Smutty smut smut. Not a very good storyline but an okay read. ( )

A for smut, C for storyline

If you're not into smut, this isn't your book because it's dirty as hell. It made me blush and it's hard to make me blush. ( )

One star because this books is terrible, another star because it’s so bad I actually laughed. ( )

Okay, so I was suggested to try out a book from this author as part of my 2022 Reading Challenge and ended up selecting this one without really knowing what to expect.

We have a kickass Witch named Synthia that does sort of sketchy CSI cases and ends up accepting (forcibly) a job with a dangerous Dark Fae Prince called Ryder. She still suffers from severe PTSD after two very traumatic life events and being forced to work under a manipulative and sex hungry evil Fae like Ryder pushes her buttons to the limit.

The initial job she is tasked to fulfill is quite good. A string of murders of female Fae and Witches in Spokane over the past few years must be solved once and for all when photographs of Ryder's official fiancé Princess Arianna of the Light Fae are featured in several crime scenes. Synthia is supposed to learn how to impersonate Arianna and go to an Engagement Ball alongside Ryder to lure the killer.

The problem? Well, it seems like 95% of the plot doesn't follow suit with this job and most of it revolves Ryder's incessant desire to hump Synthia until she can no longer moan anymore. Like, almost every single Ryder POV scene is about his BDSM sex fetishes chaining her up to a bed and raping her until she can no longer think. But let's remember, he is a "good" guy that is taking advantage of legal loopholes from the Witch Guild to get what he really wants (if you know what I mean). Apparently if Synthia backs down from this job despite only being made aware of a mere 10% of it, the Guild will be forced to kill her and every member of her coven. So it isn't surprising in the least that she treats Ryder with disdain for a huge portion of the story. She doesn't even feel betrayed or pissed off that her own people are serving her on a platter to satiate Ryder's desires. Eek.

The steamy scenes are well written and I enjoyed the whole murder mystery as Synthia and her allies try to solve the crime. But it is really hard for me to truly enjoy the steamy scenes when they are pretty much borderline rape. Synthia was never given the option to say no to Ryder's advances, which does ring the wrong kind of bells on me. He does start to act nicer in the last few chapters of the book, but one minute he's all cuddly, the next he wants to chain Synthia to his bed and rape her and then doesn't even feel the least modicum of remorse when she rightfully gets angry. So yes, if rapey male characters is just not your cup of tea, I wouldn't blame potential readers to skip this book.

I might consider reading the sequel since I have a hunch there is more to Ryder than his intolerable sex addicted outer shell, and because the greater story seems quite interesting. But only if I have guarantees Ryder learns how to apologize and stops thinking chaining an unwilling naked woman to his bed for his personal pleasure is a good role model. I like my alpha hunks to be cuddly and sweet, not well... like serial rapists. If I wanted that, I would have read the remaining two 50 Shades of Grey Books ages ago. :/ ( )

🎧 This is a review of the audiobook format 🎧

I found this book through Goodreads, I'm not sure if a friend reviewed it/ added it but anyways it was a life saver for work as I genuinely couldn't think of anything or find anything.

This is book one!
♀️The female reader was alright... A little bland to listen to with not much emotion. For some reason her voice just reminded me of what I could only describe as a highschool dumb blonde Barbie girl from a chick flick sounds like.... Like 'Mean Girls' sort of voice.

♂️ The male reader...well let's not go there. In fact the only real drag for this book is the male chapters... And there are only about three thankfully, but add that they are voiced awfully and it makes for a huge cringe fest for the duration of him basically rephrasing how much she wants him and he wants her and will have her. 🙄 (So I went there... Shh!)

I wasn't put off by the way in which Ryder claims/controls and manipulates Syn, (I do think he is an absolute nob, especially the way he basically gave her no choice in the hunt) It was relatively tame to a few others I have read. The hunt was a great part of the story but it's kinda over too soon, I was expecting deaths and fighting and challenges....but we don't get that...and the fact she knows he won't really hurt her.... Kinda takes the suspense and fear out of the event.
I also found the graveyard errr.... Party??? A fun and original addition to the story.

The sex scenes and dirty talk did drag on a bit to much for my liking, there is only so many ways you can tell a person you want to fuck someone without it getting a bit tedious.

The good thing about this story is there was actually a story. The murder of different species from witch to Fae and who was doing it...
While a darker story is being woven concerning Ryder and Syns past.... And if I'm guessing correctly (I am merely guessing at this point) I would say he was probably the king that has been missing.

It was an enjoyable story overall aside from Ryder chapters which I feel could have been left out, and the sex could have been reduced or at least not spent rephrasing the same sentence a million times

I'm not rushing to read the next, however I likely will at some point ( )