First, I want to thank the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
That said, I’ll admit I’m ignoring the last 50 pages or so when deciding my rating—if I included them, this would probably be closer to 2 stars. The rest of the book, however, was very good, and I absolutely loved the last chapter. I’m genuinely excited for book 3, especially since it seems like it will feature one of my favorite tropes (as long as it’s done well). I’m not sure when the final book is planned, but I’ll definitely read it as soon as it’s published (assuming I don’t get an ARC for it).
Now, onto the story. We continue to follow Rachel and Dante’s explosive, toxic relationship—this time with even more blood and violence. Rachel’s past has fully caught up with her, creating chaos and putting everyone in danger, including Bee.
What I Liked
Rachel: She isn’t the easiest character to love, but her actions and words always make sense. Despite how deeply flawed and broken she is, she’s probably the most rational and self-aware person in the book. I really enjoyed getting inside her head, and her thought process and inner monologue were a highlight. Her backstory continues to unfold, and honestly, you can’t help but wish you could hug her and make her pain disappear. Thankfully, she doesn’t lose her edge or become a doormat because of the events in the book or Dante’s actions. Her resilience was refreshing, she truly is a badass character ! I only wish the trope “my 😽 controls me and I can’t no longer think rationally at the sight of my man” wasn’t a thing. It takes away from the strong and badass vibe she has AND makes it less believable.
Dante: Nothing.
Bee: Thank God we got more of her in this book. My heart broke for her more than once. She’s such a sweet and lovable little thing, and I think the author did a great job balancing her innocence with her awareness of her surroundings. Bee isn’t so naïve that she doesn’t sense something is wrong, but she also isn’t unrealistically perceptive for her age. While I found her fast bond with Rachel a little rushed, it’s understandable—she latched onto the one person who treats her like a daughter and actively tries to protect her, even from her own family. Honestly, I’d love Rachel too if she were my “mommy.” lol
Plot: This is probably one of the best-executed plots I’ve seen in a dark romance in a long time. Yes, there’s a lot of smut, but this is far from a plotless book. The pacing has improved a lot. Just when you think everything is resolved, something new comes crashing down. While much of it was predictable, the good writing kept it enjoyable.
Side Characters: While we got more insight into most of the side characters, I have to say I only really cared about Dante’s brother. Can we just swap him with Dante? Please? (I think my hatred for the MMC is pretty obvious at this point 🤣).
Look, he’s still a terrible person like all the men in this book, and his actions are absolutely unforgivable—but his development and decisions were the most logical and well-thought-out.
Also, I hate Crash. Screw the dad, and screw the son too.
Rachel’s Dad: I love him. Please, please give us more father-daughter scenes. I’m BEGGING !
What I Didn’t Like
Dante: 🤢 I hate him. I already disliked him in the first book, but this time he’s even worse. Honestly, a book has to be really well-written to earn 4 stars from me when I despise the male lead.
After 800 pages of Rachel and Dante, I still have no idea what his problem is. His actions, thought processes, and many of the things he says to Rachel just don’t make sense. I’m constantly questioning why he’s even doing or saying half the things he does. Even the rare “sweet” moments weren’t enough to make me like him, even a little. It’s a dark romance, but it’s still romance, I feel like it’s not really good news if the readers can’t at least tolerate the MMC.
I’m holding out hope that the next book will give us more insight into his head, motivations and logic because, as of now, he’s not just a bad person—he’s also a shit dad. I have no idea how he convinces himself (or anyone else) that he isn’t.
Despite my issues with Dante, I’m still really excited for the next book because it’s set to feature my favorite trope 🥺. I’m crossing my fingers that the author delivers and that I end up liking Dante at least a little more.