I was naïve to think my marriage to Luka Catano might work. I was infatuated with him from afar… Until I met him. He loved the challenge of his next conquest, anyone would do… Except me. A wife was never something he wanted. Torturous was not a strong enough word to describe how I felt when I was in a room with Luka. Besides hating nearly every word that came out of his mouth, I also … out of his mouth, I also drowned with lust every time I looked at him.
At times I thought he might feel the same.
But nothing prepared me for what his family would make me become.
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Wow! This was a total modern day fairy tale. Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses, Castles and Kingdoms.
Luka and Eden have an engagement as a result of an arrangement by their fathers.
Both of them have completely different expectations of how the relationship will work and Luka makes it very clear to Eden that her ideas are wrong.
Eden is such a lovely, vibrant character albeit a little naive and I adored her from the beginning.
I’d say I spent 78% of this book hating Luka. With that combination, I was hooked. It just killed me at some points, but I enjoy books that make me feel uncomfortable.
I listened to this on audio and it was FANTASTIC. Savannah Peachwood nailed the accents and voices. It felt like a real story rather than someone reading it.
I am moving on to the rest of this series because I can’t wait to see what becomes of the other characters.
Downfall by Willow Aster is the first book in her Kingdoms of Sin series. Told from Edens POV, this story is part bully part arranged marriage and a whole ton of angst and drama. I was hooked from the on set. The feelings this story evokes. The frustration with the characters. So well done. Luka was an absolute jerk for a large portion of the book but he kept having small redeemable moments that made you overlook his bad behavior… only to be a jerk all over again. With some deep-seated plots laced into this story it’s important, I think, to read this series in order. Well paced and well written I will definitely be reading more from this author. Enjoy!
4 Hello, future Stars!
When I found out that Ms.Aster was writing a Royal romance I could not contain my excitement! From that point on Downfall became one of my most anticipated reads and as soon as I saw it on my Kindle I couldn’t pick it up fast enough! I enjoyed every addictive second of it!
Eden and Luka’s journey kept me on the edge of my seat, each chapter making me want more and more! Everything that these two went through definitely brought out my emotions which I loved!
With this first book in the Kingdoms of Sin series, Ms.Aster has created a fantastic read that will stay with you! This is exactly the kind of book that I needed in my life! I’m definitely going start reading Exposed right away!
*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Wildfire Marketing Solutions / the author*
When I think of Willow Aster, this is not the first thing that comes to mind and I LOVE that. I am a huge supporter of authors stepping out of their comfort zones and trying something different. Taking a chance on something new is how we grow and the same concept applies to writing.
It’s no secret that I am a true fan of Willow’s writing. She keeps her readers engaged and makes it difficult to put her books down. Downfall was no exception. Her character development is some of the best I’ve ever encountered. She spends a great deal of time allowing us to get to know the characters that she creates and because of that, they become real. They have flaws and I’m not sure I’ve ever read a character of Willow’s that’s quite as flawed as Luka. My thoughts on him were all over the place for so much of the book. I felt like I was sitting right beside Eden on her emotional roller coaster. I can’t imagine the life they were expected to live; the enormous burden on their shoulders. Their reactions and, at times, overreactions were exactly on point to how they should be given their age and the situation their parents put them in. The level of angst in this book was off the charts and I loved every minute of it.
Downfall was a steamy page turner of epic proportions and I was left wanting to stay in the world that Willow created. Lucky for me, this is the first stand alone book in a series! I’m already counting down the days for the next book in the Kingdoms of Sin series.
This is the 1st on a new series and is Eden and Luka’s tale. Eden had been groomed her whole life to become a perfect wife, and Luka is just doing his duty. A marriage of convenience it may be, but can they deny the explosive chemistry between them? This is a well written story which is filled with drama, angst, and is a steamy read. I recommend for all and look forward to reading the next book in this tantalising series.
I’m fairly easy to please in terms of books, so please don’t take this lightly when I say giving this book 3 stars is being generous. I’d gladly give it 2.5 if I could, but I can’t so I’m rounding up here. If you’re looking for a light bully, sorta friends to lovers, arranged marriage story where none of the characters are particularly likable, then Downfall is the story for you.
Luka and Eden have an arranged marriage, one in which Eden has built up a HEA fairy tale in her mind and Luka wants nothing more than to sow his wild oats. Considering Eden is a princess with a royal upbringing and first class education she is predictably naive. Luka continually belittles her, cheats on her and abandons her for weeks at a time. Yet she repeatedly gives in to him and suddenly can’t think straight when in the presence of his rocking body. I wanted to smack some sense into both of them several times while reading.
They weren’t the only problems I had in terms of characters though. His family is predictably cruel to her, especially Luka’s older sister. There was zero maturity on her part, and her antics were very middle school level, not early 20s royalty status. Eden’s family isn’t much better. They constantly push her back into her horrible situation with “you don’t see what we see when he looks at you” BS lines. Cue 100th eyeroll from me while reading.
Needless to say if cheating in a story is a hard pass for you, then definitely don’t waste your time on this book. You’ll hate it. I don’t think of cheating in a story as a no-go, however this approach wasn’t well done. He doesn’t redeem himself at all in the end.
3.75 stars! ( so close to 4)
It’s been a while since I read Willow Aster and this story definitely kept my attention. When I saw the character cheat sheet in the beginning of the book I felt a feeling of dread thinking it was going to be so confusing.. but let me tell you!
I loved the plot of this story! What a great little captivating world, it’s been a while since I read a story like this.
I however was disappointed with the second half of the story. It was dragging and there were too many back and forth emotions just leaving feeling dejected every time she was sad. There was so much flip flopping I couldn’t identify with her feelings. The twist at the end was lacking the umph to make this a damn good story. Sure I was impressed with some parts of this story, but in other places I almost put the book down.
Do I like this author: YES
Will I read book 2: MOST LIKELY
Will I read this author again? YES
I’m going to start off by saying that the start of this books was kinda slow for me. It took me a while to really get into the story and even feel something small towards these characters. Once I got over the hump I couldn’t put it down. So if you think it starts slow (which it did for me) kept reading. It does get better.
This book was full of intrigue but there were times I found it really hard to like the characters. When it came to Luka I loved him. Even when he was a jerk and did the things that he did. What can I say, he was just bad. I really wanted Eden to have more of a back bone and to make Luka grovel more.
The overall story was a little predictable to me and even with me guessing things I still found my self hooked after I reached the hump where the story really took off. So my advice is just keep going if you feel like giving up. I’m really glad I did. It was a beautifully written story, and I loved the royalty & marriage of convenience aspect of the story. I haven’t read too many of them but this one was good. This is my first book by this author but I do plan to check out her back log. 4 stars #2OCCJD
Arranged marriage is one of my favorite types of story, royal romance is another, combined made this book a must read for me. I love jerks so having Luka being one was the cherry on top, the angst and tension between Eden and Luka was amazing, all the suspense surrounded in the story. I just loved the story so much. can’t wait for more books in the series.
My cherry popper form Willow, who I met in virginia this past summer. She’s warm and gracious and writer of unique reads. This story is about promises and family honors.
Luka Catano of Niaps is an entitled Prince. His demeanor is arrogant and authoritative to say the least and he loves to play the field like a true spoiled prince.
His bride to be is Eden Safrin of Farrows.
Both are unwilling participants and looks to me as sacrificial lambs being led to the slaughter.
Eden is a girl and naturally submissive while Luka is a hell raiser and rude
He was a jackass from first scene to the last. Vicious and unforgiving with his words and treatment.
Eden has family at stake and her parents to obey so was more spineless than I would care to admit
The story was good, a but dry for me, the writing was good but didn’t engage me much, but please go ahead and read it
4 stars
I am going to be really honest here…I wasn’t quite sure about this book a few chapters in. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I knew that Willow Aster had a purpose, and she’s never let me down, so I continued to read. I am so unbelievably thankful that I kept reading.
The characters were gripping, the story full of angst, anger, hate, love and twists and turns. Willow’s writing sucks you into their world and keeps you hostage until the last page.
First, we start with Luka…a character that you will want to punch for most of the book. A hero we hate but also love. He’s cocky, sexy, and trouble. Willow gives us Eden…a strong woman who is doing what she believes is her birthright but dealing with Luka, she has to learn to have some thick skin. She grows as a character so much, and her strength outshines everyone else.
I am looking forward to more from this series.
This book was way different than what I was expecting, but in an amazing way! I loved the sexiness of it and the strong female character that it portrayed!
This was my first Willow Aster book and it was good, well written. I did have a hard time connecting to the characters, because I felt they had a hard time connecting to each other.
I love harsh men, I love Alpha men, I even love a**holes, but I did not love Luka and never found a reason to.
I need a strong woman to be able to handle the a**hole of a man, and Eden was just a total whimpette.
I will read Willow again, because I always give second chances, but this one left me high and dry.
This is not normally as story I would read, but I am so happy I gave it a chance. Eden and Luka will take you on a captivating love story that won’t be an easy road. When they finally do come together, it was as beautiful and as perfect as I could’ve hoped for them! Well Done!
Willow Aster has done it again!!
Downfall was an unputdownable novel. As soon as I started reading, I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to put it down until I was completely finished.
Throughout the course of this novel, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the intense chemistry and steam shared between the characters. Particularly Luka who completely stole my attention. Yes he was arrogant, and sometimes he was so upsetting you got upset, but all that got overturned, and you begin to fall for him in a whole other way.
I cannot say enough incredible things about this read. I was absolutely captivated from the start to the finish.
5/5 Stars!
Because I’m not new to Willow Aster’s storytelling, I prepared myself for the angst and the journey that my emotions would take as everything unfolded in her newest release DOWNFALL, but regardless of that preparation, my feelings were still all over the place, and like Aster’s heroine, Princess Eden Safrin, I felt confused, disbelieving, and so damn angry about the position she was put in to help her country and her family’s reign, and those negative emotions never dissipated because the way that Luka Catano, her husband, treated her, both before and after they were married, was reprehensible and I never trusted a word out of his mouth, which made it extremely difficult to see past his words and actions, despite the fact that it was clear that Eden and Luka shared undeniable chemistry…too bad most of the time that doesn’t translate into love, especially with a man whose life is dictated by his father’s rule and his family’s best interest.
I’ll be honest…I thought that Eden was a little too innocent…a little too naive; a girl with no backbone simply because she was never given the opportunity to gain one, kept away from society and from her peers, but while I would have liked to see her not runaway and hide so much, the fact that she stood up for herself, attempted to guard her heart from Luka, pulled back when understood some painful truths made me respect her and hurt for her due to the no-win situation she seemed to be in for much of the story.
I didn’t like Luka Catano for a good majority of the story. He seemed like an overprivileged manwhore who found nothing wrong with his callous words and actions or the pain he caused his fiancee/wife. I struggled to find any redeeming qualities in him, which made it difficult to feel like he was what was best for Eden. I do believe that the reason by disdain for Luca overpowered another emotions is because readers saw everything through Eden’s eyes and because her pain and heartache resonated from the pages, I didn’t want anything to do with the person responsible for her mistreatment.
In some ways, it was almost too easy for me to get lost in the angst because of the amount present in the text, and because of the way the story unfolded, it was difficult to see beneath the antics and truly understand who these characters are at their core, especially Luka. There are very few scenes throughout the story line where he doesn’t say or do things that do not paint him in a good light, so buying into a lasting connection between Eden and Luka, when so much of their time together was anything but harmonious made it a bit unbelievable.
I know my review does not paint DOWNFALL in a very positive light, but I will say that the writing was spectacular; the contemporary royal world that Willow Aster crafted is a deceptively beautiful environment – one of secrets and lies, heartache and loss – one that has a menagerie of heroes and villains, of helpers and deceivers, and attempting to figure out who is whom definitely made me invested in the story, even though I struggled with the would be hero and heroine’s relationship.
3.5 Poison Apples
I’ll admit I was a bit hesitant at first glance, not knowing if this was going to be more of a fantasy than a romance. But I should have known better since Willow Aster will always be a go-to author for me that she would combine a fictional land containing warring nations with an arranged marriage full of a lusty kind of love beautifully. The world she created as Luka Catano and Eden Safrin are pronounced husband and wife is full of the fantastic as their homelands need this boost to try and find some semblance of peace. But what neither counted on was to be totally enamored with the other and go down a bumpy road that may or may not be each other’s downfall.
Luka was most times despicable and treated the virginal Eden horribly. His good looks clearly made Eden weak in the knees but her pain at how she was merely a pawn in worldly disputes made me very sad for her. It was at times hard to watch and despite her being the only one who could see the hurt little boy behind the false bravado, Luka was a supreme bastard. And Eden was way too innocent for a wolf like Luka and it showed, almost a bit much at times. She needed a year’s supply of tissues with how many times he brought her to tears! But I will say that I enjoyed the all too brief moments where he seemed to really adore her. Like he was surprised someone of her beauty could be more than just a pretty face. As time went by, I had glimpses of a better Luka, one who could run a country should the situation present itself and that is what kept me reading and what kept Eden from leaving him forever.
There are plenty of sexy times combined with a tenderness that is truly just meant for Eden and Luka. But damn, the times where he is the ruthless heir apparent were almost unbearable and yet Eden finds her own style, her own rhythm and I loved seeing her bloom into the woman she was always destined to be. With or without Luka by her side.
The underlying world crises are seamlessly woven into this story, giving Downfall a richness beyond just the typical romance. The last 25 percent or so are when things truly ramp up and it’s then when both Luka and Eden find their tempo so to speak and may just have that chance to be happy once and for all.
In the end, Downfall became much more than I first thought and I’m happy to say that I truly enjoyed this unusual and well-written storyline.
I look forward to more from this cast of characters since they all seem to have quite the tale to tell.
4 solid stars!
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
I’m gonna be honest, I am not a fan of historical romance. Nothing against it, it just isn’t my jam. So when I first started reading, I was kinda disappointed in how the story was shaping out. HOWEVER, once I got past the first couple pages, I was legit sucked into the story. It was everything I didn’t know I was missing in my life.
Eden is my spirit animal. Seriously. She has just the right amount of spunk and sass that makes me laugh and cheer her on! Luka is your typical “thinks he’s better than anyone” asshole who doesn’t realize just how much of a spitfire Eden is. I love the dynamic of their relationship and how she knows just how to shut his shit down and make him realize that she isn’t just another girl who will fall at his feet.
Luka upset me quite a bit. And honestly, I’m shocked I didn’t throw my kindle across the room with how much he upset me. Eden got under my skin a few times too, but I could understand her feelings so I couldn’t hold it against her. She is everything I wish I could be and more. Their story is unlike any other that I’ve read. Enemies to lovers is a trope that you just can’t get enough of as there is so much angst that you can literally FEEL the tension between them, sexual and otherwise.
The details Willow provides are everything. They create the scene in your mind so you feel like you’re there watching it all unfold in real time. You aren’t just reading a book, you’re part of the story. And yes, you will want to slap the shit out of Luka quite a few times… I know I did!
If you haven’t had the opportunity to read the book yet, I highly suggest picking it up! You won’t regret it!
A harrowing story about royalty and what their lives could be behind closed doors. Eden and Luka are thrust into a marriage more of convenience. But as feelings start to come into the mix, loyalties start to shift.
The story as a whole was well written. I couldn’t wait to read what would happen next. Eden is who I wish to be when I grow up. She has a heart of gold but a spirit strong as steel. She is not afraid to put her foot down when she feels it’s necessary. Luka is the typical playboy. The type of man who isn’t sure of what he wants but at the same time he’s sure enough to know he doesn’t want to let it go. These two as separate entities were great. But the chemistry between Eden and Luka didn’t capture me like I felt it should. They went through all the motions but I felt as if something was missing.
Overall, as stated before, it was a very well written book. I was reading at every stop light, reading instead of doing work and staying up late just to finish reading. I needed to know what would happen. I wanted to know if the feelings these two strong characters had for each other would be enough. Enough to get them through the trials they were about to face. Most of all I needed to know if Eden would finally put Luka in his place. By Vanessa