No resolution, and failed character development Hamilton puts too much effort describing the men’s appearance like we aren’t aware from the first 8 books, and also spends an incredible amount of time rehashing old information. The story was rushed and gives no viable ending.

One doesn’t read LKH and expect Hamlet or anything, but I definitely expect some good sex scenes. Nothing in this book was remotely satisfying. For some reason I just kept getting the feeling that she had a minimum word count she was trying to hit so she put a bunch of clothing descriptions in. I might be crazy here, but Doyle can heal people by licking them, however Merry’s vagina is too sore for sex? She’s had all manner of creature in her vagina (sometimes 2 at a time), and Doyle couldn’t have fixed this problem with some “healing tongue”? But only men get any oral pleasures. She has orgasm simply by giving head. Oh yeah giving head immediately after birth is everyone’s dream. Everyone is crying all of the time. I don’t want to read about Doyle and Frost and psychotic auntie Andais breaking down in tears. It’s like everyone in the book had postpartum depression. I had some kind of depression after reading it as well. Bummer. Skip it folks! Let me know when there’s an actual book

Reading this was actually difficult in some places because of the excessive description of clothing. Then you have to deal with all the rehashing of old books to catch up a new reader. No one will pick this up and start on book 9. As with her other books she hurries through the ending and deaths. There is no character development. This reads like a magazine. No story arch or development. She kills off a main character for nothing. There is no resolve or change. Why finally put out a new book when you don’t know where you want the story to go? I feel like this was just a way to get my money. It’s sad to think a writer would betray her fans just to pull in revenue. I seriously hate her endings she rambles about clothes, dedicates chapters to conversations, but only puts in a quick summary as an ending. All us series followers should get a new book with real story for free.

I actually love the Merry Gentry books (as well as Anita Blake), but this book feels like she dashed it off with almost no thought. An extraordinarily unsatisfying ending to the series. I wish I had skipped it so I could have continued to imagine anything I wanted, rather than trying to forget this wretched entry instead. If I’d bought the paper copy, I’d burn it just so that no one else would ever be duped into reading it. It really makes me wonder - who the heck rated it 5 stars? They must have been paid. Because anyone who read the book would have noticed it was almost entirely devoid of plot, thought or care. Shame on her. And shame on her publishers - from whom I most certainly want a refund.

Not good

Let me begin, with the fact that I have read all previous entries in the Merry Gentry series (which I love.) So, when I saw that there was another one as a fan I was super excited. So the question is should you buy the book? Absolutely, if you've read the other ones, if you haven't I would pass. Honestly, this book is really a rehash of previous story points, yes I know some things are furthered, but really not that far. It felt like an "in between" book. Catch you up, give you just enough to keep your interest, but really build for another book. Which I hope happens (fingers crossed.)

Yes because of a new reader or just to refresh those familiar with the Merry Gentry books, it's great to give a brief refresher on the history of the series & what transpired in the last 8 books. There is no reason that 2/3rd's of this book should be that alone. The book was stagnant with repetition and the parts that seemed to move the book along then seemed to hold no real substance and just seemed to be throw aways. I'm not sure who's to truly blame here. Either way, whether it be the publisher or Ms. Hamilton herself, give your readers & fans a bit more Respect and put work out that seems to have a bit more care given to the the storyline. There's a reason a ninth book has been written in this series, your fans love Merry Gentry and her band of men. Please show us that you love them too!

I have been a loyal LKH reader for YEARS. I'm done. Both series have the same issues of repetitiveness and over describing characters. LKH enough of your fans have complained about this and now you have lost one. You use to be a phenomenal author and I'm sure if you honestly cared about your characters like you say you do then maybe you would stop rushing through your stories and actually write some content instead of using fillers like the over use of character description.

Go ahead & skip to the last 2-3 chapters for the story. All chapters before that are just a summary if the previous books. I loved this series until this last book. I'm disappointed I waited 5 years for this.

Laurell K Hamillton never disappoints. It was great to read about Merry again. I hope she doesn't wait as long for the next one.