4.5 ✨

This was a surprise for me-- a very happy one!

I went in knowing nothing, and I came out a fan of Anna Velfam. An author who I hope is soon widely recognized as she deserves because her writing is strong, her character building inspired, and her plots fascinating.

I loved the plot surrounding the Celestials, it was very intriguing and well developed. It was intricately done yet easy to follow.

I adored our leads-- Gabriela and Tararus. They had excellent chemistry, bantering, and strong individual arcs. If I had one hang up in the book it was the romance-- I adored the chemistry between our leads, but would have enjoyed more romance at the forefront. But again, the romance took a back seat to some terrific personal journeys that helped expand each character.
There's also a really fun cast supporting the story-- personally, I'd love to read about the story of Beakon and his wife.

I felt engaged and immersed from start to ending, and came to care deeply for our leads-- easily rooting for them on their hard fought journey.

I must admit, I was was initially going to give this a 4, feeling disappointed with the ending-- desiring more closure-- but I belatedly realized this is not the end! There is a sequel in the works and it has me really excited. So please keep that in mind when reading. And please read the content warning page prior to the beginning of the tale, there is some content that may not be suitable for all readers.

This is a hidden gem that I hope is discovered by many soon!

Thank you to the author for the free arc in exchange for an honest review.