Book Review: ‘Bitter Sweet Love’ (A Dark Elements Novella) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

You can’t deny that Jennifer L. Armentrout has been on a serious roll the past couple years. I have no idea how she does it, but I’m glad she does. Believe it or not, she has another series starting soon. Bitter Sweet Love is a new novella teasing the new world of gargoyles that Armentrout will explore in the first Dark Elements novel, White Hot Kiss. What Bitter Sweet Love does is gives you a perfect taste of what is in store, blending it into a short, to-the-point and sexy romance.

A prequel to the first novel, Bitter Sweet Love begins with Jasmine, a gargoyle Warden, ruminating on her existence and place in the world. It’s an expected opening to allow readers an idea of what kind of world we’re entering. We’re soon brought into a romance, when Dez, Jasmine’s former flame, comes back after disappearing for a few years. She doesn’t know how to react to his sudden reappearance and is even more shocked when he claims her as his mate. Jasmine can’t fight her feelings and growing attraction to Dez, but years of heartbreak stop her from jumping in his arms. Can Dez prove that he’s worthy once again of Jasmine’s affection?

Bitter Sweet Love is a fun, little story. If you’ve read Armentrout’s books before, you know the kind of snarky romance she has at play. It’s always enjoyable to read, despite being formulaic. It’s clear Jasmine and Dez will be supporting players in The Dark Elements series, and maybe what inspires the main characters, who we briefly meet, to finally kick-start a romance. Or maybe not. Either way, I look forward to seeing how Dez and Jasmine play into the series.

This novella surprisingly is a nice choice to start off this series with; it made me excited and motivated to crack open my ARC of White Hot Kiss. I’m curious to see what new adventure Armentrout has set for us. If it’s anything like her previous books, we’re probably in for a treat.

Rating: 7.5/10

Bitter Sweet Love by Jennifer L. Armentrout is now available wherever e-books are sold.

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen (December 1, 2013)
Length:  105 pages
Series: The Dark Elements – Novella 0.5
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Completed: December 2013

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