I loved this book!
This dark fantasy romance had tropes I enjoy: enemies to lovers, touch her and die, he falls first, captor and captive, forced proximity, and it is a slow burn in the sense of how much time has passed in the book but the book itself is a bit more of a medium/fast pace. I also loved that we get the MMC pov right out of the gate, since it usually takes until book 2 or 3 in a fantasy series to see this. This book made me giggle and laugh, made me cry and broke my heart at times, and also made me feel the same anger and rage as the characters.
The storyline is great, with many shocking moments throughout and a phenomenal twist at the end that had my jaw on the floor and now I’m itching for book 2! The FMC learns a lot about herself and her past in the book which bodes well for her character development and growth. The MMC is a broody shadow daddy type we all love, with a soft spot for her and yearning I can’t get enough of. They have great banter, at times being sexy and other times being a bit funny/witty. They had me kicking my feet and giggling so many times throughout the book.
Aside from the romance, the battles scenes/fighting are done well, which I love to have in a fantasy series. I feel like the world building and small details are done really well too, which makes the book feel more immersive. There are some moments where the small details stuck out and made me stop for a second and think about how much effort was made into making this a great read!
10/10 recommend this book and I’m desperate for book 2!