Okay so didn’t know that this was book 2 🙈. But luckily that didn’t seem to matter. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrators were awesome fitted the story so well. I honestly think this would make an amazing movie. Dual pov and loved both of the main characters. Perfect thriller that keeps you on your toes with plenty of action. Now I need to go and read book 1!

This book can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone—I read it that way myself, unaware it was a sequel. Now that I know, I can’t wait to go back and read the earlier one! If you are looking for a book that has all the twist and turns read this! I did not realize I was going to be on the edge of my seat the whole time I listened. Mina and Oliver are adorable and I want to say that I would protect them at all costs however I don't think I need to. I love that the female narrator is the author herself which I feel added to the experience! This does end on a cliffhanger and I am so excited to read the first and next book in this series!! I definitely need more!

Thank you to NetGally for letting me get a sneak peak into this book. I listened to the audiobook version.
A home robbery has deadly consequences. Can there two love birds make it work after a life changing event.

Love and Other Cages
By: Emilia Ares
Published by SERA Press
10/15/2024
Narrators: Will Collyer and Emilia Ares

WOW!!! I might be slightly shocked by how much I enjoyed this read. Let me also share that I went into this not knowing this was the second book in the series…TBH, this read well as a standalone…now I need to read book one, Love and Other Sins.
Stars: 4
Spice: 1 (Closed Door--but it was hot)
Format: Audio- Dual POV(Narration was fantastic, and I was so impressed to see that Emilia (the author narrated Mina the FMC). I did turn up the listening speed, which helped add a bit of excitement/intensity.
Review: I didn’t expect much from this read, but it was an unexpected triumph. Love and Cages is a gripping young adult thriller that delves into the harsh realities of human trafficking and the impossible choices facing the youth caught in its web. The story follows Mina and Oliver, two characters whose lives are torn apart by this dark underworld and whose courage and resilience are put to the ultimate test. This isn’t your typical YA thriller—it confronts the terrifying truth of modern-day issues and explores the devastating impact on those involved
Pros: Fantastic Narration!!!
Favorites Moments: The romance scene between Mina and Oliver was pretty hot, considering it was a closed-door.
Recommend (Yes/No/Maybe): Absolutely!!! This is a Mystery/Thriller/New Adult/Romance
Thank you, NetGalley and SERA Press, for allowing me the opportunity to listen and share my thoughts on this reading experience.


#LoveandOtherCages #NetGalley.

⭐️ Not for me--pass--do not recommend.
⭐️⭐️ Not my cup of tea, but it might be yours.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Good read. I would recommend it--I can imagine many people would like this read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely enjoyed it! Would recommend! Add to TBR immediately!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! I want to shout it from the rooftops!!! EVERYONE READ THIS NOW!!!

The narrators are very good – dual POV. They give the audiobook and amazing experience. The descriptions are wonderful and interesting.
Mina is strong, resilient and determined, a survivor and she was very pleasant to read.
It’s a strong book, the descriptions of her torture were verry strong – so be advised.
The pace of about 30 % of the book is slow, to detailed on certain parts and then in the last 10 % a lot happens at the same time and the resolution for the big problem was done quicky and it seemed rushed.

The end was kind of underwhelming (I need another book to know what is going to happen).

This was okay! But the plot didn’t move quick enough for me and I wasn’t so keen on the narration! Definetly darker than I was expecting but I don’t mind that so much

Mina and her mother are attacked in their home due to Mina’s father’s criminal connections. Mina is then taken prisoner and forced to make choices to save her injured mother. In the meantime, her boyfriend, Oliver, searches the streets of LA for her, having no clue that Mina is another country being turned into another person entirely.

Heed the content warning because there is a lot of violence in the beginning of the book as Mina is tortured into behaving for her captors.

Emilia Ares writes Love and Other Cages as a limited series television show. I can totally see FX or Hulu making it. Now, once again, I should have paid attention to the blurb because I didn’t realize this was the second book in the “Love and Other Sins” series. I think reading the first book would have given me a better foundation as to who these characters are and made me care for them more as a couple.

Will Collyer and Emilia Ares do an excellent job narrating. I felt the emotions and tension in the dialogue. Their tones are nice to listen to. I would definitely get another book if they are narrating it.

Mina’s character arc is an interesting and engaging one. She is put through her paces and her inner core is amazing. It’s her fight for survival that kept me engaged. Oliver’s story seems a little over the top, but once again I didn’t read the first book so I don’t have the full scope of Mina and Oliver’s relationship.

Ares does a great job of creating layers to set up the next book. The ongoing changes and twists kept the story moving along. Love and Other Cages can be read as a standalone, but to get the full picture of the main characters I would recommend reading the first one before tackling this one.

The gripping young adult thriller Love and Cages by Emilia Ares is available in audiobook. Perfect for young adult fiction lovers and audiobook enthusiasts, this fast-paced narrative explores the tormenting realities of human trafficking and the explores moral dilemmas faced by youths who are caught in this unforgiving life.

Highlights of the Audiobook
• Fast-Paced Storyline: Experience the electrifying pace that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
• Compelling Themes: Delve into a young adult thriller that tackles the unsettling issue of human trafficking and the tough choices some young people are forced to make.
• Immersive Narration: Get lost in the story with top-notch performances by the voice actors portraying Mina and Oliver.

Why Should You Listen?

Love and Cages isn't just another young adult book—it's a gripping tale that confronts real-world issues affecting today's youth. The audiobook version enhances this experience with immersive narration that brings every character to life, making it a must-listen for anyone who loves thrilling, emotionally charged stories.

Meet the Characters
• Mina: Voiced by [Emilia Ares], Mina's courage and resilience will inspire you. She encompasses vulnerability, and an unyielding dream being reunited with her mother. Would Mina be having this terrifying experience if she had just stayed with Oliver? Who knows? But, Mina notices, the longer that she stays in captivity, the less she recognizes about her true self. She is forced into being a spy and scamming people is the opposite of her personality and moral compass. Yet does some side of her enjoy the hustle of playing someone else? Is it possible that Mina could have been saved from this? Absolutely. A three-letter agency allowed and encouraged this to happen.
• Oliver: Voiced by [Will Collyer], brings depth to Oliver’s struggle and determination. He has a young man’s voice which really defines Oliver’s innocent and trusting character. The poor kid has lost his only true love (Mina) and will do anything find her. Unfortunately, he is easily manipulated by many unsavory characters including police authorities.

My Thoughts about the audiobook:

Although the audiobook is an exciting fast-paced presentation, it is a poignant commentary on a very serious issue. Only now, the public is slowly being allowed to hear about stories of human trafficking. It has been hidden from us for so long; yet it is in everywhere from small towns to big cities. Yes, slavery is alive flourishing throughout the world. Learn the signs, do something if you can, no matter how small it is. You may be saving a life. And for goodness’ sake, do not become a victim.

Be the First to Listen. Don't miss out on this captivating Audiobook release. Get ready to immerse yourself in a world where every choice could mean the difference between freedom and entrapment.

Thank you to Netgalley and SERA Press for providing me with a free audiobook copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own because it is my first amendment right as a United States citizen. I suspect the human traffickers portrayed in this audiobook do not respect my rights’.

This was so much darker than I was expecting, which I didn’t mind but I think it’s something to be aware of if you’re going in with very little idea of what the book entails. I’m actually glad that it was darker than I was expecting because it definitely helped to hook me in more and get me invested in the characters. I enjoyed the male narrator but it was unfortunate that the female narrator sounded very damsel in distress and whiney because the FMC herself was not a damsel in distress or whiney and that did have a negative impact on my reading experience.

I think this series has a lot of promise and the author is talented but this felt a lot like a very long prequel and I wish that the pacing had been adjusted a little. The pacing in the last 10% was spot on and I had wished that the other 90% had hooked me in the same way. I also want to point out that I wouldn’t promote this as a ‘romance’ because the romance is definitely the sub-plot and they spend most of the book separated. I am very intrigued about what’s going to happen next however, and I have a feeling this series will be pretty fantastic once the pace picks up a little and the storyline progresses.

Thank you to SERA Press for the audio ARC ❤️

I would recommend it if you’re looking for a bit of a thriller with a side of romance and intriguing supporting characters.

4 of 5 stars.
When I began listening to this book, I was unaware that it was the second in a series. While there was initial minimal confusion - I recall thinking “some background story would be nice” - this did not impede being immersed in the story.
About 40% of the way in, I almost DNFed - SO GLAD I didn’t!
Thrilling and secretive and adventurous.
Will be going back to read the first book.
The cliffhanger ending, of course, has me looking forward to the next installment as well!

This was overall a good book. I think it is more of a 3.5 but I rounded up! By the 50%/60% mark is when I personally became more invested in the story. Before this it was starting to drag a bit and the plot wasn’t moving forward for a while. Even at that point, the plot wasn’t moving too much but there was more interesting things happening. I finished this majorly on audio which I highly recommend!!! I think the voice actors really brought mina and oliver to life and I connected more with them because of this.

This is a strange one for me. For some reason i thought it would be a love story. Boy was i wrong. However i did read the entire book so the sory was fascinatie. But as much as i did not know this was not a love story, i also did not realise this was the start of a series.
Th storystarts with a love story about a boy and a girl wich is what i thought it would be. But then there is abduction, mobsters, torture, blackmaile and training as some kind of KGB spy and all the while this boy keeps on looking for his girl. So this booj has everything depending on what you like it is in there except an ending. Thats houw i found out this is a series because we are talking kliffhanger! The narater of the audiobook did a good job setting the sene how miserabele this girly was the entire time yet keeping her head high. Hope you enjoy this book!

This one wasn’t for me.

I was interested in the plot about the Russian mob and their training but the parallel story had so many holes and story line timing issues. It was very frustrating and distracting to me.

I am sincerely thankful to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

DNF at 20%

Unfortunately, the first issue I encountered was that it wasn’t made clear that this was a book two until I wrote this review. When the book started off, it felt like I was dropped in the middle of a movie that’s been playing for an hour, I had no idea what anything was, what was happening, and why this was as dramatic as it was being made out to be. I also didn’t like the writing style, it came across as writing out conversations rather than telling a story - I usually don’t enjoy books that are written in this style, so based on that, I won’t be picking up book one to try to catch up to this book. It wasn’t for me.

Thank you SERA Press for providing an ARC via NetGalley.

3.75 Stars.
Thanks to Netgalley for this arc. In this story we have third person dual pov following Oliver and Mina, I didn’t realize this was part of a series either but I loved this audiobook it’s so well done. I will say that the action in this is so far fetched but it was engaging ever since the beginning. There’s a mix of romance and criminal action throughout this and it’s pretty interesting. I love the characters too, they are pretty in depth and the story is very beautifully written but hard to focus completely all through the book. Lots of secrets unraveling by the end and secret identities.. this didn’t have to be as long as it was to make the impact it was wanting to but overall great.

Okay, so this was different. I was unaware at the time of receiving this ARC that it was book 2 of a series (I may need to go back to the first book), though many have said that it can be read as a stand-alone.

It feels like there are holes though, I would suggest reading Love and Other Sins first and then coming to this book.

With that being said, this was a very intense, moody read. “I will fight for you and my fate”, what!? ACTION IN THE FIRST FEW PARAGRAPHS OF THE STORY...breathless! The voice acting in this audiobook was strong and relayed the emotion of each scene perfectly! I am always pleasantly surprised when I read/listen to, a book with dual POV's that are executed well. I feel like this gives more depth to the story and allows the reader to connect more with the character.

It was a great move to have Emilia Ares voice Mina, and Will Collyer voice Oliver. They have perfect chemistry, and completely pull us into this twisty dark world!

Mina was an absolute beast in this! With her grit and bravery, she is a character you can get behind and cheer for. I wished for more of Ollie ( going back to book 1 to see if his story begins there.), he is so attentive to Mina, their chemistry lept from the book. And as far as friends go...everyone needs a Javi!

Thank you Netgalley, SERA Press | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks, and Emilia Ares for this ALC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review in exchange for your kindness.

3⭐️- thank you netgalley for the audio arc !

I lost the plot tbh and wasn’t very engaged. I’m not sure if it was me or the narrators or the length of it but I wish I could have enjoyed this more. It wasn’t a bad book but it also wasn’t memorable.

I really enjoyed these characters, and the narrators in this audiobook. I did NOT know this was a series, so I do feel at times I was very confused. This book also i feel was extremely long-- and some parts I think could have been left out. I would be interested to come back to this book, after I have read the pervious books. The beginning really did pull me in, but I would say about halfway -- I was exhausted by this story.

3.5-3.75 Stars

*Can be read as a standalone, but probably best if read after Love and Other Sins*

Follow Mina, a senior high school student, and her boyfriend, Oliver, on a gripping journey. Mina was abducted from her home by henchmen due to her father's ties to an underground crime organization. She faces torment and an uncertain future. Meanwhile, Oliver tirelessly searches for any leads on Mina's location. The burning question is: Will Mina escape her captors, and will Oliver find her in time?

This was an entertaining read. I can easily see it being adapted for television. However, I believe the pacing and depth in certain areas could have been better. Despite these points, I found it to be a good read and I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment to see what unfolds for Mina and Oliver. For anyone considering picking up this novel, I highly recommend the audiobook version as the narrators did an exceptional job.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Emilia Ares, and SERA Press for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

Love and Other Cages" is a perfect for teens who want a thriller with a side of romance. I wasn't aware this was book two in a series until after I'd finished reading it, but it did perfectly well as a standalone novel.