First review of the year, woohoo! And it's a positive one, so here's to hoping that it's a good omen!

Remember when, in the last book, I had mentioned how much I loved the angle with the angels? Well, Tamatsu's story did NOT disappoint me! It was all I hoped for and sooo much more! Here we have a classic example of a past romance gone wrong, but with a tremendous twist: Tamatsu and Noelle, the mute fallen angel and his elf ex-lover who is responsible for his current... speechless state, do not, under any circumstances, want to get back together. Yet, they both have something each other wants, so they're wiling, for a little while at least, to call it a truce, get what they're wishing for, and then go their separate ways. Only, life doesn't always happen the way we expect it to...

This wasn't your usual ex-lover-themed story. Unlike Tito and December, Tamatsu and Noelle knew they were bad for each other. They didn't dance around the subject, they didn't deny their sexual attraction still being there, but they had other priorities and they both admitted to still being bitter about their break-up, no matter how long ago it happened. It was both satisfying and hilarious seeing them try to resist each other once they realized they were being sucked back into being totally smitten with each other.

The whole tragedy of Tamatsu doing something that angered Noelle enough to curse him was what kept the story so high in suspense. At first, I couldn't help but be on her side given what she was saying about the way she found him with... Well, spoilers! No more words! But let's just say, I completely supported her decision. Then, I heard Tamatsu's side of the story, and I was like "OK, no girl, you should have checked first!" - though I was still a bit suspicious about it all because it didn't add up, and if it was, one of them was lying, and I couldn't figure out who. And when the final curtain was lifted, and they both sat down to talk it out, and the truth was revealed... I was laughing. Hysterically. Like a maniac! Because the whole thing was just soooo extraordinarily simple, and they had both suffered for decades on end, just because they had both jumped to assumptions. It felt so humane and realistic, I couldn't blame either of them, and it only served in making me love them more.

The love scenes were... INTENSE! Tito the demigod WHO?! Pssst, get out of the way, dude, Tamatsu has the stage covered, thank you very much! Oh, boy, I kept fanning myself because the guy was smoldering hot without even trying, and when he did decide to try, it nearly scorched the panties clean off of me! Not to mention, Noelle was on a whole different level than December! Now THAT is a heroine I can side and relate with!

The ending was also unexpected, and yet very much welcome. I preferred it to the usual solution most writers have in such cases with curses and stuff, because it showed that, despite their relationship not being perfect, those two were willing to try and work things out together, as a team, this time around. It made them that much more depended on each other, and, given the lengths in which Noelle was willing to go to pay for her mistake and redeem herself in Tamatsu's eyes, that sheer amount of self-sacrifice to give him his voice back, it was really beautiful - and Tamatsu's response was even more touching!

I'm off to read the next book in the series - but I'm serious here, can't we please have that goddess-angel ship we've been dreaming about, Ms. Trent?! Pretty pleaaaaase?!?!?!

***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***

Can you ever find peace? Noelle is an elf that has given up hope of finding her queen and she will never find peace for what she did, even though she knows that she was right. She was in love with Tamatsu but he betrayed her and she took his voice and she promised that she would give it back when he found her queen. That day has come her queen has been found and she will need to return his voice but she can't face him as he is her mate and she has missed him so badly. Tamatsu is so hurt by what happened as he didn't know what he had done. Can they move on from the past towards the future? They are both about to learn each other's secrets and realizes that he had no choice, it is his cross to bear for his sins as an fallen angel. But there is a problem, Noelle has lost his voice and she knows that she will do anything to give it back even if it means losing hers.
A great read that kept me wanting more.

A hot and sexy read, perfect for a lazy weekend!!!!!!