Monarch by Sophie Lark

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Grimstone #2

Rating: 4/5  

Spice: 2.5/5

Primary Genre: Romantic suspense

Trigger Warnings: Domestic violence, assault, alcohol use, drug use

Favorite Quote: I’m with you. I love you. I’ll protect you, I’ll take care of you. Carry me with you always and keep me in your heart. Because you are in mine.

Plot: 5/5 

Blurb: From USA Today bestselling author Sophie Lark comes a brand new romantic thriller series in the Gothic, secretive beach town of Grimstone. In a desperate bid to get out of town, twenty-seven-year-old virgin and bookstore nerd Elena Zelenska becomes the world's most unlikely mail-order bride. Her gamble pays off when she's swept off her feet by Benjamin Wittacker, handsome single father and (gasp!) actual published author. Elena's new fiancé seems almost too good to be true. Her life is turning into a fairytale, especially once Ben starts building her a castle in the woods. But when Elena arrives in Grimstone, her fairytale turns darker. The castle in the woods is a macabre labyrinth of hidden chambers, and Ben is no Prince Charming. In fact, he might just be a monster. Isolated far from home, Elena's only ally is Atlas Covett, the owner of the Monarch hotel. Massive and stern, even Atlas' employees are terrified of him. He becomes Elena's unexpected protector, offering solace and sanctuary from the darkness that threatens to consume her. As Elena's bond with Atlas deepens, her jealous fiancé exerts his control in increasingly twisted ways. Elena must find a way out before the castle he's building becomes a prison she'll never escape…

The Good:

* The illustrations in this book are absolutely gorgeous. This is my first Sophie Lark book, so I’m not sure if she frequently includes illustrations within the book but I loved the aspect of a visual reference for the main characters. These are sprinkled throughout the book between chapters and they are incredibly well done. 

* I haven’t read a mail-order-bride/90 day fiance plot yet and this one had the twist of thriller vibes, I really enjoyed it. There was the mystery of what direction Lorne’s character would take and they mystery of why Elena needed to get out of Ukraine. 

* The chemistry between Atlas and Elena was top-tier. I loved their banter. 

* I appreciated the neurodivergent representation-at least that’s what I’m assuming Ivy’s character is. I have a stepson with autism so I appreciate Elena’s caretaking and defense of Ivy and her quirky habits.

The Meh: 

* Call me crazy but I really would have liked some sort of battle royale scene between Atlas and Lorne at the end.

* While the book takes during Halloween, the characters rarely venture out into the town and take in the fall/Halloween scenery/vibes. It would have been nice to get a little bit more of that.

* It would have been nice to see the nanny pay just a teensy bit for her crimes at the end (just me, complaining about a lack of revenge again).

Bottom Line: 

This book has made a Sophie Lark reader out of me. I was under the impression that she was more of a dark romance author but perhaps this just isn’t a dark romance series. Or it could be that my version of dark romance is unhinged, haha. Regardless, the touch her and die trope is strong here and she’s serving it well. I really enjoyed the Halloween/spooky vibes setting of the hotel and the town (it gave off a little bit of a Bates Motel vibe), making this a perfect October suspense read. The love story is tumultuous and wrought with anxiety, at the same time it’s incredibly sweet and passionate. You find yourself rooting for Elena while questioning some of her actions and choices. Later on you find yourself thinking, well whatever. You do you, sis. In summary, I loved this book. The creepy vibes are immaculate, the romance is like a twisted little fairy tale. The main reason that I gave this 4 stars is because I have a rotten little vengeance streak and I wanted to see some key characters get their just desserts. Mainly just my own character flaw but it is what it is.

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