4⭐️
As a mood reader, I have to be in the right headspace for fantasy books, but Adonis completely drew me in. The story follows Connor, a troubled young man with a messy family history who’s forced to serve his sentence under the supervision of his estranged mother Edith and her new partner, Trevor. Things start rocky with his stepbrothers, Nick and Laurence, but as the story unfolds, Connor finds unexpected allies—and even love—in the unlikeliest places.

Enter Adonis, a merman from another dimension. His arrival intertwines with Connor’s dark past, including his abusive father’s horrifying experiments on merfolk and even Connor himself. Despite a harrowing capture by Connor’s father, the story builds to a thrilling climax, with Connor finding redemption, defeating villains, and even making peace with parts of his family.

I didn’t expect much going in, but the emotional depth, intriguing worldbuilding, and Connor’s journey from brokenness to belonging surprised me in the best way. While the fantasy elements were layered, they didn’t bog down the plot, and the mix of family drama, action, and romance made this an engrossing read.