What a dark, mysterious, and sexy start to this enticing new series! I bow to the Crowned Crow king and his feisty queen- I am already addicted to this motley crew of bad boys. Gritty suspense, morally gray characters, and scorching chemistry- the perfect dark new adult series to sink your teeth into.
Our story begins with Rowan seeking out the help of the infamous Crowned Crows, the morally grey crew of chosen-brothers that dabble in some illicit business and wield power, influence, and resources beyond their years. The crows are her last resort in finding her missing reporter brother- but their help does not come cheap- they not only trade in dollars, they trade in secrets. She captures the attention of Wren, the pseudo leader of this crew of dangerously delicious men, whose original intentions of mining her for a favor soon evolve into other motivations- spawned by their undeniably explosive chemistry.
HOLY SMOKES are these guys hot. Our leading man Wren- I can feel my ovaries swelling just thinking about him. Dangerous, controlling, domineering, and protective- he is just delicious. He starts out as very mysterious and emotionally withdrawn, but he soon starts to reveal his complexities as he falls for Rowan. And the dirty mouth on this man! SWOON. I love Rowan’s sassy spirit and courage, but I especially love when she’s vulnerable. These two connect so sweetly amidst so much darkness and uncertainty and become the tether that keep each other stable. I love Wren’s beautiful brokenness, and I love how his love for Rowan makes that brokenness something powerful instead of something volatile. She softens him and breaks down his walls. And he makes Rowan strong and more securely herself - including embracing the darker parts of her that make her at home with the Crows.
Veronica is such a compelling story teller- and the tonal quality of this book creates the perfect atmosphere. Gritty, dark, enigmatic- there is a melancholic and ominous thrum that keeps your heart pounding. We have the perfect balance of suspenseful, cloak and dagger type mystery and steamy romance. The mystery component is complex and engaging- and while the CC are kings in their own right, it’s clear we have some dangerous players and nefarious intentions at play- and poor Rowan has somehow been caught in the middle of it. Veronica very strategically doles out clues and calculated revelations along the way- and what started as some rich playboys dabbling in some shady business quickly becomes something far more lethal and dangerous. Veronica raises the stakes with every passing page, and we’re soon faced with shocking and devastating revelations that fundamentally shift these playboys into key players in a very dangerous game. Honestly, it’s like much darker and much sexier Sco0by Doo meets the Skulls- and I AM HERE FOR IT.
This novel is a master class in world building- both enigmatic and engaging. Veronica has so brilliantly created a dangerous, immoral, and alluring infrastructure and within it the seductive, enigmatic legend that is the Crowned Crow crew. The characters are magnetic-and not just Wren and Rowan. In fact, some of the secondary characters are just screaming for attention. Veronica gives them ample page time- allowing each of them to shine and hypnotize us in their own unique ways. Colton in particular is a show pony scene stealer. Stoic and lethal Levi is alluring and seemingly complicated, and the glimmers we have about Jude’s potential love interest already have me ravenous for him. Each crow is uniquely interesting and has an important role to play, and the group dynamics are just as thoughtfully created as Rowan and Wren’s.
The Crows are addictive and so dynamic- I am SO excited for more from this series, and I can’t to showcase a new Crow in the next book- as well as continue to figure out just what is going on with the “big bad”- more sexy Skulls-Scooby gang please!
**While this can easily be read as a standalone, the story has roots in Veronica’s Sinners and Saint series- our hero Wren was introduced there and several characters from that series make appearances here. That said, you are easily caught up on all the relevant history between them. And, while the couple in this book has an HEA- their journey and the overarching mystery spans the entire series- so be prepared for many loose ends and lingering questions!