The writing is a bit stilted in places with stiff, unnatural conversations, and I struggled to remain interested. When Draxton and Kellan ended up in the new world, things got even rougher, as no one reacted to the new people wandering into their tent; several men were bare chested in the freezing snow for some reason; the giant polar bear changed size; Kellan is also a member of a near immortal race and happens to be a prince … it’s just a lot of things happening with no one having much in the way of a reaction.
I just found it hard to believe any of what was happening, and the characters weren’t giving me much of a reason to care. The book is heavy on the telling side of things, with Draxton being abrasive and confrontational and Kellan accepting it and snuggling up against him. But it feels calculated rather than natural, and … I just don’t buy the romance. I’m not invested in the characters, the world building is a rough sketch of shapes that don’t come together into anything other than generic “fantasy” and flat.
I’m sorry, this wasn’t the book for me. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.