I’d like to pick this book up again or start over at some point. I started it in the summer and it was not the vibe. The writing style wasn’t really my cup of tea and I found the romance to be very subpar. The magic system of the world didn’t really seem to grab at me. I think I may have just hit been in the wrong mood though. I’d give it another go.

I had to drag myself to the end of the first book but I heard the second was way better. I just… didn’t feel that way. I thought it was pretty boring, I liked Wrath but I really think the issue was in the writing style rather than the plot or characters. Like it’s just so jolted and flat to me. 

I just can’t get behind a romance book where he slaps her. 

For a mafia romance this book was kind of boring? 

I don’t know that just how I felt. Glad I didn’t buy it for myself lol

What a glorious Austen ride! 

With pretty much every historical romance set within the era or spire waist gowns being likened to Austen’s work I was dubious to believe such a comparison. However, I really do see Irwin’s nods to her work! From Kitty’s large family of sisters and need for a fortune and banter with Radcliffe to Lady de Lacy’s clear characteristic as a dramatic hypochondriac (one of Austen’s favorite methods of comedic relief) I could see Austen throughout this book! 

I really rooted for Kitty the entire time. She navigated the world of the ton with sharp mind and wit.

I loved the banter between her and James. Man, was that the slowest burn of all time. But yes, I loved it I suppose since I blew through this book in practically one sitting. 

My one complaint is that around 70% in I became so frustrated with Kitty and James’s (and everyone’s blindness) to poor Archie’s decent into trouble. But it did lead to some very deft escape of scandals! 

If you like fun, witty, slow-burn period romance that will make you smile and root for the MC this is the book for you! 

(Also, just a side note for anyone interested one way or the other this book has only romantic kisses.) 

So I don’t really know how I got here, reviewing a Twisted novel on a Thursday night. But here I am. 

Okay so this book was a lot of fun. I really did root for Bridget and Rhys from the second the met. It was steamy and fluffy and angsty for sure! 

Rhys is so sexy I could just explode! And I really liked Bridget as a female MC too! 

I don’t know how I feel about the way time progresses in this book. Years and years pass throughout this book, and while it does add to the dynamic of the love story, it just didn’t let me really get connected with the story the way I like to. Time jumps are not my thing in books and this one had them every other page. I would say that the time jumps made it a fast paced book but unfortunately I didn’t get that from it either. I still felt it was a medium paced book. 

And finally, I felt the secrets and palace exploits fell flat. I wasn’t shocked by anything, I didn’t care about anyone besides the main couple because the side characters were not very present or developed. 

Over all I give 3.5 because I love Rhys and Bridget but no one else! 

I’m such a sucker for Moning’s Highlander series! I stumbled across the first one years ago and I never would have predicted that I’d be reading the 6th one in 2022! But here I am! 

We’ve met Adam a few times throughout the series and his character has played such a big role from the behind the scenes it was so great to read his own story! The only thing I love more than a Highland romance are fantasy romances and fae so this book had it all for me! 

As usual I found a few places in this book I wished we could just KISS ALREADY and a few times where I wished Moning didn’t rush action scenes. I found this one did that even more so than the previous books. Like the scene where Daroc and Adam finally meet and should battle it out… well it was anticlimactic to say the least. 

BUT like I said, I have such a soft spot for these novels that I can look past it all! 

Plus that epilogue was so beautiful *eyes tear up* I forgive! 

I will say I wish it was a little more spicy. These books don’t have half as much spice as you’d expect with those covers! 

I don’t usually give books such a low rating, or poor reviews. Especially romance books because I judge the genre with much kinder eyes than most others since I read it for fun rather than plot. I expect fluff, not prose. But The Chase was such a let down. 

I’ve dabbled with Elle’s writing and I’ve always found it to be average. I’ve read The Deal and gave it 3 stars. I read Good Girl Complex and gave 3.5.  This was my third book by her and by far the worst.

First off, this book could have been over by like chapter 4. No literally, the massive miscommunication that sets up the entire plot of the book takes place here and we could have either had a conversation about it right here and sorted it out or Summer could have just moved on and forgotten about the douche who called her fluff and dated Hunter. Boom. Done much better book. 

Fitzy was so horribly unlikable. He was a pick-me boy. The first I’ve ever really read. Like a Mary-Sue character but for men. He was all “I have tattoos I like video games I like art a hot girl could never like me boohoo” while at the same time being like “if a hot girl did like me I would never date her because hot girls are airheads who like drama and I’m a serious guy who’s above that.” Ironically, he was THE MOST DRAMATIC CHARACTER EVER. Then there was the way he ACTUALLY treated Summer outside of his head. This first 300 pages of this book were him leading her on and then shoving her away for… for what reason? I still don’t know. Because his parents are divorced? What does that have to do with telling her you’ll talk to her after being intimate together and then literally driving hours away and avoiding her for days? AND THEN cornering her and telling her she can’t go on a date with someone else but giving her NO reason or commitment as to why she shouldn’t go. AND THEN telling her that you’re annoyed you’re  attracted to her and wish you didn’t get off to her memory everyday. I’m sorry but just… no. It’s a no from me. Summer? Why the fuck didn’t you get out of there? 

Summer was, well I didn’t have any major issues with her besides the fact that she liked Fitz and burned down a sorority house. I liked that she was feminine and fun and badass and I liked that she had a learning disability. I have dyslexia and struggled a lot with it so I felt like I could relate even though Summer has different learning disabilities. She was basically a knock of Elle Woods though. No literally Elle is mentioned. And Laurie is Callaghan.  

I liked Brenna and Hunter’s characters but we didn’t honestly see a lot of them. 

I just didn’t buy the romance at all. And since this was romance book, that all it has to do is have a likable guy and girl and spend 400 pages to get them together, I can’t give this more than 2 stars. I’m sorry. 

Brie is a mortal girl, turned fae, who has lost everything she thought she held dear to her heart. She is trapped between two warring realms, two princes, and the truth of who she really is.

I’m someone who is the first to call out a writer for writing too much. I’m also a sucker for a duology. However, I actually think this series could have been a trilogy and would have been the better for it. There were so many times I was like, can we slow it down a second and think about this or I questions how this book could possibly end with any kind of satisfaction of believable resolution. I think we got that, but just barely! 

On the other hand I LOVED how fast paced it all was, it was exactly what I needed right now. Everything always happened so fast and then we moved right on to the next thing, for better or worse, I put up with it. 

There were so many popular tropes: forbidden love, fated-mates, one bed trope, and that trope where the female lead is the only person who’s ever dying. What’s that one called? 

Throughout the first book I couldn’t help but feel like Brie and Finn’s relationship felt weak and unbelievable. Even as “friends” I was like why do you consider him a friend? What do you even know about each other? But I had high hopes this book would be dedicated to rectifying that and growing their bond and it 100% did that.  

I can say that I love Finn, much more than Bash. Finding out how they could be together really kept me going. It was all very dramatic and enjoyable. 

One of my favorite characters though was Misha. We meet him at the very start of this book and he was so unexpected and awesome! He had so much great advice d for Brie and he’s a character I really think we lost out on by not getting a trilogy here. 

Now, once again the similarities between this book and ACOTAR were there, even some ToG was thrown in. I won’t say any more on that since I covered my feelings on it pretty well when discussing book one. 

Anywho! I do think this book was better than the first book some I’m giving it .25 more stars. Despite my rambling criticisms I did really enjoy this book and it’s ending. It was quick, exciting, romantic and hot, high stakes. I mean what’s not to like? 

— EDIT —

At first I thought I liked this book better than the first but then I realized that was just the high I had from finishing the book. Brie’s constant complaint about how “worthless” she is even with all her power and two (almost three) princes/kings WORSHIPING her 24/7. She is so pick-me it’s insane. Finn and his sweat and tears saved this book. Thanks!