A Bargain in Silver by Josie Jaffrey
A Bargain in Silver, by Josie Jaffrey, is a paranormal romance that deals with the turmoils between passion and freedom.
Emilia is a bartender who encounters a horrific creature one night. She’s saved by a mysterious stranger named Andrew, who later reveals himself to be a creature called the Silver. She manages to escape both he and the ruler named Solomon, finding solace in her friends. She lived with them briefly, before getting caught again by Andrew and is suddenly thrown into the dark world of the Silver. As she attempts to navigate this new society, she soon finds herself torn between two men, both of whom are caught attempting to claim her, both body and soul. Jaffrey crafts a compelling tale about a woman who fights her inner demons, all the while reminding us that no one is who they seem.
I loved Emilia. She isn’t like other protagonists in paranormal romance. She has her own mind and ideas, and while she was tempted, she didn’t allow either Solomon or Andrew to gain complete control over her. She made decisions that actually made sense. And while she could be a bit reckless at times, it’s clear she has a good heart, and will place her loved ones over love interests. She’s like Bella from Twilight, but better. What’s more, she stands out from other characters, such as Alice, and even Solomon and Andrew. She stands by her decisions, and will see them through, no matter how messy things get.
The theme of control kept appearing throughout the book. When the Weepers marched in, it was Solomon who stepped in and enslaved humanity. Though he was brutally honest with Emilia, she had a point; though humanity was protected, they were treated as little more than cattle. When Emilia was faced with the darkness of Silver society, both Solomon and Andrew tried to lead her to them, which, of course, failed. And eventually, when Benedict grew hungry for power, he attempted to take control of both the Silver and humanity in the crudest way possible. Whether it be through a hierarchy, to the natural order, it’s clear that humans and vampires value it. Before the Weepers came in, people wanted to protect their own perspectives, their beliefs. And it’s this very concept that Emilia, Andrew, Solomon, and even the side characters get behind. After all, no one wants to be a lamb to the slaughter.
A Bargain in Silver has a lot of wonderful qualities, and I’m definitely curious as to what will happen in the series. From the dark, dystopian romance, to the themes of control and dominance, it had me hooked. As such, I would give this book a 4.8 out of 5.0 stars, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys dystopian romances, dark romances, and post-apocalyptic fiction.
