BOOKWORM REVIEW: Vipers and Virtuosos by Sav R. Miller
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
STEAM: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is my third favorite Greek myth (the top two being Cupid/Psyche and Hades/Persephone). The idea of a love so deep that he would find you in the Underworld and make a deal with its King to get you back have set the bar for true love so high for me. To my knowledge, there are very few contemporary takes on their story, my favorite to date being What Dreams May Come with the late Robin Williams.
That movie has now been dethroned by Vipers and Virtuosos. As Sav R. Miller warns in the beginning, this is no retelling. It is loosely based on the myth, but the central theme of that deep obsession is still strong with this novel.
Aiden and Riley meet when Riley's school acquaintances talk her into crashing a charity gala with them. They hope to get a glimpse -- at the very least -- of Aiden James, rock star and hesitant celebrity, who is being forced to mingle with his fans by his management. Unfortunately for Riley's "friends," Aiden only had eyes for her. After a post-party excursion around New York City, Riley ghosts Aiden.
You will have to read the book to find out the rest, because it's spoiler town beyond that. I can tell you that the experience is so worth it. This is my third Sav R. Miller read, and I can most certainly say that she has an uncanny ability of building a start so dark and angry that you're not even sure if you can squeeze romance out of it. She then takes you on an arc that makes YOU -- the reader -- fall in love with her characters even before the thought of love becomes a blip on their own relationship radar.
Aiden and Riley are two sides of the same coin with their struggles. When their stories comes to light, it comes as no surprise on why they are drawn to each other. Miller does a phenomenal job in making their darkness so relatable; show me a person who has never felt so alone in carrying some form of mental or emotional burden. That person is either blessed or a liar.
Their chemistry is amazing. Aiden comes off strong with his arrogant confidence and filthy mouth, but while Riley is introverted and socially awkward, she pushes him back with her quiet but firm fierceness. She is cunning and smart, and she maximizes those strengths in times of adversity.
The supporting characters are also fantastic. Boyd and Fiona are adorable as a couple and as individuals. And I always welcome any read that features Dr. Kallum Anderson in it.
This is a dark romance, so heed the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. If you decide to proceed and jump into this world, be prepared to enjoy a wonderful emotional roller coaster that is Aiden and Riley's story.
** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. **
ABOUT THE BOOK
Aiden
From the second I saw her, I knew she’d be my ruin.
Sitting all alone at the bar, she looked like an angel.
Eurydice in human form; her beauty eclipsed by demons.
Now, I’m one of them.
The ghost she’s tried for years to escape.
Thinking I wouldn’t be able to find her.
But I never stopped trying, and now that I have,
Her past sins should be the least of her worries.
Riley
From the moment he saw me, I knew I’d ruin his life.
Alone at the bar, I dared the monster to come and play.
Orpheus in the flesh, with his sad songs and strange obsessions.
I became one of them.
The siren who calls to the darkest parts of him.
Only, I disappeared before he could act on it.
But now he’s here,
and he wants me to repent for my sins.
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TAKE A SNEAK PEEK
“No. If you come back right now, I swear I won’t forgive you. I’m fine.” The girl turns slightly, meeting my gaze. She exhales, her breath wisping like smoke above her head. “Yes, I promise. Jesus. Okay, I’ll talk to you when we’re back at the hotel.”Something heavy pulls at my chest, scraping like thorns at the tendons there. The thought of the night ending already makes my entire body sag, buckling beneath the weight of a missed opportunity.
Instead of dragging her up the street, I should’ve been grilling her all this time. Finding out what makes her her.
Why the blue hues in her eyes seem to dim when she’s lost in her thoughts but brighten when they’re engaged with mine.
I clear my throat, and she finally walks back over, shoving her phone into her purse.
Forcing nonchalance, I watch as she settles back onto the bench, stuffing a large bite of the bagel into her mouth.
“Boyfriend?” I ask, apprehension notching along my throat.
She snorts. Shakes her head. “Brother.”
“Ah.” I nod, relief splashing over me like a bucket of ice water. My heart stutters as I continue. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
Chewing, she steals a glance at me from the corner of her eye. “I’m not sure I’m really the dating type.”
“No?”
She shrugs. “I know that probably seems crazy, what with how much you know about me.”
“Well, I know you’re not a hooker, and that your taste in bagels is subpar, at best.” I inch toward her, the heat from her body reaching out with invisible fingertips. “You just don’t really strike me as the love them and leave them type, is all.”
“Maybe I’m full of surprises.”
“Yeah?”
Driven by some powerful, transparent force, my hand reaches out slowly, once again tangling in her hair. A light shiver skates along her spine, and I trace it with the tip of one finger, arousal collecting in my gut and spurring me on.
She doesn’t ask me to stop or lean away. “Maybe you’re more attracted to danger than you’ve let on? You did, after all, come out tonight with a complete stranger.”
“Under duress.”
My fingers travel higher, twisting in the strands at the base of her neck. The urge to tug back is strong, but I resist as her pink lips part slightly, not wanting to scare her off.
“Besides…” she breathes, dropping the rest of the bagel into her lap, eyes tilting toward the night sky. “Who says I’m not dangerous?”
Leaning forward, I run my nose along her hairline, inhaling that sweet peppermint perfume. “I have no doubt that you are.”
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Sav R. Miller is an international bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance. She prefers the villains in most stories, and thinks everyone deserves happily-ever-after. Currently, Sav lives in central Kentucky with two pups, Lord Byron and Poe. She loves sitcoms, silence, and sardonic humor.
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