Love and Other Drugs is a true testament to what you would do for the ones you love.

Rating;⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice; /5

Mina and Oliver, have already tested the waters with past traumas in love and other sins. But what happens when trauma occurs and they cannot save the other at this points.

We start the book with Mina witnessing the most terrifying crime a child could go through. Only to have to step up and get blood on her own hands.

Oliver rushes to her aid. But was too late as the roots of the scars have sunk in.

This book is beautifully tragic in every way! From murder to sex trafficking, Oliver’s love does not diminish or weaver… but will he make it in time to save her?
.
I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Genre : YA, thriller
Format : Audiobook
Rating : 3.75 stars

Summary :
In the intricate dance of fate, Mina, a diligent high school senior, is abruptly torn from her ordinary life by an underground criminal organization, thrusting her into an unfamiliar and challenging world. Oliver, a man who has recently emerged from the shadows of abandonment, grapples with the harsh reality of Mina's abduction. The unexpected loss of their intense love jeopardizes Oliver's newfound hope for a better life, even as their extraordinary connection ignites amid peril and enigma.

Review :
This book has a very interesting storyline. I've never read anything quite like it. The audiobook had great narration, with Will Collyer narrating as Oliver and Emilia Ares narrating as Mina. I think the pacing could have been improved a little, in the sense that some scenes were a bit drawn out, but overall, I think the plot was well-structured. I liked that we got to follow Mina and Oliver separately through a dual POV. The threats the protagonist faced felt tangible, making the tension and intrigue entirely credible. I will say, though, that I was a bit disappointed by the ending. For me, it fell flat and left me wanting more.

Characters :
This book definitely has great main characters and side characters. I think the author did a good job of capturing the characters' feelings and accurately depicting anxiety.

That being said, I sometimes felt a little cringed out by some of the dialogues. In my opinion, some dialogues didn’t feel natural and came off as a little forced.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

Love and Other Cages by Emilia Ares is a gripping YA romantic thriller that follows high school senior Mina, who is abducted by a Russian criminal organization, and her boyfriend Oliver, who embarks on a perilous journey to rescue her. The novel alternates between their perspectives, delving into themes of love, resilience, and survival under extreme circumstances. Ares crafts a tense narrative with vivid characters. Overall, it's a compelling read for fans of intense, character-driven suspense.

This was so good,
I could not ut the story down.
AND THIS CLIFF HANGER!
the writing was really easy to read wonderful writing.

I had no idea that this one was a second book in a series but the author mentioned that it can be read as standalone. Still read the first book to have some idea about the characters. This is a YA romantic contemporary thriller with so much going on and darker themes . It is a dual POV which is my favourite and it is quite fast paced as well.
I was unaware about certain things due to not reading the first book but the narrator did amazing job while narrating the story. I loved the ending!!

Love and Other Cages surprised me in the best way. I went in expecting a romance with a bit of drama, but this book had a lot more depth and heart than I was ready for.

The story hooked me from the start — complicated characters, messy emotions, and that constant feeling of something hanging in the air. It’s one of those books that feels quiet in moments but hits hard when it wants to.

I really liked how it explored love in so many forms — not just romantic, but love tied up with guilt, fear, and hope. The relationships felt raw and complicated in a way that felt real.

And of course, it broke my heart a little (okay, a lot). This moment especially got me:

“We happened.
‘Always,’ whispered the universe.”

Such a simple line, but somehow devastating and perfect at the same time.

Definitely recommend if you like stories that are a little messy, a little painful, but ultimately hopeful.

Rating 2.75⭐
Spice 0.5🌶️

Soooo I don't even know how to feel about this book. I was intrigued at first, then bored, then picked up again.....only to leave me disappointed.

Like sure, we get a "secret" Russian mafia industry. That's pretty cool, and interesting, but gosh WHY DID IT TAKE SO DAMN LONG?! LIKE I DONT UNDERSTAND.

Also why was this book was about 15 hours long?! And, and and......Why was each chapter for the POVs about an hour each?! OMG, it was driving me nuts and I felt I was ready to move onto Mina's or Oliver's side.

I still the think the romance was rushed, because they were a part for majority of the book, which granted thats fine, but I hated the push and pull.

I have forgotten yet again, they were still considered minors....Let's just let that sink into our heads.

I received the ARC through Netgallery. And thought my reviews is honest and true, I wish the author the best of luck

Def makes for an interesting listen. The narrators were great, but the story itself needed some work.
Well, the pacing. Things were either happening too fast or not fast enough at all. There was a lot of filler that wasn't necessary at all, it just made the story drag on and I lost interest in some parts. The audio book is about 15 hours long... I feel it could have been shorter with "tighter" writting...
I also suggest you read part 1 to better follow along.

I couldn’t get this audio to open properly so I don’t k know how to give an accurate review. I’ll check this title out again on my own and will likely read it this year still bc it sounded interesting

This book takes readers on a heart-pounding ride full of twists, secrets, and suspense. The novel follows the gripping journey of a young girl, whose life is turned upside down when her father’s shady dealings. The plot is fast-paced and well-crafted, building a sense of urgency from the start. The tension between the girl’s new, forced life and her desire to return home is palpable. The book is a perfect blend of heart-pounding suspense and emotional depth, making it a must-read for fans of thrillers and young adult fiction alike.

I am thankful to have gotten the audioARC from NetGalley. I enjoyed the audiobook more and more as I listened to it. It took me awhile to get into the story, but when I did, I was hooked into the characters. I think that the narrators blended in perfectly with the characters. I would look forward to the different chapters and having the characters change. There were some very dark chapters in the beginning that were hard to get through, but it was part of the story. The only thing I wish was different was the ending as I think things came together too quickly, but perhaps that is because it was a set up for another book and that makes sense. I would say that I very much enjoyed the book and the characters. I think the characters ouside of the parents were all very young and I am not, but I could relate and still enjoyed the book. I would be willing to read a book two for sure! I hope the story continues.

While I very much enjoyed this story. I got to the 40% mark and decided to dnf. I love the romance aspect and Mina is a badass female main character. I just personally could not read the torture aspect of this book. The audio narration is top tier in my opinion! This is a beautiful story and I’m glad I was able to read it through NetGalley.

This book begins with action and excitement in the first chapter. Mina Arkova is only moments away from a secret rendezvous with her boyfriend, Ollie, when she has to turn around and fight off men who have broken into her house! She makes life-saving decisions and convinces herself that everything she does is to protect her family. Meanwhile, Ollie is doing everything he can to find the person who makes him complete.

I gave this a 3.75 based on the abrupt ending.
I know the series needs to continue, but the ending left me with more questions unrelated
to the story.

First off, thank you to Netgalley, Sera Press, and the author for providing a copy of the audiobook!

I will start off by saying when I started this book, I did not realize it was a part of a series. I checked and saw there were comments that it can be read as a Standalone. I don't necessarily recommend that, as the beginning was a little confusing to catch up to speed, but the author does do a good job of providing the additional background to fill in gaps. So, yes it is doable, but I think I would have understood the character motivations a little deeper if I did go back and read the first book.

Overall, the audio was done well and the story was OK. I don't think I am the correct audience for this, as anything mafia/torture related I want the characters to be older. I can understand the reasoning of having her be a high school, because that unfortunately is the reality of the world we live in, but I just have a hard time accepting it.

I do think the story would've benefitted if we edited out a few internal spirals with Oliver in his panic, and Mina with her torture. Certain scenes felt too repetitive where I did not see the change in the character enough to warrant the repeat. And with them being younger, it always leads me to find annoyance with some of their thought processes. Again, I think I am just not the right audience for this. It was still OK and I can see those younger than me to enjoy this as a thriller option for them, but I would recommend that they are at minimum 16+.

Overall, this one didn't hit right for me. I found myself stressed out at every corner. On onset this series is giving teen angst, relatable content. Though it's my opinion that this sequel departed from that feeling. That being said, if you're an action, thriller, spy energy, reader this might be a better match for you!

Love and other cages by Emilia Ares - NetGalley Audiobook.

3.5 stars

This YA thriller audiobook will definitely keep you on your toes and have you on edge a few times.

I did enjoy this audiobook and the narrators did an awesome job. There were a few times I felt like I was loosing interest as I felt like the story was just dragging on and wasn't really my thing but that's just my opinion 😊

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the audiobook!

I had no idea this was a sequel so take my opinion with that going in. I enjoyed about half of this book, sorry as I am to say.

I wasn't totally lost going in, though I never did get context for the mc's relationship the way I hoped? Maybe that was my bad for zoning out during our boy's chapters.

Something about switching between your female MC who got abducted into a Russian, Black-Widowesque program and your male MC who is *checks notes* partying with creepy older criminals and having some of the most irritating dialogue ever.

I think this one was just, meh. Wasn't insulted by anything but neither was I impressed.

(I listened to the audiobook version)
Thanks to NetGalley and the editors for providing this copy of Love and Other Cages in exchange for an honest review.
I love dual pov and even more with dual narrators.
I loved the soft voice of the female narrator, however the male narrators voice was a bit weak for my taste.
I read other reviews and most people said this could be read as a stand alone, I did not read the first one yet and I didn't have any issues following the story.
I found the female pov more interesting and with more action than the male one.
I appreciate small chapters however I found it way too long, I got lost a few times in unnecessary explanations and interactions, that could have been removed to move the story faster.
(I will post this same review on good reads)

*Love and Other Cages* by Emilia Ares had the makings of a compelling YA romance, but unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectations. I went in hoping for a heartfelt, engaging teen story, but I found myself struggling to connect with the characters and overall execution.

While the writing is undoubtedly beautiful, the pacing felt slow, and the emotional depth didn’t quite land for me the way I expected. I was looking for that classic YA charm—relatable teenage experiences, heartfelt moments, and a story that pulls you in—but instead, I found myself losing interest before finishing.

That being said, just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for someone else. If you enjoy poetic, introspective storytelling with a more mature tone, this might be worth picking up. Every reader connects with books differently, so if the premise intrigues you, give it a shot!

I came across this one on Netgalley in the "Listen Now“ menu and after reading the blurb (and of course seeing the cover) I thought I‘d give this one a chance. And I‘m SO glad that I did.

Though the story is apparently a sequel (I say apparently because I didn‘t notice until after hunting down the author on Goodreads), it definitely can be read as a stand-alone, as I did. Though to be fair, you‘ll probably get a better feeling sooner for all that‘s happened if you read the other one before.

I listened to this one as an audiobook while at work (and cleaning the flat and staring at nothing, spellbound by the action), and first and foremost I was SO in awe with the narrators, especially the female voice. She really brought Mina to life for me and made me understand her. It turns out that the female narrator is the author! Kudos to her, her performance definitely felt like she didn‘t do this for the first time and I‘d actually go and listen to more of her, if she‘d narrate more because her voice is just that nice to listen to.

Mina is a high school senior who after being kidnapped by an underground criminal organization only to be thrown into a world of torture, blood, and death, all while being threatened with her mother's life. But all is not as it seems, and although she couldn‘t tell her fresh boyfriend, Oliver, just why she needs to end things, he isn‘t opposed to turning the world upside down in search of her.
The whole plot is not what I expected it to be while also being exactly what I hoped for. The farther we went into the story, the more I wanted to know, to understand. I didn‘t think it would go the way it did, and definitely thought it would take an even darker turn after Mina‘s kidnapping but was glad to find out otherwise.

The book did end in suspense, definitely leaving room for a sequel, so I‘m hoping I‘ll get to read more of Mina and Oliver. All in all, both the writing and the characters themselves really spoke to me and made it easy to connect with the story.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this one to all my action lovers out there who love to read about star-crossed lovers and aren‘t afraid of a little bit of gore.