I’ve never bought a final installment to a trilogy so fast in my life. 

Tallora
Tallora's grown into a stronger, active protagonist compared to who she was in the first book. She doesn't stop until she finds a way to save her people from impending doom, and on top of it all, she finds a way to let Dauriel back into her heart despite everything that's happened between them.

I do wish she was able to participate in council meetings more alongside Dauriel instead of being pushed to the side by those who don't think her insight is valuable

even after she and Dauriel get married.

Dauriel

I really wish the first thing Tallora saw when she met Dauriel again wasn’t Dauriel sleeping with other women. I know Dauriel is hurting, falling back into old habits, and trying to forget Tallora, but that hurt to read. However, I can’t blame Dauriel and Tallora can’t really be mad at her cause 1) They’re not together since Tallora chose to leave her at the end of Book 2, which means Dauriel wasn’t expecting her to return and 2) Tallora kissed Kal back in Book 2.

Something I really appreciate is how Dauriel’s suicidal or depressing thoughts weren’t cured overnight “because of love.” Even after Tallora forgives Dauriel again and they start a relationship once more, Dauriel still has self-destructive tendencies which she has to work through on her own.

Overall, badass through and through.

So many minor characters have a bigger role in this final book. Khastra, Illune, Harbinger, Kal, etc. Each of them have important parts to play and it makes the world feel alive because they’re doing something that doesn’t just revolve around the two heroine’s relationship. I adore each and every single side character except the asshole villains of course. 

Having my expectations for how the plot may go only to get subverted for the third time is a charm.

That final act was amazing. I didn’t think I would root for certain characters to win so much because I wasn’t expecting them to be there for that last fight. 

When it comes to dark fantasy, I prefer death, destruction, and hopelessness instead of the usual SA that most dark fantasy books gravitate to include. So, I’m glad this story had impactful deaths in it that meant something to Tallora.

I would have liked the epilogue to be a tad longer not because the page count was too short, but only because I wanted to linger with the heroines for a little longer. But the ending is perfect for every character. I wasn’t expecting certain people to end up where they did, but it made sense and was the best outcome for each of them to achieve a happy ending.

Reading all three books back-to-back really highlights the dynamic of motherhood in the story. Dauriel and her mother have a terrible relationship, compared to Tallora and her mother who have a loving one, compared to Goddess Neoma and Staella who have a balanced relationship with their daughter Illune. 

I skimmed the entire first half just to get to the reunion scene and I’m not ashamed of it.

Tallora
Tallora is more active in this story. No longer confined to a prison, she’s free to act and do as she pleases. I like how the moment her people are put in danger, she goes out to find a solution to save them. The only thing that makes her hesitant is that she’ll need help from Dauriel.

Dauriel
Oh, Dauriel, you beautiful broken butch. 

Now as empress, she has even more to prove not just to the world but to herself. I love that the moment she and Tallora reunite, they just want to be together and forget the world but of course, reality sets in quick. 

Even though it hurts how much she wants to go down in history as a powerful Solviraes, no matter what method she can use to do so, it makes sense for her character to want this because it’s the only way she knows how to make a mark on the world. She wasn’t born into a loving family nor does she have the luxury to choose who she wants to be with. Having a powerful legacy is the only way she can see herself be accepted. 

     Harbinger: Usually new characters who get introduced aren’t as interesting as the original cast, nor do they carry enough weight for me to care about them, but Harbinger? She’s MVP. I can’t wait to see more of her in the final book because she still has so much mystery behind her at the end of this one.
     Khastra: I love this tall, muscular, half-demon woman who’s over ten times my age. The way she shows her love for Dauriel is unconventional but it’s authentic. She definitely knows more about what’s going on than she lets on.
     Kal: Finally, a guy who can take no for an answer. I was so scared Tallora was going to start a relationship with him to try and get rid of her feelings for Dauriel, but thank goodness that didn’t happen. He’s a great character and a nice guy, and I’m especially happy he didn’t try to get with Tallora more than once. I could use more supportive male characters who don’t want to constantly hook up with the heroine in lesbian books. 

There are plenty of other minor characters, all of who have a unique role to play in the story and the main heroines’ lives. I love how they each have their own goals and history, so it doesn’t feel like they only exist until the heroines interact with them. 

I only enjoy gut-wrenching twist endings if I know for sure the final installment will have a happily-ever-after, so the ending for this book may have hurt but dammit was it emotional. Once again, this story’s plot was not what I was expecting and once again, that’s not a bad thing. 

I skimmed the first half because I just wanted to get to the part where Tallora and Dauriel reunited. That’s not the fault of the author nor was the first half of the story unimportant. I just didn’t care all that much for Tallora and Kal’s journey until Tallora met with Dauriel again. 

That cliffhanger ending hurt but this story can rip my heart out as much as it wants, so long as a happily-ever-after is achieved by the end of the final book. 

I know some may be appalled by Dauriel’s actions at the end, but I found it to be in character and expected. She’s empress first and Tallora’s lover second, for now.

Mermaid falls for butch who happens to be the princess to a powerful kingdom. What more do you need?

Tallora
Sassy bisexual mermaid.

I’m surprised she didn’t do as much as I thought she would to escape. Of course, it’s because there are things limiting her from escaping, but I thought she would at least try to learn how to escape the castle.

Or find a way to remove the bracelet that keeps her from leaving the kingdom’s border.

But I understand she’s miles from home and can’t do anything about it.

I love how she provokes and pushes Dauriel’s buttons at first, only softening her insults once she sees Dauriel’s more vulnerable side. She’s not a fighter or someone who has status but she fights back in whatever little ways she can.

Dauriel
She’s an ass but she’s kind of funny. 

My heart breaks for the Princess of Solviraes.

All she wants is for her mother to love and approve of her.

She doesn’t think she’s beautiful or worthy of affection yet she tries to cling onto whatever semblance of love she can find. I was wondering how she and Tallora would fall in love when she was so horrible to Tallora at first, but thank goodness she makes up for it.

Plenty of minor characters who have their own roles, jobs, and goals. I like how they’re only mentioned once or twice but when I saw their names again, I wasn’t confused as to who they were.

     Empress Vahla: Dauriel’s mother. Empress to the Kingdom of Solviraes. It’s no wonder Dauriel is the way she is with how her mother treats her. I relished the moment she got her karma.
     Khastra: General. Council member. Half demon. Dauriel’s mentor and even a mother-figure. She was the most interesting character to me. I loved every interaction she had with Dauriel and I love how she’s the only one who can talk back to Empress Vahla.
     The Triage: The trio of goddesses who supervise the world. Neoma, Staella, and their daughter, Illune. I absolutely love the way the gods and goddesses are handled in this world. They interact with mortals, manifest in the world, and even pass judgment on criminals. I can’t wait to see how much more is explored about them in the sequels. 

The plot did not go at all where I thought it would, but that’s not a bad thing. I thought it would be about Tallora trying to escape once she got captured, all the while she and Dauriel fall in love in a cat-and-mouse chase, but what transpired was a welcomed subversion. 

TW: This is my only gripe.

There are way too many mentions of r*pe. Once or twice, I can handle, but more than four or five times and I start to find it challenging to continue the story. There are many ways to make a world dark without using r*pe as the sole element. Death, hopelessness, even torture can be an alternative but for some reason, SA is always the go-to for dark fantasies and I don’t know why. This is not a criticism, just a personal gripe.

I love the worldbuilding. There’s enough lore built into the narrative that you understand how history, politics, and gods work but not so much that it becomes exposition dump. 

That trial scene in the last act was tense and glorious. 

Oh yes, more consensual sexual dominance please. 

Lindsey
I think it may have been better to have Lindsey be bisexual rather than a straight girl who turns lesbian for the right woman. But overall, I like that she knows what she wants in bed and the way she explains to her friend how sexual dominance works. I’ve read too many books where sexual dominance is treated like toxic behavior and romanticized for it, but here, it’s consensual and done in a respectful manner.

I would have liked more insight into her creative side. The entire story is from her point of view and it’s established early on that she wanted to be an artist and has a talent for it, but we don’t get to see that side of her. She may not be doing art anymore, but creative people kind of see the world through a different lens. Maybe in the narration, she could point out details that would be lost to someone who doesn’t have an eye for detail, or notice artworks in Camilla’s home that means something to Camilla and they can bond over it or something. The one scene I did enjoy that sort of touched on Lindsey’s artistic side was when she wanted to draw Camilla, but nothing came out of it and I never found out if she finished this drawing or not.

Camilla
She loves to spoil Lindsey, she has some family issues, and she’s in control of her element in the bedroom. When she and Lindsey aren’t in the bedroom, they spend a lot of time together, but it would have been nice to see those moments drawn out so other sides of her are explored. I do like how she pushed Lindsey to continue her pursuit of art. Most people I know who want to be in that career don’t have a support system, so to hear even one person encourage an aspiring artist to keep doing what they do is almost like getting permission to breathe. 

     June: Camilla’s housekeeper and friend. I always enjoy an employee character who knows so much about their employer that they keep their secrets or seem to know what they want without them saying anything. It’s a different kind of friendship that should be appreciated.
     Faith: Lindsey’s friend. She’s supportive and always has a spot on the couch for Lindsey should Lindsey ever need it.

I only have two gripes about the story.

1) The last-minute miscommunication near the end to create a bit of drama felt flat. I am glad it was resolved almost immediately though. 

And 2) Near the end, Camilla brings up a wealthy art friend who likes Lindsey’s artwork and it’s hinted that Lindsey will be able to start an art career because of this. I like that she can pursue her art again, but I think it would have been better if Lindsey earned this rather than have it be given to her. Maybe Camilla introduces them and this friend sees the drawing Lindsey made of Camilla, which piques her interest about Lindsey art.

Other than that, the book was an easy story to read in one sitting. I’m glad there was little to no drama and the amount of sex was welcomed. 

Oh, to be swept away by a rich lesbian dom. 

Melanie
Our hardworking, independent, submissive. I adore how Melanie doesn’t like to be spoiled by Vanessa, because she grew up having to work for everything, so having someone freely give her things without repaying them is almost a foreign concept to her. When she gets into a relationship with Vanessa, she knows what she wants and how she likes it.

Vanessa
Our mysterious, wealthy, dominatrix. She’s much older than Melanie and much more experienced in the bedroom. I like how she loves to spoil Melanie outside the bedroom and makes sure Melanie is always safe and comfortable when she gets rough in the bedroom. 

There’s a small cast of minor characters who the main leads interact with throughout the story. For the most part, they’re not there to add drama or keep the two leads apart, which is great. 

Came for the lesbian BDSM, stayed for the love story. 

I like the amount of chemistry and sex taking place between the leads, but I wish those climaxes were drawn out just a tad longer because sometimes it ends too quickly. Other than that, handcuffs and spanking for the win. 

That permanent marker scene was too much for me. I couldn’t get past it. Olivia deserved better. 

I learned from other reviews that the main leads don’t get together in the end.

Which the author has every right to write, but not something I want to read.

I want happy endings where they get together in the end.

The journey and destination matter to me. 

Oh yeah, we all know where this kind of relationship is going. 

M. Z. Morgan
Out of respect for this lovable, fictional character, I won’t write down her full name since she hates what the M and Z stands for.

Morgan’s super sweet and she gets along with everyone in town. As the lone lesbian, a lot of the townsfolk push her to get to know Reese. She’s not shy about wanting sex and enjoying it. I loved every moment she was annoyed by Reese as well as the moments when Reese started to grow on her.

I absolutely adore how the closest Morgan gets to cursing is just saying, “Good grief.”

Reese Daniels
Our brooding, sexy chief of police who is forced to work at Lake City for a year. 

I really wish the reason she was sent to Lake City was anything else rather than what it was, but it doesn’t come up much after the first initial discussion, so there’s that. 

I loved how she starts the story as all business, kind of rude, and just plain hating everything about being stuck in a small town, but being bored out of her mind pushes her to find things to do; Morgan being on that list. Her teasing and banter with Morgan were pleasant to read, especially when Morgan becomes the reason Reese opens up to others and smiles more. 

     Googan: Lake City deputy. Watches too many movies and I’m pretty sure deep down, he wants to be a spy. He absolutely hates Reese the moment she walks into the sheriff’s office to take charge. It’s funny seeing Reese put him in his place.
     Charlie: Head of the forest ranger department and Morgan’s boss. He treats Morgan like his own daughter. It’s nice to see how much he relies on her and doesn’t push her to do things, unlike the rest of the townsfolk.
     The Townsfolk of Lake City: There are a handful of minor characters who interact with the main leads. Tracy, the waitress. Berta, the town gossip. Tina, Morgan’s coworker and friend. Jonnie, the lone cabin man. Sloan, the bar and restaurant owner. A lot of these characters watch out for Morgan because she’s one of the few who wasn’t born and raised in town. They have their own lives going on, but they sure do love to gossip about Morgan’s sex life. Especially about Moaning Mona.

There’s only a bit of angst towards the end so for the most part, it’s a pretty laidback story. It takes place over the course of a few months, so they don’t fall in love immediately. Even though the sex is on point, the scenes where they eat dinner and chat were the most romantic and sexy. 

The ending is a 10/10 for me. I love me some grand love confessions and I always enjoy an epilogue chapter to let me linger with the two leads for a while longer. 

Where’s my hot firefighter girlfriend? 

Dr. Ali Torveau
Calm, composed, and always in control.

Ali has her reasons to keep people at arm’s length, and I love how adamant she is about not wanting to be with Beau at first, but to see her slowly let her guard down to let Beau in was oh so satisfying. It’s easy to see why Beau falls for her in the way she cares for her patients, how effectively she works, and how efficient she is at her job. There’s definitely something attractive about a woman who’s in her element.

Beau Cross
Oh, Beau. Beautiful, brave, ballsy Beau. 

The number of times it’s mentioned that Beau is sexy as hell might give you a headache, but she has a tender side under that womanizing façade. The reason she’s so reckless and doesn’t want to settle down was a surprise to me. But the moment she realizes it’s Ali she wants for the rest of her life, she doesn’t back down and I love how unapologetic she is about it. It’s the little things she does almost unconsciously that I adore; how she holds the door for Ali, the way she gives Ali space even though she herself is hurting, the way she doesn’t hold back when telling Ali how she feels about her. Ahhh!

     Wynter: Ali’s best friend who’s very sweet, very pregnant, and married to another woman. We all need a friend like Wynter who can cheer us on in our relationships, no matter how complicated they are.
     Jilly: Beau’s older sister. Her support and love for Beau is always present in their scenes together. I like that she wasn’t reduced to being just a cheerleader for Beau and had a minor romance with another character herself.
     Bobby: Beau’s best friend and fireman who works alongside her. His friendship with Beau is probably one of the better friendships I’ve seen in stories; wherein they do get mad at each other sometimes, but are adult enough to forgive and move passed it.
     Ralph: Ali’s tenant/neighbor. An older gentleman who is friends with Ali. Though he doesn’t play much part in the story, he shares a few wholesome moments with Ali.

This is probably one of my favorite books from Radclyffe. Both characters in their day-to-day job involved so much danger, injuries, and trauma. It’s been a while since I’ve read about characters who genuinely want to help people for no reason other than because they care. Radclyffe’s past as a surgeon really helps the little details in hospital scenes shine through. 

Getting to see what firefighters go through from Beau’s perspective gave me a new appreciation for those in the field. I never realized that they get called to deal with so much more than a fire hazard. It made me want to salute my local fire department and thank all the firefighters there for their hard work.

I do wish there was an epilogue chapter or two after the final chapter, because after they get together, it ends too quickly. Please, let me swim in the aftermath of what the future can hold for these characters. I don’t need to see them get married or catch up on a “where are they now” after a year or two. Just give me a scene to hint at them being happy and working around their jobs to be together. I know it’s not necessary, but I just don’t want to let them go so soon.

Lesbian cops and docs falling in love should be an S-tier genre all on its own. 

Jake McCoy
An out and proud lesbian detective who has issues to work through. She’s unapologetic about flirting around with Nicole. Even though she has a rule not to mix business with pleasure, that line is hard not to cross with Dr. Westbrook around. Her bond with her dog is endearing. 

Nicole Westbrook
In the closet but she’s trying to date women in secret, however, all the women she gets set up with don’t inspire any desire in her. It’s hilarious how she keeps trying to convince herself that Jake isn’t right for her, but inside, we all know they’re meant for each other. 

     Cheyenne: Jake’s dog. She’s an emotionally supportive friend. Don’t worry, no dogs were hurt in this book.
     Rick: Jake’s coworker, partner, and best friend. He’s got his own issues with his wife. I like his banter with Jake.
     Catherine: Nicole’s secretary. She’s very sweet and supportive. 

The two women’s first meeting was steamy, and not just because they were at a hot spring. Despite being in a life-and-death situation, not knowing who the killer is or when he’ll strike, the two leads manage to find time to get to know one another. It was a pleasure to see them develop the hots for each other. Though not necessary, I would have loved for the ending to have an epilogue chapter just so I could hold onto these two lovely women a little bit longer.