THE MOTH AND THE FLAME
Series: When Rivals Play #2
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: BB Reid
Release Date: May 20, 2019
THE FLAME
Here lies Louchana Valentine. She was a homeless, orphaned virgin.
I never cared what my gravestone would say until I landed in deep with a powerful gangster. Lucky for me, my best friend happens to be ruthless too. I should feel guilty that he’s forced to turn on the man who’s been a father to him. Except I’ve always known that Wren’s soul wasn’t as black as he claimed.
He was good.
He was beautiful.
He was mine.
He just didn’t know it yet.
And with Wren keeping me safe, I’ve got time left to rewrite the end of my story. But if he has his way, virgin is already carved in stone.
THE MOTH
I’ve never known anyone as alluring as Lou. Or as frustrating. Since the night she saved my life and stole my wallet for her troubles, I couldn’t stay away.
She became my onus.
My light.
My…anyway.
With nowhere to run, I’m forced to trust someone I never expected. At least with Lou safe in Blackwood Keep—far away from me—I’ll die with my conscience intact. Because she no longer looks at me with friendship in her eyes. Those iridescent blues shine with a different need entirely, and I’ve never been able to deny her.
It is strongly advised that you read The Peer and the Puppet before diving into The Moth and the Flame. Content suitable for ages 18+.
I’m the moth to your flame, Lou. I’d rather be burned a thousand times than be free of you.”
I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this story, and holy plot twist, batman! This was so much different than I had expected!
Firstly, this is NOT meant to be read as a standalone. You need to read The Peer and the Puppet to get a lot of the nuances of this continuing story arc. Ever since the end of Peer and the Puppet, I’ve been salivating for Lou and Wren’s book. And while the timelines of the two books cross over eventually, The Moth and The Flame begins earlier than the events at the end of PATP.
This is a much more character driven story than the first book. Lou and Wren have anything but a conventional friendship and it takes quite a few pages for the reader to be ingrained into their world. At times I felt like it was a little too long if I’m being perfectly honest. The first half of this book was much slower paced for me. It builds the backstory of how these characters met and the hugely antagonistic sort of friendship that they develop. Lou is an orphan that has prefers life on the street over putting down her walls around her heart that would allow it to be broken again. A chance encounter introduces her to a gangster with a heart of gold. Lou is anything but accepting of Wren’s choice to stay in Exiled. She also doesn’t agree with his desire to deny the chemistry between them and stay away from her because he’s not good enough for her.
There’s about two years of backstory here and there’s quite a lot that’s packed into it. And while I struggled a little with the first half of this book, I flew through the second half. There’s so much that gets unraveled here that it left my head reeling. Secrets get unearthed, and plot twist after plot twist keep you utterly riveted to the pages.
I loved Lou and Wren together. I love that Lou doesn’t back down from him and she’s not afraid to give as hard as she gets. Sure she can be a little immature with what she does at times, but she’s also fiercely protective of him, even if it’s from himself. I loved her fierce strength and unyielding love for her friend. I loved her broken heart and shattered pieces. Wren was EVERYTHING. This is a man that’s caught between a rock and a hard places and forced to make decisions that still haunt him. There’s just something so endearingly broken about him that you can’t help but love.
This installment was so much more than just a romance. So much happens in this book that I’m practically frothing at the mouth to get my hands on the next one. And if I don’t get my hands on Jamie’s story next, I’m pretty sure I’m going to be crying in a corner somewhere clutching a bottle of wine. True story.
B.B. Reid is a bestselling author of new adult romance. She grew up the only daughter and middle child in a small town in North Carolina. After graduating with a Bachelors in Finance, she started her career at an investment research firm while continuing to serve in the National Guard. She currently resides in Charlotte with her moody cat and enjoys collecting Chuck Taylors and binge-eating chocolate.
Please visit her website for more information: www.bbreid.com
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