When I read the first book in the Broken Destiny series, I likened it to Supernatural. The Brightest Embers doubles down on that similarity in a glorious fashion while packing in so much romance and a heroine who will not allow others to define her or set her course.

Basically, The Brightest Embers is nonstop adventure of a book with fights that literally bring the roof down and the kind of romance swoon-y scenes that you’ll want to bookmark for re-reads on cold nights.

The end of The Sweetest Burn threw some major kinks into everyone’s plans. Ivy and Adrian got married! (I am still excited about this scene months later.) But then Adrian learns he’s part demon, and freaks out over it. Ivy freaks out, too, but for different reasons.

So here we are with the two of them searching for the final object to defeat the demons. They’re newlyweds, which means they are learning more about each other, but they’re also discovering more about who they are as individuals and what their abilities are. Adrian struggles with wanting to help his wife, and wanting to protect her. He frets over what his demonic side will do to her, to them, to the world. …and Ivy just wants to be let in on what he’s thinking. Their emotional journey is the heart of this book, and it’s utterly captivating.

Ivy also would really like to save the world without dying. That part is pretty high on her list, too. She and Adrian’s adventures trying to find the last hallowed object add in this extravagant road trip layer to the book. So many beautiful sights, so many vivid settings. This book will make you want to travel. The Ice Hotel is going to be on your list. So prepare yourself.

I haven’t been as binge-y about books lately (heyyyy deadlines), but once I started this one there was no stopping. When you finish a book at 4 a.m. you know it was fantastic, which is even better as this book closes out a trilogy. The ending is satisfying, definitive, but also gives us a little gateway of a hook for a spinoff (no spoilers!).

If you want a book with a madcap pace, a serious adventure, and all the feels, you will glom The Brightest Embers.

Brightest Ember by Jeaniene Frost
Series: Broken Destiny, #3
PNR
Grade: B
Frost wraps up her Broken Destiny trilogy with a bang as Ivy and Adrian not only celebrate their nuptials but also seek out the remaining item that will free the rest of the innocents from the demon realms. But Ivy almost died recovering the last one and Adrian fears that despite their vows, there may be no way they can escape what destiny has planned for them. Fans have followed this unlikely couple as their relationship evolved from friends to enemies to frenemies to lovers to marriage. The world is built using the legends behind the Davidians and Judas. Frost expertly twists and manipulates what we know into an action-packed jet fueled adventure filled with chameleon-like characters, snarky narrative, and a convoluted storyline that never stops coming at you. Well worth the read and perfect for fans who like plenty of excitement and intrigue their paranormal romances.

Jeaniene Frost goes out big with this final book in her Broken Destiny series, though really, when you’re talking about an epic fight between ancient factions of good an evil, anything less would be a total letdown. This third installment picks up right on the heels of book two, where our hero Adrian has betrayed his wife yet again. It’s in his Judean blood… it’s his destiny… but this second betrayal is almost worst than the first one because A) they’re married now and B) he does it for love. On one hand, there’s no doubt of his devotion, but on the other, you just want to shake the guy for being so thickheaded. Then the waiting begins for the other shoe to drop.

This book follows our couple on their search for the final holy relic that can defeat the demons and free their human slaves. Unfortunately, Adrian’s really leading them on a wild goose chase for a while; he just wants to protect Ivy from the unavoidable death she’ll face if she tries to wield the spear. Of course, the truth comes out–it always does, and these two have to come to terms with their conflicting priorities.

There’s a lot of action and the plot moves at a good pace. The romance is really more of the same from book two, which is both good and bad, depending on how you look at it. It doesn’t really tread any new ground, but if you liked this dynamic in the last installment, you’ll probably enjoy it again. There are some good sexy times and a fair amount of teeth gnashing, but the growth is less about the relationship and more about the main characters as individuals. That is to say, Ivy must grapple with whether she wants to sacrifice her life for others and Adrian must determine whether he is capable of overcoming his destiny to let his wife follow her chosen path.

There are times it feels a little trite or kind of on the nose with the religious themes, the self-determination and sacrifice. Ivy comes off a bit too good to be true here and there. And there’s a special bonus for her and Adrian that defies explanation a bit. But the ending is sure to satisfy anyone who has stuck with the books from the beginning. I thought it was the best in the trilogy. (This is not a standalone, BTW. If you want to try the series, start with The Beautiful Ashes, book one, but be warned, it feels a lot closer to YA/NA than the series ends up.)

Though Frost’s Night Huntress books and spinoffs are a bit more in my lane, I’m glad I gave these books a try and followed through to the end. It was worth the read.

Rating: B

At long last, the final Broken Destiny book is here!! It’s been a long time coming since the first book, and Ivy and Adrian have been through some tough times throughout the series. It all finally comes to a close in The Brightest Embers, with Ivy needing to find the third and last hallowed weapon to save humanity. It has some excitement, action, humor, steam… if you’re a fan of the series, you definitely need to see how it all ends!

Ivy knows that when she finds the spearhead that will save humans from demons, she won’t survive wielding it. So should she continue this journey that is so much bigger than her, at the risk of hurting her loved ones, especially Adrian, by dying for the cause? It’s not an easy decision to make, but no matter what she does, she knows she has the support of Adrian, her sister, and her friends.

I’ve enjoyed Ivy and Adrian’s slow-growing romance throughout the series, and how much they’ve come to love and support one another. They have a fantastic chemistry between them that hasn’t died since the moment they met. But while the romance was great, the actual action part felt a little lacking compared to the two previous books. There’s a lot of hesitance and doubt in Ivy in this book, which is totally understandable (is she going to die for nothing?), but this did add to the wishy-washy feeling of the book. And the ending wasn’t quite what I expected – it wraps things up, but a little too abruptly for my taste. I would’ve loved to see an epilogue or at least one more chapter to see a glimpse into Ivy and Adrian’s future! My favorite part about this book, though? Brutus, our dear resident pet/gargoyle. I love this gargoyle to pieces, and he definitely added some much needed humor to this heavy series.

While The Brightest Embers isn’t my favorite Broken Destiny book, it’s still worth a read if you like the series. And if you’re curious about new adult paranormal romance books, this is definitely a series to check out! I’m hoping Jeaniene Frost will write some more NA PNR books in the future, mainly because there needs to be more books in this genre!

THE BRIGHTEST EMBERS is the third book in Jeaniene Frost's Broken Destiny series. Since this is the final installment in this trilogy, THE BRIGHTEST EMBERS should only be read after reading the previous books in this series. Although there is a lot of Christian iconography in this story, the non-stop action and epic love story will appeal to readers who have no interest in the religious themes. As star-crossed lovers, Adrian and Ivy trek across multiple countries, bodies of water, and dimensions, the score from the classic film NORTH BY NORTHWEST kept playing in a loop in my mind.

There is a delicate balance between hope and despair in THE BRIGHTEST EMBERS, as Ivy embarks on the last leg of her hero's quest. Jeaniene Frost skillfully conveys how physically and emotionally draining it is for Ivy as she fights bad guys, and struggles with doing what's best for her and her loved ones or being selfless and doing things for the greater good. Because Jeaniene Frost does such a phenomenal job of breathing life into these characters, you easily feel empathy for their trials and their victories. Three things make this story extraordinary for me -- the romance itself (largely due to the complex and totally dreamy yet tortured hero), the adorable pet gargoyle Brutus, and the spectacularly evil villain Demetrius.

The previous book was very much about the strength of a group fighting against evil, but this final installment focuses on Ivy and Adrian. In THE BRIGHTEST EMBERS, even though there are brief interludes when Ivy and Adrian separate, I feel like this book highlights the strengths along with the problematic nature of their relationship. Over the course of the book, this couple battles the forces of evil side by side, as well as battling their own doubts to find their happily ever after. In the end, it's trust -- both in themselves and each other -- that proves to be the biggest hurdle. Brutus proves to be both a goofy and devoted pet, as well as a fierce protector. Demetrius is the perfect villain you love to hate. The best moments are when the heroes frustrate and annoy Demetrius in the same kind of way that Peter Pan tormented Captain Hook or the perpetually cheery Whos irked the Grinch. Of course, Demetrius is a million times deadlier and darker than those villains but those slightly comic moments are extremely entertaining.

THE BRIGHTEST EMBERS is a thrilling tale of prophecy, demons, and the power of love. This is a perfect story for readers who are looking for an engrossing story with plenty of action, fantasy, and romance. I look forward to reading Jeaniene Frost's next book.