I thought this was a great continuation from the first book. The tension/angst was still there between Oraya and Raihn, especially since the way the previous book ended. 

Oraya has a lot of reflection and trauma to work through in this book and I was so relieved to see that it wasn’t just swept under the rug and forgotten about. Girl is traumatised and rightfully angry about a lot of things. 

Raihn is honestly one of the best written male characters in a fantasy romance that I’ve read. He’s everything you could want from an MMC. Protective, self-aware and caring, but is so attuned and perceptive to everything Oraya feels or needs. He’s supportive and gives her room to process. Honestly I could gush about him for ages. 

Considering how long this book is, it is well paced and I was never bored. There is plenty of action with a lot of court politics and intrigue. We see some new and familiar faces, as well as a glimpse into what the future books could be about. 

The only critique I have is that the battle scenes at the end fell a little flat compared to the rest of the book? It was still enjoyable, but it wasn’t the authors strongest point. 

I’m so sad to say goodbye to these two and I really hope that they appear in the future books. 

5 stars