In a lot of ways, this book was an improvement on the first in the series, in that the stories of the two leads both seem to have a conclusion, and the number of typos is greatly reduced. Tarek's more fleshed out background and the fact that he starts the story already smitten with Brianna also makes him a more unique and compelling male lead, even if he is still somewhat more aggressive than necessary in places. (Though of course, by the standards of the universe he inhabits, with violence of various kinds very much baked in, Tarek is downright soft.)
There are still issues with seeming gaps in conversations, or missing scenes, that lead me to wonder, as I did with the first book, if an earlier draft of the story might have been uploaded for the ebook by mistake. The story still works well enough, but it is worth saying that the paperback version of the book will make for a smoother reading experience.
And as is my way, I have arrange my takeaway thoughts on the story into a haiku:
"How the old pains burst,
When adulthood grants the choice
Between spite and growth."