I came to this series because I’d previously read the Starian Cycle books by the same author, though I did not review them for my blog. Foxglove has created a truly expansive world in that it is not necessary to read the previous books to appreciate anything about this story.
The forced-proximity element of this romance is obvious from a mile away. That’s not the point of this story, but rather a comforting framework that the author has used to create an immersive “fish out of water” exploration of a unique culture set against the greater backdrop of the “what if?” that connects every bit of this world. And even with that, the biologically driven dominant/submissive aspect of these characters is only a unique twist that transitions this story to the fantasy romance setting. People are still people, as Victor comes to understand the true scope of why he has arrived on Lukoi shores. It doesn’t matter whether they are “civilized” or part of a wilder culture, as Sava also comes to understand about a man he once thought of as a friend.
The slow unveiling of both of these storylines (in the perfect blend of internal and external plots) is the real meat of this story, and I ached for both Victor and Savas as their truths were revealed. Foxglove strikes the perfect balance of hinting at the truth to the reader but not the characters so that we greater appreciate the true unraveling at the climax. I look forward to reading more of this series and anything else by this author that comes along.
Rating: 4.5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.
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