Love Costs (November 2020)

by E.B. Roshan

The best love costs the most.

That’s the basis of the latest installment in the Shards of Sevia series, Love Costs.

She’s Tur. He’s Sevian. While working as an interpreter for a war-torn Sevia, Radoslav discovers a man, his sister, and a baby. All are supposed to be taken to a refugee camp.

When Dunya asks “Rado” to find her lost cat, he agrees. But Coco has other plans. Just like the rest of the war-torn country.

Meanwhile, Rado falls hard for this pink-haired girl with an unknown background and an even more uncertain future. But Rado places his hope in the Great Peace-giver. When things go south in “Camp Peace,” Rado hatches a rescue plan that may hurt his family. But it could cost Dunya what’s left of hers. Will hope win out over hate?

Reading prior books in the series will be helpful in grasping the broader context within which Love Costs takes place. But it’s not mandatory. You can read this installment as a stand-alone. It picks up where Roshan’s prior novels in the series leave off. (We’re soon reintroduced to Wrong Place characters Anna Belko and Boris Merkovich.)

This story digs in quick and reads fast. Chapters are fairly short, usually eight to ten pages. Creative and imaginative, this faith-flavored story includes vivid descriptions, credible dialogue, and excellent world building.

Love Costs is not quite as strong as its predecessor, Wrong Place, Right Time (see our review here.) I would’ve liked to have seen a bit more character development and a plot that’s a little more full-bodied. But it’s still a quick, enjoyable read. A good fit for YA audiences or anyone who enjoys a lively, uplifting story.

Our Rating: 3.5