A review by bookishelli
Monarch by Sophie Lark

5.0

5 ✨

You don’t know how excited I have been to finally read this book. When Sophie announced that a second book was coming out in her Grimstone universe I was literally so I was so ecstatic. I loved Grimstone so much and always felt a pull towards Atlas in his small cameos in the first book.

When I found out the plot of it and that it was gonna be a type of dark romance with a mail-order bride and Atlas was gonna be the one saving Elena from that situation I was even more excited. It’s a kind of book I certainly haven’t read or seen anyone do before, so I was very ready to meet Elena Zelenska and get properly introduced to Atlas Covett. Gosh I also don’t think I have disliked a character more in a long time than I disliked Lorne. He’s the bottom of the barrel when it comes to fictional guys and just humans in general. Thank god that Elena has Atlas by her side because I don’t know if I would ever know what had happened if not.

The only good thing that came out of Elena’s relationship with Lorne was her relationship with his young daughter. She’s very closed off but blossoms in the company of Elena because Elena’s such a caring and sweet person. I loved her character so much and the development she made throughout the book. Atlas really brought her out of her shell. He’s so dreamy, supportive and very sweet when it comes to Elena. I also loved the whole setting of the hotel that Atlas owned and where Elena was staying. I definitely wanna visit that place if it wasn’t fictional.

It was great to see small cameos of Dane and Remi and the ending made my heart so happy and full. It might have been a gothic dark romance but the ending was so sweet. Sophie just continues making the best books with the best plots and premises and I’m so lucky I get the chance to read them early.