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Review

5 heartwrenching stars

I can count on one hand the number of times I have chosen to pick up a book that I know is going to emotionally wreck me. Though I love to feel a book, and love an emotional story, I avoid any book or movie that I know will cause me heartbreak. So, while I devoured the Ravenhood series when they were first released, I chose to not read this one. Until now. And OMG, I have been wrecked, and I regret nothing.

The books in this series are an experience. On the surface they are angsty and frustrating with somewhat toxic relationships, but dive into it and there is no denying the epicness of these love stories, the depth of the storytelling or the gutwrenching emotion that you feel through every moment of it. This book is a spin-off from the original Ravenhood trilogy, giving us an in-depth look at one of the main characters in more detail as we explore Dom’s story. And no, you definitely cannot read this book as a standalone.

From his tragic childhood and difficult past to his secretive life as an adult and all of the events of the original trilogy, this book takes us right to the heart of this complicated man – part villain, mostly hero – and it is a wild ride. From his thirst for vengeance and his anger at the unfairness in the world to his hidden soft heart and his fierce love of his brothers (both real and chosen), I feel like I actually got to know Dom in this book. He is so complex, and without his perspective in the original trilogy, there was so much that we didn’t know, and I so appreciated seeing his side of the story. Especially as we get to see him slowly and quite against his will, fall into passionate and all consuming love, and OMG, the emotion through it all is so incredibly intense!

“I would give fucking anything for one more day. Just one.”

I felt everything, I relished every moment, and loved all of the detail, even while I read with a sense of dread knowing what was coming. My heart was pounding and I was in tears at the unfairness of it all, but I’m so glad I delved back into this world, the already rich story now having even more of a sense of completeness.

Kate Stewart has written this book so well – showing us Dom’s reaction to key events from the Ravenhood series without being repetitive, and also giving us extra things that we didn’t see, but that add depth to the story, to the romance, and to Dom’s character. I came to understand him, I came to understand all that his small circle of loved ones see in him, and I felt that Stewart did an amazing job of showing Dom’s huge heart as he carried so much burden and sacrificed so much for the people that he cares for.

This is such a wonderful addition to the Ravenhood series. It hurt, but I loved it.

5 stars.

Note – I listed to this as an audiobook, narrated by Joe Arden (with some duet narration with Maxine Mitchell), and it’s just amazing. Arden does the most incredible job bringing Dom to life with SO much emotion. Some of those scenes are absolutely gutwrenching, it feels like you’re right inside of Dom’s heart feeling everything with him, and it was wonderful to experience this read with all of that emotion. Such a great book to listen to, I highly recommend this audio!