Betrayals

Betrayals is the fourth book in Kelley Armstrong’s Cainsville series and therefore this review may contain spoilers for the previous books.

Olivia is drawn into an investigation when her boyfriend Ricky is linked to a series of murders. Murders he quite obviously has nothing to do with. What seems to be a serial killer targeting young prostitutes, turns out to be linked to Cainsville and the fae, making it ever harder to avoid the elders and their desire for Olivia to make her choice. Cŵn Annwn or Tylwyth Teg? Ricky or Gabriel?

I honestly have mixed feelings about this series and more specifically this book. I mean, it’s not the greatest story in the world but I still got to the end and really wanted to read more. The mystery of a serial killer targeting the lamiae could have been done so much better it instead it was just a vehicle for the whole Matilda-Gwynn-Arawn thing.

It’s a lot more focused on the mystical love triangle now and I’m torn. I’ve always liked Gabriel and his friendship with Olivia but then Ricky’s a nice guy and is generally good for her. And they are both being so nice about it all. The moments where Gabriel opens up are so sweet because of who he is.

This was the Ricky I knew, the guy who worried about a hound, who’ll whisper to it and coax it back, while asking me not to leave his sight. Consideration. Caring. Which is no weakness at all.

I’m not sure I am a fan of the third person narrated chapters from Gabriel and Ricky’s point of view. In some cases it made them seem a bit creepy, what with their stream of consciousness when Olivia was, well, unconscious. First example, she and Ricky are cuddled up asleep in the woods, as they do, and he wakes up. He then goes through the thought process that it’s OK to start having sex with her when she’s still asleep based on how she moved towards his hand or made sleepy gestures or something. I mean, I guess in a long term relationship you might have agreements on this kind of thing but it was so over-explained it made it more into an issue. Really, you shouldn’t be having sex without consent.

Then fast-forward to a near death experience; Olivia is at risk of hypothermia and Gabriel is umming and ahhing whether to do the right thing of taking her wet clothes off and giving her his warmth. This is all fine, and it’s in his character to overthink this bit. But then she’s apparently unconscious and there’s a kiss, but she’s sort of awake and Gabriel goes on and on about how she knows what she’s doing and he didn’t start it. And again, it’s one of those scenes that suddenly made it feel like there were consent issues.

I’m pretty sure I’ll carry on reading the series but it you were a little on the fence about it, this might be the final straw.

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Book Source: Purchased