The Quicksilver Series Book 1
When I finished this book, which ended on a huge cliffhanger, I was left with a lingering question: Did I enjoy it? It felt like it took me ages to read it, and if I’m honest, it left me with a bit of a hangover.
First, there were a few niggling things that made it feel like it dragged. It was very repetitive. The first half was a lot of the same stuff repeated, first from Jane’s, then again from Eric’s point of view.
Then there was the author’s fondness for flashbacks. They really broke the flow and slowed the pace. Plus, they continued throughout, including really short flashbacks that did nothing to move the plot forward. There’s even flashbacks for events only 24 hours before. I found it a very dull way to tell a story, rather than show it in real time.
Anyway, I trudged on and the main reason was the main characters. Their chemistry was sizzling, and their relationship an angst ridden rollercoaster of heated arguments mixed with burning up the bed sheets, and a bit of kink thrown in for good measure.
Eric and Jane are like chalk and cheese. He’s preppy, rich, and privileged, while she’s half-Korean, makes unique fashion choices, and is struggling to pay her student loans. Jane has a caustic sense of humour, and I think some readers may label her “a pill”. She’s no-nonsense and ballsy, yet hides a soft centre. I couldn’t help but like her. Eric, on the other hand, was chill and almost blasé. They clash constantly, and at times deliberately misunderstand one another. There were moments when I wanted to hit them both over the head, immediately followed by cooing and gushing when they got all loved up and mushy.
There were things about Eric I didn’t understand. Why did he stick two fingers up at his entire family, then suddenly feel he owes it to them to save their inheritance? Then there’s the strange subplot involving some secret society he’s a part of, which leads us into the cliffhanger ending. I hope we get answers in the second book, but I’m so conflicted I’m not jumping into it straight away.
Anyway, back to the question: Did I enjoy this book? Yes, despite the slow start and storytelling niggles. Eric and Jane themselves were enough to keep me interested. They did intrigue me and I want to know how it ends for them. This is a story that could have been cut to improve the pace, but the sizzling heat and tension masks those niggles to keep the reader engaged.
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feels: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
