I’ve read the Shadows and Crowns series, so I knew this book would be good, AND IT DIDN’T DISAPPOINT IN THE SLIGHTEST. 

very much enemies to lovers, very much forbidden romance, very much DELICIOUS. 

I was so happy to be back in this world, though this happens in the past compared to Shadows and Crowns. I think that helped with the world building and orienting myself in the plot from the start, though I do believe if you haven’t read the previous books before that you’d be fine. But having read them before, I had a comfortable sense of familiarity with the world and the characters, even if most of them were new to me. 

this story begs the question, what if we chose love over hate? what if we chose peace over violence? what if we have more in common than we think? Karys is grieving the loss of her sister and curses the gods who she believes are responsible. But when she ends up living with Dravyn, the God of Fire and her sworn enemy, to try and bring him and his court down from the inside, she starts to realize that some hatreds are not our own, but are passed down by those around us, and that the gods may not be as bad as her elven kind would have her believe. 

I so thoroughly enjoyed this book - the plot was compelling, the characters were complex and likable (well, some of them. you know who you are), and the romance was SWOON WORTHY. The personal journey that Karys goes on, and seeing her shed her misconceptions and hostilities as she realizes that the gods around her don’t deserve it?? Would that we all could do the same. might I add, Dravyn is HOT. I was giggling and kicking my feet at the things he’d say. He is awarded a ticket to the “blonde mmcs that I love” club - it’s very exclusive. 

I am so looking forward to picking up the next book to see how this story concludes, especially after the end of this one 👀