Review: Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa
“And the mountains may rise and fall, and the sun might wither away, and the sea claim the land and swallow the sky. But you will always be mine...And the stars might fall from the heavens, and night might cloak the earth, but until darkness dies, I will always be yours.”
The Basics
Title: Rhapsodic (The Bargainer #1)
Author: Laura Thalassa
Published: 2016
Publisher: Burning Ember Press — Lavabrook Publishing Group
Pages: 407
Format: Paperback
Genres: Fiction — Fantasy, Urban fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy romance, Paranormal romance
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Book Synopsis
Callie is a siren, who eight years ago called in a favor from the Bargainer, the faerie ruler of the Kingdom of Night. Lonely and desirous of seeing him again, she called in another favor and then another, and with each new bargain she struck, a black bead was added to a bracelet encircling her arm. Before long, the bracelet comprised hundreds of beads, each representing a debt she owed the Bargainer. This exchange of favors for beads continued on for about a year, and then, he stopped coming. The Bargainer, however, always collects his debts, so when he shows up at her house seven years later, she knows that the time has come for her to repay all of those favors.
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: If you love the A Court of Thorns and Roses series and are looking for another steamy fantasy romance, give this one a try.
Rhapsodic is a true guilty pleasure read. It is not the most well-written novel, nor is the plot particularly fleshed out. Nonetheless, it is highly entertaining, owing to its easy-to-read writing and swoon-worthy love interest, who bears a striking resemblance to one of the fantasy genre’s most beloved male characters, Rhysand from the A Court of Thorns and Roses series.
The romance between Callie, the protagonist, and Des, the Bargainer and King of the Night, is why you read this book. The two have palpable chemistry that jumps off of the pages. You know that they will end up together; it is just a matter of when, which is what keeps you turning the pages. Sexual tension aside, their relationship also has a sweet, endearing side to it. You can tell that they truly care for one another and enjoy each other’s company. The scene where Des asks Callie to finish watching the Harry Potter series with him – a hearken back to the early days of their relationship – had me grinning from ear to ear.
The narrative style complements the plot and increases the book’s overall enjoyability. The story is written in the first-person and present tense from Callie’s point of view, which allows the reader to more readily imagine themselves in the thick of things. It also imbues the story with an element of the unknown, as we are as in the dark as Callie with regard to what will happen next. Like our protagonist, we are witnessing events unfold in real time. Another notable aspect of the narrative is that it alternates between present day and seven years in the past when Des and Callie first met. At first, I was unsure about this format, but it grew on me. The flashbacks allow us to see the early days of Callie and Des’ relationship, which in turn, helps us to better understand their current dynamic. The switching back and forth between the present and past also helps to move the story along and retain your attention.
The not so good
The writing, while easy to read and understand, lacks polish. There are typos throughout the book, and there is an overuse of slang in descriptions. The sex scenes are also a bit rough around the edges.
Moving on to the story itself, the subplot regarding the female fae warriors feels a bit like an afterthought, as though it has been added so that the plot consists of more than just a romance. Based on how this book, ends, however, I am hopeful that this subplot will be more fleshed out in the sequel.
Lastly, the world building is rather lacking. We are not shown much of the Otherworld, nor are we given that much information about it.
Overall
Rhapsodic might not be the most eloquent of books, but you know what? It is still a fun and engaging read. It has romance, sexual tension, otherworldly beings, and just enough uncertainty to keep you flipping the pages – in other words, it has nearly everything you could want out of a fantasy romance.
