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Ever Green #3
In the Black
Niko’s life is settling into a comfortable routine. Every morning he wakes to Cobalt, his gorgeous boyfriend, before spending the day trying to find answers to questions no one else is asking. With leeway from his Captain to investigate as he pleases, Niko somehow finds himself uncharacteristically happy. He should’ve known that wouldn’t last long.
The case he’s investigating is a missing person, and things get complicated fast. The victim was part of a secretive and reclusive group known as the Choir. Outsiders don’t have access to members, don’t even know where the Choir lives and operates. While one person tells Niko the victim disappeared under suspicious circumstances, everyone else seems to agree she just left on her own. But why would a young woman at the peak of her career just drop everything and leave? To find out the truth, Niko has to go where Cobalt planned never to return—Azure’s Court, deep in the ocean.
Playing as though he’s just curious about Cobalt’s former life as a Royal Guard, Niko questions Cobalt’s old friends. In doing so, he finds out much more than he bargained for about his lover’s past—including Cobalt’s ex. The more Niko uncovers, the more questions he has, both about the case and his relationship. He thinks finding out what happened to the victim will give him the answers he needs, but it might just force Niko to make the hardest choice of his life. What’s more important—justice or love?
In the Black is a 154,000 word mystery m/m romance set in the fantasy world of the Three Courts with a HEA. It features explicit BDSM scenes between two men, including edgeplay, making it appropriate for mature readers aged 18 and up. There are also instances of gore, violence, and coarse language. This is the third and final novel of the Ever Green series and is best enjoyed following the other two, Out of the Blue, and Seeing Red.
The case he’s investigating is a missing person, and things get complicated fast. The victim was part of a secretive and reclusive group known as the Choir. Outsiders don’t have access to members, don’t even know where the Choir lives and operates. While one person tells Niko the victim disappeared under suspicious circumstances, everyone else seems to agree she just left on her own. But why would a young woman at the peak of her career just drop everything and leave? To find out the truth, Niko has to go where Cobalt planned never to return—Azure’s Court, deep in the ocean.
Playing as though he’s just curious about Cobalt’s former life as a Royal Guard, Niko questions Cobalt’s old friends. In doing so, he finds out much more than he bargained for about his lover’s past—including Cobalt’s ex. The more Niko uncovers, the more questions he has, both about the case and his relationship. He thinks finding out what happened to the victim will give him the answers he needs, but it might just force Niko to make the hardest choice of his life. What’s more important—justice or love?
In the Black is a 154,000 word mystery m/m romance set in the fantasy world of the Three Courts with a HEA. It features explicit BDSM scenes between two men, including edgeplay, making it appropriate for mature readers aged 18 and up. There are also instances of gore, violence, and coarse language. This is the third and final novel of the Ever Green series and is best enjoyed following the other two, Out of the Blue, and Seeing Red.
404 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 21, 2019
8 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Lyra Evans
14 books94 followersLyra Evans has been making up stories since she was a kid and writing them down since her best friends informed her that was actually a career. Though plot and fantasy are what drive her worlds, she's got a particular love for M/M romance that she can't quite kick (though who would want to?). She tries her best to mix those three elements in her novels. A lover of books, games, food, and travel, she's always excited to try something new.
For updates on her novels and what inspires her, follow her on Twitter.
If you'd like to receive an email alert every time one of her books goes live, you can subscribe to the newsletter here: eepurl.com/cm-Af2 (you'll only receive emails for new books, no spam).
For updates on her novels and what inspires her, follow her on Twitter.
If you'd like to receive an email alert every time one of her books goes live, you can subscribe to the newsletter here: eepurl.com/cm-Af2 (you'll only receive emails for new books, no spam).
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 11, 2024
✅ Smut
✅ Characters
✅ Intrigue / Plot
✅ Expansion of the world-building
✅ Merfolk
✅🆗 Pace
✅🆗 Romance
🆗 Action
🆗❌ BDSM dynamic
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: explicit BDSM scenes with rough moments (slaps and others)
3.5 stars
As in the previous books, the intrigue is good, but the amount of details is always a little problematic because it slows the pace and honestly I wanted to skim some paragraphs sometimes with all the detailed descriptions of the food, the houses, the colors, the textures… But the intrigue is still good so it’s worth it overall.
I LOVED the expansion of world-building in this book. We got to visit Azure’s court and discover how Selkies live, how they interact with each other and the other courts, what they eat, etc. It was a nice change from Maeve’s court and politics and I did enjoy the descriptions for that part of the book a lot. Coral also grew on me in this book, and I am glad that she got her HEA too.
Poor Niko is having a hard time taking a leap of faith when it comes to his relationship with Cobalt. He was let down many times before and he obviously has trust issues, so while he does love Cobalt, he seems to still be on the fence when it comes to their potential future bonding and long-term life together. On a side note, his relationship with Starla is so cute. The way they always have each other's back and would beat the shit out of anyone who hurt the other is heartwarming.
Back to Niko and Cobalt, I had no problem with BDSM in a more sexual context as it was presented in the first book. Having a dom and a sub in sexual foreplay and intercourse was fine with me, but seeing it in their everyday life was a little awkward honestly. I struggle with the whole “he’s mad so I should kneel and apologize because he’s the master of my body” mentality, especially when it's not something that happens in a sexual context. It does not feel “right” out of the sexual context, as if it becomes so much more restraining once it leaves the bedroom. It’s not just about sexual games and roleplay, it’s about having someone telling you what to do, when to do it, and taking control over your life… I know it's not done in a toxic way, Cobalt deeply loves Niko and respects him, and it’s just the way BDSM relationships work I imagine, but I had trouble getting on board with it.
Argh! Noooooo, your body is yours! I guess the BDSM way of life is definitely not meant for me according to how frustrated I was with these types of interactions. It just bugged me how Niko would get punished for things that happened outside of the bedroom and he was okay with it, even though he does not seem to be the most submissive in his everyday life, despite the fact that pain excites him. I feel that there is a difference between having pain inflicted on him during sexy times because it turns him on, and just being pushed around because he said something that Cobalt didn't like. Like the fact that he gets slapped so many times because of “mistakes” or because he said something that Cobalt didn’t like. I know it’s not an abusive relationship, but it almost seems like it at times (for me and my non-BDSM expert point of view at least)… So yeah, I guess I’m not a fan of BDSM relationships after all…
Also, I really wish we could have seen more of Preston in this book, I really like him and his humor and unapologetic attitude. Even Uri grew up on me after a rough start in the first book... I would have liked more of them.
So yeah, overall this is not a bad series, the intrigue in each book is well thought out and developed, it's really just the pace that suffers from the number of details and the slower development of the plot (sometimes) and it made it a little hard at times to stay invested in the book. But at the same time, there are intense moments with emotions, action, betrayal, and angst that made it up for the slower parts. The BDSM part was getting a little too much for me in this book, but if you don't mind the dynamic of the master being physically violent with his sub, then you will probably enjoy it even more than I did.
1. Out of the Blue ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Seeing Red ⭐⭐⭐.5
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✅ Characters
✅ Intrigue / Plot
✅ Expansion of the world-building
✅ Merfolk
✅🆗 Pace
✅🆗 Romance
🆗 Action
🆗❌ BDSM dynamic
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: explicit BDSM scenes with rough moments (slaps and others)
3.5 stars
As in the previous books, the intrigue is good, but the amount of details is always a little problematic because it slows the pace and honestly I wanted to skim some paragraphs sometimes with all the detailed descriptions of the food, the houses, the colors, the textures… But the intrigue is still good so it’s worth it overall.
I LOVED the expansion of world-building in this book. We got to visit Azure’s court and discover how Selkies live, how they interact with each other and the other courts, what they eat, etc. It was a nice change from Maeve’s court and politics and I did enjoy the descriptions for that part of the book a lot. Coral also grew on me in this book, and I am glad that she got her HEA too.
Niko was still unskilled in the art of relationships, and some days he didn’t particularly care to practice. Some days, he just wanted to burn.
Poor Niko is having a hard time taking a leap of faith when it comes to his relationship with Cobalt. He was let down many times before and he obviously has trust issues, so while he does love Cobalt, he seems to still be on the fence when it comes to their potential future bonding and long-term life together. On a side note, his relationship with Starla is so cute. The way they always have each other's back and would beat the shit out of anyone who hurt the other is heartwarming.
Back to Niko and Cobalt, I had no problem with BDSM in a more sexual context as it was presented in the first book. Having a dom and a sub in sexual foreplay and intercourse was fine with me, but seeing it in their everyday life was a little awkward honestly. I struggle with the whole “he’s mad so I should kneel and apologize because he’s the master of my body” mentality, especially when it's not something that happens in a sexual context. It does not feel “right” out of the sexual context, as if it becomes so much more restraining once it leaves the bedroom. It’s not just about sexual games and roleplay, it’s about having someone telling you what to do, when to do it, and taking control over your life… I know it's not done in a toxic way, Cobalt deeply loves Niko and respects him, and it’s just the way BDSM relationships work I imagine, but I had trouble getting on board with it.
“So whose body is it?” Cobalt asked, voice low and dark, wrapping Niko in another layer of hunger. It was too much, too intense; he needed release.
“Yours,” Niko said, breathless and desperate, and finally understanding. “Yours.”
Argh! Noooooo, your body is yours! I guess the BDSM way of life is definitely not meant for me according to how frustrated I was with these types of interactions. It just bugged me how Niko would get punished for things that happened outside of the bedroom and he was okay with it, even though he does not seem to be the most submissive in his everyday life, despite the fact that pain excites him. I feel that there is a difference between having pain inflicted on him during sexy times because it turns him on, and just being pushed around because he said something that Cobalt didn't like. Like the fact that he gets slapped so many times because of “mistakes” or because he said something that Cobalt didn’t like. I know it’s not an abusive relationship, but it almost seems like it at times (for me and my non-BDSM expert point of view at least)… So yeah, I guess I’m not a fan of BDSM relationships after all…
Also, I really wish we could have seen more of Preston in this book, I really like him and his humor and unapologetic attitude. Even Uri grew up on me after a rough start in the first book... I would have liked more of them.
So yeah, overall this is not a bad series, the intrigue in each book is well thought out and developed, it's really just the pace that suffers from the number of details and the slower development of the plot (sometimes) and it made it a little hard at times to stay invested in the book. But at the same time, there are intense moments with emotions, action, betrayal, and angst that made it up for the slower parts. The BDSM part was getting a little too much for me in this book, but if you don't mind the dynamic of the master being physically violent with his sub, then you will probably enjoy it even more than I did.
1. Out of the Blue ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Seeing Red ⭐⭐⭐.5
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May 10, 2020
4.5/5
A perfect ending to the triology (though I hope the author will extend the series for I love the universe as well as the couple. ^_^)
The adventure to the under-sea world was a fresh and exciting, and I like the insight into both Nic and Colbat past. Also the resolution for their romance was so sweet. :)
A perfect ending to the triology (though I hope the author will extend the series for I love the universe as well as the couple. ^_^)
The adventure to the under-sea world was a fresh and exciting, and I like the insight into both Nic and Colbat past. Also the resolution for their romance was so sweet. :)
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March 9, 2020What a great ending
Such complex characters from start to finish. I truly enjoyed watching Niko find himself and what a journey of discovery it was with a lot of twists and turns. I loved the suspense of really not knowing if he Cobalt could overcome everything and another great mystery for them both to solve.. Highly recommend
Such complex characters from start to finish. I truly enjoyed watching Niko find himself and what a journey of discovery it was with a lot of twists and turns. I loved the suspense of really not knowing if he Cobalt could overcome everything and another great mystery for them both to solve.. Highly recommend
July 25, 2024
What a fucking ride.
The plot had a lot of twists and turns and we got to see the Azure court. Yay!
This book is a great conclusion to the series, but I expected something more to it.
Some moments were pure bliss and some were utter shit. My emotions were all over the place. I didn't understand that the dom/sub dynamic was out of sex and it was confusing.
The plot had a lot of twists and turns and we got to see the Azure court. Yay!
This book is a great conclusion to the series, but I expected something more to it.
Some moments were pure bliss and some were utter shit. My emotions were all over the place. I didn't understand that the dom/sub dynamic was out of sex and it was confusing.
December 27, 2019
Niko finally gets his peace of mind - such a wonderful ending to the trilogy! Love the writing and the suspense, with a bad guy I didn't see coming. Loved it. The blurb is accurate and the book is even better.
December 22, 2019
3.5 rounded up
Enjoyable conclusion to this trilogy, with an interesting plot and some lovely relationship development. I did think the book was a little long, some of the kink was a bit more extreme than I personally cared for, and I found myself not entirely satisfied with the emotional interplay within the relationship. It's hard to exactly put my finger on it, but I just wanted something more. I think partially I just never, throughout the books, felt like I really strongly connected with Cobalt. I loved Niko, but Cobalt remained a bit of an enigma. But I did enjoy this one, enough to read it all in one sitting despite the longer length.
Enjoyable conclusion to this trilogy, with an interesting plot and some lovely relationship development. I did think the book was a little long, some of the kink was a bit more extreme than I personally cared for, and I found myself not entirely satisfied with the emotional interplay within the relationship. It's hard to exactly put my finger on it, but I just wanted something more. I think partially I just never, throughout the books, felt like I really strongly connected with Cobalt. I loved Niko, but Cobalt remained a bit of an enigma. But I did enjoy this one, enough to read it all in one sitting despite the longer length.
May 21, 2021
* Review for all 3 books in the trilogy
Wow. These books left me breathless. The world they are written in is vast, complex, detailed, and so compelling. The story was just fantastic. There is romance and sex and mystery in each novel with some turns and twists I just didn't expect. They are also long, over 400 pages each and each page seemed completely necessary for the tale. I understand that this is the third trilogy the author has written in this world and I will absolutely be going back to read everything else
Wow. These books left me breathless. The world they are written in is vast, complex, detailed, and so compelling. The story was just fantastic. There is romance and sex and mystery in each novel with some turns and twists I just didn't expect. They are also long, over 400 pages each and each page seemed completely necessary for the tale. I understand that this is the third trilogy the author has written in this world and I will absolutely be going back to read everything else
July 25, 2020
All the feels
Generally I don't like books that are too emotional but this book was amazing. I'm without words.
The emotions in this book came out of the characters personality and history. They were organic not put in for drama.
Plus sexy.
Also, the scars will always be there, not washed away in some vaguely Stockholm syndrome 'happy ending ' like so many romances
Need to reread the series to remember all the tells.
Generally I don't like books that are too emotional but this book was amazing. I'm without words.
The emotions in this book came out of the characters personality and history. They were organic not put in for drama.
Plus sexy.
Also, the scars will always be there, not washed away in some vaguely Stockholm syndrome 'happy ending ' like so many romances
Need to reread the series to remember all the tells.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews