Merciless Vow - Ines Johnson

Addie got away. She escaped everything tied to her family and built a life that was completely her own. Unfortunately, her brother's mistakes drag her right back into the chaos she worked so hard to leave behind.

Addie never took any of it lying down. She fought. She pushed back. She refused to let anyone decide her future for her. Her determination, stubbornness, and pure grit made her impossible not to root for. No matter what was thrown at her, she never lost herself.

Vidar, meanwhile, made me want to hug him and smack him upside the head at the same time. The man is stubborn, possessive, protective, and has enough trust issues to fill an entire warehouse. His entire life revolves around protecting his family, and those instincts don't magically disappear just because Addie walks into his world.

One of my favorite parts of this book wasn't even the romance. It was watching Addie try to adjust to the Blackwoods themselves. The way this family loves is completely different from anything she has ever known. They protect each other fiercely. They show up. They care. They fight for one another. Instead of feeling comforted by it, Addie often feels anxious because it is so foreign to her. Watching her slowly learn what it means to be part of a family like that was every bit as satisfying as watching the romance develop.

But Papa Blackwood? That man owned every scene he was in. Absolutely my favorite character. The way he treats his wife set the standard for every relationship in this family, and the way he immediately embraces Addie had me melting. Every time he appeared on the page, I knew I was going to love the scene.

The relationship between Addie and Vidar is messy, frustrating, emotional, and completely addictive. Their flaws make them feel real. Vidar's growth is slow, but that's what made it believable. Addie also learns that strength doesn't always mean handling everything alone and that sometimes accepting help isn't weakness.

I stood in the hallway and let the chuckle come. I was going to have great fun making this woman heel.