Posted on  27/05/2021 14:11:28

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dark, mysterious, sensual and with a vivid gothic vibe, this is one tale I wished to have read as a full length novel.

A fascinating premise with just the right amount of dark suspense to have you ensnared from the very first page.



Sold by her father as a wife to a man she'd never met, Gisella sails to the shores of New Orleans with her sister Casket Girls to be a French wife for the man who bought her. Upon her arrival however, she is faced with the discovery that, the man who now owns her is something she though only exists in tales - a vampyre. A monster she can't help but love, despite his nature.
Sebastian in turn is fascinated by his new little wife. A wife who doesn't seem to fear him, despite seeing him at his worst.
And this is how their tale begins. One of love and betrayal, with strong Beauty and the Beast vibes, albeit with a couple of New Orleans black magic touches. Mysterious, gripping, full of feeling and passion.

The atmosphere is amazing and the descriptions top notch. You can practically see the gothic setting and feel alongside each character in there. From emotions to passion and desire, everything leaps from the page. Vivid, powerful descriptions you could practically get lost into. Wonderfully done.
The characters are wonderful - not only the handsome brooding hero and his strong and determined wife but also the side cast. I loved each and every one of them.
And the plot is absolutely gripping!



Unfortunately however, perhaps due to the short page count, things do feel rushed at times or lack explanation at others, while the ending is quite abrupt and the backstory lacking. All these combined disrupted the flow of the narrative and did make me backtrack several times over to see if I had perhaps skipped anything. A real shame if you ask me, since the premise is fabulous and the narrative an absolute delight. And I do wish the author would rewrite it into a full length novel because it would be guaranteed one of those books people will absolutely rave about.

ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publishing date: May 21, 2021.

Check out this book and more of Sofia Aves over at https://www.sofiaaves.com/