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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
“Nothing in this world is stronger than love. It should always be enough, no matter what.”
I wanted to read this novella prior to starting White Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements, #1). I am very glad I did. This novella is definitely a prequel to the series, and it lays a lot of groundwork and backstory into the world in which the remaining books will take place.
Though there are several characters and creatures that are introduced in this book, the storyline primarily focuses on Jasmine and Dez. Bitter Sweet Love takes us on Jas and Dez's path of "romantic rediscovery" after Dez returns to their clan after being away for 3 years. They were once best friends, but when Dez left 3 years prior without so much as a goodbye, Jasmine was left to deal with all of her questions would go unanswered.
The interaction between Dez and Jasmine made for a light and entertaining read. If you're a fan of JLA YA, you'll eat this up. There's plenty of tension, suspense, sexiness, and adventure to keep you hooked until the end. It was nice getting to follow Jasmine and Dez as they learn how to cope with their love for one another, and I found myself in a messy puddle of swoonage by the time it was all said and done.
As I mentioned before, this book sets the tone for the next book. We get to meet Layla, who is 13-years-old at the time this novella takes place. She's half Warden and half Demon, which is not a good combo. You'd think that this would cause Layla to be down and depressed about being an outcast--but even at 13, she shows strength of character. I just know I'm going to love her. I am also very intrigued by Zayne (who is very protective of Layla) and his hunkiness. I'm also curious about a mystery man (who is caught spying on Layla). That guy just oozes sex and danger. (I like!!) This is going to make for some interesting confrontations, I'm sure!
I can't wait to jump into White Hot Kiss!!
4-Stars!
“For thousands of years, my kind had been thought of as nothing more than the stone sculptures perched upon the rooftops of homes and churches. Aka gargoyles. And technically, that’s what we were – but the depiction of a gargoyle was vastly exaggerated. Even the ugliest of all Wardens didn’t have a bulbous nose or fangs jutting from his mouth. It was rather insulting when you thought about it.”
Gargoyles. Yes, you read that right. JLA’s new series is about gargoyles and I am beyond thrilled to tell you that it is incredible. I shouldn’t have ever doubted her. Gargoyles! What a unique concept. I’ll never look at one the same way again.
“I was not happy. I was knee deep in freak out mode.”
When Jasmine’s best friend and first love, Dez, comes back to town after three years to claim her, she should be happy. She loves and misses Dez, but he abandoned her. He broke her heart. It was the betrayal she was never able to get over. Now he wants to pretend like everything is fine? She’s not having it.
“I’ve missed you, Jas. You have no idea,” he continued, reaching toward me again but stopping short of touching me. “I thought about you every damn day. All I wanted was to get back to you and the clan. But mostly you. Always you.”
I loved Dez. I adored Jas. Together they were absolute perfection. Their chemistry was very real and believable. There was heat between them. There was, of course, a bit of angst, but thankfully not nearly as much as you might expect. I had no doubt they belong together and waited with bated breath to see if Jas would come to the same conclusion and be willing to try to start again.
“I wasn’t naïve enough to believe in soul mates or any of that childish nonsense that I had once clung to, but there had always been something tangible between Dez and me, even after his absence, it was still there, stronger than before.”
I am so excited about this series for a number of reasons:
- It’s written by JLA and I absolutely love her.
- The premise is so different from anything I’ve ever read and I can’t wait to see where the storyline goes.
- The characters sucked me into the story! I love Jas and Dez together.
- The writing was fantastic and engaging. I couldn’t put this one down.
- GARGOYLES!
- There was a lot of awesome packed into these 105 pages. I’m so excited about the potential this series has. It’s definitely off to an incredible start.
“Nothing in this world is stronger than love. It should always be enough. No matter what.”
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All quotes come from the review copy and may differ from the final version.
