A review by theladysparks
Exquisite Ruin by AdriAnne May

4.5

 

Sadaré wakes in a labyrinth, remembering nothing except that she is a powerful sorceress. Her only companion is a hostile immortal named Daesra—beautiful, dangerous, and demonic—who bound his divine soul for power and revenge.

Despite their animosity, the two have no choice but to work together to reach the center and defeat the monster who prevents their escape. But the longer they wander, the more deadly and alive the maze becomes—and the more Sadaré finds herself drawn to Daesra in ways she can't explain.

As sorceress and demon develop a tenuous truce, the labyrinth gives Sadaré glimpses of their shared history of passion and pain that make her question everything she knows. Unlocking the secrets of her past may be the only way to survive and heal their entwined fates—but as she learns more about the betrayals that brought them to the labyrinth, Sadaré begins to fear that the monster at the center could be Daesra ... or even herself.

"With such fire between us, we will never be neutral."

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book.

AdriAnne May breathed new life into a trope that I've read in the past and wrote it in a way that I've never experienced before. Which is why this might end up being one of my most vague revies I have ever written but it's only because I think that this book is one of those books that you should pick up without knowing too much.

This was a beautiful and refreshing reimaging of a story that I have a personal interest in and can definitely see this one blowing up within the adult fantasy romance book sphere. If you're looking for a book full of the unexpected that brings emotional punches with a lovers to enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers to etc. etc. etc. with a really interesting world building aspect and a whole lot of tension due to heavy history between the characters, this one is for sure the book for you.

Sadaré & Daesra have so much chemistry and passion that will leave you craving more and more of it. The maze that they wander through is unlike anything else that I've read before and the intricacies that unravel as the story tells itself will have you binging it as quickly as you can.

I can't wait to see what else comes from The Labyrinth series!

- fantasy romance
- open door
- single pov
- a reimagining of the minotaur myth
- forced proximity
- lovers to enemies to lovers to enemies to ???????
- kink in a fantasy setting
- a sorceress with amnesia
- a hooved and horned demon who hates her
- a cute pug side character (in disguise)
- unique world building
- twists and turns that are unexpected
- unpredictable storytelling