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A review by piasbookshelf
The Duke and the Disciple by Sarah M. Cradit
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Rating: 5✨
Spice: 3.5🌶
Thank you to the author for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is voluntary & honest!
Okay, Y'ALL. This book was everything my heart & I needed. I mean, if you saw the tropes and thought "this is such a Pia book," you were absolutely correct. Age gap, teacher/student, forbidden romance, COME ON.
There's never a moment where I'm not left in awe of Sarah's beautiful, poetic writing. The immersive stories and worlds she creates always leave you needing more, the characters capture your heart & stay with you forevermore. Rahn & Aesylt's story was no different. This enrapturing book will have you feeling all types of emotions, whether it is swooning over the romance, sobbing because of the angsty heartbreak or cheering for this forbidden love that is as bright as the stars in the sky!
Aesylt has to be my top favorite FMC that Sarah has written so far. There was never a moment where I felt I stopped rooting for her, for her happily ever after romance-wise but also when it came to following her dreams. Aesylt's a heroine that grew up too fast & too soon, in the most heartbreaking of ways. One that left you hurting for her but also admiring Aesylt & her strength. And in the simplest of ways to describe her, she is a girl boss through and through. Her desire to expand her knowledge, continue her research efforts & push her own limits to discover who she truly was, along with her wants & desires. She also has to be one of the most supportive & caring souls, who just wanted to be chosen, to be desired & loved.
Adrahn... my man Rahn had me looking at him with all the heart eyes. This man is an accomplished scholar, a duke that steals your heart at first sight, an incredible friend & an amazing teacher. But a part of him was tortured & deeply hurting. And yet, he was always the one who was wholly loyal & ready to support others. I loved getting to know the darkest parts of him as he also met them himself for the first time. All my fellow "good girl" loving, primal play girlies, this man will have you swooning & fainting constantly.
Both Rahn & Aesylt have their own pasts that continuously haunt them, their past actions making them feel like they truly were the worst versions of themselves. Worthy of little, not able to be loved, not open to happiness. It was beautiful to see both guide the other to the light, while attempting to show each other how beautiful & worthy of love they are. A love that was once only a friendship & partnership but blossomed into something magical.
I loved seeing characters from previous books, such as Drazhan and Imryll, & I absolutely adored seeing that they continued to grow as characters personality wise. I missed them dearly & loved every scene we got with them. If you haven't yet started the Book of All Things series of standalones, this is your sign to do so! Each story & romance will enchant you in their own way. The characters have their own unique stories that will have you hooked immediately. The world is one that you continue to learn new things about with each book. It truly is a magical ride, as this book also was, and I wholly recommend both this book and the series as a whole! 💜
Spice: 3.5🌶
Thank you to the author for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is voluntary & honest!
Okay, Y'ALL. This book was everything my heart & I needed. I mean, if you saw the tropes and thought "this is such a Pia book," you were absolutely correct. Age gap, teacher/student, forbidden romance, COME ON.
There's never a moment where I'm not left in awe of Sarah's beautiful, poetic writing. The immersive stories and worlds she creates always leave you needing more, the characters capture your heart & stay with you forevermore. Rahn & Aesylt's story was no different. This enrapturing book will have you feeling all types of emotions, whether it is swooning over the romance, sobbing because of the angsty heartbreak or cheering for this forbidden love that is as bright as the stars in the sky!
Aesylt has to be my top favorite FMC that Sarah has written so far. There was never a moment where I felt I stopped rooting for her, for her happily ever after romance-wise but also when it came to following her dreams. Aesylt's a heroine that grew up too fast & too soon, in the most heartbreaking of ways. One that left you hurting for her but also admiring Aesylt & her strength. And in the simplest of ways to describe her, she is a girl boss through and through. Her desire to expand her knowledge, continue her research efforts & push her own limits to discover who she truly was, along with her wants & desires. She also has to be one of the most supportive & caring souls, who just wanted to be chosen, to be desired & loved.
Adrahn... my man Rahn had me looking at him with all the heart eyes. This man is an accomplished scholar, a duke that steals your heart at first sight, an incredible friend & an amazing teacher. But a part of him was tortured & deeply hurting. And yet, he was always the one who was wholly loyal & ready to support others. I loved getting to know the darkest parts of him as he also met them himself for the first time. All my fellow "good girl" loving, primal play girlies, this man will have you swooning & fainting constantly.
Both Rahn & Aesylt have their own pasts that continuously haunt them, their past actions making them feel like they truly were the worst versions of themselves. Worthy of little, not able to be loved, not open to happiness. It was beautiful to see both guide the other to the light, while attempting to show each other how beautiful & worthy of love they are. A love that was once only a friendship & partnership but blossomed into something magical.
I loved seeing characters from previous books, such as Drazhan and Imryll, & I absolutely adored seeing that they continued to grow as characters personality wise. I missed them dearly & loved every scene we got with them. If you haven't yet started the Book of All Things series of standalones, this is your sign to do so! Each story & romance will enchant you in their own way. The characters have their own unique stories that will have you hooked immediately. The world is one that you continue to learn new things about with each book. It truly is a magical ride, as this book also was, and I wholly recommend both this book and the series as a whole! 💜