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Avalon University #2
Sorrow & Strangers
Not yet published
Expected 8 Sep 26Fear. Fury. And Fire.
To Know is Never Enough.
Summer Tuatha De Daanan reluctantly returns to Avalon University for her second year after spending the summer with her vampire best friend in Draculea. She’s a shell of her former self, and the peace promised to her has never felt further from her reach. All Summer wants is to keep her head down and get through the year cloaked in her depression, but looming threats linger, and she quickly finds herself thrust into a dangerous position once again; entangled with a friend turned enemy, the protector of her beloved family, and the target of two very powerful kings.
Unwilling to suffer any further loss, Summer must push through her emotions to prepare herself for the enemies who threaten everything she holds dear. Through runic training with the revered and brooding Headmaster Emrys, combat with the aloof and strong-willed Max, and improving her mental walls with the dark and mysterious stranger, each step pulls her further from the edge of despair. Yet, nothing will be simple for Summer, and the more she trains, the more she discovers who she truly is, forcing her to confront her inner darkness. The beast within that purrs for her enigmatic stalker.
A darkness that is waiting to be explored. A darkness that will not be denied.
To Know is Never Enough.
Summer Tuatha De Daanan reluctantly returns to Avalon University for her second year after spending the summer with her vampire best friend in Draculea. She’s a shell of her former self, and the peace promised to her has never felt further from her reach. All Summer wants is to keep her head down and get through the year cloaked in her depression, but looming threats linger, and she quickly finds herself thrust into a dangerous position once again; entangled with a friend turned enemy, the protector of her beloved family, and the target of two very powerful kings.
Unwilling to suffer any further loss, Summer must push through her emotions to prepare herself for the enemies who threaten everything she holds dear. Through runic training with the revered and brooding Headmaster Emrys, combat with the aloof and strong-willed Max, and improving her mental walls with the dark and mysterious stranger, each step pulls her further from the edge of despair. Yet, nothing will be simple for Summer, and the more she trains, the more she discovers who she truly is, forcing her to confront her inner darkness. The beast within that purrs for her enigmatic stalker.
A darkness that is waiting to be explored. A darkness that will not be denied.
752 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 8, 2026
About the author
Jeanette Rose
21 books551 followersLong time lover of Paranormal Romance, decided when I couldn't find a book that I was interested online to write my own! It spiraled from there. Degree in Classical Civilizations from Tulane University, missing New Orleans with a vengeance
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
Want to Read
May 21, 2025Having to wait till 2026 should be illegal with that cliffhanger 😭😭😭
2026-releases
April 5, 2026Update: I could not be happier that this is being traditionally published AND still releasing this fall😭🙌🏼
2026, are you kidding me!? I needed this book yesterday😭😭😭
2026, are you kidding me!? I needed this book yesterday😭😭😭
Want to Read
July 11, 2025people leaving ratings already and the book isn't even close to being out is sooo weird.....
Want to Read
December 17, 2025I will wait very patiently.. Anything to learn more about our Stranger and Headmaster! That ending of Blood and Betrayals should be illegal! ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh
May 11, 2026
After the way Blood & Betrayals ended this has been my most highly anticipated read! To say I was obsessed with that book would be an understatement…
Biased review - if you’ve ever read a book and gotten so invested with characters that they feel like friends, that would be these characters for me. Summer, Alice, the Morningstars, and shoot even the stranger are my comfort characters. So the first 20% of Summer grieving and Alice being the amazing friend she is broke my heart and there was tears, especially at 19% not only due to a goodbye, but a great sacrifice that was made. Summer’s healing journey, found family (seriously the Morningstars are the absolute best), Alice being the queen we know she is, and a new main character that we loved from book 1 healing and finding love. The stranger..well being the stranger, I will say I did call who he was during book 1…that’s if the information from the end of this book is factual anyway…this book felt like you were living life with these characters and I just love them!
Non-biased review and why reading is so subjective, I’ll start by saying this book is over 700 pages, 0-20% was just Summer grieving, and Alice forcing her will to even live and get out of bed, not much else was happening. We got a visit to our favorite family in Eden, and a very sad goodbye. The found family in this series is simply everything however.
20-50% Rafe became the most interesting character in the book during this time and that’s saying a lot considering he was in bed for a good portion of it. Summer & Alice went to a party that ended badly. Majority of this portion of the book was just Summer w/ a certain booty call to piss off the Stanger and her making sure he knew that she hated him…or so she kept saying…while simultaneously fighting wanting him around. We did get to see a fun new location in this portion however, and I’m hoping we get more of it in book 3. We lost the academy aspect in this portion of the book however..like how are they not failing, it felt like they never went to class…
50-70% the trio was invited to the party of all parties on a very exclusive island. New love interests were formed, who knows what Alice was up to, and Summer & her stranger were in island bliss sort of…until she decides to friend zone him, again…sporadic training, more booty calls, more insight on Max, and Rafe, who again was the most interesting POV in this portion of the book.
70% to the end - we’re picking up a little here with Alice’s story, Rafe makes a really bad deal, and yes we think we finally discover who the Stranger may possibly be. Summer is still being Summer however and her personality was flat as a potato chip in this book. She’s supposed to be extremely powerful but we don’t see any of that from her this entire book. I wish the plot had progressed just a tad faster in this book for being over 700 pages honestly not much was going on, and the situation with her and the stranger with their back & forth really took over the whole book. It started to become extremely repetitive. Every time they made 1 step forward they took 3 steps back the entire book. The amount of times he told her she was his and her life begins and ends with him was a little overkill. We had about 4 main events in 700 pages but this book felt like we made zero plot progression.
That being said I adore these characters, so yes while I felt like not much happened I still enjoyed every second of my time with these characters while reading this book. I feel like readers who are invested in these characters, and like a book that reads like a CW show you will love this book, but if you’re a reader that likes world building, magic, and an in depth plot this is not going to be for you.
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Simon Maverick, Alexis Rune & Jeanette Rose for the opportunity to read this pre-release in exchange for my honest review.
Biased review - if you’ve ever read a book and gotten so invested with characters that they feel like friends, that would be these characters for me. Summer, Alice, the Morningstars, and shoot even the stranger are my comfort characters. So the first 20% of Summer grieving and Alice being the amazing friend she is broke my heart and there was tears, especially at 19% not only due to a goodbye, but a great sacrifice that was made. Summer’s healing journey, found family (seriously the Morningstars are the absolute best), Alice being the queen we know she is, and a new main character that we loved from book 1 healing and finding love. The stranger..well being the stranger, I will say I did call who he was during book 1…that’s if the information from the end of this book is factual anyway…this book felt like you were living life with these characters and I just love them!
Non-biased review and why reading is so subjective, I’ll start by saying this book is over 700 pages, 0-20% was just Summer grieving, and Alice forcing her will to even live and get out of bed, not much else was happening. We got a visit to our favorite family in Eden, and a very sad goodbye. The found family in this series is simply everything however.
20-50% Rafe became the most interesting character in the book during this time and that’s saying a lot considering he was in bed for a good portion of it. Summer & Alice went to a party that ended badly. Majority of this portion of the book was just Summer w/ a certain booty call to piss off the Stanger and her making sure he knew that she hated him…or so she kept saying…while simultaneously fighting wanting him around. We did get to see a fun new location in this portion however, and I’m hoping we get more of it in book 3. We lost the academy aspect in this portion of the book however..like how are they not failing, it felt like they never went to class…
50-70% the trio was invited to the party of all parties on a very exclusive island. New love interests were formed, who knows what Alice was up to, and Summer & her stranger were in island bliss sort of…until she decides to friend zone him, again…sporadic training, more booty calls, more insight on Max, and Rafe, who again was the most interesting POV in this portion of the book.
70% to the end - we’re picking up a little here with Alice’s story, Rafe makes a really bad deal, and yes we think we finally discover who the Stranger may possibly be. Summer is still being Summer however and her personality was flat as a potato chip in this book. She’s supposed to be extremely powerful but we don’t see any of that from her this entire book. I wish the plot had progressed just a tad faster in this book for being over 700 pages honestly not much was going on, and the situation with her and the stranger with their back & forth really took over the whole book. It started to become extremely repetitive. Every time they made 1 step forward they took 3 steps back the entire book. The amount of times he told her she was his and her life begins and ends with him was a little overkill. We had about 4 main events in 700 pages but this book felt like we made zero plot progression.
That being said I adore these characters, so yes while I felt like not much happened I still enjoyed every second of my time with these characters while reading this book. I feel like readers who are invested in these characters, and like a book that reads like a CW show you will love this book, but if you’re a reader that likes world building, magic, and an in depth plot this is not going to be for you.
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Simon Maverick, Alexis Rune & Jeanette Rose for the opportunity to read this pre-release in exchange for my honest review.
Want to Read
December 12, 2025STRANGERSTRANGERSTRANGER
May 13, 2026
⭐️ 4.75/5
🌶️ 4/5
📚 dark romantasy
💚 academia setting
📚 healing and trauma (so much trauma)
💚 stalker
📚 found family
💚 only one bed
📚 antagonist turned ally
💚 enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies
📚 hidden identity
💚 multi POV
📚 fated mates
💚 supernatural powers
The way I sobbed uncontrollably and almost nonstop for the first 20% of this book. If there’s one thing this author duet knows how to write, it’s grief. It also hits so close to home—I always saw my boyfriend / now-fiancé in Connor, so the devastation that resulted from his untimely end just hurts. I cried a LOT and hard for a while. It felt hopeless.
Despite the devastation, that, in no way, meant I didn’t enjoy this book. I did. It’s probably been one of the most highly anticipated reads of 2026. Blood & Betrayals was one of my top 3 favorite books in 2025, so it’s only natural for this one to follow up on that. That being said, I found myself unable to give this book a full 5⭐️s. It felt like there was a lot that didn’t happen and the plot wasn’t as engaging as it was in Blood & Betrayals. The suspense from book 1 didn’t pull into book 2, and I know this was more about healing and processing all that happened in the last book, but I just felt mildly bored at times.
I will admit, things did seem to get a littttle slow around 50%, but then picked up again decently right after. Nothing bad, just had to note. This book, much like its predecessor, it likely a tiny bit longer than it needed to be. But I’m not an author, who am I to say?
The “grand reveal” at the end is DEFINITELY something I saw coming early on in book 1, but it was nice to have it all be confirmed. I’m excited for our girl Summer’s villain arc. 😈
[ thank you Simon Maverick and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. I’m truly beyond honored. ]
🌶️ 4/5
📚 dark romantasy
💚 academia setting
📚 healing and trauma (so much trauma)
💚 stalker
📚 found family
💚 only one bed
📚 antagonist turned ally
💚 enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies
📚 hidden identity
💚 multi POV
📚 fated mates
💚 supernatural powers
The way I sobbed uncontrollably and almost nonstop for the first 20% of this book. If there’s one thing this author duet knows how to write, it’s grief. It also hits so close to home—I always saw my boyfriend / now-fiancé in Connor, so the devastation that resulted from his untimely end just hurts. I cried a LOT and hard for a while. It felt hopeless.
Despite the devastation, that, in no way, meant I didn’t enjoy this book. I did. It’s probably been one of the most highly anticipated reads of 2026. Blood & Betrayals was one of my top 3 favorite books in 2025, so it’s only natural for this one to follow up on that. That being said, I found myself unable to give this book a full 5⭐️s. It felt like there was a lot that didn’t happen and the plot wasn’t as engaging as it was in Blood & Betrayals. The suspense from book 1 didn’t pull into book 2, and I know this was more about healing and processing all that happened in the last book, but I just felt mildly bored at times.
I will admit, things did seem to get a littttle slow around 50%, but then picked up again decently right after. Nothing bad, just had to note. This book, much like its predecessor, it likely a tiny bit longer than it needed to be. But I’m not an author, who am I to say?
The “grand reveal” at the end is DEFINITELY something I saw coming early on in book 1, but it was nice to have it all be confirmed. I’m excited for our girl Summer’s villain arc. 😈
[ thank you Simon Maverick and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. I’m truly beyond honored. ]
May 8, 2026
Thank you to the Rose & Star team for my arc copy of Sorrow & Strangers, all opinions are my own.
Final rating:
Overall: ♾️/5🌟
Spice: 4.5/5🌶️
First off let me start by saying I have only ever ONE OTHER TIME in all my years of reading have rated a book anything other than a 5 star and this will be THE SECOND BOOK I GIVE AN INFINITY RATING TOO!!!!!! This book is over 700 pages and I DEVOURED IT IN TWO DAYS!!!! Do you know that feeling you get when you have something in your hands that is just too good to put down?!?! WELL THIS IS THAT BOOK!!!! Your girl has been struggling with finding that feeling again since I read Wrath last year and I genuinely couldn’t put this book down…..Seriously I put off grocery shopping….still haven’t cooked my food or anything. I did NOT WANT TO PUT THIS DOWN!!!
Next let’s talk about the representation of grief in this book. We all know why Summer is grieving if you are reading S&S. I can genuinely say that reading her journey through grief and healing spoke to a part of my soul that has been hurting for 10 years. I lost one of the most important people in my life from them unaliving themselves and I did not handle my grief well at all I did a lot of things I shouldn’t have. All that’s to say is that everyone grieves differently and handles everything differently and I really appreciate the care and the understanding of grief it took to write Summer in this book. I truly can’t imagine what someone had to go through in order to be able to write this so throughly. Reading Summer in this book genuinely made me feel less alone in what I experienced and that is a very hard thing to accomplish.
I truly love the friendships and the familial bond that we get to see throughout this book. I am so very happy with how it was written because going through grief and trauma can be very isolating and Summer has the most amazing support system!! The found family is really found familing in this one!!!
The spice was VERY nice!!!!!! There were a lot of things I was not expecting to see but was FERALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR when I read them!!!! Some of my favorite tropes in this one and you don’t want to miss it besties!!!! I would say on the spicy scale rating this book would get a 4.5/5🌶️!!!!!! Primal play and the one bed trope will get me EVERY SINGLE TIME AND I EAT IT UPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!! I will say this one is much spicer than book 1 due to the types of spice we get to see and experience and it literally had me in a chokehold this book!!!
I am just so genuinely excited for this book to be out with everyone so you can experience it with me!!!! This has surpassed every book I have read this year and has easily landed among the top reads of 2026 and maybe ever alongside Wrath!!
Final rating:
Overall: ♾️/5🌟
Spice: 4.5/5🌶️
First off let me start by saying I have only ever ONE OTHER TIME in all my years of reading have rated a book anything other than a 5 star and this will be THE SECOND BOOK I GIVE AN INFINITY RATING TOO!!!!!! This book is over 700 pages and I DEVOURED IT IN TWO DAYS!!!! Do you know that feeling you get when you have something in your hands that is just too good to put down?!?! WELL THIS IS THAT BOOK!!!! Your girl has been struggling with finding that feeling again since I read Wrath last year and I genuinely couldn’t put this book down…..Seriously I put off grocery shopping….still haven’t cooked my food or anything. I did NOT WANT TO PUT THIS DOWN!!!
Next let’s talk about the representation of grief in this book. We all know why Summer is grieving if you are reading S&S. I can genuinely say that reading her journey through grief and healing spoke to a part of my soul that has been hurting for 10 years. I lost one of the most important people in my life from them unaliving themselves and I did not handle my grief well at all I did a lot of things I shouldn’t have. All that’s to say is that everyone grieves differently and handles everything differently and I really appreciate the care and the understanding of grief it took to write Summer in this book. I truly can’t imagine what someone had to go through in order to be able to write this so throughly. Reading Summer in this book genuinely made me feel less alone in what I experienced and that is a very hard thing to accomplish.
I truly love the friendships and the familial bond that we get to see throughout this book. I am so very happy with how it was written because going through grief and trauma can be very isolating and Summer has the most amazing support system!! The found family is really found familing in this one!!!
The spice was VERY nice!!!!!! There were a lot of things I was not expecting to see but was FERALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR when I read them!!!! Some of my favorite tropes in this one and you don’t want to miss it besties!!!! I would say on the spicy scale rating this book would get a 4.5/5🌶️!!!!!! Primal play and the one bed trope will get me EVERY SINGLE TIME AND I EAT IT UPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!! I will say this one is much spicer than book 1 due to the types of spice we get to see and experience and it literally had me in a chokehold this book!!!
I am just so genuinely excited for this book to be out with everyone so you can experience it with me!!!! This has surpassed every book I have read this year and has easily landed among the top reads of 2026 and maybe ever alongside Wrath!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2026
This book is an infinity-star read! Alexis & Jeanette are MASTER storytellers and my brain can’t comprehend how they sneak in lore, clues, and so many details. A B&B reread is now necessary knowing what I know after the ending of this book.
While this story tackles some dark and heavy subjects, the mental health representation is some of the best I’ve ever read. The authors have a powerful way of developing flawed but lovable characters many of us can relate to.
This book has also been referred to as “Sobbing & Slutting” and that’s a very accurate depiction of my reading experience. I love these characters so much and will be staring at my wall until I can continue on in book three!
Thank you to the Rose & Star team for providing me with a copy of this book. Forever grateful to be on the ARC team! This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.
While this story tackles some dark and heavy subjects, the mental health representation is some of the best I’ve ever read. The authors have a powerful way of developing flawed but lovable characters many of us can relate to.
This book has also been referred to as “Sobbing & Slutting” and that’s a very accurate depiction of my reading experience. I love these characters so much and will be staring at my wall until I can continue on in book three!
Thank you to the Rose & Star team for providing me with a copy of this book. Forever grateful to be on the ARC team! This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.
May 11, 2026
What an absolutely perfect emotional roller coaster. I don’t know what was pick in this book but it ripped me to shreds and put me back together in the same breath. My love for these characters are unmatched. This was the perfect balance of spice, humor, heartache, longing, and love. I can’t wait to see where book three takes us.
May 7, 2026
Goodness. Gonna need a few days to process but RTC!! So many theories ahhhhhhh.
May 14, 2026
[♾️⭐️]
first of all i want to thank simon & maverick audio for accepting my request and allowing me to read this book early!! you truly made my whole year <33
and now i want to thank both jeanette and alexis for creating and writing this masterpiece of both a book and series. it’s quite hard to fully put into words just how much this series means to me. the way they’re able to bring so many emotions out of you, and have you caring for the characters like you’ve known them your whole life. they feel like family. they make you feel seen. you want to protect them with everything you have.
going into this book after the ending of b&b i was already expecting heartache….and then i read the prologue, i repeat the prologue, and instantly i was in tears. the first 20-30 chapters all i wanted to do was rush and give summer the biggest hug.
she is so incredibly strong and i couldn’t be more proud of her in this book. i see so much of myself in her. the way she struggles but she’ll never once not be there for her friends and family. they are her entire life and she’ll protect them with everything she has.
her journey through grief and figuring out how to love again was an emotional one for sure, but was such an important message that both jeanette and alexis did an amazing job at portraying. her relationship with both farah and uriel is so important and i’m so glad she has them in her life. you could almost feel the breathe she was holding when she realised that they didn’t blame her and they loved her like she was one of their own. because she is and i’ll hear nothing about it!!
now i want to talk about alice because she is that light in your life when you didn’t know you needed it. she’s a ride or die, and i love her sm!! her chaotic fun energy is a much needed part of this book, and it wouldn’t be the same without her. if you have a friend like alice in real life, make sure you keep them close and treasure them forever and ever!!
now rafe, my baby rafe omg i love him. i felt for him so much in this book, and his inner monologues in his chapters literally had me tearing up so many times. i appreciated his bond with summer in b&b, but i appreciate it even more in this book. they’re always there for each other when they need it most. the little trio of him, summer and alice was so good and i enjoyed every minute of it.
the headmaster still intrigues the hell out of me, and i just want to know all there is about him, especially after that ending…..
max!!! sorry but i’m obsessed with him. i think he definitely has a hard time expressing himself, but he’ll always be there for summer and he’ll make sure she knows that. also my face when they first got together, ahhhh you should’ve seen it. all i can say is, hot!! and it continued to be that every time after that.
another moment that absolutely shocked me in the best way, chapter 25!!!! that will be engraved in my brain for as long as i live. speaking of engraved…. oooh my god i needed a minute after that was revealed. i could genuinely go on and on about how obsessed i am with the stranger. just the words that come out of his mouth have me giggling and kicking my feet. the interactions between him and summer have me on the edge of my seat every time. i can’t and won’t ever get over them.
i’ve had my inclinations on who i think the stranger is since i first started b&b a year ago now, but that slowly started to switch to a different person the further i got into this book.
back to the ending, that literally had me on the edge of my damn seat. it’s was such a perfect reveal which will now be the perfect lead up to book 3 which i am so unbelievably desperate for like you wouldn’t believe.
ok this review is without a doubt the longest i’ve ever written…which should say all there needs to be said about how much i loved this book. so if you haven’t read blood & betrayals then please i urge you to add it to your tbr and read it, so you can then also read this book!!
first of all i want to thank simon & maverick audio for accepting my request and allowing me to read this book early!! you truly made my whole year <33
and now i want to thank both jeanette and alexis for creating and writing this masterpiece of both a book and series. it’s quite hard to fully put into words just how much this series means to me. the way they’re able to bring so many emotions out of you, and have you caring for the characters like you’ve known them your whole life. they feel like family. they make you feel seen. you want to protect them with everything you have.
going into this book after the ending of b&b i was already expecting heartache….and then i read the prologue, i repeat the prologue, and instantly i was in tears. the first 20-30 chapters all i wanted to do was rush and give summer the biggest hug.
she is so incredibly strong and i couldn’t be more proud of her in this book. i see so much of myself in her. the way she struggles but she’ll never once not be there for her friends and family. they are her entire life and she’ll protect them with everything she has.
her journey through grief and figuring out how to love again was an emotional one for sure, but was such an important message that both jeanette and alexis did an amazing job at portraying. her relationship with both farah and uriel is so important and i’m so glad she has them in her life. you could almost feel the breathe she was holding when she realised that they didn’t blame her and they loved her like she was one of their own. because she is and i’ll hear nothing about it!!
now i want to talk about alice because she is that light in your life when you didn’t know you needed it. she’s a ride or die, and i love her sm!! her chaotic fun energy is a much needed part of this book, and it wouldn’t be the same without her. if you have a friend like alice in real life, make sure you keep them close and treasure them forever and ever!!
now rafe, my baby rafe omg i love him. i felt for him so much in this book, and his inner monologues in his chapters literally had me tearing up so many times. i appreciated his bond with summer in b&b, but i appreciate it even more in this book. they’re always there for each other when they need it most. the little trio of him, summer and alice was so good and i enjoyed every minute of it.
the headmaster still intrigues the hell out of me, and i just want to know all there is about him, especially after that ending…..
max!!! sorry but i’m obsessed with him. i think he definitely has a hard time expressing himself, but he’ll always be there for summer and he’ll make sure she knows that. also my face when they first got together, ahhhh you should’ve seen it. all i can say is, hot!! and it continued to be that every time after that.
another moment that absolutely shocked me in the best way, chapter 25!!!! that will be engraved in my brain for as long as i live. speaking of engraved…. oooh my god i needed a minute after that was revealed. i could genuinely go on and on about how obsessed i am with the stranger. just the words that come out of his mouth have me giggling and kicking my feet. the interactions between him and summer have me on the edge of my seat every time. i can’t and won’t ever get over them.
i’ve had my inclinations on who i think the stranger is since i first started b&b a year ago now, but that slowly started to switch to a different person the further i got into this book.
back to the ending, that literally had me on the edge of my damn seat. it’s was such a perfect reveal which will now be the perfect lead up to book 3 which i am so unbelievably desperate for like you wouldn’t believe.
ok this review is without a doubt the longest i’ve ever written…which should say all there needs to be said about how much i loved this book. so if you haven’t read blood & betrayals then please i urge you to add it to your tbr and read it, so you can then also read this book!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2026
4.75 stars
The beginning of this book had me in tears. The found family is everything. The Morningstars deserve the entire world. Rafe is my baby. Summer and Alice forever.
The Stranger and his POV had me in an absolute chokehold. I was giggling, blushing, kicking my feet, clutching my pearls, etc. A man TRULY unhinged and obsessed. I’m down so bad.
This is the kind of story that just consumes you and makes you forget you’re reading a 700+ page book. I’ve actually thought about nothing else for days (mostly about the Stranger let’s be real).
UGH the ending. So frustrating but in a good way. The fact that we have to wait three more books to find out how this all ends…Alexis and Jeanette, you try my patience.
I need to get something off my chest though. Maximillian Romulus is my least favorite. Don’t come for me.
Thank you to Simon Maverick and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
The beginning of this book had me in tears. The found family is everything. The Morningstars deserve the entire world. Rafe is my baby. Summer and Alice forever.
The Stranger and his POV had me in an absolute chokehold. I was giggling, blushing, kicking my feet, clutching my pearls, etc. A man TRULY unhinged and obsessed. I’m down so bad.
This is the kind of story that just consumes you and makes you forget you’re reading a 700+ page book. I’ve actually thought about nothing else for days (mostly about the Stranger let’s be real).
UGH the ending. So frustrating but in a good way. The fact that we have to wait three more books to find out how this all ends…Alexis and Jeanette, you try my patience.
I need to get something off my chest though. Maximillian Romulus is my least favorite. Don’t come for me.
Thank you to Simon Maverick and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
May 9, 2026
Thank you to Jeanette Rose, Alexis Rune, and the Rose & Star team for the opportunity to ARC read book 2 in the Avalon University series. This was SOOOOOOOO GOOD! Book 1 dumped us off the edge of trauma cliff with that ending and we pick right back up in book 2 with lots of emotions (definitely the quickest I’ve ever cried in a book). But beyond that we get so much found family, so much healing, and so much rage. There is banter, there are new characters, new sides of old characters, new realms, and new problems. The chokehold this series has on me!!!! 🖤
May 7, 2026
Help! I’m so obsessed with this series, I can’t even put it into words, RTC
May 10, 2026
FULL ARC REVIEW TO COME
Review of advance copy received from Author
5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I am your beginning and end…Your first breath and your last…”
Sorrow and Strangers is the second instalment of an adult dark academia romantasy series Avalon University. Following the crippling events of book one, Summer and her friends are left picking up the pieces as they enter their second year at Avalon. Summer is just trying to keep her head above water but danger lurks as the realities of powerful enemies, a brooding stranger, and secrets of the past she struggles to confront, rise and give way. Summer must prepare herself because it seems the darkness she has spent years running from will not be denied.
Oh gosh this story was everything I needed and then some. It’s beautiful, raw and awe inspiring.
Summer’s journey in this book is a whirlwind as she faces grief that is unimaginable. I loved the journey, ebbs and flows, and the way she finds solace in her family. She is forced to confront a lot of things about herself, her past, and her future and the way she carries herself has me in a chokehold.
Connor is my baby and I love him so much here. Rafe surprised me a great deal in this book and I ADORE him. He changes in ways that reveal a lot more to his character and seeing Summer and Alice support him is wonderful. Alice also continues to be kick butt and the friend we all need. Her shenanigans are epic and I love what she brings into the home. The Stranger continues to tease and tempt us so just you wait. We also get new characters to shake up the story so be prepared!
“I’ve been a mess. Still am a mess.”
“And?” Alice asks...What’s wrong with being a mess? Normal is an illusion we all pretend is attainable. What’s normal to us is chaos to the fly…”
In terms of spice I would place this at 5 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. There are about 14 spicy scenes across this book and a few additional steamy scenes. We start to see spice around the 12% mark. Spice is explicit and detailed. There is primal play, explosive chemistry, size difference, and so much more. The spice is so well done and I love how it fits for each character because of the different POVs. The way in which intimacy at the core of this was everything I look for - to the point there were some steamy scenes that hit me harder in the feels than some of the spicy ones.
The story itself has different stages to be prepared for. I would say the first 40 chapters focus on grief at their core and they will have you feeling ALL the feels. I recommend tissues. I cried 12 times, no big deal. The way grief is approached is beautiful and truly so real to me. In the chapters that follow we get more purpose to drive Summer and others to act and I liked having this divining rod to guide us. We get a balance of fun banter, friendship, and chaos to help us along. I really loved Rafe’s journey in this book and it will grip your heart so much. Alice also plays a role that I feel is going to have such an impact in the books to come. Summer and the Stranger continue to have me obsessed and YOU ARE NOT READY. I also appreciated getting to explore new settings and be teased with more lore that has questioned so many things - for any theorizer this book is your love language. The climax is epic and will have you holding your breath at the end with fear and anticipation. There is another cliffhanger but it will make you less sad or more mad…because you have to wait for the next book.
Overall, Sorrow & Strangers delivers a dark romantasy that sinks its teeth in you and refuses to let go. It’s lush, it’s feral, but it’s also filled with yearning and want. I could not get enough.
Thank you so much to Rose and Star Publishing as well as Simon Maverick Audio for this arc!
“I am your beginning and end…Your first breath and your last…”
Sorrow and Strangers is the second instalment of an adult dark academia romantasy series Avalon University. Following the crippling events of book one, Summer and her friends are left picking up the pieces as they enter their second year at Avalon. Summer is just trying to keep her head above water but danger lurks as the realities of powerful enemies, a brooding stranger, and secrets of the past she struggles to confront, rise and give way. Summer must prepare herself because it seems the darkness she has spent years running from will not be denied.
Oh gosh this story was everything I needed and then some. It’s beautiful, raw and awe inspiring.
Summer’s journey in this book is a whirlwind as she faces grief that is unimaginable. I loved the journey, ebbs and flows, and the way she finds solace in her family. She is forced to confront a lot of things about herself, her past, and her future and the way she carries herself has me in a chokehold.
Connor is my baby and I love him so much here. Rafe surprised me a great deal in this book and I ADORE him. He changes in ways that reveal a lot more to his character and seeing Summer and Alice support him is wonderful. Alice also continues to be kick butt and the friend we all need. Her shenanigans are epic and I love what she brings into the home. The Stranger continues to tease and tempt us so just you wait. We also get new characters to shake up the story so be prepared!
“I’ve been a mess. Still am a mess.”
“And?” Alice asks...What’s wrong with being a mess? Normal is an illusion we all pretend is attainable. What’s normal to us is chaos to the fly…”
In terms of spice I would place this at 5 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. There are about 14 spicy scenes across this book and a few additional steamy scenes. We start to see spice around the 12% mark. Spice is explicit and detailed. There is primal play, explosive chemistry, size difference, and so much more. The spice is so well done and I love how it fits for each character because of the different POVs. The way in which intimacy at the core of this was everything I look for - to the point there were some steamy scenes that hit me harder in the feels than some of the spicy ones.
The story itself has different stages to be prepared for. I would say the first 40 chapters focus on grief at their core and they will have you feeling ALL the feels. I recommend tissues. I cried 12 times, no big deal. The way grief is approached is beautiful and truly so real to me. In the chapters that follow we get more purpose to drive Summer and others to act and I liked having this divining rod to guide us. We get a balance of fun banter, friendship, and chaos to help us along. I really loved Rafe’s journey in this book and it will grip your heart so much. Alice also plays a role that I feel is going to have such an impact in the books to come. Summer and the Stranger continue to have me obsessed and YOU ARE NOT READY. I also appreciated getting to explore new settings and be teased with more lore that has questioned so many things - for any theorizer this book is your love language. The climax is epic and will have you holding your breath at the end with fear and anticipation. There is another cliffhanger but it will make you less sad or more mad…because you have to wait for the next book.
Overall, Sorrow & Strangers delivers a dark romantasy that sinks its teeth in you and refuses to let go. It’s lush, it’s feral, but it’s also filled with yearning and want. I could not get enough.
Thank you so much to Rose and Star Publishing as well as Simon Maverick Audio for this arc!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the Rose & Star team for my arc copy of Sorrow & Strangers, all opinions are my own.
Final rating:
Overall: ♾️/5🌟
Spice: 4.5/5🌶️
First off let me start by saying I have only ever ONE OTHER TIME in all my years of reading have rated a book anything other than a 5 star and this will be THE SECOND BOOK I GIVE AN INFINITY RATING TOO!!!!!! This book is over 700 pages and I DEVOURED IT IN TWO DAYS!!!! Do you know that feeling you get when you have something in your hands that is just too good to put down?!?! WELL THIS IS THAT BOOK!!!! Your girl has been struggling with finding that feeling again since I read Wrath last year and I genuinely couldn’t put this book down…..Seriously I put off grocery shopping….still haven’t cooked my food or anything. I did NOT WANT TO PUT THIS DOWN!!!
Next let’s talk about the representation of grief in this book. We all know why Summer is grieving if you are reading S&S. I can genuinely say that reading her journey through grief and healing spoke to a part of my soul that has been hurting for 10 years. I lost the most important person in my life and I did not handle my grief well at all I did a lot of things I shouldn’t have. All that’s to say is that everyone grieves differently and handles everything differently. I really appreciate the care and the understanding of grief it took to write Summer in this book. I truly can’t imagine what someone had to go through in order to be able to write this so throughly. Reading Summer in this book genuinely made me feel less alone in what I experienced and that is a very hard thing to accomplish.
I truly love the friendships and the familial bond that we get to see throughout this book. I am so very happy with how it was written because going through grief and trauma can be very isolating and Summer has the most amazing support system!! The found family is really found familing in this one!!! It made me cry and it made my heart almost burst from how full it felt while reading this one!!!! I wish I could write that more eloquently but it was just so nice to read about and I think it was very important for her healing journey!! One of my FAVORITEEEEEEEEEEEEE things in this book, besides the Stranger 😏, is the bond between Alice and Summer and the lengths we get to witness that Alice to for Summer. I don’t want to speak too much on it right now but just know that we all deserve a soul sister and bond like the one Alice and Summer share. The one person who is down with you no matter what happens or what comes your way. I truly hope that everyone gets to experience this kind of bond with someone in their lifetime!!!
And it’s the little tiny details that are written that you don’t realize until you sit and process the book that make this so amazing!!!
The spice was VERY nice!!!!!! There were a lot of things I was not expecting to see but was FERALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR when I read them!!!! Some of my favorite tropes in this one and you don’t want to miss it besties!!!! I would say on the spicy scale rating this book would get a 4.5/5🌶️!!!!!! Primal play and the one bed trope will get me EVERY SINGLE TIME AND I EAT IT UPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!! I will say this one is much spicer than book 1 due to the types of spice we get to see and experience and it literally had me in a chokehold this book!!!
I am just so genuinely excited for this book to be out with everyone so you can experience it with me!!!! This has surpassed every book I have read this year and has easily landed among the top reads of 2026 and maybe ever alongside Wrath!!
Final rating:
Overall: ♾️/5🌟
Spice: 4.5/5🌶️
First off let me start by saying I have only ever ONE OTHER TIME in all my years of reading have rated a book anything other than a 5 star and this will be THE SECOND BOOK I GIVE AN INFINITY RATING TOO!!!!!! This book is over 700 pages and I DEVOURED IT IN TWO DAYS!!!! Do you know that feeling you get when you have something in your hands that is just too good to put down?!?! WELL THIS IS THAT BOOK!!!! Your girl has been struggling with finding that feeling again since I read Wrath last year and I genuinely couldn’t put this book down…..Seriously I put off grocery shopping….still haven’t cooked my food or anything. I did NOT WANT TO PUT THIS DOWN!!!
Next let’s talk about the representation of grief in this book. We all know why Summer is grieving if you are reading S&S. I can genuinely say that reading her journey through grief and healing spoke to a part of my soul that has been hurting for 10 years. I lost the most important person in my life and I did not handle my grief well at all I did a lot of things I shouldn’t have. All that’s to say is that everyone grieves differently and handles everything differently. I really appreciate the care and the understanding of grief it took to write Summer in this book. I truly can’t imagine what someone had to go through in order to be able to write this so throughly. Reading Summer in this book genuinely made me feel less alone in what I experienced and that is a very hard thing to accomplish.
I truly love the friendships and the familial bond that we get to see throughout this book. I am so very happy with how it was written because going through grief and trauma can be very isolating and Summer has the most amazing support system!! The found family is really found familing in this one!!! It made me cry and it made my heart almost burst from how full it felt while reading this one!!!! I wish I could write that more eloquently but it was just so nice to read about and I think it was very important for her healing journey!! One of my FAVORITEEEEEEEEEEEEE things in this book, besides the Stranger 😏, is the bond between Alice and Summer and the lengths we get to witness that Alice to for Summer. I don’t want to speak too much on it right now but just know that we all deserve a soul sister and bond like the one Alice and Summer share. The one person who is down with you no matter what happens or what comes your way. I truly hope that everyone gets to experience this kind of bond with someone in their lifetime!!!
And it’s the little tiny details that are written that you don’t realize until you sit and process the book that make this so amazing!!!
The spice was VERY nice!!!!!! There were a lot of things I was not expecting to see but was FERALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR when I read them!!!! Some of my favorite tropes in this one and you don’t want to miss it besties!!!! I would say on the spicy scale rating this book would get a 4.5/5🌶️!!!!!! Primal play and the one bed trope will get me EVERY SINGLE TIME AND I EAT IT UPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!! I will say this one is much spicer than book 1 due to the types of spice we get to see and experience and it literally had me in a chokehold this book!!!
I am just so genuinely excited for this book to be out with everyone so you can experience it with me!!!! This has surpassed every book I have read this year and has easily landed among the top reads of 2026 and maybe ever alongside Wrath!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Alexis Rune + Jeanette Rose have outdone themselves.
Book 1, Blood & Betrayals was one of my all-time favorite reads of last year. I was extremely fortunate to receive are eARC for Sorrow & Strangers. So, a huge thank you to the authors and Simon Maverick!
You all are not ready for the emotional roller-coaster that is this book.
Picking right up where we left off in Blood & Betrayals, the story begins with the most honest and raw exploration of grief. Not once shining away from all the ugly parts. I truly felt it in my bones. A true portrayal of how suffocating life can feel after loss. Watching one of my favorite characters slowly lose herself was heartbreaking but watching her eventually begin to find herself again was EVERYTHINHG.
Beyond the continuation of the devastating ending of Blood & Betrayals, this book also gave us so much more of the world and mysteries that make this story. Yet still leaving enough unknown for me to be FERAL for book 3. No, seriously, I haven't figured out how on earth my impatient self is going to be able to wait to devour more of this world.
Two of my favorite things about this series are how vast the world is and the side characters.
I adore the way Alexis and Jeanette meshed so many different aspects, lore, and mythology into this story. And book two takes that even farther. You have Arthurian legend, Heaven & Hell, Fae courts, and so much more. And not once did it feel overwhelming or like there was too much. I feel like our girl Summer, just fascinated and ready to soak up all the knowledge I can about their world.
And our side characters, every single one serves a purpose. All extremely well fleshed out. And all adding to the story, never taking away from it or distracting us from it. You have one of the best female friendships I have read in a very long time. The kind of friendship that physically makes you ache because of how raw and beautiful it is. Alice will forever be one of my favorite characters and Sorrow & Strangers just reminded me of why that is. Alice, the woman you are 💜
We also have the return of our favorite Avalon University men, diving deeper into each character and their relations to each other and the story. I ate up every second of a certain broody male's storyline! This was a very character driven story and I loved it. And I feel that is only something you can achieve successfully when the side characters feel just as important to the story as the main characters. We also had side characters that in my eyes became more of main characters and I have no doubt we will continue to see this in the next book. We also get some new characters! One especially that was an instant yes for me, IYKYK!
Watching Summer continue to grow and evolve though has truly been the highlight of this story for me. And of course, a certain faceless man that continues to haunt my dreams 😉
The ending was truly diabolical in the best possible way. I was pacing around my house at 3am after just finishing trying to get my mind stop racing. I have not stopped thinking about it since.
I am once again giving this series and this book all the stars. 💜
Book 1, Blood & Betrayals was one of my all-time favorite reads of last year. I was extremely fortunate to receive are eARC for Sorrow & Strangers. So, a huge thank you to the authors and Simon Maverick!
You all are not ready for the emotional roller-coaster that is this book.
Picking right up where we left off in Blood & Betrayals, the story begins with the most honest and raw exploration of grief. Not once shining away from all the ugly parts. I truly felt it in my bones. A true portrayal of how suffocating life can feel after loss. Watching one of my favorite characters slowly lose herself was heartbreaking but watching her eventually begin to find herself again was EVERYTHINHG.
Beyond the continuation of the devastating ending of Blood & Betrayals, this book also gave us so much more of the world and mysteries that make this story. Yet still leaving enough unknown for me to be FERAL for book 3. No, seriously, I haven't figured out how on earth my impatient self is going to be able to wait to devour more of this world.
Two of my favorite things about this series are how vast the world is and the side characters.
I adore the way Alexis and Jeanette meshed so many different aspects, lore, and mythology into this story. And book two takes that even farther. You have Arthurian legend, Heaven & Hell, Fae courts, and so much more. And not once did it feel overwhelming or like there was too much. I feel like our girl Summer, just fascinated and ready to soak up all the knowledge I can about their world.
And our side characters, every single one serves a purpose. All extremely well fleshed out. And all adding to the story, never taking away from it or distracting us from it. You have one of the best female friendships I have read in a very long time. The kind of friendship that physically makes you ache because of how raw and beautiful it is. Alice will forever be one of my favorite characters and Sorrow & Strangers just reminded me of why that is. Alice, the woman you are 💜
We also have the return of our favorite Avalon University men, diving deeper into each character and their relations to each other and the story. I ate up every second of a certain broody male's storyline! This was a very character driven story and I loved it. And I feel that is only something you can achieve successfully when the side characters feel just as important to the story as the main characters. We also had side characters that in my eyes became more of main characters and I have no doubt we will continue to see this in the next book. We also get some new characters! One especially that was an instant yes for me, IYKYK!
Watching Summer continue to grow and evolve though has truly been the highlight of this story for me. And of course, a certain faceless man that continues to haunt my dreams 😉
The ending was truly diabolical in the best possible way. I was pacing around my house at 3am after just finishing trying to get my mind stop racing. I have not stopped thinking about it since.
I am once again giving this series and this book all the stars. 💜
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This review is going to be unhinged but in all fairness I am now unhinged after reading this 🫠
Summer…. MY ANGEL BABY 😭
This girl went THROUGH IT. Her grief was so raw and suffocating it genuinely had Bella Swan depression montage energy. She didn’t just lose the love of her life, she lost her future, her sense of safety, her FAMILY.
Cue the sobbing, hiccuping migraine 🫠
Watching Summer slowly learn to accept every part of herself 😩 the good, the damaged, the terrified was honestly beautiful
Now onto the found family because EXCUSE ME???
These side characters had more personality and emotional depth than some entire main casts I’ve read recently.
Alice???
That’s not a best friend, that’s a goddess specifically assigned to emotionally support mentally unstable women. I would die for her 😩
The Morningstars???
Max??!
I would let these people ruin my credit score, steal my kidney and help dispose of a body with absolutely zero hesitation.
And now unfortunately we need to discuss The Stranger.
THIS MAN 🥵🥵🥵
The tension in this book had me panting, kicking my feet, chewing on my sleeve and briefly considering throwing my husband into the sea for not being The Stranger. THE PIERCING?!?!
One more scene and I would’ve needed a cold shower, an exorcism and some sort of padded cell because this man had me acting like I’d never experienced attraction before in my LIFE.
Absolutely humiliating behaviour from me honestly.
And the smut??????
OH THESE AUTHORS NEEDS TO ANSWER FOR THEIR CRIMES.
The tension was already unbearable but then THIS MAN opens his mouth??? Says ONE thing??? Looks at her for 0.2 seconds too long???
I ascended directly out of my body.
My ancestors did not survive plagues and wars for me to be this affected by a fictional man with yearning issues and a filthy mouth 🥵
The whiplash of going from being emotionally crippled to practically on heat was diabolical!
The Stranger could’ve looked me dead in the eyes, in my pupil and asked for anything 🫡
Bank details? Yours.
Organs? Take any
Moral compass? Pointing whichever way you want
Survival instincts? Gone
This man could ruin my life, spit on my grave and I’d still haunt people telling them ‘you don’t understand…. he was just misunderstood’ 🫠
This isn’t just on my favourites list anymore.
This has entered GOD TIER territory.
I apologise in advance for the absolutely unbearable, frothing at the mouth gremlin I will become when book 3 is announced because I fear I will lose the last remaining fragments of my sanity
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
♾️⭐️
I don’t even know where to begin to start with this review? Have you ever read a book that you love so much and the characters hold a special place in your heart and then there is a second book and the second book lives up to every expectation? Well that is this book! I loved every single second
Alexis & Jeanette deserve a round of applause for the way they dealt with grief and how each character dealt with it! ”There is no joy, no love, no laughter. There is only the agonising numbness of your loss” The first 30% I was a sobbing mess, let’s be real I sobbed on the first line. They have a way of creating characters that feel like you know them in real life, I was alongside Summer grieving. I loved how much she has grown as a character where she finally allows herself to be loved by others; Alice, the Morningstar’s. I sobbed with every interaction of them in Eden.
Alice as always adds some comic relief “you look like a mom ready to slut it up”. She really is Summer’s soulmate and they were made for each other 😭 I love their bond so much! Also I cried when summer told her that she deserves love and is enough!
Connor, my baby boy angel I will love you forever and always 🥹 his love for summer will forever get me. Like he deserves the world
Rafe, my angel baby 🥹🥹 he deserves all the happiness in the world. He broke my heart but I loved him so much. I loved him with his sisters, he was so protective but they all protected each other. I just want him to be happy with iykyk.
The stranger: man oh man I am so confused, hot and flustered, annoyed, conflicted? My emotions are all over the place with him. His jealousy and obsession 🫦 but my brain is on overload with what we found out! And I have so many questions. I need a blood&betrayals betrayals re read asap to see some more signs. I will be counting down the days until book 3!
The spice was spicy 🌶️ Alexis & Jeannette know how to provide some spicy scenes, lots of edging 🥵 and primal play.
Also the new characters? Obsessed with them! The found family in this book means so much to me and honestly I need to be reunited with them asap
Thank you Simon Maverick for this ARC! I have never been so excited for an ARC in my life
I don’t even know where to begin to start with this review? Have you ever read a book that you love so much and the characters hold a special place in your heart and then there is a second book and the second book lives up to every expectation? Well that is this book! I loved every single second
Alexis & Jeanette deserve a round of applause for the way they dealt with grief and how each character dealt with it! ”There is no joy, no love, no laughter. There is only the agonising numbness of your loss” The first 30% I was a sobbing mess, let’s be real I sobbed on the first line. They have a way of creating characters that feel like you know them in real life, I was alongside Summer grieving. I loved how much she has grown as a character where she finally allows herself to be loved by others; Alice, the Morningstar’s. I sobbed with every interaction of them in Eden.
Alice as always adds some comic relief “you look like a mom ready to slut it up”. She really is Summer’s soulmate and they were made for each other 😭 I love their bond so much! Also I cried when summer told her that she deserves love and is enough!
Connor, my baby boy angel I will love you forever and always 🥹 his love for summer will forever get me. Like he deserves the world
Rafe, my angel baby 🥹🥹 he deserves all the happiness in the world. He broke my heart but I loved him so much. I loved him with his sisters, he was so protective but they all protected each other. I just want him to be happy with iykyk.
The stranger: man oh man I am so confused, hot and flustered, annoyed, conflicted? My emotions are all over the place with him. His jealousy and obsession 🫦 but my brain is on overload with what we found out! And I have so many questions. I need a blood&betrayals betrayals re read asap to see some more signs. I will be counting down the days until book 3!
The spice was spicy 🌶️ Alexis & Jeannette know how to provide some spicy scenes, lots of edging 🥵 and primal play.
Also the new characters? Obsessed with them! The found family in this book means so much to me and honestly I need to be reunited with them asap
Thank you Simon Maverick for this ARC! I have never been so excited for an ARC in my life
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was the best book I've read all year. No notes. & I mean it! Could it have been fueled by my investment in the characters as the 2nd installment? Maybe. But reading this book was soooo-fucking-fulfilling! I needed it. If I look back at my B&B review, I got everything I was looking for, all I implied I wanted … & THEN SOME! There were some difficult emotions, of course. Dialogue unmatched! But all actions were crucial to the plot. This book actually made me cry, 1 of 2 to ever do it. & MORE THAN ONCE. But the chaos duo FED us with this one! Truly. You might need tissues for both sets of tears. 😏 Over 1800 highlights, babe. For the record. 🙂↕️
I'm an enemies to lovers girly, but we get even more here. & my other favorite trope: found family. FOUND FAMILYYY! If you thought you saw as much in B&B, baby, it's here tenfold with S&S!! My heart strings have no more give. For every reason! The grief rep in this book is so well done, IT HURT. The need to be self-aware, working through insecurity, the need to be grounded, letting people be there for you??? Again, so well done. Almost too good. 😮💨🙌
My girl had to face every truth. You might get frustrated, but you really have to put yourself there. We get more of all of my fav B&B elements. That ending tho'... made me GIGGLE. With irritation. 😂 I couldn’t stop smiling for hours after. Processing. 🥴 & like, Sobbing & Slutting really should've been the title. Again, tears were very present .. from both sources. Such a *delicious* read. Just the ride I needed.
Thank you so much for the ARC R&S!!!! 🖤🖤 Because even now, I cannot wait for my reread, even to live through & support others through their read. A part of me is still speechless! The spoiler-free part of me. I NEEEEED BOOK 3 YESTERDAY. Alexis called me a nightmare, but it is this story that kept me from my dreams. 😂😮💨 Incredible. More than 5⭐️. EASY. She’s THICK. But sooo very worth it. It’s necessary.
M.C.S.!!
I'm an enemies to lovers girly, but we get even more here. & my other favorite trope: found family. FOUND FAMILYYY! If you thought you saw as much in B&B, baby, it's here tenfold with S&S!! My heart strings have no more give. For every reason! The grief rep in this book is so well done, IT HURT. The need to be self-aware, working through insecurity, the need to be grounded, letting people be there for you??? Again, so well done. Almost too good. 😮💨🙌
My girl had to face every truth. You might get frustrated, but you really have to put yourself there. We get more of all of my fav B&B elements. That ending tho'... made me GIGGLE. With irritation. 😂 I couldn’t stop smiling for hours after. Processing. 🥴 & like, Sobbing & Slutting really should've been the title. Again, tears were very present .. from both sources. Such a *delicious* read. Just the ride I needed.
Thank you so much for the ARC R&S!!!! 🖤🖤 Because even now, I cannot wait for my reread, even to live through & support others through their read. A part of me is still speechless! The spoiler-free part of me. I NEEEEED BOOK 3 YESTERDAY. Alexis called me a nightmare, but it is this story that kept me from my dreams. 😂😮💨 Incredible. More than 5⭐️. EASY. She’s THICK. But sooo very worth it. It’s necessary.
M.C.S.!!
May 10, 2026
GOD TIER ♾️
I am just left staring at the wall. I can’t describe how much I love this series and I am so grateful to have received an ARC for Sorrow & Strangers. I devoured this in two days and COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN.
The first page, first five words had me bawling my eyes out. This focuses on Summer navigating and dealing with her grief. I have never felt so much when reading a book before, I felt the pain and devastation Summer was going through and honestly was mourning along with her. There were times I had to put this down because of how much my heart was hurting.
In book one, there is a huge found family aspect and I was so happy that this was carried on in book two. I loved the dynamic between Summer, Alice and Rafe and that is definitely holding a special place in my heart. (And our Maxxy boy! For any Max fans, you are all in for a treat!)
This was a SPICCCCCY time and I am here for it! The Stranger?! I was feral for him (I think we all are). I was constantly kicking my feet and giggling and can’t wait to re read already! Every time I read “Little Fae” I was done for.
I can’t forget Headmaster Emrys… the breadcrumbs we were getting of him WERE KEEPING ME FED.
If you’ve ever experienced grief before, you know it’s not a straight forward journey. It’s messy, toxic and complicated. We see that throughout Summers grief/heeling journey and some parts you find just so relatable. I have never highlighted so much on my Kindle before. Harrowing, beautiful, poetic and loving moments that will forever live rent free in my mind.
THE ENDING?! I can’t wait for you all to experience this book for the first time.
This is a GOD TIER series for me and will forever recommend. Thank you so much for this opportunity! This has made my year and is my favourite read of 2026!
I am just left staring at the wall. I can’t describe how much I love this series and I am so grateful to have received an ARC for Sorrow & Strangers. I devoured this in two days and COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN.
The first page, first five words had me bawling my eyes out. This focuses on Summer navigating and dealing with her grief. I have never felt so much when reading a book before, I felt the pain and devastation Summer was going through and honestly was mourning along with her. There were times I had to put this down because of how much my heart was hurting.
In book one, there is a huge found family aspect and I was so happy that this was carried on in book two. I loved the dynamic between Summer, Alice and Rafe and that is definitely holding a special place in my heart. (And our Maxxy boy! For any Max fans, you are all in for a treat!)
This was a SPICCCCCY time and I am here for it! The Stranger?! I was feral for him (I think we all are). I was constantly kicking my feet and giggling and can’t wait to re read already! Every time I read “Little Fae” I was done for.
I can’t forget Headmaster Emrys… the breadcrumbs we were getting of him WERE KEEPING ME FED.
If you’ve ever experienced grief before, you know it’s not a straight forward journey. It’s messy, toxic and complicated. We see that throughout Summers grief/heeling journey and some parts you find just so relatable. I have never highlighted so much on my Kindle before. Harrowing, beautiful, poetic and loving moments that will forever live rent free in my mind.
THE ENDING?! I can’t wait for you all to experience this book for the first time.
This is a GOD TIER series for me and will forever recommend. Thank you so much for this opportunity! This has made my year and is my favourite read of 2026!
May 16, 2026
Blood and Betrayals was one of my top reads last year, and I was so excited for Sorrow & Strangers. It did not disappoint one bit. These are lengthy books but I get so invested in the characters, and the world that I wish they were longer so I could stay in this world for as long as I can.
This was emotional for a good chunk of the book - it focuses on the many faces of grief. It’s not linear and we get a first hand POV of that in this book. I felt for these characters so much, at times I found myself tearing up.
Found family is one of my favourite tropes of all time - this encapsulated that. They would all go to war for each other, and there’s a sense of comfort in that knowing they all love and care for each other so deeply. Friendships and family that last literal lifetimes, with so much respect and generosity. Unreal.
We are introduced to a few new characters - I love them all. Even the ones that you think you might not like at first… ya you’ll grow to love them too. I’m trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible.
The romance, and there was a lot! I was invested, the tension and the angst was next level. Especially with another romance plot I will not go into detail about… <>I love them.
Of course the friendship between summer and Alice didn’t lose any spotlight, I love those girls, the DEFINITION of a true friendship that knows no bounds right there.
Let’s talk about the ending..GASPING for air, shocked, and utterly gutted all at the same time I didn’t know that was possible. I’m not sure how to even react after that. Book 3 is probably so far away but I have no issue rereading these books, they’re that good.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. You literally made my whole year ✨
This was emotional for a good chunk of the book - it focuses on the many faces of grief. It’s not linear and we get a first hand POV of that in this book. I felt for these characters so much, at times I found myself tearing up.
Found family is one of my favourite tropes of all time - this encapsulated that. They would all go to war for each other, and there’s a sense of comfort in that knowing they all love and care for each other so deeply. Friendships and family that last literal lifetimes, with so much respect and generosity. Unreal.
We are introduced to a few new characters - I love them all. Even the ones that you think you might not like at first… ya you’ll grow to love them too. I’m trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible.
The romance, and there was a lot! I was invested, the tension and the angst was next level. Especially with another romance plot I will not go into detail about… <>I love them.
Of course the friendship between summer and Alice didn’t lose any spotlight, I love those girls, the DEFINITION of a true friendship that knows no bounds right there.
Let’s talk about the ending..GASPING for air, shocked, and utterly gutted all at the same time I didn’t know that was possible. I’m not sure how to even react after that. Book 3 is probably so far away but I have no issue rereading these books, they’re that good.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. You literally made my whole year ✨
May 17, 2026
1.5⭐️ A repetitive book with absolutely no plot.
I absolutely loved Blood & Betrayals and was so excited when I could read this one ahead of the publish date. Unfortunately, that excitement was short lived.
The start felt really promising and like it was building up to a detailed story and was going to expand on the world but by about 30% in I felt it was going nowhere. I still enjoyed reading it for the most part as the writing style is fun but it was starting to feel like there was no actual point to the story.
By 60% all I could think about was how repetitive the book was. Every single chapter was the same and almost the entire book was sex. No plot. No direction. No story. Just sex. But also not even sex that was well written but just added for the sake of adding a sex chapter? I know the first book had a lot of sex in but it also had plot and some (albeit minor) world-building and an intriguing murder mystery aspect. This book had nothing.
There was also absolutely zero character development for Summer, she just kept repeating the same mistakes over and over again.
“I don’t want the stranger and I’ll stop being intimate with him” then literally 2 pages later she’s dry humping him… and repeat that cycle for the whole book
??? Girl make up your mind because it’s boring
The book has absolutely zero direction until the very very very end and it was poor at best. The entire ending was completely rushed and I predicted it from about halfway through the book so wasn’t shocked in the slightest. Just more confused than anything as it doesn’t really make sense.
If you’re looking for a book that is actually interesting to read and has a great plot then do not pick this up. If you want a book that is entirely badly written sex and nothing else then have fun
I absolutely loved Blood & Betrayals and was so excited when I could read this one ahead of the publish date. Unfortunately, that excitement was short lived.
The start felt really promising and like it was building up to a detailed story and was going to expand on the world but by about 30% in I felt it was going nowhere. I still enjoyed reading it for the most part as the writing style is fun but it was starting to feel like there was no actual point to the story.
By 60% all I could think about was how repetitive the book was. Every single chapter was the same and almost the entire book was sex. No plot. No direction. No story. Just sex. But also not even sex that was well written but just added for the sake of adding a sex chapter? I know the first book had a lot of sex in but it also had plot and some (albeit minor) world-building and an intriguing murder mystery aspect. This book had nothing.
There was also absolutely zero character development for Summer, she just kept repeating the same mistakes over and over again.
“I don’t want the stranger and I’ll stop being intimate with him” then literally 2 pages later she’s dry humping him… and repeat that cycle for the whole book
??? Girl make up your mind because it’s boring
The book has absolutely zero direction until the very very very end and it was poor at best. The entire ending was completely rushed and I predicted it from about halfway through the book so wasn’t shocked in the slightest. Just more confused than anything as it doesn’t really make sense.
If you’re looking for a book that is actually interesting to read and has a great plot then do not pick this up. If you want a book that is entirely badly written sex and nothing else then have fun
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was teary-eyed on page 1!
Sorrow & Strangers by is being released by on September 8th and WHEW!!! This is a journey of grief, friendship, healing, and so many emotions that it hit me in the feels more than once. And there's lots of yummy spice too 🥵
As the follow-up to Blood & Bretrayals and that tragic ending, we pick up right where it ended. Summer is left to carve out a new life and future for herself, one that is nothing like what she was planning before everything fell apart. With her grief, depression and anger taking center stage my heart bled for her and everything she was going through.
The character and relationship development take center stage and we learn so much more about Summer, Stranger, Max, Alice and Rafe. Some new characters enter the story and some old favorites become more clear - it all blended together to paint a very real story of grief, loss, the rage of being left behind, and the journey to work through it all as Summer puts all her broken, jagged pieces together to find who she is in this new reality.
We get a lot of Stranger in this book, which is exactly what I was hoping for, as that man is HOTTTTT 🔥🫠 .There are some new story lines that are developed and a big reveal or two that you DO NOT want to miss!!
Thank you to Alexis Rune, Jeanette Rose, Simon Maverick Audio and NetGalley for this ARC. I am really unsure how I will survive waiting for the next book and have my fingers crossed I will get that ARC to help reduce the wait. I neeeeeed it nowwww 😆🥲
Sorrow & Strangers by is being released by on September 8th and WHEW!!! This is a journey of grief, friendship, healing, and so many emotions that it hit me in the feels more than once. And there's lots of yummy spice too 🥵
As the follow-up to Blood & Bretrayals and that tragic ending, we pick up right where it ended. Summer is left to carve out a new life and future for herself, one that is nothing like what she was planning before everything fell apart. With her grief, depression and anger taking center stage my heart bled for her and everything she was going through.
The character and relationship development take center stage and we learn so much more about Summer, Stranger, Max, Alice and Rafe. Some new characters enter the story and some old favorites become more clear - it all blended together to paint a very real story of grief, loss, the rage of being left behind, and the journey to work through it all as Summer puts all her broken, jagged pieces together to find who she is in this new reality.
We get a lot of Stranger in this book, which is exactly what I was hoping for, as that man is HOTTTTT 🔥🫠 .There are some new story lines that are developed and a big reveal or two that you DO NOT want to miss!!
Thank you to Alexis Rune, Jeanette Rose, Simon Maverick Audio and NetGalley for this ARC. I am really unsure how I will survive waiting for the next book and have my fingers crossed I will get that ARC to help reduce the wait. I neeeeeed it nowwww 😆🥲
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Alright now that I'm not the only one that's read this. Here's an actual review that still gives you nothing looool
After the way Blood & Betrayals ended, I had an idea of the grief that Summer was going to be put through. But man... Alexis and Jeanette did not hold back. The way they handled grief, not just with Summer, but with all the characters was incredible. For those that need it, I hope it helps them process their own grief. My heart ached for Summer. It ached for the Morningstars. But I was also given hope, because they can push through it.
Now, besides all the sorrows, we do get some spice. A lot of it. It cannot be skipped. It is integral to the plot and growth of the characters. If that's not your jam, this series really isn't for you. FInd a friend and just let them give you a play by play. We see Summer go through it in this book. She's grieving. She's feeling things she doesn't necessarily want to feel cause she wants to keep hold of that piece of happiness she had. That piece that she believed made her good. She curls into herself, and I love how we see her friends try to bring her back out and help her try to find herself again.
We also got like a lot of information, but also not enough information to really do anything with what we learned. This is definitely going to be a series with a lot of readability and I cannot wait to go back to B&B now that I have knowledge from S&S. I got some vindicated answers, but it also left me with so many more questions. My theories about the Stranger are getting out of hand. This doesn't come out until September and I quite literally need book 3 in my hands immediately. I need reactions from people. I need wellness checks from people. I just need to know what happens next!
This review is so vague, but I'm terrified of spoiling anything. This needs to be experienced first hand. I need everyone to read it themselves then join me in the spiral. Thanks so much Simon Maverick and Edelweiss for the advanced copy. It was very worth reading early even if I was spiraling on my own for a few days.
After the way Blood & Betrayals ended, I had an idea of the grief that Summer was going to be put through. But man... Alexis and Jeanette did not hold back. The way they handled grief, not just with Summer, but with all the characters was incredible. For those that need it, I hope it helps them process their own grief. My heart ached for Summer. It ached for the Morningstars. But I was also given hope, because they can push through it.
Now, besides all the sorrows, we do get some spice. A lot of it. It cannot be skipped. It is integral to the plot and growth of the characters. If that's not your jam, this series really isn't for you. FInd a friend and just let them give you a play by play. We see Summer go through it in this book. She's grieving. She's feeling things she doesn't necessarily want to feel cause she wants to keep hold of that piece of happiness she had. That piece that she believed made her good. She curls into herself, and I love how we see her friends try to bring her back out and help her try to find herself again.
We also got like a lot of information, but also not enough information to really do anything with what we learned. This is definitely going to be a series with a lot of readability and I cannot wait to go back to B&B now that I have knowledge from S&S. I got some vindicated answers, but it also left me with so many more questions. My theories about the Stranger are getting out of hand. This doesn't come out until September and I quite literally need book 3 in my hands immediately. I need reactions from people. I need wellness checks from people. I just need to know what happens next!
This review is so vague, but I'm terrified of spoiling anything. This needs to be experienced first hand. I need everyone to read it themselves then join me in the spiral. Thanks so much Simon Maverick and Edelweiss for the advanced copy. It was very worth reading early even if I was spiraling on my own for a few days.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Sorrow & Strangers - this was one of my most anticipated releases of the year.
I'm so sad to be giving this book 2.5 stars. Directly down the middle for me, if I'm being completely honest the book was sitting at a 2 for majority of the book however the last 10% of the book bumped it up half a star.
I read Blood & Betrayals last year and gave it 4.75 huge stars, I absolutely adored the book and raved about it every chance I could get. If you've read that book you'll know the ending was absolutely diabolical and soul crushing. Naturally I was so excited to get a copy of the second book 4 months earlier!
Sadly I feel like this book had no real storyline or major plot points. In book one we had the new school, the introduction to the stranger and the murder mystery.
This book felt like - crying, fucking, training repeat. Add in visiting a new place maybe every quarter. For a book as long as this one it began to feel quite repetitive and I found myself not wanting to pick up my kindle and continue.
In saying all of that i obviously did enjoy some aspects. The found family was really sweet and I'll be interested to see how the new members play there part in the overall story. We got many more snippets of the hot and broody headmaster and the mysterious obsessive stranger.
I hope book 3 reignites my love for the series
I'm so sad to be giving this book 2.5 stars. Directly down the middle for me, if I'm being completely honest the book was sitting at a 2 for majority of the book however the last 10% of the book bumped it up half a star.
I read Blood & Betrayals last year and gave it 4.75 huge stars, I absolutely adored the book and raved about it every chance I could get. If you've read that book you'll know the ending was absolutely diabolical and soul crushing. Naturally I was so excited to get a copy of the second book 4 months earlier!
Sadly I feel like this book had no real storyline or major plot points. In book one we had the new school, the introduction to the stranger and the murder mystery.
This book felt like - crying, fucking, training repeat. Add in visiting a new place maybe every quarter. For a book as long as this one it began to feel quite repetitive and I found myself not wanting to pick up my kindle and continue.
In saying all of that i obviously did enjoy some aspects. The found family was really sweet and I'll be interested to see how the new members play there part in the overall story. We got many more snippets of the hot and broody headmaster and the mysterious obsessive stranger.
I hope book 3 reignites my love for the series
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Where do I even start? I thought I was ready, I was not ready for this book.
Grab some tissues and a notebook - you’re going to need them. I closed these pages with so many theories and ideas bouncing around. I can not wait to see how Alexis and Jeanette tie things together and what is revealed in the rest of the series.
There is so much emotion and grief experienced throughout these chapters, especially in the beginning. I wept for these characters and what they were going through. Seeing how each handled themselves and were there for one another was so real. Everyone heals differently and in their own time, and this book exemplifies this perfectly.
If found family is one of your tropes, this is it. I absolutely love how the characters show up for one another and seem to know exactly what each others need. Alice and Summer are THE besties we should all strive to be. There are a few relationships that surprised me, but no spoilers.
The Stranger. Oh this man. We’re going to leave it here for now, but get ready.
I was emotionally destroyed and exhausted, and loved every second. So thankful for the advanced copy, and I’ll be rereading both Blood & Betrayals and Sorrow & Strangers before release.
Grab some tissues and a notebook - you’re going to need them. I closed these pages with so many theories and ideas bouncing around. I can not wait to see how Alexis and Jeanette tie things together and what is revealed in the rest of the series.
There is so much emotion and grief experienced throughout these chapters, especially in the beginning. I wept for these characters and what they were going through. Seeing how each handled themselves and were there for one another was so real. Everyone heals differently and in their own time, and this book exemplifies this perfectly.
If found family is one of your tropes, this is it. I absolutely love how the characters show up for one another and seem to know exactly what each others need. Alice and Summer are THE besties we should all strive to be. There are a few relationships that surprised me, but no spoilers.
The Stranger. Oh this man. We’re going to leave it here for now, but get ready.
I was emotionally destroyed and exhausted, and loved every second. So thankful for the advanced copy, and I’ll be rereading both Blood & Betrayals and Sorrow & Strangers before release.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely fell in love with book 1 and I was definitely not ready for book 2.
Overall this was an emotional rollercoaster but within it, there was love, healing and found family.
Like book 1, this was action packed, full of mysteries and adventure around worlds. It is fast paced and impossible to put down. But yes, I did sob uncontrollably for the first 20% of this book. It's not afraid to face grief head on and show all of the ugly parts.
All of the characters are written beautifully and it's great to watch them grow and evolve. Summer is obviously going through a lot and it absolutely broke my heart to read. Alice is, again, the best friend we all need!! She held her hand through it all and supported her no matter what. Rafe really came into this book and let everyone know he will be their favourite character, his selflessness and compassion are wonderful and the journey that he has started on will be a huge part of future books and something I am very excited to read. The Stranger... I am excited to see where this goes, obsessed.
The ending I predicted while reading book 1 but the story did a good job at making me forget about it, so I was still shocked! I need book 3 immediately, the endings of these books ruin me.
Overall this was an emotional rollercoaster but within it, there was love, healing and found family.
Like book 1, this was action packed, full of mysteries and adventure around worlds. It is fast paced and impossible to put down. But yes, I did sob uncontrollably for the first 20% of this book. It's not afraid to face grief head on and show all of the ugly parts.
All of the characters are written beautifully and it's great to watch them grow and evolve. Summer is obviously going through a lot and it absolutely broke my heart to read. Alice is, again, the best friend we all need!! She held her hand through it all and supported her no matter what. Rafe really came into this book and let everyone know he will be their favourite character, his selflessness and compassion are wonderful and the journey that he has started on will be a huge part of future books and something I am very excited to read. The Stranger... I am excited to see where this goes, obsessed.
The ending I predicted while reading book 1 but the story did a good job at making me forget about it, so I was still shocked! I need book 3 immediately, the endings of these books ruin me.
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