*THIS BOOK SHOULD NOT BE READ BEFORE COMPLETION OF THE DUSKWALKER BRIDES SERIES OR BOOK 1 OF THE PREQUEL - To Trap a Soul*
A hundred and fifty years have passed, and much has happened for Lindiwe. She’s bonded, she’s served her duties, and she’s brought Duskwalkers into the world.
Every year, her relationship with Weldir grows steadier, only to eventually shatter. What follows is a beautifully chaotic whirlwind of push and pull, a battle of devotion and affection against unchanging fates that are impossible to resolve.
She can’t fall in love with the shadowy entity who lives in the void. She fears for what’s left of her humanity if she does...
Weldir’s indifference has begun to dissipate.
In the wake of his mate’s teasing, her desire, and her lovely fire, obsession and infatuation violently collide. He wants her, just as much as he craves her soul to embrace.
As their Mavka offspring begin their own lives, he yearns for freedom from his realm. But for a bodiless demi-god, who doesn’t belong in her world and cannot leave his own, there’s no solution within his intangible reach.
Opal Reyne is an Australian Author who has been a fan of the Adult Paranormal Romance genre from the moment she picked up a book of it - and has never looked back.
She loves everything spicy, smutty,and everything boarder-line monster loving. She started writing because of her love of the written word, and because she wanted to build a diverse world of mythological creatures, while also showing the beauty of all ethnicities of humanity. She thrives to produce a plot driven, character developing book while sprinkling in enchanting imagery.
-Duskwalker Brides a series that features a very real monster who never turns into a handsome prince.
-Witch Bound is a series of Dragon-shifter males falling for their species enemies, Witches!
-She currently has a completed series called 'A Pirate Romance duology'.
As of the 20th of June 2022, The Aedus Chronicles has been unpublished. Thank you to all the readers who enjoyed the series, and Opal may look into revising them in the future.
I cannot believe that our Duskwalker journey has come to an end 😭 To Free a Soul was an emotionally charged slow burn that couldn’t have been done anymore perfectly. Although we know what happens to our bone daddies and their brides already, I couldn’t help but cry even harder seeing their stories play out through Lindiwe’s eyes as their mother. My heart broke so many times for her and felt like I was there with her through every hardship she faced. The ending was absolutely perfect! Opal completely outdid herself with this incredible duology. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to try and figure out how to get through accepting that this fictional world has come to an end 😭
Okay, this journey has come to an end... bittersweet, but fulfilling. This book picks up right where the last one left off, continuing Weldir and Lind’s adventure through the world. It was both amazing and heartbreaking to see everything from their perspectives, Lind’s determination never faltering, and Weldir always there to support her in every way he could.
I just wish we’d seen more of their relationship develop throughout the story... it only really kicks in around , which is kind of wild, lol. Even though this could technically be considered a romance, that’s not really its main focus, and I totally get that. Trust me, it’s so much more than that, and Opal pulled it off beautifully!
A huge thank you to Opal, I know this was hard on you for multiple reasons and I'm very grateful for all the hard work you put in this series. They'll be forever in my heart. I'm ready for whatever the future bring us <3
The world of the Duskwalker Brides is one I go back to multiple times a year. This series/duet takes the cake as my absolute favorite.
I definitely cried reading Opal's author note at the end. I love this world so, so much. I'm so proud to be on her ARC team and to witness how she interacts with her "opalites", keeping it real and raw about her writing process and when life happens.
That being said, if you're one of the people who complained about the slow burn after only reading To Trap A Soul, hush up and enjoy the ride with this book. Opal ALWAYS writes HEAs, but Weldir and Lindiwe had over THREE HUNDRED YEARS of miscommunication, living in different worlds, like 30 children to contend with amongst other things. So yes, it is slow. It is angsty. Both of them are frustrating at times. However, at the end of this book they finally get to start living and enjoying life, together.
While reading this book, I loved seeing the most important plot points from the original 8 books from their perspectives, even if it was heartbreaking at times. Even though Opal warned us at the end of TTAS that we would see a lot of Katrina, I was not prepared for how much all of her bullshit would tear my heart apart for Orpheus. It was DEFINITELY satisfying to witness her death again, and I love that Lindiwe was there to see her demise.
I look forward to meeting more Duskwalkers in a few years, but until then I'll continue to reread these 10 books and read anything and everything else Opal writes in the meantime. ♡
To Free a Soul - Opal Reyne Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️
🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤
****WARNING THERE MAY BE SLIGHT SPOILERS BELOW ****
🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤
Review: This was utter perfection and the perfect way to wrap up the Duskwalker Brides world … for now 😏. This picked up right where book ones left off, and we get to see Weldir and Lindiwe’s relationship continue to evolve as time goes on both it progress and stagnation. The feelings of unrequited love from Lindiwe’s side had my heart breaking, and poor Weldir has this utter obsession for her and yearning for this he can’t quite understand in his current state. Lindiwe’s journey as a mother in this book broke my fucking heart. She just loves her babies so much and wishes so deeply that one of them would love her the same way in return. We get caught up the timeline of the main series in this, and seeing some of the events that occur in that was beautiful and others were absolutely gut wrenching. The ending was so perfect and getting to see Weldir touch her and hold their babies had me sobbing. I love their love so so much. He is an utter simp by the time he gets a physical form and I was HERE FOR IT. Also the smut in this??? Shadow daddy indeed. Holy fuck 🥵🥵🥵. I cannot recommend this entire universe enough. Until we meet them again 💕💕
I’m devastated that this is the end of the Duskwalker series. I truly don’t know how to live after this. It took me a month to finish this book because I didn’t want to say goodbye. I literally don’t care, Lindwe gave birth to so many babies, and I need a book for each one 😭😭😭
People who give bad reviews because it’s “slow”?? 300 years is a long time to cover, and that pacing is intentional. It adds so much depth to Lindwe’s character because we truly feel how long it drags on for her. That weight of time is the whole point and we’re supposed to sit in it with her.
This 2-book prequel was everything I needed. We get a completely new perspective from Lindwe’s POV, and now I want to reread all the previous books knowing what was really happening with them. How dare all of her babies reject her??? She worked so hard to keep them safe and make them happy, and nobody even knows how much she sacrificed.
Her story with Weldir was magnificent. She spent centuries alone just to finally get her HEA, and I couldn’t be happier for her. After everything she went through, she deserves that and more. Weldir finally opened up as a character, and the whole Tenebris world-building was absolutely captivating.
My babies Nathair and Aleron dying and then spending time with his dad😭💕 those moments were everything. We also get to know more of Orpheus and Katerina which makes me want to kill her all over again.
As I let the last words on the last three pages embrace me like a friendly hug. I realized we were at the end of the road: for this world, these characters, this era of the project.
I thought 💭 from the very first book to this final book of the prequel series. How much we grew together as a community with these beautiful Duskwalkers/ Makava characters and their soul brides and grooms.
When I say Opal you did the darn thing . You really did.
It’s been such a long time since I read a series overall that was well crafted, the world building was amazing, the stakes were worthy, the happy endings was earned, the pain was explained and explored. The various types of characters regardless of supposed villain or hero.
Opal you made us relate to every character from their origin names to their own identical namesakes.
You made us root, relate, and support the soul brides and grooms.
Like you’re even an awesome mama now. So much has changed for all of us. How has time flies!
I must confess I have read all your online books 📕 Hope you add more to the dragon 🐉 bride series in the future ( wishing on a star ⭐️ )
The second book 📖 was so good , and well earned of Linidiwe and Weldir ❤️ love story. Because they were our OG couple and you even gave us more world 🌎 building with the higher deities like The Golden Maiden ( great grandma ) and the great uncle Elve.
I have nothing else really to say. You gave us a full circle ⭕️ journey, you gave us a conclusion that landed the plane ✈️ smoothly, and even offered future embers of baby duskwalkers.
I appreciate so much how you built a team around you of wonderful people that made your books amazing.
These characters made me appreciate other people’s love stories from the disabled, the misunderstood, the different, the struggling, the naive, and the normal. I loved it all . I’m not crying 😭 tears of happiness. Yall are. It truly was the friends we met along the way.
Here is to future adventures when Opal is ready to take us on.
We’ll see you on the readers path once again.
Sincerely,
A Grateful fan. October 2025
P.S, If you haven’t read this series. Pick it up , and read all her other stories too 💕
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ARC Review — A Soul to Free by Opal Reyne
Opal, thank you for letting me be part of your ARC team and dive back into this hauntingly beautiful (and sometimes terrifying) world!
How do you make me fall in love with every single main character you write? In the last book, my heart broke for Lindiwe, everything she endured, and how alone she felt. And while I liked Weldir’s steady, practical nature, I wasn’t sure how to feel about him after A Soul to Steal when we first see him. Now? I absolutely love him.
To Free a Soul book continues Weldir and Lindiwe’s journey, and it made me fall head over heels for them both. Watching them grow from cautious allies into something so much more was such a beautiful and a very emotional ride. Their relationship requires them to balance with their differences, making them stronger, and together they create a connect neither thought possible.
And let me just say, Weldir has a dirty mouth that had me fanning myself more than once! Between the spice, the emotional depth, and the incredible character development, this book had me hooked from start to finish.
I know some readers get frustrated that this is a slow burn, but honestly, it couldn’t have been written any other way. The way Lindiwe and Weldir meet doesn’t exactly set the stage for instant love. This story had a lot of ground to cover: their relationship, their children, and their individual struggles, all spanning hundreds of years. If you are expecting them to be a neatly packaged happy couple right away, this might be a tough ride. But for me, that’s exactly what made it so powerful. I absolutely love the time Opal puts into building authentic, layered connections between her characters, and A Soul to Free is no exception.
Thank you, Opal, for giving us Lindiwe and Weldir’s 300-year journey. It is a story I’ll be carrying with me for a long time.
SPOILERS FOR THIS BOOK AND THE MAIN SERIES BELOW! READ WITH CAUTION!
My time in the world of Duskwalker's and their brides has officially come to and end, and let me tell you it's been a wild ride. This book is definitely a slow burn much like the first book, and honestly, I was so okay with that. Weilder and Lindiewe have been together for so long when this book starts. It gave me sooo much perspective over the timeline. I had a feeling that the demons set humans back really far, but I didn't realize just HOW FAR. Lindie and Weilder mated around the 1700's, and from there had been some large gaps between other Duskwalker's being born at times. I was SHOOK when I found out that Reia and Orpheus got together in the fucking 2000's?!?!?!?! I needed to scream about that fact and I had no one to scream with.
I will say, I really enjoyed getting to meet/hear about the Duskwalker's in other countries. I had wondered if they had only been in Australis, or all over. Turns out, they are all over, and we even got to have a few conversations with them. It was beautiful to watch the main series come full circle, but from the eyes of Lindie and Weilder. I'm so happy we got this prequel series, it was something I didn't even know I needed.
While I'm sad that my journey in the Duskwalker world is coming to a close, I so happy to have gone on it. Duskwalker's are what sparked my love for monsters, and now I am never looking back. I can't wait to see what else Opal writes in the future!
That’s the only word that comes to mind. It took me a little longer than normal to start, due to knowing it was the end of this amazing series. I usually can’t read interconnected series because I can’t get over the first couple… I never had that problem with this series. I felt so many emotions reading this book, and caught myself on the verge of tears multiple times. There was nothing I didn’t enjoy during this series. This series will stand the test of time, and it will live rent free in my mind for the rest of my life.
My hatred for Katerina grew even more in this book. It was nice to read her death scene, again. It was also very nice to watch Lindiwe go into “mama bear” mode, and put her in her place.
Reading Lindiwe’s desire to just have a relationship with her children, just made me feel so heartbroken for her. However, I loved that they got to see all of their children, together, with their brides. I hope their relationships continue to strengthen over time.
***SPOILERS***
Their love progressed beautifully, and I didn’t want to see it end. I’m hoping with the introduction to the other children on all of the continents around the world, that we will get to know them a little better. I can’t wait to read their love stories, and how they differ from our boys.
Also, was I the only one that laughed uncontrollably when Lindiwe discovered the Orpheus had a penis 🤣. Her reaction was amazing, and when she went to Weldir and he was like “well, duh. They’re males”.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
What a damn journey we have gone on with Lindiwe and Weldir!!! Their story is so complex and spans hundreds of years. I cried with Lindiwe many many times in this book. She went through so so much. Her loneliness and her suffering in service of Weldir and her children was so gut wrenching!! Reading the main series you obviously know she loves and cares for her children deeply, you get to see lots of ways she helps them, but you don’t really experience the immensity of it. You don’t see ALL of her children and all the ways she struggled to protect them. These books really made me love her. Her heart is so so big and I loved seeing Weldir develop tender feelings for her. He’s pretty obsessed even though he’s like 🧐🧐🧐 I loved his POV, but felt so bad for him too in all the ways he wanted to help. At least he didn’t have a heart that was suffering in the way Lindiwe did. The very end was fabulous, I absolutely loved how we got to see the start of a true relationship for them 😭😭😭 I’m honestly so sad to see these characters go. All the Duskwalkers and their brides plus void daddy and witch owl mommy. I’ve spent so much time with them and felt every different emotion while reading them all. So grateful to Opal for giving us this world!!!! What a beautiful way to wrap this all up!! 👏👏👏👏
Duskwalker Beginnings reminds me of Wild Seed so much, with Weldir as a stand-in for Doro and Lin as Anyanwu, down to being a BIPOC woman who shapeshifts and travels between human settlements to protect and care for her descendents. There's even the slow, slow, slow deepening of the connection between the immortal and the woman who serves/aids him, and falling in love with perhaps the only creature who can understand you. In both books, the climax entails .
That being said, this feels far less toxic than the relationships in Wild Seed, with more emphasis on consent and communication than eugenics.
At ~600 pages each, with a very slow progression, yeah, the duology could probably be edited down to a single volume. However, its not just a story about Weldir and Lin, but of their entire family, including the other Elvish gods, humanity in general, and the Duskwalkers. There are a few places that feel very fanservice-y, a few that seem to be a bit of a retcon of why Lin would say something not entirely true or transparent, but for the most part its fun worldbuilding and character study.
Gleeful Goblin Review: This is the second and therefore last book of Duskwalker Beginnings. This author was one of the first monster romance writers who made me fall in love with this weird and wonderful world of monsterfudgery. Opal's writing here is, as always, incredibly evocative, layered, and will completely take you on an emotional journey. Get ready to feel satisfied as well as rung out by the end of this slow burn, beautiful, and gut wrenching story. It was wild to feel so much tension and worry alongside Lindiwe about her children even though I know what happens with each and every one of them! I'm not a parent and never want to be one but the way Opal writes is so good at taking me out of my experience and into her stories fully.
Weldir and Lindiwe are not your typical "romantic leads" and this is certainly not a typical family unit. But it's most certainly a family I've loved seeing grow through each of the books. Now, here at the end we've come full circle and the story truly feels *complete*. I wasn't ready. I was never going to be ready. But all things end and I'm glad it was such a beautiful world to fall into. 5/5 Stars
“I have a godly appetite for everything, and it appears it is rather bottomless when it comes to you.”
I have LOVED and adored the Duskwalkers and this world from the very beginning. And I thought this was such a nice wrap up to their main journey. The world building in this series (so detailed and crafted with so much care) and how everything and everyone came together at the end - chef’s kiss!
This Duology - and the main Duskwalker series- has made me cry, laugh, and swoon.
If you decide to pick this series up, start with a Soul to Keep.
Opal is one of the few writers who can not only keep my attention for 600-800+ pages but leave me wanting even more at the end simply because I just love immersing myself in this world. I will always come back for more
Omg this series finale will forever be engrained in my soul ❤️
Absolutely loved every single word of this book!!
The closing line of this book has me in tears. What I wouldn’t give to be able to read this entire series from beginning to end for the first time
There is, and has always been, so much unknown about Lindiwe and Weldir I loved these last 2 books because you learned so much and many unanswered questions have been answered
I feel like I don't even know what to say. These final two books have been such a ride to learn the lore of my favorite bone daddies. It was a rollercoaster of emotions running into some of my favorite people and moments again as well as understanding where it all began. 10/10 no notes. Opal will forever be one of my top favorite authors. Beautifully done 👌🏻
Such a beautiful conclusion to an amazing series. Seeing everything from a different perspective was so fascinating. I expected nothing less and cannot wait to reread the entire series now knowing what I know 🥹
the duskwalkers have the most extreme form of object permanence and it hurts my heart and my babygirl Lindiwe so I'm gonna revolt and cry now. someone give her a hug and choke jabez in his sleep. we deserved more family moments and I hope a short novella might give us the moments that make all the pain and suffering worth it. loved the ending and will be reading everything by Reyne now to get the same spark ughhhh
Screaming, crying, ahhhh. This was such a good ending to the duskwalkers stories. Forever in love! It was so nice seeing their side of the stories, as I witnessed all the books all over again. I need to start the series over again. 10/10 Chefs kiss
I just wished we got more of Weldir in his physical form. it seemed like we only got like 3-4 chapters of it and then the book ended. I was looking for more angst my heart didn’t break enough haha
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
did I cry... yes will I read it again... also, yes, over and over again. I feel overwhelmingly sad that its over, but the journey was worth it. I can't wait to read this whole series again
I loved finally being able to see Lindiwe and Weldir's story. What starts out as a forced proximity trope turns into a heart clenching slow burn. Seeing both of them go through their own struggles and finally find each other in the end was amazing. I would love to see more duskwalker books for the other characters, but I think this series was wrapped up pretty well. Top 3 of my favorite series of all time.
Ten books later and just when I think there was nothing more this splendid author could throw at me or surprise me with, she’s pulling the rug right out from underneath me. Although maybe it’s less “pulling the rug” and more “seizing me by the lapels and yeeting me judo-style directly into a brick wall”. Yeah, that sounds more like it.
It’s my fault, really. It was silly of me to, albeit unintentionally, underestimate Opal Reyne and her absolute mastery over this world she’s built. So silly of me to believe I already knew all about the Duskwalker Brides, a series I fell hopelessly in love with over three years ago and have been following religiously ever since. And how positively simple of me to dive headfirst into this story thinking I knew what was going to happen because I’d read the series and therefore couldn’t possibly be emotionally destroyed again.
But I did, and I was — and I’m ’bout to thank her for it.
It’s not my fault! I can’t help it if she’s so brilliant at what she does that I turn into an emotional masochist, even if it makes me a complete simp for this woman. From the very beginning of the series to this most recent release, it was the littlest details she incorporated into the setting that got me lost in her world, as well as the complexity of her characters that had me all-the-way invested in their stories. And it was the subtle way she spaced all the highs and lows of the plot that made me feel like I was on a roller coaster ride without a harness — and damned if I ever wanted to get off. It was nothing short of brilliant storytelling, so no, I take absolutely zero responsibility for my fervent enthusiasm to have my emotions repeatedly played with by this author.
All that said, this book did not go the way I thought it was gonna go… Thank The Spirit Of The Void for that!
Speaking of — we finally got to learn all about the elusive Weldir, who has been quite the tantalising mystery to readers throughout the series till now. And to my delight, I found that getting to know him was like meeting all his “offspring” again in one (third of a) body! He’s unassumingly logical (Orpheus) can be totally oblivious (Magnar) playfully dry yet sometimes reserved (Nathair) a little bit on the shy side but also blatantly pervy (Aleron and Ingram) and his dad jokes are terrible (Kitty).
(Merikh doesn’t really get a foot in there cause even Opal admits that moody lil bear cub is his Mum all over.)
But back to Weldir — THAT COVER REVEAL THO!! Omg my hormones were not ready 😭. The way she kept it secret and then unveiled it like a magician on the release day, it was just perfectly done! 🪄✨
He looks absolutely stunning and so naturally I was smitten, but I think a lot of readers can relate to these feelings. And that I now have a thing for mostly-intangible demigods who build statues of their mates in various compromising positions for purely deviant reasons that DEFINITELY won’t be found by anyone, least of all his son-in-law…
No really, I still don’t know wtf he was thinking. 🤔
But aside from being such a wispy stud-muffin, he’s also just a wonderful Dad who wants nothing more than to spend time with his mate and interact with his Duskwalker children… but can’t with the latter unless they dead af. You can see how this might’ve upset Lindiwe a bit.
Now, regarding Lindi, I’ll just say this before anything else real quick:
*Ahem*
Lindiwe is a hot mamì and I would let her do unspeakable things to me. If I was a demon hunter I would hunt that Witch Owl b*oty all over Australis until something inevitably ate me (hopefully her). If I died inside Weldir’s mist and woke up in Tenebris I would let him tear my soul into itty-bitty pieces and use me to make a portal for her to step her perfect b*otilicious self through.
Nah, all jokes aside (I wasn’t kidding) the reason I have a thing for this woman is because her mettle is irrefutable and was forged in isolation. Our beloved Witch Owl has been put through the wringer; we’re talking heartache, despair and crippling loneliness. She fought most, if not all of her battles alone — always alone — and most of the time she healed her own wounds. Her inner strength was obtained through sheer courage in the face of multiple terrifying circumstances and her ability to force herself to keep moving forward despite having little to no help.
Those kinds of extenuating circumstances would chip away at anyone’s mental state, even that of the powerful Witch Owl. Lindiwe’s slow but inevitable journey away from the moral boundaries of her humanity and all that she once was is startling but wonderfully done by Opal. And through it all, all she wanted was a friend… she just didn’t realise straight away that she already had one.
But let’s talk about Lindiwe’s journey through motherhood and how I regard it as both the greatest and hardest interpretation I’ve ever read.
Despite what some readers think, and despite how most romance books paint it out to be, having kids ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. Motherhood is HARD and certainly ain’t for the faint of heart. It will test you in ways you are not prepared for and make you realise things about yourself you nearly wish you never knew. I had tears in my eyes so many times while reading about Lindi’s personal struggles with being a Mum, such as the endless guilt, sometimes feeling like an empty shell of a person whose only purpose is to meet their needs, and the overwhelming feelings of utter loneliness and isolation that comes with the lack of a good support system.
The real kicker for Lindi’s uniquely heartbreaking situation that stood out the most to me was the emotional distance she created in order to protect her own mental wellbeing so that she could also continue to show up for her other children when they needed her, whilst also giving them the space they required, and not lose her ever-loving mind in the meantime! It was a choice no mother should have to make but one that took more wisdom and strength than most people have in their pinky finger. But through it all, Lindi’s unbending loyalty and determination to do the right thing by those she loves (even if that affection is unreciprocated) is what pulled her through some of the toughest situations you can face as both a mother and partner.
You’ve probably already guessed but I’ll say it anyway — this miniseries is heavy, wrought with angst and hurt, and will at one point or another make you wonder if love really can conquer all. It’s not like the previous Duskwalker Brides books, because in many ways the characters are not LIKE the Duskwalkers or their Brides. One of them is a literal (demi?)god, and the other is his immortal and extremely attention-deprived mate. Their story is perhaps just a liiiittle more complicated than what we’ve read thus far, and there are a few rather steep obstacles for them to overcome than that of simply falling in love.
Now if this making you doubt, just remember; Opal knows her characters better than anyone and has repeatedly proven this fact. How? By staying true to her vision of them and doing them justice, regardless of how challenging that is to write, instead of succumbing to what readers want to see. She’s done it all before, given readers everything they could’ve possibly wanted from a monster sm*t book and more! But this miniseries is different. She wasn’t out to re-set the sm*t bar (again) but rather to show us the world we’ve come to know through Lindiwe and Weldir’s perspective. Opal is not and has never been afraid of drawing lines in the sand in order to do her characters justice by writing them exactly as they are — morally grey and complex — and this book was certainly no exception to that rule.
But it is utterly beautiful and unequivocally, without a (shadow of a) doubt, worth it. And don’t fret about it being ALL dark and gloomy — there were plenty of lines and dialogue that made me ugly laugh.
My personal favourite: “I just need to place her (Delora) gently down in front of it.”
Girl that is not at all what happened 🤣.
After watching the tale of Weldir and Lindi play out from start to finish, it’s made me realise something about relationships.
Sometimes love isn’t always the most solid foundation, and it doesn’t always happen straight away or within a week of knowing someone. That’s not to say it’s not important or that it doesn’t happen at all, but love can also be learned over time through friendship, unwavering loyalty, and shared experiences. It can be a conscious choice instead of something to “surrender” to. And that, in my opinion, is just as solid a foundation as any love-at-first-sight trope, and as always our girl Opal made that sh*t look effortless.
Onto the next topic in this incredibly lengthy review (I know, okay? I already told you I was a simp, so really it’s your fault for even getting this far and you have no one to blame but yourself):
The smut. Did it deliver?
It’s like I predicted in my review of “To Trap A Soul”… With 👏🏻 fries 👏🏻.
Let’s go through the list: ✅ Br*eding ✅ T*ntacle play (Shadow Daddy showing us he invented the game) ✅ V*yeurism ✅ B*ndage ✅ Jaw-dropping dirty talk
That’s just to name a few.
Now I know this topic seemed to be a point of contention in the last book due to its lack of presence compared to the other books in the series, but do you know what I say to that?
Sm*t without story is just p*rn. And you won’t find that here so off you trot. 👋🏻
What you WILL find is an author dedicated to her fans and is meticulous in delivering top-quality writing consistently, and there’s not many authors who can boast the same.
To Opal — wow. What an incredible ending to an era of sheer monster-romance excellence. You have made such an impact on this specific sub-genre that your name will always be associated with it.
To the readers who’ve made it this far — trust the process! Opals writing is so satisfying she leaves no stone unturned or plot point unexplained. She’s the kind of writer who feels like a miracle to find and certainly one you never want to stop reading, even when it’s over.
But you know, this doesn’t at all feel like the end of the Duskwalker Brides… Or maybe I’m just in denial, who knows? One thing’s for sure — if she does decide to come back to this world and grace us with more delicious Duskwalker content, she will have a whole fandom anxiously waiting, practically salivating for more.
We get to see soo much character development and their relationship leading into such a great progression plus the promise of spiciness. But after awhile it did again fall back into some issues that they can’t avoid due to such contrast of their being and limitations from Wilder side. It is very hot and sweet moment in the beginning of the book, then slowly back to such heart-aching read with tons of loneliness and like an impossible problem that just can’t be solved 😭😭
My heart legit went out for Lindiwe in this series, her character seems so avoidance and mysterious in others Duskwalker book but actually she is full of emotion and feelings 🥲 reading her book make me hate how her kids treated her. How awful and ungrateful they treated her especially Merikh, he is just straight up rude and a jerk… i despise him the most, which make so much sense why I can’t even enjoy his book even before reading Lindiwe book… i legit DNF his book and now I didn’t even regret it one bit. The way Lindiwe have to detached herself from Wilder and slowly from her kids because how lonely and hurtful she felt with the constant rejection, treatment from her kids and unreciprocated love towards her as a mother, a secret guardian that keep guarding them unconditionally and as lover/companion from Wilder 💔 can’t believe she still manage to go on for decade… 300 years selflessly love everyone and be there for them and keep getting such a horrible treatment from her kids.
Also not forgetting Jabez that Elf dude legit pissed me off again😭 although i love his book so much, reading this just reminded me why he is consider such a hateful character before his book exist —— due to all the crime he committed 🥲 the pain he bring to Lindiwe, it is even mind blowing how Lindiwe can accept him as part of the family… but since She can see Jabez did slowly change to the better thanks to Zylah ❤️🩹
In this book I didn’t blame Wilder because you can see he try the best he can to give Lindiwe his version of comfort and love, the best of his capabilities in his form but sadly that is not enough and we can’t blame Lindiwe to crave more too. Both of them are blameless in this situation, just two lover in such a horrible situation and i am so damn happy Wilder finally found a solution to have a psychical form 😭😭😭 —— wasn’t surprise with 🔥 frenzy going on due to his first taste of everything 👀👀👀👀
I have to applaud 👏🏼 Opal amazing writing. Every time I read her book , i was consumed with the character and the world building in the book —— you will literally sympathize with them and feel for them no matter how they were in previous or other book which just show how amazing the storytelling is 🤯 because who know i will have such a love hate feeling towards all the Duskwalker and Jabez which I totally didn’t when i was reading their book individually. But reading Lindiwe book make me have entirely different feelings toward them all ✨
I have enjoyed so much the series and thank you Opal Reyne you have given us such an amazing gift 💝
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So when had she begun to look at him the same way, with curiosity, and see not his lacking exterior, but into his very cloud and find it ethereal?
Why was she here, now, half-awake in his realm, but unable to tear herself away from sleep because it meant facing reality?
Why was she sore in the most wonderful way, tender in all the right places – as if her whole body had been worshipped – but it couldn’t overshadow how she was bleeding out? Why does it have to hurt so much?
More than ever, her chest ached beyond recognition. There were wounds in places the eye couldn’t see, and no medicine or spell could heal. Her heart felt battered and bruised, like it’d been punched and jabbed at repeatedly.
And she had no one else to blame but herself. €
Weldir growled as he shunted forward, his nose crinkling and finally showing an emotion. “I do care for you, Lindiwe. I have grown very fond of you over these years, and I have attempted to make that known.”
“I know that! I’m not a fucking idiot. But you experience it all the same way. Your anger, lust, affection, dedication, and care all come from the same place. It doesn’t exist within the real, living world.”
“It exists to me!” he roared.
“Because you are not real!” she screamed and pointed to the ether. “I don’t belong in your lifeless, lightless void! I can’t live here, and you can’t exist in my world, the living world.”
His tone became deflated and almost sounded... hurt. “That’s not fair, Lindiwe.” It wasn’t fair. She also knew it wasn’t his fault.
I love you. I love you so much, and it pains me every single day because you can’t be with me.
Weldir couldn’t change. He couldn’t suddenly grow a body and join her, and that was heartbreaking. €
Because she knew one thing for certain: love wasn’t supposed to hurt. It could be saddening and frustrating.
It could have moments of jealousy and possessiveness. It should always be filled with comfort, affection, and soft caresses. There would be fights, and there would be times of weakness and selfishness. There could be aches and pangs.
But it shouldn’t feel like this.
It shouldn’t feel like her heart was on fire and sending flames into her bloodstream. Her chest shouldn’t feel so tight she thought she was strangling on every breath.
It shouldn’t be this absent and lonely. €
She finally stopped dancing when the earth glowed bright green on its own. Orpheus came past the fence of the garden and paused mid-stride to stare at her. He was quick to snort out a huff and continue patrolling.
There was no greeting. Just nothing. This hurts. Doing this hurt. Being forgotten hurt. Being considered untrustworthy, when she’d poured all of herself into her children, hurt. Why does everything have to hurt?
All her love was ignored. Her love was never returned.
She found herself growing emptier, especially in the wake of her choice to put space between her and Weldir.
I tire of always hurting. It was slowly breaking her beyond repair. It was eating her from the inside out. It was ruining her, desensitising her, twisting her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
***Please note that this review is mainly for my benefit as it is more of a summary of the book and may contain spoilers.***
🌶🌶 [v] Abduction [v] Actor M [v] Addiction (M's mother) [v] Adopted Siblings [v] Adoption of neice [v] Adult breastfeeding [v] Age Gap (24 F & 34 F) [v] Age play [v] Airplane Sex [v] Alien M [v] Alpha/Bega/Omega (omega F, 3 Alpha Ms) [v] Amnesia [v] Anal [v] F to F anal [v] F to M anal [v] M to F anal [v] M to M anal [v] Anal Beads [v] Anal Felching [v] Anal Fisting [v] F to F anal fisting [v] M to F anal fisting [v] M to M anal fisting [v] Anal Gaping [v] Anal Hook [v] Anal Knotting [v] Anal Play [v] F to F anal play [v] F to M anal play [v] M to F anal play [v] M to M anal play [v] Anal Rimming [v] F to F anal rimming [v] F to M anal rimming [v] M to F anal rimming [v] M to M anal rimming [v] Anthology [v] Anxiety Attacks [v] Arranged Marriage (marriage contract) [v] Arrangement [v] Artist M (tattoo artist) [v] Assault [v] Auction [v] Auralism Kink (sounds and voices) [v] Author F [v] "Baby Girl " [v] Bar Sex [v] Baseball/MLB, former MLB player [v] Bath Sex [v] Bathroom Sex [v] Begging [v] Ben Wa Balls [v] Belt [v] Best Friend's Brother [v] Best Friend's Dad [v] Best Friend's Daughter [v] Best Friend's Mom [v] Best Friend's Son [v] Bi-Awakening [v] Billionaire M [v] Birth Control Tampering [ ] Biting [v] Blackmail [v] Blood Kink [v] Blood-Play [v] Blue Collar (detective F) [v] Body Guard [v] Boat sex [v] Bookstore Sex [v] Branding (Forced tattoo) [v] Brat [v] Breast Binding [v] Breath-Play [v] Breeding Bench [v] Breeding Kink [v] Brother's Best Friend [v] Bully to Lover [v] Butt Plug [v] CSA (Child Sexual Assault) in F's past, off page [v] Cage [v] Candaulism Kink (desire to show off one's partner) [v] Cane [v] Car Sex [v] Carriage sex [v] Cat of Nine Tails [v] Chastity Cage [v] Cheating ( [v] Chef M [v] Child Abuse (in M's past, off page) [v] Childbirth (Epilogue, on page) [v] Childhood Friends [v] Choking [v] Christmas [v] Church Sex [v] Classroom sex [ ] Claws [v] Clit Clamp [v] Closet Sex [v] Cock and Balls Harness [v] Cock Piercing(s) [v] Cock Ring [v] Cock Sleeve [v] Cock Warming [v] CNC (Consensual Non-Consent) [v] Collar [v] College Romance [v] Communication Barrier [v] Cousins (not blood related) [v] Cowboy M [v] Cozy [v] "Crawl to Me" [v] Crime (gang [v] Cuckhold [v] Cum Kink [v] Cumming in his pants [v] "Daddy " [v] DADVP (Double Anal and Double Vaginal Penetration) [v] DAVP (Double Anal and Vaginal Penetration) with fist (P) and anal hook and cock (A) [v] Dark Romance [v] Daughter's Boyfriend [v] Death of a Child (in M's past, off page) [v] Death of Parents [v] Death of a Sibling [v] Death of a Spouse (F's fiance in past, off page) [v] Degradation [v] Demisexual M [v] Dentist F [v] Dildo [v] Dining Room Sex [v] Disability (M, cant feel pain due to nervous system damage [v] Dissociation [v] Divorced M [v] Doctor M [v] Dom and Sub [v] Dom and Subs [v] Doms and Sub [v] Doms and Subs [v] Domme and Sub [v] Domme and Subs [v] Dommes and Sub [v] Dommes and Subs [v] Domestic Voilence (F's exhusband) [v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and tentacle (A) [v] DP (Double Penetration) with cock (P) and vibrator (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with vibrator (P) and fingers (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and butt plug (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and fingers (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with two cocks [v] DP (double penetration) with fingers [v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and beer bottle (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with vibrator (P) and cock (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with fingers (P) and butt plug (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and fingers (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with fingers (P) and cock (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with fist (P) and anal hook (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with vibrator (P) and butt plug (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with knife hilt (P) and fingers (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with tongue (P) and tentacle (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with fingers (P) and Tail (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with tail (P) and fingers (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with tools 😬 [v] Drinking Blood [v] Drug Use (weed) [v] Drugging [v] DUBCON (Dubious Consent) [v] DVAP (Double Vainal and Anal Penetration) with two cocks (P) and cock (A) [v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with cock and fingers [v] DVP (Double vaginal penetration) with vibrator and fingers [v] DVP (Double vaginal penetration) with vibrator and cock [v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with cock and dildo [v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with two cocks [v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with fingers and tentacle [v] Eating Disorder [v] Edging [v] Electrical Stimulation [v] Elevator Sex [v] Enemies to Lovers [v] Ex's Dad [v] Ex's Uncle [v] Ex-Convict [v] Exhibitionism [v] F Masturbation [v] F Virgin [v] FF [v] F to F oral [v] FFF [v] FFM [v] FMF [v] FFFF [v] FFFM [v] FFMF [v] FFMM [v] FMFM [v] FMMF [v] FMMM [v] FFMMM [v] FMMMM [v] Face Fucking [v] FaceTime Sex [v] Fairy [v] Fairytale Retelling (Cinderella) [v] Fake dating [v] Fall/Autumn [ ] Fangs [v] Fantasy [v] Fated Mates [v] Feet Fucking [v] Flogger [v] Food Play [v] Foot Fetish [v] Football/NFL NFL player [v] Forced Marriage [v] Forced Orgasms [v] Forced Proximity [v] Four cocks [v] Free Use [v] Friends-to-Lovers [v] Friends with Benefits [v] Frotting (Jacking off two dicks together with one hand) [v] Fucking machine [v] G-Spot Stimulator [v] Garage Sex [v] Gaslighting [v] Glory Hole [v] "Goddess" [v] Gods (Dragon shifter god M) [v] Golden retriever M [v] Golden Shower (peeing on/in someone) [v] Grumpy and Sunshine [v] Gun-Play [v] Gym Sex [v] Hair-Pulling [v] Halloween [v] Harness [v] He didnt know she was a virgin [v] He falls first [v] Heat/Rut [v] Hidden Cameras [v] Hidden Identity [v] Hockey/NHL NHL player M [v] Hood [ ] Horns [v] Horror [v] Hospital Sex [v] Hot Tub Sex [v] Hotel Sex [v] Humiliation [v] Imprisonment [v] Incest [v] Infertility [v] Interracial (Asian M, 2 black M's & white F) [v] Jacob's Ladder Piercings [v] Kendo Sticks [v] Kinging (face-sitting) [v] Kitchen Sex [v] Knife-Play [v] Knot [v] Labia Clamps [v] Lactation Kink [v] Lake Sex [v] Laundry Room Sex [v] Lawyer M [v] Leash [v] Library Sex [v] Limo Sex [v] Lip Piercing [v] "Little Girl" [v] Locker Room Sex [v] Love triangle [v] M Masturbation [v] M Virgin (inexperienced) [ ] MF [ ] F to M oral [ ] M to F oral [v] MM [v] M to M oral [v] MFM [v] MMF [v] MMM [v] MFFM [v] MFMM [v] MMMF [v] MMMM [v] Make-a-Baby Arrangement [v] Marriage of Convenience [v] Married Couple [v] "Madame" [v] "Master" [v] Mask [v] Mating Mark [v] Medical experiments [v] Medical play [v] Mental illness (agoraphobia F [v] Military (veteran M [v] Milking Machine [v] Miscarriage (off page) [v] "Mistress" [v] Mistaken identity [v] "Mommy" [ ] Monster (phantom F, demo god M) [v] Motel Sex [v] Motorcycle Club [v] Mouth Gag ( [v] Murder [v] Mutual Masturbation [v] Nanny [v] NBF [v] F to NB oral [v] NB to F oral [v] NBM [v] M to NB oral [v] NB to M oral [v] NBFM [v] Necrophilia kink [v] Needle Play [v] Neighbors [v] Neurodivergent M, can't process or name emotions [v] Nipple Clamps [v] Nipple Enlargers [v] Nipple Piercing(s) F [v] No Happily Ever After [v] Non-Binary (NB) [v] NC (non-consent) [v] Novella [v] Nurse F [v] Office Sex [v] One Night Stand [v] Orgy [v] Outdoor Sex (Beach) [v] Overdose [v] Paddle [v] Panic attack(s) [v] Paralytic Poison [v] Pegging [v] Period Sex [v] "Pet" [v] Pet Play [v] Phone Sex [v] Piercing [v] Pillory [v] Pleasure Dom [v] Plus Sized FMC [v] Plus Sized MMC [v] Pocket Pussy [v] Police Officer F [v] Politics (president M, first lady F, and vice president M) [v] Polyamory [v] Pool Sex [v] Postapolyptic [v] Praise [ ] Pregnancy [v] Pregnancy Sex [v] Prehensile Cock [v] Prehensile Tail [v] Priest/Preacher M [v] Primal Play/Kink [v] Prince Albert Piercing [v] Professor M & Graduate student F [v] Prostate Massager [v] Psychosis [v] PTSD [v] Public Bathroom Sex [v] Public Sex (dance floor [v] Punishment [v] "Pup" [v] Pussy Pump [v] "Queen" [v] Queening (face sitting) [v] Reincarnation [v] Remote Controlled Vibrator [v] Restaurant Sex [v] Restraints (tie, [v] Reverse Age Gap (25 M & 34 F F) [v] Reverse Harem (1 F & 3 M's) [v] Riding Crop [v] Rock Star M [v] Role Playing [v] Roommates [v] Rose Toy [v] Royalty (princess & prince [v] SA (Sexual Assault) not a main character, but it's on page [v] Saw Horse [v] Schizophrenia [v] Scissoring [v] Scratching [v] Second Chance Romance [v] Secret baby [v] Secret Society [v] Selective Mutism [v] Self harm (in F's past) [v] Sentient Object(s) [v] Serial Killer Ms [v] Sex Club [v] Sex in a Corm Maze [v] Sex in the Woods [v] Sex lessons [v] Sex on a Carousel [v] Sex on a Motorcycle [v] Sex on a Piano [v] Sex Swing [v] Sex Tape [v] Sex trafficking [v] Sex Worker (stripper F [v] Sexting [ ] Shape-Shifting [v] Shibari [v] Shock Collar [v] Shower Sex [v] Single Dad [v] Single Mom [v] "Sir" [v] Sissy Man [v] Size Difference [v] Slapping (breasts [v] Slit [v] Slow burn [v] Small Town [v] Snowballing (passing cum from one mouth to another) [v] Soccer (pro team owner) [v] Social Media Influencer [v] Somnophilia [v] Sounding [v] Spanking [v] Spanking Bench [v] Spitting [v] Spreader Bar [v] Squirting [v] St. Andrew's Cross [v] Stalking [v] Stepdad [v] Strap-On Dildo [v] Step Cousins [v] Step Siblings [v] Stepbrothers [v] Stepsisters [v] Stockade [v] Suicide (not a main character) [v] Suicide Attempt (in F's past, off page) [v] Suspension [v] Swingers [v] Tail [v] Tangy Dinger (giving blow job after doing anal) [v] Tattoo Artist [v] Teacher F [v] Teenagers [v] Temperature Play (ice [v] Tentacles [v] Terminal Illness [v] Thanksgiving [v] Therapist [v] Titty Fucking [v] Tongue Ring M [v] Torture [v] TVP (Triple Vaginal Penetration) with three tentacles [v] Two Cocks [v] Unplanned Pregnancy [v] Vaccuum Play [v] Vaginal Felching [v] Vaginal Fisting [v] Vaginal Gaping [v] Vaginal Knotting [v] Vaginal penetration with tequila bottle [v] Vaginal Piercings (clit [v] Vanilla [v] Vibrating bullet [v] Vibrating cock [v] Vibrating egg [v] Vibrating Tongue [v] Vibrating Wand [v] Vibrator [v] Vision Deprivation (blindfold [ ] Voyeurism [v] War [v] Watching Porn [v] Wedding [v] Wet Dreams [v] Whip [v] Why choose [v] Widow [v] Wings [v] Workplace Romance [v] Yacht
1 F 18 MF
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.