Reviewed by True
TITLE: In This Shadow, Longing
SERIES: Coven Ties #3
AUTHOR: Marina Vivancos
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 219 pages
RELEASE DATE: May 16, 2024
BLURB:
In a world where people are born a Dom or a sub…
Cross is not a good man. His past is filled with dark magic, with death and blood sacrifices. He refuses to inflict his dominance on anybody—he’s not worthy of being a Dom.
He’s scared of what he’s capable of.
It’s been years since he scened, and he knows his body is slowly dying because of it, but this fate is better than hurting a sub.
Alex is a dynamic specialist. He subs for Doms who need to scene for their own health and don’t have other options. When he’s called to the Meliora coven for the most extreme case of Domdrop he’s ever encountered, he expects it just to be another client in a long line of clients.
That’s not what he finds.
As Cross struggles to trust himself enough to Dom, enough to live, Alex is forced to question how joyless his own life has become. There is something blooming within them, between them, and neither of them knows if it’s something they can keep alive, or something that will wither away once their contract is broken and Alex leaves Meliora for good.
In This Shadow, Longing is a hurt/comfort story with escalating BDSM, two people learning how to truly trust, and about how love can soften even the most salted of earths.
REVIEW:
First, this series is all top-notch pieces of hurt/comfort trope!
Second, in this world the people are born a Dom or a sub!
Cross doesn’t deserve the kindness of the Meliora coven, (his opinion, not mine), he even doesn’t deserve to be here, he knows what to do, it’s quite devastating.
Cross is a high-pain Dom, originally a member of the strict and hurtful Imber coven, only members with magic were valuable.
One day he discovered he has Psychic Magic, a rare and powerful magic, yes, he misused it.
But, he turned. He promised himself he would never use it again, he’s capable of violence and will never scene with a sub again, even though his body needs it to survive.
He would rather slowly kill himself, than scene with a sub.
He hurt too much. So he retreated, following his plan.
His friends from the Meliora coven are determined to help. This is where Alex steps in, he’s a dynamic specialist and a high-pain sub. Cross isn’t like any other client or any other Dom.
They have so much in common it’s crazy.
The healing process (from both men) took time and omg it was painful to watch but the results were oh-so beautiful.
The concept of this story (and the whole series) is absolutely original, the writing was flawless, and smooth, and the writing style made me feel connected with the characters and the whole scenery.
If you love palpable hurt/comfort and Dom/sub dynamic, with a touch of magic, you’re at the right place!
Recommended!!
RATING: 
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