4.5 ⭐ I love this book so much, I almost think I hate it 😂. This was the first of many books to come in the new book club I've joined, filled with the ARC team members of about 18 authors. It has been a lot of fun getting to interact with the other team's members and the authors of the books! The book club is called the Mojo Dojo Bookclub, and if you're interested in seeing what else we'll be reading, you can find all the information on the Instagram page @mojodojobookclub.

From about the 30% mark to 75% I was honestly forcing myself to keep reading. It really has nothing to do with the writing, because the quality remained consistent and well-done throughout the book, but my habit of projecting my feelings onto the characters can be a real hindrance to my ability to enjoy certain aspects of the story that others may find appealing.

This is a true enemies-to-lovers story, which is something I've found can be difficult to find at times. My personal problem with enemies-to-lovers stories like these lies in the feeling of inequality coming into the situation. AGAIN, I would like to preface that this is largely a me thing. I tend to get offended on behalf of characters in situations they aren't even bothered by.

Henry entered their engagement with a lot more information than Harlow did, and this, in and of itself, wouldn't bother me, as it serves as a driving force in the narrative, but there were many times when I felt Henry was being incredibly hypocritical. In moments, he would never reveal information or tell the truth to her; he expected her honesty from her, and treated her as if she were the only difficult one in the situation when he didn't get what he wanted. It made it very difficult to actively enjoy their banter the way I wanted to, cause their banter was so, so good 😩.

There were so many good lines in this book, I just know my highlights look insane. It takes real talent to almost completely bring me out of my stewing by a line so good I'm all of a sudden giggling and kicking my feet, making my bf worried I finally lost it.

"'You tried to take something from her that wasn't freely given,' Henry growls. 'The only taste of my wife you'll ever get will be your last.' He shoves my poison fingers, still soaked from my pussy, into Shane's mouth."

But there are also some lines that I love so much because they incite more in-depth examination from the reader.

"When a community is built on removing access to information-from disempowering its people-there is no one to save them when a bigger threat rises."

I really appreciate all the thought that went into this story and characters. Harlow's story and experience, and the person she became as a result, really struck a chord with me. It was a lot more heartwrenching and devastating than I was expecting it to be, and out of all of her pain, I got one of the most therapeutic scenes of revenge and feminine rage I've ever read. The last 20% of the book made all the parts that initially bothered me completely worth it, and I almost became endeared to them as a result. This is why I almost hate the book as much as I love it, which automatically makes it an amazing book in my opinion.

My only remaining qualm, with this book, but also enemies-to-lovers stories as a whole, is that I'm left unsatisfied with how much I actually got to see the couple be a couple by the end. Even after reading this bonus epilogue (would definitely recommend it), it's still upsetting to my romance-loving heart that the book essentially ends before I get to see how their relationship was after finally reconciling. So much time is spent on the enemy's part (needed) that there is little to no room left for the true "lovers" part (neglected). How was she received when they returned to the Fort? How did his parents react to the outcomes of the events, and how did it change their opinion on her and their relationship? It's questions like these, the ones I know aren't the focus but I crave to see, that make satisfactory endings, unsatisfactory.

I can't wait to read the other books we have lined up!