecilia is definitely toxic. I’m not sure if they’re actually meant to be, but damn does Kate Stewart write them to convince me that they are! Honestly, both of them are complete messes, but they certainly did have a unique kind of dynamic that I don’t see a whole lot of in books, so that was really refreshing! I loved the whole “hating you-to-loving you” dynamic with lots of spice. It was dark, but I was here for it. Tobias just was also a very unlikable character which is also interesting, and I was torn on whether I liked him or not. I both liked it and didn’t like it, but again, I did like how it kept me guessing on his motives and what his true feelings were. The romance genre is unfortunately a fairly predictable genre to read, so the fact that this book and this character were anything but did make me appreciate it more!

Conclusion:

Overall, I was not prepared for how much this book was going to sweep the rug out from underneath me! I was warned by my #bookstagram friends that it will tear me apart, to which I was cynical about, but I will say this book really took more out of me than I was expecting. I wasn’t a weeping ball of emotions on the floor, but I started these books to try and cure a reading slump I feel like I’ve been in this whole year, and little did I know that this one was going to put me into a whole other book hangover…But I can say I did really enjoy these and absolutely plowed through them like they were a fresh meal placed right in front of me and I hadn’t eaten in about a week!

It’s really hard to say “If you liked _________, then you’ll like these books too!” I can’t say I’ve ever read romance books quite like these before. I guess I should say if you’re not afraid of darker themes and the relationships somewhat–putting that mildly–toxic, and the characters VERY morally grey and not entirely likable, then this will be right up your alley! Good luck with therapy….