Book: Down the Aisle by Rose Chase
Reviewed by Booksbystarlightandshadows
Rating: 3/5
A cosy romance with dark elements is the perfect description for this. It didn't quite hit the dark romance level for me but the themes are there. I really liked the connection Eliza and Adam had but the time jumps throughout the book threw the pacing off a little for me. Eliza has been through the worst at the hands of her ex and I would loved to have seen Adam breaking those walls down on page and more of his initial wooing during the four weeks. Similarly with their dom/sub dynamic, although there is plenty of well written spice on page, I think seeing more of Eliza's reaction to aftercare after the trauma of her ex would have developed her a bit more.
The cosy elements are at the forefront with the mafia element being in the background the entire time; this was a bit of a shame as it didn't really go anywhere until the very end. I did like the idea that it was pretty much a paperwork game for Adam though due to his superior management skills! His character is a lot of fun; he is so confident most of the time but everytime Eliza threw him off his groove his inner monologue had me laughing.
I enjoyed the narration; Molly Briar is always reliable when it comes to raw emotional moments and Eliza has had them in spades. Anyone with children will relate to that bone deep tiredness that radiates of Eliza in the first few chapters! I think this is my first Tyler Griffin lead role and it won't be my last. I am certainly not listening to the words "crash" and "settle" in the same way again!
My interpretation of the star system;
3 stars - I enjoyed it; would read the author again
4 stars - I really liked it; I am invested and definitely want more from this author/series
5 stars - I loved it; I engaged with this book completely until I finished it and it is one I will re-read