Solid 4⭐

I picked this up as an Amazon First Reads selection and wasn’t expecting it to hit me as hard as it did. THE FIRST SENTENCE IS.. WOW. Within the first quarter of the book, I was already emotionally invested in the characters. While the story leans more into family reconciliation, healing, and romance, it initially had an enemies-to-lovers feel that really helped draw me in. Around the 40% mark, the spicy moments definitely ramped up a bit too fast and is part of why I landed on a 4-star rating.

Since it’s under 300 pages, I can understand why parts of the plot felt a little rushed. The ending especially felt rushed, but again, with fewer than 300 pages, the author had to squeeze in a lot while still trying to make it all come together. I really appreciated the mother-daughter storyline and the way they worked through their trauma/issues because the depth it added to the story. I would recommend this as a light read in between other heavy reads as a palate cleanser.

This was a big meh. I watched a movie on Amazon Video that caught my attention with MMA/romance and decided to find a book that had the same genre/vibe.

This book was not it. TOO much smut and the writing was subpar in a lot of places. I did skip through A LOT of scenes just to get through it because it has promise... hoping something would redeem it. I'm just writing a review just to say THIS WAS NOT IT.. Wasted my week on this one tbh.

I'm not sure WHY I decided to start this at midnight, stayed up late but I ended up finishing 65% of this at 5am (completely unintentional) and while I’m definitely regretting it because I’m exhausted now, it says a lot that I couldn’t put it down. I went into it with zero expectations, especially since it was my First Reads pick through Amazon First Reads and had also popped up as a Kindle challenge on Amazon. I figured I’d give it a shot and I’m so glad I did.

It completely pulled me in and genuinely shocked me with how events unfolded. The pacing kept me on edge, and I never felt fully prepared for what was coming next. The darker, gory moments were written with such vivid detail that they felt immersive, adding real weight to the danger and making the world feel harsh and unforgiving in the best way.

After my last read, I really wanted the enemies-to-lovers dynamic/theme and this was perfect. The tension, the sharp banter, and the gradual shift from hostility to something deeper was just perfect for what I wanted to read. The only downside was the short lived love triangle, felt that was the only lacking part of the whole story. But of course this is a <300 page book.

The ending though? WHAT A CLIFFHANGER! I would definitely recommend if you're not deterred from gore.

From the first page, everything felt bigger and more intense, especially after the way the previous book ended. It was a slower read for me, not just because of the size, but because of how deeply it sets the stage for war and all the moving pieces involved. The shifting alliances and time spent with the other High Lords added depth, and I loved some of the major revelations.

That said, some moments felt pushed onto the reader and didn’t fully lead anywhere (maybe they will in the next book). Even with a few frustrations, the emotional payoff landed. The bonds, the sacrifices, and those final moments absolutely brought out tears.. not just for what happens, but for what it all means. I’m definitely invested, but after finishing this one, I might take a small pause before diving into the next.