A review by destynnee
Savage & Lovely by Hazel Black

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Savage And Lovely
The Betwixt Series
Book 1
By Hazel Black

409 pages
Currently on pre-order
Publication date February 28th, 2023

This is an ARC review and may have spoilers. Please be careful.

Possible TW, Tropes, and Genres
Mature, Spicy, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Romance, Dark Romance, Mystery, Violence, Virginity, Bareback, Sexually Explicit, Mention on Non-Consensual SA & PA, Kidnapping, Physical Assault on Page, Attempted SA on Page, Bullying from the MMC, Consensual Non-Consensual, Nudity, Choking, Oral Giving/Receiving, Mention of a Orgy, Self Harm (removing of one's eyes), Mental Health Issues, Pregnancy, HEA, and possibly more. 

Do you like fantasy?
Do you like dark romance? 
Do you enjoy forced proximity and brooding kinda bully like alpha male?
All of this with a happy ending?

Then I highly suggest giving this a read. 

I enjoyed the overall plot, and found the characters and environments themselves to be interesting and enjoyable. 

There is a lot of talk of suspected mental health issues, due to the FMC, Char, and their mother, Eleanor, both seeing things. And then the self harming that Eleanor does once they can no longer handle the things they see.

I think overall, the suspected mental health issues were handled ok. Char and her mother don't have mental health issues, they do actually see Fey, etc. But of course, in a human world where that sorta thing is not seen as real, it would be thought to be hallucinations and mental health issues. Then add in, how society as a whole treats those with mental health issues, and there is likely to be internalized ableism. So, keep that in mind going in. 

I would say that is more of a slow to medium kinda story, until the like last 1-2 chapters.. Where things just go from 10 to 100. Which is why I went with a 4 out of 5. Instead of 5 out of 5. I would of liked to have seen the ending take longer. But, it was a good ending. I would happily read more from this series.

The spice is nice, and is dropped here and there. This isn't a insta love kind of story, but you start to see where they both start having more feeling for each other as the story progresses. I did not mind the bit of bullying from the MMC, Grey, towards Char, and I find it to be mild. Although, once Grey actually opens up about everything, you can see why he tried to be mean and a bully. He absolutely fell first in my view.

Over all, loved it, and suggest others give it a read. 

4 / 5
-Destynnee