This would probably be a 5 star review if "Little One" didn't throw me completely off every single time ( )

Sweet holiest of titfires...

I am not going to lie, I struggle a lot of the time with fantasy/paranormal romance. More often than naught, I find it cheesy or over the top. Yet, I didn't hesitate to read this when I found out that one of my favorite authors was diving into this new world that was so vastly different than the other things I had read of hers. I was correct for following her down the rabbit hole because this? Yeah, this was hands down one of my favorite things that she has written.

The world-building in this was top-notch. Even though it was definitely not something that would be experienced in a contemporary romance it still felt like it was. What kind of sorcery does this author have that she can do that? From the first chapter until the very last, I was immersed in this world. It was laced with darkness and mystery. This was by no means an easy world to live in. The undertones of the story hinted at what lay beneath the surface and yet, I still would not call this story dark. The setting was dark but at the heart of the story, it was pure romance that was anything but dark.

Caelum and Estrella were fantastic characters. They both had their own backstory that added a dimension to their connection. Caelum is in a league of his own when it comes to the leading men that this author has written, and trust me when I say that is impressive because all of her men are delicious with a capital D. His flirtiness and mystique were incredible. I lived for those moments when he said the things that he did. He was not bashful about his intentions with Estrella. I didn't know whether to swoon or blush half the time. His devotion and dedication to protecting Estrella were inspiring and his possessive/protective nature of wanting to burn the world for any harm (past, present, or future) was the stuff of dreams. I couldn't have dreamt up a better book boyfriend if I tried. Estrella, good lord, this character. I admired her tenacity to make sure that she was free and in control of her own destiny. She truly didn't stand a chance against the charm of Caelum.

The author did an amazing job setting up the foundation of this new world. By way of stories, and hints of things that foreshadowed things to come, this author has created a place that I want to explore even more. I want to stay immersed here, that is how good the world-building is, and that says something because as I previously mentioned it is not an easy world.

This ends on a pretty brutal cliffhanger. The twist at the end both surprised me and it didn't if that makes any sense. It was the logical explanation. Yet, I was still left with so many questions and curiosity on how the author intends to bring this full circle. Seeing that the next book isn't until the end of August hurts. That wait might kill me. Even knowing that she has other books releasing between now and then doesn't lessen the agony of waiting which says something because I have been eagerly awaiting those books too. At this point, I am just going to need this author to clone herself so that she can write everything and everything.

This book is my all-time favorite of hers. It is in the best of 2022 and likely to go in my all-time favorites vault when the series is done. ( )

The only reason this gets a star is for the beginning 25% of the book, before the love interest comes in. It was so promising! As for the rest of the book… Sigh. Cringe. Oof. ( )

Absolutely hated the fmc, had to dnf 50% in ( )

What Lies Beyond the Veil by Harper Woods is book one of the Of Flesh and Bone series. We start with Estrella, a field hand living near the Veil, a wall of magic that has supposedly protected humans from the Fae. When the Veil falls, Estrella has a Fae mark and is hunted by Fae and humans alike. Mysterious stranger (and also Fae marked) Caelum saves Estrella from the Fae initially but then they are on the run to try to survive. Tropes include hate to love, banter, fated mates, who did this and touch her and die. Please do check content warnings for this 18+ book (there are content warnings for non-spicy topics).

The Lovely: The characters. I liked the FMC Estrella - her independence, stubbornness and drive (although her wishy-washy-ness regarding Caelum wasfrustrating at times). I loved Caelum at first and he quickly became book boyfriend material. However, as he changed, I found myself questioning him and their relationship. I know there was a reason for his change, but now I find myself missing their earlier relationship and what they had.

The Mundane: The plot and tension go off to a slow slow start but then flowed well for the rest of the book. The ending was a surprising cliffhanger and I have no idea of what will come next in book two.

The Dreadful: The world building could be fleshed out a bit more. Physically, the world is set in medieval times with not a lot of visible magic. However, the lore relating to the Fae/gods isn’t explained much (especially as what the humans say isn’t believable). Some of this builds suspense, but it’s also frustrating as the reader is trying to figure out how pieces fit together.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Recommendation: This is, so far, a solid fantasy series if you like Fae, a strong female main character and the fated mates trope. It is dark, mysterious, spicy and emotional, especially the closer you get to the end. If possessive males or dark romance bother you, this is not the book for you. ( )