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A review by booksbystarlightandshadows
Lilacs and Leather by Thora Woods
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thora Woods has taken the concept of an omegaverse and put her own unique spin on it; it has all the usual hallmarks but there are some additional politics involved, polyamory not being the norm (although the St Clair dynamic is a little ambiguous) as well as consent and autonomy being one of the ongoing recurring themes. I haven't read many omegaverse books with a female alpha let alone as the prime alpha and I'm interested to see more of Lex in the series and her dynamic with the others in the pack.
Lex and Lucas aren't given much on page time and this very much focuses on Rhett and Matteo's relationships with Lydia.
Rhett was the standout for me with his thoughtfulness, how he courted Lydia, and showed her what a real relationship between an Alpha and Omega should be like. I loved his analogy of people not being like a jigsaw looking for a missing piece. In contrast, Matteo's relationship with Lydia is completely different but still felt genuine.
Although the pacing felt a but sluggish towards the middle, the performances in this dual narration kept me completely engaged throughout. I loved Matt Haynes performance, particularly as Rhett whenever consent was discussed as it felt so earnest. Maeve York really brought Lydia to life; the juxtaposition of the Lydia in flashbacks, to the Lydia at the beginning of the book, to the Lydia at the end show just how far this character has come. From the last chapter we are definitely moving towards a confrontation between Lydia and her past and I'm looking forward to seeing Pack St Clair prove they have her back.
My interpretation of the star system;
3 stars - I enjoyed it; would read the author again
4 stars - I really liked it; I am invested and definitely want more from this author/series
5 stars - I loved it; I engaged with this book completely until I finished it and it is one I will re-read
Lex and Lucas aren't given much on page time and this very much focuses on Rhett and Matteo's relationships with Lydia.
Rhett was the standout for me with his thoughtfulness, how he courted Lydia, and showed her what a real relationship between an Alpha and Omega should be like. I loved his analogy of people not being like a jigsaw looking for a missing piece. In contrast, Matteo's relationship with Lydia is completely different but still felt genuine.
Although the pacing felt a but sluggish towards the middle, the performances in this dual narration kept me completely engaged throughout. I loved Matt Haynes performance, particularly as Rhett whenever consent was discussed as it felt so earnest. Maeve York really brought Lydia to life; the juxtaposition of the Lydia in flashbacks, to the Lydia at the beginning of the book, to the Lydia at the end show just how far this character has come. From the last chapter we are definitely moving towards a confrontation between Lydia and her past and I'm looking forward to seeing Pack St Clair prove they have her back.
My interpretation of the star system;
3 stars - I enjoyed it; would read the author again
4 stars - I really liked it; I am invested and definitely want more from this author/series
5 stars - I loved it; I engaged with this book completely until I finished it and it is one I will re-read