The goddess has jokes. It seems I'm at the end of her latest one. I've been notified that I have three mates I must find, and if I can't complete my circuit, it's not too big of a deal. It's just that, well, the Night might eat my soul. So, the fact that one of my mates doesn't want me, and that I don't know who the last one is, isn't too worrisome. Do I really need my soul? The Night has jokes, too. Should I trust the bond that he created between me and his son? Or will his epic play end on his terms?

MY THOUGHTS

We really get down to business in this book as we finally understand more about “Night” and what Gabriella and company need to do. Gabriella’s last couple mates make for some messy entangled drama. Their powers as a unit really come into play as Gabriella can draw from her mates to get things taken care of. A lot is going on in this book, including a look at things from the other side.

About the Characters

Gabriella is so fun when “drunk”, but is all too patient and nice sometimes. They’re not bad qualities, but man did a couple people deserve a slap in the face. Balfour always puts Gabriella first and is smart in how he protects her. His magic is focused in runes and he used them easily, both for fun and when necessary. Foster is great fun, but his wolfy side brings an element that blurs the line between sexy and disturbing. Dar is almost the leader of the men, even though Balfour is the “first mate”. He’s old and knows a lot of the world the group has been thrust into. Cyrus is swoonworthy in how sweet he is. He’s also sly as he tries to subtly get the other men used to being touched. Grey is his chill, sexy vampire self. Palmer is settling in and remains goofy and fun. Jericho is dark and broody yet a total softie when it comes to Gabriella. He’s sexy as hell and might be my favorite of the group. Royce is on my black list for most of the book. He seems like a nice guy and all, but he’s taken and puts Gabriella through hell as he figures things out. Pax is the youngest and newest, except for Royce, addition to the group. He’s totally cute and sweet and very low key all around.

Things I Liked

With so many men to keep track of, it is impressive that each and every one of them feel like an individual. Some might be similar, might be more prominent, but I know who each and every one of them is as a person. Gabriella does too and makes sure they know it. The broken bed and more “drunken” antics made for a lot of fun amidst the turmoil. I couldn’t get enough of the happy times.

Things I Didn’t Like

Apollo. He started off on the wrong foot and then just felt awkward from there. His presence and bond are questionable and their relationship is in a weird place. He’s kind of a wild card and I don’t know if that’s really in a good way yet. The turmoil around Royce was hard to read. I may like how it ultimately played out, but damn. My biggest complaint (and I realize it was probably on purpose, but still!) is “the Night”. His monologuing was painfully obnoxious and his evil knew no bounds. Thankfully, he was kind off his rocker or he could have done so much worse.

More Thoughts

This one ends on a literal cliffhanger, letting the author make a bad pun (which is honestly fun). Bal and Foster’s new circumstances are just heartbreaking and it almost physically hurts. The reforging of memories and such almost never feel the same as before, so I really fear how things will turn out for them.

Does it stand alone?

Definitely not as it picks up from right where the last one left off with no catch up passages.

Bottom Line

Overall it was a sweet read with some fun moments, but Apollo and his dad kind of brought things down for me. That being said, I MUST finish the series!