ARC Review: Hollywood Hookup by Christy Swift

 

A scandalized former movie star is thrust back into the celebrity life where she finds herself competing for a date with her longtime crush in this funny and heartwarming rom-com about second chances and rediscovering your true self.
Once a teenage TV star, she’s reinvented her life. Now her very public celebrity crush has put her back in the spotlight.
Josie Days has worked hard to forget who she used to be. Once upon a time, she was Mexico’s favorite bilingual teen star—until one disastrous decision ruined her budding career. These days, Josie’s happy to keep things very off-camera as a makeup artist. That is until her best friend ropes her into a charity game show where the prize is a date with her forever celebrity impossibly charming Irish “It” boy Sean O’Sullivan.

Josie has no interest in winning. In fact, she’s trying to lose—and fast. But Sean is interested in more than a game. The problem? Josie isn’t who he thinks she is. And when the cameras start rolling and her past is exposed, she’ll have to decide if she’s ready for the spotlight again—or if her second act never should have started.

Title: Hollywood Hookup

Author: Christy Swift

Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)/Hachette Audio

Expected Publication Date: February 10, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Hacette Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Since I was fortunate enough to have both the Kindle version and audio version of this title, I will be reviewing both at the same time.

While I love audio books that have many narrators when the title is an actual production (like a dramatization), I find it hard to follow a book with multiple narrators when it is not. This book has 6 narrators and for the life of me I could not tell you which person did which character. Six narrators is a lot in a romance book and it honestly made it hard to follow along. The narrators on their own were well done enough, though, again, hard to say who was who and who did the best job. I wasn't a fan of the narrator for the MMC, Sean. His Irish accent was subtle, yes, but often times not even there so I wasn't sure if he just wasn't trying or if that was actually supposed to be how the character's voice came across. Overall, I found the multiple narrator idea overwhelming and it took away from any enjoyment I may have gotten out of the audio.

While it doesn't seem this book is billed as a series, there are many characters who appear from the first book, Celebrity Crush. As a person who likes to read books in order, you will absolutely be spoiled for the couple from that book if you read this one first so I do suggest reading them in order.

While I didn't love Swift's writing in the first book, I wanted to give her another try in the hopes her craft may have grown and blossomed. But that was not to be the case for me. As with her first book, the characters came across as stilted to me. They don't grow, change, and develop as I would hope in a romance story such as this. The FMC, Josie/Savannah, comes across as whiny and scared of her shadow. Plus she's just so self-centered, never worrying  about anyone but herself. She's so worried about being outed for who she truly is, her character never has a chance to evolve. And for the age of the character, she is very immature. The MMC, Sean, comes across as a bit snobbish and quite full of himself. I just found it totally unattractive and didn't see what the FMC saw in him at all. And he was just all around weird with his obsession with props from movies and plays. It didn't lend anything at all to the story or his relationship with the FMC.

If we're going to discuss romance and chemistry, this couple is not the standard by which I would judge a rom-com. I didn't find either endearing. I didn't feel any chemistry between them, even when it may have had a chance to grow. It's unclear what either even sees in each other. They suddenly like each other with no background whatsoever. I didn't believe in their connection at all.

There are a ton of side characters in this story. I did understand the author bringing in characters from the previous story and it was fun to see some of them again. But overall the side characters just didn't add anything to the story or move it along. Plus there is a ton of name dropping in this book that just made no sense.

One of the things I remember from the first book in this series was how much telling the author did. I was hopeful that would not be the case with this title, but, alas, it was not to be. And the plot, it just didn't make enough sense for the story to move forward and let me believe in the characters. The banter felt forced throughout the book. I didn't find myself laughing or even giggling. For a book billed as a rom-com, it totally missed that mark.

I really had to push myself to finish this book. I just did not find it interesting and found myself speeding up the audio or skimming the eARC just to get through it all. I was never fully immersed or invested in the story of the characters.

Unfortunately, I won't be continuing with future stories from this author as I just don't feel her style is for me.

Author:

I write geeky love stories, sometimes as smexy romcoms under the name Christy Swift and sometimes as sci-fi or sci-fantasy with a little heat in the engine coil under C.P. Swift. I daylight as a freelance writer and social media content provider for medical and technology clients across the country. I’m also editor of the award-winning Heartland LIVING magazine. I’m represented by Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. In my free time, you can find me living my best life in the Florida outdoors or playing the nerdiest board game you’ve ever heard of with my kids and friends.

The best way to keep up with what I’m doing is to subscribe to my newsletter. I post about once a month, and I’ll never spam you or share your information.

 

ARC Review: Still Into You by Erin Connor

 

When elusive metal frontman Dax Nakamura agrees to give his first interview in years, he has one his ex, Sloane Donavan, has to write it.

Bad-boy-turned-straight-edge frontman, Dax Nakamura, would prefer the skeletons in his closet to stay there, thank you very much. But not giving interviews didn’t stop the press from writing about one of metal’s biggest bands—or its lead vocalist. With their new album about to drop, Dax is finally ready to address the rumors that have plagued Final Revelations for the past eight years. And the only person he trusts to write it is the same person who broke his heart three summers ago.

Sloane Donavan knew she wanted to write about music since the first time she posted a MySpace blog for her neighbor’s garage band. A journalism degree, a failed internship, and countless backstage passes later, Sloane still hasn’t secured the dream job she left her dream man behind for. So when Dax shows back up with a career-making opportunity—exclusive insight into him, his band, and the chance to craft the narrative of one of the scene’s most revered bands—Sloane agrees, with one No one can know they’re exes. As they dive into Dax’s past, Sloane quickly realizes their history isn’t the only thing he’s hiding, and Sloane has a choice to make. The article Dax wants and the salacious tell-all Sloane’s editor expects are two completely different stories. This is the big break she’s been waiting for, but it comes with a the chance to rewrite the ending with her first and only love.

Title: Still Into You

Author: Erin Connor

Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)/ Hachette Audio

Expected Publication Date: February 10, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Since I was fortunate enough to have both the Kindle version and audio version of this title, I will be reviewing both at the same time. I'm not normally a big lover of multiple narrators in a story such as this if it is not dramatized. But the way the work is presented, the multiple narrators made sense. I really enjoyed all the voices. I love Karissa Vacker and she was perfect for the FMC voice in this story. The other narrators are new to me and since I didn't know which one was which I will just say I really did enjoy them all and would definitely listen to other titles they narrate in the future.

I am a huge fan of second chance love stories and I really enjoyed this one. The FMC and MMC were together three years ago until the FMC called it quits after their short Summer together. Plus, if you are a fan of Daisy Jones and The Six, I think you will really like this story and how it unfolds. It's not quite the same but the elements are definitely there if you're looking for a rock star story.

The story is told mostly in the present but there are definitely flash backs to the past which sets up the romantic element of the book. I kind of wish there had been just a bit more of that, to be honest. I wanted that deep, rich background and connection between the characters. And, while we do get it in the present, I just think more of their relationship from the past would have helped make sense of their connection in the present. I felt like there was more under the surface that we didn't get to see. On the other side of that is the instant connection once the characters are in each other's orbit again. While time has passed, you can see their bond is still there.

Connor did a great job with the growth and development of the characters. I loved watching them reconnect and see that even after all their time apart, they still had that spark. I loved how much Sloan came into herself and realized what a great journalist she actually is. How she recognized the way she was used in the past and how that pushes her to make her own way in the future. And Dax was super charismatic and had so much depth. Having grown up in the realm of AA and NA, I totally connected with that part of the story. I would have loved to see a little more of his struggle and how that changed him.

The interviews were absolutely amazing in helping to tell the band's story. Rather than having flash back chapters, Connor chose to tell that history through the article Sloan chooses to write about the band.  Lots of nostalgia is seen through the side characters and how they viewed not only themselves, but the band as a whole and more specifically Dax. There are some pretty heavy themes that area addressed and worked through. Connor does well in addressing them and truly letting her characters feel how these themes shape them.

I absolutely loved Connor's writing and pacing. I will be making sure I look into any future books she might put out because I can see she could quickly become a favorite of mine.

4.25 /5 stars

Author:

Erin has been telling herself stories for as long as she can remember, and once she realized she could write them down and share them with others, there was no going back. She loves writing about messy women, platonic and romantic love, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the PNW with her spouse, two large dogs, two lazy cats, and more houseplants than she can count. When not exploring fictional worlds, she enjoys hiking, cooking, emo nostalgia, and slowly but surely actualizing her lifelong goal of becoming a forest witch.

ARC Read: Thrown For a Loop (New York Legends #1) by Sarina Bowen

 

Fans suspect that the bad boy of hockey has a few skeletons in his closet. They have no idea he also has a sparkly bodysuit… #toepick!

When they met at figure skating camp ten years ago, Chase Merritt was a scrappy hockey player from the wrong part of town, and Zoe Carson was the up-and-coming ice princess. They fell in love faster than you can say triple toe loop, until Zoe makes a fateful error that ends up costing Chase dearly.

Almost a decade later, their fortunes are reversed. Chase is the MVP of the New York Legends hockey team, while Zoe—their new skating coach—has years’ worth of personal and professional bruises. It’s hard to face him again—all six feet and two hundred pounds of muscle and swagger.

And anger. Chase is in hot water with management, and refusing to work with Coach Zoe no matter how badly he needs to shore up his stride—and his image. Until a journalist digs up an old video of Zoe and Chase performing a skating program, and the internet goes wild.

Management seizes on the opportunity for a P.R. redemption, ordering Zoe and Chase to reprise their flashy routine.

Skating with him again—to a love song, of course—is pure agony. But it’s also Zoe’s only chance to unpack the truth of what really happened that night ten years ago. And to at least find forgiveness, if she can’t win back his heart.

Title: Thrown for a Loop (New York Legends #1)

Author: Sarina Bowen

Publisher: Forever Grand Central Publishing/ Hachette Audio

Expected Publication Date: November 4, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love me a good hockey romance. And I know Bowen knows how to write hockey (her Him series with Kennedy is amazing). So I was excited to dive into another of her stories and see where she would take it. Plus, she included figure skating and I am a former skater so I wanted to see what she would include.

I alternated between audio and kindle with this book. I wanted to see how the vibe might be different using both, I was pleasantly surprised that I liked both (usually it's one or the other). Brooke Bloomingdale is a narrator that is known to me. I've listened to several of her books and have always liked her cadence and how she voices characters (male and female). I find her very easy to listen to and she makes books very enjoyable. This is my first time listening to Ryan Hudson and I really enjoyed his voice. I kind of wish there was more of him. His narration fell off the last 40% or so of the book since the alternating time lines resolved. I would definitely listen to more by him. He did a great job with the MMC narration.

I really enjoyed learning about Zoe Carson and Chase Merritt. The past and present POVs in the book really helped me understand the characters and leant to their overall development. The past chapters set up the relationship and the conflict really well. 

I enjoyed Zoe for the most part. She did let people step all over her at times and this bothered me. But that was part of her character development. I enjoyed watching her grow and change and truly come into herself/stand up for herself. Chase is such a broody character. I do wish I had more from him. While I loved the past chapters that showed his personality, I kind of wish I had present narration from him to really be in his head. I had to rely on Zoe to tell me about him and that made it harder to really see how he was thinking.

As for the romance, second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes. Bowen did a fair enough job with it. I'm not sure I 100% bought it, though, It's been 10 years since these two parted ways with not a word between them since. Suddenly they are pushed back into each other's orbit. This is set up well at the beginning but for me, Chase was too quick to turn around and forgive what happened and Zoe was too quick to have feelings for him again. Especially since she had been married until recently. I needed more angst between these two. I needed more conflict. It just seemed to come together too easily.

The plot was good. It moved along at a good pace. There were a few things introduced that were choppy. And a few of those things were important to character development. Some of them were scattered so much, it kind of left holes in the story. I kept wondering when the author would come back to the points so we could see how they shaped the characters. She did come back around to most of them but with just a mention and then it was over. There was so much more that could be done. I don't want to name the things as I don't want to spoil the story.

Overall, I did enjoy this one despite the holes the author had going on. It was fast paced and there was some great banter that happened. Plus the side characters really made the story. I'm excited for the next relationship between Darcy and Tramaine. I can't wait to see how Bowen shapes it!

3.75 stars rounded to 4

Author:

Sarina Bowen is the 24-time USA Today bestselling and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary fiction, including: The Five Year Lie, the True North series, and the Brooklyn Hockey series. She's the co-author of Him/Us and the WAGs series with Elle Kennedy. And more!

You can find a complete reading order list of Sarina's books on her website. Or see what's coming next from Sarina, and sign up for her newsletter so you don't miss a new book or a deal.

ARC Review: Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray

Crescent City meets Fourth Wing in this fast-paced and romantic debut, in which a teenage girl must survive ruthless werewolves, a glittering court, and deadly politics to exact revenge on the monsters who destroyed her.

After a vicious werewolf attack on the night of her seventeenth birthday party, Vanessa Hart loses everything she loves in a split second. Her best friend, her father, and even her home.

Bitten and imprisoned without explanation, Vanessa endures an agonizing transformation into the very beast that maimed her, and her captors make it clear she cannot escape: she will either swear her life to the Wolf Queen’s Court, or she will die.

With no other choice, Vanessa joins their enchanted Castle Severi—where flowering vines grow through the walls, gifts are bestowed by the stars, and a claw can break through skin as easily as silk—but she hasn’t forgotten what they stole from her.

Vanessa still seeks vengeance, scheming in the shadows even as she finds herself mesmerized by the golden prince Sinclair Severi, who threatens to steal her heart though he is promised to her nemesis. And by his brooding, disgraced cousin, Calix, whose smoldering gaze hides even darker secrets. Immersed in the magic of their whimsical yet cruel society, Vanessa soon learns not all is as it seems.

The Court is at war, and she may simply be a pawn in its lethal game.

For Fans of:
Forbidden Romance
Enemies to Lovers
Werewolves
Paranormal Romance

Title: Bitten

Author: Jordan Stephanie Gray

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Audio

Expected Publication Date: September 30, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Hachette Audio, NetGalley, and Edelweiss for providing me with an early copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I will be honest and say I had cover envy with this book and that's what initially drew me to look at it. I mean, it's an absolutely gorgeous cover. And purple is my favorite color, so I took a chance. And it's been a long time since I've read a truly good urban fantasy wolf story. Though the blurb for this makes it sound more like a fairytale. Everything these days seems to be witches or vampires. But I love me some werewolves so I was ready for a good story. Plus, it just sounded super intriguing and the audio had five different narrators! Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed by this book nor did it live up to what I truly thought it would be. I tried so hard to like it, and pushed through, but in the end I was just disappointed by the entire thing.

Let's start with the narrators. Truly, I thought the book would be in several points of view given how many narrators there were, but that didn't happen. Instead, the book employed what I would normally call duet narration (narrators speaking the parts of the different characters and in this case, several characters), but this was not the case. The story is told from the POV of the main character, Vanessa Hart. And all the other narrators jump in and play their part. While this sounds like it would work (I've listened to lots of full cast audio which I have loved), it just didn't work for me with this book. Not only do I have no idea who narrated what part, I didn't even find much variation in the actual narrators. All the men and women sounded pretty much the same to me. Add to that some sound effects for flashbacks and it was just a jumbled mess. The narrators themselves were not terrible, but, again, it's hard to know who was who given the nature of the single POV of the book.

I tried my hardest to put aside my dislike of how the narration was done and flipped back and forth between Kindle and audio version to give myself a break from the voices in the hopes I would enjoy the story more. This didn't really make a difference for me in how I felt about the book, though.

The book starts out with a bang, jumping right into an action scene, which in and of itself was intense and fun. The main character finds herself bitten and more of less kidnapped to a hidden castle where she lives out her days transforming and learning what it's like to be part of a pack and a royal werewolf court. Unfortunately, you don't get any background on the main character because of this. I have no idea who she is, what she was truly like before, and why she is reacting the way she is during the story.  This stunted her growth and development and it was hard to know if she was changing or had always been the way she was. Add to this a plethora of side characters who are also not well developed and you just have a story that falls flat. I really didn't feel any of the chemistry, connection, or even animosity I was being told I should feel during the story.

This book is also billed as YA. The main character has just turned 17. While I know teens do have sexual encounters and know more about sex than we often think they do, this was in no way closed door. or fade to black. Which is what I am used to when I read YA. Yes, we see kissing, maybe a little groping, but this was beyond that. There was at least one scene that was fairly explicit and spicy. I would rather see the main character a year or two older and this be billed as NA. Plus, the love triangle was just a mess. I'm all for a good why choose, I really am, but I need to have a sense of connection with the characters and reasons why they go in this direction. This book did not give me that. There was zero chemistry build up. Vanessa suddenly is just attracted to these two characters and that's it. Add to this the fact that the two love interests treat Vanessa like garbage and it just didn't work.

The writing, ugh. It was super juvenile. Now, I get that it's billed as YA, but it almost felt as if it wasn't fully edited. So much telling and almost zero showing. And all the adjectives , unnecessary descriptions, and metaphors that were used often made zero sense. It seemed like the author was trying to build something lush but it just came out as cringy.

Finally, the world building is so lacking. I have no real idea of the history of this book. Yes, there is a prologue chapter that gives you some indication of why things are the way they are, but other than that, I didn't understand more than what the eye color meant. Speaking of, the main character has an eye color that is totally unique, but we never learn why. And she is no different than any of the other wolves in the story. Perhaps this may be addressed in the future books but the author should at least give some clue as to what her special eye color means. And because the world building was so poor, the pacing was super slow. I needed more of the royal court politics and the history of the court. The author chooses the "that's how things are" approach and that just does not work for me when reading a fantasy book. It left me with a story that lacked depth.

Unfortunately, this book just was not for me and I won't be moving on in the series. I do see a few good reviews and I encourage people to read a bunch of decide for themselves if they would like to give this one a try.

1.5 stars rounded to 2

Author:

Jordan Stephanie Gray is a long-time daydreamer and writer of the fantastical and romantic and freelance editor to bestselling authors. In her free time, she can be found curled up with her pugs in her lap, rereading her favorite novels while teasing her middle schooler about how much kissing is in her own books (a lot). She invites you to visit her at authorjordangray.com and to follow her on instagram @authorjordangray.

Jordan Stephanie Gray is the author of the young adult paranormal romantasy, Bitten, and the adult mermaid romantasy, The Wicked Sea.

When she isn’t lounging by the pool and typing away at her computer, she is likely cuddling her pugs in sunny Florida.

 

ARC Review: As a Last Resort by Kristin Wollett

 

Opposites attract when a real estate developer's quest for a promotion returns her to the coastal hometown she loathes—where she's reunited with her teenage crush turned town golden boy. ​

There’s no place like home…and that’s exactly how real estate developer Samantha Leigh plans to keep it. When she ditched Rock Island, Florida for New York City, Sam left everything behind—her alcoholic mother, the high school bullies, her ex-best friend, and her first crush, Austin Marcs. She’s never looked back—until her boss ambushes her with an extended assignment on Rock Island, where promotion will be on the line. Sam has no choice but to book a flight home . . .

. . . to where nothing has changed. Her mom still drinks, the mean girls became mean-girl mommies, and Austin? The town’s golden boy is now its favorite ferryboat captain—still smoking hot, inexplicably devoted to the island, and Sam’s total opposite in every way. He insists Rock Island is perfect as is, without her big corporate ideas, and he’s determined to prove it. Before long, Austin’s personal tours of sandy beaches and swoony sunsets almost make Sam forget her hometown hate. But is falling for the guy—and the town—she left behind worth the risk?

Title: As A Last Resort

Author: Kristin Wollett

Publisher: Forever

Publication Date: September 2, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Hacette Audio, Forever, and NetGalley for supplying me with an audio copy of this book to listen to and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I'm all about trying new narrators with audio books. You never know what you'll like. And I love dual narration of a book. While many narrators can do male/female voices well enough, I always find it better in a romance when I have two different voices. It was interesting the author of the book chose to be the narrator for the FMC. I enjoyed her voice as Sam. I think she did a great job capturing the character and her development throughout the book. Patrick Zeller is a narrator I'm not sure I've heard before. I enjoyed his deep tone. Though I will say there were times when he spoke it was so soft and deep I had to rewind several times to hear what he was saying. That got to be a bit annoying and I felt like he could have annunciated some areas of the book better. 

I enjoyed the story of Sam and Austin's chemistry. The book is billed as an opposites attract but I didn't really feel that. The only thing that might strike as that is him wanting to stay in their town where they grew up and her wanting to get away as fast as she could. So you did get the small home town versus city vibe from that. The two characters have history and it's obvious there was attraction many years ago. It's definitely a slow burn throughout the story with memories visited and time well spent getting to know each other once again.

The side characters, especially Lexi, were great. They really added extra layers to the story.

The plot definitely reminded me of a Hallmark movie, which I always love to watch. It gave me warm and fuzzy feels to see Sam come back to her hometown and realize there's more to small town living than she saw when she left. There's so much emotion the characters dig down into. The pacing is done well and it kept me wanting to listen whenever I could. And there is a good mix of banter along with some great heart felt moments.

Overall, I enjoyed this solid debut title and it's narration but I do believe I would have liked this one better had I read it in print.

If you're looking for a sweet, girl comes home again, best friend's brother romcom, pick this one up and give it a try. I will definitely be watching out for Wollett's stories in the future.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Author:

My name is Kristin Wollett.

I've been in the story telling business since I was a kid. I've always loved creating characters and building worlds inside my head, so no surprise, I ended up being an actor. 

 

Perhaps it was inevitable that when the world shut down for a hot minute in 2020, and the lack of in-person acting jobs instantly evaporated, my creative outlet needed reforming. I picked back up my love of writing and here we are. I wrote my first YA fantasy that's still in a box under my bed. That book taught me how to write a book. And, more importantly, taught me I could finish a book.  

​

My second book, As A Last Resort, will be published September 2nd of this year with Forever.  And I'm currently working on my next romance that will literally tear your heart out and stitch it back up in a way you didn't see coming. 🖤

ARC Review: Rose In Chains by Julie Soto

 

This beautiful DELUXE EDITION hardcover featuring gorgeous sprayed edges with stenciled art is only available for a limited first print run and while supplies last. This is a stunning special edition you will want to add to your collection.

YOUR NEXT ROMANTASY OBSESSION!

The war is over, the dark forces have won, and the hero who was supposed to save them is dead.

Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, Briony Rosewood knows that the world as she knows it is changed forever. The dark forces of Bomard have won and her people, the Eversuns, face imminent servitude, imprisonment or death. Her brother, fated to be heir twice over and unite the warring kingdoms, is dead.

Stripped of her Mind Magic and her freedom, Briony and the other survivors are quickly auctioned off to the highest bidders in an auction – and as the heir-apparent’s sister, she fetches the highest price.

After a fierce bidding war, she’s sold to none other than Toven a high ranking Bomardsun – and her long-time and ill-fated infatuation. Scion of a family known for their cruel control of Heart Magic, the Hearsts are ruthlessly ambitious, and Briony knows they will use her however they can to further their own interests.

Yet despite the horrors of her new world and the role she must learn to play within it, all is not lost. Help – and hope – may yet arise in the most unlikely of places…

Title: Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy #1)
Author: Julie Soto

Publisher: Hachette Audio/Forever

Expected Publication Date: July 8, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Forever, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I will say, Julie Soto breaking into fantasy had me worried. I enjoy her romances but wasn't sure how well her writing would translate into a different genre. To say I was pleasantly surprised and even think this may be where she should settle is an understatement.

I have not listened to any books narrated by Ella Lynch before, I'm always worried I won't enjoy a new narrator but Lynch surprised me as being a perfect voice for the main character, Briony Rosewood. She did a wonderful job making me feel connected to Briony and helping me to experience all the emotions that were wound together in this book.

The characters of this book are so well fleshed out and developed. It was easy to understand them, to feel their emotions, and to be swept away by their circumstances. Briony knows her place in her world, which is not to put herself ahead of her twin in any way. Her country rules by typical misogynistic ways with heirs only ever being male. Of course once her brother is not longer in the picture, her worth changes, especially for her enemy. Toven Hearst has always been a thorn in Briony's side. But you can see there is so much more to him than what Brony sees. Because the book is told from her POV, we don't get to see what it truly in Toven's mind. But we do see him well enough through Briony to know the struggles he is truly experiencing. He cones off as morally gray, but I don't truly think he is. Again, we don't see things through his eyes and we are not in his mind to experience what he does, we only experience him through Briony. This helps keep the mystery of him throughout the book. However, there is so much Briony does not see about him. I'm not sure if it's because she is naive or because she is just not in tune enough to know. I won't say more than that because if I do, I'll spoil things for everyone.

While there is romance in this book, that is not the main focus at all. There are a few scenes of spark, and one which is a bit spicy, but it is the slowest of slow burns. Yes, this book is billed as a Romantasy, and I can see where the romance aspect may have more impact in the future, but this book was all about building the world, sorting out the magics that exists, and figuring out who is on what side of the fight. The world is immersive and lush. At no time was I confused by the system being portrayed. Soto made it hard to see who could and could not be trusted. To be expected in a book where treason is a high stakes game.

I would be remiss if I did not mention Soto's amazing use of side characters in this book. She never introduces someone who is not someone important to the plot. Even if they play just a small part in the story. Her characters are all important and all bring something to the mix. Some of those characters are important in how they form a found family. 

I loved how the book was set up with flashbacks to give the back story in understanding Briony and Troven Hearst's relationship from the very beginning. Their enemies vibe was palpable from the very first scene we see with them together. That tension was perfect for the story to come. It fueled the pacing and made the plot that much more interesting.

Did I figure a few things out from the beginning? Yes, yes I did. Did I care? Not one bit. I needed to see how Soto would get me through the story and show me on the other end the things I knew were going to happen. 

If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. I honestly did not want it to end. I kept stopping my reading at short intervals towards the end because I just needed to soak it all up and slow my pace. I loved absolutely everything about it. From the characters to the magic system to the political intrigue. Soto reeled me in and kept me turning pages to see where she would take me. And I must say, what a ride it was. I am already itching to read the next book in this series to see where it goes.

Author:

JULIE SOTO is a USA Today bestselling author, playwright, and actress originally from Sacramento, CA. Her musical Generation Me won the 2017 New York Musical Festival’s Best Musical award, as well as Best Book for her script. She is a musical theater geek, fandom nerd, and the author of many spicy fan fictions. Julie now lives in Fort Bragg, CA, with her dog, Charlie. She is probably drinking coffee as you read this.