Title: Rotten Apple (Strawberry Shifters Book 4)
Author: Marilyn Barr
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Paranormal Romance
Book Blurb:
Rose has loved Fae Princess Orchid since childhood. Helpless to stop Orchid’s exile to Strawberry, she vows to avenge her death. If she had one more day with Orchid, would she have the courage to confess her love? It’s too late now…or is it?
Vampire Ryan’s myelodysplastic anemia has caught up with him. He fights in the Winter Solstice Battle for an honorable death but instead finds Orchid. While she’s not his ideal mate, she does offer him a trip to Magmell, where she promises their healers can cure him. Will he switch sides in the war against the Sluagh for immortality?
When Rose and Orchid are reunited, their passion burns out of control, but Ryan has already left his mark and changed the trajectory of Magmell forever. Royal alliances are built and destroyed, leaving Strawberry’s future in the balance. In a tale of villains, who deserves a happily ever after?
My Review:
It’s time for Vampire King Ryan to tell his story and it’s a juicy tale. Throughout all the Strawberry Shifters series, Ryan is the villain I’ve loved hating. Just when I think I’ve figured him out, I read Rotten Apple. Talk about a mind-blowing reading experience. Marilyn Barr has written an exquisite book filled with fae realms, honor-bound duty, forbidden love, characters that’ll make you cry, and at the heart of it is a vampire who’ll change everything.
I’ve been waiting for this book and Marilyn Barr exceeded my expectations. Her writing caused me to become quite emotional on several occasions. Her writing has improved greatly since book one and as a reader, I’m quite pleased. Both her world-building and descriptive narration are seamless and complex. Her real strength comes from her character writing.
The characters are what make this book so compelling. The characters are well-written with intricate backstories. Their journeys are filled with discovery, set-backs, angst, and most of all, love. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Ryan’s tale.
If you love a morally gray hero and two fae heroines, this book is for you. If you’re a dark fantasy reader, you’ll want to read Rotten Apple. Brilliant from start to finish, Rotten Apple is an unforgettable read. I strongly recommend this book.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Buy it Now:
Amazon CA – https://amzn.to/3OXIWeg
Author Biography:
Marilyn Barr lives in the wilds of Kentucky with her husband, son, and rescue cats. She has nine books with The Wild Rose Press in multiple romance subgenres from sweet, new adult romance to erotic, fantasy romance. She loves to place monstrous characters with hearts of gold in historical romances and her historical, paranormal romances have won the Crowned Heart Award, 2nd place in National Excellence in Story Telling (NEST) Contest, Imadjinn Award for Best Paranormal Romance, and Grand Finalist for the InD’Tale Magazine’s RONE Award. When engaging in the real world, you can find her with the Kentuckiana Romance Writers, volunteering with her son’s Special Olympics teams, or dancing around her kitchen. She is a sucker (haha) for cheesy horror movies, Italian food, punk music, black cats, bad puns, and all things witchy. For the latest Strawberry news and witchy tips, join her newsletter at www.marilynbarr.com
Social Media Links:
Website: https://www.marilynbarr.com/
Amazon Author Profile - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marilyn-Barr/author/B084R5GQVS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/author_barr
Reviewed by: Nancy