Wed to the Wild God

Aspect and Anchor #3

by Ruby Dixon

When I find a gorgeous stranger in an alley, covered in blood, you'd think the logical thing would be to go to the authorities. Not me. I take him home. I've got my reasons, though. See, Kassam is cursed with hedonism. He's a god from another world, accidentally stuck in ours. Anyone (and everyone) around him falls under his spell. It's impossible to resist. Like scratching an itch. And being around Kassam? Boy, do I itch. But trying to send the god home to his world is a near-impossible task. Between everyone we meet trying to kiss him and the gods of this world trying to get rid of him, I'm in over my head. There's only one solution that will keep me safe--marry him. Being the wife of a god will protect me from immortal machinations. Now, I just need to figure out a way to protect my heart from Kassam himself. Contains mature themes.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Audiobook, Gods

465 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 27, 2021

About the author

Ruby Dixon is an author of Science Fiction Romance. She likes fated mates, baby-filled epilogues, and cinnamon roll heroes. She also likes to write biographies of herself in the third person, because it feels more important that way.

Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)

Reviews

[Giorgia Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars (would have been 3 if I didn’t know the potential it had and how long I waited for this, only to be left dissatisfied)

Not even close to the quality of the first book or even the second.

There’s few things I liked and a whole lot I didn’t BUT the biggest complaint is that the slow burn and the true connection we got in the first 2 books were missing.

This book felt like filler in a series with massive potential.

There was also the issue of there being some slightly misogynistic undertones which I obviously didn’t appreciate. It would have been ok if they were integrated in the story as a “lesson” of sorts, but here it was more of an internalised misogyny issue which is one of those things that can slip in unintended.

So a few complaints I have:

- there wasn’t much tension or angst in the story. There was a bit of a mystery at the beginning and it kept me waiting to see how things would develop but then I quickly realised that it’s going nowhere exciting.

- I didn’t enjoy the way the hedonism Aspect was handled. The heroine had her brain muddled most of the time at the beginning. So whatever relationship was established between them eventually- it was done so on a foundation of coercion (even if Kassam did not of it intentionally) I would go as far as saying that consent was definitely not present because of Kassam’s presence being like a drug to everyone around him. I didn’t enjoy that part of the story at all. I wanted something believable and strong to develop between them - so to me it feels tainted.

- side characters were not so great in this (Seth and Margo) - except Carly’s mom - she was a gem.
-the plot had holes and some things went unexplained

- Kassam was fine - but not like Raghos or Aron - he had his funny and sweet moments BUT he was very clueless for too long. His growth didn’t feel very genuine in terms of how the plot developed. Him being Hedonism explains a lot of the stuff that I complain about - I just feel like he didn’t conquer his Aspect but kinda accepted it (the throw away comments about it being exhausting- were not enough to show that he struggled with it). I know that he was this happy go lucky guy who even back in his own place loved to enjoy himself in every aspect - so that’s just his personality- but I just didn’t find him interesting enough - a character who is just an average joe (I guess average God in this instance) with no other defining personality traits than the fact that he enjoys life - not my type.

- lastly, I’m not on board with Carly’s self sacrificing attitude - why she decided to join him in Aos and in his revenge. Her thinking her life doesn’t have that much value and that he’s a God so he’s what? More important? More valued? He has had thousands of years - she only had a human lifetime and he didn’t deserve for her to waste her one precious life on him. This is where this is nothing like the first book - Faith loved life, appreciated she had one and wanted to keep it because it was hers and she wasn’t done living it - and no matter the Gods and their selfish needs - she wasn’t gonna give it up for anyone.


Thank you Lana and Leila for the buddy read. It made the experience of this book much more enjoyable!

[Penny Reid]

WHAT???!!
Why didn't anyone TELL me this book was out???! You have all failed me.

[Lacey (laceybooklovers) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore this fantasy romance series but this was the weakest one for me, even with the marriage of convenience. We lost the slow burn that I loved in the first two books since this god hero is the Hedonism aspect. They just had a TON of sex and there wasn't much development to the story or romance. It felt like the stakes weren't as high and I wasn't as excited reading this like I was for the previous books. But if you love himbo type characters... Kassam is perfect for you.


*****

I didn't even know we had a release date for this!!!!! I CAN'T WAIT! I love this fantasy romance series so much.

[Ceceliaₓₒₓₒ | hotforbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it hot in here? 🥵

Kassam aka hedonism is exactly what I was waiting for. This aspect’s story is competing for my fav in the series thus far. Heat 🥵 + Humor 😂 = perfect combo 👌

Every world Ruby builds is so incredible and just draws you in. PLEASE PLEASE CONTINUE THE SERIES RUBY! 🙏 I need more!

[Lana Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm loving the series even though this book wasn't as good as the previous two.

I was happy to see the characters' development, their growth toward each other, but the story itself was a bit weaker compared to the previous ones. There wasn't much of a conflict, not much of a plot, not much of a chemistry. I guess now we know that not much interesting can come out of a Hedonism Aspect.

There were several problematic moments (a little misogyny I hadn't expected) that made me quite angry. Yet after some reflection, I feel like those moments were kinda appropriate if the author wanted to show us very much bored to death gods who couldn't care less about humans.

All in all, I still enjoyed it.

PS. Giorgia and Leila, thank you for reading this with me! I loved our discussions!!

[Leila · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Little Light stars!

While this has been my least favourite of the series so far, it was still one fun, wild ride of an adventure with another god of Aos. I am loving this series and the world building and mythos that RD has created. I'm hoping that she continues with it and shows us the other gods in the pantheon.

I went into this book completely blind. I didn't read the blurb. I skipped over the content warnings/spoilers in the beginning of the book from the author. And for that reason I don't want to say too much about the book and just let you enjoy it for yourself... there are plenty of other reviews if you want to learn more.

I loved Kassam, god of the wild! I was waiting to meet up with him again after being introduced to him in Sworn to the Shadow God. Of the gods we've met thus far he is the most jovial... and cheeky.

"You're a little distracting."
"Am I?" He glances down at me, pleased. "Is it because you're madly in love with me now, and you want me to kiss you?"
"Nope. Takes a bit more than one round of sex to make a girl fall in love."
"How many rounds, exactly?" I just roll my eyes.

I liked Carly. She has always been a bit aimless, but found her strength and purpose while being Kassam's anchor. I especially loved the way she used humour to try and deflate an awkward situation, I totally relate to that. ;) Her character growth was a delight to watch.

"I would be lost without you, my Carly. You have been strong and determined through all of this. I have had anchors in the past, but I do not remember any of them. They are faceless."

A big thanks to Lana and Giorgia for our buddy read! I always enjoy talking about our different experiences as we read.

[juli✨]

❝Do not worry, my little light. I will keep you safe.❞
Somehow I have my doubts. ❝I'm not even sure you want to.❞
❝I do.❞ Kassam's big, warm hand slides higher. ❝Who would scratch my itches for me if not my pretty Carly?❞

🍃 Well that did not go as expected 😮‍💨 I feel terrible, but … I am just not in the mood to read this one. I don't know why but something is just not working for me.

🍃 I think my main "issue" is that this book feels wayyyy to insta-lovey. Carly is already feeling possessive and protective over Kassam, and I'm like - but why? On that same note, it really feels like Kassam is VERY into Carly, and again … why though??

🍃 My favorite part of BttBG was the sweet slow-burn between Aron and Faith. You could tell that Aron and Faith did not get along at first. It took Faith some time to warm up to Aron, and visa versa. Their love felt gradual and natural.

🍃 Meanwhile, Kassam and Carly are immediately drawn to each other (partly cause of Kassam's aspect) but partly because they seem to like each other? Or at least there's a very strong and unearned connection developing VERY fast. Also, the whole betraying body syndrome has been turned up to eleven, just saying.

🍃 Gah, idk … I feel like such a Debby Downer right now. I say check this one out. You'll probably like it. Honestly, Ruby Dixon is SUCH a hit-or-miss author for me, soooo … take this entire "review" with a grain of salt. I'll definitely come back to this book (and series). But right now I think I'm gonna put it on pause.



𝗔𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗥 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦
👑 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴'𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 ~ 𝘁𝗯𝗿
⚡️𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗱 ~ 𝟰.𝟳𝟱
💀 𝗦𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗚𝗼𝗱 ~ 𝗱𝗻𝗳
🍃 𝗪𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗱 ~ 𝗱𝗻𝗳 @𝟯𝟬%

[❁ lilyreadsromance ❁ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book was another most anticipated release I was waiting for this year. It was definitely the most spiciest of them all. I mean 'tree sex'? That's a whole new territory for me. But then again it is expected when the you got Hedonism as your hero, like no holds barred.

However, I do miss the slow burn aspect that we got in the first two books. In this one, it was quite faster than I expected. They literally fell together in the matter of two days. I do however appreciate the reverse grumpy sunshine trope we got in here.

-----------

FINALLY WE GOT THE DATE!

Expected pub: Aug 10 2021 Nov 15 2021a

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

World finally came together - adorable couple

What do you get when you put a himbo with a salty girl with ADHD (not officially stated in the book but… if you know you know) ? You get the spiciest Ruby book yet! It was so fun to have a pan MMC and he had such a good growth arc. I was a little uncertain about the moving between worlds as a god thing, but she pulled it off.

Spice: 5/5

Triggers: Listed at beginning of book

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I do continue to really love this world and series set up. It's fun and allows for a lot of delicious built in conflict. It's probably my least favorite in the series so far, but I still very much enjoyed

[Kimmylongtime · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am an absolute sucker for Ruby Dixon. But I am obsessed with Mason Lloyd and when I started this series I was looking for his great self. I have this new unhealthy desire to only read books as a side by side with audio.

After 1 year of reading this i have two understandings.

1. I cannot leave an extremely long book and then hop back into a book this (will result in re-reading )
2. The main characters are always flawed and even if they are silly give everyone second chances.

Overall, I finished 85%% , then I realized I re- read that chapter for the 5th time and asked myself what would the critics say.

Happy reading everyone 🥰😍

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

So.
I love the first two books and have read them both multiple times. Kassam and his story has been hinted at so many times, and I was highly anticipating this book to be just as good as the previous two. It was not.

Ruby Dixon has mentioned several times how she doesn't want to write a book from the perspective of apathy as it would be "too boring". My girl. Reading the aspect of hedonism was BORING. Predictable. Repetitive. It was spicy but WHERE WAS THE FLAVOUR???

Our heroine has no personality. I don't even remember her name. Faith in the first book is sarcastic and hilarious, Max in the second book is trusting, forgiving, caring. This bitch? I don't know her. Her personality trait was that she "never finishes anything".

The world building is minimal. The previous two books were both 95% set in Aos which is a fantastic and amazing world. This book is mostly set in our world, but once we FINALLY get to Aos there's just nothing special about it. It felt like walking through an IKEA you've been to 500 times just so you can get to the restaurant for your meatballs. Except that the meatballs would've been an amazing finalé and the ending to this book was just... oh god... the epilogue... no... please... mercy!

Also, the introduction of Loki. I get that he's the god of mischief and yada-yada but like... consent is cool, man. Did not vibe with that part of the story (or vibe'd extra little to it as none of the story was very vibe-y tbh).

My honest opinion is that this book didn't happen. Kassam is still a mystery and we shall never know his story. And it is better that way. RIP.


PS Laura I'm sorry for putting you through this, it was never my intention to make us suffer as such DS

[Lana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I’ve been waiting 20 years for kassam’s book (to be fair book 2 came out February 2020 so it has been 20 years).

Automatic pre-order. I can’t wait :)

Update 12/2/21: read up to 95% last night, passed out, and the first thing I did when I woke up? Finished this.

I was right, it’s my favourite of the series and Kassam is my favourite of the gods. No question.

I have more to say about it but I need coffee first.

Update 12/2/21 Post Coffee: I really enjoyed this book, and you can definitely tell Ruby’s writing has matured and improved over time. I found our heroine far more likeable than Faith and Max (whom I wanted to smack for making poor choices or just being annoying), and Kassam is such a sweet soul.

The only thing I wish we had seen more of is Kassam dealing with having been encased in the glacier, wounded for a thousand years. I could certainly see that affecting someone (even if they’re a god), and having like an aversion to be bound or immobilized in some capacity. There was a short scene involving blood on a white surface that I thought would’ve triggered something heavier but it didn’t. (I wouldn’t consider this a spoiler, but if you do please let me know and I’ll tag it as such).

I genuinely hope Ruby decides to continue with the series, even if it’s just spin off novellas. I would love to see a god or goddess as Apathy, their anchor, or backstories for characters introduced in this book.

And honestly I would love to read about an Aspect falling for another God’s anchor. That sounds dramatic, full of trials, and angst. Imagine the sense of betrayal that anchor’s god feels? Or how jealous the unloved anchor feels? Etc. (I’m gonna write this on my Christmas wishlist, I hope Ruby’s listening)

[Ta || bookishbluehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was totally different to the first two books in this series. We get to see Kassams aspect of hedonism in this book and true to his nature there is no slow burn romance in this one, there is a lot of Sex from the beginning though and I’m here for it.

I loved that we not only got to see what happened to him after the short encounter we had with him in ‘Sworn to the Shadow God’, but also how a God from Aos would navigate in ‘our’ world.

So far this was the smuttiest book in this series, Kassam and Carly are an explosive mix and I liked their chemistry. I also felt like the stakes weren’t as high as in the other two books and it felt like a nice change of pace. I didn’t mind it at all and just went with the flow of the story.

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 4 out of 5]

HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.
dare i say this is ruby's steamiest yet?

this book follows the aspect of hedonism. how smutty is it? well, let me put it this way... the FMC Carly orgasms just upon meeting Kassam bc of his hedonistic influence.
lots of free, fun smut and some exhibition kink thrown in - but still has that good ol' Ruby Dixon worldbuilding, plot, and romance to boot. i loved his connection to nature becoming the primary aspect of his identity and power.

this one was really fun and i'm curious if we ever get a seth book!

[yana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hold your panties because Kassam here will take you on a wild, wild ride [pun definitely intended]. 🌡️🌡️🌡️



To be honest, I didn't even read the blurb because after the last two books in Aspect and Anchor, I knew that there would be absolutely no room for disappointment and Ruby Dixon nailed this! I could gush all day and not get tired, this was that good.

Remember the psychic lady who made appearances in the previous installments? I for sure thought that she was creepy as heck before but her daughter Carly is the leading lady in Wed to Wild God so we get to know her a bit more here, & she's a gem lol. I couldn't have been more wrong about her.

"I am the wild god"

The third book picks right from where the previous one ended, thus starring Kassam as the MC here. If you're here after reading about the Gods of Battle and Death, then you'll already know by now that Kassam had been betrayed by his anchor who even went as far as to stab him with an enchanted sword, leaving Kassam's last aspect to hang between life and death, bleeding for over a thousand years, even forming the infamous blood glaciers.

"I am the incarnation of pleasure, and you are tied to me."

Unlike the other two this one does not begin in Aos, which was perfectly alright with me because witnessing Kassam's antics in the modern world was soo worth it! Him being hedonism made him extra naughty 😂

Every day, this will be your fate. You're going to come so hard and so often that you'll salivate when you look in my direction."

Carly should be given an award since I have no damn clue how she manged to handle a hedonistic Kassam who's also a sucker for sticks of butter, cookies and chips, adores animals and is a pied piper of birds. He's definitely a Disney Princess.

"Your cunt will clench at the sound of my voice. And more than that, you'll completely and utterly belong to me. You are my anchor."

The author broke the smut scale on this one. The power duo crossed all the boundries there is to cross and they ain't shy about it. In fact, the steam was turned up all the way to MAX from the very beginning 🌶️

"Your pleasure is mine."

I know RD is on fence for writing a book on Apathy, but if she ever decides to write one? I'm all in! Wouldn't miss it for the world.

[Rosabloom · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like there wasn’t an actual story to be told here. Don’t get me wrong, the characters were fine but I felt like there wasn’t any conflict here and other than the couple sleeping together a lot, nothing to justify their love for each other.

Carley says no to kissing cause she thinks that’s too personal but then immediately kissed Kassam without him having to do anything to earn it.

This one has been a huge let down compared to book 2 which was my all time favorite.

[Emms-hiatus(ish) · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 8%

I have no issues with dark romance and some really questionable morals. However, this book is dubcon that thinks it's not. This is not lighthearted and fun. This is them having sex right out of the gate and her mind being too foggy to consent. He's eating butter and coffee grounds; her mind is so muddled she's kissing him like it's the best thing ever.

Absolutely not.

[Sarina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm so disappointed.. I had to push myself to get the end. And tbh the 2 star rating is just because the last bit of the book was better, more storyline than the rest.
Very sad to see this book go the way it did.

[Dragana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this was somewhat different than previous books in the series. Some differences were good, like:
+ The hero is transported to our world, instead of the heroine going to their world.
+ Kassam (the hero) is a new type of aspect.
+ Kassam is a happy-go-lucky and positive person. We rarely get that kind of hero and I enjoyed every minute. :)
These differences made the story more interesting. But...
- The romance was not a slow burn.
- It had more sex than previous books (not twice, maybe ten times more sex...)
- Pacing was a bit off. There were times when I think more character (and relationship) building was needed. And some boring chapters which could have been summarized in one sentence...
Generally, not bad, but the weakest in the series so far.
Looking forward to more. :)

[Soph · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF 75%

I was bored. This is weird for me with ruby dixon I just wasn’t feeling it anymore. Skipped to the end and read it. Loved the diversity of representation in this genre I really did . But last 15% Meh

[♠ TABI⁷ ♠ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There's just a lot going on."
"And the marriage," Kassam prompts.



Easily the best of the series so far, maybe because it wasn't so vanilla?? Kassam was a wonderful character with Carly deftly balancing him out as his anchor. The plot was fun, the world-building took an even deeper dive with the promise of more to come, and while this stands very much on it's own . . . it also delivers the feel of opening a door onto something bigger that I can't wait to see.

[One chapter more · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I enjoyed the book no 1 and 2 in this series, this one was... Meh. I loved it because I love almost everything by Ruby but it did not reach the potential of the other two books in the series.
I have noticed a few grammatical issues or simply some plot inconsistencies like:
1. if he had soaped fingers, then pleasures her and after licks his fingers - wouldn't that be disgusting? First, a foamy hoo-haa and then soaps are usually bitter...
2. Not sure if you noticed but the shop clerk in the corner store changed from Shirley to Maggie to Shirley again. I'm sure it's a harmless typo but I was confused for a second.

There were a few of those weird moments that didn't look like Ruby's writing, nevertheless, in good conscience, I do not see myself rating this lover than 4.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wed to the Wild God is another fun, exciting, and sexy addition to this magical series! Carly is just going about her life when she stumbles upon Kassam bleeding in an alley. He grabs her hand and from that moment on the two are inseparable. Unbeknownst to Carly, that brief contact bound her to Kassam as his anchor in the mortal realm as he is the god of life and nature, sent from his world to ours to learn a lesson. But it's hard to learn anything when you have an insatiable lust as the aspect of hedonism.

I missed Aos! Wed to the Wild God is set on Earth, in Chicago to be exact, where the previous two heroines came from. But it makes sense, since Kassam's the last standing of his Aspects, so his quest is to get back home, rather than to kill his other selves. I just missed learning about that world. Luckily, we get to return about halfway through and see some new locales! I enjoyed seeing more of Aos and its magic.

Despite being mostly set in our world, I still did enjoy the first half of Wed to the Wild God. Carly and Kassam get themselves into some wild situations, no pun intended. Kassam just oozes sex and it affects everyone around him. Obviously, being so close to him Carly feels the brunt of it. Not like she minds though! There is so much sex! It could have gotten repetitive, but it doesn't. Kassam is quite creative and his hedonism can be sated by other pleasures as well. Like butter.

Once our lovers are returned to Aos, there's nonstop adventure! Things do take a violent turn as there is a war on the goddess who betrayed Kassam, but it's mostly off page. We get some interesting lore and backstory about the gods here and I desperately want to meet more of them! There are also plenty of surprises, and things I didn't see coming. Yes, the ending is predictable, but aren't all Romance novels? It was cute. And that epilogue was epic!

I just really love this series and can't wait to see whose book is next! I have a feeling it might be Seth since we spent a good bit of time with him, but Riekke could be an interesting choice as well...

Read more at Pinkadot Pages.

[Ivy Deluca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick(ish) Review

It’s the last part that really makes it for me. I could try to write a full review but it’s been a long week and I’m exhausted. Much like Carly, except my exhaustion wasn’t as much fun. Kassem as the God of the Wild is cursed with hedonism and there’s ALOT of sex throughout the book. Now that may or may not be to your tastes, but I liked that it was the hugs and kisses that really stood out and helped make the romance work.

The story is probably my fave of the series because it’s the shortest and the narrative is the tightest. It flows well and the emotional punch towards the end was well done. The worldbuilding continues to expand in a way that kept me intrigued. It’s been a hot minute since I read the earlier books, so I’d say it can work as a standalone but if read in order does help. My main advice is read the content warnings because there is violence and it’s about the spiciest, sexually, of Ruby’s books.

Having said all this, if you’re in the mood for romance-centered fantasy, you may enjoy this like I did.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This installment just didn't have the same charm as the first book. Starting our story on Earth this time didn't hold the same whimsy as the other books, when we did finally get to the next world the storyline was overtaken by Loki the trickster God of Earth who hitched a ride into a world where people still worshipped the Gods. . There was already an enemy to exact revenge upon, it didn't need to borrow a random Earth Myth to keep the story interesting.

The audiobook: Since the story is told from the FMC's POV there only needed to be one narrator who, in my opinion, failed at the God of the Wilds voice. We finally got a book that focused on a Hedonism aspect and the voice made him sound more like an Apathy aspect.

Also, I seriously could have done without the Pegging Epilogue

[Zeek · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got a third of the way in and quit. I really liked the first two in the series, this one not so much. I couldn't connect with the heroine's rational to not connect with the MC other than thru sex that was basically non-con because he's the "hedon" aspect of his particular godness.

Sooooo yeah. Maybe i might return to this but then again? Probably not.

[lauren 🤡 · Rating 5 out of 5]

MAAAATE THE EPILOGUE!!!!! Damn Ruby okay girl I see you 👀 🌶


Kassam 👑 the peg king

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hhmmm this was interesting... very long, very complex, but interesting.

3.5 stars
4 on the spice scale.

P.s. the pegging was in the epilogue... I almost felt cheated.

[girlwithhearteyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

I loved this!!! It was fun, steamy, and the entire third act got me in the feels. 🤣🥵🥺🥹 I’m a sucker for a good “my wife” MMC, and Kassam delivered. 😍

In comparison to the first two books in the Aspect and Anchor series, this story was definitely lighter — which may be a good or bad thing depending on your preference. Carly discovers Kassam in the alley behind her bar (on Earth) rather than being transported into his world, so it’s less “what is this world, how does the Anticipation work and what do we need to do to complete this quest?” and more “why does this guy say he’s a god, how does he get home, and why is he eating butter sticks?” I found the story super engaging, but I’m not much of a fantasy reader so I guess this was more familiar territory.

Carly and Kassam’s relationship was definitely fast burn sex wise (he is Hedonism incarnate and inspires horny behaviour, and yes some consent issues are glossed over…), but despite that it wasn’t instalove. I really liked their banter and the sweeter moments in their relationship. The love declaration was also pretty swoonworthy. 😍