This bonus chapter is part of Live and Let Lionel, and while the book as a whole was an utter disappointment, this chapter was amazing.
That time the tThis bonus chapter is part of Live and Let Lionel, and while the book as a whole was an utter disappointment, this chapter was amazing.
That time the twins met the Ruthless Boys That one was my favorite because I absolutely ADORE the Ruthless Boys and I always want more of them. ...more
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Characters ✅ Adam, Zee and I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Characters ✅ Adam, Zee and Reynard piling up problems and making enemies like their life depend on it ✅ Fast pace ✅ Entertaining plot ✅ The sass and humor ✅ MMM smut ✅ Romance (throuple) ❗️❗️Trigger warning: murder attempts (again), blood and some gore, decapitation
4.5 stars
I am sad that the next book will be the last already, I would have been down to read many more adventures with these three guys and their crazy hotel...
“And we’re just two normal people having a look around.” Zee fluttered his lashes. “Babycakes, the normal ship has left the harbor and sailed off the fucking map into shark-infested waters.
These three collect problems like it’s an Olympic discipline and they are competing for the gold medal. They collect enemies like Adam hoards cat figurines, and every time I think things can’t get worse, I am inevitably proven wrong.
Gideon Cain is finally back into the plot, and I hate him more than ever, but I am still happy that he is making his move because he was mentioned a few times since the beginning of the series, but I was curious to see what his move would be when he finally decided to strike against Adam. I also like the fact that all the little subplots that I thought had been forgotten, like Claymore’s disappearance or Sebastian’s involvement with Cain end up being relevant in this book, and of course, they add even more trouble and problems for our little throuple.
“I know what you’re implying, Fancy Pants. Decapitating your sucker queen was an accident. Adam gets it.” “A miscommunication,” I agreed. Victor sighed. “As I was saying, delaying the meeting with Leomaris will not solve anything. We should meet post-haste.” “Who’s that?” Zee asked. “What?” “Post Haste, who are they? You’re not making any sense. Are you low on red blood cells? Do you need a top up?” Zee waved at me. “Adam will volunteer and I’ll watch, for science.”
The humor in this book is amazingly delightful. I love how I laughed out loud or grinned so many times, but it was not because the characters made a joke or were silly on purpose. There were gems in the conversations between Zee, Adam, and Victor, but most of the time, they were having a serious conversation, it’s just that they are all so weird and different, that it created some crazy funny dialogues. The author also managed to integrate a good mix of banter and dry sarcasm into the trio’s interactions, and I absolutely adored every moment they had together.
“We need you there,” he whined. “I need you there. When it’s just me and him, it’s weird. You’re the lube that smooths things over, the custard middle of a delicious donut, the cheese in the mac and cheese. It doesn’t work without you. It’s just curly pasta without you. Do you hear me? Just weird, erotic, hot as fuck, messed-up pasta.”
I haven’t read many books with a MMM dynamic, but this trio is my favorite one, without a doubt. Zee and his flamboyant personality, Adam trying, and horribly failing, to appear human, and Victor having feelings but not knowing how to deal with them make for an eclectic, but impossible not-to-love trio.
Reyzee is taking over! Zee and Victor are still uneasy with each other when Adam is not there to act as a buffer, but it is clear that they care for each other, and are attracted to each other too, they just have no idea how to process and deal with those feelings, and it was cute and hilarious at the same time to watch them try to come to terms with their emotions.
“You remember how Agatha wanted to harvest all your best bits for FaeMade ® face creams?” Zee paled. “Do not fucking remind me. I’m working through it with my therapist.” “You have a therapist?” “Tom Collins at three a.m.” Victor was nodding also. “Tom at two a.m.” My slot was four a.m.
Tom is still one of the MVPs of this series. He is dry, sassy, and hilarious, and the fact that this intense and slightly unhinged AI became the unofficial hotel’s therapist made me laugh so hard! I wish we will finally have confirmation of what he is in the final book, and that he will get to live happily ever after behind his bar, with his bottles of alcohol and his happy dust to sprinkle everywhere (iykyk).
“We don’t really do normal here.” After handing the sheet back, I ruffled my hair and shoved my hands into my pockets. “Fine, it’s all fine.” We had bodies up chimneys and in flower beds, gremlins on staff, and an unregistered shadowbeast in the attic. Zee had allured a racist detective, and my true identity was close to being cracked wide open. But it was absolutely fine.
It’s crazy when you think about it, each book spans about 1 week, so the hotel has only been open and operational for 6 weeks, and I lost count of how many life-threatening situations Adam, Zee, and Victor ended up in. These little gems are full of action, delicious humor and banter, and smut that gets spicier with each book.
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Characters ✅ Supernatural HI was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Characters ✅ Supernatural Hotel ✅ Vampires, demons, and other creatures ✅ Adam's secret is finally revealed ✅ Fast pace ✅ Entertaining plot ✅ Sass between Reynard and Zee ✅ Reynard making jokes... ✅ MMM smut (at last!) ❗️❗️Trigger warning: murder attempts (again), blood and some gore, decapitation
I’d begun the day learning that my vampire lover had left, while also discovering a goo portal in my room, and I didn’t have enough money to stop the gremlins from eating the hotel. And somehow, the day had gotten worse since then.
Yup. That about sums it up. I don’t even need to write a summary of the book with a quote like that. Reynard is having trouble with his company, Adam is overthinking, Zee is being amazing, and the trio has to deal with an infestation of vicious gremlins and survive murder attempts.
“Right, so . . . yes. This thing. About me. Erm. So. There’s this thing, about me,” I repeated. “You may have noticed, I’m not exactly a normal human.” “What?” Zee mock-gasped, both hands going to his mouth, pink nails glittering. “Adam Vex isn’t human? Say it ain’t so! Is my middle name gullible?” “Would you like me to answer that?” Tom asked, interrupting to make it clear he was listening in too.
We finally find out what and who Adam is! I did not see that one coming, although maybe I should have… I am curious about the prophecy he keeps mentioning, and how it will affect him and his relationship with Reynard and Zee. I am glad to finally know what he is, I loved the suspense, but it was also slowly killing me, and I wouldn’t have been able to wait for another book to find out.
Adam is full of contradictions, and I love it! He is kind, sweet, adorable, and appears inoffensive most of the time, but he will not hesitate to destroy anyone who threatens him, his hotel, or his friends. He cannot bring himself to hurt pesky gremlins, but he enjoys killing vampires every once in a while. It makes him a complex and intriguing main character who’s impossible not to like.
“He got something stuck in his throat? Getting a name from a pixie is about as likely as getting Sebastien to admit he’s a fuckface. Imma get a drink. Fancy Fangs, you want another Bitch?” “No thank you, I already have one.” Zee gasped. “Oh my fucking what?! Did you just . . . You did not just call me a bitch?!” Victor smirked, as though he was a mere seventy percent innocent.
There is still sexual tension between Reynard, Zee, and Adam, and we finally get some real MMM smut. It’s nothing over the top, just spicy and hot enough to make us want more of it, without stealing the spotlight from the hilarious characters and crazy plot full of action.
The red mood lighting highlighted Victor’s sharp fangs. “Ohh, nice.” Zee grinned. “Just like the red room at Razorsedge.” “With fewer dildos,” Victor said. Zee gasped. “Did you just make a dick joke? What is happening?
Victor is loosening up in this fifth book, and it is amazing to witness him slowly come out of his shell, and even more slowly being willing to admit that he might have feelings for Zee. I love Adam, but Zee and Reynard stole the show in this book. Daddy Spice and Sexy Spice are the best spicy combo there is.
“Like the Spice Girls,” Zee said. I had no idea who they were. Perhaps they set fire to things too? “How so?” Victor asked. “You’re Daddy Spice, obviously.” Victor’s left eyebrow arched. “I’m Sexy Spice, and Adam is . . .” We waited a while, until Zee shrugged and settled on, “Boring Spice.”
Zee’s unrelenting humor and the sass between him and Reynard is delightful. Zee reminds me a little bit of Leeland from The Hitman’s Guide at times, he is sassy, thinks very highly of himself, and seems not to take anything seriously, except when it’s time to fuck shit up. His banter with Reynard made me smile so many times while reading this book, and seeing his being speechless every time Reynard would reply to his sass was even funnier.
“That’s a whole lot of fuck-no.” Zee recoiled. “All aboard the nope train, we’re leaving this fucking station. Everyone who isn’t a sucker get behind me.”
I can't wait to see what awaits our trio next. Trouble is coming their way (who am I kidding, trouble has been there for 5 books already), and it feels that things at the hotel are getting crazier with each book. I particularly loved the gremlin cleaning crew in this one. I feel that there is a lot of unfinished business, namely with Cain and the vampire court, and I am curious to see how things will play out in the rest of the series. The more problems they solve, the more problems they get, and I am here for this wild ride.
✅ Magic and Cabal war ✅ Betrayals ✅ Pace ✅ Action ✅ Characters ✅ Romance ✅ Alice’s identity is finally revealed ✅ Pack drama ✅ Vampires, werewolves, and mage✅ Magic and Cabal war ✅ Betrayals ✅ Pace ✅ Action ✅ Characters ✅ Romance ✅ Alice’s identity is finally revealed ✅ Pack drama ✅ Vampires, werewolves, and mages ❌ Recaps of previous events ❗️❗️Trigger warnings: death, attempted murder, blood, kidnapping, dangerous free-fall from a significant height
Moses Murphy’s Cabal is at war with Bell’s Cabal, and Alice finds herself in the middle of it when she realizes that the missing boy she was hired to find ended up in Bell’s hands because he is a powerful null. Alice knows what life awaits Aden as a powerful mage child in a cabal, and she is willing to do almost anything to get him out of Bell’s hands, even if it means putting her own life at risk. Sean’s pack is slowly warming up to Alice, but a few members continue to openly be opposed to their relationship, and they are now trying to get rid of Alice in any way they can.
There is action in this book, and many sub-plots tangled together, but the pace was good, and I found myself stuck in the “one more chapter” trap for most of the book. I listened to it on Audible but also downloaded the Kindle because it was quicker to read than listen to it, and I just needed to know what would happen next, when Alice would reveal her identity to Sean. And when they would realize that a member (or members) of the pack were working against them.
Alice changed a lot since the first book, thanks to Malcolm’s harsh honesty at times, and Sean’s patience and no-bullshit attitude. She reveals more secrets in this fourth book of the series, and we can see that her relationship with Sean is strong and meant to last. She trusts him with most of her secrets, and she stopped being scared of getting attached to him. She embraces her romantic life with him and is ready to take the next step in their relationship, even if it means getting out of her comfort zone. Alice still annoyed me at times, and there was one specific instance where I wanted to slap some sense into her, but overall, she grew on me, and I like her now.
I love angst and relationship drama, as long as it is well done, feels mature (no juvenile jealous bullshit, thanks), and is relevant to the plot. There was some drama between Sean and Alice in this book (no surprise here), and it was relevant to the plot, but it got almost too much at one point. Not in the sense that it was too angsty, because things can never be too angsty, but Alice's obliviousness to what was going on got me so frustrated, that I was tempted to skim just to get to the part where things were finally resolved and she could move on to the next problem on her never-ending list.
Malcolm continues to be the voice of reason, and it shows even more in this book. He never hesitates to tell Alice the truth, even when it's harsh, but he's also there to reassure her when she panics and gets afraid that Sean will see her as a monster if he learns of her secrets. Malcolm is the steady presence who's always there to tell her to calm the f*ck down and breathe, or that she should apologize because she's been an ass, and I love his fierce loyalty to Alice, and how much of a true and good friend he is.
One thing that did annoy me, especially since I was listening to this book and not reading it, are the long recaps of previous events. If you've made it to book 4, you should not need to be reminded of who Charles' enforcers are, what happened with Bell and Murphy in the third book, or why Delia and Jack don't like Alice. It annoyed me that I had to listen to those recaps on the first part of the book.
✅ Magic ✅ Plot / Investigation ✅ Pace ✅ Action ✅ Characters ✅ Romance ✅ Pack drama ✅ Vampires, werewolves, and mages ❗️❗️Trigger warnings: shootings, deaths
T✅ Magic ✅ Plot / Investigation ✅ Pace ✅ Action ✅ Characters ✅ Romance ✅ Pack drama ✅ Vampires, werewolves, and mages ❗️❗️Trigger warnings: shootings, deaths
This series gets better with each book, probably because Alice is less and less annoying…
When an investigation for the vampire court does not go as planned, Alice becomes the target of an ex-military vampire hater, and she is forced to hire Maclin Security to have a protective detail with her 24/7 until the man is caught. Alice is also hired to retrieve 3 magical objects that have been stolen, but when Sean and her finally locate the last of the missing items, they realize that it’s much more than a simple magical trinket as they were led to believe, and it puts Sean’s life in danger. To add another layer of problems, Alice meets Sean’s pack in this book, and not everyone is happy that Sean is dating a non-shifter. It doesn’t matter that she is a powerful mage, they think that an alpha should date a shifter, and some members of the pack are even plotting to get rid of Alice.
Alice is showing her badass side more and more, but she is also getting more clever and vulnerable at times. Overall, it makes her a much more likable main character, and I can even say that I like her now. She feels less cold and self-centered (I know it was a defense mechanism, but it still made it hard to connect to her), and she listens more to what others have to say and takes into consideration how they feel. Granted, she often listens and thinks about their feelings after jumping feet first into danger with her reckless plans, but it’s progress; at least she is willing to listen and consider them.
Alice is back with Sean, and they are stronger than ever. She is slowly letting him in, and she trusts him more and more. She is not ready to reveal all her secrets, but she comes to realize that he will never hurt her or betray her trust and that he knows the gist of what she is hiding and loves her despite her dark past. He is willing to wait for her to be ready to talk about it, and the fact that she is slowly opening up to Sean also shows him that she is serious about them and wants their relationship to work.
I have to give it to Sean, his respect for Alice’s private life and the way he lets her set the pace of their relationship is swoon-worthy at times. He understands her better now and knows how she thinks and how she will react to certain events to the point where he can stop her anxiety spiral before it even truly starts. I still think that Charles is more intriguing and that Alice and Trent would have been a very interesting couple, but I have to admit that I can’t dislike Sean or find a reason why Alice shouldn’t be with him. He’s a dreamy boyfriend.
Malcolm has been a favorite of mine from the very first book, and he continues to be amazing. He is a steady support for Alice but also does not hesitate to let her know when she screwed up and when she is being an ass. He continues to be involved in the investigations as Alice’s sidekick, and we are also slowly learning more about his past… With Bell being at war with Murphy now, I have a feeling that Malcolm will become more important eventually, seeing as he was one of Bell’s most powerful mages, and he will want to get him back.
Instead, he raised my hand to his lips and kissed it. “I would give you the world, if you would take it from me.”
“You must share your gardening tips with me.” “Why, what are you thinking about growing? A conscience?”
Is it bad that a part of me is still rooting for Charles? I know Alice will never end up with him, but I find him intriguing and mysterious, sophisticated and refined, and I struggle to resist his appeal. His moral compass leaves much to be desired, but I don’t think he’s bad. He’s a somewhat good guy who does bad things sometimes, but deep down I don’t think he truly is a monster… Anyway, as I said, I know Alice will not end up with him, but I truly hope that he will remain in the series until the end as her friend because I love his character.
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Characters ✅ Supernatural HI was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Characters ✅ Supernatural Hotel ✅ Vampires, demons, one "ordinary human" and other creatures ✅ Fast pace ✅ Entertaining plot ✅ Adam making even more enemies ✅ Funny banter ✅ Sexual tension & we’re getting closer to the MMM romance ✅ Adam explaining that frogs are as big as horses (because a human should know all about frogs and Adam is definitely 100% human) ❗️❗️Trigger warning: murder attempts, murders, and mild gore
The craziness continues…
“Just once, I’d like to leave the hotel and not get kidnapped. Or arrested. Or put in a pie. But no, Adam Vex can’t catch a break.”
Poor Adam is one unlucky human (and he is really, truly 100% human!). Every week, another disaster strikes the hotel, or his personal life. This time, Tom Collins is the problem. He is not himself, he is polite and nice, and everything the AI bartender should have been from the start. Adam, Zee, and Reynard need to figure out who hacked into Tom Collins's system (preferably before whoever hacked into Tom can listen to everything Adam might or might not have confessed to Tom about himself) and find a way to get him back as soon as possible.
While the problem in this book was about Tom Collins, the plot truly revolved around Adam’s identity. He’s made many enemies in the past few weeks, and a few of them are starting to realize that Adam is not 100% human as he likes to claim. Gideon Cain will also likely be back in the picture in the next book, which is a good thing because I was wondering what happened to him since we haven’t heard from him since the first book.
WHAT ARE YOU ADAM VEX??? It’s driving me nuts that we still don’t know after 4 books, but we keep slowly, very slowly getting closer with each book. I need an answer!!!
I frowned at the limp and basic Tom Collins behind the bar. Zee had draped a sign around his neck that read: OUT OF ORDER. Then in brackets had added, more out of order than usual.
I missed Tom so much in this book. He is at the heart of the hotel, and his foul mouth and irreverence are some of my favorite aspects of the place. It just felt dead without him around to insult people and give his unsolicited opinion. It is hinted that he might be more than a defective AI, and Adam even has a theory about Tom’s true nature… I am curious to learn more about our favorite barman.
“How is anyone supposed to tell if he’s joking? His resting Reynard face never fucking changes.”
Here is how things are going between Zee and Reynard: -Zee likes Reynard, but won’t admit it to him. -Reynard likes Zee, but won’t admit it to him. -Reynard is trying to make jokes. -Zee can’t find him funny, because he doesn’t like him and Reynard is the absolute worst. -Zee sends dick jokes to Reynard. -Reynard can’t admit that he likes it when Zee texts him, so he just ignores him, because Zee is the most annoying. -Poor Adam is stuck in the middle, trying to get them to admit their feelings to each other so they can have a threesome and live happily ever after (good luck Adam).
“Sweet baby Gareth!” Zee yelled. “It’s Jesus,” I corrected, standing and searching for the flying, hissing thing. “That’s not Jesus, it’s a fucking pixie!”
Zee and Adam still have a lot of sexual tension between them, but for some reason, Zee is staying away from Adam, and running away as soon as Adam hints at them getting naked and dirty together. That is yet another issue for Adam to deal with, as he has no clue why Zee would not want to be with him anymore.
Thankfully, despite that awkwardness on Zee’s part, they still have good chemistry and can work together to keep the hotel running. There is still good banter between them, so it’s just a matter of time before things go back to “normal” between them.
“Regardless of my feelings, which I am still trying to untangle, to admit to caring for my enemy is a step I cannot yet take.”
I like that there is more communication about feelings between Adam, Zee, and Reynard. We are slowly inching toward the MMM romance we were promised, and the sexual tension between them all is intense. Reynard and Zee both admitted that they don’t actually hate each other and that they even feel some complicated feelings for the other, but they didn’t say it to each other of course, leaving Adam in the middle of it all, trying to bring them together and show them that their feelings are reciprocated.
This book has the same vibe as the 4 previous ones. It is a fast-paced, quick read and very entertaining book that is easy to read in one or two sittings. Chaos continues to ensue everywhere Adam and the SOS Hotel management go, and I can't wait for the next book, if only to finally learn what Adam is, and to see if Zee and Reynard will be able to man up and admit their feelings to each other (although I would not mind some "hate-smut" between them either, anything will be hot).
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Characters ✅ Supernatural HI was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Characters ✅ Supernatural Hotel ✅ Vampires, demons, one "ordinary human" and other creatures ✅ Pace ✅ Plot ✅ Light and funny ✅ Sexual tension & some MM smut ✅(...more
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Characters ✅ Supernatural HI was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Characters ✅ Supernatural Hotel ✅ Vampires, demons, one "ordinary human" and other creatures ✅ Pace ✅ Plot ✅ Light and funny ✅ Sexual tension & some MM smut
Merged review:
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Characters ✅ Supernatural Hotel ✅ Vampires, demons, one "ordinary human" and other creatures ✅ Pace ✅ Plot ✅ Light and funny ✅ Sexual tension & some MM smut...more
Hey Lionel, how about “Die and Let Us Be” instead?
I LOVED the one where the twins meet the Ruthless Boys from Dark Fae, but the others were j1.5 stars
Hey Lionel, how about “Die and Let Us Be” instead?
I LOVED the one where the twins meet the Ruthless Boys from Dark Fae, but the others were just okay.
➡️Each chapter is introduced by Lionel Acrux, looking back on how his enemies have thwarted him and how he overcame their insufferable rebellion. I hate Lionel, and I didn’t care for his introductions at all. I hoped I would find his chapters funny and read them with sarcasm maybe, but instead, they were pointless and annoying. I’m sorry, but it missed its mark with me.
➡️ Savage - a short story about Hail and Merissa Vega's love story This short story shows us how Merissa met Marcel (Gabriel’s biological father) and had sex with him because of the visions they had. Then how she met Hail, and how Lionel was starting to have a bad influence over Hail even then, and honestly I was bored so I skimmed the second half.
➡️ The Shimmering Springs - that night Caleb and Seth did or didn't kiss... Just more edging and more of Seth and Caleb tiptoeing around each other… Same old, same old.
➡️ The moment Geraldine first saw the twins Very short and kind of pointless to be honest.
➡️ Orion ‘blue’ alternate POV That one was cute, and it was nice to have some cute BlueLance moments since they had a hard time in the last book.
➡️ Orion ‘Fairy Fair’ alternate POV This short story had what is probably my favorite conversation of this whole book:
“That Lion is one hell of a thief,” I said, then snapped my head up from the scroll to look at Gabriel. “Don’t tell him I said that. He’ll send me a fucking gift basket full of dildos or some shit.” “That was one time,” Gabriel said with a snort. “What in the actual hell did he think I needed fifteen dildos for?” I said, shaking my head, confounded all over again by the bizarre gift Leon had sent me after I’d helped him out with some dodgy shit they’d all gotten caught up in back in their days at Aurora Academy. “I’ll tell him one would have sufficed,” Gabriel chuckled, and I gave him a hollow look. “Don’t you laugh. You wanna know what happened to those dildos? Fucking Washer happened to them. Found them in the trash and made a dream catcher out of them that he hung in his window.” “By the stars.” Gabriel grimaced
Also, it’s always funny to see Orion in his “asshole teacher” mode.
➡️ Darius 'throne room' alternate POV && ➡️ Darius ‘Stars’ alternate POV Meh. Useless and boring. Sorry Darius, it’s not you, it’s me. I was just bored and annoyed with this book by the time I got to your special chapters.
➡️ Seth on the Moon - one Werewolf's wanderings on the moon I already read this one, it was funny, light, and typically Seth behavior.
➡️ Night - that time the twins met the Ruthless Boys That one was my favorite, because I absolutely ADORE the Ruthless Boys and I always want more of them. ...more
✅✅ Narrator ✅ Gorgeous cover ✅ Enemies to lovers ✅ Sexual tension and some smut ✅ Characters ✅ Writing ✅ Vampires and werewolves ✅ Some angst ✅ Pace and plot ❗✅✅ Narrator ✅ Gorgeous cover ✅ Enemies to lovers ✅ Sexual tension and some smut ✅ Characters ✅ Writing ✅ Vampires and werewolves ✅ Some angst ✅ Pace and plot ❗️❗️Trigger warnings: mention of an attack on a school (brief, no details), abduction, poisoning, and missing best friend
Well, I finally boarded the Hazelwood train, three years after everyone else!
In my defense, I am not a huge fan of contemporary romance, and that’s what she’d been writing for the past 3 years. I am so happy she gave a try to paranormal romance though, because the result was great.
In an attempt to bring peace between werewolves and vampires, Misery Lark, a vampire who has been living with humans for the past decades accepts to marry Lowe Moreland, the most powerful alpha of the North American werewolves. Misery is used to being treated like a tool, but this time, she has her own reasons for accepting to put her life on the line: Serena, Misery’s best friend and adoptive sister has been missing for weeks, and the only clue she has is Moreland’s name left in the secret code Misery and Serena devised when they were younger. Misery wants to help forge an alliance between vampires and werewolves, but more than that, she wants to have the opportunity to investigate Lowe’s house and find out what happened to Serena.
The plot is a mix of sweet enemies-to-lovers romance, some investigation to find out what happened to Serena, abductions, blackmail, and political scheming between vampires and werewolves. A lot was going on, but it didn’t feel half-done or overloaded with too many plotlines. It was just enough to keep me engaged in the story and to have an interesting and fleshed-out plot besides the romance. It is mostly centered on romance, so don’t start this one expecting a 5-star plot and elaborate world-building. The last part of the book was satisfying because we finally got answers regarding Serena’s disappearance, but at the same time, the miscommunication between Misery and Lowe to create some angst was not my favorite. I adore angst, but the miscommunication trope in this book was not the best.
“I have no friends, no hobbies, and no real purpose aside from earning enough money to pay rent in order to … exist, I guess.”
Misery Lark is a bright, nerdy heroine who defies vampire stereotypes. She is the only daughter of the most powerful vampire in the area and has been used as a pawn for her entire life. She likes to say that she doesn’t care about anything, but when she loves, she loves deeply. She works in computer coding, opposite to the old-fashioned vampires I’m used to in those books, and I loved her. She is likable, relatable, layered, flawed, and feels real. It broke my heart a little to see how she struggled to fit and feel like she belonged. She doesn’t have a place among vampires because of her time spent with humans, the only way she could live among humans was by disguising herself, and the werewolves are her species’ enemies. Poor Misery only wanted to be left alone and to feel like she belonged somewhere at the same time.
“My smell. Do I smell like…?” “Mine.” It’s a rumble in his throat. “You smell like you’re mine, Misery.”
Lowe is a new Alpha, still figuring out who he can and cannot trust, and weeding out the werewolves loyal to the previous alpha. While navigating the werewolves' politics, he also cares for his little sister, and let me tell you, seeing Lowe care for his sister and dote on her was the absolute cutest thing ever. I melted.
He shakes his head, eyes burning into mine. "You're not a problem, Misery. You're a privilege."
Misery and Lowe are good together. They have chemistry, and there was enough sexual tension between them to make me yearn for the moment they would finally cave and allow themselves to be together. Their romance is a slow burn, yet the book has a good pace and it doesn’t feel that long before the romance develops.
This is a single POV story, but there is a little entry from Lowe at the beginning of every chapter, allowing us a tiny glimpse of his mind, and I adored those little bits of him we got.
I have to praise the narrator for her stellar job with this book. It was amazing. The intonations, tone, emotions, everything was spot on.
After seeing this book everywhere for the past few months, and seeing how loved it was, I had high hopes, and I was not disappointed. This book is a quick and entertaining read, with quirky and lovable characters, an engaging plot, and a steamy enemies-to-lovers romance. The epilogue also leaves the door open for a potential sequel, so I will keep my fingers crossed.
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