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The Divine Between #1
Between Wrath and Mercy
A mother will do anything to save her child, no matter the cost.
After her daughter is kidnapped, Emmeline Highclere—a thirty-four-year-old mother living in isolation with memories and grief her only companion—must do everything in her limited power and divine abilities to get the girl back.
Emmeline believes that her daughter, Elora, is the Beloved—the conduit with goddess-granted divine abilities prophesied to bring peace to the Three Kingdoms. Because the last person thought to be the Beloved was brutally murdered by the enemy kingdom of Folterra, Emmeline has dedicated the last sixteen years to hiding her daughter and keeping her safe. When Elora is kidnapped by a Folterran prince, Emmeline must leave her place of hiding, resolving to do anything to rescue her daughter. But to have any chance against those who took the girl, Emmeline must call upon one of the most powerful conduits in the Three Kingdoms, the Crown Prince of Vesta—the man who broke her heart—and hope he helps her despite their estrangement.
With the weight of his father’s impending death hanging over his head, Crown Prince Rainier has begun to make moves to prove his dedication to assume the role of king. When he is visiting the estate that was once a second home to him, the woman who has long haunted his dreams and consumed his thoughts appears before him, asking for his help to find the child she had with another man. Now, he must decide: does he drop what he is doing to help Emmeline, or does he maintain his unwavering duty to the Crown?
Now, Emmeline and Rainier must work together to find the Beloved—to save the girl from the Folterrans and fulfill the prophecy of peace—while they both battle feelings of remorse and heartbreak, trying to ignore the heated desire and simmering attraction between them that never left.
From relative isolation to the capital city of Vesta and onwards to Folterra, Emmeline must find out exactly where her daughter has been taken—seeking out help along the way—and bring her home before it is too late.
After her daughter is kidnapped, Emmeline Highclere—a thirty-four-year-old mother living in isolation with memories and grief her only companion—must do everything in her limited power and divine abilities to get the girl back.
Emmeline believes that her daughter, Elora, is the Beloved—the conduit with goddess-granted divine abilities prophesied to bring peace to the Three Kingdoms. Because the last person thought to be the Beloved was brutally murdered by the enemy kingdom of Folterra, Emmeline has dedicated the last sixteen years to hiding her daughter and keeping her safe. When Elora is kidnapped by a Folterran prince, Emmeline must leave her place of hiding, resolving to do anything to rescue her daughter. But to have any chance against those who took the girl, Emmeline must call upon one of the most powerful conduits in the Three Kingdoms, the Crown Prince of Vesta—the man who broke her heart—and hope he helps her despite their estrangement.
With the weight of his father’s impending death hanging over his head, Crown Prince Rainier has begun to make moves to prove his dedication to assume the role of king. When he is visiting the estate that was once a second home to him, the woman who has long haunted his dreams and consumed his thoughts appears before him, asking for his help to find the child she had with another man. Now, he must decide: does he drop what he is doing to help Emmeline, or does he maintain his unwavering duty to the Crown?
Now, Emmeline and Rainier must work together to find the Beloved—to save the girl from the Folterrans and fulfill the prophecy of peace—while they both battle feelings of remorse and heartbreak, trying to ignore the heated desire and simmering attraction between them that never left.
From relative isolation to the capital city of Vesta and onwards to Folterra, Emmeline must find out exactly where her daughter has been taken—seeking out help along the way—and bring her home before it is too late.
566 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2022
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26959 people want to read
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May 5, 2022
4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“My heart is yours to break, borrow, and bruise. The only way this ends is death. There is no one else for either of us. You know it, I know it, our friends know it.”
Between Wrath and Mercy is a love letter to the all the mothers who dream of fairytales, to all those who passed the 30th age mark thinking adventure ends at a certain age, and those who were made to believe that a heroine should always be slim and perfect to be considered beautiful and powerful.
This book is a rare gem in the fantasy romance genre.
What to expect?
• New Adult Fantasy Romance
• Second-chance romance
• Badass 34-year old mom heroine
• Plus-size representation
• Swoon-worthy love interest
• Unique Magic System: Elemental Magic from Gods
• Spice
• Cast of Fun Characters
• Character-Driven
• One-Horse Trope
• Royalty
• Prophecies
• Comforting from Nightmares
• Tending to each other (wounds, brushing hair, etc.)
This book has been one of my anticipated releases this year and it did not disappoint—once I started the book it didn't take long for the events to turn its wheels.
This book is character-driven and through Emma's POV so it's going to take your through a journey full of emotions. It was easy for me to emotionally connect to Emma so whatever emotion she was feeling, I felt too.
I’ve been allowing myself to be distracted by all of this because it keeps me from thinking about Elora. I feel guilty I’m not weeping over her every waking second. But I can’t, I can’t let myself fall into that, or I won’t be of any use.
I truly appreciate Emma not being confined to her role as a mother, it's a reminder that mothers do have an identity outside of their roles. It was not unrealistic that as a mother who was on a rescue mission could still experience romance or comfort and seek adventure.
I was worried the romance and adventure might overshadow the rescue mission of her daughter or that her daughter being held captive fades into the background. I think there is strength in Emma wanting to remain sane to be able to focus rather than be a constant sobbing mess. I find nothing wrong with her seeking comfort during such a time and have someone who could be a supportive presence.
"Your stretch marks are scars, proof you grew a life and nourished it. I wish I was there to see it. To see you swell with a baby and coo over an infant.”
Also, can we talk about how much body positivity is in this book? Most books I've read that feature plus-size heroines—their insecurities about their figures is always highlighted. I mean who is not insecure about how they look at some point? It's realistic but doing it excessively leaves the impression that plus-size women can't feel confident in their own skin.
What I loved is Emma's figure isn't such a focal point and whenever it's highlighted or commented on, it's mostly in admiration or praise especially by Rainier.
“I’ve grown quite acquainted with your ass in front of me in the saddle. It may be rounder than it used to be, but all the more delicious for it.”
Rainier made me swoon so many times.
Which brings me to the best part: the romance!
This love was a light, a love that came back to me and brought me back to the land of the living. It was a love that made me want more—from him, from us, from life.
The romance was done beautifully and with second-chance romance always comes the angst and the haunting thoughts of what could or could have been.
With the past and secrets haunting them, Emma and Rainier had to tip toe around each other until they found a common ground to which they are able to settle down and be who they are.
Rainier was ridden with restrained passion and longing and Emma was eaten up by guilt and grief of her twin's death. Both has to revisit the past in order to get closure and shake off its clutches to allow them towards a new beginning.
The chemistry between them was delicious, although it's slowburn but eventually I was properly fed. The passion they feel for one another is so tangible and I kept rooting for them the entire time.
And Rainier... oh boy. He could easily flip the switch between being lovingly sweet and raunchy like it's nobody's business. The dirty-talk caught me off guard (in a good way).
“Friendship?” He laughed, dark and bitter. “Your skin tastes like spring, and your sighs are a gods damn song. I’m not your fucking friend.”
While I truly enjoyed this book but I couldn't give it a full 5-stars because there were minor elements I was missing:
• I am very intrigued by the magic system because it feels unique, so I want more of it. It doesn't feel very solid so I still need to understand how it works and what kind of magic abilities are there.
• I feel like Emma kind of quickly warmed up to Rainier and his group. I mean it would've been annoying if she stayed mad at him for too long but what I mean to say is it felt like not much time has passed since she last saw them but the fact is almost two decades passed since then.
Those are minor issues but they have not ruined the experience of the book for me, I still loved it and I am definitely looking forward to what Book 2 has in store.
“It has been, is, and will always be you. And fuck, if that hasn’t complicated my life enough already.”
Trigger Warnings: mention of difficult births and infant death, violence, death, attempted sexual assault (nothing graphic happens and it does not lead to something thankfully).
“My heart is yours to break, borrow, and bruise. The only way this ends is death. There is no one else for either of us. You know it, I know it, our friends know it.”
Between Wrath and Mercy is a love letter to the all the mothers who dream of fairytales, to all those who passed the 30th age mark thinking adventure ends at a certain age, and those who were made to believe that a heroine should always be slim and perfect to be considered beautiful and powerful.
This book is a rare gem in the fantasy romance genre.
What to expect?
• New Adult Fantasy Romance
• Second-chance romance
• Badass 34-year old mom heroine
• Plus-size representation
• Swoon-worthy love interest
• Unique Magic System: Elemental Magic from Gods
• Spice
• Cast of Fun Characters
• Character-Driven
• One-Horse Trope
• Royalty
• Prophecies
• Comforting from Nightmares
• Tending to each other (wounds, brushing hair, etc.)
This book has been one of my anticipated releases this year and it did not disappoint—once I started the book it didn't take long for the events to turn its wheels.
This book is character-driven and through Emma's POV so it's going to take your through a journey full of emotions. It was easy for me to emotionally connect to Emma so whatever emotion she was feeling, I felt too.
I’ve been allowing myself to be distracted by all of this because it keeps me from thinking about Elora. I feel guilty I’m not weeping over her every waking second. But I can’t, I can’t let myself fall into that, or I won’t be of any use.
I truly appreciate Emma not being confined to her role as a mother, it's a reminder that mothers do have an identity outside of their roles. It was not unrealistic that as a mother who was on a rescue mission could still experience romance or comfort and seek adventure.
I was worried the romance and adventure might overshadow the rescue mission of her daughter or that her daughter being held captive fades into the background. I think there is strength in Emma wanting to remain sane to be able to focus rather than be a constant sobbing mess. I find nothing wrong with her seeking comfort during such a time and have someone who could be a supportive presence.
"Your stretch marks are scars, proof you grew a life and nourished it. I wish I was there to see it. To see you swell with a baby and coo over an infant.”
Also, can we talk about how much body positivity is in this book? Most books I've read that feature plus-size heroines—their insecurities about their figures is always highlighted. I mean who is not insecure about how they look at some point? It's realistic but doing it excessively leaves the impression that plus-size women can't feel confident in their own skin.
What I loved is Emma's figure isn't such a focal point and whenever it's highlighted or commented on, it's mostly in admiration or praise especially by Rainier.
“I’ve grown quite acquainted with your ass in front of me in the saddle. It may be rounder than it used to be, but all the more delicious for it.”
Rainier made me swoon so many times.
Which brings me to the best part: the romance!
This love was a light, a love that came back to me and brought me back to the land of the living. It was a love that made me want more—from him, from us, from life.
The romance was done beautifully and with second-chance romance always comes the angst and the haunting thoughts of what could or could have been.
With the past and secrets haunting them, Emma and Rainier had to tip toe around each other until they found a common ground to which they are able to settle down and be who they are.
Rainier was ridden with restrained passion and longing and Emma was eaten up by guilt and grief of her twin's death. Both has to revisit the past in order to get closure and shake off its clutches to allow them towards a new beginning.
The chemistry between them was delicious, although it's slowburn but eventually I was properly fed. The passion they feel for one another is so tangible and I kept rooting for them the entire time.
And Rainier... oh boy. He could easily flip the switch between being lovingly sweet and raunchy like it's nobody's business. The dirty-talk caught me off guard (in a good way).
“Friendship?” He laughed, dark and bitter. “Your skin tastes like spring, and your sighs are a gods damn song. I’m not your fucking friend.”
While I truly enjoyed this book but I couldn't give it a full 5-stars because there were minor elements I was missing:
• I am very intrigued by the magic system because it feels unique, so I want more of it. It doesn't feel very solid so I still need to understand how it works and what kind of magic abilities are there.
• I feel like Emma kind of quickly warmed up to Rainier and his group. I mean it would've been annoying if she stayed mad at him for too long but what I mean to say is it felt like not much time has passed since she last saw them but the fact is almost two decades passed since then.
Those are minor issues but they have not ruined the experience of the book for me, I still loved it and I am definitely looking forward to what Book 2 has in store.
“It has been, is, and will always be you. And fuck, if that hasn’t complicated my life enough already.”
Trigger Warnings: mention of difficult births and infant death, violence, death, attempted sexual assault (nothing graphic happens and it does not lead to something thankfully).
July 20, 2023
*4.5* This debut novel of high fantasy was quite epic. It checked many of my fantasy wishes.
✔️ Older heroine (34) who is a mother with a normal body
✔️ A hero who says the right words and backs them with action
✔️ Excellent world building
✔️ Fabulous side characters with depth and extensive backgrounds
✔️ A second chance romance
✔️ Divinity or personal powers unique to each individual
✔️ Warriors of both sexes
✔️ Political intrigue
✔️ Steamy steam
I first fell in love with fantasy stories reading Elizabeth Moon’s Paksenarrion series. These older fantasy novels were SO GOOD, but lacked the kind of steam found in romances. I’ve always wanted to find a book that combined those elements into one story. This book is the perfect blend of fantasy, romance and steam. And the best part, these are adult characters, with adult issues, and adult feelings!! For a good 50% of this book there is the most intense sexual tension between the two MC. Once the actual intimacies began...
It was slow and repetitive in parts. Emma's reluctance to admit what her heart had already chosen 16 years earlier became cumbersome. She waffled back-and-forth throughout so much of this book. Come on woman!!!
My other complaint is about the years they were apart.
Overall, this was such a beautiful, all encompassing story. I absolutely can’t wait to read the next book!
Side notes:
Major cliffhanger on this one!!
POV from Rain at the end, wish we heard more from his perspective.
I love the cover and tie-in of Emma's favorite flowers.
Rain has a fabulous name ;)
✔️ Older heroine (34) who is a mother with a normal body
✔️ A hero who says the right words and backs them with action
✔️ Excellent world building
✔️ Fabulous side characters with depth and extensive backgrounds
✔️ A second chance romance
✔️ Divinity or personal powers unique to each individual
✔️ Warriors of both sexes
✔️ Political intrigue
✔️ Steamy steam
I first fell in love with fantasy stories reading Elizabeth Moon’s Paksenarrion series. These older fantasy novels were SO GOOD, but lacked the kind of steam found in romances. I’ve always wanted to find a book that combined those elements into one story. This book is the perfect blend of fantasy, romance and steam. And the best part, these are adult characters, with adult issues, and adult feelings!! For a good 50% of this book there is the most intense sexual tension between the two MC. Once the actual intimacies began...
He slowed his pace, rolling his hips as he thrust into me. Using one hand to grab the back of my neck, he pulled me up so I could watch where he moved, where our bodies met. So I could watch where his thick length disappeared inside me and slid back out, glistening in the light. It was hypnotic, feeling every movement as I watched.There are so many secrets in this novel. Throughout the story tiny increments of truth are slowly revealed until the very end you finally understand the whole picture. And let’s talk about the language here, the gorgeous, sensual language.
“Your skin tastes like spring, and your sighs are a gods damn song.”Emma is aware that her body has changed over the years and she’s no longer the young women Rainier (Rain) first met.
“You got harder, and I got softer.” I gave a nervous laugh as I deflected, squeezing his biceps to illustrate my point. He studied me for a moment before he started kissing my stomach, dragging his tongue over me between kisses. “I love your soft.” Another kiss. “You don’t have any idea how much I’ve fucking needed your soft.”Speaking of Rain, I don't know if I have ever met a more true blue, 100% all in, emotionally available, achingly vulnerable hero in a high fantasy novel than Rain. His character is so well written, you could feel his emotions right on the surface, simmering under all those powerful, sword wielding, horseback riding, warrior muscles.
“A good man will know when he’s made a mistake and do everything he can to make it right. He won’t need a beautiful woman to tell him.” He pulled me closer, kissing the top of my head. “But I’ll let you tell me, anyway.”Now for my small complaints.
It was slow and repetitive in parts. Emma's reluctance to admit what her heart had already chosen 16 years earlier became cumbersome. She waffled back-and-forth throughout so much of this book. Come on woman!!!
My other complaint is about the years they were apart.
Overall, this was such a beautiful, all encompassing story. I absolutely can’t wait to read the next book!
Side notes:
Major cliffhanger on this one!!
POV from Rain at the end, wish we heard more from his perspective.
I love the cover and tie-in of Emma's favorite flowers.
Rain has a fabulous name ;)
April 19, 2024
Yet another fantasy romance that had me scratching my head thinking “the writing in this is not good, why is it so highly rated?” Many thoughts but it’s 1am so I’ll come back to write them down later.
But what the fuck do I know, I just downloaded the second book on KU too. Very high likelihood I DNF it as soon as I get closure from that cliffhanger but we’ll see.
But what the fuck do I know, I just downloaded the second book on KU too. Very high likelihood I DNF it as soon as I get closure from that cliffhanger but we’ll see.
March 18, 2022
I just have so many feelings after reading this. What a FANTASTIC debut novel. This couple gripped my heart and wouldn't let go. The angst and longing is so acute. The pull between Rain and Emma is so strong. Their history is painful and there is so much they have to overcome. But they are focused and galvanized in one goal: to rescue Emma's daughter Elora.
Through the forced proximity of their mission we slowly discover how their young, forbidden love ended before it began and what has kept them apart all these years. I was rooting for them the whole time and I understand why things turned out this way, even though it hurts.
As they reconnect and flush out old wounds, I was more and more in love with them. The writing was so potent and kept me engaged with them the whole time.
Rain was a powerful Prince. He is brave and courageous and so into Emma. Now that Emma has reentered his life, he is NOT giving up and watching him woo her was... divine. That boy has a dirty mouth and smooth smooth hands. This Second Chance is slow in build but it was FIRE when it hit.
The love scenes in this book were just that. LOVE was rich and vibrant between them. Rain makes Emma feel sexy and loves her woman's body and the parts she is shy about. He is HOT for his woman. Wowee!!
This world and the magic are rich and well planned. I can't wait to see how more of this unfolds.
Be prepared for a cliffy but I am enthralled and I am so pleased I took a chance on this book. I hope MANY more people find it.
5 stars
3.5 on the spice scale.
Through the forced proximity of their mission we slowly discover how their young, forbidden love ended before it began and what has kept them apart all these years. I was rooting for them the whole time and I understand why things turned out this way, even though it hurts.
As they reconnect and flush out old wounds, I was more and more in love with them. The writing was so potent and kept me engaged with them the whole time.
Rain was a powerful Prince. He is brave and courageous and so into Emma. Now that Emma has reentered his life, he is NOT giving up and watching him woo her was... divine. That boy has a dirty mouth and smooth smooth hands. This Second Chance is slow in build but it was FIRE when it hit.
The love scenes in this book were just that. LOVE was rich and vibrant between them. Rain makes Emma feel sexy and loves her woman's body and the parts she is shy about. He is HOT for his woman. Wowee!!
This world and the magic are rich and well planned. I can't wait to see how more of this unfolds.
Be prepared for a cliffy but I am enthralled and I am so pleased I took a chance on this book. I hope MANY more people find it.
5 stars
3.5 on the spice scale.
May 23, 2022
Two stars because the ending was entertaining enough but my oh MY GOSH it took me too long to finish this book.
Let me start by saying that if you're looking to read this book because the MC is 34 and expect an adult read, don't get your hopes up. She acts painfully EXACTLY like a YA main and this entire book is YA, don't @ me.
MC female is not likeable at all and drones on WAY. TOO. MUCH. "I counted each step as I climbed the staircase." Literally WE DO NOT CARE. Pages upon pages of over explaining, over killing and repeating herself to the point where I mostly skimmed this book and still understood the plot perfectly.
I should have known better since it's literally called a romance fantasy, but the romance is overbearing to say the least. After MC completes her existential crisis, you will get an over abundance of romance including the vomit-inducing term "Dear heart" repeated a thousand times by the MC male. I'm so done with word repetition in books, can we please stop?
Pretty predictable, nothing that happened at the end that wasn't hard to figure out about 50% of the way through. None of the characters were especially exciting. I didn't' feel attached to anyone, not even the MC even though she spends 500 pages over explaining herself.
Did I enjoy this? A little, but not particularly. It took me over a month to finish I'm sad to say. Will I be reading the sequel? Yes, because the plot is interesting and I like supporting authors. I'm hoping now that the bulk of world and character building is out of the way it will be a bit more interesting.
Let me start by saying that if you're looking to read this book because the MC is 34 and expect an adult read, don't get your hopes up. She acts painfully EXACTLY like a YA main and this entire book is YA, don't @ me.
MC female is not likeable at all and drones on WAY. TOO. MUCH. "I counted each step as I climbed the staircase." Literally WE DO NOT CARE. Pages upon pages of over explaining, over killing and repeating herself to the point where I mostly skimmed this book and still understood the plot perfectly.
I should have known better since it's literally called a romance fantasy, but the romance is overbearing to say the least. After MC completes her existential crisis, you will get an over abundance of romance including the vomit-inducing term "Dear heart" repeated a thousand times by the MC male. I'm so done with word repetition in books, can we please stop?
Pretty predictable, nothing that happened at the end that wasn't hard to figure out about 50% of the way through. None of the characters were especially exciting. I didn't' feel attached to anyone, not even the MC even though she spends 500 pages over explaining herself.
Did I enjoy this? A little, but not particularly. It took me over a month to finish I'm sad to say. Will I be reading the sequel? Yes, because the plot is interesting and I like supporting authors. I'm hoping now that the bulk of world and character building is out of the way it will be a bit more interesting.
April 16, 2022
This should have been right up my alley: a fantasy romance featuring a heroine who is 30+ woman with a child and the hero is a second chance romance type situation. A mature fantasy romance - how refreshing! But this book needed an editor. It’s way too long and could have been reduced by 50% without losing much. Even more irritatingly, twice in the book things happen where the characters are basically like “Oh my gosh it’s THIS” where ‘this’ is some made up term that the reader is hearing about for the very first time so the reveal is more confusing than anything. Also the bad guys are paper thin characters, which is disappointing considering how ‘real’ all the other characters feel. There’s also a cliffhanger.
Will I continue with this series? No. Would I be willing to give the author a second chance and read something else new that they write? Yes.
Will I continue with this series? No. Would I be willing to give the author a second chance and read something else new that they write? Yes.
March 23, 2022
✨Book Review✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶
Between Wrath and Mercy by @jesswisecupbooks
First of all a very specific group of people convinced me to read this for the soul purpose of mutual suffering. It was worth every page.
The story was built on a on a foundation of tragedy and loss. A broken woman in hiding, doing everything she can to protect that which is most precious to her- a child. She succeeds for years until one day her daughter is stolen from her…
Her soul is crushed and world shattered.. her only option is to return to the life she ran from and seek help from the one man she she never wanted to see again. He broke her heart once, she won’t let him again.
This is a story about a mother hell bent on finding her daughter, learning to trust the people that care about her, and getting a second chance at her own love.
Her future is unclear, but I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
Thank you Jess for sending me your book. I loved it.
And thank you Nicki, Mandy and Janessa for making me read this.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶
Between Wrath and Mercy by @jesswisecupbooks
First of all a very specific group of people convinced me to read this for the soul purpose of mutual suffering. It was worth every page.
The story was built on a on a foundation of tragedy and loss. A broken woman in hiding, doing everything she can to protect that which is most precious to her- a child. She succeeds for years until one day her daughter is stolen from her…
Her soul is crushed and world shattered.. her only option is to return to the life she ran from and seek help from the one man she she never wanted to see again. He broke her heart once, she won’t let him again.
This is a story about a mother hell bent on finding her daughter, learning to trust the people that care about her, and getting a second chance at her own love.
Her future is unclear, but I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
Thank you Jess for sending me your book. I loved it.
And thank you Nicki, Mandy and Janessa for making me read this.
July 20, 2022
3✨
Being favored by the gods is not any sort of blessing..
Boy, oh boy do I have a lot to say.
The Plot
The story begins with Emma sending off her husband and daughter, Elora, off on a trip. Emma’s sister, nearly 20 years ago, was killed for being the Beloved, so she, her husband (gag), and Elora have been in hiding.
Some days later, one of the stable hands that accompanied her husband (gag) and Elora returns and reports that they’ve been taken by a rival kingdom under the assumption that Elora is the new Beloved.
Emma then runs to the capital to demand Prince Rainier, her long lost love from decades ago, help her get her daughter back.
That’s it. That’s the plot. They spend 70% of this book traveling around, playing court, etc etc. The last 15% was the only interesting part. I was so bored during this book and was basically avoiding reading because I’ve heard such great things about this. But I can’t stand travel plots.
The Romance
Who doesn’t love second chance romance? If you do, you’ll love this. It’s steamy and slow burn, even though they have a history.
“Friendship?” He laughed, dark and bitter. “Your skin tastes like spring, and your sighs are a godsdamn song. I’m not your fucking friend.”
I’m literally blushing bye??
“Do you still hate me, Emmeline?”
“I don’t know.”
“Kiss me, then. Don’t stop until you decide.”
At first this felt like a fantasy novel with romance, but for a good portion of the middle to early end, it’s solely focused on the romance.
The Characters
Emma was SO ANNOYING. I’m sorry. I know she’s had a rough go of it. I hear that 100%. But this book could have been way more engaging if (1) Jess Wisecup cut out half of her inner dialogue and (2) she didn’t hate herself so much. She is a super bad ass wonder mom and in battle but in all areas of her life she is not great. I understand she needed to heal and accept the love that was surrounding her and I love that journey for her. I just didn’t need chunks of text with all her negative thoughts in every. single. chapter.
Rainier is IT, honestly. I don’t really have any complaints. He’s powerful, caring, loyal. He gives Emma the autonomy she deserves. He lets her fight her own battles. He’s also got insane dirty talk. Get a man who can do it all.
The side characters were all great. I wish we had some more moments of them all together interacting, but hey, this is slated for a 5/6 book series so I’m assuming we’ll get more. There’s also great rep in this book without any need for a big show about it. It just is.
The Ending
There is an insane cliffhanger omg. I’m so happy I waited until closer to book 2 came out.
I’d recommend this if you want a new fantasy romance to get into with a heavy focus on characters. I know the plot has to go somewhere after this cliffhanger, so if you don’t mind powering through this one I’d say go for it. The slow burn second chance romance was 🤌
“I love you, Emmeline. I have loved you from the start, and I will love you until we are both just a whisper on the wind. It’s your eyes I see when I close mine, your heart I want to hold, and I’d set this whole damn world on fire if you wanted to watch it burn.”
Being favored by the gods is not any sort of blessing..
Boy, oh boy do I have a lot to say.
The Plot
The story begins with Emma sending off her husband and daughter, Elora, off on a trip. Emma’s sister, nearly 20 years ago, was killed for being the Beloved, so she, her husband (gag), and Elora have been in hiding.
Some days later, one of the stable hands that accompanied her husband (gag) and Elora returns and reports that they’ve been taken by a rival kingdom under the assumption that Elora is the new Beloved.
Emma then runs to the capital to demand Prince Rainier, her long lost love from decades ago, help her get her daughter back.
That’s it. That’s the plot. They spend 70% of this book traveling around, playing court, etc etc. The last 15% was the only interesting part. I was so bored during this book and was basically avoiding reading because I’ve heard such great things about this. But I can’t stand travel plots.
The Romance
Who doesn’t love second chance romance? If you do, you’ll love this. It’s steamy and slow burn, even though they have a history.
“Friendship?” He laughed, dark and bitter. “Your skin tastes like spring, and your sighs are a godsdamn song. I’m not your fucking friend.”
I’m literally blushing bye??
“Do you still hate me, Emmeline?”
“I don’t know.”
“Kiss me, then. Don’t stop until you decide.”
At first this felt like a fantasy novel with romance, but for a good portion of the middle to early end, it’s solely focused on the romance.
The Characters
Emma was SO ANNOYING. I’m sorry. I know she’s had a rough go of it. I hear that 100%. But this book could have been way more engaging if (1) Jess Wisecup cut out half of her inner dialogue and (2) she didn’t hate herself so much. She is a super bad ass wonder mom and in battle but in all areas of her life she is not great. I understand she needed to heal and accept the love that was surrounding her and I love that journey for her. I just didn’t need chunks of text with all her negative thoughts in every. single. chapter.
Rainier is IT, honestly. I don’t really have any complaints. He’s powerful, caring, loyal. He gives Emma the autonomy she deserves. He lets her fight her own battles. He’s also got insane dirty talk. Get a man who can do it all.
The side characters were all great. I wish we had some more moments of them all together interacting, but hey, this is slated for a 5/6 book series so I’m assuming we’ll get more. There’s also great rep in this book without any need for a big show about it. It just is.
The Ending
There is an insane cliffhanger omg. I’m so happy I waited until closer to book 2 came out.
I’d recommend this if you want a new fantasy romance to get into with a heavy focus on characters. I know the plot has to go somewhere after this cliffhanger, so if you don’t mind powering through this one I’d say go for it. The slow burn second chance romance was 🤌
“I love you, Emmeline. I have loved you from the start, and I will love you until we are both just a whisper on the wind. It’s your eyes I see when I close mine, your heart I want to hold, and I’d set this whole damn world on fire if you wanted to watch it burn.”
May 1, 2024
I absolutely can not and will not shut up about this book!
Magic! A second chance romance! My favorite “there’s only one horse” trope! And most importantly - both leads are in 👏 their 👏 30s! 👏
Emmeline has lost so much, and throws herself into motherhood after fleeing her old life. When her sixteen year old daughter is kidnapped, she seeks the help of the man who had once broken her heart. She is a total badass, and is so resilient. Rainier is the crown prince, and is the *ultimate* book boyfriend (he rivals my holy trinity, Rhysand, Ruhn, and Lance Orion!) and I’ve truly never met a more emotionally available love interest. The magic system is so interesting, and there are a ton of big reveals and small special moments. It is one of the most perfect romantasy books I have EVER read. Oh, and the spice is just 😚👌
It does have a brutal cliffhanger, but book 2 will be out this summer!
Magic! A second chance romance! My favorite “there’s only one horse” trope! And most importantly - both leads are in 👏 their 👏 30s! 👏
Emmeline has lost so much, and throws herself into motherhood after fleeing her old life. When her sixteen year old daughter is kidnapped, she seeks the help of the man who had once broken her heart. She is a total badass, and is so resilient. Rainier is the crown prince, and is the *ultimate* book boyfriend (he rivals my holy trinity, Rhysand, Ruhn, and Lance Orion!) and I’ve truly never met a more emotionally available love interest. The magic system is so interesting, and there are a ton of big reveals and small special moments. It is one of the most perfect romantasy books I have EVER read. Oh, and the spice is just 😚👌
It does have a brutal cliffhanger, but book 2 will be out this summer!
Read
June 13, 2023dnf at 25%
February 16, 2023
(some minor spoilers)
Elora, waiting for her mother to make up her damn mind about a man and to rescue her:
I feel lied to.
Manipulated.
Betrayed.
How many people on here have been paid to give 5-star ratings?
This book promised so much but gave so little. The plot was promising, I (a 32-year-old woman) was looking forward to reading a badass, 34-year-old mother who would do anything to get her kid back.
Emmeline didn't read as a 34-year-old mother, but as a high schooler that can't make up her damn mind about a man.
We're all tired of your inability to make up your damn mind and move the plot forward. There's nothing steamy or even "slow burn" when you have an incapacitated 34-year-old woman that continuously pushes a manSHE CLEARLY LOVES AND WANTS TO BANG ASAP away.
Emmeline quickly became your typical Mary Sue, instead of a badass mother that would tear the world apart for her kid.
This book is 556 pages.
I read up past 50%... Emmeline still COULD NOT MOVE PAST THE INDECISIVENESS. GIRL JUST FUCK HIM ALREADY AND LET'S MOVE ON.
Listen, I am not a mom. I do not have interest in being a mom.
But... I have these ~maternal instincts~ that, once in a while, rear their heads during strange times.
If my kid was kidnapped by an opposing party, in (almost) the beginning of a possible war, you bet your ass I'll be doing everything in my power to get her back. Any pretty man can wait. Figuring out my relationship status is not a priority.
Who the fuck has time to blush, "train" while frolicking in the fields, and have a steamy sesh in a cold lake?
NOT I.
Speaking of the steamy cold lake sesh ... Elora WHO???
We all seemed to forget that we're on the verge of a war and there's a child missing. Instead, we get: Emmeline and Rainier half naked, clinging to each other, and smooching in front of a decent sized group of soldiers.
Did anyone question this?
Are they all looking away?
Why is this happening so out in the open?
Is this one of those couples that pay other money to watch them have at it?
Did I misread?
No, never.
How about the moonfish incident that came right after... Because clearly they (Emmeline and Rain only) to take a detour to some cave with pretty fish in the late evening to continue to figure out their relationship status.
Emmeline, unsurprisingly, declined to have sex with the man and move their relationship forward because it's "time to let ~go~ and ~move on~" due to ~trauma~ and loyalty to her crusty ass husband.
The second issue I had was that everyone was up in everyone else's business. There is no privacy. I understand that Rainier is a prince and his sister and friends are looking out for him (mostly to avoid heartbreak that something important like... safety, perhaps) but there is so much listening in on conversations that can happen. Not to mention, these characters can't seem to keep their mouths closed and are airing dirty laundry to each other behind the scenes.
It read as juvenile and honestly reminded me of the gossiping between myformer HS students. These characters are supposedly mature 30+ years olds that lead armies and kingdoms.
I didn't sign up for medieval fantasy gossip girl.
The last thing that didn't sit well with me: every worked out.
Emmeline didn't seem to face any obstacles, which severely hindered character growth.
- Shitty, loveless marriage? Let me present you a hot (former) boyfriend.
- Still married to the creep and divorce not exactly an option? No problem. Let's just make the ugly husband be the bad guy that the other "bad guy" chains up.
- Can't just barge into the kingdom because you need an army? Well, look at that! Hot pants bf is actually pretty POPULAR with his soldiers and has a big sway!
- No other way to get your daughter? Cool, cool. Let's just have the "bad guy" do a prisoner exchange because he's actually the good guy in disguise, and wants to overthrow his evil brother for a better world.
Lack of struggle and even maternal pain, fear, anguish made the book boring. The lack of genuine obstacles seemed to be filled with Emmeline's thoughts about everything and everyone, including fish. I found myself not caring about her sister's death or any of the tragic background because it was just a giant info dump. Naturally followed by thoughts of how manly and hot Prince Rainier is.
The only "struggle" was Emmeline trying to decide if she wants to fuck Prince Rain. Come on lady, you do it or you don't. How many times does this kind of scene have to happen in each chapter?
In conclusion - idk. I am annoyed with myself for not giving up earlier. I had hopes that this book would get better as it progressed.
ALAS!
Giving in 2 stars because I'm feeling *~generous~* and the idea of a slightly older and mother character was cool.
Elora, waiting for her mother to make up her damn mind about a man and to rescue her:
I feel lied to.
Manipulated.
Betrayed.
How many people on here have been paid to give 5-star ratings?
This book promised so much but gave so little. The plot was promising, I (a 32-year-old woman) was looking forward to reading a badass, 34-year-old mother who would do anything to get her kid back.
Emmeline didn't read as a 34-year-old mother, but as a high schooler that can't make up her damn mind about a man.
We're all tired of your inability to make up your damn mind and move the plot forward. There's nothing steamy or even "slow burn" when you have an incapacitated 34-year-old woman that continuously pushes a man
Emmeline quickly became your typical Mary Sue, instead of a badass mother that would tear the world apart for her kid.
This book is 556 pages.
I read up past 50%... Emmeline still COULD NOT MOVE PAST THE INDECISIVENESS. GIRL JUST FUCK HIM ALREADY AND LET'S MOVE ON.
Listen, I am not a mom. I do not have interest in being a mom.
But... I have these ~maternal instincts~ that, once in a while, rear their heads during strange times.
If my kid was kidnapped by an opposing party, in (almost) the beginning of a possible war, you bet your ass I'll be doing everything in my power to get her back. Any pretty man can wait. Figuring out my relationship status is not a priority.
Who the fuck has time to blush, "train" while frolicking in the fields, and have a steamy sesh in a cold lake?
NOT I.
Speaking of the steamy cold lake sesh ... Elora WHO???
We all seemed to forget that we're on the verge of a war and there's a child missing. Instead, we get: Emmeline and Rainier half naked, clinging to each other, and smooching in front of a decent sized group of soldiers.
Did anyone question this?
Are they all looking away?
Why is this happening so out in the open?
Is this one of those couples that pay other money to watch them have at it?
Did I misread?
No, never.
How about the moonfish incident that came right after... Because clearly they (Emmeline and Rain only) to take a detour to some cave with pretty fish in the late evening to continue to figure out their relationship status.
Emmeline, unsurprisingly, declined to have sex with the man and move their relationship forward because it's "time to let ~go~ and ~move on~" due to ~trauma~ and loyalty to her crusty ass husband.
The second issue I had was that everyone was up in everyone else's business. There is no privacy. I understand that Rainier is a prince and his sister and friends are looking out for him (mostly to avoid heartbreak that something important like... safety, perhaps) but there is so much listening in on conversations that can happen. Not to mention, these characters can't seem to keep their mouths closed and are airing dirty laundry to each other behind the scenes.
It read as juvenile and honestly reminded me of the gossiping between my
I didn't sign up for medieval fantasy gossip girl.
The last thing that didn't sit well with me: every worked out.
Emmeline didn't seem to face any obstacles, which severely hindered character growth.
- Shitty, loveless marriage? Let me present you a hot (former) boyfriend.
- Still married to the creep and divorce not exactly an option? No problem. Let's just make the ugly husband be the bad guy that the other "bad guy" chains up.
- Can't just barge into the kingdom because you need an army? Well, look at that! Hot pants bf is actually pretty POPULAR with his soldiers and has a big sway!
- No other way to get your daughter? Cool, cool. Let's just have the "bad guy" do a prisoner exchange because he's actually the good guy in disguise, and wants to overthrow his evil brother for a better world.
Lack of struggle and even maternal pain, fear, anguish made the book boring. The lack of genuine obstacles seemed to be filled with Emmeline's thoughts about everything and everyone, including fish. I found myself not caring about her sister's death or any of the tragic background because it was just a giant info dump. Naturally followed by thoughts of how manly and hot Prince Rainier is.
The only "struggle" was Emmeline trying to decide if she wants to fuck Prince Rain. Come on lady, you do it or you don't. How many times does this kind of scene have to happen in each chapter?
In conclusion - idk. I am annoyed with myself for not giving up earlier. I had hopes that this book would get better as it progressed.
ALAS!
Giving in 2 stars because I'm feeling *~generous~* and the idea of a slightly older and mother character was cool.
November 30, 2022
I wanted to love this book. Romantasy! Second-chance-romance! Decades-long pining! Soulmates.
Sadly, all this promise crumbled (/was smashed to absolute dust) under the weight of poor execution. To summarize the issues:
The Plot
Supposedly this book is about a woman in her early thirties (Emmaline) who is on a quest of sorts to find her kidnapped daughter. Of course, the only person who can help her is her long-lost lover (Prince Rainier) who was once betrothed to her twin but was actually in love with our protagonist. Things ~ended badly (read: Emmaline's sister died, Rainier told Emmaline they could nEvER bE toGetHer, and Emmaline married the first bloke who asked her father's permission). Now, said bloke has absconded with their daughter and Emmaline and Rainier must work together to rescue her.
EXCEPT, dear reader, this is not the plot. The plot, insofar as it exists, is nearly 600 pages of Emmaline and Rainier arguing about who jilted whom all those years ago, who suffered more during their prolonged time apart, and who has the most lust for the other person in the present. These arguments manifest as literal and frequent sparring matches where the two of them stab each other and break each other's bones (it's okay! because Emmaline is a healer so she can just mend all the stab wounds) as well as truly disturbing sex scenes in which Rainier is repeatedly described as violently shoving Emmaline into walls, trees, the ground, anything hard because he ~wants her so much. It's unnerving. And not at all sexy.
Every once in a while one of them will remember that there is a 15-year-old girl being held captive in another country, but they only allow themselves to think about this fact long enough for it to drive them into each other's arms again. The only time the overarching plot is resurrected is in the last 20 pages of the book where everything goes to shit just so we can have a [checks notes] 800 page sequel. Friends, if we haven't established a plot in the first 600 pages of a story, I have little faith that another 800 pages is gonna do the trick.
The Writing
This entire book is a case study in telling versus showing. Every single interaction begins with Emmaline describing exactly who is present, what everyone is wearing, and the expressions on everyone's faces. Not content with this, Emmaline then bounds into omniscience and starts telling us what everyone is (probably) thinking. Once the conversation finally begins, we learn that Emmaline has correctly deduced what everyone is thinking and feeling--by having to see it all play out again. So, basically every piece of information in the book is relayed to us twice: once in Emmaline's thoughts and once in the "action" of the story. Which means, if you're keeping count, that this book is at least twice as long as it needs to be. By the end of the book I was skipping over all of the interminable blocks of exposition and just reading the dialogue. Trust me when I tell you I missed absolutely nothing.
There were also so, so many plot holes. Like--why did the group spend the entirety of the book traveling on foot when Rainier could literally open portholes to anywhere he wanted to go. Or why everyone in this world seems obsessed with The Beloved but nobody actually knows what a "Beloved" is. There are loose character threads dangling all over the place at the end of this installment, and not in the "stay tuned for book 2 to find out more" kind of way--more in the "I totally forgot I wrote this character 300 pages ago" kind of way.
And, of course, this book relies heavily on my Least Favorite Writing Technique of All Time: having characters keep secrets from one another for no reason except ~drama. Every character in this book is keeping secrets, and then they all have the audacity to be righteously affronted when they find out another character has been lying to or keeping something from them. Emmaline is the absolute worst offender here, but Rain is also pretty terrible. Which leads me to my final issues...
The Characters
ESH. There is no good character in this book. These people are supposedly in their mid-thirties but I kid you not every character acts like they are 14 years old. Everything is done on reckless, self-indulgent impulse. Literally no one behaves like an actual adult. TBH, I'm not sure I have expected much given the names these unfortunate characters are burdened with. Rainier and Emmaline are bad enough, but there is an honest-to-god character named Dewalt and I do not know how this slipped past the editors. Why is there a character named after a power tool company? Why did no one think this was a terrible idea?
Also, on the subject of names: indulge me and please spend a minute thinking of your significant other. Or, like, any close friend. How many nicknames do you have/regularly use for this person? I'm guessing an average of 1-2. Every character in this book has about 17 nicknames. Let's just use Emmaline as an example. She is variously referred to as Emmaline, Emma, Em, Mouse, Dear Heart, [Whatever the hell her last name was], and "Little Viper," and that's just what I can remember off the top of my head. It would be kind of comical if it weren't so damn annoying.
[Poor Dewalt though; he just gets "D"]
So that's it.
That's all the time I want to put into this before I lay it to rest forever. It's always sad for me to read a book that someone obviously put so much effort into only to realize that that effort was in vain. I know this author tried. I hope she tries again and gets better. But I will not be reading any future installments of this series. And if you're reading this wondering if Between Wrath and Mercy might be your next favorite read... I promise you. It's not.
Sadly, all this promise crumbled (/was smashed to absolute dust) under the weight of poor execution. To summarize the issues:
The Plot
Supposedly this book is about a woman in her early thirties (Emmaline) who is on a quest of sorts to find her kidnapped daughter. Of course, the only person who can help her is her long-lost lover (Prince Rainier) who was once betrothed to her twin but was actually in love with our protagonist. Things ~ended badly (read: Emmaline's sister died, Rainier told Emmaline they could nEvER bE toGetHer, and Emmaline married the first bloke who asked her father's permission). Now, said bloke has absconded with their daughter and Emmaline and Rainier must work together to rescue her.
EXCEPT, dear reader, this is not the plot. The plot, insofar as it exists, is nearly 600 pages of Emmaline and Rainier arguing about who jilted whom all those years ago, who suffered more during their prolonged time apart, and who has the most lust for the other person in the present. These arguments manifest as literal and frequent sparring matches where the two of them stab each other and break each other's bones (it's okay! because Emmaline is a healer so she can just mend all the stab wounds) as well as truly disturbing sex scenes in which Rainier is repeatedly described as violently shoving Emmaline into walls, trees, the ground, anything hard because he ~wants her so much. It's unnerving. And not at all sexy.
Every once in a while one of them will remember that there is a 15-year-old girl being held captive in another country, but they only allow themselves to think about this fact long enough for it to drive them into each other's arms again. The only time the overarching plot is resurrected is in the last 20 pages of the book where everything goes to shit just so we can have a [checks notes] 800 page sequel. Friends, if we haven't established a plot in the first 600 pages of a story, I have little faith that another 800 pages is gonna do the trick.
The Writing
This entire book is a case study in telling versus showing. Every single interaction begins with Emmaline describing exactly who is present, what everyone is wearing, and the expressions on everyone's faces. Not content with this, Emmaline then bounds into omniscience and starts telling us what everyone is (probably) thinking. Once the conversation finally begins, we learn that Emmaline has correctly deduced what everyone is thinking and feeling--by having to see it all play out again. So, basically every piece of information in the book is relayed to us twice: once in Emmaline's thoughts and once in the "action" of the story. Which means, if you're keeping count, that this book is at least twice as long as it needs to be. By the end of the book I was skipping over all of the interminable blocks of exposition and just reading the dialogue. Trust me when I tell you I missed absolutely nothing.
There were also so, so many plot holes. Like--why did the group spend the entirety of the book traveling on foot when Rainier could literally open portholes to anywhere he wanted to go. Or why everyone in this world seems obsessed with The Beloved but nobody actually knows what a "Beloved" is. There are loose character threads dangling all over the place at the end of this installment, and not in the "stay tuned for book 2 to find out more" kind of way--more in the "I totally forgot I wrote this character 300 pages ago" kind of way.
And, of course, this book relies heavily on my Least Favorite Writing Technique of All Time: having characters keep secrets from one another for no reason except ~drama. Every character in this book is keeping secrets, and then they all have the audacity to be righteously affronted when they find out another character has been lying to or keeping something from them. Emmaline is the absolute worst offender here, but Rain is also pretty terrible. Which leads me to my final issues...
The Characters
ESH. There is no good character in this book. These people are supposedly in their mid-thirties but I kid you not every character acts like they are 14 years old. Everything is done on reckless, self-indulgent impulse. Literally no one behaves like an actual adult. TBH, I'm not sure I have expected much given the names these unfortunate characters are burdened with. Rainier and Emmaline are bad enough, but there is an honest-to-god character named Dewalt and I do not know how this slipped past the editors. Why is there a character named after a power tool company? Why did no one think this was a terrible idea?
Also, on the subject of names: indulge me and please spend a minute thinking of your significant other. Or, like, any close friend. How many nicknames do you have/regularly use for this person? I'm guessing an average of 1-2. Every character in this book has about 17 nicknames. Let's just use Emmaline as an example. She is variously referred to as Emmaline, Emma, Em, Mouse, Dear Heart, [Whatever the hell her last name was], and "Little Viper," and that's just what I can remember off the top of my head. It would be kind of comical if it weren't so damn annoying.
[Poor Dewalt though; he just gets "D"]
So that's it.
That's all the time I want to put into this before I lay it to rest forever. It's always sad for me to read a book that someone obviously put so much effort into only to realize that that effort was in vain. I know this author tried. I hope she tries again and gets better. But I will not be reading any future installments of this series. And if you're reading this wondering if Between Wrath and Mercy might be your next favorite read... I promise you. It's not.
Read
March 22, 2022I’ve decided to put this book down for now at 66%.
The writing style and use of words of this book are phenomenal, the world building is excellent, and the romance is full of sparks and well done. But the reason I’m putting it down for now after two weeks of slowly reading it, is because it’s a bit slow for my liking. It starts off extremely promising but unfortunately it’s taking a long time to get onto its feet for me.
I’ll most likely pick it back up again because I do enjoy the characters a lot, but for now I just can’t seem to get through it unfortunately.
The writing style and use of words of this book are phenomenal, the world building is excellent, and the romance is full of sparks and well done. But the reason I’m putting it down for now after two weeks of slowly reading it, is because it’s a bit slow for my liking. It starts off extremely promising but unfortunately it’s taking a long time to get onto its feet for me.
I’ll most likely pick it back up again because I do enjoy the characters a lot, but for now I just can’t seem to get through it unfortunately.
February 9, 2023
4⭐
3🌶
Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Narration, Single - 5⭐
Unfinished Series
▪︎
Its always so fun to see an authors debut!!! So let's go through my list of likes and dislikes for my overall rating:
▪︎
LIKES
♡Representation. Em is 34, has stretch marks, and has a 15 yr old daughter. You NEVER see that in stories these days. So it was lovely to have a different dynamic like that. I love that Em never focuses too hard on her post baby body in a negative way, it just is what it is and its perfect.
♡The monsters and magic. Some REALLY cool stuff going on and it very much kept me wanting more.
♡Rainier is the sweetest, but head strong when he needs to be. He is a great character and I love that Em feels safe with him, even though she pushes him away so often 🙈
♡The side characters. I am very appreciative when authors put work into side characters and Jess did a great job with them. It brings so much to the table.
♡The ending. I love battle scenes and I love twists!
♡The writing was very easy to follow. This was also written in 1st person, which I prefer!
▪︎
DISLIKES:
□The pacing. This was too long. There was a good chunk in the middle where it felt like we were going in circles and at times felt repetitive.
□The lack of urgency to get her daughter was a little confusing to me. I get it though, this would actually be very hard to balance with a romance. As a mother, I would be sick every minute of the day, and I wish I got more of that from Em because it almost made it seem unrealistic.
□World building & plot. I wish we had more of it outside of the romance. This was very character driven, which isn't a bad thing, I love that style, however.....for such a long book, character driven will get old fast. I would say the way this story read was, 80% romance with Em & Rain, 20% plot to rescue her daughter. It felt unbalanced. I also wanted to see more of the magic system and how it all worked, which i felt didn't get explained enough for me.
▪︎
Overall, good debut!
How did you guys feel?
3🌶
Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Narration, Single - 5⭐
Unfinished Series
▪︎
Its always so fun to see an authors debut!!! So let's go through my list of likes and dislikes for my overall rating:
▪︎
LIKES
♡Representation. Em is 34, has stretch marks, and has a 15 yr old daughter. You NEVER see that in stories these days. So it was lovely to have a different dynamic like that. I love that Em never focuses too hard on her post baby body in a negative way, it just is what it is and its perfect.
♡The monsters and magic. Some REALLY cool stuff going on and it very much kept me wanting more.
♡Rainier is the sweetest, but head strong when he needs to be. He is a great character and I love that Em feels safe with him, even though she pushes him away so often 🙈
♡The side characters. I am very appreciative when authors put work into side characters and Jess did a great job with them. It brings so much to the table.
♡The ending. I love battle scenes and I love twists!
♡The writing was very easy to follow. This was also written in 1st person, which I prefer!
▪︎
DISLIKES:
□The pacing. This was too long. There was a good chunk in the middle where it felt like we were going in circles and at times felt repetitive.
□The lack of urgency to get her daughter was a little confusing to me. I get it though, this would actually be very hard to balance with a romance. As a mother, I would be sick every minute of the day, and I wish I got more of that from Em because it almost made it seem unrealistic.
□World building & plot. I wish we had more of it outside of the romance. This was very character driven, which isn't a bad thing, I love that style, however.....for such a long book, character driven will get old fast. I would say the way this story read was, 80% romance with Em & Rain, 20% plot to rescue her daughter. It felt unbalanced. I also wanted to see more of the magic system and how it all worked, which i felt didn't get explained enough for me.
▪︎
Overall, good debut!
How did you guys feel?
May 23, 2022
1247488/10 ⭐️’s
1247488/10 ⭐️s - 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶/5 - the emotion in this book was everything I didn’t know I needed and I’m desperate for book two. I have laughed, cried, felt shame and love all wrapped up in these pages. There hasn’t been another book that’s affected me so emotionally in a long time and I think I’m gonna be in a reading slump for at least a few days.
If you love stories where characters aren’t perfect, and you can easily connect with real life situations - THIS is the book for you. Gonna go cry in the tub now at the ending.
1247488/10 ⭐️s - 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶/5 - the emotion in this book was everything I didn’t know I needed and I’m desperate for book two. I have laughed, cried, felt shame and love all wrapped up in these pages. There hasn’t been another book that’s affected me so emotionally in a long time and I think I’m gonna be in a reading slump for at least a few days.
If you love stories where characters aren’t perfect, and you can easily connect with real life situations - THIS is the book for you. Gonna go cry in the tub now at the ending.
August 7, 2022
*Reread for a Patron.*
Obviously, this is still fucking amazing. Ready to dive into book 2. Let's goooo
6 stars
3 on the spice scale.
Obviously, this is still fucking amazing. Ready to dive into book 2. Let's goooo
6 stars
3 on the spice scale.
October 10, 2025
Nope, I'm sorry.
22 chapters. Twelve hours of audiobook. I'm 40% into the story. I can't take it anymore.
I'm DNFing this.
The writing is nice enough. The narrator is fantastic. The story has potential, but it's told in a way that bores me to death.
There are no ups and downs in the story. There's nothing that captivates me. No angst. No excitement. No tension. I don't feel the yearning.
It's like watching the monitors after someone goes into cardiac arrest, waiting for a sign of life. It never comes.
I couldn't connect with the characters. I found myself zoning out of the story because there wasn't enough there to hold my attention, and I stopped listening.
I trust Marianna Moore, and apparently, she felt very similarly but kept going until the end and was disappointed.
22 chapters. Twelve hours of audiobook. I'm 40% into the story. I can't take it anymore.
I'm DNFing this.
The writing is nice enough. The narrator is fantastic. The story has potential, but it's told in a way that bores me to death.
There are no ups and downs in the story. There's nothing that captivates me. No angst. No excitement. No tension. I don't feel the yearning.
It's like watching the monitors after someone goes into cardiac arrest, waiting for a sign of life. It never comes.
I couldn't connect with the characters. I found myself zoning out of the story because there wasn't enough there to hold my attention, and I stopped listening.
I trust Marianna Moore, and apparently, she felt very similarly but kept going until the end and was disappointed.
February 27, 2023
“Ours is a fire that will never go out. Ours is a fire that will swallow us whole, and I’d rather burn with you than live in the dark.”
Absolutely obsessed with this fantasy romance and I don’t even know where to start! 😍 I love love LOVE that this is an adult fantasy romance that delivers equally on the fantasy and romance elements! I LOVE that we have older main characters and that the heroine is a mother to a teenage daughter! Allllll the yes!
Emma is so fierce and when her daughter goes missing, she is ready to tear the world apart to get her back safely. I loved seeing this strong, resilient mom portrayed in a fantasy! The magic and fantasy elements of this story I just love too and it was done so well! I was intrigued with all of the reveals, the prophecies/lore, the powers. On top of that we have a second chance romance that is chef’s kiss, slow burn, and amazing! I loved the friend group in this as well, I felt for every character and loved how complex their feelings and emotions are! They’ve all been through so much in the 16 years apart. I understood and felt for these characters, their flaws, their mistakes, and choices they made, and their hurts. I loved that the author is not afraid to go there with the story and push the characters. And then Rainier is everything I love in a hero, protective and caring (even when he’s still mad and hurt), and just so swoony with the little moments. The romance wasn’t even rekindled yet and I was swoony for the things he was willing to do/how he showed he cared for the heroine.
I was so enthralled with this entire book and pretty much binged it since I didn’t want to put it down. Just know it does ends on a cliffhanger so be ready to jump into book 2 (which is thankfully already out 😅), which is exactly what I’m about to go do! 🤣😍
“I love you, Emmeline. I have loved you from the start, and I will love you until we are both just a whisper on the wind. It’s your eyes I see when I close mine, your heart I want to hold, and I’d set this whole damn world on fire if you wanted to watch it burn.”
review to come, read for a vlog! 2/19/23
Absolutely obsessed with this fantasy romance and I don’t even know where to start! 😍 I love love LOVE that this is an adult fantasy romance that delivers equally on the fantasy and romance elements! I LOVE that we have older main characters and that the heroine is a mother to a teenage daughter! Allllll the yes!
Emma is so fierce and when her daughter goes missing, she is ready to tear the world apart to get her back safely. I loved seeing this strong, resilient mom portrayed in a fantasy! The magic and fantasy elements of this story I just love too and it was done so well! I was intrigued with all of the reveals, the prophecies/lore, the powers. On top of that we have a second chance romance that is chef’s kiss, slow burn, and amazing! I loved the friend group in this as well, I felt for every character and loved how complex their feelings and emotions are! They’ve all been through so much in the 16 years apart. I understood and felt for these characters, their flaws, their mistakes, and choices they made, and their hurts. I loved that the author is not afraid to go there with the story and push the characters. And then Rainier is everything I love in a hero, protective and caring (even when he’s still mad and hurt), and just so swoony with the little moments. The romance wasn’t even rekindled yet and I was swoony for the things he was willing to do/how he showed he cared for the heroine.
I was so enthralled with this entire book and pretty much binged it since I didn’t want to put it down. Just know it does ends on a cliffhanger so be ready to jump into book 2 (which is thankfully already out 😅), which is exactly what I’m about to go do! 🤣😍
“I love you, Emmeline. I have loved you from the start, and I will love you until we are both just a whisper on the wind. It’s your eyes I see when I close mine, your heart I want to hold, and I’d set this whole damn world on fire if you wanted to watch it burn.”
review to come, read for a vlog! 2/19/23
March 31, 2022
4/5 ⭐️s
This is Jess Wisecup’s debut novel, and she came in with gun’s slinging! I loved so many things about this book. The characters are all in their 30s (hello, relatability), and the heroine is a mom who’s desperate to rescue her daughter who’s been kidnapped. Emma’s story is so heartbreaking, and I hope this series ends with her finding happiness.
I loved Emma and Rainier together too. Second Chance romances are never given enough credit, but there’s always something achingly perfect about them. I love the natural angst that comes with reuniting with a lost love and the struggles as they learn to love who they are now instead of their past selves.
The plot as a whole was really great. I think this could’ve benefited from dropping some of the exposition. There are so many times where we’re repeatedly given Emma’s inner thoughts on something that’s happened. I think the plot would’ve moved more smoothly if that inner dialogue had been condensed.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read, and I’m so excited to read book two!!
Spice: 3/5 🌶s
This is Jess Wisecup’s debut novel, and she came in with gun’s slinging! I loved so many things about this book. The characters are all in their 30s (hello, relatability), and the heroine is a mom who’s desperate to rescue her daughter who’s been kidnapped. Emma’s story is so heartbreaking, and I hope this series ends with her finding happiness.
I loved Emma and Rainier together too. Second Chance romances are never given enough credit, but there’s always something achingly perfect about them. I love the natural angst that comes with reuniting with a lost love and the struggles as they learn to love who they are now instead of their past selves.
The plot as a whole was really great. I think this could’ve benefited from dropping some of the exposition. There are so many times where we’re repeatedly given Emma’s inner thoughts on something that’s happened. I think the plot would’ve moved more smoothly if that inner dialogue had been condensed.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read, and I’m so excited to read book two!!
Spice: 3/5 🌶s
March 7, 2025
ong this was SO long and SO boring
April 26, 2023
Why isn’t everyone reading this book? If there’s one word to describe this book I would say different in the best way possible. A FMC in her 30s with a plus size body and a kid! It was a breath of fresh air! Loved loved loved it. I’m insanely obsessed with second chance romances and this totally hit the spot. It also had a unique magic system I really enjoyed.
Thanks Lauren for bullying me into reading this.
Thanks Lauren for bullying me into reading this.
June 20, 2022
I had the IMMENSE pleasure of being one of the first beta readers to get my hands on this debut novel from Jess.
Let me start by saying that there is absolutely no way that I could have possibly guessed that this was her first novel. From start to finish, this book was beautifully written, impeccably paced, well developed, full of lovable and approachable characters, and it felt grounded in reality while still indulging my neverending desire to drown myself in fantasy. I cried TWICE, which is a massive rarity, and laughed out loud countless times, thanks to the clever wit and brilliant balance of love/loss/fear/humor.
The novel begins in a sleepy little town with a small cast of average folks, and by the end is a sweeping fantasy epic in a fully developed world - complete with scheming politics, religious extremists, a damsel in distress, and a strong lead character who just so happens to be a thirty something mother with full hips and a quick mouth.
The female empowerment in this story is fantastic without feeling like it’s fanservice, and the romance is a slow burn that has you falling in love at the same time as the characters.
Nothing is as it seems, but everything is thoroughly spellbinding.
10/10 - absolutely spectacular debut. Obnoxious cliffhanger that has me already antsy for book 2. (Just kidding, it’s not obnoxious, but I’m still pissed.)
Let me start by saying that there is absolutely no way that I could have possibly guessed that this was her first novel. From start to finish, this book was beautifully written, impeccably paced, well developed, full of lovable and approachable characters, and it felt grounded in reality while still indulging my neverending desire to drown myself in fantasy. I cried TWICE, which is a massive rarity, and laughed out loud countless times, thanks to the clever wit and brilliant balance of love/loss/fear/humor.
The novel begins in a sleepy little town with a small cast of average folks, and by the end is a sweeping fantasy epic in a fully developed world - complete with scheming politics, religious extremists, a damsel in distress, and a strong lead character who just so happens to be a thirty something mother with full hips and a quick mouth.
The female empowerment in this story is fantastic without feeling like it’s fanservice, and the romance is a slow burn that has you falling in love at the same time as the characters.
Nothing is as it seems, but everything is thoroughly spellbinding.
10/10 - absolutely spectacular debut. Obnoxious cliffhanger that has me already antsy for book 2. (Just kidding, it’s not obnoxious, but I’m still pissed.)
July 6, 2023
Wow... I had no expectations for this book as I went in totally unaware of the story as I was trying to decide if I would buy The Bookish Box book 2 special edition. But what a blast (and YES I'll definitely buy the sequel)!!!! I loved everything in this story from the storyline to the world building. I'm already soooo attached to the main characters (can we talk about Rain? ♥️) and the first book finished on a heartbreaking cliffhanger that left me with such an emptiness right now... Be prepared for an incredible journey if you decide to start this book! Oh! And... it's definitely an adult book 🌶
June 29, 2022
4.5 Stars
This was one of the most unique fantasy romances I’ve read. I don’t think I’ve read about an older Herione and I really loved it. I loved how this second chance romance played out BUT THAT ENDING.
This was one of the most unique fantasy romances I’ve read. I don’t think I’ve read about an older Herione and I really loved it. I loved how this second chance romance played out BUT THAT ENDING.
March 10, 2023
[4.5] WHAT IN THE HOLY HELL WAS THAT ENDING. i genuinely don’t have any complaints about this book making my rating much higher than i was expecting. this book felt like it took 826 days to read when it only took 4, why each page felt like 10 i have no idea, but looking back none of it was “filler” and a lot of scenes paid off in the future or were enjoyable in the moment where it was just fun to be in this story and connect with these characters. while some of the story lines i felt like went on for a while, the continuation of conflicts made it not drag in a boring way. the chemistry between the main characters had me in a choke hold and dare i say i think they’re a top 5 couple for me??? i also adored the core friend group that exists. the individual relationships they all have with each other and all of their group moments were sweet and i loved it.
May 31, 2022
I think that I've finally recovered enough from the ending of this book to write a review...though I still feel emotionally raw!
Second chance romances aren't usually my cup of tea (why, I don't know), but after seeing this book on tiktok and hearing others talk about it being a fantastic read, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible.
And simply put, this is the best book I've read in 2022 so far.
Why? So many reasons.
First and foremost, the writing was a 10/10. There was an ease to reading this that just had my eyes floating across the page, but not because the vocabulary or syntax was juvenile. No, instead, it was just written so well that I didn't even realize I was reading at times (until I read a word that my tiny brain didn't comprehend). It made the reading experience so seamless.
Secondly, the CHARACTERS!!! I absolutely loved Emmeline and her inner narration. The development of Emmeline's thoughts and feelings was so natural that they could have been my own thoughts and feelings. Though I'm not a mother, I felt with Emmeline and could clearly understand her actions and reactions. They were so realistic and so similar to what mine would be in the same situations.
Rainier is also a total dreamboat, and I would do anything to have a Rainier in my life. The same goes for Dewalt and Lavenia. The beautiful thing about all of the characters in this novel is that all of them are so developed and unique that I feel as though they are my actual friends (I wish).
The plot of this book, though, y'all cannot prepare yourself well enough. What could have been a typical adventure to recover what was lost (as we see in many books), was instead an intricate, heartbreaking, laugh-inducing, and nail-biting story. There were so many original ideas in this book that I can't even think of a book to compare it to. The pacing is perfect and I never found myself confused by how fast things moved or bored with how slow they moved. It was consistent and even and intriguing.
It's no mystery why I gave this book 5 stars. Its just damn good. It's a beautiful story that shows the intensity of a mother's love and the lengths she would go to to protect her daughter; it shows how deep friendships and true love can span Kingdoms, years, and utter devastation
I will be (not) patiently waiting for book two's release!
Second chance romances aren't usually my cup of tea (why, I don't know), but after seeing this book on tiktok and hearing others talk about it being a fantastic read, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible.
And simply put, this is the best book I've read in 2022 so far.
Why? So many reasons.
First and foremost, the writing was a 10/10. There was an ease to reading this that just had my eyes floating across the page, but not because the vocabulary or syntax was juvenile. No, instead, it was just written so well that I didn't even realize I was reading at times (until I read a word that my tiny brain didn't comprehend). It made the reading experience so seamless.
Secondly, the CHARACTERS!!! I absolutely loved Emmeline and her inner narration. The development of Emmeline's thoughts and feelings was so natural that they could have been my own thoughts and feelings. Though I'm not a mother, I felt with Emmeline and could clearly understand her actions and reactions. They were so realistic and so similar to what mine would be in the same situations.
Rainier is also a total dreamboat, and I would do anything to have a Rainier in my life. The same goes for Dewalt and Lavenia. The beautiful thing about all of the characters in this novel is that all of them are so developed and unique that I feel as though they are my actual friends (I wish).
The plot of this book, though, y'all cannot prepare yourself well enough. What could have been a typical adventure to recover what was lost (as we see in many books), was instead an intricate, heartbreaking, laugh-inducing, and nail-biting story. There were so many original ideas in this book that I can't even think of a book to compare it to. The pacing is perfect and I never found myself confused by how fast things moved or bored with how slow they moved. It was consistent and even and intriguing.
It's no mystery why I gave this book 5 stars. Its just damn good. It's a beautiful story that shows the intensity of a mother's love and the lengths she would go to to protect her daughter; it shows how deep friendships and true love can span Kingdoms, years, and utter devastation
I will be (not) patiently waiting for book two's release!
August 24, 2022
You know how you feel after you finish the ACOTAR series and you think... "Will I ever find something like that again?" Well... I did... and its this. This has Rhys and Feyre vibes... found family, fated mates... and so many other things we all love from that series. The feel is very similar, and its everything I like in a fantasy romance. Not only that... the main character is 36 WITH A KID! This is a Mom romantasy... finally. Highly recommend this... Can't wait to dive into the next one.
March 9, 2022
I honestly can't tell you how much I love and adore this book. It also broke my heart and I will forever dislike the author for that haha.
Emma is a strong woman who went through hell to find her daughter after she was taken. What I love about Emma is that she is a 30+ woman who has a full figure. I adored the way she was written. I also love the second chance romance. I mean this man was written in a way that we all need him in our lives. Rain is the Crown Prince of Vesta and when Emma comes back into his life his world is turned upside down.
The magic system, the romance and the passion I'm this book is fantastic. It is also hilarious and heart breaking. I REALLY can't wait for the next book.
Emma is a strong woman who went through hell to find her daughter after she was taken. What I love about Emma is that she is a 30+ woman who has a full figure. I adored the way she was written. I also love the second chance romance. I mean this man was written in a way that we all need him in our lives. Rain is the Crown Prince of Vesta and when Emma comes back into his life his world is turned upside down.
The magic system, the romance and the passion I'm this book is fantastic. It is also hilarious and heart breaking. I REALLY can't wait for the next book.
July 8, 2023
Dnf . I still have about a 100 pages to finish this book but I can't -
I was very excited to read this book because Mc is an adult but she just acts like every single Mc in ya books. I enjoyed first 200 pages or so but that was about it .
I found myself skipping entire paragraphs because I got bored and it it takes the author an awfully long time to describe something simple.
I skipping entire pages because they were useless and plain boring
I am very easy to satisfy and I don't give books less than 3 stars but the main characters in this book just kept fighting. Then they made up then fought again and so on
I was very excited to read this book because Mc is an adult but she just acts like every single Mc in ya books. I enjoyed first 200 pages or so but that was about it .
I found myself skipping entire paragraphs because I got bored and it it takes the author an awfully long time to describe something simple.
I skipping entire pages because they were useless and plain boring
I am very easy to satisfy and I don't give books less than 3 stars but the main characters in this book just kept fighting. Then they made up then fought again and so on
May 15, 2023
Terrible book that was a huge disappointment!
DNF - Due To The Following Reasons:
1. Plays Where’s Waldo with the main plot.
2. Whiniest heroine ever who can’t stop whining about her dead sister, missing daughter, and loveless marriage.
3. Chapter after chapter filled with never ending dialogue that goes nowhere.
4. How is the first book 90% filler!?
5. Unlikeable and unmemorable main characters.
6. Too much telling and not enough showing.
7. Endless travel from one place to another.
8. Constantly rehashes the key points of the story in case you forgot.
DNF - Due To The Following Reasons:
1. Plays Where’s Waldo with the main plot.
2. Whiniest heroine ever who can’t stop whining about her dead sister, missing daughter, and loveless marriage.
3. Chapter after chapter filled with never ending dialogue that goes nowhere.
4. How is the first book 90% filler!?
5. Unlikeable and unmemorable main characters.
6. Too much telling and not enough showing.
7. Endless travel from one place to another.
8. Constantly rehashes the key points of the story in case you forgot.
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