3 stars! finished this on an airplane which felt kinda crazy but frankly I’ve read worse fanfic in public

In general, I didn’t enjoy this couple much! the sex was fun (that’s the 3 stars) but otherwise the possessiveness here is a hugeeee damper on their relationship dynamics for me. Felix is constantly saying “wow I would never disrespect her wishes or harm her, I can’t be a creep” and manages to do all of those things while pretending it’s okay for “protection”… love potion or not, everything is justified in the end by fated mating, so what could’ve  been hot just ended up feeling overbearing. And everyone from the outside is just cool with it? nah 

Brie is an interesting gal. I like that she is brave by choice, not by default. her loving monsterfucker books then being terrified of one is hysterical. but frankly I had no particular fondness for her or Felix like I did Fallon & Cin. If anything, I always wished the parts with Fallon & Cin were longer. 

I do think the love potion was handled in an interesting way; having it be more of a health concern than a pass for violating consent is a new take! but it kinda fell flat when Felix is free of the potion and still acts… like that. idk this is preference, but men who make decisions for women as “romance” are not my jam so I was kinda like… ok

I did like the overall ye olde incel cult sub-plot; Brie freaking out an eldritch beast with omegaverse summaries is the exact sort of funny I enjoyed from the first book. Incels get shredded and the giant lobster becomes a feast… incredible. I’m going to read the last one for the sake of finishing, but really I have no urge to see the next couple. I would like to see a book about the captain and her sexy snake man but maybe that’s coming next? Otherwise I kinda just want to re-read the first one for Cin/Fallon