Review: Compel by Rachel Van Dyken & Patti Stanger

     

Print Length: 293 pages

Publisher:  Matchmaker Press (January 24, 2023)

From Goodreads.com: Compelled to seduce, designed to kill.

What do you do when your love destroys the only person you are designed to be with?

For centuries I've been trapped in a curse with my soulmate, only she has no idea… until history finally repeats itself.

The Matchmaker of the Fae felt wronged when we both chose our own destinies, and now, we're forced to relive our fate over and over again.
I try like hell to fix the curse, but I remember nothing after each death, only that I'm lonely and heartbroken.

The small town of Orca Cove, Oregon, doesn't help matters.
Filled with paranormal lore from all over the world… if anything, they're just as trapped as I am.

My only help is the large library on my estate.
If I can just find the notes I know I would have hidden, along with texts, maybe this time will be different.

The house groans with need for its mistress.
My heart breaks with sorrow that she doesn't recognize me until it's too late.
Her blood will always be on my hands, just like her heart is in mine.

The path to your soul mate isn't a fairytale—at least ours isn't.

My Fae queen thinks she's nothing more than a normal college student. She believes that the world is just as she sees it, without a clue that the darkness lurking in the shadows, the man she'll fall for once again, the man who will be her demise…
Is me.

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My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Let me begin by talking about something that I rarely talk about. This cover. I get it, the authors don't want to give anything away, but I'm one of those people who, if I was browsing for a new book, wouldn't even have clicked on this one. Because the cover is just not interesting. There is nothing to make it stand out, whereas the synopsis of this story does. 

On the plus side, while this story was written by two different authors, it so seamlessly blended together that I was unable to point out which specific parts were written by which author. I also found their take on fated soulmates to be an interesting one (especially cursed ones as these two were). There were also some interesting secondary characters and additional lore (such as a sea witch) that made this unlike anything I've read before. 

However, even with all of that, I just couldn't stay invested in this one and that is 100% on me as I'm not a fan of paranormal romances. I just can never get a real feel for what makes the characters not-human (for example other than amber eyes and green hair the Fae I'm assuming still look human)? There were also a lot of contemporary things mentioned which I get it was done to purposely remind us that we are living in the now with characters who have been around for centuries, but I could have done without all the reminders of Twilight. 

All things considered, while this one wasn't a favorite for me, I do think others may enjoy it more than I did. If this seems like your cup of tea, then I encourage you to look over some other reviews before you decide. 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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                                                      Compel is available on Amazon.com

                                              (for free if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited)

                                         

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