I bawled my eyes out¡ªthey won, but at what cost?!? But still, I can¡¯t help but love the author for that final chapter. It also made me cry, but tha5/5
I bawled my eyes out¡ªthey won, but at what cost?!? But still, I can¡¯t help but love the author for that final chapter. It also made me cry, but thankfully this time from happiness.
(Also, my favorite ship having five kids and a restaurant in their next life? I can sleep peacefully)...more
I loved it so much!! It was just so unexpectedly good. The heroine was absolutely amazing¡ªthe perfect combination of soft4.25/5
[manhwa cr chapter: 52]
I loved it so much!! It was just so unexpectedly good. The heroine was absolutely amazing¡ªthe perfect combination of softie, badass, and diva all in one. Her family was also incredibly wholesome and lovable. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I adored the main character's family in a story so much. Her love interest is the most ruthless warrior in the kingdom, and everyone fears him, but in reality, he¡¯s the biggest softie and cutie in the world. I¡¯m so happy he found Illya, because this woman is just perfect for him. Anyway, I can¡¯t wait for the next chapters!...more
This is so good??? Like, I did not expect to be so invested in this story, but I most definitely am. I love the plot, I adore the heroine and her "4/5
This is so good??? Like, I did not expect to be so invested in this story, but I most definitely am. I love the plot, I adore the heroine and her "kids" and the art style is absolutely gorgeous too. It¡¯s still ongoing, so I fear that if I keep liking it as much as I do now, I¡¯ll definitely run to continue with the novel....more
I'm only on the fourth book of this series, and I can already tell that this is one of t5/5
[novel chapters: 177-237/601]
The reviews contains spoilers!
I'm only on the fourth book of this series, and I can already tell that this is one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever read in my life. And I have read over a thousand romance books. It¡¯s a rather long love story, but if I adore the main characters¡ªas I do In¨¦s and C¨¢rcel¡ªI could read even twenty books about them. Watching stupid ads on Tappytoon for two weeks straight to unlock the chapters was worth it because I absolutely adore this story with my entire heart.
So much happened in this book¡ªwe began in Caltzea, then moved to the hunting cabin, followed by Mendoza, and finally ended in Bilbao where C¨¢rcel finally met the painter. This volume also had what I had been waiting for the most¡ªIn¨¦s is really close to acknowledging that she loves C¨¢rcel, who has already confessed his feelings.
¡ª I never thought it was possible to love C¨¢rcel even more, but it happened. This man does everything with In¨¦s in mind. He would do anything for her. I¡¯ve read tons of romance books with men utterly in love with their women, but C¨¢rcel? His love for In¨¦s is truly beyond compare. The letters he wrote to her in chapters 223, 224, and 225 were so beautiful that I cried the entire time I was reading them. The fact that he calls her "Sol de mi vida, my In¨¦s," which means "the light of my life," made me fall to my knees and cry. He would do anything to ensure she¡¯s happy, safe, and healthy, even if it means putting himself at risk. In¨¦s¡¯s remarkable improvement in health since her marriage to C¨¢rcel is a great example for this. Not to mention, this man literally ran to her the second she wrote him a letter that she missed him, just to spend a few hours with her.
"±õ²Ô¨¦²õ." That single call was enough to erase all of her thoughts from her mind, like waves receding from a beach at tide. In¨¦s got to her feet and slowly turned toward the voice that had called out to her a few steps away. C¨¢rcel stood under a tree, smiling, with his arms wide open. In¨¦s's cold demeanor melted away as she beamed and ran toward him."
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That¡¯s my real reaction to this scene.
Seriously.
He loved In¨¦s in all four of their lifetimes, and in this book, we finally got a glimpse of some scenes from those lives from his perspective. The fact that he was already worried about In¨¦s and had a big crush on her when they were 14 in their third lifetime made me tear up again. In¨¦s also had a small crush on him, but she probably didn¡¯t understand it at the time. The way he advised Oscar to give In¨¦s the rifle, and then blushed when she asked to hunt with her, showed he was already falling in love with her. Also, the fact that he gave her the same rifle in their fourth life, but this time personally, and that she kissed him while crying after this gesture, made me cry even harder. At this point, I think I cried through half of the book.
And, AND¡ªOMG, he finally starts to remember their lives from the first, second, and third lifetimes. I¡¯ve been waiting for this FOREVER. C¨¢rcel finally meets Emiliano, and many memories from his past lives come back to him. It turns out that the painter also remembers everything from his past life with In¨¦s. I'm already scared about what this fact might bring in the next books.
But nonetheless, here are my favorite quotes from C¨¢rcel once again. I have a feeling I¡¯ll be adding more with each book, as this man just knows what to say.
"You are in my every thought. You are my obsession," whispered C¨¢rcel"
"My mind is consumed with thoughts of you, In¨¦s Escalante. When I rise in the morning, I reach out, hoping to pull you closer to me as you slumber. My nose seeks out your scent before I even open my eyes My heart dreams of burying my face in your neck in the morning sun, inhaling your sweet scent as I escape the grip of sleep... Nothing feels real without you, In¨¦s. It all feels like a dream."
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"C¨¢rcel took her hand as if snatching it up, kissed each fingertip affectionately, and finally pressed his lips firmly against her palm. Just as he did every day upon his return home."
"What is it?" she inquired. "You're breathtaking," he said, sincerity etched into every word"
"He wanted the whole world to know that he belonged to In¨¦s, so that no one would dare to come between them"
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"This is indeed an incident, Balan," C¨¢rcel cut in. "Good heavens..." Arondra's typical exclamation echoed in Ra¨²l's ears. "What kind of incident? Has she been injured?" "This is a momentous incident." Ra¨²l came to a halt a few steps away from C¨¢rcel and frowned in confusion. "But...why are you smiling?" C¨¢rcel lifted his gaze from the letter, a broad grin replacing the gravity that had shrouded his features moments before. "She misses me. In¨¦s Valeztena misses me." °Ú¡±Õ "She yearns for me..." C¨¢rcel mumbled in a daze, his gaze tenderly fixed on the letter yet again. "You are so endearing that I would die for you, In¨¦s." °Ú¡±Õ C¨¢rcel appeared lost in his own reverie, murmuring, "She misses me...and asks me to make haste to see her in Mendoza. How adorable..." °Ú¡±Õ "She says she misses me," C¨¢rcel said again. "Yes, I heard, my lord." Now, he was burying his face in the letter altogether °Ú¡±Õ C¨¢rcel cut him off. "This is the first love letter I've ever received from In¨¦s. It will become an important piece of Escalante history to be handed down from generation to generation, so it must be preserved properly."
And he wanted to frame this letter because he cherished it so much, even though those three sentences were the only things In¨¦s had written to him-
"Careful. I'll hold it." "Dear C¨¢rcel Escalante. My days here are incredibly tedious and exhausting. I miss you. Could you not come to Mendoza for just a short while?" Ra¨²l read aloud, his tone rising in disbelief. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
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"C¨¢rcel would be moved to tears even if you gave him a branch from that tree over there." °Ú¡±Õ "Indeed, he is oddly humble when it comes to gifts, but I cannot settle for that," In¨¦s said, not denying Isabella's observation. Even if she presented him with a mere branch, C¨¢rcel would undoubtedly frame it and treasure it forever. He would imagine that the stick held some deep theological or literary significance, however absurd. He was so utterly besotted with her that he had framed her three or four lines of correspondence."
"C¨¢rcel wrapped In¨¦s in a tight embrace. "What do I do when I want to hold you closer, but you're already in my arms?" he mumbled as though in a daze. "That makes no sense," she replied coolly. He tightened his hold. Normally, she would have snapped at him to let her breathe, but In¨¦s simply wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed back. He knew this small gesture spoke louder than words."
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"As long as you want me at your side, you will never need another husband. I plan to live a long and persistent life by your side as long as you do not cast me aside. In¨¦s, I will make sure you will never need another man at your side, even for a moment. In truth, I cannot tolerate the mere thought of another man by your side. It is such an unbearable thought that I already broke two pens while writing this... Laugh at my foolishness if you must, but know this: I refuse to succumb to any fate that would separate us."
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Okay, okay, the last thing and quote. I was screaming when C¨¢rcel heard that Oscar wanted to give the flower crown to In¨¦s, so he left his own behind before he had to leave the capital.
"C¨¢rcel Escalante sent me a messenger early this morning, asking me to compete in the Formente on his behalf," Luciano explained. "He said he needs someone to give you a flower crown since he couldn't stay in Mendoza for the event."
¡ª Witch each book when there¡¯s a scene from In¨¦s past lifetimes I just end up crying. Her returning to Mendoza made me realize even more how much I despise the fake people who have surrounded her and C¨¢rcel since birth, especially Empress, Alicia and Oscar. As more facts about Oscar were revealed in this book, my hatred for him grew to an astronomical size. He tormented C¨¢rcel since childhood because In¨¦s chose him, and now he's trying to kill C¨¢rcel to marry In¨¦s? He is willing to murder his cousin to take his wife, only to repete the history from their past lifetime when he had some psycho obsession over her and tortured her every day. This guy, or rather a nasty rat, deserves to die¡ªpreferably as soon as possible.
But moving on to the nicer things. Every time In¨¦s made a romantic gesture toward him, I¡¯m pretty sure my heart was about to explode. Although she¡¯s the grump in their relationship, her small acts of love made me so happy. In this book, she made significant progress with her feelings toward C¨¢rcel. She finally trusted him completely, felt jealousy toward other women despite having no reason to, and began counting the days until she could see him again because she missed him so much. Also, the fact that In¨¦s noticed C¨¢rcel¡¯s new scar, and when she tried to bring it up he dismissed it, so she write to Raul, calling him a rat for not telling her what had happened. I was finally laughing after crying for four chapters straight. Her distress over C¨¢rcel¡¯s injury drove her to buy the most expensive weapons she could find from several shops, all to keep him safe. Her people even began to worry that she was planning to recruit her own army because of it.
"Remember that your body is of equal importance as mine, so always stay vigilant and protect it. From your wife, In¨¦s Escalante de Perez." "Now, take this card and wrap everything beautifully." "Pardon me, madam, but...how does one wrap weapons beautifully?" the shop owner asked, perplexed. "Does this card not give you a clue? Tie silk ribbons around them. Anything looks pleasant with a ribbon." The owner stared at her, speechless."
"In¨¦s shot him a seriously concerned look and pushed away a branch that was about to hit him in the face because he wasn't paying attention to anything but her."
"As he spoke, his hands were busy setting up the skewers over the fire, and he turned his head to give her a kiss on her cheek. When he leaned in to do it again, In¨¦s impulsively turned her head as well, so that his lips pressed against hers. She had forgotten all about her decision to discourage him from trying to make her any happier. C¨¢rcel furrowed his eyebrows. "Do you really want me to be all over you when I haven't washed yet?"
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"No, he's more than fine, he's wonderful. Our time in Calztela has been delightful. That's the reason why I was looking healthier when I arrived in Mendoza. Also, C¨¢rcel has been insistent on ensuring I'm well- fed." "I've never seen you smile like that, In¨¦s," Luciano muttered in awe. In¨¦s stiffly thought back to how on earth she had started smiling without even realizing it while speaking of C¨¢rcel."
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I think I¡¯m the happiest about the fact that In¨¦s finally realized C¨¢rcel would never cheat on her or even glance at another woman, because she is everything to him and he would do anything for her. Her development, from wanting a divorce to achieve her plan, to becoming a woman who was falling deeply in love with her husband because she knew he loved her with his whole being, was just everything. It took a lot of time, of course, but the journey was worth the wait.
In¨¦s literally went from this
"Some women would daydream about a wedding after a simple exchange of smiles. As for In¨¦s, she was the type to daydream about the divorce and the custody discussions after the wedding."
to this
"I mean it this time. I truly want it." She took a deep breath and declared with conviction, "Not an heir for our families. I want a child of our own."
"And she wanted a child who would resemble both him and herself-a living testament to their love."
"She wanted to take him in completely, to be the only one to see him. She wanted to whisk him far away from this wretched palace and the pain of this world, to a place where he could see and hear only her. If she could achieve that, she felt that she wouldn't mind if the world behind her crumbled to ruin."
"Because, in the end, he belonged to her. Because perhaps, she had become his, too."
and I absolutely love that.
Some of my favorite things about this book. I just don¡¯t want to forget them, so I had to write them down here.
¡ª There were so many great scenes that perfectly captured their dynamic in this book.
"The farther the destination, the earlier you should get going, C¨¢rcel," she insisted. "Is that so? I might just die from how adorable you are being," he commented. "Go ahead and die, then. Let's get going. Hurry up." Her cold retort came almost immediately. Undeterred, he stepped closer and cupped her cheeks in his hands. She shot him a warning glare, but he believed this was her own fault for being so endearing. "One more kiss before I die." He showered her face with kisses, refusing to let her go until In¨¦s whacked him on the head."
¡ª The hunting lodge chapters and then the reunion scene in Caltzea? These two are the hottest couple. They are really the epitome of a couple where the hero worships the ground the heroine walks on and is the cutest, most devoted partner, but their intimate relationship leads to rooms being destroyed after their nights together.
"You have to come while looking at me, In¨¦s. Always." She had let out another sobbing moan. "Because I'm the only one for you now. Because you chose me this time. Because I am yours."
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¡ª I hope Isabela turns out to be a good character, as she seems to be so far, and becomes the mother that In¨¦s never had.
"It would have taken forever if I hadn't. I am very protective of my time and my family." Isabella made the remark casually, but In¨¦s had never received such care from her own mother, Olga-not even in times of dire need during her past life at the palace"
¡ª I also really hope In¨¦s¡¯s relationship with her brother in this life will be good. He truly loves her and would do anything for her, so I look forward to seeing them hunt together with C¨¢rcel in future books.
"I would lay down my life for you, In¨¦s. Whatever path you choose, I shall bear the burden of it all. So, do what you wish. Don't worry about our father, mother, or even me..." °Ú¡±Õ "End the crown prince's life, In¨¦s. Take your revenge into your own hands, like the woman of Perez you are. If it frightens you, I'll do it for you." "You have nothing to do with this, Luciano." "My hands are yours, In¨¦s, for we are both Valeztenas. If I take his life, it shall be as though you did so yourself. The same holds true in reverse. We are in this together." "And once Oscar is gone, what then?" "Then I shall ensure your survival." "How?" "Perhaps I shall start a war."
This scene from their second life made me tear up a little.
¡ª More secrets about In¨¦s¡¯s past lives were revealed, especially the fact that the priest who married her and the painter told her it wasn¡¯t what "Lord had planned for her" and that she would regret it one day. I hope this means that C¨¢rcel was her one and only destiny. I really hope it's true, as all the clues so far suggest it might be.
¡ª The last thing is that I love the subtle hints the author gives about both of them seeing each other as each other¡¯s sun. I¡¯m not sure if this was intentional, but in the prologue of the manhwa, C¨¢rcel sees In¨¦s and calls her "My sun," so I really hope I¡¯m right.
"C¨¢rcel squinted in her direction as if blinded by the sun, his admittedly pretty eyes fixed on her as he stood there blankly until Alejandro was only an inch away from his face. It was strange, because he had his back to the sun."
"I wish for everything you ever wish for to come true, my sunshine. And I hope I am always at your side as you do whatever you want."
Once again, I end up writing a long ass review, but I just can¡¯t help myself¡ªI could talk and talk and talk about this story forever because I love it so much. The fourth book is the last one fully translated on Tappytoon so far, so unfortunately, I had to take a break from the series, which yes¡ªis painful, but I want to binge the fifth book in one go, so I have to wait....more
The third book gave me so many feels. I was either kicking my feet and blushing at C¨¢r4.25/5
[novel chapters: 114-176/601]
The review contains spoilers!
The third book gave me so many feels. I was either kicking my feet and blushing at C¨¢rcel being so in love with In¨¦s or crying to the point of getting a headache. We got so many beautiful and heartbreaking moments in this volume. I absolutely loved how much their relationship has already progressed. Not only their relationship but both In¨¦s and C¨¢rcel as individuals, too.
The action still takes place in Caltzea, but this time we got to see more scenes of the main characters socializing, attending banquets, and inviting people over, which sometimes led to problems. We also get glimpses into their second and third lifetimes, mostly from In¨¦s's perspective. Once again, I have to say that she is truly one of the strongest heroines I have ever read about. I just want her to find happiness in her fourth life with C¨¢rcel. She deserves it so much after everything she's been through.
This book made me realize just how much I love C¨¢rcel. I'll probably say this in every review from now on, but seriously, this man makes me blush in every single chapter. I need to list everything this man did in this book that made me love him even more, so let's get right to them. ¡ª C¨¢rcel cried when he found out that In¨¦s's mom called her a defective product. This scene was so precious, because it showed how much he loves her. ¡ª This man literally notices the smallest details about her.
"C¨¢rcel seemed the kind of man who didn't care about remembering details, and yet when it concerned In¨¦s, his memory exhibited meticulous precision like the sharp, heavy bayonet he wielded"
¡ª He almost bought the entire jewelry store for In¨¦s, because he couldn¡¯t decide on the color of the gems because she looked beautiful in all of them for him. It was also the first gift he ever gave to any woman. ¡ª His love language is without a doubt physical touch. If he only could, he¡¯d spend every moment of the day kissing¡ªespecially covering her face with kisses, holding her, and keeping her close. ¡ª He is trying to find the best possible doctor for In¨¦s, because he worries about her health. In fact, if he could, he would carry her everywhere because he's scared something might happen to her.
"While In¨¦s seemed to consider her condition a great weakness that would be nothing but a burden to her husband, C¨¢rcel was the kind of man who would welcome such a burden with open arms. In fact, considering his blind affection, his strong obsession, and his slightly perverted interest in her, Ra¨²l imagined that C¨¢rcel might even go above and beyond that."
This man truly lived by the "in sickness and in health" vow.
¡ª C¨¢rcel smokes his cigar outside on the balcony, even when it¡¯s freezing cold, because he thinks In¨¦s doesn¡¯t like the smell. She doesn¡¯t mind the smell though. ¡ª This man was over the moon every time he found out that she was worried about him.
"What else happened? What other adorable things did In¨¦s do because she was so worried about me?"
"She even checked to see if you were breathing and lifted your eyelids," he added. "That's adorable," C¨¢rcel commented. "She also fumed when we told her you were merely sleeping," Ra¨²l continued. "So precious..." "°Ú¡±Õ, she insisted on staying to watch over you." "She couldn't keep her eyes off of me," C¨¢rcel muttered"
¡ª Just every moment when C¨¢rcel was completely smitten with her.
"He shoved a piece of bread in her mouth before she could argue back. She chewed the food first, and he watched her like the most adorable sight in the world. "You're so cute when you chew. I wish you could see how adorable you look-" °Ú¡±Õ "I'm not cute," mumbled In¨¦s. Even despite her sleepiness, her firm voice sounded annoyed. C¨¢rcel chuckled and pulled her closer to him, duvet and all. "Your cuteness will be the death of me,"
"I don't want to leave because you are too adorable," said C¨¢rcel."
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"When she hung her head low, C¨¢rcel continued to kiss her hair. "I like it when you call me your husband, In¨¦s... My heart melts every time I hear you say that."
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"All he talks about is you. In the morning, his orders are about you. When he gets home, he asks about you. Before bed, he also..."
"If he confessed his emotions and she turned her back on him, he would wish for nothing but to drop dead. Without her, none of this would matter. He wouldn't feel this way if not for her. Indeed, he loved her."
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"It doesn't matter if you don't care about her betrayal. I don't care whether you care for me or not," C¨¢rcel added, turning to face her with his back to the sunset. "What matter is that I love you."
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"C¨¢rcel continued to ramble on like a madman. "I might die of a heart attack induced by her sheer adorableness. Incredibly endearing." Ra¨²l grew genuinely concerned for C¨¢rcel. At this rate, if he discovered In¨¦s had indeed spied on him for a while, he might suffer a heart attack from overexcitement."
"Damn it, your mistress is too adorable," muttered C¨¢rcel. "She really knows how to throw me off my feet." °Ú¡±Õ "So adorable...I want to chew her up from head to toe." °Ú¡±Õplease keep this a secret from her." "A secret. How adorable."
THIS MAN. THIS MAN.
"He could hardly imagine how heavenly it would be to be loved by his wife. The thought alone was enough to make C¨¢rcel feel like he was walking on air."
"But just looking at you brings me joy," C¨¢rcel muttered despondently"
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"I can't dictate what you say," she pointed out. "Why not? Go ahead," C¨¢rcel urged. In¨¦s raised her slightly reddened face and grimaced, stating firmly, "No. I refuse." She looked endearing even when she was showing such blatant aversion to his words. "I find it stimulating when you order me around," C¨¢rcel confessed. "So it's solely for your benefit," she said with a huff. "I won't indulge." "Please, In¨¦s, command me."
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"Kiss me, In¨¦s." She looked at him with a hint of irritation and leaned in to kiss him. The whole universe was telling him one thing: this had to be love"
I wasn't planning to write another long review again.. but I just need to mention some of my favorite moments from this book so I don¡¯t forget them. Let's get to those now then. ¡ª Chapters 126 and 127 were so damn hot. Like, seriously. ¡ª In¨¦s getting revenge on the two officers who spoke badly about C¨¢rcel at the banquet. ¡ª C¨¢rcel throwing Iglesias' jacket off the balcony because he was jealous. ¡ª The carriage scene when In¨¦s kissed C¨¢rcel for the first time on her own and when they had that talk. I'm so sad it wasn¡¯t in the manhwa. ¡ª Maybe not my favorite moment, but I was literally crying reading chapters 159 and 160. I absolutely despise Oscar. I wish him the most painful death. ¡ª The moment In¨¦s realized C¨¢rcel loved her in their second life¡ªor, as far as she knows, their first life. I was crying so hard.
Again.
"At last, the truth dawned on her: he had been in love with In¨¦s Valeztena. Always."
¡ª When In¨¦s asked Raul to check on C¨¢rcel because she was afraid she got him sick. ¡ª The kiss In¨¦s initiated when C¨¢rcel was sick. ¡ª The study scene where she was reading, and C¨¢rcel just looked at her like she was his whole world.
"For a while now, he had been sitting with his ch¨ªn resting on his hands and his clear blue eyes fixed intently on his wife's face, smiling from ear to ear. "In¨¦s," he called out, seeking her attention. She ignored him, her focus on the pages before her. "Look over here, In¨¦s." "Why?" she asked. "Just because," he replied, a playful lilt in his voice." °Ú¡±Õ C¨¢rcel's bright smile didn't wane even as her gaze shifted away from him. Look at my dear In¨¦s, dedicated to her reading when she's already so brilliant, C¨¢rcel mused inwardly."
He is so cute and in love that I just wanna
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¡ª The scene where C¨¢rcel was worried about In¨¦s hurting her hands, even though she was the one who slapped him while he was unconscious. Get yourself a man who doesn¡¯t care that you slapped him, but only worries about whether you hurt your hand doing it. ¡ª The chapter where they were together watching the fountain, and C¨¢rcel¡¯s thoughts about In¨¦s then. The whole chapter was just absolutely gorgeous.
"Perhaps the mermaid reminded him of her because he loved her just the way the soldier loved the mermaid. He didn't mind drowning to spend the rest of his life with her. He forgot to breathe sometimes when he was with her. He was so foolishly in love with her. But-she didn't have feelings for him, just as the mermaid did not love the soldier back."
I'm so close to catching up with the manhwa, so I'm really really excited to read the next book. It's also the last book that's fully translated so far on Tappytoon, so I'll probably have to take a short break from this series, but I can't wait to devour it regardless....more
The second book was a tad slower, I would say, but I still very much enjoyed it. I think 4/5
[novel chapters: 65-113/601]
The review contains spoilers!
The second book was a tad slower, I would say, but I still very much enjoyed it. I think I could read about those two just staring at the wall and still be entertained. It¡¯s not that nothing interesting happened¡ªthere were plenty of new revelations, and important new characters were introduced, such as Raul and Arondra, who will play significant roles later on. The relationship between In¨¦s and C¨¢rcel also started to develop into something deeper, especially on C¨¢rcel¡¯s side. However, this book primarily focuses on their daily life in Caltzea.
Once again, I have to say that I¡¯m so happy I decided to read the novel alongside the manhwa, as the novel shows just so much more. There were a few scenes that were cut from the manhwa, and I¡¯m so sad they weren¡¯t included, as they make the story much deeper and reveal more of the main characters' feelings and thoughts, helping me understand them better. There was also one spicy scene that I would have loved to see in the manhwa, but sadly it wasn¡¯t included. Yes, I¡¯m talking about the carriage scene.
One of the best things about this volume was the development in C¨¢rcel's character. I love how he went from the six-year-old boy who cried at the thought of marriage, to a teenage boy who wanted to spend time with Inez but, due to her plan, ended up doing things he now strongly regrets, and now to a man for whom In¨¦s is the only right woman he is completely obsessed with. The way he wanted to have breakfast with her in bed, even though it wasn¡¯t something Ortegans typically did, the way he loved her lazy side, they way he was upset when Raul took In¨¦s to town before he could because he wanted to take her there on a romantic date, the way she was the first person he wanted to run to greet when he came home from work, they way he always smiled and blushed when he saw her, the way he did everything with her in mind, and they way he was utterly starved for her¡ªseriously, starved. He was turned on by literally everything she did.
¡°Give her whatever she asks for.¡± Then, C¨¢rcel¡¯s face lit up as soon as he spotted In¨¦s entering the sitting room. He knew his muscles acted on instinct, but he tried to persuade himself that he had consciously chosen to smile to be polite."
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"For the past few weeks, the first thing C¨¢rcel did upon arrival was ask, ¡°Where¡¯s In¨¦s?¡± His routine was so predictable that the maids even mimicked the movement of his lips, secretly echoing his words."
He is such a golden retriever husband. I love it.
"C¨¢rcel scoffed at himself for acting like he still didn¡¯t love her. The truth was that he was already besotted with her. When he heard her breathing stop and thought she would never open her eyes again, his world fell apart, and he could no longer deny his feelings."
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"his hand pulled her back into his embrace. ¡°You are much prettier. The most beautiful. Perhaps the only truly beautiful woman.¡± °Ú¡±Õ "In fact, I didn¡¯t see any woman prettier than you today. I didn¡¯t see a single one. Not just today, but every day.¡± °Ú¡±Õ ¡°Even if she were prettier than you, it still wouldn¡¯t matter. Of course, such a woman would never exist?.?.?.¡± C¨¢rcel stopped mid-ramble and asked her impatiently, ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±
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"C¨¢rcel Escalante stood in front of the mirror, smiling like a fool. Only a day ago, his wife decided he could not be a fool, but he was proving her wrong right now. His mind was too occupied with In¨¦s¡¯s voice saying, ¡°I¡¯ll never leave you first.¡± As blunt as ever, all she had said was that she would not leave him if he became less attractive than he is now. But C¨¢rcel¡¯s brain rewrote the narrative to interpret her words as a promise that she would never leave him."
? ? ? ? ? ? [image]
We can also see a slight change in In¨¦s' feelings, especially towards the end of the book. She is still intent on making her plan for C¨¢rcel to cheat on her come true, but she has yet to realize that it will never happen, as he sees her as his one and only. We already learn a significant part of In¨¦s' past in the first book¡ªa past that is, unfortunately, deeply sad and painful¡ªand in this volume, we uncover even more heartbreaking events she endured in this life and her previous ones. In¨¦s truly is one of the strongest heroines out there. I literally cried at times while reading her story. I¡¯m just so happy that in this life, she is married to C¨¢rcel, with whom she might have had a rough start, but now he treats her like the queen she is. Like, seriously. If she asked him to bring her the moon, he would somehow find a way to give it to her.
But anyway, I can¡¯t wait to catch up to where the manhwa currently is....more
The novel really turned out to be much better than the manhwa. Starting The Broken Ring, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d become so en4/5
[novel chapters: 1-65/601]
The novel really turned out to be much better than the manhwa. Starting The Broken Ring, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d become so engrossed in the story that after the latest manhwa chapter, I¡¯d be running to read the books it was based on, but that¡¯s exactly what happened. I was pretty much desperate to read all the books, but it was nearly impossible to find them all available in English online. Only the first two books were translated and available to buy on Amazon¡ªso I got those¡ªbut the rest were nowhere to be found. The whole series consists of ten books, with the last two being side stories. The only source for the third and the rest of the books was Tappytoon, which is translating three chapters a week, so that's where I'll continue reading the third book and the rest in the future when they translate them. I've heard that the translation isn't the best, and that the Tappytoon version even adds sentences that weren¡¯t in the original book, but I was so eager to read it that I honestly didn¡¯t mind. I'm actually really glad I read the novel too, since the manhwa left out some scenes, dialogues, and character thoughts that I think were pretty important to the story.
The rest of my review contains spoilers!
If you plan to read this story, I think it¡¯s important to know that it¡¯s the kind of story where you definitely need to trust the process. It starts off in a way that might make people dislike the book and stop reading, which I completely understand¡ªI would have done the same if I hadn¡¯t read the spoilers, but thankfully, I saw them, and I continued, which it¡¯s something I¡¯ll never regret as The Broken Ring turned out to be one of the most beautiful stories I¡¯ve ever read. Two people, four timelines, the love they shared in each of them, and the countless challenges they faced along the way, which certainly didn¡¯t make their love story an easy one.
I think the biggest issue people have with The Broken Ring¡ªthe one I mentioned in my last paragraph¡ªis the fact that C¨¢rcel slept with a lot of women before he and In¨¦s were married. Listen, I absolutely despise cheaters and men who are manwhores. Seriously, I wish them well. In hell. And I¡¯m not trying to justify C¨¢rcel¡¯s cheating at the beginning of their story¡ªI hate it. I hate that he was sleeping around so much. But this isn¡¯t your typical "cheating case". This book definitely doesn¡¯t normalize cheating either, as people, In¨¦s¡¯ family, and especially her father shame him for it and weren¡¯t happy that he was marrying her. But, as I said, it¡¯s not your usual "cheating in books" situation.
The heroine¡ªIn¨¦s, a woman from a very important noble family, after surviving, as far as she knows, two previous lives, wasn't strong enough to enter another relationship. So, in her fourth life, she made a plan at the age of six to marry C¨¢rcel, knowing that he would eventually cheat and sleep with many other women. He was the most angelic and handsome boy in the entire kingdom, and every woman wanted him, so he was the perfect candidate for her plan. Since she was six, she had been basically "manipulating" him to cheat and lose interest in her completely, so eventually she could divorce him and be left alone. I know it sounds pretty insane, but she had her reasons. In her second life, she committed suicide because Oscar¡ªthe future emperor/prince, who married her¡ªwas raping her and constantly cheating, which led to her miscarrying four times. He blamed her for the miscarriages, rather than his own venereal diseases. On top of that, his family treated her horribly. In her third life, she ran away with a painter to escape her second life's marriage to the prince. At first, things seemed fine¡ªshe married the painter and had a baby with him¡ªbut it didn't last long. In the end, her brother killed the painter, and the royal family planned to murder her baby. Desperate, she took her own life and her child's to escape the horrors they were about to face. Her past lives were absolutely awful, so I'm not surprised at how she acted in her fourth life, or why she pushed C¨¢rcel to be with other women. She knew that once he did, she would be able to file for divorce and ultimately be left alone, and eventually die of old age rather than by suicide. So yes, C¨¢rcel cheated on her, and I will always hate him for that, but there's more to the story. What's crucial to understand is that C¨¢rcel loved her in all four of their lives, even when they weren't together in two of them. He never married anyone else in any of his lives because he always loved only In¨¦s. He even helped her husband¡ªthe painter she had a child with¡ªand had to watch her being married to Oscar, who basically tortured her. So yes, yes, yes, I know he cheated at the beginning when they were still engaged in their fourth life, but his love for her, and the fact that she was his one and only true love across all his lives, is enough for me to overlook the cheating.
But finally moving to the main characters, specifically In¨¦s Valeztena de P¨¦rez. I absolutely loved her. She invented the definition of a strong heroine. Despite enduring hell in almost all of her lives, she still had the power to keep going. She was extremely smart, intelligent, and sarcastic (which I love about her), funny, and just everything I love about female main characters.
"Some women would daydream about a wedding after a simple exchange of smiles. As for In¨¦s, she was the type to daydream about the divorce and the custody discussions after the wedding."
"Whenever these governesses started their lessons by teaching her how to obey her future husband, she inevitably fired the governess. Therefore, she never had a governess for more than four days."
C¨¢rcel Escalante de Esposa¡ªour hero who I hated at the beginning but grew to love with every chapter. I know what he did while they were still engaged was unacceptable, and I hate him for it. However, just before their marriage and after their wedding, he became the most faithful man ever, completely obsessed with his wife. Even when In¨¦s tried to surround him with beautiful women to fulfill her plan to make him cheat on her, he never did¡ªall he saw was In¨¦s. He even bought her a house he heard had saved someone's marriage, so they could be together. He would unexpectedly smile at work while thinking about her, and people were amazed at the sight. He was STARVED for her¡ªseriously, STARVED¡ªbut still respected her boundaries, which later in the story made her more open and brave in her sexual life. And that's just a glimpse, as he did so much more in the next books.
"He could tolerate just about anything to have In¨¦s Escalante share his name and bedroom for the rest of his life."
¡°At this rate, you¡¯ll be carrying me around the house by tomorrow morning,¡± In¨¦s muttered. ¡°Actually, if you don¡¯t mind, I would happily¡ª¡± ¡°I do mind,¡± In¨¦s said firmly. ¡°I guessed as much,¡± C¨¢rcel replied."
"In¨¦s clearly didn¡¯t care for his opinion, and C¨¢rcel liked that about her."
"Everything about In¨¦s was driving him insane."
Me at this information:
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And, he definitely was a boob man.
I also saw on Twitter that each volume's cover has a meaning, and the first book features a sample of ceremonial uniform from C¨¢rcel's wedding attire¡ªI love it.
But anyway, I just love this story so much, despite it not being something I usually enjoy, because of the manwhore hero. I just can¡¯t wait to read the next books to find out how In¨¦s and C¨¢rcel¡¯s story ends. The day they announce that this series will be published in paperback, I will definitely be the first in line to buy it....more
Okay, as it turns out, I¡¯ll be gradually updating this review with each volume since the entire story consists of 4 books (1820 pages, 259 chaptercr/5
Okay, as it turns out, I¡¯ll be gradually updating this review with each volume since the entire story consists of 4 books (1820 pages, 259 chapters). I highly recommend the translation of the novel on Radish¡ªthat¡¯s where I¡¯m reading these books, and the translation is honestly really good!
I remember reading the manhwa three or four years ago, and I was totally in love with it, but since it was unfinished, I unfortunately forgot about it. Now that I¡¯ve returned to my comic-reading phase, I stumbled upon it again. However, when I saw that it wasn¡¯t being continued¡ªit¡¯s been on hiatus for two years¡ª due to how terribly the manhwa¡¯s author was treated I decided that I just had to finish the story now, so I started reading the novel the manhwa is based on. A novel that as it turns out, is just as good as the manhwa.
But anyway, moving on to the main part of my review. Spoilers start here!
Book one [chapters 1-71]¡ª4.25/5
The first book covers the childhood of our main characters, how they met, how they parted ways, and finally reunited after three years to seek revenge on Roxana's father for various reasons. I¡¯m literally so excited to dive into the next books! The romance had me blushing like crazy in the first volume alone, and that was just the beginning, so I just know that I'll go even crazier in the next books.
aleksandra
>
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