Book: Tempt by Cora Rose, E.M. Lindsey
Reviewed by Maggie Hayes
Rating: 4/5
Tempt by E.M. Lindsey and Cora Rose
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
I enjoyed Eissa and Luca's monster × human, fated-mates romance.
Eissa's backstory broke my heart. Normally, I'd be frustrated with a character who tries to deny a fated-mate connection, but losing his previous companion because of his love made me sympathize with him. He doesn't mean to jerk Luca around; he simply can't resist the pull between them, leading to moments of weakness before his more rational side prevails and pushes Luca away for his own safety. I think he's the most tragic of the Vyastil because he knows what human companionship and love feel like, craves them, but believes he can never have them again.
I really like Luca and feel deeply for him. He's a bit of a lost soul, without much direction in his life. He's Deaf but feels somewhat disconnected from the community because of his geographical location, and he doesn't want to move away from his family. Then he experiences an attraction and emotional connection unlike anything he's ever felt before, only for Eissa to reject him and leave him questioning his worth. But Luca is determined to get Eissa to acknowledge that there's something special between them, and I love that about him.
As with the rest of the series, Eissa and Luca's relationship is equal parts spicy exploration and tender emotion. E.M. Lindsey and Cora Rose are champions at writing hurt/comfort, and Tempt is no exception. Both men are carrying so much pain, and watching them slowly find comfort in each other is incredibly rewarding. More than I wanted to get to the sexy parts, I wanted to watch Eissa and Luca heal together.
This book really ramps up the political intrigue, with Eissa playing a pivotal role in the coming rebellion to overthrow the current Vyastil leadership. For this reason, I highly recommend reading the series in order. Without the backstory of the Vyastil coming to Earth and the history of Vyastil × human relations, it would be easy to get lost.
Thank you to the authors and The Author Agency for providing an ARC!