Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews

Right off the bat, I just want to say that I never thought I would be reading a book about HUGH. I mean, he was one of the "antagonists" in the Kate Daniel's series. It's hard to not hold a grudge but I think... Ilona and Gordon have managed to make me (and I'm sure several others) a fan. I no longer "hate" or despise Hugh for what he did. He's still an asshole but he's also become more human in my eyes. Not to mention Elara is his perfect half; their chemistry is hilarious and HOT. Anyway, I'll go further in-depth on what I thought about the story, characters, and romance in this review.

Story: While the story did start off pretty slow, it eventually picks up once Hugh meets Elara, our new heroine so to speak. Unlike Kate's book, Iron and Magic is written in third person. We don't exactly know the full extent of Hugh or Elara's minds but we do know enough. Hugh has been cut off from Roland and he is not the same person who once was. Not only is he miserable but also broken as well. He has lost the will to go on until the Iron Dogs, those who are loyal to Hugh, persuade him to make a move or else they will all die by the hands of Roland's men. By moving on, he eventually meets Elara and her people.

Romance: What I loved most about Hugh and Elara's relationship is that it starts out very unconventional. They absolutely hate each other's guts but are forced to marry each other for the sake of their own people's safety. What we all don't realize until much later on is that their mutual hatred for each other has turned into a deep attraction between the two. Hugh loves taunting and fighting Elara and I'm quite certain she feels the same way. He doesn't feel broken whenever he's with her and instead feels electrified by it. It almost reminds me of Nevada and Rogan's (from the Hidden Legacy series) relationship when they were in their early stages. I never expected to root for Hugh but I'm definitely rooting for him now and his relationship with Elara!

Characters: There were a lot of new characters in this book, some old and new, and also a few unexpected cameos (Raphael, Andrea, Ascanio!!!) Kate was also mentioned a couple of times in this book and I honestly got goosebumps. Fans of the Kate Daniel's series should know that Kate's story is ending very soon so this can be counted as a prequel of sorts to the final book. Anyway, I look forward to getting books/stories for the new characters since I do see an attraction between one of the Iron Dogs and Elara's friend/close confidant, Stoyan and Johanna.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though it took me awhile to read and review it. I can't wait to see where Hugh's story will lead because Elara is a very special being. I'm not too entirely sure what she is but... she is very powerful and ancient. Even Hugh is unsure and that says a lot. However, the fact that Hugh is willing to try for their marriage is already an amazing thing, especially when they never wanted each other in the first place. I highly recommend this book for fans of Ilona Andrews and the Kate Daniel's series.

* This book was generously provided by Netgalley for an honest review. 

Rating: ★★★★☆