To preface: I am part of this author’s Patreon and she posts ARC copies of her books as part of her Patreon as one of the perks to her subscribers. SoTo preface: I am part of this author’s Patreon and she posts ARC copies of her books as part of her Patreon as one of the perks to her subscribers. So since this is technically an ARC I am reviewing it as such.
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience reading this eARC, which in no way biased me. All opinions are my own.
I loved the characters and the overall plot, but I had some issues with the pacing and the “conflict resolution�.
The magic system and Selvyn being a half human, half demon hybrid called a Cambion; I loved that, I hope we get more information on the magic and the different types and how it works. What other species of supernatural creatures live there?
My main issues with this book is that, this book has the potential to be much bigger than the novella size. I think that making this just a novella, requires that everything move faster but even this was a bit too much. I believe from the start of the book to right before the time jump in the epilogue, it all takes place in a matter of a handful of days. We don’t get exact confirmation but it seems as if it’s about 3-5 days total. Their lust for each other and their actual feelings are not the issue, unless you don’t like insta love, then it might be an issue.
The bigger issue is that Selvyn has had this amount of guilt, self-inflicted penance, etc. for DECADES, and he gets over it like the flip of a switch. There’s very little thought process about it, he goes from, “I’m leaving her�, to “I’m staying� in all of a matter of pages.
All in all an enjoyable read. I am rating it a solid 3.5 stars, rounding up for GoodReads. ...more
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience reading this eARC, whichThank you to the author for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience reading this eARC, which in no way biased me. All opinions are my own.
I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR FINN’S BOOK SINCE I MET HIM IN MAKE ME. (Sorry Cash, I still love you too)
Hate me has SO many great tropes included in here, we’ve got: - Forced/arranged marriage - Rival crime families, with a very shaky truce - Childhood friends (crushes), to enemies to lovers - Touch her and you die (also touch her and you lose a limb ...more
I have read a handful of Lexi’s books, so I am not new to her work. I will say the Blood Alliance series is perhaps better, but this is good.
Is this I have read a handful of Lexi’s books, so I am not new to her work. I will say the Blood Alliance series is perhaps better, but this is good.
Is this predictable? Like hell yes it is. Like not a single thing happened that I did not guess prior to it happening. But this isn’t exactly a bad thing. It’s a quick brainless, entertaining read.
Usually why choose novels are not standalones and when they are they’re usually not done very well, this is not the case here. Lexi was able to make me invested in their story fairly quickly and keep my attention for just shy of 400 pages. Bravo. This might be the first very well done, romance wise, why choose novel under like 600 pages I’ve ever read.
Now why did I rate this 4 stars, it’s actually a 3.5 star read for me but I chose to round up for the 3 MMCs. I usually don’t love all of the love interests in a why choose novel, but shockingly I did love all of them. Although Volt is my favorite I love their clan dynamic and how they interact with Clove.
Now, I do have a very large issue with this book, while it has an overarching general note at the beginning, I do not believe it does enough as a content warning. These types of books NEED a content warning list, it’s irresponsible for an author to not include one or just do a general note. There should be something explains that the FMC witnesses (although not explained graphically) the gang rape and murder of her mother. And other potentially triggering content. ...more
My first sapphic dark mafia romance. I didn’t even know this genre existed.
I wanted to love this book, I really did, but unfortunately it kinda fell My first sapphic dark mafia romance. I didn’t even know this genre existed.
I wanted to love this book, I really did, but unfortunately it kinda fell a bit flat for me.
The beginning was great, and so was the end but there was that bit in the middle that just kinda felt like a switch flipped overnight. I understand that insta-lust is a thing, but especially since we get Nessa’s POV we can see how much Nessa detests Siobhan for being a “princess�, and “starting a war over a tantrum�, and being the reason some of their men are dead. All of a sudden all of that gets thrown out of the window? It all felt a bit jarring. I wish there would have been more development there.
As for how quickly they fall in love, I also wish there would have been more development there too. It felt all very surface level feelings. Like how could they love each other with only knowing like a handful of things about each other?
The plot twist there at the end can be seen like a MILE away if you’re even remotely paying attention.
All in all this was fine, I wish it would have been better. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for GoodReads for being unique as a sapphic mafia romance. ...more
Instant reaction: FIVE FUCKING STARS IS THE HIGHEST THIS SHIT LETS ME GO SO YEAH
FINAL REVIEW TO COME BECAUSE OH MY GOD I NEED TO SLEEP AND COMPILE MY TInstant reaction: FIVE FUCKING STARS IS THE HIGHEST THIS SHIT LETS ME GO SO YEAH
FINAL REVIEW TO COME BECAUSE OH MY GOD I NEED TO SLEEP AND COMPILE MY THOUGHTS
Full review:
Let’s see if I can string together a coherent review after this book blew my mind.
Content Warnings: (with some mild spoilers) FMC has an abusive boyfriend/ex boyfriend. He has physically hurt her twice prior to when the book begins. He and his friends become a recurring problem. They harass her, slut shame her, and the ex gets physical with not only her but her guy friends as well. There is mention of a loss of a parent from one of the MCs prior to the events of this book, parental abandonment and an attempt of reconciliation. There is a flashback chapter to a car accident that resulted in the death of a friend/teen love of one of the MCs.
Wow, this book, it left me speechless, I am not sure how I can explain how much I love this book.
Let’s get into the tropes first: - Brother’s Best Friend/ Best Friend’s Sister - Strangers to Friends to Friends with Benefits to Lovers - Secret Relationship - Former Player to Obsessed Boy - Found Family Friend Group - He Falls First - He teaches her a skill
I instantly loved their dynamic, I was hooked from the first chapter, and I knew about 10% into this book that it was going to be a 5 star read for me, around the 30-40% mark I remember thinking that this had the potential to be one of the top contemporary romances I have ever read, and I am happy to report that upon finishing the book I can confirm that it is in the top category.
Why is it the books that love with all my heart I have the most difficult time expressing my thoughts for. Anyway, if this book sounds like it would be up your jam, it probably is and you should most definitely pick it up....more
This is my first cartel crime family book along with my first motorcycle club book and honestly it very entertaining. It was also very predictable. I This is my first cartel crime family book along with my first motorcycle club book and honestly it very entertaining. It was also very predictable. I guessed the bad guy VERY early in the book, and I guessed the “VERY SHOCKING PLOT TWIST� almost just as early.
That being said it was overall enjoyable, I loved the Mexican representation, and the Spanish sprinkled in here. Including at the beginning of the book the “Spanish terms you might wanna know� index at the beginning of the book.
Insta love as a trope has its place in the genre of romance but this being a darkish criminal syndicate/cartel romance it just doesn’t seem like it fits. I love Gunner I do, but the blatant misogynistic things he thinks AND says to Ryan in the first third of the book are never really addressed. It seems that just because Gunner is attractive and Ryan wants to sleep with him that she doesn’t really deal with the disrespect as she actually does in the remainder of the book to literally every other misogynistic asshole who speaks to her like this.
I wish we would have seen more of Ryan and Gunner’s romance evolve, because what we had were two people who didn’t immediately sleep with each other for the only reason that they thought they shouldn’t. Gunner having more of a reason as to why not to get involved with Ryan than Ryan not sleeping with Gunner because she wanted the MC to respect her. I wish their relationship contained more substance, everything felt very surface level. It was almost as if the characters were reduced to like one thing and then made that whole thing their entire personality.
I wish (in at least Gunner’s POV) we would have gotten more info on the MC aspects of this book. Like this might be just because this was my first MC romance and so I had to google a lot of things like what the hell a “cut� was. It seemed like it had a decent amount of surface level information about the cartel aspect of this book but since Gunner has his own POV chapters, he is also a main character, not a supporting character who randomly got a POV chapter or two.
The plot as I have mentioned previously, was so, honestly lowkey annoyingly, expected. Not a single thing about this book surprised me. The things the characters did was painfully predictable, the plot lines, the tropes, the bad guy, and the so called “unexpected plot twist�.
With me anticipating the “plot twist� it definitely happened alot later than I would have anticipated. The reader learned about it much earlier than the others did. I will say the “plot twist reveal� for the reader was much better done than the “bad guy reveal�. As for the rest of the characters learning the plot twist, it almost happened to end to the story to be climatic. And then it jumps time and then everything is basically fine with little to no groveling on page? Rude
I think this is a book I should have read sooner before the “TikTok hype� got to it, because when several booktokkers are making content about this book, you tend to walk in with certain expectations, and then its disappointing when it doesn’t meet the level of hype you’re seeing.
What I did enjoy the most was Scar, Dex, and Nikki, hell even Pres of the Skeletons of Society. I will definitely be picking up book 2 for Scar’s story.
I could probably go on as to all the things I wish this book had done, but I don’t want to. Overall this was okay, with good rep, which in my eyes makes is slightly better than okay. 3.5 stars rounded down for GoodReads....more
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience reading this eARC, whichThank you to the author for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience reading this eARC, which in no way biased me. All opinions are my own.
Oh boy what can I say about this book, this might be shaping up to be one of my favorite dark fantasy series, period. AND WHY IS IT WHEN I LOVE A BOOK I CANNOT FORM THE SENTENCES TO EXPRESS MY LOVE FOR IT.
We’ve got A LOT of things going for this book
- elemental magic - royalty - political intrigue - A CROCK POT ON LOW FOR 8 HOURS LEVEL OF SLOW BURN, (like I went feral over eye contact) - angst - the mutual pining that is oh so delicious due to the dual POV - excellent banter - idiots also liars in love - enemies to lovers (you know the kind that might want to kill each other because they are prince and princess of enemy kingdoms) - a forced marriage of convenience, also magically bound ...more
Content warnings for an ectopic pregnancy and loss of a fetus. (Prior to the beginning of this book, conversations about this, MC experience)
I shall pContent warnings for an ectopic pregnancy and loss of a fetus. (Prior to the beginning of this book, conversations about this, MC experience)
I shall preface this by saying I did not read the Sins of a Rebel prequel, and that probably impacted my thoughts on reading this book. I will say I thought this was a bully romance for about half the book (its not). Tysin was an absolute dick to everyone INCLUDING his love interest. And then he switches gears practically overnight, and now is ready to risk it all for her. The second half is much better in my opinion.
The guy you were in love with 2 years ago is in your brother’s band that you are now managing for their summer tour, you just got engaged, what could go wrong? SO MANY THINGS, it was very entertaining to say the least.
This is jam packed with tropes so if you like: Rockstars Forced proximity Brother’s Best Friend And forbidden romance because of brother’s best friend Second Chance Romance Found Family
And its Dual POV.
Tysin was the first book I have read from this author. This was a good time, 3.5 stars rounded down for GR. I’m curious for Trey’s and Madden’s upcoming books. I might go back and read the prequel before this book, but I will not be picking up the first in this series. I draw the line at step siblings romance....more
This is all I knew about this book, and honestly didn’t need to know more to think, “SAY LESS� and I ran to Kindle Unlimited. So obviously the MMC is This is all I knew about this book, and honestly didn’t need to know more to think, “SAY LESS� and I ran to Kindle Unlimited. So obviously the MMC is a doctor, the FMC is a PhD Mechanical Engineering student, who GET THIS, DESIGNS AND CREATES PROTOTYPES FOR HER SEX TOY DESIGNS. They meet in chapter 2 and this takes place, SHE FORGETS TO MAKE A HANDLE FOR HER TOY AND ITS STUCK INSIDE HER, naturally she goes to the college clinic for some medical help, and the rest is history.
There’s so much going on here, there’s a plot twist that I had no idea and literally had me gasping while I was eating my lunch. I love this book so much, you’re probably asking why only 4 stars? I’ll tell you, the last like 15-20% was just too rushed, even with the ‘weeks going by� it felt very rushed and the end kinda made me not like it as much, the other reason is the FMC literally never wears panties, and its mentioned VERY often (this was more of a book ick but whatevs).
Anyway I had a great fucking time with this (ending aside), the smut was great, not going to lie, top tier dirty talk too, the tension was amazing, and the fucking plot twist truly shocking.
This is the first book by this author, I have read but it’s definitely not the last.
Edit: I will say this should have a trigger warning/content warning page. CW for parent death via home burglary turned homicide (off page prior to events in the book), and mention of suicidal ideation (not main character conversation happens with MC) and an suicide attempt (not a main character off page), there’s probably more but these were some of the ones that stuck out to me....more
Y’all this was supposed to be all smut and vibes. AND IT WAS BUT THIS MADE ME CRY. It’s so fucking good.
I was expecting some very nice taboo “he’s a Y’all this was supposed to be all smut and vibes. AND IT WAS BUT THIS MADE ME CRY. It’s so fucking good.
I was expecting some very nice taboo “he’s a monk waiting to take his final vow when his ex-boyfriend shows up� smut, and on that front it delivered but we got some amazing character development FOR BOTH MAIN CHARACTERS that was amazing to experience.
The mental health/illness rep in this is truly something. The way Sierra explains Aiden’s depression and suicidal ideation was something I’ve never seen before.
The couple? I love them. Their dynamic, their banter? Everything. I love everything about them.
This is Sierra’s best work I’ve read. I truly wonder if the youngest Bell brother will get a story and what else Sierra could do with this series. We already have a former priest, a former almost-nun, and a former almost-monk in this wild ass family. WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE? Whatever it is I will be reading anything and everything by Sierra. ...more
Thank you to Shannon Elliot and her team for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience readingThank you to Shannon Elliot and her team for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience reading an ARC, which in no way biased me.
I feel like I need to start this by mentioning the diversity. It was VERY well done, it’s diverse racially, and also in gender identity, sexual attraction/orientation. Basically, this is one of the most queer, and racially diverse book I’ve ever read.
I also have to mention the mental illness (panic attacks, ptsd, trauma response, etc.) I feel like these were also done VERY well.
This is a great set up for a RH, one that I have not seen before. Generally with the RH genre, it’s a FMC with 3 or more male love interests. Occasionally you get a RH with some polyamory themes, but Shannon is setting something quite unique up. I am SO excited for the next installment in this series.
This is a multi POV book and while with that many POVs it could be easy to have your characters be surface level, this is not the case for this book. I didn’t feel like it jumped around a lot, each POV for that chapter had a reason and all the characters felt so different being inside their heads.
I only have one thing that I believe could have been better, the timing in the book. For example you would be reading chapter in the FMC’s POV and time would pass, then it would switch to another POV and it would reset, and within a few paragraphs it would be days, weeks, or months later. It felt like it jumped around time wise. Adding dates or chapter breaks to signify time moving might have been beneficial, especially if when switching POVs time would also reset.
Overall hard a great time, 4 stars. Read this in a day. A pretty quick, interesting read. Will definitely be reading more of her work. ...more
Emily McIntire hits it out of the park, again. Who is shocked? Not me. This book delivered on EVERY SINGLE POINT IT WAS MEANT TO AND MORE.
Inspired byEmily McIntire hits it out of the park, again. Who is shocked? Not me. This book delivered on EVERY SINGLE POINT IT WAS MEANT TO AND MORE.
Inspired by The Wizard of Oz, but make it an organized crime (drugs) family. I loved seeing the little tidbits of The Wizard of Oz in this. The red shoes, the “no place like home� line, the flying monkeys, Oz (the man behind the curtain), the yellow bricks, the Emerald City, and more that I probably didn’t name.
Honestly these Never After novels blend the original inspiration with modern (fantasy elements for Scarred) so well.
Villain Romances are my shit Enemies to lovers (especially when its one sided and they don’t KNOW how much of enemies they are) Forced Proximity, especially when she� HATES HIM. Like its so fucking great to see that The hate makes for some EXPLOSIVE chemistry. We got some chaotic switches here and I love to see that. I LOVE FEMALE VILLAINS WHO GET MURDERY This being dual POV was *chef’s kiss* truly its amazing to be inside both of their heads
I didn’t think she could best herself after Scarred, and I have never been so happy to be wrong. I will be reading anything and everything Emily McIntire writes. She’s quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Very excited to see which Never After story comes next....more
There are only a certain number of times I can read that the FMC is “small�, “short�(the FMC is “five and a half feet tall), �Oh boy. Where to begin.
There are only a certain number of times I can read that the FMC is “small�, “short�(the FMC is “five and a half feet tall), “like a little girl (FMC is 20 years old), “scrawny�, “ugly�, “scarred�, “weak�, “breakable�, “a lowly servant�, etc. ESPECIALLY if those are the only words used to describe her, like no variations of those words, exactly those words. I read the word “gorgeous� to describe one of the LIs, a whopping THREE TIMES in 2 sentences.
I swear if I read another 20 something year old female main character either refer to herself, or her love interests refer to her, as “a little girl�, I’m going to scream.
The repetition is killing me. And I should have DNFed. But my stubborn ass was holding out (in hindsight useless) hope that it could get better.
2 of the 3 love interests were good. Probably the only characters I enjoyed, and who’s POVs were actually some what pleasant to read. The third love interest? Here’s my first reaction to him.
“Great. Here’s another Male Love Interest/Male Main Character who calls ALL women except, you guessed it, the FMC “sluts�. *insert eye roll here* �
As for the FMC? Her POV chapters were BRUTAL to read through, and what I mean by that is her inner monologue was one of the worst I have ever read. The repetition, as I mentioned before, the childlike mentality, and overall “I’m actually not like other girls because I’m small, ugly, and weak� got old VERY QUICK.
Well, if you have made it this far in this review you’re probably wondering why I kept going. If you sift through all the not so good parts in the book (and trust me there’s a lot to sift through) the premise was actually interesting. There was some potential that I HOPED would get better, but alas I was wrong. The chance to make Sadie a bad ass MC, but unfortunately the execution was quite poor.
I have never wanted to DNF a book past 90% than this book. I figured I had gotten through the bulk of the not good parts, again I WAS PROVEN WRONG. It had me considering DNFing although I had made it this far.
Now, that I have finished the book and saw the high praise, reviews, and ratings, I am VERY confused. It’s as if we read the different books.
Anyway, 1 star, it was not a good time, and I’m sad for the wasted potential, will not be continuing with the series. The possibility of picking something else up by this author is also very low. ...more
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