Review: THIS. NOVELLA. IS. EVERYTHING. We FINALLY get to read from Des’ point-of-view and the wait was certainly worth it! 

 

Thalassa shares snippets of Des’ life, ranging from his childhood to the events leading up to “Dark Harmony.” Through Des, the reader is also able to piece together his mother Larissa’s past. We learn of the sacrifices she made for her son, making her death all the more devastating and impactful. The loss Des experiences fuels his anger, motivates him to exact his revenge, and sheds light on the choices Des makes later in life. 

 

My heart nearly burst at the seams after discovering that Des knew that Callie existed before actually meeting her. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about this time in his life—a time when he swore off falling in love, but could not deny the strong feelings that developed as soon as Callie called upon his services as the Bargainer. Thalassa perfectly captures the exact moment Des realizes that he is in love and I savored every interaction with Callie written from his perspective thereafter. 

 

My heart felt so full only to be shattered once Callie’s final wish separated the two of them. Though painful, knowing how Des spent his seven years parted from Callie answered a lot of my lingering questions from the previous two books. 

 

While this novella does not come close to telling Des’ whole life story, Thalassa cleverly highlights the most important moments in his past that helps us finally understand why he is the way he is. For that reason, “The Emperor of Evening Stars” is a necessary read for fans of “The Bargainer” series!