Spoiler-free! 5 stars.

I’m speechless, really. I think I’m still trying to understand all the contents of this book. I’m also terrified to admit that this series is now my third favorite series of all time with this book (not trumped by Shatter Me since 2018, and Boys of Tommen since 2022).

Disclaimer: The first half of this book was a 3-star for me, then followed through with a flawless second half. the book starts off with Amara growing up as a child from a teenager to an adult, a trope I never really liked. Additionally, it gave off “fated mates” vibes since Amara and Dante were so attached to each other since the start of the book.

Anyway, reading the whole series was so worth it just for the last 20% of this book. With countless plot twists, unexpected, machiavellian traitors, and mind-blowing revelations, it’s just blow after blow. I read this book on the plane, and my mouth was agape, my hand plastered on my forehead in shock. RuNyx, I truly envy your thriller-writing skills.

Plot/characters: Amara grows up working for Lorenzo Maroni, all while having a crush on Dante Maroni which gradually turns into love through the years. Dante, on the other hand, develops an attachment to Amara only during his late teens, until he is in a mutually beneficial situationship with an acquaintance. It’s revealed that Amara had been kidnapped at 15 years old, raped and tortured for three days, and then let go. Only the first half of the book discusses Amara and Dante’s love story. The second half is narrated in the present tense (but still third person 😩😩) and encompasses the uncovering of secrets about Tristan’s missing sister, the Shadowman, Mr. X, and other lurking answers to questions that hadn’t even been made aware of (which is, quite frankly, nothing less than terrifying).