This charming urban fantasy is what you'd have if Terry Pratchett wrote The Good Place, following two agents of love ensnared in a plot to bring down the natural order of the world.
Not everything is down to Fate but, when it comes to love, the right people must collide to keep the world running to plan. Immortal cupids, known as Apollo agents, spend their afterlife matching up pre-destined couples to sign off their daily quota. Love cynic, Erron Grover, and hopeless romantic, Casey Hart, are two such agents based in London. They live an afterlife of luxury until several of their assignments result in a bizarre series of deaths.
Under heavy suspicion of involvement, their blossoming relationship begins to fray, but far worse, the unplanned deaths start to cause the very fabric of Fate to unravel. Faced with the collapse of civilisation, far too many geese and a few questionable soul reapers, the two men are forced to go on the run to solve the murders and save the world . . . along with their favourite jazz bar.
Apollo agents, aka immortal cupids, are responsible for pre-destined couples to meet in real life at the right place and time to keep the world running. They are tasked to fulfill their daily quota of targets. Casey Hart and Erron Grover (a cynic) are two such agents working in London. However, it seems that their recent activities have led to a series of bizarre deaths instead of HEAs.
Now, they have to figure out who’s tinkering with Fate and causing the collapse of the civilization, all the while trying to handle the budding love between them. Can these two men figure out and resolve the problem before Fate unravels?
The story comes in the third-person POV of Casey, Erron, Nikita, and a few others.
My Thoughts:
With a premise like that, I knew I had to read the book. The world-building is pretty good. The whole concept is creative. No denying that!
The beginning is strong, despite the dialogue that seems odd. I put it down to the fact that the characters aren’t humans as such and come from different centuries.
The intrigue also started well alongside the subtle friction of what might be called ‘love’. Never mind that this is the slowest of slow burns, so you have to wait for a long time.
However, things soon spiraled.
Firstly, the main characters don’t grow beyond their grumpy vs. sunshine roles. Though there’s some tension, it doesn’t make the right impact. Instead, it makes them appear immature and childish. Not what you want from the main leads!
Secondly, a side character does more about the mystery than the MCs. These two do very little to save themselves/ clear their names. In fact, it takes them a long time to even accept that something is wrong, and they should maybe think about it seriously. Given what happens, I find it strange that they are so unbothered and happy to let others (their boss, management, etc.) find the truth. Throughout the book, their lack of self-preservation is surprising.
Then we have a side romance, which does not fit the storyline. I can’t even tell you how much all those scenes annoyed me. Maybe it will have something to do with the contents of the next book, but still, it could have been trimmed. There’s a lot that could be cut. The book should have been 50 pages shorter, if not more.
I’d have still rounded it up if the mystery/ the villain(s) identity is strong. The whole thing is apparent from the beginning. Also, the blurb has a big clue (don’t do that!), which makes it easy to figure out things.
The ending is nice, though by then, I was more than ready for it.
To summarize, Acts of Cupidity has a creative premise and a good atmosphere, but sadly, the execution falls flat on many levels. So far, I’m an outliner, so please check other reviews before you decide.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK (Zaffre), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The Good Place meets Supernatural. For fans of The Love of My Afterlife. This had so much promise that I got more and more annoyed the more I read and it fell apart for me.
Erron and Casey are agents of Apollo, pinging love arrows to make humans fall in love. Nikita dies and becomes a Cupid trainee learning that there is more to the Afterlife (and fate) than she had thought.
I think the main issue was that this book was trying to do too much. The premise alone was great. The characters were very caricature - bad boy angel, sweetheart angel partners. A young optimistic journalist pursuing truth. Etc. However, it was cheesy enough that I could get behind it.
Erron wondered if one day Casey might exude so much charm that he turned into a puddle of pink, glittery slime, around which people frolicked and fluttered their eyelids at him. He put the bizarre thought out of his head and played along.
But then… The pop culture references. The very predictable love story which was slated as this big reveal when it was so obvious. A mystery with a very clear set up and glaring evil perpetrators despite the cast having seemingly no clue.
The absolute info dumping all the time. I can tell this author has promise and has so much imagination and creativity. Yet, it felt like a mood board word vomit than a story at times.
It didn’t help that there was SO MUCH head hopping. Random thoughts from strangers or side characters that just muddled the narrative and were unneeded most of the time. Not to mention, this was peak tell instead of show.
Fantastic world building, likeable characters and gripping plot that keeps you reading! The concept of the cupids is incredibly unique and translates so well across the page. E.S Drakes writing is also easy to read which makes this book so bingeable.
This book feels like a lighthearted read but at the same time has the perfect amount of high stakes and mystery. I can’t tell you how excited I am for everyone to meet Erron and Casey who are an iconic grumpy x sunshine duo!
Acts of Cupidity is a quirky fantasy read and I can say for certain that the arrow hit its target because LOVED every minute reading it!
The storyline is incredibly captivating and has completely drawn me in! I found it impossible to put the book down for even a moment. Set in London, the relatable locations add to the charm, and the urban fantasy elements make this read an absolute delight. It's truly a page-turner!
This hilarious book had me stifling my Cheshire cat grin on the train, making me wish my trips would stretch on forever. As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to linger in the afterlife's whimsical world, but with a lighter touch. The countless times Erron has brought laughter to my day are beyond measure; my 5ft 5 friend definitely deserves a huge shout-out! Nikita was such a vibe throughout the book!! I adored the fact I loved every single POV!
Casey, oh Casey, lover boy who has a heart of gold 💛 To have a friend like Casey is to have a friend beyond life itself. Casey is a hug personified...if that makes sense. He’s genuinely an empath and a croissant enthusiast, but there’s so much more to him beneath the surface. E S Drake masterfully keeps Erron and Casey’s story captivating, leaving you eager for what comes next.
This review can hardly capture the depth of my admiration for this book. The plot, the characters, and the delightful tension between our two cupids exceeded all my expectations. This remarkable debut is truly something special, and I can't wait for everyone to experience it.
2.5⭐︎ rounded up Rounding up for a brilliant premise - I enjoyed the world building and ideas behind the story, but the execution didn’t hit it for me. The writing was too “telling” vs showing and the narrative POVs bounced around a little too much that it felt a little jarring at times, and left me not as invested in the characters themselves as I’d want to be.
The entire premise and idea of Cupids doing work after death just to keep the world functioning is such an amazing idea. Plus, the secret war behind the closed curtains of the world as people still go about their daily life is something that always ticks in my mind, but seeing it fleshed out so amazingly was a great thing to read. I especially love that the romance was not the main focus point but it didnt seem totally out of nowhere in the ending.
Ok, I loved this book. The premise was a brilliant mix of Good Omens’ concepts of good versus evil with a grumpy x sunshine friendship at its heart with the darker elements of The Good Place and Greek mythology bringing danger and depth to the plot.
Fate rules everything in the world, but some things need an extra hand. Nemesis agents deal out retribution, Hades agents reap the dead and Apollo agents (who are the equivalent of Cupid without the nappies) ensure that love finds a way. Casey Hart is an adorably sweet and upbeat romantic Apollo agent partnered with Erron Grover, a reluctant Cupid who is cynical about life and love. They are besotted with each other, neither admitting it out loud and are oblivious to the other’s feelings. Sigh.
When high-stakes true love assignments start going wrong, the humans involved end up dead, fractures in the world occur and Chaos ensues. As Casey and Erron investigate what is happening, while also being under suspicion for the deaths, destruction is reigning down on Earth with Armageddon to follow if the fractures get any worse. Will they ever confess their feelings for each other and will they save the world before it’s too late?
I loved the story from start to finish and couldn’t put it down. I thought the world-building was creative with the use of the different agencies assisting with the Fate of humanity mixed in with Greek/Roman influenced mythology. The story was captivating and featured brilliantly written characters. Casey and Aaron were a great double act with hilarious snarky banter and the cutest heart eyes for each other. I loved the agents’ base on the moon called Elysion which had places called nostalgia rooms where you could relive your favourite childhood memories or the Hall of Unconsciousness where you could visit your best dreams. I thought these were amazing ideas and would love to visit them myself. Overall it was a thrilling, fast-paced and emotional filled story with a slow burn friends to lovers romance. I highly recommend it and hope to read more.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. - arc & monthly book box pick reviewer
Ahhh I loved it so much!!! One of my all-time favorites! Acts of Cupidity combines everything that my heart needs: longing, queer love, a good mystery, humour, all in a fantasy setting!! It's Good Omens meet The Good Place with the sweetest, most adorable m/m grumpy x sunshine romance ever!!!
We follow Erron (the grumpy) and Casey (the sunshine) as Cupid agent partners. They are supposed to receive their assignments, complete them, and people fall in love. However, their intended victims of love become murder victims, and our guys need to figure out what is going on before everything is balmed on them, and they are literally obliterated from ever living.
Erron has never been in a loving environment. He has only met contempt and hatred, so now when he is an agent of Apollo, as in a Cupid, he doesn't know how to handle all this love that surrounds him. It feels like a mockery of his own suffering. On top of that, he is irrevocably in love with his partner and best friend! ENTER THE PINING OF THE MILLENnIA!!
Casey is a sweetheart. He reads all files so he knows everything about his victims of love. He greets everyone with kindness and sweetness. He is the definition of a sweetheart!! However, he also has his baggage, and he is also pining over his best friend thinking it's unrequited like the big marshmellow that he is.
I loved them as individual characters, and I loved them together! Did I mention PINING OF THE MILLEnNIA? Even though we were really heading to the apocalypse with GEESE (!), Erron and Casey held my heart in their hands. I would do anything for them. I loved the mystery elements, as well! The author kept me guessing on who was really the responsible one, and how the threads were being pulled, and believe me, this is not an easy thing to do.
This is one of my all-time favourites, and I will keep rereading it many times over. This will be my safehaven from the world, and I will want to return here time after time. Even now, I want to reread it, and I just finished it.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a lot of slightly chaotic fun that I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the world that was created - although the thought of having to work in the afterlife is not the one for me. Each of the different departments, what the agents are like and the basics of their jobs was really interesting and explained in a way that I didn't feel bogged down with all the information.
The characters were also a lot of fun. The grumpy/sunshine vibes were great too but I spent so much of the book frustrated that they just didn't tell each other how they felt.
The only thing I found difficult was the sudden switching of focus from one character to another, often within the same chapter. As the pacing is so quick, I sometimes struggled to keep straight who the focus was on.
This book is a fun read though and absolutely gives The Good Place and Good Omens vibes in the best way.
Apollo agents Erron and Casey are training new agent and ex journalist Nikita Wolf, all things Cupid. But when their targets start dying instead of falling in love. All hell breaks loose literally!
This was my first fantasy/mystery featuring an Achillean romance and it was like my 3am brain found its spirit animal.
Apocalyptic geese, ice cream van portals and a new way to insult people that is just pure genius. Just stick you absolute in front of any ordinary object.
Erron and Casey are the perfect grumpy/sunshine and Nikita was a strong enough character that she held her own and didn't get lost.
I can see why this is being compared to Good Omens and The Good Place as it has a similar blend of magic random chaos and I am excited for more adventures.
If you’re a fan of Good Omens, Greek mythology, or urban fantasy with a healthy dose of quirk, Acts of Cupidity is an imaginative and chaotic journey through the afterlife — packed with action, charm, and enough heart to keep you hooked from start to finish.
One of the standout elements is the world-building. The afterlife is run by various divine departments, each with their own speciality — love, death, luck, justice — all woven together into a bureaucratic system that’s both hilarious and surprisingly believable. It’s easy to picture, especially with the story grounded in familiar UK locations like London, Edinburgh and Bedford. The idea that mysterious events in the real world could be explained by celestial office politics is clever, witty, and often laugh-out-loud funny.
The plot moves at a sharp pace, full of high-stakes action and some brilliantly tense moments — especially as a dangerous force begins threatening the balance between realms. The build-up around Elzifur, the embodiment of chaos, adds a compelling sense of threat and urgency to the narrative. His presence looms large throughout, and when everything comes to a head, it’s a thrilling race against time. The way Casey, Erron, and Nikita are drawn together to try and stop the unravelling of reality feels fast, fierce, and cinematic — all while never losing the book’s playful, irreverent tone.
The character dynamics are a major highlight. Casey, Erron, and Nikita each bring something unique to the table, and the chemistry between them — especially the snarky, grumpy/sunshine rapport between Casey and Erron — is an absolute joy to read. Their banter is sharp, endearing, and often laugh-out-loud funny, grounding the story in relationships that feel real, even amidst the madness, there were times that their behaviour was very reminiscent of Tennant and Sheens characters from Good Omens, so that felt like a lovingly fan fiction nod towards the show and cast!
The humour is distinctly British, dry and clever, and delightfully absurd at times. One of the best examples comes during a moment of impending doom when the book casually throws in that even “the DFS sale ended” — a perfectly timed one-liner that genuinely made me laugh out loud. That sort of offbeat wit runs throughout and adds to the book’s charm.
There are moments where the prose tips into over-explaining — particularly with detailed references to London Underground/tube lines — and while the novel is being promoted by a Pride publisher, LGBTQ+ representation doesn’t appear until the final chapters, which felt like a missed opportunity in an otherwise inclusive-feeling story.
It's also worth noting that some of the darker scenes are unexpectedly graphic, with death sequences that veer into Final Destination territory. It’s not gratuitous, but readers looking for a lighter read should be aware that there are some intense moments.
Still, Acts of Cupidity is a cracking read — quirky, clever, and wonderfully imaginative. It offers a fresh spin on mythological tropes; blends fantasy with the everyday in a delightfully irreverent way and keeps the stakes high without ever forgetting to have fun.
the world building was so good, the characters were likeable (and so relatable). Acts of Cupidity (yes I love the pun there), has a unique twist on the afterlife, as it’s set in the Afterlife Agency; where cupids are assigned their cases.
the plot was so engaging, with the high stakes and mystery. GRUMPY X SUNSHINE TROPE REINS SUPREME, Casey and Erron were my faves.
Acts of Cupidity is an amazing fantasy read and the author struck an arrow through my own heart because i need more!!
DNF @ 15% because of genuinely poor prose. Clearly in need of a copy edit, but also another pass to make the dialogue sound like a human actually talks. I got this as a proof was sent to my bookshop, so it's possible some of this will be fixed in the published edition, but I was bowled over by the amount of comma splice sentences and stupid, silly grammatical errors (like "for ever" instead of "forever"). The world building has what seem to be some fun ideas, but no amount of lampshading is going to make it OK that the author has conflated two Greek deities that feature and bow and arrow and named the Cupid department after Apollo. To call it "fan fiction quality" would be an insult to a lot of really beautiful fan fiction.
Erron and Casey are basically love matchmakers for Apollo, shooting arrows to make humans fall for each other!💘 But when Nikita dies, she ends up as a Cupid in training and quickly realizes the Afterlife is waaay more complicated than she ever expected. 😬👀 I was hoping for more romance...🙈😭 The story dragged a little in places, but the mystery kept me reading-even if there wasn't some huge shocking twist. The characters? LOVED them.😍🫶🏼 And the writing style totally pulled me in. Overall, it was something different from what I usually read, and I kinda liked that!📚🙌🏼
Loved it. This book won so many points with me with setting and characters that I couldn‘t be made to care about the few bits that were in need of tougher love by an editor.
The fact that the setting was capital-I Interesting makes up for the at-times mechanic delivery of the facts of the setting (I mean info dumps but I dislike the judgement that comes with that term).
Hell, I‘ll even go against my own grading system to give this one recognition. It really was excellent, in my book, I was so engaged. I still am, days later busily daydreaming in this world.
Positives, neutrals, negatives:
The Excellent
*The characters. All felt distinct, all felt greater than just their part of the story. I connected to the leads. Little character moments are used to beautiful effect, complicated feelings are not agonised over en detail, but rather presented as what they feel like.
*The fantasy trappings. I love a bit of urban fantasy done right. Interesting magical alterations of reality, beautiful set pieces hidden away in modern day Britain. Days later I am still thinking about the divisions and the agency, I keep exploring new implications in my head, and wow how I long to find that in a book.
*The relationships. This is not romantasy, I repeat, THIS IS NOT ROMANTASY (thank the stars). At least, this is not that lazy kind of romance sweeping the genre right now. Here, the undertones of romance add to the story, rather than overtake it. I ate it up, every last crumb. I bought it. I bought the A-plot and the B-plot pairings, and I felt my own heart do odd little things in that last chapter. Bravo.
*The narration. Especially the characters and their accents. (Sidenote: did read the Audiobook as my monthly treat, but writing this review I actually hopped online and ordered the hardback, I just want this beauty on my shelf. And support the author.)
The not-all-that-excellent, or neither-here-nor-there
*The headhopping. I can actually deal quite well with shifts in perspective, in that I am not confused by it. And it adds a little something to know what the person whose thoughts are presented is keeping to themselves. But it can also make mysteries less mysterious (why exactly are we not hearing this one character‘s perspective atm?), and once it gets noticeable that we switch for what feels like a single paragraph, I think it should have been reined in. It is also never used to add spice in the form of a secret motive or motivation, which is a benefit of multiple perspectives if ever there was one, or even omniscient viewpoint. Which this isn‘t (I think. I‘m not an analyst).
The I‘ll-take-it-in-stride (Yes, some books are forgiven all faults on the principle of being a Damn Good Read.)
*The similes and metaphors, especially when leaning purple. *The repeated phrasing. Noticeable repeats of the author’s lean-to phrases. Did someone just pick up the phone after however many rings? *The delivery of big set-pieces. Whenever there was a lengthy description of either a stunning setting or a big piece of the action, I had to fight myself zoning out, going back repeatedly to reread because it just went over my head the first time. In those moments, I felt like there was always just a pair of eyes looking at stuff, instead of a character interacting with the scenery. It could have gone smoother, but overall, once I pushed myself to internalise the scene, the crux of the matter was worth it. *Last but not least, the pacing. Couldn’t the fourth assignment at the latest break the pattern, lead to new information? It took the leads a good while to turn from reaction to action, pushing the investigation aspects too far to the back part of the book when things should already be escalating. Maybe it revelled just a tad too long in setting up and elaborating on the gorgeous urban fantasy worldbuilding, but I revelled in it too, so that makes the final verdict on plotting: it is what it is, and what it is is still a good book with a fine story.
Three stars upgraded to four, because I loved it, and love is complicated. And also magical. 🏹💖
P.S. fucking best lighter engraving ever: “Evil is powerless when the good are unafraid.“
I love that writers have the world at their fingertips, they can choose to write about whatever their imagination brings to the fore. This is even more the case with science fiction and fantasy writing which is set in an imaginary universe where anything at all can happen.
I always bear this in mind when reading this type of book as some events are very ‘fantastical’! I really enjoyed reading about the world that this author has created and the plot kept me gripped throughout. It’s exciting, unique and transports you to a place you’d only usually access in your dreams.
It’s a world which exists for some people when they die - a world within the shadows of our world. In it we meet Erron and Casey - two Apollo agents - who are tasked with helping people fall in love. I absolutely loved their partnership, the bond they had, the jokes they shared and the trust they had for each other.
We also meet new recruit, Nikita, who is a former journalist and it’s these skills which help her investigate when this extraordinary world comes under attack. She’s a fabulous character too - very determined, curious and pretty tough when she has to be.
Erron and Casey are tasked with taking Nikita on her first assignments with them but instead of couples falling in love, they die and it isn’t long before Erron and Casey fall under suspicion for these murders. Can they and Nikita work out what is happening, who is to blame and save the world from the chaos which will reign if they are too late?
I loved that each chapter relates to the title of a song - and there are some of my all-time favourite songs too! I enjoyed finding out what the Apollo recruits could do in this new world and learning about recruits for the other fates too. There were some great one-liners and fantastical ideas but there were some which I felt didn’t quite hit the mark as well as others.
All in all though, it’s a brilliant debut novel, the first in a trilogy, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next!
Many thanks to Zaffre Books for this ARC - all opinions are my own.
Acts of Cupidity is quirky take on the afterlife, following two cupids working for the Afterlife Agency as they navigate a series of suspicious, bizarre failed cases. The plot is engaging, with our protagonists facing a string of cases that seem to go awry under strange and suspicious circumstances. As they try to piece together what's going wrong, they uncover a web of intrigue and danger. The world-building around the Afterlife Agency and its celestial bureaucracy is a fun element that I wish there was a little more of. There are moments of sharp humor that land with ease, making the book feel like a breezy, fun escape. However, at times, the writing can feel a bit rushed, especially when the plot accelerates toward its conclusion. Despite these occasional hiccups, this is an enjoyable read for fans of whimsical, feel-good stories with a touch of the supernatural. It’s an easy, sometimes silly, but ultimately fun read that doesn’t take itself too seriously. A charming, if imperfect, look at love, fate, and the afterlife—a perfect read for those in search of a quick, entertaining escape.
I loved a TV series called "Dead Like Me" and this book gave me the same vibes! If you can imagine "Good Omens" mixed in too!
Early to follow storyline, not too complicated. I found the character really likeable, they had flaws but it was done in such a way where you loved them for it. Their character development was so well done too, I loved how we followed them on their journey and we pieced together the mystery with them.
I could not tell you my favourite character because they're all so brilliant! I found the would building very fun, and I liked how the characters interacted with each other.
It's a cosy read with high stakes & mystery! I could have very easy read it in one sitting, if I wasn't so busy with life and work this would have been finished in a few hours I know it!
Acts of Cupidity is perfect for readers who enjoy witty, whimsical urban fantasies with supernatural aspects with romantic tension & existential humor. I feel if you enjoy Good Omens, The Locked Tomb series & Dead Like Me then you also will enjoy this.
Thank you @pridebooktours @esdrakeauthor @zaffrebooks for having me on this tour I really enjoyed this one 💜
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I was hooked from the minute I saw this being compared to The Good Place. I love The Good Place - and this definitely did have the same kind of vibe.
This was fun throughout, but with higher stakes than a 'cosy fantasy', and I'm hesitant to label it as such. It definitely had elements of cosy fantasy that we're all loving at the moment - namely the lovable characters, romance side-plot and almost a found family feeling. But from the start, Acts of Cupidity holds no punches. We're begin to see this world, so like our own, through the eyes of our witty and down-to-earth protagonist, Nikita, and the book blossoms to also follow Erron and Casey. I really loved the cast of characters we discovered along the way.
The ending felt a little rushed to me, but overall this book kept me compelled throughout and has that all-encompassing feeling that makes you want to read it and pick it up. The absurd parts made me laugh out loud (or at least chuckle to myself), the world felt rich and I just adored our characters. Such fun!
Thank you to the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
In this book, we follow Nikita as she enters the afterlife and learns she has selected to be an Apollo agent, helping humans fall in love. She is teamed with experienced agents Casey and Erron who suddenly start to see their missions go wrong.
I was really intrigued by the premise of the book, as Good Omens is one of my favourite urban fantasy reads. Sadly, this one fell a little flat for me. I felt like it struggled to find out what type of a book it was and so kept alternating between slow burn MM romance, instalove FM romance, humourous urban fantasy and dark mystery without really fully exploring any of these themes. I would have enjoyed more of a focus on the world building and the agents' missions
A recommended read for fans of The Good Place.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I did enjoy this but I don’t think the blurb quite matches the book as so much of it isn’t from the POV of the two cupids, and it’s not always the best execution of what is a great sounding idea. As such it was fairly obvious in places, there’s some epic non communication, and it’s a little overwrought. That all said, the concept and the world are pretty fab, so I’d the next book leans away from the cliches and obvious narrative ploys, I think it will be great. The humour in this is peak Britishness, and the places really lend to the feel in a way that’s often hard to do.
Basically, decent but could be great in future, one to keep an eye on. 3.25 stars.
Well. I really liked the idea of this book, and there were definitely bits that made me smile. The story had some clever and fun moments, and I think the concept was brilliant. However, I listened to this one on audiobook, and for me, the narration let it down. The voices felt a bit odd at times and it pulled me out of the story more than I would have liked, which was a shame because I was enjoying the storyline itself. I do think if I had read this one as a physical or ebook, I might have had a very different experience. So if you like a quirky, fun romance with a twist, it might be one to try, but maybe not in audio if you are a bit fussy about narration like I am.
I didn’t love this one. I picked it up cause the cover and the inside preview were cute, but I regret. I kept putting it down and having to convince myself to pick it up again. It took a very very long time to get going (like, half way?) the premise was cute, but it’s overwritten, with too much detail getting in the way of the narrative. Also, as someone who lives in London, it bothered me immensely that they explained the line changes in detail and then said “they ended up at Bank station.” No one calls it bank station, they ended up at *Bank*.
What if the two main characters from Good Omens not-so-sectretly longed for each other while playing cupid as the world starts to end?
Um. I guess I liked it for what it is, but it's not Terry Pratchett. It's a little heavy on the pop culture references and exposition. There are a lot of sentences strung together with commas which in prose can be a bit of a bugbear of mine.
I'd say if you like things light, floofy, and obvious in the way it sets out its plot, then go for it. It's a silly, fun urban fantasy drama that doesn't do subtle.
I don't like to DNF a book. In fact, I can't stand to do it. Therefore, I can tell you the only way I got through this book is by skim reading to get it done quicker. It wasn't funny, the bad guys were predictable and incredibly obvious even though no one else had a clue. The pop culture references and attempts of humour fell flat. There was a lot of random, irrelevant waffling in that could have been cut. What a brilliant book this could have been. The world building and concept were very good and, in the right authors pen, an incredible story could be written.
This is a really fun story. London based urban fantasy following two cupids as their love matches turn deadly.
I enjoyed how different the world and afterlife was, the characters were all engaging, the romance was an organic slow burn, and it was the right level of humour for me.
I did find it a little difficult to get into. The beginning was exposition heavy and quite slow. After that, it gets much better and I'm glad I stuck with it.
The story had a very interesting premise that I was excited for. I liked the prose and writing in general, and some of the characters. But somehow, it felt extremely slow to read once I hit the halfway mark. Turned out I was only ever excited to read about Nikita: her chapters felt more revelatory and exciting than Casey/Erron's, and she's the minor main character in this story. The ending felt a tad bit anticlimactic (but amusing). Interesting story, but could have been paced better perhaps.