This one's going to be four stars for me.
Let me say one thing before I start. This is a good book. I had some personal issues with it, but I know those issues won't bother everyone, so please take my critique with a grain of salt and give this book a chance.
I always start with the positive and move to the negative when I write these reviews but have come to realize that structuring them that way gives the impression that I'm saying something along the lines of, "It was okay, but..." What I really want to say is, "It had some issues, but I still liked it." So I'm turning my normal review structure upside down and starting with my critique.
One issue I had with this book was the wonky grammar. Notice I've not said "bad grammar." The grammar is not exactly bad, just...wonky. The reason I say it's not bad is that the most common grammatical error I found was the dangling modifier, which is probably the easiest language faux pas to commit. Really, nearly everyone, except the staunchest grammar nerds, is guilty of dangling modifiers from time to time. And most people probably wouldn't notice them. I did because I'm a grammar nerd. There were also a few cases of mixed up pronouns (object pronouns that should have been subject pronouns and vice versa) but those were few and far between, to the point that I could almost dismiss them as typos (I've said in numerous reviews that I can easily overlook typos because I know how easy they are to miss). Again, these are things some people might not mind. I did because I'm a nerd.
This is the third book I've read by this author, and I'm not sure why I'm only just now noticing these errors in her writing. I think it may have been that the other two books I read by her were her Under Lights duet, which takes place in the world of ballet, and I was so in love with that world that I was blind to any mistakes that may have been present.
On to the story itself. It was good. But it left me underwhelmed in some ways. Again, I couldn't help but compare it to Under Lights. Ms. Lewandowski's first two books blew me away with their attention to detail. I expected the same when she tried her hand at fantasy. I expected such in-depth world-building that I would live in this beautiful place she created. And don't get me wrong. There was world-building. And it was beautiful. But I wanted more. I wanted to know more about the Shirs and the Nightingale Queen. I wanted a front row seat for the ritual that elevated Kohl to the Order of Chevalier. Details were there, but not as many as I wanted.
And the romance? Well, I've said before that I don't normally read romance, so maybe I'm not the target audience in this situation, but I felt that the whole thing unfolded too quickly. Remember, I was spoiled by Under Lights. That story is told over two books, and the first one is 300 pages long. The two main characters have heaps of time to get to know each other before they start declaring their undying love. And they take their time. So much time, in fact, that when they do get together, the audience is like, "Finally!" Chevalier is one book, and it's barely more than 150 pages. Basically a third the length of Under Lights. So, of course, it moves at a faster pace. And maybe that's what romance readers want. Maybe it's a genre where you get in trouble if you let the sexual tension build for too long without giving the characters, and the audience, the release they crave. But I love a good build-up of tension. Heck, my favorite love story is Mulder and Scully from The X-Files. Remember how long it took them to get together? Seven seasons. Yep. We waited seven years for that release of sexual tension. And I loved every minute of it. So I guess I prefer slower-paced stories. Again, maybe it's because I'm a nerd.
Okay, so that was a long critique, but I want to repeat what I said above. These are my issues. They may not bother other people at all, so please give this book a chance. There is plenty of good in it. I loved the two main characters. The flawed heroine and the strong hero with the tortured past. Two people who believe no one will ever love them...until they find each other. It's a beautiful concept, and Linah and Kohl fill their roles well.
I also appreciated the role reversal at the end. Linah is portrayed as a delicate flower who needs to rely on the help of others. Kohl is her knight in shining armor. Until Kohl falls ill and it's up to Linah to save him. In order to do so, she has to rely on reserves of strength she didn't know she possessed. I'm a sucker for a story with a vulnerable male lead, so I was eating all of that up as I read the ending of this book.
So please go check out this book and make up your own mind about it. If you like a touching love story encased in beautiful world building, this may be the perfect book for you.
You can get on Amazon.
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