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Star Crossed #1
Elven Duty
an alternate cover edition can be found here
My legacy is to hate him, but I can’t.
This woman appears and tells me I’m an elf and she’s my grandmother. Not quite what I expected on a Thursday evening after another day at the office.
Soon, I’m thrown in a world of duty, magic, and monsters.
And a family feud as old as time itself.
I would have run. I would have gone back to my old life. Or started a new one.
But when the man I’m supposed to hate turns out to be my elven soulmate the only thing I can do is fight for my right to love him.
No matter what kind of monster gets in the way.
Elven Duty is a gay urban fantasy romance with two star-crossed lovers, a ton of monsters hellbent on destroying this dimension and a secret “baby”. This book has a Happy For Now ending with a tease of the next book in the series.
This book was previously part of the Magic Emporium multi-author series. The only changes made are the fixing of awry typos and the addition of the last chapter tease.
My legacy is to hate him, but I can’t.
This woman appears and tells me I’m an elf and she’s my grandmother. Not quite what I expected on a Thursday evening after another day at the office.
Soon, I’m thrown in a world of duty, magic, and monsters.
And a family feud as old as time itself.
I would have run. I would have gone back to my old life. Or started a new one.
But when the man I’m supposed to hate turns out to be my elven soulmate the only thing I can do is fight for my right to love him.
No matter what kind of monster gets in the way.
Elven Duty is a gay urban fantasy romance with two star-crossed lovers, a ton of monsters hellbent on destroying this dimension and a secret “baby”. This book has a Happy For Now ending with a tease of the next book in the series.
This book was previously part of the Magic Emporium multi-author series. The only changes made are the fixing of awry typos and the addition of the last chapter tease.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 15, 2021
About the author
Rhys Lawless
32 books171 followersRhys Everly-Lawless is a hopeless romantic who loves happily-ever-afters.
Which would explain why he loves writing them.
When he's not passionately typing out his next book, you can find him cuddling his dog, feeding his husband, or taking long walks letting those plot bunnies breed ferociously in his head.
He writes contemporary gay romances as Rhys Everly and LGBTQ+ urban fantasy and paranormal romances as Rhys Lawless.
You can find him and all his latest projects on rhyswritesromance.com
Which would explain why he loves writing them.
When he's not passionately typing out his next book, you can find him cuddling his dog, feeding his husband, or taking long walks letting those plot bunnies breed ferociously in his head.
He writes contemporary gay romances as Rhys Everly and LGBTQ+ urban fantasy and paranormal romances as Rhys Lawless.
You can find him and all his latest projects on rhyswritesromance.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
April 24, 2021
This book was a problem for me. Do I love the MC's enough to make up for this shitty shitty trope?
Maybe.
It's set in our world, which makes problems for the story because there has to be some realism mixed in with the fantasy. So, when there is this race of elves divided into two families that work together to fight monsters all over the world... you just know the internet is going to be onto it. I mean, come on.
Thy name is Google. Bow down peasants. (But make sure to take a break every once in a while for your posture or you'll get a hump.)
Our MC's are from the two families and are supposed to be mortal enemies forever. For reasons. The fact that the reasons aren't reasons at all is a problem. A problem that no normal person in this century would accept. And, let's face it, if your parents tell you to stay away from a certain person that you like, doesn't that make them just a bit more interesting?
Also, the job of monster-fighting is not explained well at all. How the monsters come to earth was pretty weak, and the "why" of it was nonexistent.
The saving grace of the book was the main character, Jude, who was raised human so he does do some questioning. Then he opens his mouth and is a funny smartass. *hallelujah!*
Jude completely makes this book. He is smart, funny, and totally shakes things up.
(The fact that he falls in love with our other MC within two meetings and is less than a week past his break-up with a cheating ex.... is something we will ignore for the sake of the gloriousness of Jude.)
Then, to give even more goodness to a story that I might have hated, we get a troll named Royal. He loves bunnies and I loved him. He is everything good and pure. *heart emoji*
Overall it evened out for me. I rolled my eyes several times but then laughed at Jude or awed at Royal. So..
Maybe.
It's set in our world, which makes problems for the story because there has to be some realism mixed in with the fantasy. So, when there is this race of elves divided into two families that work together to fight monsters all over the world... you just know the internet is going to be onto it. I mean, come on.
Thy name is Google. Bow down peasants. (But make sure to take a break every once in a while for your posture or you'll get a hump.)
Our MC's are from the two families and are supposed to be mortal enemies forever. For reasons. The fact that the reasons aren't reasons at all is a problem. A problem that no normal person in this century would accept. And, let's face it, if your parents tell you to stay away from a certain person that you like, doesn't that make them just a bit more interesting?
Also, the job of monster-fighting is not explained well at all. How the monsters come to earth was pretty weak, and the "why" of it was nonexistent.
The saving grace of the book was the main character, Jude, who was raised human so he does do some questioning. Then he opens his mouth and is a funny smartass. *hallelujah!*
Jude completely makes this book. He is smart, funny, and totally shakes things up.
(The fact that he falls in love with our other MC within two meetings and is less than a week past his break-up with a cheating ex.... is something we will ignore for the sake of the gloriousness of Jude.)
Then, to give even more goodness to a story that I might have hated, we get a troll named Royal. He loves bunnies and I loved him. He is everything good and pure. *heart emoji*
Overall it evened out for me. I rolled my eyes several times but then laughed at Jude or awed at Royal. So..
April 6, 2021
An interesting twist on the Romeo and Juliet story
This had a really interesting premise which I think worked pretty well.
The twist on the enemies to lovers family feud of Romeo and Juliet but without the ending tragedy fitted in well with the monster hunting and magic wielding.
I also liked the idea of the Elves in this world version being descended from Able and Cain.
For me, things maybe wrapped up a bit quickly, but as I see from the author's note that there will be more, I'm expecting that will right itself in future books.
There was good development for this urban fantasy scenario and I loved Roman and Jude.
Also, without spoiling anything, I found myself smiling a lot at certain repercussions from their relationship growing stronger.
An interesting bunch of secondary characters all added to the solid narrative.
This had a really interesting premise which I think worked pretty well.
The twist on the enemies to lovers family feud of Romeo and Juliet but without the ending tragedy fitted in well with the monster hunting and magic wielding.
I also liked the idea of the Elves in this world version being descended from Able and Cain.
For me, things maybe wrapped up a bit quickly, but as I see from the author's note that there will be more, I'm expecting that will right itself in future books.
There was good development for this urban fantasy scenario and I loved Roman and Jude.
Also, without spoiling anything, I found myself smiling a lot at certain repercussions from their relationship growing stronger.
An interesting bunch of secondary characters all added to the solid narrative.
Did Not Finish
May 20, 2023DNF 40%
I tried, I really did. I don’t think this author is my cuppa.
I tried, I really did. I don’t think this author is my cuppa.
April 6, 2021
I guess it's a good book if you're looking for something to take apart and discuss but I couldn't really enjoy it as much as I wanted to after seeing so many high ratings.
The Kindle version really needed a few more rounds of editing (and a new cover). There were words missing, a few in almost all chapters, sometimes sound-alikes that didn't mean what they were supposed to mean and wrong prepositions and such, repitition that seemed more like poor style than intended to emphasize. English is not my first language so I know how easily something can be mixed up. Unfortunately, I find such things immensely aggravating to read (especially in sexy scenes) because I want to focus on the story and not on the grammar etc.
(The rest might contain spoilers.)
The basic concept was intriguing but I was frustrated that so many of my questions remained unanswered. I mean why are the slayers so rich when none of them seem to have 'actual' jobs? How can Jude just leave everything behind? Doesn't he have at least a favourite shirt or something like that that he'd like to keep? Some of these pesky documents that modern life can't seem to work without? What happened to his lease/friend Veronica/superspeed harddrive with his hellfyre files? How can the whole town know about the monsters and keep them secret at the same time? Why do the monsters appear in and around the town and not just at any point along the lines? ...
The whole family dynamic was so toxic and awful. Seriously, I grieve for all the kids they put through this legacy of theirs but if those are the values they want to hold on to, it might be better for all if they were to go extinct. Also: change is a prerequisite for life, so trying to keep everything the way it was written in the Bible (that origin story didn't make a lot of sense anyway?) is beyond stupid and futile.
I'm usually good with keeping track of who is who but here I was so confused by all the Meyers family members and even Jude and Roman. They seemed to share one personality and pov and other than crowding the page didn't add flavour or depth. And there could have been a lot of depth here, since most of them are really unhappy because they're either grieving for lost loved ones, pining for people they can't have or married to people who don't want them. It's all very bitter. Instead they were the 'bad and bland establishment, shitty just because it is tradition.'
The insta-love didn't convince me. Sure, let them be intrigued by each other, let them joke about a lighthouse telling them they're soulmates but please let it grow into something. I want to know why they care about each other beyond the other being a good fuck in a dark car. Instead there was 'talking about the legacy, rules and crafting - just accept it all as it is thank you' followed by 'we trained but let's not go into that' and 'everybody is being awful.' Jude and Roman don't really spend any time getting to know each other on the page. So I'm not at all sure why they love each other apart from the fact that they're both shining bright against the dark background of all the shitty individuals in their families/Jude's exploitative asshole of a boss and cheating ex boyfriend. I mean don't they have any hobbies that they would want to pursue even if they didn't have the time recently? There's a short mention of both of them being nerds/geeks but, unless I missed something, there's only one Buffy reference to show that and no mention whatsoever of what they usually do in their free time.
The one thing that somehow pulled it all together for me was Royal and how he impacted Jude and Roman's relationship. He's a real cutie but I'm not over the fact that it's still okay to slay all the other monsters. Because the way I understood it they're from another dimension or some such and pulled into Roman and Jude's world accidentally through faults in the dimensional walls. Imagine being uprooted like that and then killed for being scared/hurt/confused and unable to communicate. Thousands of years of legacy and all they came up with is 'kill on sight, don't consider putting them back where they came from.'
Yeah, I'm not impressed. :/
The Kindle version really needed a few more rounds of editing (and a new cover). There were words missing, a few in almost all chapters, sometimes sound-alikes that didn't mean what they were supposed to mean and wrong prepositions and such, repitition that seemed more like poor style than intended to emphasize. English is not my first language so I know how easily something can be mixed up. Unfortunately, I find such things immensely aggravating to read (especially in sexy scenes) because I want to focus on the story and not on the grammar etc.
(The rest might contain spoilers.)
The basic concept was intriguing but I was frustrated that so many of my questions remained unanswered. I mean why are the slayers so rich when none of them seem to have 'actual' jobs? How can Jude just leave everything behind? Doesn't he have at least a favourite shirt or something like that that he'd like to keep? Some of these pesky documents that modern life can't seem to work without? What happened to his lease/friend Veronica/superspeed harddrive with his hellfyre files? How can the whole town know about the monsters and keep them secret at the same time? Why do the monsters appear in and around the town and not just at any point along the lines? ...
The whole family dynamic was so toxic and awful. Seriously, I grieve for all the kids they put through this legacy of theirs but if those are the values they want to hold on to, it might be better for all if they were to go extinct. Also: change is a prerequisite for life, so trying to keep everything the way it was written in the Bible (that origin story didn't make a lot of sense anyway?) is beyond stupid and futile.
I'm usually good with keeping track of who is who but here I was so confused by all the Meyers family members and even Jude and Roman. They seemed to share one personality and pov and other than crowding the page didn't add flavour or depth. And there could have been a lot of depth here, since most of them are really unhappy because they're either grieving for lost loved ones, pining for people they can't have or married to people who don't want them. It's all very bitter. Instead they were the 'bad and bland establishment, shitty just because it is tradition.'
The insta-love didn't convince me. Sure, let them be intrigued by each other, let them joke about a lighthouse telling them they're soulmates but please let it grow into something. I want to know why they care about each other beyond the other being a good fuck in a dark car. Instead there was 'talking about the legacy, rules and crafting - just accept it all as it is thank you' followed by 'we trained but let's not go into that' and 'everybody is being awful.' Jude and Roman don't really spend any time getting to know each other on the page. So I'm not at all sure why they love each other apart from the fact that they're both shining bright against the dark background of all the shitty individuals in their families/Jude's exploitative asshole of a boss and cheating ex boyfriend. I mean don't they have any hobbies that they would want to pursue even if they didn't have the time recently? There's a short mention of both of them being nerds/geeks but, unless I missed something, there's only one Buffy reference to show that and no mention whatsoever of what they usually do in their free time.
The one thing that somehow pulled it all together for me was Royal and how he impacted Jude and Roman's relationship. He's a real cutie but I'm not over the fact that it's still okay to slay all the other monsters. Because the way I understood it they're from another dimension or some such and pulled into Roman and Jude's world accidentally through faults in the dimensional walls. Imagine being uprooted like that and then killed for being scared/hurt/confused and unable to communicate. Thousands of years of legacy and all they came up with is 'kill on sight, don't consider putting them back where they came from.'
Yeah, I'm not impressed. :/
March 1, 2024
I bought this audio a while ago after reading Hades and His Witch as I wanted to try more by this author. I’m soooo glad I did. I absolutely loved this story and finished it in one day! This is book 1 in a trilogy and ends on a HFN with a teaser for book 2 which I am going to be starting immediately after writing this review!
I really liked both Jude and Roman. Both of these characters were so awesome and so perfect for one another. I loved Jude’s humour and how he wouldn’t take any shit! Roman was swoon worthy!
This story had a lot of plot but such a great romance beside it as well! I loved the side characters and the secret baby was the cutest thing ever!! I absolutely look forward to the next part of Jude and Roman’s story! The narrator did such an amazing job I know I’ll be listening to the audios for the rest of this series as well!
I really liked both Jude and Roman. Both of these characters were so awesome and so perfect for one another. I loved Jude’s humour and how he wouldn’t take any shit! Roman was swoon worthy!
This story had a lot of plot but such a great romance beside it as well! I loved the side characters and the secret baby was the cutest thing ever!! I absolutely look forward to the next part of Jude and Roman’s story! The narrator did such an amazing job I know I’ll be listening to the audios for the rest of this series as well!
February 14, 2021
I loved the Romeo and Juliet vibe this gave me. Jude and Roman meet before they find out they are on opposite sides of a centuries long feud. However, they also have to work together, but they can't be anything but colleagues.
There's a lot going on, Jude learning his legacy, Roman not wanting to conform to his family's wants, and the mystery of what happened to Jude's mother. This kind of means that the romance is secondary which is good to me because priorities! The monsters were imaginative and I loved the world building.
Of course there is the mandatory trip to Marsden's Magical Emporium that fit the plot nicely. This reads as a standalone
There's a lot going on, Jude learning his legacy, Roman not wanting to conform to his family's wants, and the mystery of what happened to Jude's mother. This kind of means that the romance is secondary which is good to me because priorities! The monsters were imaginative and I loved the world building.
Of course there is the mandatory trip to Marsden's Magical Emporium that fit the plot nicely. This reads as a standalone
May 7, 2021
I really thought there would be some hate. I wanted a proper enemies-to-lovers book with lots of banter but nope this was not it.
April 14, 2022
3 stars
Royal made this book haha but overall a cute fantasy read, but I can see it being forgettable….
Also John York did a great job with the narration!
Royal made this book haha but overall a cute fantasy read, but I can see it being forgettable….
Also John York did a great job with the narration!
February 16, 2021
This was so good. Jude grew up in foster care not knowing anything about his past. When he meet his grandmother Agatha and she tells him he is an elf, he thinks she is crazy. Roman is an elf that hunts monsters with Agatha. Jude & Roman fall for each other pretty fast/hard. I didn't see the twist with the monsters coming. There really is minimal angst, just some familial angst, in this one & these two were hot together. I will most definitely be reading this one again.
I'm so glad this came out in audio & John York did a great job narrating this one. He really brought the characters to life.
ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review
Audio ARC provided by the Author in exchange for an honest review.
I'm so glad this came out in audio & John York did a great job narrating this one. He really brought the characters to life.
ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review
Audio ARC provided by the Author in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2021
Books in this series are either really good or painfully bad. This is one of the good ones. I was left with plenty of doubts at the end, but it is mentioned that the story continues. I wish that the book could've been able to explain itself a bit better, but the overall plot was really good so I don't plan to put much qualms about it.
March 29, 2022
4.5 stars on reread - I really like these characters and world!
Monster hunters!
I liked this instalment of the Magic Emporium series! I liked the world and it’s different take on elves. I liked Jude and Roman and am glad to know there will be more in their story.
Monster hunters!
I liked this instalment of the Magic Emporium series! I liked the world and it’s different take on elves. I liked Jude and Roman and am glad to know there will be more in their story.
February 24, 2021
This is an M/M Romeo and Juliet type urban fantasy. Not my usual trope but this book is so much fun. Rhys is an amazing writer
The characters were great, specially Jude and I loved the whole pace of the book, from the fight scenes to Royal the troll (now I want a Royal for myself). I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next one!
The characters were great, specially Jude and I loved the whole pace of the book, from the fight scenes to Royal the troll (now I want a Royal for myself). I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next one!
May 16, 2021
Read for a group challenge, so not in series order but I would’ve got there eventually. Very strong on the Romeo and Juliet vibes, which was a little bit annoying because the families were awful. It’s a small town so lines drawn. I liked both Roman and Jude, I liked how they stuck to their guns. Royal was adorable and sweet. I felt sorry for Callista and the truth only made me dislike the family more. I’m looking forward to more from the new little family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2021
*4.5*
I am really enjoying this multi-author series. Such a great range of characters and plots involved and Rhys Lawless gives us a forbidden romance with elves and monsters.
Jude is found by his grandmother and brought into a world that he never knew existed. He has always been different but now he knows why he is faster, stronger and more agile. His one night of fun with a stranger in town turns out to be the best and maybe worst thing as Roman is a Meyer who are enemies of the Cohen's. However a pair is made up of one from each family as their magics must work together to defeat the monsters who enter this world.
What unfolds is a wonderfully told tale of hot romance, action filled fight scenes, feuding families and elven magic that Jude needs to learn a lifetimes worth. The drama that occurs between the members of the families is both entertaining and sad as they work to keep two men, who are clearly meant to be together, apart. Jude is a master at not caring what he says to people, I was often laughing out loud at some of his comments both said in jest or anger. Roman is the one who struggles the most with their relationship as he's lived this life always being told never to trust a Cohen and whilst he constantly disagrees with what they say, they are still his family. It does come to the point though when someone has to choose - Love or family feud.
I have to say though, for me the show was stolen by one person named Royal. He's possibly my new favourite being. So freaking adorable!
This is definitely a recommended read and I love the tease at the end from the author! I am totally enjoying this series so far. There's quite a variety going on throughout the books and you never know what to expect.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
I am really enjoying this multi-author series. Such a great range of characters and plots involved and Rhys Lawless gives us a forbidden romance with elves and monsters.
Jude is found by his grandmother and brought into a world that he never knew existed. He has always been different but now he knows why he is faster, stronger and more agile. His one night of fun with a stranger in town turns out to be the best and maybe worst thing as Roman is a Meyer who are enemies of the Cohen's. However a pair is made up of one from each family as their magics must work together to defeat the monsters who enter this world.
What unfolds is a wonderfully told tale of hot romance, action filled fight scenes, feuding families and elven magic that Jude needs to learn a lifetimes worth. The drama that occurs between the members of the families is both entertaining and sad as they work to keep two men, who are clearly meant to be together, apart. Jude is a master at not caring what he says to people, I was often laughing out loud at some of his comments both said in jest or anger. Roman is the one who struggles the most with their relationship as he's lived this life always being told never to trust a Cohen and whilst he constantly disagrees with what they say, they are still his family. It does come to the point though when someone has to choose - Love or family feud.
I have to say though, for me the show was stolen by one person named Royal. He's possibly my new favourite being. So freaking adorable!
This is definitely a recommended read and I love the tease at the end from the author! I am totally enjoying this series so far. There's quite a variety going on throughout the books and you never know what to expect.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
March 13, 2021
I really enjoy reading multi-author universes and the Magic Emporium series has been wonderful with a unique story told by a different author with a shared shop. Marden's Magic Emporium pops up when someone needs it the most and each book can be read as a stand-alone. Elven Duty is Book 7 in the Magic Emporium series and is my first urban fantasy novel by Rhys Lawless. I've read some of the author's other books by a different pen name, Rhys Everly, so I really enjoyed stepping into the urban fantasy world.
Elven Duty had an interesting Romeo & Juliet storyline with different elven families that are mortal enemies, Monster Hunters, found destiny, fated mates, and a cute and lovable Troll. Jude and Roman are from the dueling Cohen and Meyers family with enough family baggage to sink a castle and more! Jude discovers that he is an elf whose mother gave him up for adoption and now founds out he has a destiny and family members including his grandmother. He discovers his mate, Roman, is a Meyers and they can't be together due to the family legacy which he doesn't understand. It takes a while for Roman to accept the fact that his family is manipulative and shouldn't play a part in his happiness.
There's a lot to unpack in this story but it was wonderful with the right level of angst, romance, funny moments (Royal the Troll), and fantasy. The Cohen and the Meyers have a history of lies, duty, deceit, manipulation, treachery, hate, and love. Both families really annoyed me and the author did a brilliant job writing the characters. So many secrets within secrets about the Monster Hunting, the Cohen/Meyer pairing, and the monsters that exist in their world. This is the first book of a brand new urban fantasy series by Rhys Lawless that features Roman, Jude, and Royal the Troll :) I'm excited to revisit this world again and see what new adventures await them!
Elven Duty had an interesting Romeo & Juliet storyline with different elven families that are mortal enemies, Monster Hunters, found destiny, fated mates, and a cute and lovable Troll. Jude and Roman are from the dueling Cohen and Meyers family with enough family baggage to sink a castle and more! Jude discovers that he is an elf whose mother gave him up for adoption and now founds out he has a destiny and family members including his grandmother. He discovers his mate, Roman, is a Meyers and they can't be together due to the family legacy which he doesn't understand. It takes a while for Roman to accept the fact that his family is manipulative and shouldn't play a part in his happiness.
There's a lot to unpack in this story but it was wonderful with the right level of angst, romance, funny moments (Royal the Troll), and fantasy. The Cohen and the Meyers have a history of lies, duty, deceit, manipulation, treachery, hate, and love. Both families really annoyed me and the author did a brilliant job writing the characters. So many secrets within secrets about the Monster Hunting, the Cohen/Meyer pairing, and the monsters that exist in their world. This is the first book of a brand new urban fantasy series by Rhys Lawless that features Roman, Jude, and Royal the Troll :) I'm excited to revisit this world again and see what new adventures await them!
July 26, 2026
Types of books I hate:
1. Insta-love and “you’re my one and only.”
2. A poorly constructed fantasy world.
3. A protagonist who doesn’t think and just goes along with whatever is happening.
4. A plot that makes absolutely no sense.
Guess which book got a bingo? You guessed it.
Completely boring, not funny at all, and the plot is just bizarre.
Jude is around thirty, has a career, an apartment, and a whole life, and he simply decides to quit his job (without giving any notice), leave his apartment (without taking anything with him or canceling his lease and bills), and go with a woman he’s never met to some other place because she claims to be his grandmother. Ah yes, perfectly logical.
He arrives at a new house and finds a crazy woman in one of the rooms trying to attack him. Does he ask who she is? Show any fear or concern? Nope.
We move further along in the plot, and he meets Ronan, who is exactly his type, and they decide to make out after exchanging approximately one and a half words. Then, suddenly, the lights go out in some house and they discover that they’re soulmates.
Now, soulmates aren't even a thing in this world, but apparently it happened specifically to them—a pair of men.
Sure, let's just go with it...
Moving even further along, there’s a family meeting involving two families who hate each other because of something that happened at the creation of the world, millions of years ago, and everyone just goes along with it.
Ma’am, author, you really didn’t need to force a Romeo and Juliet plot into this story!
To sum it up, it feels like someone wrote this book without any direction or thought whatsoever, and it shows.
1. Insta-love and “you’re my one and only.”
2. A poorly constructed fantasy world.
3. A protagonist who doesn’t think and just goes along with whatever is happening.
4. A plot that makes absolutely no sense.
Guess which book got a bingo? You guessed it.
Completely boring, not funny at all, and the plot is just bizarre.
Jude is around thirty, has a career, an apartment, and a whole life, and he simply decides to quit his job (without giving any notice), leave his apartment (without taking anything with him or canceling his lease and bills), and go with a woman he’s never met to some other place because she claims to be his grandmother. Ah yes, perfectly logical.
He arrives at a new house and finds a crazy woman in one of the rooms trying to attack him. Does he ask who she is? Show any fear or concern? Nope.
We move further along in the plot, and he meets Ronan, who is exactly his type, and they decide to make out after exchanging approximately one and a half words. Then, suddenly, the lights go out in some house and they discover that they’re soulmates.
Now, soulmates aren't even a thing in this world, but apparently it happened specifically to them—a pair of men.
Sure, let's just go with it...
Moving even further along, there’s a family meeting involving two families who hate each other because of something that happened at the creation of the world, millions of years ago, and everyone just goes along with it.
Ma’am, author, you really didn’t need to force a Romeo and Juliet plot into this story!
To sum it up, it feels like someone wrote this book without any direction or thought whatsoever, and it shows.
February 25, 2021
This is a new author to me & I was very impressed at how well this fantasy MM romance was written. The well-paced plot is interesting & flowed smoothly throughout the storyline and it kept my attention quite firmly until the last page was turned. The characters are well-developed individuals that are portrayed as star-crossed lovers who are quite determined to be with each other. There is excellent support from the secondary characters.
It is about: a snarky young man (Jude) discovers the truth about his heritage from his grandmother (Agatha Cohen) & just to make his life a little more interesting he discovers his so-called enemy (Roman Meyers) is his soulmate.
There is: intrigue, suspense, drama, twists & turns, adventure, action, humour/verbal banter, mystery, secrets, magic, family issues, elf politics, rivalry, feuds, fated soulmates, alternative dimensions, a magic emporium, elves, monsters, a sweet troll (Royal), portals, danger, threats, conflict, violence, determination, mild anguish, defiance, ultimatums, some steamy scenes, love, contentment & a satisfying conclusion. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading this genre. I really doubt that you would be disappointed in it.
It is about: a snarky young man (Jude) discovers the truth about his heritage from his grandmother (Agatha Cohen) & just to make his life a little more interesting he discovers his so-called enemy (Roman Meyers) is his soulmate.
There is: intrigue, suspense, drama, twists & turns, adventure, action, humour/verbal banter, mystery, secrets, magic, family issues, elf politics, rivalry, feuds, fated soulmates, alternative dimensions, a magic emporium, elves, monsters, a sweet troll (Royal), portals, danger, threats, conflict, violence, determination, mild anguish, defiance, ultimatums, some steamy scenes, love, contentment & a satisfying conclusion. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading this genre. I really doubt that you would be disappointed in it.
March 31, 2021
“Dear Jude,” he read. “I hope you never read these words. I hope you never find this book. Or anything to do with me.”
"...if you’re reading this, it means you found where you’re from. Who you are. What you are."
Well that was certainly different and in a very good way. I found the premise of this book a very interesting take on elves and other paranormal things. The Romeo and Juliet trope it is based on really sticks out as a major point in the story. So much is not what is seems. The book is very insta-lovey. Jude certainly adapted much better than I would have if I had been thrust into the elven world as an adult.
Roman is a product of his environment. He acts accordingly, even when it goes against what he really believes. This works for him, until he falls in love with Jude. There was a lot of action going on, but I still would classify this book as a romance. It also included a trip to the Magic Emporium which is always fun no matter the book. This multi author series seems to be a winner for me. I haven't read one I didn't enjoy. In fact I am happy that the author states this book will become a continuing series as I would love to get more of Roman and Jude, Monster Hunters.
"...if you’re reading this, it means you found where you’re from. Who you are. What you are."
Well that was certainly different and in a very good way. I found the premise of this book a very interesting take on elves and other paranormal things. The Romeo and Juliet trope it is based on really sticks out as a major point in the story. So much is not what is seems. The book is very insta-lovey. Jude certainly adapted much better than I would have if I had been thrust into the elven world as an adult.
Roman is a product of his environment. He acts accordingly, even when it goes against what he really believes. This works for him, until he falls in love with Jude. There was a lot of action going on, but I still would classify this book as a romance. It also included a trip to the Magic Emporium which is always fun no matter the book. This multi author series seems to be a winner for me. I haven't read one I didn't enjoy. In fact I am happy that the author states this book will become a continuing series as I would love to get more of Roman and Jude, Monster Hunters.
February 10, 2024
I have soo many questions ?!?! And don't answer them with because! 😂
Pros: I really liked Roman and especially our Queen Jude. Jude saved this story with Royal so hard. Because let's face it, you can't base your story on "because that's just the way it is" answers. Sorry, nor sorry 🤷🏻♀️
Why do our families hate each other? Well... because... uhh... two million years ago... Okay yeah stop right there, dude. The story takes place in the 21st century in America! Face it, that's not enough. It was like a bad movie, all this hate. Without base. Just because. Where's the hidden camera? I really couldn't take them seriously, especially because everyone participated, including Roman, without questioning it? Brainwash? Especially his family, are they for real? 😂
Due to Jude's growing up in the normal human world, Roman, who also questions a lot of things, but doesn't act on them yet, and Agatha the family feud trope didn't had such a big impact on the story. Especially since Hollis lives in New York and now only Roman's family is terrorizing? For me, that was also very thin... 🤷🏻♀️
Just like the worldbuilding. That was more than flimsy. Why do the monsters come here from their dimension? Why are they only depicted as monsters, although they can also be different, see Royal? Why? And the story with Cain and Abel? Creative, but sorry very vague about how the elves came to be?!
Spoiler alert: I read the last chapter of book 3, just because and I don't like the ending. That's why I stop at this point and don't read the rest of the series... 😅
Pros: I really liked Roman and especially our Queen Jude. Jude saved this story with Royal so hard. Because let's face it, you can't base your story on "because that's just the way it is" answers. Sorry, nor sorry 🤷🏻♀️
Why do our families hate each other? Well... because... uhh... two million years ago... Okay yeah stop right there, dude. The story takes place in the 21st century in America! Face it, that's not enough. It was like a bad movie, all this hate. Without base. Just because. Where's the hidden camera? I really couldn't take them seriously, especially because everyone participated, including Roman, without questioning it? Brainwash? Especially his family, are they for real? 😂
Due to Jude's growing up in the normal human world, Roman, who also questions a lot of things, but doesn't act on them yet, and Agatha the family feud trope didn't had such a big impact on the story. Especially since Hollis lives in New York and now only Roman's family is terrorizing? For me, that was also very thin... 🤷🏻♀️
Just like the worldbuilding. That was more than flimsy. Why do the monsters come here from their dimension? Why are they only depicted as monsters, although they can also be different, see Royal? Why? And the story with Cain and Abel? Creative, but sorry very vague about how the elves came to be?!
Spoiler alert: I read the last chapter of book 3, just because and I don't like the ending. That's why I stop at this point and don't read the rest of the series... 😅
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2021
A Magical Emporium novel. Interesting attempt to mix mythology with religion. The descendants of Caan and Abel are the progenitors of the Elven race, destined and paired to destroy dangerous supernatural beasts who cross into the human realm. They are also meant to hate each other whilst on the job. Not so for Roman and Jude who can't keep their hands of each other, breaking all family traditions and convention which would make Caan and Abel blush in their graves. The troll Royal is adorable if only we could adopt one. A familiy of monster hunters reminiscent of Grimm and Buffy. A good read.
December 6, 2024
Buddy read! It’s wasn’t the worst I have read but I am rating it low since I wouldn’t want anyone to read this book by accident.
A book like this provokes many comments in a BR, so that’s fun :)
Soooo many issues but for me, it’s the dual pov where each pov sounds so similar to the other character, so I can’t tell who is speaking. It’s all a blur.
And all the unbelievable car sex, just because it’s fantasy we still want to believe! It’s just OTT.
This goes on the book CONDEMNATION list 😂
A book like this provokes many comments in a BR, so that’s fun :)
Soooo many issues but for me, it’s the dual pov where each pov sounds so similar to the other character, so I can’t tell who is speaking. It’s all a blur.
And all the unbelievable car sex, just because it’s fantasy we still want to believe! It’s just OTT.
This goes on the book CONDEMNATION list 😂
May 9, 2022
I enjoyed this book and both the MC's. I absolutely adored the Troll and found that part really fun and humorous. Not a lot of angst - just some family stuff. It was a good set-up for the series and I'm looking forward to reading more.
January 12, 2023
I remember reading this one when it was first released in the magic emporium series. I liked it then, and I liked it again now. It did get a couple of extra modifications to make it open for sequels, but they weren't big
September 15, 2024
Whilst I enjoyed this book, I'm not sold on the fantasy world and how it integrates with humans or even itself. I don't think I'll continue the series. But kudos to the author for a very interesting take on elves, Adam & Eve, Kane & Abel.
Narrated by John York - always enjoy his easy narrations.
Narrated by John York - always enjoy his easy narrations.
March 10, 2021
I absolutely LOVED this fantastic, grab-you-by-the-feels, poignant, sexy, delightful, amazing, fresh, unconventional, completely unexpected, and totally awesome twist on the classic Romeo and Juliet storyline. It had me hooked from beginning to end, and I would recommend getting this marvelous gem for yourself.
February 10, 2024
AUDIO
The narration did it no favors, but the writing is just bad. DNF @22%
The narration did it no favors, but the writing is just bad. DNF @22%
Read
March 21, 2023Not for me so DNF
February 11, 2025
Jude and Roman were fun. Jude was raised in foster care and has no connection his family history, so when his supposed grandmother shows up on his doorstep he doesn't know what to think. But being told that ultimately he's not actually human might just explain a few things. Meeting Roman though is quite another thing. Here's a man he's drawn to, but their families are enemies and yet they're supposed to also work together to fight evil creatures of all things.
This was fun and I look forward to seeing more of the world in the next book.
This was fun and I look forward to seeing more of the world in the next book.
February 18, 2021
Soulmates
What do you get when you combine Shakespeare, Supernatural and elves? Magical awesomeness, unbelievable action and a royal surprise! I loved the history in this book, the world-building and most of all Jude and Roman. “The moment I walked into the Waterfront, he was all I could see, like a ray of light illuminating the darkest parts of my soul.” Swoon, these two crafted their way into my heart and soul. Despite their horrible families, and I mean truly horrific, Roman and Jude clawed their way to be together. So beware monsters, but beware more anyone who tries to tear these two apart. I’m excited to see what amazing adventure is next for them.
What do you get when you combine Shakespeare, Supernatural and elves? Magical awesomeness, unbelievable action and a royal surprise! I loved the history in this book, the world-building and most of all Jude and Roman. “The moment I walked into the Waterfront, he was all I could see, like a ray of light illuminating the darkest parts of my soul.” Swoon, these two crafted their way into my heart and soul. Despite their horrible families, and I mean truly horrific, Roman and Jude clawed their way to be together. So beware monsters, but beware more anyone who tries to tear these two apart. I’m excited to see what amazing adventure is next for them.
March 22, 2021
"Re"-reading...
So I usually pride myself on remembering books/plots and other related stuff but this one just really flew through the cracks. I blame it on the cover. The title of the book did sound familiar but I feel this way also with books I only know of and decided not to read (or tried and put down) so I went into this with an open enough mind and except for those annoying side characters as well as the Rome-Juliette-sque plot, I kind of enjoyed it. Did I change in three years? Was I in the right mood? Did listening (instead of reading) change my perspective (since I listen alongside other activities so I am probably not as present, mentally or emotionally)?
Probably all of the above but while this world still didn't entirely click with me, I can be picky (even to my own detriment) so mostly I am just happy to find myself here, giving this a second chance without meaning to.
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I wanted to like it. But the feud and flat characters for in the way.
It's enemies to lovers expect... they're not actually enemies at any point. Monster hunting... with a twist. Not a bad one but still not quite the highlight. And a Romeo and Juliet plot. That made me almost quit the books. Maybe should have, so I would not have to complain about it here...
Basically, my main problem was with that whole forbidden love trope. Both because it seemed way too easy to ignore it and because it seemed impossible and inadvisable to do it. Mainly because of the shouting. I am not exactly a fan of those situations where we meet some... blind person. Which is supposed to be a blanket term for bigotry, sexism, racism and any kind of blindness to equality. Hearing side characters just shout over each other, trying to make the worst remark of all? Not my idea of a good time. I would take some tragically sad mother begging her son to not leave instead of just characters who were so believable and complex they spoke with one voice and acted like it would happen cause they say so. I very much don't like that kind of attitude.
The Magical Emporium, the point of the series, may have been cute but it became pretty... dry. I am pretty sure my imagination or hopes got more entertaining. Like utilizing the already used but still cool idea of using a pocket or just some dimension as a kind of bestiary. Like in, say, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Fin Them, for example.
Also, people changed their minds way too quickly. I can understand stubborn and imovable and I can understand grudgingly, by experience, learning to change something. Seeing a "blind" character change their tune just feels cheap and fake.
So basically, I am pretty sure I did not enjoy it even though I was hoping I might, at some point. I have another book in this series and I guess I may give it a try - maybe it was the plot or the author that did not click with me.
So I usually pride myself on remembering books/plots and other related stuff but this one just really flew through the cracks. I blame it on the cover. The title of the book did sound familiar but I feel this way also with books I only know of and decided not to read (or tried and put down) so I went into this with an open enough mind and except for those annoying side characters as well as the Rome-Juliette-sque plot, I kind of enjoyed it. Did I change in three years? Was I in the right mood? Did listening (instead of reading) change my perspective (since I listen alongside other activities so I am probably not as present, mentally or emotionally)?
Probably all of the above but while this world still didn't entirely click with me, I can be picky (even to my own detriment) so mostly I am just happy to find myself here, giving this a second chance without meaning to.
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I wanted to like it. But the feud and flat characters for in the way.
It's enemies to lovers expect... they're not actually enemies at any point. Monster hunting... with a twist. Not a bad one but still not quite the highlight. And a Romeo and Juliet plot. That made me almost quit the books. Maybe should have, so I would not have to complain about it here...
Basically, my main problem was with that whole forbidden love trope. Both because it seemed way too easy to ignore it and because it seemed impossible and inadvisable to do it. Mainly because of the shouting. I am not exactly a fan of those situations where we meet some... blind person. Which is supposed to be a blanket term for bigotry, sexism, racism and any kind of blindness to equality. Hearing side characters just shout over each other, trying to make the worst remark of all? Not my idea of a good time. I would take some tragically sad mother begging her son to not leave instead of just characters who were so believable and complex they spoke with one voice and acted like it would happen cause they say so. I very much don't like that kind of attitude.
The Magical Emporium, the point of the series, may have been cute but it became pretty... dry. I am pretty sure my imagination or hopes got more entertaining. Like utilizing the already used but still cool idea of using a pocket or just some dimension as a kind of bestiary. Like in, say, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Fin Them, for example.
Also, people changed their minds way too quickly. I can understand stubborn and imovable and I can understand grudgingly, by experience, learning to change something. Seeing a "blind" character change their tune just feels cheap and fake.
So basically, I am pretty sure I did not enjoy it even though I was hoping I might, at some point. I have another book in this series and I guess I may give it a try - maybe it was the plot or the author that did not click with me.
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