A Heart of Desire and Deceit: The Choosing Chronicles, Book 2

Kat

Awesome Conclusion to Duet 1 in this Series

"This book picks up shortly after book one ends, and takes us on ride full of heartbreak, redemption, and healing. Our MCs start this book at odds, becoming enemies from the fallout when Brynleigh's plans were revealed. Both of them heartbroken, her because she fell for him and changed her mind about killing him, and Ryker because he never saw it coming. The confusion of still loving each other while being so hurt leads to some of the most painful moments of emotion that I have read. We learned about why both characters are so emotionally scarred in book one, and we see more of how that effects their choices and relate to them working to rebuild trust with each other. They're both complicated messes, that work toward being able to choose each other while healing from their pasts. The wider story of a corrupt dystopian world becomes more clear as the story progresses. There is a part of me that sympathizes with the rebels since the society is worlds away from what their predecessors built a thousand years before. However, their execution isn't the way to solve the problem, though ultimately violence may be necessary, they're a pretty off key on how to get there. In this instance, they needed to be quashed so something better can rise up, IMO. For me, this was a good conclusion to their story and great setup for the next duology that follows River and Nikhail. This one, on the spice scale gets a little hotter: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ ["

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March 20, 2026 Verified Purchase

Michie

cute story

"It was cute and predictable. It was a nice little conclusion to their love story. I like how he let her kick butt and only stepped in to help a little. ["

April 15, 2025 Verified Purchase

The Books Whisperers

Cozy romantasy

"This concludes Ryker and Brynleigh's story. Like book one in this duology, it's a nice, cozy romantasy. Very low stakes and an HEA at the end. I don't know what it is about this duology that made the story unforgettable? The plot was predictable, and the characters were ok, and yet somehow all of it together was a fun, low stakes, romp through the fantasy world of the Republica of Balance. All in all I enjoyed this story and am gladly that I took the time to read it. ["

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October 7, 2024 Verified Purchase

Kindle Customer

I’m the worst at writing reviews but I love this duo as much as I loved Sebastian and Luna.

"First, I was blessed with the ability to be an ARC reader. It’s my first time and it is so cool that I got to be one for one of my favorite authors! Still makes me giddy. Like all of the other books I’ve read by Elayna, I absolutely adored this duology. I loved all of the Easter eggs pointing to her prior series. Bryns inner monologue in the first book had me cracking up while also wanting to yell at her, because Ryker is a literal dream of a man. Of course he has dimples. He gave her the fricken sun man. The SUN 🥹😭 If you’re here then you know what all went down in the first book so I’ll move on to this one. I was attached to these characters. I almost cried a minimum of 20 times in the 1st half. I felt like my heart was broken alongside theirs. The love they created was there but it was buried deep beneath betrayal, miscommunication and lies. Ryker trying to guard himself speaking cold and distant, but also remaining completely swoon worthy through his actions. Ugh. Bryns “interrogation“ made me sick. Don’t even get me started on the grief I felt over Rykers dad. The disappointment, no the rage I felt for ALL of the maternal figures of this series is indescribable. The world building, the descriptions used to portray characters and scenery were fantastic. It was like I had a movie in my head the entire time. The side characters especially River and Myyrah. I’m trying not to give the story away so I will say this was overall such an interesting plot, the romance was stellar, 2 pepper spice, the fight scenes had me hooked. I giggled, I cried, I got pissed, many moments made me nervous as hell and I loved every second of it. Thank you for your creative mind and ability to write bad ass characters and a few of my book boyfriends ma’am. I can’t wait for Rivers book and Troubled! ["

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July 20, 2024 Verified Purchase

Flory

I hated the MMC!!! Spoiler!!!!

"So, this is the first book ever, in which I hated the MMC for the most part of it. Ryker got on my nerves since the ending on book 1, because I've realized what he has done, but I hoped that I was wrong, but no, he did it. And had the audacity to feel betrayed even after he heard B's confession? All of it, not just a part of how I initially thought, how it started, how she was manipulated by Jelisette, how she doubted all the time after they met and how she changed her mind after she heard River's story. No, he made her feel guilty for everything, after she had lost everything. SHE HAD NOTHING AND NO ONE! He brags about how his family is so important to him and he'd do anything for them but he condemns B for it?! I still don't like him, and I'd wish to see him grovel more, I feel that B was too easy on him. I almost DNF'd because of him. But I pushed trough because of Bryn. He redeemed himself in my eyes a bit when he told her she's a good girl and to hold on to something, that I admit it was hot 🥵. All in all, it's a 3.5-4 ⭐️ for me. I kinda liked it, but not my best read. FMC carried all the story on her shoulders. I don't think I'll read River's story. ["

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December 11, 2025 Verified Purchase