Reckless by Lauren Roberts | Book Review

A gripping tale of love, betrayal, and the high stakes of a life lived on the edge, where every choice could lead to salvation or ruin.

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Author: Lauren Roberts

Publication Date: July, 2nd 2024

Series: Powerless, Book 2

Genre: Fantasy Romance

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 0

Goodreads

US - Amazon

UK - Amazon

DE - Thalia

Official Description:

The kingdom of Ilya is in turmoil…

After surviving the Purging Trials, Ordinary-born Paedyn Gray has killed the King, and kickstarted a Resistance throughout the land. Now she’s running from the one person she had wanted to run to. 

Kai Azer is now Ilya’s Enforcer, loyal to his brother Kitt, the new King. He has vowed to find Paedyn and bring her to justice.   

Across the deadly Scorches, and deep into the hostile city of Dor, Kai pursues the one person he wishes he didn’t have to. But in a city without Elites, the balance between the hunter and hunted shifts – and the battle between duty and desire is deadly.

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Warning: This article contains spoilers!

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reckless lauren roberts

My Thoughts

I’m really struggling to sort out my thoughts about Reckless, the sequel to Powerless by Lauren Roberts. On one hand, I was super excited for this book. I had high hopes and imagined all the ways the story could unfold.

First off, I was really worried about Kitt. I pictured him isolating himself even more, shutting off his emotions, and getting lost in his hurt and need for revenge. In the first book, he was already weighed down by responsibility and the desperate need for approval and connection that wasn’t tied to his title. In this sequel, he’s mourning and becoming a shell of his former self. Sure, he’s grieving the loss of his father, but he’s also mourning the missed chance to prove himself.

As for Kai and Pae, I thought their growing attraction would eventually win out over Kai’s duty as Enforcer.

The book kicks off with a cat-and-mouse game, where Kai is on a mission to find Pae and bring her back to the castle for punishment after she killed the king. But honestly, as a reader, it’s hard to take the whole “hunt” seriously. It’s clear that Kai’s heart isn’t really in it—he’s definitely interested in finding her, but punishment? Not so much.

What surprised me was the lack of plot and the fantasy elements that I expected to be central to the story. As Kai and Paedyn “find” each other, they face a few obstacles but spend most of the book literally chained together on their way back to the castle. Their struggle to deny their feelings for each other feels repetitive, and it raises a big question—what happens next? Will Kai stick to his mission and deliver her for punishment, or will they run away together?

I wish I could say the ending was a complete twist. It was surprising, sure, but I had a nagging feeling about Kitt’s intentions. When he was playing with that box and recalling Calum’s advice about following the motto of B’s, I couldn’t help but wonder—what if Kitt still wants to keep Pae for himself? He’s clearly infatuated with her, so it’s not entirely out of the question. I’m left wondering how he’ll justify his actions to the court, which I guess will be a topic for the next book. I have to admit, I’m pretty disappointed by his betrayal of Kai. He knows how he feels, and he must realize that Paedyn feels the same way about Kai. What a terrible choice. 

A (Crazy?) Theory 

Speaking of Calum...now, here’s where it gets interesting. I was really confused by Calum at first. I had to go back and reread parts of the first book to remind myself that he’s the leader of the Resistance. So why is he now advising Kitt on how to run the country? And then there’s that ominous box that contains a ring. What if, and the more I think about it, the more it makes sense, Calum was interrogated when he was captured but then revealed the truth to Kitt about the lies spread throughout the kingdom regarding the Ordinaries? What if Kitt realizes that his father, the king, was a liar and a murderer responsible for the Ordinaries’ suffering? 

I can picture Kitt and Calum forming a sort of friendship, with Calum stepping into a fatherly role. Maybe they’ve concocted a plan to unite the country by marrying Kitt off to Paedyn, an Ordinary. It’s still a betrayal to Kai, but in Kitt’s mind, it could be the only way to fix things. If that’s the case, I’d have to admit the book earns some extra points at the end.

All in all, I had higher hopes for this sequel. The story focused almost entirely on character growth and relationships, leaving out the fantasy elements that I was expecting. Calling this series fantasy feels misleading at this point. If it were purely a romance, my rating might be different, but I found myself missing the world-building, the magic system—all of it, really.

I know this book is popular as a fantasy romance, and with that comes the expectation of a bit of spice. I can confirm there’s none here (not that it’s necessary, but I felt it was important to mention).

Here’s hoping the next installment kicks it up a notch!

Read Now

reckless lauren roberts

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Disclaimer: I have added an affiliate link for your convenience so you can directly purchase the book if you are intrigued. This also means that I will receive small commission. This does not affect inclusion in my reviews or the overall rating of the book.