Did the writing improve throughout the books in the series? Yes, it definitely did! However, I still feel like there are parts where less writing could have done a better job at evoking emotion. Some scenes are overexplained and describe too much. I can understand the gist of someone’s reasoning and feelings without having every detail spelled out.

That being said, I enjoyed this much more than Heated Rivalry. Maybe that’s because I already got to know the other characters throughout the series. Ilya is hilarious and overall incredibly likable. As for Shane, I didn’t find him annoying at all. I saw some comments saying that, but I didn’t really understand them. I felt like he acted consistently with who he is as a character. Though I also got really angry at his comment about Ilya’s mother.

The ending felt a little rushed, but I guess that’s similar to Heated Rivalry with its huge time jumps. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and I’m excited for the last part!

Sooooo… this one and I had a bit of a rocky start. The first half? Painfully slow. Really slow. To be fair, that might be on me, I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump, but still. I liked the characters, I liked the setting, I just kept waiting for something to "happen". And then... The second half picked up, the pacing improved, and suddenly I was actually enjoying myself.

Now I’m questioning whether cozy fantasy is my genre at all. But interestingly, compared to "The Spellshop" (which I still hold a grudge against), this book handles war in a way that feels a lot more grounded. It’s not just vague background trauma to justify the plot, it’s actually woven into the story with real weight and consequences. Which is ironic, because yes, it is still probably the sole plot driver here, but it’s handled with way more care.

The story itself? Pretty predictable. But knowing the author wrote it with fellow veterans in mind, that actually makes sense. It’s less about twists and more about the message and that part does land and come through. There’s definitely something in it most readers can take away. I feel like "The Spellshop" tried to be profound in a way that it couldn't and made much more sense in this book.

Also appreciated the acknowledgment of the author that a lot about veterans’ experiences couldn’t fit into the book. That kind of transparency matters and it makes sense that you cannot put all of that into a cozy fantasy book.

So yeah. Slow start, solid finish, thoughtful message! Still undecided if cozy fantasy and I are meant to be, but this one made a decent case for the genre. Although I'm still not sure I'm into these kind of books.