Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood is a YA Fantasy Romance set in the Jamaican jungle.
Synopsis
Exotic Lands Touring Company offers exclusive tours of the Jamaican jungle. They also kidnap children and force them to work for them.
Victoria, the most powerful Wildblood in the company, is one of these kidnapped children. Disappointed for not receiving the promotion promised to her, Victoria joins an ultra-risky jungle expedition with their new handsome and wealthy client Thorn. Thorn is a gold miner looking to reach some untapped gold deep in the jungle.
Victoria’s boss allows her to go on the condition that she makes her less-skilled ex-boyfriend look good on this trip.
Even though Victoria has strong ties to the jungle, it will be a dangerous expedition for everyone involved.
Review of Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood
I was really expecting to love this one. And at the beginning, it was promising. The magic system seemed intriguing, the setting was atmospheric, and Victoria seemed like an interesting character. It discussed some serious topics such as human trafficking, SA, racism, and colonialism.
But everything was overshadowed, in my opinion, by the insta-love romance. Thorn and Victoria went from calling each other by their names to “beloved” in the blink of an eye. And honestly, nearly all of the men in this book are red flags.
So although it had a good start, I wish it delved a little deeper into some of the themes, as well as the magic system.
I enjoyed the author’s debut Within These Wicked Walls, so it’s a bit disappointing to give this one a lower rating.
If you don’t mind insta-love and love triangles, this book may work well for you.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Expected Publication: 07 February 2023
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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