2.5 ⭐️. You don’t have to be a bitch to be strong, or a doormat to be kind.
““And I’m sorry, I was being a bitch earlier. I know you were forced into the arranged marriage thing the same way I was, and I shouldn’t be angry with you for it. The past is in the past.””
““I thought you were choosing wives.”
“How very human of you.” He stepped past me, heading up the stairs.”
This here, is the major issue for the entire book.
She gets justifiably angry, frustrated, or just hurt by his treatment of her, but then does her best to see things from both points of view.
She is willing to try, to understand, to compromise, while he expects her to learn ‘his’ ways, to always be first to give, to always be first to sacrifice and apologise.
He only once showed his awareness of her situation, but that was in general. He is only ever willing to give back, or offer up something after she has either shamed him, or given something of greater value.
I’m all for her not being a bitch. But she can manage that, without having to tolerate his neglect and abuse. She should at least be attempting to set healthier boundaries.
If she’s whole and balanced enough to be so fair and decent, how about sharing those sensibilities with herself?
It’s subtle patriarchal propaganda, where women are gentle, kind, nurturing (blah, blah), while men are aggressive, un-emotional, strong, domineering (A-holes).
They even make a comment how ‘women’ aren’t into fighting and war games like men … YeP🥸
While the MMC’s might also be suffering, they were not isolated, alone, without information, control over their choices, and had hope that things would soon improve.
The FMC’s had none of this, and almost no hope for the future.
Very far from equal, and yet they are expected to find the ability to understand, empathise, and forgive any temper tantrums, cruelty, or lack of decency the males exhibit …?
All this is so disappointing, as the world, story-line, and where it’s all going, are really well done.
While a lot of detail is still missing, what’s there, is utterly interesting, and engaging.
Though I struggled to get past the FMC’s lack of anger at the Fae, and their role in the woman’s current circumstances. So not believable, and left the book shallower than it could have been.
Then of course, how American centric it was. The event was global, but the Fae only chose Women from the USA…
I got through this by skipping over the parts I found too frustrating, or aggravating, and concentrating on the overall story, the part I really did enjoy.
Big, huge, specific edit, and this could be at least 4⭐️.
Choose, is it a dark romance, PNR fantasy fluff, or overall fun fantasy-romance.
Right now, it’s got bits of all three, and they clash with each other, making it not suit those readers, but too much to entice a more general readership.
Having said all of that, that’s just my taste and opinion.
I’ve no doubt, there is an audience for this as is. I just think the potential for greater quality, and a larger audience, is all so disappointingly possible.