Review: The Return (Titan, #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Return (Titan, #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication date: Feb. 17, 2015
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Category: New Adult - Paranormal
Source: Received at BEA
Summary: It’s been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they’ve given him have been violent and bloody–which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He’s got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet. Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy’s deal might be, but it’s a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her. But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all. (Adapted goodreads.com)

The good

What I love about Jennifer L. Armentrout books is the guarantee that I will be entertained, swooning and just flat-out enjoying her stories. The Return is a spin-off of the Covenant series and this time around, we're following Seth. Seth is a lot things – the Apollyon who never should've been, someone who was once blinded by power and manipulated into horrible deeds but most of all, a man who is good deep-down and seeking redemption. In order to give Alex and Aiden their happily-ever-after, Seth has chained himself to the gods and doing their many (usually bloody) assignments but now Apollo wants him to protect someone who is very important to him. A young woman named Josie. She thinks she's just a regular college student but when Seth shows up, she doesn't know what to think (other than he's hot). But soon she's thrown into the world of gods, daimons, Hematois and half-bloods and her life is pretty much turned upside down. Especially as she learns her own true origins and why Seth has to protect her.

The book alternates between Seth and Josie. It gave us insight into Seth, which I'd been wanting forever, and allowed us to see a human's perspective of this crazy mythological world Josie never knew existed. With Seth, even though he was the "other guy" in the Covenant's pseudo-love triangle and untrustworthy for half of it, I really liked his character. I always saw something more in him and that's reaffirmed here. He's still got all the swagger we've come to love about him but he's also scarred by the past and the consequences of his poor decisions. Which is why he fights the immediate and constantly growing attraction and feelings for Josie. Josie was a departure from Armentrout's usual paranormal heroines. For starters, she can't physically kick ass but she shows her strength in other ways. I didn't feel like I got to know her that well but everything in her life was spinning out of control so there wasn't much time to really stop and reflect. In spite of that, her constant is Seth and I did enjoy watching their relationship unfold. They were exactly what the other needed.

(Some) Reservations

I like the characters and the direction of the series but this first book very much felt like that book that sets the stage for the series. There's a lot going on but not much actually happens until the end. It was more about getting to know Seth and Josie's internal conflicts. I very much understood Seth's turmoil and while I did understand Josie's, I do wish I had connected more to her character. I liked her! I just didn't know her. Then I've mentioned before that JLA has very distinct sayings and dialogue. I've gotten used to it but it did feel heavy-handed in the first half of the book and certain lines I could pinpoint exactly from her other works. As much as I love her banter, the repetitiveness doesn't go unnoticed by me.

Do I recommend?

I do! If you've been a fan of Seth's since Covenant, you will definitely want to see the next chapter in his story. This book is exactly what we've come to enjoy from JLA but since it's New Adult, it's also a lot sexier which is always fun.