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A review by bookishvice
Smolder by Mika Nix
4.0
Yay! It did get better (in reference to my review of book 1). The characters are well rounded with past experiences and connections, there's a mystery going on with high stakes and we see how it affects both MCs, dragons are still dumb about their mates (yet I hope it's not all of them or else it gets repetitive), and we get a lot more worldbuilding.
There were a few minor things that made me frown, like
I'd also recommend a TW for sickness of the high mortality kind. All the descriptions of what Dempsey goes through, how his body is giving up, being consumed by this thing, triggered me to memories of cancer/cancer patients.
Overall, it was good enough to make me want to continue the series. I did think the mystery/conflict was solved too easily. These are supernatural romance--not erotica or pwp--so I definitely go in expecting the plot to have some substance and complexity. But so far these have been very simple plots with a focus on relationships that barely have depth. Hem and Dempsey have more stuff than Nico and Lake. Sigh, still the next dragon brother to get his mate seems to be Arson and it looks like the wolves will be back, so I'll be excited to read that and hope for the best.
There were a few minor things that made me frown, like
Spoiler
Hem's constantly touching Dempsey even though 1) Dempsey had already slapped him and 2) Hem knew touching would be unwelcome--non-con touching on the arm, the waist, the ass cannot be excused by 'it's just my dragon reaching out to our mate', you know? Don't romanticize the behavior. No means no.I'd also recommend a TW for sickness of the high mortality kind. All the descriptions of what Dempsey goes through, how his body is giving up, being consumed by this thing, triggered me to memories of cancer/cancer patients.
Overall, it was good enough to make me want to continue the series. I did think the mystery/conflict was solved too easily. These are supernatural romance--not erotica or pwp--so I definitely go in expecting the plot to have some substance and complexity. But so far these have been very simple plots with a focus on relationships that barely have depth. Hem and Dempsey have more stuff than Nico and Lake. Sigh, still the next dragon brother to get his mate seems to be Arson and it looks like the wolves will be back, so I'll be excited to read that and hope for the best.