“Write me a story where there is no ending, Kitt.” —Iris Winnow, page 335

there really is something to be said about dacre’s power being healing—and by healing, he can close up memories, as if memories are open wounds that need to be healed. ugh. one of the most interesting bits about this book. i love you magical amnesia. 

anyway, my main qualms:

1. this should probably be a trilogy or just a longer duology (the passage of time from DIVINE RIVALS to RUTHLESS VOWS continues to feel rushed; slowing the pace down more, getting to know roman and iris and have their relationship woven together over the course of multiple books would make the events that happen in this book even juicier);

2. this probably shouldn’t be a ya book because iris and roman being eighteen is so . . . i’m not gonna say laughable because there are plenty of fantasy series with teens and children in them, but hearing roman cry out for his wife might just hit better if he was like, i don’t know, twenty-seven; and

3. the writing itself. i’m so sorry, but i mean this in the least cruelest way possible, but ross’ prose feels like the best wattpad has to offer. or, okay, let me put it this way: some lines are really good, but in the way when you’re sixteen and you read a really good line and then you come back to it later after years, and you think, ah, yes, i was sixteen when i obsessed over these words. i have no other way to explain it!

that’s all to say that this book is like a very, very high 3-star read with intriguing characters and beats, but the execution is . . . what it is.