Book 32
Chasing Sunrise by Lex Chase
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received a complimentary copy in return for an honest review (which in no way influenced my review). Let me get this out of the way first: this is a dark story. If darkness isn’t your cup of tea, you’ll probably want to find a different story. However, if you’re like me and like your stories as dark as straight coffee then you’re in for a treat. The Darkmore series is well named. This story contains a very abusive and long-term relationship (I’d say that one of the main subplots is the protagonist escaping the mental cage he has lived his life inside) and it definitely has scenes of torture, not to mention humans are kept as ‘livestock’ and are eaten.
So yes, definitely not everyone’s cuppa, but the story is also very good and compelling. We’re dropped into Sevon and Jack’s lives when they are just children. Prince Sevon is only three (and Jack slightly older) when a hurricane levels his kingdom and changes his life forever. Jack ends up back in his home realm, with the shifters, locked out Sevon’s world (Think of it this way, the Aisa, Sevon’s vampire-like race, the shifters and the humans live in intersecting but separate realms). Sevon falls under Dominic’s control then and there.
The story fast forwards two decades and Sevon is king, a puppet king and people call him that to his pretty face. Everyone knows Dominic is the ruler and he does so with an iron hand. Dominic is a well-drawn villain you’ll love to hate. The best thing that can be said about him is that he does hold true to his convictions: the shifters are monsters deserving of death and humans are only fit to be eaten. Dominic has spent literally all of Sevon’s life controlling him mostly with sex and beatings until Sevon believes that he deserves the terrible things that happen to him.
Sevon is aware things aren’t well in his kingdom. He knows Dominic’s iron fist and the casual killing is wrong. He knows almost nothing has been repaired since the hurricane twenty years ago and Dominic has him convinced that invading the monstrous shifter lands is the key. To that end, they’ve made scouting incursions and this is how Jack comes back into Sevon’s life.
It’s hard to review certain stories without giving away too much plot and I definitely don’t want to do that. Let’s just say Jack knows who Sevon is (but not vice versa) though is a bit surprised by both the state of the kingdom and the fact that Sevon finds release for some of his anxiety in dressing as a woman (he’s not transgendered but he does like wearing dresses). Dominic knows exactly who Jack is and makes sure that Sevon has to be involved in torturing him for ‘information.’ Things do not go well with Jack or the newly returned Armigers, the female protectors of the king lead by Bianca (so yay for a group of strong women!) especially when they keep bringing up Sevon’s father, not realizing that Dominic has led Sevon to believe Louis betrayed the kingdom and ran off when there is a far darker fate for the former king.
Jack quickly becomes Sevon’s lifeline, especially where Sevon’s verkolai abilities are concerned (they’re special powers even among the Aisa) because Dominic is pushing Sevon too hard and might burn him out. Sevon is slow to trust however because of how Dominic has his head twisted around.
I’ll admit it, sometimes Sevon makes you want to slap some sense into him but I suppose getting slapped around is part of his problem. You have to sit back and remember that this is what abuse looks like. Sevon has been highly isolated, told his entire life Dominic and only Dominic loves him and has his best interests in mind. The beatings and time in the dungeon, the rough humiliating sex, all of it was to ‘train’ Sevon to be the best king he can be.
Sevon needs someone as patient, kind and understanding as Jack to save him and at its base that’s really what this novel is about. Can Sevon be saved? Is it too late for him to be a good king? Can he trust someone who might actually love him?
I really enjoyed the story and I’m looking forward to see what comes next. Sevon and his world are interesting and Jack is just wonderful (and I have to love Bianca and her women warriors, too).