Bitter Sweet Love (The Dark Elements, #0.5)

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

In a sizzling prequel novella to her new series The Dark Elements, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout draws readers into the extraordinary, irresistible world of Wardens and demons.

Dez wasn't just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny-fending off demons and maintaining the balance between good and evil. He was her everything...right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.

And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart-or shatter it all over again...

Don't miss White Hot Kiss, book one in Jennifer L. Armentrout's The Dark Elements series from Harlequin TEEN!

• ISBN10: 1306028183
• ISBN13: 9781306028189
• Publish Date: 1 January 2013
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 21 April 2015
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Harlequin Teen
• Format: eBook
• Language: English

Reviews

[FranJessca @ A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog]

Bitter Sweet Love is the prequel to the Dark Elements series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. This prequel didn’t take long to read. It briefly goes into the world that Jennifer has created for this series, including gargoyles and demons. 

Storyline/My Thoughts: I’ve read previous books from Jennifer, but I couldn’t wait to dive into this one due to the paranormal creatures that were in it. First, we have shifters that shift into gargoyles, and they go after demons. We have all kinds of demons that wreak havoc in the world. The gargoyles have to deal with sending the demons back to where they come from daily. In the meantime, the female gargoyles have to stay hidden and not be part of hunting dangers. In the case of Jasmine, she wants to explore more and not be locked away. Her one true love/best friend, Des, left her three years ago and now is back to claim her as his mate. Unfortunately, she’s not going to make it easy for him. She makes conditions to him before she makes her decision, and some of those decisions put her in harm’s way.

I could tell right away that Des still loved Jasmine, but it would take a lot of groveling to make up for the time he left. Des didn’t want to tell Jasmine right away why he left, but I could understand why he was hesitant to say to her when he did. Jasmine drove me crazy with the conditions she made for Des to decide if she would mate with him. After a while, it became predictable what she was going to choose.

I did like being introduced to some of the secondary characters in this book that will be the main characters in the next book. I couldn’t wait to read the rest of the series now, especially after being introduced to a particular demon.

This prequel receives four stars from me, and the only reason it didn’t get five stars was Jasmine and how she treated Des and how she treated a specific young character. I didn’t particularly appreciate how she treated this young character. I don’t want to give away the person, but she does get to be the series’s main character. Jasmine was very judgmental, and she realized it after she got to know the character. I liked how Jasmine finally realized how much Des cared for her, but she could’ve not put Des through so much trouble. She could have also listened to him, and she would not have got hurt. Overall, this prequel was a great start introducing the series.

Standalone or Part of Series: It’s a prequel to the Dark Elements series, but can be read as a standalone.

HEA: Yes

Trope: Arrange Relationship/Marriage/Mating; Friends-to-Lovers;

Would I recommend this book? Yes. I recommend this book to Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy readers out there. If you enjoy Jennifer L. Armentrout’s other paranormal books, then you’ll enjoy this series.

[Angie]

Bitter Sweet Love was a nice introduction to the series. We get a bit of background on the current state of the world. The most important bit being that gargoyles are no longer the things of legend. Humans now know about them, and are living among them. They're not exactly accepted by everyone, but they're not secrets any longer. There's also quite a bit about the gargoyle mating system and their culture in general. It's another one of those "sexist for your own good" type of societies, where women aren't allowed to do anything except choose if they mate or not. It's nothing too original, but I'm liking the gargoyles as a species. They're interesting.

Bitter Sweet Love also has a brief introduction to Layla, who is the main character of the series. She's unusual even among her kind and isn't welcome or accepted because she's half demon. She can also steal souls, which obviously no one wants to have done to them! It's not like she's going around threatening anyone, and she has to be close enough to kiss in order to even do it, but that doesn't stop anyone from being afraid of her. Even Jasmine was standoffish with her at first until she got to her know her. All in all, I think this was a good short story that packed in a lot of information that I'm happy to have known before going into the first book.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[lizarodz]

I’m starting to think that Jennifer Armentrout is incapable of writing a bad book! I haven’t read everything she’s ever written, but everything that I have is amazing. Bittersweet Love is not the exception. This novella is an introduction to the Dark Elements series and the word of gargoyles (great idea, right?) As such, it is an informative story, full of explanations about their world and how unjust it is for the females.
I adored Dez, he is so sweet and protective of Jasmine and truly loves her. I’m very happy that she was able to see part Dez’s apparent betrayal (otherwise, I would keep him for myself!) Great introduction to the series, I can’t wait to read White Hot Kiss.

[Cocktails and Books]

An interesting start to the series. Love the whole gargoyle and demon premise. I'm hoping, even if the series is about Layla and Zayne, we get to see more of Dez and Jas.

[chemicalscream]

You can find this review (along with a giveaway!) on my blog!

To be honest, when this book series was first announced I was like, ‘Gargoyles?!! Why would anyone write about gargoyles?’ Then I remembered that this is Jennifer L. Armentrout that is writing these books! I shouldn’t question her for writing about gargoyles, I should just trust the knowledge that we all know: Jennifer L. Armentrout writes the most swoon-worthy male characters EVER. After that realization I started to get excited!

One day Jasmine’s father has announced his wishes for Jasmine and Dez to Mate, the next Dez has up and left without a word to Jasmine. It’s kind of hard to not take that personally. Especially seeing as Jas had spent the last 8 years of her life in love with him. So for 3 years, Jasmine mourns the loss of Dez and then one day He comes back and lays claim to Jasmine.

Oh, but Jasmine is NOT HAPPY. She’s just spent the last 3 years of her life wondering what she did to make him leave and now he’s back all of the sudden and wants to mate? Oh no, Jasmine is not having any of that. Jasmine has seven days to say yes or no to Dez’s claim. Instead of saying ‘NO’ right off the bat, she comes up with conditions and she makes him work for that ‘Yes.’

We get a brief introduction to Layla (half demon & half gargoyle teen girl being raised by the DC Warden Clan.), Zayne (A Warden from the Clan that’s raised Layla and whom she’s had a crush on forever!), and for a very brief second, Roth (An Upper Level Demon). These 3 Characters are who we will get to know better in White Hot Kiss, the next installment from the Dark Elements, and the first full length novel in the series.

This novella was amazing and JEN DOES NOT DISAPPOINT.. Dez was smoking hot and very sweet. She had me swooning over him the minute he appears in this book. I almost wish I could have gotten a bit more time with him and Jasmine, but what time we did get with them was BEAUTIFUL.

We have yet to learn more about Zayne, as he only got but a brief introduction in this book, but he most definitely has swoon potential!

Thanks to JLA for the sweet introduction to her new world. A world where Gargoyles have had to out themselves to the Mortal world in order to keep doing what they were put on this Earth for. Something big is happening and I can’t wait to read White Hot Kiss to see what’s going on. I mean, what’s happening that made the Wardens come out? Is Layla the reason behind what’s happening? Are we going to fall in love with Zayne? Or is Roth going to come and collect our hearts? We shall see come February!