First, I did not remember much about book one other than I liked it, so I speed read through it to refresh my memory. I guess it has been a while between books...
I do think this book is moderately entertaining and since I am willing to give this author a chance to fix this mess, I do recommend it to those that liked the first one.
If you haven’t read the first one, I would wait until the 3rd and see what people say about it before getting frustrated by the second one. There’s a lot of good books out there while waiting for the 3rd installment, I am sure.
This book was short, low on romance meter, and did a disservice to the male characters. I was particularly disappointed in Rime. I was thinking he might be one of those grouchy but sweet underneath, with a LOT more intense sexy. Instead he was portrayed as a “redneck” because he liked football (wth?!?! Seriously?), and an “airhead”, and sadly by his own words “not a very smart man”, JUST like Forest Gump!!! 😳 The “good person” Keri was, she struggled not to laugh at him and “start the blonde jokes”. What?! This is supposed to be a high power triad. Yes, he flexed his badass magical muscles a little later in the book, but otherwise, it was booooooring. It did NOT have to be. No! WHY? Why would the author do that to her own characters? Can she fix it?
Soapbox: So much time was spent on how Keri was such a good person who loved everyone, especially fairies...and still grieving Peter. Stop it! Like some authors who write reverse harem, they try to make excuses for the woman to show that she’s really a “good person” and can’t help but have a few extra guys in her romantic life and that she’s trying to “take things slow”...because you know, women who have more than one love interest are (sluts?) in need of excuses for their behavior. Get over it. Don’t write reverse harem if you think the woman needs to have tons of time to wring her hands and excuses and guilt and lots of proof she’s just a “good person” with a lot of love to give 🙄. People who intentionally read reverse harem are not thinking “slut”. They are thinking “this is going to be FUN”! Please don’t ruin our FUN over faux morality and double standards. End soapbox.
Trick was almost nonexistent, Ciar was boring too (no sexy), and the one sexy time with Rime was rushed and glossed over. The possible “patron” turns out to be her fate. I had a feeling about him from book one. But there were SO many missed opportunities for interesting and exciting (in every way) things in this book. It was sloppy.
Overall, I do think the author has the potential/talent to pull this one out of the ditch and still win. This could go far and do well with some effort.