This book is very suspenseful and interesting. I was gripped in the first half, but some sections do drag a bit. Love the characters though, so I powered to the end.

This book caught my attention right away with its original premise. A rebellious angel prince teaming up with a demon to overthrow the corrupt King of Heaven? That’s not something you see every day. The dynamic between Raphael and Dante is particularly compelling — two characters from opposite worlds forced into an uneasy alliance, then something more.

What really stands out is the blend of political drama, religious mythology, and slow-burn tension. The world-building is rich, and the moral ambiguity makes every decision feel weighty. Raphael’s idealism clashing with Dante’s cynicism creates a gripping narrative, especially as their mission grows more dangerous and complicated.

There’s a lot at stake here — not just personal survival, but the fate of an entire kingdom built on inequality. The exploration of power, loyalty, and identity adds real depth to what could have been a simple angel-versus-demon story.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy with a sharp political edge and a touch of forbidden romance.

Such a unique and intriguing read! As soon as I read the synopsis, I was immediately hooked, especially as a fan of books like Primal Sin by Ariana Nash. While this one didn’t hit quite the same notes, it offered a refreshing take that I genuinely enjoyed and found hard to put down.
This dual POV M/M romance between Raphael, the third heir to the Kingdom of Heaven, and Dante, a demon with extraordinary gifts, was packed with action, political intrigue, and a powerful rebellion against a corrupt celestial system. I was especially drawn to the concept of a dystopian Heaven set a thousand years after a great war, it felt so original and compelling. The magic system and world-building had so much potential, and I loved the overall aesthetic and themes introduced.
The dynamic between Raphael and Dante was a definite highlight. Their banter brought levity and charm to the story, and Dante's sarcasm was especially fun to read. Their romance had some very sweet moments, and while I wished their emotional arc had a bit more development, their chemistry was still palpable and engaging.
Character-wise, Dante quickly became my favorite. He’s introduced through trauma, and I found his journey from vulnerability to strength compelling, even if a bit uneven at times. Raphael was intriguing as well, and while I hoped for a deeper dive into his background and motivations, I appreciated the glimpses we did get, especially regarding his complex family dynamics.
The pacing is on the slower side for the first half, but it really ramps up in the second half, with some wild twists (yes, the wings scene!). There were a few moments where the narrative jumped ahead in time a bit too quickly for my taste, and I found myself wanting just a little more detail, especially when it came to describing the settings and characters, but I’m optimistic the sequels will expand on those aspects.
One of my favorite lines that truly encapsulated the heart of the story was:
“Justice, freedom from oppression, basic human rights, these are not things anyone should have to fight for. They should be given at birth.”
That line stayed with me and reminded me why I was rooting for these characters and the world they’re trying to change.
If you enjoy slow-burn fantasy with dual POV, political tension, and a romance that’s more emotionally driven than spicy, this one is definitely worth checking out. I’m excited to see where the story goes next, and I’ll definitely be picking up the sequels!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

“Justice, freedom from oppression, basic human rights - these are not things anyone should have to fight for. They should be given at birth.”

When I read the above part in the book I knew that the plot of this story was going to draw me right in. And it did. Right from the get-go I loved the premise of the Angels and Demon. I loved the hierarchy of the world the author built for this story to be told.

I am a huge sucker for dual POVs. I love seeing a story from all angles and this one did just that. 

There was mentions of spice but not really spicy at all so if you are looking for a cleaner story that “closes the bedroom door” and begin next scene so to speak this is for you. If you are a spicy mama, don’t expect that from this book.

Ok, now the things that I didn’t love…
I felt as through at times the book jumped timelines too fast. I didn’t love that it fast forwarded through the story and time, although I understand the necessity of it, to get through the story timeline.

I appreciated the backstory of Raphaels father and mother but other than that I did not feel as though I understood the hatred from him towards his father. I would have preferred a longer book that filled in some of these story plot holes to make me feel what he felt towards him.

The ending felt … weird. It almost seemed as though there wouldn’t be any other books even though the story wasn’t finished. And again, it skipped over a large amounts of time and was like "ta-da".

I hope the other books continue to fill in some of the back story as well as continue building the characters and storylines we were introduced to in this book.

This is my honest review in exchange for a free copy of this book.

This book was <300 pages but my god did it drag on. It took me so long to finish because the plot never really hooked me and the world building was confusing. Is it possible for a book to have too much world building? Because there was a lot of history that isn’t explained very well.

Also, we start with two brutal child deaths in the first few chapters - that was very difficult to read. If I didn’t have a personal “no DNF” rule I probably would have stopped reading very early on.

Honestly the chemistry between Raphael and Dante was bland. Dante’s reasons for working with Raphael aren’t very clear. I feel like his characterization could have been deeper. Raphael gives off white savior and white guilt vibes.

I love the genre of angels vs demons but this book sadly missed the mark.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to have read an advanced copy this book for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Honestly, this book was such a treat! As soon as I read the synopsis I was excited and hoped it gave the same vibes as Primal Sin by Ariana Nash. It didn't, but I did enjoy this story quite a lot. The only downfall was that I was left confused and a bit disappointed with the lack of detail and character development through the entirety of the book.

This is a dual POV, M/M action/political romance between Raphael, the third heir to the Kingdom of Heaven and Dante, a demon with extraordinary abilities. Together they try to dismantle the injustices of Heaven and bring equity into their corrupt world.

The world and magic system in this book were unique and the reimagining of heaven as a dystopian setting 1000 years after a great war was so fun to discover. I enjoyed the idea of this setting so much, it was disappointing to not see more detail regarding the palaces, neighborhoods and even characters. Even now that I have finished the book, I can't seem to grasp a clear picture in my head of what Raphael looks like. It is the same with other characters, where there is a lack of descriptors to help the reader identify the characters outside of their names.

Raphael was an interesting character and while he is likable, I wish I was given more information regarding his past and how he came to engage in the things he did. We do get a glimpse of his reasons for becoming close to Dante and he is seeking revenge for an important cause but I he always felt like such a mystery, even when his mysteries were supposedly solved. Dante is my favorite character although his personality felt disjointed at times. He is introduced to the reader via traumatic events and then is placed in situations that force him to use his skills/powers to protect Raphael. This was really odd because early in the book he is attacked and made to appear vulnerable but then halfway through the book he is dodging bullets and fighting 10 men. I get he gets proper care and doesn't have to hold back with Raphael but...I wish there was more development there.

The romance was sweet and I loved the banter between both MMCs. Dante is so sarcastic and does not hesitate to remind Raphael of the things he was promised. Again, I wish the development of their relationship was more fleshed out. It felt rushed and not enough at the same time.

Overall, the story is very slow for the first 40% of the book but the second half gets wild. Where did the wings come from? WTF? I am looking forward to the sequels because I do have a lot of questions I'm going to need answers to. I do recommend it and an exited to read more from this author.

First off, thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In a world where angels and demons are segregated, an unlikely pair forms between an angel prince and a demon commoner with magical powers. The two attempt to work together to create a better world for the demons where they are not automatically relegated to the lowest classes of society. This story is entrenched in politics with a hint of romance.

I don't dnf books often but at 70% of the way through I just couldn't do it anymore. This book had a lot of potential but for various reasons it just was not for me and while I tried to push through, at some point it wasn't worth it any longer. The writing was a bit confusing with changing of tenses and changing of POVs randomly in a book with dual POVs by chapter. One of my biggest writing peeves has to do with misplaced or lacking commas, of which there were many in this book sadly. A lot of plot points and characters were introduced and just went nowhere and maybe the last 30% would've tied off some loose ends but some were introduced so close to the start that it shouldn't take 70% of the book to have any development on that front.

The plot itself was a bit messy too and the characters felt shallow and childish for their ages (around mid-twenties). I felt like I was never really on solid ground while reading this which made it difficult to feel immersed in the world. I also think a lot of the characters had poor chemistry and despite the plot heavily centering around political maneuvering, I just couldn't truly believe any of them capable of masterminding such things. I think this could've been a really fantastic book but I just couldn't fully connect with the plot. I do think if the story continues and some intentional changes are made in the next book to really nail down the plot and adjust some of the character development, this could've become a very interesting series.

A good premise with interesting lead characters, the plot had some good twists I actually would have loved more of it as the side characters did not get enough time but it wasn’t enough to spoil my enjoyment. I really appreciated the subtleties of the sexual content . I will definitely keep my eye on the author and read the next book the publish.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an digital advanced review copy of this book. i was given this book for free in exchange for an honest review. all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
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i tried really hard to push through this book but i ended up dnf at about 20%

in a world of angels and demons, the third prince raphael fights for the rights of demons. he recruits a demon with special powers, dante, to become a part of his royal guard as they hatch a plan to dethrone the king of heaven and create a better world for all. will the plan fail if they fall for each other, an enemy they’ve been raised to despise?

this book was told in a duel point of view, one from raphael and one from dante, however they were both in third person. therefore, it was difficult for me to get into their mindset and i feel as though there could have been a benefit to switching to a first person point of view.

as for writing flaws, there were many descriptions that halted the story line as well as random characters or phrases thrown in the readers face that you had to figure out as you went. there is a great way to introduce a new character and setting, and unfortunately this book did not have that feature for me. i felt as though certain descriptions took me out of the scene instead of building a clearer picture of what was going on.

additionally, there were weird jumps in the timeline and i was unsure what was going on and where at multiple points. it was also unclear as to which character was speaking as delivery of dialogue changed in a single paragraph. the style just did not serve me well as a reader.

there is great potential to this plot. i was very excited to read this after the description entails a fantasy world of angels and demons but unfortunately this just fell flat for me. i do this this book definitely had so much potential, it just needed a little more refining to be the novel is could have been.

I really loved the concept and world building of this book, it had so much potential and creativity. However, I personally struggled to connect with the writing style, and I found it a bit difficult to fully engage with Raphael as a character. The relationship with Dante also felt a little off to me from the beginning, which made it hard for me to enjoy. I do get the feeling it might develop into a great slow burn later on, but for now, I don’t think I’ll be continuing. That being said, I can really see how others might really enjoy it!