5⭐️2.5🌶️

Book 2

Romantasy

20yo FMC

Immortals

Class divided

Female rage

🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 normative society

Mysterious history

Class division

Slow burn

Allies to lovers

Rebellion

Beast familiar

Political/court life

I really appreciated the brief recap at the beginning of Glow of the Everflame, especially considering the intense events that immediately follow. Despite the short timeline in each book, so much happens, and I’m happy to report that this book didn’t suffer from the dreaded “second book slump.”

The foreshadowing in this series is fantastic! Cole is a master at world-building and creating tension. The stakes are high, and you can tell this series is crafted with longevity in mind. I’m particularly hoping that in the next book, we get more insight into the magic system—there’s so much potential there.

The FMC (female main character) is frustrating at times, but in a realistic way. Her internal struggle with trust and navigating the treacherous court intrigues feels genuine. She’s clearly out of her element, and her missteps highlight how unfamiliar and uncomfortable deception is to her. While she’s not the sharpest character in the room, her consistency is what makes her relatable. I can see her growth playing out across multiple books, which I’m excited to witness.

As for the MMC (male main character), I like him, though he does come across as a bit of a doormat at the moment. I’m hopeful that his character will evolve, but I’m glad we didn’t get his POV in this book—his simp side would have been more apparent, and I think it would have detracted from my overall impression of him. His motivations for supporting the crown felt a bit flimsy to me. They were well-presented, but I don’t think they landed the way they were intended.

I also found myself a bit disconnected from the second POV introduced in this book. It doesn’t feel like a permanent addition to the story, and it lacks the depth and direction to really pull me in. I’m not sure if it will even continue, but I don’t feel particularly invested in it at this point.

One thing I do love is the animal familiar! It’s always a win in my book when magic and beasts are involved.

And that ending? Intriguing, to say the least! I’m definitely eager to see where things go from here.

Thank you NetGalley and. For an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.