Anticlimactic Forced Marriage
I understand there's only so much that can be included in a 204 page book, but this book could've been so much better. There was no substance and it just made the book fall flat.
First, we get introduced to Dom, the male MC in this book, and I was so close the DNFing the book because of how he spoke about women, the way it was written just felt like he thought he was above and he only looked at women as a means to satisfy his urges.
Then we are introduced to Sidnay, the female MC, I genuinely don't have much to say about her.
*SPOILERS*
Then comes the meat of the story, Sidnay hears something she's not supposed to and consequentially, gets forced into a marriage with Dom, very much your typical forced marriage trope. Where this book falls is that Sidnay and Dom begin their 'relationship' and they are very awkward with each other. Dom also makes it clear he is not happy to be forced into this position. All of which is okay. What makes it bad is that the next chapter after witnessing this awkward behaviour between them, Sidnay sees Dom coming out the bathroom in a towel and then a smut scene happens, it felt so sudden.
There is no proper build up, they both just go from being awkward to being 'in lust' with each other. At least they could've gone from enemies to lovers or even just incorporate some more angst before the realise that they do like each other, this would've have made for a more entertaining read. Instead sex was used as a turning point for their non-existent relationship and it was done poorly.
I say they are 'in lust with each other because I felt no chemistry between Sidnay and Dom. I felt that Dom still looks as women in general and Sidnay as one that satisfies his urges, when Dom said "I love you" on page 197 there was no weight to it and because it feel like there is no love between them. All Dom does is call her beautiful and then proceeds to have sex with her, their relationship is so one-dimensional. At this point I was more interested in the situation with the bodies than the supposed romance between the two MCs.
The MCs had zero emotional chemistry, sure the physical chemistry was there but the emotional side needs to be developed to make the physical chemistry hit. Overall, there was so much potential for this forced marriage trope and it fell incredibly flat.