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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
🌶️🌶️🌶️
I wanted to like this book. It should be exactly what I asked for: a full length version of the novella I just loved. And in some ways it was. I really loved the FMC and her motivations. I enjoyed that the author went with a more subtle form of feminine strength that isn’t often explored in romance. I also really enjoyed the twist on fake dating that sugar daddy-ing brought.
I think the big issue is that the lore (and by extension the story) barely made any sense to me. So much of the book was spent talking about this keystone and I can’t tell you what it does. Is it a literal key? A map? A cipher? I don’t know. I don’t know why they need it or what the things are that are so crucial inside this room they’re trying to find. What happens if the stuff is put in the wrong hands? If the room is lost, isn’t it better to leave it lost to everyone?
Additionally, why are they seemingly soul bound to protect this thing and how does that work? To be honest, the bind seems to get in the way of them doing protecting more often than it is helpful which seems counter-intuitive. Similarly, Titan’s logic for some of his actions is constantly acting against his best interest and yet he takes little accountability for it. He never seems to fully grasp just how fucked his actions were that led to the third act break-up.
I suppose I wanted either a more satisfying grovel to finish out this story arc or more meaningful progress to the series arc and instead I got neither. For once, I would have rather had less sex and more conversation in the final chapters.
I wanted to like this book. It should be exactly what I asked for: a full length version of the novella I just loved. And in some ways it was. I really loved the FMC and her motivations. I enjoyed that the author went with a more subtle form of feminine strength that isn’t often explored in romance. I also really enjoyed the twist on fake dating that sugar daddy-ing brought.
I think the big issue is that the lore (and by extension the story) barely made any sense to me. So much of the book was spent talking about this keystone and I can’t tell you what it does. Is it a literal key? A map? A cipher? I don’t know. I don’t know why they need it or what the things are that are so crucial inside this room they’re trying to find. What happens if the stuff is put in the wrong hands? If the room is lost, isn’t it better to leave it lost to everyone?
Additionally, why are they seemingly soul bound to protect this thing and how does that work? To be honest, the bind seems to get in the way of them doing protecting more often than it is helpful which seems counter-intuitive. Similarly, Titan’s logic for some of his actions is constantly acting against his best interest and yet he takes little accountability for it. He never seems to fully grasp just how fucked his actions were that led to the third act break-up.
I suppose I wanted either a more satisfying grovel to finish out this story arc or more meaningful progress to the series arc and instead I got neither. For once, I would have rather had less sex and more conversation in the final chapters.
3.5 stars rounded up. I was so excited for this gargoyle series since I imprinted on Goliath and Elisa from the cartoon Gargoyles as a kid. Overall, Titan and Julianna were a good match! I've never read a story where the heroine is an active sugar baby, and I thought Jillian Graves handled it rather respectfully. Plot was a bit strangely paced, and some of the spicy scenes felt repetitive at a certain point. Still I had a fun time reading and I'm interested in Rook's story.
Two problems, which together made this not worth finishing for me.
First and most important, the female narrator keeps stressing the final word of every sentence in what I can only assume is an attempt at some kind of femme fatale thing, and it's incredibly grating.
Second, I really dislike nonsensically bratty FMCs. I don't need every choice to be smart, flaws are fun, but I do need them to make sense for the character in the moment. Julianna substitutes bratty attitude for a personality and every decision seems born of that fact. Just not something I enjoy reading.
First and most important, the female narrator keeps stressing the final word of every sentence in what I can only assume is an attempt at some kind of femme fatale thing, and it's incredibly grating.
Second, I really dislike nonsensically bratty FMCs. I don't need every choice to be smart, flaws are fun, but I do need them to make sense for the character in the moment. Julianna substitutes bratty attitude for a personality and every decision seems born of that fact. Just not something I enjoy reading.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
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:
Complicated
Dnf
Just wasn't for me, was written well and nice plot tho. Just wasn't for me.
Just wasn't for me, was written well and nice plot tho. Just wasn't for me.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes