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Eluding Destiny #0
The Last Beginning
What happens when night collides with day?
Laila's a bubbly waitress at a small-town diner. Jeremy's a rogue supernatural hunter with a dark past.
When they meet, sparks don't just fly but catch aflame. Her sunshine merges with his dark sky, and it's as though the rest of the world disappears.
But he can't rope a human girl into his dangerous life. No matter how much he wants her, no matter how much she wants him, he can't risk her life.
Except... Maybe she isn't the defenseless little flower he thought she was.
This book is a prequel to the Eluding Destiny Series. There are nine books after this, as well as spin offs and several continuation series. This is not a standalone novel.
Intended only for mature readers.
Laila's a bubbly waitress at a small-town diner. Jeremy's a rogue supernatural hunter with a dark past.
When they meet, sparks don't just fly but catch aflame. Her sunshine merges with his dark sky, and it's as though the rest of the world disappears.
But he can't rope a human girl into his dangerous life. No matter how much he wants her, no matter how much she wants him, he can't risk her life.
Except... Maybe she isn't the defenseless little flower he thought she was.
This book is a prequel to the Eluding Destiny Series. There are nine books after this, as well as spin offs and several continuation series. This is not a standalone novel.
Intended only for mature readers.
358 pages, Hardcover
Published September 5, 2022
351 people are currently reading
932 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
September 19, 2022
1✨
Be advised this is less of a review and more of a rant.
The Last Beginning follows Laila and Jeremy. Laila is a human girl in some literally unnamed small town, and Jeremy is a guardian, some supernatural creature who can teleport and control electricity and hunts down rogue supernatural creatures. Even though they shouldn’t be together because Laila is a “fragile human,” they end up getting together anyway.
There really isn’t any plot in this book. The author skims over months at a time and writes things like, “and we talked on the phone for hours and texted every day,” and now the characters are in love. I’m sorry, what? Where is the build up, tension, longing, conflict, any of it?? Nonexistent. Because of the writing style, the romance was really boring as well. Not only was the plot boring and the romance barely there, but the pop culture references throughout the entirety of the book really annoyed me. I also hate the nickname “baby.” Please stop.
Everything about this book was vague. The last several chapters included weird time jumps that didn’t make sense for the story. I get the author is trying to set up the rest of the VERY LONG series, but when I spent the entire book not connecting with anyone because it was so vague, I truly didn’t care about the time jumps that felt spoilery. The prologue was also spoilery!!! I wish I didn’t know what I did because it would have made the “reveal” so much more impactful. When you write a “fated mates/soulmates” fantasy romance, there needs to be tension and conflict because we know where it’s going. The only tension there was included the characters being like “ugh but we’re so young we don’t want to be tied to one person forever yet.” Like??? What.
The author’s depiction of casual sex was also extremely uncomfortable. She kept having the female characters call themselves whores and sluts. I’m sorry what?
There were so many issues with this book. I was hoping for a new fantasy romance series obsession, and all I got was being pissed off. Would not recommend at all.
Be advised this is less of a review and more of a rant.
The Last Beginning follows Laila and Jeremy. Laila is a human girl in some literally unnamed small town, and Jeremy is a guardian, some supernatural creature who can teleport and control electricity and hunts down rogue supernatural creatures. Even though they shouldn’t be together because Laila is a “fragile human,” they end up getting together anyway.
There really isn’t any plot in this book. The author skims over months at a time and writes things like, “and we talked on the phone for hours and texted every day,” and now the characters are in love. I’m sorry, what? Where is the build up, tension, longing, conflict, any of it?? Nonexistent. Because of the writing style, the romance was really boring as well. Not only was the plot boring and the romance barely there, but the pop culture references throughout the entirety of the book really annoyed me. I also hate the nickname “baby.” Please stop.
Everything about this book was vague. The last several chapters included weird time jumps that didn’t make sense for the story. I get the author is trying to set up the rest of the VERY LONG series, but when I spent the entire book not connecting with anyone because it was so vague, I truly didn’t care about the time jumps that felt spoilery. The prologue was also spoilery!!! I wish I didn’t know what I did because it would have made the “reveal” so much more impactful. When you write a “fated mates/soulmates” fantasy romance, there needs to be tension and conflict because we know where it’s going. The only tension there was included the characters being like “ugh but we’re so young we don’t want to be tied to one person forever yet.” Like??? What.
The author’s depiction of casual sex was also extremely uncomfortable. She kept having the female characters call themselves whores and sluts. I’m sorry what?
There were so many issues with this book. I was hoping for a new fantasy romance series obsession, and all I got was being pissed off. Would not recommend at all.
November 4, 2021
This is my first Charlie Nottingham book; and I did receive it as an ARC. I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised.
It was a fast paced, very easily digestible character driven story with some spice. While I personally prefer a little more description in writing, the dialogue was done in such a way that the reader was able to get a feel for the characters.
One of the things I loved about this novel were the themes of consent, and how the author touched on real life struggles of substance abuse and addiction, while not making it a "thing"
**Possible Spoilers**
The story is set in modern day USA, which was neat, as it's been awhile since I've read an urban fantasy. It follows the love story of Jeremy, a Guardian with teleporting and electricity powers who helps protect people on Earth from vamps, demons etc and Laila, who we think is a human throughout most of the book turns out to be not even a little human.
There were 3 nearly identical scenes where her life was in danger due to being stabbed.. so that maybe was a little excessive for one story: stabbed, healed etc. At least the last occurrence was a neat take on necromancy!
The prologue set you up to assume these characters were going to be soulmates, but the epilogue sets up an interesting plot twist.
Some of the paragraph structures were choppy (read short sentences acting as an individual paragraph)
The level of spice was good in this book as well, some of the spiciness isn't up my alley, but that's not a knock to the author, only my preferences.
I look forward to continuing the story!
It was a fast paced, very easily digestible character driven story with some spice. While I personally prefer a little more description in writing, the dialogue was done in such a way that the reader was able to get a feel for the characters.
One of the things I loved about this novel were the themes of consent, and how the author touched on real life struggles of substance abuse and addiction, while not making it a "thing"
**Possible Spoilers**
The story is set in modern day USA, which was neat, as it's been awhile since I've read an urban fantasy. It follows the love story of Jeremy, a Guardian with teleporting and electricity powers who helps protect people on Earth from vamps, demons etc and Laila, who we think is a human throughout most of the book turns out to be not even a little human.
There were 3 nearly identical scenes where her life was in danger due to being stabbed.. so that maybe was a little excessive for one story: stabbed, healed etc. At least the last occurrence was a neat take on necromancy!
The prologue set you up to assume these characters were going to be soulmates, but the epilogue sets up an interesting plot twist.
Some of the paragraph structures were choppy (read short sentences acting as an individual paragraph)
The level of spice was good in this book as well, some of the spiciness isn't up my alley, but that's not a knock to the author, only my preferences.
I look forward to continuing the story!
January 16, 2025
3.6 🐉
I don’t know. I don’t like when ppl act hysterical and they don’t even let the other person explain. Like she just started being annoying and not letting him talk. I guess I understand that you are overstimulated and confused, but like goddddd.
I don’t really enjoy insta loves but it wasn’t stated as otherwise so I guess I can’t complain. I don’t know why but I found the spacing bumpy, like it wasn’t really cohesive.
I feel like all the development of the relationships happened behind scenes. Like I felt I was reading some entries in a diary, something that already culminated.
Also I kinda felt like the scenes were filled with unnecessary details. Like I fell it was like a giant gift box but most of the space is filled with paper and the actual gift is a small thing. I was kinda excited for her whole training arc where she learned how to master her powers, and also bc it would work as a way to develop her and Jeremy’s relationship. Imagine my surprise when it was all passed in like a chapter, like somebody telling a story.
I willlllll admit that epilogue was interesting. It made me grateful because regardless I had to pick the second book. I really liked that one.
I don’t know. I don’t like when ppl act hysterical and they don’t even let the other person explain. Like she just started being annoying and not letting him talk. I guess I understand that you are overstimulated and confused, but like goddddd.
I don’t really enjoy insta loves but it wasn’t stated as otherwise so I guess I can’t complain. I don’t know why but I found the spacing bumpy, like it wasn’t really cohesive.
I feel like all the development of the relationships happened behind scenes. Like I felt I was reading some entries in a diary, something that already culminated.
Also I kinda felt like the scenes were filled with unnecessary details. Like I fell it was like a giant gift box but most of the space is filled with paper and the actual gift is a small thing. I was kinda excited for her whole training arc where she learned how to master her powers, and also bc it would work as a way to develop her and Jeremy’s relationship. Imagine my surprise when it was all passed in like a chapter, like somebody telling a story.
I willlllll admit that epilogue was interesting. It made me grateful because regardless I had to pick the second book. I really liked that one.
December 2, 2021
Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
3.5/5
“Their mission was simple. To love, to create love, and to spread love.”
This was a fun quick read for anyone who loves paranormal romance.
The writing style was interesting, and it felt like we were reading the characters free flowing train of thought, however, we get a lot of explanations of things happening rather than actually experiencing them. The story and the writing both felt a little repetitive, like the main character almost dying multiple times in almost the same ways.
The pacing was a little weird, but the ending picked up and it makes you want to keep reading to learn more about these characters and their world.
This is definitely more romance focused, and less explorative on the plot and magic. As this is a prequel, I’m curious to see if this is the same with later books because I was really wanting to learn more about the Guardians and Angels, and the magic system.
3.5/5
“Their mission was simple. To love, to create love, and to spread love.”
This was a fun quick read for anyone who loves paranormal romance.
The writing style was interesting, and it felt like we were reading the characters free flowing train of thought, however, we get a lot of explanations of things happening rather than actually experiencing them. The story and the writing both felt a little repetitive, like the main character almost dying multiple times in almost the same ways.
The pacing was a little weird, but the ending picked up and it makes you want to keep reading to learn more about these characters and their world.
This is definitely more romance focused, and less explorative on the plot and magic. As this is a prequel, I’m curious to see if this is the same with later books because I was really wanting to learn more about the Guardians and Angels, and the magic system.
November 18, 2021
I want to start off by thanking Charlie Nottingham for sending me an E-ARC copy of this book. It was my first ARC reading opportunity and despite what I'm going to say next in this review my brief interactions with her were polite and pleasant. I look forward to her next works and seeing her growth from this...
That being said, I unfortunately ended up DNFing this book. This has less to do about the quality of her writing and more on my own preferences of pacing and style. This book could be enjoyable for other people, but for me it was not engaging enough. I felt no stake or connection with the characters and their interactions together. There are fantasy elements but we are told about them rather them encountering them naturally through the plot.
I'd have much rather learned about the supernatural world through an incidents with Laila or actually reading the brothers (Jeremy and Adam) take down that demon thing in chapter seven rather than Jeremy's exposition of it in mental dialogue/narration.
I also am not personally into the insta love troupe (I get initial attraction but I didn't feel as enthralled by Jeremy and Laila's relationship potential as the book seemed to want me to be.)
Overall, I could have used some more world building and longer character introductions to be able to continue reading. Everything felt a little bit rushed and I couldn't continue reading without being immersed.
Again, I am grateful for the opportunity and I will be trying some other titles by her at a later date.
That being said, I unfortunately ended up DNFing this book. This has less to do about the quality of her writing and more on my own preferences of pacing and style. This book could be enjoyable for other people, but for me it was not engaging enough. I felt no stake or connection with the characters and their interactions together. There are fantasy elements but we are told about them rather them encountering them naturally through the plot.
I'd have much rather learned about the supernatural world through an incidents with Laila or actually reading the brothers (Jeremy and Adam) take down that demon thing in chapter seven rather than Jeremy's exposition of it in mental dialogue/narration.
I also am not personally into the insta love troupe (I get initial attraction but I didn't feel as enthralled by Jeremy and Laila's relationship potential as the book seemed to want me to be.)
Overall, I could have used some more world building and longer character introductions to be able to continue reading. Everything felt a little bit rushed and I couldn't continue reading without being immersed.
Again, I am grateful for the opportunity and I will be trying some other titles by her at a later date.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2021
The story follows Jeremy, a Guardian who protects people from the paranormal, and Laila, a supposed human. Their interactions were interesting and you're set up believing one thing is going to happen, when in reality there's a huge plot twist that throws you in the opposite direction.
The pacing is fast, which I enjoyed, and the writing was right up my alley as far as the plot goes. My issues were with some of the plot points. The main character gets attacked several times, in very similar ways, so it got tedious to read and was just overkill.
The pacing is fast, which I enjoyed, and the writing was right up my alley as far as the plot goes. My issues were with some of the plot points. The main character gets attacked several times, in very similar ways, so it got tedious to read and was just overkill.
Want to read
January 2, 2022🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/2/2022)! 🎁
March 3, 2022
I loved it
I finally decided to start the series, and I have no regrets. I can't wait to see what happens next. I've been waiting long enough.
I finally decided to start the series, and I have no regrets. I can't wait to see what happens next. I've been waiting long enough.
November 12, 2021
This book feels more like diary entries than a story. It is captivating in a way that makes me want to know what happens next, but the journey to get there felt repetitive and went along the lines of telling rather than showing.
February 2, 2026
Will forever be upset that life got in the way of me finishing this book in one go! Beautifully done can't wait to read the next one!
November 9, 2021
So going into this book I wasn't sure. I had never read anything my the author before. But I signed up to be an ARC reader and this was my 1st one. And let me tell you I was hooked before chapter 1 was over. Currently I'm just starting chapter 12 and the story is getting so good between the 2 MC's. I wanna just reach in and slap Jeremy and tell him go for it. But I can't. So I keep reading. It has me hooked.
Chapter 13 made me cry. I don't know if I'm just emotional now or what. But I teared up.
Finished. So I started this book yesterday and am now finished. I was sooo good I didn't want to put it down. So many twists and turns. The sex scenes were fire. Definitely a slow burn. But sooo good. I definitely recommend this to my sister and best friend. Who are the only people I know who read. I can't wait to read the next one.
Chapter 13 made me cry. I don't know if I'm just emotional now or what. But I teared up.
Finished. So I started this book yesterday and am now finished. I was sooo good I didn't want to put it down. So many twists and turns. The sex scenes were fire. Definitely a slow burn. But sooo good. I definitely recommend this to my sister and best friend. Who are the only people I know who read. I can't wait to read the next one.
June 17, 2022
great book
I saw this recommended off of TikTok and I was not disappointed in the least. The story moves along at a decent pace. It’s a fantasy novel with a smattering of romance as the main characters find out they are soulmates destined to set off a monumental war when they find each other at last.
I saw this recommended off of TikTok and I was not disappointed in the least. The story moves along at a decent pace. It’s a fantasy novel with a smattering of romance as the main characters find out they are soulmates destined to set off a monumental war when they find each other at last.
November 3, 2021
*I received an ARC read*
I did not know that I was essentially about to read the wildest beginning of adventure. The epilogue really hooked me into the story.
I usually don’t like stories that switch character perspectives but I truly loved it in this story because I feel it gave more depth to the story.
She did a great job at building the characters and developing them through the story.
The ending annoyed me but only because now I have a bunch of questions 🤣.
If you haven’t started this series, it’s a must!
I did not know that I was essentially about to read the wildest beginning of adventure. The epilogue really hooked me into the story.
I usually don’t like stories that switch character perspectives but I truly loved it in this story because I feel it gave more depth to the story.
She did a great job at building the characters and developing them through the story.
The ending annoyed me but only because now I have a bunch of questions 🤣.
If you haven’t started this series, it’s a must!
June 14, 2022
kinda boring, kinda predictable
This book was just another reincarnation of unwitting girl meets boy with powers from hidden world, girl just happens to not only belong to that hidden world, but also is the most powerful being in that world, oh and boy is her long lost soulmate. I wouldn’t mind that cliche, IF the story was interesting, the characters had actual depth, and the romance was more than love at first sight. I get that they’re soulmates and all, but the insta-love took me out of the story completely.
This book was just another reincarnation of unwitting girl meets boy with powers from hidden world, girl just happens to not only belong to that hidden world, but also is the most powerful being in that world, oh and boy is her long lost soulmate. I wouldn’t mind that cliche, IF the story was interesting, the characters had actual depth, and the romance was more than love at first sight. I get that they’re soulmates and all, but the insta-love took me out of the story completely.
November 23, 2021
I was given a copy of this book by the author for review. This review is mostly spoilers.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I didn’t read any summary or reviews, so I didn’t know what to expect going into it.
The prologue does a good job of setting up the mythos behind the story, without giving too much away. I was less than 1% in, before I wanted to cry… just based on the mythos. It was enough intrigue to get me excited about reading the book.
In chapter one, there is an animal death, which usually turns me off, and I have to put the book down. However, it was not senseless. The author utilizes this event to help our protagonists (Laila and Jeremy) meet and let the reader know that more is going on with Jeremy than we would have otherwise assumed. It sets them both up as empathetic and relatable characters. While it is not a meet cute, they do stay up talking and eating junk food all night, which was cute. The author also introduces us to teleportation through casual mention in dialogue, which made me laugh.
While getting to know the characters, we see that Jeremy, and his family, are forced to lie to people in order to stay hidden, which he hates. He especially hates lying to Laila. For some reason, I’m assuming the mythos, he just can’t stay away from her, even though he knows he should. And haven’t we all been there?
The author does a good job of introducing the supernatural/hunter hierarchy, without it dragging on and becoming dry or boring. At one point, Laila tells Jeremy that she “may as well beg [him] to ruin [her] life,” which is just one example of well executed foreshadowing. The author also has a fairly realistic representation of addiction and recovery experiences, even if Jeremy uses it as an excuse at one point. Jeremy is often referred to as sappy, and we see that represented several times throughout the book. Not only does he not want to lie to Laila, he refuses to do things without her consent, with one exception. She gets seriously injured, and he has his sister heal her and wipe it from her memory, which is pretty invasive. He acknowledges this.
In chapter 16, Moe, the owner of the diner where Laila works, is seemingly speaking to someone who is not present. He asks if Jeremy knows what Laila is, and I was intrigued. This section leans into the mythos without saying it outright. (Like calls to like.)
Jeremy points out his privilege as a white man in America, aware of his lack of insight into his sister’s race/ethnicity/sexual orientation. The author acknowledges homophobia and racism without making it a plot point, which I appreciate as a queer person. There is also a nice little jab at the American healthcare system, which I also appreciated.
In chapter 35, we are brought back into the mythos, par amino, as Jeremy’s sister, Leah, tells him that she believes he and Laila are these paired souls that everyone always thought a myth or fairy tale. She believes this, because Jeremy can feel Laila’s pain and see through her eyes when she is being attacked. He and Leah save her again, but they choose not to take away the memory. Laila obviously freaks out when Jeremy and his family try to explain things to her, and she believes Jeremy attacked her. It takes her a some time and open, honest communication to come around. She gets a supernatural DNA test done to find out she is some elite fae with access to all elemental magics, guardian (like Jeremy and his family), and half angel, which is (in my mind and cannon) a bfd. All this time, I’m wondering where Moe is.
Throughout the book, both Laila and Jeremy get the feeling that they have met before. I’m pretty sure they have at this point, but I may have spoiled that for myself from one of the author’s videos.
In chapter 46, Laila’s best friend stabs her through the heart, after Laila tells her she will not stop seeing Jeremy. She technically dies, but Jeremy’s sister, Hannah, keeps her soul in her body to bring her back. Hannah expresses that this needs to remain a secret, and we later learn that necromancy is punishable by some nasty means, so no one, even her family, knows she has powers.
Toward the end of the book, it is obvious that both Laila and Jeremy are looking back at these events from far in the future. Possession is mentioned. The fact that, if they are soulmates, they are likely cursed to die is also mentioned.
In the epilogue, we are sort of introduced to a father and son, who are watching Laila and Jeremy from afar. They have obviously met and mean something to one another, but I’m not sure what. There is a glowing crystal and the determination that Laila and Jeremy have to learn, suffer, and learn.
I will also say that this book has some top-notch spice.
I can’t wait to read more from this author.
TL;DR: Just pick it up. It’s worth the read.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I didn’t read any summary or reviews, so I didn’t know what to expect going into it.
The prologue does a good job of setting up the mythos behind the story, without giving too much away. I was less than 1% in, before I wanted to cry… just based on the mythos. It was enough intrigue to get me excited about reading the book.
In chapter one, there is an animal death, which usually turns me off, and I have to put the book down. However, it was not senseless. The author utilizes this event to help our protagonists (Laila and Jeremy) meet and let the reader know that more is going on with Jeremy than we would have otherwise assumed. It sets them both up as empathetic and relatable characters. While it is not a meet cute, they do stay up talking and eating junk food all night, which was cute. The author also introduces us to teleportation through casual mention in dialogue, which made me laugh.
While getting to know the characters, we see that Jeremy, and his family, are forced to lie to people in order to stay hidden, which he hates. He especially hates lying to Laila. For some reason, I’m assuming the mythos, he just can’t stay away from her, even though he knows he should. And haven’t we all been there?
The author does a good job of introducing the supernatural/hunter hierarchy, without it dragging on and becoming dry or boring. At one point, Laila tells Jeremy that she “may as well beg [him] to ruin [her] life,” which is just one example of well executed foreshadowing. The author also has a fairly realistic representation of addiction and recovery experiences, even if Jeremy uses it as an excuse at one point. Jeremy is often referred to as sappy, and we see that represented several times throughout the book. Not only does he not want to lie to Laila, he refuses to do things without her consent, with one exception. She gets seriously injured, and he has his sister heal her and wipe it from her memory, which is pretty invasive. He acknowledges this.
In chapter 16, Moe, the owner of the diner where Laila works, is seemingly speaking to someone who is not present. He asks if Jeremy knows what Laila is, and I was intrigued. This section leans into the mythos without saying it outright. (Like calls to like.)
Jeremy points out his privilege as a white man in America, aware of his lack of insight into his sister’s race/ethnicity/sexual orientation. The author acknowledges homophobia and racism without making it a plot point, which I appreciate as a queer person. There is also a nice little jab at the American healthcare system, which I also appreciated.
In chapter 35, we are brought back into the mythos, par amino, as Jeremy’s sister, Leah, tells him that she believes he and Laila are these paired souls that everyone always thought a myth or fairy tale. She believes this, because Jeremy can feel Laila’s pain and see through her eyes when she is being attacked. He and Leah save her again, but they choose not to take away the memory. Laila obviously freaks out when Jeremy and his family try to explain things to her, and she believes Jeremy attacked her. It takes her a some time and open, honest communication to come around. She gets a supernatural DNA test done to find out she is some elite fae with access to all elemental magics, guardian (like Jeremy and his family), and half angel, which is (in my mind and cannon) a bfd. All this time, I’m wondering where Moe is.
Throughout the book, both Laila and Jeremy get the feeling that they have met before. I’m pretty sure they have at this point, but I may have spoiled that for myself from one of the author’s videos.
In chapter 46, Laila’s best friend stabs her through the heart, after Laila tells her she will not stop seeing Jeremy. She technically dies, but Jeremy’s sister, Hannah, keeps her soul in her body to bring her back. Hannah expresses that this needs to remain a secret, and we later learn that necromancy is punishable by some nasty means, so no one, even her family, knows she has powers.
Toward the end of the book, it is obvious that both Laila and Jeremy are looking back at these events from far in the future. Possession is mentioned. The fact that, if they are soulmates, they are likely cursed to die is also mentioned.
In the epilogue, we are sort of introduced to a father and son, who are watching Laila and Jeremy from afar. They have obviously met and mean something to one another, but I’m not sure what. There is a glowing crystal and the determination that Laila and Jeremy have to learn, suffer, and learn.
I will also say that this book has some top-notch spice.
I can’t wait to read more from this author.
TL;DR: Just pick it up. It’s worth the read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2022
That was outstanding! It’s been on my TBR for too long, but in my mind, it was just a prequel. Oh I was wrong! It was so much more.
For me reading this now, after the other books in the series, added to my enjoyment. Not to say anyone new to the series won’t love it equally, I know they will. But there is something about getting to know, and fall in love with these characters over a number of books, then see how they met met and fell in love, it’s simply beautiful 😍
I love Charlie Nottingham’s writing style. The feel it gives, is you are part of the story, just having banter with close friends, using blunt language, it’s refreshing. Another part is, it’s the way it’s worded, like these events have passed, when you get lines like “we wouldn’t find out until decades later” that adds to the intrigue and the need to know too. Arghh I love that!
This wonderful story helped me fill in some blanks and gave me some new mysteries to ponder on. Like who is the girl with the pink and blue hair!? I could be reading into too much, but maybe not, Charlie has a skill to throw in something that could be insignificant, but the payoff is later and you are able to shout, I knew that meant something lol. It can be so subtle but makes you feel pretty clever. It’s like little jigsaw pieces all fitting into place.
Not only can this book NOT be missed but the entire Eluding Destiny series. I have honestly bonded with these characters more than in any other book. They feel like family and I have a deep need to see them be ok and succeed. They are not perfect but they are real.
This was beautifully romantic and oh so spicy! More than Charlie’s other books and I am not ashamed to admit, I had a few breathless moments when Jeremy was dirty talking in the bedroom. It was hot! 🥵
The epilogue is great for newbies and for us oldies lol. That’s all I am saying 😘 no spoilers here 😇
Can’t recommend this one enough! 5 out of 5 epic stars.
For me reading this now, after the other books in the series, added to my enjoyment. Not to say anyone new to the series won’t love it equally, I know they will. But there is something about getting to know, and fall in love with these characters over a number of books, then see how they met met and fell in love, it’s simply beautiful 😍
I love Charlie Nottingham’s writing style. The feel it gives, is you are part of the story, just having banter with close friends, using blunt language, it’s refreshing. Another part is, it’s the way it’s worded, like these events have passed, when you get lines like “we wouldn’t find out until decades later” that adds to the intrigue and the need to know too. Arghh I love that!
This wonderful story helped me fill in some blanks and gave me some new mysteries to ponder on. Like who is the girl with the pink and blue hair!? I could be reading into too much, but maybe not, Charlie has a skill to throw in something that could be insignificant, but the payoff is later and you are able to shout, I knew that meant something lol. It can be so subtle but makes you feel pretty clever. It’s like little jigsaw pieces all fitting into place.
Not only can this book NOT be missed but the entire Eluding Destiny series. I have honestly bonded with these characters more than in any other book. They feel like family and I have a deep need to see them be ok and succeed. They are not perfect but they are real.
This was beautifully romantic and oh so spicy! More than Charlie’s other books and I am not ashamed to admit, I had a few breathless moments when Jeremy was dirty talking in the bedroom. It was hot! 🥵
The epilogue is great for newbies and for us oldies lol. That’s all I am saying 😘 no spoilers here 😇
Can’t recommend this one enough! 5 out of 5 epic stars.
November 6, 2021
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the characters! I was a quick read and a fun, modern-day paranormal romance book that was easy to follow. Dual POVs (always a fan) were an added bonus.
The prologue at the start of the book drew me in right away and I read almost straight through to the epilogue because of it. I found the characters to be overall very likable and loved that the narration was more along the lines of hearing a friend share a story than anything else.
There was some interesting formatting throughout the book, though that honestly could have been because I received a free document version rather than the actual ebook file. It wasn’t distracting, but I did notice it.
The most confusing part was that the last 2-3 chapters changed from present to past tense so I was a little out of the story at that point.
POSSIBLE MINOR SPOILERS BELOW
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The twist on soulmates was definitely predictable, but still really well-done and fun. I liked that Jeremy was protective, but not overly so. Laila I enjoyed as well.
I did find the 3 scenes where Laila was injured to be repetitive as all 3 were practically copies of each other with only minor changes. I’d have loved to see different injuries or different attacks. However, the addition of necromancy at the end was totally unexpected and a nice change.
This book has what I would call level 2 spice (out of 5). While the romance is very obviously going to develop, it was a slower burn - they didn’t actually get together until the last ⅓ of the book!
Ultimately, I’d rate this book a 3.5-4 ⭐️ book and am looking forward to continuing on with Laila and Jeremy’s story!
I received this book for free directly from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The prologue at the start of the book drew me in right away and I read almost straight through to the epilogue because of it. I found the characters to be overall very likable and loved that the narration was more along the lines of hearing a friend share a story than anything else.
There was some interesting formatting throughout the book, though that honestly could have been because I received a free document version rather than the actual ebook file. It wasn’t distracting, but I did notice it.
The most confusing part was that the last 2-3 chapters changed from present to past tense so I was a little out of the story at that point.
POSSIBLE MINOR SPOILERS BELOW
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The twist on soulmates was definitely predictable, but still really well-done and fun. I liked that Jeremy was protective, but not overly so. Laila I enjoyed as well.
I did find the 3 scenes where Laila was injured to be repetitive as all 3 were practically copies of each other with only minor changes. I’d have loved to see different injuries or different attacks. However, the addition of necromancy at the end was totally unexpected and a nice change.
This book has what I would call level 2 spice (out of 5). While the romance is very obviously going to develop, it was a slower burn - they didn’t actually get together until the last ⅓ of the book!
Ultimately, I’d rate this book a 3.5-4 ⭐️ book and am looking forward to continuing on with Laila and Jeremy’s story!
I received this book for free directly from the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2021
10/10 CANT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FAST ENOUGH.
Charlie Nottingham know how to use words to write a story that just pulls you in. Dual POV which is a fav, but they way she write the story feel like the characters are truly telling you a story of their past. this isn’t just word on a page, it’s some much more and I don’t know how to describe it to give it justice.
If a prologue could fit on a back cover, the one at the start of this book after reading it you’d want to read the story too. It gives you a hint of the world being created and just enough to make you have to keep reading to find out more.
I feel like the summary doesn’t do this book justice. The summary reminds me of so many other fantasy stories. In which they stories differ but feel like the same cliche. This book? Not that way AT ALL. Yes its one of those two strangers that meet, have irritable chemistry, and girl discovers a whole new magical world. But the way the book is written?.
And when it comes to the characters? SO we’ll done. You’ve got the grey ML and bubbly FL, but they are written that they actually talk and discuss their issue to resolve them. None of this they find out by happen stance or cause a third party is “trying to help”. Lai knows how to speak her mind and won’t shy from having the uncomfortable talks. And the way the character interact is so enduring I kept find my self smiling with out realizing it. As this is a prequel to the series, This book really does a fantastic job of giving you a back story of the characters and enough information to have you scrambling for the next book to figure out how the price we got fit into the whole story.
Charlie Nottingham know how to use words to write a story that just pulls you in. Dual POV which is a fav, but they way she write the story feel like the characters are truly telling you a story of their past. this isn’t just word on a page, it’s some much more and I don’t know how to describe it to give it justice.
If a prologue could fit on a back cover, the one at the start of this book after reading it you’d want to read the story too. It gives you a hint of the world being created and just enough to make you have to keep reading to find out more.
I feel like the summary doesn’t do this book justice. The summary reminds me of so many other fantasy stories. In which they stories differ but feel like the same cliche. This book? Not that way AT ALL. Yes its one of those two strangers that meet, have irritable chemistry, and girl discovers a whole new magical world. But the way the book is written?.
And when it comes to the characters? SO we’ll done. You’ve got the grey ML and bubbly FL, but they are written that they actually talk and discuss their issue to resolve them. None of this they find out by happen stance or cause a third party is “trying to help”. Lai knows how to speak her mind and won’t shy from having the uncomfortable talks. And the way the character interact is so enduring I kept find my self smiling with out realizing it. As this is a prequel to the series, This book really does a fantastic job of giving you a back story of the characters and enough information to have you scrambling for the next book to figure out how the price we got fit into the whole story.
November 7, 2021
*I was sent this book for free in exchange for an honest review*
This was such a sweet romance with a few sprinkles of edge throughout. The characters were really well written (if a bit too perfect) and I felt for their joy and their hurt. The mundane scenes were so realistic that, while you might imagine a scene serving food at a diner might be boring, it absolutely wasn't. The characters reacted like real people and all the little nuances were in there that sometimes get left behind, especially in a fantasy story.
This book is definitely romance-centric and the plot fully revolves around the two mains and their budding relationship, so don't expect too much action plot, though the bits we do get were intriguing and I'm looking forward to a not-prologue to delve into those aspects of the world. There were a few instances - especially at the end - where lots of action was told, but completely skipped over, but I'm hoping that the next books will show us that action in real-time.
The story was written in first person as though the characters are narrating the story to you as they reminisce on it from the future. There are several 'if we knew then what we know now...' moments that intrigue me about the rest of the series and I'm looking forward to seeing what the overarching series conflict is.
Overall, a well-written paranormal romance with so many real moments that I could almost imagine I know these people as I shared tons of real-life experiences with them. It was really refreshing to see characters like this and I want to see where their stories go!
This was such a sweet romance with a few sprinkles of edge throughout. The characters were really well written (if a bit too perfect) and I felt for their joy and their hurt. The mundane scenes were so realistic that, while you might imagine a scene serving food at a diner might be boring, it absolutely wasn't. The characters reacted like real people and all the little nuances were in there that sometimes get left behind, especially in a fantasy story.
This book is definitely romance-centric and the plot fully revolves around the two mains and their budding relationship, so don't expect too much action plot, though the bits we do get were intriguing and I'm looking forward to a not-prologue to delve into those aspects of the world. There were a few instances - especially at the end - where lots of action was told, but completely skipped over, but I'm hoping that the next books will show us that action in real-time.
The story was written in first person as though the characters are narrating the story to you as they reminisce on it from the future. There are several 'if we knew then what we know now...' moments that intrigue me about the rest of the series and I'm looking forward to seeing what the overarching series conflict is.
Overall, a well-written paranormal romance with so many real moments that I could almost imagine I know these people as I shared tons of real-life experiences with them. It was really refreshing to see characters like this and I want to see where their stories go!
November 1, 2021
Angels and Guardians and Fae, OH MY!
Add a little sprinkle of Demon for spice, a pinch of werewolf for sweet, and a cup of human for that extra salt to bring out all of the flavors. What do you get? A huge world space with so much room for all kinds of characters. This story has an adorable cinnamon roll male lead and salty little ball of sunshine ☀️ for a female lead.
There’s a pure kind of romance that blooms off a solid foundation of friendship that’s cultivated.
A myth lost to the ages that may come to pass.
Great supporting characters with wide ranging personalities.
Betrayal. (Shh not telling)
And an epilogue that made me rethink everything.
Out of all the wide ranging drama, dynamics, intrigue, and general overall great intro to a romance. The writing style is the best aspect of this book for me. It has 2 POVs, inner monologues that don’t go on too long (you know what I mean). The story just flows really well. The dialogue is very real. I can imagine it in a real life conversation. A lot of times dialogue is very stilted and not how a regular person would actually talk. And the author made me feel like 2 people were telling me the story of their past with occasional present tense narration.
Psssccch, guys, hey can we real quick just mention the spicy scene. Because the attention to detail and the conversation. Just wow 😮 It was so perfect. Looking forward to more 😉
“I love my shit box, thank you.”
“They must learn,” the son said. “They must suffer, and they must learn.
Add a little sprinkle of Demon for spice, a pinch of werewolf for sweet, and a cup of human for that extra salt to bring out all of the flavors. What do you get? A huge world space with so much room for all kinds of characters. This story has an adorable cinnamon roll male lead and salty little ball of sunshine ☀️ for a female lead.
There’s a pure kind of romance that blooms off a solid foundation of friendship that’s cultivated.
A myth lost to the ages that may come to pass.
Great supporting characters with wide ranging personalities.
Betrayal. (Shh not telling)
And an epilogue that made me rethink everything.
Out of all the wide ranging drama, dynamics, intrigue, and general overall great intro to a romance. The writing style is the best aspect of this book for me. It has 2 POVs, inner monologues that don’t go on too long (you know what I mean). The story just flows really well. The dialogue is very real. I can imagine it in a real life conversation. A lot of times dialogue is very stilted and not how a regular person would actually talk. And the author made me feel like 2 people were telling me the story of their past with occasional present tense narration.
Psssccch, guys, hey can we real quick just mention the spicy scene. Because the attention to detail and the conversation. Just wow 😮 It was so perfect. Looking forward to more 😉
“I love my shit box, thank you.”
“They must learn,” the son said. “They must suffer, and they must learn.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2021
I loved this book! Laila is just your ordinary human that accidentally runs into a not so ordinary guy and sparks ignite. The problem? He doesn't want her to get caught up in his dangerous world. But, Laila is stubborn and she isn't about to let Jeremy get off that easily when she knows their relationship could be something more.
I loved the chemistry between Laila and Jeremy. I also loved that they had backgrounds and they weren't just cookie cutter characters. Jeremy has a background in drug addiction and Laila is a party girl that has a lot of interest in boys and illicit substances. I loved Laila from the start, and I was glad to see her character grow throughout this prequel. Jeremy also had some character development. There honestly wasn't any characters that I hated thus far, which made me really happy.
This prequel has Fae, Angels, Guardians, Demons, and more. It's a prequel, so it tells the story of how Jeremy and Laila meet and how they grow into a couple. I haven't read the other books in this series yet, but this was a great beginning. There was action, romance, spice, and great world building. I read this book within a few hours and I am excited to see where this series leads! The epilogue had quite the little cliffhanger/ sneak peak into their upcoming world.
Thank you to the author for providing a copy of this book. These opinions are my own, and were not influenced in any way. I was not obligated to provide a review.
https://coffeewanderbooks.blogspot.co...
I loved the chemistry between Laila and Jeremy. I also loved that they had backgrounds and they weren't just cookie cutter characters. Jeremy has a background in drug addiction and Laila is a party girl that has a lot of interest in boys and illicit substances. I loved Laila from the start, and I was glad to see her character grow throughout this prequel. Jeremy also had some character development. There honestly wasn't any characters that I hated thus far, which made me really happy.
This prequel has Fae, Angels, Guardians, Demons, and more. It's a prequel, so it tells the story of how Jeremy and Laila meet and how they grow into a couple. I haven't read the other books in this series yet, but this was a great beginning. There was action, romance, spice, and great world building. I read this book within a few hours and I am excited to see where this series leads! The epilogue had quite the little cliffhanger/ sneak peak into their upcoming world.
Thank you to the author for providing a copy of this book. These opinions are my own, and were not influenced in any way. I was not obligated to provide a review.
https://coffeewanderbooks.blogspot.co...
October 26, 2022
*rubs hands together* I just finished this book and I feel an insomnia episode coming on…so y’all get my unsolicited and verbose thoughts. Okkkkkay, let’s go:
TLDR:
- Fated Mates (🫠 I LOVED the way this was portrayed in this book)
- Fantasy
- Dark….ish???? I’ve read a lot of taboo / dark romance and I would’ve considered this more of Romance with Dark Themes 🤘🏼
- Instant interest -> that turns to love pretty quickly
I saw this advertised on my Kindle Home Screen (am I cheap…maybe…) and the two words that caught my attention were: Dark. Fantasy. I’m an avid Dark Romance AND Fantasy reader — so…both of those combined?! SAY LESS!!!!
My first impressions were that of terror when I saw there were 10 BOOKS in this series — but that quickly faded to relief when I saw all of the books were available on Kindle Unlimited (ALL THE PRAISE HAND EMOJIS 🙌🏼)
This book was medium-paced with enough action, romance, and adventure to keep me intrigued. This is the prequel so I can see how this book is used for more world building than anything. The last bit of this book had me HOOKED…AND THE EPILOGUE!?!!? Excuse me, what the HECK IS HAPPENING HERE?!!??!? I immediately downloaded the next book because I have to know…
I will admit, I’m cautiously hopeful stepping into the next books — I’m morbidly curious to see how this story could build for 9 other books…I’m not sure if they all follow this same story line or not; Nevertheless, I’m very excited for book 2!
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
Finger guns,
Kayce
TLDR:
- Fated Mates (🫠 I LOVED the way this was portrayed in this book)
- Fantasy
- Dark….ish???? I’ve read a lot of taboo / dark romance and I would’ve considered this more of Romance with Dark Themes 🤘🏼
- Instant interest -> that turns to love pretty quickly
I saw this advertised on my Kindle Home Screen (am I cheap…maybe…) and the two words that caught my attention were: Dark. Fantasy. I’m an avid Dark Romance AND Fantasy reader — so…both of those combined?! SAY LESS!!!!
My first impressions were that of terror when I saw there were 10 BOOKS in this series — but that quickly faded to relief when I saw all of the books were available on Kindle Unlimited (ALL THE PRAISE HAND EMOJIS 🙌🏼)
This book was medium-paced with enough action, romance, and adventure to keep me intrigued. This is the prequel so I can see how this book is used for more world building than anything. The last bit of this book had me HOOKED…AND THE EPILOGUE!?!!? Excuse me, what the HECK IS HAPPENING HERE?!!??!? I immediately downloaded the next book because I have to know…
I will admit, I’m cautiously hopeful stepping into the next books — I’m morbidly curious to see how this story could build for 9 other books…I’m not sure if they all follow this same story line or not; Nevertheless, I’m very excited for book 2!
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
Finger guns,
Kayce
December 16, 2021
Disclaimer I did recevie this book as an ARC to give my honest opinion, so thank you for letting me read this book !
Ill start by saying that this was the first book that I've read by this author and I don't regret it,
the story line is interesting enough to keep the reader engaged through out the story, I don't want to give away too much but there is a plot twist that occurs.
I kind of guessed the direction of the story so if you are an avid reader then you probably will as well but even then I did not feel like it was boring at all, she did a good job at setting everything up towards that direction so I didn't feel disappointed as I was reading it. This is suppose to be a prequal so I'm excited to see where the story goes and how the characters themselves develop later on.
The story is told from both Laila and Jeremys point of view, in a kind of diary format which I though was interesting. I've found that sometimes with a multi pov book there are characters that stand out more over the others, in this instance they both stand out on their own, both are well written without feeling like there is one that is more developed than the other.
I will say that at times I did find Laila to be a tad bit annoying but even then I was not bored by her chapters, Jeremy was my favorite from the two since I found him less annoying and a little bit more mature
Overall I think it was a quick read specially since I don't tend to read a lot of contemporary paranormal stories.
Ill start by saying that this was the first book that I've read by this author and I don't regret it,
the story line is interesting enough to keep the reader engaged through out the story, I don't want to give away too much but there is a plot twist that occurs.
I kind of guessed the direction of the story so if you are an avid reader then you probably will as well but even then I did not feel like it was boring at all, she did a good job at setting everything up towards that direction so I didn't feel disappointed as I was reading it. This is suppose to be a prequal so I'm excited to see where the story goes and how the characters themselves develop later on.
The story is told from both Laila and Jeremys point of view, in a kind of diary format which I though was interesting. I've found that sometimes with a multi pov book there are characters that stand out more over the others, in this instance they both stand out on their own, both are well written without feeling like there is one that is more developed than the other.
I will say that at times I did find Laila to be a tad bit annoying but even then I was not bored by her chapters, Jeremy was my favorite from the two since I found him less annoying and a little bit more mature
Overall I think it was a quick read specially since I don't tend to read a lot of contemporary paranormal stories.
November 5, 2021
From the moment I started reading this book I couldn’t put it down. The Last Beginning by Charlie Nottingham is everything a paranormal romance needs to be and is an exceptionally well paced page turner. If you like Supernatural, Winx Club, The mortal Instrument series, or basically anything paranormal I would say give this book a shot!
Laila and Jeremy make the perfect main character couple in this book. She's bubbly, and sassy, and the perfect amount of independent, while he’s mysterious, and lovey, and a green flag amount of protective. The plot is interesting and leaves lots of room for future stories to be told and for the author to expand the world.
As someone who reads... a lot… My only small annoyance in the book is that a few foreshadowing elements gave away a plot point. It made me apprehensive in trying to finish the book but I am so happy that I did. The author definitely surprised me and added many plot twists that kept it fresh and interesting without making it confusing or “too much”.
Overall, this book gets a 4.5 out 5 from me. Which I believe is my highest rating of the year. I'm so excited to read more about this world and find out how things progress with Laila.
Laila and Jeremy make the perfect main character couple in this book. She's bubbly, and sassy, and the perfect amount of independent, while he’s mysterious, and lovey, and a green flag amount of protective. The plot is interesting and leaves lots of room for future stories to be told and for the author to expand the world.
As someone who reads... a lot… My only small annoyance in the book is that a few foreshadowing elements gave away a plot point. It made me apprehensive in trying to finish the book but I am so happy that I did. The author definitely surprised me and added many plot twists that kept it fresh and interesting without making it confusing or “too much”.
Overall, this book gets a 4.5 out 5 from me. Which I believe is my highest rating of the year. I'm so excited to read more about this world and find out how things progress with Laila.
November 18, 2021
Really would be a 3.5 star overall.
Story was a solid 4 star story, it was engrossing and that ENDING!!! No spoilers. I pick up on a lot of foreshadowing so I can generally see things coming, did not see that coming. It was good, wasn't good that I read it straight through, it took some time.
The characters were good, Jeremy was awesome, and easy to fall in love with. Leila, was relatable but there were some things I didn't super love about her, that's okay. I feel like Adrian, the friend, was a big part of the beginning, non-existent in the middle, then big in the end again...that was a little weird but at the same time I guess I get it.
The biggest part of why I wouldn't give this a full four star review was because of all the grammatical or verbiage errors, the inconsistencies of the chapter headings (some had dates, most didn't and some had other headings), and the point of view differences. The latter not really being a problem until the last two chapters that randomly switch to first person reflecting back as if this story had taken place years ago, and there was no indication that there was any time difference.
Over all it was okay to good, I have honestly already recommended it to a few of my friends, so apparently I liked it enough to do that!
Story was a solid 4 star story, it was engrossing and that ENDING!!! No spoilers. I pick up on a lot of foreshadowing so I can generally see things coming, did not see that coming. It was good, wasn't good that I read it straight through, it took some time.
The characters were good, Jeremy was awesome, and easy to fall in love with. Leila, was relatable but there were some things I didn't super love about her, that's okay. I feel like Adrian, the friend, was a big part of the beginning, non-existent in the middle, then big in the end again...that was a little weird but at the same time I guess I get it.
The biggest part of why I wouldn't give this a full four star review was because of all the grammatical or verbiage errors, the inconsistencies of the chapter headings (some had dates, most didn't and some had other headings), and the point of view differences. The latter not really being a problem until the last two chapters that randomly switch to first person reflecting back as if this story had taken place years ago, and there was no indication that there was any time difference.
Over all it was okay to good, I have honestly already recommended it to a few of my friends, so apparently I liked it enough to do that!
November 10, 2021
I received an ARC for an honest review, so here it is…
My first thought after reading the prologue was that I already knew what was going to happen. So I had it in my head waiting for it. Whelp, it did not go down completely the way I thought it would.
The story is dual POV and it reads more like a friend telling you a story than someone narrating a story, if that makes sense. It made it a very quick read.
The story timeline is very modern and the characters definitely portray the thoughts and mannerisms of today. (That’s not meant as a good/bad thing, just an observation) That being said, the characters are all very likable (except Brody, but sure why he’s such an a**, hope to get his excuse later ;-).
I honestly, was reading constantly waiting for the other shoe to fall. It was like every time it was going good, you knew it was too good to be true! All the way up to the end!! I was expecting things to be all wrapped up nicely and she still squeezed in one more shocker.
I’m looking forward to getting into the next book and seeing how this all plays out.
My first thought after reading the prologue was that I already knew what was going to happen. So I had it in my head waiting for it. Whelp, it did not go down completely the way I thought it would.
The story is dual POV and it reads more like a friend telling you a story than someone narrating a story, if that makes sense. It made it a very quick read.
The story timeline is very modern and the characters definitely portray the thoughts and mannerisms of today. (That’s not meant as a good/bad thing, just an observation) That being said, the characters are all very likable (except Brody, but sure why he’s such an a**, hope to get his excuse later ;-).
I honestly, was reading constantly waiting for the other shoe to fall. It was like every time it was going good, you knew it was too good to be true! All the way up to the end!! I was expecting things to be all wrapped up nicely and she still squeezed in one more shocker.
I’m looking forward to getting into the next book and seeing how this all plays out.
December 4, 2021
**Possible Spoilers**
This story follows Laila and Jeremy through a journey of love, self discovery, pain, and acceptance.
You start the story when Laila and her friends Adam and Adrian are stranded after they hit a deer. This is where we also meet Adam’s brother Jeremy, and the beginning of the whirlwind of Jeremy and Laila’s story.
The foreshadowing the author slips through the story is so artfully done. You don’t realize until you’ve hit the big reveal that there were clues throughout, but once you do, you have the urge to reread.
I love the way Charlie describes the relationship between Jeremy and Laila. It’s so real and so relatable that it doesn’t make you cringe like some “love at first sight” tropes can. You honestly root for them through their ups and downs, and when Laila finally learns everything and comes into her powers, you are just as relieved as Jeremy is.
I can not recommend this book enough! I will be obsessively reading this series as much as possible. This may have just become my new comfort series.
This story follows Laila and Jeremy through a journey of love, self discovery, pain, and acceptance.
You start the story when Laila and her friends Adam and Adrian are stranded after they hit a deer. This is where we also meet Adam’s brother Jeremy, and the beginning of the whirlwind of Jeremy and Laila’s story.
The foreshadowing the author slips through the story is so artfully done. You don’t realize until you’ve hit the big reveal that there were clues throughout, but once you do, you have the urge to reread.
I love the way Charlie describes the relationship between Jeremy and Laila. It’s so real and so relatable that it doesn’t make you cringe like some “love at first sight” tropes can. You honestly root for them through their ups and downs, and when Laila finally learns everything and comes into her powers, you are just as relieved as Jeremy is.
I can not recommend this book enough! I will be obsessively reading this series as much as possible. This may have just become my new comfort series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2022
I'd like to preface this by saying that I did enjoy this book.
This gave me serious Twilight meets Supernatural vibes. It was entertaining but entirely unoriginal. The parallels to Twilight are pretty obvious but without the toxicity of that relationship. I loved that informed and enthusiastic consent is so prized here.
Spice is 2 out of 5 peppers and there's only a few sexy scenes but they're fairly steamy.
This really reads like a young YA book with a couple graphic sex scenes mixed in. While that's not necessarily a deal breaker for me, it's definitely not a mature read. What I did have an issue with is how vague it was with the details. I was never able to clearly pinpoint how old the characters are or where the story takes place. There were several passages that I needed to reread multiple times in order for it to make sense and I noticed several grammatical mistakes throughout.
Overall, I don't think I'll be reading the rest of this series (re content warnings) but I'm definitely open to trying something different from this author.
This gave me serious Twilight meets Supernatural vibes. It was entertaining but entirely unoriginal. The parallels to Twilight are pretty obvious but without the toxicity of that relationship. I loved that informed and enthusiastic consent is so prized here.
Spice is 2 out of 5 peppers and there's only a few sexy scenes but they're fairly steamy.
This really reads like a young YA book with a couple graphic sex scenes mixed in. While that's not necessarily a deal breaker for me, it's definitely not a mature read. What I did have an issue with is how vague it was with the details. I was never able to clearly pinpoint how old the characters are or where the story takes place. There were several passages that I needed to reread multiple times in order for it to make sense and I noticed several grammatical mistakes throughout.
Overall, I don't think I'll be reading the rest of this series (re content warnings) but I'm definitely open to trying something different from this author.
November 3, 2021
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for my thoughts and opinion.
I'm sorry - what?
This was amazing.
I made this epically bad mistake of starting the book at 11 last night. I didn't go to sleep until 4 this morning. I cannot remember the last time I had an all nighter with a book. It was sooo worth the yawns at work.
Laila is incredibly oblivious about what is happening around her but in an entirely endearing way. Suddenly thrust into a really big scary world she actually handles it remarkably well.
And Jeremy. Jeremy. Jeremy.
Can I please have one? Oh my holy what nots he is one hot piece of man candy. What I wouldn't do with all of that hair and ruggedly handsomeness. And then he is thoughtful (if at times a bit manly idiotic), selfless and just protective enough of Laila to not drive you completely insane and just give you the warm feels.
I'm sorry - what?
This was amazing.
I made this epically bad mistake of starting the book at 11 last night. I didn't go to sleep until 4 this morning. I cannot remember the last time I had an all nighter with a book. It was sooo worth the yawns at work.
Laila is incredibly oblivious about what is happening around her but in an entirely endearing way. Suddenly thrust into a really big scary world she actually handles it remarkably well.
And Jeremy. Jeremy. Jeremy.
Can I please have one? Oh my holy what nots he is one hot piece of man candy. What I wouldn't do with all of that hair and ruggedly handsomeness. And then he is thoughtful (if at times a bit manly idiotic), selfless and just protective enough of Laila to not drive you completely insane and just give you the warm feels.
November 4, 2021
The prologue kept me going! It hooked me and made me want to find the connection between the characters and that story in the prologue. To be honest it was a bit tricky for me to get started a I am not familiar with Charlie’s writing but once I was about 20% in I was all in and things starting flowing so well.
I enjoyed the fact that the characters felt real and personable. The slow world building really worked. It was great to have a world I could understand because it was close to real but as you go along you find out new things which added to the world and the fantasy system in play.
Sometimes, stories told from two perspectives don’t work but this really worked because the characters were well built.
Also, the fact that the male character actually understands consent is a tick for me. I love a male character who actually expresses his thoughts about liking the girl! A male character who gets and thinks about the butterflies she gives him makes me smile!
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