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A review by kfriend
Reign by Siobhan Davis
5.0
Leaving characters and the world behind that you’re addicted to is always bittersweet, but Reign is more sweet for me than bitter- not because of the story, oh no, this story is shattering, I was a wreck- but rather because Siobhan has delivered the PERFECT conclusion to one of my all time favorite series. Reign is a magnificent and refreshingly unique opus- truly Siobhan Davis at her finest. This conclusion is sexy, gritty, edgy and dangerous, an incomparable page turner, but at its core it highlights what Siobhan Davis writes like no other- the liberating, empowering, and elevating potential of a fierce love.
From the very first chapter of this series (in Resurrection), I knew this series would be ground breaking. That first chapter was perhaps the strongest, most engrossing first chapter I’ve ever read in a romance series. You knew this was special, that Siobhan was making magic, you knew this was going to be genre defining. The Sainthood series are not books- they are an experience. As our story comes to a close, I can do nothing but applaud Siobhan Davis for the masterpiece she’s created, with every book being even better than the last. These characters, this story, have become a part of me.
Somehow Siobhan has both delivered on everything I wanted and shocked me all at once. To say anything about the plot would be not only a betrayal to Siobhan but also a betrayal to you, dear reader. You deserve to experience this as it is intended to be experienced- with you on your guard, mesmerizingly anxious, completely off kilter. So you won’t get details from me- but we all know where this is going, the quest to destroy Sinner side by side with figuring out the dynamic of this harem. The narrative is no holds barred- the stakes are high, and Siobhan isn’t scared to show us this, over and over. The story unfolds at a breakneck pace, a beautiful mix of jaw dropping action and deeply resonant emotional moments. This book is a tornado of energy and emotion- I cried happy tears, frustrated tears, and even devastated ones. I was rocked.
The characters have really defined this series- Siobhan has created them so lovingly, with such nuance and complexity, and in this conclusion we not only get to watch the magic of them growing individually but also get to see them settling in as a newly minted 5-person unit. Siobhan gives LOTs of time and space for these relationships to breathe in this final book, a beautiful juxtaposition of dark and sweetness permeates these pages. Each individual pair gets time to be further defined and strengthened, while also making space to explore this group as a unit- the formation of an unbreakable chosen family bond. The sexy times are the hottest I’ve read from her- MY GOODNESS. But what I loved even more was the embracing of emotional vulnerability now that they all fully trust one another- this is PURE character magic. Siobhan fully cracks each of these characters open until we can see the beat of the hearts in their open chests. These are characters who are hard to love, but who love each other easily. Characters who have doubted their own worthiness, their own potential to sacrifice and care for another, but whose connection inspires them to do it naturally. We see how love is not easy- in fact, the chaotic and explosive plot is a beautiful allegory to just how HARD loving someone else is, let alone many someones. In Reign, love is about teamwork and partnership, and that partnership inspires the capacity for change. We get to see the magic of what happens when each of these hardened, hurt individuals let down their walls and form an unbreakable unit- and my god, it is consuming and captivating. I could feel these characters breathing next to me, they are so real to me. There is no greater harem than this one. SO much sizzling chemistry, real and profound emotion, and profound complexity.
What I loved most about this final chapter, however, is how decidedly feminist this narrative is- how this is a story about the power and strength of one woman. And that comes down to this series' most beautiful element- Harlow. Harlow is a QUEEN- one of the most original, most complex, most interesting, and most inspiring heroines I’ve read in a romance novel to date. She’s truly unparalleled. And Siobhan isn’t scared to let this be her story- to let her reign. Harlow centers these alpha, dominant, scary men- their relationship is on her terms, their choices are her choices, their direction her call. Because Reign is a beautiful representation of a woman unapologetically embracing her power as a woman, and those that love her willingly giving up some of their own to ensure that she is the master of her journey. Sure, Harlow has always been a fighter- a ball busting powerhouse who owns her sexuality, who is unabashed about who she is, who is strong and fierce and a FORCE. But I love how Siobhan has bookended her character’s evolution to tell a more complex character journey. Her story with this world began with her kidnapping- robbing her of her worldview, her innocence, her physical and emotional safety- taking away her own power, her own control. With each book, we’ve seen how Harlow has sought to reclaim that- Harlow on the defensive, arming herself with the physical and emotional weapons she needs to ensure her power is never stripped from her again. That was all at risk when she found herself entangled in this web- as we found her in book 1 fighting to control her own story when faced with these misogynistic gangs, as the guys, as Sinner, and Darrow, even Diesel and her father sought to control her. Yes, even those protecting her tried to control her, with secrets, with half truths, with deceit. We’ve seen Harlow resist, control herself and her own vulnerability to protect herself, something we explored in book 2. And in this final book, we see Harlow FULLY unleashed, on the offensive- and my, what a glorious sight to behold. Because Harlow has fully reclaimed her path- a journey catalyzed both because she now recognizes that there is strength in vulnerability, she can let others in and still be powerful, but also because her guys finally recognize that in order to love Harlow, in order to protect her, they don’t need to control her- they need to let her unleash herself, by giving her the power to be the hero. This is the story of Harlow becoming her own hero, and it is by far one of the most remarkable and riveting character journeys I’ve read.
So, Siobhan- Sláinte! Reign is everything I needed and more. I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails off, flabbergasted at the twists- but even more importantly, I was both emotionally challenged and rewarded. You have set the bar for what is possible in storytelling so high, I’m not sure anyone else but you can surpass it.
From the very first chapter of this series (in Resurrection), I knew this series would be ground breaking. That first chapter was perhaps the strongest, most engrossing first chapter I’ve ever read in a romance series. You knew this was special, that Siobhan was making magic, you knew this was going to be genre defining. The Sainthood series are not books- they are an experience. As our story comes to a close, I can do nothing but applaud Siobhan Davis for the masterpiece she’s created, with every book being even better than the last. These characters, this story, have become a part of me.
Somehow Siobhan has both delivered on everything I wanted and shocked me all at once. To say anything about the plot would be not only a betrayal to Siobhan but also a betrayal to you, dear reader. You deserve to experience this as it is intended to be experienced- with you on your guard, mesmerizingly anxious, completely off kilter. So you won’t get details from me- but we all know where this is going, the quest to destroy Sinner side by side with figuring out the dynamic of this harem. The narrative is no holds barred- the stakes are high, and Siobhan isn’t scared to show us this, over and over. The story unfolds at a breakneck pace, a beautiful mix of jaw dropping action and deeply resonant emotional moments. This book is a tornado of energy and emotion- I cried happy tears, frustrated tears, and even devastated ones. I was rocked.
The characters have really defined this series- Siobhan has created them so lovingly, with such nuance and complexity, and in this conclusion we not only get to watch the magic of them growing individually but also get to see them settling in as a newly minted 5-person unit. Siobhan gives LOTs of time and space for these relationships to breathe in this final book, a beautiful juxtaposition of dark and sweetness permeates these pages. Each individual pair gets time to be further defined and strengthened, while also making space to explore this group as a unit- the formation of an unbreakable chosen family bond. The sexy times are the hottest I’ve read from her- MY GOODNESS. But what I loved even more was the embracing of emotional vulnerability now that they all fully trust one another- this is PURE character magic. Siobhan fully cracks each of these characters open until we can see the beat of the hearts in their open chests. These are characters who are hard to love, but who love each other easily. Characters who have doubted their own worthiness, their own potential to sacrifice and care for another, but whose connection inspires them to do it naturally. We see how love is not easy- in fact, the chaotic and explosive plot is a beautiful allegory to just how HARD loving someone else is, let alone many someones. In Reign, love is about teamwork and partnership, and that partnership inspires the capacity for change. We get to see the magic of what happens when each of these hardened, hurt individuals let down their walls and form an unbreakable unit- and my god, it is consuming and captivating. I could feel these characters breathing next to me, they are so real to me. There is no greater harem than this one. SO much sizzling chemistry, real and profound emotion, and profound complexity.
What I loved most about this final chapter, however, is how decidedly feminist this narrative is- how this is a story about the power and strength of one woman. And that comes down to this series' most beautiful element- Harlow. Harlow is a QUEEN- one of the most original, most complex, most interesting, and most inspiring heroines I’ve read in a romance novel to date. She’s truly unparalleled. And Siobhan isn’t scared to let this be her story- to let her reign. Harlow centers these alpha, dominant, scary men- their relationship is on her terms, their choices are her choices, their direction her call. Because Reign is a beautiful representation of a woman unapologetically embracing her power as a woman, and those that love her willingly giving up some of their own to ensure that she is the master of her journey. Sure, Harlow has always been a fighter- a ball busting powerhouse who owns her sexuality, who is unabashed about who she is, who is strong and fierce and a FORCE. But I love how Siobhan has bookended her character’s evolution to tell a more complex character journey. Her story with this world began with her kidnapping- robbing her of her worldview, her innocence, her physical and emotional safety- taking away her own power, her own control. With each book, we’ve seen how Harlow has sought to reclaim that- Harlow on the defensive, arming herself with the physical and emotional weapons she needs to ensure her power is never stripped from her again. That was all at risk when she found herself entangled in this web- as we found her in book 1 fighting to control her own story when faced with these misogynistic gangs, as the guys, as Sinner, and Darrow, even Diesel and her father sought to control her. Yes, even those protecting her tried to control her, with secrets, with half truths, with deceit. We’ve seen Harlow resist, control herself and her own vulnerability to protect herself, something we explored in book 2. And in this final book, we see Harlow FULLY unleashed, on the offensive- and my, what a glorious sight to behold. Because Harlow has fully reclaimed her path- a journey catalyzed both because she now recognizes that there is strength in vulnerability, she can let others in and still be powerful, but also because her guys finally recognize that in order to love Harlow, in order to protect her, they don’t need to control her- they need to let her unleash herself, by giving her the power to be the hero. This is the story of Harlow becoming her own hero, and it is by far one of the most remarkable and riveting character journeys I’ve read.
So, Siobhan- Sláinte! Reign is everything I needed and more. I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails off, flabbergasted at the twists- but even more importantly, I was both emotionally challenged and rewarded. You have set the bar for what is possible in storytelling so high, I’m not sure anyone else but you can surpass it.