Angels and demons and baristas, oh my

The Seraphina Series
Sheena Hutchinson
Paranormal Romance
The Seraphina Series (Seraphina #1-2)
Buy on Amazon

[[I received a free copy of all these books in return for my honest review.]]

Listen, I’m not going to beat around the bush. There are giveaways and stuff, so if you’re interested in this novel at all, I’d recommend you go back and look at the giveaway post. Otherwise, let’s go on a ride.

I had the feeling that the Seraphina series wasn’t going to be in my wheelhouse when I started reading the first few pages and it only got worse from there.

I hope you like angels and angel puns. The main character is Seraphina and she lives in Angelica and her last name is Cross. She’s also a miracle child. Not gonna lie, it’s laid on pretty thick.

The Seraphina Series is a novel series that tries to be too many things at once. It’s Supernatural, it’s ShadowHunters, it’s got a bit of Teen Wolf, and on top of all that, there are some serious Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes.

Either way, we’re introduced to Seraphina and to the barista, Jack, who has a serial crush on her. But Seraphina is drawn to another man, a mysterious one who she’s just seen once and we’re drawn into a love triangel (see what I did there?) that falls slightly flat, but I’m not entirely sure why.

Maybe it’s just how pathetic Jack is about the whole thing or that you never really believe that anything’s going to happen between them. We start by shifting between Seraphina’s perspective and Nate’s (an angel who’s been kicked out of heaven for this assignment), but as we get further into the novel, Nate’s perspective kind of disappears.

The Seraphina Series is almost a female power fantasy, but it’s too focused on the men to be that and beyond that, too many of the men force themselves on her. Almost every man gives it a try, whether aggressively or more subtly.

I tried so hard to get into this book, to make it past. I tried picturing all the characters as if they were from Supernatural (Nate became Cas and… actually, that’s pretty much it. Let’s just say that Seraphina became Dean though for kicks). I got partway through the third book before I just had to stop. I’m cutting myself off. No more.

Jack is whiny as hell and for no good reason except to make him less attractive to Seraphina. It’s obnoxious. Nate is kind of just there. Seraphina doesn’t really need him.

And the novels lose that wish fulfillment fantasy that was present in the first book to try and become serious. Which would be fine if it felt naturally done. Instead, it’s like a switch was flipped and we’re all agreeing it’s serious now.

I had to give up and I can’t recommend it, but if you’re really jonesing for a paranormal romance then… maybe? Try the excerpt down below first or on the giveaway page first.

2/10
I just can’t get past the writing, the characterization, and much I feel like I should just go watch Supernatural right now.

The Seraphina Series (Seraphina #1-2)

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