Mommy???
This book was what I was hoping for in book one. Tereza came from the same closed off community as Katarina did and had a LOT more trauma from it. Her terrible mother, ex fiancé, and lack of support led her to have poor self esteem and lots of (understandable) trust issues. I think the fact that this book was only from her point of view was what made it work better. We are able to invest more in her perception of the world around her.
To no one’s surprise, the spice was amazing. The dom/sub dynamics in the polycule were fantastic and it was all super consent heavy. Mared is probably my fave of Reza’s partners, although Efa isn’t far behind. If this wasn’t novella length, I would have loved knowing more background on each character and a better understanding of their dynamics outside the bedroom. However, there’s no way to fit that much info into a novella on that many individuals.
Having grown up in a culty religion myself, it was easy to self insert in this story. The narcissistic mother, the opportunistic predatory fiancé, and the tendency for men to be believed over women were relatable. Like any religious group, there were still genuinely kind people in it. Like all aspects of life, nothing is black and white.
Really enjoyed this installment.
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: cult, chile abuse (off page), domestic violence (off page), rape in relationship (off page), gaslighting, stalking (not by MCs), mention of gore, threats to life, mention of involuntary psychiatric hospitalization, abortion recovery, abortion (off page), partner tampering with birth control