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BOOK REVIEW: Reason to Believe (Legacy #1) by Rebecca Yarros

April 26, 2022 / / 4 Comments

BOOK REVIEW: Reason to Believe (Legacy #1) by Rebecca Yarros

Reason to Believe easily landed on my favorites list! Check out my 5 Star Review below ♥.

BOOK REVIEW: Reason to Believe (Legacy #1) by Rebecca YarrosReason to Believe (Legacy #1)
by Rebecca Yarros
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

From USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros comes a brand-new small town, older-brother’s best friend standalone romance.

“I’ll take them!”

That’s what I tell the social worker when my pre-k student and his baby brother need an emergency foster placement. I’ll do anything to keep the brothers from being split up. But my apartment’s flooded and there’s only one house I can take them to on such short notice…his.

Knox Daniels, my older brother’s best friend, offers his new place without hesitation. He’s not moving back to our tiny town until next month—that’s when all our hotshot firefighters are returning for their one and only chance to rebuild our fathers’ fallen, iconic crew.

It doesn’t matter that I’ve been silently in love with Knox since we were kids.
It can’t matter that we pretend that reckless prom night kiss never happened.
It won’t matter that my feelings for him could destroy his lifelong friendship with my brother and threaten the certification of their hotshot crew.
Because I’ll be out of his house long before he gets back.

Except Knox just walked in…a month early.
And the icing on this awkward cake?
He’s gorgeous as always and I’m covered in baby puke.
He takes one look at the boys and tells me we can make this work—
We can temporarily fake a relationship to keep them from being separated by the system.

Suddenly, everything matters.

Review:

Reason to Believe was an emotionally beautiful love story!  With tons of heart, this sexy romance completely consumed me.  It was impossible to put down. As heartbreaking and uplifting moments laced throughout the pages, this book soared right onto my favorites list!

“You’re not always an asshole, do you know that?”
I laughed. “Yeah, well, just don’t tell anyone.”
“I like this version of you.” Her arms tightened around my neck, and I flinched.
Like was dangerous. It was everything I’d avoided these last seven years when it came to Harper.

With a mix of older brother’s best friend and fake dating, this story was done to perfection! We started out seven years in the past, and got to witness why Knox and Harper could never be together.  Even though the chemistry and connection between them was electrifying. When we jumped seven years in the future, Harper found herself in a situation to help foster two little boys, at Knox’s house while he was away. So when Knox came home a month early, he agreed to help Harper keep the boys from being separated. By pretending that they were together.

I was head-over-heels in love with that arrogant ass and had been since I was old enough to name the emotion.
But to him…well, I wasn’t anything, not even a blip on his sexual radar.
I was his best friend’s little sister.
And I hated that most of all.

I absolutely loved Harper! She was fierce, independent, intelligent and had the hugest heart! When she stepped up to help foster one of her students and his baby brother, after their mom had been killed, I loved seeing her resolve, strength and watching her try to do her best. Even though it was extremely challenging. So when Knox appeared in the picture, I held my breath. She had been in love with her older brother’s best friend since she was a kid. And when Knox stated that they were in a fake relationship, to keep the boys from being separated, it just reinforced why she had been in love with him forever.

“I’m so sorry I dragged you into this,” she whispered.
I dropped my chin to rest on the top of her head, avoiding where she had her hair piled in some kind of knot. “Harper, there is nowhere else I would rather be.”
Her breath hitched, and we both fell silent.

Knox pulled at my heart and it was so easy to fall for him. While he was jaded from the past, he would do anything for Harper. Yes she was his best friend’s little sister, but as we got to hear the story from his point of view also, we saw how desperately he secretly craved her.  She was the only thing in his life he truly wanted, but couldn’t ever have. That need burned him alive. So I loved the forbidden feel of them! As Knox stepped up and helped Harper every step of the way, their friendship showed how perfect they were for each other. And the sexual tension between them was so intense, it was like they were on fire every moment they were near each other!

My breath caught at the longing in his eyes, the need and heat that echoed my own.

This story brimmed with emotions that were raw and real. I already had tears by the second chapter and they just kept appearing as the story unfolded. I even found myself sobbing and couldn’t stop the tears from pouring down my face. While this book was an emotional powerhouse, there was also so much love, friendship, smiles and laughter throughout this story too. I loved their firefighting family! I loved Harper and Knox’s friends, who I had already fallen in love with in previous novellas (Point of Origin & Ignite which are currently FREE!). You don’t have to read them before picking up this book, but I highly recommend you do! Together they made this found family that was uplifting in their little town. And I loved how they had each other’s back. It was smile inducing and their lighter moments were heartwarming. Plus the two little boys in this story will absolutely capture your heart.

I poured all of my messy, unlabeled emotions into the caress of my lips, the stroke of my tongue, hoping she understood what I didn’t know how to say. Praying she knew what she meant to me when I couldn’t put words to it.

Romance lovers will passionately fall in love with Reason to Believe! Within the pages this story was emotional, intense, swoon worthy, intoxicating, heart wrenching and had so much passion! This was a story-line that will capture your heart and one you’ll remember forever. And the HEA at the end?! It was everything I could have ever wanted and more. If you’re looking for an adult romance to pick up, I can’t recommend this one enough!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

 

Amazon  I  Nook  I  Apple  I  Kobo

 

About Rebecca Yarros:

Rebecca Yarros is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over fifteen novels, including Great and Precious Things and The Last Letter. “A gifted storyteller” (Kirkus), she is also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward from her Flight and Glory series.

Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for almost twenty years. She’s the mother of six children, ranging from kindergarten to law school, and is currently surviving the teenage years with three of her four hockey-playing sons. When she’s not writing, you can find her at the hockey rink or sneaking in some guitar time while guzzling coffee. She and her family live in Colorado with their stubborn English bulldogs, two feisty chinchillas, and a Maine Coon kitten named Artemis, who rules them all.

Having fostered then adopted their youngest daughter who is nonverbal and on the autism spectrum, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October, which she co-founded with her husband in 2019. To learn more about their mission to better the lives of kids in foster care, visit www.oneoctober.org.

To catch up on Rebecca’s latest releases and upcoming novels, including The Things We Leave Unfinished, which just received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, visit www.RebeccaYarros.com.


Website I Facebook I Facebook Group I Twitter I Instagram I Goodreads I Bookbub I Amazon

BOOK REVIEW: Ninth House (Alex Stern #1) by Leigh Bardugo

April 14, 2022 / / 2 Comments
BOOK REVIEW: Ninth House (Alex Stern #1) by Leigh BardugoNinth House (Alex Stern #1)
by Leigh Bardugo
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.

 

What do you want? Belbalm had asked her. Safety, comfort, to feel unafraid. I want to live to grow old, Alex thought as she pulled the curtains closed. I want to sit on my porch and drink foul-smelling tea and yell at passersby. I want to survive this world that keeps trying to destroy me.






The way that I want to scream from the mountains and make this a total fangirl review…the urge is strong. Logic is flawed. And-I have to admit it-it’s all because I chose to believe a bunch of reviews from people I don’t even know instead of trusting in the author I’ve loved since the beginning of the Grishaverse. Shame on me.

Darlington liked to say that dealing with ghosts was like riding the subway: Do not make eye contact. Do not smile. Do not engage. Otherwise, you never know what might follow you home.





I’ll admit that it’s daunting when an author you know and love changes their genre completely-and in such a macabre fashion. Bardugo didn’t just go from YA Fantasy to Adult Fantasy…she went full on YA Fantasy to Adult Dark Academia. Quite a jump, and a jump I wasn’t quite ready to make when it was first released.

The resemblance was superficial, at least on the outside. But underneath? In the cut-open places, they were all the same. Girls like Hellie, girls like Alex, girls like this one, had to keep running or eventually trouble caught up. This girl just hadn’t run fast enough.





I can also admit there are key words when reading reviews that ignite that trigger response and I latched onto those with my whole being. What I failed to realize though, was I needed to read between the lines/investigate a little further to see whether those triggers would effect me. Everyone’s threshold of tolerance differs and what we can endure is in the eyes and heart of the reader. One similar scene may bother me more in another book simply because of what surrounds it or what the parameters are of the story, where another book may have an even worse similar scene, but everything surrounding it supports it, enhances it, creates a tension that just works and makes it bearable whereas the other just simply didn’t. It’s the smallest things that may set someone off (me), when before the same exact thing didn’t bother me. I can’t explain it other than I’m an emotional reader: I’m pure. I don’t have set stereotypes of triggers and how they are used other than two key triggers that are NEVER okay and I cannot tolerate: Babies (and young children) and animals. Those are it-the rest, things may bother me on a visceral level, but I couldn’t tell you from one book the next how it will effect me. That’s just how I am, I suppose.

“Thank you.” Alex winked. “Now we can be friends again.”
“Psycho.”
“So I hear,” said Alex.





All that being said-What I mean is that while this book triggered many people, it did not trigger myself. There were key things that at some time may have at some point in my life…but I guess I pictured this book to be so grotesque before reading that nothing I read was really going to phase me. Ah the power of trusting reviews. Either way, it seems that there was a certain line drawn in the sand that divided people between loving and not loving the book, and I’ll mention it here: ***I cannot get this spoiler in so will add later when I know how***. I believe this scene-paired with the fact that some people do not like change by their favorite authors (or mistakenly believing this to be YA when it’s, in fact, Adult)-is the main divider of derision/enjoyment. I personally just found one other scene to be far more disturbing-but that’s taste (omfg, taste. GAG. You’ll see. Unfortunately). OR, ya know, someone just may not enjoy it. There’s always that-which, okay, fair.

We are the shepherds.





I don’t know what I expected when I pictured this book, but I suppose I just never cared enough to realize it’s a form of dark academia, one of my favorite genres to read when done correctly. I think I always pictured some adult woman doing PI work and hanging out around a campus…fuck if I know why I thought that but…wow. The reality was so much better than that. And I guess this is a good instance of seeing why it’s nice to go in blind sometimes. I was blown away and that does not happen often to me when I am going into a darker book. Though, to me, this really wasn’t as dark as many of the books I’ve read in the last few years.

“Not at all. Demons are ambidextrous.”
“Do we ever have to fight demons?”
“Absolutely not. Demons are confined to some kind of hellscape behind the Veil, and the ones that do manage to push through are far above our pay grade.”
“What pay grade?”
“Precisely.”



And, okay, let’s cut to the damn chase: Darlington. Daniel Arlington. My newest love. How delightful. I just…I am trash for him. I love his haughtiness. I love his gentle snark. I love the way his derision never gets in the way [of always, always doing the right thing] of how he trains and guides Alex (well…mostly). I love that, above all, he lives up to his name as the Gentleman of Lethe and would never-under ANY circumstance-let any harm befall Alex (or anyone in danger in his radius, really) no matter his qualms or mistrust. He just…is the epitome of a ‘good guy’ without the bore or mundaneness. In fact, his scenes are anything but mundane, and I found myself speeding up when I knew he was going to be in the next scene. My most helpful piece of advice? Savor him. Savor his moments. Lock them up and read them slowly, stash them in the deepest crevices of your mind and throw away the key. You’ll thank you me later, if you’re a fan of him at all.

That was what magic did. It revealed the heart of who you’d been before life took away your belief in the possible. It gave back the world all lonely children longed for. That was what Lethe had done for him. Maybe it could do that for Alex as well.





What got me most, though, was the way they were together, the way they worked together. It just…got me. And, again, I’m not ashamed to admit that I didn’t know what I was reading so all of this was just such a delightful surprise. I can’t go on anymore lest I spoil things, but just know…he has my whole heart for my whole life.

She took out her phone. There was a message from the detective. Working a case. Stay put. Will call when I’m done. DON’T DO ANYTHING STUPID.
“It’s like he doesn’t even know me.”



Alex…she was rough, but I loved her. I loved her attitude. Her tenacity. The way she couldn’t give up even though she should have for her own self-preservation. Her mix of tough/desire to be liked and loved touched my heart. I am a sucker for heroines that have a darkness to them, that can push past that darkness at any point, but have a deep softness and willingness to be accepted and loved. A fierceness to them that never lets them give up, to fight through any and all pain to do what’s right even as they were always treated poorly and without sympathy



-that paired with Darlington’s moral compass, I was dead. I loved it so much. All that, and her relatability. Her inner snark, her quips in response to literally everyone. I felt so much kinship in those moments because, even if I don’t say something, best believe I’m thinking it and I just loved her dialogue.

Colin’s enthusiasm always seemed genuine, but sometimes its sheer wattage made her want to do something abruptly violent like put a pencil through his palm.


#relatable

And, finally, the atmosphere. Again, not near as dark as I had anticipated, but there were moments of such levity that I did feel submerged in darkness. There is up and down, yin and yang, and that’s probably my favorite sort of story. I love a good ‘darker’ ya fantasy because I think they are rarer, but I do like some light moments sprinkled between-that is the case here. That’s not to say there is any lack of battering, bone-crunching, or all out gore, because there is, [PLENTLY]. But I didn’t feel weighed down by it, and perhaps that was my largest fear.

The drug was telling her brain that everything was okay, that anything was possible, that if she willed it, she could heal herself right now. But the pain was shrieking panic, banging on her awareness, a fist against glass. She could feel a splinter starting, her sanity like a windshield that wasn’t meant to break. She’d been called crazy countless times, had sometimes believed it, but this was the first time she’d felt insane.



So all in all this book jumped to an absolute favorite out of nowhere. I shouldn’t have been surprised though, as Leigh Bardugo really doesn’t release mediocrity-it’s just not her thing. So, even though this was off my radar due to the gruesome nature, once I FINALLY heard a release for book two, I was all in immediately (inexplicably), even after telling myself I’d never read it. And, I’ll admit it, I’m a whore for good book art and I saw a print of Darlington and Alex that spoke to me, that made my heart pitter patter, and that’s what really led me here. I’m not ashamed to admit that I owe this new absolute favorite to that piece of art. Isn’t it beautiful tgat the extension of our artistic expression can change a person’s perspective on something they believed to be vile and not something they’d give a second glance to? It’s beautiful to me-and amazing-that someone’s renderings of their deepest personal manifestation can help me to visualize what I couldn’t fathom before. How far we’ve come, Bookish Friends. And whether it be the atmosphere, the characters, or the utter surprise of the depth of this story, I am trash for it, and I will be eagerly awaiting in the shadows for book two to release before I emerge.


FRIEND SCALE:

Arielle-I’ve drug pushed you into it so it’s already too late for your soul. lol
Cassie-You’ve read it.
Jen-NO lol
Anna-Frankly I could see you being either way. I sure hope Darlington brings you the joy he brought me.




******

I am simply trash for Darlington

BOOK REVIEW: Curse of Darkness (Dark Court Rising #3) by Bec McMaster

April 11, 2022 / / 2 Comments
BOOK REVIEW: Curse of Darkness (Dark Court Rising #3) by Bec McMasterCurse of Darkness (Dark Court Rising #3)
by Bec McMaster
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The Darkness is coming....

Can Iskvien save her husband's soul? Or will her mother's wrath destroy them all?

The third book in the Dark Court Rising series.

Review:

I don’t fear Death.
But as I summon my thorns, one of them circling my waist, I can’t help thinking: Maybe he should fear me.

Curse of Darkness was a stunning conclusion to the Dark Court Rising trilogy!   With war, love, sacrifice, friendship, and risks laced throughout the pages, this book was entirely addicting!  From start to finish this series has been action packed with romance that was sigh worthy.  I fell so deeply in love with these characters and the journeys they went on.  If you’re looking for a completed adult fantasy to binge, then look no further!

I didn’t get to burn his body.
I didn’t get to say goodbye.
I didn’t get to tell him I loved him one last time….

From that first page, this story sliced my heart open.  I was not ready for the heartache that would follow the ending of Crown of Darkness.  The tears wouldn’t stop coming.  But have faith, because there were so many twists and turns in this book that kept me of my edge of my seat!  And there were also revelations that blew my mind!  As the story kept unfolding, I loved that we got a clear picture of all the players and what was truly going on.  The insights we gained kept me holding my breath.  Because I was terrified how it would all pan out!

I can’t control the rage that ignites my magic. Where once there was heat and flame, now there’s only ice.

Through it all, we had Vi who was a true queen we could respect!  The dangerous games she played, while trying to hold an unfathomable amount of precarious cards, left me feeling nervous and so proud of her.  She had come so far from that first moment we met her!  And while she prepared for the upcoming war that was looming in the background like a ticking time bomb I got chills with who she fought tooth and nail to align herself with.  She was truly unstoppable.  Or so I hoped!  And if that wasn’t enough, she also had to save her husband’s soul.

“…We’re family, Vi. Now you need to understand that.”
My heart feels so fucking heavy in my chest. “I know.”
Finn falls back to clap a hand on my shoulder. “You’re not alone, Vi. I just want you to know that. And the weight on your shoulders isn’t your burden to carry alone.”
Hot tears threaten to spill down my cheeks.

Finn, Eris, Thalia, Amaya, Grimm, Baylor and so many more, I adored this found family so much!  Together they were a formidable team and at times they left me laughing manically because of how things unfolded.  And as they helped Vi on her journey, the bargains that were made, the risks that were taken, and the terrifying plans that played out were mesmerizing!  They had to put their trust and faith in those you hoped wouldn’t do them wrong. And at times there were unseen consequences and heartbreaking moments but there were also so many that made me laugh and cry happy tears.  I definitely cried all the happy tears while reading this story!

“Well, well,” she whispers as her laughter fades. “The little queen of Evernight is learning to play the game.”

Curse of Darkness brimmed with emotions and tensions ran high, making this book impossible to put down.  This series is a must read for fantasy lovers!  And we’re definitely given a HEA for Vi, you know I’m not going to offer more than that lol.  But at the same time, there was still so much going on in this world and so many stories that still need to be told.  I have a lot of guesses for future love matches *fingers crossed*.  So after you read that final page, we’re told whose story is up next and I was screaming with excitement!  I. Can’t. Wait!

Molten eyes lock on mine. “Remind me what it feels like to live.”
I gift him with a dangerous smile. “Done.”

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

 

Reading Order:


Review #1:
Jen’s Review
Review #1.5:
Jen’s Review
Review #2:
Jen’s Review


Review #3:
Jen’s Review

    

BOOK REVIEW: Crown of Darkness (Dark Court Rising #2) by Bec McMaster

April 8, 2022 / / 5 Comments

BOOK REVIEW: Crown of Darkness (Dark Court Rising #2) by Bec McMasterCrown of Darkness (Dark Court Rising #2)
by Bec McMaster
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Thiago and Iskvien survived a dangerous curse, but will they survive the coming war?

Princess Iskvien made a dangerous bargain with an ancient goddess in order to break her mother’s curse. Now she must find the Crown of Shadows within a year, or the goddess will take her firstborn child.

Thiago—her heart and soul—stands at her side, but their love has never been tested like this.

Enemies surround them, but in the game of love and war, does her mother, Queen Adaia, hold the ultimate weapon up her sleeve? Or can their love defeat all?

True love will face the ultimate challenge when a dark goddess rises, secrets threaten to tear two lovers apart, and a queen will stop at nothing to gain revenge. Read this epic fantasy filled with magic and breathtaking romance today!

Warning: Cliffhanger ending.


Review:

This time, I’m not prey. This time, I’m the hunter.

Crown of Darkness was an exhilarating continuation of the Dark Court Rising Trilogy!  This story was filled with twists, love, friendship, sacrifice and so much heart. With heart pounding action and unfathomable peril, Crown of Darkness became an instant favorite!  If you love fantasy and adult romance then you definitely need this series in your life!

In this moment, he’s no longer merely my husband.
He’s the Prince of Evernight. The Lord of Whispers and Lies. The Master of Darkness. And the most dangerous male in the south.

Vi and Thiago’s love was forbidden, yet it was fated and written in the stars.  And while they were now together, there was still no peace or rest.  Vi was tasked with finding a crown or their first born child was to be given to Mother of the Night.  And while that was impossible enough, war was brewing.  With so much at play, I was terrified.  Especially since three chapters in, we got Andraste’s view.  My feelings were twisted and confused when it came to her, and after following along with her part of the journey my head was left spinning.  Just like so many other moments in this serious did to me. So hold on, because this book was a wild ride!

I cut him off with a kiss, painting it across his lips.
“You were my salvation,” I whisper against his mouth, because I know what my life was like before I met him.

I loved seeing Vi and Thiago finally together. We got to learn more about Thiago’s childhood and his secrets.  And that broke my heart.  But I loved that throughout the chaos and struggles, Vi and Thiago got to spend beautiful moments together. Creating new memories. And ones that burned brightly with passion. With Vi now in his life, Thiago could hold off not destroying the world with his darkness, and that always left me breathless. But at the same time I was nervous, because it felt like their fate was tainted. Or too much was against them and I didn’t know how it would play out.

“Nothing will take you away from me again. Not your mother. Not Angharad’s fetch. Not the Mother of Fucking Night. I will drown this world in Darkness before I ever let you go again.”

The twists in this story were phenomenal! As more pieces of the puzzle came together, I was left gasping and surrounded by so much emotion.  Looking back, for some of the twists I could see those tiny crumbs of clues, but my mind was still blown.  For others I was absolutely shocked.  It made complete sense, I just never thought that the story would play out that way. This book will definitely keep you on your toes! So much was revealed, but also so much is unknown. And I had so much fun reading this story!

They will all die for him and give their lives gladly, and my mother doesn’t understand that.

Friendships within these pages added the much needed lightness to this story. I loved how they could make us laugh, even during times of peril. I loved their antics with one another and how much it made me smile. They were a true found family and one that I adore with my whole heart. Vi, Thiago, Eris, Finn, Baylor and more were the heart of this story and their friendships warmed my heart!

We are all capable of becoming monsters for the ones we love, little queen. Even you.”
“I am no monster.”
“If you want to destroy your mother, then you must become the thing she fears,” she says in a merciless voice.

With dire consequences, impossible choices and help from unlikely sources this book ended with a bang! Crown of Darkness was a dark, mesmerizing, epic fantasy! And while I rarely agree with others that a book ends on a cliffhanger, this book…..oh my heart! It ended on the most epic of cliffhangers. I’m so glad the final book is out or else I’d be a puddle of emotions.  So make sure you have Curse of Darkness available, because you’ll desperately need it! This story elicited so much emotion from me, I cried three different times and at one point I thought my heart would literally shatter into a billion pieces. But with friendships and love within these pages, it rounded out the hardships so fabulously!

Tears stream down my face, but it’s the rage in my heart that can’t be hidden. I always thought my mother had taken everything she could from me.
But I was wrong.
“I will kill her.”

PS I loved the Princess Bride references!

PPS I loved the addition of a new character!

Reading Order:


Review #1:
Jen’s Review
Review #1.5:
Jen’s Review
Review #2:
Jen’s Review

Review #3:
Jen’s Review

BOOK REVIEW: Seduced by Darkness (Dark Court Rising #1.5) by Bec McMaster

April 7, 2022 / / 2 Comments

BOOK REVIEW: Seduced by Darkness (Dark Court Rising #1.5) by Bec McMasterSeduced by Darkness (Dark Court Rising #1.5)
by Bec McMaster
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

*Spoilers for Promise of Darkness*

He fell in love with the woman of his dreams, but he never realized what that love would cost him.

When a dark prince attends the Lammastide rites, he lays eyes on his fated mate.

The problem?

She’s his enemy’s daughter.

A novella in the Dark Court Rising series from Thiago's POV featuring the first time he met Princess Iskvien.


Review:

*Spoilers for Promise of Darkness*

This is so, so dangerous.
And I don’t care. I want it all.

Seduced by Darkness was a mesmerizing look into the past.  The story took place thirteen years before Promise of Darkness, so you don’t want to read this book first.  In this story, we learned so much that was unknown.  I loved watching how Vi and Thiago’s story unfolded.  Watching them meet, learning to trust one another and fall in love was magical and all consuming.  And there were so many unique aspects within the pages.  I loved that we got to alternate between Vi and Thiago.  Getting to hear his voice was exhilarating and everything I could have wanted!  We also got to see little pieces from the future take place within the past, I was screaming with excitement for how certain things played out!  And while this book and the first were both seductive and sexy, their moments together went further and we got to read all of the fabulous details when Thiago and Vi were together.  It was extremely scorching hot *fans face*.

“Do I have a choice?” I can’t help being on the offensive; he’s just a little too overwhelming.
“You always have a choice.” Taking my hand he lifts it to his lips. “Me? Not so. Fate took me by the heart five centuries ago and tattooed you there on my soul.” 

From when they first met, there was an instant pull.  Yes it was one of attraction.  But it also ran so much deeper.  So seeing Vi realize that Thiago was so much more than what the stories and lies said about him was smile inducing.  Her discovering the honesty and honor within Thiago warmed my heart.  But there was also friendship in the pages that made my heart skip a happy beat.  Finn, oh my goodness he was beyond fabulous.  Finn and Vi together made me laugh and I can’t wait to see how their friendship unfolds as this series goes along!  But this book also showed us a darker side.  We got a clear picture of how horrific Vi’s mother was, and not only the lengths she would go to but the atrocities she committed.  It was terrifying and left me uneasy and nervous for what will happen next.  And Etan?!  I was just left staring at the pages when it came to him, you’ll have to see what I’m talking about.  So yes, I definitely recommend reading this book! Seduced by Darkness is a definite must read if you loved Promise of Darkness!  The insights you gain were invaluable and watching Vi and Thiago’s love bloom was heartwarming

It doesn’t matter if she’s the daughter of my enemy. It doesn’t matter if we barely know each other. We have this and it burns between us. A promise of more. A promise of forever if only I am brave enough to reach out and take it.

Reading Order:


Review #1:
Jen’s Review
Review #1.5:
Jen’s Review
Review #2:
Jen’s Review

Review #3:
Jen’s Review
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