Soulbound (Darkest London #6)
by Kristen Callihan
Blurb:
Once two souls are joined...
When
Adam's soul mate rejected him, there was more at stake than his heart. After
seven hundred years of searching, his true match would have ended the curse
that keeps his spirit in chains. But beautiful, stubborn Eliza May fled—and now
Adam is doomed to an eternity of anguish, his only hope for salvation gone...
Their hearts will beat together
forever...
No
matter how devilishly irresistible Adam was, Eliza couldn't stand the thought
of relinquishing her freedom forever. So she escaped. But she soon discovers
she is being hunted—by someone far more dangerous. The only man who can help is
the one man she vowed never to see again. Now Adam's kindness is an unexpected
refuge, and Eliza finds that some vows are made to be broken...
Themes: paranormal, historical
Rating: 4.25 stars
Heat Rating: 
Review:
It’s
finally here! The long-awaited full story of Adam and his Eliza. We have
speculated about Adam for several stories now, including wondering what he really
is and where he comes from, not to mention why he takes Eliza and chains her to
him when he normally requires nothing of the sort from him GIMs. I personally have been dying to find out the
whole story and see if Adam can pull off an HEA for himself and his lady. Callihan is one of those authors whose imagination is truly a wonder, her ability to take something most of us would
see as mundane, like 19th century London, and turn it into a
wonderland of paranormal creations, scientifically terrifying wonders, and
horrifying plots to take over the world.
I was very skeptical about this series in the beginning but after the
very first book knew I would be a longtime fan and as each new book opens the
world of Darkest London to me, I am more and more drawn into these characters
lives and dramas. This story picks up
shortly after the last one, but does give us a nice reminder (in the form of a
prologue) of the beginnings of Eliza and Adam’s “relationship”, before jumping
right into the new life Eliza is living with her long lost relatives. In true Callihan fashion this story is full
of darkness and redemption, growth and understanding and ultimately a love to
change the world and I can promise you won’t regret reading it—though I do
recommend reading the previous stories in the series first so you understand
the many layers of this world.
Adam
and Eliza’s story is definitely one of heartbreak in so many ways, including
seeing a once invulnerable and larger than life Adam brought low by torture and
starvation, but in the end Eliza sees below his surface arrogance to the truly great
man he is and finds a way to open her heart to him. Their interactions were an outlet for
Callihan’s sarcasm and facetiousness certainly, but under their sniping they
slowly learn about each other and find an understanding of their motives and a
way to work together to save themselves from the Fae that are determined to destroy
them. As the story progresses, we see
just how important Adam is to the underworld that exists in London alongside
the mundanes that don’t even realize they are not alone. There was honestly so much going on in this
story I will leave you to read and find out all of it, but I will say that you
will not be able to put the book down and should make sure you have your
reader's survival kit of snacks, drinks, and tissues nearby as you read.
I
loved Adam’s character almost as often as I hated him, just simply not
understanding how he was determined to make Eliza think the worst of him just
to save his pride. When he finally
accepted that only by sharing himself with her does he have a chance to win
her, I fell in love with him myself and wished I could have had one of him for
my very own. His past is murky, but it’s
obvious that he tries to do good in his life and find a way to make a difference
while fulfilling his mission. His strength
and sweetness (when he allows it to shine through) comes with an edge, but that
edge keeps him from becoming a forgettable character. His back-story when we learn the whole truth really
is remarkable and ingenious, something I could never have imagined but that Callihan
presents so beautifully you just believe ever word. Eliza on the other hand took a while for me
to warm up to. She seemed so often like
a spoiled brat, refusing to accept her own choices in life and the consequences
of those choices, but I think that was the author’s intentions. She obviously has issues to work through and
as she does work through them I start to like her a lot more. But her one saving grace from start to finish
is her inability to walk away from suffering, even her enemies, when she knows
it is unjust and uncalled for. When she
cares for Adam at his lowest, even as she throws insults and sarcasm at him,
her gentleness and care for him show that she is very much a good woman and a
redeemable character. Overall these characters
were the best kind in any story—flawed, damaged, and in need of redemption.
Soulbound
was a story that grabbed my attention, pulled me in, and spit me out in the end
with a new appreciation of the traumas a person can live through and still find
love. The overall plot, the Fae and
their machinations, and the relationship between Adam and Eliza feed off one
another, each unique but intertwined and there is no denying the storytelling genius
of the author. Adam was a broken man,
split in half but determined to find a way to be whole again and find peace in
his life, though unsure exactly how to do it.
Even though he has existed for centuries, he is unable to truly
understand the one thing he needs to so he can find that peace, the woman who
is the other half of his soul. Eliza has
had a rough life, but when she is forced to make choices, sometimes without enough
time to think them fully through, she is often unwilling to deal fully with the
consequences of her choices, which is anathema to me but gives her the perfect
foil for growth as she begins to understand those consequences. Thankfully Eliza begins to evolve and find
acceptance of her new circumstances and in doing so is able to being to accept
Adam and the sparks that have flown between them since the beginning of their acquaintance. That passion for life and freedom carries
over into their love and makes the heat between them a conflagration that could burn
the world if they allow it to, if they focus on that love to the exclusion of
all other responsibilities. This was a
story that was beyond awesome in some many ways, not the least of which was
getting to see a lot of the other couples from the series and how they all
interact and work together. In the end I
find myself dying to find out what happens next and suspect that St. John’s
story will be next and can only hope I’m right.
Another great glimpse into the dark London Underworld and one that will
keep you snorting at the wit and sarcasm, crying at the heartbreak and traumas,
and falling in love with the H/h and hoping against all odds that they find
their HEA. Great work Kristen.
*eARC provided by publisher (via
netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No
compensation was provided.
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