Frankly, I can't imagine that anyone has ever finished an Ilona Andrews book without immediately craving the sequel, but the Hidden Legacies series in particular really brings out the 'gimme' mentally in me. It doesn't help that each book seems to end with an Epilogue that ensures I'm already online and ready to pre-order the sequel by the time I've finished the last page. Maybe the issue is that we're dealing with authors with supernatural abilities, and we all need an antistasi boyfriend to resist their charm. Or maybe they're just that good? I guess we'll never know.

What I do know is that Emerald Blaze is a must have for everyone. Okay, I say almost hear some of you getting ready to inform me that you 'hate' urban fantasy and 'would never under any circumstances' enjoy anything resembling a paranormal romance. For your own sake, hear me out and pick up a copy of this book. You can thank me later. Although to save yourself the confusion, at least pick up Sapphire Flames first. And really you should be reading the entire Hidden Legacies series for the full effect... Plus it would be rude to not read the other series by these brilliant authors, you know, to see how their writing evolves. Basically, go buy their entire published works. I still promise you'll thank me later.

Whilst you await your order, let me give you the lowdown on their most recent work, and why you should be excited about it. To say that things between Catalina and Alessandro were on the rocks at the end of Sapphire Flames would be an understatement. Emerald Blaze drops you right into the busy life of Catalina Baylor six months later, as she wraps up a case of a missing monkey. But this is post-Osiris serum Houston, so she runs into her next case pretty quickly. Or rather, it runs at her. This chapter had been released as a preview a while back, and if this was any other author, that would mean skip skip skip to all the new juicy stuff. But honestly, anyone other fans of Ilona Andrews will tell you that when you get your hands on a new release, you savour every word of it. And boy does this opening grip you.

I really love this structure at play here, taking an action packed start to draw you back into the story, and then catching you back up after the fact. It works so much better than the standard 'here's what you missed' catch up that so many authors cram into the start of the first chapter, and the story feels all the more organic for it. What you get instead is a reminder of how badass Catalina is, and how much you love her family and friends. 

And can we please talk secondary characters? No one does them better! I realise that this review should just be called '20 reasons I love Ilona Andrews', but honestly can you blame me? Although we live in and age where spin off, prequels and sagas are at the height of popularity, its not often that you feel so very invested in the characters that you're hoping that every single one gets their own series. I can tell you for a fact that I would read a trilogy centred around any member of the Baylor family, their friends, scary Tremaine grandmother, sapphic security chief, possible suspects and more. Each one of them is fleshed out and interesting to the reader. 

And that is not to say that the protagonists aren't interesting themselves, because they are. Since the last book, Catalina has grown into her still relatively new role as Head of House, as well as now also toting the role of Deputy Warden of the State of Texas. She's grown into herself all the more for it, while regressing a little in her willingness to open up. She's been burned one time too many and had come back stronger, but more closed off. Being abandoned as you're about to confess your love will do that to you. 

I liked the dynamic between her and Alessandro in this instalment. They're both changed from when we saw them last, and in a sense the tables have turned. Alessandro isn't exactly an open book, but compared to the uber secretive Italian she faced a mere six months ago, his willingness to answer any question is as close as you'll get. Now Catalina need only trust him enough to ask. Meanwhile Alessandro isn't the only one vying for her attention. He has competition, ranging from Prime this and Abyss that. 

"The wolf was coming." (Prologue)

"Be careful, Catalina. The night is dark, and the wolves have vicious teeth. Guard yourself." (Chapter 3)

With each instalment the stakes are higher, the characters even more developed and diverse, and the world even ore fleshed out in history. This plot is my favourite yet in this series. one that I found truly original and gripping from start to finish. 

This is the series that keeps setting the standard for the genre, as far as I am concerned. 

Now to face the only downside about Ilona Andrews: figuring out what the hell to read next that won't flop by comparison. 

PS: How could you leave us with that ending??? 

Back to September grips you from the first page, and doesn't let you go until you've thoroughly experienced the emotional roller coaster.

I was already a fan of Melissa Brayden's writing, so I pretty much knew going in that this was going to be a hit for me. It can be a tough job trying to find a good f/f romance without having to compromise on the actual quality of the writing. But Brayden delivers on all fronts. Lovable characters, exciting settings and fresh plots; there's little room for complaint. As a queer woman, it's exciting to see novels like Back to September hitting the shelves, and paving the way for more in the future!

I loved the book in it's entirety, but I think my favourite part is definitely the first meeting between Parker and Hannah. A Likely Story makes for such a fun setting, and one of my few complains for Back to September is that we didn't get to see more of it. I have to say that most of my favourite moments are set there, I've mentioned the first meeting, but the epilogue is high up there too. There's a certain energy to the setting, and I don't quite know what the root of that is, but I'm certainly not complaining. I'd love to see A Likely Story crop up again in a future novel by Brayden.

There's definitely room for subsequent novels or novellas stemming from Back to September! I think one of Brayden's strengths as an author is her ability to flesh out the secondary characters. Its slightly worrying, the extent to which her writing had me investing myself into characters I may never see again. There's honestly no character I don't want to see more of. Name one, and I'm likely invested. Okay, I'll admit that I have zero real interest in Amy's ex, but other than him, take your pick! I want to see more of Amy and Bo, Pinky, Luna and even Carissa. Was she annoying? Yes. Did she repeatedly irritate me? Yes. Do I still want to see if she matures and ultimately finds someone? YES.

Brayden doesn't just flesh out the secondary characters though. Parker and Hannah obviously have well thought out backstories, and their character growth throughout the book doesn't feel too rushed either. I was curious when they got together so quickly, as to how the narrative would pan out, but I think it works well. Ultimately, it results in a more unique plot structure for Back to September, and doesn't have it feeling too predictable, as some romances definitely are guilty of.

Overall, Back to September is an absolute pleasure to read! I'm excited to see more from Melissa Brayden, and whether she'll revisit any of the settings or characters from this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldstrokes for providing and ARC e-copy for the purposes of honest review.

I need to start off by mentioning the branding for No Experience Required is totally off. Let's talk about the blurb first. I read through it a little while back, and didn't bother to do so again before starting the read. But as certain moments in the narrative unfolded, I was left a little confused to find things didn't add up. I found myself returning to the blurb, to double check I hadn't imagined reading it, or misread it altogether. I was reassured, but again confused, to find it as I remembered it. I was more reassured to find that the general consensus is that the blurb is misleading. I won't go into too-specific details, because I don't want to give too much away, but if you;re looking to pick up No Experience Required, take the synopsis with a pinch of salt.

My second issue with the branding is that the cover just doesn't really fit, in my opinion. I appreciate the nods towards An Idiots Guide to Love, and I think the colour palette is fresh and different, but that's about it. I'm sure a lot of it is down to making the cover marketable, but the model doesn't match up with the protagonist which is disappointing. The main problem there is that Izzy is supposed to be 47, and everything about this cover screams 'college' to me.

I suppose though, I can forgive whoever was in charge of cover design, because anyone who's actually read No Experience Required could testify to the fact that Izzy acts her age.. never. Honestly this bothered me more than it should have, because for the longest time I thought it was going to be an important part of the narrative, but ultimately she just acts immature throughout the novel for no definable reason. I think it's one of the main reasons I struggled to connect with Izzy. It was very bizarre to read about a character over twice my own age acting in a way that even I found immature.

I'm overall really disappointed with this one, because I went in very excited. The first few chapters were exciting, and I liked the initial moments between Izzy and Jane. I liked the banter between Izzy and her friends/colleagues, and I was excited to see if she'd be a bit of a modern take on Austen's Emma. Unfortunately no, and I think that only added to my disappointment, although that's on me for going i with certain expectations.

The writing is generally good, but I think the novel needs another round of editing, to really decide what sections are really necessary for the book to work and also keep the reader engaged. Currently I think it has a few issues, especially in terms of some form choices. Its an interesting idea to have sections of An Idiots Guide to Love interspersed withing the novel, which in parts definitely adds to the story. Unfortunately, I think as it stands currently, it overwhelms the narrative, and honestly those sections left me feeling less engaged. I read a couple reviews where people mentioned skimming them, and I have to admit that I found myself doing the same.

I'd be interested to see more from Kimberly Cooper Griffin, because as I mentioned, her writing is overall enjoyable! I think here it was just a little overwhelmed by the plot and serious matters at hand at times. No Experience Required fell short for me, but I can see there's potential in the book, and even moreso in the author's writing itself!

Thank you again to author and publisher for providing an ARC e-copy for honest review.

To say I've been excited for this one is probably an understatement. You know how we all have those authors whose works just click perfectly for us? Stylo Fantôme is totally that author for me. I honestly don't think I could read a single sentence from her without promptly selling my soul to the Satan for the next, if the situation called for it. Thankfully for me, Satan's time is otherwise occupied right now, and I was able to speed through What We Do in the Light without having to sacrifice anything. Well, as long as we're not counting a few hours sleep and the cost of the book!

I've been reflecting all day on this novel, and why I found it to be so different from what I usually expect from Fantôme. I know she's mentioned this instalment causing a little trouble for her, so I wondered at first if that was it. But I think the main difference is that what we really get in What We Do in the Light is a book-long resolvement. Valentine and Aaron spend a large portion of this book separated, and having to work through problems. There's definitely a change of pace from the first book, which I wonder if some readers might find a little disappointing. I personally really loved the new approach from Fantôme! What We Do in the Dark definitely felt like a honeymoon period for our protagonists, and as fun as it was, I don't think it was feasible to give us a sequel that followed that same pattern.

We definitely get our moments of excitement in What We Do in the Light, but the general vibe I got was that it was a book that wasn't afraid to delve a little deeper into the functionality of the relationship. The focus if definitely placed on the characters as individuals, their growth, and whether their relationship is feasible or not. I think it worked well for the story arc, and gave us a chance to get to know the characters more intimately. I definitely left this book with much more understanding of who Ari is and what drives him.

It definitely felt like a structure with a little more risk, in terms of what readers are expecting, and I really appreciated that! I think any good author should be prepared to push their limits a little more, and I feel like Stylo Fantôme really deliver that with this new addition to her listography! All while dropping in the odd moment to remind you not to take it too seriously. First we had that great quote from Bailey about rom-coms, which felt so meta to me! By the end of the book, I felt like we got to not only see Ari and Val grow to learn that being predictable in certain areas of life was okay, but that we also got to see the author's growth with structure, and choosing when to differ from the norm and when to abide to it. Or at least, that was my take!I also want to mention the scene with Madam Zolo, because that felt so meta to me, in the best way! I think it added an interesting element within the narrative, but also gave the reader the insight into the research that went in pre-writing. Definitely one of those moment when you're reminded of how much work went into the book you're holding. And overall a fun addition for the actual storyline too.

The secondary characters were really fun in this instalment too! I've already mentioned Bailey, but I really grew to love her so much more in this book. I think we got to see her grow a little, and I'd be so interested in seeing a short story about her and Devlin, or even a full length novel, if there was content enough there. The same goes for Evans! I felt like we were getting hints at a possible series focused on him? But that would totally be wishful thinking on my part. Bascially, I just want books about the Daniels brothers. Fantôme always seems to have a way to draw me into the secondary characters and leave me wanting more! I'm definitely excited to see if we get to revisit any of these guys and the settings we've grown to love! Will we see more of Caché?

Overall, a really great addition to my e-bookshelf, and definitely a book I'll look into buying a physical copy of! The characters were fun flirty and dirty but didn't lack depth, the plot was strong and the structure overall fresh and gripping! I'm so excited to see what else Stylo Fantôme has in store for us!

This is my first time reading anything by Kate McBrien, and I'd definitely come back for seconds!

Built to Last opens with our protagonists living worlds apart, and not just because of the ocean separating them. Max is an up and coming music producer based in London. We get a swift introduction to his family, their pub The Carmichael Arms, and a peak into his sister's life that'll be important down the line.  Althea on the other hand, is living in the beautiful Santorini, tending to a mixed list of jobs, and fielding any calls she can from her family. And honestly who can blame her?

It's pretty evident from the get-go that there's bound to be some kind of clash of personalities between the two. In the authors own words, "Althea has strong opinions on just about every topic, and Max is wonderfully stubborn". This makes for an interesting pairing for sure!

I found Built to Last a little slow to really kick off. Introducing the characters separately at the beginning made for an interesting chance to see them at their own pace, especially given that a fair amount of the book has them pushed together for the road trip. I think my issue was with how drawn out the time spent on Santorini was. Like I mentioned, this is my first time reading anything by McBrien, so I think the full impact of the wedding was a little lost on me. I think it's definitely one of those scenes geared towards long-time fans of the Indigo series! Definitely something to bear in mind going in. I don't think it brought anything to the novel, other than an easy way to bring Althea and Max together.

On the flip side of all that, I did find some of the elements a little rushed. Althea has a bit of a tendency to immediately jump into intimacy when she's upset, which can be a little jarring. It's makes for interesting, but ultimately clumsy, dialogue and plot. This is mostly true for Chapter 19, when Althea calls her father from the bathroom of a club they happen to be in, the result of which is her feeling "empty" and alone. This leads to her hugging and then kissing Max, both "without waiting for permission" which poses it's own set of problems. My real issue for me lies in the resenting awkwardness in the narrative. Max doesn't question her advance at all in the club, when she's literally just broken into tears in his arms. I think the idea is that he's caught up in the moment and doesn't really question it until later when things get a little more heated.

The issue here for me can pretty much be summed up in this line of dialogue: "I think it's too bad we can't teleport back to the hotel". Setting here plays an important role, and unfortunately not in a good way. Max's "This doesn't feel right" comes only a few pages after Althea first kisses him in the club, but in real time this happens after they've had to leave the club, call their limo, be driven all the way back to the hotel, "walk through the lobby", ride a busy elevator up to their floor, and then decide which of their rooms to go to. It would have made so much more sense of him to have come to that conclusion before getting to her room and undressing, and I couldn't stop thinking that as I was reading it.

I enjoyed the novel as a whole, but it was in moment like that that I was left wondering if maybe Built to Last needs a little more editing to really do the plot line justice.

I liked the road-trip element of the book, and I think McBrien is pretty good at giving us her own take on the familiar 'sharing a room' trope that we've seen over and over. It's a personal favourite, and she definitely delivers a cute take on it! It actually leads on to one of my favourite parts of Max and Althea's budding relationship, which is Max's lullaby's. It's a really sweet element of the novel, and gives us a chance to really feel involved by using real songs. I know some people aren't fans of mentioning specific songs within books, but I personally really enjoy it. And music plays such a huge role in Built to Last, that it's really nice to be able to put the songs on whilst reading. Definitely adds another fun element to the book! And a perfect way to help us explore the characters that little bit more!

McBrien does a great job at creating a real sense of who the characters are and what drives them. I think the Epilogue reads especially well for this, and does a nice job of closing up the book. We get a look into how Althea and Max are doing in their professional and personal lives, and I think you can really tell they've both matured, and learnt the balance of staying true to your beliefs and compromising.

Overall, an good plot and interesting characters! I'd be interested to see how Kate McBrien's other books play out, and if maybe this one just wasn't a great fit for me!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kate McBrien for providing this e-ARC copy for honest review.

I need to premise this by mentioning how much of a Meg Cabot fan I am. Now bear that in mind going forward, because god knows what I'd make of No Judgements if I didn't previously like her writing.

I recently finished Bridal Boot Camp, the short story that's preceded No Judgements. Anyone who's read that review will know that I had my fair share of problems when it came to the first instalment in the series (if you can really call it that). My main issue being that the focus of it was clearly to set up for this novel, with particular focus being place on setting over plot or character development. The result was a slightly imbalanced and weirdly paced end product.

This didn't worry me too much going into No Judgements, because as I mentioned, I'd assumed that this came down to the simple fact that it was a short story geared towards introducing us to Little Bridge Island. Which I was mostly okay with. Because I don't mind reading something a little rough around the edges (and extremely short) if it'll ultimately makes the difference when reading the sequel. My issue is that I found myself picking up on the same issues in this full length addition to the series. If we can really call it that? It felt very short to me, but that may just be a case of ebook syndrome.

I'm disappointed to say that No Judgements, like Bridal Boot Camp, really missed the mark for me. Honestly I'm shocked to be saying that, because as an avid animal lover with pink hair, and a love of disaster movies, I was really thinking this was going to be a pretty solid fit. And the blurb and cover definitely had me sold. Unfortunately, the book itself just didn't follow through. I'm going to try to narrow it down to what I think are the defining factors in what didn't work for me. But first, let's talk about what did work! Because it definitely wasn't all bad.

Unsurprisingly, Cabot paints an absolutely convincing picture of Little Bridge Island. We're reintroduced to some familiar settings, such as the Mermaid. It's a fun one, and definitely plays into that fun chick lit waitress trope that always seems to translate into interesting friendships between the staff. We definitely get a little of that at the beginning of the book, with Bree's friendships with fellow waitresses showcased at the hurricane party. And it obvious that the Mermaid staff and regulars serves as a kind of basis for the main characters. Certainly it paves the way narratively for Bree to stay with the Hartwells and ultimately for her to get closer to Drew.

And even without getting too location specific, the setting is definitely one of the more expanded elements of No Judgements. This is really where Cabot gets a chance to let her writing shine. It's definitely a relief, because anyone who's read her other works knows what potential her writing has for greatness. The Princess Diaries series is the most famous of all of her writing, but anyone who read her other series' knows that it wasn't a blip. Cabot can write damn well, and if you're paying attention, that'll be evident throughout No Judgements. It's engaging and descriptive in a way that really makes you feel there, and despite the otherwise cluttered narrative, does evoke a sense of calm? Her writing gives off that familiarity and comfort I definitely associate with her books.

Unfortunately, a good ambience and fleshed out world doesn't a 5 start book make. The plot is a little lackluster, and the pacing doesn't seem to help the case. Just like with Bridal Boot Camp, I found that I really enjoyed where the read was going until things started to get more heated between the main couple, and then things all started to feel a bit jumbled. It this case, that happened at the Chapter 15 mark, where Drew and Bree share their fist kiss. I know it sounds ridiculous, given it happens a whole 15 chapters into the novel, but it just came off a rushed for me. And this only got more evident to me as I kept reading. I can't quite decide if it's an editing issue maybe? I only say this because it almost feels like certain events were moved up within the narrative in order to make the book overall shorter. But I could be totally off the mark with that.

A longer version would have made so much more sense to me, in terms of the romance. I think Cabot writes romance best as a slow build, and does especially well in stretching a romance out over several books. I think I'd have enjoyed Bree and Drew far more if No Judgements had focused on the hurricane pushing them together, and them slowly growing to like each other after an initial miscommunication. And then with a subsequent book expanding on their budding friendship and attraction. As it was, I found the romance thoroughly rushed past the Chapter 15 mark.

I will also say that I think a longer book would have definitely helped create a bit more tension, and help equalise some of the weird pacing. Some scenes just felt so dragged out comparatively to the length of the book, when very little had actually happened within the plot. And the hurricane seemed to just.. Be over? The pacing seemed very strange to me, but I don't know how much of that if trying to be true to real life? Someone with experience of hurricanes will have to tell me if it read true to their experiences or not, I'm really intrigued.

I feel like I have so many points to address, but I also don't want to go on too much of a rant. I do, however, have to address that scene towards the end of the novel. You know, the one where we find our mostly level headed protagonist waving about a gun? Mmm. That was an interesting addition, that felt very out of place, and honestly came off as an attempt to drive more DRAMA! into the ending. I understood her motivations, given that it was supposed to be the climax of her character arc, finally confronting the things shes been running away from. It was a very literal approach, which didn't quite pay off. It also felt very out of character, and cheapened the sensitive subject matter.

Overall I was disappointed with No Judgements, and would have liked to see the characters explored more thoroughly. The writing is good insofar as style was concerned, but lacked the correct pacing and interest to really make the story flourish. A little cluttered.

Short and sweet read, but ultimately felt a little rushed.

Roberta James, our protagonist, is a physical trainer who seems keen on putting up a tough front, when in reality she's pretty emotional when it comes down to it. We see a little bit of this in Bridal Boot Camp, mainly through her reaction to Somewhere over the Rainbow. For the most part though, we have to go off her friend's description of her as a "big softie who cries at weddings and is obsessed with rom-coms". I will say that I definitely prefer to gleam information on protagonists based on their actions within the narrative; showing vs. telling and all that jazz. The issue here is that with a short story, there's only so much room for showing. And the focus here is definitely moreso geared towards showcasing the budding relationship between Rob and Ryan, than the actual characters themselves.

I don't think that's necessarily the mark of bad writing, but is definitely something to bear in mind going into this one. If you're looking for anything more than a quick-fix romance, this might not be the best bet. However, if you are looking for a quick-fix, Cabot definitely delivers! The characters are fun, and there's definitely some cute moments as well as some raunchier ones as well! Personally, I think this would have been a better fit for me if it were novel length, with a bit more development in plot and characters, but I pretty much guessed that would be the case gong in. I think novellas are a hard thing to pull off, and this missed the mark for me.

I will say that the setting is pretty well fleshed out. I got a pretty decent impression on what Little Bridge Island is like, both in terms of geography and the society too. We know all the best places to grab coffee, learn the lay of the land in terms of who's who and I even found the section on street names to be pretty cute and memorable. And I guess that makes a lot of sense to focus on the setting, given that this serves mostly as a precursor to No Judgements. That definitely felt evident to me whilst reading Bridal Boot Camp, especially with the mentions of the upcoming hurricane that we already knows will settle over the island for the events of No Judgements.

Overall a fun quick read, but lacking a little depth for my taste. Cabot does a good job of setting the scene for the following instalment (the real focus of the series), and I'm definitely left hoping that it pays off. Fingers crossed No Judgements is more to my tastes!

It's 1937, and welcome to a story of self-discovery, forbidden love, and a whole lot of mystery.

I can honestly say I loved this one! I've read Bennett's Arcadia Bell series, and its one of my favourites, so I knew the standard would be good going in. I think I picked this one up based on that alone, and the stunning cover, but only gave the synopsis a quick glance. So I was a little taken aback to discover whilst reading that The Lady Rogue was a fantasy novel! But it was a pleasant surprise, for the most part.

As with a lot of historical reads, finding the right balance in the language can be a little tricky. Too old school, and your reader can feel out of their depths. Too modern, and it can feel noticeably off brand. The Lady Rogue missed the mark for me a bit at first, at times feeling a little too modern, but I eventually settled into it and it wasn't overly distracting.

The setting was really well fleshed out! From start to finish, you can really tell that there's been a huge amount of effort put into research and subsequently the descriptive moments really shine for it! Setting is obviously super important for the plot, and so the effort that obviously went into shaping it and keeping it clear throughout really makes a huge impact. Also, the map that was included was super helpful, and adorable on top of that! Who doesn't love a map? As someone who struggles with visualising things, having a clear example of where everything is taking place makes a big difference! Also it just gets me so hyped up for the story to come! Is this a Pavlovian reaction from the GoT intro? Quite possibly, but I'm not complaining!

My biggest complaint overall was structure, mostly because I found that I got bored of the diary entries very quickly. Much like the nickname that kept popping up for him, Richard Damn Fox's diary entries left me feeling more irritated than interested. I found myself glancing them over for the most part, because they couldn't hold my attention. I was more focused on the characters and what was happening to them. The diary entries, although focal to the story, just felt like a distraction overall for me unfortunately. Thankfully, by comparison, the rest of the narrative felt a lot more vibrant!

Let's talks characters! I liked our protagonist, Theodora, even is she was a little grating at times! I think she was a well rounded character with an obvious fleshed-out backstory. Actually, a lot of the book revolves around the past and the impact it has on the characters now. Our love interest, Huck, is fleshed out most in regards to the past, and the relationship the two shared before the book begins. He can feel a little distant from the reader because of this, I think, but is overall likeable. The relationship as it plays out withing the event of the book, has its cute and serious moments alike. We get a nice role-reversal to the typical damsel in distress trope towards the end. It's evident the two care for each other, but I have to admit that I closed the book feeling like their story wasn't wrapped up.

My resounding thoughts for this one is that it felt like an intro into a series, although to my knowledge there aren't any plans for this to be a series? The ending definitely was left open for a sequel, with the resolution between the main characters, and the promise of them going forth to explore future adventures together. I just hope we get a glimpse into their future at some point, even if it's just a short story.

I'm really exited to see we we see any more of this family, and their adventures! I know I'd definitely pick up a sequel! I think there's a lot of potential there! The only things that bothered me in The Lady Rogue were feeling some of the characters needed more growth within the narrative, and the epistolary form. But with the reader already familiar with the characters, there's a solid basis to built on to flesh them out more. And as for the diary entries, based on how The Lady Rogue ended, I'd say that they'd likely be from Theo's travel journal, which I think would feel less jarring! We'll have to see!

Ilona and Gordon are back with a new addition to the Hidden Legacy series, and this time we're following Catalina. We got a little peak into her (younger) head with Diamond Fire, and I think we definitely needed that stepping stone from Navada to Catalina. I know a few people have struggled a little with the swap from the eldest Baylor sister that we'd all grown attached to, which is understandable. After all, we know reasonably little about Catalina. But isn't that kinda great? A fresh take on a world that we've already grown to love sounds perfect to me.

 I decided pretty early on that I wasn't going to re-read the previous three instalments leading up to the release of Sapphire Flames. And honestly I think it did me the world of good. I came in a little hazy on the events of Navada's triology, but remembered enough to feel comfortable in catching up pretty quickly. And as usual, our favourite author duo pave the way beautifully for returning and new readers. You could definitely cut in here if for some ungodly reason you felt the need to shun the previous books. Again, from the hours I've spent reading reviews for this one, I know that a fair amount of readers felt the loss of Nevada and Rogan in this one. But I think we really needed it to cement us in Catalina's narrative. I did at least! And in a way, this was really a introduction to a very new Catalina.

We had a taste of her in DF, as I mentioned, but 3 years have passed, and she's had to grow up. I say had to, because as Sapphire Flames opens, we're at the end of House Baylor's grace period, and as such, our protagonist is just about to really experience what it means to be Head of her House. Oh and there's the little issue of good people getting murdered. In terms of plot, we're thrown in deep straight off the bat. It'll come to absolutely no one's surprise that the execution of the hit the ground running start is pretty flawless.

Honestly the book is flawless, so if you were hoping for a 'but' at some point, you came to wrong place. I'm pretty damn smitten with the characters, setting, plot and general writing style. And lets just take a moment to discuss the setting. Sure, it's the same world we've walked in throughout the series, but damn if it isn't incredible. No one world builds quite like the Andrews. The magic structure is fresh and fun, you can tell they have a perfect control on the history of the world and the magic, and it really pays off. I struggled for a while trying to figure out exactly what is was that makes these books, more so even than the Kate Daniels series, so incredibly readable. And I think it's just that. Its no single part of the world or character building, or the fun and witty dialogue that makes's this so great. It's all of it. I honestly don't know how they do it, but at the risk of sounding cliche, picking up a Hidden Legacy book feels as easy as breathing. It's completely effortless. Some of my lucky Goodreads friends received ARC copies, and some of them read the book several times before it's official release date. Normally this would confuse me, because I'm not typically someone who easily re-reads within short frames of time. But let me tell you that I could just as easily have turned back to page one when I finished Sapphire Flames than put it down.

In fact, I'd say it was a great deal harder to put it down than to just start it all over again. This series is so addictive, that I'm pretty much ruined for all other books. If I had to reach for any series, it would hands down be this one. And with the ending of Sapphire Flames, I'm left desperately ready for a sequel. You can bet any money in the world that I will be spending every book until Hidden Legacy #5 just slightly disappointed, because nothing quite lives up to this standard. I'm almost tempted to say that I wish I'd waited to read Sapphire Flames until closer to the next release. 'Almost', because I'd be doing myself such a disservice. Honestly I've said it before and I will say in again and again until someone stops me: No one else write quite like Ilona and Gordon. There such an energy to every word, can you can tell how much love goes into each piece of writing.

 On the subject of love, lets talk romance. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about Alessandro and Catalina, mostly because I wasn't fully sold on Alessandro going in. I know, I'm surprised too. Happy to say that that was pretty swiftly nipped in the bud. We learned more about him pretty early on, that immediately had me sold. What can I say? All it takes is confidence, a nice smile and the ability to murder a man and then jump out a glass window. I'm a girl of few needs. But less on myself and Alessandro, and back to him and our new protagonist. I loved these two. In just one book, we really got a chance to see them in a variety of scenarios, and it was a nice chance to see how they reacted to each other. Angry, annoyed, flirty, protective, to name a few.

We went in knowing that Catalina had issues when it came to her magic and the possibility of any romantic endeavours was pretty off the table as far as she was concerned. Thankfully for her (and us as readers), Alessandro is pretty keen to put things very much on the table (or sink, I'm looking at you chapter 14). I was worried that I'd find the issue of Catalina's powers and the relationship a little iffy, but actually it was nice to see her vulnerable. As Head of House, she has to be everything but vulnerable, so the moments we get of her like that are pretty great.

Going in, I had a lot more questions about Catalina than Alessandro, but boy have the tables turned. Honestly I could go on and on and on about this one, but I'm in danger of spending all night glued to my laptop staring bleary eyed at the screen while typing away all my thoughts. I'll leave you with this quote:

"He should've never kissed me. He was mine now and I wanted him." 

If that doesn't have you eagerly awaiting the next instalment, I don't know what will. (Other than a pregnant Nevada finally returning, unveiling secrets about Alessandro and seeing how many more sacrifices Catalina is willing too make for the people she loves.)