Haunted by a horrific past with a monster of an ex, Lilya decides that if she can control her sexual expression, she’ll be able to survive. Free of the capacity for love, Lilya chooses her sexual partners with care, until one man comes back into her life that makes her want to believe in love again. Byron found Lilya after her brutal ex disposed of her, and saved her life. He’s been in love with her for six years, but never dared to be around her again until his friend Alek needs her help.

Lilya enchants men, but Alek has the potential for real magic. Since the revolutions, he’s suppressed his magical abilities, and Byron believes it’s time for Alek to come to terms with who he really is. Lilya can help him, or so Byron believes, but having her around means that Byron will be tempted by her beauty as much as Alek. When Lilya finds a soul companion in Alek, will she still open her heart to Byron? Since sparks fly between them from the beginning, it’s only the presence of Lilya’s dangerous ex that could threaten her union with one or both of these intriguing men.

Having read a couple of Anya Bast books (including the prequel to this book, Jeweled, which came out last year), I had an idea of what I was in for. Good writing, great world-building, and two very-hot sexual relationships. I was not disappointed. All the things I enjoy about Anya Bast’s books and writing in the past were present in this story as well.

It was interesting to see how she treated the continuity angle, with Evangeline, Gregorio, Anton, and their family, from the previous book. The storylines were eerily similar—perhaps too similar. But because she’d done so much world-building in the first book, there was less of a need for that in this one, which I appreciated. However, the stories did feel similar enough that they were reminiscent of one another, added to the fact that Evangeline/Gregorio/Anton made consistent appearances throughout the book. I think that two of these storylines are good, and understandable. But if she continues in this world, I hope she changes it up a bit. However that happens is fine, but I’d just like to see it significantly different than these last two.

Overall, this was a solid book. If you’re already an Anya Bast fan, you’ll enjoy this book as well. And you’ll probably appreciate, as I did, the opportunity to see characters you’d previously loved getting to continue their happily-ever-after. This was a fulfilling reading experience.

~ Camryn Rhys