This book was... frustrating. I completely understand how I put down the series a little after getting through this one. It just featured everything I really dislike in stories and romances like this.

Miscommunication and misplaced jealousy sucks, more so when it seems to drive so much of the story. It felt like over half of this book was Vhalla reacting to Aldrik hanging out with another woman, whilst that woman was hanging off of Aldrik and endlessly insulting Vhalla without consequences from him. It was just so, so frustrating to read, and I'm glad I had the audiobook for this, so I could force myself through the tiring parts. I honestly couldn't even focus on the plot or magic progression because they were just being dumb for no reason. It was ridiculous. I'm also annoyed that on top of this that

Spoiler

Larel died, one of my favorite characters.

Lastly, the cliffhanger on this book is really bad in a way that almost puts me off continuing. It literally did put me off continuing on my last read through. I went right to book 3 to see what happens, then stopped a few chapters in when things were okay again, because that was my only driving reason to pick that book up right then. The same happened now, and it took me a bit to start the audio for book 3, despite my determination to finally get through this series on this read through. I don't like when a book ends in such a way that the story feels so unfinished and hanging open that you feel forced to read the next book immediately. I'd rather be so drawn into the story that I can't help but start the next book, cliffhanger or not, and this extreme cliffhanger removed my interest to continue again. (However, I have managed to push through by now and am now the farthest I've ever been into book 3!)