I received an E-ARC of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Daggermouth is a dystopian enemies-to-lovers romance that artfully balances a stifling atmosphere and the ways that love can blossom and endure under systems of oppression.
While the setup to the story is a bit slow, once the plot starts to pick up, it’s unputdownable. I read the entire book over two days, and every time I put it down, I was just waiting for the next chance to pick it back up.
Grayson and Shade’s relationship feels like it develops in a very real way as they learn more about each other, what they’ve each survived, and how they’re more than just their respective reputations. If you enjoy a good “my wife” moment, you’ll be in for a treat with this one.
Lira was probably my favorite character. She was so brilliant and resilient, and I loved seeing her swap between the sharper and softer sides of herself. Her connection with Shade, and the way they seemed to deeply understand the cost they’d both paid to survive was something I really loved seeing throughout the book. By the end of the book, it’s hard not to ache for Lira, and she’s the character I’m most interested in seeing the reaction of to the events at the end of the book.
The last 25% of the book is filled with twist after twist as plans and plotlines come to full clarity. I was absolutely caught off-guard by all of those ending twists, and they held up strongly upon a re-read as well. I can’t wait to see where Wolfe takes the story in book 2!