“You made my very spirit exhale with relief. I swear my entire body said, ‘Ah, finally. There she is.’”

If you like angst, if you like hopeless romanticism, if you like star-crossed lovers. This book is definitely for you.

I had to set my book down so many times, just wanting to scream. I love angst. I truly do. And this book did not hold back at all when it came to delivering that one component. The love story-ugh-it was so good. But I was SO frustrated trying to figure out the mysteries between the two main characters. I wanted to shake my fist at the things around them, shouting at everything to “give me answers”.

That being said. I loved this book. More so than other books I have read by this author. The world building was so good. The cliff-hanger? Not so good. I’m going to need to send the author my therapists bill for this one.

This story absolutely captivated me. I went in blind - which I hope you will too, and although the size of this book terrified me to start with, it didn’t take long before I was hooked and desperate to learn everything about this narrative. This is a novel that I will display on my bookshelf and not just because of its stunning cover but also because I adored the storyline.

When a Moth Loved a Bee - the title of this fantasy romance novel couldn’t be more perfect. I loved the moment when I finally understood the meaning behind it. I do believe that this is Pepper Winters’ first time at writing a PNR story and I cannot wait for the second book in the Destini Chronicles to be released and for this incredible story to continue. Yes, if you are already a reader of this author’s words then you’ll know what this means. You’ll be left wanting more, especially as you may, like me, have questions which I am certain will be answered in the next instalment.

My only niggle is that I do feel the novel could have had some content removed as some elements of the storyline are repeated. Those of you who follow my reviews will know that repeats of any kind are something that I dislike reading in a narrative. Strangely though, this wasn’t something that took my attention away from the story like it would usually, and I assume this is because I was so intrigued and engaged. With the removal of some pages, it may have made it feel less of a daunting read prior to starting. However, I absolutely loved the detail. I could visualise scenes wonderfully and in a fantasy novel this is important to me.

I highly recommend this story to you to read.

4.5-5 stars

“Through every star and every sea, I’ll watch over you.” “Neither time nor distance, nor war or disaster can stop what is true. You’re mine and that can not be undone.”

“No wonder I’m drawn to you.” “You are light itself, and I am just a moth…a moth desperate to bask in you.”

As a fan of Pepper Winters’ dark romances, I couldn’t wait to see what she would bring to the table with a fantasy novel. And let me tell you, she does not disappoint. Pepper Winters weaves a fantastical tale of fantasy, magic, and forbidden love.

I’ll be honest with you, when I first got my hands on this book, I was completely intimidated. When a Moth Loved a Bee is a beast of a book sitting at 968 pages. Despite the intimidating page count, I was hooked the moment I started reading this book. I found myself completely enraptured with the story of Girl and Stranger and had to know more. Their story was so unique and intriguing. The longing and emotion made it feel as though you were experiencing everything right along with Girl and Stranger.

Pepper Winters did an amazing job with her storytelling and world-building, making it very easy to visualize what was happening. However, if I had to make one complaint, it would have to be about the page count. As much as the story flowed and captivated me, I felt like it took forever for things to happen. Please don’t get me wrong, I know that is expected with fantasy books, but with that high of a page count, I guess I was expecting more. More drama. More action. Just more of everything.

Overall, I found this book to be an enjoyable read, but long read. I liked all of the characters and found them all easy to connect with. The author did a wonderful job weaving a truly unique and spellbinding tale of forbidden love. This story left me with a lot of questions and I’m looking forward to seeing how things play out in the next book.

“The Heart’s Calling”
Mysteriously mystical
Heartbreaking and otherworldly
Hauntingly beautiful
Obsessive and possessive
Gripping!
Wow! Just wow! What an intricate web Pepper Winters has weaved with When A Moth Loved A Bee. I am pleasantly stunned. I spent nearly a week wrapped up in this cross-cultural and cross-specimen world. The high fantasy romance follows two beings lost in the world but somehow they are found in each other. The reader is sent on a journey of discoveries and revelations as they struggle and fight their own minds and those trying to keep them apart.
The world-building transcends space and time and I was completely fascinated…engrossed in elemental divides, the brazen fury of nature, dark-skinned royals,
fanciful beasts, and innocence wrapped in obscurity. It all kept me on the edge of my seat. Everything happens for a reason, and the author brilliantly crafted this book to reflect that.
The romance between the girl and the stranger is intense, reckless,and all-consuming. It’s the kind of love that speaks to the soul and persistently pulses in its tether through time. I was enthralled by their immense and infinite connection. The symbolism of the moth and the bee is chef’s kiss! And I adore how much time the MCs spend together in this book!
All the characters are incredibly passionate in their convictions which wonderfully amplifies the conflict. There’s drama, suspense, violence, heartbreak, and incredibly poignant moments of compassion, selflessness, and relentless loyalty. At nearly 1,000 pages, WAMLAB is long but the elaborate plot demands it. Even if I did write spoilers, I wouldn’t for this book because it’s something you need to experience for yourself. This is the first book in a series so there is a cliffhanger. I can’t wait to take flight on the next leg of this fantastic journey.
Read if you’re down with:
*Glorious Storytelling
*Creative Craftsmanship
*Undying Love
*Drama
*Suspense

5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"I don't care." I cupped her cheeps, running my thumb over her bottom lip. "I'd do anything, kill anyone, destroy everything if it meant we could be together."

When a Moth Loved a Bee is the first novel in a new adult fantasy romance series called Destini Chronicles, which follows the mysterious and irrevocable tie between two people who have no memory of their lives, Girl and Stranger. As the world seeks to keep them apart, they cannot help but find each other again and again and become determined to understand why they have no memory, even if it consumes the world.

This novel is going to put you through the paces with an exquisite forbidden love story filled with elemental magick, destiny, and a question around the notion of self-sacrifice. The journey of Girl and Stranger is rich and tangible, with an ability to pull on your heartstrings and keep you yearning alongside the characters. Girl is rescued from a pack of wolves by a tribe of people who worship fire. The kindness she experiences under them propels her to immerse herself in their culture. She is loyal to a fault but her capacity for compassion made her an easy character to fall into. I loved watching her gain a backbone as the story progressed. Meanwhile Stranger was found by a pack of wolves and saved by the same creatures who treat him like a fellow pack member. Stranger is dominant and assertive. He has moments of doubt but his devoutness towards Girl is immediate even if he can't understand why...he is determined to understand it even at the cost of harm. Together these character create a powerful love story that is raw and filled with curiosity and recklessness. I rooted for them.

There is a variety of side characters that helped frame this world. In particular, I found the animal characters to be the most intriguing as their actions spoke so much louder from the companionship of Zetas, Syn and Natim who provide Girl and Stranger with a connection that is so pure, to the alpha Salak who's power and dominance drives Stranger to act. We also have human characters who are rounded and complex - Solin, the Spirit Master of the community, who seeks to help Girl with a familial love even when she doesn't understand; Aktor, a dark figure within the community and next in line for the role of leader who's love of his community is his only redeeming quality, and Niya, a women who befriends Girl at a time when she needs it most. Each character binds strings around the two main characters and drives the story is ways that I loved but also felt drove me insane.

Now, this book does contain spice. I would put it around 1.5/2 peppers out of 5. This is also a slow burn so prepare for PLENTY of sexual tension and exploration before reaching the union. This book has a focus on longing and the ties which people may feel even when the world is against them so the moments of union between the two characters is precious.

"There's something about you that fills my heart with home. I won't stop until you feel it too. Even if that means standing here, in pain, doing whatever it takes to make you trust me."

Also please be advised there is SA in this novel. (view spoiler)

The world of Destini Chronicles is a fascinating one. I loved the power the elements have in this book. There is an agency and influence that propels and stalls the characters from acting. I also found the snippets of lore that were alluded to were intriguing and suggested so much more is in store for us. This novel is a mystery in many ways so you will still have questions about the greater world (we are focused on a small location and setting at this time) but the glimpse we have boast a magickal world that relies heavily of superstition and self-fulfilling prophecies.

The plot of the story put you through the wringer. There is mystery around Girl and Stranger's identities and the physical ties they have to each other. There is mystery around why the Nhil people are so adamant to bind Girl to their community; there is mystery behind Girl and Stranger's powers, and there is mystery behind their connection to the greater world. This book feeds you carefully the answers over the journey while also proposing new questions that added nuance to the journey. You find yourself filled with tension to see how Girl and Stranger confront their latest barrier as literally the air, water, and animals all oppose their union. I felt for the injustice of their situation and it was hard to watch them suffer. Yet the moments they were able to find together made the yearning and heart wrenching so worth it. The tension is this story is HIGH but the reveals hit so hard as a result. We also get action and conflict that contrast the methodical machinations we see going around the characters. The ending is a cliffhanger and BOY is it one. I was left feeling a lot of melancholy because I want things to be better for these characters and I have hope for them. At the heart of this is a hope so vibrant it makes all the dark worth it. I swear.

"And...and I want to tell you...I love you. That I loved you before I remembered you, and I'll love you through every life after this one."

If you love thrilling fantasy romances that tug at your heart, envelope you in a magickal world, and leave you to unravel the mysteries alongside the characters this is a series for you. I could not keep myself away from this book and consumed it within two days. It will stay with you and I cannot wait for the next book.

Thank you Pepper Winters and Valentine PR for the ARC on Netgalley!

My actual rating for this book is 3.5 stars. The first half of this book was a real slog for me. It was a bit hard to fall in love with two nameless characters and a lot of things felt repetitive. Things did majorly pick up in the second half though, so I will definitely be checking out further books in this series.

4.5 stars

The words use and overall review shouldn’t reflect personally on the author or any other of her series and books.

Some authors surely know how to write books you will emerge yourself into. Pepper Winters is one of those few. I don't read fantasy genre, but I knew I had to get my hands on this book. The plot was colorful, dreamy, intense and beautiful. Her world building and how she shapes her characters is out of this world. Simply beautifully written, this needs to be in the big screens.

A girl and a boy who have no memories of who they are and where they come from. Both lost in a darkness of the unknown. Both thrown together by destiny, without known why they felt they belong together. Their love was like touching a flame. I wanted to know more at each turn of a page.

The only reason it wasn't a five out of five was it felt a bit repetitive, but I understand she couldn't give too much away being that this a series.

But overall? I would recommend this to all my reading friends.

This book was really long and I'm honestly confused on how to rate it. There were multiple times through the book where it repeated itself over and over and over, and yet things were also changing at a really quick pace. Also the premise is really simple: a man and woman find each other and instantly realize they know each other and are obsessed with each other to the point of being willing to destroy the world. And yet, the story was so complicated it was frustrating. Also, the fmc's loyalty to the clan that honestly kind of sucked was really frustrating and confusing.

I thoroughly loved reading the mesmerizing and spellbinding story of two lovers separated by the Nhil people, wolves, and unforeseen forces. Both lovers have no memory of who they are, where they come from, their names, their powers, why they are drawn to each other, or why they can't be together. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and riveting story that captivates and engages the reader from the first page until the last page of the story. Can't wait to read the next story in the series written by the phenomenal author, Pepper Winters!

They were together in a life they no longer remember. Banished apart. Left with no memory of who they were or where they came from. They want to remember what they lost.
They are drawn together, yet forbidden. Despite all the threats they fought to stay connected.
…
Welcome to a mysterious magical atmospheric world with fantastical creatures. An epic forbidden romance. A great adventure full of wonder and hope. From the first page it’s an enthralling and compelling read. Pepper Winters once again proves to readers how talented her writing voice is. Her talent has no limits. She stretches the imagination by pushing boundaries and crossing lines. I celebrate the creativity of Pepper’s mind. Her ability to craft a world uniquely her own with a map and kingdoms. Pepper’s storytelling abilities are exquisite. You’ve never experienced Pepper this way before. This is a treat to be unwrapped slowly and with tremendous excitement.
…
Climb aboard the fantasy train into a beautiful world design and illustrated by Pepper herself. Pepper takes my imagination to new and challenging places. It’s visually stunning. In fact, you’ll wish to see this story played out on the big screen.
The cloak of magic is all a creation of Pepper’s mind being guided by a source of wizardly wonder. This is Pepper’s imagination torn from her mind and illustrated on these pages.
…
To hold her words between my fingers is a gift. If you haven’t read Pepper Winter’s work you need to remedy that immediately. Her writing style is something to behold. The power of her dark magic and what it wields is something everyone needs to experience. With Pepper your not getting a story your getting an adventure. Take this journey as Pepper explores places and people unknown to readers. This adventure will bring much joy and pain. Your heart will be torn and mended over and over again. The constant push n’ pull will have you mad with hunger.
…
Pepper Winters has become an animal whisperer. This book is like a dedication to the love she shares with animals. Pepper leaves footprints of her love for animals throughout this book.m
…
Just know this. You will need to carve out hours of your day to complete this monstrosity of a book. It’s worth your time.
…
Darro is a Child of the Moon.
Gifted by the moon and imprisoned by prophecy, his masters wait to see if he is the one foreseen to destroy the world.

Runa is a Child of the Sun.
Delivered by an eclipse on the night of a full moon, she is everything the masters have feared.

Two powers, two fates, and one prophecy that whispers of the end of the world if a moth falls in love with a bee…

Pepper Winters you never disappoint.
This is my first fantasy novel and I am extremely surprised with how much I enjoyed it. The storyline was so enjoyable, I wished I didn’t have to go to work and could never put this down.
Runa is a beautifully strong woman who shows so much love and kindness to all things living. Darro ferociously desires nothing more than Runa.
The story of these two and everyone they encounter is so exciting, interesting and different. Pepper Winters truly has a way with words that keeps you wanting more. Chapter 49 was my personal favorite due to the forbidden encounter that was written so perfectly and made this book a 5/5 in regards to spiciness.
I can’t wait to see what is next for Runa and Darro in the future.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Valentine PR & Literary Management for allowing me to read this book in advance.

5 ONE OF A KIND STARS

If you think you are ready for When A Moth Loved A Bee, think again. Pepper Winters has woven a new fantasy universe that will leave you reeling! Filled with action, adventure, heart wrenching twists and the most erotic romance, this unputdownable novel should come with a warning.

“I’d been loved once.
I’d loved someone once.
She tasted like sunlight and frost, her lips as soft as-"

When I first read the blurb of Pepper Winters upcoming fantasy novel When A Moth Loved A Bee in her Destini Chronicles series I was over the moon with excitement. This book is a monstrous of a beast, but who doesn’t love a good thick novel? I was enamored right from the start with how Pepper Winters crafts her world building, from the visual imagery to breathtaking story-line. I commend Winters because this book is simply unforgettable.

“Life hasn’t twisted you. Love hasn’t corrupted you. Pain hasn’t shattered you. Yet.”

Book one, When A Moth Loved A Bee introduces a world full of magic and mystery revolving around a girl and a stranger. One with a forbidden love full of gut wrenching heart-break and fragile longing. The amount of angst, passion and adventure was such a thrilling experience. From the compelling characters and a chance meeting (or is it?) I was fixated on the aspect of life and death, light and darkness but nothing is as it seems. . .

“I loved too deeply.
I cared too passionately.
Just like him.”

There is a cliffhanger for anyone wanting to know, but knowing Pepper Winters I don’t think we will have to wait long for the next book.

This was very different. I frequently read fantasy romance novels, and occasionally dark romance, but I've never read this author's work before. I found the setting unique. The vibe was mystical and tribal. I didn’t have much of a clue what was going on at first, much like the characters. If you’re searching for a new fantasy romance read that’s fresh, this book should be of interest.

this was a great start to the Destini Chronicles series, it had what I was looking for from this type of book. It had a great romance angle and I appreciated the darker aspect of the story. It had what I was looking for in the plot and enjoyed getting to know the characters themselves. Pepper Winters has a great writing style and it had me look forward to more in this univerese.