Title: Gleam
Author: Raven Kennedy
Genre: Romantasy, Adult Romance
Published: May 31, 2021 (original),
September 24, 2024 (this edition)
Publisher: Podium Audio
Source: Audiobook (Audible)
Length: 18 Hours 52 Minutes
Narrated by: Lilly Drake, Anthony Palmini
Goodreads Synopsis:
“I don’t choose him. Not anymore. I’m choosing me.”
King Midas made me the woman I am today. Notorious. Unattainable. His.
The thing about being confined is that you believe it’s to keep the bad out…Until you realize it’s about keeping you in.
I’m now in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies of my own, but I won’t sit idly by and let myself wither. No, something’s bloomed from the pit of my repression. Something dark. Something angry.
The last thing I expected was for my anger to call out to him. King Ravinger.
He’s sinister and powerful and entirely too seductive. I’ve learned my lesson with trusting manipulative kings, so why does my chest constrict every time he’s near? I need to tread carefully, or I risk losing much more than just my freedom.
Regret and revenge war inside me, and I need to figure out a plan fast before I get tangled up in the schemes of kings and queens.
Because I won’t be caught in a cage again. No, this time, it’ll be me setting the trap. I just hope my heart comes out of this unscathed.
Return to the captivating world of Orea in book three of this BookTok hit adult fantasy series inspired by the myth of King Midas. This story blends fated romance, intrigue, fae, beautiful imagery, and insurmountable greed. Intended for mature listeners.
This review contains possible spoilers if you have not read the previous books. I will try to keep things as general as possible.
My Rating: 4.5
This is my second read of the this book. I read it in ebook form a few years ago and have been continuing my re-read of the series with the audiobooks. This edition of the audiobook is done in a duet style with Lily Drake narrating for all the female characters as well as doing all the dialogue for female characters throughout each chapter. Likewise for Anthony Palmini narrating for all of the male characters and the dialogue for each male character. Both doing an excellent job of bringing each character to life.
This book picks up exactly where the second one left off, the arrival of King Ravinger/Rip and his army from Fourth Kingdom having escorted King Midas’ saddles to Fifth Kingdom from the barren wastelands between Sixth and Fifth, and primarly the return of Auren to King Midas.
We get a lot of character development from Auren in this one where she finally realizes what freedom actually looks like. What safety with independence looks like and she will no longer be caged. We also see her learn what real love actually looks like, or could look like if she gives it a chance. For me when she comes to these realizations it was like “Yes girl! Finally!” Midas doesn’t love you. That’s not what love is. You are not a person to him, you are a tool, to be used at his discretion. An object to be had. Auren is stuck in an emotionally and now physically abusive relationship. As someone on the outside of that it is clear as day that that’s what it is. It’s hard to understand the mentality of someone in one of these types of relationships. All of the Why’s. Why do you put up with this? Why do you keep coming back? Why do you feel safer with that person who makes you feel so small? Especially if they are physically violent with you? No one deserves that.
The author of these books, does, for me as someone on the outside, an excellent job of showing us the realities of someone in an abusive relationship, and how the mind unravels all the lies, the manipulations, etc to find the clarity one needs to finally find the courage to leave. The realization that there are people outside of that relationship that can and want to help you escape it. That you can lean on them.
“There comes a point in your life when you have to choose between having regrets and the possibility of making mistakes. I’d rather make those mistakes than live without ever taking a chance, because I’ve missed out on too much already. Taking chances can be like walking through a mudslide, where every inch of you gets stained, but regrets are the stagnant pools of deprivation, and I’ve been wading in them for far too long.”
― Raven Kennedy, Gleam
We also see Auren build relationships with one of Fourth Kingdom’s Army Captains, Lu. Who helps sneak her out of the castle so she can visit Rip, or as she has now been informed of his actual name Slade.
We see other characters develop a bit in this book, Queen Melina, for one, now driven out of Sixth Kingdom and is on a journey to “Find her hearts desire” we don’t see much develop with this in this book.
We meet a few new characters in this book. Queen Kalia and her brother that serves as her advisor. Who has her own agenda. One that isn’t particularily great for Auren, or the other saddles, especially Mist who is apparently pregnant with King Midas’ child. So many plot twists in this one. Some predictable, and some for me anyway out of left field.
This particular book, of the ones I’ve read so far, is my favourite out of them because there were honestly so many “squeel” moments as I like to call them. Moments where the romance heightened and it just makes you happy.
In previous reviews I had mentioned that the author liked to use a lot of similies in her prose. XYZ thing happens that is like another XYZ thing. I noticed this a lot less in this book, which is good. There are other ways to describe things that are happening, without being so formulaic. The pacing of this book was excellent, nothing seemed to lag, the plot steadily progressing.
I remember on my first read through I didn’t expect how this book ended. It was incredibly dramatic and well written. The audio narration immersed me into these final scenes so well it was like I was there, witnessing it. Leaving us on such a cliffihanger too!
You can find my reviews for the other books in this series here:
Gild by Raven Kennedy
Glint by Raven Kennedy
Have you read this book?
What were your thoughts on it?
Are there any books you would recommend for me to read based on this book review?
Leave a comment below and let me know.
Happy Reading!
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