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Promises: A Memories Prequel
As the future Emperor of Nith Remdalion, Soren Peronell believed he would have a choice in choosing his spouse, but that dream is shattered when he finds himself betrothed to a prince of a neighboring kingdom.
Brendis Athalos, Prince of Shadowbrook, has long harbored feelings for Soren. To have him as his betrothed is a dream come true...until he learns Soren wants nothing to do with him.
When it all inevitably comes tumbling down and he is faced with losing everything he never wanted, Soren knows he has only himself to blame. And he can only hope promises whispered in the places between midnight will be enough to mend the only heart he never really meant to break.
Brendis Athalos, Prince of Shadowbrook, has long harbored feelings for Soren. To have him as his betrothed is a dream come true...until he learns Soren wants nothing to do with him.
When it all inevitably comes tumbling down and he is faced with losing everything he never wanted, Soren knows he has only himself to blame. And he can only hope promises whispered in the places between midnight will be enough to mend the only heart he never really meant to break.
156 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 19, 2022
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
September 13, 2022
This book made me think of "Shannara's Chronicles" tv series, but a little bit less magical.
🌙 The blurb isn't the best-written one. It spoils the last 20-30% of the story, promises nights with whispered oaths, while the reality is much more mundane. There is a lot of pinning and angst, weird decisions that end up hurting someone, push-and-pull between MCs, and some drops of romance that don't deliver enough.
🌙 The world is a mix of thousands of years after the current time while still using some of today's technology. There is a small amount of magic (which was absolutely not explained), and young people sometimes use fantasy-like words, while at the same time behaving like common teenagers.
🌙 I fail to see the reasons behind Soren's actions. He explained himself 2 times - giving some kind of reasoning, which was too shallow to make proper sense. The author tries to give him a background, and motivations, but somehow it doesn't reflect in the prince's actions.
Soren also had more chemistry with Vincent, than with his betrothed.
🌙 There is some kind of prophecy in the background, and possibly magic rituals, but nothing that actually explains the events in the book.
🌙 The plot seemed like a typical romantic story, with a touch of magic, naivety, and an obvious crisis close to the end. The last one got resolved extremely easily (I hoped for AT LEAST an apology ride; no luck). Somehow, I expected more than I got. All the mysteries were set up, but never got any solution - and I know it's a prequel, but the series won't follow Brendis and Soren's romance, and because of that, I expected more substance.
🌙 It isn't a bad story per se. The writing and idea are promising, but the immature behavior of both princes, combined with events that weren't even important, sudden "love you"'s, and lack of real courting disappointed. It's a short read, and the author clearly doesn't have a lot of experience, didn't find their own voice, and would benefit from experienced guidance or beta readers. It looked like 2nd draft, not a proper prequel. Not a bad read, but won't stay in my memory either.
I received an ARC of this book from the Gay Romance Reviews, and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.
🌙 The blurb isn't the best-written one. It spoils the last 20-30% of the story, promises nights with whispered oaths, while the reality is much more mundane. There is a lot of pinning and angst, weird decisions that end up hurting someone, push-and-pull between MCs, and some drops of romance that don't deliver enough.
🌙 The world is a mix of thousands of years after the current time while still using some of today's technology. There is a small amount of magic (which was absolutely not explained), and young people sometimes use fantasy-like words, while at the same time behaving like common teenagers.
🌙 I fail to see the reasons behind Soren's actions. He explained himself 2 times - giving some kind of reasoning, which was too shallow to make proper sense. The author tries to give him a background, and motivations, but somehow it doesn't reflect in the prince's actions.
Soren also had more chemistry with Vincent, than with his betrothed.
🌙 There is some kind of prophecy in the background, and possibly magic rituals, but nothing that actually explains the events in the book.
🌙 The plot seemed like a typical romantic story, with a touch of magic, naivety, and an obvious crisis close to the end. The last one got resolved extremely easily (I hoped for AT LEAST an apology ride; no luck). Somehow, I expected more than I got. All the mysteries were set up, but never got any solution - and I know it's a prequel, but the series won't follow Brendis and Soren's romance, and because of that, I expected more substance.
🌙 It isn't a bad story per se. The writing and idea are promising, but the immature behavior of both princes, combined with events that weren't even important, sudden "love you"'s, and lack of real courting disappointed. It's a short read, and the author clearly doesn't have a lot of experience, didn't find their own voice, and would benefit from experienced guidance or beta readers. It looked like 2nd draft, not a proper prequel. Not a bad read, but won't stay in my memory either.
I received an ARC of this book from the Gay Romance Reviews, and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.
September 28, 2022
Promises was a lovely prequel novella. My first experience with this author who's writing style flowed well and kept me engaged with the story.
Although a novella, the story had significant depth and character development, and it was all too easy to want to see Soren and Brendis get their happily ever after.
It may be worth nothing though that while Promises involves a M/M relationship, the Memories Quartet to which this novella acts as a prequel, seems to involve primarily M/F pairings. Regardless of whether you read the full series, Promises is a full story in and of it's own and can be enjoyed in isolation from the main series.
Promises was a truly lovely read and I enjoyed every moment. I would be more than happy to read more by this author.
All my reviews can be found on my blog: The Word Nerd Reviews
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Although a novella, the story had significant depth and character development, and it was all too easy to want to see Soren and Brendis get their happily ever after.
It may be worth nothing though that while Promises involves a M/M relationship, the Memories Quartet to which this novella acts as a prequel, seems to involve primarily M/F pairings. Regardless of whether you read the full series, Promises is a full story in and of it's own and can be enjoyed in isolation from the main series.
Promises was a truly lovely read and I enjoyed every moment. I would be more than happy to read more by this author.
All my reviews can be found on my blog: The Word Nerd Reviews
Follow Me: Facebook , Twitter & Instagram
The Word Nerd Reviews is currently looking for reviewers aged 18+ to join the team. If you are interested, visit the blog for more information
September 18, 2022
The first ever trope I fell in love with was the Arranged Marriage one. So, to say I jumped at this will be an understatement.
My only issue after reading this, was wishing it would have been longer. Soren and Brendis were intriguing characters and I wanted more of them. I loved how bold Brendis was in challenging Soren thereby bringing him down a notch.
I found the world-building extremely unique - kinda like a mix between modern and olden times and the characters and story so easy to follow.
I'm so, so hoping there is more MM by this author... 💙💙
My only issue after reading this, was wishing it would have been longer. Soren and Brendis were intriguing characters and I wanted more of them. I loved how bold Brendis was in challenging Soren thereby bringing him down a notch.
I found the world-building extremely unique - kinda like a mix between modern and olden times and the characters and story so easy to follow.
I'm so, so hoping there is more MM by this author... 💙💙
September 14, 2022
I was a little surprised how much I enjoyed the story of Soren and Brandis. Cute and cheeky with little angst. I actually wish the story could’ve been a little longer to prolong the outcome, especially the last 5% as felt a little rushed but overall I loved it.
It was a unique plot and interesting world they are a part of. Liked both characters, great chemistry. Good read.
It was a unique plot and interesting world they are a part of. Liked both characters, great chemistry. Good read.
September 15, 2022
Eng 🇬🇧 (In Ita sotto 🇮🇹)
As soon as I read the plot of this book, I immediately requested an Arc because I love the arranged marriage trope. But how much angst for such a short novel! Even a bit too much for my taste.
I think this book should have been longer. It has imo good premises and good ideas, but the development is instead more lacking. Firstly, the worldbuilding was not clear to me. We're supposed to be in the future, though in a world that's medieval-like, but with some technological objects of our modernity (e.g., cars, which have fallen into disuse, so people are back to using wagons o.o), plus there's also magic, monsters, oracles, prophecies, and rituals? 🤔 Idk, for me everything was not very clear.
Besides, I liked the characters, Brendis and Adriel above all, while I struggled more to connect with Soren. He and his swinging for-no-apparent-reason behavior are the reasons behind the angst of the whole book. I couldn't understand him, the motivations behind his attitudes didn't seem strong to me, he just seemed stubborn and someone who changes his mind over and over again, but without any clear explanation as to why; I don't understand the inner journey behind each of his changes of course, they seemed rather sudden. The peak of all this for me is what happens at 93% (!) of the book, or rather what Soren makes happen at that point in the story. Idk, it felt rushed, another sudden change of direction by Soren not adequately motivated for me. It was not treated as it should have been, as was the ending of the book at that point. It was all very fast, all rushed. Soren should have crawled more at the end! And instead after yet another, final change of ideas there is suddenly the happy ending and bam!, the book is over. ❓
Moreover, I agree with other reviewers about the blurb, imo it should be changed, it’s not on-point, what is written there is instead the summary of the last part of the plot.
In conclusion, I liked the premise and the ideas behind the story, but in my opinion it could have been done better than this with this material. I definitely think the book should have been longer (all the more so as it is a prequel, so in theory it should introduce us to this world more clearly). In this way, there would have been more time to better develop the events, the universe and above all the inner journey of both MCs, especially Soren's, to make it more linear. There are some nice and interesting things that it would have been nice to see a bit more in-depth, also regarding the relationship between the two MCs; there are imho some good bases that have unfortunately not been exploited to their full potential.
I received an Arc of this book from GRR, whom I thank, and this is my honest review.
Ita 🇮🇹
Appena ho letto la trama di questo libro ho richiesto subito l’Arc perché adoro il trope del matrimonio combinato. Ma quanto angst per un romanzo così breve! Anche un po’ troppo, per i miei gusti.
Innanzitutto penso che questo libro sarebbe dovuto essere più lungo. Ha infatti secondo me delle buone premesse e delle buone idee, ma lo sviluppo di tutto ciò è invece più carente. Come prima cosa, non mi è stato chiaro il worldbuilding. Dovremmo trovarci nel futuro, in un mondo che però è simil medievale, ma con alcuni oggetti tecnologici della nostra modernità (ad esempio le automobili, che però sono cadute in disuso e si è tornati ad usare i carri o.o), e in più c’è anche la magia, mostri, oracoli, profezie e rituali? 🤔 non so, per me tutto quanto non era molto chiaro.
Inoltre, mi sono piaciuti i personaggi, Brendis e Adriel su tutti, mentre ho faticato di più ad entrare in sintonia con Soren. Lui e il suo comportamento, altalenante senza una ragione apparente, sono il motivo dietro all’angst di tutto il libro. Non sono riuscita a capirlo, le motivazioni dietro i suoi atteggiamenti non mi sono sembrate forti, mi è sembrato solo uno che si impunta e cambia idea più volte, ma senza che ci sia stato spiegato bene il perché; non si capisce il percorso interiore che c’è dietro ogni suo cambio di rotta, sono anzi piuttosto repentini. Il culmine di tutto questo per me è quello che succede al 93% (!) del libro, anzi quello che ovviamente Soren fa succedere in quel momento della storia. Non so, mi è sembrato veloce e affrettato, un ulteriore repentino cambio di rotta di Soren non adeguatamente motivato per me. Non è stato trattato come avrebbe dovuto, così come a quel punto il finale del libro. È stato tutto rapidissimo, tutto fatto di corsa. Soren doveva strisciare di più alla fine! E invece dopo l’ennesimo, ultimo cambio di idee c’è di botto l’happy ending e bam!, il libro è finito. ❓
Inoltre, condivido quello che hanno già detto altri recensori: il blurb del romanzo secondo me dovrebbe essere modificato, non è centrato, quello che c’è scritto è invece il riassunto dell’ultima parte della trama.
In conclusione, ho apprezzato le premesse e le idee alla base della storia, ma secondo me con questo materiale si poteva fare meglio di così. Penso decisamente che il libro sarebbe dovuto essere più lungo (a maggior ragione essendo un prequel, che quindi in teoria dovrebbe introdurci a questo mondo più chiaramente). In questa maniera ci sarebbe stato più tempo per sviluppare al meglio le vicende, l’universo narrato e soprattutto il percorso interiore di entrambi i personaggi principali, in particolare quello di Soren, per renderlo più lineare. Ci sono delle cose carine e interessanti che sarebbe stato bello vedere un po’ più approfondite, anche a riguardo della relazione tra i due protagonisti; ci sono secondo me delle buone basi che però purtroppo non sono state sfruttate in tutta la loro potenzialità.
Ho ricevuto un Arc di questo libro da GRR, che ringrazio, e questa è la mia onesta recensione.
As soon as I read the plot of this book, I immediately requested an Arc because I love the arranged marriage trope. But how much angst for such a short novel! Even a bit too much for my taste.
I think this book should have been longer. It has imo good premises and good ideas, but the development is instead more lacking. Firstly, the worldbuilding was not clear to me. We're supposed to be in the future, though in a world that's medieval-like, but with some technological objects of our modernity (e.g., cars, which have fallen into disuse, so people are back to using wagons o.o), plus there's also magic, monsters, oracles, prophecies, and rituals? 🤔 Idk, for me everything was not very clear.
Besides, I liked the characters, Brendis and Adriel above all, while I struggled more to connect with Soren. He and his swinging for-no-apparent-reason behavior are the reasons behind the angst of the whole book. I couldn't understand him, the motivations behind his attitudes didn't seem strong to me, he just seemed stubborn and someone who changes his mind over and over again, but without any clear explanation as to why; I don't understand the inner journey behind each of his changes of course, they seemed rather sudden. The peak of all this for me is what happens at 93% (!) of the book, or rather what Soren makes happen at that point in the story. Idk, it felt rushed, another sudden change of direction by Soren not adequately motivated for me. It was not treated as it should have been, as was the ending of the book at that point. It was all very fast, all rushed. Soren should have crawled more at the end! And instead after yet another, final change of ideas there is suddenly the happy ending and bam!, the book is over. ❓
Moreover, I agree with other reviewers about the blurb, imo it should be changed, it’s not on-point, what is written there is instead the summary of the last part of the plot.
In conclusion, I liked the premise and the ideas behind the story, but in my opinion it could have been done better than this with this material. I definitely think the book should have been longer (all the more so as it is a prequel, so in theory it should introduce us to this world more clearly). In this way, there would have been more time to better develop the events, the universe and above all the inner journey of both MCs, especially Soren's, to make it more linear. There are some nice and interesting things that it would have been nice to see a bit more in-depth, also regarding the relationship between the two MCs; there are imho some good bases that have unfortunately not been exploited to their full potential.
I received an Arc of this book from GRR, whom I thank, and this is my honest review.
Ita 🇮🇹
Appena ho letto la trama di questo libro ho richiesto subito l’Arc perché adoro il trope del matrimonio combinato. Ma quanto angst per un romanzo così breve! Anche un po’ troppo, per i miei gusti.
Innanzitutto penso che questo libro sarebbe dovuto essere più lungo. Ha infatti secondo me delle buone premesse e delle buone idee, ma lo sviluppo di tutto ciò è invece più carente. Come prima cosa, non mi è stato chiaro il worldbuilding. Dovremmo trovarci nel futuro, in un mondo che però è simil medievale, ma con alcuni oggetti tecnologici della nostra modernità (ad esempio le automobili, che però sono cadute in disuso e si è tornati ad usare i carri o.o), e in più c’è anche la magia, mostri, oracoli, profezie e rituali? 🤔 non so, per me tutto quanto non era molto chiaro.
Inoltre, mi sono piaciuti i personaggi, Brendis e Adriel su tutti, mentre ho faticato di più ad entrare in sintonia con Soren. Lui e il suo comportamento, altalenante senza una ragione apparente, sono il motivo dietro all’angst di tutto il libro. Non sono riuscita a capirlo, le motivazioni dietro i suoi atteggiamenti non mi sono sembrate forti, mi è sembrato solo uno che si impunta e cambia idea più volte, ma senza che ci sia stato spiegato bene il perché; non si capisce il percorso interiore che c’è dietro ogni suo cambio di rotta, sono anzi piuttosto repentini. Il culmine di tutto questo per me è quello che succede al 93% (!) del libro, anzi quello che ovviamente Soren fa succedere in quel momento della storia. Non so, mi è sembrato veloce e affrettato, un ulteriore repentino cambio di rotta di Soren non adeguatamente motivato per me. Non è stato trattato come avrebbe dovuto, così come a quel punto il finale del libro. È stato tutto rapidissimo, tutto fatto di corsa. Soren doveva strisciare di più alla fine! E invece dopo l’ennesimo, ultimo cambio di idee c’è di botto l’happy ending e bam!, il libro è finito. ❓
Inoltre, condivido quello che hanno già detto altri recensori: il blurb del romanzo secondo me dovrebbe essere modificato, non è centrato, quello che c’è scritto è invece il riassunto dell’ultima parte della trama.
In conclusione, ho apprezzato le premesse e le idee alla base della storia, ma secondo me con questo materiale si poteva fare meglio di così. Penso decisamente che il libro sarebbe dovuto essere più lungo (a maggior ragione essendo un prequel, che quindi in teoria dovrebbe introdurci a questo mondo più chiaramente). In questa maniera ci sarebbe stato più tempo per sviluppare al meglio le vicende, l’universo narrato e soprattutto il percorso interiore di entrambi i personaggi principali, in particolare quello di Soren, per renderlo più lineare. Ci sono delle cose carine e interessanti che sarebbe stato bello vedere un po’ più approfondite, anche a riguardo della relazione tra i due protagonisti; ci sono secondo me delle buone basi che però purtroppo non sono state sfruttate in tutta la loro potenzialità.
Ho ricevuto un Arc di questo libro da GRR, che ringrazio, e questa è la mia onesta recensione.
September 24, 2022
What a beautiful, lush tale of two princes who are engaged to be married in order to unite their kingdoms. Soren is the emperor’s heir - living a strict and controlled life by his father. When his hand is forced into an engagement, his stubborn ways set him on a course to foil his mother’s plans for the marriage and ruin it.
Brendis is from another world almost - while their upbringings have similar components, they are also vastly different. Brendis grew up with freedom and love freely given from his parents that Soren can’t imagine having experiences.
Soren is so hurtful to Brendis’s gentle soul in the beginning of their relationship - it hurts to read. But Brendis shows a strength of his own behind his soft nature and challenges Soren not to fall for him. Brendis loves Soren from the start, and decides he will fight to keep him with all he has.
This is a lovely story with beautiful details of the world around them. The chemistry between Soren and Brendis is palpable - their coming together feels inevitable from the start but they are going to have to work for it. The emotion is heartfelt and well-written, showcasing their fears and wants when they allow themselves to be vulnerable.
The side characters of Vincent and Adriel are a nice addition, but not really necessary. It was nice to see they each had a friend and confidant that cared about them. The princes’ mothers are a companionable contract to one another and demonstrate the vast differences between how the two princes were raised. Both love their son immeasurably and that can be felt through the page.
I wish the story could have been longer with more details - a heartwarming wedding would have been nice to see after all they out us through! 🥹😭🔥😍. I would have also loved to read more details around why their match was so necessary for the kingdoms. But maybe that’s a detail that comes in the next bevel since this is a prequel - I have not read it.
I do recommend this story to those who enjoy mm fantasy romance, it was a solid entertaining read. 4.5/5 stars.
I received this book as an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and am happy to give my honest review!
Brendis is from another world almost - while their upbringings have similar components, they are also vastly different. Brendis grew up with freedom and love freely given from his parents that Soren can’t imagine having experiences.
Soren is so hurtful to Brendis’s gentle soul in the beginning of their relationship - it hurts to read. But Brendis shows a strength of his own behind his soft nature and challenges Soren not to fall for him. Brendis loves Soren from the start, and decides he will fight to keep him with all he has.
This is a lovely story with beautiful details of the world around them. The chemistry between Soren and Brendis is palpable - their coming together feels inevitable from the start but they are going to have to work for it. The emotion is heartfelt and well-written, showcasing their fears and wants when they allow themselves to be vulnerable.
The side characters of Vincent and Adriel are a nice addition, but not really necessary. It was nice to see they each had a friend and confidant that cared about them. The princes’ mothers are a companionable contract to one another and demonstrate the vast differences between how the two princes were raised. Both love their son immeasurably and that can be felt through the page.
I wish the story could have been longer with more details - a heartwarming wedding would have been nice to see after all they out us through! 🥹😭🔥😍. I would have also loved to read more details around why their match was so necessary for the kingdoms. But maybe that’s a detail that comes in the next bevel since this is a prequel - I have not read it.
I do recommend this story to those who enjoy mm fantasy romance, it was a solid entertaining read. 4.5/5 stars.
I received this book as an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and am happy to give my honest review!
September 19, 2022
This prequel novella to Brianna Somersham’s *Memories Quartet* had some really great bones. Soren and Brendis’s love story was a sweet little tale utilizing the arranged marriage trope well. While Brendis has long held a candle for Soren, the latter is dead set against any kind of betrothal or marriage and is determined to break off their engagement. Until, of course, he meets his intended and cannot help but be helplessly charmed.
I enjoyed the progression of their love story. Soren was grumpy in the best way but also quite attracted to Brendis despite trying hard to hide that fact. I liked the angst that the push and pull of their romance provided and their eventual HEA was very sweet.
However, despite the softness of their romance and the strong framework of the story, there were some elements that could have been fleshed out more. While I enjoyed the premise of this fantasy world, the exact shape and nature of it felt hazy to me. Despite this reality being set several hundred years in the future, there was nothing much to indicate that besides the odd mention of technology that is recognizable to us. I was also never clear on the rules of magic that operated within this world and what, if any, function it served. When the two princes are lost in the forest, there appears to be a hint towards something larger but then it fades away and is never mentioned again. I was also slightly thrown off by the speech patterns of the characters which vacillated between contemporary and period styles without any particular pattern. It is possible this book makes more sense to readers of the full series, but as a stand alone, it is hard to leave some of these worldbuilding holes unnoticed.
Thank you to GRR for the ARC and I give this 3.5 stars.
CW’s: Brief mention of a past unsolicited come on towards one MC.
I enjoyed the progression of their love story. Soren was grumpy in the best way but also quite attracted to Brendis despite trying hard to hide that fact. I liked the angst that the push and pull of their romance provided and their eventual HEA was very sweet.
However, despite the softness of their romance and the strong framework of the story, there were some elements that could have been fleshed out more. While I enjoyed the premise of this fantasy world, the exact shape and nature of it felt hazy to me. Despite this reality being set several hundred years in the future, there was nothing much to indicate that besides the odd mention of technology that is recognizable to us. I was also never clear on the rules of magic that operated within this world and what, if any, function it served. When the two princes are lost in the forest, there appears to be a hint towards something larger but then it fades away and is never mentioned again. I was also slightly thrown off by the speech patterns of the characters which vacillated between contemporary and period styles without any particular pattern. It is possible this book makes more sense to readers of the full series, but as a stand alone, it is hard to leave some of these worldbuilding holes unnoticed.
Thank you to GRR for the ARC and I give this 3.5 stars.
CW’s: Brief mention of a past unsolicited come on towards one MC.
September 24, 2022
2.5
To the author’s credit, the blurb is pretty accurate. The book is a grumpy-sunshine and arranged royal marriage trope with Princes Soren and Brandis. The characters do get a HEA. But to say the happy ending was hard fought is a major understatement.
I was hoping that this would be a sweet story about a prince who is gay who gets the chance to marry the man of his dreams. Instead it’s about a guy who goes on and on about wishing the betrothed wasn’t male, wishing he wasn’t betrothed at all, and questioning what he will do for an heir. I suppose the fact that the other prince wants the marriage helps, but it was still rough. Their relationship is cold and full of tension.
The amount of angst is crazy. It’s constant. It’s not something I like in a book.
And just when you think the angst has come to an end and they’ve finally gotten their hea, one more huge dose of conflict and angst is thrown in. It got to the point that I was rolling my eyes as I read.
The setting is a bit odd, too. It feels like a modern contemporary, but then it mentions magic and the year 1980 being thousands of years ago.
The grammar was good and the story was well written. It was just the content of the story was not to my liking. The writer is talented, but I couldn’t get past all the tension, anger, and angst to enjoy it.
To the author’s credit, the blurb is pretty accurate. The book is a grumpy-sunshine and arranged royal marriage trope with Princes Soren and Brandis. The characters do get a HEA. But to say the happy ending was hard fought is a major understatement.
I was hoping that this would be a sweet story about a prince who is gay who gets the chance to marry the man of his dreams. Instead it’s about a guy who goes on and on about wishing the betrothed wasn’t male, wishing he wasn’t betrothed at all, and questioning what he will do for an heir. I suppose the fact that the other prince wants the marriage helps, but it was still rough. Their relationship is cold and full of tension.
The amount of angst is crazy. It’s constant. It’s not something I like in a book.
And just when you think the angst has come to an end and they’ve finally gotten their hea, one more huge dose of conflict and angst is thrown in. It got to the point that I was rolling my eyes as I read.
The setting is a bit odd, too. It feels like a modern contemporary, but then it mentions magic and the year 1980 being thousands of years ago.
The grammar was good and the story was well written. It was just the content of the story was not to my liking. The writer is talented, but I couldn’t get past all the tension, anger, and angst to enjoy it.
September 26, 2022
Brianna Somersham is a new to me author but I liked the blurb and I like the arranged marriage trope so I was interested in diving in. This book seems incredibly short for the speed in which the story progresses and the relationship between Brendis and Soren swings back and forth and I am left with several questions about them and their world. I did enjoy the whole futuristic medieval feel to the world but I have so many questions about the magics used by different characters which is not addressed at all, and there's mention of a shady character meeting a high ranking magic user and then it’s never brought up again. It seemed like it was going to set up a storyline but when it goes absolutely nowhere I wonder why it was mentioned at all. If it comes up again in a later book, why mention it now in a throwaway conversation between two characters? As well as Soren’s concerns about what life would be like for Brendis upon their marriage which seem serious and we never see what that would look like which I would have appreciated in the form of an epilogue. I understand it’s a prequel to a quartet but while I enjoyed the world and the couple I was left wanting more by the end. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
September 29, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It's the first book I've read by this author. As soon as I read the premise, I knew I had to get my hands on this story. I liked that it had an arranged marriage with one prince who had long felt feelings for the other, and another prince who was dead-set against it- until he met his chosen fiancé and his resolve began to waver. I really loved prince Brendis. He was such a sweet character, and it was hurtful to me how prince Soren treated him. I understand Soren was in a midst of an emotional crisis of sorts- upset that a husband had been chosen for him, upset his betrothed was a man and not a woman, and upset that he was finding himself attracted to Brendis. But Brendis was so kind to him and trying his best to be polite and considerate to someone he has feelings for, and Soren's desire to sabotage everything bothered me. I liked the challenge that rose between them and how their relationship danced around it. It was fun to see who would come out on top. I also absolutely loved Adriel and would kill (or see him kill) to get his own book, because all his scenes made me grin. A fun read that I couldn't put down. I would definitely read more from this author. 5 stars.
September 28, 2022
This is an intriguing prequel novella focusing on the relationship of Brendis and Soren. This is a standalone novella but I definitely am interested in reading The Memories Quartet which focuses on the adopted daughter of this couple.
For me, this story was a mix of arranged marriage with a touch of enemies to lovers. Soren is absolutely set against marriage and reluctant to enter into this marriage with Prince Brendis. At every turn, he's looking for any excuse to get out of this and wishing to find fault with him but Brendis' charming and sweet nature is difficult to overcome and ignore. There are points where it's difficult to like Soren's character because he's being so difficult. But it makes the dynamic between the two of them very interesting.
This was a quick and easy read. The world building is done well and not overly chaotic in the futuristic fantasy world. I'm looking forward to more in the series and I'm hoping for Adriel's story! I received a complimentary copy from GRR and this is my honest and fair review.
For me, this story was a mix of arranged marriage with a touch of enemies to lovers. Soren is absolutely set against marriage and reluctant to enter into this marriage with Prince Brendis. At every turn, he's looking for any excuse to get out of this and wishing to find fault with him but Brendis' charming and sweet nature is difficult to overcome and ignore. There are points where it's difficult to like Soren's character because he's being so difficult. But it makes the dynamic between the two of them very interesting.
This was a quick and easy read. The world building is done well and not overly chaotic in the futuristic fantasy world. I'm looking forward to more in the series and I'm hoping for Adriel's story! I received a complimentary copy from GRR and this is my honest and fair review.
September 27, 2022
***Received an eARC of this novel from GRR in exchange for an honest review***
🌟 M/M Romance
🌟 Arranged Marriage
🌟 Futuristic Fantasy
🌟 Royalty with a hint of magic
🌟 Slow-Burn
I always wanted to get into this arranged marriage trope and finally, I got to read it. I didn't anticipate that I am going to love this story so much.
I got hooked up from the first page of the book and completed the book in a few hours. Every characters in this book are very interesting that they make the book so delightful to read.
Prince Soren and Prince Brendis are to be betrothed and Prince Soren is adamant about this arranged marriage for alliance with the kingdom.
Brendis on the hand is keen on meeting his new fiance but also worried that he won't be liked by the other Prince.
This was a slow-burn romance with a hint of magic in it. I genuinely enjoyed the writing style it was a mixture of historical and contemporary aspects. The dialogues were amazing.
🌟 M/M Romance
🌟 Arranged Marriage
🌟 Futuristic Fantasy
🌟 Royalty with a hint of magic
🌟 Slow-Burn
I always wanted to get into this arranged marriage trope and finally, I got to read it. I didn't anticipate that I am going to love this story so much.
I got hooked up from the first page of the book and completed the book in a few hours. Every characters in this book are very interesting that they make the book so delightful to read.
Prince Soren and Prince Brendis are to be betrothed and Prince Soren is adamant about this arranged marriage for alliance with the kingdom.
Brendis on the hand is keen on meeting his new fiance but also worried that he won't be liked by the other Prince.
This was a slow-burn romance with a hint of magic in it. I genuinely enjoyed the writing style it was a mixture of historical and contemporary aspects. The dialogues were amazing.
September 18, 2022
Although I enjoyed the story's premise and its central ideas, I feel that more could have been accomplished with it. The book needed to be lengthier, in my opinion even more so because it's a prequel, which should give us a better idea of this world. . It would have given more time to build the events, the universe, and most importantly the inner journey of both MCs, especially Soren's. There are some strong bases that have sadly not been pushed to their full potential; there are imho some lovely and fascinating things that would have been nice to see a bit more in-depth, notably regarding the connection between the two MCs.I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
September 27, 2022
At about 30% I had had enough of Soren - he was an absolute chit to dear sweet Brendis.
Brendis your heart may want him but you can do better (was how I was feeling)
Soren finally removed his head from the cavern and faced his fears
Still...
This is a prequel sort of -it covers how the two met and their marriage - it gave me just enough information - and I mean just vague pieces of the puzzle without the edges - to have me curious about the series.
I do wish there was a little more depth(?) to the cast as well as details about the world, some of the why's and how's would have been useful
I am going to try the first book in the series - there are a lot of possibilities here and I am a curious thing
Brendis your heart may want him but you can do better (was how I was feeling)
Soren finally removed his head from the cavern and faced his fears
Still...
This is a prequel sort of -it covers how the two met and their marriage - it gave me just enough information - and I mean just vague pieces of the puzzle without the edges - to have me curious about the series.
I do wish there was a little more depth(?) to the cast as well as details about the world, some of the why's and how's would have been useful
I am going to try the first book in the series - there are a lot of possibilities here and I am a curious thing
September 28, 2022
This is a new-to-me author, and I liked the premise of this story. However, it needed more world-building and explaining for the situation between the two kingdoms. It's also pretty heavy on the angst, so if you are looking for a sweet romance, this is probably not the book for you. Soren was so hurtful to Brandis from the get-go that it was hard for me to like him. He does change slowly, but it still grated on me. The story has some loose ends, and left me with many questions. Maybe these will be answered in future books? If so, I would not consider this a standalone read, and if this IS intended to be standalone, it is disappointing as such. I wonder what the other books in the series will bring.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
September 30, 2022
I enjoyed this story! It was a quick read for me but interesting enough due to the arranged marriage aspect and the fantasy world setting. The push and pull dynamic and the resisting temptation between Soren and Brendis was great and my favourite part of their relationship. A little too angsty for me at times, the story wasnt terrible. Mainly i think the only thing I didnt really get was the world building. This is a prequel but somehow i feel even more confused? In the end this was a solid quick angst ridden, grumpy-sunshine dynamic romance read. Not for the faint of heart! 4 stars rounded up
September 28, 2022
There is something about an arranged marriage story with what seems to be unequal affection and desire for the connection between the parties betrothed. This story has all the angsty elements in it. Soren believes he does not want the marriage arranged. Brendis has had feelings for Soren for a while and wants this marriage. As a lead in to the series it sets the stage with the emotional drama and tension - will they marry and be content or contentious? - and it kept my interest.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 29, 2022
This book did exactly what I want a prequel to do, give me a taste of the world and its characters, tell me an interesting story and leave me wanting to read more in the series. I was in the mood for a redemption story and this gave me that with Soren. He's initially such a jerk and my heart broke for poor Brendis who was so excited about their marriage. It was great to watch Soren realize what he was going to lose and how much he didn't want that to happen. I'll definitely check out the full series.
September 15, 2022
I so wanted to love this book, the characters and the magic.
I enjoyed the blending of fantasy, futurism, mages and fast cars.
I wish there were more time spent building the romance between the two main characters. Their mothers' brought interest to the plot but there wasn't enough of Soren's father included to let us know why his personality was the way it was.
Adriel was fun and I was hoping that he and Vincent would meet.
Maybe in a future book.
I enjoyed the blending of fantasy, futurism, mages and fast cars.
I wish there were more time spent building the romance between the two main characters. Their mothers' brought interest to the plot but there wasn't enough of Soren's father included to let us know why his personality was the way it was.
Adriel was fun and I was hoping that he and Vincent would meet.
Maybe in a future book.
September 17, 2022
3.5🌟🌟🌟💫
Arranged marriages...sign me up ...
I loved the premise of this book .... fantasy..a bit a magic... enemies to lovers...
Soren with his grumpy confused feelings and Brendis dedication and sweet focus on love ...It was a bit rushed and a little low on the angst I expected but...
As a prequel I'm gonna say it definitely made me look forward to the next book coz...what the actual f*** is this prophecy 🤷🥴.
Arranged marriages...sign me up ...
I loved the premise of this book .... fantasy..a bit a magic... enemies to lovers...
Soren with his grumpy confused feelings and Brendis dedication and sweet focus on love ...It was a bit rushed and a little low on the angst I expected but...
As a prequel I'm gonna say it definitely made me look forward to the next book coz...what the actual f*** is this prophecy 🤷🥴.
December 1, 2022
Rounded up to 3.5 stars. There were some very sweet moments in this romance, but so much unnecessary angst. I really liked Brendis and felt bad for him throughout. I was also sad this was such a short prequel for another series that these men are not the main characters. The world building was interesting, but this could have been a lot longer to explain many of the loose ends we don’t get to connect.
August 30, 2022
I really enjoyed this sweet love story! Soren and Brendis were such a good couple, I found there was just enough world building to keep me interested (love the futuristic fantasy world), it was such a good comfort read. I haven't read the other books in this series (yet) and this stood up just fine as it's own thing
September 25, 2022
This was a quick but quite Angsty read. It is a well written and a great world building prequel, but I think it was a bit too angsty for me. Brendis is happy about the arranged marriage whereas Soren is not so much at all happy about it. It did keep me engaged to see how these two would come together and work it out. If any of the books in the series are MM I will definitely read them!
September 27, 2022
He is about to learn he has to marry a prince from another country but he does not want it at all. They have wanted to be with him as long as they can remember but when he turn them down, they are broken. What is going to happen? Will they get a second chance of happiness? Will he regret turning against them? See if they will get a second chance
September 28, 2022
This is the story of Brendis and Soren. It is the prequel to the Memories Quartet series. I found this story entertaining and wonderfully descriptive. The characters, both main and secondary brings the story to life and I fell a little in love with Brendis. Recommended.
I received this book as an Arc and I am happily reviewing it voluntarily.
I received this book as an Arc and I am happily reviewing it voluntarily.
September 29, 2022
~3.5 STARS~
I was easily drawn into this story. I enjoyed the authors writing and I found the world they lived in interesting enough.
I enjoyed Soren and Brendis together. I did at times get a little annoyed with Soren. Brendis, I loved. I liked the little bit of magic.
I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, but it didn’t really stop my enjoyment.
I was easily drawn into this story. I enjoyed the authors writing and I found the world they lived in interesting enough.
I enjoyed Soren and Brendis together. I did at times get a little annoyed with Soren. Brendis, I loved. I liked the little bit of magic.
I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, but it didn’t really stop my enjoyment.
September 13, 2022
This is a story full of angst. Will Soren agree to marry Brendis? Will he not? All in all it is a good story and piques my interest for the rest of the series it is a prequel of.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
October 3, 2022
This book is a prequel and I was satisfied with the book as a whole but it might have been me, but this was just not my cup of tea. I may give it another go at a later date when I can read more of this author's work.
October 5, 2022
I absolutely loved the chemistry between Soren and Bren.
The world building was unique and beautiful!
This is a new to me Author, and I loved their writing style.
This was a sweet prequel novella.
Looking forward to reading more from this universe
The world building was unique and beautiful!
This is a new to me Author, and I loved their writing style.
This was a sweet prequel novella.
Looking forward to reading more from this universe
September 25, 2022
Enjoyable book. Four stars.
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