What do you think?
Spearcrest Legacy #1
The Bargain
Desdemona Sutton-Knight has spent her life being perfect.
The perfect daughter. The perfect sister. The perfect student.
Her final year at Spearcrest Academy was supposed to be perfect, too. But when her brothers make a mistake that could destroy their futures, Desdemona knows it's her duty to protect them. And to protect them, she needs a scapegoat.
Someone expendable.
Someone ruthless.
Someone willing to do anything—for the right price.
Elias Lennox has nothing to lose.
He has no money, no family, and no illusions about the way power works in Spearcrest.
The rich play dirty—and he’s learned to play dirtier. So when the untouchable golden girl of Spearcrest comes crawling to him for a favour, he sees her for what she his key into the world that’s always shut him out.
He offers her a he’ll take the fall for a crime he didn’t commit and in return, she’ll be his girlfriend for the year.
All she has to do is convince everyone they’re madly in love.
All he has to do is remember that she’s just a means to an end.
But the thing about lying? There is always a cost.
The Bargain is a steamy, angsty fake dating rich girl x poor boy romance perfect for fans of Rina Kent, L.J. Shen, and decadent boarding school scandals. Can be read as a standalone.
The perfect daughter. The perfect sister. The perfect student.
Her final year at Spearcrest Academy was supposed to be perfect, too. But when her brothers make a mistake that could destroy their futures, Desdemona knows it's her duty to protect them. And to protect them, she needs a scapegoat.
Someone expendable.
Someone ruthless.
Someone willing to do anything—for the right price.
Elias Lennox has nothing to lose.
He has no money, no family, and no illusions about the way power works in Spearcrest.
The rich play dirty—and he’s learned to play dirtier. So when the untouchable golden girl of Spearcrest comes crawling to him for a favour, he sees her for what she his key into the world that’s always shut him out.
He offers her a he’ll take the fall for a crime he didn’t commit and in return, she’ll be his girlfriend for the year.
All she has to do is convince everyone they’re madly in love.
All he has to do is remember that she’s just a means to an end.
But the thing about lying? There is always a cost.
The Bargain is a steamy, angsty fake dating rich girl x poor boy romance perfect for fans of Rina Kent, L.J. Shen, and decadent boarding school scandals. Can be read as a standalone.
396 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 5, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
October 3, 2026
let's start this beautiful month with what i hope will be a nice book.🤎🍂
September 24, 2026
For the major half of the book, the hero sounded like one of those psycho creepy men who’re often featured on crime podcasts. All the characters were vapid, which I get was the point, but they had none of the suave or charm to make any part of it remotely interesting. The chemistry was nonexistent, the ending was rushed, and I despise how apparently smoking is the latest personality trait in romance.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Welcome (or welcome back) to the hallowed halls of Spearcrest Academy...
This was absolutely breathtaking. Desdemona Sutton-Knight hides behind a cold facade and will do just about anything to protect her siblings, while dealing with the insurmountable pressure of being the eldest daughter. And then we have Elisa Lennox, our foster kid/hot nerd but equally ruthless social climber with a tragic backstory, who has the opportunity of a lifetime dropped right onto his lap to secure his future away from his foster parents and life after Spearcrest Academy. I'll give you a hint: it involves fake dating!
This is filled with so much drama, suspense, and addictive banter that will keep you wanting more. There were moments I genuinely sobbed and other times I literally laughed out loud. And at the same time, there was such a tenderness throughout that will leave you believing in the lengths of love, in all its forms. This isn't just a love story between Desdemona and Elisa, but the extent one goes for their families and friends and vice versa, for the people they love and who love them back.
This is a second-generation story that stands completely on its own, but the ode to the Spearcrest King series was especially special for OG fans. And the crumbssss we got of potentially future stories? I digress. Oh, I almost forgot to mention. We have a Gossip Girl-esque subplot (say hello to the Inquisitor), and guess what? We still don’t know who this could possibly be! Looks like we will have to continue the series to find out more.
I don’t know how many times I need to say this, but jump on the Aurora Reed bandwagon while she’s still in her indie era before she goes trad (bc she will, I'm manifesting it).
Content warning: Reference to a non-consensual intimate recording of a secondary character (off-page, implicit). It’s handled with a lot of care, in my opinion, and speaks to and sheds light on an experience that unfortunately happens far too often. Please protect your mental health if this is a boundary of yours, but I hope anyone who does read this feels empowered to let go of the guilt and shame that was never theirs to carry🤍
Pre-read:
MY ROMAN EMPIRE. dark academia romance is such a niche genre, and I will eat it up every. single. time. we got fake dating, forced proximity, & slow burn galore (with a dash of angst, did i mention they hate each other?) - sign me up. add this to your Hot Girl Fall tbr immediately! ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 🦢 ✩ ☕️ 𓏲₊⊹
Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was absolutely breathtaking. Desdemona Sutton-Knight hides behind a cold facade and will do just about anything to protect her siblings, while dealing with the insurmountable pressure of being the eldest daughter. And then we have Elisa Lennox, our foster kid/hot nerd but equally ruthless social climber with a tragic backstory, who has the opportunity of a lifetime dropped right onto his lap to secure his future away from his foster parents and life after Spearcrest Academy. I'll give you a hint: it involves fake dating!
This is filled with so much drama, suspense, and addictive banter that will keep you wanting more. There were moments I genuinely sobbed and other times I literally laughed out loud. And at the same time, there was such a tenderness throughout that will leave you believing in the lengths of love, in all its forms. This isn't just a love story between Desdemona and Elisa, but the extent one goes for their families and friends and vice versa, for the people they love and who love them back.
This is a second-generation story that stands completely on its own, but the ode to the Spearcrest King series was especially special for OG fans. And the crumbssss we got of potentially future stories? I digress. Oh, I almost forgot to mention. We have a Gossip Girl-esque subplot (say hello to the Inquisitor), and guess what? We still don’t know who this could possibly be! Looks like we will have to continue the series to find out more.
I don’t know how many times I need to say this, but jump on the Aurora Reed bandwagon while she’s still in her indie era before she goes trad (bc she will, I'm manifesting it).
Content warning: Reference to a non-consensual intimate recording of a secondary character (off-page, implicit). It’s handled with a lot of care, in my opinion, and speaks to and sheds light on an experience that unfortunately happens far too often. Please protect your mental health if this is a boundary of yours, but I hope anyone who does read this feels empowered to let go of the guilt and shame that was never theirs to carry🤍
Pre-read:
MY ROMAN EMPIRE. dark academia romance is such a niche genre, and I will eat it up every. single. time. we got fake dating, forced proximity, & slow burn galore (with a dash of angst, did i mention they hate each other?) - sign me up. add this to your Hot Girl Fall tbr immediately! ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 🦢 ✩ ☕️ 𓏲₊⊹
Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 Stars ≧ ﹏ ≦
Thank you to Aurora Reed for the ARC in exchange for a review!
Final thoughts (for those who don't wish to read my yapping): The Bargain started incredibly strongly for me. I loved the character dynamics, Elias's voice, and the tension between him and Desdemona, but the pacing and plot structure eventually lost me. By the final stretch, I was skimming rather than eagerly reading, which is never a good sign. There are genuinely great moments here, but unfortunately, the second half couldn't maintain what made the beginning so enjoyable. 3.5 stars.
The Bargain
Thank you to Aurora Reed for the ARC in exchange for a review!
pre-read: freak out with me because I GOT THE ARC!! HELLOO?
I've been waiting for this one (desperately), and now that I actually have the ARC I'm realizing I have no idea what I'm getting myself into. Desdemona and Elias, please be normal. I am begging.
I haven't read any books by A.R before but this book piqued my interest and since it was unreleased, I applied to be on the ARC team. I'm going with high expectations (expectations are touching the stratosphere) and I'll be devastated if it disappoints.
I'll be writing the review as I read along, hence the titles of mid-read etc.
ACTUALLY helpful stuff to find out if you'll like this:
1. Broke Boy X Rich Girl
2. Dark Academia
3. Ice Queen-adjacent FMC
4. Willing-to-do-anything-for-money MMC
5. Perfect for readers of dark academia, & romance
6. Mild violence, profanity, explicit sexual scenes.
If you're into such things, go ahead.
below are my rambling thoughts, feel free to skip them if you wish. possible spoilers ahead.
Final thoughts (for those who don't wish to read my yapping): The Bargain started incredibly strongly for me. I loved the character dynamics, Elias's voice, and the tension between him and Desdemona, but the pacing and plot structure eventually lost me. By the final stretch, I was skimming rather than eagerly reading, which is never a good sign. There are genuinely great moments here, but unfortunately, the second half couldn't maintain what made the beginning so enjoyable. 3.5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
🌟 4 Stars 🌟
❝I think this is what it’ll feel like, you know, when all of this is said and done,” he’d said, low and soft. “The memory of you will be like the light of a star, shining bright, even after the moment itself is long dead.”
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
YOU! GUYS! ROMANCE IS ALIVE AND WELL.
I wanted to get it out of the way to reassure everyone, romance isn't dead and I want to thank Aurora Reed for reminding me of that.
The Bargain took me on a ride: I FLEW through this story in one night and one morning because I couldn't be physically pried away from these characters. If you know me then you know Spearcrest Knight is my absolute fav book from Aurora, Sophie and Evan were impossible not to love so when I found out the first book about a 2nd generation was going to be about their firstborn daughter I knew I had to apply for this ARC. It was worth the year of waiting, lemme assure you. Through the whole year I kept thinking and thinking about this story and about how it would play out and every snippet kept me coming back for more.
The book follows Sophie and Evan's first daughter, perfect and dedicated Desdemona Sutton-Knight, during her last year of high school, in the same shadowy halls where her own parents fell in love: Spearcrest Academy. After a lifetime of being the perfect daughter, the perfect student and the perfect athlete though, Dess is forced to come down her high pedistal by the impending need to protect her family. All three of her siblings — William, Austen and Ophelia (LOVED the names) — ended up in a mess and it's up to the responsible eldest daughter to fix it, the parents can't know because what happened would break their hearts. So let's cut to who's gonna fix this problem for the golden girl of Spearcrest: Elias Lennox, scholarship student with shitty adoptive parents, physics genius, stars & space enthusiast and resident scapegoat of the school. It's an easy problem to solve, really: strike a bargain with the sketchy kid and save your family at all costs. And if the cost is your heart then so. be. it.
"You want me to go to jail for you, love?"
Something flickers in her brown eyes.
Yes. Of course she does."
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
Have I even mentioned how good Aurora has gotten with her writing?
As someone who absolutely loved even her debut novel (who stands as my fav by the way), I will confirm she just has a way with her words. It's evocative, it's descriptive, it's emotional, it's satisfying. I couldn't help but fall in love with Spearcrest Academy and its new set of characters all over again. Well, let me introduce them to you:
🪻 Desdemona Sutton-Knight:
🪻 Elias Lennox
These two together. What a high.
Dess is the perfect mix of both her parents: strong willed, fierce, achingly beautiful, a little (maybe a lot) stuck up, athletic (if you love tennis like I do you're gonna absolutely love this). She loves her family so much she'll stop at nothing for them, not even when the price is selling herself. Most of all, she needs the right person to let go.
Elias is a goddamn lover-boy. This book is so tender and this boy's POV melted me. Don't let me fool you, he too is ready to play dirty but that's just not his nature, he was forced by an ugly life to become what he is: insolent, unafraid, quiet, sneaky. Under all that though, he is a smart dreamer. He dreams of having this impossible girl that's so out of his league and he dreams to follow her all the way through North America.
And the good thing is that in romance most dreams come true, and I've loved every second of it.
When Elias and Dess agree to use each other to achieve their purposes one of them knows all rules will be broken; watching it happen was so GOOD. The journey, the tenderness, the love. But also, the high-stakes and the fall. The gala and the scene in the observatory. I'm giggling at the memory.
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
That said, I've also loved meeting new and old characters.
I'm in line for Yuna Montcroix and Jamie's book. I'LL BE THERE FOR THAT RUGBY ROMANCE AURORA. And also for Spearcrest's KING Dimitri Kavinski and his pale girlfriend, Natalya.
I wish we'd seen more, I wish this book had been a thousand pages longer because I truly didn't want to go and I don't know how to wait for the next one.
This is the sole reason I'm taking a star off, LOL. I wished so bad for this book to be longer: I wish someone would have told Elias that Sophie and Evan, too, were from different worlds once; I wished from more scenes from their retreat at Blackwood Manor; more scenes with the other legacy kids; more scenes between the Sutton-Knights siblings. I even wished to know more about Desdy's chosen career at the end of the book, because I'm greedy as hell. I've been daydreaming about a novella, Aurora if you read me please know that.
I just loved everyone so much I actually did NOT want to go. That leaves me waiting for the next, BIG SIGH from me.
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
TROPES
🪻 Fake dating
💫 Reluctant allies to lovers
🪻 Ice queen x opportunist (and a hot nerd LOL)
💫 Boarding school setting
🪻Forced proximity
This is part of an interconnected series of standalones, with a Gossip Girl-like subplot connecting them. You don't need to read the parents' books but I recommend it for the sole reason of them being mad GOOD (Spearcrest Knight is angsty as hell please do yourself a favor and read that).
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
https://pin.it/5qgRqBqga ↩︎ My Pinterest board for this book btw 🤍✨🏰
❝I think this is what it’ll feel like, you know, when all of this is said and done,” he’d said, low and soft. “The memory of you will be like the light of a star, shining bright, even after the moment itself is long dead.”
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
YOU! GUYS! ROMANCE IS ALIVE AND WELL.
I wanted to get it out of the way to reassure everyone, romance isn't dead and I want to thank Aurora Reed for reminding me of that.
The Bargain took me on a ride: I FLEW through this story in one night and one morning because I couldn't be physically pried away from these characters. If you know me then you know Spearcrest Knight is my absolute fav book from Aurora, Sophie and Evan were impossible not to love so when I found out the first book about a 2nd generation was going to be about their firstborn daughter I knew I had to apply for this ARC. It was worth the year of waiting, lemme assure you. Through the whole year I kept thinking and thinking about this story and about how it would play out and every snippet kept me coming back for more.
The book follows Sophie and Evan's first daughter, perfect and dedicated Desdemona Sutton-Knight, during her last year of high school, in the same shadowy halls where her own parents fell in love: Spearcrest Academy. After a lifetime of being the perfect daughter, the perfect student and the perfect athlete though, Dess is forced to come down her high pedistal by the impending need to protect her family. All three of her siblings — William, Austen and Ophelia (LOVED the names) — ended up in a mess and it's up to the responsible eldest daughter to fix it, the parents can't know because what happened would break their hearts. So let's cut to who's gonna fix this problem for the golden girl of Spearcrest: Elias Lennox, scholarship student with shitty adoptive parents, physics genius, stars & space enthusiast and resident scapegoat of the school. It's an easy problem to solve, really: strike a bargain with the sketchy kid and save your family at all costs. And if the cost is your heart then so. be. it.
"You want me to go to jail for you, love?"
Something flickers in her brown eyes.
Yes. Of course she does."
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
Have I even mentioned how good Aurora has gotten with her writing?
As someone who absolutely loved even her debut novel (who stands as my fav by the way), I will confirm she just has a way with her words. It's evocative, it's descriptive, it's emotional, it's satisfying. I couldn't help but fall in love with Spearcrest Academy and its new set of characters all over again. Well, let me introduce them to you:
🪻 Desdemona Sutton-Knight:
🪻 Elias Lennox
These two together. What a high.
Dess is the perfect mix of both her parents: strong willed, fierce, achingly beautiful, a little (maybe a lot) stuck up, athletic (if you love tennis like I do you're gonna absolutely love this). She loves her family so much she'll stop at nothing for them, not even when the price is selling herself. Most of all, she needs the right person to let go.
Elias is a goddamn lover-boy. This book is so tender and this boy's POV melted me. Don't let me fool you, he too is ready to play dirty but that's just not his nature, he was forced by an ugly life to become what he is: insolent, unafraid, quiet, sneaky. Under all that though, he is a smart dreamer. He dreams of having this impossible girl that's so out of his league and he dreams to follow her all the way through North America.
And the good thing is that in romance most dreams come true, and I've loved every second of it.
When Elias and Dess agree to use each other to achieve their purposes one of them knows all rules will be broken; watching it happen was so GOOD. The journey, the tenderness, the love. But also, the high-stakes and the fall. The gala and the scene in the observatory. I'm giggling at the memory.
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
That said, I've also loved meeting new and old characters.
I'm in line for Yuna Montcroix and Jamie's book. I'LL BE THERE FOR THAT RUGBY ROMANCE AURORA. And also for Spearcrest's KING Dimitri Kavinski and his pale girlfriend, Natalya.
I wish we'd seen more, I wish this book had been a thousand pages longer because I truly didn't want to go and I don't know how to wait for the next one.
This is the sole reason I'm taking a star off, LOL. I wished so bad for this book to be longer: I wish someone would have told Elias that Sophie and Evan, too, were from different worlds once; I wished from more scenes from their retreat at Blackwood Manor; more scenes with the other legacy kids; more scenes between the Sutton-Knights siblings. I even wished to know more about Desdy's chosen career at the end of the book, because I'm greedy as hell. I've been daydreaming about a novella, Aurora if you read me please know that.
I just loved everyone so much I actually did NOT want to go. That leaves me waiting for the next, BIG SIGH from me.
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
TROPES
🪻 Fake dating
💫 Reluctant allies to lovers
🪻 Ice queen x opportunist (and a hot nerd LOL)
💫 Boarding school setting
🪻Forced proximity
This is part of an interconnected series of standalones, with a Gossip Girl-like subplot connecting them. You don't need to read the parents' books but I recommend it for the sole reason of them being mad GOOD (Spearcrest Knight is angsty as hell please do yourself a favor and read that).
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
https://pin.it/5qgRqBqga ↩︎ My Pinterest board for this book btw 🤍✨🏰
September 24, 2026
holyyyyyy incredible.
like holy shit.
absolutely, completely show stopping, jaw-dropping, deliciously amazing.
my aurora reed has done it AGAIN!!!
genuinely need to know how aurora's brain works and how her fingers create such impeccable and beautiful work. her writing?? idk how tf she does what she does but I continue to be blown away every time!
Desdemona and Elias... oh my goodness my HEART. god damn!! can we chill on isy please because my chest was aching I was hurting and in pain and you know what? I guess I should except that from aurora but she still continues to blow me away and kill me with every book. SHE IS ALWAYS HURTING ME AND WHY DO I LIKE IT????
yeah the ANGST in this one?? bruh dont even keep me going about it because I was suffering the whole book.
The growth from Desdemona?? The heart Elias has!! UGHHHH I cant take it they are perfection!!!
AND ALL THE SIDE CHARACTERS?!! NEW AND OLD!!! I need everyone's books in my hands asap please and thank you queen aurora. And the cameos from my faves? 😏 yeah you KNOW I ate that up!!
In the end, another beautifully angsty masterpiece from the goddess of a woman who goes by the name aurora reed <3
like holy shit.
absolutely, completely show stopping, jaw-dropping, deliciously amazing.
my aurora reed has done it AGAIN!!!
genuinely need to know how aurora's brain works and how her fingers create such impeccable and beautiful work. her writing?? idk how tf she does what she does but I continue to be blown away every time!
Desdemona and Elias... oh my goodness my HEART. god damn!! can we chill on isy please because my chest was aching I was hurting and in pain and you know what? I guess I should except that from aurora but she still continues to blow me away and kill me with every book. SHE IS ALWAYS HURTING ME AND WHY DO I LIKE IT????
yeah the ANGST in this one?? bruh dont even keep me going about it because I was suffering the whole book.
The growth from Desdemona?? The heart Elias has!! UGHHHH I cant take it they are perfection!!!
AND ALL THE SIDE CHARACTERS?!! NEW AND OLD!!! I need everyone's books in my hands asap please and thank you queen aurora. And the cameos from my faves? 😏 yeah you KNOW I ate that up!!
In the end, another beautifully angsty masterpiece from the goddess of a woman who goes by the name aurora reed <3
Review of advance copy received from Author
I LOVE LOVE LOVED THIS SO MUCH
It was the best second gen romance ive read so far. I loved the cameos of the previous gen they were so fun i especially loved Luca and Willow moments in the book. Its really common for second gen series to overuse the old characters or make all the side characters the kids of the previous gen but here we have a whole new cast of characters with a few related to the old gen so it felt really natural
Dess and Elias were so fun to read about and they had amazing chemistry. I will always eat up the rich fmc x poor mmc and the fake dating was so good. Dess is definitely her mothers daughter while simultaneously feeling like her own separate person. Elias was such a good mmc honestly i need him so bad.
I love Auroras writing so much i cant wait for the next book.
It was the best second gen romance ive read so far. I loved the cameos of the previous gen they were so fun i especially loved Luca and Willow moments in the book. Its really common for second gen series to overuse the old characters or make all the side characters the kids of the previous gen but here we have a whole new cast of characters with a few related to the old gen so it felt really natural
Dess and Elias were so fun to read about and they had amazing chemistry. I will always eat up the rich fmc x poor mmc and the fake dating was so good. Dess is definitely her mothers daughter while simultaneously feeling like her own separate person. Elias was such a good mmc honestly i need him so bad.
I love Auroras writing so much i cant wait for the next book.
August 26, 2026
I read my first book by Aurora Reed waaay back in 2023; suddenly it’s 2026, and I’m now reading and reviewing a book about the daughter of that very same couple I read about three years ago.
The thing I think I loved the most about this book, besides the romance itself, was Desdemona as a character. Her character as a whole was written really well, and her tenacity and drive really came across so perfectly. I loved how, from the very beginning, it was clear that she’d do anything to help her siblings. Truly an incredibly well-written character and perfect eldest daughter representation.
With everything that Elias has been through in life, it’s very understandable that he puts on a tough exterior as a way to protect himself and his heart. I loved his story and his determination to turn his life around and regain power over his future.
Even though I usually don’t like fake dating stories all that much, I still really enjoyed this one. Des and Elias were so different yet in some aspects couldn’t be more similar, and I enjoyed reading about them butting heads and then growing closer as the story went on.
And because this is a second-generation series, there are aspects that I am almost automatically, even maybe subconsciously, comparing to the original five (+1.5) books. The friend group dynamic, I think, plays a big role in both Spearcrest Kings and this book, and I don’t think one is necessarily better than the other, but I think it’s worth mentioning and commenting on still. The friendships in this, even though we only have one book so far, feel more developed and deep than they did in Spearcrest Kings. The characters in the original books grew closer throughout the series, which I think is the exact reason why these characters are now so close from the very beginning. Their kids, who this series will follow, grew up together, and even the ones that aren’t actually related feel as close as family. And for me, as someone who really enjoys these friendships and family dynamics, this made for such a good baseline, and I am so excited to get to know all the other characters even better throughout this series.
The author very kindly provided this arc in exchange for an honest review.
The thing I think I loved the most about this book, besides the romance itself, was Desdemona as a character. Her character as a whole was written really well, and her tenacity and drive really came across so perfectly. I loved how, from the very beginning, it was clear that she’d do anything to help her siblings. Truly an incredibly well-written character and perfect eldest daughter representation.
With everything that Elias has been through in life, it’s very understandable that he puts on a tough exterior as a way to protect himself and his heart. I loved his story and his determination to turn his life around and regain power over his future.
Even though I usually don’t like fake dating stories all that much, I still really enjoyed this one. Des and Elias were so different yet in some aspects couldn’t be more similar, and I enjoyed reading about them butting heads and then growing closer as the story went on.
And because this is a second-generation series, there are aspects that I am almost automatically, even maybe subconsciously, comparing to the original five (+1.5) books. The friend group dynamic, I think, plays a big role in both Spearcrest Kings and this book, and I don’t think one is necessarily better than the other, but I think it’s worth mentioning and commenting on still. The friendships in this, even though we only have one book so far, feel more developed and deep than they did in Spearcrest Kings. The characters in the original books grew closer throughout the series, which I think is the exact reason why these characters are now so close from the very beginning. Their kids, who this series will follow, grew up together, and even the ones that aren’t actually related feel as close as family. And for me, as someone who really enjoys these friendships and family dynamics, this made for such a good baseline, and I am so excited to get to know all the other characters even better throughout this series.
The author very kindly provided this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Read
September 5, 2026Sending gratitude to Aurora for letting me in her arc team. Little late over here, but I’m still gonna provide my opinions which are definitely my own and shouldn’t affect anyone else’s reading experience.
Soo thing with her books is that all of the couples have such unique dynamics, all of them definitely carry absolutely different vibes and the most important thing is that all of the characters POV’s are portrayed in sync with their characters. I am not talking about the story they are telling, yeah obviously everyone has their own story and you are gonna know by story which character is telling one. I am talking about the inner monologue and the vibes they give. One line and I could one hundred percent know who is telling it. Every character’s POV is accorded to their traits,the way of telling and the things they focus on. But here I couldn’t really catch who was telling what. Mostly in Desdemonas POV. Might as well let anyone else say it because it lacked personalization. I didn’t get where she stood and what her actual character was kinda like.
The story itself and the idea is good. It starts off well, tension is there, but it stops there. There is no buildup and that’s why the plot didn’t hit really hard for me, because I hadn’t had any connection developed towards these characters for it to actually feel like something.
For me Desdemona was copy of her parents, and didn’t have much on her own.
But other characters all got me very interested, literally all of them, especially Gabe north. (Yuna wow I know I am going to LOVE her). Also the fact that Lucawillow don’t have children. Very on point characterization. I love it.
Well this was maybe just not for me and that’s totally okay but that doesn’t stop me from being super super excited to read about rest of them .
(Also let’s be real Sophieevan was always my least fav couple and maybe that’s why I didn’t really catch the taste of their daughter)
Thanksss
Xoxo
Soo thing with her books is that all of the couples have such unique dynamics, all of them definitely carry absolutely different vibes and the most important thing is that all of the characters POV’s are portrayed in sync with their characters. I am not talking about the story they are telling, yeah obviously everyone has their own story and you are gonna know by story which character is telling one. I am talking about the inner monologue and the vibes they give. One line and I could one hundred percent know who is telling it. Every character’s POV is accorded to their traits,the way of telling and the things they focus on. But here I couldn’t really catch who was telling what. Mostly in Desdemonas POV. Might as well let anyone else say it because it lacked personalization. I didn’t get where she stood and what her actual character was kinda like.
The story itself and the idea is good. It starts off well, tension is there, but it stops there. There is no buildup and that’s why the plot didn’t hit really hard for me, because I hadn’t had any connection developed towards these characters for it to actually feel like something.
For me Desdemona was copy of her parents, and didn’t have much on her own.
But other characters all got me very interested, literally all of them, especially Gabe north. (Yuna wow I know I am going to LOVE her). Also the fact that Lucawillow don’t have children. Very on point characterization. I love it.
Well this was maybe just not for me and that’s totally okay but that doesn’t stop me from being super super excited to read about rest of them .
(Also let’s be real Sophieevan was always my least fav couple and maybe that’s why I didn’t really catch the taste of their daughter)
Thanksss
Xoxo
September 10, 2026
this was so good?? give me Mira’s and Gabriel’s book now!!
September 26, 2026
There's something unique to this author's writing, so that when it works it works ❤️🔥
Review of advance copy received from Author
August 20th:
e-arc arrived and i am so beyond grateful <3 im so excited to dive in omg I just know this is going to be 5 stars
e-arc arrived and i am so beyond grateful <3 im so excited to dive in omg I just know this is going to be 5 stars
September 8, 2026
I think Aurora Reed could write thousands of books and I'd read every single one. The writing was so beautiful it hurt to read. The emotions, turmoil and enemies to lovers plot was done so well. Desdemona heart was so kind and Elias was dealt with so much abuse as an orphan and it continued when he got adopted. The games cruel rich kids play is so baffling... I've shared my fave quotes below.
The first knife misses my face by about three inches.
And that’s when Desdemona finally flinches. A tiny shiver runs through her and her fingers tighten around the stem of her glass. White knuckles and a trembling mouth. Then she tears her gaze off me. That’s what she finds disgusting? I could laugh. To her, it’s the money that makes this whole thing distasteful. Not the knives, not the blood.
Curious, isn’t it, how selective memory becomes when the untouchable finally taste fear?
but girls like her can’t stand the way truth tastes. It’s not sweet and bubbly—it’s unpleasant and strong, it cuts sharp, leaves a bitter aftertaste.
Lennox’s self-respect isn’t non-existent. It’s just coin-operated.
When I look at him, I have the horrible feeling that I’m looking at a ripe, beautiful fruit that’s been bruised shapeless.
His touch is acid, a sore, insistent burn. It makes me want to amputate the sensation away. Elias, curious as a feral being, turns the ridiculous blocks of bank notes in his hands, flicks through them, tearing open the paper bands.
A little scared girl, probably. A pile of buried desires. Couldn’t be me. I don’t bury my desires: I raise them up and feed them with fuel. I burn them high and bright. And in the barren cold of the cosmos, I warm my hands by that fire.
Asking that question, though, would be like firing a loaded gun and expecting flowers to pop out.
Blaise laughs softly. “A hopeless romantic, in this day and age?” I give a humble shrug. “Stranger things have happened.”
Her pride doesn’t make me want to hate her, or even hurt her. It only makes me want to humble her. Prove to her that she’s just as vulnerable to weakness and pain as all the rest of us mere mortals.
Her glare, I’m starting to realise, is a charm of its own. It doesn’t alienate or intimidate, it doesn’t make me feel cowed or regretful. Her glare, actually, is a little bit as if she were spitting a mouthful of oil right into the fiery furnace in the middle of my chest. Which is exactly what we need right now.
The most frightening thing about him is the creature tethered to his side: his fiancée, Natalya Valenkova, who trails him with all the obedience of a beaten hound. But beaten animals, when they finally bite, tend to draw blood.
Desdemona Sutton-Knight: once untouchable, now very much touched. Elias Lennox: once invisible, now turning every head he passes.
It had moved me in a way so profoundly familiar I felt myself hurled back, physically sucked into a wormhole of memories that made my stomach sink and my throat tighten.
I was too busy getting my hands dirty and burning my fingertips trying to touch things that are too bright and celestial for me to hold.
The cold comes from inside me, right from the middle of my chest, where my heart has furled like a clenching fist, grown once more tight and hard and closed.
Desdemona is such a conductor. Her siblings never feel the impact because she absorbs it all. Every blow meant for them stops at her skin, which looks perfect from the outside but is crawling with impact. But even the best Faraday cage corrodes, eventually. If I could, I’d enclose her inside another layer of metal—I’d be the shell around her shell. Let the current hit me instead, let her stay field-free, neutral, untouched and unburned, truly unscathed.
Besides, I’m not naive. I know how rich kids work. They collect friends like accessories: if they drop a glove in the mud, they don’t need to bother picking it up. They can just leave it there and buy a new one.
“Filthy habit, love,” I tell her. “Always fixing people’s problems for them. Look where it’s got you.”
There is no crueller tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice’.” Blaise sighs and says to me by way of explanation: “He was in the exam Elias got dragged out of. He’s been quoting Montesquieu and John Locke ever since.”
Fortune favours the fortunate—that’s the truth. A self-feeding, self-cannibalising loop. That’s how the rich stay rich, the powerful stay in power. That’s how people like Birnam Hastings get away with the things they’ve done, right?
The first knife misses my face by about three inches.
And that’s when Desdemona finally flinches. A tiny shiver runs through her and her fingers tighten around the stem of her glass. White knuckles and a trembling mouth. Then she tears her gaze off me. That’s what she finds disgusting? I could laugh. To her, it’s the money that makes this whole thing distasteful. Not the knives, not the blood.
Curious, isn’t it, how selective memory becomes when the untouchable finally taste fear?
but girls like her can’t stand the way truth tastes. It’s not sweet and bubbly—it’s unpleasant and strong, it cuts sharp, leaves a bitter aftertaste.
Lennox’s self-respect isn’t non-existent. It’s just coin-operated.
When I look at him, I have the horrible feeling that I’m looking at a ripe, beautiful fruit that’s been bruised shapeless.
His touch is acid, a sore, insistent burn. It makes me want to amputate the sensation away. Elias, curious as a feral being, turns the ridiculous blocks of bank notes in his hands, flicks through them, tearing open the paper bands.
A little scared girl, probably. A pile of buried desires. Couldn’t be me. I don’t bury my desires: I raise them up and feed them with fuel. I burn them high and bright. And in the barren cold of the cosmos, I warm my hands by that fire.
Asking that question, though, would be like firing a loaded gun and expecting flowers to pop out.
Blaise laughs softly. “A hopeless romantic, in this day and age?” I give a humble shrug. “Stranger things have happened.”
Her pride doesn’t make me want to hate her, or even hurt her. It only makes me want to humble her. Prove to her that she’s just as vulnerable to weakness and pain as all the rest of us mere mortals.
Her glare, I’m starting to realise, is a charm of its own. It doesn’t alienate or intimidate, it doesn’t make me feel cowed or regretful. Her glare, actually, is a little bit as if she were spitting a mouthful of oil right into the fiery furnace in the middle of my chest. Which is exactly what we need right now.
The most frightening thing about him is the creature tethered to his side: his fiancée, Natalya Valenkova, who trails him with all the obedience of a beaten hound. But beaten animals, when they finally bite, tend to draw blood.
Desdemona Sutton-Knight: once untouchable, now very much touched. Elias Lennox: once invisible, now turning every head he passes.
It had moved me in a way so profoundly familiar I felt myself hurled back, physically sucked into a wormhole of memories that made my stomach sink and my throat tighten.
I was too busy getting my hands dirty and burning my fingertips trying to touch things that are too bright and celestial for me to hold.
The cold comes from inside me, right from the middle of my chest, where my heart has furled like a clenching fist, grown once more tight and hard and closed.
Desdemona is such a conductor. Her siblings never feel the impact because she absorbs it all. Every blow meant for them stops at her skin, which looks perfect from the outside but is crawling with impact. But even the best Faraday cage corrodes, eventually. If I could, I’d enclose her inside another layer of metal—I’d be the shell around her shell. Let the current hit me instead, let her stay field-free, neutral, untouched and unburned, truly unscathed.
Besides, I’m not naive. I know how rich kids work. They collect friends like accessories: if they drop a glove in the mud, they don’t need to bother picking it up. They can just leave it there and buy a new one.
“Filthy habit, love,” I tell her. “Always fixing people’s problems for them. Look where it’s got you.”
There is no crueller tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice’.” Blaise sighs and says to me by way of explanation: “He was in the exam Elias got dragged out of. He’s been quoting Montesquieu and John Locke ever since.”
Fortune favours the fortunate—that’s the truth. A self-feeding, self-cannibalising loop. That’s how the rich stay rich, the powerful stay in power. That’s how people like Birnam Hastings get away with the things they’ve done, right?
Review of advance copy received from Author
★ ARC REVIEW
5⭐️/5⭐️
Firstly I wanna start of by saying thank you to Aurora Reed for giving me an opportunity to ARC read the bargain! It’s one of my anticipated reads of the year and it didn’t disappoint at all
Wdym I’m resting about Evan and Sophie’s daughter when it feels like yesterday I was reading about Evan yearning for Sophie
The vibes and aesthetics of the book are literally my favorite the dark academia the rich elite vibes was everything
I fear the blue skies will now onwards remind me of Elias and Desdemona!
Desdemona Sutton-Knight oh she’s just like her mama Sophie! I loved her character so much we can see Dess is a well developed character she’s so smart but also snarky and I loved that she was also the grumpy one in the relationship
We can see Dess being the eldest daughter took upon all the responsibilities of her family
It was so sad to see her say that she failed her siblings
The way Dess loves her siblings and would do anything for them is literally so sweet
The first interaction of Dess and Elias omg I was screaming Elias smearing blood on Dess’s dress and then her going to his room for help
The tension the banter omg I was giggling and kicking my feet
Elias Lennox my sweet boy he’s literally so precious I wanna protect him
He went through so much abuse since he was a kid and also using humor as a coping mechanism that boy is literally so sweet
I literally swooned every-time he called Dess “love”
Elias and Dess are literally so perfect I don’t even know where to start their love story is is so romantic
Elias being the first person to see Dess cry and comforting her
Also him sharing her trauma and Dess wanting to protect him ugh they’re so precious I can’t
The way both of them loved each other but stayed away until the very end
Elias being ready to go to prison for Dess also the confession while he’s being arrested istg nothing is more romantic
Elias also taking care of Dess for once when she’s the one who always takes care of everyone
Sophie walking in to rescue Elias from the prison omg i literally screamed I missed my girl so much
My academic baddie is such a high level lawyer and the way everyone feared her! Hell yeah
Evan talking with Dess and explaining that she never needs to be perfect to be his daughter and he loved that she was suspended from the school because she finally smiled freely
Evan has grown into an amazing father also him admitting that he was a loser in love for Sophie I miss them
Now the other characters! Blaise Blackwood he’s just like his daddy Zachary omg he’s such a gentleman and the fact he’s everyone’s favorite cousin I need his book so bad
Dimitri and Natalya I need their book like air their story is already so good I mean the angst I’m so excited for their story
Ophelia my love once I read about her in this book I needed a whole book for her she’s so precious I loved that she and Dess finally worked out their relationship in the end
I also loved Emerald and Benjamin’s dynamic they have a great academic rivals to lovers potential
Elias and Desdemona are now never leaving my heart
The way Dess says blue skies always reminds her of Elias!
The epilogue was literally the cutest ever the astrophysicist Elias and the tennis champion Desdemona!
5⭐️/5⭐️
Firstly I wanna start of by saying thank you to Aurora Reed for giving me an opportunity to ARC read the bargain! It’s one of my anticipated reads of the year and it didn’t disappoint at all
Wdym I’m resting about Evan and Sophie’s daughter when it feels like yesterday I was reading about Evan yearning for Sophie
The vibes and aesthetics of the book are literally my favorite the dark academia the rich elite vibes was everything
I fear the blue skies will now onwards remind me of Elias and Desdemona!
Desdemona Sutton-Knight oh she’s just like her mama Sophie! I loved her character so much we can see Dess is a well developed character she’s so smart but also snarky and I loved that she was also the grumpy one in the relationship
We can see Dess being the eldest daughter took upon all the responsibilities of her family
It was so sad to see her say that she failed her siblings
The way Dess loves her siblings and would do anything for them is literally so sweet
The first interaction of Dess and Elias omg I was screaming Elias smearing blood on Dess’s dress and then her going to his room for help
The tension the banter omg I was giggling and kicking my feet
Elias Lennox my sweet boy he’s literally so precious I wanna protect him
He went through so much abuse since he was a kid and also using humor as a coping mechanism that boy is literally so sweet
I literally swooned every-time he called Dess “love”
Elias and Dess are literally so perfect I don’t even know where to start their love story is is so romantic
Elias being the first person to see Dess cry and comforting her
Also him sharing her trauma and Dess wanting to protect him ugh they’re so precious I can’t
The way both of them loved each other but stayed away until the very end
Elias being ready to go to prison for Dess also the confession while he’s being arrested istg nothing is more romantic
Elias also taking care of Dess for once when she’s the one who always takes care of everyone
Sophie walking in to rescue Elias from the prison omg i literally screamed I missed my girl so much
My academic baddie is such a high level lawyer and the way everyone feared her! Hell yeah
Evan talking with Dess and explaining that she never needs to be perfect to be his daughter and he loved that she was suspended from the school because she finally smiled freely
Evan has grown into an amazing father also him admitting that he was a loser in love for Sophie I miss them
Now the other characters! Blaise Blackwood he’s just like his daddy Zachary omg he’s such a gentleman and the fact he’s everyone’s favorite cousin I need his book so bad
Dimitri and Natalya I need their book like air their story is already so good I mean the angst I’m so excited for their story
Ophelia my love once I read about her in this book I needed a whole book for her she’s so precious I loved that she and Dess finally worked out their relationship in the end
I also loved Emerald and Benjamin’s dynamic they have a great academic rivals to lovers potential
Elias and Desdemona are now never leaving my heart
The way Dess says blue skies always reminds her of Elias!
The epilogue was literally the cutest ever the astrophysicist Elias and the tennis champion Desdemona!
August 25, 2026
i have so freaking much to say about this book but first of all, i’d like to thank aurora reed for even giving me the opportunity to be an arc reviewer, i’m extremely grateful!!
i just have to say, i really loved desdemona and elias. i loved their individual characters and i loved their relationship. i don’t know what else you’d call it but they definitely yearned for eachother. it was so sweet yet heartbreaking seeing these two fall in love while they have a whole rule dedicated to them not falling in love. i loved the sudden shift in their relationship once desdemona realizes how messed up the gala was. it went from 0 to 100 really quickly but i appreciated it lol. they had so many swoon worthy comments or thoughts and they had some of the best banter i’ve ever read. i don’t know if i’ve ever smiled this much while reading a book.
the og spearcrest couples!! it was so fun to see all these characters that i also read their love stories. it was adorable seeing how close desdemona is with her aunt willow and just seeing how everyone gathers together like a true family. desdemona is genuinely the perfect mix of evan and sophie.
i also loved trying to predict who will end up with who in future books. i can already tell that there will be quite a few enemies to lovers books lol.
the thing that stood out the most to me was aurora’s writing. she has SUCHH a way with words, its actually insane. you know that feature to add notes to your highlights on apple books? i rarely use it and if i do, its because a line really stood out to me. you have no clue how many notes i added while reading this book. every other line was just so beautifully written, there was no way i could stop myself from not adding notes.
again, thank you so much, aurora reed, for giving me the opportunity to be an arc reviewer!! also, i just have to say…i hate rule number 5!!
i just have to say, i really loved desdemona and elias. i loved their individual characters and i loved their relationship. i don’t know what else you’d call it but they definitely yearned for eachother. it was so sweet yet heartbreaking seeing these two fall in love while they have a whole rule dedicated to them not falling in love. i loved the sudden shift in their relationship once desdemona realizes how messed up the gala was. it went from 0 to 100 really quickly but i appreciated it lol. they had so many swoon worthy comments or thoughts and they had some of the best banter i’ve ever read. i don’t know if i’ve ever smiled this much while reading a book.
the og spearcrest couples!! it was so fun to see all these characters that i also read their love stories. it was adorable seeing how close desdemona is with her aunt willow and just seeing how everyone gathers together like a true family. desdemona is genuinely the perfect mix of evan and sophie.
i also loved trying to predict who will end up with who in future books. i can already tell that there will be quite a few enemies to lovers books lol.
the thing that stood out the most to me was aurora’s writing. she has SUCHH a way with words, its actually insane. you know that feature to add notes to your highlights on apple books? i rarely use it and if i do, its because a line really stood out to me. you have no clue how many notes i added while reading this book. every other line was just so beautifully written, there was no way i could stop myself from not adding notes.
again, thank you so much, aurora reed, for giving me the opportunity to be an arc reviewer!! also, i just have to say…i hate rule number 5!!
September 1, 2026
okay so i recieved my arc like everyone else but life got so crazy and i could finally pick it up like five days before release and now my review is three days before release so YAY. (i made it on time)
i love how aurora build this new characters and give them their own persona and their own essence and not just trying to involve or have medium change of what she had done before, love the storyline and the love story. Desdemona is literally her parent's child, i really felt how she got the good parts (and the bad ones) from each one of them while making her unique and new. Elias felt like fresh air really loved his character and his perspetive of things and mostly his perception of love knowing that he grew up in the system and everything even tho he's a little cynical still love him to pieces.
besides the main characters, i really liked how aurora is bulding at the same time what could possibly be the next books, like what's going on with benjamin and emerald?? yuna and the rugby boy?? blaise is gonna get a book?? but above all demitri and his fiancee?? when did that happened and why??
that's what make go back in my tracks a little bit because i could never imagined zahara and iakov arranged a marriage for their son but thats me! love seeing evan and sophie and all my spearcrest kings characters.
okay... going back a little bit, yeah i did like the book and would totally recommend, mostly if you loved aurora's first series
i love how aurora build this new characters and give them their own persona and their own essence and not just trying to involve or have medium change of what she had done before, love the storyline and the love story. Desdemona is literally her parent's child, i really felt how she got the good parts (and the bad ones) from each one of them while making her unique and new. Elias felt like fresh air really loved his character and his perspetive of things and mostly his perception of love knowing that he grew up in the system and everything even tho he's a little cynical still love him to pieces.
besides the main characters, i really liked how aurora is bulding at the same time what could possibly be the next books, like what's going on with benjamin and emerald?? yuna and the rugby boy?? blaise is gonna get a book?? but above all demitri and his fiancee?? when did that happened and why??
that's what make go back in my tracks a little bit because i could never imagined zahara and iakov arranged a marriage for their son but thats me! love seeing evan and sophie and all my spearcrest kings characters.
okay... going back a little bit, yeah i did like the book and would totally recommend, mostly if you loved aurora's first series
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2026
aurora reed you truly have something so special
September 20, 2026
i honestly do love Aurora Reed’s writing and i missed the Spearcrest universe so much
Review of advance copy received from Author
She's done it again!!! Such an honor to be a part of the arc team. My first time and from my favorite author.
I had an absolute blast reading abt Desdemona and Elias. It felt so nostalgic to go back to Spearcrest academy and I felt like a godmother to the second gen, having read about Evan and Sophie first.
Where do I even begin? This book was such a roller-coaster of emotions, I was always on edge (in the best way possible) just dying to get to the next page. Honestly, aurora reed outdoes herself with every new book, I've never read something so touching and heartbreaking, at the same time, from another author before! She just has this magic touch ✨️.
Desdemona Sutton-Knight: 🧊
She is our fmc and the head girl of our nightmares. Total ice queen and every bit like her mum when Sophie was at Spearcrest. She loves tennis, the colour blue and Elias describes her as the sun. Blonde hair from her dad and brown eyes from her mum, she is perfect or is she? The way she appears perfect on the outside but is broken on the inside, just like rest of us, makes her feel so much more human and relatable.
Elias Lennox: 📚
He is our mmc and the hot nerd of our dreams. He is laid back and so utterly eloquent you wouldn't believe he wasn't born into wealth (you have got to read the book.) He loves physics, more specifically astrophysics, and is secretly a genius. He is known for doing favours for people in exchange for cash but from desdemona he wants something else entirely. Dark hair, dark eyes, so dreamy. Every dialogue that out his mouth, made my heart sing a song every time, gosh he's so romantic.
I don't want to spoil too much of the book but I just want to say that I loved everything about it, literally no notes. I love how desdemona, being the eldest daughter, is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her siblings even at her own expense. I love how Elias, despite being a foster kid, has so much spirit to climb hierarchies just to secure a better future for himself.
I love them both to the stars (😏) and back.
I especially liked all the cameos of the first gen characters as well as more second gen characters like Blaise Blackwood, Dimitri Kavinski and Yuna Montcroix.
Mentions of Dimitri and Natalya have got me excited for the next books. Please tell me that they will be our second couple. I am also curious to see how Blaise falls into all this. Or who his love interest will actually be. And do we finally get a Russia setting?
Yuna and Jamie. Emerald and Benjamin. Do I sense some more couples in the making? Also really want to know who Mira will end up with. Maybe Mikhail?
I love how similar ophelia is to willow. Are we getting another badass fmc?? (Also birnam can go to hell. I am so glad he had no physical appearance or dialogues or i would have gone bananas on him 😤.)
The twins, Austen and William, remind me so much of me and my twin sister. Haha! 😅
I hate Julian eww. Stay away from desdemona, you roach. 😒
Also the Pearsons totally deserved what was coming for them.
Also Mr North was so similar to Mr Ambrose that his absence just made me sad. Thank God for all the unbiased headmasters at Spearcrest.
Now lets talk about the parents:
Evan and Sophie: my first loves. Is it possible for Evan to be even more hotter as a dad? I love the father-daughter dynamics of Evan and desdemona. I can see how much Evan has matured over the years and just how much becoming a dad changed him in the best way possible. Now our, fierce attorney, Sophie. Her entrance had me punching the air. The way she put her foot down and got down to business, shutting all the bad guys up. You go girl! She is so righteous and Iove how her fiery attitude still burns bright till this day.
Zachtheo: my loves are back home at Blackwood manor for Christmas and even their small cameos made me super emotional with a feeling of nostalgia.
Sev and anaïs: the way sev looked at her and Yuna made my heart constrict. I love them so much.
Iakov: him kissing desdemona on the forehead was so fatherly and gosh fatherhood suits him. I am so glad he has Daria now, too.
Luca and willow: screaming, crying, throwing up over them. Omggg. When desdemona walks in on them (🤭) and the way luca can't take his eyes off willow. They are so pathetically in love, its so endearing. (Are they married? Do they have kids? Im dying to know. Knowing them though, they'd be such a bad influence on the second gen.)
Anton: did he pass away? I'd be so sad if he did. He was such a fatherly figure to iakov and I can imagine, a godfather, to Dimitri.
I am also curious as to who the inquisitor might be....
In conclusion, if you love a good fake dating, reluctant allies, hate to love book with witty banter and pathetic yearning mcs, I'll definitely recommend you to pick this up. You won't regret it.
(P.s. thank you so much aurora reed for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review. I am deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity. Hope i can do this for you again.)
Cheers 🍻
I had an absolute blast reading abt Desdemona and Elias. It felt so nostalgic to go back to Spearcrest academy and I felt like a godmother to the second gen, having read about Evan and Sophie first.
Where do I even begin? This book was such a roller-coaster of emotions, I was always on edge (in the best way possible) just dying to get to the next page. Honestly, aurora reed outdoes herself with every new book, I've never read something so touching and heartbreaking, at the same time, from another author before! She just has this magic touch ✨️.
Desdemona Sutton-Knight: 🧊
She is our fmc and the head girl of our nightmares. Total ice queen and every bit like her mum when Sophie was at Spearcrest. She loves tennis, the colour blue and Elias describes her as the sun. Blonde hair from her dad and brown eyes from her mum, she is perfect or is she? The way she appears perfect on the outside but is broken on the inside, just like rest of us, makes her feel so much more human and relatable.
Elias Lennox: 📚
He is our mmc and the hot nerd of our dreams. He is laid back and so utterly eloquent you wouldn't believe he wasn't born into wealth (you have got to read the book.) He loves physics, more specifically astrophysics, and is secretly a genius. He is known for doing favours for people in exchange for cash but from desdemona he wants something else entirely. Dark hair, dark eyes, so dreamy. Every dialogue that out his mouth, made my heart sing a song every time, gosh he's so romantic.
I don't want to spoil too much of the book but I just want to say that I loved everything about it, literally no notes. I love how desdemona, being the eldest daughter, is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her siblings even at her own expense. I love how Elias, despite being a foster kid, has so much spirit to climb hierarchies just to secure a better future for himself.
I love them both to the stars (😏) and back.
I especially liked all the cameos of the first gen characters as well as more second gen characters like Blaise Blackwood, Dimitri Kavinski and Yuna Montcroix.
Mentions of Dimitri and Natalya have got me excited for the next books. Please tell me that they will be our second couple. I am also curious to see how Blaise falls into all this. Or who his love interest will actually be. And do we finally get a Russia setting?
Yuna and Jamie. Emerald and Benjamin. Do I sense some more couples in the making? Also really want to know who Mira will end up with. Maybe Mikhail?
I love how similar ophelia is to willow. Are we getting another badass fmc?? (Also birnam can go to hell. I am so glad he had no physical appearance or dialogues or i would have gone bananas on him 😤.)
The twins, Austen and William, remind me so much of me and my twin sister. Haha! 😅
I hate Julian eww. Stay away from desdemona, you roach. 😒
Also the Pearsons totally deserved what was coming for them.
Also Mr North was so similar to Mr Ambrose that his absence just made me sad. Thank God for all the unbiased headmasters at Spearcrest.
Now lets talk about the parents:
Evan and Sophie: my first loves. Is it possible for Evan to be even more hotter as a dad? I love the father-daughter dynamics of Evan and desdemona. I can see how much Evan has matured over the years and just how much becoming a dad changed him in the best way possible. Now our, fierce attorney, Sophie. Her entrance had me punching the air. The way she put her foot down and got down to business, shutting all the bad guys up. You go girl! She is so righteous and Iove how her fiery attitude still burns bright till this day.
Zachtheo: my loves are back home at Blackwood manor for Christmas and even their small cameos made me super emotional with a feeling of nostalgia.
Sev and anaïs: the way sev looked at her and Yuna made my heart constrict. I love them so much.
Iakov: him kissing desdemona on the forehead was so fatherly and gosh fatherhood suits him. I am so glad he has Daria now, too.
Luca and willow: screaming, crying, throwing up over them. Omggg. When desdemona walks in on them (🤭) and the way luca can't take his eyes off willow. They are so pathetically in love, its so endearing. (Are they married? Do they have kids? Im dying to know. Knowing them though, they'd be such a bad influence on the second gen.)
Anton: did he pass away? I'd be so sad if he did. He was such a fatherly figure to iakov and I can imagine, a godfather, to Dimitri.
I am also curious as to who the inquisitor might be....
In conclusion, if you love a good fake dating, reluctant allies, hate to love book with witty banter and pathetic yearning mcs, I'll definitely recommend you to pick this up. You won't regret it.
(P.s. thank you so much aurora reed for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review. I am deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity. Hope i can do this for you again.)
Cheers 🍻
September 16, 2026
Pre-read ˚₊·—̳͟͞͞♡
don't have much expectations from this one because I am not a huge fan of the spearcrest series and had to dnf 2nd book and stopped after 3rd book. But the tropes kinda made me pick this one up.
Post-read ˚₊·—̳͟͞͞♡
Read first few chapters and instantly knew it is going to be a 5 star read. I am so happy I picked it up!! It was so good I can't stop reading it until i finished and read it under 12hrs even though I had a lot of study to do.
Desdemona Sutton Knight ִֶָ. ..𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🪽་༘࿐
first of all, I really like the names aurora picks for her chatacters. It feels like she has put effort and research in them. Our fmc desdemona is like typical girl who feels like she has to protect everyone and meet everyone's expectations because she is the eldest. She shoulders everyone's responsibilities and tries her best to meet them. It showed frequently in her encounter with her siblings- Austen, William and Ophelia. I felt like Ophelia was so true about why she didn't wanted to ask dess for help. She didn't wanted to disappoint anyone because of how perfect dess was. Dess realized this and it opened her eyes. I loved how at the end she stopped helping her siblings by muting the phone. It showed her character development and it was the detail which was necessary.
Elias Lennox ༘★🔭๋࣭ ⭑｡˚
Adding Elias Lennox is definitely my top 3 book boyfriends because he is the charcter I relates to a level I can not explain with so many words. He is the best charcter I have read in a long time. He is adopted by some rich lads who treats him as an experiment to gain power and fame. He can do anything to gain the highest power and escape his benefactors. Did I mention? That he is also a nerd who likes space? I am sold for this man. We love a man who loves to study. Everything he went thorugh made him so tough and I loved how he tried his best to turn his life around. His humiliation can be felt through the words and aurora did a good job portraying it so beautifully. How he tried his best to protect his heart and not to fall for desdemona. It felt so real when he was helpless in front of his parents and never said anything to them. It is realistic and made me love elias more. I loved how he was so starightforward and was not shy to accept how humiliated he feels for being adopted and treated as an experiment. I can write a lot about elias i just love him so much.
Desdemona and Elias ✧₊‧˚⁀➷
They were the perfect couple and I am kinda shocked at how aurora pulled this off. I would be honest and say that it is far better than the 1st gen books. The tension, the chemistry and every fight, banter, emotions, I was able to feel while reading this book. It was the perfect enemies to lovers and fake dating. They kissing scenes made my stomach do flips. They both were so honest with each other and didn't hesitates putting each other in place. Their banters made me flip through the pages because the tension was just over the top. I loved the push and pull games between them. And the desdemona stood up for Elias in ront of his parents was so impressive I became a fan of her. I liked how Elias didn't get out of the bargain and went to jail for dess. It shows how loyal he is for dess even tho she didn't wanted it to happen. Their couple dynamic was so unique and I want more their crumbs in the upcoming books.
Apart for them, I loved Sophie and Evan crumbs in this and how much they have matured after becoming parents. Evan and dess's conversation were so raw and honest I was so touched after reading it. Sophie as always was so badass when she showed up in the police station for Elias and their conversations also. This book was perfect in every sense.
I am so excited for the book 2 but I am also not having high expectations because book 2 of 1st gen was also arranged marriage and I had to dnf it because of how bad the character of severin was. I hope it gets better.
don't have much expectations from this one because I am not a huge fan of the spearcrest series and had to dnf 2nd book and stopped after 3rd book. But the tropes kinda made me pick this one up.
Post-read ˚₊·—̳͟͞͞♡
Read first few chapters and instantly knew it is going to be a 5 star read. I am so happy I picked it up!! It was so good I can't stop reading it until i finished and read it under 12hrs even though I had a lot of study to do.
Desdemona Sutton Knight ִֶָ. ..𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🪽་༘࿐
first of all, I really like the names aurora picks for her chatacters. It feels like she has put effort and research in them. Our fmc desdemona is like typical girl who feels like she has to protect everyone and meet everyone's expectations because she is the eldest. She shoulders everyone's responsibilities and tries her best to meet them. It showed frequently in her encounter with her siblings- Austen, William and Ophelia. I felt like Ophelia was so true about why she didn't wanted to ask dess for help. She didn't wanted to disappoint anyone because of how perfect dess was. Dess realized this and it opened her eyes. I loved how at the end she stopped helping her siblings by muting the phone. It showed her character development and it was the detail which was necessary.
Elias Lennox ༘★🔭๋࣭ ⭑｡˚
Adding Elias Lennox is definitely my top 3 book boyfriends because he is the charcter I relates to a level I can not explain with so many words. He is the best charcter I have read in a long time. He is adopted by some rich lads who treats him as an experiment to gain power and fame. He can do anything to gain the highest power and escape his benefactors. Did I mention? That he is also a nerd who likes space? I am sold for this man. We love a man who loves to study. Everything he went thorugh made him so tough and I loved how he tried his best to turn his life around. His humiliation can be felt through the words and aurora did a good job portraying it so beautifully. How he tried his best to protect his heart and not to fall for desdemona. It felt so real when he was helpless in front of his parents and never said anything to them. It is realistic and made me love elias more. I loved how he was so starightforward and was not shy to accept how humiliated he feels for being adopted and treated as an experiment. I can write a lot about elias i just love him so much.
Desdemona and Elias ✧₊‧˚⁀➷
They were the perfect couple and I am kinda shocked at how aurora pulled this off. I would be honest and say that it is far better than the 1st gen books. The tension, the chemistry and every fight, banter, emotions, I was able to feel while reading this book. It was the perfect enemies to lovers and fake dating. They kissing scenes made my stomach do flips. They both were so honest with each other and didn't hesitates putting each other in place. Their banters made me flip through the pages because the tension was just over the top. I loved the push and pull games between them. And the desdemona stood up for Elias in ront of his parents was so impressive I became a fan of her. I liked how Elias didn't get out of the bargain and went to jail for dess. It shows how loyal he is for dess even tho she didn't wanted it to happen. Their couple dynamic was so unique and I want more their crumbs in the upcoming books.
Apart for them, I loved Sophie and Evan crumbs in this and how much they have matured after becoming parents. Evan and dess's conversation were so raw and honest I was so touched after reading it. Sophie as always was so badass when she showed up in the police station for Elias and their conversations also. This book was perfect in every sense.
I am so excited for the book 2 but I am also not having high expectations because book 2 of 1st gen was also arranged marriage and I had to dnf it because of how bad the character of severin was. I hope it gets better.
September 6, 2026
oh i loved this, dess & elias were great both as individual characters and as a couple and it was super easy to read as well as get back into the spearcrest world. and i loved how this didn't fall under the category as most second gens, which is ruining family bonds and making first gen act ooc. it was a nice mix of both gens without making it seem like the parents were overbearing and i loooved how you could see the kids being a mix of their parents. seeing the dynamics between both generations <33
but we do need a family tree, there's a big cast and for the longest time i was confused why blaise kept on calling dess his cousin when they're not related. and hopefully this will be the last book in the academy, half of the parents books were here we don't need to copy paste that. but seeing as dimitri's book is next and the wedding is set 3 yrs after the end...im assuming that's what'll happen. and very curious about who else will be getting a book, so far only yuna seems like a guarantee.
but we do need a family tree, there's a big cast and for the longest time i was confused why blaise kept on calling dess his cousin when they're not related. and hopefully this will be the last book in the academy, half of the parents books were here we don't need to copy paste that. but seeing as dimitri's book is next and the wedding is set 3 yrs after the end...im assuming that's what'll happen. and very curious about who else will be getting a book, so far only yuna seems like a guarantee.
September 5, 2026
This was such an enjoyable read!! It kept me up past my bedtime several evenings despite me needing my beauty 😴
Right from the beginning, I was captivated by Elias and Desdemona who are both interesting and layered characters.
Des reluctantly needs Elias’ help and gets caught up in a bargain … They are polar opposites, coming from different worlds yet they share some key values and characteristics.
The tension is tensioning, love is blossoming and the Inquisitor is watching 👀
Elias is broken, flawed and smart enough to know better. He hides behind a cocky smile and self deprecating jokes.
Dess is written for the eldest daughters who love fiercely and will stop at nothing to keep everyone safe and happy.
The last 10% had my heart cracking and healing ❤️🩹
🖤Dark Academia (Private School)
🦋Class difference
🖤Fake dating
🦋Bargains
🖤Secrets & Lies
🦋Inquisitor (anon gossip poster)
I will be reading the rest of the series
Right from the beginning, I was captivated by Elias and Desdemona who are both interesting and layered characters.
Des reluctantly needs Elias’ help and gets caught up in a bargain … They are polar opposites, coming from different worlds yet they share some key values and characteristics.
The tension is tensioning, love is blossoming and the Inquisitor is watching 👀
Elias is broken, flawed and smart enough to know better. He hides behind a cocky smile and self deprecating jokes.
Dess is written for the eldest daughters who love fiercely and will stop at nothing to keep everyone safe and happy.
The last 10% had my heart cracking and healing ❤️🩹
🖤Dark Academia (Private School)
🦋Class difference
🖤Fake dating
🦋Bargains
🖤Secrets & Lies
🦋Inquisitor (anon gossip poster)
I will be reading the rest of the series
September 19, 2026
i really enjoyed this book even tho i was a little worried at first that i wouldn’t because i haven’t actually liked the first gen books. i always felt like the potential was there but the execution was poorly done. but in this one, it was quite the opposite. i loved elias and desdemona’s relationship and they also intrigued me as individuals which is very hard to find these days in this genre especially bc everything feels so bland and repetitive.
September 9, 2026
THAT’S how you make a 2nd gen book!!! loved them sm
Desdemona my princess I don’t even care that you have such an ugly ass name, you’re still my girl. And ELIAS??? THAT’S THE PEOPLE’S PRINCE
EvanSophie are such amazing parents, I just wish we got more scenes of them 😭
4⭐️ bc I didn’t love a few things in the 3rd part, but STILL. I’m so excited for what’s to come!!!
Desdemona my princess I don’t even care that you have such an ugly ass name, you’re still my girl. And ELIAS??? THAT’S THE PEOPLE’S PRINCE
EvanSophie are such amazing parents, I just wish we got more scenes of them 😭
4⭐️ bc I didn’t love a few things in the 3rd part, but STILL. I’m so excited for what’s to come!!!
September 15, 2026
how to start this off? i had hopes for this book since i love a rich girl x poor boy trope and i really enjoyed Spearcrest Rose. the first few chapters had me really excited. i was already growing to adore Dess and Elias and the plot that starts off their bargain. these two matched each other in the energy they gave each other. their hate. spite, lust, curiosity, everything.
i really was hoping to learn the depths of both of these characters, but my biggest issue with this book was that it was too short. i think this would have hit so much better if they didnt start blurring lines so quickly. and i dont even mean just sexually. i wish we got to see them in more situations where they had to fake liking each other and play being a couple. a lot of development in their relationship and Elias's relationships with her friends and family was off-page. idk i just think we missed out on seeing Dess and Elias's romance properly grow from outside them having intimacy. their first "uh oh im falling in love" shoulda been at Christmas surrounded by her family and him learning what its like to have a family.
also them individually i feel lacked a lot of depth. we had Elias, the ambitious adopted son of the Prime Minister who'd never known love in life. absolutely no backstory on why he was in the foster system, and foster homes he was in, the scars he talked about and where they were from. lots of small plot holes like that. and Desdemona, the goody two shoes ice queen with eldest daughter syndrome. ok thats it. grew up with amazing parents, which we get to see her connection with them and her siblings. i did love her storyline with Ophelia. but i wouldve loved to seen more about her passions, her trauma (which i feel like was alluded to at some point?). i was happy to see in the eplilogue what she went into professionally.
i also hated how Mira and Emerald were basically forgotten about after the halloween party. and besides Blaise and Dmitri, we didnt see her socialize with any of her other "cousins". Zaff had one scene and was constantly referenced to having weekly tennis with Dess. Yuna got barely mentioned and then showed up at the end when all of the kids were there to support Dess.
the lack of everything i said above made this feel like reading a novella. therefore, docked 1 star in my overall rating. sigh 😔
i really was hoping to learn the depths of both of these characters, but my biggest issue with this book was that it was too short. i think this would have hit so much better if they didnt start blurring lines so quickly. and i dont even mean just sexually. i wish we got to see them in more situations where they had to fake liking each other and play being a couple. a lot of development in their relationship and Elias's relationships with her friends and family was off-page. idk i just think we missed out on seeing Dess and Elias's romance properly grow from outside them having intimacy. their first "uh oh im falling in love" shoulda been at Christmas surrounded by her family and him learning what its like to have a family.
also them individually i feel lacked a lot of depth. we had Elias, the ambitious adopted son of the Prime Minister who'd never known love in life. absolutely no backstory on why he was in the foster system, and foster homes he was in, the scars he talked about and where they were from. lots of small plot holes like that. and Desdemona, the goody two shoes ice queen with eldest daughter syndrome. ok thats it. grew up with amazing parents, which we get to see her connection with them and her siblings. i did love her storyline with Ophelia. but i wouldve loved to seen more about her passions, her trauma (which i feel like was alluded to at some point?). i was happy to see in the eplilogue what she went into professionally.
i also hated how Mira and Emerald were basically forgotten about after the halloween party. and besides Blaise and Dmitri, we didnt see her socialize with any of her other "cousins". Zaff had one scene and was constantly referenced to having weekly tennis with Dess. Yuna got barely mentioned and then showed up at the end when all of the kids were there to support Dess.
the lack of everything i said above made this feel like reading a novella. therefore, docked 1 star in my overall rating. sigh 😔
September 8, 2026
SHE DID IT AGAIN
EL APLAUZO SEÑORES POR ESTA PAREJA QUE ESTÁ ENAMORADA TE AMO EVAN KNIGHT EL MEJOR PAPÁ
EL APLAUZO SEÑORES POR ESTA PAREJA QUE ESTÁ ENAMORADA TE AMO EVAN KNIGHT EL MEJOR PAPÁ
September 9, 2026
cuties
October 4, 2026
3.75/5⭐️
September 5, 2026
Review of advanced copy given by author-
REVIEW(possible spoilers) this book left me feeling so-so. The story itself was cute, the two main characters were adorable together, but I never felt connected to them. I felt like I was dropped into a story that had already been going on for awhile and I was missing out on things. I also feel like it was a very quick “fall in love” situation with not a lot of depth for the characters to get to that point. Also, the secret with her sister and the crime and all of that was very minor when I expected it to play a much bigger role. That part almost felt rushed in the end. I liked the story but it won’t be a repeat read for me.
REVIEW(possible spoilers) this book left me feeling so-so. The story itself was cute, the two main characters were adorable together, but I never felt connected to them. I felt like I was dropped into a story that had already been going on for awhile and I was missing out on things. I also feel like it was a very quick “fall in love” situation with not a lot of depth for the characters to get to that point. Also, the secret with her sister and the crime and all of that was very minor when I expected it to play a much bigger role. That part almost felt rushed in the end. I liked the story but it won’t be a repeat read for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Received an ARC from the author.
I really enjoyed the overall setup of Desdemona’s character. She is portrayed as this picture-perfect girl who seemingly does everything right. She follows every rule and holds herself to incredibly high standards, almost as if she has chained herself to the expectations she has set for herself. But when something happens involving her siblings, she doesn't hesitate to break those rules and cover for them at any cost, as long as it means protecting them from the consequences. It says a lot about how deeply she loves her family and explains why she is willing to risk everything for them.
That is how she meets Elias, who is willing to do almost anything for the right price. At first glance, he seems like the complete opposite of Desdemona, but I loved that there was so much more to him than what people assumed. Elias isn't some foolish rebel who can easily be manipulated or used. He is actually exceptionally intelligent, academically talented, and was recommended for a Harvard scholarship by his teachers. He could have easily been a model student if circumstances had been different. I especially enjoyed the little physics references and quotes scattered throughout the story they added something distinctive to his character showing how intelligent he was and I wonder if the author is also into physics.
One of the things that came to my mind while reading this was that Elias wasn't as “rogue” as everyone perceived him to be. He did what he had to do to survive, but given different circumstances, I genuinely think he could have taken a completely different path. Beneath everything, he was still a brilliant student who had ambitions and potential.
The deal between Desdemona and Elias eventually falls apart, and while I understood why both of them made the choices they did, I had mixed feelings about the sacrifices they made toward the end. Desdemona ended up sacrificing the future and dream she had spent years building to protect the person she loved, and Elias ultimately made sacrifices of his own. The emotional weight of it was there, but at the same time, I couldn't help thinking that neither of them should have had to suffer so much over something they hadn't even done.
Honestly, I wished Hastings had simply faced the consequences of his own actions. I wanted karma to catch up with him without Desdemona and Elias having to lose so much in the process. That said, seeing the Pearsons finally get what they deserved was incredibly satisfying.
The ending also left me with SO many questions about Desdemona. Elias continues with his doctorate, but what happens to her? She was expelled, and even though she initially couldn't get into Harvard after everything that happened, she had worked toward becoming a lawyer there for years. Her entire carefully planned future basically fell apart. I was left wondering whether she eventually became a model, especially considering her connection to Ralph Lauren or whether she pursued professional tennis instead. Whatever path she chose, it was certainly very different from the future she had originally envisioned. As long as she's happy, I suppose that's what matters but still, I NEED TO KNOW.
And then there's Dimitri.
I am so curious about Dimitri. He's getting married, apparently, but to WHO? Why? What happened? How did we get here??? I need more of him because there are so many unanswered questions surrounding his life and relationships.
I also loved the brotherhood dynamic. Elias believed he was essentially a stranger to them, but when he was caught by the police, they genuinely cared about him. That loyalty continued even toward the end, and I thought it was such a nice reminder that their relationships were deeper than Elias initially believed. I'd honestly love to read more about the other members of the brotherhood too.
Another one of my favorite parts was Desdemona's family. During the Christmas holidays, we finally got to see behind the “picture-perfect” image she constantly maintains. Around her family, she could be carefree, happy, and imperfect. I loved that she brought Elias home and that her family welcomed him so naturally, without judging him or questioning why he was there. Those family moments made it much easier to understand Desdemona's actions. She isn't just protecting an image or following some arbitrary sense of duty she genuinely loves her family. She has spent so much of her life trying to be perfect, but when it comes to the people she loves, she is willing to break every rule she has created for herself.
And finally… WHO IS THE INQUISITOR?!
The whole mysterious inquisitor aspect reminded me a little of Lady Whistledown from Bridgerton. I'm still dying to know who is behind it all. At the same time, I understand why the identity wasn't revealed early on because the mystery definitely adds to the fun.
Overall, I really enjoyed the contrast between appearances and reality throughout the story. Desdemona isn't as perfect as everyone thinks she is, and Elias isn't as reckless or rebellious as everyone assumes. Both of them are much more complicated beneath the surface, and I think that's what made their story so interesting.
I really enjoyed the overall setup of Desdemona’s character. She is portrayed as this picture-perfect girl who seemingly does everything right. She follows every rule and holds herself to incredibly high standards, almost as if she has chained herself to the expectations she has set for herself. But when something happens involving her siblings, she doesn't hesitate to break those rules and cover for them at any cost, as long as it means protecting them from the consequences. It says a lot about how deeply she loves her family and explains why she is willing to risk everything for them.
That is how she meets Elias, who is willing to do almost anything for the right price. At first glance, he seems like the complete opposite of Desdemona, but I loved that there was so much more to him than what people assumed. Elias isn't some foolish rebel who can easily be manipulated or used. He is actually exceptionally intelligent, academically talented, and was recommended for a Harvard scholarship by his teachers. He could have easily been a model student if circumstances had been different. I especially enjoyed the little physics references and quotes scattered throughout the story they added something distinctive to his character showing how intelligent he was and I wonder if the author is also into physics.
One of the things that came to my mind while reading this was that Elias wasn't as “rogue” as everyone perceived him to be. He did what he had to do to survive, but given different circumstances, I genuinely think he could have taken a completely different path. Beneath everything, he was still a brilliant student who had ambitions and potential.
The deal between Desdemona and Elias eventually falls apart, and while I understood why both of them made the choices they did, I had mixed feelings about the sacrifices they made toward the end. Desdemona ended up sacrificing the future and dream she had spent years building to protect the person she loved, and Elias ultimately made sacrifices of his own. The emotional weight of it was there, but at the same time, I couldn't help thinking that neither of them should have had to suffer so much over something they hadn't even done.
Honestly, I wished Hastings had simply faced the consequences of his own actions. I wanted karma to catch up with him without Desdemona and Elias having to lose so much in the process. That said, seeing the Pearsons finally get what they deserved was incredibly satisfying.
The ending also left me with SO many questions about Desdemona. Elias continues with his doctorate, but what happens to her? She was expelled, and even though she initially couldn't get into Harvard after everything that happened, she had worked toward becoming a lawyer there for years. Her entire carefully planned future basically fell apart. I was left wondering whether she eventually became a model, especially considering her connection to Ralph Lauren or whether she pursued professional tennis instead. Whatever path she chose, it was certainly very different from the future she had originally envisioned. As long as she's happy, I suppose that's what matters but still, I NEED TO KNOW.
And then there's Dimitri.
I am so curious about Dimitri. He's getting married, apparently, but to WHO? Why? What happened? How did we get here??? I need more of him because there are so many unanswered questions surrounding his life and relationships.
I also loved the brotherhood dynamic. Elias believed he was essentially a stranger to them, but when he was caught by the police, they genuinely cared about him. That loyalty continued even toward the end, and I thought it was such a nice reminder that their relationships were deeper than Elias initially believed. I'd honestly love to read more about the other members of the brotherhood too.
Another one of my favorite parts was Desdemona's family. During the Christmas holidays, we finally got to see behind the “picture-perfect” image she constantly maintains. Around her family, she could be carefree, happy, and imperfect. I loved that she brought Elias home and that her family welcomed him so naturally, without judging him or questioning why he was there. Those family moments made it much easier to understand Desdemona's actions. She isn't just protecting an image or following some arbitrary sense of duty she genuinely loves her family. She has spent so much of her life trying to be perfect, but when it comes to the people she loves, she is willing to break every rule she has created for herself.
And finally… WHO IS THE INQUISITOR?!
The whole mysterious inquisitor aspect reminded me a little of Lady Whistledown from Bridgerton. I'm still dying to know who is behind it all. At the same time, I understand why the identity wasn't revealed early on because the mystery definitely adds to the fun.
Overall, I really enjoyed the contrast between appearances and reality throughout the story. Desdemona isn't as perfect as everyone thinks she is, and Elias isn't as reckless or rebellious as everyone assumes. Both of them are much more complicated beneath the surface, and I think that's what made their story so interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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