SO, I thought this was my first time reading AHLNO, but apparently I tried it last year? Whatever, listening to it on audiobook has vastly changed my mind on the experience, as Richard Petkoff is a narrating god! Loved his accents, so good.

Also, I am participating in the "Fated Mates" podcast reread of this IAD series, and the enthusiasm of both hosts has amped me up to plow through this entire series.

*loved the world building, all the different types of "Lore"
*OMG the violence is ridiculous but also kind of funny, but also really violent?! Lots of blood, ripped off limbs, swords, etc.
*There is definitely some WTF sexy times moments (especially when Emma 'takes' from Lachlan's um, private spot, to distract him to try and get away).


I picked this up because it was on Sarah Maclean's list of recommended romances. I typically don't read paranormal (especially shape-shifting) romance so I thought I'd give it a try, but overall I wasn't super impressed. There was an overwhelming amount of different types of paranormal characters that I'm assuming the reader would have met in the first book of the series and I found the whole destined mate thing to be a convenient go-around for the "insta-love" trope.

Basically, our "hero" Lachlain has been chained for decades in a vampire prison and is stuck there until he scents his one true mate, causing him to chew his leg off and break free. He immediately imprisons the timid half-vampire, half-valkyrie Emma who has never been touched by a man (or kissed) and immediately forces sexual acts on her, because duh, she's his. She protests, but eventually falls for her one true mate while they figure out her parentage and why her adopted Valkyrie family has made her not drink blood from the source and basically kept her hidden away.

So, overall not too impressed.