Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: Avarice

SERIES: Reagalos #3

AUTHOR: Rebecca Cohen

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 334 Pages

RELEASE DATE: November 4, 2021

BLURB:

Lornyc is good at keeping secrets, because secrets can get you killed.

Lornyc hates politics. The small talk, backstabbing, and the attempts to undermine his marriage make his blood boil and his head ache. But what he really hates is someone kidnapping his husband. The suspicion that the Valen is somehow involved is confirmed when the truth about Methian’s real parentage is revealed.

But there are other fights ahead, this time with the mage when Lornyc discovers that they were not only behind his mother’s family being stripped of their magic, but have been trying to limit the Reagalos family powers for centuries.

REVIEW:

The Valen discovered something unusual in Xenetra’s history, the place where Methian is the heir. Meanwhile, there is an expanding kingdom to run and, after the betrayal at court, there are few who Lornyc trusts with helping. Political alliances, back door negotiations, kidnapping, assumptions, and a whole lot more are part of this story.

Avarice is the third book in the Reagalos series and my favorite thus far. To date, the books have seen Lornyc dealing with a slew of dramas, mainly due to his reprobate grandfather. His shenanigans remain in the background, but this novel sees Methian share more of the limelight.

The novel is written in the third person, from the viewpoint of Lornyc and Methian. I received a copy of this book early – likely before the final edit – because I found a number of grammatical errors, e.g., transposed and erroneous words. I hope they are missing from the last version. As for worldbuilding, more of the surrounding cities and peoples involved with the Reagalos are revealed.

Avarice has its own drama to be solved. But, there is also more about characters from previous books and the continuation of certain arcs. The Caveer Guards have a greater involvement which gives the reader a greater understanding of their world.

The series wouldn’t be what it is without a few shakeups and there are a few. Although Avarice is a more structured and less busy read, it still conveys a sense of anticipation and provides more questions than answers – the majority of which are solved by the last page.

This novel contains magical as well as political maneuvering. Earlier books were more a case of Lornyc and Methian understanding the world in which they were hurled before their time. There is a greater degree of organization and understanding in this one, which leads to other revelations. And let’s not forget that the blurb states that Methian gets kidnapped.

Methian is an absolute sweetheart and shines. Lornyc is protective, and the Caveer Guards are actually helpful instead of sarcastic observers.

In all, Avarice was more my cup of tea. I found the story easier to follow as the couple is not running from one grandpa-induced disaster to another. Yet, it contains plenty of temptation, magic, angst, and surprises for me to be thoroughly entertained.

RATING:

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