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Temper the Flame
A curse. A betrayal. A love that could break her. When Ivy is taken to a compound outside of London to meet with a group of angels, she thinks she's going mad. Faced with the truth of powers she never knew she had and a world much bigger than she realised, her life couldn't be more complicated. Or so she thought. When Devlin crashes into her life, Ivy must decide what is more finding the love, passion and adventure she'd never allowed herself to dream about, or protecting her heart. She could have everything she never knew she wanted... if she only dared to let someone in. Caring makes us vulnerable, but when everything Ivy believes is pushed to the limit, who will be by her side to see her through the dark?
PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS A NEW ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE AND INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING alcohol use, slut shaming, blood/gore, death of a parent/sibling. This book also contains cursing, scenes of a sexual nature and a lot of hot people.
PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS A NEW ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE AND INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING alcohol use, slut shaming, blood/gore, death of a parent/sibling. This book also contains cursing, scenes of a sexual nature and a lot of hot people.
280 pages, Paperback
First published June 20, 2021
21 people are currently reading
1579 people want to read
About the author
Jade Church
21 books318 followersJade Church is putting the ‘O’ in romance with her high-heat and swoony romance books. Jade currently lives in the U.K. and when she’s not cuddling her cats or writing, she spends the majority of her time reading and binge re-watching The Vampire Diaries.
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May 23, 2021Another declined ARC! You know what? I won't even cry. I'm pretty sure its terrible anyways!
*me crying because the blurb promises so much*
I'm a loser🥺🤧🤧😪
*me crying because the blurb promises so much*
I'm a loser🥺🤧🤧😪
July 23, 2021
Blog Review: https://trishadoeseverythingbutstudy2...
I received a free e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
I was so disappointed by this book.
You know what, I was going to round this up to 3 stars, but I had threatened to cut off a star if they'd had sex at that point in the book when she felt exhausted, and they did, and so here we are with 2 stars.
I don't even know where to start. I thought this book was going to be good, and it did start out great, but I should have known from the moment they first kissed that this was bound to be a disaster.
Let me start out by saying that the concept for this book was great, but the execution was just not. Maybe it was okay for someone who was not expecting a run of the mill fantasy standalone with some surprises, but I was and so it was not okay. I had expected some surprises. Not a whole truckload of them.
I enjoyed the writing style, I will say this; the humour was very well done, and I did enjoy even the plot a bit, but the romance? NO. JUST NO. INSTALOVE. NUFF SAID.
There was so much instalove, and I am not in the mood to unpack it, and it has been like 2 weeks since I read this and I'm thankfully forgetting the major scarring stuff already. Just, let it be enough that I did not enjoy the romance, because it was mostly sex and no feelings, or more that the feelings had literally no basis.
The timeline was all over the place; first we were going super fast (on that note, how on earth did she master those skills so fast? It was like 2 weeks?!) mastering super skills, falling in love, getting betrayed, fighting people, making no sense, lust, lust, more lust, did I mention lust?, and then BAM it looks like the book is pretty much over by 70%, and like what can you possibly squeeze out of the 30% of this book that is still left.
Haha, turns out, you can squeeze out a six months later that makes absolutely no sense, two new characters I have no prior knowledge of, and a bisexual Hades who is supposed to be a parent here having sex with one of the (actually two of the) new characters.
What else even was there in this book. I can't remember anything else, so BYE-BYE, you can go now, and don't pick this up if you were looking for something that would make sense.
I just remembered what I came up with in my old review drafts for this (the ones in my head):
Also, if one other person puts a greek God, namely Hades, in something that is a angels something fantasy (I have no clue what these are called), I will blow a gasket. THERE ARE LITERALLY NO OTHER GREEK GODS HERE. WHY, OH WHY THEN, ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH, IS THERE HADES?!
All that being said, if you're looking for a short, crack-fic like, i.e. light and not too much thought provoking and to pass the time, then you might enjoy this. Just nothing too serious. And it is funny.
I received a free e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
I was so disappointed by this book.
You know what, I was going to round this up to 3 stars, but I had threatened to cut off a star if they'd had sex at that point in the book when she felt exhausted, and they did, and so here we are with 2 stars.
I don't even know where to start. I thought this book was going to be good, and it did start out great, but I should have known from the moment they first kissed that this was bound to be a disaster.
Let me start out by saying that the concept for this book was great, but the execution was just not. Maybe it was okay for someone who was not expecting a run of the mill fantasy standalone with some surprises, but I was and so it was not okay. I had expected some surprises. Not a whole truckload of them.
I enjoyed the writing style, I will say this; the humour was very well done, and I did enjoy even the plot a bit, but the romance? NO. JUST NO. INSTALOVE. NUFF SAID.
There was so much instalove, and I am not in the mood to unpack it, and it has been like 2 weeks since I read this and I'm thankfully forgetting the major scarring stuff already. Just, let it be enough that I did not enjoy the romance, because it was mostly sex and no feelings, or more that the feelings had literally no basis.
The timeline was all over the place; first we were going super fast (on that note, how on earth did she master those skills so fast? It was like 2 weeks?!) mastering super skills, falling in love, getting betrayed, fighting people, making no sense, lust, lust, more lust, did I mention lust?, and then BAM it looks like the book is pretty much over by 70%, and like what can you possibly squeeze out of the 30% of this book that is still left.
Haha, turns out, you can squeeze out a six months later that makes absolutely no sense, two new characters I have no prior knowledge of, and a bisexual Hades who is supposed to be a parent here having sex with one of the (actually two of the) new characters.
What else even was there in this book. I can't remember anything else, so BYE-BYE, you can go now, and don't pick this up if you were looking for something that would make sense.
I just remembered what I came up with in my old review drafts for this (the ones in my head):
this book is like SJM on drugs. I stick to it. At least SJM does better romance, if nothing else.
Also, if one other person puts a greek God, namely Hades, in something that is a angels something fantasy (I have no clue what these are called), I will blow a gasket. THERE ARE LITERALLY NO OTHER GREEK GODS HERE. WHY, OH WHY THEN, ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH, IS THERE HADES?!
All that being said, if you're looking for a short, crack-fic like, i.e. light and not too much thought provoking and to pass the time, then you might enjoy this. Just nothing too serious. And it is funny.
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July 9, 2021Thank you NetGalley and Hey Presto Publishing for the eArc!
Congrats to the author for her debut, it was a fun read.
I thought it was well written and easy to read, it held my interest, I liked the plot idea, and some characterizations (particularly liked that Ivy, the main character, was comfortable in her own skin and with her sexuality), but overall it was a bit of a miss for me, unfortunately.
I do think that a lot of people will like it, though. A lot of it was personal preference and interpretation.
Some personal preference misses:
- It's a pet hate for me when characters blow kisses, stick out their tongue or wink at others. I can't remember the last time I saw someone do this in real-life (interaction with kids excluded), but it's super common in YA. This novel is NA, but honestly, other than having swearing and sex, it read very YA to me.
- The otherworldly beings do not feel otherworldly, especially in terms of language. When I think of angels, I think of ethereal and wise beings, and I don't picture them using ultra-modern language. Then again, I had no idea how old any of them were.
- Focus on physical attraction and the characters being extremely hot. Honestly, this ruined the romance for me. It was an instant attraction which overrode all rational thought, particularly in Ivy, who had to force herself to look away from Dev so she could focus on anything else. There was a point in the book where I was tempted to just stop reading it because the dynamic was so frustrating.
- I wasn't keen on the unusual mix of angels and Greek mythology, especially since only one Greek god was used.
Things that didn't entirely make sense to me (some spoilers!):
- All paranormal elements were a bit confusing for me - the swords (what would happen if the fallen got stabbed with the energy sword?), the wings & energy for travelling, Ivy's psychic powers, and especially the explanation in the final chapters.
- How did all the fallen angels find each other in London, did they all fall around there or get drawn to Dev's energy? How did they build their compound? Where did they get the money for it and for the food?
Finally, the plot has its climax around the 70% mark and the conflict is resolved very quickly and easily. The rest is like a little side-quest, and there were no surprises for me, unfortunately. The plot unfurled more or less as I expected.
I would read more from this author in future, but yeah, Temper the Flame wasn't my cup of tea.
Congrats to the author for her debut, it was a fun read.
I thought it was well written and easy to read, it held my interest, I liked the plot idea, and some characterizations (particularly liked that Ivy, the main character, was comfortable in her own skin and with her sexuality), but overall it was a bit of a miss for me, unfortunately.
I do think that a lot of people will like it, though. A lot of it was personal preference and interpretation.
Some personal preference misses:
- It's a pet hate for me when characters blow kisses, stick out their tongue or wink at others. I can't remember the last time I saw someone do this in real-life (interaction with kids excluded), but it's super common in YA. This novel is NA, but honestly, other than having swearing and sex, it read very YA to me.
- The otherworldly beings do not feel otherworldly, especially in terms of language. When I think of angels, I think of ethereal and wise beings, and I don't picture them using ultra-modern language. Then again, I had no idea how old any of them were.
- Focus on physical attraction and the characters being extremely hot. Honestly, this ruined the romance for me. It was an instant attraction which overrode all rational thought, particularly in Ivy, who had to force herself to look away from Dev so she could focus on anything else. There was a point in the book where I was tempted to just stop reading it because the dynamic was so frustrating.
- I wasn't keen on the unusual mix of angels and Greek mythology, especially since only one Greek god was used.
Things that didn't entirely make sense to me (some spoilers!):
- All paranormal elements were a bit confusing for me - the swords (what would happen if the fallen got stabbed with the energy sword?), the wings & energy for travelling, Ivy's psychic powers, and especially the explanation in the final chapters.
- How did all the fallen angels find each other in London, did they all fall around there or get drawn to Dev's energy? How did they build their compound? Where did they get the money for it and for the food?
Finally, the plot has its climax around the 70% mark and the conflict is resolved very quickly and easily. The rest is like a little side-quest, and there were no surprises for me, unfortunately. The plot unfurled more or less as I expected.
I would read more from this author in future, but yeah, Temper the Flame wasn't my cup of tea.
May 25, 2021
I really enjoyed this story. It was fast paced and captivating. There wasn't a single moment I was bored or needed to put the book down. I thought the plot was an interesting concept and loved the way it was done. I finished this book so quickly because I needed all the information. The setting and scenes were described well enough that I could fully immerse myself into the story without getting confused.
I adored these characters. Ivy is a protagonist I can always get behind. She's sassy, strong, and hard to get to know but deep down has a good heart. She has lost people before that causes her not to get attached, which is fully understandable. Her growth throughout the story is wonderful and made me so proud of her. I also really enjoyed Devlin. He is strong and would do anything for his people. He will also do anything for Ivy, which melts my heart. I really liked seeing scenes from his perspective I think it added a nice element to the story. I loved the side characters as well. Freddy is a favorite of mine and would love to see a book of him. Jas took some time to warm up to but I did enjoy her character as well.
Overall, I would recommend this book to any fantasy or paranormal romance lover. I think this was a solid book, my only complaint is I wish it was longer or hard more details since this is a stand-alone. I would love to see more from this world and the characters.
Thank you NetGalley and the author for this free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I adored these characters. Ivy is a protagonist I can always get behind. She's sassy, strong, and hard to get to know but deep down has a good heart. She has lost people before that causes her not to get attached, which is fully understandable. Her growth throughout the story is wonderful and made me so proud of her. I also really enjoyed Devlin. He is strong and would do anything for his people. He will also do anything for Ivy, which melts my heart. I really liked seeing scenes from his perspective I think it added a nice element to the story. I loved the side characters as well. Freddy is a favorite of mine and would love to see a book of him. Jas took some time to warm up to but I did enjoy her character as well.
Overall, I would recommend this book to any fantasy or paranormal romance lover. I think this was a solid book, my only complaint is I wish it was longer or hard more details since this is a stand-alone. I would love to see more from this world and the characters.
Thank you NetGalley and the author for this free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley for the Arc and congrats to the author for her debut!!
I enjoyed this book and had fun reading it, it was so well written. It was face paced and action packed from the beginning to the end. There was good snarky humour, funny one liners and a good romance. While the plot was intriguing there was something missing for me, you got a lot of information thrown at you with not a lot of explanation and I was left wanting to know the back story more. Therefore I think it would have been better spaced out as multiple books, everything happened quite quickly. I also thought the ending was a bit rushed and some holes in the story but overall I really liked the plot and the story wit the angels. It was something I haven't read before.
The characters are what I loved most about this book. I really loved Ivy's character. I always love a heroine that is unapologetically herself. She was sassy, funny and was comfortable in her own skin and with her sexuality. Ivy lost people before that causes her not to get attached and make friends. Her growth throughout the story and how she lets people in is wonderful. I also liked Dev, he was typical bad boy with a sad history. The way he cared for Ivy was really sweet. I loved how the book was dual POV, I'm always a fan of them.
Overall, I would recommend this book to any fantasy or paranormal romance lover, it was a enjoyable read. It was a solid book, I only wish it was longer or there were more details about certain things, since and had a longer ending. it would be great to see more of the characters and the world again.
I enjoyed this book and had fun reading it, it was so well written. It was face paced and action packed from the beginning to the end. There was good snarky humour, funny one liners and a good romance. While the plot was intriguing there was something missing for me, you got a lot of information thrown at you with not a lot of explanation and I was left wanting to know the back story more. Therefore I think it would have been better spaced out as multiple books, everything happened quite quickly. I also thought the ending was a bit rushed and some holes in the story but overall I really liked the plot and the story wit the angels. It was something I haven't read before.
The characters are what I loved most about this book. I really loved Ivy's character. I always love a heroine that is unapologetically herself. She was sassy, funny and was comfortable in her own skin and with her sexuality. Ivy lost people before that causes her not to get attached and make friends. Her growth throughout the story and how she lets people in is wonderful. I also liked Dev, he was typical bad boy with a sad history. The way he cared for Ivy was really sweet. I loved how the book was dual POV, I'm always a fan of them.
Overall, I would recommend this book to any fantasy or paranormal romance lover, it was a enjoyable read. It was a solid book, I only wish it was longer or there were more details about certain things, since and had a longer ending. it would be great to see more of the characters and the world again.
May 26, 2021
Initial Thoughts
I literally stumbled upon this book on NetGalley while trying not to apply for books. But, alas, here we are. I applied, was accepted, and dropped everything to read my shiny new book.
Some Things I Liked
The premise. I really liked the idea of fallen angels and their connection to the real world. I normally don't love contemporary settings with fantasy elements, but it worked here.
The romance. I also liked that the romance had enemies to lovers banter while not being actual enemies. I'd like to have seen a little less insta-love and more banter, but overall, I liked the main couple.
Some Things I Wasn't Crazy About
Scene changes. Many of the scene changes within or between chapters felt incomplete. It made the story a bit hard to follow.
Insta-love for all other couples. I really didn't like that every other couple literally formed out of utter convenience. It felted forced and unnecessary.
Plot arc. The story felt like the climax that the first half built to was completed around 75% in and then we moved to a totally different plot. It felt random. Almost like an incomplete sequel that was jammed into this book or a really long epilogue.
Series Value
I probably wouldn't keep reading this if it became a series. This book was decent, but definitely not my favorite.
Final Thoughts
This was a good debut. Not great, but not bad. I think it has some good bones but needs some work before I'd consider reading a sequel.
I literally stumbled upon this book on NetGalley while trying not to apply for books. But, alas, here we are. I applied, was accepted, and dropped everything to read my shiny new book.
Some Things I Liked
The premise. I really liked the idea of fallen angels and their connection to the real world. I normally don't love contemporary settings with fantasy elements, but it worked here.
The romance. I also liked that the romance had enemies to lovers banter while not being actual enemies. I'd like to have seen a little less insta-love and more banter, but overall, I liked the main couple.
Some Things I Wasn't Crazy About
Scene changes. Many of the scene changes within or between chapters felt incomplete. It made the story a bit hard to follow.
Insta-love for all other couples. I really didn't like that every other couple literally formed out of utter convenience. It felted forced and unnecessary.
Plot arc. The story felt like the climax that the first half built to was completed around 75% in and then we moved to a totally different plot. It felt random. Almost like an incomplete sequel that was jammed into this book or a really long epilogue.
Series Value
I probably wouldn't keep reading this if it became a series. This book was decent, but definitely not my favorite.
Final Thoughts
This was a good debut. Not great, but not bad. I think it has some good bones but needs some work before I'd consider reading a sequel.
June 20, 2021
*Thank you to Jade Church and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
I requested Temper the Flame since I was in the mood for an urban fantasy plus I love trying to support indie authors when I can but this book just wasn't for me, unfortunately. Between the lack of plot and poorly written characters, I just couldn't find much to enjoy about this story.
One of my big problems with this book was how much telling instead of showing was going on throughout. Other characters would describe Ivy as feeling guilty about her past, that she blames herself for what happened to her family, and that she runs away from people/relationships but is this ever actually shown in any of her POV chapters? No, or at least not until after another character brought it up. Same with Devlin being described as someone who takes on all of these burdens but he himself never even feels or behaves this way in his POV. I swear it was giving me whiplash because I knew none of that was shown before being mentioned. Instead of showing these sentiments through Ivy or Devlin's actions, facial expressions, etc., another character would simply just bring up that that was how they were. The lack of character building and development made it impossible to care about any of the cast.
That also ties into the lack of foreshadowing or build-up of basically everything in Temper the Flame. The story just starts in the wrong spot in my opinion. I feel like it would've been better if the author wrote a bit more about Ivy's daily life first rather than launching right into the angels and chosen one psychic plot. It would've allowed for there to be a gradual introduction where Ivy could've been having odd premonitions or dreams about things like feathers, wings, blood, etc. That could've foreshadowed the inclusion of angels and the fact that she's the prophesized psychic they need. I also just couldn't get over how Ivy just automatically accepts that angels exist—it was way too convenient and unbelievable.
Worldbuilding is one of the most important parts of a fantasy book because it's what makes the story and settings believable. The worldbuilding in Temper the Flame was lacking, to say the least. When you're writing a scene where a character explains an aspect of the world they shouldn't really be saying "I don't know" or "no one knows". Sometimes I can forgive the lack of hard worldbuilding or description when the book is more a romance with a bit of fantasy in it rather than a fantasy with a bit of romance in it. But with this book, the romance wasn't well-developed and neither was the world so I can't really give it a pass in that area since it left me with so many questions. For example, why is Hades in a book about biblical angels when there are no other Greek gods mentioned and Greek mythology has nothing to do with the story? Wouldn't Lucifer be a better fit? It just didn't make sense.
As a forewarning, the relationship between Devlin and Ivy is very much insta-love if you aren't into that. For real though, they'd known each other for all of 2 hours before they were kissing like 20% into the book. There was zero chemistry between them because they both were immediately attracted to each other even if they didn't get together right away. Any of the sort of lines like "I'd never run from you" that normally get me with a well-developed couple just didn't land since I didn't care about the romance at all in this. There was also a quickly tossed sub-plot where Devlin was potentially faking his attraction to Ivy so he could use her to get what he needed to bring the fallen angels back to the Heavens. That conflict could've created some good tension between the two but I swear beyond the first mention, it only popped up once more for some manufactured drama that lasted one page because Ivy quickly forgot it and went back to ogling Devlin.
Also, can I just say I'm so tired of the women hating women over a man trope? Ivy and Jasmine—the only female characters in this book—spent 99% of their scenes together fighting over Devlin whose only personality trait was being hot.
The plot of Temper the Flame is barely existent. It just felt like a bunch of random training and romance scenes between Ivy and Devlin then suddenly the main plot point of getting the fallen angels back to Heaven using Ivy's powers and taking down Michael pops up again and is done 70% of the way in. Everything was solved way too easily and is all wrapped up in a single chapter. Then after that, the whole "we need to rescue Hades and go to the Underworld" bit was super confusing and felt completely unnecessary. I think if the author spent more page time on the main plot it could've ended a lot more satisfyingly.
Not to mention, there were plot points that wound up being completely forgotten like the curse that is quite literally, a part of the blurb. Basically, Devlin is cursed to look inhuman by Michael so when he fell to Earth, no human would ever fall in love with him. If a human ever fell in love with him despite his appearance, it would break the curse and allow him to come back to Heaven if he found a way. But the problem here is that Devlin is never described at any point in the book as being ugly or monstrous looking, so what exactly was the point of this curse? By the ending, the curse wasn't even brought up! Was it broken? Is Devlin still cursed? Who knows.
Needless to say, I didn't enjoy Temper the Flame for a variety of reasons I explain and some more I didn't include, like the YA author and Vine references. I do think there was potential in the story, it just needed more editing and fleshing out to be a solid read for me.
I requested Temper the Flame since I was in the mood for an urban fantasy plus I love trying to support indie authors when I can but this book just wasn't for me, unfortunately. Between the lack of plot and poorly written characters, I just couldn't find much to enjoy about this story.
One of my big problems with this book was how much telling instead of showing was going on throughout. Other characters would describe Ivy as feeling guilty about her past, that she blames herself for what happened to her family, and that she runs away from people/relationships but is this ever actually shown in any of her POV chapters? No, or at least not until after another character brought it up. Same with Devlin being described as someone who takes on all of these burdens but he himself never even feels or behaves this way in his POV. I swear it was giving me whiplash because I knew none of that was shown before being mentioned. Instead of showing these sentiments through Ivy or Devlin's actions, facial expressions, etc., another character would simply just bring up that that was how they were. The lack of character building and development made it impossible to care about any of the cast.
That also ties into the lack of foreshadowing or build-up of basically everything in Temper the Flame. The story just starts in the wrong spot in my opinion. I feel like it would've been better if the author wrote a bit more about Ivy's daily life first rather than launching right into the angels and chosen one psychic plot. It would've allowed for there to be a gradual introduction where Ivy could've been having odd premonitions or dreams about things like feathers, wings, blood, etc. That could've foreshadowed the inclusion of angels and the fact that she's the prophesized psychic they need. I also just couldn't get over how Ivy just automatically accepts that angels exist—it was way too convenient and unbelievable.
Worldbuilding is one of the most important parts of a fantasy book because it's what makes the story and settings believable. The worldbuilding in Temper the Flame was lacking, to say the least. When you're writing a scene where a character explains an aspect of the world they shouldn't really be saying "I don't know" or "no one knows". Sometimes I can forgive the lack of hard worldbuilding or description when the book is more a romance with a bit of fantasy in it rather than a fantasy with a bit of romance in it. But with this book, the romance wasn't well-developed and neither was the world so I can't really give it a pass in that area since it left me with so many questions. For example, why is Hades in a book about biblical angels when there are no other Greek gods mentioned and Greek mythology has nothing to do with the story? Wouldn't Lucifer be a better fit? It just didn't make sense.
As a forewarning, the relationship between Devlin and Ivy is very much insta-love if you aren't into that. For real though, they'd known each other for all of 2 hours before they were kissing like 20% into the book. There was zero chemistry between them because they both were immediately attracted to each other even if they didn't get together right away. Any of the sort of lines like "I'd never run from you" that normally get me with a well-developed couple just didn't land since I didn't care about the romance at all in this. There was also a quickly tossed sub-plot where Devlin was potentially faking his attraction to Ivy so he could use her to get what he needed to bring the fallen angels back to the Heavens. That conflict could've created some good tension between the two but I swear beyond the first mention, it only popped up once more for some manufactured drama that lasted one page because Ivy quickly forgot it and went back to ogling Devlin.
Also, can I just say I'm so tired of the women hating women over a man trope? Ivy and Jasmine—the only female characters in this book—spent 99% of their scenes together fighting over Devlin whose only personality trait was being hot.
The plot of Temper the Flame is barely existent. It just felt like a bunch of random training and romance scenes between Ivy and Devlin then suddenly the main plot point of getting the fallen angels back to Heaven using Ivy's powers and taking down Michael pops up again and is done 70% of the way in. Everything was solved way too easily and is all wrapped up in a single chapter. Then after that, the whole "we need to rescue Hades and go to the Underworld" bit was super confusing and felt completely unnecessary. I think if the author spent more page time on the main plot it could've ended a lot more satisfyingly.
Not to mention, there were plot points that wound up being completely forgotten like the curse that is quite literally, a part of the blurb. Basically, Devlin is cursed to look inhuman by Michael so when he fell to Earth, no human would ever fall in love with him. If a human ever fell in love with him despite his appearance, it would break the curse and allow him to come back to Heaven if he found a way. But the problem here is that Devlin is never described at any point in the book as being ugly or monstrous looking, so what exactly was the point of this curse? By the ending, the curse wasn't even brought up! Was it broken? Is Devlin still cursed? Who knows.
Needless to say, I didn't enjoy Temper the Flame for a variety of reasons I explain and some more I didn't include, like the YA author and Vine references. I do think there was potential in the story, it just needed more editing and fleshing out to be a solid read for me.
May 6, 2021
I loved this book! It has a bit of everything; fantasy, romance, adventure, friendship and so much more. I was drawn in from the very first page.
The characters are so well introduced and developed that you really feel like you are getting to know them as the story progresses. I love Ivy, Dev and Freddy in particular!
This book has such great world building as well, I could imagine every scene and how things 'looked'. I really loved getting enthralled in this fantasy world and can't wait for when it's released and other readers can experience the same.
Overall I couldn't put this book (my phone) down, it was gripping, the main character was likeable/sassy and the pacing was just right - there was never a dull moment.
I can only recommend this book to all and look forward to whatever else is to come from the author!
The characters are so well introduced and developed that you really feel like you are getting to know them as the story progresses. I love Ivy, Dev and Freddy in particular!
This book has such great world building as well, I could imagine every scene and how things 'looked'. I really loved getting enthralled in this fantasy world and can't wait for when it's released and other readers can experience the same.
Overall I couldn't put this book (my phone) down, it was gripping, the main character was likeable/sassy and the pacing was just right - there was never a dull moment.
I can only recommend this book to all and look forward to whatever else is to come from the author!
March 30, 2021
I have massively struggled to get back into reading after finishing my English lit degree, where I had to read 4+ novels per week. However, this book broke my dry spell - I finished it within two days (which is a record for me recently) and absolutely loved every second of it!!! Very very readable, with a great romantic story development - would recommend for anyone from young adult to new adults (I’m 22).
Amazing read for those into fantasy genre too
Amazing read for those into fantasy genre too
May 25, 2021
First I want to applaud the author Jade Church for being her first published book. I thought Temper the Flame was written exquisite and kept me engaged throughout the story.
I enjoyed Ivy the main character who protects her heart but finds she has power that she never knew she had. Devlin who she instantly has chemistry with teaches her how to find happiness again and I love their little banters. Could this be the love that could break her? Read to find out.
"I said we don't have to kiss to do this."
"I know." She said, "but where's the fun in that?"
skillfully carried out.
The action scenes are well executed, but felt as if they ended too quickly when it was a main vocal point of the story. By the middle of the story I was starting to understand who Ivy truly was. Towards the conclusion of the book a new character was brought in that wasn't enough development for me to really care what happened to him in the end. All in all this was a fast read for me because the style of writing was skillfully carried out and the plot of the story intrigued me to continue reading. Thanks for allowing me to review this book and I will be adding Jade Church as an author to follow on my Goodreads.
#NetGalley
I enjoyed Ivy the main character who protects her heart but finds she has power that she never knew she had. Devlin who she instantly has chemistry with teaches her how to find happiness again and I love their little banters. Could this be the love that could break her? Read to find out.
"I said we don't have to kiss to do this."
"I know." She said, "but where's the fun in that?"
skillfully carried out.
The action scenes are well executed, but felt as if they ended too quickly when it was a main vocal point of the story. By the middle of the story I was starting to understand who Ivy truly was. Towards the conclusion of the book a new character was brought in that wasn't enough development for me to really care what happened to him in the end. All in all this was a fast read for me because the style of writing was skillfully carried out and the plot of the story intrigued me to continue reading. Thanks for allowing me to review this book and I will be adding Jade Church as an author to follow on my Goodreads.
#NetGalley
May 23, 2021
Okay, so I’d like to start off by saying a huge thank you for allowing me to have an arc copy of this book! I absolutely adored it! It has the perfect balance of witty sarcasm, steamy romance and fast-paced action (with a small helping of gut-wrenching scenes that made me CRY.)
It says enough that I finished this in under 24 hours, but I’ll just follow up with some things I loved about this read:
- I loved the relationships in this book, especially the development between the love interests!
- The main character is so sassy, sarcastic and absolutely HILARIOUS!
- Jaz. That is all
- The story was fast-paced which I really enjoyed. It was like *boom* action from the get go.
I would highly recommend for fans of fantasy with romance aspects and those who like a gripping story.
Things I am not happy about with this book:
- There is currently not a second book. I need more 😂
It says enough that I finished this in under 24 hours, but I’ll just follow up with some things I loved about this read:
- I loved the relationships in this book, especially the development between the love interests!
- The main character is so sassy, sarcastic and absolutely HILARIOUS!
- Jaz. That is all
- The story was fast-paced which I really enjoyed. It was like *boom* action from the get go.
I would highly recommend for fans of fantasy with romance aspects and those who like a gripping story.
Things I am not happy about with this book:
- There is currently not a second book. I need more 😂
Read
May 26, 2021A solid entry in the New Adult Paranormal Romance genre, 'Temper the Flame' sets a fast pace as a feisty psychic gets wrapped up in the hidden world of fallen angels and their goal to prevent Earth from being destroyed by the same angel-gone-bad who cast them out of Heaven. Buckle up for this one!
#NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com
#NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com
July 23, 2023
Okay, so I loved Temper the Flame and I’m not really surprised that I did!
If you know me, you’d know my favourite occult/paranormal beings are angels, and Temper the Flame has loads of angels as it’s a play on the whole Lucifer/Michael mythology. Plus, it is a NA novel (my favourite genre) so I was bound to enjoy it.
What really grabbed my attention is that the main character is actually funny. Sometimes humour in books is hit or miss because you can tell when an author is trying too hard to make the reader laugh and I don’t find that funny, but that isn’t the case with Temper the Flame! Ivy is such a likeable and relatable character and so it makes it easy to get into the story. The book was also so fast paced and could definitely be read in one sitting because of this.
Honestly, I don’t have a ‘bad’ thing to say about Temper the Flame! It was engaging, had a MC that you root for, and just the right amount of spice. If you’re looking to jump into a paranormal romance with a play on Greek and angelic mythology, I would definitely pick up Temper the Flame. It would be perfect for fans of the Harbinger Series by JLA as it has a similar vibe, but with no fade to black smut scenes.
I think Temper the Flame is a standalone, but I really enjoy the author’s writing style so I will read more of their work in the future!
If you know me, you’d know my favourite occult/paranormal beings are angels, and Temper the Flame has loads of angels as it’s a play on the whole Lucifer/Michael mythology. Plus, it is a NA novel (my favourite genre) so I was bound to enjoy it.
What really grabbed my attention is that the main character is actually funny. Sometimes humour in books is hit or miss because you can tell when an author is trying too hard to make the reader laugh and I don’t find that funny, but that isn’t the case with Temper the Flame! Ivy is such a likeable and relatable character and so it makes it easy to get into the story. The book was also so fast paced and could definitely be read in one sitting because of this.
Honestly, I don’t have a ‘bad’ thing to say about Temper the Flame! It was engaging, had a MC that you root for, and just the right amount of spice. If you’re looking to jump into a paranormal romance with a play on Greek and angelic mythology, I would definitely pick up Temper the Flame. It would be perfect for fans of the Harbinger Series by JLA as it has a similar vibe, but with no fade to black smut scenes.
I think Temper the Flame is a standalone, but I really enjoy the author’s writing style so I will read more of their work in the future!
May 23, 2021
WOW, that was a rollercoaster, an all consuming thrilling nail-biting rollercoaster. This story has everything I LOVE in a fantasy, mystery, betrayal, wit humour, romance, steamy scenes and HADES, which I absolutely loved!
We follow Ivy on an adventure where she’s thrown into a world she knows nothing about, with a bunch of gorgeous angels who only want one thing from her. The introductions of every character was brilliantly done, the world building was great and the chemistry was STEAMY!
Honestly, go read this book.
We follow Ivy on an adventure where she’s thrown into a world she knows nothing about, with a bunch of gorgeous angels who only want one thing from her. The introductions of every character was brilliantly done, the world building was great and the chemistry was STEAMY!
Honestly, go read this book.
May 26, 2021
Ivy’s life is about to change forever, and it’s going to be because of two boys who suddenly appear. Ivy has been living life day to day, trying just to get by after the tragic event that killed her family. When two very attractive boys appear, suddenly she is taken in by them and told that they are angels and she is apparently the psychic that would help them get back to heaven. Now she has new powers she has to learn and a group of angels to help... and a huge crush on their leader Devlin that she has to try and keep under wraps... but they both can’t seem to keep away from one another. With a war on the way and a traitor amongst them, Ivy and Devlin will have to try and sort out their feelings for one another and try and win. On top of that, there’s the mysterious question of who Ivy’s real father is and where the god of the underworld has gone? The story is pretty fast and the whole angels vs angels was interesting, and throwing in Hades was another interesting way to build the story.
*Thanks Netgalley and Jade Church for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
*Thanks Netgalley and Jade Church for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
July 26, 2021
⭐️ 3.5
'Temper the Flame' is an incredibly fast-paced read that sucked me in from the first chapter, when literal angels come crashing into Ivy's boring life. I loved the blend of angels and Greek mythology, and, in my opinion, it's what makes Temper the Flame unique. You have angels, demons, Hades, Cerberus --it's a blend that I definitely haven't come across before.
Ivy is great: snarky, badass, one hell of a mouth on her... I love characters who take no BS from anyone, and Ivy fits this perfectly. Devlin is the perfect match for Ivy, and while this is most definitely an insta-love relationship, I still loved them as a couple. The other characters, while I like them, did feel a little underdeveloped at times, but that might have been down to how quickly the plot moved forward.
Indeed, this is very fast-paced read, and I was flying through the main events to the extent that it was difficult to keep up with what was going on. There were a few time jumps too, which threw me a little, and I'm admittedly a little surprised that this is a standalone because the multiple plot lines and time jumps could have easily turned this into a series.
Despite this, I really enjoyed Church's debut.
'Temper the Flame' is an incredibly fast-paced read that sucked me in from the first chapter, when literal angels come crashing into Ivy's boring life. I loved the blend of angels and Greek mythology, and, in my opinion, it's what makes Temper the Flame unique. You have angels, demons, Hades, Cerberus --it's a blend that I definitely haven't come across before.
Ivy is great: snarky, badass, one hell of a mouth on her... I love characters who take no BS from anyone, and Ivy fits this perfectly. Devlin is the perfect match for Ivy, and while this is most definitely an insta-love relationship, I still loved them as a couple. The other characters, while I like them, did feel a little underdeveloped at times, but that might have been down to how quickly the plot moved forward.
Indeed, this is very fast-paced read, and I was flying through the main events to the extent that it was difficult to keep up with what was going on. There were a few time jumps too, which threw me a little, and I'm admittedly a little surprised that this is a standalone because the multiple plot lines and time jumps could have easily turned this into a series.
Despite this, I really enjoyed Church's debut.
May 30, 2021
4/5
First of all, a HUGE CONGRATS on your debut novel!!!
As soon as I heard about this book, I KNEW I had to get my hands on it!!
After a horrible event that claimed her family, Ivy has been living her life one day at a time, leading a simple life. That is, until a hot angel stumbles into her place of work with his guts literally spilling out… Then in walks Devlin *swoon* and it’s safe to say, Ivy’s life does a complete flip.
She is taken in by a group of angels who need her help, but between discovering her new powers and preparing for the war that is brewing, Ivy must decide if she is ready to open herself up for love and adventure.
She’s stubborn, doesn’t trust easily and is a likely to kiss you as punch you
Ivy is strong, sassy, and her internal monologues are EVERYTHING! She’s faced a lot of tragedy and heartbreak, making it hard for her to open herself up to Devlin.
Devlin will do anything for his people, and ever since Ivy popped into his life, that includes her now too.
His room. Alone. With Devlin. And his butt.
The novel is split between Ivy and Devlin’s perspectives, which I thought added a great element to the story! And I absolutely LOVED the side characters!!
The story is well written, fast paced, full of adventure, wit, banter, romance, and STEAMY STEAM!
I belong wherever you are
I felt the ending was maybe a little rushed compared to the rest of the pacing, but overall, I really enjoyed this! I need more!!
I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for the author!
First of all, a HUGE CONGRATS on your debut novel!!!
As soon as I heard about this book, I KNEW I had to get my hands on it!!
After a horrible event that claimed her family, Ivy has been living her life one day at a time, leading a simple life. That is, until a hot angel stumbles into her place of work with his guts literally spilling out… Then in walks Devlin *swoon* and it’s safe to say, Ivy’s life does a complete flip.
She is taken in by a group of angels who need her help, but between discovering her new powers and preparing for the war that is brewing, Ivy must decide if she is ready to open herself up for love and adventure.
She’s stubborn, doesn’t trust easily and is a likely to kiss you as punch you
Ivy is strong, sassy, and her internal monologues are EVERYTHING! She’s faced a lot of tragedy and heartbreak, making it hard for her to open herself up to Devlin.
Devlin will do anything for his people, and ever since Ivy popped into his life, that includes her now too.
His room. Alone. With Devlin. And his butt.
The novel is split between Ivy and Devlin’s perspectives, which I thought added a great element to the story! And I absolutely LOVED the side characters!!
The story is well written, fast paced, full of adventure, wit, banter, romance, and STEAMY STEAM!
I belong wherever you are
I felt the ending was maybe a little rushed compared to the rest of the pacing, but overall, I really enjoyed this! I need more!!
I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for the author!
June 17, 2021
Honestly, I am a sucker with anything that has to do with Angels so when I read the blurb for this book I was very excited. Also Angels in London? Even better. Unfortunately whilst I did enjoy this book some parts fell a little flat for me.
Let’s start, with some of the things I did enjoy. I liked Ivy as the main protagonist. She was sarcastic, fierce, and confident, all things that I admire in the main character. She never took No for an answer which wasn’t always the smartest decision but certainly the most entertaining.
Also, I really enjoyed the friendship between her and Fred, and their banter was immaculate.
Alright now onto the things I didn't enjoy so much. First off the plot felt a little unoriginal and I just didn’t care about the Angels whatsoever. I think if we got to know some of them maybe I would’ve cared more but the only ones we get to know are Dev, Fred, and Jasmine who I had a really hard time liking. Also, I don’t quite understand how Hades fits into all this. He felt like he was just shoved in there since he was the only Greek God.
I didn’t mind the romance but it certainly wasn’t my favorite. The instant attraction trope has always kind of made my eyes roll especially when there’s almost little to no actual relationship established between the characters. Honestly, at some points in this book, it felt more like Dev was obsessed with Ivy than in love with her.
Overall, I still found it to be an easy enjoyable read and I am looking forward to more from this author since this is her debut novel and I expect good things from her in the future.
Thank you NetGallery and Hey Presto Publishing for the eArc!
Let’s start, with some of the things I did enjoy. I liked Ivy as the main protagonist. She was sarcastic, fierce, and confident, all things that I admire in the main character. She never took No for an answer which wasn’t always the smartest decision but certainly the most entertaining.
Also, I really enjoyed the friendship between her and Fred, and their banter was immaculate.
Alright now onto the things I didn't enjoy so much. First off the plot felt a little unoriginal and I just didn’t care about the Angels whatsoever. I think if we got to know some of them maybe I would’ve cared more but the only ones we get to know are Dev, Fred, and Jasmine who I had a really hard time liking. Also, I don’t quite understand how Hades fits into all this. He felt like he was just shoved in there since he was the only Greek God.
I didn’t mind the romance but it certainly wasn’t my favorite. The instant attraction trope has always kind of made my eyes roll especially when there’s almost little to no actual relationship established between the characters. Honestly, at some points in this book, it felt more like Dev was obsessed with Ivy than in love with her.
Overall, I still found it to be an easy enjoyable read and I am looking forward to more from this author since this is her debut novel and I expect good things from her in the future.
Thank you NetGallery and Hey Presto Publishing for the eArc!
May 23, 2021
The concept for Temper the Flame was unique and enthralling, and I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
It was refreshing to see references to popular culture throughout the book, with the main character, Ivy, also showcasing relatable qualities and thoughts of a young adult, as seen through her understanding of the joys of working in retail. This gave the book somewhat of a more personalised touch, making it easy to empathise and understand Ivy as a character and her life within a the book.
The plot itself was extremely interesting and left me wanting more at the end of every chapter. Yet, at some points the pace of the book did seem to pick up a little too much, with events jumping from one big thing to the next. This left some of the second half of the book feeling a bit rushed and without a lot of description in places. Despite this, the book was still extremely enjoyable and fun to read through and i would definitely recommend this book!
It was refreshing to see references to popular culture throughout the book, with the main character, Ivy, also showcasing relatable qualities and thoughts of a young adult, as seen through her understanding of the joys of working in retail. This gave the book somewhat of a more personalised touch, making it easy to empathise and understand Ivy as a character and her life within a the book.
The plot itself was extremely interesting and left me wanting more at the end of every chapter. Yet, at some points the pace of the book did seem to pick up a little too much, with events jumping from one big thing to the next. This left some of the second half of the book feeling a bit rushed and without a lot of description in places. Despite this, the book was still extremely enjoyable and fun to read through and i would definitely recommend this book!
May 26, 2021
When I first saw the description of this book I immediately got excited since I haven't read any good angel books lately,
While some of the major angel details are in place (think Michael, Gabriel, etc.) there were some unique takes that I didn't see coming. What immediately drew me into the book was Ivy's personality and the events in the first chapter...I thought I would enjoy the book but ending up reading it in one sitting!
The book doesn't get all five stars because there was a bit of a disconnect of two distinctive parts of the book. While I understand why the author wrote it that way, I personally needed more transition to make it seem more natural.
One of the saddest things in life is seeing a book that drawls you in, only to find out it isn't released yet. Good news, Temper the Flame releases in a bit less than a month!
While some of the major angel details are in place (think Michael, Gabriel, etc.) there were some unique takes that I didn't see coming. What immediately drew me into the book was Ivy's personality and the events in the first chapter...I thought I would enjoy the book but ending up reading it in one sitting!
The book doesn't get all five stars because there was a bit of a disconnect of two distinctive parts of the book. While I understand why the author wrote it that way, I personally needed more transition to make it seem more natural.
One of the saddest things in life is seeing a book that drawls you in, only to find out it isn't released yet. Good news, Temper the Flame releases in a bit less than a month!
July 12, 2021
I really liked this, is a quick read, full of romance, friendship and adventure. The characters are very nice and easy to love which I really like. And with a happy ending that is actually happy even for the dead. It felt a bit like a mix of angelfall, acotar and supernatural. And at some moments I felt like I was watching a TV show instead of reading. Everything is well described and very easy to picture in your mind.
Totally recommend this book.
Totally recommend this book.
September 23, 2021
This book reminded me of Fallen and A Touch of Darkness with angels and Greek mythology references! I thought this was clever and made for an interesting plot! There were a lot of “edge of your seat” moments and lovely interactions between friends! I did however think that some of the story happened way too quickly and I craved a little more detail!
I really enjoyed the way the book started with introducing the characters and the very first scene set a great tone to the book. I always like to see a bit of down time in characters and by starting with this, we got to know Ivy pretty quickly. For here, however, the story became very quick and I took slight issue with how quickly Ivy accepted her whole world turning upside down. I do appreciate that Jade had a lot to do in a short standalone and therefore I'm not too mad about the quick moving story, but I would have liked a little more resistance from Ivy.
The characters were very likeable and I particularly loved Freddy! He was so sarcastic and I could relate to his outlook on life! There’s something about “I don’t love anyone” female characters that annoy me and Ivy was a little like this at times….but she was very head strong and tough which made her likeable! The book included some nice relationship growth in terms of between friends and I enjoyed the enemies to friends (or at least allies) moments.
The diversity in the book was lovely with same sex relationships and angels of all ethnicities 💜 the spice level of the book was good 😍 and Dev sounds absolutely dreamy! A little warning here - if you are not the kind of person who likes the 'insta-love' trope then this book might not be for you! There's very little relationship growth between love interests and the characters are kind of single one moment and together the next. I actually didn't mind this as it deviates from the typical enemies to lovers that most fantasy seems to adopt these days.
I did enjoy this read but the ending disappointed me a tiny bit as I felt like not much came of the big plot twist! I gave this book 3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ I feel like a sequel could fix some of the issues I had with the book. Very happy to have received a copy and I really think that Jade Church is an author to watch for in the future!!!
I really enjoyed the way the book started with introducing the characters and the very first scene set a great tone to the book. I always like to see a bit of down time in characters and by starting with this, we got to know Ivy pretty quickly. For here, however, the story became very quick and I took slight issue with how quickly Ivy accepted her whole world turning upside down. I do appreciate that Jade had a lot to do in a short standalone and therefore I'm not too mad about the quick moving story, but I would have liked a little more resistance from Ivy.
The characters were very likeable and I particularly loved Freddy! He was so sarcastic and I could relate to his outlook on life! There’s something about “I don’t love anyone” female characters that annoy me and Ivy was a little like this at times….but she was very head strong and tough which made her likeable! The book included some nice relationship growth in terms of between friends and I enjoyed the enemies to friends (or at least allies) moments.
The diversity in the book was lovely with same sex relationships and angels of all ethnicities 💜 the spice level of the book was good 😍 and Dev sounds absolutely dreamy! A little warning here - if you are not the kind of person who likes the 'insta-love' trope then this book might not be for you! There's very little relationship growth between love interests and the characters are kind of single one moment and together the next. I actually didn't mind this as it deviates from the typical enemies to lovers that most fantasy seems to adopt these days.
I did enjoy this read but the ending disappointed me a tiny bit as I felt like not much came of the big plot twist! I gave this book 3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ I feel like a sequel could fix some of the issues I had with the book. Very happy to have received a copy and I really think that Jade Church is an author to watch for in the future!!!
May 31, 2021
First I would like to thank NetGalley for sending me this E-Arc!!
True Rating 4.5✨
Congrats to the author for a fantastic debut novel! I need book two (is there going to be a book two because I would love one) now!
Lets talk about why I decided to take half a star away.
There were a handful of times where I was just confused as to what was going on. I would reread to see if I missed something and came back to where I was before which was confused. There were a few typos. I think I counted 3? Which really isn't that bad. Pacing was a little stop and go for me and overall a little spotty. Definitely room for improvement here but by any means was not awful. Lastly, I felt that Ivy and Dev's relationship was rushed. It was so perfect that there seemed like a mating bond of some sort was present but that was never revealed. I think if it was, then the relationship wouldn't have felt rushed. I do love their relationship and the respect that Dev constantly gives her. Dev gets an A+
Okay reasons why I loved:
LGBTQ+ representation. People (angels?) of all colors. Bad a$$ main character. Beautiful relationships. The list is endless. I flew through this book and completely binged it. These characters and their story will stay with me for a while.
Ivy:
I absolutely loved Ivy and how she doesn't put up with anyones BS. And how she gets cranky when hungry. Same sis. Her trauma was gut wrenching, how she dealt with it was relatable, and her "plot twist" of a father was predicable (but I totally didn't mind that and actually loved it). I really hope there is a book two because I want to see her use all her powers.
Dev and his brothers:
This story truly broke my heart. Constant betrayal. Ugh. I love the chosen family he ends up with and it brings me so much happiness. I am curious as to where exactly Micheal went. What happened to Gabe? This is why I need a book two. I need more info on these three brothers and I need it NOW.
Freddy:
I think we all need a Freddy in our life. Definition of a good best friend. I just want him to be happy and it seems that he might just get that. Perfect side kick. Kinda gives me Cassian vibes.
The world building:
Um hello that was amazing. I need more of it now. Give me daily life in the underworld. Give me daily life in heaven. All of it now pls. Was so detailed. Never felt like info dumping. Really created a cool world.
Plot:
Like I said before was patchy a little and pacing needed work. But I really enjoyed the plot as a whole. It was fun to see Ivy learn her powers, deal with her trauma, and grow as a character. I also loved that we got both Ivy and Dev POVs. That is a huge bonus!!
Note that this is a new adult, 18+ book. I wanted more spice and smut but alas what was there was amazing.
TW: Death, trauma, blood/gory
Congrats again to the author, Jade Church! ✨
True Rating 4.5✨
Congrats to the author for a fantastic debut novel! I need book two (is there going to be a book two because I would love one) now!
Lets talk about why I decided to take half a star away.
There were a handful of times where I was just confused as to what was going on. I would reread to see if I missed something and came back to where I was before which was confused. There were a few typos. I think I counted 3? Which really isn't that bad. Pacing was a little stop and go for me and overall a little spotty. Definitely room for improvement here but by any means was not awful. Lastly, I felt that Ivy and Dev's relationship was rushed. It was so perfect that there seemed like a mating bond of some sort was present but that was never revealed. I think if it was, then the relationship wouldn't have felt rushed. I do love their relationship and the respect that Dev constantly gives her. Dev gets an A+
Okay reasons why I loved:
LGBTQ+ representation. People (angels?) of all colors. Bad a$$ main character. Beautiful relationships. The list is endless. I flew through this book and completely binged it. These characters and their story will stay with me for a while.
Ivy:
I absolutely loved Ivy and how she doesn't put up with anyones BS. And how she gets cranky when hungry. Same sis. Her trauma was gut wrenching, how she dealt with it was relatable, and her "plot twist" of a father was predicable (but I totally didn't mind that and actually loved it). I really hope there is a book two because I want to see her use all her powers.
Dev and his brothers:
This story truly broke my heart. Constant betrayal. Ugh. I love the chosen family he ends up with and it brings me so much happiness. I am curious as to where exactly Micheal went. What happened to Gabe? This is why I need a book two. I need more info on these three brothers and I need it NOW.
Freddy:
I think we all need a Freddy in our life. Definition of a good best friend. I just want him to be happy and it seems that he might just get that. Perfect side kick. Kinda gives me Cassian vibes.
The world building:
Um hello that was amazing. I need more of it now. Give me daily life in the underworld. Give me daily life in heaven. All of it now pls. Was so detailed. Never felt like info dumping. Really created a cool world.
Plot:
Like I said before was patchy a little and pacing needed work. But I really enjoyed the plot as a whole. It was fun to see Ivy learn her powers, deal with her trauma, and grow as a character. I also loved that we got both Ivy and Dev POVs. That is a huge bonus!!
Note that this is a new adult, 18+ book. I wanted more spice and smut but alas what was there was amazing.
TW: Death, trauma, blood/gory
Congrats again to the author, Jade Church! ✨
did-not-finish
August 6, 2021DNF @ 20%
Unfortunately, TEMPER THE FLAME just did not work for me. The world building was all over the place and I’m not sure what it was trying to be. Why is there a biblical Heaven and angels but Greek mythology with Hades and the Underworld? And yet Devlin, our hero, is cursed by Michael so that he’ll appear as the Devil to humans so that he’ll remain alone and never find love. So is there a Hell or an Underworld? Is it Hades or Lucifer?
One of the biggest issues that pulled me out of the story was that TEMPER THE FLAMES seems to rely heavily on a lot of New Adult themes I find really annoying. In this case it’s the heroine who pushes everyone away yet every male character wants to be with her and every female character hates her. In fact, Jasmine, the only other woman, is immediately threatened by Ivy’s presence because Devlin is interested in Ivy. In the same chapter that Ivy and Jasmine meet, Jasmine slaps Ivy in the face and tries to tear down her confidence by saying Devlin is only using her and isn't actually attracted to her. And of course Devlin is completely oblivious that his female friend has feelings for him and instead thinks she’s just being “overprotective”. I’ve just seen this too many times in New Adult and I’m tired of it.
Additionally, several different characters would go from being sad little puppies to cocky jerks and the change in personality was very jarring. I’m obviously in the minority with this opinion so if paranormal New Adult romance is your thing then you will probably have a better experience than me.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Unfortunately, TEMPER THE FLAME just did not work for me. The world building was all over the place and I’m not sure what it was trying to be. Why is there a biblical Heaven and angels but Greek mythology with Hades and the Underworld? And yet Devlin, our hero, is cursed by Michael so that he’ll appear as the Devil to humans so that he’ll remain alone and never find love. So is there a Hell or an Underworld? Is it Hades or Lucifer?
One of the biggest issues that pulled me out of the story was that TEMPER THE FLAMES seems to rely heavily on a lot of New Adult themes I find really annoying. In this case it’s the heroine who pushes everyone away yet every male character wants to be with her and every female character hates her. In fact, Jasmine, the only other woman, is immediately threatened by Ivy’s presence because Devlin is interested in Ivy. In the same chapter that Ivy and Jasmine meet, Jasmine slaps Ivy in the face and tries to tear down her confidence by saying Devlin is only using her and isn't actually attracted to her. And of course Devlin is completely oblivious that his female friend has feelings for him and instead thinks she’s just being “overprotective”. I’ve just seen this too many times in New Adult and I’m tired of it.
Additionally, several different characters would go from being sad little puppies to cocky jerks and the change in personality was very jarring. I’m obviously in the minority with this opinion so if paranormal New Adult romance is your thing then you will probably have a better experience than me.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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April 27, 2025“I belong wherever you are”
There’s something very special about debut novels. And who can really resist a debut romantasy?! Impossible. I’m also partial to all things angels and Hades… so that’s that 🙈 I can’t wait to see where Jade Church will go because I already wish this debut novel was a debut series.
There’s something very special about debut novels. And who can really resist a debut romantasy?! Impossible. I’m also partial to all things angels and Hades… so that’s that 🙈 I can’t wait to see where Jade Church will go because I already wish this debut novel was a debut series.
November 24, 2021
First, I would like to say that I’m infatuated with the cover of this book. I love the name. I love everything about it. Truth be told, it’s been on my TBR list for a while. I’m happy to finally have had the chance to read it!
In this standalone debut by Jade Church, we plummet into a world of Angels and psychics. Our heroine, Ivy, finds herself caught up in an Angelic war. She finds up in the arms of Devlin in an insta-love romance, battling alongside him to conquer their demons – both metaphorical and literal.
I personally enjoyed “Temper the Flame”. I enjoyed the stories, I enjoyed the characters. I found myself quite intrigued by what was going to happen next. It had all of the makings of a stunning debut novel.
I enjoyed the humor of the book. It was very tongue in cheek and it made it incredibly fun to read. I adored all of the characters. The development, for me, was there. I was incredibly attached to the characters. Even the smaller, ‘bit-part players were intriguing to me.
There were, unfortunately, some things that didn’t quite jive well with me that took away from the reading experience. The writing itself was very fast-paced. There were a couple of instances where I had convinced myself that I had skipped several pages, only to go back and re-read, only to then realize that it had happened as quickly as I thought it did. I wish there was some more time taken to flesh out the action scenes.
I will admit I’m not the biggest fan of insta-love, so I did my best to keep myself impartial while reading (I don’t review based on my own preferences, rather, I try to be as objective as possible). All that aside, I’m still not convinced I felt a connection between Devlin and Ivy. There weren’t very many sparks, which was a tragedy because both characters on their own were wonderful to read.
At the time of writing this, Jade Church doesn’t intend to write a sequel to this novel, which I can’t help but feel is a missed opportunity. The overarching plot of the book finishes about three-quarters of the way through, and then we’re then dropped into another plotline entirely. One that I would love to see explored more fully. I was actually quite disappointed to learn there wouldn’t be a follow-up because I would have loved to see what happened with this lovable cast of misfits.
Overall, I feel like I want to rate it somewhere between 3.5 stars and 4, so I will round up. I’m really looking forward to reading more from Jade Church, and do hope she’ll consider writing a sequel! If the appetites there, my ARC requests are open! 😂
In this standalone debut by Jade Church, we plummet into a world of Angels and psychics. Our heroine, Ivy, finds herself caught up in an Angelic war. She finds up in the arms of Devlin in an insta-love romance, battling alongside him to conquer their demons – both metaphorical and literal.
I personally enjoyed “Temper the Flame”. I enjoyed the stories, I enjoyed the characters. I found myself quite intrigued by what was going to happen next. It had all of the makings of a stunning debut novel.
I enjoyed the humor of the book. It was very tongue in cheek and it made it incredibly fun to read. I adored all of the characters. The development, for me, was there. I was incredibly attached to the characters. Even the smaller, ‘bit-part players were intriguing to me.
There were, unfortunately, some things that didn’t quite jive well with me that took away from the reading experience. The writing itself was very fast-paced. There were a couple of instances where I had convinced myself that I had skipped several pages, only to go back and re-read, only to then realize that it had happened as quickly as I thought it did. I wish there was some more time taken to flesh out the action scenes.
I will admit I’m not the biggest fan of insta-love, so I did my best to keep myself impartial while reading (I don’t review based on my own preferences, rather, I try to be as objective as possible). All that aside, I’m still not convinced I felt a connection between Devlin and Ivy. There weren’t very many sparks, which was a tragedy because both characters on their own were wonderful to read.
At the time of writing this, Jade Church doesn’t intend to write a sequel to this novel, which I can’t help but feel is a missed opportunity. The overarching plot of the book finishes about three-quarters of the way through, and then we’re then dropped into another plotline entirely. One that I would love to see explored more fully. I was actually quite disappointed to learn there wouldn’t be a follow-up because I would have loved to see what happened with this lovable cast of misfits.
Overall, I feel like I want to rate it somewhere between 3.5 stars and 4, so I will round up. I’m really looking forward to reading more from Jade Church, and do hope she’ll consider writing a sequel! If the appetites there, my ARC requests are open! 😂
July 8, 2021
I was provided with the copy of Temper the Flame in exchange of an honest review. Thanks to Netgalley and Jade Church for this opportunity.
Ivy had a very quiet life, without any complications, until some very handsome man had appeared in her store with some serious injuries. Since then her life had changed radically. She's a psychic, that has the important role of bring back the fallen angels to Heaven. Because of that, angels from Heaven started to hunt her, but Devlin will protect her despite anything. So Ivy's staying with the fallen ones, training and developing her powers, and meanwhile, falling in love with the strongest fallen angel, Devlin.
Let's start with the strong points of this story. The fact that Hades rules the Hell, is pretty interesting. And, that the Angel Michael is the one who 'rules' Heaven, is pretty interesting, too. So, the main idea about different worlds, and heavens it's good. The idea is so cool. The story isn't boring, but the pacing is too fast for me.
The less good points... When I was reading the book I felt like I was 14 years old. We have here a lot of clichés. The hot guy... Always the hot and sexy guy that need to be 'fucked', because it hot... OK, I understood, that I y had a very difficult past and she doesn't want nothing serious with anyone. But,... She starts kissing with Devlin since the day one. Like, you are a psychic and you discovers, that you're hunted by angels, that want to kill you. Plus, you go with some strangers, t'ha you don't know anything about... OK, it's a fantasy book, and I don't need to be so annoying. But... The second day Ivy thinks, that she might be in love with Devlin, and Devlin fells in love with her and want to be more than sex for her... So, here we go with an illogical love story. This book seemed to me more like a porn movie than a story.
Then, of course, we have a jealous girl who is in love with the hot guy, and starts to make you life impossible, or tell you that you need to be with the hot guy, because he's a good person... Like, wtf...
I loved this kind of stories when I was 14, yes. It was cool in the past, but nowadays, I think I need more logical stories and see the love's development.
Sorry, but I like read books where the hot guy has a brain and a soul; where the girl fells in love with him because of his personality, and not because he's a fucking hot machine for sex.
Ivy had a very quiet life, without any complications, until some very handsome man had appeared in her store with some serious injuries. Since then her life had changed radically. She's a psychic, that has the important role of bring back the fallen angels to Heaven. Because of that, angels from Heaven started to hunt her, but Devlin will protect her despite anything. So Ivy's staying with the fallen ones, training and developing her powers, and meanwhile, falling in love with the strongest fallen angel, Devlin.
Let's start with the strong points of this story. The fact that Hades rules the Hell, is pretty interesting. And, that the Angel Michael is the one who 'rules' Heaven, is pretty interesting, too. So, the main idea about different worlds, and heavens it's good. The idea is so cool. The story isn't boring, but the pacing is too fast for me.
The less good points... When I was reading the book I felt like I was 14 years old. We have here a lot of clichés. The hot guy... Always the hot and sexy guy that need to be 'fucked', because it hot... OK, I understood, that I y had a very difficult past and she doesn't want nothing serious with anyone. But,... She starts kissing with Devlin since the day one. Like, you are a psychic and you discovers, that you're hunted by angels, that want to kill you. Plus, you go with some strangers, t'ha you don't know anything about... OK, it's a fantasy book, and I don't need to be so annoying. But... The second day Ivy thinks, that she might be in love with Devlin, and Devlin fells in love with her and want to be more than sex for her... So, here we go with an illogical love story. This book seemed to me more like a porn movie than a story.
Then, of course, we have a jealous girl who is in love with the hot guy, and starts to make you life impossible, or tell you that you need to be with the hot guy, because he's a good person... Like, wtf...
I loved this kind of stories when I was 14, yes. It was cool in the past, but nowadays, I think I need more logical stories and see the love's development.
Sorry, but I like read books where the hot guy has a brain and a soul; where the girl fells in love with him because of his personality, and not because he's a fucking hot machine for sex.
August 20, 2021
➼ 3.5 stars
**I recieved a free copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
Temper The Flame is the perfect book for those of you, like me, who are hopelessly infatuated with fallen angel books like Hush Hush, Fallen and Angelfall.
Set in a rural English town (finally a British book, yay!), Temper The Flame focuses on the very mundane life of protagonist Ivy, an emotionally distant, cool character who is whisked away to a compound by fallen angels trying their level best to get back into the Heavens. Ivy discovers that she's a psychic and the key for this group of fallen angels to return back to their rightful home. Ivy encounters Devlin, the stereotypical tall, dark and handsome male love interest, who was thrown out of the Heavens by his brother, Michael. Whilst a select group of loyal angels followed him to the Earthly plane, Dev is the only one who is cursed to remain on Earth unless he can find someone to fall in love with the real him. Sounds impossible right?
I'll start off with the positives shall I? I utterly adored the concept; fallen angels are my kryptonite and I loved the idea of a group of fallen, rejected warriors banding together to overthrow the usurper. Mix this with the element of visions and plane hopping and it's a recipe for an epic fantasy book. The majority of my rating is attributed towards the main character, Ivy, who had experienced a great tragedy that led to her becoming distant, closed-off and an extremely sarcastic character. It's rare to have such an unbothered, unfazed protagonist in new adult fantasy so that's definitely something that needs to be praised in this book.
Here's where it all went wrong. I personally didn't feel like I could emotionally connect with the characters, don't get me wrong, they all had potential and some complex reasons for their current predicament but I felt as if these were not explored in depth. Moreover, the attraction between Ivy and Dev felt far too intense and pretty much dominated the entire plot. These two had potential but I just couldn't find myself invested in their relationship by the end. My main gripe would be the random element of Greek mythology. I love me some Hades but it would have been much more exciting to see an intricate blend of angels and Greek mythology where more than one Greek figure is mentioned.
If you love fallen angels, Hades and sarcastic characters, this book is for you!
**I recieved a free copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
Temper The Flame is the perfect book for those of you, like me, who are hopelessly infatuated with fallen angel books like Hush Hush, Fallen and Angelfall.
Set in a rural English town (finally a British book, yay!), Temper The Flame focuses on the very mundane life of protagonist Ivy, an emotionally distant, cool character who is whisked away to a compound by fallen angels trying their level best to get back into the Heavens. Ivy discovers that she's a psychic and the key for this group of fallen angels to return back to their rightful home. Ivy encounters Devlin, the stereotypical tall, dark and handsome male love interest, who was thrown out of the Heavens by his brother, Michael. Whilst a select group of loyal angels followed him to the Earthly plane, Dev is the only one who is cursed to remain on Earth unless he can find someone to fall in love with the real him. Sounds impossible right?
I'll start off with the positives shall I? I utterly adored the concept; fallen angels are my kryptonite and I loved the idea of a group of fallen, rejected warriors banding together to overthrow the usurper. Mix this with the element of visions and plane hopping and it's a recipe for an epic fantasy book. The majority of my rating is attributed towards the main character, Ivy, who had experienced a great tragedy that led to her becoming distant, closed-off and an extremely sarcastic character. It's rare to have such an unbothered, unfazed protagonist in new adult fantasy so that's definitely something that needs to be praised in this book.
Here's where it all went wrong. I personally didn't feel like I could emotionally connect with the characters, don't get me wrong, they all had potential and some complex reasons for their current predicament but I felt as if these were not explored in depth. Moreover, the attraction between Ivy and Dev felt far too intense and pretty much dominated the entire plot. These two had potential but I just couldn't find myself invested in their relationship by the end. My main gripe would be the random element of Greek mythology. I love me some Hades but it would have been much more exciting to see an intricate blend of angels and Greek mythology where more than one Greek figure is mentioned.
If you love fallen angels, Hades and sarcastic characters, this book is for you!
July 14, 2021
This book left me primarily confused. I didn't dislike it- but it was a strange read. The book has a lot of potential but just missed the mark on a few things for me.
This book is about Ivy, who has her life upended when some fallen angels pop into it and pretty much tell her that she has to go with them or she's going to die. It's a new adult urban fantasy.
I did enjoy the book, and there are some specific things I can point to that I think were well done. The premise was fun- I love fallen angels as much as the next girl. I also enjoyed getting both the guy and the girl's perspectives.
There was a lot about this book that had me massively confused, though. The pacing was wild. I love a fast-paced book, and I love stand-alone books; I rarely have the patience for anything else- this was too fast and tried to cram too much into one book even for me. This book went at a breakneck speed opting for telling rather than showing in a rush to get through the plot. There were plot points that felt utterly abandoned by the end of the book. (Mostly the curse and whatever happened with Gabe.) The book had a climax at about halfway through, and then for the second half of the book, jumped and went down a completely different path and felt like a different book. I think it might have made more sense to turn this into a duology and flesh out each of those storylines a bit more.
The romance in this book suffers from a severe case of insta-lust. I'm happy to say that despite that I still liked both of their characters, I just wish that their relationship had played out a little differently. The blurb makes it feel like there will be a love triangle, but if that isn't your thing, I wouldn't let that stop you from reading this because I didn't feel that actually pull through for a majority of the book.
While I had many criticisms for the book and spent a good chunk of time confused about what I just read, I did finish the book in one sitting and really enjoyed it. I probably won't be rereading this; it had so much potential; it just needed some work to be the right fit for me. I hope that the author keeps writing because I think I would absolutely love their work with some tweaking.
This book is about Ivy, who has her life upended when some fallen angels pop into it and pretty much tell her that she has to go with them or she's going to die. It's a new adult urban fantasy.
I did enjoy the book, and there are some specific things I can point to that I think were well done. The premise was fun- I love fallen angels as much as the next girl. I also enjoyed getting both the guy and the girl's perspectives.
There was a lot about this book that had me massively confused, though. The pacing was wild. I love a fast-paced book, and I love stand-alone books; I rarely have the patience for anything else- this was too fast and tried to cram too much into one book even for me. This book went at a breakneck speed opting for telling rather than showing in a rush to get through the plot. There were plot points that felt utterly abandoned by the end of the book. (Mostly the curse and whatever happened with Gabe.) The book had a climax at about halfway through, and then for the second half of the book, jumped and went down a completely different path and felt like a different book. I think it might have made more sense to turn this into a duology and flesh out each of those storylines a bit more.
The romance in this book suffers from a severe case of insta-lust. I'm happy to say that despite that I still liked both of their characters, I just wish that their relationship had played out a little differently. The blurb makes it feel like there will be a love triangle, but if that isn't your thing, I wouldn't let that stop you from reading this because I didn't feel that actually pull through for a majority of the book.
While I had many criticisms for the book and spent a good chunk of time confused about what I just read, I did finish the book in one sitting and really enjoyed it. I probably won't be rereading this; it had so much potential; it just needed some work to be the right fit for me. I hope that the author keeps writing because I think I would absolutely love their work with some tweaking.
June 7, 2021
𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱.
This book follows the story of Ivy, who is working at a dead-end retail job, questioning her life choices. When all of a sudden, a man bumps into the shop window, smearing blood everywhere and holding his guts in his hands. What was going to be a very mundane, boring day turned into one of the most pivotal moments of her life...
"𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆'𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒑 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆,"
I found myself laughing out loud numerous times whilst reading this book - the dialogue and internal monologue is so funny and relatable! The plot kept me on my toes and the story flowed smoothly and at a fast pace.
Devlin - a fallen angel- is our classic 'bad boy' character who isn't exactly a bad boy - he's kind and considerate and would do anything for his people.
"𝑺𝒂𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍, 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕,"
Ivy is a strong-minded character from the very start and knows what she wants but sometimes has trouble admitting it - she may have moments of insecurity due to her troubled past but she will always stand up for herself.
"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕,"
I'm usually more of a 'slow-burn romance' type of girl so this pushed me out of my comfort zone - it was definitely an 'instant-love' kind of tale but it worked nicely. There's a couple of steamy scenes in this book but they weren't written in too much detail and they seemed to be kept quite short but it allowed the story to keep up to pace, so I wouldn't put it as a criticism.
The only criticism I have is that I wish it could've been longer! The ending had me craving more and I feel as if the story isn't fully complete yet!
𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗻...𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀... 𝗼𝗿 𝙚𝙭-𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀...
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!!
This book follows the story of Ivy, who is working at a dead-end retail job, questioning her life choices. When all of a sudden, a man bumps into the shop window, smearing blood everywhere and holding his guts in his hands. What was going to be a very mundane, boring day turned into one of the most pivotal moments of her life...
"𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆'𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒑 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆,"
I found myself laughing out loud numerous times whilst reading this book - the dialogue and internal monologue is so funny and relatable! The plot kept me on my toes and the story flowed smoothly and at a fast pace.
Devlin - a fallen angel- is our classic 'bad boy' character who isn't exactly a bad boy - he's kind and considerate and would do anything for his people.
"𝑺𝒂𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍, 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕,"
Ivy is a strong-minded character from the very start and knows what she wants but sometimes has trouble admitting it - she may have moments of insecurity due to her troubled past but she will always stand up for herself.
"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕,"
I'm usually more of a 'slow-burn romance' type of girl so this pushed me out of my comfort zone - it was definitely an 'instant-love' kind of tale but it worked nicely. There's a couple of steamy scenes in this book but they weren't written in too much detail and they seemed to be kept quite short but it allowed the story to keep up to pace, so I wouldn't put it as a criticism.
The only criticism I have is that I wish it could've been longer! The ending had me craving more and I feel as if the story isn't fully complete yet!
𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗻...𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀... 𝗼𝗿 𝙚𝙭-𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀...
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!!
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