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A review by rachels_rnr
Promises and Pomegranates by Sav R. Miller
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I had high expectations for this book. Initially, I felt as though I had been dropped into the middle of the second season of a poorly acted drama series. While I don’t mind reading through extensive backstory or piecing together the narrative, it must serve a greater purpose or contribute to a larger picture. I appreciate the notation of being edged by the author as much as any other reader who enjoys smut, but enduring extensive mental back-and-forth only to find it poorly executed is frustrating.
I had no issues with the content warnings, and I anticipated the grooming aspect as it was listed. The "double dipping" element, rooted in the mythology, didn't bother me either. There are often hard topics within mythology to talk about. The age gap is between a 20-year-old MFC and a 32-year-old MMC. Although the intimate scenes were executed decently, they often felt unnecessary and lacking in impact.
What truly disappointed me was the squandered potential of this story. The connection between the characters, likely explored in the prequel, was missing. The passion between them failed to translate on the pages, leaving their relationship feeling hollow.
On a positive note, the intimate scenes were a highlight. It came across the pages, to this individual reader, that the only connection the two main characters had was a sexual relationship. The main male character though, intended to evoke a love/hate dynamic, came across as cringe-worthy most of the time. I had hoped to add Kal Anderson to my collection of morally grey characters, but this Hades retelling fell short. I love everything his character was meant to portray.
I read the entire book and decided not to continue with the series. While there were aspects I enjoyed, overall, it wasn't for me. If you love this series, I understand and respect your perspective.
**If you want to give this story a fair chance: when reading it for the first time, avoid the audiobook and read the prequel first. The female narrator is okay, but the male actor didn’t do it for me.
I had no issues with the content warnings, and I anticipated the grooming aspect as it was listed. The "double dipping" element, rooted in the mythology, didn't bother me either. There are often hard topics within mythology to talk about. The age gap is between a 20-year-old MFC and a 32-year-old MMC. Although the intimate scenes were executed decently, they often felt unnecessary and lacking in impact.
What truly disappointed me was the squandered potential of this story. The connection between the characters, likely explored in the prequel, was missing. The passion between them failed to translate on the pages, leaving their relationship feeling hollow.
On a positive note, the intimate scenes were a highlight. It came across the pages, to this individual reader, that the only connection the two main characters had was a sexual relationship. The main male character though, intended to evoke a love/hate dynamic, came across as cringe-worthy most of the time. I had hoped to add Kal Anderson to my collection of morally grey characters, but this Hades retelling fell short. I love everything his character was meant to portray.
I read the entire book and decided not to continue with the series. While there were aspects I enjoyed, overall, it wasn't for me. If you love this series, I understand and respect your perspective.
**If you want to give this story a fair chance: when reading it for the first time, avoid the audiobook and read the prequel first. The female narrator is okay, but the male actor didn’t do it for me.