Review: Clock Strikes

Clock Strikes by Ana Raine

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




Someday, my prince will come...this is all Collin can think of when he dreams about leaving Aloria Island. A Neko is a parahuman in the sense that he's part cat and part human. How his race came to existence is lightly touched upon. For a Neko, there are only two ways off the island. He must either become a demon's pet or go to the island where his parents have gone. Collin is thinking of the first option because he's been in love with Prince Adrian for a long time. Unfortunately for Collin, Prince Adrian is the most sought after demon and no one knows if he prefers females or males. Chances of capturing Adrian's attention seem slim from Collin's perspective.

This story is sweet and easy to read. It's a fairy tale in a way because there is a prince and a pauper finding their true love. The sex in the story is also lovely with its rough body play. The characters are cute. The world building is lacking and needs more work. Perhaps in the next book, more will be revealed. Overall, Ms. Raine's writing voice is smooth and fun to read. She does need to work on a few details.

First, why does Collin seem think he is average? It's never clear other than Collin being down on himself. Prince Adrian's desire for Collin is fine, but it doesn't validate Collin's physical attractiveness. Is there a specific standard that demons prize which can illustrate that Collin possesses prized features? This would help make it more convincing as to why Adrian wants Collin.

Second, what is the reason why Neko and demons cannot mate? It is mentioned as verboten several times yet it is not exactly clear to the reader why this is so forbidden. Is this something which will be explained in the next book?

Lastly, the subterfuge for Collin to come to the human world didn't really make sense. If the goal was to prevent Adrian's enemies from trying to take Collin, it fooled no one. Because Collin's beard for Adrian did nothing to keep other demons from wanting Collin to hurt Adrian.

Still, this is a quick and delightful read. Recommended for m/m lovers who enjoy a bit of animalistic rough sex.

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