Superhero romance is one of my favourite genres. There’s just so much fun to be had with secret identities! So I picked up this book with high hopes and I’m sad that it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. While it has an interesting premise, the writing was a bit superficial and the characters felt more like archetypes than actual people I could relate to, which kept me from getting truly invested in the story. But if, like me, you love superhero romance it’s a fun way to pass some time.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element of fantasy that I was looking for and enjoyed the romance element. The concept was everything that I was looking for and was engaged with the world. The characters felt like they were supposed to and enjoyed how well they were written. Sydney Ashcroft has a great writing style and I hope there is more in this world.

The story takes you to another place. Another realm of possibilities. Walk in the foot steps of our leading Lady. Enjoy her triumphs. Hold your breath in a tense moment. And turn the page!

So much fun fora change seeing the woman be the superhero bc obviously we wear the capes! I have so many thoughts and cannot wait to share them as I am currently putting a full review together.

I'm a bit torn on this book. There were things I really loved like the relationship Maria had with her BFF, Gayle. They were sisters every way but biologically and had wonderful strong friendship evident in Gayle helping Maria transition between lives and in the teasing. Gayle was perceptive enough to see what was happening right before Maria's eyes. As Balestra she was a bad a** and reminded me a bit of a female Arrow (think CW arrow.) She was a playgirl with a rich family and a costumed secret. Their paths to costume were different but their strength and protecting their city was the same. I also didn't like Maria as she was a bit to cavalier about sex and that honestly weighed against her good works making her mostly a great and likeable character but one with slutty side.
Tomas was more like Maria than she and readers learn until much later in the book. He was a great alpha male with a strong appetite and a family focus that bordered on blinders. Skanda is truly morally gray but he too becomes a big part of Maria\Balestra's live and at times she is caught between both men as she is between both identities.
The book has a ton of spice, perhaps, an overabundance. I think sex should happen between episodes of a story. Said another way the spicy times should be part of the story but at times the spice overshadowed the story. It is hard to see a relationship building if it feels like only sexy times.
To offset that overindulgence, we had some fabulous moments like Cargill getting his for assaulting woman. Both Maria and Balestra took their turns besting him. Balestra's relationship with the police was also a strong point in the book and showed Maria had a strong moral fiber, not simply killing to kill. Skanda was much more morally gray as I said above. Together the overcome the obstacles presented by two costumed villains and upended this criminal enterprise.
We get a nice and spicy ending but the book leaves you wondering if with roles and relationships having changed if there is another book coming. In the meantime, I think I will check out what else this author has to offer.
Thanks to NetGalley and City Owl Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A hot fantasy romance. Loved the interaction between the main characters and the superheroes and villains. Almost comic book but definitely more adult! Could have done with more information about the superpowers and the fantasy side of things, but definitely a hot read.