Gray is excellent at writing angst, and I could tell from the very first page that I was in for tears with this book. This fated mates story doesn’t even start at the moment these star-crossed lovers meet (though we do get that in a flashback). We’re dropped into the middle of the action, at a moment when Vin and Dominic are at their lowest point, fighting their natures, their worlds, and their fate. The result is an excellent blend of immediate action and relevant backstory, with enough steam to heat my Kindle and enough angst to have me crying by the 10% mark.
These characters face an insurmountable conflict, and it hurts for every inch they claim. However, I appreciate characters who also see when a status quo is not working and strive to fix it with a “go big or go home” mentality. Werewolf Dominic risks more in the here and now, especially when the external mystery rolls in right as the relationship drama between him and Vin even hints at being settled. Instead, the mystery drags both heroes through significant relationship and character development.
Vin, with a vampire’s great lifespan, risks a future without Dominic, because the fated mates element of this book follows familiar paranormal romance tropes while also leaning somewhat into the metaphysical. Underneath the angst, this allows for a good examination of how fate does not necessarily play well with love, desire, or reality when it comes to the people it pairs together.
Besides the blood and sex (some of which do occur at the same time), this book provides excellent worldbuilding without ever including unnecessary information. At certain points, I did crave a bit more detail for context; for example, Vin’s status as a European vampire in North America involves a simple explanation, but I wanted more on the werewolves and witches’ ties to the land and how that at times both incorporated or almost ignored a connection to the area’s indigenous people.
The abrupt but satisfying ending left me with the quandary of every good book. I would love to read and enjoy so much more of the passionate, spiky romance between Dominic and Vin, but at the same time, they more than deserve their hard-won happily ever after. I’ll happily compromise with any other stories Gray might choose to write in this world.
Disclaimer: I received a digital review copy of this book from the author.
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