ehhhhh okay so this was one of my most anticipated of the year and based on the star rating I'm sure you can see it didn't live up to everything I hoped for.

1. I love this cover
2. Love the title and series name
3. Loved the setting
4. I actually did enjoy most of the characters and the overall plot

My issues really sit with it being pitched as a "fantasy romance" but having read it, I wouldn't really classify it as that. It seemed more of a paranormal contemporary which isn't really my cup of tea.
My issue really sat with the romance. It seemed random. It wasn't developed. I didn't even really pick up that it was a romance until someone was actually asked out. I didn't find any tension or flirting or anything. It was just a "oh...uh okay I guess this is the romance?" which was quite underwhelming with it literally being labelled as "ROMANCE." My other big beef (and it actually could've influenced why I didn't feel or sense any romance): the audiobook. I am a big fan of listening to audiobooks while reading along. Especially books set in foreign countries to mine or fantasy worlds where I want to know how to say names, countries, foods, etc. I...cannot stress this enough...DEAR LORD STOP CASTING NARRATORS WHO TALK BREATHLESS AND IN GASPS AS IF THEY'RE A FAINTING GOVERNESS FOR THE WHOLE BOOK! It doesn't matter if they're being murdered or pouring milk in a damn cereal bowl! I should hear a difference in your voice when those two VERY different events happen! It takes away from places where it is actually dramatic or where maybe the characters were flirting. I also just freaking generally hate when people's voices sound dramatic about everything. It takes away from the audiobook and story itself.