4.5 STARS
This quote from Broken Dove haunted me for so long. Each
time I came across the highlighted passage on my kindle, I had a feeling the
mysterious woman would be Franka Drakkar. Despite the fact I loathed her
character, I always believed she could prove worthy of the gallant Noctorno
Hawthorne’s affections. I could have done cartwheels when learning Franka was
destined for Noc, finally getting the chance to tell her story in the series
finale ~ Midnight Soul.
Now if you’re a fan
of the series, you might think I’m whacked, getting all excited over Franka.
After all, she’s one fierce and traitorous shrew. Honestly, I loved hating her
villainous, manipulative ways. Regardless, Franka fascinated me. I wanted to
see what circumstances caused her to be so openly cruel. I craved to see Noc
work his way through her defenses. Most importantly, no one writes a story of
redemption quite like Kristen Ashley, the likes of which are my favorite type
of read. In Midnight Soul, gone was
the Franka I once despised and in its place, a strong heroine I’ve come to
respect and adore.
Noc and his
“Frannie” were truly destined for each other and perfect together.They were
two broken souls in need of healing and I was an emotional wreck seeing not only
the life-long horrors Franka endured, but also Noc’s insufferable pain.
All her
life, Franka believed she carried darkness within her soul, But through all the
beauty that was Noc ~his gentleness, patience and love ~ Franka discovered her
true self while starting over in a foreign world. I admired the person that was
hidden behind the mask. Her strength, her bravery, her willingness to right all
the wrongs, the sacrifices she made, learning to put trust in others and the
way she supported Noc during his time of need... I was amazed how her character
flourished into a lovingly kind and often humorous woman. In the end, I felt
absolutely guilty for despising her in the first place.
Noc was
incredibly sexy and tenderhearted. A man with a heart of gold, troubled by his
own darkness, yet selflessly tended to the needs of his woman before all else. I
loved the way he consistently gave what Frannie needed ~ comfort, understanding
the woman she needed to be in order to survive, support, time to mourn and the
freedom to drop all her defenses and just be. His gentleness and compassion were limitless.
And when Franka’s circumstance came to light, I instantly fell for the way Noc stepped
up to guard and protect her. He was a true noble hero in every sense of the
word.
Franka and Noc’s
romance was inspiring as well as beautiful. Midnight
Soul was a powerful, slow burn love story of passion, forgiveness, healing
and self-discovery. Low on angst in comparison to the other books within this
series, the story told mainly focused on Noc and Franka’s journey from
friendship to love. Kristen Ashley never ceases to overwhelm me with her
magical story telling talents, which touches my soul and always leaves me
wanting more from her imagination. (One character in particular ~ Valentine. I need her story). It saddens me that this
great series has come to an end. But, I enjoyed seeing all the past couples
heavily involved within the story line, as well as meeting new and lovable
characters. And that epilogue…WOW! As I expected, Ashley brought me to tears
yet again.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review
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Thank you so much! ~Jessica, InkSlinger PR
ReplyDeleteOur pleasure and honor to be a part of the tour!!
DeleteBig KA fan but I haven't purchased Midnight Soul because I'm broke! LOL
ReplyDeleteGood luck Eunice!
ReplyDeletewould love to win! Love KA hard!
ReplyDelete