Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee is a delicious urban romantasy with dark undertones and a MMC that will burn the world down for the FMC.
What It’s About: 🧐
Cate Holloway is a trauma nurse at a hospital in New Orleans. Her life is pretty simple she works hard and tries her best to take care of her brother Channing and keep him out of trouble. So, imagine her shock when he’s rolled into the ER with a gunshot wound and she discovers he’s involved with the notorious Gage family who’s know for their illegal dealings. Even worse he owes a debt to them which Cate is determined to pay off so he never has to deal with them again.
As she heads to the Gage family’s establishment hellbent on paying off Channing’s debt she ends up meeting Lachlan Gage the leader of the crime syndicate. She unwittingly ends up making a type of soul-bound bargain with him to release her brother from his debt.
Feeling hoodwinked Cate’s determined to find a way out of the bargain but as she becomes swept up in the decadence and allure of the mysterious world of the handsome and dangerous Lachlan Gage she begins to fall deeper into his clutches for better or worse.
Book Details: Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee
Publish Date: June 25, 2024
Pages: 364, Paperback
Publisher: Entangled
Where To Buy: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million
Add to TBR: Goodreads | StoryGraph
Main Characters 🧚♀️
Cate Holloway- FMC, a trauma nurse that’s driven to help others most likely due to her traumatic childhood as an orphan. She’s no damsel in distress rather a forceful, determined woman who isn’t scared to fight for what she’s passionate about and who she loves.
Lachlan Gage- MMC, handsome fae prince of the Nether Court. He means business and is not one to cross. Equal parts powerful and sensual he exudes mystery and danger. Yet, underneath it all lies something deeper and more complex.
Ciara & Shaw Gage- Lachlan’s siblings: Ciara- finds herself entangled in a political marriage that she’s desperate to break free from. Shaw- the youngest sibling who is entrenched in court intrigue and is desperate to win the approval and accolades from his older brother.
Channing Holloway- Cate’s foster brother who is young and definitely reckless landing himself into sticky situations in which Cate feels compelled to bail him out of.
Tropes & Representation 🤩
Enemies-to-lovers: while the intial chemistry is sharp between Cate and Lachlan the combination of false perceptions of each other and their present circumstance pit them against one another leading to a delicious slow burn romance
Forced Proximity: due to Cate being bound to Lachlan they are forced to be around each other giving you the delight of seeing their banter and escalating chemistry
Power Imbalance, Billionaire Romance: We have Lachlan a mob boss with extreme wealth that’s able to cater to Cate’s whims and elevate her life station from that of a struggling trauma nurse to a glamorous kept woman who just so happens to be on the arm of the most powerful man in New Orleans.
Let’s Talk About It 🗣️
I picked this book up on a whim during a trip to the library and didn’t have high expectations for even enjoying this book. This was further confirmed when I began reading and felt disconnected from the FMC.
But, as I continued my interest was piqued and I became hooked to the story including both the FMC and MMC. The banter between Cate and Lachlan was perhaps my favorite aspect of the novel. I also appreciated that it was a slow burn romance full of delicious tension and angst.
Another intriguing aspect of this novel was the political intrigue with the tension between the fae courts. And while there wasn’t a heavy focus on world-building there was just enough to give you a general idea of what their world is like while also allowing room for this story to grow and expand in future installments. I really enjoyed how it concluded with a mysterious cliffhanger making you eager for the second book.
Content 📝
Since this is a dark urban romance there are darker themes and topics that are covered in this story so if you’re a sensitive reader you’ll want to check trigger warnings before proceeding with this novel.
Here’s a general list of themes, topics and triggers that can be found in this novel.
Power, Control & Consent- while alpha-holes and shadow daddies are fun and sexy to read about we can’t overlook how the relationship dynamic between Lachlan and Cate is imbalanced due to Lachlan’s control via a mysterious fae binding and how he in various aspects kept her secluded from the outside world as she was fully immersed in his world and surroundings. While Cate benefited from a bit of a life upgrade in terms of possessions and access to wealth she was still cut off from her life, hobbies and intrests in favor of what worked and was convenient to Lachlan.
Humanity vs. Fae world- Cate’s life of working as a trauma ER nurse making a basic income is juxtaposed by the decadent and exorbitant life of the Fae world where they are ruled by their wealth, passions and pleasures.
Politics & Court Intrigue: There are four rival Fae courts that are distrustful of each other and have a deep and dangerous history that are each vying for power and control. Their rules and guiding principles aren’t always clear cut and can often be brutal and dangerous.
Identity & Heritage: Another mystery layered into this narrative is Cate’s attachment to an emerald ring in which her adopted grandmother and Lachlan enourage her to never remove said ring. This hints at the possibility of Cate being more than a mere mortal with possible ties to the Fae realm.
Trauma & Survival- Due to a traumatic past where people have hurt and betrayed Cate she’s learned to rely on herself and is distrustful of others even when they have seemingly good intentions.
Trigger warnings- Childhood trauma, mentions of sexual abuse, street drug overdoses, on page violence.
Writing Style
Lee’s writing style was dark, mysterious, sexy and dangerous. Yet, she balanced the darker elements of this story with the blossoming romance between Cate and Lachlan complete with their witty banter. The inclusion of side characters added comic relief while also aiding for further character development and expansion of the story.
Plot Development
There were various moving pieces involved with this story. Each component of the plot was handled deftly with Lee wrapping everything up in the end and creating an epic cliffhanger leading into book two.
We have the slow burn romance between Cate and Lachlan, the power struggle between the four Fae courts, and Cate’s mysterious identity and heritage.
The pacing was excellent with consistent action and timely reveals that aided in moving the plot forward while building intrigue.
Characterization
Both Cate and Lachlan were well thought out characters with flaws and imperfections that made them human making them feel realistic despite being set in a fantastical setting. While Cate was a traumatized woman that struggled to trust and love we see how when with the right person she’s able to let down her guard and open up to Lachlan.
With Lachlan we see the costs of power and authority as he battles internally with the weight of the responsibilities that are put on him as he tries to do what’s best for his court and his family amid the shadiness that’s around every turn and corner.
Key Takeaways 🗝️
People Aren’t Always What They Seem- Cate believes that Lachlan is a ruthless crime lord that’s destroying New Orleans with drugs and his dark Fae magic. And while yes Lachlan isn’t exactly above the board and is morally ambiguous. There’s also a side of him that cares for his loved ones and families, has zero tolerance for sadistic and abusive men, and is open to change and becoming a better person. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t pull out all the stops to protect Cate from harm.
Beware Bargains- Cate lands herself into her situation with the Gage family because she’s rash and impulsive and jumps into a situation without fully understanding what was going on. Before jumping into agreements or trying to correct someone else’s mistakes it’s crucial to think and plan first. Gather all the important information and then determine what next steps need to be taken to solve the problem.
Final Thoughts 💭
This was such a good dark urban romantasy. I’m a sucker for alpha-holes and Lachlan Gage is no exception. He ticks all the boxes for what you’d expect of such a character. I also really loved the political intrigue with it being my favorite part of the book. It brought so much excitement and action and really moved the story along. Can’t wait to see what happens in the next novel.
Recommendation 🫶🏾
This book is excellent for those that are looking to dip their toe into darker themed romantasy as it’s not to graphic but still has plenty of dark themes and elements to differentiate it from your typical romantasy. Again, if you’re a sensitive reader please check trigger warnings before picking up this book.
