Tiffany Roberts

The Sundering toppled civilization, killed millions, and filled the world with walking corpses and supernatural monsters. It took nearly everything from Adalynn--her dreams, her home, her parents, and her chance of beating her terminal cancer--but it didn't take her little brother, Danny. She's come to terms with her inescapable fate, and she'll do everything she can to ensure her brother has a chance of survival in this new, unforgiving world.When Danny and Adalynn discover a rundown mansion in the middle of nowhere, it seems like the perfect place for him to stay, but the mansion's owner--a tall, mysterious, intense man who exudes a strangely thrilling energy--complicates matters. Though Adalynn doesn't want to leave another person devastated when she's gone, Merrick has other plans for her--and he makes it clear he will keep her, no matter what price he must pay to make it so.----------**Warning: This book contains sexual explicit scenes and violence.**

The Warlock's Kiss

Jo H

Well, that was a let down. I picked it up as a buddy read pick from the Gotta Have Romance with a Kick group here on GR, and those of us that have read it all seem to have had a similar opinion. There is so much potential in the premise of this book, that just doesn't come to fruition that it's incredibly frustrating. And it was insta love [insert eyeroll]. Kind of fated mates, but that wasn't explored at all only alluded to a few times by Merrick, the MMC.

The first thing to know is that this book only has 3 characters, apart from a nefarious 5 that appear about halfway through for a handful of pages, and in a post-apocalyptic world that's all about the fight for survival, to say that's odd is putting it mildly, and very limited in perspective. Also, it's not a character study of them and doesn't have much of a plot so I'm kind of left wondering what the point of it was. If not for 13-year-old Danny (and his obsession with peanut butter - a concoction that I find utterly disgusting lol!) and how loving he was toward his older sister, it would have been quite a slog to get through. Some of his lines had me lol-ing and I was not expecting that. This is an early one from chapter 3 and is the day after they have 'met' Merrick “Are you flirting with my sister?” Danny asked from beside Merrick.

Adalynn whipped her head toward her brother and quickly pulled her hand out of Merrick’s. “Danny!”

Merrick curled his fingers into a loose fist—as though that could assuage his sudden sense of emptiness—and dropped his hand to his side. “Daniel, are you familiar with the saying children should be seen, not heard?”

“Nope. Are you familiar with the saying dude, don’t be a dick?”

Yes, Addie and Danny are wandering around, almost aimlessly, in this dangerous new world (except we didn't see much danger or even much world), but that doesn't last as they stumble across Merrick's house before the first chapter is out. And as PA/Dystopia is a new favourite genre for me in recent years... this was such a disappointment. 

Some of the magical scenes (which included the sex scenes) once Merrick decides to admit his power are somewhat pretty to imagine, and some of the writing is quite nice, but otherwise, there is not much to this. And apart from the (view spoiler)[very brief appearance by the werewolves (hide spoiler)] (which allowed Merrick the opportunity to 'save' the damsel in an incredibly cliched romance situation), Merrick was virtually the sole point of anything vaguely fantastical in the whole book.

That being said, I would, however, read a sequel all about Danny and his one-liners... and how he copes when he finally gets to meet other people, and get to fall in love, on the 'outside. Perhaps we'd get more of the PA and magical world we were promised in the synopsis of this one! As it stands I feel really sorry for him; on the cusp of adolescence, being stuck in a house (albeit a huge mansion with lots to explore!) with his older sister and her lover and nary a sight of anyone else around. Poor sod.

If like me, you want a fantastical PA romance I would suggest this trilogy instead 

  
 
  
 
  
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The Warlock's Kiss

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