This book honestly has a perfect mix of everything you could want. I really actually quite liked the main character which can be rare for me. Saccenti did so well making this book so intriguing and immersive; they definitely deserve some credit

There’s a lot of moments where characters say things in past tense in the sense of, so and so didn’t need to tell blank to do something, he/she/they already was doing it. Instead of stating so and so thinks this, and then showing the other person involved standing and walking across the room, and doing the action. We were told a lot of things (so many things). A lot of exposition and backstory dropped in convenient dialogue.

NONE of the characters seem to have any real goals that matter to them personally. Yes, we’re told that Soren wanted a mate and was settling for never having one until Maya. The only true reason for it seems to be without a mate, he was going crazy and getting overly violent or something. But again we're told about it and not really shown his feelings on why it was important to him to not be violent. Maya seems to be thrown about into this world. We don’t find out anything about who she is, why she wants this, and what she wanted for her life really or why it mattered to her at all. There’s some throwaway thoughts back to her life as an advertiser/marketer with a hotshot career but not why that hotshot career is important to her or part of her identity. Anything that is supposed to be important, we're told why it's important in the moment we should be feeling it, which is too late at that point.

I can’t stand most insta-mate romances so this one just wasn’t for me on top of the other problems I had with the book. There was very little character development. They just are all of the sudden totally inseparable soulmates. It took a lot of willpower for me to make it to the end. I just couldn’t care less about any of the characters.

It was also mildly disconcerting to read a book with a main character I shared a name with. Maya is so recently popular of a name in mass media that it is still jarring to read/hear it but that was a minor concern.

I spotted this beautiful cover and was instantly attracted and then realising it mentioned a Phoenix in the title I was like come to Mama ! It's not that often recently that I read paranormal romance because I seem to be reading much more fantasy but it is the genre that drew me back to reading so I was obviously intrigued to see what this new series would offer.
Essentially we have several supernatural species seemingly at peace but it's obvious that behind closed doors plans are in place to start another war. Elves, Demons, Weres and Fae, are the species that dominate this story but there's also a few Phoenix descendants who apparently are the destined Mates of the powerful Titanian warriors. Soren has always known he isn't prophesied to get a Mate and due to his increased aggression acts as the Enforcer. Yet what happens if he does have a Mate ?
Maya due to tragic circumstances has been raised by her Godmother Anna. Brought up on stories of magic but Maya has her feet firmly set in reality with a career path that's important to her. Her reality implodes when she is abducted by an Elf but finding out Anna's stories are real is just the beginning because Maya jumps into a world that's as magical as its dangerous !
This book in theory should tick all my boxes but for some reason felt perhaps too busy. I liked the ideas and yet struggled to believe everything . I found Maya a tad annoying as she just instantly went along with everything she was told. Soren was a sweetheart though because as much as he was drawn towards Maya he was determined not to push her. Obviously being a male he made huge mistakes and Maya reacted in ways he hadn't expected as she swung from childish to petulant and even jealous. There are an awful lot of intimate scenes here and if blunt I thought that perhaps there were too many bedroom scenes. The dialogue chosen was quite flowery at times and I did laugh out loud when a certain part of Sorens anatomy was likened to a mushroom ! So the prose didn't always work for me unfortunately but I do hasten to say the overall story was a great introduction to this world. I would like to know more about the bad guys as they were just pretty much caricatures of typical evil villains. I just hope the next book has less cheesy dialogue and feels more natural.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I enjoyed this book. The use of portals to travel makes me wish I could do the same. Maya comes into her own in a spectacular way. The chemistry between Maya and Soren is hot. All manner of beings make an appearance in this story. Great dialogue and world building.

This was new and fresh because I have come to understand elf stories are not written much. Or, if they are, I just do not see them marketed as "elf" fantasy as much as this one was.

I found this world to be fun and enjoyable. I really did not care for the main character and found her to be a little annoying and predictable at times, but I enjoyed the narrative and plot and setting enough that I could handle her .

I was first drawn to this book by the cover. It was striking. Ms. Saccenti weaves an intriguing urban fantasy with all the romance and action you could ask for. I loved Maya. She was a tough New York girl who is thrown into a world of magic when she is kidnapped. When she stumbles into a seedy bar for help, she finds herself drawn to Soren. Little does she know that Soren is her eternal mate. Can she reconcile her ordinary life with one of magic and romance with Soren?

Ms. Saccenti is a new author for me and I'm so glad that I read this book. She weaves a magical world seamlessly as she introduces new elements of the magical world while slowly teasing out Maya's abilities. Soren was so strong and honorable when all he wanted was to mate with her. Sex is a huge part of the mating ritual so readers should be aware there are many graphic sex scenes in the book. The secondary characters are as intriguing as Soren and Maya and I couldn't put the book down. I'm looking forward to finding out what's next for the group.

The plot was intriguing and I wanted so badly to like this book. Maya is supposed to be an adult with a career, but she giggles and wiggles and refers to her stomach as her tummy. And though I love imperfect characters, she's just extremely immature which makes the sexual tension feel very awkward. Overall the story moves rather fast which is good and bad. Fast paced action is always fun, but I really wished things had slowed down enough to build more character development. I wanted to get to know Maya and Soren. Really get in their heads and feel what they were feeling, but it just didn't happen.

As soon as I saw this cover, I wanted this book. Something about a warrior with a sword just drew me in. Sadly, it also helped disappoint me.

It was super obvious from the blurb that this was going to be a romance. I knew that going in. I really expected more plot though. More fighting, more manipulation, more twists. The cover didn't help that expectation. Instead I got an overabundance of sex scenes. They're fine I small doses, but they were so frequent in this. It got to the point where I was tempted to skip them, as they were just bogging the plot down.

Other than that, I really enjoyed this! I was drawn in immediately, and never wanted to put this down. I found the worldbuilding to be super interesting, and I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book in the series

Thanks to Netgalley and Victoria Saccenti for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Titanian’s Phoenix is a suspenseful and action-packed urban romance that follows Maya as she enters the world of the supernatural. Maya goes through a lot in this book. At the beginning of the story, she is completely unaware of the supernatural world and her role in it. However, she’s quickly thrust into the world and is immediately immersed in danger. After escaping a kidnapping, Maya flees to Soren, a Titanian that is sure to help her. She didn’t expect to find her fated mate in Soren. Nor did she expect to become entangled in solving the mystery behind missing supernatural beings.

As she adjusts to this new world, Maya also learns more about herself and her past. Her character is well-developed, and I found her journey fascinating. She is an independent and intelligent woman who is thrown into a new and dangerous world, and many of her freedoms are taken away from her. On top of that, she learns that much of what she’d been told in the past was a lie. Maya has so much to learn about who and what she is, as well as what she is capable of. Luckily, she has the help of her godmother, new friends, and Soren.

The steamy romance between Maya and Soren is the highlight of the novel. Eternal mates, their connection is palpable from the moment they meet. Though Maya grapples with her feelings about Soren and this new and unexpected life, their tether is strong and unbreakable. Soren proves understanding and supportive as Maya tries to process her feelings, which I love. His patience and restraint show just how much he cares for and respects Maya. Some lovely, heart-warming moments between the pair show the depth of their bond, and several steamy, swoon-worthy scenes show just how much passion they have for each other.

I also like the vivid imagery and captivating world-building. The author describes the characters, supernatural elements, and setting so clearly, which makes for an immersive read. The mystery is also intriguing and suspenseful. With missing and murdered beings, kidnappings, poisonings, lies, and betrayal, the story grips the reader right from the beginning. I think readers who like urban fantasy with steamy romances and a captivating mystery will enjoy this book. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Victoria Saccenti for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a story about fated mates who find each other in an elven world.

Maya Brown never thought that magic existed until she encounters it with her very own eyes. She is transported into an elven world where the rules are very different from the human world. However, Maya is not exactly human. She has powers of her own and she gradually discovers them with the help of Soren.

Soren is a Titanian who never thought that he would be lucky enough to have a mate like Maya. But fate has gone in a different direction for these two characters. The tension between Maya and Soren is palpable from their very first meeting and it continues to build over time, forging a strong connection between them.

This is a magical tale where readers can expect the unexpected. I loved this story and I definitely recommend it.

Maya is living her life in NYC until she is kidnapped. Her godmother, Anna helps her escape and sends her looking for Soren. Soren is a Titanian, a descendent of Titans. At first sight, Soren realizes that Maya is his life mate. As he protects her, she is drawn into his world and the war that is emerging. Maya’s Phoenix needs to awaken so she can help Soren protect his allies.
Opinion
This is a gripping story about an alternate universe where magical beings exist without human knowledge. It blends in multiple mythologies into the world of this story. I personally found it quite interesting.
The story is fast paced and in some places leaves you panting. Some of the sub stories wrapped up abruptly. For this reason, I’ve given four instead of five stars. I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.