Red-Haired Ash Reads

Lily Mayne has done it again! I never knew I needed a soft feme dom and her stoner jewelry making sub but man was this so hot! Beryl and Greid had a beautiful relationship that was all about accepting who you are and finding the right person who gets you. 

When I went into this book I didn’t expect to fall in love with these characters so quickly. From the very beginning these two just sucked me in and I couldn’t put the book down. Grief is a demiurgus who is not aggressive like the majority of his species, instead he is a sweet, chill sub who just wants someone who accepts all of him and likes to be in control. I loved seeing Greid open up with Beryl and get over his shame of being a submissive bottom who loves to veg on the couch and smoke shade (Demiurgus version of marijuana). Grief was just a super sweet man who I adored and love that he found someone who would tell him he’s a good boy. 

“She just accepted me as I was—an introverted goblin who preferred staying in because I got tongue-tied and anxious and mentally exhausted when I was out in public for too long.”

Beryl has spent her life in a sex cult dedicated to demiurgus but never was a believer. She was just using the system to keep a roof over her head and to stay close to her only family. At first Beryl didn’t seem to have a lot of personality because it was stifled by the cults rules but we quickly see her open up and embrace her new life. I loved seeing her try new things and be encouraged by Greid to not force herself to do anything she wasn’t comfortable with. Beryl also gets to explore her sexuality more and realizes she is a dom who wants to make Greid happy. While I didn’t think I was going to like Beryl at first, I quickly fell in love with her too, especially with how supportive she was of Greid and her determination to show him he had nothing to be ashamed of. 

“Don’t let people make you feel bad for the way you live your life, Greid. If being with the cult taught me anything, it’s that as strange as some people might think your choices in life are, they’re your choices to make.”

Beryl and Greid’s relationship was slow building. They start as friends and roommates but as time passes they both start realizing they want each other. I loved the progression of their relationship and how they were very open about boundaries, consent, and what they wanted out of each other. Greid was so supportive of Beryl not wanting penetration and Beryl is supportive of Greid’s need to be dominated and relax with the help of shade. Everything about this book was about accepting yourself and not being ashamed of how you live your life, which was just a nice change of pace. 

“Greid…” She threaded our fingers together. “You make me happy too. So happy. You make life fun, and I never realised how little fun had been in my life before. You’re my best friend.” She grinned up at me, cheeks still flushed. “You’re my favourite.”

What I really loved about his book was that Beryl has vaginismus and instead of talking about ways to treat it, we just have a heroine who accepts it and doesn’t want penetration. I love that while it is discussed, it’s not a repetitive thought throughout this book, especially during sex. The focus of this story is Beryl and Greid’s relationship, not their issues, which was just a nice change of pace from a lot of romances that have disability or mental health rep. 

Overall, this was an absolutely wonderful book that I couldn’t put down. Beryl and Greid had a wonderful, fun, and extremely steamy relationship that was just what I needed right now. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series and get to know Greid’s siblings. 

CW: Vaginismus; sex cults; social anxiety; childhood neglect and abandonment mentioned; recreational drug use (fictional drug); side character with addiction issues mentioned; alcohol consumption;

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