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Toxic
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
3 days and 21:54:22
100 copies available
U.S. only
Being born a Seer was the worst; like being trapped in a movie theatre without having a say in what played on screen. Echo Sage wanted a refund. After impatiently waiting four years to meet his soulmate–a human trapped on dystopian Earth, one which had been revealed to him by his Seer gifts–fate stole her away...
And that's only the beginning.
This dark romantic fantasy tale is toxic from start to finish.
***
This book takes place sixteen plus years after Fated Frenzy; although the two are connected, this is a standalone.
Intended for 18+ audiences.
And that's only the beginning.
This dark romantic fantasy tale is toxic from start to finish.
***
This book takes place sixteen plus years after Fated Frenzy; although the two are connected, this is a standalone.
Intended for 18+ audiences.
- GenresDark RomanceRomance
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 4, 2026
About the author
Gigi Zarbi
10 books73 followersGigi Zarbi writes spicy romances that are packed with laughs–although, proceed with caution and check the content warnings, as faer stories can sometimes be dark too. Being a visually driven libra, all of faer works are illustrated in-text by insanely talented human artists. When fae aren't writing, Gigi is typically hanging out with faer three dogs or snapping photos.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
February 8, 2026
ARC REVIEW
A seer and a human get it on, but things get wild. Echo is like the ultimate clinger - the dude needs to chill. His blood pressure is probably through the roof. Sira's got major self-esteem issues - she's a total catch, but doesn't know it. This book is straight-up toxic, but I'm here for it. Someone call a therapist, right now and send them here! I'm weirdly obsessed with this unhinged book. Give it a read.
Thanks to Book Sirens for sending me an advanced copy to read and review
A seer and a human get it on, but things get wild. Echo is like the ultimate clinger - the dude needs to chill. His blood pressure is probably through the roof. Sira's got major self-esteem issues - she's a total catch, but doesn't know it. This book is straight-up toxic, but I'm here for it. Someone call a therapist, right now and send them here! I'm weirdly obsessed with this unhinged book. Give it a read.
Thanks to Book Sirens for sending me an advanced copy to read and review
February 23, 2026
ARC REVIEW
Such a good, fast paced romance! I loved their relationship honestly, even with all the trials and tribulations they had to go through. I would say that this book wasn’t toxic more so traumatic and learning to heal from betrayal of parents. They also learned more about themselves together than they did while apart! I loved the character growth as well! Sira and Echo deserved so much more from their parents and I really connected with that! I also really appreciate all of the brown/black characters as it’s hard finding books about us! It was very good. This was the 1st book I ever read from this author and I look forward to reading more! Thank you for allowing to be an ARC reader.
Such a good, fast paced romance! I loved their relationship honestly, even with all the trials and tribulations they had to go through. I would say that this book wasn’t toxic more so traumatic and learning to heal from betrayal of parents. They also learned more about themselves together than they did while apart! I loved the character growth as well! Sira and Echo deserved so much more from their parents and I really connected with that! I also really appreciate all of the brown/black characters as it’s hard finding books about us! It was very good. This was the 1st book I ever read from this author and I look forward to reading more! Thank you for allowing to be an ARC reader.
February 8, 2026
Toxic by Gigi Zarbi was such a cute and enjoyable read. I loved how easy it was to get into, the story wasn’t confusing at all and I was hooked right from the start.
The FMC and MMC were absolutely adorable, and the yearning between them was so good. I also really appreciated that both characters go through real struggles throughout the book, and that it doesn’t shy away from heavier topics. Seeing what they each faced honestly made me root for them even more.
I loved the way the author described the different worlds we see throughout the story and how thoughtfully the family dynamics were written. I also really liked the use of Farsi and Italian with the meanings included at the start of the book, which added depth without ever feeling confusing.
Overall, this was such a heartfelt read and I really enjoyed it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The FMC and MMC were absolutely adorable, and the yearning between them was so good. I also really appreciated that both characters go through real struggles throughout the book, and that it doesn’t shy away from heavier topics. Seeing what they each faced honestly made me root for them even more.
I loved the way the author described the different worlds we see throughout the story and how thoughtfully the family dynamics were written. I also really liked the use of Farsi and Italian with the meanings included at the start of the book, which added depth without ever feeling confusing.
Overall, this was such a heartfelt read and I really enjoyed it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 25, 2026
ARC REVIEW|
3.5 ⭐️
It kept my attention throughout, probably because it was lighthearted and there was spice every 2 chapters 😂
The plot however felt a little weak to me. I can't pinpoint where it lost me. It was a fast-paced story, maybe a little too fast-paced?
Echo fell in love through his visions of Sira; granted, they were fated mates, but she was a little too accepting of the magical world for me when they met. It made it a little… unrealistic?
And then they were like rabbits almost immediately 😂
Sira had a lot of trauma, I wish we got to see more of her working through it instead of us just jumping over those years
I was a teeny bit overstimulated reading this book 💀
It could probably be a good book slump cure to be honest
I had high hopes I wish it had been executed a little better
3.5 ⭐️
It kept my attention throughout, probably because it was lighthearted and there was spice every 2 chapters 😂
The plot however felt a little weak to me. I can't pinpoint where it lost me. It was a fast-paced story, maybe a little too fast-paced?
Echo fell in love through his visions of Sira; granted, they were fated mates, but she was a little too accepting of the magical world for me when they met. It made it a little… unrealistic?
And then they were like rabbits almost immediately 😂
Sira had a lot of trauma, I wish we got to see more of her working through it instead of us just jumping over those years
I was a teeny bit overstimulated reading this book 💀
It could probably be a good book slump cure to be honest
I had high hopes I wish it had been executed a little better
March 4, 2026
I received this book as an ARC from LoveNotes.
This book was woah. In a good way. This book was everything I needed. The way the characters interacted with each other. Chef kiss. The spice is spicy. This was an overall awesome book that will keep you entertained.
This book was woah. In a good way. This book was everything I needed. The way the characters interacted with each other. Chef kiss. The spice is spicy. This was an overall awesome book that will keep you entertained.
March 5, 2026
If you like a kinky dark fantasy romance with lots of pining and overprotective parents then stop what you’re doing and grab this book! I had such a fun time reading this and I’m going to have to check out the other books by Gigi that are in this universe!
Thank you Love Notes PR for the ARC!
Thank you Love Notes PR for the ARC!
May 13, 2026
🥃 ARC Review: TOXIC
Plenty of Fire. Some of the Smoke Gets in the Way.
Author: Gigi Zarbi
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance + Dystopian
Subgenres: MF Standalone, Paranormal Romance
Tropes: Fated Mates / Soulmates, He Fell First (Four Years Before She Even Knew His Name), Mortal x Immortal, Obsessive MMC, Dual POV, Found Family, Touch Her and Die Energy, Immortality as a Love Language
Series: Standalone (set 16-22 years after Fated Frenzy, no prior reading required)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ — A Good Read
Drink Pairing: Smoked Cherry Phoenix Sour (recipe below)
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ — No. That is not a typo.
🥃 The Pour
Toxic is a book with enormous ambition and a genuinely striking foundation — and a first act that nearly outpaces its own story trying to prove it.
Gigi Zarbi is clearly a talented writer with a specific vision. The bones here are excellent. A dystopian Atlanta built from the wreckage of a corrupt theocratic government. A biracial Black Phoenix who has been quietly unraveling for four years waiting to find his fated mate. A Middle Eastern immigrant FMC who has been told, in a hundred different ways, that she is not worth finding. The ingredients for something truly special are all in the glass.
The question is whether the pour is as controlled as the setup promises. Mostly, yes. Occasionally, no.
Toxic is a Dark Fantasy MF Romance that opens in a dystopian Atlanta so vividly rendered it made my chest ache — crumbling infrastructure, segregation drawn right down Interstate 85, and a world where Black and brown communities survive in the rubble while the church-approved elite live in relative comfort on the other side of the highway. This is the world that made Sira who she is.
And before we even get to the immortal Phoenix falling through the atmosphere for love, we need to talk about her.
🥃 The Heroine: Sira Alcira
Sira Alcira is not your average romance FMC. She told you so herself.
She is a twenty-year-old Iranian immigrant eldest daughter — a hospice volunteer, a reclusive book lover, a quiet rebel in a high-slit vintage dress she repaired herself with needle and thread. She goes to prom alone because she genuinely dislikes people. She has been physically and emotionally abused by her mother for years. She forgets what it feels like to want things for herself.
The author's note says "the FMC is a sad girl, you've been warned" — and what I appreciate is that Zarbi means it without using it as a quirk. Sira's depression is not a costume. It is the water she's been swimming in her entire life. Her healing is not linear. Her joy is not immediate. And every time she chooses something for herself — Echo, Uru, fashion design, therapy — it lands like a gut punch in the best possible way because we understand the cost of what she's overcome just to want it.
She is also sharp as broken glass. Funny. Brave in the small, daily ways that matter most. And she has a mouth on her that I fully respect.
Sira is the top-shelf pour in this book. Complex. Multi-layered. Earned.
🥃 The Hero: Echo
And now for the man who has been losing his absolute mind for four years waiting for this woman.
Echo is a biracial, Black immortal — a Seer-Phoenix-Mage who is, incidentally, the son of the rulers of the universe. He has been having visions of his fated mate, Sira, since they were both sixteen. He doesn't know her name. He doesn't know how to find her. He only knows she is his, down to the marrow, and the four years of waiting have nearly undone him completely.
He crashes through Earth's warding illegally — on his twentieth birthday — because the alternative is one more second without her and he simply refuses.
Is Echo obsessive? Aggressively, unapologetically so. Does the author build a believable framework for why this works within the fantasy construct she's created? Yes. The fated bond isn't a shortcut — it's a structural element of the world that gives Echo's intensity a logic without excusing it. He is also, critically, emotionally intelligent. He notices when he pushes too hard. He checks in. He does the therapy later. He holds her while she cries about Mr. Miles and cries right along with her.
The man does Sira's 4b curls. With a sponge. I said what I said.
He is the kind of man who smells like pine and devotion and the first day you decide to stop apologizing for existing.
🥃 What I Savored
The World-Building is Layered and Intentional. Zarbi builds two fully realized worlds simultaneously — the dystopian wreckage of post-collapse Atlanta and the gaseous floating city of Uru, where hovercars drift past floor-to-ceiling windows and bioluminescent flora wrap the buildings like jewelry. Neither setting is decoration. The contrast between Sira's survival-level existence on Earth and the borderline incomprehensible abundance of immortal life is woven into every beat of her character's internal conflict. When Sira looks out over Uru's skyline for the first time, the reader feels exactly what she feels: awe, grief, and the complicated guilt of wanting something beautiful when you've only ever been taught to endure.
The Rep is Present and Protected. Gigi Zarbi is a Middle Eastern immigrant. Sira is a Middle Eastern immigrant. Echo is a biracial Black immortal — and the author explicitly states that both characters were sensitivity-read multiple times because she cares. That transparency earns points from me every single time. Farsi phrases are woven in naturally (kos nagu becoming a kind of comedic punctuation for Sira's shock throughout the novel). The colorism conversation, the experience of being Muslim-adjacent in a white Christian theocracy, the particular exhaustion of being the eldest immigrant daughter — none of it reads like research. It reads like memory.
Sira's Arc From Surviving to Choosing. This is the heart of the whole book. A girl who did not believe she deserved to be chosen, learning — slowly, unevenly, with therapy and time and a Phoenix who would burn the universe down for her — to choose herself back. The ending of Toxic is not explosive. It is domestic and quiet and radical. Hair care routines. University enrollment. Grief for Mr. Miles. The decision to look for his spirit together. That is an HEA that means something.
The Dual POV is Balanced and Necessary. Echo's chapters are essential. Without them, his obsession reads as alarming. With them, we understand the particular torment of someone fated to love a person they cannot reach. His internal monologue is frequently hilarious — which is good, because without it the intensity of his devotion would tip into unintentional comedy anyway. The alternating POV structure gives both characters full interiority, and by Part III, you are deeply invested in both of their healing journeys, not just the romance.
The Ending Earned Its Landing. The final chapters — the hair scene, Nirvana, the therapy revelation, the anniversary of loss and gratitude — brought this home in a way I didn't fully anticipate in Part I when I was white-knuckling the pages. Zarbi clearly always knew where she was taking these two. The journey is chaotic, but the destination is precise.
🥃 What Needed More Aging
The Opening Is a Lot — And That's Not a Compliment Here. I mean this with full awareness of the genre and the readership. Toxic goes from zero to everything within the first few chapters at a velocity that doesn't leave enough room for the reader to earn the emotional investment. The fated mate construct provides narrative justification, yes. But justification and execution are two different barrels. The fantasy premise asks us to accept enormous emotional stakes almost immediately, and while the bones of the world support it, the pacing doesn't give us enough time with Sira before everything changes to fully feel the weight of what she's leaving behind. I needed more of her life — more stillness, more loneliness — before he appeared. The ache would've hit harder with more room to breathe.
The World-Building Is Competing With Itself. Uru, prestige levels, Phoenix biology, the Galactic Council, rifting mechanics, immortal taxonomy — it arrives in overlapping waves, often mid-scene, often mid-emotional beat. I found myself re-reading passages not because they were complex in a rewarding way, but because I was trying to locate myself in the information. For a world this richly imagined, it deserved a steadier hand in the delivery. The dystopian Atlanta sections are the sharpest and most grounded in the book — and that contrast made the initial world-building dumps in the immortal realm feel rushed by comparison.
Echo's Knowledge of Sira Creates Imbalance That Lingers Longer Than It Should. Zarbi addresses this honestly — Echo acknowledges how invasive the visions are and it genuinely troubles him. Credit for that. But awareness of a problem in the text is not the same as resolving it, and the emotional asymmetry between what he knows about her versus what she knows about him casts a shadow over the early connection. It's not insurmountable, and the back half of the book does meaningful work to correct the scales. But it is a real friction point, not a minor caveat.
The Middle Act Loses the Thread. The first act is a controlled explosion. Parts II and III pull back considerably in pacing, and while some of that is welcome — the breathing room allows the emotional excavation to deepen — there are stretches in the middle where the momentum dissipates rather than builds. A tighter editorial hand through those chapters would have sharpened what is genuinely a moving central arc into something more propulsive. The story recovers beautifully in the final act, but it costs the reader patience to get there.
🥃 The Finish
Toxic is a good date. Not the love of my life — but a good one.
Gigi Zarbi has built something with genuine heart here. The rep is intentional and protected. Sira Alcira is a FMC worth rooting for, full stop. The ending — domestic, grounded, quietly radical — stuck with me far longer than the chaotic first act suggested it would. The hair scene alone is worth the price of admission.
But this is a book with a pacing problem and a delivery problem that prevent it from fully living up to its own considerable ambition. The elements for something extraordinary are present. The execution needed more time in the barrel.
This is a 3.5 stars read from me — rounded neither up nor down, because that half-star is doing real work. There is enough craft and heart here to recommend it with specific caveats: go in prepared for a fast-moving first act that requires trust, a middle stretch that demands patience, and an ending that delivers on the promise in ways you may not have expected given how it opens.
For Sira Alcira, who spent twenty years in a world that told her she didn't deserve to be found?
I'm glad she was.
⭐️⭐️⭐️½ — Worth the pour, with receipts.
🥃 The Drink Pairing: The Phoenix Sour
Because love stories this combustible deserve something that burns going down and stays warm in your chest long after.
Buffalo Trace Bourbon — 2 oz (Echo's steady, devoted backbone)
Fresh lemon juice — ¾ oz (Sira's tart wit and earned bitterness)
Cherry liqueur — ½ oz (Cherry blossom — her scent, her softness)
Simple syrup — ¼ oz (The sweetness they build toward together)
Egg white — 1 (The silken finish underneath all that fire)
Smoked sea salt rim (Phoenix fire. Obviously.)
Lazzaroni Amaretto cherry — 1 (Because she deserves the good stuff. Every time.)
Method: Dry shake all ingredients vigorously without ice for 15 seconds to build the foam. Add ice, shake again. Double-strain into a coupe glass with a smoked salt half-rim. Garnish with your Lazzaroni cherry, dropped into the foam like a little gift.
Tasting Notes:
🍷 Aroma: Cherry blossom, warm vanilla, a curl of woodsmoke
🥃 Palate: Bright citrus cuts through the bourbon's heat; the cherry rounds it out into something almost tender
✨ Finish: Long, warm, slightly smoky — lingers the way a good love story does
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this review.
Recommended for fans of dark fantasy romance, fated mates with emotional depth, multicultural rep done with care, and heroines who start the book not wanting to exist and end it choosing a life worth living.
If you enjoy: ✨ dystopian backdrops that actually mean something ✨ obsessive MMCs with emotional intelligence ✨ FMCs who are allowed to be sad and still be loved ✨ spice levels that have no business existing ✨ … this will absolutely scratch that itch.
Plenty of Fire. Some of the Smoke Gets in the Way.
Author: Gigi Zarbi
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance + Dystopian
Subgenres: MF Standalone, Paranormal Romance
Tropes: Fated Mates / Soulmates, He Fell First (Four Years Before She Even Knew His Name), Mortal x Immortal, Obsessive MMC, Dual POV, Found Family, Touch Her and Die Energy, Immortality as a Love Language
Series: Standalone (set 16-22 years after Fated Frenzy, no prior reading required)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ — A Good Read
Drink Pairing: Smoked Cherry Phoenix Sour (recipe below)
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ — No. That is not a typo.
🥃 The Pour
Toxic is a book with enormous ambition and a genuinely striking foundation — and a first act that nearly outpaces its own story trying to prove it.
Gigi Zarbi is clearly a talented writer with a specific vision. The bones here are excellent. A dystopian Atlanta built from the wreckage of a corrupt theocratic government. A biracial Black Phoenix who has been quietly unraveling for four years waiting to find his fated mate. A Middle Eastern immigrant FMC who has been told, in a hundred different ways, that she is not worth finding. The ingredients for something truly special are all in the glass.
The question is whether the pour is as controlled as the setup promises. Mostly, yes. Occasionally, no.
Toxic is a Dark Fantasy MF Romance that opens in a dystopian Atlanta so vividly rendered it made my chest ache — crumbling infrastructure, segregation drawn right down Interstate 85, and a world where Black and brown communities survive in the rubble while the church-approved elite live in relative comfort on the other side of the highway. This is the world that made Sira who she is.
And before we even get to the immortal Phoenix falling through the atmosphere for love, we need to talk about her.
🥃 The Heroine: Sira Alcira
Sira Alcira is not your average romance FMC. She told you so herself.
She is a twenty-year-old Iranian immigrant eldest daughter — a hospice volunteer, a reclusive book lover, a quiet rebel in a high-slit vintage dress she repaired herself with needle and thread. She goes to prom alone because she genuinely dislikes people. She has been physically and emotionally abused by her mother for years. She forgets what it feels like to want things for herself.
The author's note says "the FMC is a sad girl, you've been warned" — and what I appreciate is that Zarbi means it without using it as a quirk. Sira's depression is not a costume. It is the water she's been swimming in her entire life. Her healing is not linear. Her joy is not immediate. And every time she chooses something for herself — Echo, Uru, fashion design, therapy — it lands like a gut punch in the best possible way because we understand the cost of what she's overcome just to want it.
She is also sharp as broken glass. Funny. Brave in the small, daily ways that matter most. And she has a mouth on her that I fully respect.
Sira is the top-shelf pour in this book. Complex. Multi-layered. Earned.
🥃 The Hero: Echo
And now for the man who has been losing his absolute mind for four years waiting for this woman.
Echo is a biracial, Black immortal — a Seer-Phoenix-Mage who is, incidentally, the son of the rulers of the universe. He has been having visions of his fated mate, Sira, since they were both sixteen. He doesn't know her name. He doesn't know how to find her. He only knows she is his, down to the marrow, and the four years of waiting have nearly undone him completely.
He crashes through Earth's warding illegally — on his twentieth birthday — because the alternative is one more second without her and he simply refuses.
Is Echo obsessive? Aggressively, unapologetically so. Does the author build a believable framework for why this works within the fantasy construct she's created? Yes. The fated bond isn't a shortcut — it's a structural element of the world that gives Echo's intensity a logic without excusing it. He is also, critically, emotionally intelligent. He notices when he pushes too hard. He checks in. He does the therapy later. He holds her while she cries about Mr. Miles and cries right along with her.
The man does Sira's 4b curls. With a sponge. I said what I said.
He is the kind of man who smells like pine and devotion and the first day you decide to stop apologizing for existing.
🥃 What I Savored
The World-Building is Layered and Intentional. Zarbi builds two fully realized worlds simultaneously — the dystopian wreckage of post-collapse Atlanta and the gaseous floating city of Uru, where hovercars drift past floor-to-ceiling windows and bioluminescent flora wrap the buildings like jewelry. Neither setting is decoration. The contrast between Sira's survival-level existence on Earth and the borderline incomprehensible abundance of immortal life is woven into every beat of her character's internal conflict. When Sira looks out over Uru's skyline for the first time, the reader feels exactly what she feels: awe, grief, and the complicated guilt of wanting something beautiful when you've only ever been taught to endure.
The Rep is Present and Protected. Gigi Zarbi is a Middle Eastern immigrant. Sira is a Middle Eastern immigrant. Echo is a biracial Black immortal — and the author explicitly states that both characters were sensitivity-read multiple times because she cares. That transparency earns points from me every single time. Farsi phrases are woven in naturally (kos nagu becoming a kind of comedic punctuation for Sira's shock throughout the novel). The colorism conversation, the experience of being Muslim-adjacent in a white Christian theocracy, the particular exhaustion of being the eldest immigrant daughter — none of it reads like research. It reads like memory.
Sira's Arc From Surviving to Choosing. This is the heart of the whole book. A girl who did not believe she deserved to be chosen, learning — slowly, unevenly, with therapy and time and a Phoenix who would burn the universe down for her — to choose herself back. The ending of Toxic is not explosive. It is domestic and quiet and radical. Hair care routines. University enrollment. Grief for Mr. Miles. The decision to look for his spirit together. That is an HEA that means something.
The Dual POV is Balanced and Necessary. Echo's chapters are essential. Without them, his obsession reads as alarming. With them, we understand the particular torment of someone fated to love a person they cannot reach. His internal monologue is frequently hilarious — which is good, because without it the intensity of his devotion would tip into unintentional comedy anyway. The alternating POV structure gives both characters full interiority, and by Part III, you are deeply invested in both of their healing journeys, not just the romance.
The Ending Earned Its Landing. The final chapters — the hair scene, Nirvana, the therapy revelation, the anniversary of loss and gratitude — brought this home in a way I didn't fully anticipate in Part I when I was white-knuckling the pages. Zarbi clearly always knew where she was taking these two. The journey is chaotic, but the destination is precise.
🥃 What Needed More Aging
The Opening Is a Lot — And That's Not a Compliment Here. I mean this with full awareness of the genre and the readership. Toxic goes from zero to everything within the first few chapters at a velocity that doesn't leave enough room for the reader to earn the emotional investment. The fated mate construct provides narrative justification, yes. But justification and execution are two different barrels. The fantasy premise asks us to accept enormous emotional stakes almost immediately, and while the bones of the world support it, the pacing doesn't give us enough time with Sira before everything changes to fully feel the weight of what she's leaving behind. I needed more of her life — more stillness, more loneliness — before he appeared. The ache would've hit harder with more room to breathe.
The World-Building Is Competing With Itself. Uru, prestige levels, Phoenix biology, the Galactic Council, rifting mechanics, immortal taxonomy — it arrives in overlapping waves, often mid-scene, often mid-emotional beat. I found myself re-reading passages not because they were complex in a rewarding way, but because I was trying to locate myself in the information. For a world this richly imagined, it deserved a steadier hand in the delivery. The dystopian Atlanta sections are the sharpest and most grounded in the book — and that contrast made the initial world-building dumps in the immortal realm feel rushed by comparison.
Echo's Knowledge of Sira Creates Imbalance That Lingers Longer Than It Should. Zarbi addresses this honestly — Echo acknowledges how invasive the visions are and it genuinely troubles him. Credit for that. But awareness of a problem in the text is not the same as resolving it, and the emotional asymmetry between what he knows about her versus what she knows about him casts a shadow over the early connection. It's not insurmountable, and the back half of the book does meaningful work to correct the scales. But it is a real friction point, not a minor caveat.
The Middle Act Loses the Thread. The first act is a controlled explosion. Parts II and III pull back considerably in pacing, and while some of that is welcome — the breathing room allows the emotional excavation to deepen — there are stretches in the middle where the momentum dissipates rather than builds. A tighter editorial hand through those chapters would have sharpened what is genuinely a moving central arc into something more propulsive. The story recovers beautifully in the final act, but it costs the reader patience to get there.
🥃 The Finish
Toxic is a good date. Not the love of my life — but a good one.
Gigi Zarbi has built something with genuine heart here. The rep is intentional and protected. Sira Alcira is a FMC worth rooting for, full stop. The ending — domestic, grounded, quietly radical — stuck with me far longer than the chaotic first act suggested it would. The hair scene alone is worth the price of admission.
But this is a book with a pacing problem and a delivery problem that prevent it from fully living up to its own considerable ambition. The elements for something extraordinary are present. The execution needed more time in the barrel.
This is a 3.5 stars read from me — rounded neither up nor down, because that half-star is doing real work. There is enough craft and heart here to recommend it with specific caveats: go in prepared for a fast-moving first act that requires trust, a middle stretch that demands patience, and an ending that delivers on the promise in ways you may not have expected given how it opens.
For Sira Alcira, who spent twenty years in a world that told her she didn't deserve to be found?
I'm glad she was.
⭐️⭐️⭐️½ — Worth the pour, with receipts.
🥃 The Drink Pairing: The Phoenix Sour
Because love stories this combustible deserve something that burns going down and stays warm in your chest long after.
Buffalo Trace Bourbon — 2 oz (Echo's steady, devoted backbone)
Fresh lemon juice — ¾ oz (Sira's tart wit and earned bitterness)
Cherry liqueur — ½ oz (Cherry blossom — her scent, her softness)
Simple syrup — ¼ oz (The sweetness they build toward together)
Egg white — 1 (The silken finish underneath all that fire)
Smoked sea salt rim (Phoenix fire. Obviously.)
Lazzaroni Amaretto cherry — 1 (Because she deserves the good stuff. Every time.)
Method: Dry shake all ingredients vigorously without ice for 15 seconds to build the foam. Add ice, shake again. Double-strain into a coupe glass with a smoked salt half-rim. Garnish with your Lazzaroni cherry, dropped into the foam like a little gift.
Tasting Notes:
🍷 Aroma: Cherry blossom, warm vanilla, a curl of woodsmoke
🥃 Palate: Bright citrus cuts through the bourbon's heat; the cherry rounds it out into something almost tender
✨ Finish: Long, warm, slightly smoky — lingers the way a good love story does
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this review.
Recommended for fans of dark fantasy romance, fated mates with emotional depth, multicultural rep done with care, and heroines who start the book not wanting to exist and end it choosing a life worth living.
If you enjoy: ✨ dystopian backdrops that actually mean something ✨ obsessive MMCs with emotional intelligence ✨ FMCs who are allowed to be sad and still be loved ✨ spice levels that have no business existing ✨ … this will absolutely scratch that itch.
March 1, 2026
Please check all CW and TW before reading this one. This is my first time reading this author and I am hooked. I enjoyed the author's writing style and the fact that we are introduced into a world that we can easily envision. Now the characters, they were on point. They both illicit so many emotions as we ready their story unfold.
March 11, 2026
Thank you Love Notes PR and the author for the ARC!
First of all - I love this world. I know you CAN read this alone outside of the other books in this world (Fae Fight and Fated Frenzy & Splice & Sacrifice) but I personally think you gotta read them all. So many connections and Easter eggs so to speak.
This one tackles some heavy things. Like read those trigger warnings yall. With that said it also makes you root for and want to shake the characters all that much more.
The pace is quick so if you blink or read too fast you’ll miss it. But the build up and the quick moves are needed to really ramp up your NS the same way theirs are, and when they get that pay off so do we! You will be happy, pissed, sad, happy, fall in love, maybe a little lust, and you’ll enjoy the ride.
Definitely another one I would recommend.
If you made it here drop your favorite emoji and your current read!
First of all - I love this world. I know you CAN read this alone outside of the other books in this world (Fae Fight and Fated Frenzy & Splice & Sacrifice) but I personally think you gotta read them all. So many connections and Easter eggs so to speak.
This one tackles some heavy things. Like read those trigger warnings yall. With that said it also makes you root for and want to shake the characters all that much more.
The pace is quick so if you blink or read too fast you’ll miss it. But the build up and the quick moves are needed to really ramp up your NS the same way theirs are, and when they get that pay off so do we! You will be happy, pissed, sad, happy, fall in love, maybe a little lust, and you’ll enjoy the ride.
Definitely another one I would recommend.
If you made it here drop your favorite emoji and your current read!
January 18, 2026
Thank you for the early copy. All opinions are my own
Fate has granted a bond between human FMC Sira and Seer/Phoenix Echo, but unfortunately between laws, contracts, and meddling outsiders the two are fighting to stay together
Imagine your fated is a seer and the visions he gets of you is the type of p*rn you watch 😫😭 doomed lol don’t even know her name but knows her “interests” 💀😂
But Gigi I’m gonna cuss you out lol not completely but a few choice words are coming 🤭 because why did you put my babies through that 😭
Sira and Echo are probably two of the sweetest characters you’ll read but just like with most of us, life experiences and traumas have a way of changing and molding. Even with everything going on though neither of them stopped loving the other for even a second, and that love was felt over time and distance 💕
If you’re searching for a heartbreaking yet hopeful read pick up a copy of Toxic
Fate has granted a bond between human FMC Sira and Seer/Phoenix Echo, but unfortunately between laws, contracts, and meddling outsiders the two are fighting to stay together
Imagine your fated is a seer and the visions he gets of you is the type of p*rn you watch 😫😭 doomed lol don’t even know her name but knows her “interests” 💀😂
But Gigi I’m gonna cuss you out lol not completely but a few choice words are coming 🤭 because why did you put my babies through that 😭
Sira and Echo are probably two of the sweetest characters you’ll read but just like with most of us, life experiences and traumas have a way of changing and molding. Even with everything going on though neither of them stopped loving the other for even a second, and that love was felt over time and distance 💕
If you’re searching for a heartbreaking yet hopeful read pick up a copy of Toxic
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
ARC provided by LoveNotes PR in exchange for honest review.
On his twentieth birthday, immortal seer Echo is preparing to meet the mortal woman he has been having visions of for four years, Sira. He knows she is his soulmate, and he can't bear to wait another second - so he breaks through the barrier between the worlds illegally, ready to bring her back home with him. She is instantly as infatuated with him as he is with her, and leaves willingly. But their happiness is short-lived when Echo's parents intervene, sending Sira back to Earth with the advice that they can meet again when they are 30. But their decision condemns Echo and Sira to six years of horror and pain. Will they ever find each other again? Can they both heal from the trauma they've suffered?
Toxic is a book that leaves you frenetically turning pages, and upon reaching the end, wishing you'd savoured it for a little longer. I wish it had been a longer book, as there was so much opportunity for further drama and intrigue - but I loved it nonetheless. It is fated mates meets meddling gods, two lots of differently toxic parents, mythical creatures, the destruction of a tyrannical regime and spice.
Echo is a geeky 20 year old when we first meet him, utterly obsessed by this woman on Earth he has seen visions of, incredibly frustrated (if you get my drift 😉) and prepared to break all the rules of his world to get to her. His family unit is unusual in that he has a Dad, a Father and a Mum, as well as his younger sister, who until this point has been the one everyone would have expected to do something illegal. The moment he sets eyes on Sira, he knows he's done the right thing. He takes her back to his home on Uru, but as passion spills over, his Dad and Father arrive, intending to send Sira back home without her memories. What they aren't aware of is that the psychic tether between Echo and Sira has already been formed. They can each feel the other's pain, hear their thoughts and be aware of what they are dreaming of. Echo has to face the punishment for breaking the laws of his Immortal universe, and ends up sacrificing two years of his time in service to Dread, a horrific Titan who hopes to see him die. His rage and fury towards anyone who gets in between him and Sira are absolute - even family members are not exempt, particularly his Dad and Father.
Sira lives in a post WW3 era (caused by an "orange dictator") America, where a once rich nation is destroyed and life is once again segregated between white and people of colour. She is an Iranian immigrant, daughter of a mother and father who treat her appallingly. She spends her time reading, restoring books, volunteering at a hospice, desperately dreaming of escaping Atlanta and heading for one of the free states, and watching spicy things on the internet. She attends her prom at the insistence of her sister, the only person she feels any sense of closeness to, but she is prepared to hate every second. When Echo knocks on her window, her life immediately looks up. Despite her "sad girl" life so far, she is sparky and has the awareness that this is something she deserves, and an opportunity for a far better life. The incredible bond between them has her agreeing to go with him despite her awareness of the things he is saying seeming unrealistic. But when she is returned to Atlanta after her brief trip to Uru, she goes through absolute hell. For six years, she endures some of the most horrendous circumstances (please be aware of SA trigger warnings), along with her desperation to be reunited with Echo.
The ability of parents to be toxic to their children is visited repeatedly in this book. Sira's parents beat her, and when she is in the depth of depression following her separation from Echo, they claim she is drug addicted in order to shunt her to a therapy facility (where she endures SA and actual addiction to medication force fed to her). When she is returned to them after the facility runs out of funds, they have zero care for her. Echo's parents, whilst better meaning than Sira's, are unable to prevent themselves from intervening in what fate intends for Echo or Sira - a pattern that repeats several times before they understand that what they are doing is wrong and they need to step away. It almost feels like this could be a project of catharsis for Gigi Zarbi - it feels like a sense of understanding has been poured into the pages.
I adored how absolute the bond was between Echo and Sira. Even after six years apart with zero communication (just what they heard of each other's thoughts), there was no resentment or anger between them - just towards their respective parents. Their instant connection never wavered, even in the face of such adversity. Their recognition of each other's torment and suffering, and their abilities to make the other feel better gave me a lump in my throat. I'm an absolute sucker for fated mates, and this was a different yet no less beautiful version of that trope - and I love that.
This is open door spice, with kinks explored from the start, but it still feels like a 3🌶️ read to me.
I really enjoyed Toxic - it hooked me from the first chapter, with Echo so intent on finding the woman he's been having visions of. From that point on the story felt like it flew by - never any less exciting, through thick and thin. And that is the only reason I can't give it five stars - it was too short. It could have been developed more, built up more and been an absolute gut puncher of a novel. I absolutely loved it, it just felt like a missed opportunity to fully flesh out an incredible premise.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book!
On his twentieth birthday, immortal seer Echo is preparing to meet the mortal woman he has been having visions of for four years, Sira. He knows she is his soulmate, and he can't bear to wait another second - so he breaks through the barrier between the worlds illegally, ready to bring her back home with him. She is instantly as infatuated with him as he is with her, and leaves willingly. But their happiness is short-lived when Echo's parents intervene, sending Sira back to Earth with the advice that they can meet again when they are 30. But their decision condemns Echo and Sira to six years of horror and pain. Will they ever find each other again? Can they both heal from the trauma they've suffered?
Toxic is a book that leaves you frenetically turning pages, and upon reaching the end, wishing you'd savoured it for a little longer. I wish it had been a longer book, as there was so much opportunity for further drama and intrigue - but I loved it nonetheless. It is fated mates meets meddling gods, two lots of differently toxic parents, mythical creatures, the destruction of a tyrannical regime and spice.
Echo is a geeky 20 year old when we first meet him, utterly obsessed by this woman on Earth he has seen visions of, incredibly frustrated (if you get my drift 😉) and prepared to break all the rules of his world to get to her. His family unit is unusual in that he has a Dad, a Father and a Mum, as well as his younger sister, who until this point has been the one everyone would have expected to do something illegal. The moment he sets eyes on Sira, he knows he's done the right thing. He takes her back to his home on Uru, but as passion spills over, his Dad and Father arrive, intending to send Sira back home without her memories. What they aren't aware of is that the psychic tether between Echo and Sira has already been formed. They can each feel the other's pain, hear their thoughts and be aware of what they are dreaming of. Echo has to face the punishment for breaking the laws of his Immortal universe, and ends up sacrificing two years of his time in service to Dread, a horrific Titan who hopes to see him die. His rage and fury towards anyone who gets in between him and Sira are absolute - even family members are not exempt, particularly his Dad and Father.
Sira lives in a post WW3 era (caused by an "orange dictator") America, where a once rich nation is destroyed and life is once again segregated between white and people of colour. She is an Iranian immigrant, daughter of a mother and father who treat her appallingly. She spends her time reading, restoring books, volunteering at a hospice, desperately dreaming of escaping Atlanta and heading for one of the free states, and watching spicy things on the internet. She attends her prom at the insistence of her sister, the only person she feels any sense of closeness to, but she is prepared to hate every second. When Echo knocks on her window, her life immediately looks up. Despite her "sad girl" life so far, she is sparky and has the awareness that this is something she deserves, and an opportunity for a far better life. The incredible bond between them has her agreeing to go with him despite her awareness of the things he is saying seeming unrealistic. But when she is returned to Atlanta after her brief trip to Uru, she goes through absolute hell. For six years, she endures some of the most horrendous circumstances (please be aware of SA trigger warnings), along with her desperation to be reunited with Echo.
The ability of parents to be toxic to their children is visited repeatedly in this book. Sira's parents beat her, and when she is in the depth of depression following her separation from Echo, they claim she is drug addicted in order to shunt her to a therapy facility (where she endures SA and actual addiction to medication force fed to her). When she is returned to them after the facility runs out of funds, they have zero care for her. Echo's parents, whilst better meaning than Sira's, are unable to prevent themselves from intervening in what fate intends for Echo or Sira - a pattern that repeats several times before they understand that what they are doing is wrong and they need to step away. It almost feels like this could be a project of catharsis for Gigi Zarbi - it feels like a sense of understanding has been poured into the pages.
I adored how absolute the bond was between Echo and Sira. Even after six years apart with zero communication (just what they heard of each other's thoughts), there was no resentment or anger between them - just towards their respective parents. Their instant connection never wavered, even in the face of such adversity. Their recognition of each other's torment and suffering, and their abilities to make the other feel better gave me a lump in my throat. I'm an absolute sucker for fated mates, and this was a different yet no less beautiful version of that trope - and I love that.
This is open door spice, with kinks explored from the start, but it still feels like a 3🌶️ read to me.
I really enjoyed Toxic - it hooked me from the first chapter, with Echo so intent on finding the woman he's been having visions of. From that point on the story felt like it flew by - never any less exciting, through thick and thin. And that is the only reason I can't give it five stars - it was too short. It could have been developed more, built up more and been an absolute gut puncher of a novel. I absolutely loved it, it just felt like a missed opportunity to fully flesh out an incredible premise.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book!
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
Toxic: An Illustrated Dark Fantasy Romance is exactly what its title promises — intense, chaotic, sensual, and emotionally unhinged in a way that will either sweep you up or send you running. For me, it landed in the middle: compulsively readable, wildly imaginative, and deeply entertaining, but also uneven and occasionally overwhelming.
The book’s greatest strength is its commitment to voice. Echo’s narration is unapologetically obsessive, vulgar, and frantic, and the author never pulls back from that choice. Whether you love him or want to shake him, he feels fully realized. His fixation on Sira is visceral, messy, and often darkly funny, and the writing leans into that intensity with confidence.
Sira’s chapters add a welcome counterbalance. Her vulnerability, curiosity, and growing agency help ground the story, especially once the bond becomes more than lust and visions. I appreciated how she evolves into the emotional anchor, the one who can steady Echo when his instincts tip toward violence or panic.
The worldbuilding is intriguing, especially the Phoenix lore and the political stakes that emerge once Sira begins to shift. The supernatural elements feel fresh, and the domestic scenes: the beach house, the wings, the panic over the Council — give the story surprising warmth beneath the chaos.
That said, the book won’t be for everyone. The erotic content is extremely heavy upfront, and the pacing can feel abrupt as it swings between lust, danger, humor, and lore. Echo’s possessiveness, while intentionally part of the dark-romance appeal, sometimes crosses into territory that may feel uncomfortable or unexamined. The worldbuilding often comes in frantic bursts rather than gradual immersion. Despite the unevenness, I found myself invested. The chemistry is undeniable, the illustrations add atmosphere, and the emotional stakes deepen in satisfying ways. If you enjoy dark romance with supernatural flair, obsessive soulmates, and a narrative voice that refuses to behave, this book delivers exactly that.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The book’s greatest strength is its commitment to voice. Echo’s narration is unapologetically obsessive, vulgar, and frantic, and the author never pulls back from that choice. Whether you love him or want to shake him, he feels fully realized. His fixation on Sira is visceral, messy, and often darkly funny, and the writing leans into that intensity with confidence.
Sira’s chapters add a welcome counterbalance. Her vulnerability, curiosity, and growing agency help ground the story, especially once the bond becomes more than lust and visions. I appreciated how she evolves into the emotional anchor, the one who can steady Echo when his instincts tip toward violence or panic.
The worldbuilding is intriguing, especially the Phoenix lore and the political stakes that emerge once Sira begins to shift. The supernatural elements feel fresh, and the domestic scenes: the beach house, the wings, the panic over the Council — give the story surprising warmth beneath the chaos.
That said, the book won’t be for everyone. The erotic content is extremely heavy upfront, and the pacing can feel abrupt as it swings between lust, danger, humor, and lore. Echo’s possessiveness, while intentionally part of the dark-romance appeal, sometimes crosses into territory that may feel uncomfortable or unexamined. The worldbuilding often comes in frantic bursts rather than gradual immersion. Despite the unevenness, I found myself invested. The chemistry is undeniable, the illustrations add atmosphere, and the emotional stakes deepen in satisfying ways. If you enjoy dark romance with supernatural flair, obsessive soulmates, and a narrative voice that refuses to behave, this book delivers exactly that.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 13, 2026
First Impressions: This is Book Two of a fantastical science fiction series about fated mates finding each other across dimensions.
Pacing: Both Book One and Two are pretty chaotic, but it dies match the fever pitch romance between our MCs and the passage of time over the course of the books.
Character development: Echo (MMC) and Sira (FMC) evolve from frustrated, lonely, and incomplete young people into confident, passionate, and strong adults. The paths are rough for both of them, but it's nice they still hold on to a hopeful softness for each other.
World Building: The inter-dimensional, post-apocalyptic setting is pretty unique for a romance story. I do wish Book Two had more of the flippant pop culture references and colorful descriptions of the Book One.
Romance: The book is called "Toxic," but honestly, there's not a huge power imbalance between our MCs. They ate each pretty obsessed with each other, and that obsession is equally shared through their bond. If anything, the two cultures our MCs emerge from are far more toxic than their young, cavalier romance.
Spice: The spice is decently spicy. It's open door, but not particularly graphic. There is some exploration and shared experiences later in the book that may not be every reader's cup of tea, but I enjoyed our MCs trading roles.
Errors and Consistency: The biggest complaint I have for the book is the big hops in time. Rather than seeing chapter headings, these gaps could have been narrated as flashbacks or recalled in conversation with other characters. Otherwise, I didn't find any noticeable spelling or grammatical concerns.
Overall experience: This was a wild one! I look forward to more books in this universe by the author and am excited to see them develop their voice and style. I hope to see more of the colorful language and fourth wall-breaking pop culture references in later volumes; they really give the author's storytelling a unique flavor.
⭐️ 4/5
🌶 3.5/5
Pacing: Both Book One and Two are pretty chaotic, but it dies match the fever pitch romance between our MCs and the passage of time over the course of the books.
Character development: Echo (MMC) and Sira (FMC) evolve from frustrated, lonely, and incomplete young people into confident, passionate, and strong adults. The paths are rough for both of them, but it's nice they still hold on to a hopeful softness for each other.
World Building: The inter-dimensional, post-apocalyptic setting is pretty unique for a romance story. I do wish Book Two had more of the flippant pop culture references and colorful descriptions of the Book One.
Romance: The book is called "Toxic," but honestly, there's not a huge power imbalance between our MCs. They ate each pretty obsessed with each other, and that obsession is equally shared through their bond. If anything, the two cultures our MCs emerge from are far more toxic than their young, cavalier romance.
Spice: The spice is decently spicy. It's open door, but not particularly graphic. There is some exploration and shared experiences later in the book that may not be every reader's cup of tea, but I enjoyed our MCs trading roles.
Errors and Consistency: The biggest complaint I have for the book is the big hops in time. Rather than seeing chapter headings, these gaps could have been narrated as flashbacks or recalled in conversation with other characters. Otherwise, I didn't find any noticeable spelling or grammatical concerns.
Overall experience: This was a wild one! I look forward to more books in this universe by the author and am excited to see them develop their voice and style. I hope to see more of the colorful language and fourth wall-breaking pop culture references in later volumes; they really give the author's storytelling a unique flavor.
⭐️ 4/5
🌶 3.5/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2026
Sometimes an author writes spice in such a way that even when it’s not overly detailed it is still so incredibly believable and intense that rates off the charts spicy for me. This is one of those books. Not going to lie it’s at least partially due to all the groaning and whimpering Echo does! A vocal MMC is going to do it for me every-time! Also the kinks explored added extra punch.
Now pacing wise the timelapses both keep the story moving and killed some of the vibes. When too much of a story takes place with the mains apart, even if and when it’s action packed, it sacrifices the romance and connection for me. So while the fated mates aspect and the Instalove hold some of the weight of the chemistry it wasn’t enough for me overall. My personal preference with a fated mates story is when the author really shows me why they’re fated to be together/perfect for each other. And while smexual compatibility is important I’ll always need/want more.
The other thing that I enjoyed but drove me (and Echo) crazy was the way Sira was so strong but sort of emotional…idk stunted maybe? Like she got over stuff way too quick for me. And I feel like exploring the depths of their separation would have been a great way for them to connect. But also Echo and his parents would have had to see me about their ration decision making, that led to absolutely devastating consequences for Sira. Them aliens PMO real bad!! Overall I enjoyed this so much and BABY!! the in chapter illustrations makes this book an incredible reading experience. I don’t know any reader who wouldn’t be here for the return of picture books but you know, make it adult! Gigi is always giving me something special in each of her stories and that’s why ultimately I enjoy her work.
Now pacing wise the timelapses both keep the story moving and killed some of the vibes. When too much of a story takes place with the mains apart, even if and when it’s action packed, it sacrifices the romance and connection for me. So while the fated mates aspect and the Instalove hold some of the weight of the chemistry it wasn’t enough for me overall. My personal preference with a fated mates story is when the author really shows me why they’re fated to be together/perfect for each other. And while smexual compatibility is important I’ll always need/want more.
The other thing that I enjoyed but drove me (and Echo) crazy was the way Sira was so strong but sort of emotional…idk stunted maybe? Like she got over stuff way too quick for me. And I feel like exploring the depths of their separation would have been a great way for them to connect. But also Echo and his parents would have had to see me about their ration decision making, that led to absolutely devastating consequences for Sira. Them aliens PMO real bad!! Overall I enjoyed this so much and BABY!! the in chapter illustrations makes this book an incredible reading experience. I don’t know any reader who wouldn’t be here for the return of picture books but you know, make it adult! Gigi is always giving me something special in each of her stories and that’s why ultimately I enjoy her work.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was given to me as an ARC Read
GiGi Zarbi really said, “You think you’re emotionally stable?” and then handed me Toxic. I went into this knowing I love everything she has written, but Echo and Sira? They took it to another level. From the very beginning I was unable to put it down. The story is easy to get hooked into, nothing feels confusing or overwhelming, and yet the emotional depth hits hard. That balance is not easy to pull off. Way to go GiGi
Let’s talk about Echo being a Seer for a second. Imagine knowing your soulmate before you ever meet her… knowing her interests, her struggles, pieces of her life. The irony of fate in this book is almost cruel. It’s intense, it’s obsessive, it’s a little unhinged in the best fictional way, and I loved every second of it.
But what makes this story work is that their love isn’t soft and easy. It’s tested. They go through trauma. They’re shaped by life, by pain, by distance, by things that would break most people. But the one constant is that they never stop loving each other. Not once.
But what really stood out to me was how GiGi doesn’t shy away from heavier topics. These characters struggle in very real ways, and instead of weakening the story, it made me root for them even harder. Their growth feels earned. Their happiness feels deserved. And those that know me know I loved how immersive the worlds felt. The dystopian elements, the family dynamics, the cultural details perfection.
This book is heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time. I plan to add this to my collection along with GiGi’s other books that i love. Toxic lives up to its name… so use caution when you read it.
GiGi Zarbi really said, “You think you’re emotionally stable?” and then handed me Toxic. I went into this knowing I love everything she has written, but Echo and Sira? They took it to another level. From the very beginning I was unable to put it down. The story is easy to get hooked into, nothing feels confusing or overwhelming, and yet the emotional depth hits hard. That balance is not easy to pull off. Way to go GiGi
Let’s talk about Echo being a Seer for a second. Imagine knowing your soulmate before you ever meet her… knowing her interests, her struggles, pieces of her life. The irony of fate in this book is almost cruel. It’s intense, it’s obsessive, it’s a little unhinged in the best fictional way, and I loved every second of it.
But what makes this story work is that their love isn’t soft and easy. It’s tested. They go through trauma. They’re shaped by life, by pain, by distance, by things that would break most people. But the one constant is that they never stop loving each other. Not once.
But what really stood out to me was how GiGi doesn’t shy away from heavier topics. These characters struggle in very real ways, and instead of weakening the story, it made me root for them even harder. Their growth feels earned. Their happiness feels deserved. And those that know me know I loved how immersive the worlds felt. The dystopian elements, the family dynamics, the cultural details perfection.
This book is heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time. I plan to add this to my collection along with GiGi’s other books that i love. Toxic lives up to its name… so use caution when you read it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Alexa, play Toxic by Kehlani 🎶
What to expect:
🐦🔥 Dark Fantasy MF Romance
🪽 Extra spicy + kinky 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🐦🔥Dystopian Earth
🪽 Sad girl Human FMC
🐦🔥 Seer & Phoenix MMC
🪽 Insta love
🐦🔥 Prom meet cute
🪽 V!rgin x V!rgin (they're 20!)
🐦🔥 Family drama
🪽 Murd3r + Gor3
🐦🔥 Time Jumps
🪽 So much pining
🐦🔥 Sub x Dom
Nah fr this book was sooo good. I had to take my time and savor it. The story was so unique and I loved (but also hated) how it was a post-WWIII, post-orange tyrant world. It had me thinking that Gigi Zarbi herself is a Seer from Uru and was basically writing the future because WHAT?! Like damn, Sira's future is what we got to look for? Her pen game is absolutely amazing.
Sira and Echo met at her prom (prom at 20 is crazy but I guess when the foundations of our education system crumbled, you take what you can). The characters were so unique and even though it was insta-love/fated mates, they complimented each other. He's a level 10 clinger and she's an insecure baddie with deep rooted trauma.
Speaking of TRAUMA... Gigi I would like to have a word with you because with each time jumped, my heart shattered. Like really, they get this adorable meet-cute and then you keep them apart??? And when they finally reunite, it's problem after problem???
Anyways, I loved this book and stayed up til 4 am reading and then bought her whole catalog from her website at the crack of dawn!! If you like fast paced, high stakes, spicy dystopian/futuristic stories, this one is for you!!
What to expect:
🐦🔥 Dark Fantasy MF Romance
🪽 Extra spicy + kinky 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🐦🔥Dystopian Earth
🪽 Sad girl Human FMC
🐦🔥 Seer & Phoenix MMC
🪽 Insta love
🐦🔥 Prom meet cute
🪽 V!rgin x V!rgin (they're 20!)
🐦🔥 Family drama
🪽 Murd3r + Gor3
🐦🔥 Time Jumps
🪽 So much pining
🐦🔥 Sub x Dom
Nah fr this book was sooo good. I had to take my time and savor it. The story was so unique and I loved (but also hated) how it was a post-WWIII, post-orange tyrant world. It had me thinking that Gigi Zarbi herself is a Seer from Uru and was basically writing the future because WHAT?! Like damn, Sira's future is what we got to look for? Her pen game is absolutely amazing.
Sira and Echo met at her prom (prom at 20 is crazy but I guess when the foundations of our education system crumbled, you take what you can). The characters were so unique and even though it was insta-love/fated mates, they complimented each other. He's a level 10 clinger and she's an insecure baddie with deep rooted trauma.
Speaking of TRAUMA... Gigi I would like to have a word with you because with each time jumped, my heart shattered. Like really, they get this adorable meet-cute and then you keep them apart??? And when they finally reunite, it's problem after problem???
Anyways, I loved this book and stayed up til 4 am reading and then bought her whole catalog from her website at the crack of dawn!! If you like fast paced, high stakes, spicy dystopian/futuristic stories, this one is for you!!
March 10, 2026
I’ve been following Toxic by Gigi Zarbi advertisements for a while so I was excited to read about this kinky, fated mates, with a whimpering MMC with a touch of pegging, dark romance, and this fell flat.
This felt like a rushed mess to say Echo and his family was so powerful they were constantly letting one titan and this mysterious council that didn’t really do anything, run them. Everything felt rushed to be solved and we don’t really see the plot unfolding. Plus there’s so many questions that could have been answered, ie “What happened in the institution? “ “Did her family just do nothing?” “Why were they constantly forgiving their parents/family? Sira more than Echo. Her family just let all that happen to her, even the sister that she was supposedly missing.” “Why didn’t they just end the titan Dread in the beginning, like that was all it took?” “Why wasn’t her trauma talked about?” There’s so many more questions I can’t even think of all of them.
And the most disappointing of all is this wasn’t a dark romance and none of this felt toxic at all. It was just fantasy and fated mates that were fighting to stay together against all the odds, it was really insta love from the start and they were good partners to each other for the most part.
Actually the most disappointing part is that there was no pegging and the only submissive MMC scenes was at the very end like an afterthought just like a lot of the major plot points.
This felt like a rushed mess to say Echo and his family was so powerful they were constantly letting one titan and this mysterious council that didn’t really do anything, run them. Everything felt rushed to be solved and we don’t really see the plot unfolding. Plus there’s so many questions that could have been answered, ie “What happened in the institution? “ “Did her family just do nothing?” “Why were they constantly forgiving their parents/family? Sira more than Echo. Her family just let all that happen to her, even the sister that she was supposedly missing.” “Why didn’t they just end the titan Dread in the beginning, like that was all it took?” “Why wasn’t her trauma talked about?” There’s so many more questions I can’t even think of all of them.
And the most disappointing of all is this wasn’t a dark romance and none of this felt toxic at all. It was just fantasy and fated mates that were fighting to stay together against all the odds, it was really insta love from the start and they were good partners to each other for the most part.
Actually the most disappointing part is that there was no pegging and the only submissive MMC scenes was at the very end like an afterthought just like a lot of the major plot points.
April 20, 2026
This one book takes place in the Planetary Pairing Program world, but with a dark twist. Starting with the world, or at least the U.S. as we know it, being this post-apocalyptic mess post this second trump term, and given the current state of the country and the world at large, it makes perfect, scary sense. This story seems to take place 20-30 years after the events of the main PPP crew that we know and love. This also gives me hope that Nala and the gang make it out alright, as I still eagerly await the third installment of Nala’s story.
Echo is all grown up from when we saw him and Willa last, he is twenty years old and has Seer abilities and has *seen* his amoroso (fated soulmate) and known about her for years, but he doesn't know her name, and she is human. So he hasn't been able to reach her because Earth is out of bounds. But he has hatched a plan to get through the ward around earth get to her, and he is more than a little obsessed with her. Sira is dealing with an emotionally and physically abusive mother on an Earth that has been completely decimated and not as we know it now so some things seem confusing at first (like why Sira is graduating high school at 20 and not 17/18 like we’re used to).
Overall the story certainly lives up to the title of the book, but given all the things the characters go through during the book it makes perfect sense why. If you’ve read Gigi’s other books, you’ll love this one as well! Buckle up, its a wild ride! ;-)
Echo is all grown up from when we saw him and Willa last, he is twenty years old and has Seer abilities and has *seen* his amoroso (fated soulmate) and known about her for years, but he doesn't know her name, and she is human. So he hasn't been able to reach her because Earth is out of bounds. But he has hatched a plan to get through the ward around earth get to her, and he is more than a little obsessed with her. Sira is dealing with an emotionally and physically abusive mother on an Earth that has been completely decimated and not as we know it now so some things seem confusing at first (like why Sira is graduating high school at 20 and not 17/18 like we’re used to).
Overall the story certainly lives up to the title of the book, but given all the things the characters go through during the book it makes perfect sense why. If you’ve read Gigi’s other books, you’ll love this one as well! Buckle up, its a wild ride! ;-)
March 1, 2026
Unhinged and a bit Rushed.
I love a good unhinge and out of pocket dark romance story and Toxic did deliver that, but I must say that the story was maybe a little rushed, especially because it felt like a lot was happening in such a small amount of pages.
I do wish there were deeper dives into the betrayal of both sets of parents to their kids and also the S/A was treated like just a plot curve that no one really cares about and is not a big deal.
The other thing that annoyed me a bit is the insistence of the FMC bending tiny and small again and again but that’s is basically a genre wide problem for me.
Gotta say that the art inside really is beautiful.
~Blurb~
Being born a Seer was the worst; like being trapped in a movie theatre without having a say in what played on screen. Echo Sage wanted a refund. After impatiently waiting four years to meet his soulmate–a human trapped on dystopian Earth, one which had been revealed to him by his Seer gifts–fate stole her away...
And that’s only the beginning.
This dark romantic fantasy tale is toxic from start to finish.
Tropes:
🖤 Dark Fantasy Romance
🥰 MF
🔮 Dystopian Future
🧬 Human FMC x Seer MMC
💕 Insta Love
🤭 Prom meet cute
😇 Virgin x Virgin
🌶️ Spicy
Toxic will be out on March 4th
Gigi Zarbi and Love Notes PR for sending this ARC in exchange for my honest review
⭐⭐ ⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.
I love a good unhinge and out of pocket dark romance story and Toxic did deliver that, but I must say that the story was maybe a little rushed, especially because it felt like a lot was happening in such a small amount of pages.
I do wish there were deeper dives into the betrayal of both sets of parents to their kids and also the S/A was treated like just a plot curve that no one really cares about and is not a big deal.
The other thing that annoyed me a bit is the insistence of the FMC bending tiny and small again and again but that’s is basically a genre wide problem for me.
Gotta say that the art inside really is beautiful.
~Blurb~
Being born a Seer was the worst; like being trapped in a movie theatre without having a say in what played on screen. Echo Sage wanted a refund. After impatiently waiting four years to meet his soulmate–a human trapped on dystopian Earth, one which had been revealed to him by his Seer gifts–fate stole her away...
And that’s only the beginning.
This dark romantic fantasy tale is toxic from start to finish.
Tropes:
🖤 Dark Fantasy Romance
🥰 MF
🔮 Dystopian Future
🧬 Human FMC x Seer MMC
💕 Insta Love
🤭 Prom meet cute
😇 Virgin x Virgin
🌶️ Spicy
Toxic will be out on March 4th
Gigi Zarbi and Love Notes PR for sending this ARC in exchange for my honest review
⭐⭐ ⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.
March 23, 2026
Gigi Zarbi is and will forever be an instant buy author for me. This book was short, sweet, and oh so spicy with a twist of tragic backstory for our main characters, Sira and Echo. I really love how Gigi is able to weave in the perfect number of cameos and keep each new book connected to the last!
Toxic takes place across the galaxy with part of the book set in a post apocalyptic version of Earth where Sira lives her human days feeling like something is just… missing. The rest of the book is set in some of our favorite places across the solar system - which, spoiler alert, the details of which school has gotten very wrong.
Sira might not know what’s been missing from her life, but Echo sure does. For years, he’s been having very not so suitable for work visions of his amoroso, and has been counting down the days until he can sweep her off her feet and back to his home planet.
Despite their initial meeting being full of fireworks, nothing is as simple as it seems and if you’ve read anything else from The Planetary Pairing Program World then you know intergalactic politics are nothing if not complicated. Will Sira and Echo still be in one piece by the time they get to happily ever after? Will the galaxy be in one piece by the time they’re done tearing it apart to forge that happily ever after?
Toxic takes place across the galaxy with part of the book set in a post apocalyptic version of Earth where Sira lives her human days feeling like something is just… missing. The rest of the book is set in some of our favorite places across the solar system - which, spoiler alert, the details of which school has gotten very wrong.
Sira might not know what’s been missing from her life, but Echo sure does. For years, he’s been having very not so suitable for work visions of his amoroso, and has been counting down the days until he can sweep her off her feet and back to his home planet.
Despite their initial meeting being full of fireworks, nothing is as simple as it seems and if you’ve read anything else from The Planetary Pairing Program World then you know intergalactic politics are nothing if not complicated. Will Sira and Echo still be in one piece by the time they get to happily ever after? Will the galaxy be in one piece by the time they’re done tearing it apart to forge that happily ever after?
March 4, 2026
WAIT!! Romantasy meets dystopian? Say less‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
Toxic by Gigi Zarbi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ When I tell you I couldn’t stop highlight?!?😭😂 I’m not exaggerating. This book was such a good time. The spice kicks in quickly (and sometimes that’s exactly what a story needs), but it’s the characters that really hooked me. Echo and Sira 🫶🏽🤏🏽 had me invested from the start. Echo especially? A fae with wings, freckles🥵 and all that morally-grey energy 🚩🚩🚩… I was obsessed.
What I loved most was how Gigi wove elements of our own world into the story. Some moments were surprisingly relatable and even funny in a way that made the dystopian setting feel really unique. It’s also a very quick read, which made it incredibly easy to binge in one sitting.
I read this as an ARC on my Kindle, but the physical copy is stunning‼️‼️‼️ and I’ll definitely be adding it to my shelves.
If you love romantasy with dystopian vibes, fast spice, and addictive characters, don’t walk… run!! Now I just need to know when the next book is coming out because I’m ready.
I need MORE!!
Congratulations Gigi!! Thank you for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this amazing read!!!! ✨✨🙌🏽
Toxic by Gigi Zarbi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ When I tell you I couldn’t stop highlight?!?😭😂 I’m not exaggerating. This book was such a good time. The spice kicks in quickly (and sometimes that’s exactly what a story needs), but it’s the characters that really hooked me. Echo and Sira 🫶🏽🤏🏽 had me invested from the start. Echo especially? A fae with wings, freckles🥵 and all that morally-grey energy 🚩🚩🚩… I was obsessed.
What I loved most was how Gigi wove elements of our own world into the story. Some moments were surprisingly relatable and even funny in a way that made the dystopian setting feel really unique. It’s also a very quick read, which made it incredibly easy to binge in one sitting.
I read this as an ARC on my Kindle, but the physical copy is stunning‼️‼️‼️ and I’ll definitely be adding it to my shelves.
If you love romantasy with dystopian vibes, fast spice, and addictive characters, don’t walk… run!! Now I just need to know when the next book is coming out because I’m ready.
I need MORE!!
Congratulations Gigi!! Thank you for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this amazing read!!!! ✨✨🙌🏽
March 11, 2026
Toxic by Gigi Zarbi is a dark fantasy romance set in a dystopian future that blends fate, obsession, and intense soulmate energy.
The story follows Echo Sage, a Seer who has spent years waiting to meet the human soulmate he’s already seen in his visions. Being able to see pieces of the future sounds like a gift, but for Echo it feels more like a curse. Especially when fate begins to unfold in ways he didn’t expect.
I really enjoyed the concept of the Seer MMC paired with a human FMC and how the soulmate element drives the story forward. The connection between the characters is immediate and intense, which fits well with the darker tone of the book. The dystopian setting also added an interesting backdrop to the romance.
As the title suggests, the relationship dynamics can feel messy and a bit toxic at times, but that’s part of what makes the story so dramatic and engaging. The spice and emotional intensity definitely keep things interesting.
Overall, I gave this 4 stars because I found the premise unique and the story compelling. If you enjoy dark fantasy romance, fated mates, dystopian settings, and spicy romance, this is definitely worth checking out.
The story follows Echo Sage, a Seer who has spent years waiting to meet the human soulmate he’s already seen in his visions. Being able to see pieces of the future sounds like a gift, but for Echo it feels more like a curse. Especially when fate begins to unfold in ways he didn’t expect.
I really enjoyed the concept of the Seer MMC paired with a human FMC and how the soulmate element drives the story forward. The connection between the characters is immediate and intense, which fits well with the darker tone of the book. The dystopian setting also added an interesting backdrop to the romance.
As the title suggests, the relationship dynamics can feel messy and a bit toxic at times, but that’s part of what makes the story so dramatic and engaging. The spice and emotional intensity definitely keep things interesting.
Overall, I gave this 4 stars because I found the premise unique and the story compelling. If you enjoy dark fantasy romance, fated mates, dystopian settings, and spicy romance, this is definitely worth checking out.
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you like unhinged, intense and emotional dark fantasy romance reads - Toxic delivers just that.
I still can't believe GiGi put my loves through what she did, but my gosh it is a great read. You really get hooked from the first chapter and the addiction doesn't stop.
I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of a Seer x Human relationship. Echo is absolutely obsessed with Sira, and I honestly don't blame him. He's known about his soulmate, literally everything about her, and has never met her. Sira is sweet as can be and so incredibly strong. The trauma and struggles they both went through, separately and together, made my chest hurt man 😭 Their love is truly tested.
And let's not forget about the spice.
Baby, THE SPICE.
It'll get you biting your bottom lip and kicking your tootsies the whole time.
Beware, there ARE timeline jumps and gaps that lead to a lot of suspense and "WTF" moments.
BUT IT IS SO WORTH IT.
Thank you, Gigi Zarbi, for the ARC - this review is 100% my own opinion and rating. 🩷
I still can't believe GiGi put my loves through what she did, but my gosh it is a great read. You really get hooked from the first chapter and the addiction doesn't stop.
I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of a Seer x Human relationship. Echo is absolutely obsessed with Sira, and I honestly don't blame him. He's known about his soulmate, literally everything about her, and has never met her. Sira is sweet as can be and so incredibly strong. The trauma and struggles they both went through, separately and together, made my chest hurt man 😭 Their love is truly tested.
And let's not forget about the spice.
Baby, THE SPICE.
It'll get you biting your bottom lip and kicking your tootsies the whole time.
Beware, there ARE timeline jumps and gaps that lead to a lot of suspense and "WTF" moments.
BUT IT IS SO WORTH IT.
Thank you, Gigi Zarbi, for the ARC - this review is 100% my own opinion and rating. 🩷
March 5, 2026
Oh this was chaotic soulmate energy and I was locked in 😭🔥
Sira is human. Echo is an immortal seer who’s been having visions of his soulmate… and it’s her. He knows her face, her soul, her future. She doesn’t even know he exists. The yearning? Top tier. The devotion? Slightly unhinged but divinely ordained so I allow it.
Set in a dystopian future after World War 3, this dark fantasy romance is fast paced (about 200 pages), action packed, and definitely spicy 🌶️ But let me be clear this isn’t toxic, it’s traumatic. These two go THROUGH it. The consequences of Echo making one forbidden choice had my heart stressed.
I loved the artwork sprinkled throughout and appreciated that even as my first book by Gigi Zarbi, I didn’t feel lost in the world.
My only issue was the time skips I wanted certain emotional moments to breathe more. But overall? A unique, dramatic fated-mates fantasy I didn’t know I needed.
Thank you to Love Notes PR and the author for the ARC 💌✨
Tropes:
Dark fantasy • Dystopian future • Human FMC × Seer MMC • Insta love • Virgin × Virgin • Immortal obsessed hero
Sira is human. Echo is an immortal seer who’s been having visions of his soulmate… and it’s her. He knows her face, her soul, her future. She doesn’t even know he exists. The yearning? Top tier. The devotion? Slightly unhinged but divinely ordained so I allow it.
Set in a dystopian future after World War 3, this dark fantasy romance is fast paced (about 200 pages), action packed, and definitely spicy 🌶️ But let me be clear this isn’t toxic, it’s traumatic. These two go THROUGH it. The consequences of Echo making one forbidden choice had my heart stressed.
I loved the artwork sprinkled throughout and appreciated that even as my first book by Gigi Zarbi, I didn’t feel lost in the world.
My only issue was the time skips I wanted certain emotional moments to breathe more. But overall? A unique, dramatic fated-mates fantasy I didn’t know I needed.
Thank you to Love Notes PR and the author for the ARC 💌✨
Tropes:
Dark fantasy • Dystopian future • Human FMC × Seer MMC • Insta love • Virgin × Virgin • Immortal obsessed hero
Review of advance copy
*ARC Review* Echo, an immortal, sees visions of his mortal soulmate, Sira. But with her being across the universe, things are complicated, pushing Echo to do something he’s not supposed to, and that choice has consequences. These two endure so much, and the yearning and longing between them truly pulled at my heartstrings. 🥺
This was my first book by the author, so it was also my first time being introduced to characters from her previous books. While the worldbuilding was already established, the author thoughtfully included helpful information at the beginning for new readers, which I really appreciated.
The illustrations scattered throughout the book added visual depth and enhanced my connection to the story. Oh, and the spice was definitely there! It gets intense 😅. The main thing i wasn't a fan of was the time skipping. I wish it was formatted to where it didn't feel so rushed. But Overall, this was a very unique read.
This was my first book by the author, so it was also my first time being introduced to characters from her previous books. While the worldbuilding was already established, the author thoughtfully included helpful information at the beginning for new readers, which I really appreciated.
The illustrations scattered throughout the book added visual depth and enhanced my connection to the story. Oh, and the spice was definitely there! It gets intense 😅. The main thing i wasn't a fan of was the time skipping. I wish it was formatted to where it didn't feel so rushed. But Overall, this was a very unique read.
February 27, 2026
Taking place 16–22 years after Fated Frenzy, we’re back in this wild universe and I am once again OBSESSED. Gigi’s artwork alone deserves five stars. Absolutely stunning every single time.
From the first few lines in Echo’s POV, I was cackling. Imagine being a seer and getting flashes of your mate in very… detailed situations. The man never stood a chance.
The six-year forced separation?? Criminal. I would absolutely spiral. I would be toxic too.
I love how each installment in this universe introduces new classifications and natures. The Phoenix. The Titans. Familiar faces popping back in. (Seeing favorites return always makes my heart so happy.)
The tension between Echo and Sira is feral in the best way. They keep trying to out-edge each other and fail spectacularly every time. And yes — the spice delivers.
Dark, chaotic, dramatic, and unhinged in all the right ways. Another addictive addition to this fantasy world.
From the first few lines in Echo’s POV, I was cackling. Imagine being a seer and getting flashes of your mate in very… detailed situations. The man never stood a chance.
The six-year forced separation?? Criminal. I would absolutely spiral. I would be toxic too.
I love how each installment in this universe introduces new classifications and natures. The Phoenix. The Titans. Familiar faces popping back in. (Seeing favorites return always makes my heart so happy.)
The tension between Echo and Sira is feral in the best way. They keep trying to out-edge each other and fail spectacularly every time. And yes — the spice delivers.
Dark, chaotic, dramatic, and unhinged in all the right ways. Another addictive addition to this fantasy world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2026
Toxic is a dark fantasy set in the same universe as Fated Frenzy, but can be read as a standalone. The story is fast, but well-paced. I absolutely adore the two main characters Echo and Sira. They are fated mates, though from very different worlds. Sira is very much human and lives on a dystopian Earth, while Echo is the son of Titans, Immortal rulers of the universe. He will literally do anything for his mate, despite fate keeping them apart after their initial bonding. But Sira is not to be underestimated either, as they will find out soon enough.
I promised myself I would take the time to read this one, but as per usual Gigi's writing grabbed me hook, line and sinker, and I finished this in two nights. There are definitely dark themes in the story, but I think those were handled really well. And I'm a sucker for some lowkey murder, blood & gore with my romance.
10/10 would recommend!
I promised myself I would take the time to read this one, but as per usual Gigi's writing grabbed me hook, line and sinker, and I finished this in two nights. There are definitely dark themes in the story, but I think those were handled really well. And I'm a sucker for some lowkey murder, blood & gore with my romance.
10/10 would recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I got an arc of this book.
Sira lives in a post-apocalyptic version of the United States that honestly felt a little too close to home while reading it. The new normal is destruction, dirt, barely surviving, and trying to eke out any source of happiness you can. Echo is a seer and rare Phoenix mage and has been seeing visions of Sira for years. He's finally able to go to her when they're both 20 and they have this instant connection. Sira is wary of him for being too clean but he’s also very enigmatic, charming and wholly devoted to her. They are swept together then pulled apart.
When Sira and Echo were at the forefront of the story, I really enjoyed it but it got a little muddled when Echo’s family appeared. Despite it being a standalone, I feel like some of the relationship nuance with Echo’s three parents, the Titans, was missing and made it less compelling.
The ending felt a bit rushed, but I liked the pacing of the rest of the book. I enjoyed the world building and was really drawn into the relationship between Sira and Echo but I’m not sure I’ll read more in this universe.
Sira lives in a post-apocalyptic version of the United States that honestly felt a little too close to home while reading it. The new normal is destruction, dirt, barely surviving, and trying to eke out any source of happiness you can. Echo is a seer and rare Phoenix mage and has been seeing visions of Sira for years. He's finally able to go to her when they're both 20 and they have this instant connection. Sira is wary of him for being too clean but he’s also very enigmatic, charming and wholly devoted to her. They are swept together then pulled apart.
When Sira and Echo were at the forefront of the story, I really enjoyed it but it got a little muddled when Echo’s family appeared. Despite it being a standalone, I feel like some of the relationship nuance with Echo’s three parents, the Titans, was missing and made it less compelling.
The ending felt a bit rushed, but I liked the pacing of the rest of the book. I enjoyed the world building and was really drawn into the relationship between Sira and Echo but I’m not sure I’ll read more in this universe.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Arc review…I want to thank love notes & the author for this early copy.
I think the connection between Echo & Sira was very heavy and there 100% . The chemistry was on fire and their romance was burning from the start. The book is very spicy and I loved all the artwork.
My main issue was I was super confused from some of the parts maybe because I’ve never read any of her previous books and they all connect not fully but would make it make more sense . As well as I felt the story was very rushed, sexual contact almost immediately with no buildup. I also feel the jumps between time was too fast paced and left a lot to wonder and not understand .
I think I’m going to re read and re rate later but first I need to read the books that were written about the characters that were spoken of before so that I can fully understand and comprehend whats going on better
I think the connection between Echo & Sira was very heavy and there 100% . The chemistry was on fire and their romance was burning from the start. The book is very spicy and I loved all the artwork.
My main issue was I was super confused from some of the parts maybe because I’ve never read any of her previous books and they all connect not fully but would make it make more sense . As well as I felt the story was very rushed, sexual contact almost immediately with no buildup. I also feel the jumps between time was too fast paced and left a lot to wonder and not understand .
I think I’m going to re read and re rate later but first I need to read the books that were written about the characters that were spoken of before so that I can fully understand and comprehend whats going on better
March 7, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Love Notes PR
The title is very well chosen which I love🤣
It was a fast paced book, that kept me entertained. I really enjoyed the unhingeness/chaos of it all and the setting was original, but I was left wanting more.
It felt a bit rushed and would have love more details on certain situations. It is around 200 pages, a lot happens in a short amount of time, so maybe a couple of pages more would have been beneficial.
Both mmcs have gone through a lot/going through a lot and it doesn't shy away from it which I appreciated. Also the family dynamics were well described.
Also the arts through out the book are stunning!
It is entertaining (read TWs beforehand) but could have been more flesh out.
Thank you to the author and Love Notes PR for the opportunity to read this arc.
The title is very well chosen which I love🤣
It was a fast paced book, that kept me entertained. I really enjoyed the unhingeness/chaos of it all and the setting was original, but I was left wanting more.
It felt a bit rushed and would have love more details on certain situations. It is around 200 pages, a lot happens in a short amount of time, so maybe a couple of pages more would have been beneficial.
Both mmcs have gone through a lot/going through a lot and it doesn't shy away from it which I appreciated. Also the family dynamics were well described.
Also the arts through out the book are stunning!
It is entertaining (read TWs beforehand) but could have been more flesh out.
Thank you to the author and Love Notes PR for the opportunity to read this arc.
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