―୨୧⋆ ˚ (DELIGHTFUL SINS is the third book in a series, it is recommended to read in order to understand what is going on, but if you wanna skip, read the second book like i did, at least, some of it was understandable, if you skip fully, maybe you’d have to goggle some things).
when i first finished heartless beloved, i wanted to read more of the north shore universe, and then i read beautiful fiend, which i liked, but not so much, because caden king really tested my sanity. And then, I wanted to continue with delightful sins, the third book, but i couldn’t, and i just left the book, reading other books before I completed this universe. Yesterday, I got pulled into this book, i just meant to read the prologue, and then kept reading, until i was twelve chapters in, and then i decided to just read it.
Which then reminded me why I love the north shore universe so much, and lola’s writing is the best, it calms and pulls me in the universe where I get angry for taking breaks between reading.
That being said, when i read beautiful fiend and jade was mentioned briefly (i don’t remember) i didn’t like jade much, and i thought i’d end up hating her book, but Lola knows how to write and her story telling is so smooth, i remember why i love it so much.
This is a why choose, MFM romance, and they are focused on her. This was my first why choose romance, and i liked it. Because of the writing. One extra star just for the writing.
SPOILER ALERT, and TRIGGER WARNINGS.
WARNING : EMOTIONS OF RAPE (BRIEF)
Plot : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Story :⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice :🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Rating :⭐⭐⭐
Tropes : why choose, dark romance, contemporary romance, forced proximity.
Pacing : medium.
Characters : i) jade alva : jade is half Indian - half Portuguese, the story starts with Elliot and Ethan finding her, by asking Xi, my man, and his pretty pink door, peonies, and my boy is officially gone for alex. 🥹 Jade is strong, I will give her that, i really liked her, especially when she got all angry, and ready to punch the living daylights on anyone who hurt her. Jade’s biggest fear is not being believed, she for raped by Elliot’s father — joel Pearson, and when she told vicky, ethan’s mother, nobody trusted her, it happened on Elliot’s birthday, when he was a senior. (Eek — for my details could be a bit incorrect) Jade is also bullied, and called ugly, she keeps a tough front, when someone bullies her, she forces herself to puke and gets sick, she also tries her best to be beautiful like the other girls, she does what she needs to survive. With a father who killed himself and a mother with cancer, she had a lot on her plate, she also never shows her weakness, she’d rather be angry, and let it out by shouting or yelling. She is not my favourite character, but i didn’t hate her. She’s nice when she wants to be. She also wanted a bunny like Alex has, Alex, my girl is back in this book, she saves jade when she gets assaulted by a cop.
Alex and Xi, my favorite couple, ugh — 🥹🥹🥹their appearance made me swoon! Loved their cameo.
ii) Elliot Pearson : Elliot is called the master manipulator, which he is because she manipulates jade into being his girlfriend, man is obsessed, and it’s as bad as his brother ethan. Both are overprotective, loving, and uhm— take her at the same time.
I didn’t like Elliot much, but I must give it for him, because he hides — those bodies Ethan throws his way — well. My boy is annoyed, but always cleans up the mess after his brother’s pretty play of killing people.
iii) Ethan torres: Ethan grew on me, he’s silent, doesn’t like touching people, only lets jade touch him, he loves punk rock music, puts his headphones, and makes music, also did I say he blasts it in his room for everyone to hear, not giving a s•••. He loves my chemical romance, their songs are in the playlist of the book too? Do not believe me, sometimes i’m on a book high, I forget bits and pieces of what I just read ☠️
What I loved : i loved the story, my favorite couple’s cameo, the writing, because Lola’s writing is just phenomenal, i’d read every word she writes, and google half of them because it’s nice to learn new words.
What I struggled with : i didn’t struggle much, i read this book like in a rush or something. I kept reading, percent after percentage, and then I reached the end, and i really wanna read the last book in the series — lawless god.
Loveable characters or not : loveable ? I guess.
Strong character development : yes.
Plot driven / character driven : A mix.
Favorite quotes/ highlights : “I’m sad that I was born here, and I never managed to get out for good. I’m sad that I joined the Kings to feel powerful instead of finding it within me. I’m sad because I’m ugly and my body never listens to me. I’m sad that I used to make myself sick to fit in with the pretty girls. I’m f•••••• exhausted because I want a job and money, and a chance at life. I think of all the times my mom wished she could have gotten me the pet I would beg for, but we couldn’t, and I hate myself that I was making her feel guilty. I’m sad because I want a bunny like Alex!”
I kiss the skin below her ear. “You are the bravest woman I know. You survived through your dad’s death, your mom’s illness. You survived on your own in a broken town. You fought Sawyer and you fought Stan. You kept your head high when we brought you back. You are a queen, Jade. You’re my heaven and hell, my most beautiful salvation. I want you to feel the way you make me feel. The freedom and the deliverance.”
“You’re saying that because you love them like brothers. It’s different for me. I can’t just keep on forgiving. Ethan let me go for the Kings, Elliot tricked me into becoming his girlfriend. And now I learn that they both knew I hadn’t stolen the money and yet didn’t say anything because they wanted me to be scared. To need them. That’s f••••• up, Kay.”
If I wanted to keep going, I had to play with the cards I was dealt. And mine happened to be the no one will believe you card.
Any other details : this book has grown on me, despite me disliking it at first. I always look at lola’s book covers and the wheels start turning, the most exciting thing about reading her books is finding out the little clues in the books of the things on the cover.
The green lollipop being the favorite of jade’s. The apple green flavour she loves, and also the lollipop which Elliot beings for her to apologise for not believing her when she said she was not a liar.
The lego necklace she gets at a store in south bank, where she also confrontes a wolf, and gets away while pissing him off, lol. The girl can’t keep quiet even when she’s in danger. She has no survival instincts the book said, but she does, in the end, in the hospital, and her whole f•••••• life, running away to a rich man, escaping her town, taking care of her sick mother, and also repairing her baby — car, that’s all survival. My girl is good at all of it.
The money being the reference for the bank they robbed —ane they money is stolen by Emma — the f•••••• irony, the money was meant for Elliot, ethan, jade and kay, only for emma to f•••••• steal it, and racer the f•••••• betrayal was not nice.
Caden king made an appearance, he also said he’d would punish her for not obeying him, or not listening to him? I don’t know, but he’s gone for billie. I loved how these stories are interconnected. I’d love reading the last story sometime.