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now_booking's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really like this author’s storytelling, that’s why even though there’s a huge amount of abduction trope and dubious consent, I could sort of overall enjoy reading this. The premise is a little troubling, an alien race is kidnapping human women to turn them into $ex slaves that serve as prizes for basically an inter-alien fight club. It is hugely problematic and basically $ex trafficking rather than sexy. Enter in our heroine Kate, recently abducted from Chicago, who is won/selected by hero, Vaxa’an, who “fortunately,” is not a r@pist (even though he is complicit) and finds her to be his sacred mate. This book explores the development of trust and love in that relationship and how the characters grow together. It’s well-written if a little abrupt, so it’s good that Kate and Vaxa get a second book in this series. Even though I had some issues with the problematic elements of this book, which protagonist Kate points out, I do care about the world the author has built and the characters and I plan to continue with the series- this was a 3.5-4-star series opener for me.
Graphic: Confinement, Infertility, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Blood
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Physical abuse