Honestly, this wasn't bad but it also wasn't that great. I gave 3.25 stars on Storygraph.

I will start off by saying this is definetly a horror romance and deals with some sensitive and possibly triggering topics. But it did have a happy/hopeful ending, which was a surprising plus. I don't think I can call it a traditional HEA, but it was more than I anticipate when it comes to horror romance.

I'm not sure if it was the fact that I listened via audiobook or if I would have still had a hard time as well with eyeball reading this. But, even with the two main characters having different audiobook narrators, I had a hard time, especially at first, telling the characters apart. The tones for both characters are kinda similar. Plus they both have traumatizing backstories and daddy issues. I at least think that I ended up getting Lavinia's backstory down, but even after finishing the book I don't really understand all the details of Azzie's backstory.

I did enjoy the horror elements as well as the relationship between the two main characters. I thought the characters worked nicely together and there was a good message with their relationship of being able to find love after trauma and learning you are worthy of love. The sex scenes were well written and filled with chemistry, but also sometimes had some body horror stuff mixed in so like sometimes it lost the sexiness lol. I liked the writing style as well, it was dark and haunting in a poetic way.

I did find myself getting bored at times so I would have struggled to finish it outside of an audiobook format which definitely factors into this rating.

Also, I will say, the cover makes Azzie (the fish woman one) look a lot more sexy than the actual descriptions of her in the book, so like take that as you will I guess.

CWs: Explicit body horror, past rape, past non-consensual incest, past pregnancy that is the result of both of those previous warnings, past abuse (verbal and physical), murder, grief

Sara Raasch really was so big brained for this. The smut scenes were so sexy. The emotions were so juicy. The tropes were so tasty. 5 stars are simply not enough.

We got a PR relationship between a half-giant athlete and a demon twink cheerleader with a very delicious size difference. This book also had possessiveness, sexy banter, body chains, and also a bit of tail play(?) 👀 Plus it wouldn't be a Sara Raasch book without some surprisingly deep topics throughout so the book did also address past traumas, a main character living with PTSD, and religious trauma (told thought a fake religion but it still felt relatable and relevant). Also no 3rd act breakup for once!!!! Bless.

I'm not sure if I can pick a favorite between this and The Entanglement of Rival Wizards. But I do definitely recommend that book 1 is read first as I think you need the context from the 1st book for this one.