Jumping Straight Back In
Reckless is Book #2 in Lauren Roberts’ bestselling romantasy Powerless trilogy. It picks up nearly immediately after the events in Powerless.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
Paedyn is on the run for her life, being pursued by none other than Kai, the new Enforcer, at the newly coronated King Kitt’s order. It’s complicated.
Pursued across the Scorches to the hostile city of Dor and beyond, Reckless is the fast-paced narrative of Paedyn and Kai wrestling with their pasts, presents, and seemingly unchangeable fates. Both must battle between their duty and their desires.
A Trope-Laden Sequel
I wrote in my review of Powerless that it lacked originality, comparing it namely to Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen.
Reckless didn’t have that problem. But it had another. It was riddled with tropes. Just to name a few:
- Enemies-to-lovers
- Forced proximity
- One bed trope
- Survival confessions/professions
However…
It’s a Heck of a Fun Read
I just really enjoyed Reckless.
It was easy to read; I flew through it; I was engaged and interested in what happened next.
Some specifics I liked:
- The way Kai and Paedyn managed to reconcile
- The romantic moments
- More backstory between each of them
Things I Liked Less
I didn’t mind the tropes, even though it was heavy-handed. These are a few things I liked less:
- Ending: While I didn’t particularly expect, I was disappointed that it too paired so similarly with King’s Cage (Red Queen, book 3). It also didn’t feel like it made a lot of sense in the story. It felt more like a fan-fiction idea.
- Backstabbing: I grew a little weary of the constant threats to kill the other between the two main characters.
- Filler: As much as I enjoyed the romance, the rest of Reckless felt like filler-content to me to get to the next book.
Content Concerns?
As in Powerless, Reckless is free from any graphic content. There is passionate kissing and lots of longing but no explicit scenes.
However, there is a fair bit of language throughout (mostly mild but consistent) and a good deal of violence. While never graphic, it is practically constant.
Final Thoughts on Reckless
I rounded down from 3.5 stars for the above notes.
However, I really did enjoy Reckless as a whole. I flew through it and still want to know what happens next. Roberts is a good storyteller, especially with dialogue and the chemistry of her characters. Truly, I appreciate a book that takes me far from reality. And Reckless did that for me.
Content Rating: Moderate
for constant action/violence, some romantic content, and swearing
Copyright Lauren Roberts and Simon & Schuster. Image from Amazon.