Scan barcode
A review by suspensethrill
My Darling Arrow by Saffron A. Kent
4.0
4-4.5 STARS
"Some girls are born perfect. They have perfect hair, perfect eyes, perfect skin. They have perfect grades and high ambitions. They're popular and admired. They're adored and revered. And loved. I'm not one of them."
[b:My Darling Arrow|52194105|My Darling Arrow (St. Mary’s Rebels #1)|Saffron A. Kent|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598452872l/52194105._SY75_.jpg|73611282] is my first read from [a:Saffron A. Kent|16192760|Saffron A. Kent|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1573829492p2/16192760.jpg], but it certainly won't be my last. I requested an arc knowing absolutely nothing about her writing, but I knew that I needed to switch up my indie romance reading habits and I've always been a big risk taker when it comes to which books I choose to pick up. Long story short: this was a gamble that paid off, as I think I've found a new favorite author!
First off, I'd like to encourage anyone who can afford it to purchase the paperback; the formatting is unique and it is GORGEOUS. There are some really breathtaking art insertions, including a lipstick collage that made me want to do some serious online shopping even though I have nowhere to wear said lipstick these days.
On to the book. Going in, I had no idea this would be the beginning of a new series of standalone romance books, but let me tell you, I am pumped for this! Not only did MDA find a special home in my heart, but it made me immediately want to continue on with the rest of the side characters. In the beginning of this book, Salem bonds with a handful of girls at the reform school, which I then assumed was to set up the following books, but please note that we get so much more than filler characters. One of my pet peeves in romance novels, and just genre fiction in general, is that we rarely get to witness healthy, platonic relationships between ladies of a similar age. Here, Saffron has created a wonderful girl gang who are supportive of each other instead of constantly trying to undermine each other.
Also, it's fair to state that the beginning of this novel I had the impression that the steam level might be below what I typically read because Salem is a bit naive and inexperienced. BLESS MY HEART I was wrong! The steam level here increased exponentially once we got going, and I found out it's really hard to fan yourself while flipping pages, just FYI. I adored the chemistry between Arrow and Salem, and I love that their romance went beyond how they grew as a couple, but also to how they healed as individuals based on past trauma in their lives. I would love to touch on this more, but alas, that would be spoiler territory and you should just read the book.
The ending was exactly what I wanted, and I was delightfully surprised that the author is generous in giving us an epilogue from both Salem and Arrow's POV, and also a sneak peek into Callie and Reed's book titled A Gorgeous Villain. I simply cannot wait to read the rest of this series, and I sincerely hope that, if you're a fellow romance lover like I am, that you'll give [b:My Darling Arrow|52194105|My Darling Arrow (St. Mary’s Rebels #1)|Saffron A. Kent|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598452872l/52194105._SY75_.jpg|73611282] a try for yourself.
"We're the girls with secrets and witchy hearts. We're the girls who listen to sad songs. Who slow dance to them with tears streaming down our faces, even as a smile lingers on our lips. Who cry in our pillows at night and who ride out sunshine-yellow bicycle along the empty, desolate, miserable places, where no one goes."
*Many thanks to the author and Wildfire Marketing for my review copy.
"Some girls are born perfect. They have perfect hair, perfect eyes, perfect skin. They have perfect grades and high ambitions. They're popular and admired. They're adored and revered. And loved. I'm not one of them."
[b:My Darling Arrow|52194105|My Darling Arrow (St. Mary’s Rebels #1)|Saffron A. Kent|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598452872l/52194105._SY75_.jpg|73611282] is my first read from [a:Saffron A. Kent|16192760|Saffron A. Kent|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1573829492p2/16192760.jpg], but it certainly won't be my last. I requested an arc knowing absolutely nothing about her writing, but I knew that I needed to switch up my indie romance reading habits and I've always been a big risk taker when it comes to which books I choose to pick up. Long story short: this was a gamble that paid off, as I think I've found a new favorite author!
First off, I'd like to encourage anyone who can afford it to purchase the paperback; the formatting is unique and it is GORGEOUS. There are some really breathtaking art insertions, including a lipstick collage that made me want to do some serious online shopping even though I have nowhere to wear said lipstick these days.
On to the book. Going in, I had no idea this would be the beginning of a new series of standalone romance books, but let me tell you, I am pumped for this! Not only did MDA find a special home in my heart, but it made me immediately want to continue on with the rest of the side characters. In the beginning of this book, Salem bonds with a handful of girls at the reform school, which I then assumed was to set up the following books, but please note that we get so much more than filler characters. One of my pet peeves in romance novels, and just genre fiction in general, is that we rarely get to witness healthy, platonic relationships between ladies of a similar age. Here, Saffron has created a wonderful girl gang who are supportive of each other instead of constantly trying to undermine each other.
Also, it's fair to state that the beginning of this novel I had the impression that the steam level might be below what I typically read because Salem is a bit naive and inexperienced. BLESS MY HEART I was wrong! The steam level here increased exponentially once we got going, and I found out it's really hard to fan yourself while flipping pages, just FYI. I adored the chemistry between Arrow and Salem, and I love that their romance went beyond how they grew as a couple, but also to how they healed as individuals based on past trauma in their lives. I would love to touch on this more, but alas, that would be spoiler territory and you should just read the book.
The ending was exactly what I wanted, and I was delightfully surprised that the author is generous in giving us an epilogue from both Salem and Arrow's POV, and also a sneak peek into Callie and Reed's book titled A Gorgeous Villain. I simply cannot wait to read the rest of this series, and I sincerely hope that, if you're a fellow romance lover like I am, that you'll give [b:My Darling Arrow|52194105|My Darling Arrow (St. Mary’s Rebels #1)|Saffron A. Kent|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598452872l/52194105._SY75_.jpg|73611282] a try for yourself.
"We're the girls with secrets and witchy hearts. We're the girls who listen to sad songs. Who slow dance to them with tears streaming down our faces, even as a smile lingers on our lips. Who cry in our pillows at night and who ride out sunshine-yellow bicycle along the empty, desolate, miserable places, where no one goes."
*Many thanks to the author and Wildfire Marketing for my review copy.