This book made me feel a lot of emotions and I could hardly put it down. It gave me a sincere sense of escapism and the premise of the plot was very intriguing. I was continually curious and drawn in, so I found myself unable to stop turning the page. I‘ll admit that my guilty pleasure is the “bad boy” trope and I was hooked on Hawke for the slow-burn romance developing between him and Poppy and the promise of 🌶 moments lingering in each interaction with them. 

I recognize why some people in the reviews were troubled by some of the content. There were times when Hawke and Poppy’s relationship left me uneasy. I was in conflict. He seemed very caring at first and respected her consent. The more their relationship developed, the harder he came on to her. Now, Hawke was never portrayed as a “good guy.” He left hints all along about who he was and they both ended up pursuing each other anyway, even when it realistically wasn’t healthy. I might have liked to see him give her more space and be less controlling, but that was not the case. Also, his last lines! I will not reveal a spoiler, but the audacity! 

Nonetheless, I still deeply enjoyed this read because I didn’t delve into it with the expectation of star-crossed lovers, historical accuracy, or a literary masterpiece. I was looking to escape and feel, which it accomplished both. I liked it much more than I thought I would. 

I also would like to touch on the topic of details and world buildings. I’ll agree with many in the reviews that the world was so intriguing, yet, she could have certainly explored SO much more. There was a sense that it was lacking. Also, some of the writing did feel too modern or immature, but the juvenile writing style was fitting. As Poppy grew as a character, so did the maturity of writing by the author with Poppy’s thoughts and perception of the world. Poppy was very isolated and immature because of her upbringing. She had been denied the experiences that humans need to grow emotionally and although some of the phrases and thinking might have felt too modern for the story, this might have also come with her isolation. As I read along, I was so curious about the social and geological aspect of the world and felt that perhaps it left more to be desired…but also Poppy didn’t have this knowledge either. We did get to know her very well, though, and I felt a strong bond  between me as the reader and her as the protagonist.  Poppy was sheltered and as this book was in 1st POV, it would make sense for the reader to feel sheltered too. 

Bottom line is I enjoyed this and will definitely be continuing the series!