See, I loved Jacky Leon. And the hesitation in the romance made sense. It was proper romeo and juliett. Two races who hates each-other, political position, everything would unravel. So she tried to NOT like him. And when that didn't work, she tired keeping it a secret.

Kaliya Sahni? Kaliya might be traumatized, okay definitely is traumatized. But I just don't get her hesitation.

She wants this dude so goddamn bad, but she just keeps holding herself back. And I'm honestly just.. tired of it.

Which is terrible, because I feel KN Banet has made a really (another) unique race setting here. I LOVED the culture between werecats/werewolves, and this spin? Snake shifters? The spin on "fated mates" and how her race functions is just so interesting.

If she'd just shut up with her inner teenage emo about how "he couldn't possible be interested in me" and just KISS THE DUDE.

I also don't get such an "kick ass" vibe from her. Infamous executioner? Bagged a bunch of people? In this book all that happens is her getting her ass kicked. And when she finally gets the go-ahead for an actual assassination she decides to confront him, brag about it, and almost get her ass kicked in the first place. She didn't even interrogate him properly! She might as well just have backstabbed the dude.

Jacky Leon is consistently 4-5/5 stars for me, and this just doesn't hit the same notes. I might give the next book a try because of how this one ended but I'm going to have to be in the proper mood for it.