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A Beautiful Surrender #1
A Beautiful Surrender
Allison and Eli were best friends, spending every moment together in their small town of Andus. Allison had accepted her dull and monotonous life, never daring to dream bigger while Eli had everything he could possibly want, including the girl of his dreams. Their marriage was inevitable but everything changes when Andus is attacked and the new guard, Nik, enters their life.
Nik’s determined to make Eli’s life miserable and even more determined to get closer to Allison. Much to his surprise, what started as something fun and lighthearted turns into more than he bargained for. He’d do anything to keep her safe and keep her to himself.
As they attempt to adjust to their new lives, a bigger enemy is stirring. Will they be able to set aside their differences and work together or will they all meet their demise?
An emotional tale of love, betrayal, sacrifice and forgiveness in a post-apocalyptic world.
Nik’s determined to make Eli’s life miserable and even more determined to get closer to Allison. Much to his surprise, what started as something fun and lighthearted turns into more than he bargained for. He’d do anything to keep her safe and keep her to himself.
As they attempt to adjust to their new lives, a bigger enemy is stirring. Will they be able to set aside their differences and work together or will they all meet their demise?
An emotional tale of love, betrayal, sacrifice and forgiveness in a post-apocalyptic world.
333 pages, Paperback
Published November 28, 2022
247 people are currently reading
2173 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Mays
5 books341 followersRachel Mays is a daydreamer and a hopeless romantic. She'd rather spend her time immersed in a fictional world than the real one. Her fantasy romance novels are filled with vivid scenery, relatable characters and love stories that will have your heart melting. When she isn't reading or writing, she loves to play cozy games and hang out with her cat, Daryl.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
November 4, 2023
“Mom, I feel things I shouldn’t for a man who imprisoned me” GIRLLLLL I feel things for a man WHO QUITE LITERALLY WAS PART OF THE GROUP THAT IMPRISONED YOU LMAOO
3.5⭐️
very fun ready. A lot going on in this book to where I never really got bored. Also NIK IS OBSESSED WITH HER.
3.5⭐️
very fun ready. A lot going on in this book to where I never really got bored. Also NIK IS OBSESSED WITH HER.
August 18, 2023
Spoiler Free
Wow! This was such a wonderful book from Rachel Mays. Set in a dystopian future, it was written in a way that made it easy to follow and imagine yourself. The friendship between Eli and Ali is easy and full of banter. The tension between the Nik and Eli is palpable. But the spiiiiiice between Ali and Nik, ugh, so good. The world building and characters were wonderfully written. I cannot wait to see where the adventure goes next! This is book one of a three-part series.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Plot 4.5/5
Spice 4/5
Wow! This was such a wonderful book from Rachel Mays. Set in a dystopian future, it was written in a way that made it easy to follow and imagine yourself. The friendship between Eli and Ali is easy and full of banter. The tension between the Nik and Eli is palpable. But the spiiiiiice between Ali and Nik, ugh, so good. The world building and characters were wonderfully written. I cannot wait to see where the adventure goes next! This is book one of a three-part series.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Plot 4.5/5
Spice 4/5
November 6, 2022
I received this ARC and could not put it down after just a few chapters in. It reminded me of some of the things I loved about the Divergent series and the Hunger Games, but catering to a more mature, spice-loving audience. I can’t wait to read the next installment and see where it takes the characters.
December 21, 2024
Ali I’m just convinced you haven’t met enough men in your life.
November 21, 2022
What a great book to what I expect an amazing series. If you like dystopian, forbidden romance and some spicy scenes this book is for you. Characters are wonderful. Great world building and easy to follow along.
December 14, 2022
*I was provided an ARC by the author for an honest review.
Oh she's a cliffhanger but in the best possible way!
This book was fantastic, the world building, the character development, the description (just enough but not too much... You know when an author takes two paragraphs to describe a shade of red? Yea, this author isn't that!)
This is absolutely insta-lust so if that isn't your thing move along... thankfully it's my fave! I did feel bad for Eli and hope it gets resolved in future books... he deserves love too!!! (Not a spoiler.)
This is an easy read, just took me a bit due to life stuff...but honestly you could easily read this in a day or two. It holds your attention!
The spice level was mild for me but I read some hard-core stuff. Also, I was honestly more invested in the characters and plot.
Oh she's a cliffhanger but in the best possible way!
This book was fantastic, the world building, the character development, the description (just enough but not too much... You know when an author takes two paragraphs to describe a shade of red? Yea, this author isn't that!)
This is absolutely insta-lust so if that isn't your thing move along... thankfully it's my fave! I did feel bad for Eli and hope it gets resolved in future books... he deserves love too!!! (Not a spoiler.)
This is an easy read, just took me a bit due to life stuff...but honestly you could easily read this in a day or two. It holds your attention!
The spice level was mild for me but I read some hard-core stuff. Also, I was honestly more invested in the characters and plot.
October 29, 2023
Post apocalyptic hell
Starting with the positive:
- Decent 🌶 scenes
Negatives:
- general plot
- one of the 3 main characters makes you want to jump into a nest of scorpions
- the pacing is all over the place
Review:
The plot is predictable in that it reads as if someone created their fantasy and decides to skip ao3. There is a strange and continuous romanticization of how thin the fmc is. This bizarre example of Stockholm syndrome in breakneck speed is worrisome. The author clearly put no thought into world building and there are several moments that they didn't understand what they were talking about or thought to consider the context of what a character does or uses. A non spoiler example is making angel food cake, in a tech-free world, when villagers are underfed, winter is about to start, and the village is short on winter supplies. It kind of breaks the illusion.
Starting with the positive:
- Decent 🌶 scenes
Negatives:
- general plot
- one of the 3 main characters makes you want to jump into a nest of scorpions
- the pacing is all over the place
Review:
The plot is predictable in that it reads as if someone created their fantasy and decides to skip ao3. There is a strange and continuous romanticization of how thin the fmc is. This bizarre example of Stockholm syndrome in breakneck speed is worrisome. The author clearly put no thought into world building and there are several moments that they didn't understand what they were talking about or thought to consider the context of what a character does or uses. A non spoiler example is making angel food cake, in a tech-free world, when villagers are underfed, winter is about to start, and the village is short on winter supplies. It kind of breaks the illusion.
December 8, 2023
calling this a dystopian is a hate crime
December 18, 2023
I wish I could unread this book
October 30, 2024
Had me for the first couple hundred pages but then I lost interest and started cringing a lot eek
November 6, 2022
Rating: 3-3.5 ✨
Spice: 2 🌶
I would like to start off by saying I received this ARC copy free and would like to thank the author for the opportunity. Like always, this review is being left voluntarily and will be completely honest 💜
This book definitely had me going back and forth on how I felt about it, but I ended up enjoying it once we hit the half way mark. I feel like my hesitation on deciding how I felt about it was due to the writing. It was not my favorite style, I felt it kind of gave of third person POV vibes and then turned to multi-pov, so it confused be a bit in the beginning. However, writing tastes are personal so don't make that a decision maker on whether you give this book a shot.
The plot itself was interesting and it made me keep wanting to know what happened next. The pace and plot points in the story were well executed as well, which made this book enjoyable. The last few chapters were the ones I enjoyed the most and I feel like they set up the following book perfectly. However, the actual ending of the book kind of left me guessing on what actually happened. I can't really go into it without giving spoilers but if you read this, I would love to discuss it with you!
The characters were likable and some you want to root for, but left me wanting more. I wish I would have seen more of who Ali is and more development on her part, which I'm hoping is shown in the next books. Eli, he was an interesting character with SO many feelings, which I felt gave him more depth than the other characters and I liked that. Nik... listen I really liked Nik as the story progressed but in the beginning, he seemed a bit immature in the reasoning for his possessiveness. However, we all kind of like possessiveness to a certain extent so I'll leave it at that. I'm hoping for more relationship development as well in the following books and I am SURE the author will deliver.
If you are interested in reading a forbidden guard/prisoner romance, this book is for you! The romance in this book was just a tiny bit fast paced, but it didn't mess with the pace of the story overall, so I also enjoyed that very much. Nik and Ali also gave me moments when I was like, "okay, I want that type of love." 🥹 If you love a possessive and yet a sweet and caring MMC, this book is also for you! Overall, this dystopian world created by the author was introduced and developed in a great way and I am looking forward to what's to come.
November 10, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to the author who provided me with a copy!
This is completely personal preference starting this out: I'm not a huge fan of love triangles or the prisoner/guard love. With that said, let's get to my review:
The last 20% of this book really had me on my toes, I was surprised by HOW MUCH I was voraciously reading just to find out what would happen. Those smut scenes were top notch too. It has been a while since the level and the quality of smut I've read has been that good, so touché.
I was a little disappointed that I didn't feel super connected to the FMC. I was in the heads of the MMC's but the FMC left things to be desired - almost like she was left slightly hollow for the reader to put themselves in her place, but I just couldn't do that.
I think to give this a higher rating I would've needed:
1. This book split into two - I think to make the stronger connection it would've been beneficial to make more of her life in Andus shown, perhaps half the book, then end the first book when she met or first talked to Nik.
2. I would've liked some happiness for Eli. I have a problem with love triangles because I always feel bad for the left behind. It would've been nice to see more of Eli making his happiness - like talking to the other guards, bringing in a new love interest, etc.
3. Change the POV. A lot of the time while reading, it felt like I was reading in third person but it was changing perspectives. I think it would be beneficial to keep the changing perspectives, but take away that omniscient feel - the character only knows what they know, they cannot know what others are doing, thinking, or what their motivations are.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. I'm excited to read the sequel - because that cliffhanger - and I'm excited to see where the next book will go!
This is completely personal preference starting this out: I'm not a huge fan of love triangles or the prisoner/guard love. With that said, let's get to my review:
The last 20% of this book really had me on my toes, I was surprised by HOW MUCH I was voraciously reading just to find out what would happen. Those smut scenes were top notch too. It has been a while since the level and the quality of smut I've read has been that good, so touché.
I was a little disappointed that I didn't feel super connected to the FMC. I was in the heads of the MMC's but the FMC left things to be desired - almost like she was left slightly hollow for the reader to put themselves in her place, but I just couldn't do that.
I think to give this a higher rating I would've needed:
1. This book split into two - I think to make the stronger connection it would've been beneficial to make more of her life in Andus shown, perhaps half the book, then end the first book when she met or first talked to Nik.
2. I would've liked some happiness for Eli. I have a problem with love triangles because I always feel bad for the left behind. It would've been nice to see more of Eli making his happiness - like talking to the other guards, bringing in a new love interest, etc.
3. Change the POV. A lot of the time while reading, it felt like I was reading in third person but it was changing perspectives. I think it would be beneficial to keep the changing perspectives, but take away that omniscient feel - the character only knows what they know, they cannot know what others are doing, thinking, or what their motivations are.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. I'm excited to read the sequel - because that cliffhanger - and I'm excited to see where the next book will go!
November 25, 2022
Rating: 3.5
🌶️🌶️
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A Beautiful Surrender was a quick spicy read with a pretty good plot. It’s set in a dystopian world with villages made up of survivors who fend for themselves (Think ‘The Walking Dead’ type of dystopia, not ‘The Hunger Games’ type of dystopia).
What I liked
🌿 dystopian setting
🌿 forbidden romance (captor/captive)
🌿 third person multiple POV
🌿 the spice was very well done, especially the build up towards the beginning
🌿 Sam
🌿 I like that we got the perspective of the captives AND the captors. The “bad guys” conquered other tribes/villages to protect, secure, and elevate their own people.
🌿 enemies to lovers
🌿 suspenseful, action-packed moments at end were the best part of the plot
🌿 the ending left me excited for the next one
Why not 5 stars?
🌲 The jump between POVs was a little disorienting sometimes
🌲 A bit of a insta-love/fated mates feel
🌲 Is there such thing as too much smut? The plot started to get really good toward the end and I wanted to know what was going to happen but the characters took a smut break or two 😂
🌲 I didn’t love Nik at the beginning and I don’t know if I loved Eli toward the end
🌲 I kept internally screaming, “STOP NOT TELLING HIM THINGS” iykyk
☀️Just a note: As you’re reading you’re just going to have to allow yourself to suspend your disbelief and go along for the ride.
Overpossessive men? This is fine.
The man holding all the power? No problem.
Punishment for talking back? Not patronizing at all!
Personally, if a group of people came and tore apart my tribe and turned me into a servant, my first thought would probably not be “wow, that guard is hot” BUT for the sake of the smut, just ignore that and pretend it’s all totally fine.
TW
- death/murder
- violent death of parents/loved ones
- mistreatment of prisoners/hostages
- whipping
- near-death injuries
- panic attacks/ptsd
🌶️🌶️
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A Beautiful Surrender was a quick spicy read with a pretty good plot. It’s set in a dystopian world with villages made up of survivors who fend for themselves (Think ‘The Walking Dead’ type of dystopia, not ‘The Hunger Games’ type of dystopia).
What I liked
🌿 dystopian setting
🌿 forbidden romance (captor/captive)
🌿 third person multiple POV
🌿 the spice was very well done, especially the build up towards the beginning
🌿 Sam
🌿 I like that we got the perspective of the captives AND the captors. The “bad guys” conquered other tribes/villages to protect, secure, and elevate their own people.
🌿 enemies to lovers
🌿 suspenseful, action-packed moments at end were the best part of the plot
🌿 the ending left me excited for the next one
Why not 5 stars?
🌲 The jump between POVs was a little disorienting sometimes
🌲 A bit of a insta-love/fated mates feel
🌲 Is there such thing as too much smut? The plot started to get really good toward the end and I wanted to know what was going to happen but the characters took a smut break or two 😂
🌲 I didn’t love Nik at the beginning and I don’t know if I loved Eli toward the end
🌲 I kept internally screaming, “STOP NOT TELLING HIM THINGS” iykyk
☀️Just a note: As you’re reading you’re just going to have to allow yourself to suspend your disbelief and go along for the ride.
Overpossessive men? This is fine.
The man holding all the power? No problem.
Punishment for talking back? Not patronizing at all!
Personally, if a group of people came and tore apart my tribe and turned me into a servant, my first thought would probably not be “wow, that guard is hot” BUT for the sake of the smut, just ignore that and pretend it’s all totally fine.
TW
- death/murder
- violent death of parents/loved ones
- mistreatment of prisoners/hostages
- whipping
- near-death injuries
- panic attacks/ptsd
December 5, 2022
3.5 stars
This book surprised me. I must admit that at the beginning of my read, I wasn't sure if it was for me. Spicy dystopian isn't really like anything I have ever read before, but the premise and goodreads summary piqued my interest.
The plot of the book is very interesting, I am excited to see where it will go in the next book (as it ends on a cliffhanger). It's honestly unlike anything I've ever really read and that excites me! This is 100% a niche that is not explored enough, so its really refreshing to read.
I also haven't read many books with prisoner/guard and I am obsessed (thank you for unlocking that). I also enjoy enemies to lovers and love triangles and I think this was executed well.
THE SPICE - here. for. it. There was some pretty spicy scenes throughout the book and they were all well written and quite graphic (appreciated). There is nothing worse then bad smut!! I also loved Nik.
So there are a couple of reasons why its not a five star for me..
I think a major issue I had with this book was the POV's - it was slightly confusing with the multiple POV's and this almost third person voice (I think it could greatly benefit from character names at the beginning of each chapter).
The character development was good - but I would still like to see EVEN more. I wish I liked the FMC more. She is often described as fragile, and its not a word I love women being described (especially since she isn't!).
I wish the world was developed even more - I feel like it would really increase the readers experience. Felt like it was lacking this department.
All in all, I really did enjoy it and look forward to reading the next one!
Thanks to the author and BookSirends for providing me with an ARC, all thoughts are my own
This book surprised me. I must admit that at the beginning of my read, I wasn't sure if it was for me. Spicy dystopian isn't really like anything I have ever read before, but the premise and goodreads summary piqued my interest.
The plot of the book is very interesting, I am excited to see where it will go in the next book (as it ends on a cliffhanger). It's honestly unlike anything I've ever really read and that excites me! This is 100% a niche that is not explored enough, so its really refreshing to read.
I also haven't read many books with prisoner/guard and I am obsessed (thank you for unlocking that). I also enjoy enemies to lovers and love triangles and I think this was executed well.
THE SPICE - here. for. it. There was some pretty spicy scenes throughout the book and they were all well written and quite graphic (appreciated). There is nothing worse then bad smut!! I also loved Nik.
So there are a couple of reasons why its not a five star for me..
I think a major issue I had with this book was the POV's - it was slightly confusing with the multiple POV's and this almost third person voice (I think it could greatly benefit from character names at the beginning of each chapter).
The character development was good - but I would still like to see EVEN more. I wish I liked the FMC more. She is often described as fragile, and its not a word I love women being described (especially since she isn't!).
I wish the world was developed even more - I feel like it would really increase the readers experience. Felt like it was lacking this department.
All in all, I really did enjoy it and look forward to reading the next one!
Thanks to the author and BookSirends for providing me with an ARC, all thoughts are my own
November 11, 2022
"At some point home became a person"
This is a debut novel for Rachel Mays and it was actually really really good! It reminded me a little bit of the Hunger Games in a roundabout kind of way, which is a good thing... I absolutely LOVE the hunger games! I kind of went into this book completely blind. I had read the blurb of it and knew a little bit, but I had no idea the genre or anything else. This book is set in a dystopian future. It is written so well that you can almost put yourself in the spot of Ali, Eli, or Nik. At the beginning I had a little bit of a hard time trying to connect with the characters but I slowly became accustomed and connected with them!
I can't wait to see where the rest of the books take these characters! I am truly excited to read them when they come out! Excellent job, Rachel!
I received an ARC from the author for an Honest Review.
This is a debut novel for Rachel Mays and it was actually really really good! It reminded me a little bit of the Hunger Games in a roundabout kind of way, which is a good thing... I absolutely LOVE the hunger games! I kind of went into this book completely blind. I had read the blurb of it and knew a little bit, but I had no idea the genre or anything else. This book is set in a dystopian future. It is written so well that you can almost put yourself in the spot of Ali, Eli, or Nik. At the beginning I had a little bit of a hard time trying to connect with the characters but I slowly became accustomed and connected with them!
I can't wait to see where the rest of the books take these characters! I am truly excited to read them when they come out! Excellent job, Rachel!
I received an ARC from the author for an Honest Review.
June 27, 2023
This book had me captivated from the beginning!
I’ve never read dystopian, truthfully even for fb it’s not my favourite genre, but this book was amazing. The reverse harem aspect, the strong friendship, and strong intimacy. From the very beginning it was so good, right until the cliff hanger ending.
I really hurt for Eli, but respected Nik, and Ali’s choices, and near the end it was so wild I was on the edge of my seat. This book was amazing I will be recommending it to everyone!
I’ve never read dystopian, truthfully even for fb it’s not my favourite genre, but this book was amazing. The reverse harem aspect, the strong friendship, and strong intimacy. From the very beginning it was so good, right until the cliff hanger ending.
I really hurt for Eli, but respected Nik, and Ali’s choices, and near the end it was so wild I was on the edge of my seat. This book was amazing I will be recommending it to everyone!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2022
Debut novel by author Rachel Mays. This book takes place is a dystopian future. I always enjoy reading stories of survival. This book contains a nice balance of plot and spice. It was a quick and easy enjoyable read. This is book 1 of a 3 part series and does end on a cliffhanger but not a traumatic one .
I received a free copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Congrats Rachel can’t wait for book 2!
I received a free copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Congrats Rachel can’t wait for book 2!
November 5, 2022
I received an ARC for free and I’m so glad! This book was definitely a 5 star read! Once I got started, it was hard to put down. It was gripping, gut wrenching and full of emotions. I felt so many things at once and had to keep going. The characters were lovable and I felt like part of the story. It was easy to be immersed in! I’m sad it’s over!
November 15, 2022
I don't usually like reading a book written in third person because i find it kind of confusing. However this book was easy to read. It was my first dystopian book and i loved it! I really liked Eli and Ali's friendship, and how they where there for each others through the whole book. I liked Nick, he's got a baddie exterior, but has a sweet spot for Ali who happens to be a prisoner. I really liked their chemistry, there was definitely some spicy scenes between them. The characters were wonderfully written. The plot was interesting and it made me keep wanting to know what happened next. Overall it was a really great read.
I received this book as an ARC for free in exchange of an honest review.
I received this book as an ARC for free in exchange of an honest review.
October 12, 2025
not for me.. everything went SO well, it was incoherent.
started off pretty good, the story and the plot were super interesting..but the minute they got to prison it all went left.
- first i thought Nik was an alpha-hole..but he really is a golden retriever
-she's a prisoner but she can go "heal" at HIS house without anyone saying anything?
-he can see her whenever he wants?
-she becomes free because Nik survived an attack??? like she's a gift to him??
nothing made sense tbh. there was no big twist, no big revelation, no emotional damage..there was nothing!
minus the spice scenes, it felt very YA/NA
started off pretty good, the story and the plot were super interesting..but the minute they got to prison it all went left.
- first i thought Nik was an alpha-hole..but he really is a golden retriever
-she's a prisoner but she can go "heal" at HIS house without anyone saying anything?
-he can see her whenever he wants?
-she becomes free because Nik survived an attack??? like she's a gift to him??
nothing made sense tbh. there was no big twist, no big revelation, no emotional damage..there was nothing!
minus the spice scenes, it felt very YA/NA
July 3, 2024
This wasn’t as quick of a read as I was hoping but still really good. Loved the idea of a futuristic dystopian setting and the writing was what I expected from Rachel
November 19, 2023
3.5/5
It was a lot different from what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it nonetheless
It was a lot different from what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it nonetheless
December 21, 2024
This book was MID! I had a lot of problems reading it when I read just the first couple of pages. Also, important to note that I did not finish the book, but I stopped halfway.
Listen, I truly do believe that you can write any kind of story and it can be interesting to read if the author writes it well. But, this was just bad.
First of all, ALLISON YOU’RE SO FREAKING DUMB!! She liked a guard WHO LITERALLY WAS PART OF THE PEOPLE WHO KILLED YOUR MOM AND THE OTHER PEOPLE YOU LOVED!! That made no sense to me how she could be so DUMB AND NAIVE that she keeps secrets from Eli, her best friend that’s stuck with her for years, and quickly goes to Nik as soon as she can just because of some attraction she has that she can’t resist!!! Like hello, YES you can stay away from him!!
This just goes on to my second point why I give this book a bad review is cause of Nik!!! That arrogant, rude jerk that should not be the main love interest!! I get that he’s a guard and his authority is above Alison’s but he’s always so dominating and controlling of her. But, I get it. Ali LIKES that. Fine. If you want a man like that, whatever, go ahead. BUT, the fact this man bullies Eli, (He literally made him clean cow shit!), and there’s pages of him saying how he wants to separate him from Ali, but he can’t because then Ali would stop liking him!!! Like Nik does not care about the shit that he and his people put the prisoners through, and he just wants to separate Ali’s best friend from her even though they are obviously really close and trying to support each other through a rough, no AWFUL time?!!!
Then, there’s the part Nik gets mad at Marcus for checking out the girls that had to take their clothes off to be cleaned by the guards and Nik is mad at Marcus for checking out the girls. BUT, here’s the PROBLEM!!! There’s a page of Nik literally saying that he was a man and at the end of the day would check out a naked girl standing in front of him because HE’S A MAN!! Like hello, you’re not a man, you’re a freaking pervert!
Also, this book felt so rushed. Like Ali just came to a prison and not even a day later she’s having sex with a high-ranking guard and becoming really close to him. Oh, and not to mention, Ali is just so freaking dumb!
Now, Eli I was not obsessed with his character, but as the book progressed I ended up feeling a lot more sympathy and liking for him. He was rational and his thoughts made sense!! His dad just died and he wants to hurt the people that hurt him! Some of his anger was a little far-fetched, when he said he wanted to hurt the people in the village who were just happily strolling the streets, but his feelings were understandable since THE PEOPLE HE KNEW JUST DIED!!! But ALI, that idiot, started having sex with the enemy and she didn’t even blame the people for hurting her like Eli did. If someone killed my parents, destroyed my village when I thought I would be safe and protected forever, I would be pretty pissed. Not Ali!!
But, I do have to say the plot was unique. A lot of books have stories written about the past, like the 1900s. This story supposedly took place AFTER the 21st century, when society was destroyed and they ended up losing all of their technology and living like cavemen even at this time period!!! That is a really unique and interesting idea to write about but it wasn’t written well! The characters (cough, cough Ali and Nik!) could be more than tweaked and the story did feel rushed!! I could rant on and on more about this but I’ll stop here.
Listen, I truly do believe that you can write any kind of story and it can be interesting to read if the author writes it well. But, this was just bad.
First of all, ALLISON YOU’RE SO FREAKING DUMB!! She liked a guard WHO LITERALLY WAS PART OF THE PEOPLE WHO KILLED YOUR MOM AND THE OTHER PEOPLE YOU LOVED!! That made no sense to me how she could be so DUMB AND NAIVE that she keeps secrets from Eli, her best friend that’s stuck with her for years, and quickly goes to Nik as soon as she can just because of some attraction she has that she can’t resist!!! Like hello, YES you can stay away from him!!
This just goes on to my second point why I give this book a bad review is cause of Nik!!! That arrogant, rude jerk that should not be the main love interest!! I get that he’s a guard and his authority is above Alison’s but he’s always so dominating and controlling of her. But, I get it. Ali LIKES that. Fine. If you want a man like that, whatever, go ahead. BUT, the fact this man bullies Eli, (He literally made him clean cow shit!), and there’s pages of him saying how he wants to separate him from Ali, but he can’t because then Ali would stop liking him!!! Like Nik does not care about the shit that he and his people put the prisoners through, and he just wants to separate Ali’s best friend from her even though they are obviously really close and trying to support each other through a rough, no AWFUL time?!!!
Then, there’s the part Nik gets mad at Marcus for checking out the girls that had to take their clothes off to be cleaned by the guards and Nik is mad at Marcus for checking out the girls. BUT, here’s the PROBLEM!!! There’s a page of Nik literally saying that he was a man and at the end of the day would check out a naked girl standing in front of him because HE’S A MAN!! Like hello, you’re not a man, you’re a freaking pervert!
Also, this book felt so rushed. Like Ali just came to a prison and not even a day later she’s having sex with a high-ranking guard and becoming really close to him. Oh, and not to mention, Ali is just so freaking dumb!
Now, Eli I was not obsessed with his character, but as the book progressed I ended up feeling a lot more sympathy and liking for him. He was rational and his thoughts made sense!! His dad just died and he wants to hurt the people that hurt him! Some of his anger was a little far-fetched, when he said he wanted to hurt the people in the village who were just happily strolling the streets, but his feelings were understandable since THE PEOPLE HE KNEW JUST DIED!!! But ALI, that idiot, started having sex with the enemy and she didn’t even blame the people for hurting her like Eli did. If someone killed my parents, destroyed my village when I thought I would be safe and protected forever, I would be pretty pissed. Not Ali!!
But, I do have to say the plot was unique. A lot of books have stories written about the past, like the 1900s. This story supposedly took place AFTER the 21st century, when society was destroyed and they ended up losing all of their technology and living like cavemen even at this time period!!! That is a really unique and interesting idea to write about but it wasn’t written well! The characters (cough, cough Ali and Nik!) could be more than tweaked and the story did feel rushed!! I could rant on and on more about this but I’ll stop here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2024
I can handle horrible main characters… when there is a good plot for character building or other characters who are able to counter act the surface level personality but unfortunately none of that was in this book.
Ali has no personality except for standing pretty and having men fall for her immediately? (This is a love at first sight book since there really isn’t anything to build their love on.) They try to say she’s brave and smart and all these other things but you don’t actually see that in here? If anything she has a bad case of Stockholm syndrome.
Eli and Nik are just as bad. Nik worse than Eli imo. Fighting over a stale cracker.
The only person who has any type of sense or great potential is Eli. The writer should really stick to just making a story out of Eli and forget Ali and Nik… Eli is the only one who sees how bad being a prisoner is and who actually has it out for the people who captured them and you know… killed their whole town?
I won’t be reading book two ✌️
Ali has no personality except for standing pretty and having men fall for her immediately? (This is a love at first sight book since there really isn’t anything to build their love on.) They try to say she’s brave and smart and all these other things but you don’t actually see that in here? If anything she has a bad case of Stockholm syndrome.
Eli and Nik are just as bad. Nik worse than Eli imo. Fighting over a stale cracker.
The only person who has any type of sense or great potential is Eli. The writer should really stick to just making a story out of Eli and forget Ali and Nik… Eli is the only one who sees how bad being a prisoner is and who actually has it out for the people who captured them and you know… killed their whole town?
I won’t be reading book two ✌️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
July 8, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/8/2023)! 🎁
October 22, 2023
She was a really bad friend towards her best friend at times
November 28, 2022
Well, I've never read a book like this...
Before I dive in, I have to say that it was extremely well written, the world building was exceptional, and that shower scene was...
Alison (Ali, the Female Main Character,) and her boyfriend Eli, live in a close-knit village that sort of reminds me of a commune.
Everyone helps each other and is neighborly, to the point that Ali feels "trapped."
Personally, I would've gone insane.
Unfortunately, happy times come to an end when a hostile group of warriors, from a neighboring village, attacks!!!
Ali is taken prisoner and eventually meets Nik, a warrior/guard who is tasked on overseeing the prisoners.
The tension between them is astronomical and leads to so many OMG situations.
It reaaaaaally doesn't help that he is crazy jealous of Eli, from the beginning, without even knowing Alison.
Don't get me wrong, I love a good crazy psycho MMC, but bruh...
Nik's obsession with Ali resulted in a lot of irrational behavior, which wasn't cool at all!
However, the love triangle formed by the three of them was really entertaining.
Ohhh I was here for the messiness of it all!
Side Note: Trigger warning on the massive stockholm trope!
Also, I need to mention the level of violence, particularly when Ali's village is being invaded.
It reminded me of the conquering of villages, including the enslavement of captives, in multiple ancient civilizations. Think Rome conquering Thrace!
Some of the violence might be difficult to read, so I feel it necessary to mention it!
I did enjoy seeing how the characters came together to try and cope and find a solution to an impossible situation to be in.
Side Note: The ending will have you dying for the next book!
A BIG Thank you to Rachel Mays for this ARC!
As always, here's my A-Type Personality Number Loving Rating System:
Plot: ⭐⭐ (some topics were difficult to digest)
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (absolutely fantastic!)
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Each character was distinctive, and Eli was really amazing!)
World Building: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Insanely good! I pictured everything so vividly! Every scene, was very well described)
Tension/Romance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (I was feeling it, one huuuuundred percent)
Since I believe some books are so good that they deserve bonus points, here we go. YAY!
Bonus:
Exceptional Smut? (Yes= +0.5 pts): YES, YES 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (+1.0 pts)
Reread Worthy (Yes= +0.5 pts, No= -0.5 pts): MAYBE! (+0 pts) Because of the difficult topics mentioned above, I wouldn't reread all of it. HOWEVER, I would reread all the smut + messy love triangle scenes lols!
So (2+5+4+5+5+1+0)/5 = 4.4 stars!
Side Note: It would've been 4.2 stars without my bonus points section! YAY!
Before I dive in, I have to say that it was extremely well written, the world building was exceptional, and that shower scene was...
Alison (Ali, the Female Main Character,) and her boyfriend Eli, live in a close-knit village that sort of reminds me of a commune.
Everyone helps each other and is neighborly, to the point that Ali feels "trapped."
Personally, I would've gone insane.
Unfortunately, happy times come to an end when a hostile group of warriors, from a neighboring village, attacks!!!
Ali is taken prisoner and eventually meets Nik, a warrior/guard who is tasked on overseeing the prisoners.
The tension between them is astronomical and leads to so many OMG situations.
It reaaaaaally doesn't help that he is crazy jealous of Eli, from the beginning, without even knowing Alison.
Don't get me wrong, I love a good crazy psycho MMC, but bruh...
Nik's obsession with Ali resulted in a lot of irrational behavior, which wasn't cool at all!
However, the love triangle formed by the three of them was really entertaining.
Ohhh I was here for the messiness of it all!
Side Note: Trigger warning on the massive stockholm trope!
Also, I need to mention the level of violence, particularly when Ali's village is being invaded.
It reminded me of the conquering of villages, including the enslavement of captives, in multiple ancient civilizations. Think Rome conquering Thrace!
Some of the violence might be difficult to read, so I feel it necessary to mention it!
I did enjoy seeing how the characters came together to try and cope and find a solution to an impossible situation to be in.
Side Note: The ending will have you dying for the next book!
A BIG Thank you to Rachel Mays for this ARC!
As always, here's my A-Type Personality Number Loving Rating System:
Plot: ⭐⭐ (some topics were difficult to digest)
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (absolutely fantastic!)
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Each character was distinctive, and Eli was really amazing!)
World Building: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Insanely good! I pictured everything so vividly! Every scene, was very well described)
Tension/Romance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (I was feeling it, one huuuuundred percent)
Since I believe some books are so good that they deserve bonus points, here we go. YAY!
Bonus:
Exceptional Smut? (Yes= +0.5 pts): YES, YES 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (+1.0 pts)
Reread Worthy (Yes= +0.5 pts, No= -0.5 pts): MAYBE! (+0 pts) Because of the difficult topics mentioned above, I wouldn't reread all of it. HOWEVER, I would reread all the smut + messy love triangle scenes lols!
So (2+5+4+5+5+1+0)/5 = 4.4 stars!
Side Note: It would've been 4.2 stars without my bonus points section! YAY!
November 16, 2022
trigger warnings: "Profanity, Sex, Violence, and Death"; the violence is a bit brutal, so please be mindful of your mental health/triggers.
This is a dystopian romance set sometime after the "end" of the world. No technology and gave off the prison from The Walking Dead vibes in a way!
What I liked:
* I really enjoyed the overall story.
* The spicy scenes were fairly frequent and had a good amount of detail.
* Sam (not even a main character😅)
What I didn't like:
* Basically any of the characters - As mentioned above, I liked a side character. That's not because the main characters are unlikeable, I just don't feel much of a connection with any of them. I felt a little bit for Eli and Nik at separate times but not enough to be super memorable. 🤷🏼♀️ They just seem very one dimensional for me.
* The main female character, Allison/Ali, is referred to as being "fragile" multiple times (out of 10 times the word is mentioned in the book, it is describing Ali 8 of those times).
* There's a part where Ali is punished. Nik doesn't want to because of the growing connection between them but she basically insists that he "do it". Nik thinks about how "fragile" she is on the outside but that she's "fiery and strong" on the inside... just because she is asking for him to punish her like he would do anyone else.
It ends on a cliffhanger/to be continued. Overall, I did enjoy the story and intend to finish out the series
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
This is a dystopian romance set sometime after the "end" of the world. No technology and gave off the prison from The Walking Dead vibes in a way!
What I liked:
* I really enjoyed the overall story.
* The spicy scenes were fairly frequent and had a good amount of detail.
* Sam (not even a main character😅)
What I didn't like:
* Basically any of the characters - As mentioned above, I liked a side character. That's not because the main characters are unlikeable, I just don't feel much of a connection with any of them. I felt a little bit for Eli and Nik at separate times but not enough to be super memorable. 🤷🏼♀️ They just seem very one dimensional for me.
* The main female character, Allison/Ali, is referred to as being "fragile" multiple times (out of 10 times the word is mentioned in the book, it is describing Ali 8 of those times).
* There's a part where Ali is punished. Nik doesn't want to because of the growing connection between them but she basically insists that he "do it". Nik thinks about how "fragile" she is on the outside but that she's "fiery and strong" on the inside... just because she is asking for him to punish her like he would do anyone else.
It ends on a cliffhanger/to be continued. Overall, I did enjoy the story and intend to finish out the series
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
September 26, 2023
A Beautiful Surrender
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
What an emotional ride.
Ali and Eli are destined to be together. Growing up best friends, doing absolutely everything together, it seems them being together is the only option.
It’s no question that Eli is helplessly in love with Ali. He has adored her for as long as he could remember.
When it comes to Ali, it’s not if she loves him, but how… while she and Eli had shared their entire lives up until this point together, trips in the forest down to their bodies, Ali has always felt she had no other choice. She loves Eli, yes, but she can’t help but to wonder if there’s more.
More than the depraved village they called home. More than the lackluster feelings she held towards her best friend.
All of this changes when their village is plunged and attacked - Eli and Ali both witnessing their only surviving parents death.
When they are taken prisoners, Ali finally knows that there is more. The feelings she has around the guardsman, Nik, are unlike any she’s ever felt before.
While I normally dodge love triangle stories with a fierceness, A Beautiful Surrender had me in a chokehold the ENTIRE time. THIS IS NOT A RH.
You go through all of the emotions with all three characters; Niks adoration and obsession for Ali, Ali’s confusion of her feelings to Nik and her guilt of her lack of romantic feelings for Eli, and the worst, Eli’s heartbreak while he watches the love of his life fall in love with someone he considers the enemy.
This story is so well written - I literally fell in love with 2 men in the length of an hour 😅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
What an emotional ride.
Ali and Eli are destined to be together. Growing up best friends, doing absolutely everything together, it seems them being together is the only option.
It’s no question that Eli is helplessly in love with Ali. He has adored her for as long as he could remember.
When it comes to Ali, it’s not if she loves him, but how… while she and Eli had shared their entire lives up until this point together, trips in the forest down to their bodies, Ali has always felt she had no other choice. She loves Eli, yes, but she can’t help but to wonder if there’s more.
More than the depraved village they called home. More than the lackluster feelings she held towards her best friend.
All of this changes when their village is plunged and attacked - Eli and Ali both witnessing their only surviving parents death.
When they are taken prisoners, Ali finally knows that there is more. The feelings she has around the guardsman, Nik, are unlike any she’s ever felt before.
While I normally dodge love triangle stories with a fierceness, A Beautiful Surrender had me in a chokehold the ENTIRE time. THIS IS NOT A RH.
You go through all of the emotions with all three characters; Niks adoration and obsession for Ali, Ali’s confusion of her feelings to Nik and her guilt of her lack of romantic feelings for Eli, and the worst, Eli’s heartbreak while he watches the love of his life fall in love with someone he considers the enemy.
This story is so well written - I literally fell in love with 2 men in the length of an hour 😅
November 6, 2022
The book took some perseverance to get through the beginning. The first several chapters felt a bit stilted, some sections grabbed me while others felt forced or awkward.
I was more than curious enough about the characters and with the promise of the book’s plot and about a third of way in the story came together more naturally and the pace gradually picked up as I progressed.
It was easy to envision the characters and feel the dynamic between the protagonists. If I’m being nit picky then it would’ve been nice to know Eli’s eye color since the rest was described. Since this is book 1 I do hope we see further character development for Ali, I’d love to see her fierceness put into action in the future and what she would be like on the offensive.
The only other thing that would’ve improved this book in my opinion is if the prison environment and relationships felt more like a prison. That probably would’ve made this book a little darker and I understand flushing that out would’ve added more pages to the book but I think it would’ve enriched the story.
With that being said, I start and finished this book in a day! I’m looking forward to the next installment and am curious where the story goes.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was more than curious enough about the characters and with the promise of the book’s plot and about a third of way in the story came together more naturally and the pace gradually picked up as I progressed.
It was easy to envision the characters and feel the dynamic between the protagonists. If I’m being nit picky then it would’ve been nice to know Eli’s eye color since the rest was described. Since this is book 1 I do hope we see further character development for Ali, I’d love to see her fierceness put into action in the future and what she would be like on the offensive.
The only other thing that would’ve improved this book in my opinion is if the prison environment and relationships felt more like a prison. That probably would’ve made this book a little darker and I understand flushing that out would’ve added more pages to the book but I think it would’ve enriched the story.
With that being said, I start and finished this book in a day! I’m looking forward to the next installment and am curious where the story goes.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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