This is book two in Whitney’s Cursed Realms series, expected publish date is November 29 2023.
Of Smoke and Betrayal picks up not quite a year after Of Flames and Curses ended. Lainey and Phoenix are past the honeymoon stage of being the new King and Queen of Unseelie, and things are changing drastically between them, but Lainey knows it’s more than just the stress of trying to repair all the damage that the curse caused. Nix isn’t just pulling away from her out of stress, there seems to be a darkness in him that is growing and affecting their bond.
I loved Ash in book one so of course I was beyond thrilled to get his point of view here. We get to learn more about what makes him tick, his drive and desires and maybe even catch a glimpse at potential future for him, that is if he can keep himself and his best friends alive. I don’t want to spoil anything, but there are some spicy scenes that had me cheering (and fanning myself)
The banter between Lainey and Ash is heartwarming and perfect. Lainey is still her spitball self but with a bit more maturity that comes with responsibility being placed on her shoulders. She has been through so much and has a lot of grief, but she decides to fight for what she knows is hers. She allows herself to fall apart but then picks herself up and is ready to be the badass queen of the underworld that she truly is. Rock band tshirt and chucks or stunning sparkling dress, she is a force.
Beck is back! I saw his name on the page and gulped. But what do you do when you need to rely on the man that murdered your sister, but might be your best shot at saving your mate? You insult him at every turn, obviously, and cause your father-in-law to nearly rub a groove in the middle of his nose from trying to remain patient. Getting to find out more about these characters made me really happy.
Thank you Whitney for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts (and extreme desire to find my New Found Glory shirt) are my own.
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