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Fire & Brimstone #spin-off
Cuffs & Carnations
It took one day to strip an Archangel of everything he held dear.
On the battlefield of Heaven, Uriel lost more than his left ear. He lost his Committeds and his will to live. Decades later, he’s drowning himself at the bottom of a bottle, with no escape in sight. He tried to end his misery, but death didn't take. Resigned to suffering eternity alone with only the ghosts of the ones he lost as company, the last thing Uriel wants is a new love.
It took one day for a hybrid to fall in love with a broken, lost Archangel.
As the hybrid spawn of Lucifer, Jesse isn’t exactly popular with angels; carrying the face of a monster tends to have that effect. So, he keeps his head down and secretly prays for the day someone can see past his golden eyes to the soul inside—the soul desperate for the solace only surrender can provide.
A grieving Archangel searching for hope and a reason to live. A hybrid yearning for a firm, loving hand, and a place to belong. Join Uriel and Jesse as they test the boundaries of love and the infinite limits of grace.
Cuffs & Carnations is a spin-off story within the Fire & Brimstone universe. It can be read as a standalone but is best enjoyed after reading the completed Fire & Brimstone Scrolls series. Trigger warnings include: non-graphic mentions of attempted suicide/suicidal thoughts, cavalier commentary/dark jokes about suicide, self-destructive abuse of alcohol and the resulting withdrawal symptoms, and elements of BDSM and kink, including bondage, impact play, power exchange, and light breath play.
On the battlefield of Heaven, Uriel lost more than his left ear. He lost his Committeds and his will to live. Decades later, he’s drowning himself at the bottom of a bottle, with no escape in sight. He tried to end his misery, but death didn't take. Resigned to suffering eternity alone with only the ghosts of the ones he lost as company, the last thing Uriel wants is a new love.
It took one day for a hybrid to fall in love with a broken, lost Archangel.
As the hybrid spawn of Lucifer, Jesse isn’t exactly popular with angels; carrying the face of a monster tends to have that effect. So, he keeps his head down and secretly prays for the day someone can see past his golden eyes to the soul inside—the soul desperate for the solace only surrender can provide.
A grieving Archangel searching for hope and a reason to live. A hybrid yearning for a firm, loving hand, and a place to belong. Join Uriel and Jesse as they test the boundaries of love and the infinite limits of grace.
Cuffs & Carnations is a spin-off story within the Fire & Brimstone universe. It can be read as a standalone but is best enjoyed after reading the completed Fire & Brimstone Scrolls series. Trigger warnings include: non-graphic mentions of attempted suicide/suicidal thoughts, cavalier commentary/dark jokes about suicide, self-destructive abuse of alcohol and the resulting withdrawal symptoms, and elements of BDSM and kink, including bondage, impact play, power exchange, and light breath play.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 24, 2023
42 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
About the author
Nik Knight
29 books602 followersNik Knight (they/them) is a born and bred Hoosier living in a top-secret location in Europe. They are a single parent to two wonderful gremlins, and they write love in all its forms.
When they aren’t busy adulting, Nik can be found in their writing nook, typing away as their fingers turn to nubs.
When they aren’t busy adulting, Nik can be found in their writing nook, typing away as their fingers turn to nubs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
November 24, 2023
Book safety, content warnings and tropes down below.
I'll start with the audiobook part. I am a huge fan of Kirt Graves, so I was very excited to see he was the narrator. I feel like we got another level of him in this one, though. I could *feel* the emotions through his voice, which only added to the impact of the book. I am not a native english speaker, so I can't speak to the accuracy of his accents, but to me at least, it sounded very well done.
Oh boy. I went into this thinking 'ooh, paranormal and BDSM? Sign me up!', and I was NOT ready for the absolutely emotional punch to the damn face that this book was. I either had tears in my eyes or was openly weeping through most of it, lol (I cry very easily, but still). There's so much depth here that I didn't see coming, which is totally my own fault as I didn't do more than take a cursory glance at the blurb or any reviews until after. It deals heavily with grief and alcoholism, and just about every emotion under the sun, but most of all love in so many forms. It was incredibly beautiful.
Halfway through the first chapter, I texted my friend and asked if Uriel becomes a nicer person, especially towards Jesse, eventually, and... yes? Sort of. They do build some sort of friendship after a while, but it's not an easy journey getting there. I think this book captures the difficulty of loving someone with an addiction very well. You love them no matter what, but it hurts you more than anything. I think this line from the blurb captures the book very well:
"A grieving Archangel searching for hope and a reason to live. A hybrid yearning for a firm, loving hand, and a place to belong. Join Uriel and Jesse as they test the boundaries of love and the infinite limits of grace."
The kink and BDSM were definitely important parts of the book, but don't let it scare you off reading this if it's not your thing. It was used well to showcase the building relationship between Uriel and Jesse, and getting to see how their kink dynamic didn't work as soon as their friendship (and especially trust) deterioritated was quite powerful.
I haven't read the series this book is a spin-off from, but I navigated the world well enough, I think. I enjoyed it a lot, with all the recognizable names of the archangels, for example. Jesse was an absolute sweetheart with nothing but unconditional love for those he cares about. It was painful at times to see how he was treated, both by Uriel and others around him, but he was strong enough to carry that for as long as needed. I just wanted to give the big teddy bear a big bear hug.
I also have to say that I'm incredibly thankful that we got a great, long and lighthearted epilogue. The boys (and I) needed it after that emotional rollercoaster. I loved this book.
⚠️ Spoiler warning ⚠️
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No, but there is a three year gap between their first encounter and 'present day' in the book (from prologue to chapter 1).
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Paranormal romance
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: Several hundred years age difference. Specifics unknown.
Content warnings
Brief mentions of past suicide attempt
Suicidal thoughts
Alcoholism
Withdrawal symptoms
Bondage
Impact play
Breath play
Nearly violent situation between MCs
Vomiting
Consensual face-slapping
Humiliation kink
Self harm
Grief
Mentions of the death of past partners
Tropes & tags
Addiction
Paranormal
BDSM
Twink Dom
Widower
Slight age gap
Big sub/small dom
Size difference
Emotional slow burn
Lucifer’s son
I'll start with the audiobook part. I am a huge fan of Kirt Graves, so I was very excited to see he was the narrator. I feel like we got another level of him in this one, though. I could *feel* the emotions through his voice, which only added to the impact of the book. I am not a native english speaker, so I can't speak to the accuracy of his accents, but to me at least, it sounded very well done.
Oh boy. I went into this thinking 'ooh, paranormal and BDSM? Sign me up!', and I was NOT ready for the absolutely emotional punch to the damn face that this book was. I either had tears in my eyes or was openly weeping through most of it, lol (I cry very easily, but still). There's so much depth here that I didn't see coming, which is totally my own fault as I didn't do more than take a cursory glance at the blurb or any reviews until after. It deals heavily with grief and alcoholism, and just about every emotion under the sun, but most of all love in so many forms. It was incredibly beautiful.
Halfway through the first chapter, I texted my friend and asked if Uriel becomes a nicer person, especially towards Jesse, eventually, and... yes? Sort of. They do build some sort of friendship after a while, but it's not an easy journey getting there. I think this book captures the difficulty of loving someone with an addiction very well. You love them no matter what, but it hurts you more than anything. I think this line from the blurb captures the book very well:
"A grieving Archangel searching for hope and a reason to live. A hybrid yearning for a firm, loving hand, and a place to belong. Join Uriel and Jesse as they test the boundaries of love and the infinite limits of grace."
The kink and BDSM were definitely important parts of the book, but don't let it scare you off reading this if it's not your thing. It was used well to showcase the building relationship between Uriel and Jesse, and getting to see how their kink dynamic didn't work as soon as their friendship (and especially trust) deterioritated was quite powerful.
I haven't read the series this book is a spin-off from, but I navigated the world well enough, I think. I enjoyed it a lot, with all the recognizable names of the archangels, for example. Jesse was an absolute sweetheart with nothing but unconditional love for those he cares about. It was painful at times to see how he was treated, both by Uriel and others around him, but he was strong enough to carry that for as long as needed. I just wanted to give the big teddy bear a big bear hug.
I also have to say that I'm incredibly thankful that we got a great, long and lighthearted epilogue. The boys (and I) needed it after that emotional rollercoaster. I loved this book.
⚠️ Spoiler warning ⚠️
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No, but there is a three year gap between their first encounter and 'present day' in the book (from prologue to chapter 1).
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Paranormal romance
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: Several hundred years age difference. Specifics unknown.
Content warnings
Brief mentions of past suicide attempt
Suicidal thoughts
Alcoholism
Withdrawal symptoms
Bondage
Impact play
Breath play
Nearly violent situation between MCs
Vomiting
Consensual face-slapping
Humiliation kink
Self harm
Grief
Mentions of the death of past partners
Tropes & tags
Addiction
Paranormal
BDSM
Twink Dom
Widower
Slight age gap
Big sub/small dom
Size difference
Emotional slow burn
Lucifer’s son
March 5, 2023
“In here, I’m the only god you’ll pray to.”
This book was everything I needed, and more. A story of guilt, of forgiveness and of learning to live through pain and of course, to love. Uriel's story after the War was never going to be easy, and I'm not gonna lie... I ugly sobbed a couple of times.
But I also laughed, because Jesse manages to bring Uriel back to life through sheer force of will and just by being himself. He's so sweet and kind, I can't even handle it.
“You’re so beautiful when you beg, darling.”
-Hurt/Comfort
-D/s
-Humiliation
-Praise
-Good Boy
-Angst
-Light Breath Play
-Grief
"You're like... the twinkiest twink to ever twink."
Also, now I can't wait for certain other couple...
This book was everything I needed, and more. A story of guilt, of forgiveness and of learning to live through pain and of course, to love. Uriel's story after the War was never going to be easy, and I'm not gonna lie... I ugly sobbed a couple of times.
But I also laughed, because Jesse manages to bring Uriel back to life through sheer force of will and just by being himself. He's so sweet and kind, I can't even handle it.
“You’re so beautiful when you beg, darling.”
-Hurt/Comfort
-D/s
-Humiliation
-Praise
-Good Boy
-Angst
-Light Breath Play
-Grief
"You're like... the twinkiest twink to ever twink."
Also, now I can't wait for certain other couple...
January 9, 2025
A thousand times 5 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fire & Brimstone Scrolls is one of my favorite series, and after reading this book, I know I will never change my opinion about it. I knew for a while we would have Uriel's redemption, but reading was a huge level of relief.
While being a standalone, it cannot be read without the previous books, the experience would not be complete, so this review contains spoilers from the previous series.
Cuffs & Carnations is a very emotional book, we all loved Uriel, and after the second war of Heaven he lost his Committeds,is was completely scarred, broken, grieving, and drowning in ambrosia to forget the pain inside... Never giving himself a chance to heal and move on , he believed he didn't deserve to live because he didn't save then.
He is saved by the most unlikely person, the hybrid Jesse, who is not only the son, but the spitting image of Lucifer, the fallen who caused all that pain and death.
Jesse is a teddy bear sub with no experience but a lot of fantasies, and Uriel is a Dom but also the twinkiest twink who ever twinked with huge experience but lost in his grief. So their interaction starts here. Trying to develop something from here... But while Jesse is in a good place about how he feels and wants, Uriel is stuck in an endless path of self-destruction.
Since their relationship starts with a focus on BDSM, I was afraid the story would stick there, with scenes and no development, but no. We have a love story with angst, sacrifice, dedication,friendship… chess, and never ever giving up on who we love 🖤 with some kink shenanigans by the side.
I cried ok? I felt the pain through the words I was reading... The struggle to be better for the other person! It broke me but got me back together again!
The sex scenes were very intense, sexy, hotter than lava, but also very personal and intimate, with or without the bdsm elements. They truly complete each other 🥹
And omg revisiting our favorites hybrid and his Committeds... 💛Riley is all grown up, 🖤Jai is (bless him) still Jai, 💜Noel ibeautifulll as ever and 💚Gideon the fondation stone!
Some of my favorite quotes (ok maybe to many...) but they speak for me since I'm not that eloquent rigth now:
"It was poetic in a way. I deserved every scar, every residual pain, every chronic ache. I deserved this torment because I had survived when they hadn’t. It was my punishment, my curse, and I would bear it for the rest of my miserable existence."
“You can, you know, touch me. If you want,” he offered so quietly I almost missed it.Something deep in my chest sparked. It was tiny and warm but oh so fragile. I knew the second I tried to embrace it, it would disintegrate in my hands."
“You may have inherited his face and abilities, but you are nothing like him, Jesse. Don’t take this the wrong way, but if he could see you now, I think he’d roll over in his grave.” An almost smile softened his features. “He would be utterly ashamed to have you as a son, and I mean that as the highest possible praise."
"And then, if you’re a good boy and I deem you deserving, I might allow you to come.”“Oh my God,” he squeaked.Leaning forward, I caught his gaze and held it. “In here, I’m the only god you’ll pray to.”
"Oh-my-god-oh-my-god-oh-my-god.”With scarred fingers, I grasped his harness and yanked him up high enough that I could growl in his ear. “I told you. In this room, you pray to me."
Uriel “I… well, you see, I…” His throat clicked, and I braced myself for the inevitable. “I think I might love you.”
Jesse “I want you,” he blurted, hands wringing in his lap. “I want this, all of it, with you. I want to be your partner, your Dom, your… whatever you want from me, I want to give it to you.”
"You’re enough for me. Just as you are.”Shaking his head, he regarded me with another expression of awe. “Where have you been hiding all these years?”
“My hands returned to his knees, squeezing lightly. “I’ve been right here. I was just waiting for you to see me.”He looked pained for a moment, before a sad smile formed. “I see you, Jesse.”
And when he kissed me, I thought, This.And, Him.And, Love. This is love.
I received this Arc from @gay.romance.reviews and this is my honest opinion
PS: and I'm totally shiping Kelly and Gabriel!!!
Fire & Brimstone Scrolls is one of my favorite series, and after reading this book, I know I will never change my opinion about it. I knew for a while we would have Uriel's redemption, but reading was a huge level of relief.
While being a standalone, it cannot be read without the previous books, the experience would not be complete, so this review contains spoilers from the previous series.
Cuffs & Carnations is a very emotional book, we all loved Uriel, and after the second war of Heaven he lost his Committeds,is was completely scarred, broken, grieving, and drowning in ambrosia to forget the pain inside... Never giving himself a chance to heal and move on , he believed he didn't deserve to live because he didn't save then.
He is saved by the most unlikely person, the hybrid Jesse, who is not only the son, but the spitting image of Lucifer, the fallen who caused all that pain and death.
Jesse is a teddy bear sub with no experience but a lot of fantasies, and Uriel is a Dom but also the twinkiest twink who ever twinked with huge experience but lost in his grief. So their interaction starts here. Trying to develop something from here... But while Jesse is in a good place about how he feels and wants, Uriel is stuck in an endless path of self-destruction.
Since their relationship starts with a focus on BDSM, I was afraid the story would stick there, with scenes and no development, but no. We have a love story with angst, sacrifice, dedication,friendship… chess, and never ever giving up on who we love 🖤 with some kink shenanigans by the side.
I cried ok? I felt the pain through the words I was reading... The struggle to be better for the other person! It broke me but got me back together again!
The sex scenes were very intense, sexy, hotter than lava, but also very personal and intimate, with or without the bdsm elements. They truly complete each other 🥹
And omg revisiting our favorites hybrid and his Committeds... 💛Riley is all grown up, 🖤Jai is (bless him) still Jai, 💜Noel ibeautifulll as ever and 💚Gideon the fondation stone!
Some of my favorite quotes (ok maybe to many...) but they speak for me since I'm not that eloquent rigth now:
"It was poetic in a way. I deserved every scar, every residual pain, every chronic ache. I deserved this torment because I had survived when they hadn’t. It was my punishment, my curse, and I would bear it for the rest of my miserable existence."
“You can, you know, touch me. If you want,” he offered so quietly I almost missed it.Something deep in my chest sparked. It was tiny and warm but oh so fragile. I knew the second I tried to embrace it, it would disintegrate in my hands."
“You may have inherited his face and abilities, but you are nothing like him, Jesse. Don’t take this the wrong way, but if he could see you now, I think he’d roll over in his grave.” An almost smile softened his features. “He would be utterly ashamed to have you as a son, and I mean that as the highest possible praise."
"And then, if you’re a good boy and I deem you deserving, I might allow you to come.”“Oh my God,” he squeaked.Leaning forward, I caught his gaze and held it. “In here, I’m the only god you’ll pray to.”
"Oh-my-god-oh-my-god-oh-my-god.”With scarred fingers, I grasped his harness and yanked him up high enough that I could growl in his ear. “I told you. In this room, you pray to me."
Uriel “I… well, you see, I…” His throat clicked, and I braced myself for the inevitable. “I think I might love you.”
Jesse “I want you,” he blurted, hands wringing in his lap. “I want this, all of it, with you. I want to be your partner, your Dom, your… whatever you want from me, I want to give it to you.”
"You’re enough for me. Just as you are.”Shaking his head, he regarded me with another expression of awe. “Where have you been hiding all these years?”
“My hands returned to his knees, squeezing lightly. “I’ve been right here. I was just waiting for you to see me.”He looked pained for a moment, before a sad smile formed. “I see you, Jesse.”
And when he kissed me, I thought, This.And, Him.And, Love. This is love.
I received this Arc from @gay.romance.reviews and this is my honest opinion
PS: and I'm totally shiping Kelly and Gabriel!!!
March 29, 2023
Abandoned it for now at 65%.
I know Uriel is hurting. I know this book is all about him finding some happiness after all the shit he was put through in the last series. But I’m at 65% and I do not care for him. Instead I’m angry.
He is mean, he is a bad dom (the kink rep in general sucks), he mistreats Jesse and my sympathy for him went out the window very fast. Jesse deserves so much better. Also scenes where you don’t psychically touch your sub cause you are a piece of shit still count and need aftercare!
Also why on earth is Jesse in love with him? Cause we do not find that out. And considering the state Uriel has been for the last few years I’m seriously side eyeing Jesse falling in love with him for no reason apparently.
I have tried to finish it but it just kept making me more angry. Maybe one day.
I know Uriel is hurting. I know this book is all about him finding some happiness after all the shit he was put through in the last series. But I’m at 65% and I do not care for him. Instead I’m angry.
He is mean, he is a bad dom (the kink rep in general sucks), he mistreats Jesse and my sympathy for him went out the window very fast. Jesse deserves so much better. Also scenes where you don’t psychically touch your sub cause you are a piece of shit still count and need aftercare!
Also why on earth is Jesse in love with him? Cause we do not find that out. And considering the state Uriel has been for the last few years I’m seriously side eyeing Jesse falling in love with him for no reason apparently.
I have tried to finish it but it just kept making me more angry. Maybe one day.
March 19, 2023
*this is a spin off from the Fire & Brimstone Scrolls series so don't forget to read those books first!*
If you're in any way hesitant to read this book do yourself a favor and just read the prologue. Never in my life have I read a more intense prologue that had me GLUED to my seat until I finished the book in its entirety.
Uriel and Jesse's book was absolutely everything I wanted it to be AND MORE! This book packed an emotional punch (which was definitely not surprising because Nikole is an expert at ripping out the hearts of readers LOL).
After the events of the war Uriel is trapped in a horrible mental space filled with grief, self loathing, and despair. That is until he meets the absolutely ray of sunshine that is Jesse. Uriel's struggles really hit home for me and Nikole handled everything flawlessly. I love how there is not an "instant fix" and there are bumps and set backs along the way. It's unrealistic to think that someone can just bounce back seamlessly from something so tragic. Jesse is everything someone would want in a partner. He is patient, compassionate, determined, and lets not lie, he's downright adorable. Uriel and Jesse's dynamic is FIRE and I loved every moment of their intimacy.
Also, the epilogue was EVERYTHING and had me crying I was laughing so hard. I love all of these characters so much and I'll never not miss being in their world.
...now I wait for Danny's book which I need more than air!!!!
If you're in any way hesitant to read this book do yourself a favor and just read the prologue. Never in my life have I read a more intense prologue that had me GLUED to my seat until I finished the book in its entirety.
Uriel and Jesse's book was absolutely everything I wanted it to be AND MORE! This book packed an emotional punch (which was definitely not surprising because Nikole is an expert at ripping out the hearts of readers LOL).
After the events of the war Uriel is trapped in a horrible mental space filled with grief, self loathing, and despair. That is until he meets the absolutely ray of sunshine that is Jesse. Uriel's struggles really hit home for me and Nikole handled everything flawlessly. I love how there is not an "instant fix" and there are bumps and set backs along the way. It's unrealistic to think that someone can just bounce back seamlessly from something so tragic. Jesse is everything someone would want in a partner. He is patient, compassionate, determined, and lets not lie, he's downright adorable. Uriel and Jesse's dynamic is FIRE and I loved every moment of their intimacy.
Also, the epilogue was EVERYTHING and had me crying I was laughing so hard. I love all of these characters so much and I'll never not miss being in their world.
...now I wait for Danny's book which I need more than air!!!!
March 29, 2023
Thank you to GRR for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When I found out we were getting some Fire & Brimstone stories I celebrated HARD. This book follows Uriel and Jesse and although it's been a long time since I read Fire & Brimstone, it was like hardly any time had passed. Knight didn't info dump a lot but she provided snippets of information that gave me everything I needed to get right back into this world and these characters.
Jesse and Uriel hurt my heart, but they hurt it so good. I'm so glad that I ended up reading this because I truly loved everything about it. And I neeeeed more Kelly. And Kelli. NEEEED.
When I found out we were getting some Fire & Brimstone stories I celebrated HARD. This book follows Uriel and Jesse and although it's been a long time since I read Fire & Brimstone, it was like hardly any time had passed. Knight didn't info dump a lot but she provided snippets of information that gave me everything I needed to get right back into this world and these characters.
Jesse and Uriel hurt my heart, but they hurt it so good. I'm so glad that I ended up reading this because I truly loved everything about it. And I neeeeed more Kelly. And Kelli. NEEEED.
July 27, 2025
Podobało mi się. Cieszę się, że dostałam historię Uriela, bo przyznam, że bolało mnie to, co go spotkało. To było dziwne, zakręcone i hmm... mało anielskie, ale co tam, najważniejsze, że nasz anioł dostał swoje szczęśliwe zakończenie ;) Chętnie przeczytałabym również historię przyjaciela Jessego i jego "tajemniczego" anioła ;)
January 19, 2025
Hmm... if you've seen my reviews for the original series, you know I wasn't a fan especially that last book.
It pissed me off big time.
However, I wanted to read this one because what happened to Uriel in that last book was a main thing that pissed me off.
I wanted to see him get his HEA.
I did like this book but I wanted to love it.
Love after loss is a favorite trope of mine. It's a rare trope as it is and pair that with them being angels and mates... sign me up.
However
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
Obby and Delilah took way too much page time for my liking while Jessie didn't take as much as he deserved or as much as was needed to feel the burgeoning connection and love story between him and Uriel.
I understand that they were and always will be a part of Uriel but this isn't their story.
It was supposed to be Jessie's and I didn't feel that at all.
Finally, as much as I love Kirt Graves' narrations, dude DOES NOT know how to speak with a British Accent. Please stop casting him in books that require him to do anything but American.
It pissed me off big time.
However, I wanted to read this one because what happened to Uriel in that last book was a main thing that pissed me off.
I wanted to see him get his HEA.
I did like this book but I wanted to love it.
Love after loss is a favorite trope of mine. It's a rare trope as it is and pair that with them being angels and mates... sign me up.
However
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
Obby and Delilah took way too much page time for my liking while Jessie didn't take as much as he deserved or as much as was needed to feel the burgeoning connection and love story between him and Uriel.
I understand that they were and always will be a part of Uriel but this isn't their story.
It was supposed to be Jessie's and I didn't feel that at all.
Finally, as much as I love Kirt Graves' narrations, dude DOES NOT know how to speak with a British Accent. Please stop casting him in books that require him to do anything but American.
Read
March 30, 2023what a roller coaster
This book had me in all of the feels. Anger sadness grief depression, and love. All the feels. This a story that worked with unconditional love. And not just the fluffy sweet parts. This was a journey to a new path, one you didn’t think this pair would find but you were rooting for them to get there. And they do. The writing was amazing. The smexy was hawt. This is a D/s story. I love the characters with disabilities. I love how this story doesn’t magically “fix” any thing. This is about finding oneself. The scene with F… bring tissues. Great story
This book had me in all of the feels. Anger sadness grief depression, and love. All the feels. This a story that worked with unconditional love. And not just the fluffy sweet parts. This was a journey to a new path, one you didn’t think this pair would find but you were rooting for them to get there. And they do. The writing was amazing. The smexy was hawt. This is a D/s story. I love the characters with disabilities. I love how this story doesn’t magically “fix” any thing. This is about finding oneself. The scene with F… bring tissues. Great story
April 25, 2023
well how thoroughly disappointing.
as a fan of the original fire and brimstone stories, i literally cannot express how shocked i am truly,, i wouldn’t have known that nikole knight had written this book if it weren’t for their name plastered on the front cover if i’m being painfully honest.
the whole thing… fell flat. the entire novel i was waiting for a deep dive into any sort of emotional connection between jesse and uriel and all i got was some half cracked bdsm scenes.
now i will admit, i am biased cause i very much HATE bdsm books, but besides this being rushed, it felt… i suppose silly to add this as a plot point.
i understand it was a big part of uriels personality i suppose, but it felt unserious at the end of it all. the only saving grace was riley and committed snippets. AND OH MY GOD, MY BOY IS A FATHER.
i really wanted this book to detail a little bit more into riley and uriels relationship, it felt much like an after thought to the author and that upset me the most i think.
meeting uriel in the original series really made me fall in love with him, and i was so excited for this book.. but now i’m just put off any books nikole knight may or may not write in the future.
not to mention the weird and uncalled for discussion of race politics??? i understand white queer authors get cringey sometimes in dialogue but that was just like disturbing??
anyways, i suppose that’s the end of this review, mind you i haven’t written a review in yonks but this truly did need to be slandered a little bit.
as a fan of the original fire and brimstone stories, i literally cannot express how shocked i am truly,, i wouldn’t have known that nikole knight had written this book if it weren’t for their name plastered on the front cover if i’m being painfully honest.
the whole thing… fell flat. the entire novel i was waiting for a deep dive into any sort of emotional connection between jesse and uriel and all i got was some half cracked bdsm scenes.
now i will admit, i am biased cause i very much HATE bdsm books, but besides this being rushed, it felt… i suppose silly to add this as a plot point.
i understand it was a big part of uriels personality i suppose, but it felt unserious at the end of it all. the only saving grace was riley and committed snippets. AND OH MY GOD, MY BOY IS A FATHER.
i really wanted this book to detail a little bit more into riley and uriels relationship, it felt much like an after thought to the author and that upset me the most i think.
meeting uriel in the original series really made me fall in love with him, and i was so excited for this book.. but now i’m just put off any books nikole knight may or may not write in the future.
not to mention the weird and uncalled for discussion of race politics??? i understand white queer authors get cringey sometimes in dialogue but that was just like disturbing??
anyways, i suppose that’s the end of this review, mind you i haven’t written a review in yonks but this truly did need to be slandered a little bit.
March 26, 2023
4.5 stars
I’ve been looking forward to this book coming out for SO long - not just because I needed Uriel to get his HEA after the events of Fire and Brimstone but also because I’ve been in the hugest reading slump lately.
What I liked:
+ Ahhh I cried so much, like I knew this book would be emotional but I didn’t realise HOW much!! There were so MANY MOMENTS get your tissues ready. Maybe this makes me a masochist because I liked that it made me cry but I reckon that anything that can elicit such deep emotions from me is a well 👏 written 👏 book 👏
+ Jesse is such a pure innocent puppy and I love him
+ I also loved seeing a little more of the angel society in the aftermath of the second Great War - world building was good
+ Epilogue was adorable and hilarious lol I have so many highlights of lines that made me laugh
What I didn’t like:
- I KNOW that Uriel is in a lot of grief and pain but man he was such an ass - if it were me I could not be like Jesse lol especially since he never knew Uriel before all the pain
- It’s a bit insta-love-y since Jesse really has no reason to hold a candle to douche Uriel for so long lol
My senses are tingling for Kelly/Kelli and
I’ve been looking forward to this book coming out for SO long - not just because I needed Uriel to get his HEA after the events of Fire and Brimstone but also because I’ve been in the hugest reading slump lately.
What I liked:
+ Ahhh I cried so much, like I knew this book would be emotional but I didn’t realise HOW much!! There were so MANY MOMENTS get your tissues ready. Maybe this makes me a masochist because I liked that it made me cry but I reckon that anything that can elicit such deep emotions from me is a well 👏 written 👏 book 👏
+ Jesse is such a pure innocent puppy and I love him
+ I also loved seeing a little more of the angel society in the aftermath of the second Great War - world building was good
+ Epilogue was adorable and hilarious lol I have so many highlights of lines that made me laugh
What I didn’t like:
- I KNOW that Uriel is in a lot of grief and pain but man he was such an ass - if it were me I could not be like Jesse lol especially since he never knew Uriel before all the pain
- It’s a bit insta-love-y since Jesse really has no reason to hold a candle to douche Uriel for so long lol
My senses are tingling for Kelly/Kelli and
March 24, 2023
5 ugly cry stars
**If you haven’t read the Fire & Brimstone series STOP and read that first. This is a spin-off, cannot be read as a standalone, and contains many spoilers.**
- Angel + Hybrid
- Love After Loss
- BDSM Elements
- Fire & Brimstone Spin-Off
Decades after he lost his committeds at the hands of Lucifer, Uriel spends most of his days at the bottom of a bottle. How can he heal when the angels he promised to take care of forever are both dead and gone?
Uriel spins his grief and pain out into every relationship he has left, hacking away at anyone who tries to help him. But, when a young hybrid with the face of the fallen who ruined his life finds him in an alley, Uriel’s downward spiral starts to waiver.
Jesse is nothing like his infamous father, but the resemblance has followed him his entire life. Unable to ignore the relation, he’s not sure he has a chance of getting to know the wounded archangel he’s been crushing on since he was a teenager but he has to try.
Cuffs & Carnations was a journey through grief, self-discovery, and the pain of trying desperately to save those who don’t think they deserve it. I cried many many many times, and if you’ve finished the fire and brimstone scrolls I HIGHLY recommend picking up Uriel & Jesse’s story.
**If you haven’t read the Fire & Brimstone series STOP and read that first. This is a spin-off, cannot be read as a standalone, and contains many spoilers.**
- Angel + Hybrid
- Love After Loss
- BDSM Elements
- Fire & Brimstone Spin-Off
Decades after he lost his committeds at the hands of Lucifer, Uriel spends most of his days at the bottom of a bottle. How can he heal when the angels he promised to take care of forever are both dead and gone?
Uriel spins his grief and pain out into every relationship he has left, hacking away at anyone who tries to help him. But, when a young hybrid with the face of the fallen who ruined his life finds him in an alley, Uriel’s downward spiral starts to waiver.
Jesse is nothing like his infamous father, but the resemblance has followed him his entire life. Unable to ignore the relation, he’s not sure he has a chance of getting to know the wounded archangel he’s been crushing on since he was a teenager but he has to try.
Cuffs & Carnations was a journey through grief, self-discovery, and the pain of trying desperately to save those who don’t think they deserve it. I cried many many many times, and if you’ve finished the fire and brimstone scrolls I HIGHLY recommend picking up Uriel & Jesse’s story.
June 23, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Cuffs & Carnations is a spin-off story from the Fire and Brimstone Scrolls series, thus it contains spoilers for how that series ends. The story stands alone well, though it may be richer for those who experienced Uriel, Delilah, and Obie before their tragic end. Additionally, there are mentions of suicide/suicidal ideation and depictions of alcohol abuse/addiction.
Read Jovan’s audio review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Cuffs & Carnations is a spin-off story from the Fire and Brimstone Scrolls series, thus it contains spoilers for how that series ends. The story stands alone well, though it may be richer for those who experienced Uriel, Delilah, and Obie before their tragic end. Additionally, there are mentions of suicide/suicidal ideation and depictions of alcohol abuse/addiction.
Read Jovan’s audio review in its entirety here.
April 16, 2023
Uriel's Salvation
After reading the previous book in this series, I was heartbroken for Uriel. I needed to know what happened to him! This book answered my questions. The loneliness and hopelessness just wafted off the pages of the story. The utter devastation and emptiness felt after losing his beloveds, merely breathing from one day to the next until he felt that there was nothing to exist for anymore, really hit home. The love from memories and that of friends saves Uriel and helps him to rebuild his life.
After reading the previous book in this series, I was heartbroken for Uriel. I needed to know what happened to him! This book answered my questions. The loneliness and hopelessness just wafted off the pages of the story. The utter devastation and emptiness felt after losing his beloveds, merely breathing from one day to the next until he felt that there was nothing to exist for anymore, really hit home. The love from memories and that of friends saves Uriel and helps him to rebuild his life.
July 30, 2023
Oooh. Oooooh. Now I want to reread Fire and Brimstone.
This was so good. I loved to read Uriel’s story. And to meet Riley again. Laughed out loud reading the scene with “self destruct button” in the end of the book.
This was so good. I loved to read Uriel’s story. And to meet Riley again. Laughed out loud reading the scene with “self destruct button” in the end of the book.
April 2, 2023
Finally, my baby-dom has his deserved HEA. Even with the side effects. But it wouldn’t be Nikole if they were completely happy.
November 2, 2023
Enjoyable paranormal romance, well written with likable characters, narration is good too.
Read
June 29, 2023What I liked:
- Excellent and very expressive writing. The grief and pain Uriel was experimenting were very well portrayed.
- The heavy topics discussed in the book were handled extremely well, giving them the importance and space they deserved without being distasteful or too graphic.
- The journey to recovery (and to Uriel's forgiveness of himself) was very well done, fast paced but not rushed.
- We finally got some sort of happy ending for someone else than Riley.The end
What I didn't like:
- Outside of some of the BDSM scenes, I really didn't feel any sparks between Uriel and Jesse. Yes, both think the other one is hot. Yes, Jesse practically saves Uriel from his own destruction. But... maybe it's just me, but the feeling I got from their relationship was more of friendship than of love. I think that mainly because the book is pretty focused on Uriel's recovery and didn't really left much space for talking about how their feelings towards each other were developing. On Jesse's side, it was some kind of instalove, and on Uriel's side... Well, it kind of felt the same, just later in the book.
- Even after his recovery, Uriel is a completely different person than the one we saw in the series. I know part of it is due to the trauma and that recovery is a lifelong journey, and I wouldn't expect nor like if Uriel got back to be the exact same person that he was before the war. But even with that, I couldn't help but feel that his personality was completely different and that by the end we only got a grouchy old man. No traces of the assertiveness we got in the series that made me fall in love with him.
- I didn't like Riley in the series, and I don't like him in this book, either. We see that he kind of tries to help Uriel throughout the years, but, as in the series, he really doesn't seem to feel even the tiniest bit of guilt of compassion over the fact that he (Riley) got everything while everybody else lost it all (sometimes because of him). The air of self righteousness and the lack of compassion he seems to have for his mentor really left a sour taste in my mouth.
But, overall, I really enjoyed the book. It made my soul ache for Uriel and Jesse and, if you're in for a little bit of pain, I really recommend reading it.
- Excellent and very expressive writing. The grief and pain Uriel was experimenting were very well portrayed.
- The heavy topics discussed in the book were handled extremely well, giving them the importance and space they deserved without being distasteful or too graphic.
- The journey to recovery (and to Uriel's forgiveness of himself) was very well done, fast paced but not rushed.
- We finally got some sort of happy ending for someone else than Riley.The end
What I didn't like:
- Outside of some of the BDSM scenes, I really didn't feel any sparks between Uriel and Jesse. Yes, both think the other one is hot. Yes, Jesse practically saves Uriel from his own destruction. But... maybe it's just me, but the feeling I got from their relationship was more of friendship than of love. I think that mainly because the book is pretty focused on Uriel's recovery and didn't really left much space for talking about how their feelings towards each other were developing. On Jesse's side, it was some kind of instalove, and on Uriel's side... Well, it kind of felt the same, just later in the book.
- Even after his recovery, Uriel is a completely different person than the one we saw in the series. I know part of it is due to the trauma and that recovery is a lifelong journey, and I wouldn't expect nor like if Uriel got back to be the exact same person that he was before the war. But even with that, I couldn't help but feel that his personality was completely different and that by the end we only got a grouchy old man. No traces of the assertiveness we got in the series that made me fall in love with him.
- I didn't like Riley in the series, and I don't like him in this book, either. We see that he kind of tries to help Uriel throughout the years, but, as in the series, he really doesn't seem to feel even the tiniest bit of guilt of compassion over the fact that he (Riley) got everything while everybody else lost it all (sometimes because of him). The air of self righteousness and the lack of compassion he seems to have for his mentor really left a sour taste in my mouth.
But, overall, I really enjoyed the book. It made my soul ache for Uriel and Jesse and, if you're in for a little bit of pain, I really recommend reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2023
I tried to prepare myself for Uriel’s story because I knew after the way things ended for him, it was going to be rough, painful and emotional.
Uriel’a heart shattered into a billion pieces, the most important pieces leaving him forever. It was absolutely heartbreaking watching Uriel fall deeper and deeper into oblivion. I felt his heart crack and break so many times and my heart physically hurt for him.
Jessie was a shining light that bought back Uriel from the pits of darkness. Uriel’s journey wasn’t an easy one; it was full of pain, anger, guilt and sorrow.
The sweet and tender moments between Jessie and Uriel warmed my heart. These two were so incredibly beautiful together.
I cried, smiled and even laughed during this book. Probably best to keep those tissues close by, you’ll definitely need them especially, if your anything like me.
Narrator’s performance was absolutely fantastic.
*I voluntarily read this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else's*
Uriel’a heart shattered into a billion pieces, the most important pieces leaving him forever. It was absolutely heartbreaking watching Uriel fall deeper and deeper into oblivion. I felt his heart crack and break so many times and my heart physically hurt for him.
Jessie was a shining light that bought back Uriel from the pits of darkness. Uriel’s journey wasn’t an easy one; it was full of pain, anger, guilt and sorrow.
The sweet and tender moments between Jessie and Uriel warmed my heart. These two were so incredibly beautiful together.
I cried, smiled and even laughed during this book. Probably best to keep those tissues close by, you’ll definitely need them especially, if your anything like me.
Narrator’s performance was absolutely fantastic.
*I voluntarily read this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else's*
March 29, 2025
While my heart completely shattered for Uriel throughout this book I also feel healed on his behalf.
He will never be “whole” again in his heart but he was able to heal enough to allow love into his life again and I’m just so overjoyed for the both of them.
Uriel lost his two commiteds and it absolutely wrecked him body, mind and soul. He couldn’t live a single moment without numbing the pain with alcohol and was content to push everyone away as a defense mechanism. He was angry, lost, heartbroken, with pieces of his soul laying far across the reaches of the ocean in a place where he couldn’t get to (not for the lack of trying). He was a broken man, grieving, self-destructing and looking for a way out of the depths of his despair, especially if that meant joining his beloveds in Elysium.
“I promised to take care of them, but they died. I couldn’t save them. I couldn’t save either of them. And I tried to go with them, but I couldn’t. I wanted to die. So I could be with them. I just wanted to die. Why can’t I die?”
Jesse came into his life and Uriel tried his best to push him away with whatever means he could; but, Jesse would never give up on him and literally stayed beside him during one of the most difficult times in his life.
Uriel became his Dom after trying and failing to resist this sweet golden retriever of a man.
He was admitted to a hospital on suicide watch
He went through an agonizing detox from alcohol
He had to live through all that pain and grief all over again but this time, he wasn’t alone and he never would be again
Uriel made a tear-inducing amends with Riley and it was the sweetest thing ever, I will forever and always love the bond these two share and Riley has been such a rock for Uriel over the years. He was among those that helped Uriel realize that maybe love could be in the cards for him again if he could accept it and accept that someone loved him for all the parts of him, even those he deemed as “broken” or “undeserving”
“Pain is a part of life. We hurt each other, especially those closest to us, because we’re not perfect. We’re… human, if you will.” We shared a laugh at that. “But if you live your whole life in fear of pain that might happen, you’ll never really live.”
“I don’t deserve you,” he confessed. I remembered something I’d heard Master Riley say once and smiled. “I don’t think love is about deserving, Uriel. That’s what makes it a gift.”
I grew such a soft spot for Uriel during the core series, especially when it came to with his relationship with Riley; he wasn’t only his mentor, but a friend, a brother, a father, and just someone who wholeheartedly loved and cared for him.
Their bond is so precious to me and made me love Uriel that much more….and I just wish Beau was here as well because I miss that sassy fucker and I’ll never forgive Knight for killing him off. I will forever hold that grudge (respectfully)!!!!!
Uriel and Jesse finally coming together after all the hardships and admitting their love for each other was a beautiful and sob-worthy moment. Seeing this man break and come back from one of the most soul-crushing things he would ever experience was truly so amazing; I wanted nothing more than for him to be happy again and know that he was so deserving of another chance at love and Jesse gave that to him.
Sidenote: their sex goes so crazy I absolutely love their dynamic. Uriel is a truly top-notch Dom. So respectful and wonderful with communication when it comes to boundaries and consent. Jesse is a bratty but also shy sub who just wants to be cherished but also feel a little pain with his pleasure and he’s the perfect fit for our angel.
“Oh my God,” he squeaked.
Leaning forward, I caught his gaze and held it.
“In here, I’m the only god you’ll pray to.”
“Oh, fuck me,” he whispered.
“I’ll do that too. Eventually.” I grinned. “If you earn it.”
I loved that we got multiple POV it really helped us to grasp the magnitude of grief Uriel was going through and the strength he drew on to get better; as well as the way he slowly opened up to feel that hope of a new love and life again. Jesse is just so accepting, so warm, so loving and literally just what Uriel needed in his life after all this time spent in agonizing sorrow. I’m just so fucking elated that they found each other.
ALSO THE END WHERE WE MEET RILEY AND CREW’S BABY AHHHHHHH OMG THEYRE DADS!?!?
And they asked Uriel to be the godparent which is literally the sweetest fucking thing ever omg real tears of joy were shed in this moment!!!!
Also Uriel handling the baby was actually priceless
“They also have a soft spot on the top of their head where their skull hasn’t fused together,” he added unhelpfully.
“So you could technically squish their brain.” I might have gagged, but I would deny it to my dying day.
“It has a self-destruct button? Oh, fuck this nonsense. Someone take her!”
GODS IM JUST SO HAPPY FOR ALL OF THEM!!!!
what a truly special phenomenal addition the series; it was by means not an easy read and gave me all the angst, sorrow, butterflies, gut-wrenching sadness, happiness, and overwhelming love.
I love this ragtag bunch and I’m gonna fucking miss them so god damn much.
Also I would pay to see a story between Kelly/Kelli and Michael… Nik Knight don’t leave us hanging!!!!!!
God what a beautiful ride I’m just in awe of this series and I feel so content and satisfied with the way everything came to a close with this book and the last.
Until we meet again my loves
He will never be “whole” again in his heart but he was able to heal enough to allow love into his life again and I’m just so overjoyed for the both of them.
Uriel lost his two commiteds and it absolutely wrecked him body, mind and soul. He couldn’t live a single moment without numbing the pain with alcohol and was content to push everyone away as a defense mechanism. He was angry, lost, heartbroken, with pieces of his soul laying far across the reaches of the ocean in a place where he couldn’t get to (not for the lack of trying). He was a broken man, grieving, self-destructing and looking for a way out of the depths of his despair, especially if that meant joining his beloveds in Elysium.
“I promised to take care of them, but they died. I couldn’t save them. I couldn’t save either of them. And I tried to go with them, but I couldn’t. I wanted to die. So I could be with them. I just wanted to die. Why can’t I die?”
Jesse came into his life and Uriel tried his best to push him away with whatever means he could; but, Jesse would never give up on him and literally stayed beside him during one of the most difficult times in his life.
Uriel became his Dom after trying and failing to resist this sweet golden retriever of a man.
He was admitted to a hospital on suicide watch
He went through an agonizing detox from alcohol
He had to live through all that pain and grief all over again but this time, he wasn’t alone and he never would be again
Uriel made a tear-inducing amends with Riley and it was the sweetest thing ever, I will forever and always love the bond these two share and Riley has been such a rock for Uriel over the years. He was among those that helped Uriel realize that maybe love could be in the cards for him again if he could accept it and accept that someone loved him for all the parts of him, even those he deemed as “broken” or “undeserving”
“Pain is a part of life. We hurt each other, especially those closest to us, because we’re not perfect. We’re… human, if you will.” We shared a laugh at that. “But if you live your whole life in fear of pain that might happen, you’ll never really live.”
“I don’t deserve you,” he confessed. I remembered something I’d heard Master Riley say once and smiled. “I don’t think love is about deserving, Uriel. That’s what makes it a gift.”
I grew such a soft spot for Uriel during the core series, especially when it came to with his relationship with Riley; he wasn’t only his mentor, but a friend, a brother, a father, and just someone who wholeheartedly loved and cared for him.
Their bond is so precious to me and made me love Uriel that much more….and I just wish Beau was here as well because I miss that sassy fucker and I’ll never forgive Knight for killing him off. I will forever hold that grudge (respectfully)!!!!!
Uriel and Jesse finally coming together after all the hardships and admitting their love for each other was a beautiful and sob-worthy moment. Seeing this man break and come back from one of the most soul-crushing things he would ever experience was truly so amazing; I wanted nothing more than for him to be happy again and know that he was so deserving of another chance at love and Jesse gave that to him.
Sidenote: their sex goes so crazy I absolutely love their dynamic. Uriel is a truly top-notch Dom. So respectful and wonderful with communication when it comes to boundaries and consent. Jesse is a bratty but also shy sub who just wants to be cherished but also feel a little pain with his pleasure and he’s the perfect fit for our angel.
“Oh my God,” he squeaked.
Leaning forward, I caught his gaze and held it.
“In here, I’m the only god you’ll pray to.”
“Oh, fuck me,” he whispered.
“I’ll do that too. Eventually.” I grinned. “If you earn it.”
I loved that we got multiple POV it really helped us to grasp the magnitude of grief Uriel was going through and the strength he drew on to get better; as well as the way he slowly opened up to feel that hope of a new love and life again. Jesse is just so accepting, so warm, so loving and literally just what Uriel needed in his life after all this time spent in agonizing sorrow. I’m just so fucking elated that they found each other.
ALSO THE END WHERE WE MEET RILEY AND CREW’S BABY AHHHHHHH OMG THEYRE DADS!?!?
And they asked Uriel to be the godparent which is literally the sweetest fucking thing ever omg real tears of joy were shed in this moment!!!!
Also Uriel handling the baby was actually priceless
“They also have a soft spot on the top of their head where their skull hasn’t fused together,” he added unhelpfully.
“So you could technically squish their brain.” I might have gagged, but I would deny it to my dying day.
“It has a self-destruct button? Oh, fuck this nonsense. Someone take her!”
GODS IM JUST SO HAPPY FOR ALL OF THEM!!!!
what a truly special phenomenal addition the series; it was by means not an easy read and gave me all the angst, sorrow, butterflies, gut-wrenching sadness, happiness, and overwhelming love.
I love this ragtag bunch and I’m gonna fucking miss them so god damn much.
Also I would pay to see a story between Kelly/Kelli and Michael… Nik Knight don’t leave us hanging!!!!!!
God what a beautiful ride I’m just in awe of this series and I feel so content and satisfied with the way everything came to a close with this book and the last.
Until we meet again my loves
June 11, 2023
Engrossing & Emotional! Great Story & Narration🎧
Cuffs & Carnations
Fire & Brimstone Scrolls
By: Nikole Knight
Narrated by: Kirt Graves
Nikole Knight created something very special when she created the “Fire & Brimstone” universe and it quickly became one of my favorite paranormal fantasy worlds to visit and spend time in. The characters are amazing and I absolutely adored the lead characters in the “Fire & Brimstone Scroll” series, but there were other characters who made quite an impression, including Uriel, the lead character of this book and spinoff. I highly recommend reading or listening to the original series first, not only are they amazing stories, but it is the best way to get to know the world the story is set in, but also witness the events that took place then and are mentioned in this book. Knowing all that and where Uriel came from adds more depth. Uriel, an Archangel, is a shell of his former self, he is despondent and grief-stricken over the loss of his committeds, his lovers. He is also full of guilt and blames himself for their deaths, since he did not save them or keep them safe. Jesse, a hybrid, is the son of Lucifer, and one of the lab experiments that escaped, but he is nothing like his father, yet people hate him and want nothing to do with him. He always had a thing for Uriel and when he sees Uriel is in such a bad way, he wants to help him, but it is not only that he wants Uriel to teach him the ropes, and more, he wants him to dominate him. Except Uriel is not looking for any type of relationship, he hasn’t even scened since his committeds and he still sees their faces when he even thinks about being with anyone. Despite not making it easy, Jesse finds his way into Uriel’s life, but Uriel has a way to push people away and disappear. Jesse does not give up on him and when Uriel gets to his lowest, he calls in the big guns who get him the help he needs. As always, the writing and plotting is fantastic, the story not only captivated my attention the entire time, but it tugged on my heartstrings too. There are some gut wrenching scenes but all tastefully done, as are the kink scenes, tastefully and super hot. There were brief cameos of Riley and his men, and it was great to see them again. Nicole Knight, thank you for another amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 And for the fantastic narration, Kirt Graves does an amazing job bringing these characters to life and does so with a complete understanding of who he is portraying. I love how he takes each role and makes it his own and sounds believable in every role he plays, accents and all. You could hear how much heart he puts into his work as he captures all the characters’ emotions and projects them into his performance, having you feel every single one. Kirt Graves is a versatile voice artist and an entertaining storyteller. Thank you for another fabulous listen, it is always a pleasure to listen to your audios.
Cuffs & Carnations
Fire & Brimstone Scrolls
By: Nikole Knight
Narrated by: Kirt Graves
Nikole Knight created something very special when she created the “Fire & Brimstone” universe and it quickly became one of my favorite paranormal fantasy worlds to visit and spend time in. The characters are amazing and I absolutely adored the lead characters in the “Fire & Brimstone Scroll” series, but there were other characters who made quite an impression, including Uriel, the lead character of this book and spinoff. I highly recommend reading or listening to the original series first, not only are they amazing stories, but it is the best way to get to know the world the story is set in, but also witness the events that took place then and are mentioned in this book. Knowing all that and where Uriel came from adds more depth. Uriel, an Archangel, is a shell of his former self, he is despondent and grief-stricken over the loss of his committeds, his lovers. He is also full of guilt and blames himself for their deaths, since he did not save them or keep them safe. Jesse, a hybrid, is the son of Lucifer, and one of the lab experiments that escaped, but he is nothing like his father, yet people hate him and want nothing to do with him. He always had a thing for Uriel and when he sees Uriel is in such a bad way, he wants to help him, but it is not only that he wants Uriel to teach him the ropes, and more, he wants him to dominate him. Except Uriel is not looking for any type of relationship, he hasn’t even scened since his committeds and he still sees their faces when he even thinks about being with anyone. Despite not making it easy, Jesse finds his way into Uriel’s life, but Uriel has a way to push people away and disappear. Jesse does not give up on him and when Uriel gets to his lowest, he calls in the big guns who get him the help he needs. As always, the writing and plotting is fantastic, the story not only captivated my attention the entire time, but it tugged on my heartstrings too. There are some gut wrenching scenes but all tastefully done, as are the kink scenes, tastefully and super hot. There were brief cameos of Riley and his men, and it was great to see them again. Nicole Knight, thank you for another amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 And for the fantastic narration, Kirt Graves does an amazing job bringing these characters to life and does so with a complete understanding of who he is portraying. I love how he takes each role and makes it his own and sounds believable in every role he plays, accents and all. You could hear how much heart he puts into his work as he captures all the characters’ emotions and projects them into his performance, having you feel every single one. Kirt Graves is a versatile voice artist and an entertaining storyteller. Thank you for another fabulous listen, it is always a pleasure to listen to your audios.
March 24, 2023
That was a heartbreaking read, utterly intense and emotional, very impressive!
Uriel feels like a huge bulky person but he’s a petite Archangel, it’s all in his Dom personality.
More correctly, he’s a former Dom, Uriel is broken, shattered, and completely lost.
After he lost his beloved Committeds in the battlefield of Heaven, his only goal is to die, but it’s been decades and whatever he tries, he’s still alive and suffering and grieving.
Jesse looks like Lucifer, only the looks because his heart is golden. He always had a soft spot for Uriel, and after one encounter in an alley, with Jesse on his knees in front of Uriel, he can’t get him out of his heart.
The archangel seems always inebriated. Uriel keeps pushing Jesse away, Jesse is stubborn.
Very cautiously Jesse gains room in Uriel’s life.
Imagine a soul-scarred person, who is drunk more often than not, who never smiles, then gives you an unintentionally genuine smile. Jesse completely melts, but worries, will Uriel ever recover?
Uriel is only human (not! pun taken) he can’t bear Jesse with other Dominants.
Scening with Jesse only involves Jesse touching himself, no way Uriel will betray his beloved Committeds.
Just like the difference between his smooth right and scarred left, his head is not else, one part wants to participate, and yearns to find a way to live, and the other a reluctant trembling mess.
Jesse’s ability to hear fragments of thoughts keeps him coming back to Uriel, he’s so in love with the closed of Archangel.
Oh boy, that was an impressive story, my heart hurt so much. More than once I had to stop reading because it was so overwhelming. I couldn’t sleep after I finished the story, I couldn’t let Uriel and Jesse go. Still not.
The author has an intensely enthralling way of writing, so so wonderful! The dark jokes are just what I appreciate given those particular circumstances. There are diverse details to enjoy, the environments were present but felt as if not all the time, it was because of the focus on the two men, it felt so intimate, everything around them felt vague and into the background. The BDSM scenes are very intense and quite breathtaking.
The characters with their specific characteristics are magnificent, the spotlight was of course on Uriel and Jesse, but they are wonderfully dedicated, supportive secondary people.
The supernatural world the author created was exquisite, as a spin-off, it’s the same as the Fire & Brimstone series, a series I also highly recommended btw!!
Mind the trigger warnings, please take care of yourself!
I was immensely impressed by Uriel and Jesse their story. Highly recommended! ALL the hearts and stars!
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews
Uriel feels like a huge bulky person but he’s a petite Archangel, it’s all in his Dom personality.
More correctly, he’s a former Dom, Uriel is broken, shattered, and completely lost.
After he lost his beloved Committeds in the battlefield of Heaven, his only goal is to die, but it’s been decades and whatever he tries, he’s still alive and suffering and grieving.
Jesse looks like Lucifer, only the looks because his heart is golden. He always had a soft spot for Uriel, and after one encounter in an alley, with Jesse on his knees in front of Uriel, he can’t get him out of his heart.
The archangel seems always inebriated. Uriel keeps pushing Jesse away, Jesse is stubborn.
Very cautiously Jesse gains room in Uriel’s life.
Imagine a soul-scarred person, who is drunk more often than not, who never smiles, then gives you an unintentionally genuine smile. Jesse completely melts, but worries, will Uriel ever recover?
Uriel is only human (not! pun taken) he can’t bear Jesse with other Dominants.
Scening with Jesse only involves Jesse touching himself, no way Uriel will betray his beloved Committeds.
Just like the difference between his smooth right and scarred left, his head is not else, one part wants to participate, and yearns to find a way to live, and the other a reluctant trembling mess.
Jesse’s ability to hear fragments of thoughts keeps him coming back to Uriel, he’s so in love with the closed of Archangel.
Oh boy, that was an impressive story, my heart hurt so much. More than once I had to stop reading because it was so overwhelming. I couldn’t sleep after I finished the story, I couldn’t let Uriel and Jesse go. Still not.
The author has an intensely enthralling way of writing, so so wonderful! The dark jokes are just what I appreciate given those particular circumstances. There are diverse details to enjoy, the environments were present but felt as if not all the time, it was because of the focus on the two men, it felt so intimate, everything around them felt vague and into the background. The BDSM scenes are very intense and quite breathtaking.
The characters with their specific characteristics are magnificent, the spotlight was of course on Uriel and Jesse, but they are wonderfully dedicated, supportive secondary people.
The supernatural world the author created was exquisite, as a spin-off, it’s the same as the Fire & Brimstone series, a series I also highly recommended btw!!
Mind the trigger warnings, please take care of yourself!
I was immensely impressed by Uriel and Jesse their story. Highly recommended! ALL the hearts and stars!
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews
March 27, 2023
"Cuffs and Carnation" is a tough reading. If grieving, death, depression and suicidal thoughts are triggers for you, you should skip this one. Compared to the Fire & Brimstone Series, which already had its fair share of angst and emotional issues, "Cuffs and Carnations" is harder and more intense; after all, Fire & Brimstone balanced out sensitive scenes with lots of action and fun. The romantic plot was sweeter, and hopelessness was not a main character, not even when Noel was tortured and almost broken in hell. But in "Cuffs and Carnation", Uriel and his pain are relentlessly exposed and stripped bare and there is seldom any pause to break the tension, not even when Jessie and Kelly/Kelli have their scenes or other characters interact with them. "Cuffs and Carnation" is, for lack of a better word, absolutely heartbreaking.
If Uriel's story is inherently sad, the way that Nikole Knight writes it adds even more feeling and emotion, as her writing is full of details and sensitivity. Not only do the carnations stand as a beautiful, if painful, symbol of Uriel's past life with his committeds, but there are a few scenes where Uriel's rawness and roughness really come through. Amongst these, particularly moving is Uriel's emotional melt in Jesse's arms around the 70% mark, which had me going with the waterworks for a while.
I also liked that the book does not end with a "happy feeling"; Uriel's wounds run too deep for that. Instead, he discovers that his life is worth living, even fractured as it may be and that Jesse is worth loving. But in a sense, Uriel will never be whole again. This end is so right. There are experiences in life that you may overcome. But they have signed you. It makes love deeply meaningful, and Knight is spot on here.
There are a couple of things I didn't like. First, the tile. I liked the carnations half, but not the cuffs one - it kind of takes on a superficial, totally expected meaning compared to the carnations. It was maybe too apparent because of the daddy kink. Second, I'm not a fan of humiliation play, even when it is mild, like in this book. I do have a difficult time getting into the character's psychology when this happens, which is why I didn't feel drawn to Jesse - even when the Lucifer's part was an intriguing avenue to explore. For me, Uriel is definitely the most interesting - and better developed - character, and the one that carries the whole weight of the story.
In conclusion, a rough but beautiful reading.
I received an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest opinion.
If Uriel's story is inherently sad, the way that Nikole Knight writes it adds even more feeling and emotion, as her writing is full of details and sensitivity. Not only do the carnations stand as a beautiful, if painful, symbol of Uriel's past life with his committeds, but there are a few scenes where Uriel's rawness and roughness really come through. Amongst these, particularly moving is Uriel's emotional melt in Jesse's arms around the 70% mark, which had me going with the waterworks for a while.
I also liked that the book does not end with a "happy feeling"; Uriel's wounds run too deep for that. Instead, he discovers that his life is worth living, even fractured as it may be and that Jesse is worth loving. But in a sense, Uriel will never be whole again. This end is so right. There are experiences in life that you may overcome. But they have signed you. It makes love deeply meaningful, and Knight is spot on here.
There are a couple of things I didn't like. First, the tile. I liked the carnations half, but not the cuffs one - it kind of takes on a superficial, totally expected meaning compared to the carnations. It was maybe too apparent because of the daddy kink. Second, I'm not a fan of humiliation play, even when it is mild, like in this book. I do have a difficult time getting into the character's psychology when this happens, which is why I didn't feel drawn to Jesse - even when the Lucifer's part was an intriguing avenue to explore. For me, Uriel is definitely the most interesting - and better developed - character, and the one that carries the whole weight of the story.
In conclusion, a rough but beautiful reading.
I received an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest opinion.
June 20, 2023
Uriel gets his HEA (an audio review)
I loved the Fire and Brimstone Scroll books. The ménage story between Riley, Jai, Noel, and Gideon. How four men could come together under such dire circumstances and make it work.
During that final battle, though, Uriel lost his committeds. That loss hit me, although I was still working through the injuries of my beloved four, and so the true depth of his sadness didn’t permeate. In this book, I got a real sense for how deep the pain went. From missing his lovely Delilah and their third, Obi, I saw the relationship through Uriel’s eyes. How he’d loved and lost. How he just didn’t want to keep going but couldn’t manage to die. How liquor kept him going.
Enter Jesse. As Lucifer’s spawn, he’s not well-regarded by the other angels. His friendship with Riley and some others brings him some comfort, but he’s missing out on a deeper connection. Then he meets Uriel and everything changes.
The relationship is not smooth sailing. Or all sunshine and roses. These are two men with profound feelings of pain. Men who struggle. Uriel especially, but Jesse’s not got an easy go of it either. As they formed the basis of their relationship – BDSM – feelings began to grow. Then one day they realized just how deeply they cared. Uriel has some crap to deal with first, but eventually things looked up. Now, this is a romance, so I got my happy ending but man, did Nikole ever make them suffer first.
Kirt Graves is the perfect narrator for this series. He’s got Uriel’s dry wit and accent down flat while also being the perfect Jesse with the freshness of a younger man. I highly recommend the audiobook.
I loved the Fire and Brimstone Scroll books. The ménage story between Riley, Jai, Noel, and Gideon. How four men could come together under such dire circumstances and make it work.
During that final battle, though, Uriel lost his committeds. That loss hit me, although I was still working through the injuries of my beloved four, and so the true depth of his sadness didn’t permeate. In this book, I got a real sense for how deep the pain went. From missing his lovely Delilah and their third, Obi, I saw the relationship through Uriel’s eyes. How he’d loved and lost. How he just didn’t want to keep going but couldn’t manage to die. How liquor kept him going.
Enter Jesse. As Lucifer’s spawn, he’s not well-regarded by the other angels. His friendship with Riley and some others brings him some comfort, but he’s missing out on a deeper connection. Then he meets Uriel and everything changes.
The relationship is not smooth sailing. Or all sunshine and roses. These are two men with profound feelings of pain. Men who struggle. Uriel especially, but Jesse’s not got an easy go of it either. As they formed the basis of their relationship – BDSM – feelings began to grow. Then one day they realized just how deeply they cared. Uriel has some crap to deal with first, but eventually things looked up. Now, this is a romance, so I got my happy ending but man, did Nikole ever make them suffer first.
Kirt Graves is the perfect narrator for this series. He’s got Uriel’s dry wit and accent down flat while also being the perfect Jesse with the freshness of a younger man. I highly recommend the audiobook.
April 3, 2023
This story was the emotional ringer I expected it to be. My heart aches for Uriel, if you read the Fire & Brimstone series, you saw first hand the depth of the love between Uriel and his Committeds. His pain, anguish, and grief are so palpable they left me breathless. Then there is sweet Jesse, who can't seem to catch a break in Heaven due to his looks.
I loved this pairing, even just the hint of these two coming together had me giddy with anticipation. But Jesse and Uriel are going to have to work for that HEA. Now don't get me wrong; this is Nikole Knight, there are going to be plenty of steamy scenes that had me blushing non-stop. But sprinkled throughout the steam was character growth, self-realization, healing, and hope. I adored how Uriel and Jesse started getting to know each other, their chemistry and the heat between them is top notch. Jesse was such a pillar of support and I wanted to wrap him in a hug every time someone so much as glared at him.
Uriel, well he has a lot to deal with. His recovery from decades of alcoholism, his actual grief and learning how to live again, his suicidal thoughts, but Jesse shows him glimpses of a better life. And lets not forget, Uriel has a lot of bridges to mend, but no bridge as important as his friendship with Riley. These two had my heart soaring, I wanted to sob with them and join in on the group hug. Overall the story is one of healing and hope and has me excited to see if Kelly's story is next.
I loved this pairing, even just the hint of these two coming together had me giddy with anticipation. But Jesse and Uriel are going to have to work for that HEA. Now don't get me wrong; this is Nikole Knight, there are going to be plenty of steamy scenes that had me blushing non-stop. But sprinkled throughout the steam was character growth, self-realization, healing, and hope. I adored how Uriel and Jesse started getting to know each other, their chemistry and the heat between them is top notch. Jesse was such a pillar of support and I wanted to wrap him in a hug every time someone so much as glared at him.
Uriel, well he has a lot to deal with. His recovery from decades of alcoholism, his actual grief and learning how to live again, his suicidal thoughts, but Jesse shows him glimpses of a better life. And lets not forget, Uriel has a lot of bridges to mend, but no bridge as important as his friendship with Riley. These two had my heart soaring, I wanted to sob with them and join in on the group hug. Overall the story is one of healing and hope and has me excited to see if Kelly's story is next.
June 18, 2023
Review for the Audiobook
Warnings for alcoholism, depression, grief, suicidal thoughts, death of loved ones (in the past)
I loved this audiobook. It is truly poignant, emotional, and (for a long while) heart-breaking, but it is ultimately uplifting and empowering, showcasing the powerful effect love and perseverance can have. Having lost loved ones, both human and animal, I fully understand the depths of grief that can result, and I mourned and sympathized with Uriel, even when he was being mean and hurtful to Jesse. It's hard to care for others' feelings, when you are suffering so much yourself. I adored Jesse for his refusal to give up on Uriel. The eventual intervention was difficult, but in the end Uriel has to face his grief and come to terms with it. The ending and final goodbye to Delilah and Obie was cathartic and uplifting. So glad Uriel found a reason to live again. I'm not into the BDSM theme, but this audiobook is more than worthy for the underlying healing and love story, so don't let the BDSM aspect deter you from a great story.
The narration by Kirt Graves is amazing. He is so good at channeling the strong emotions. I could FEEL Uriel's sadness, despair and hopelessness in my own heart.
I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
Warnings for alcoholism, depression, grief, suicidal thoughts, death of loved ones (in the past)
I loved this audiobook. It is truly poignant, emotional, and (for a long while) heart-breaking, but it is ultimately uplifting and empowering, showcasing the powerful effect love and perseverance can have. Having lost loved ones, both human and animal, I fully understand the depths of grief that can result, and I mourned and sympathized with Uriel, even when he was being mean and hurtful to Jesse. It's hard to care for others' feelings, when you are suffering so much yourself. I adored Jesse for his refusal to give up on Uriel. The eventual intervention was difficult, but in the end Uriel has to face his grief and come to terms with it. The ending and final goodbye to Delilah and Obie was cathartic and uplifting. So glad Uriel found a reason to live again. I'm not into the BDSM theme, but this audiobook is more than worthy for the underlying healing and love story, so don't let the BDSM aspect deter you from a great story.
The narration by Kirt Graves is amazing. He is so good at channeling the strong emotions. I could FEEL Uriel's sadness, despair and hopelessness in my own heart.
I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
January 8, 2024
Es war...keine einfache Geschichte. Ich habe es auch gar nicht erwartet. Uriel war am Ende der Hauptreihe, verständlicherweise, traumatisiert, zerbrochen, kaputt, verloren und Jesse hat es geschafft sein Licht zu behalten, einfach er selbst zu sein, aber ich weiß nicht, ob ihr wisst, was ich meine, aber irgendwie hat etwas gefehlt?
Es ging um Uriel, Uriel, Uriel, aber neben Uriel gibt es auch Jesse. Hat er es nicht verdient seine Geschichte zu bekommen, ernst genommen zu werden? Dürfen wir ihn nicht kennenlernen? Ich habe Jesse ehrlich gesagt nicht so intensiv kennengelernt, wie ich gerne wollte. Er hat auch kein einfaches Leben mit den Vorurteilen, die ihm entgegengebracht werden und ich hätte mir gewünscht, dass sie mehr thematisiert worden wären. Vielleicht nicht die erste Hälfte, aber vielleicht später? Seine Freundschaft mit Kelli/Kelly, seine Gabe, sein Hybrid Sein, seine Verbindung mit seinem Mentor Riley... Es gibt so viel, was wir noch erlebt hätten können. Neben Uriel und seiner Heilung. Ich verstehe warum sie so einen großen Raum eingenommen hat. Ich verstehe es, aber trotzdem kommt die Geschichte lange lange nicht an die Hauptreihe heran. Über den Epilog muss ich wirklich nichts sagen. Sorry, aber ich sehe Riley und seine Familie immer noch nicht mit einem Kind 🤷🏻♀️😅
Es ging um Uriel, Uriel, Uriel, aber neben Uriel gibt es auch Jesse. Hat er es nicht verdient seine Geschichte zu bekommen, ernst genommen zu werden? Dürfen wir ihn nicht kennenlernen? Ich habe Jesse ehrlich gesagt nicht so intensiv kennengelernt, wie ich gerne wollte. Er hat auch kein einfaches Leben mit den Vorurteilen, die ihm entgegengebracht werden und ich hätte mir gewünscht, dass sie mehr thematisiert worden wären. Vielleicht nicht die erste Hälfte, aber vielleicht später? Seine Freundschaft mit Kelli/Kelly, seine Gabe, sein Hybrid Sein, seine Verbindung mit seinem Mentor Riley... Es gibt so viel, was wir noch erlebt hätten können. Neben Uriel und seiner Heilung. Ich verstehe warum sie so einen großen Raum eingenommen hat. Ich verstehe es, aber trotzdem kommt die Geschichte lange lange nicht an die Hauptreihe heran. Über den Epilog muss ich wirklich nichts sagen. Sorry, aber ich sehe Riley und seine Familie immer noch nicht mit einem Kind 🤷🏻♀️😅
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2023
*audiobook review*
If you’ve read/listened to the Fire & Brimstone Scrolls then you know how horrible the final battle was. It has now been about 20 years since the final showdown and Uriel is still hurting just as much as he was that first day. He struggles with alcoholism and suicidal thoughts as his grief threatens to drown him.
Jesse is a hybrid whose sire was Lucifer and for better or worse he looks a lot like him and is therefore unfairly judged on his face alone. He has a best friend Kelly/Kelli who is also a hybrid who is absolutely hilarious but other than him, he lives quite a solitary life.
Jesse has had a huge crush on Uriel for years but sees how he struggles and hasn’t had the bravery to approach him until one night he comes to his defense when he is in a bar fight. It’s not smooth sailing but slowly they become friends and Uriel starts to let him in.
There are lots of cameos from Riley and his sexy men which was great. Kirt Graves did a wonderful job emoting how deeply Uriel is hurting from his losses. I found myself in tears more than once. The hurt and despair was palpable. This book takes you on a truly emotional journey and there is an HEA on the other side.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this audiobook.
If you’ve read/listened to the Fire & Brimstone Scrolls then you know how horrible the final battle was. It has now been about 20 years since the final showdown and Uriel is still hurting just as much as he was that first day. He struggles with alcoholism and suicidal thoughts as his grief threatens to drown him.
Jesse is a hybrid whose sire was Lucifer and for better or worse he looks a lot like him and is therefore unfairly judged on his face alone. He has a best friend Kelly/Kelli who is also a hybrid who is absolutely hilarious but other than him, he lives quite a solitary life.
Jesse has had a huge crush on Uriel for years but sees how he struggles and hasn’t had the bravery to approach him until one night he comes to his defense when he is in a bar fight. It’s not smooth sailing but slowly they become friends and Uriel starts to let him in.
There are lots of cameos from Riley and his sexy men which was great. Kirt Graves did a wonderful job emoting how deeply Uriel is hurting from his losses. I found myself in tears more than once. The hurt and despair was palpable. This book takes you on a truly emotional journey and there is an HEA on the other side.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this audiobook.
June 24, 2023
Details
🎧Audiobook Review🎧
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the Fire & Brimstone series. Cuffs and Carnation is a spin off of that series that can be read as a standalone. However, you will definitely enjoy reading it more if you already know the series, as I reencountered some characters I already knew and loved.
Uriel's storyline pretty much destroyed me at the end of the Fire & Brimstone series. And I was very happy to see him get a story of his own. Archangel Uriel is broken after the death of his companions and he lives an unhealthy life of pushing everyone around him away. However, Jesse fell in love with Uriel a long time ago and Jesse never gives up hope.
This book was an emotional roller coaster. My heart broke for Uriel and thankfully was put back together in the end. I loved this story. It is dark but that was to be expected. However, it is also full of hope and I found this story very entertaining.
Kirt Graves did an outstanding job. As a listener, you could immediately hear every mood Uriel was in. i was able to tell the characters apart well. He brought the book to life in a fantasic way. Kirt Graves made a great and emotional book even better with his performance!
I highly recommend this audiobook!
🎧Audiobook Review🎧
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the Fire & Brimstone series. Cuffs and Carnation is a spin off of that series that can be read as a standalone. However, you will definitely enjoy reading it more if you already know the series, as I reencountered some characters I already knew and loved.
Uriel's storyline pretty much destroyed me at the end of the Fire & Brimstone series. And I was very happy to see him get a story of his own. Archangel Uriel is broken after the death of his companions and he lives an unhealthy life of pushing everyone around him away. However, Jesse fell in love with Uriel a long time ago and Jesse never gives up hope.
This book was an emotional roller coaster. My heart broke for Uriel and thankfully was put back together in the end. I loved this story. It is dark but that was to be expected. However, it is also full of hope and I found this story very entertaining.
Kirt Graves did an outstanding job. As a listener, you could immediately hear every mood Uriel was in. i was able to tell the characters apart well. He brought the book to life in a fantasic way. Kirt Graves made a great and emotional book even better with his performance!
I highly recommend this audiobook!
March 19, 2023
When I say this book had me in tears, I don't mean a few casual, aesthetic tears. I mean full on ugly crying in the corner tears. It was so good. I loved it.
This story takes place long after the Fire and Brimstone series (which was also so, so good and gave me all the feels and a huge book hangover) and follows Archangel Uriel. Uriel's Committeds died in a battle which left Uriel horrifically scarred both inside and out. He tries to drown his grief at the bottom of a bottle, utterly consumed by guilt and loss. He's pushed everyone away and it's not until Jesse - the gorgeous, himbo, hybrid son of Lucifer - eases his way past Uriel's barriers that he begins to see his potential for healing.
This is a story about unconditional love - about loving the person in front of you and not their potential. It's about doing hard things because they're best for that person, and also about being selfish for that person. I'm so glad Uriel gets his HEA, and that finally his life can grow big around his grief rather than his grief taking up his whole life.
This story takes place long after the Fire and Brimstone series (which was also so, so good and gave me all the feels and a huge book hangover) and follows Archangel Uriel. Uriel's Committeds died in a battle which left Uriel horrifically scarred both inside and out. He tries to drown his grief at the bottom of a bottle, utterly consumed by guilt and loss. He's pushed everyone away and it's not until Jesse - the gorgeous, himbo, hybrid son of Lucifer - eases his way past Uriel's barriers that he begins to see his potential for healing.
This is a story about unconditional love - about loving the person in front of you and not their potential. It's about doing hard things because they're best for that person, and also about being selfish for that person. I'm so glad Uriel gets his HEA, and that finally his life can grow big around his grief rather than his grief taking up his whole life.
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