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alisoun's review
4.0
Mena and Liam
Oh lordy how Mena's trauma is handled is so gorg!
Two spicy scenes and it's a slow burn - no sex until about 80% in but some heavy make outs beforehand, one of which she withdraws her consent from so they stop.
Liam is ????? Idk like he is so hot and all but also such a tool for colonisation. How do I feel about this lol I have no idea. I adored how much he loved his children. I love reading teenagers - so grumpy and complex.
The TWs - make sure you check them.
Interestingly infertility is mentioned a lot. Mena is "barren" and not even on the epilogue is she pregnant or do they have another child. I'm so used to books having infertile women as a theme and then having them be pregnant in the epilogue.
Oh lordy how Mena's trauma is handled is so gorg!
Two spicy scenes and it's a slow burn - no sex until about 80% in but some heavy make outs beforehand, one of which she withdraws her consent from so they stop.
Liam is ????? Idk like he is so hot and all but also such a tool for colonisation. How do I feel about this lol I have no idea. I adored how much he loved his children. I love reading teenagers - so grumpy and complex.
The TWs - make sure you check them.
Interestingly infertility is mentioned a lot. Mena is "barren" and not even on the epilogue is she pregnant or do they have another child. I'm so used to books having infertile women as a theme and then having them be pregnant in the epilogue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Infertility
Minor: Rape
awortiz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Just no.
This book glamorizes the violence of British colonialism as heroic.
As the demon highlander, Liam MacKenzie commits horrendous acts of violence as a Lieutenant in the British Army, including literally murdering entire families and villages in India. After murdering Jani’s village, Liam then takes him in as a valet as an act of compassion? Yeah, no. And after serving Liam loyally for years, Jani rightfully tries to take his revenge only to ultimately forgive him? Oh dear lord, everything about this entire storyline makes me so angry.
Most historical romances completely sidestep British colonialism - and I get it, this is a romance, we’re not here to explore imperialism (although I wish more would). However, when a book specifically makes British colonialism part of the story, authors need to do better. And this is not better.
Beyond that, Jani is characterized as exotic and servile throughout the novel. This isn’t the first time Kerrigan Byrne has completely missed the boat and characterized the only POCs in her stories offensively.
As with the previous two books, the violence depicted in this novel was over the top and gratuitous. This time, not just with Liam’s backstory, but with Mina’s too. Why, after going through what she went through would Mina run into the arms of a violent man?
I’m also realizing that despite changing up the names, titles, and vocations, Kerrigan Byrne has a type: large, dark, dangerous, and deeply traumatized heroes. And it’s starting to get repetitive.
I’m taking a break from this series because I don’t have the time to dig through problematic storylines when I could literally be reading anything else.
This book glamorizes the violence of British colonialism as heroic.
As the demon highlander, Liam MacKenzie commits horrendous acts of violence as a Lieutenant in the British Army, including literally murdering entire families and villages in India. After murdering Jani’s village, Liam then takes him in as a valet as an act of compassion? Yeah, no. And after serving Liam loyally for years, Jani rightfully tries to take his revenge only to ultimately forgive him? Oh dear lord, everything about this entire storyline makes me so angry.
Most historical romances completely sidestep British colonialism - and I get it, this is a romance, we’re not here to explore imperialism (although I wish more would). However, when a book specifically makes British colonialism part of the story, authors need to do better. And this is not better.
Beyond that, Jani is characterized as exotic and servile throughout the novel. This isn’t the first time Kerrigan Byrne has completely missed the boat and characterized the only POCs in her stories offensively.
As with the previous two books, the violence depicted in this novel was over the top and gratuitous. This time, not just with Liam’s backstory, but with Mina’s too. Why, after going through what she went through would Mina run into the arms of a violent man?
I’m also realizing that despite changing up the names, titles, and vocations, Kerrigan Byrne has a type: large, dark, dangerous, and deeply traumatized heroes. And it’s starting to get repetitive.
I’m taking a break from this series because I don’t have the time to dig through problematic storylines when I could literally be reading anything else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, and War
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