I’ll freely admit that I just find this series quite fun and get on with the voice. I didn’t read it as critically, because this is my pop corn, fun movie type fiction. I also don’t know annnnything about the time period, and it was fun being learning a bit about it. I also do not think that historical fiction = historical accuracy, as some reviewers seem to think and require. There’s witches and demons and vampires, beside - I have no idea why you’d think it was a critical framework of the time period.

With that said, I know I’m not reading it critically because you pretty much need to accept these books on its own terms or else be disappointed. You must be alright with the idea that these two can fall in love in like a week and go straight into a marriage. What I liked about this was that the romance is a fairy… until it’s not. There’s issues they have to navigate and they question wether they made the right decision even as their relationship is like a bullet shot from a gun still. Recklessly forward, even with substantial issues stemming from not knowing one another. I liked that it was more complicated than the first book.

It clipped along nicely for me too. It’s a slightly step above commercial fiction for me. Readable and easy flow, decent pacing. This is also not a large book for me either, so maybe I’m just more acclimated to a structure like this. I mean, you read Sanderson and you can get through anything. 1200 pages where barely any plot happens and the most sterile prose imaginable - this is a damn gift in comparison.

The plot was very straight forward but there’s some cool world building reveals and I just really liked the story. It was interesting and fun. Though, I strongly dislike Matthew now. I hate his pet names and how antiquated he is toward his wife, making her push back. I guess it’s going for a bad boy vibe for him but I just wanted to punch him in the face sometimes.

Lots more witchy stuff going on, the stuff with the book of life and the time travel was just fun. I’m fine with it. 4 stars means it exceeded my expectations, and it did. I like this more than the first book, which I enjoyed but certainly raised my eyebrows at the whirlwind romance aspect to it. I think this is a stronger instalment, though I just much prefer the plot because it’s just “cooler”; so I’m somewhat biased on that front.