The Evolution Of A King

I recently finished reading The Finish Line by Kate Stewart. This is book #3 in the Ravenhood series.

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT

  Rating: 4/5 stars

"Secrets and Lies...I’ve lived the entirety of my life wrapped up in subterfuge for one purpose—revenge.Through the years, I lived more as an enigma than a man.For so long, I denied I had a beating heart of my own. Until her. Until she unearthed the starving vessel inside, forced me to acknowledge it, forced me to understand that I’m capable of bleeding the same as any other.For that, we paid. We're still paying. Yet, she demands it still, the useless heart of the ruthless thief and shameless villain she fell for. My fear is, I’m no longer that man. With the lies I’ve told, the life I’ve led, my mistakes are beginning to catch up with me, day by day, one by one. This is my last chance, and I have no intention of losing her again, but as the deception of my past starts to unravel and close in, shedding my humanity may be the only thing that can save us both. Maybe it’s already too late."

For the longest time, and I mean the first like 60%, I truly thought this book was unnecessary. That it should've stayed a novella and this trilogy should've stayed a duet. 

I'm sorry but someone needed to punch some sense into me. Only now that I'm finished I realize that it would just not be complete as a novella. The emotional impact this book had on me would not have been there. It started out slow but I promise you the outcome is worth it.

Exodus ended a little open ended but with a HEA nonetheless. This book is everything that comes after. It shows all the blood, sweat & tears that go into keeping those HEAs. 

I will forever be shocked by Kate Stewart's talent. I wasn't just reading this, I was breathing & living it. I was Tobias. I felt his pain, his determination, his love, fears and grief. I felt him on a level I've rarely ever felt a character before. Tobias is officially my favorite character of this series.

The Finish Line was essentially one big prologue and epilogue filled with the longest grovel in history. The chapters from the past take us through Tobias's life from when he was a newly orphaned 11 year old, to a man who gradually built an empire from absolutely nothing. 

The present chapters are all about Cecelia & Tobias overcoming their past and learning to trust each other again. Of course for the sake of entertainment, we had a lil angst sprinkled into the plot, which ultimately ended in a plot twist I actually didn't see coming. Which is impressive since I knew beforehand there would be a plot twist, so I had my guesses. They didn't even come close. Just when I thought Cecelia lost all her edge from the last book, she swooped back in and showed us.

So many questions were answered, which quite frankly I never even thought to ask before. I needed this last book, I never knew it, but I did. 

Oh god and the ending. I am fucking destroyed. That epilogue butchered me. Dom deserved so much. Just as I was over his death, you go ahead and pour gasoline all over my wounds

I am going to say this not for the first time and definitely not the last: This is series is good and deserves more love.

Check out The Finish Line, and discover what happens when you finally get to your end.

Happy Reading :)