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A review by _isabel_
Honeythorn by Marina Vivancos
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
This was such a satisfactory read. Adorable, with the right amount of angst and sweet, intimate moments that made my toes curl.
It had all the things I love in a romance, but above all, delicious enemies-to-lovers vibes and arranged marriages.
The first half of the book was really good, with lots of angst and heartache and typical relationship misunderstandings. I actually disliked Raphael a lot at the beginning: he treated Milan in such a horrible way. However, his reasons, the scars he carried from his previous relationship and past heartache, made me feel for him and I ended up absolutely adoring both of the MCs.
Milan deserves a special mention though. He goes through so much, he abandons his home and family for duty and a man he doesn't know but still manages to keep his fiery spirit, his independence, his willfulness. I loved him, so much, and I loved seeing his more playful side but also his surprisingly protective one too: he's an Omega, so I wasn't expecting the way he protected and defended Raphael, being so strong and resilient all the time. There were lots of sweet and sexy moments and lots of profound and difficult ones too, that offered some very wise and interesting insights into trauma and abuse that I wasn't expecting but I really really appreciated.
The writing was phenomenal, the world-building simple but effective, the side characters adorable and the ending? So lovely.
An immensely enjoyable read, and although it's supposed to be part of the Omegaverse, the Alpha/Omega dynamics are surprisingly tame and the Mpreg hardly there. I loved it.
It had all the things I love in a romance, but above all, delicious enemies-to-lovers vibes and arranged marriages.
The first half of the book was really good, with lots of angst and heartache and typical relationship misunderstandings. I actually disliked Raphael a lot at the beginning: he treated Milan in such a horrible way. However, his reasons, the scars he carried from his previous relationship and past heartache, made me feel for him and I ended up absolutely adoring both of the MCs.
Milan deserves a special mention though. He goes through so much, he abandons his home and family for duty and a man he doesn't know but still manages to keep his fiery spirit, his independence, his willfulness. I loved him, so much, and I loved seeing his more playful side but also his surprisingly protective one too: he's an Omega, so I wasn't expecting the way he protected and defended Raphael, being so strong and resilient all the time. There were lots of sweet and sexy moments and lots of profound and difficult ones too, that offered some very wise and interesting insights into trauma and abuse that I wasn't expecting but I really really appreciated.
The writing was phenomenal, the world-building simple but effective, the side characters adorable and the ending? So lovely.
An immensely enjoyable read, and although it's supposed to be part of the Omegaverse, the Alpha/Omega dynamics are surprisingly tame and the Mpreg hardly there. I loved it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Gaslighting