CJ Bailey

Anyone who knows anything about this series knows the books are forever long. Just finishing one feels like a major accomplishment. That said, I do mostly enjoy this series... this installment maybe more than the last two. There were certainly sections where I had to force myself to continue reading (having already seen the series, I already knew, at least in the broadest sketches, what was coming), other stretches where nothing much seemed to happen, and still others where I lost myself for hours in the story and hardly came up for air. After plodding through the first half over the course of a month, I read the last half in about four days. 

Overall, I very much enjoyed this one. It did drag just a little in the middle. The issues with Aidan's family genuinely made me angry, but the MCs' reactions (especially Maggie) aligned with what I would have liked to say in the situations, which almost never happens. (I do wish Sheryl had been punched honestly. It would have been cathartic.) I also wish we'd gotten at least a hint about his family situation in the epilogue, even if he no longer has a relationship with any of them; it's such a big plot point, and it's left feeling slightly unresolved. Other than that, my complaints are nitpicky.  

This was a cute, mostly enjoyable read that can be finished in one sitting. It wrapped too quickly, however - it needed at least another page or an epilogue to make it satisfying. 

I did ultimately enjoy this one, but it certainly frustrated me. I was left wondering, especially in the first 25% why Sophie was pursuing the relationship when Ned was giving her absolutely so sign that he was even interested in her. The selfishness of her family, especially her father, drove me crazy, and I really wanted some kind of a comeuppance for him, especially after it's revealed that he used both his daughters' dowries on modernizations for his house . Finally, it bugged me that Sophie had to do all the work for her HEA. I'm not convinced, even after reading Ned's POV, that he deserved her because he put in such little effort. 

This book needed another round of edits, and I would have liked more resolution to the attempted murder plotline. Quinn seemed to take things in stride to a questionable degree - nothing seems to faze this woman, not an attempted murder, not being rescued by a kraken. This begs the (unanswered) question about whether humans know there are supernatural creatures among them or that exist on the planet; it's clear that the races? species? largely keep away from humans, but the only way Quinn's reaction makes a shred of sense is if she knows, at least tangentially, that krakens and other supernatural creatures exist. Speaking of which, it would have been nice if we'd gotten to meet more of them.

My last complaint is that pretty much all we see Quinn doing is cooking (besides spending time with Jorah); does she not have any other hobbies or interests? For several days, she gets up, cooks all day, and goes to bed. Thankfully, they find a way to off load some of this food, so it doesn't all go to waste. But if less time had been spent of Quinn cooking and more on the relationship (you know the main plot), it wouldn't have felt so insta-lovey. I get that with fated mates, there is always an element of insta-love, and I get that I'm taking this silly little monster novella way too seriously - it is what it says on the tin. However, this story actually had a lot of potential. I really like the world the author created. I'm a sucker for magical communities and found families - I just really wish we'd gotten more of these elements (and more relationship development between Quinn and Jorah) and less of Quinn cooking for scene after scene. Don't get me wrong, I really like it when a character has a passion for something (besides their love interest) and like to see them doing it; it just feels like the balance was a little off, especially for such a short book.

Also, an extra half star off for the “resolution” to the attempted murder. Quinn seems to feel smug that her attacker is getting punished, but she did nothing to bring it about (and seems to have no lasting effect over being nearly murdered! No, I'm not letting this go). I wanted a scene detailing the consequences for him, a confrontation to resolve the inciting incident; instead, we got an after-the-fact newspaper clipping. Unlike all my other (relatively) petty nick-picks and grievances, this genuinely annoyed me. But then I enjoy seeing people who cause harm get what's coming to them. They don't usually in real life, so I like my fiction to rectify that. 

All in all, this was fine. Not especially memorable, but I was in the mood for a quick summery read to kick off Pride month, and it did the job.