The Devil's Match

NOTE: This coming year I have set a challenge for myself of reading one book a week that takes me out of my comfort zone. A book that may include one (or more) tropes (scenarios) that I avoid like the plague. Cheating. Older women/younger man. OW drama. Just to name a few. Nothing is off limits. I am taking a HUGE step out of the box I usually live in and charting a course into the unknown (HaHa). My reviews for these books will differ slightly from my usual as I will focus more on whether the author wowed me despite it having content I avoid. That said, I will go into each book with an open mind and an open heart and who knows, maybe I will discover a new favorite author on the way!



So I'll be honest here I am really struggling with how to rate this one. The first 60% was a solid four-star read. Sure it was over the top angsty, but I was enjoying it. Unfortunately, at 60% it took a turn into the absurd and I literally HATED the last 40%. So much so I very nearly stopped reading I was so annoyed with the direction the author went in. So that is the dilemma I find myself in...


 ~THIS BOOK INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING TROPES (SCENARIOS) I USUALLY AVOID~ (don't click if you don't want the book spoiled!!)
-- OW Drama-- Sex with OW after meeting the heroine 


~WRITING - PLOT - PACE~
I actually really enjoy this author's writing style. It flows well. It's easy to read. It sucks you in from page one. And I felt the same way about this book. As I mentioned for 60% of the book, I was hooked and enjoying the story. The pace was good. The plot was super engaging and then it all went to sh!t for me. The wheels feel WAY off the bus. None of the characters actions made sense. The drama lama gave birth to twins. It got all convoluted with twist and turns galore. Ugh...I hated it!


~HERO~
Frost...I honestly don't know what to say about him. I guess for the most part I DID like him. He was sexy. He was a douche. He was damaged. He was never once for the entirety of the book faithful to the heroine which got to be annoying after awhile. And he turned into a bit of a weird sap near the end.


~HEROINE~
Ella...Sigh. So I DID like Ella overall. I just wish she hadn't been a virgin. I also wish the author had let her have sex with OM. It annoyed me that Frost kept saying she couldn't be with anyone but him but he basically slept with every woman that came into the story. And do not even get me started on how vexing I found the last 40% in regard to Ella, the decisions she made and the fact that she stayed all shiny virginal while yet again Frost was sticking it in another woman. 





~SECONDARY CHARACTERS~
There was a good cast of secondary characters in this one. A lot of them from previous books with the addition of a few new ones. I am curious about the next book featuring Miles, Willow, and Blake. I do love a good menage book.


~HEAT LEVEL~
Medium. There were some hot sex scenes and the frequency fit the story. 


 

~ANGST LEVEL~
Super High. Lord this one was angsty. The push and pull. The back and forth. It was filled with OW drama. Some minor OM drama. Light sex scenes with OW. Pseudo cheating FELTvery much like cheating to ME. But it will very much depend on how you define cheating. 


~IN THE END~
This is a tough one. I was enjoying it a lot...until I wasn't. The first part was great. It was angsty but enthralling. The characters damaged and intriguing. The plot engaging. Then the last 40% happened and that sort of cast a pall over the entire book for me. Like I said, the wheels fell off. Characters made decisions that left me scratching my head. People moved on easy peasy like. It took crazy twists and confusing turns. So yea, a confusing mixed bag with this one. I am going to go with three stars at this point with the option to change my rating the more I marinate on it. That said, I am still onboard to see what the author has in store for us in the next book. Yours truly gives this one a tentative thumbs up.