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la_mia's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.75
randalena's review
3.0
This book didn’t pack the punch that the first in the series did. I know some people complained that the alpha wasn’t alpha enough. But it takes a strong person to help someone through their trauma without internalizing it and feeling wounded themselves. I felt Emil was very strong to trust the bond and the process. Isak was frustrating though, I just wanted him to communicate. Use
writtenechoes's review
5.0
I reread this at least once a month. Something about this story and couple is just so comforting to me. I don’t know if it’s my silly demiromantic ass or what but I love arranged marriage stories where the sex turns into romance slowly over time. It’s also why I like friends with benefits, I think. Sex is easy but developing the romantic feelings with it… the hard part. And it’s really earned in this story!!! Emil busted his ass to prove himself to Isak, to prove he is a good husband and that he’ll cherish Isak. And Isak slowly let his guard down and fell in love. It never gets old to me. Marina is so good at dealing with trauma and healing for her MC’s which is why I think I gravitate so greatly to her stories.
Even when Alpha Carillo stood up, he stared at Isak for a long moment. “Gods, you look…”
Isak cocked his head slightly. “What?”
“Mine.”
Even when Alpha Carillo stood up, he stared at Isak for a long moment. “Gods, you look…”
Isak cocked his head slightly. “What?”
“Mine.”
ofbooksandromance's review
3.0
3.5 stars
RTC but I wanted to love this book so much and it was so so close to being a perfect book for me and I enjoyed the set up of this book so much and I cried a lot while reading the book, which is always good in my book, but unfortunaly I just wanted more of the romance part of this book because I just felt like there wasn’t enough of that.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion
RTC but I wanted to love this book so much and it was so so close to being a perfect book for me and I enjoyed the set up of this book so much and I cried a lot while reading the book, which is always good in my book, but unfortunaly I just wanted more of the romance part of this book because I just felt like there wasn’t enough of that.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion
teresab78's review
4.0
sweet story
I loved Emil - I wish we had gotten more than one chapter from his prospective. Poor Isak suffered so much from his first marriage that it was lovely to see Emil help him to heal. No big dramatics or angst but a gentle fall into love.
I loved Emil - I wish we had gotten more than one chapter from his prospective. Poor Isak suffered so much from his first marriage that it was lovely to see Emil help him to heal. No big dramatics or angst but a gentle fall into love.
aeden016's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
books_and_cha's review
2.0
2.5 stars
The following review contains spoilers for the first book, Honeythorn.
Having loved Honeythorn, I was excited to read Cherryvine. The story follows Isak, an omega from the North who travels to the South to get married for a second time. Fresh out an abusive union, Isak expects his new alpha to be more of the same, but Emil is worlds away from the monster Isak expects. What follows is a sweet love story that is more comfort than hurt.
I'm going to start by saying that I loved Emil's character. My heart went out to Isak, of course, but Emil was kind, sweet, and affectionate. It was lovely. I also liked how the courting process for them involved little cultural tidbits. A lot of "southern" culture represents what you'd expect (broadly, in a vaguely generalizable sense) from Latin America, with warm climates, sociable people, and dancing, while the North seems closer to early English societies (think: cold winters, steam engines, etc.).
It wasn't a bad book, but a lot of the plot seemed recycled, even down to the characters. Lora is to Isak what Melissa was to Milan: loyal companion and part of the service staff. Cherryvine seems like a thought experiment modeled on Honeythorn. What if Raphael had truly been abusive, instead of misunderstood? Isak's initial entry into his first marriage was similar to Milan's - he was eager and hopeful until things started to go wrong. Of course, what Isak suffers is much worse than Milan's rocky start to his marriage. The mpreg aspect wasn't appealing either. I normally don't have a problem with it, but it didn't add much to the story here.
I liked Honeythorn a lot more. It was better written, more atmospheric, and the romance was slower. We see a short cameo of Raphael and Milan in the book, and it makes me wonder if we'll have a third book in the series. Overall, Cherryvine had an interesting premise but left me feeling unsatisfied.
The following review contains spoilers for the first book, Honeythorn.
Having loved Honeythorn, I was excited to read Cherryvine. The story follows Isak, an omega from the North who travels to the South to get married for a second time. Fresh out an abusive union, Isak expects his new alpha to be more of the same, but Emil is worlds away from the monster Isak expects. What follows is a sweet love story that is more comfort than hurt.
I'm going to start by saying that I loved Emil's character. My heart went out to Isak, of course, but Emil was kind, sweet, and affectionate. It was lovely. I also liked how the courting process for them involved little cultural tidbits. A lot of "southern" culture represents what you'd expect (broadly, in a vaguely generalizable sense) from Latin America, with warm climates, sociable people, and dancing, while the North seems closer to early English societies (think: cold winters, steam engines, etc.).
It wasn't a bad book, but a lot of the plot seemed recycled, even down to the characters. Lora is to Isak what Melissa was to Milan: loyal companion and part of the service staff. Cherryvine seems like a thought experiment modeled on Honeythorn. What if Raphael had truly been abusive, instead of misunderstood? Isak's initial entry into his first marriage was similar to Milan's - he was eager and hopeful until things started to go wrong. Of course, what Isak suffers is much worse than Milan's rocky start to his marriage. The mpreg aspect wasn't appealing either. I normally don't have a problem with it, but it didn't add much to the story here.
I liked Honeythorn a lot more. It was better written, more atmospheric, and the romance was slower. We see a short cameo of Raphael and Milan in the book, and it makes me wonder if we'll have a third book in the series. Overall, Cherryvine had an interesting premise but left me feeling unsatisfied.
lilyantigone's review
2.0
2.5 stars. I felt like nothing actually happened in this book. One guy slowly learns to trust another guy, helped along by a magical bond. That's it.