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adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
I picked up Graves for the "why choose" angle and as a break from fantasy romance, and while it was a quick read with solid pacing, it ultimately didn’t leave much of a mark. The story starts off strong and gritty, leaning heavily into the dark romance tone, but the plot felt shallow and the character development didn’t hold up. The emotional connection was lacking, and despite the abundance of smut—unhinged in that dark romance kind of way—there wasn’t much actual romance to latch onto. The plot felt undercooked, with holes that never got filled (We never get any explanation of how/when/why Zayden first seeing Blake after being stabbed?).
While it tried to give depth through trauma-heavy backstories, those reveals felt more like plot devices than true character development. Zayden’s over-the-top violence made his dynamic with Blake hard to believe, and the shift from fear to love never felt earned. There were definitely moments that seemed to exist purely for shock value.
I went in hoping for a ride-or-die connection between the characters, but didn’t find it. Not the worst dark romance I’ve read, just a “meh, I finished it” kind of book—I doubt I’ll revisit it.
While it tried to give depth through trauma-heavy backstories, those reveals felt more like plot devices than true character development. Zayden’s over-the-top violence made his dynamic with Blake hard to believe, and the shift from fear to love never felt earned. There were definitely moments that seemed to exist purely for shock value.
I went in hoping for a ride-or-die connection between the characters, but didn’t find it. Not the worst dark romance I’ve read, just a “meh, I finished it” kind of book—I doubt I’ll revisit it.