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A review by literarypenguin
A Rival Most Vial by R.K. Ashwick
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A Rival Most Vial was such a pleasant surprise of a book! It was cozy and the atmosphere of the book was perfect for a October month!
The street where this story was set was so magical and whimsical! I adored getting to meet all the people who lived there and see how much they all cared about one another. It was sweet to see them all form this found family and look out for each other. Each of these characters were unique and had their own distinct personalities, I can't wait to get to know more about them when I continue this series. I in particular liked Dawn and Benniker. I thought they were very entertaining and were good friends to Ambrose. I felt like Sherry was such a good mother figure to the rest of the street and took care of the other residents when they needed it.
The romance between Eli & Ambrose was so sweet and so satisfying to see it unfold. I felt like they complemented each other so well. Ambrose out of the pair was my favorite, he was just such an interesting character to learn about. His fear of letting his emotions show, his hesitance to make friends and socialize with people including his fellow merchants. It was fascinating to see how they way he turned out was because of his harsh upbringing and how his mentor might not be as kind as Ambrose made him out to be. Eli was a great character as well though it took a little bit of time before you learned more about his motivations and his own issues that he has to work through. Another thing I loved was that there was no third act fight or problem that caused them to break up, most romances end up doing that in the last half of the book so it was very refreshing to not see that here in this one. The development and evolving relationship of Ambrose and Eli starting off as rivals to lovers was so sweet. It was nice to see them start off hating each other then becoming friends where their attraction started to blossom between each other.
The themes of finding purpose and doing what you love was lovely, that no matter what you can find something you love and do what would make you happy. Even better when you find someone that would support what you do and encourage you to pursue that dream.
This was such a delight to read and I honestly can't wait to continue this series with the next book! I look forward to more cozy and magical vibes. To see what our merchants get up to in the next book.
The street where this story was set was so magical and whimsical! I adored getting to meet all the people who lived there and see how much they all cared about one another. It was sweet to see them all form this found family and look out for each other. Each of these characters were unique and had their own distinct personalities, I can't wait to get to know more about them when I continue this series. I in particular liked Dawn and Benniker. I thought they were very entertaining and were good friends to Ambrose. I felt like Sherry was such a good mother figure to the rest of the street and took care of the other residents when they needed it.
The romance between Eli & Ambrose was so sweet and so satisfying to see it unfold. I felt like they complemented each other so well. Ambrose out of the pair was my favorite, he was just such an interesting character to learn about. His fear of letting his emotions show, his hesitance to make friends and socialize with people including his fellow merchants. It was fascinating to see how they way he turned out was because of his harsh upbringing and how his mentor might not be as kind as Ambrose made him out to be. Eli was a great character as well though it took a little bit of time before you learned more about his motivations and his own issues that he has to work through. Another thing I loved was that there was no third act fight or problem that caused them to break up, most romances end up doing that in the last half of the book so it was very refreshing to not see that here in this one. The development and evolving relationship of Ambrose and Eli starting off as rivals to lovers was so sweet. It was nice to see them start off hating each other then becoming friends where their attraction started to blossom between each other.
The themes of finding purpose and doing what you love was lovely, that no matter what you can find something you love and do what would make you happy. Even better when you find someone that would support what you do and encourage you to pursue that dream.
This was such a delight to read and I honestly can't wait to continue this series with the next book! I look forward to more cozy and magical vibes. To see what our merchants get up to in the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Emotional abuse and Sexual content