Anexis Matos

Synopsis

In order to get revenge on his family, Nico Morgan forces a bargain between him and his ex, Athena Evans. Both have different motives, but enter this bargain without a plan to reconnect, only to find themselves unintentionally doing so.

Before Reading

This is book four in a series. I’m not sure if I’ll go back and read the other three, but know that before reading. It didn’t feel like I missed anything from the other books, so it doesn’t feel necessary to read the first three. It would probably be fun, though.

Review

The prose is good. It’s accessible and easy to read.

The pacing is great. It’s not too fast or too slow. While something is always happening, there are still moments of rest where I can slow down. It’s fast enough to keep me turning the page.

The themes are well explored. The author focuses on specific ones and allows them to breathe on the page. It also helps that there isn’t a lot of unnecessary drama and conflict. While there’s a lot going on with our main characters, each has a specific focus.

I love these characters. Both of them have their own lives apart from each other. I love that. One of my issues with romances I’ve encountered before is that some female characters have no agency and the male character has no personality or life. His only focus is whatever the female character needs. I don’t judge anyone who reads this kind of romance. It’s just not for me.

I’ll be honest. I hated Nico when he first showed up. I loved Athena, but it took me some time to like Nico. This is the bad boy with a dark past character archetype done right. Credit to the author.

The arcs both characters follow is one I really enjoyed. The characters don’t feel like pieces for the author to move around as the plot requires. Because of this, the arcs feel believable.

I love this romance. I never thought blackmail would make such an interesting romantic story. It’s very cute and it doesn’t feel rushed or unnecessary.

My only critique is the friendship between the women. While it feels strong on the page, there’s not enough time dedicated to building it.

Conclusion

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. Color me shocked. I usually have such a hard time finding romance books I like. I rated it four stars. I think the friendship aspect between the women should have been explored more, but, other than that, it’s amazing.

Author’s Note

Hey, everyone! Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed today’s review.

I want to take a moment to congratulate myself. I read this book in Braille and, to my surprise, I finished it in about three days! One weekend! That hasn’t happened in years! I feel so accomplished, especially considering this was a book for class.

My video review for this book will be out on my channel in 2023. If you want to be the first to see it, subscribe to my channel below. I post Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, usually at 5:00 AM Eastern Standard Time. That way, you’ll have something to watch when you wake up.