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cardaisy's review
I was having a lot of fun for the first like 25% and then I slowly realised I was not having fun anymore
I had high hopes for this book especially since I really enjoyed the first in the series, but this straight up sucked for me. The MMC was neglectful and abusive and the FMC put up with it because of past abuse and seeing his actions as normal and to be expected
Also maybe this is just me reading it wrong, but the CWs at the start of the book really made it seem like abuse/neglect was all in the past (like in the first book) and not literally a key plot point. I guess this is supposed to be a dark romance? Maybe?? I just feel like that was not what was on the tin, especially since at the beginning of this book (just like in the first book) there is SUCH a heavy emphasis on the fact that no harm will come to the FMC
I had high hopes for this book especially since I really enjoyed the first in the series, but this straight up sucked for me. The MMC was neglectful and abusive and the FMC put up with it because of past abuse and seeing his actions as normal and to be expected
Also maybe this is just me reading it wrong, but the CWs at the start of the book really made it seem like abuse/neglect was all in the past (like in the first book) and not literally a key plot point. I guess this is supposed to be a dark romance? Maybe?? I just feel like that was not what was on the tin, especially since at the beginning of this book (just like in the first book) there is SUCH a heavy emphasis on the fact that no harm will come to the FMC
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
thaliareads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall a very fun and spicy read. However, it did feel like more of a novella. Since these are seven year contracts I sort of wish we could spend some time skipping farther in time to see more. However, the intended story does wrap up nicely in the length used. I think this had a little more plot/conversation as opposed to spicy scenes when compared with the first book, and honestly I thought the balance worked well. Again, I just wish we had more time to see these characters develop further. A good read, but not one I'll feel compelled to frequently come back to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Abortion, and Abandonment
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Murder and Pregnancy
As with the first book in the series there is a high level of detailed spice. A reocurring theme is the discussion of the death of Thane's husband, which was viewed as a murder, and how that's affected him and his ability to accept/enter into a relationship with someone new. Catalina on the other hand has felt abandoned/neglected/unwanted by her family since she was young - which is what led her to enter the contract in the first place. There are some themes of her feeling confined early in the book. Later in the book there is a relatively detailed account of an abortion - however it does have a fantasy twist and while clearly defined is not explicit or graphic.harveyjoy53's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Minor: Death and Toxic relationship
bangiebangs's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As far as spicy monster romance goes, these are really enjoyable. It's more novella length, so can be read in a few hours. Felt a bit different from the first of the series, in that pacing seemed a little rushed towards the end, and I'd have liked just a little more story around the personal development part. Some developments feel a tad rushed.
All that said, though, this was really enjoyable and had me smiling and even chuckling on occasion, and I'll continue reading the series.
Ok the one thing that was a bit too much for me was the sentence "It is prehensile?".. like yes, you are currently getting hot and heavy with a half kraken person, but who says "prehensile" in the heat of the moment? Just a tiny thing obv, but that interrupted the scene for me.
All that said, though, this was really enjoyable and had me smiling and even chuckling on occasion, and I'll continue reading the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Abortion
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
mspilesofpaper's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I really enjoyed The Dragon’s Bride, so I thought that this one would be a good choice as well but I was utterly mistaken.
Aside from an extremely odd pacing and all the baggage that both characters have (loss of his love for Thane, childhood trauma and emotional/mental abuse for Catalina), which would have profited from being a longer story: wtf did the author really think? Thane is extremely cold, distant and stand offish (even for his own people) and leaves Catalina after sex. He basically triggers the harm clause from the contract several times and he’s just not loosing his territory because Catalina has no concept of self-preservation.
The book includes an abortion scene, which just happens because Thane forgot about protection. I wish it would have been handled better because it’s just put in after they fuck around for over a month (and do relationship stuff), the abortion happens and somehow it triggers their happy end. Of course, the harm clause (which could’ve been triggered apparently because Catalina got pregnant against her will) doesn’t happen because Catalina waves it off again.
Both deserve someone better because I can’t see that pairing work at all.
Aside from an extremely odd pacing and all the baggage that both characters have (loss of his love for Thane, childhood trauma and emotional/mental abuse for Catalina), which would have profited from being a longer story: wtf did the author really think? Thane is extremely cold, distant and stand offish (even for his own people) and leaves Catalina after sex. He basically triggers the harm clause from the contract several times and he’s just not loosing his territory because Catalina has no concept of self-preservation.
The book includes an abortion scene, which just happens because Thane forgot about protection. I wish it would have been handled better because it’s just put in after they fuck around for over a month (and do relationship stuff), the abortion happens and somehow it triggers their happy end. Of course, the harm clause (which could’ve been triggered apparently because Catalina got pregnant against her will) doesn’t happen because Catalina waves it off again.
Both deserve someone better because I can’t see that pairing work at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Abortion, and Abandonment
aislinghelen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Abortion, and Abandonment
Minor: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and War
jennyv1822's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Medical trauma, and Abandonment
Moderate: Abortion
bookphilos's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Abortion
the_tea_collector22's review
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
Tbh this was not good. I really struggled to like the MMC, he basically ignored her or abandoned her for most of the book because he didn’t want to be attracted to her. And I understand a lot of his motivations were based on grief, but even still it made it super hard to like his character & root for their relationship. Neither character was good at expressing themselves emotionally, and while they do try to reconcile with that it really doesn’t happen til the last 3 chapters so it fell very flat to me.
Idk how the rest of the books in this series will go, but if the next one is just as bleh as this one I might not continue- monster fucking alone is not enough to save it. Book one was good, I miss the dragon who was obsessed with his wife.
Idk how the rest of the books in this series will go, but if the next one is just as bleh as this one I might not continue- monster fucking alone is not enough to save it. Book one was good, I miss the dragon who was obsessed with his wife.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Abandonment
Minor: Abortion
sba2x's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Abandonment
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, and Pregnancy