Review of Taken by Twilight

Laney K · Post by **Laney K** » 16 May 2023, 19:43

[Following is a volunteer review of "Taken by Twilight" by Tricia Barr.]

3 out of 5 stars

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Taken by Twilight by Tricia Barr is a mix of romance and fantasy. It opens with Evee, a woman who is trying to leave her abusive husband, running out of a date with her high school sweetheart, Justin. She wanted to reconnect with him but was afraid because she had not officially separated from her husband. Later, they are both kidnapped. They learn that they are both going to participate in a game where Fae royalty select a human mate. Will the pair reconnect and make it out of the games, or will they end up as the unwilling spouse of a Fae ruler?

I quite enjoyed the suspense and world-building that Barr employed. The lore of the Fae and other supernatural creatures was fascinating. I thought that this background, along with the tension and building consequences of the games, made for a thrilling book that had both a fast pace and a rich backstory. This was my favorite part of the book.

My biggest issue was with the pairing between Evee and Justin. Evee is a well-developed character. She is a woman who is fighting to understand her desires and get away from an abusive man. I thought she was well-written and was someone I could root for and hope to succeed. Justin, on the other hand, seemed to be nothing more than a sex-obsessed man. When reading his point-of-view, many of the other characters' physical traits are described sexually, and he is constantly concerned with sex and saving Evee. I did not like his character, and I did not feel as though he had much in the way of development throughout the book.

I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. My biggest issue with the book was that I was not rooting for the main couple, and that made it difficult for me to enjoy the book. I do think the world-building and general plot had a lot of potential. I also thought many of the secondary characters were fascinating, and I wanted to hear more of their stories. I am taking two stars off for my dislike of the main romance, but I do believe this book series has much potential.

There is sexual content and strong language throughout the book. I will also give a trigger warning for mentions of rape; sensitive readers should take note. However, I believe that mature audiences who enjoy a fix of fantasy and romance will enjoy this book.

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Taken by Twilight
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Elina Tshabalala · Post by **Elina Tshabalala** » 03 Jun 2023, 06:01

I usually enjoy fantasy and romance novels. I will add this book to my bookshelf. Thanks for the elaborate review.

Hazel Mae Bagarinao · Post by **Hazel Mae Bagarinao** » 03 Jun 2023, 17:46

I think I will not enjoy Justin's character here as you've mentioned him. I felt sorry for Evee, who had been a victim of an abusive husband. I hope there's a beautiful ending to this book. Thanks for your intriguingly written review, Laney!

Shally Z · Post by **Shally Z** » 04 Jun 2023, 02:54

I have to agree with Hazel here... I'm not very excited by Justin's character based on the way you've described him. It's always such a shame when you find a book that you think has an interesting plot or has a lot of potential and then it doesn't quite meet your expectations...

Thanks for your well-written and honest review Laney!