arinreads's review
4.0
(3,5 stars)
i got an arc directly from taylor in exchange for a review, so here we are !!
light on the world-building, heavy on the romance, this book was a fast and enjoyable read! i was a bit contlicted about the dynamic between the mcs but mostly bcos i have sort of a hang up about age differences, so that took some time to get used to. by the final chapters i just wanted those two to be okay, and the rest didn't matter (also the final chapters were fire, ngl)
the thing i liked most was probably a sort-of unique take on a prince who has to fulfill his duty to the realm. while at first kai seemed sort of too sheltered and a little irresponsible, i grew to admire his will to stand up for himself and protect his own freedom. it's not something you usually get in a royal so it was fun to see someone act differently!
im also quite intrigued by declyn's faith, i would've like to know more about the religion(s?) of this universe, as well as the universe itself. overall, i think that was quite a debut, and i hope it only gets better from here on !! will definitely try to be there when the sequel drops
i got an arc directly from taylor in exchange for a review, so here we are !!
light on the world-building, heavy on the romance, this book was a fast and enjoyable read! i was a bit contlicted about the dynamic between the mcs but mostly bcos i have sort of a hang up about age differences, so that took some time to get used to. by the final chapters i just wanted those two to be okay, and the rest didn't matter (also the final chapters were fire, ngl)
the thing i liked most was probably a sort-of unique take on a prince who has to fulfill his duty to the realm. while at first kai seemed sort of too sheltered and a little irresponsible, i grew to admire his will to stand up for himself and protect his own freedom. it's not something you usually get in a royal so it was fun to see someone act differently!
im also quite intrigued by declyn's faith, i would've like to know more about the religion(s?) of this universe, as well as the universe itself. overall, i think that was quite a debut, and i hope it only gets better from here on !! will definitely try to be there when the sequel drops
morganlawson's review
5.0
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this book from the author.
I absolutely loved this book. Everything from the setting to the story to the characters had me hooked in from the start. It was a fast and enjoyable read that sucked me right in. I have such a soft spot for the loyal knight x prince trope and this book did not disappoint!
The characters were fantastic; I am so in love with Deklyn, Kai, and Sabien.
While this book was not short on plot, it made, in my opinion, for a really good introduction to this world. The characters, world, and storyline were all laid out really clearly for me and I am really excited to see all of this expanded on later in the series.
Definitely an enjoyable read if you are looking for an exciting gay romantasy.
I absolutely loved this book. Everything from the setting to the story to the characters had me hooked in from the start. It was a fast and enjoyable read that sucked me right in. I have such a soft spot for the loyal knight x prince trope and this book did not disappoint!
The characters were fantastic; I am so in love with Deklyn, Kai, and Sabien.
While this book was not short on plot, it made, in my opinion, for a really good introduction to this world. The characters, world, and storyline were all laid out really clearly for me and I am really excited to see all of this expanded on later in the series.
Definitely an enjoyable read if you are looking for an exciting gay romantasy.
helllucifer's review
5.0
**This book was an ARC provided by the author, all words are mine.**
4.5 stars!! Definitely liked the romance, but the plot could have been built more and explored. The book was a smooth read, and I did like the main characters. I think about 20 more pages properly expanding the ending would have been perfect.
4.5 stars!! Definitely liked the romance, but the plot could have been built more and explored. The book was a smooth read, and I did like the main characters. I think about 20 more pages properly expanding the ending would have been perfect.
jamielikestoread's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
lycangrrl's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
RTC
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexual content
Moderate: War, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Minor: Murder and Grief
unicornsbookshelf's review
adventurous
2.75
I have received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
Unfortunately, this wasn't for me. This is very upsetting because the gay fantasy romance subgenre has recently been my absolute favorite.
The plot of the book is solid. A kingdom fighting waves of monsters of unknown origin is in need of military support so the crown prince is sent to a neighbouring country to marry the princess. The king sends two of his best knights to accompany him and on the way one of the knights and the prince fall in love. It's a perfect premise for such a story and it works in what it sets out to do. The pacing is good and there is no place where the story slows down unnecessarily. It's a good and quick read.
Now onto the characters. I really enjoyed Deklyn. I have a soft spot for those loyal paladin types and he was a perfect picture of it. I loved that he could channel the powers of a goddess and how deeply he cared about the people in his life. He was portrayed as strong, capable, and dependable. His POV was the most enjoyable part of the book.
On the other hand, I really disliked Kai. At first, he started off alright, but as the book progressed he got on my nerves more and more. He pursued Deklyn restlessly despite knowing that a) he is engaged and their relationship won't progresses anywhere, b) if they were found out, Deklyn would be punished and he would most likely be okay, c) if he jeopardized the arranged marriage, the whole country would be unable to deal with The Corrupted. There are multiple times when Deklyn tells him no, he purposefully goes to him at night insisting to spend the night together. He knows Deklyn is in love with him and that it's already hard for him to have the man he loves wed to another and yet he doesn't stop. Every time it left a very bad taste in my mouth, especially since Kai holds power over Deklyn based on his status as a prince.
Moreover, despite being the crown prince, Kai has very little knowledge about not only the neighboring country but even his own. I understand he may now know the threat the Corrupted pose due to his father sheltering him but there are some basic things a prince should be taught. He lacks not only theoretical knowledge of basic history, geography, and other things but also any sort of self-preservation instincts. He is supposed to be this cheerful, sweet young man but his selfishness makes him quite unlikable for me.
When it comes to side characters, there aren't many of them besides Sabien. I didn't care much for him, although I appreciate that he was the only voice of reason on the whole journey, always reminding Deklyn about the duty he has to uphold. Unfortunately, that was mostly how far his personality went. Other than that he was shown to be too laid back with his work and not dependable enough. I felt like it was supposed to balance Deklyn out but as a reader, I didn't feel like he had enough positive traits to make him likable. All the other side characters are just there and there isn't much to say about them.
Now the romance. The first thing you have to know going into the book is that there is at least ten years big age gap between Deklyn and Kai. I didn't know that going in and I'm not sure if I have missed something or if there just wasn't such information but I feel it's something that should be mentioned. Both characters are adults and neither is in their teens so it wouldn't scare me off but it's not a trope I actively seek out. I feel it can be very hit or miss and in this case, it was a miss. The romance between Kai and Deklyn is in the well-beloved trope of a knight and the noble he is supposed to serve and it does deliver on this. It also makes sense for Kai to be younger as he is still unwed. unfortunately, the way it was handled wasn't my favorite. Kai is not only younger, he is also sheltered and inexperienced. He is portrayed as a sweet sunshine of a character with a lot of anxiety about his mission. It's often described how small he is compared to Deklyn and he is called "little prince" or "innocent" by Deklyn himself. Because of this, it feels like he is not only younger but also almost infantilized. He often behaves childishly and does things like stomping his foot to make a point. Because of that some parts of the romance gave me a major ick. It felt like Kai isn't just a character who happens to be younger but that his youth and inexperience are what is supposed to sell the relationship. It was very uncomfortable to read in some parts. This with the addition of Kai constantly pushing Deklyn's boundaries despite being told no multiple times made the romance far less enjoyable for me. I know this may not be an issue for someone but the age gap trope is a big hit or miss for me and I don't like when the younger character feels somehow defined by their age.
This is a fantasy novel so obviously we are getting some worldbuilding. Only some, because by the end the things we know about both countries involved and the way magic works are really barebones. We only get as much as it requires to move the plot forward, which sucks because the author has some interesting ideas with the Corrupted and the Redemptor. The characters themselves don't seem to know much about anything world related besides geography. Deklyn uses his goddess' powers but it's somehow different from the magic that's used to enchant amulets or other types of magic. Kai, being the prince, has no idea how magic works, he'd just heard it does. I assume it's just a low magic setting but it doesn't explain the amount of details about both of the countries. And while I don't usually need it in romance, it did at times make the characters feel ignorant and unaware. Still, this is something an avid fantasy reader and people more focused on romance probably won't mind.
The writing style is a little repetitive at times but it reads fast and easily keeps attention. I didn't feel there were any moments where I felt like stopping the book or DNFing it. There are some really good lines Deklyn says to Kai and I highlighted the hell out of these. My one grip was that in dialogue Deklyn uses Kai's name far too often for it to feel natural.
I also had a formatting issue in which the title of the book I assume was on top of the bottom of the page would end up in the middle of a sentence, which really irked me. I can't tell if it's the fault of the ebook or my own Kindle, which admittedly is pretty old but I hope if it's an everybody thing it gets corrected by the time the book's out.
Overall, I'd still recommend this book to people who enjoy queer fantasy romances with knights and princes and perilous journeys. It wasn't for me but I know other reviewers liked it and I think a lot of people will, especially those who don't mind age-gap romances as much as I do. I'm glad I could read it before release and I'll be sure to check out the author's other stuff.
Unfortunately, this wasn't for me. This is very upsetting because the gay fantasy romance subgenre has recently been my absolute favorite.
The plot of the book is solid. A kingdom fighting waves of monsters of unknown origin is in need of military support so the crown prince is sent to a neighbouring country to marry the princess. The king sends two of his best knights to accompany him and on the way one of the knights and the prince fall in love. It's a perfect premise for such a story and it works in what it sets out to do. The pacing is good and there is no place where the story slows down unnecessarily. It's a good and quick read.
Now onto the characters. I really enjoyed Deklyn. I have a soft spot for those loyal paladin types and he was a perfect picture of it. I loved that he could channel the powers of a goddess and how deeply he cared about the people in his life. He was portrayed as strong, capable, and dependable. His POV was the most enjoyable part of the book.
On the other hand, I really disliked Kai. At first, he started off alright, but as the book progressed he got on my nerves more and more. He pursued Deklyn restlessly despite knowing that a) he is engaged and their relationship won't progresses anywhere, b) if they were found out, Deklyn would be punished and he would most likely be okay, c) if he jeopardized the arranged marriage, the whole country would be unable to deal with The Corrupted. There are multiple times when Deklyn tells him no, he purposefully goes to him at night insisting to spend the night together. He knows Deklyn is in love with him and that it's already hard for him to have the man he loves wed to another and yet he doesn't stop. Every time it left a very bad taste in my mouth, especially since Kai holds power over Deklyn based on his status as a prince.
Moreover, despite being the crown prince, Kai has very little knowledge about not only the neighboring country but even his own. I understand he may now know the threat the Corrupted pose due to his father sheltering him but there are some basic things a prince should be taught. He lacks not only theoretical knowledge of basic history, geography, and other things but also any sort of self-preservation instincts. He is supposed to be this cheerful, sweet young man but his selfishness makes him quite unlikable for me.
When it comes to side characters, there aren't many of them besides Sabien. I didn't care much for him, although I appreciate that he was the only voice of reason on the whole journey, always reminding Deklyn about the duty he has to uphold. Unfortunately, that was mostly how far his personality went. Other than that he was shown to be too laid back with his work and not dependable enough. I felt like it was supposed to balance Deklyn out but as a reader, I didn't feel like he had enough positive traits to make him likable. All the other side characters are just there and there isn't much to say about them.
Now the romance. The first thing you have to know going into the book is that there is at least ten years big age gap between Deklyn and Kai. I didn't know that going in and I'm not sure if I have missed something or if there just wasn't such information but I feel it's something that should be mentioned. Both characters are adults and neither is in their teens so it wouldn't scare me off but it's not a trope I actively seek out. I feel it can be very hit or miss and in this case, it was a miss. The romance between Kai and Deklyn is in the well-beloved trope of a knight and the noble he is supposed to serve and it does deliver on this. It also makes sense for Kai to be younger as he is still unwed. unfortunately, the way it was handled wasn't my favorite. Kai is not only younger, he is also sheltered and inexperienced. He is portrayed as a sweet sunshine of a character with a lot of anxiety about his mission. It's often described how small he is compared to Deklyn and he is called "little prince" or "innocent" by Deklyn himself. Because of this, it feels like he is not only younger but also almost infantilized. He often behaves childishly and does things like stomping his foot to make a point. Because of that some parts of the romance gave me a major ick. It felt like Kai isn't just a character who happens to be younger but that his youth and inexperience are what is supposed to sell the relationship. It was very uncomfortable to read in some parts. This with the addition of Kai constantly pushing Deklyn's boundaries despite being told no multiple times made the romance far less enjoyable for me. I know this may not be an issue for someone but the age gap trope is a big hit or miss for me and I don't like when the younger character feels somehow defined by their age.
This is a fantasy novel so obviously we are getting some worldbuilding. Only some, because by the end the things we know about both countries involved and the way magic works are really barebones. We only get as much as it requires to move the plot forward, which sucks because the author has some interesting ideas with the Corrupted and the Redemptor. The characters themselves don't seem to know much about anything world related besides geography. Deklyn uses his goddess' powers but it's somehow different from the magic that's used to enchant amulets or other types of magic. Kai, being the prince, has no idea how magic works, he'd just heard it does. I assume it's just a low magic setting but it doesn't explain the amount of details about both of the countries. And while I don't usually need it in romance, it did at times make the characters feel ignorant and unaware. Still, this is something an avid fantasy reader and people more focused on romance probably won't mind.
The writing style is a little repetitive at times but it reads fast and easily keeps attention. I didn't feel there were any moments where I felt like stopping the book or DNFing it. There are some really good lines Deklyn says to Kai and I highlighted the hell out of these. My one grip was that in dialogue Deklyn uses Kai's name far too often for it to feel natural.
I also had a formatting issue in which the title of the book I assume was on top of the bottom of the page would end up in the middle of a sentence, which really irked me. I can't tell if it's the fault of the ebook or my own Kindle, which admittedly is pretty old but I hope if it's an everybody thing it gets corrected by the time the book's out.
Overall, I'd still recommend this book to people who enjoy queer fantasy romances with knights and princes and perilous journeys. It wasn't for me but I know other reviewers liked it and I think a lot of people will, especially those who don't mind age-gap romances as much as I do. I'm glad I could read it before release and I'll be sure to check out the author's other stuff.
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