Reviews with content warning for Kidnapping - A River Enchanted

This is a very cozy atmospheric fantasy that is super whimsical. I loved the slow burn romance. I enjoyed following the multiple povs throughout the story. The world building was really great forming this magical island.

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minnow's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This novel has many of the tropes I love: enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, lots of longing, gorgeous descriptions of food and clothing; additionally, the setting is lush and beautiful, with a rich lore. The plot is interesting and hints at mystery, and there are several love-based subplots. I should have loved this book. But I didn't.

It's entertaining and is, in parts, beautifully written. However, it's at best a snack, and not a very filling one. It takes some of the tropes I love and over-uses them until it made my eyes roll every time they popped up in the text--how many times can Jack rake back his hair with one hand? There are so many aching chests that this story needed a cardiologist more than it needed a bard. Every emotion is set at ten, every moment is The Most Dramatic Moment, which reduces every truly heightened emotion and moment to zero. If everything is in stereo, nothing is in stereo.

Yet the world-building is lovely and well-done. I wish it had been focused on more and there had been less romantic navel-gazing and reminiscing performed by secondary characters. The development of the main characters feels abrupt; it's handled better with the supporting characters Torin and Sidra. There is one mildly spicy scene that is well done but feels poorly placed in the narrative.

A beautiful premise that feels shallow. I won't read further into the series as it didn't enchant me.

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lilly_koonce's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I found the writing in this book absolutely enchanting, and lyrical, but the main romance fell flat for me for most of the book. I was more invested in Torin and Sidra's relationship as I thought they were better-developed characters. Adaira felt very bland and secondary until the very end, which makes me hopeful for the next book. If you're looking for a book that relies heavily on vibes rather than development then this book is for you.

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