TheKaitlynBlog

Jennifer L. Armentrout

★★★★

SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

TROPES/VIBES: secret romance, vampire romance, hidden/growing power, the chosen one, secret identities, forbidden romance, virgin MC + experienced love interest

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We love a good paranormal romance with underlying secrets between both characters here.

Hawke is the perfect combo of cocky, charming, and dangerous. You can’t help but swoon. He’s protective but never oversteps, is generally wildly intriguing, and can’t help his attraction to our MC, Poppy.

Poppy is a kick ass heroine. She’s independent and stubborn, is violence and combat driven, and generally knows how to hold her own. This all makes her story interesting, as she’s not supposed to be self sufficient at all. Being the chosen one in her kingdom, she’s expected to be waited on hand and foot; she is not meant to experience anything like a regular person. She’s practically seen as a god or religion — but she decides that type of life is not for her, (cue some drama). Armentrout makes great strides throughout her story in her exploration of self and inner power. You root for her no matter what.

She and Hawke have a steamy forbidden romance. Their chemistry is electric and their dynamic is friendly and sarcastic. The trope is top notch and makes for a hell of an interesting story as the book continues. The cliffhanger leaves you wanting more.

The story is slow paced but not too immersive in its world building — which I appreciated. It’s an epic fantasy world but it’s not being shoved down your throat the entire time.

The vampire-type romance is old and true, but Armentrout breathes new life into the idea and makes it all her own. g

Undoubtedly a great steamy romance to get into.

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