**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.**
Title Fire & Ice
Author Victoria R. Maybury
Description from Amazon
“Lying isn’t a good look for you. So leave it be,” Ash stated, voice trembling. She ripped her hands out of his and ran, not caring where she ended up.
Fross watched her go and felt a single tear fall from his eye. He turned and stormed back toward the house.
Release Date April 19, 2019
Initial Thoughts
The description on Amazon has absolutely nothing to do with the description on NetGalley – so, please see what I saw on NetGalley:
The protagonist Ash is forced into an arranged marriage, which does not turn out for the better, causing her to take refuge with the man she was supposed to marry. From there, she tries to find her parents’ true murderers while surviving their attempts to find her. During this journey, she must fight her feelings for the man she believes to have killed her parents and his friends who accept her with open arms.
Now this book, sounds interesting. If I had found this only on Amazon, I never would have picked it up. NetGalley pitches it with Beauty and the Beast kind of vibes and I’m all about that.
One Thing I Liked
- The arranged marriage premise was really intriguing. I liked the concept behind this story.
Some Things I Wasn’t Crazy About
- Every scene change started with the main character waking up. Why is she always sleeping?? What’s going on with her?
- Religious undertones. I was extremely turned off by the very clear (and not mentioned in the description) nods to organized religion. This story is very obviously referencing conversion to Christianity and I found this to be very off-putting.
- The story felt rushed. It was a shorter story but it lacked depth and development. I constantly felt confused by the events and actions of the characters. I had a hard time connecting with them or understanding their motivations.
- The title. I felt like it had nothing to do with the story. It was never explained and honestly, it made no sense.
Series Value
I think there is series value here but honestly, I don’t know if I’d continue with this series. I think the story has a lot of potential and if it was fleshed out more, I’d give it another chance. If there was more development in the plot, I also think the religious elements would not have been so over bearing.
Final Thoughts
I was excited about the premise of this book but it was a huge letdown.
⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
- Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin – if you are looking for a “forced marriage” trope with undertones of religious elements (that are really well done), check out this book. It has witches, snarky banter, and amazing reread value.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – if you liked that “Beauty and the Beast” vibe from this story, but again, are looking for more depth, try this series by Sarah J. Maas.
Books Over Everything 