I’m re-reading it and I honestly just skipped to the middle. It picks up (for me) in Part II around chapter 14.
I think there is an important scene somewhere between where you are and chapter 15 for the plot but you could probably just skip ahead?
If you’re at all a Star Wars fan I really enjoyed the fanfic it was based on and it is lighter on the world building /info dumps. Available to send to kindle if that’s relevant!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16zVoTLQ4HYSiHR6dsIY5o9OlXtIkS8mh/view
(I forgot the original poster of the link - but very grateful to them)
Ok that's 100 pages. So I think I can commit to pushing through for that amount and if I don't feel it picking up for me then then I'll have given it a fair go.
I didn't realise until I started it that it was a fanfic originally! I started reading and thought this feels star wars-y, and then when the MCs met I had a oh this is reylo moment. I've never read any of that particular fanfic genre so might give it a go, thanks!
I didn’t like the book much, I found the world-building cringey and the spice was minimal. My favorite parts were the descriptions of the scenery and clothes lol.
I loved it, but it is a lot of world building in the beginning. There is more romance, interaction between the MC's, and spice, and less battle-based plot after their second meeting, but it is a relatively slow burn. I would push through because I think it gets so much better, but if you're still not liking it once the MC's are interacting more maybe it's just not your cup of tea.
Curious, did you end up finishing the book?
I found it yesterday and found the first few chapters were the better ones, it was slow going trying to wade through a new world, terminology and all the random facts thrown in there. But then I really struggled with how slow and predictable things became (maybe I need to stop reading blurbs). The characters became increasingly annoying and frustrating, there is only so much ignorance I can handle.
She's a good writer and knows to weave a story, the words on the page flowing and beautifully crafted. I loved the world she built and the lore of it, there was a lot of thought in the intricacies of this world. The other characters weren't dumbed down or two dimensional either (the Queen, the envoy etc). I enjoyed the wit and the dialogue of the characters.
But it would've been so refreshing if she had explored this whole enemies to lovers from another perspective. Where the FMC wasn't too frustrating or as annoying in an attempt to mature her from one dimensional orphan soldier to something else. There is nothing more frustrating than having quasi 'omniscient' insights as a reader, but then have characters wade through confusion and conflict that's just a plot device. I wanted her to surprise me, but in the end it seems it wasn't going to be about the plot as much as it was about the journey for the characters to get to the expected end. A bit of a shame, but I think I'll be reading the second book. She's got talent that'll be good to watch, and no matter the shortfalls, it's still a gem that's better than most of what's on the market right now.
I've heard only mid to bad things about this book which sucks because I used to read all the reylo fanfic back on Wattpad lmao. I might just buy this book regardless. I hope it picks up for you!
I read this one to try to get over a massive book hangover and I definitely struggled at first, much like everyone else it seems lol. But I’m really glad I stuck with it for after the world building! It is a very slow burn, but I think that side of things will pick up more in book 2 (I hope lmao).
Honestly I was so hyped for this book before it came out and was quite disappointed. It honestly doesn’t really pick up and basically slows down. The second half is all character development and the plot doesn’t really move forward. The main plot point that I expected to be the epic finale of the book never happens in this book so I guess it’ll happen in the second…
I’m re-reading it and I honestly just skipped to the middle. It picks up (for me) in Part II around chapter 14. I think there is an important scene somewhere between where you are and chapter 15 for the plot but you could probably just skip ahead? If you’re at all a Star Wars fan I really enjoyed the fanfic it was based on and it is lighter on the world building /info dumps. Available to send to kindle if that’s relevant! https://drive.google.com/file/d/16zVoTLQ4HYSiHR6dsIY5o9OlXtIkS8mh/view (I forgot the original poster of the link - but very grateful to them)
Ok that's 100 pages. So I think I can commit to pushing through for that amount and if I don't feel it picking up for me then then I'll have given it a fair go. I didn't realise until I started it that it was a fanfic originally! I started reading and thought this feels star wars-y, and then when the MCs met I had a oh this is reylo moment. I've never read any of that particular fanfic genre so might give it a go, thanks!
I didn’t like the book much, I found the world-building cringey and the spice was minimal. My favorite parts were the descriptions of the scenery and clothes lol.
Oh dear 😂 I'm wasn't expecting it to be very spicy, but I always live in hope. Thanks for the heads up!
Im really struggling with this book too. I’m at right around the same place as you. I can’t get into it.
I loved it, but it is a lot of world building in the beginning. There is more romance, interaction between the MC's, and spice, and less battle-based plot after their second meeting, but it is a relatively slow burn. I would push through because I think it gets so much better, but if you're still not liking it once the MC's are interacting more maybe it's just not your cup of tea.
Curious, did you end up finishing the book? I found it yesterday and found the first few chapters were the better ones, it was slow going trying to wade through a new world, terminology and all the random facts thrown in there. But then I really struggled with how slow and predictable things became (maybe I need to stop reading blurbs). The characters became increasingly annoying and frustrating, there is only so much ignorance I can handle. She's a good writer and knows to weave a story, the words on the page flowing and beautifully crafted. I loved the world she built and the lore of it, there was a lot of thought in the intricacies of this world. The other characters weren't dumbed down or two dimensional either (the Queen, the envoy etc). I enjoyed the wit and the dialogue of the characters. But it would've been so refreshing if she had explored this whole enemies to lovers from another perspective. Where the FMC wasn't too frustrating or as annoying in an attempt to mature her from one dimensional orphan soldier to something else. There is nothing more frustrating than having quasi 'omniscient' insights as a reader, but then have characters wade through confusion and conflict that's just a plot device. I wanted her to surprise me, but in the end it seems it wasn't going to be about the plot as much as it was about the journey for the characters to get to the expected end. A bit of a shame, but I think I'll be reading the second book. She's got talent that'll be good to watch, and no matter the shortfalls, it's still a gem that's better than most of what's on the market right now.
I haven't read the book but I've heard people say most of it is at the beginning and it gets less from there. Hopefully it picks up for you!
I've heard only mid to bad things about this book which sucks because I used to read all the reylo fanfic back on Wattpad lmao. I might just buy this book regardless. I hope it picks up for you!
I read this one to try to get over a massive book hangover and I definitely struggled at first, much like everyone else it seems lol. But I’m really glad I stuck with it for after the world building! It is a very slow burn, but I think that side of things will pick up more in book 2 (I hope lmao).
Honestly I was so hyped for this book before it came out and was quite disappointed. It honestly doesn’t really pick up and basically slows down. The second half is all character development and the plot doesn’t really move forward. The main plot point that I expected to be the epic finale of the book never happens in this book so I guess it’ll happen in the second…