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taliabasma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse
lvd92's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The first 120 pages or so were very difficult for me to read because of the abuse by Emma's mother and the main characters' hostility and distrust towards one another. I wish I had looked up the content warnings before (if there are none, the book should come with them). I was honestly thinking of DNFing it, because I got so triggered. I am especially done with reading about abusive parents in romance novels. So so done.
That said, I am genuinely happy I stuck with it, because after the 1/3 mark, the story really took a much lighter turn. I loved the rest of the book. Loved the cast, the plot and the main characters. I also liked that it did not have the
Anyways, I would recommend the book, but caution about the abuse and heavy first 1/3 of the book.
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Minor: Bullying
callidoralblack's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Moderate: Bullying, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
theespressoedition's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Classism
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
mishale1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
She hasn’t seen Bastian in 7 years. He left town when they were engaged, without an explanation to her and without any contact over the years.
But now Bastian needs Emma to marry him. The reason is a good one. They’re very much in a situation where Emma almost has to marry Bastian. To say it’s a matter of life and death is fair.
Emma agrees to marry him but she wants them to keep their distance. This is largely to protect her own heart. She feels like her love for Bastian was unrequited when they were younger (yes, despite their engagement. There’s a reason.) and she’s much more protective of her heart now.
I liked Emma and Bastian. I was rooting for them. Emma’s mom is awful. She’s verbally abusive to her, so if that’s a trigger for you then you’ll want to know that in advance. I found myself kind of massively skimming the scene where Emma’s mom was talking to her. It certainly helps the reader to understand part of Emma’s thought processes but it’s the only part I did enjoy reading.
Overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read.
Graphic: Emotional abuse
shadowmaster13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse
clockworkbee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
That’s just my comments on the sex scenes. The rest of the book was equally cringey. I didn’t think the H was very nice to the h. I wanted to root for Emma, but she didn’t have much personality and she seems to let events happen to her versus her taking any action. We get told a lot that she’s sassy, but I never saw any evidence of that. The hero (I’ve already forgotten his name) was just a generic romance hero. The plot had more holes than Swiss cheese.
Also, the hero is supposed to be an archaeologist but it’s clear the author knows absolutely nothing about archaeology. I’m an archaeologist and I didn’t find anything about the hero being one believable. In one scene he tells Emma that he uses his powers to move artifacts into his colleagues test units. If you know anything about archaeology you’d that artifacts have little value If they aren’t discovered in their original context. A five minute google search could have told you that.
Anyway, it’s a hot mess. I don’t recommend.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual content and Terminal illness
katiemack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Second-chance romances are hit-and-miss for me, but this one worked well (probably because of the magical elements involved). Both Bastian and Emma are well-intentioned but have some growing to do, and their growth arcs are full of depth. There are some annoying bits of miscommunication, but overall their relationship feels realistic (for, you know, one between two magical beings) and supportive (Bastian's takedown of Emma's mom is AWESOME). I also loved the cozy, witchy atmosphere of the book--I want to know more about the magical society in which Bastian and Emma grew up.
I'm not sure if this will end up being a series, but I'd love to read about Tia, Leah, and their respective love interests!
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Sexual content
jordanez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
megs1328's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Two childhood friends have always been contracted to marry, but when Emma turned 21 and they began planning their wedding, Bastian suddenly left with no word and Emma has moved on. She has built a new life far from home when he turns up again begging her to marry him to prevent his mother from dying as a result of the broken contract. There is no trust left between them, but she agrees on the basis of friendship only.
Emma and Bastian go from friends to enemies to friends to lovers, with a arranged marriage of convenience. I enjoyed their journey and was surprised at the twist which led to the third-act breakup, but was happy with the resolution. In the end the feelings and situations holding them back from truly becoming husband and wife are resolved and they get their HEA.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment