I still have 5 hours left to go. At this point I need to take a break because the level of grief that is infused into this story is starting to be too much for me. I too have lost a parent. If you are looking for an upbeat, exciting story, this isn’t it.
This is one of the better romantic fantasy stories I have come across lately. There is a surprising amount of depth to it. The female character (Calli) is likeable and resourceful, and a truly nice and caring person. If you are sick and tired of the callous, entitled and/or stupid female characters you can frequently find in “modern” romantic fantasies, this is a truly refreshing read. Calli is “special”, but she isn’t overpowered or invincible. She is able to lean on others to help her.
The pacing of this story feels a bit slow. There is plenty going on, but it also kinda feels like we are treading water. Solving problems doesn’t seem to be getting us anywhere closer to a “solution” or “ending”. I suppose that’s because there is no “goal” besides “keep people safe”. It is very clear that there will always be more problems. I don’t know what needs to happen for the story to be “done”. (Oh, I’ve just realized that this is part of a series, not a standalone book. Now things make more sense. I am hoping the grief won’t be quite as present later on, or else I will struggle to get through the series.)
As another reviewer has mentioned, this is a reverse harem story (3 males). I wish it weren’t. But there is enough other stuff going on that it’s possible to look past that. In some ways it is a slow burn (mostly when it comes to physical intimacy). But in other ways the relationships form very quickly and they become a wholesome, caring family almost overnight.
The narration could be better. The accents / voices are a bit cringe-worthy at times. But 99% of the time I know who is speaking. The narration is rarely immersion-breaking. I’ve stopped thinking about British English vs American English. Calli and her brother are from the UK. The way Calli has been adapting to a US lifestyle has been adorable to watch.