Reviews
When I requested this book, I assumed it was romance, as it is labeled such. To me, this book is not necessarily a romance. It is predominately erotica. If erotica is a genre you like, you’ll like this book. For the first 60% or so of the story, the characters do not really interact romantically so much as reflect within themselves and in other ways how they are physically attracted to one another. I don’t really read erotica, so I didn’t quite like it, and I’m a bit disappointed that it was misrepresented. As for the plot, discounting all of the sexual references, it was not bad, per se. Once I made it to halfway through, a little bit of romance started to shine through (while juxtaposed to the action), and Korreth and Zira warmed up to each other, so to speak, as people and not objects of a sexual nature. What really missed the mark for me here possibly could not have been helped, as the novella is not so long: the magic system and backstory were not quite as developed as I would have liked. I understand it’s only a novella, but it is the build-up for the first full-length book in the series, so I feel it could have used up some of the space spent describing Korreth and Zira lusting after each other to provide some narrative details. The story greatly improved for me once there was an extra driving force to the plot. Additionally, the mating bond was not quite explained; it just was, and the dynamics were left out. I hope it’s explained more in the premier book for the series; it would have made the romance more nuanced and less fleshy. This was a perfect example of being drawn in with a beautiful, sparkly cover where the story didn’t necessarily live up to expectations. My sincere thanks to Elle Beaumont and Candace Robinson via Book Sirens for the complimentary eARC, for which I willingly give my own opinion.