“I wanted everything all the time. Boys, girls, fae, theys, and thems. I wanted to eat braised short ribs and redskin mashed potatoes while sipping an elaborate drink that contained no alcohol. I wanted to be enshrined in a candle too pretty to burn and memorialized in affectionate poetry detailing my midnight skin. I wanted to hold Cash and be held by Frankie. I wanted them both. Both.”Gloria Esther King is living up to what it means to be a preacher’s Wild, sneaky, and promiscuous. She had no plans to give up the single life, but the twenty-seven-year-old re-evalutaes her life choices, finding herself stuck between heaven and hell after a routine night out goes wrong.
I fell down a trap reading this NTMA books' and this was the first full book I read of hers and I'd have to say it would have been better shorter.
This was an interesting story that had a lot of potential that it didn't quite live up to. Glory the fmc was a PK (Preachers Kid) that was overly sexual from childhood. She was fascinated with body parts and had sexual urges way before her time. This led to her father, rightfully so, seeking medical help to help reduce those urges. That was the only thing he did right because Glory was left with a lot of scars for being who she was. Glory is now a 27 year old adult and she is a successful lawyer by day and a freak by night. She seeks out men or women to fulfill her constant urges. Eventually she ends up being in a poly relationship with two bisexual men and for the first time all her sexual needs are met. The author did a good job of explaining the different dynamics of the poly relationship and how they made it work. However, This book peaks at about 57% and after that it just felt like a lot of fluff. I'm not sure what was supposed to be the takeaway from this book. I assumed it was Glory getting to live a life of happiness in the way she wanted. That was achieved way before the book ended, honestly this book was about 100 pages too long.
I would recommend that this author get an editor. There were a lot of storylines and she needs someone to help her decide what is important, what message do I want the readers to take away, and how to properly close the story. The ending was lackluster and left you wondering what was really the point and took away from some of the goodness of the story. She also gives her characters too many names, with all these characters do they need 2-3 nicknames?? Then the grammar issues were just too prevalent.
This was another good one but I always struggle with an overbearing parent trope because after a while you grown as hell ENOUGHHHH letting folks bully you for no real reason. I hated how Glory was so concerned about Frankie’s mental health and “Fixing” him but GIRL YOU GOT YA OWN ISSUES TO WORK THROUGH.
Let me start by saying this book is one of my favorite reads so far for the year of 2024. This is my first read by this author and I will be reading more books by his author. I love the character development in this book from Gloria not wanting to give up the single life to her relationship with Frankie and Cass. Gloria is such a relatable character because of her struggles with being a pastor child. I love the fact that Gloria finally got to stand in her truth and have her heart protected by those men. Frankie is also a relatable character especially with his relationship with his parents and the part with his mother towards the end of the book wow…..I was so happy that he found his voice and stood on business when he was talking to his mom. I couldn’t stand his uncle especially when he was mad at Frankie about his leave from work. I swear he only family I like in the book was Cass family. I love the fact that Cass family was supportive and loved them fully. The spice in this book was everything and the aftercare between the couple made me enjoy this book even more. I can not wait until the next book in this series comes out. Love this book down!!!!!!!!!!
When I say I’m looking for polyam rep featuring people who look like me, this is what I mean. This was a great story about what different love looks like and how communication is so important in all relationships. I also enjoyed all of the different family dynamics that existed between our main MCs. There was tough discussions but I think the author did an amazing job telling a genuine story full of layers. Can’t wait to read more!
Let’s process. Did I enjoy this book, yes I did! Did I see myself in each of the characters, yes i did. I also enjoyed the pace, the writing for the most part, and the storyline development. What I think could have been done better was the on page cultivation of Frankie and Cash’s relationship. I would have also loved to have seen Glory seek counseling because she had just as much trauma to unpack as Frankie did. And I wish the smex even in its frequency would have been more consistent in attention and detail. Not every scene needed to be but the first few set a precedent that wasn’t followed through on in a way that was as satisfying. Now do I think this story is for everyone?? No! Glory is a very special FMC and a lot of things about her especially in the beginning of this story is going to make a lot of readers uncomfortable. Also this is a little more women’s fiction than romance. Because the story is about the trails and tribulations, the process, the starts and stops of people learning and growing through love. So there isn’t the same tension and build up to the HEA, not in the typical romance formula. But for me the way everyone was loved on, validated, and cared for was amazing to read. So much about this story spoke to the things many of us, self included want for ourselves. But I enjoyed the sort of in-depth look at the relationship and personal growth. The preview at the end makes me glad I picked this book right as Burry The Hatchette (cute and creative title btw) is releasing!
4.5 🌟 “So this book is a reminder that you do not have to do it all, not should you be expected to. The best people will know that, and they will put in effort to take care of your heart.”
I absolutely loved this book!!! The major reason I had for not rating it 5 stars was the numerous typos, grammar errors, misspellings, etc., but I give Mrs. Aria Daze grace because I know she is an indie author & her storytelling skills are phenomenal despite having to sometimes decode what was written. Also sometimes the time lapses weren't always easy to follow, but nonetheless still an amazing read imo! I would most definitely purchase a physical copy in the future if it gets a revision, because Glory, Frankie & Cash are hands down my favorite MMF throuple to date!!! Their poly romance was just beautiful in so many ways.
I could not only relate to Glory's character & her toxic, religious upbringing, but also Frankie's character & his struggles with his own family dynamic. Cash was truly a beautiful compliment to Glory & Frankie's childhood love finally realized, & I love how humanized all of them were individually & as a throuple. The spice was EXTRA SPICY, but I loved that this book also had substance & the plot was just as well developed as the spice, so the spice never overshadowed the genuine love you felt between them. There are also some standout side characters, like Marcus, Mama Lailah, Cookie, Cash's mom (I forget her name atm), & generally everyone who supported their relationship & didn't judge them for loving each other in a way that made them happy.
I also loved how both Frankie & Glory found life-changing healing through this union, Cash did too in his own ways, but Fab & Glory's character growth was more pivotal because they didn't have the family support that Cash did & it showed in so many ways that affected their mental & emotional health. All in all, this was a heartfelt poly romance with the necessary spice that made for a very enjoyable read!!! These characters & their relationship will stick with me for a long time, & I can definitely see myself rereading just to annotate & revisit this story again one day. 💜
MRS. ARIA DAZE, YOU DID YA THANG GIRL!!! Please take time to revise & edit, & I will mostly definitely add a physical copy to my growing home library.
I liked it in the beginning but soon as Frankie showed up it started going downhill for me. Frankie came in so strong for somebody with so much emotional baggage, a pitiful job, and very little possessions but had the nerve to make accusations, making rules, taking control, immediately started calling glory his girlfriend and wanting her to end it with cash.
I also hated that glory seemed to lose all her dominance once they all came together. Once they got with Frankie now cash was mainly dom too when it came to glory while he was basically a sub for Frankie. I also didn’t care for how much the story leaned into glory and Frankie and basically put glory and cash on the back burner. I feel like the author realized that dynamic was missing and the relationship between glory and cash was lacking so it became a part of cash story that he felt like a third wheel because that’s exactly what I was saying as i was reading and not long after i started feeling like that it came up in the book with cash expressing he felt like that. More was even given to cash & Frankie relationship in comparison to glory and cash which was weird because the story started with Cash and Glory having a relationship before involving Frankie.
I also feel like there is a fine line between being dom and it actually feeling more like a weird control thing. Frankie was giving controlling and I just didn’t care for it. I like how glory and cash started out and I kinda wish it was just their story instead of involving Frankie because I just didn’t care for Frankie at all
This book was a beautiful experience. Art does imitate life because there were portions of this book that made me feel seen and understood. Cassius was cool but Frankie and Glory did it for me. They satiated my inner romantic and had me swinging my legs and rubbing my feet together. The depth and purity of their love transcended the pages (Frankie is definitely my book bae!). The love between all three (Glory, Cash, and Frankie) brought them freedom. It brought them peace. Read about their journey folks.
I love this book! It’s witty, delightfully written and courageously bold to address fat phobia, homophobia, colorism/texturism, church hurt, depression/anxiety and patriarchy in a real loving and… very smutty way! It’s a dream! To have a story of a beautiful dark skinned Black, curvaceous, sex positive, intelligent woman be THE center of a trouple/polyamorous relationship is…just challenging heteronormativity without preaching is fantastic writing. It’s love. It’s human. It’s embracing the best of us to normalize how we want to be loved and by whom. Now I didn’t give it a 5 for one reason: I consider only 1 chapter that the two men showed that they loved each other rather than just saying it to be a major flaw. I was hoping for more emotional intimacy between them. I was looking for a moment when they pledged their lives to each other or laying out conditions for each other as they did with Glory. Spoiler alert: it seems they vowed/married her but not each other. I thought this was a misstep by the author. All that said, I will be reading this author’s entire catalog. Kudos, Aria Daze!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
My true rating for this book is 3.5/5. I want to start by saying that the author has stated that she self-publishes her books so I want to give grace for that, as it seems to me that this book lacked editing. That being said, here are my pros and cons:
Pros: I loved that this book was written in the way that, presumably, the author speaks. By this, I mean that certain words and phrases were spelled the way they sound coming out of your mouth rather than their correct spelling. These characters are southern black people from Texas so I enjoyed the AAVE and southernisms used in the book because as a black GA girly, that’s what I hear with my family. I also really enjoyed the exploration of polyamory, sexuality, and kink as these are not always conversations in which black people are included or represented. I liked reading about black male bisexual and pansexual characters specifically as that feels particularly taboo within the community . And finally, it’s a spicy book. I love reading smut and it delivered. Definitely the opposite of a slow build.
Cons: As stated previously, I believe this book lacked editing and I believe all of my cons fall under this umbrella. In addition to some grammar and syntax issues, there were also problems with pacing at various points in the book (and it’s long - 435 pages, which is lengthy for a spicy book). Lots of skipping around and time lapses with no ellipses or indicators that time has passed or the setting has changed. There are three different perspectives in this book and sometimes the voices were unclear, as well as the narration style (third person but with some breaking the fourth wall elements at times). There were also points in time in which certain characters voices are left out for quite some time. This next one might just be a me thing but I also wish there was more exploration of the guys’ dynamic with each other outside of with the main character. Additionally, the book was set in 2019 but used a lot of language, memes, and references from the past couple of years so I found that confusing at times. And finally, the ending just felt so rushed.
Overall, it was an enjoyable spicy read that also had a generally good story as well. But it really could’ve benefited from editing.
I received this book as an ARC and I loved every second of this book. The dynamic between the main characters was amazing and the messiness with their families was crazy. This book taught me to live my life the way I chose to instead of living the way others want or expect me too. I feel everyone should read this book. Reading the love the main characters had for each other was so cute, I loved it. This is my first time reading a book like this, but I really enjoyed it.
Real hot girl shit. I saw pieces of myself in each of our three MC and also wanted to be with them😂. There was some great world building and it was such an interesting narrative. The plot was plotting and it was a nice journey to go on with Glory, Cash, and Frankie. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them and would read more about them and their families (most of them anyway) if presented the opportunity.
I started off really enjoying this book and reading something different from what I’m used to. I would say that it was drawn out for no reason so it kinda lost my interest around chapter 25. I do commend the author for writing about sometbing that is often frowned upon and showing that the woman can have her cake and eat it too just like men can (loved that)! Overall I’m glad I read it :)
“Glory” by Aria Daze is an absolute gem! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This book had me hooked from page one with its delightful blend of romance, humor, and depth. The author skillfully weaves together the “why choose” romance trope, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they root for the captivating characters and their complicated love story.
What truly sets “Glory” apart are the important themes it tackles with grace and authenticity. From navigating homophobia to exploring the journey of sobriety and healing from religious trauma, the story delves into sensitive topics with care and understanding. The representation of plus-size and polyamorous characters adds a refreshing layer of diversity, making the narrative feel all the more relatable and inclusive.
Daze’s writing is witty, heartfelt, and utterly addictive. I found myself laughing out loud one moment and reaching for tissues the next. “Glory” is a must-read for anyone seeking a heartwarming romance that goes beyond the surface to explore the complexities of love, identity, and acceptance.
This is a 6 star for me. This book is definitely in God’s plan. First off there are at least three connotations to “glory” that are front and centre in this book and I think that was brilliantly done. Truly inspired.
I saw on Aria’s Tik Tok that her mission is to write books where Black women (and they’s clearly) feel seen in the range of who we are. I’m also almost finished Candid right now and I can say I don’t think I’ve ever felt so represented by books. Like I really didn’t think it was possible. I’m not any of the characters in these books, but I feel like I exist in their world and would be seen and understood by them.
I didn’t all the way love how some of the Queer and Trans representation was handled. But it wasn’t a super heavy weight to compartmentalize like many books, and a lot of the representation was also lovely.
This is a 6 star for me though because not only did Daze contextualize the Black experience but she’s literally writing spells for us to dream of more for ourselves.
Please read this book. This was my first read my this author and I was not disappointed. I really love the plot the development the story everything. The way Cash pulled out all the stops to really show Glory he was all in I loved it. Their relationship developed so easy and naturally. Frankie and Glory friendship/relationship was so complicated, so much to unpack and they wasted so many years by not having a conversation. I am glad they got together because they were soulmates. What’s crazy is when they all 3 got together it just worked, it just fit. I really loved reading about their journey together. I was disappointed that the play between Frankie and cash was kinda cut short. I wish we were able to get more of their relationship and play together versus scanning through it. While I understand it is ultimately about Glory I think their dynamic between each other is what makes it so easy for them to be able to love Glory. They needed each other and the freedom and peace they found is something I truly wish for in this lifetime.
🔥🤏🏽🤏🏽 I was hooked from the very first page, no convincing needed. I’m a die-hard fan of women who are sexually adventurous, who own their sexuality without shame, and the holy grail is when they find partners who can match their energy. That’s exactly what Glory delivers.
I rarely find myself loving every main character in a book, but here I absolutely adored all three. The author really took their time developing them, giving each one depth, personality, and real substance, it’s just pure tea.
If I had one critique, it’s that some of the moments between Cash and Fab felt a bit rushed and overly tied to Glory. Still, that didn’t take much away from my overall enjoyment.
Honestly, how perfect would the world be if people just minded their own business instead of projecting their idea of a “perfect” relationship onto others? (Which is exactly why I’m not a fan of church folks policing everything and Lazarus? His weird ass can go.) At the end of the day, all that matters is doing what works for us.
Glory is a woman in charge of her body, embracing her hypersexuality after years of repression from her strict, religious upbringing. She decides to cut loose one night and runs into Frankie, her childhood best friend she’s missed but can’t forgive. It doesn’t go well, but the emotion of that encounter leads her to Cash--who she worries she’s too much for. He finally convinces her to give him a chance, but Frankie wants his forgiveness. Glory doesn’t think she can have them both--they’re determined to prove her wrong, and maybe even get something separate for themselves.
This book was emotional, surprising, romantic and erotic in the best possible way. Watching these two men refuse to let their reason run away from them captured my heart. Taking the reins from Glory and giving her permission to feel, and relax was the kind of indulgence love should be. Frankie’s family and his recovery really gave him layers and I was so happy that what he and Glory lost with their families, they could find with Cash’s. Cash’s generosity and his sometimes submissive personality was so attractive. Glory was spunky and wonderful, and when she learned to be vulnerable--she was everything.
Every bit of hype on this book is beyond warranted. Glory follows our main character Glory, a bada** lawyer, temptress, and the black sheep of her family. Being a preachers kid Glory has always been heavily scrutinized for her sexual curiosity and preferences. So when she has a mind blowing encounter at a different kind of glory (yes that kind) she is stunned to discover that her old childhood crush is her supplier. But the fun doesn’t end there as she’s pursued by another who equally holds her affection.
Paralyzed welling fear and shame Glory decides she’ll never have the happiness she truly wants, but Frankie and Cash love her too much to ever let her go.
This was the poly romance we all needed. The way Glory, Frankie, and Cash love each other is so gentle and healing. Aria Daze packed so much beauty and filth into this book with such skill. This is easily in my top reads for 2024.
This was a lovely read. I’m lost for words I love it so much. I’ve been eyes deep in the words for the last three days. I honestly couldn’t put it down. On occasion I was forced lol but it was nice, sweet, lovely and most importantly real. It felt so real like someone was really just catching me up on their real lives. The characters were so good so well written. I got the happy ending I wanted and I’m happy I read it. I’m so excited for more! This was feel good for me. I enjoyed watching them develop and learn to navigate their relationship together. Thank you to the author for writing it and my momma for teaching me to read lol. It was nice getting lost in these pages this will definitely be one I wish I could experience for the first time all over again.
4.5 stars. This was such a heartwarming yet fun and silly story. I felt like I was watching a tv sitcom like “Harlem” or “Living single”. I loved the ups and downs. It honestly felt like I got to really know and understand the characters. I got to see them do mundane things and also wacky things. I loved the beginning the most and how they even came together. It felt a tad bit long towards like 60 percent mark but once I thought of it like a tv series, it made sense and came together. I just loved how there was silliness but also important and real topics talked about. I felt seen in Glory and I appreciated that she was allowed to remain stubborn and loud with her men. It’s sad about the family stuff but it also felt real and raw. Overall, If you’re looking for a book about a plus size black woman is loved for her body, her mind and her soul…then this is the book for you. Such a treat!
It's crazy how I came to this book from Burry the Hattchet but I am sooo glad I did. I knew I needed this story just from the parts I read in the other book about Glory, Frankie and Cash. It's like they were all made for each other in the most satisfying way possible. Their willingness to be happy with and for each was crazy. Cash already understood Glory even before she was with Frankie. It's like he knew her spirit was to have them both without even knowing. I think I loved most when Cash and Frankie met because it was soo genuine. No set ups no pre notions just two people getting to know each other. I loved to read them talk about their love they have for each other. It's like you can definitely understand that it truly is love for them!!!
This was quite a good time, it was a different vibe when it comes to poly books I have read. This actually had so much depth and emotions and it explored themes that are quite adult and complex such as hyper religion and alcoholism.
I enjoyed all characters and the dynamics that they had with each other. Not only did they all enjoy intense sexual chemistry, they had a really great emotional Connection too. Glory, Cash and Frankie were a good trio and I enjoyed the fact that Cash and Frankie ended up with their own unique connection.
The only thing is that sometimes the characters annoyed me a bit and their development felt disjointed. at one time glory is bratty and is internalising her father’s shame then she is good and a boss then she's insecure again! It was the same for Frankie and his willingness to be a doormat for his uncle.
Other than that this book was really enjoyable and had a great depiction of healthy poly love! Would recommend!
Missss aria you had me giggling and swinging my feel reading this book. I think I enjoyed this more than Rudy Jones and I didn't think it was possible to top that but by damn you did. I was sucked into this story and I really enjoyed all the conclusions to the various things going on. The ending was chefs kiss because I really wanted to know they had that baby.
I love how glory was written, a strong woman who on the inside just wanted her hard wig soft life and the boys did deliver.
Just finished Glory and when i say hilarious and heartwarming! This was a fantastic read. I instantly related to Glory’s battles with vulnerability. I could see Cash’s concern and insecurity with where he fit into the relationship, and I fully supported Frankie’s decision when it came to alcohol. The love, patience and understanding they all have for one another is truly inspiring. Plus who doesn’t want to have their back blown out every day 🤷🏾♀️. Yes, they are definitely relationship goals.
I would love to see more Caris they were hilarious and a good friend to have.
WHEW.... Ms Aria, I was not expecting what I read between these pages and at this point its my own fault. I’ve read at least 5 of her other books so I should no longer be surprised. By the title and cover art, I wasn’t thinking about what the title could mean in other contexts. This book is very LGBTQ friendly and I’m starting to realize that gives authors a lot more freedom than hetero love stories. I think it’s because we are already out the box of societal expectations, so they might as well go all the way with the plot too.
I started off likening the book. The spice level was top notch and the storyline had some hope. But it seems at some point in the writing process, the author changed course. For example, Cash was initially written as a sub and then once they get with Frankie, he became a dom? Her descriptions of the men changed over time too. The ending of the book was rushed and drawn out at the same time. The spice also fizzled out less than half way into the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is going in the top 3 best reads of 2024 for me. I was hooked from the first page to the last. It had funny, sexy, drama, love it had it all and was very well written. The story line was entertaining. I do wish that therapy was introduced in this for the FMC as well and extended for Fab because they definitely needed it. I will probably be rereading this again.
This book had me in its grip from the 1st page! I am Glory and I have never seen my life on page in front of me before.
I loved the relationship dynamic glory had with her family, friends and partners. The topic of mental health and learning to take care of yourself is powerful. This may not be everyone favorite love story, but it is mine!
Strong independent woman, lead into her soft girl era with not one but two rich partners. 5/5 Stars!