Review: Consort of Secrets by Eva Chase

Hi Munchworms!

I know I’m late today, but I just finished this one the day before yesterday and totally didn’t feel up to blog prep yesterday so… I just finished writing this review. But I really, really wanted to share it with you guys as soon as I could!

Today I share with you the review of a book that I read in less than ten hours – including naps, distractions and chores. This really doesn’t happen often to me but I can easily say this is one of those rare, unique reads that I love to share with everyone.

Hint: Consort of Secrets is the first installment of a reverse harem paranormal romance series.

Every witch knows the rules: Stick to your own kind. Never reveal your powers to outsiders. Take a consort from the witching families or kiss your magic good-bye forever.

For years I’ve been quiet, obedient Rose Hallowell. I accepted the man my stepmother chose for me. But I never stopped missing my long-ago friends.

Now we’re back on my childhood estate to arrange my marriage. The boys I grew up with? They’re still in town—and they haven’t forgotten me either. And damn if they haven’t grown up well.

They’ve got no magic, no place in my life. But they’re charming and sweet and infuriatingly hot, and I can’t seem to stay away. The more I try to resist, the more secrets I uncover about my family, my betrothal, and everything I thought was true about the witching world.

I’ve been lied to. I’ve been betrayed. So to claim my magic and my happiness, I’ll break every rule there is—and then some.

Don’t mess with this witch. Every rose has thorns.

Wow. Just wow. The fact that I read this book in no time at all says plenty already. The writing is so fluent, ridiculously fluent! I kept reading without even realizing how much I was reading? Pretty sure I read this book faster than I normally do just because of the writing – and that’s something I rarely say / admit!

But the story, you guys. I was so intrigued when I read the blurb that I couldn’t not request this title on NetGalley. I’m so happy and relieved I did and got accepted! It’s been a while since I read a fantasy novel with witches that I actually loved reading. Consort of Secrets is now easily at the top of my list. Ea-si-ly.

So, obviously, our main character Rose is a witch, but she hasn’t gotten into her powers yet. Because she’s almost twenty-five she’s so easy to connect with. She isn’t childish nor naive. She doesn’t act out, she simply acts like she should. Like I would. I loved it.

The four human, unsparked, guys in her life are pretty darn amazing as well. Kyler, Seth, Jin and Damon are the four guys she was friends with way back when, before she moved out of town. To say I was intrigued by them is an understatement. I’m not a girlie-girl. I like surrounding myself with guys, men whenever and wherever so this was another thing I could find myself in.
They also have their own distinct personalities, characteristics and voices. It’s so admirable that the author is able to pull that off! It’s another thing that made me enjoy this novel so much more than I anticipated.

The relationships between Rose and the four guys felt totally natural and normal. That’s something that definitely needs to be mentioned. I thought I’d go “no, go with him!” from the bat but that wasn’t the case. They each took a piece of my heart and wrapped themselves up in it. They’re all special, all unique and I can definitely see why Rose would surround herself with them. Although I have to say that dark, mysterious and dangerous is the top pick for me every time around, so can someone please tell Rose to share Damon with me? Like, please?

Oooh, the steamy scenes. Really, this is an adult novel. No doubt about it. This is squirming-when-reading-in-public steamy because you will be so lost in the story and there’s nothing else you can do but squirm. I loved it. I LOVED IT. Like, there pretty much is nothing I didn’t love about this novel.

Nothing bad! The only “lesser” thing I can think of is that I would love to dive into the history of the witches a bit more and find out how everything came to be, why there can’t be any unsparked / human consorts. But that really is just me and my curiosity.

No munches and I’m not even sorry about it. I didn’t even highlight any quotes, at all, because I was so lost in the story and I simply read. I enjoyed every word, every sentence and I didn’t even think about highlighting anything. That alone is worth it not to have munches. It’s the best excuse not to have munches. Like, seriously!

I seriously ordered myself a physical copy and I read the eARC just now.
What more need I say to convince you to read this?!

Do you have any lesser known books that you absolutely adored?
Tell me!