cheltzel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kfriend's review against another edition
3.0
Oh my, so many mixed feelings about this second book. I really enjoyed the first- I loved the dynamic mix of alpha hero darkness and the hero’s edge paired with his undying devotion. Based on the cliffhanger ending of the prior book, we knew we’d be seeing more of his “monster” side as he’s wrestling with his anger and the betrayal that the heroine didn’t choose to give up her whole entire life to be with him after only one week together and then finding out he’s a murdering mafioso. Yeh, a bit problematic and unreasonable, but hey, that’s why I love anti-heroes, so I was all in.
But, I had a few challenges with this sequel, the first is really semantics. The dynamic just dragged. We know the trope- the damaged anti-hero kidnaps the heroine and uses her sexual attraction and need for him in order to maniulate and control her, eventually it turns into love, he softens only for her, etc. Obviously I dig that- or I wouldn’t be reading this- and we all know there’s a phase of that trope relationship progression where the hero is unredeemable, where he’s controlling and psychotic with the heroine, where he punishes her, the whole love-hate super vitriolic and acrimonious phase. It’s where the heat and tension builds, where we see character growth, and makes the pay off worth it. Only that often doesn’t last for a whole entire book- and that’s basically this entire book. That phase of the dark relationship. NOt only didn’t it endear me to either character and felt like we got more of a archetype for developed character (very different than book 1 for me), but it also feels a bit like groundhog’s day purgatory- the same stuff over and over again.
And the other challenge is Rafe. I really loved his crazy in book one- but here he goes a bit beyond damaged and obsessive anti-hero to abusive in places. I get that we’re seeing the darker side of the character, his damage, and we’ve all read these anti-heroes before. But it’s one prolonged punishment of Isa- the heat and tension feels less like sexual tension or even the push-pull we love in dark romance and more like hate. Of course, we know he doesn’t hate her- he’s obsessed with her, and he’s clearly got plenty of his own baggage. But instead of that punishing/controlling/dark possession paired with unexpected and repressed remorse or affection for the heroine (which is often the dark romance formula) we get brutality that feels absent of any care or devotion- the very devotion (even if it was psychotic) that made me love him in book 1.
I still have high hopes for them- we have two more books and I’m hoping I’ll get more of what lit me on fire in book one in the upcoming. But Rafe has a lot of redeeming to do, and I’m not convinced based on the man we see here that he’ll restore my full affection. But, we shall see.
But, I had a few challenges with this sequel, the first is really semantics. The dynamic just dragged. We know the trope- the damaged anti-hero kidnaps the heroine and uses her sexual attraction and need for him in order to maniulate and control her, eventually it turns into love, he softens only for her, etc. Obviously I dig that- or I wouldn’t be reading this- and we all know there’s a phase of that trope relationship progression where the hero is unredeemable, where he’s controlling and psychotic with the heroine, where he punishes her, the whole love-hate super vitriolic and acrimonious phase. It’s where the heat and tension builds, where we see character growth, and makes the pay off worth it. Only that often doesn’t last for a whole entire book- and that’s basically this entire book. That phase of the dark relationship. NOt only didn’t it endear me to either character and felt like we got more of a archetype for developed character (very different than book 1 for me), but it also feels a bit like groundhog’s day purgatory- the same stuff over and over again.
And the other challenge is Rafe. I really loved his crazy in book one- but here he goes a bit beyond damaged and obsessive anti-hero to abusive in places. I get that we’re seeing the darker side of the character, his damage, and we’ve all read these anti-heroes before. But it’s one prolonged punishment of Isa- the heat and tension feels less like sexual tension or even the push-pull we love in dark romance and more like hate. Of course, we know he doesn’t hate her- he’s obsessed with her, and he’s clearly got plenty of his own baggage. But instead of that punishing/controlling/dark possession paired with unexpected and repressed remorse or affection for the heroine (which is often the dark romance formula) we get brutality that feels absent of any care or devotion- the very devotion (even if it was psychotic) that made me love him in book 1.
I still have high hopes for them- we have two more books and I’m hoping I’ll get more of what lit me on fire in book one in the upcoming. But Rafe has a lot of redeeming to do, and I’m not convinced based on the man we see here that he’ll restore my full affection. But, we shall see.
alice2002's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
hannas_heas47's review against another edition
3.0
Dark mafia and the book just keeps getting more and more sinister. It’s a balance between wanting to quit or to continue on.
brewpup05's review against another edition
5.0
The making of a Queen. As sweet as Rafe was in the first book is how demanding and evil as Rafael was in the second book. He showed her his darkness and found hers at the same time. Isa is blooming.