Radiance

"Forced marriage and friends to lovers, but the conflict comes from actual conflict, not contrived interpersonal squabbles. Rich world building and characters. Grace Draven is a gift."

"This is a great read but honestly the first 2/3 of this book is all character development, some might find it boring but it’s absolutely worth it and necessary. The plot is MUCH better once you see how Ildiko and Brishen mold to each other from a couple formed through a marriage of duty to a couple drawn to each other by love and loyalty. This is more of a friends to lovers and usually I’m not find of them; but ma’am Grace Draven delivered. The plot twist in the last 3rd of this book, *chef’s kiss* I’m absolutely getting the second installment. Though the problems in this book didn’t really surface until the end, the second promises to be much more troublesome for our favorite Kai/human couple. I adore how Grace Draven found 2 characters that were complete and total opposites and helped them find similarities in each other from the most basic of things like a appearance to complex things like cultural customs and personalities. May we all have the grace and wisdom Ildiko does with a hateful mother in law, and find someone loyal and faithful like Brishen. There were some spelling mishaps and font issues that pulled me from the story for a moment but nothing that was jarring. "

"They made me laugh so much, I love their relationship so much. It did feel a hit short and fast paced but it was a part of its charm."

"I fell in love with all the characters. The two main where witty and turned every bad situation comical and fun. The romance was slow growing but in a good way. You slowly fall in love with them as they fall in love with each other. The plot was really no where to be seen though. I mean he has an evil mother but that's about it. I just wish there would have been more of a story for these two. They really where fun to read about almost like best friends or two sides of the same coin in their own way. Just not sure I will read book two."

"I enjoy the hilarious banter between the MMC and FMC on who was the ugliest. They’re both entirely serious and joking at the same time. There were some cringy moments between him and mom where I was like “that’s not legal…” I was mildly offended that the MMC and his race hate PO-TA-TOES! It was a good book. This is the first in a series so more playful insulting and potatoe-hating comments to come. SPOILERS FOR MY MEM*********** His mom was obviously trying to kill her or him (or both) the entire book to incite a war. It ended with his mom getting consumed/unalived by shadows. She was trying to gain immortality. Did not work out for her. Now the weird shadows a free to terrorize."

"Achingly romantic. #romanticy #friendstolovers #fantacy #arrangedmarriage "

"solid work #friendstolovers "

"It's a very sweet (little spicy) romance. It's an arranged marriage between 2 races that find each other ugly, but they stay their marriage with a very loyal friendship. Their joking insults about how ugly the other is are hilarious."

"Ok I couldn't pronounce half the words in this book but something about it just ~worked~ for me"

"Grace Draven is what Sarah J Maas wishes she was. Genuinely. I had a good time reading ACOTAR, but I would not choose to reread it. I would read this on repeat."