Reviews - Love like Gilded Bones

25 reviews for:

Love like Gilded Bones

Cyran Faringray

3.88 AVERAGE

frantically's review

4.5

dark emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Sadly, even after reading this, I'm still not into skeletons. The rest was cool, though!

This was a proper villain romance and honestly, it was refreshing to not have some redemption arc squeezed in — just let people be evil man.

The smut was right up my alley but definitely check TWs before reading because it was a wild ride. I had a lot of fun on it :)

Content Warnings

saravirasami's review

5.0

Another fantastic read by Cyran.
Their ability to write beautifully dark romance into such prose is such a joy to devour.

maybephasing's review

2.0

dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

dtaylorbooks's review

4.0

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

What I liked about LOVE LIKE GILDED BONES is that it’s different. The love interest is different (SERIOUSLY different), the relationship itself is different, and I liked the story the author was weaving. The relationship is an incredibly slow burn one, to the point where I went back to the blurb to make sure I was reading the kind of book I thought I was reading. I was. It’s just very slow, like 3/4ish of the way through the book slow.

I did find the plot dragging a little trying to get to that climax point (heh). The story focuses on the relationship and watching it build, but because they’re going through rather mundane things, I found my interest lagging. Not that the book needed more sex (not a requirement for me as a reader). But I do think it needed more than conversations and meals.

With that being said, though, River’s and the mystery man’s chemistry was something seriously sensual. I could feel the brimming desire between the two of them, and their interactions, however mundane, were simmering with eroticism. Combine that with the anticipation of things to come (heh) and it created an excellent slow burn relationship just at the very bones (heh) of that relationship.

What bugged me the most, though, was I wasn’t buying River’s revelation about herself. I kept being told she had this darkness in her and it’s why she was attracted to the mystery man so much, but I never saw anything that supported that prior to her interactions with him. A lot of the plot hinged on this “dastardly” secret she was keeping, that she killed her ex in self defense, and that’s what made her so dark, and I’m just not buying it. Killing in self defense and deriving pleasure in mutilating, killing, and reviving people are two very separate things and from where I sit, that leap was not explained very well. I would have liked to have seen more of River’s character developed on page outside of her mystery man leading her down the road of development so it seemed less plot-devicey. I did look to see if I jumped into a story in the middle since it’s set in an already-established universe, but according to the author’s website, this is a stand-alone novella.

Overall I enjoyed the story. The sex scene was incredibly hot and something else to behold. The warnings are not lying there. Check your triggers. I’m intrigued about the rest of the world, and the other books the author created, because the snip of what’s included in this novel is super interesting.

nmwhitesel's review

5.0

Delectably dark, sultry, and just the right amount of fucked up to have me hooked. I truly did not know what to expect going into this book after having read multiple reviews of it, but I am so glad that I decided to give it a shot. I will say to anyone considering it, do make sure to read the trigger warnings before delving in. However, if they don't scare you, I encourage you to read this book - just try to go in with little judgment offsetting your views.
Cyran Faringray may just be one of my new favorite authors. Her writing style is one of my favorites yet and she is immaculate at describing this world in a way that created an intensely vivid image in my mind. I cannot wait to continue to delve into the worlds given to us by her brilliance.

_stephthereader's review

5.0

Another 5 star read by Cyran! This world they have created is unlike anything I've ever read. They never fail to make you fall in love with the most evil villans.