Review: Soulbound by Kristen Callihan

Soulbound
(Darkest London #6)
Kristen Callihan
Release: February 24, 2015
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Once two souls are joined...

When Adam's soul mate rejected him, there was more at stake than his heart. After seven hundred years of searching, his true match would have ended the curse that keeps his spirit in chains. But beautiful, stubborn Eliza May fled—and now Adam is doomed to an eternity of anguish, his only hope for salvation gone...

Their hearts will beat together forever...

No matter how devilishly irresistible Adam was, Eliza couldn't stand the thought of relinquishing her freedom forever. So she escaped. But she soon discovers she is being hunted—by someone far more dangerous. The only man who can help is the one man she vowed never to see again. Now Adam's kindness is an unexpected refuge, and Eliza finds that some vows are made to be broken...

Review by Rose Red:
I had to think overnight about the rating for Soulbound. It was never in doubt that it was a great book but the last book was SO good it kind of spoils you for this one. I finally decided that comparing it to Evernight was really unfair. That aside, I will say that I wasn't enthusiastic to go into this book based on the interactions of Adam and Eliza in the previous book. But I was soon immersed in Eliza and Adam's story.

Like in previous novels, Adam and Eliza's story started a book ahead, so the foundation of their story has been established as well as its conflict. The short of it is Adam has been cursed by Mab, Queen of the Fae who wants him for herself. His curse has been active for 700 years and the only way to break it is if he finds his soulmate. And of course, Eliza happens to be that soulmate. Unfortunately, she doesn’t think so.

Eliza has been rescued from Adam's bondage and is now living a good life as the guest of her Aunt Mab, who is said to be the Queen of the Fae. She soon finds herself bored with the endless parties and Mab's "entertainments" make her uneasy. At one such party, she hears an injured dog when she is hiding in the kitchen. Unable to bear an animal in pain, she goes to find it. Only things are not as they seem, because as soon as she touches the dog, it shifts into Adam, the demon that had once enslaved her.

Yet, her soft heart wouldn't allow her to turn her back on an injured party, and what was Mab doing, chaining him up? Soon, she realized everything was not as it was at Mab's place, and when her past caught up with her Adam becomes the one she turns to for help. Soulbound is particularly interesting since Eliza and Adam start out at odds with each other and become allies in order to escape the cruelty of the Fae.

Adam is probably one of the most tortured and pitiful hero I've ever read, and yet he handled everything with honesty while refusing to play the victim. Eliza is every bit a heroine, sharp, witty, and compassionate to Adam's plight despite her own issues with him.

Adam and Eliza are engaging characters and even more as a couple. Can we give a slow clap to Kristen Callihan for making Adam a believable 700 year old virgin? I totally didn’t see that coming but it all makes sense when you get the full story. It's part of the curse and it isn't. Sexual experience aside, Adam's sincerity and brutal honesty tugged my heartstrings hard. I ended up liking him way more than I thought I would.

I will admit that I didn't like Eliza in the previous book and I expect to do the same here. It seems that I got the wrong impression of her. Now that I can see her view of things, I empathize with her, and pretty soon she grew on me. She's a likeable heroine. She has a strength I admire that enables her to have the courage to do what must be done.

Adam and Eliza made another reluctant couple since she was still more than a little mad at him for chaining her to him for months. We do get to find out why he did it and why she reacted to it the way she did. I can tell you it is touching and emotional, on both sides. This book was great but it dragged in a couple of places for me. Adam and Eliza’s alliance does turn into a tender romance but the ending I am still rolling around in my head as to whether or not I really liked it. It seems that it was required but I’m still uncertain about it. You’ll have to read it for yourself.

I highly recommend this series and I can’t wait for the next book! Callihan sets up for the following books in her series perfectly and the next one looks to be intriguing! I can’t wait to read Sin’s story!

An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

    

 4 / 5 stars.