3.5 stars This second instalment in Catalina Baylor’s story took longer to grab me than I expected. It was a good story, with a ton of action and great3.5 stars This second instalment in Catalina Baylor’s story took longer to grab me than I expected. It was a good story, with a ton of action and great ideas, but the magic I experienced in the first series about Connor and Nevada seemed to be missing. Perhaps the romance was missing a bit, too? Perhaps the negative way the authors seem to be feeling about writing the third book in the series - they say how much they actively HATE it in their blog- is coming through in this series?
For me, Alessandro has nowhere near the intensity and passion of Connor Rogan, but I have to be kind, because he is quite a bit younger than Connor was. His character of the pretty playboy grates, and it is only near the end of the book that we find out who he really is, (and why he was engaged three times, but never married!) Nevertheless, it took too long for Alessandro to become a “man.”
Catalina acquired a very cold, almost robotic persona in this book – no doubt a result of the circumstances in which she found herself (Alessandro didn't help by being an arsehole for a lot of the book, especially when he buggered off after she gave it up) but when she went hard-arse, she became REALLY hard and even unlikeable, and I did not warm to her in the way I did to her older sister Nevada. I especially struggled with the evil Victoria Tremayne, her grandmother. The idea that Cat had the potential to become Victoria was scary. Having said that, Cat really rose to the occasion at the end, and the final scene, a massive battle in a swamp, was fabulous.
I found the concept of a construct with a human brain that is given the Osiris serum, and thus becomes sentient, fascinating, but my intellectual interest needed to be balanced by warmth in relationships and personalities, and I felt that was missing. The tightly bonded Baylor family that I enjoyed so much in the Nevada series, with its idiosyncratic, funny and affectionate personalities, did not feature in the same way here, and I missed them. (Liam as a 20-year-old killer was kind of unnerving, too.)
The authors cleverly resolved the issue that would have arisen when two Leaders of different Houses want to be together: as Alessandro was ostensibly the boss of another House, either he or Cat would have had to give up their House. ((view spoiler)[ Alessandro, the sad boy, turned out to be a “plastic prince” – poor, unpropertied and without any loyalty to his House. Boom. (hide spoiler)])
Ultimately, I felt much more of a pull towards Nevada and Rogan than to Cat and Alessandro, but given the latter pair was at least 5 or 6 years younger, I am willing to give them a chance to become everything they need to be (and ok, I admit, everything I WANT them to be) in book 3!
PS I must add that the narrator for the German audio books of this series, Yesim Meisheit, is fantastic! Am I a bad person that I found her so much better than the American narrators? Maybe I just don’t like a Southern accent? The narrator for Nevada and Rogan's books had Rogan sounding a bit cheesy- sort of like Matthew McConaughy - whereas the German narrator had him sounding scary, powerful and sexy. (I’m an Aussie- I think I have seen too many movies set in a racist, inbred South!) The American narrator for Cat's books is much better, and she does a lovely, soft Italian accent for Alessandro. All the same, I hope the authors know just how good Yesim Meisheit is. She actually had me enjoying the first book in Cat's series much more than when I read it myself!...more
Finn meets Chess when his football team is doing calendar photo shoot, with Chess as the photographer. He has never given a relationship a go- only coFinn meets Chess when his football team is doing calendar photo shoot, with Chess as the photographer. He has never given a relationship a go- only committed to one night stands- but when Chess’ studio burns down he invites her to stay with him while she sorts out her living arrangements. As a friend. Of course, he finally realises he wants more, but going on his track record, Chess feels she cannot trust him. In the course of the book, Finn changes a great deal (for the better), becomes more self-reflective, and discards the shallow, selfish layer he protects himself with. It was lovely to watch him mature and grow. I liked Chess: she was cheeky and sweet, but tough. She also carried the burden of a secret that impacted all her potential romantic relationships. There are other roadblocks, of course (it's an angsty NA/sports romance, after all) but it was great to read how they pushed through them together. We are finally adulting- yay!!!!
The series improved with each book, and for me, this book was definitely the best. All are certainly a cut above the standard, write-by-numbers-badly fare that one often encounters in Sports romance. If this is a genre you enjoy, it's well worth checking this series out. But be warned- these 20-somethings go at it like rabbits. There is a fuck-ton of sex ...more
This is the story of Dex (Ethan), a giant, tattooed, pierced, bearded centre in the NFL, and Fiona (the younger sister of Ivy from the previous book),This is the story of Dex (Ethan), a giant, tattooed, pierced, bearded centre in the NFL, and Fiona (the younger sister of Ivy from the previous book), a flaky, and seemingly superficial, designer and furniture maker. They do spend lots of time apart in this book, which I generally don't enjoy in a romance, but Fiona really grows and matures, perhaps partly because of this separation. Importantly, she doesn’t give up on poor, repressed Dex. I thought that was really great- and different. She could get past her own hurt about what he said or did and see the pain that had led him to lash out. They both struggled because neither had been in a deep relationship before, and in the past, Fiona had always bolted when things got a bit hard. A much sweeter story than I had expected, especially after the previous book in this series, and a little bit different from the usual college/sports romance. Dex was pretty cute!
Note to self: NEVER send nude pics to somebody else's mobile phone! [image]...more
Only 2.5 stars for this one. I read it a while ago but didn't get around to a review, so had a quick skim through again to remind myself of the story. IOnly 2.5 stars for this one. I read it a while ago but didn't get around to a review, so had a quick skim through again to remind myself of the story. I have to say I couldn't really connect with the heroine Anna, because I found the whole let's hook up, but no relationship and- God forbid, because it is so much more intimate than sex- especially no kissing, kind of sad and a tad disturbing. She was so mistrustful and difficult, I had to wonder at Drew's persistence and constant ability to roll with her punches. I liked him more than I liked her, and that doesn't happen very often in my romance books! However, I will read pretty much anything KC writes, even when I am not in agreement with what is going on, because she writes so well and her characterisation is always so good. (Her Darkest London series was my first dip into PNR/Victorian Steampunk, and I was a convert.)...more
I haven't been reading much HR lately. Forced to stick to PNR and CR, I was despairing of finding a well-written, enjoyable HR, because there is so muI haven't been reading much HR lately. Forced to stick to PNR and CR, I was despairing of finding a well-written, enjoyable HR, because there is so much out there that is poorly written and ill-conceived. Then I stumbled upon this one.
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The writing was excellent- no malapropisms, grammar mistakes or inappropriate modernisms/Americanisms plonked into a Regency period story. And the story was interesting- I didn't stop reading it until it was finished. Finally, the characterisation was terrific. Sophie, our delightfully sweet (yet surprisingly passionate) heroine was quirky without being ridiculous, compassionate and empathetic without being a pushover, and an independent, original thinker who did not allow herself to be steamrolled by the somewhat intimidating hero, Max.
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Max himself started out as somewhat unlikeable and rigid, but Sophie's warmth and her positivity gradually melted the ice. The author also did a good job of slowly revealing why Max was the way he was, and when the deep emotions he had buried for many years were finally able to surface, he was quite a revelation.
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(Is it wrong of me to say I miss this guy?)
Importantly, I got the tingly, butterfly feelings in my tummy that I get when I have a strong emotional response to a story , and I haven't had those in an HR for a long time. (I think the last time was in Julie Anne Long's Angel in a Devil's Arms)
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I wouldn't say the plot is particularly complicated, but if you enjoy a well-written, emotional, relationship-based HR, with a couple of tastefully written sexy times thrown in (they were betrothed by this stage), this one just might do the trick!...more
This one, and book 2 in the series, are probably the last of this author's books I have enjoyed. Ewe have a problematic hero, and I was really worriedThis one, and book 2 in the series, are probably the last of this author's books I have enjoyed. Ewe have a problematic hero, and I was really worried it was going down the oxymoronic "mafia romance" road, (which kind of disgusts me, actually) but hang in there. It's worth it. No question this lady can write, she has just fallen into the trap of many romance authors who feel the need to spice up their stories with bdsm tropes at the expense of good characterisation. If you spend too much time getting the FMC to beg and crawl, you don't have enough time to add the depth I crave in my MCs. This was, however, a good read, with interesting people and a heroine who definitely had a backbone, even if the hero was borderline obsessive in his attachment and need to dominate. I had hoped, with the witty and emotionally satisfying Rules of Engagement that the author would revisit that style of writing, but I should have seen the red flags when she threw Perfect Strangers at us back in 2019. (And don't get me started with the internet porn inspired anal action. Just. No.) So this was classic JT, albeit with a darker edge. ...more
This was quite a sweet college romance (even though I don’t really understand America’s college system or the whole sports obsession on campus, tbh). NThis was quite a sweet college romance (even though I don’t really understand America’s college system or the whole sports obsession on campus, tbh). Nix - short for Phoenix, and where the hell fo they get these names? was a footballer but atypical in that he wasn’t I to the whole party and groupie scene. Elle came across as an obsessive control freak ( couple of bad love experiences and serious money issues can do that to a girl). He is controlled by his father, a man living his football dream vicariously through his son, she is controlled by her crazy need for vengeance on a former boyfriend. They both had a bit of growing up to do!
I felt the story was too long and the time it took for them to be together (or even feature on the same page) had me a little bored in places, but I did love the relationship between Elle and her bestie Jules.
I may read more by this author, but I have a limit on how much college drama I can handle. Vocabulary like “kegger” and all those red cup, loud parties seem terribly infantile to me. I sincerely hope that is not everyone’s University experience in the States- when I was studying I was too busy trying to pass exams to party as hard as they seemed to do!...more
An enjoyable sci-fi read with some good world-building and writing. I liked both the MCs- he was a rather tortured soul with a good heart and serious An enjoyable sci-fi read with some good world-building and writing. I liked both the MCs- he was a rather tortured soul with a good heart and serious combat skills, she was a kidnapped human who had been treated (brutally, I might add) as a pet/slave by a wealthy alien but nevertheless managed to retain her courage and spirit. Will definitely go on to read the next in the series. ...more
One of my favourite tropes is the enemies-to-lovers scenario. If well done, both MCs end up learning so much about themselves and each other, and the One of my favourite tropes is the enemies-to-lovers scenario. If well done, both MCs end up learning so much about themselves and each other, and the journey is both revelational and emotionally satisfying. Many are not done well, and the combination of immaturity and petty scoring against each other, with way to early capitulation by the wronged party (almost always the girl) makes for a dissatisfying, shallow read.
I have to say this one is well done. Macon and Delilah are complex people, a little older (thank goodness, no college drama here, although their history starts with school drama) and successful in their respective careers. They do still carry the scars of their childhood and teen years, and while Macon (view spoiler)[has been deeply damaged by a violent, bullying father (hide spoiler)], Delilah's scars have been caused to a large extent by Macon. And this is where the problem lies, for me.
I am not a fan of so-called "bully" romance. That is an oxymoron. I am no psychologist, but to me, a teen bully is someone without empathy, and I struggle to accept that they could ever have a healthy relationship, where they are not battering their partner either literally or psychologically. I don't care what the explanations or excuses are: my sympathies ultimately lie with the victim. So Macon, in this book, is someone I struggled to actually respect for a lot of the book, because he was incredibly cruel to Delilah in High School.
Delilah confronted me with another of my dislikes: the heroine who constantly allows people to take advantage of her because she loves them or because they are family, even when tough love would lead to a happier outcome for everyone concerned. Delilah's sister was an irredeemably manipulative, lying bitch, but it's always: Delilah to the rescue.
So I had to get over all that, and it took a while. But Macon and Delilah developed as characters over the course of the book, increasing in both self-awareness and self-esteem, and it was ultimately a very satisfying, mature novel about the stupidly cruel things we do as children and teenagers in an effort to protect ourselves, and how it is possible to acknowledge them and move on. It was as much about self-forgiveness as it was about forgiving each other.
A nicely crafted, well-written story by an author I always enjoy. It's not Darkest London (I'm a sucker for PNR set in Victorian England) but it was a great read.
Unfortunately, this story of the Mexican restaurant owner who opens up his place next to the heroine's Parfumerie was disappointing. All I can remembeUnfortunately, this story of the Mexican restaurant owner who opens up his place next to the heroine's Parfumerie was disappointing. All I can remember is some pretty flowery- and somewhat silly- prose. An example I noted: Gabe’s body inundated with heat as he went rigid with robust desire. Robust desire? Well, I guess we wouldn't want sick or impotent or fragile desire. Also, is the use of "inundated' messed up here? Should it be: "heat INUNDATED Gabe's body or "Gabe's body WAS INUNDATED with....?"
Whatever, there was plenty of this throughout the book, so I am thinking the author was on her Thesaurus throughout. ...more
4 stars, but sometimes the potty-mouthed heroine and the violent hero annoyed me. He was a battle god, I guess! Ruby Dixon is a top-notch world builder4 stars, but sometimes the potty-mouthed heroine and the violent hero annoyed me. He was a battle god, I guess! Ruby Dixon is a top-notch world builder. Her Ice Planet Barbarians (I have read most of them, but admit I became a bit bored with them eventually) and her Fireblood Dragons in the post-apocalypse series are very readable. The detail she describes in these worlds is quite astounding. But this book was a surprise, and in a good way.
The book is long. Was I bored?
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For starters, I am a bit of a mythology geek. I love me some gods and goddesses, wherever they happen to be from. Ruby has cherry picked bits and pieces, added her own special twist, and created a fascinating, colourful world. It is primitive and brutal, the gods are selfish, callous and cruel (when are they not?) and our poor modern girl is sucked into this world with nothing but the clothes she stood up in.
It is the time of the Anticipation, a festival where the inhabitants of this world, Aos, await the arrival of their god. You see, every now and then the High Father (a kind of Zeus/Christian God) casts the 11 gods down to live among humans in order to remember qualities like compassion, empathy and mercy, feelings that they have gradually lost over the centuries. He does this to make them better, kinder gods. To help them get in touch with these feelings, a human anchor must be bound to the god, someone to teach these selfish beings what life is like for mortals.
[image] Umm.....NO.
(view spoiler)[Then, just to make it more complicated, four versions- Aspects- of the god are sent to Aos: Arrogance, Apathy, Lies and Hedonism. (Seven Deadly Sins, anyone?). Only one will survive, but to kill an Aspect, one needs to kill the anchor. That Aspect is absorbed by the Aspect remaining alive. The final Aspect standing then goes back up to heaven (the Aether). (hide spoiler)]
In this first book, Faith finds herself about to be sacrificed to the Battle god, Aron, so without knowing what she is signing up for, volunteers to be his anchor. Shoulda read the fine print, Faith. It's a steep learning curve.
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That she didn't punch him and snark more at him verbally was a credit to her self-control and common sense. She certainly didn't mince her words when she got mad at him- it was often fairly crude. Along the lines of "Go fuck yourself." Well, Aron was such a tool, he needed a rough, straight-talker to slap him into shape. Faith certainly met that criteria. You gotta be tough when you go toe-to-toe with Aron of the (freaking) Cleaver!
Aron was supremely annoying a lot of the time, and I am sure that was the author's intention. It took him a long time to develop some positive character traits, and strangely enough for a war god, he was very weak when it came to strategising or planning. He just wanted to go roaring into battle and smite peeps with his axe. It was Faith who did the thinking for them, and I loved that Ruby had her some that role. She showed imagination and initiative in their struggle to remain alive,(view spoiler)[ even though she was terrified by the fact that she was the target. I could understand her ambivalence when dissecting Aron's motives: was he keeping her alive because he cared about her, or only because her death meant his death? (hide spoiler)]
I note the irony of the High Father not giving a toss about the mortal Anchor's lives and happily sacrificing them on the altar of making his naughty children nicer.
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Way to go, dad.
In the end, Faith was awesome- brave and intelligent. It was a struggle to survive as a woman in that misogynistic world, and I hope Ruby might tweak it a tad in the future, so that women have more roles than whore, slave, wife or the occasional psycho bitch goddess. (Just a question- when a woman is jealous of her man's possible attentions towards another woman, why does she want to attack the OW? That's just rubbish- and adds to the stupid women-compete-for-men shite that our patriarchal culture brainwashes us with. Let's just sheet the blame home to the man who had a choice and didn't choose you.) Another gentle gripe: why is Faith friendless, alone, in a shit job and so very, very ordinary in our world? Why do authors persist with this cliché? OK, we need room for the MCs to grow, to become awesome, I get it. But it seems very convenient- no loose ends back home when they decide to stay in their new world- and it makes their transformation just that little bit unlikely. I am reminded of the The Golden Dynasty. The heroine there had a very close relationship with her dad, a responsible position in his business and was a successful woman in her own right. She still chose to stay with her crazy barbarian king. It can happen.
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Nevertheless, a great start to what promises to be another entertaining and uniquely Ruby Dixonesque series!...more
3.5 stars. Whew! This was a difficult read for me. It could have been a 4 plus star book, but for the fact that I actively loathed the hero for most o3.5 stars. Whew! This was a difficult read for me. It could have been a 4 plus star book, but for the fact that I actively loathed the hero for most of it.
Now. I am totally a Meljean fan-girl, and I love that she has ventured into dark barbarian style romance, even while I hanker for another of her awesome steampunk stories. I was prepared for some brutality, a lot of violence/gore and some truly evil characters. Well, I got all that, and more.
So let's start with our hero, Maddek. I did struggle with him, tbh. Perhaps that is exactly what Mel/Milla wanted: a narrow-minded, tunnel-visioned, vengeance-is-mine soldier hero who needed a strong, visionary heroine- which Yvenne was-for him to evolve. He needed to be more than a warrior in order to be a king. Having said that (view spoiler)[ I was a tad disgusted by his intention to skin/i> the heroine when he first caught her, then kill/decapitate her, because he believed she had been responsible for the deaths of his parents. (hide spoiler)] Maddek not only refused to listen to her version of events, but actually threatened to tear out her tongue if she even mentioned his parents, in particular his mother. (Yvenne actually does this by accident at one stage and he brutally grabs hold of her tongue, almost choking her, as a warning. This, after he has been, for him, quite sweet. I got whiplash from the countless times he switched personalities.) So poor Yvenne cannot even defend herself against his accusation, or give an account of the situation that led to their deaths.
This pure, a-hole, bullying behaviour goes on for more than half the book, and all the while Maddek is waiting for the moon to be full so he can screw Yvenne to get her pregnant. He needs the child for political purposes but Yvenne will then become completely dispensable. Her bitter description of herself as merely a vessel was totally apt. I struggled to respect Maddek, with his blind hatred of Yvenne and obsessive need for revenge at all costs. Ok, I'll be frank: I wanted to bludgeon him repeatedly with an axe. See, already turning into a barbarian!
Yvenne was a remarkable heroine. She suffered enormously in her life, but her strength of character and her courage were impressive. A lot of the book describes everything she went through and I was exhausted by the end. That she hadn't gone mad or suicidal from it all was incredible. Only when Maddek finally realised what an absolute pig he had been from the get-go, and made his speech to Yvenne on his knees, begging for forgiveness, could I find it in my heart to support Yvenne's decision to give him a second chance. Those paragraphs had the tears trickling down my face.
World-building was outstanding, of course, (and it is a very brutal world) and the characterisation must have been good for me to become so emotionally invested in the outcome.
An impressive first in a new series, one which I will continue to read. But be warned- those people in that strange, fantastical world are generally not very nice at all, the gods and goddesses are capricious and cruel, and even the so-called good guys are total bastards a lot of the time. A dark, barbarian romance indeed....more
3.5 stars. This was an interesting CR with a premise that has never been more relevant: how soldiers cope with PTSD and how returned veterans struggle,3.5 stars. This was an interesting CR with a premise that has never been more relevant: how soldiers cope with PTSD and how returned veterans struggle, not getting the financial support they deserve but never seem to get from their typically ungrateful governments. The problems that drugs can bring along with their relief from pain and anxiety are explored here as well. (I do need to add that I'm glad I don't live in the US and need to buy medication. Health care just seems so insanely expensive there, without a national health care scheme that subsidises the cost of most common drugs and provides free hospital beds for those who need it, like we have here in Australia). A sweet story, but a bit choppy, with the short chapters jumping their POV from her to him back to her and so on. Whiplash! In the end, it's a story about how healing the right person in your life can be. A story that is well-told and quite moving. Well worth a look....more
3.5 stars. I did not expect to enjoy this book, as the heroine, Lucy, was quite horrible in the previous two books of the series. Well, colour me surpr3.5 stars. I did not expect to enjoy this book, as the heroine, Lucy, was quite horrible in the previous two books of the series. Well, colour me surprised! The author provides a really good explanation for her previous behaviour and I found myself quietly cheering her on to her HEA. The hero seems fairly unlikeable in the beginning, too, especially with his con-man history and the role he plays when he arrives at Lucy's house, but over time he becomes a more sympathetic, attractive character, too. This author writes well, with a neat turn of phrase and a good feel for the historical period. Definitely a superior HR series....more
Better than I was anticipating, especially for that hackneyed genre: college romance. Gotta say: so glad I went to uni in Australia. Going to a US ColBetter than I was anticipating, especially for that hackneyed genre: college romance. Gotta say: so glad I went to uni in Australia. Going to a US College seems to equate with participating in a blood sport!...more
It is so wonderful to have JAL back in such good form! After inhaling the first book in the series, I was excited for this one, and I was not disappoiIt is so wonderful to have JAL back in such good form! After inhaling the first book in the series, I was excited for this one, and I was not disappointed.
Our heroine, Angelique, whom we met in book 1 as the mistress of that book's heroine's husband, is a complex and multi-faceted woman. Life has not treated her well at all, and for a lone woman in London in those days, there were very few options. The surprising friendship that arises between her and her protector's wife after he dies is the subject of the previous book in this series. Now she is the co-proprietress of a boarding house, content with her independence and single status. She is very aware that her reputation could ruin their business, so keeps to herself and maintains a respectable front. She is strong, hiding her vulnerability and burying any dreams she might once have had under the mantle of cool detachment.
Our hero, Lucien, Lord Bolt, is a lord with his own demons and a plan for revenge. When he and Angelique meet, we embark on a long and often tortuous road to their well-deserved HEA. Lucien is a difficult character to like, initially, and there were times I truly wanted to slap him, but he was fundamentally an honourable person.
Characterisation is excellent, with an amusing and disparate cast of secondary characters, and a very moving last few pages. Two broken people finding a future together is a common theme in romance novels, but this was explored beautifully here. Thoroughly recommend!...more
Thoroughly enjoyed this one, especially for its setting, which was Egypt rather than London. Made a nice change!
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This author has been problematiThoroughly enjoyed this one, especially for its setting, which was Egypt rather than London. Made a nice change!
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This author has been problematic for me in the past. Her To Steal a Heart bothered me, because the hero never made it past arsehole for me. But her subsequent books have been more enjoyable, and I will say this: the author writes really well. I still think her heroes have a tendency to be very opportunistic, manipulative and cruel, but that element was missing here (well, the cruel part, anyway!) so I could relax and appreciate the lovely language and well-researched plot.
I hope this is a sign that her heroes will be more caring in the future, and her heroines less accepting of the shite these boys often deal out. [image]...more
Quite short and mostly ok- half the book is epilogues and ads for more books-but nothing stands out here. Very insta-love/lust and I really wondered aQuite short and mostly ok- half the book is epilogues and ads for more books-but nothing stands out here. Very insta-love/lust and I really wondered about the fandom of American football players. They are cray-cray. And I cannot take any book too seriously when people talk about orgasm or ejaculate using the the word cum. What are we-13 years old? Ugh....more
4 stars Whew! Not sure how to review this one, especially as I expected to REALLY hate it. But I suspect it is one of those books you will either love 4 stars Whew! Not sure how to review this one, especially as I expected to REALLY hate it. But I suspect it is one of those books you will either love or hate. And yes, there are triggers that will be deal-breakers for many readers.
Let me begin by saying that although I have read a few books by this author, I am not what I would call a KA fangirl, and I know there are many out there. I have avoided her biker books, because I dislike that genre/setting, but her PNR/fantasy seem to be more my style. Generally speaking, I feel her uber-alphas are borderline psychopathic in their aggressive, often cruel pursuit of the relationship with the heroine. Depending on my mood and how extreme they are, I can take them or hate them (often both at the same time!). In this case, it was a line ball, but the tenacity and sheer stubborn guts of Circe, the heroine, made up for it. There are a lot of triggers in this story of a barbarian culture in a parallel universe, to which our poor, unsuspecting girl is transported.
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Rape is always on the page, (it’s so fucking prevalent, I was nauseated at times. I know how soldiers use rape as weapon of war and I will NEVER understand it), there is a bride hunt with women being chained and raped and brought triumphantly into the centre of the camp naked, there are slaves, (the girls required to provide ALL services to the males), and casual violence is pretty much a daily thing. I was prepared to loathe it all, especially the horrible way so many women were treated in this world. I might add that I was never keen on GOT until it looked like Daenerys might end up boss of everyone (if you still plan to watch this (view spoiler)[ she actually doesn’t, which sucked big time (hide spoiler)]), whereupon I watched a few episodes of the final season. So the endless gushing of GR reviewers about this book being a Daenarys and Drogo-style love story (with a tone of pics) just annoyed me.
That being said, I found myself drawn deeply into the story and so invested in the outcome that I even cried at one point, when(view spoiler)[ an horrifically abused woman asks to die rather than be saved from her sadistic husband (hide spoiler)]. It was incredibly sad. The fact that everyone in the camp knew and saw what was being done to her but refused to interfere with a warrior and his wife because that was the culture just about killed me. Circe’s constant struggle to help the woman and her refusal to accept that it was ok to treat women like this really endeared her to me, too.
Look, it was a horrible culture in many ways. It was completely different from ours. It was a- dare I say it- primitive warrior culture, with little if any artistic (well, they liked pretty jewellery, clothes and make-up, but that is not art for me) or literary aspects: they did not seem to have a written language, books or paintings, even furniture, as such. They were all about fighting, marauding, raping (yes, the husbands head of to battle and rape and steal enemy women as part of their tactics) and pillaging. I’d be the first to admit I couldn’t live in that kind of world. So, Circe’s efforts to adapt and compromise were very brave, also the fact that there were some basic human values that she refused to give up, even if it pissed her King/husband, Lahn, off. Circe was a fighter: she stood up for what she thought was right, she went head-to-head with Lahn even when she was terrified, and she never made it easy for him. Some readers would call her stubborn or unforgiving. I felt she had to be that way if she was going to have any hope of changing Lahn’s attitudes.
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There was a moment where I thought I had hit the deal-breaker and it would be a dnf. In one scene early in the book, he actually strikes her, and so hard across the cheek that she falls down and is bruised and swollen for days. Then Circe makes the most kickass speech to him about it, so strong and unyielding. She talks about the caring, respectful man her father was, how much he loved her mother and how the other men in her life treated her with the same respect. She reminds Lahn of how often she forgave him- for putting her into a bride hunt where men hunted her and tried to rape her, for him then raping her, for forcing her to be his wife and live in this violent and often repulsive new world. Above all, for demanding she give up her own life, and all the people she loved, for him.
This is part of what she says: “And I promised myself, vowed, that I would find a man like my father who would love me deeply and treasure me more than anything in the world……… “But what you did just now, taking your anger out on me when I did something in all innocence, I cannot and will not forgive. You do not know your own strength, but it is formidable, so formidable it cows men, but I am no man. I am your woman, your woman and you used all of it in violence against me and that, kah Dax, is unforgiveable…….. My father was an honourable man… I respected him. I honoured him over any man I ever met. But he is lost to me. He is gone and therefore could not be here to protect me, but you should know this, my king…. if he knew you, he would not like you.”
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I struggle with any book where the hero hits women. It always means there’s no way he is coming back from that: the hero is dead to me. But that speech. Wow. And she makes him suffer. He never says sorry- not sure if he knows how- but is desperate for her forgiveness and she is exactly as hard on him as she needed to be. His flinching guilt every time he sees the bruise in the days after are what he deserved to feel. I know there is no excuse for hitting a woman these days- we have come a long way from barbarian times. The fact that it was not an unusual event in the book’s warrior culture made Circe’s stand against that violence all the more powerful, because she was throwing our 21st century values at a barbarian warrior king and demanding he acknowledge her truth. It was awesome.
Finally, Lahn could be incredibly sweet and caring. He was a much more complex character than I expected, even if I would have happily stabbed him in the eye any number of times throughout the story! He was not however, an alpha like the ones in those ghastly, violent, pseudo-erotic omega-verse books, where women are all treated as disposable and interchangeable objects, to be used and beaten into submission. For example, Lahn’s effort to learn English proved that he was prepared to change and adapt too, and he truly redeemed himself, even when he fucked up really badly towards the end.
I enjoyed this book, much to my actual surprise. It’s not an easy read, and God knows, I would not ever want to live in that world, but I am so glad I made the decision to give the book a shot. Two larger than life characters battling it out until they compromise to reach common ground. Some wonderful friendships between women. Intense emotion and passion. Steamy scenes. And a whole lot of scary, violent shit, too. Great stuff!
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