I may change my rating another time, but while I overall loved this book and enjoyed it very much, I was also kind of relieved to finish it. I think my reading mood was very much not in a romantasy mood, and this is very much that. Lots of gratuitous sex scenes and the standard romantasy "no one has ever had a bond like us" vibes. And like, don't get me wrong, sometimes I love the shit out of that, but I found myself wishing for things to hurry up at times. (Like I said, MOOD.) That being said, the plot and romance we were given is all excellent, though I think I'm still traumatized from this bonus scene line

"my little honey hole"

.

Honestly, I probably wouldn't rely on my review as a quality one lmao -- I had covid in the middle of the 20 day sit took me to read this, and my brain allowed only monster romances to be read during that time. I feel like a lot of the early book details got lost in the brain fog.

I did have one sort of grumble with the plot and still don't understand why

the damage to Raina's side of the bond caused her feelings to Alexus to crash and burn, especially when she maintained the memories and sensation of feelings. I get that it makes a more dramatic bonding scene later when ✨gasp✨ she is able to heal her side of the runic bond during an intimate moment. It just...I don't know. It made me nitpick the point of this happening, and it ultimately pulled me from the book.

 

I hope Charissa is able to conquer her publishing issues sooner than later, because THAT CLIFFHANGER ENDING HAS ME IN A CHOKEHOLD.