riniya's reviews
905 reviews

 don't quite know what to say here. I was so excited for this book and for the most part I truly enjoyed it. However, do you ever have a moment where you are reading a book and something happen that just pulls you completely out of it?

Unfortunately that happened to me with this book. At around 57%, specifically page 235, a recounting of a spicy moment between our FMC and one of her mates, left me scratching my head in confusion. I don't know how editors didn't catch it, or the ARC readers, but what was described physically can not happen. Is this trivial in the long run? Yes, but it felt like buzz words were being used for the intent of putting spice in the book instead of something that was physically possible. There is no way when intimacy is happening from behind that his sack can spank her on the butt. I'm sorry but really?

For the most part of the book, I was engrossed despite the flaws. I didn't think that there was much development between our FMC and her mates. Everything came across feeling rushed especially giving our FMC's hesitation at bonding or revealing her past. We come out with more questions than answers and there were many moments when our FMC could have spoken to the men but she just didn't and kept pushing it off. It came across as convenient.

I DID think that Jaymin handled the kidnapping cliffhanger from book one, not dragging it out but also giving it the tension it deserved. Even as far as the next major obstacle in the book, It was handled beautifully.

I did feel like there was alot of filler and moments that were repeated over and over instead of adding true progression to the storyline. However, I loved Emme's connection to Slade and the moments that came with them, He is my favorite and it had me kicking my feet.

The ending however was a major let down. I did feel like something more was coming out of the guardhouse from book one, but the way the book ended felt so disconnected from the rest of the book. Nothing that was revealed had been hinted at and it felt like it was coming out of left field. 

I will probably keep reading the next book in the series, but I will be extremely guarded in going forward.

This was Nisha Tuli's first step into contemporary romance and I have to say she nailed it! Personally I think that writing contemporary is much harder than fantasy. In fantasy worlds, everything is at your fingertips, you have control over every single detail and that's not quite the case in Contemporary. Nisha Tuli has proven with this debut that she can cross genre's with no problems!

I had the biggest smile on my face when reading this book. It was such a quick read and I absolutely devoured it! This book was amazing from the very first page until the last! It gives you everything you want it to give in a Contemporary Romance: Drama, Laughs, BANTER, tension and even the spice! The angst between the characters is so well written and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for them to just smash their faces together and kiss! It had twists and turns that you wouldn't believe and the workplace dynamics was so well written. 

I thought that the author handled the real-world aspects of being a woman in a male dominated field respectfully. She could have gone overboard and been super political (which it is) but her words felt tasteful and like she was trying to show an issue instead of shoving it down your throat. Women belong in STEM just as much as men do, and often times do it better. Seeing her struggle against the "feminine norm" role against men who truly do not see issues in their behavior made me feel seen! We are more than just note takers, we can hold our own!

While this book does have what you could consider "miscommunication", it came about in a way that felt like an insecure man instead of "Just have a conversation". There was a point to the author not having the characters simply talk and work it out. It was one of the better Miscommunication trope books that I have read in a long time. 

Our MMC was multi-faceted and had many layers to him instead of just being the grump. I loved learning alongside our FMC as those layers slowly peeled back and we got to know the core of who Rafe was. In a lot of romance books, the MMCs come across as flat and one dimensional, but considering the setting I thought that our author did a wonderful job at telling his story as well as our FMC. 

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for sending this book (eARC) for exchange for my honest thoughts. All thoughts detailed in this review are my own!.

Honestly I couldn’t connect with anyone. There are so many characters and POVs it’s a bit overwhelming. 

It’s been a long time since I have read a space/Scifi story and this one scratched that itch in a glorious way!

Vesper, our MFC, is a fierce nerd who struggles with accepting the magic that she has within her own body. She is able to see how things work and fix them, often making them better than they were originally. She has abandonment issues due to her past, especially in the way she tends to be used by others. Personally I found her to be relateable as I struggle with my own similar issues.  Kyrion, our MMC, comes across very abrasive and harsh, but as the story progresses and we get to see behind his curtain, He quickly became an amazing leading character. Opposits attract could not be more true in this book.

I thought that it was a great creative choose to not push the romance between Kyrion and Vesper. We had teases and brief flashes but for the most part, it’s was very back burner. The characters realized that they want different things and they are parting ways at the end of the book, despite the obvious connection they have. It was a great decision and I can not wait to see how they interact in book two! 

What a cliffhanger though! Luckily book two is also available!

I had to DNF this book at 34%. 

The story was simultaneously dragging on and on as well as being all over the place. I feel like the plot was just too messy. I found myself getting confused quite often and had to reread many sections to understand. 

The FMC was very back and forth in how she was portrayed. I couldn't connect with her or really any of the other characters. Everyone came across as very flat and one dimensional.

Not to mention it just seemed like every little thing was going wrong. This book was written at a solid downward curve with not a single thing going right. It felt very unrealistic (yes I know its fantasy) but I just couldn't get behind it.

It’s so boring!!