There were several things that I liked about this book, but ultimately this was not the book for me.

I enjoyed the overlapping story crossing 3 lifetimes, though it took me a few chapters to get into the rhythm. Each story added more layers to the history of the lovers, from the initial story in 4 BCE to present day.

The present day story with River and Joey was my favorite. I really enjoyed River’s vibe, and I liked Calvin as well.

There are a lot of mystical elements, especially in the middle story in 1740, as well as a lot of intrigue and deception. I was never sure who was who, or who to trust.

This book is classified as romantasy, which is a newer classification and I’m not sure of the parameters, but I definitely would not call this a romance, mainly due to the very open ending without an HEA.

While I enjoy spicy books and have no issue with explicit sex scenes, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of indiscriminate sex in this book, especially in the 4 BCE storyline. I felt like there was so much build up and sex with other people, that the relationship between the two main characters was completely skipped. In almost every lifetime, the relationship between the couple who are supposed to be destined to be together seems to take second place to the intrigue.

Even though this wasn’t the perfect book for me, it may be just right for someone else. So if you like intrigue, fantasy, and MM erotica set against an ancient Chinese background, this book might be for you.

Disclaimer: I received a DRC through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.