I have never been one for the loss of words. Expressing myself via writing has always been easier for me, especially when it comes to literature. Yet, I face quite the conundrum here, because this author has left me with a million thoughts and no idea how to go about expressing them.
Who would have known that not long ago that I would interact with an author in a party room on Facebook and not only would I find a new favorite author but I would get to experience watching her grow into her talent? I sure didn't. However, grow she did.
This book was a long time coming. I know many people were frustrated but not as frustrated as she was. She demands perfection and has a specific way that she wants her stories told and it isn't as much as how she wants to tell the stories but rather how the characters are demanding their stories be told. She is the vessel that pens their voice. Which when it comes down to it is the very reason that I fell in love with her writing style.
I can continue to repeat time and time again, that she writes with a certain cadence that is uniquely hers (she does), or that I love her stylistic choices (I TOTALLY do), or that she makes unique characters that are always light juxtaposed with dark (A million times yes) but that might get redundant so instead the bottom line is this; she writes with a passion that connects to my soul and makes me turn off all outside distractions. I turn off my phone, pour a glass of wine, and settle in because I know she is going to take me on a journey where anything other than her words holds little importance in my life. I become consumed in her world and therein lies the beauty of reading as a whole but also the magic that this author holds.
I am not one to give spoilers or even a recap of the book. Instead, I like to draw in on what a book makes me feel. What I will say is that Lux Mercier and Roman King are life. The way they wage war on each other with their actions and their words were fire. I couldn't help but have several moments where I caught myself smiling like a Cheshire cat myself. It was delicious. The opening scene...HOLY cow. That build up did me in for the rest of the book. I FELT the energy permeating off of them as if they were gasoline and just waiting for the match to have them ignite. There is steam, (sweet holy titfire) is there steam, there is deceit, and there is suspense.
There is an amazing playlist, in fact before each chapter she puts the recommended song so that the reader can experience the mood of the chapter. All of the characters, main and secondary, are amazing. I want, no I need (not going to lie) Suki and Stryker's story. They were all well developed and were fleshed out to make sure that the storyline was cohesive. The storyline itself was unique and definitely not a cookie cutter romance. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough while at the same time I dreaded it because I knew that it would be that much closer to an end that I didn't want to see because I LOVED these characters and this story. This is a darker romance. It deals with some uncomfortable issues and unsavory parts of society, yet the author did a great job at making it part of the story and dealing with the aftermath. It wasn't included just to embellish the story but rather enhanced the story.
Once upon a time, I wanted to write a book. Until I started reading for fun instead of what was required for my degree. I quickly realized that my lane of writing is academic or nonfiction because I most certainly cannot do what she does because anything this author writes is magic in my eyes. She is a unicorn and one I will gladly leave it to her to write all of my heroes, anti-heroes, and feisty kick-butt heroines because I know she will do them the justice that I never could. Definitely going in my favorites of 2019.
Now, in hindsight, I guess my earlier statement of being at a loss for words was not correct as I see the length of this review. I still stand by it though because I am not sure if this review even does this book justice.
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