Bound by the Sleeper's Harp - Melissa Mitchell

 This book's an easy enough read for someone new to fantasy and doesn't want complex worldbuilding. This is what got me hooked in the beginning with FMCs intriguing backstory and the fairly good writing. However, I had major issues with it in terms of the relationship dynamics between MMC Bastian and FMC Elle.

Bastian is a brooding, grumpy goblin, which is fine, but he is possessive and dominant. Now this might work better with another FMC, but as the content warning of the book specify, Elle has been through a lot of abuse and manipulation at the hands of her ex and that contrast just made everything icky for me. I get that for some readers, an authoritative, rude MMC is attractive and book boyfriend material, but this match felt so wrong to me. Bastian on multiple occasions refers to and treats Elle like his possession. None of this is helped by the dirty talk in the spicy scenes. I think there should be some sensitivity in dealing with real issues like domestic violence and sexual assault. More tact is needed in writing a character that has undergone this and a story that does justice to them.

Adding to this mess is the insta love/lust of it all, and things just moving so quickly. It felt completely wrong given Elle's prior relationship, Bastian knowing what those were, and the circumstances under which everything happened. It felt like everything was driven by nothing other than sex in their relationship and I don't know where any real feelings might stem from.

Full disclaimer, I'm not a smut and I knew this book would be spicy, but the way there are scenes just shoved in for absolutely no reason that break the flow of the actual plot irked me. At the center of the whole story is a murder and that part of the story is just so poorly written, especially in its conclusion. I was not satisfied. The author just abandoned the plot completely in favor of the smut. I wouldn't recommend this book.