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now_booking's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The things is I absolutely loved this book for the most part. Gorya and Maya are adorable- broken and super competent, but also very much influenced by extremely traumatic childhoods filled with brutal abuse of every form. They’re smart enough to know that they’re not coming into the relationship as healed people and maybe that’s why they work so well. By virtue of the “healing power of love™️” trope done right, this is a slow burn that provides a realistic pathway for two traumatized people to find hope and healing in the love they have for each other. Their story and the writing around it is beautiful and very reminiscent of CF’s early work where you have vulnerable alphas who are as deadly as they’re willing to be soft for the heroine. Except perhaps this is better because the heroine here is as tough and can save herself.
The two bits that were weakest for me had to do with how rushed the Tanja/Kyanite story was at the end- we wanted moreeee and I’m not sure if we’re going to get a full book of those two and also how separate the romance/romantic relationship aspect of this book felt from the action resolution with clearing the proverbial swamp of traffickers. I feel like the action resolution felt a bit too chunked and separate from the rest of the book and it felt like two different pieces of work. I mean I still really enjoyed it overall, bit these minor hitched kept it at fantastic as opposed to absolute perfection. Highly recommend for CF fans!
The two bits that were weakest for me had to do with how rushed the Tanja/Kyanite story was at the end- we wanted moreeee and I’m not sure if we’re going to get a full book of those two and also how separate the romance/romantic relationship aspect of this book felt from the action resolution with clearing the proverbial swamp of traffickers. I feel like the action resolution felt a bit too chunked and separate from the rest of the book and it felt like two different pieces of work. I mean I still really enjoyed it overall, bit these minor hitched kept it at fantastic as opposed to absolute perfection. Highly recommend for CF fans!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Drug abuse, Grief, Gore, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Toxic friendship, Torture, Stalking, Murder, Trafficking, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Gun violence, Gaslighting, and Rape
Minor: Terminal illness and Toxic relationship
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