Broken Chains by Demelza Carlton

⭐⭐⭐

Wanting a newer fantasy release for FaRoFeb, I picked up Broken Chains by Demelza Carlton. This is the first book in her Heart of Stone series. I used this to cover the prompt new release for both FaRoFeb and the 2nd board of Winter's Kiss. I also was able to use this for the prompt bonkers romance for the Heaving Bosom's 2022 Reading Embrace.

Catena is struggling to pick a project for the archaeology PhD degree. When she is accosted on the way home one night, she is saved by Tor. He's a gargoyle shifter that has been tasked with Catena's protection. When Tor's missing memories and history starts to come back, things start to get a little darker for Catena. As they struggle to come to terms about their relationship and Tor starts to find himself, the attraction between them sparks.

Oh my gosh, that is the lamest summary. I just, I just couldn't really think of much that happened in the book. Is that weird, yeah a little. I just gotta be honest though, and this book bored me. I kept wanting more development in the plot, the relationship and just everything. It is set in Australia. So I do want to warn that there is more Australian slang used than expected. I have read other Australian authors, and while they don't shy away from using slang, I feel like it was used better or more sparingly. I think that was part of my disconnect. It also felt a little too kitschy for me. Catena, our heroine, is a romance reader. While this leads her to accept things easier about Tor than the typical person, it still felt a little too overboard for me. Would I accept a gargoyle shifter (but is he really a shifter?), probably. Would I completely jump all in physically and trustingly with him? Probably not. I just needed a little bit more skepticism. I do read alien/shifter/monster romances, but something here just didn't click right.

I did keep reading because I was intrigued on how her project was going to come into play (if ever) and there were some good elements that kept me intrigued. I liked how Tor was a stone mason and enjoyed some of his flashbacks and learning some historical events about Australia. I have to say though, about 65% in I started skimming. I just didn't want to read it anymore. I kept hoping that something more would happen, but it just felt dragged out. Imagine my surprise when I saw this book was less than 200 pages.

There were some good parts of the book though, so I might try another of Demelza's works. I don't know though. This was one of her more recent releases, so I might wait until there's something that really intrigues me plot wise. Should I have DNFed? I don't know. I hate doing that and I wanted to give Demelza a shot to put it all together. It just missed the mark for me.

Have you read Broken Chains?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Broken Chains, Demelza Carlton, 3-stars, 2 days, eBook, 195 pages, published in 2022, indie published