A review by booksjenrecs
Wicked Knight Duet by Diana A. Hicks

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.75

What a whirlwind of a read! I was drawn into Donata's story right from the beginning of book one, and Hicks kept me engaged and wondering what was going to happen next until the very last page of the boxed set. 

I loved how both books connected while still giving two different types of romances. The first book gives us forbidden/student-teacher romance, while the second book wraps up Donata's love story with an enemies-to-lovers romance. Going in, I had no idea how Hicks was going to tie these two books together, but the big reveal in book two was fantastic and brought both parts of this boxed set together in the absolute best way. 

Hicks left me with my jaw on the floor at the end of book one, so I was highly tempted to skip the short story. However, reading Vittoria and Giovanni's short provided much-needed details that impacted book two so it, too, was a must-read. 

Book two was my absolute favorite part of this boxed set. It had a romance that kept me intrigued, while also keeping me on the edge of my seat with reveal after reveal. I was so happy for Donata to finally get her happy ending, because she was definitely put through the ringer to get there. 

While this collection is technically a stand alone and a self-contained romance, this boxed set included a lot of previous main characters and references to their stories. Reading those stories first will only enhance Donata's story; knowing what happened in previous romances will only make Donata's happily ever after that much sweeter.