I love the supernatural world, it just offers that splendid spark of power, magic and admirable creatures. This dystopian setting is quite the ruthless one as humans are no longer considered individuals, but are mere possessions that are bred, raised and allocated to certain sections within society with one specific purpose - to serve the vampires and the lycans. The Blood Alliance is not simply a council, it is an authoritarian power that allows both dark creatures to deal with humans as they see fit.
Juliet is a product of that vicious cycle, raised in the hands of matrons and taught harsh lessons from an early age- her only purpose is to obey and yield. When she is purchased by Darius, a rather intriguing vampire, her world starts to change as each of her current views start to shred into pieces as she is introduced to some harsh truths about the world prior to the Blood Alliance. The MMC has an agenda of his own and Juliet might be just the right tool to bring everything crashing to the ground.
Darius is one of those characters that you like, then hate and eventually perhaps grow fond of at some point. Juliet does struggle through this story as she is constantly battling with her inner self, the world as she knew it is simply a propaganda, one that has ultimately altered her life.
The connection between the main characters is evident and it does evolve into something more meaningful. However, there were parts that I found difficult to accept. I can see the reasoning behind Darius' decisions, but some of his rationale and deeds simply did not sit right with me. Juliet was easier in a way to understand. It takes time, effort and dedication to change one's mindset, especially if others have completely kept you up in the dark from the truth. Here, it is not just brainwashing. Juliet faces quite the obstacle as she needs to come to terms with the fact that things have been different for humans. The attempt to accept herself not just a mere property of her master, but a person, who should have her freedom to choose as she sees fit proves to be rather challenging. The psychological aspect here is quite interesting and the author has done a good job at portraying the FMC's journey.
I did like the premise of this book. The author has done wonderfully with the description of this harsh world. The characters are mostly cunning, strategic and consistent in their pursuit of reaching their objective. Of course, among all the plotting, games and politics, there is a love story. Is it a tender, sweet and cosy love story? No. It is the type of emotional connection that comes through struggle, acceptance and putting one's trust and loyalty into the hands of another.