Heartless Heathens

Rating: 4 out of 5

"Love scars. Love leaves you half the person you were before and twice as eager to take your life when it's all over."

"But I wasn't a knife, I was the sheathe, worn and weathered from the blade's constant marring."

Romina is nothing more than a myth to the students of Notredame Parochial College talk about. A number of rumors surround her importance to the headmaster. She is nothing more than Frollo's secret. That is until they show up. Outcasts just like her. But these men aren't just dangerous, they're heartless. They won't abide or bend to the rules of this deranged school and the secrets it keeps from the world. Now that they've found Romina, they may never let her go. And maybe, just maybe, she doesn't want them to...

This book!! First off check the trigger warnings on this one because it's got quite a few. Also be aware this is not a retelling or fractured fairytale it is simply loosely inspired by Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris. The book is most assuredly a dark romance so don't go looking for any heroes in this book because you aren't going to find them. Instead you get 3 male characters with a whole host of issues and a female main character who has a number herself. The beauty though... each of them is a puzzle piece that works to complete each other. Romina finds something different that helps nurture and develop herself in Sonny, Felix and Corvin. The book wouldn't work without each one of these pieces of that I'm very certain.

I enjoyed the world depicted in this book, it wasn't just a dark romance it was also a social statement. One that really hits on some hard truths about the reality that we live in and just how wrong so many situations are. I enjoyed that aspect more than I anticipated and could see a lot of the connections that the author was making. That being said some of the dynamics she sets up, still felt kind of unresolved at the end of the novel for me. I wanted a few more answers. I also would have liked for more closure with a few of the side characters. I just felt like some plot was formed that then went unexamined. But I ain't even that mad about it.

Each of the characters were written beautifully. And Sonny will forever and ever hold a special piece in my heart. I really enjoyed watching Romina's character development and growth. My only wish would have been to know just a bit more about her dreams that are hinted at and if she accomplished any of the things that she set out to accomplish. If you enjoy why choose or dark romances you really do need to check this one out. I feel like you will regret it if you don't.