allingoodtime's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
It’s always so satisfying to see the alphas falling hard when they meet their fated mates. What I Find even more satisfying is when one of the mates actively dislikes their fated one. I don’t know what it is, but I love to watch them fall. In the case of Thronos and Lanthe, he has known she was his fated mate since they were children. Their species don’t really like one another so it was a hard pill to swallow, but Thronos was bound and determined that they would change things for their people. Until one terrible day when everything fell apart for both main characters. Terrible things happened to them both that they have, for hundreds of years, blamed the other for. Lanthe has been running from Thronos ever since that horrific day. But Thronos knows his type, the Vrekeners, cannot live without the one that is fated for them. He chases Lanthe and is determined to wed her and have children with her, even though he now hates her.
There are a lot of bad situations and tense moments this couple goes through in this book. It’s nothing as intense as what we learn about the characters in MacRieve, but that doesn’t mean it’s all rainbows and daisies. These two have done awful things to each other through the years and have never given themselves an opportunity to talk it out. To really learn what happened that day long ago. To figure out what really happened and who was really to blame.
Kresley Cole is a very smart author, so I don’t believe it’s a mistake that the way the Vrekener people think and their customs align with man religions in the real world. I kept thinking poor Thronos was in for some nasty truths once everything was out in the open. On top of that, Thronos was very judgemental of Lanthe and really had some lessons to learn. I absolutely love that Lanthe wouldn’t, and didn’t want to, apologize for her sexual past. She didn’t get embarrassed or shameful when Thronos threw it in her face, she got angry…at him. As it should be. As the story progressed and Thronos worked through his feelings on this, it was so refreshing to watch his change in attitude.
I can’t write this review without mentioning Nuckin’ Futz Nix. That Valkyrie is crazy smart, not just crazy. Her part in the ascension is moving faster and faster each book. She has her finger in everything, let’s just hope she can somehow keep it all straight! When we, and the Lore, finally are able to see everything Nix has done I think it’s going to be staggering.
It’s quite obvious that Lanthe and Thronos will work together beautifully. That their personalities compliment each other and they truly are fated mates. Their chemistry is high voltage and intense, no matter what they’re doing. Things unravel and start to fall apart toward the end of this story. (Not the writing, within the story.) It is heartbreaking and it’s not over yet. This couple found their way through, but there are so many things at play in the Lore.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
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