What is your opinion?
Fantastic story!
"Amazing! Easily in my top 10 favorite stories. I devoured this book. The characters were developed, each with a unique personality. The plot keeps you on your toes- Unexpected twists and turns taking you in different directions. Not one of those books you can foresee thats coming. Slow reveals sprinkled in here and there get you mind wondering only to be caught by surprise when the reveal happens. I can't wait for the second book. I need to know what the future holds for these wonderfully crafted characters. "
Absolutely loving this writer ❤️🔥
"First off, Strawberries & Creme (another great South African writer that I recently stumbled upon 👊🇿🇦) can seriously write a great metaphor! I was constantly re-reading lines to attempt to disentangle the layers. Her language and detailed description is stunning and captivating from the word go. (The anger and desperation in the prologue of the withered and desolate earth, eagerly soaking up the rain it so desperately needs 😦🖤) The two main characters are crafted with care and complexity. When we meet Arrienne and Thaddeus, both have pasts that contain severe trauma. You truly feel for Arrienne and Thaddeus as they learn to trust each other and their own power. So much character growth! Both the main characters go through a lot of emotional and life-changing events and their characters change a lot. This story might not be a fairytale, as the author warns us in the beginning, but there is a sweetness to the main characters, an inherent goodness. Arrienne ultimately has this gift to drive people to despair. But will her gift end up twisting her mind into madness? (On that note: the descriptions of the characters' inner turmoil and experiences in the last couple of chapters are absolutely gripping. I loved the detailed description and language of the battle in the last chapters. Heart-wrenching. The contrast and the brokenness of the place and the people - it's terrible 😢) In order to successfully write horror, you first have to understand fear. And fear is clearly something the author has a great knowledge of. She gets the reader to engage so that they bring their own fears to the table. Simply seeing characters interact with frightening things isn’t enough for our author. Nooo. She invokes fear in the reader by letting them visually 《experience》 the things that she describes. Heck, some of the scenes in this book are the type of horror that you think about hours or days or years later, the kind of disturbing ideas that implant themselves in your brain and become more frightening the more you give thought to them. You know, those scenes where a part of you goes ”oh god, this means ...!” and another part of you later goes "can you imagine what it must have felt like….?!" Like the fridge horror of the scenes in chapters 44 and 45 🫢🫣 The world Strawberries & Cream created here is refreshing and intriguing. It is tightly written and plotted, beautifully designed and skillfully described. Will definitely recommend!"
The Agreement
"Awesome! When can we expect volume 2 and what is its title?"
A New Found Mentor
"As a writer, I think we all look for specific things in another writer's efforts. I found each and every box ticked off in this author's story. The description is elegant, lush, exquisite, putting the reader into each and every scene with effortless ease. How I envy such abilities. The characters are 'human' enough to make you interested in their journey, root for their victories and emphasize with any setbacks, trials and tribulations. The sexual aspects of the tale were steamy and sensual with shades of Dom/Sub delight. Told from both Thaddeus and Arienna's viewpoint, the author gave us an added depth of connection with her main characters. I personally was drawn to several of her sub-characters because to me, there was a story within a story aspect I found irresistible. I was left with my mouth agape at the chapter which ended the tale because I just was not ready to say goodbye to the world this author created. All in all, I would more than highly recommend reading this amazing, phenomenal story. With shades of humor I insist be found in any read I attempt, what more could any discerning reader wish. "
Great
"Such a great read.. the author has utilised every human emotion "
Spicy and rich!
"That makes it sound like a sauce - which is also apt! This WIP reads like a deliciously fruity fairy tale. The writing style is evocative and puts you right into the fantasy world and the characterisation is strong. The frequency of the sex is well-paced and super steamy when it arrives - but not at the expense of the developing plot. A great slice of ‘romantasy’. "
A Perfect Blend of Magic, Romance, and Intrigue
"Strawberries & Cream's debut novel is nothing short of phenomenal. The story introduces a unique and compelling world where magic is a manifestation of the mind and heart, woven seamlessly into a 300-year war and an arranged marriage. The characters are beautifully written, especially the feisty, intelligent female lead, Arienna, who stands out with her strength and resilience. Thaddeus, the brooding, telepathic mute king, adds depth to the narrative, making their relationship both intense and intriguing. The novel's pacing is well-balanced, though the relationship between Thaddeus and Arienna could be developed more evenly. That said, the chemistry between them is palpable, with the spice adding layers of emotion and intensity to their bond. While the steamy scenes are integral to the story, they are written in such a way that even readers who prefer to skip them can still thoroughly enjoy the plot and character development. The world-building is original and richly detailed, with multiple layers that make the narrative truly immersive. The author's writing style is captivating, pulling readers into a story filled with mystery, humor, social commentary, and unexpected twists. The innovative magic system and the emotional depth of the characters leave you wanting more, and I wouldn't be surprised to see this author’s work in bookstores soon. Overall, this novel is a must-read for fans of fantasy romance. It's a fantastic blend of creativity, strong characters, and a plot that keeps you turning pages. Highly recommended!"
Absolutely phenomenonal!
"Love. Love. Love it. I am actually a little scared to review this book as I might not give it the justice it deserves. Beautifully written characters, and I was so happy to find a feisty, intelligent, female character with an actual backbone. Woven in to the fact there are some absolutely brilliant and unique concepts in this narrative. Including the concept of the war being fought by heart and mind magic, and my personal favourite, the concept of Thaddeus being unable to speak to her in the conventional way. All adding up to create a compelling, one of a kind, page turner. Absolutely perfect for those who love a lil, or should I say a lot, of spice in their stories ;) But again it is not solely dependent on the steamy scenes. While they certainly add to the story line, and really intensify the feelings and emotions shared by our main characters. I also think those who are not so keen on those sorts of scenes could easily skip them and still be left with truley enjoyable narrative. Overall, the author is an exceptional writer, I would absolutely reccomend this absolutely phenomenonal narrative. "
FANTASTIC!
"For being a first attempt at a novel, I was blown away by this author's creativity and writing style. Their story highlights an extremely unique and fascinating magic system, where the powers are emotional/mental manifestations rather than physical ones. Combined with a 300 year war, an arranged marriage, a feisty FMC, a broody MMC where he falls first (even if he doesn't know it yet), this story is bound to leave most romance readers wanting more. As stated at the beginning of the story, this book is rated 18+ for a reason. I tend to not read "spicy" books so I skimmed over some scenes but the author weaves the spice throughout the story, creating a sense of longing and lust in both of the main characters. It will be very interesting to see how the story continues to unfold and develop. Overall, I enjoyed the story so much, I forgot I was reading sometimes! Great job, author! Keep up the good work!"
Loved it this story
"I loved reading this book and hope there will be more soon! So, there is just the right amount of fantastical elements that explore wildly interesting mental powers, mystery, social commentary, humour, plot, character development and of course a lot of spice (which also comes with some really interesting twists). And the writing style is great and draws you very nicely into the story. I am looking forward to reading more of it!"
Loved it
"I really liked reading this novel. The plot is well developed along with the characters. I always enjoy the alpha type character for a man so I think it enticed from the beginning but beyond that there’s a lot to the plot than spicy scenes, there’s fantasy and a lot of interwoven themes. Great job, author. I really enjoyed this novel and the story you created."
A steamy plot with woven fantasy elements
"When a princess is arranged to marry a king to end a war, it seems like it should bring about peace, right? Instead this novel weaves a phenomenal tale of both mental and emotional powers as Arienna and Thaddeus come to terms with their new arrangement. It is a gloriously hot (and I mean, hot hot 🌶️) and cold relationship, teasing the reader with spicy scenes. Absolutely love the bits of humour woven into the story, relieving the tension before torturing the reader once again - but leaves you begging for more. "
Agree to be Smitten
"Princess Arienna recognizes a bad situation when she’s in it. With her father the king now dead, she’s whisked off into an unwanted marriage like a common slave, Arienna can’t imagine her situation becoming much worse. Even the lust she feels from the horse driver (Arienna has empathic powers) seems to point her towards a life of sexual degradation and doom. Meanwhile King Thaddeus is impatient to meet his new young queen. As a telepathic mute, he is incapable of human speech. But that doesn’t mean he won’t punish young Arienna, when she finally arrives before his throne. The touch of his telepathic mind can be unbearable to some. However when he finally gets his chance to observes the defiant beauty of the ebony haired Atherian, the king decides that more than anything, he wants Arienna in his bed. For starters this was very well written. Strawberries & Cream is one of the more talented authors on Inkitt. I detected no past/present tense confusions. No cliched start with the story beginning with the MC waking up in bed (professional magazine editors hate this sort of beginning) No head hopping and no Mary Sue’s (an MC who is so impossibly perfect that the entire) So, I’m very impressed. Plus the story is intriguing as well with unique, fully three dimensional characters. Kudos to author Strawberries & Cream. I wouldn’t be surprised if we find her novels in a professional book store one day. Well done! "
The Agreement
"Very interesting, love the plot so far, I do wish the chapters were a wee bit longer but that is just because I already ran out of chapters to read lol I absolutely love the book so far and cannot wait to read more so glad I found this book!!! "
Unique and intriguing!
"Reviewing at Chapter 5 Wow! What an awesome start to such a unique and compelling plot. The characters have been beautifully created along with their interesting abilities. The story is refreshing and gives a new take on popular themes. This talented author does a great job of hooking the audience with their enthralling writing style! Can't wait for more chapters and to see where the story goes! 🤩"
An Amazing Read...
"The Agreement really surprised me. The story and the fantasy world is so well created that it's difficult to believe that this is the author's first book. I loved the concept of warring with their abilities instead of a physical battle, The concept of a war using mind powers and heart powers is totally unique. I have read all 5 chapters written and am eagerly waiting to read more. I have a feeling that this story is going to be a delight to read. The concept, the writing style everything is good. All the best to you Strawberry.... may you write many more wonderful tales."
Alluring
"The premise is really interesting and drew me in and so far the plot has held attention. I like the tension between the King and the Princess. Thr addition of the Uncle feels a little tacked on but will hopefully become a bigger factor. The authors writing voice is strong and grammar is spot on. I don't generally give 5/5 and the plot is Wandering a bit so that is why I'm giving 4/5 on those two. All in all, a great start and I'm curious to see where it goes. "
The Agreement
"Try to get the reader to know and empathize with the protagonist a little bit more before delving into the story. First two chapters read. "
