Review: Cuffs & Carnations by Nikole Knight
SYNOPSIS:
It took one day to strip an Archangel of everything he held dear.
On the battlefield of Heaven, Uriel lost more than his left ear. He lost his Committeds and his will to live. Decades later, he’s drowning himself at the bottom of a bottle, with no escape in sight. He tried to end his misery, but death didn’t take. Resigned to suffering eternity alone with only the ghosts of the ones he lost as company, the last thing Uriel wants is a new love.
It took one day for a hybrid to fall in love with a broken, lost Archangel.
As the hybrid spawn of Lucifer, Jesse isn’t exactly popular with angels; carrying the face of a monster tends to have that effect. So, he keeps his head down and secretly prays for the day someone can see past his golden eyes to the soul inside—the soul desperate for the solace only surrender can provide.
A grieving Archangel searching for hope and a reason to live. A hybrid yearning for a firm, loving hand, and a place to belong. Join Uriel and Jesse as they test the boundaries of love and the infinite limits of grace.
REVIEW:
This story was the emotional ringer I expected it to be. My heart aches for Uriel, if you read the Fire & Brimstone series, you saw first hand the depth of the love between Uriel and his Committeds. His pain, anguish, and grief are so palpable they left me breathless. Then there is sweet Jesse, who can’t seem to catch a break in Heaven due to his looks.
I loved this pairing, even just the hint of these two coming together had me giddy with anticipation. But Jesse and Uriel are going to have to work for that HEA. Now don’t get me wrong; this is Nikole Knight, there are going to be plenty of steamy scenes that had me blushing non-stop. But sprinkled throughout the steam was character growth, self-realization, healing, and hope. I adored how Uriel and Jesse started getting to know each other, their chemistry and the heat between them is top notch. Jesse was such a pillar of support and I wanted to wrap him in a hug every time someone so much as glared at him.
Uriel, well he has a lot to deal with. His recovery from decades of alcoholism, his actual grief and learning how to live again, his suicidal thoughts, but Jesse shows him glimpses of a better life. And lets not forget, Uriel has a lot of bridges to mend, but no bridge as important as his friendship with Riley. These two had my heart soaring, I wanted to sob with them and join in on the group hug. Overall the story is one of healing and hope and has me excited to see if Kelly’s story is next.
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