Book Review | ‘Damien, Forever’ by Tempest Phan

Damien, Forever
By: Tempest Phan

Genre: New Adult Romance
Trope: Rockstar, Best Friends to Lovers, Love Triangle
Publisher: Indie
Publication Date: December 27, 2020
My Rating: 3 Stars

Synopsis:

An angsty, friends-to-lovers, second-chance romance with a dash of new adult and a twist of rockstar.

Damien
She’s everyone’s favorite princess. Gorgeous girl next door. Homecoming queen. But to me, she’ll always be so much more. The light in my dark, my best friend, my everything. But there’s one thing she can’t ever be. And that’s mine. Because I’ll make damn sure to keep my filthy hands off her. Even if it kills me.

Bella
He’s the boy of broken whispers. The one dripping ink. The one sowing fear. But to me, he’ll always be so much more. The music in my soul, my best friend, my everything. And pretty soon, he’ll be between my sheets, too. Because what baby girl wants, she gets. Just watch.

Kleymissky Regular

This one gives a special twist to the Best Friends to Lovers trope. Let’s just say, when I first got a hold of the synopsis, I was all for this one. I was ready for all the feels….

In my own words:

Damien, Forever by Tempest Phan is the first book in the Art of Sinners series. This is a new adult romance with a best friends-to-lovers second chance with a bit of rockstar flare.

Damien has a lot on his plate at such a young age. With his mom constantly spiraling out of control and feeling like a fish out of water, no wonder the man has episodes of manic depression. But throughout all of his downfalls and low times, there has been one constant, Mirabella aka Bella. She’s his light and the only one who understands him inside and out. She’s never judged him for his emo wardrobe choice or the lack of money in his bank account. She’s a genuine soul and his better half.

And that’s why no matter how much Damien loves her, he fights her advances and keeps her at arms reach. He refuses to bring her down to his level. But Mirabella is determined to fight for what she wants and what she deserves. Even if it breaks her heart in the end.

My thoughts:

One of my goals for 2020.was to find and experience new to me authors. And in doing so, I’ve come across Damien Forever by Tempest Phan. Let me start by saying, I really enjoyed her ability to tell an emotional story. There was even one moment when i came damn close to shedding a tear or two.

You see, Damien isn’t your typical book boyfriend outcast. This man suffers from a great mental disorder that is often, at times, looked over. He suffers from depression. I really loved.the fact that this author highlighted and put thought into writing about his ‘dark days’ and episodes. I felt a deeper connection with Damien because of these moments. He was an aspiring musician, but he was also a relatable teenager. I really enjoyed his character and watching him grow and eventually get the help he needed.

I also like Mirabella and her ability to understand Damien and his depression. I loved how she was his rock and he was her protector… these two made for a kickass.dynamic duo!

Now onto the reason why I rated it a 3 star..

This novel started off so strong. I was invested right away, my attention was grabbed, and I started to fall for these characters…. But somewhere along the way my attention was lost by the infamous communication error between characters and the fact that a few moments felt repeated throughout the novel. I needed Damien and Bella to be strong throughout the novel. Given the fact that Damien suffers from Depression, I think that was all the angst we needed…. But then this Lukas character shows up and blows everything sky high…. literally.. it felt a bit off and somewhat confusing for a Damien and Mirabella story. I needed more of them and less of Lukas.

Overall, I wanted to love this one with all of my heart! The cover is spot on, the synopsis swept me away, and it being written by a new to me author was just the icing on the cake. But sadly, this one didn’t do it for me. I will however be looking for another novel by Tempest Phan to read, I feel this storyline was the issue for me. I really did like her writing style. We shall see!

Peace Love and Happy Reading,