Thank you to L.A. Jasper and their team for providing me with an ARC!

I have mixed feelings about this one. While I did find myself getting a little stuck around the halfway point and felt the pacing slowed, I still enjoyed the story overall. The character development was well done, and I appreciated the level of detail in both the characters and the world around them. The author did a good job of making the relationship feel genuine and of allowing the characters' emotional connection to grow naturally.

One of the highlights for me was how sweet the romance was. It struck a nice balance between emotional moments and the characters' chemistry. As someone who has been reading and enjoying a lot of rockstar MM romances lately, this book arrived at the perfect time and definitely fit the mood I’ve been in.

So, although it wasn't a book that completely captivated me from start to finish, there was still plenty to enjoy, particularly the character interactions and the heartfelt romance. Overall, this was a solid read that I think fans of sweet rockstar romances will appreciate.

Thank you to Krista, Becca, and their team for this ARC. An honour.

I've been reading Krista and Becca Ritchie's books for years. I've cheered alongside Lily as a devoted Superheroes and Scones fan, spent summers at Camp Calloway, eaten Tacos with Moffy and his uncles and watched these characters grow, evolve, and eventually earn stories of their own. But this book felt different.

I've always had a soft spot for the Cobalts, so when the Empire series was announced, I was beyond excited for all of them, but most especially Eliot and Tom. From the very beginning, they've been the duo that embodies loyalty, chaos, and irresistible drama, stealing readers' hearts every time they stepped onto the page.

Getting to experience the story through Tom's perspective was a privilege. He's a character who holds himself to impossibly high standards, carrying far more beneath the surface than he ever allows others to see. Being inside his head added a whole new layer to a character I've loved for years.

And then there's Phoenix. The dynamic between Phoenix and Tom is charged to the highest voltage. They clash in all the best ways: sharp, intense, and impossible to look away from. More than once, I had to put my Kindle down just to recover from the tension crackling between them. Every interaction felt loaded with emotion, anticipation, and the kind of chemistry that keeps you turning pages long into the night. I know I'll re-read this book a hundred times and still discover something new with every visit, just like I have with all the books that came before it. That's the magic of Krista and Becca's writing. Their stories aren't just books you read once and put back on the shelf; they become places you return to, finding new layers, new emotions, and new meanings each time.

My family often thinks I'm a little mad for loving this book series as deeply as I do, but the truth is, I've grown up alongside these characters. They've been with me through different stages of my life, and over the years, they've become more than fictional people on a page. I've celebrated their victories, mourned their losses, laughed with them, cried for them, and watched them become who they were meant to be. In many ways, they've been a constant presence through my own journey.

It's impossible to explain these books in just a few words. How do you sum up years of memories, emotions, and characters who feel so real they've taken up permanent residence in your heart? You can't.

But if I had to describe this book in one word, it would be! Electric!. Every page hummed with emotion, tension, and heart. It reminded me exactly why I fell in love with this world in the first place, while somehow making me love it even more. This wasn't just another book in a series I adore; it was an experience, one that will stay with me long after I've turned the final page. And just like the books before it, I know I'll return to it again and again, finding something new to love every single time.

This book is out on August 4th ( My birthday!) I implore you to read it!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. A strong introduction to the series, I’ll be heading straight to Kindle Unlimited to start the next book.

The tension is well-paced and builds effectively throughout.

As always, shifter romance is a favourite of mine, and this delivered exactly what I was hoping for.