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Courtship Saga #1
Courting Fate
When she's not working at the bank or playing video games with her best friend, Ana's nose is in a book. She is comfortable with her simple life until one night, on her way home from work, she is mugged and left for dead. Fate or luck, army medic Rafe was passing by and saves her life.
Grateful as she is, she can't shake the feeling she knows him from somewhere. Their lives become intertwined as she learns more about him and more about herself.
Is she ready to face the truth? Will it answer her questions or break her in the process? Ana must find her strength and become who she was born to be, before it's too late.
This book is fast-paced with traumatic themes that may be upsetting to some readers.
For fans of epic fantasy, Tolkien, and more, Courting Fate is part of a series that explores serious topics while using familiar tropes. Told in third person present tense, it will keep you immersed in the story up until the very end.
Grateful as she is, she can't shake the feeling she knows him from somewhere. Their lives become intertwined as she learns more about him and more about herself.
Is she ready to face the truth? Will it answer her questions or break her in the process? Ana must find her strength and become who she was born to be, before it's too late.
This book is fast-paced with traumatic themes that may be upsetting to some readers.
For fans of epic fantasy, Tolkien, and more, Courting Fate is part of a series that explores serious topics while using familiar tropes. Told in third person present tense, it will keep you immersed in the story up until the very end.
- GenresFantasy
336 pages, Hardcover
Published December 5, 2022
30 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
A.R. Kaufer
13 books147 followersA.R. Kaufer has dreamed of becoming a published author for as long as she can remember. She is a DV and SA survivor, and champions for mental health services for those in need. She lives in Indiana with her wonderful husband and furbabies. When she's not reading or writing, she enjoys playing video games, watching movies, and going for walks in the woods around her home.
She is currently working on an eight book fantasy series, The Courtship Saga, with the first six books available now.
She also has a Beauty and the Beast retelling, Kingdom of Forgotten Curses. And she released her first novella, The Sword in the Roses, which released at #8 on Amazon's best-seller list!
Court of Lies & Cinder, a dark Cinderella retelling with wolf shifters, is available now!
Her latest release is a Rapunzel retelling. Tower of the Lost Princess, available now!
She is currently working on an eight book fantasy series, The Courtship Saga, with the first six books available now.
She also has a Beauty and the Beast retelling, Kingdom of Forgotten Curses. And she released her first novella, The Sword in the Roses, which released at #8 on Amazon's best-seller list!
Court of Lies & Cinder, a dark Cinderella retelling with wolf shifters, is available now!
Her latest release is a Rapunzel retelling. Tower of the Lost Princess, available now!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
January 23, 2023
I found this book on tiktok and was excited to have another Greek retelling on my TBR. I downloaded it to my kindle, and began reading it the other day but unfortunately had to DNF. The writing was very hard to follow, and the flow of the book was very juvenile. I couldn't seem to connect to the characters, and it felt as though the author was forcing certain phrases down my throat. Overall it was just not a great book, and then I discovered that the author personally harrasses people who leave bad reviews, and it just further sullied my interest in this book. Not every book is every persons cup of tea and that is 100% okay, this book was just not for me and I hope the author does some personal healing.
January 24, 2023
Author is on Twitter attacking the writer of a valid review. I read the sample of Courting Fate thinking it had to be better than her debut, and nope. No way would I pay $7.99 for an overly long rambling book with an amateur cover and prose.
January 28, 2023
You Jump straight into the action with this story and it is very fast paced, that it can be difficult to keep up with at times. You get little hints towards fantasy but it isn't very obvious that that is the genre till about 30% through. I wish there was a bit more world building done before we got into the plot. There is also a few things that don't match/stay consistent throughout. I'm not really sure what to think about this one, my thoughts are very conflicted.
December 5, 2022
I received this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is a very neat take on portal fantasy. I like that it’s adult characters, rather than teens/kids (nothing wrong with YA/MG portal fantasy—just like seeing it in adult fantasy, too). I also love the real-life look at being the “chosen one.” There’s a lot of excitement around characters who get transported to a fantasy world and find they are the long-lost offspring of the former ruler, and while this had all the pretty dresses I expect of royalty, it also took a good, hard look at all the troubles of someone trying to learn how to govern would face. Toss in that the character learning to govern has anxiety and seems to be highly sensitive, and it’s a recipe for plenty of conflict and tension, both internal and external. I enjoyed watching the process of growing trust in places where trust is difficult to accept. The characters of this book are an excellent example of how everyone responds to things differently—such a realistic look at people.
I’ll be honest. I waffled between 3 and 4 stars, finally settling on 4 because this book tackled so many things well. The plot itself did feel a bit repetitively circular—especially the romance with the on-again, off-again of misunderstandings and feelings. There were points where the book started to feel long because the arguments the characters were having had already happened a few times. The amount of times the royal chambers were breeched made me wonder why no one thought to put a lock on the door, and I lost track of how many times people started crying (I think crying is a perfectly legitimate response—there was just so much of it that it almost started to lose its effectiveness as a reaction). But overall, I found this to be a wonderful exploration of finding inner strength when we’ve been taught to believe we have no strength to speak of. The things that pulled me out of the story weren’t enough to overtake the positive messages about acceptance and learning to love ourselves.
The ending shocked me. I did not see the final sentences coming, and they make me wonder how the sequel is going to resolve them. There’s still a war going on, so I’m sure that will crop up. All in all, there were a few things about this that tripped me up, but it’s definitely worth reading.
This is a very neat take on portal fantasy. I like that it’s adult characters, rather than teens/kids (nothing wrong with YA/MG portal fantasy—just like seeing it in adult fantasy, too). I also love the real-life look at being the “chosen one.” There’s a lot of excitement around characters who get transported to a fantasy world and find they are the long-lost offspring of the former ruler, and while this had all the pretty dresses I expect of royalty, it also took a good, hard look at all the troubles of someone trying to learn how to govern would face. Toss in that the character learning to govern has anxiety and seems to be highly sensitive, and it’s a recipe for plenty of conflict and tension, both internal and external. I enjoyed watching the process of growing trust in places where trust is difficult to accept. The characters of this book are an excellent example of how everyone responds to things differently—such a realistic look at people.
I’ll be honest. I waffled between 3 and 4 stars, finally settling on 4 because this book tackled so many things well. The plot itself did feel a bit repetitively circular—especially the romance with the on-again, off-again of misunderstandings and feelings. There were points where the book started to feel long because the arguments the characters were having had already happened a few times. The amount of times the royal chambers were breeched made me wonder why no one thought to put a lock on the door, and I lost track of how many times people started crying (I think crying is a perfectly legitimate response—there was just so much of it that it almost started to lose its effectiveness as a reaction). But overall, I found this to be a wonderful exploration of finding inner strength when we’ve been taught to believe we have no strength to speak of. The things that pulled me out of the story weren’t enough to overtake the positive messages about acceptance and learning to love ourselves.
The ending shocked me. I did not see the final sentences coming, and they make me wonder how the sequel is going to resolve them. There’s still a war going on, so I’m sure that will crop up. All in all, there were a few things about this that tripped me up, but it’s definitely worth reading.
June 11, 2023
I tried to read this book as I had gained my copy from NetGalley, but the writing was juvenile. There was no character development or depth to the story. The writing was poor. It did not hold my attention, and I dreaded picking it up to try and read it. I ended up DNF'ing the book, and I will NOT be getting the other books in the series. The potential for the book is there, but it was so poorly developed. The write-up on good reads is more interesting than the book itself.
June 2, 2023
it's a 3.5 stars
I am confused about how to review and rate this book because the story itself was interesting, novice and fast-paced.
There are very few Portal-SciFi fantasy books out there (Portal fantasy is when the characters spend some time on Earth or any other land and then are transported to another planet)
so I was excited to read this book especially since it's a Romance too.
The book builds on the premise of "The Chosen One"
Anna is the long-lost princess that was taken to Earth. not knowing of her origin, she lives a mundane life, which apparently is full of hardship. because of an Assault incident, she meets Rafe and both of them go through a wild life when Anna is restored back to her kingdom. Because she was not trained to be a Queen, Anna strives to learn and act like royalty. Add to that all the betrayals and conspiracies that surround her.
The book is not a standalone, it is part of a series so I guess the characters will have many development and arcs
however, here are my issues
1- The chapters were sooooo loooooong. many events occure within one chapter so you find yourslef skimming some pages.
2- which takes me to another issue. a lot of incidents are repeated. I mean how many times Anna will cry and run away, how many times the Duke will manipulate her into having dinner with him, how many times Rafe will be there to say "what happened" and then feel useless to help her.
half of these events would be better if shortened or cancelled making the book and the chapters a little shorter.
3- it took a long time to reach the fantasy part. 7 long chapters of repeated events on Earth until we get to the good stuff. I really didn't need to know how Anna got the medicine or how the detectives repeatedly tried to question her. one time is enough.
4- The sudden jump in the POV in the first chapters was getting on my nerve. one minute Anna is talking then suddenly we are inside Rafe's mind. maybe if the chapters were shorten and we got a seperated Pov for each character it would have been better. and it's not that this continued throughout the book. One we reach the other Plane, it is mostly Anna's POV
I am not going to bash on Anna because as I said, this is a series, and she was thrust unknown into responsibilities she was not prepared for so of course she will appear weak at first. but I liked how she was trying to take charge and understand how to handle things.
the battle scene at the end needs a lot of work
but, the book left me curious to know what happens next, which is a good sign.
I am confused about how to review and rate this book because the story itself was interesting, novice and fast-paced.
There are very few Portal-SciFi fantasy books out there (Portal fantasy is when the characters spend some time on Earth or any other land and then are transported to another planet)
so I was excited to read this book especially since it's a Romance too.
The book builds on the premise of "The Chosen One"
Anna is the long-lost princess that was taken to Earth. not knowing of her origin, she lives a mundane life, which apparently is full of hardship. because of an Assault incident, she meets Rafe and both of them go through a wild life when Anna is restored back to her kingdom. Because she was not trained to be a Queen, Anna strives to learn and act like royalty. Add to that all the betrayals and conspiracies that surround her.
The book is not a standalone, it is part of a series so I guess the characters will have many development and arcs
however, here are my issues
1- The chapters were sooooo loooooong. many events occure within one chapter so you find yourslef skimming some pages.
2- which takes me to another issue. a lot of incidents are repeated. I mean how many times Anna will cry and run away, how many times the Duke will manipulate her into having dinner with him, how many times Rafe will be there to say "what happened" and then feel useless to help her.
half of these events would be better if shortened or cancelled making the book and the chapters a little shorter.
3- it took a long time to reach the fantasy part. 7 long chapters of repeated events on Earth until we get to the good stuff. I really didn't need to know how Anna got the medicine or how the detectives repeatedly tried to question her. one time is enough.
4- The sudden jump in the POV in the first chapters was getting on my nerve. one minute Anna is talking then suddenly we are inside Rafe's mind. maybe if the chapters were shorten and we got a seperated Pov for each character it would have been better. and it's not that this continued throughout the book. One we reach the other Plane, it is mostly Anna's POV
I am not going to bash on Anna because as I said, this is a series, and she was thrust unknown into responsibilities she was not prepared for so of course she will appear weak at first. but I liked how she was trying to take charge and understand how to handle things.
the battle scene at the end needs a lot of work
but, the book left me curious to know what happens next, which is a good sign.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2022
Greek Tragedy Written as Modern Romance
Never thought I'd take such sadistic pleasure in the torturings of two ill-fated lovers as the ones in this book, but here we are :) This book has a huge twist around the 20% point and the pace never lets up. There is a definite cycle of plot points that repeats many times throughout the book. I won't reveal it here--you'll find it for yourself--but this repetition didn't keep me from plowing forward through the story. I'll just say that poor Ana must have done something to tick off the author, because Ana really suffers a LOT :)
I found myself rooting for the main characters from the start, and the main villain is truly a nasty creature. The writing is clean and clear. I never needed to go back to reread any section for clarity, because the readability was awesome. There are no boring parts here, and I'm not even a romance fan. Readers of almost any genre will like this book, but especially those who enjoy romance and fantasy.
Never thought I'd take such sadistic pleasure in the torturings of two ill-fated lovers as the ones in this book, but here we are :) This book has a huge twist around the 20% point and the pace never lets up. There is a definite cycle of plot points that repeats many times throughout the book. I won't reveal it here--you'll find it for yourself--but this repetition didn't keep me from plowing forward through the story. I'll just say that poor Ana must have done something to tick off the author, because Ana really suffers a LOT :)
I found myself rooting for the main characters from the start, and the main villain is truly a nasty creature. The writing is clean and clear. I never needed to go back to reread any section for clarity, because the readability was awesome. There are no boring parts here, and I'm not even a romance fan. Readers of almost any genre will like this book, but especially those who enjoy romance and fantasy.
May 20, 2023
I tried so hard to like this but was sadly unable to.
The prose is very juvenile, and it is clear to me that further editing needed to be done to cut out some of the unnecessary paragraphs that took me out of the story.
The characters were interesting to read about. Both their personalities on their own and the relationship dynamic between them were some of the few things I liked about the book.
However as much as I love character driven stories it's impossible to not take into account the mediocre writing along with the plot being completely inconsistent regarding the pace.
Overall not a book I'd recommend
The prose is very juvenile, and it is clear to me that further editing needed to be done to cut out some of the unnecessary paragraphs that took me out of the story.
The characters were interesting to read about. Both their personalities on their own and the relationship dynamic between them were some of the few things I liked about the book.
However as much as I love character driven stories it's impossible to not take into account the mediocre writing along with the plot being completely inconsistent regarding the pace.
Overall not a book I'd recommend
May 5, 2023
Influence and Tension
This book reminded me of all the best parts of Lord Foul’s Bane and could have been a mashup of that book and Outlander with elements of The Wizard’s First Rule.
Every chapter builds the tension through a satisfying conclusion. A must read, and a great start to a promising series.
This book reminded me of all the best parts of Lord Foul’s Bane and could have been a mashup of that book and Outlander with elements of The Wizard’s First Rule.
Every chapter builds the tension through a satisfying conclusion. A must read, and a great start to a promising series.
March 29, 2023
I was sent this book to read and review. Unfortunately, I had to DNF about 25% of the way through because I was confused the entire time I was reading it.
The book rushed right into action and then dragged on incredibly slow. I found the writing to be choppy and somewhat hard to follow. I was disappointed because the storyline of the book had SO MUCH potential but was lacking in execution. :(
Despite the book not being for me, I am positive that there are others who will love the book and its story progression!! AR Kaufer is such a lovely person and was incredibly sweet when I told her that the book was not quite for me, so I do wish her the best and am grateful to her for sending me this book! I hope to find a new home for this book with someone who will love it as it deserves.
The book rushed right into action and then dragged on incredibly slow. I found the writing to be choppy and somewhat hard to follow. I was disappointed because the storyline of the book had SO MUCH potential but was lacking in execution. :(
Despite the book not being for me, I am positive that there are others who will love the book and its story progression!! AR Kaufer is such a lovely person and was incredibly sweet when I told her that the book was not quite for me, so I do wish her the best and am grateful to her for sending me this book! I hope to find a new home for this book with someone who will love it as it deserves.
December 18, 2022
Amazing Book
What a great written story. The author manages to grasp you in this tale by the first chapter. By chapter 2 I was engrossed in this tale, and I couldn’t put it down. Bravo.
What a great written story. The author manages to grasp you in this tale by the first chapter. By chapter 2 I was engrossed in this tale, and I couldn’t put it down. Bravo.
March 17, 2023
SO GOODDDDDD. THE ENDING😭😭😭
January 14, 2023
what an amazing story. The characters were so believable and you could feel their hearts, good and evil. I could see everything in my head, hear the sounds, as your descriptions were perfect! thank you for a marvelous adventure! I would certainly recommend this for fantasy lovers.
December 2, 2023
The art of staging a scene is one that requires dedication, hard work, and a love for the written word as the English language is the paint brush and the page its canvas.
Unfortunately, A.R. Kaufer lacks not only the talent but the vision to create a scene worth following. By thrusting us, the reader, into the scene without hesitation or description, it’s a disjointed and overall disturbing vision. Our introduction to the world is through Rafe, a character who we are led to believe is a competent and trained man. The only problem is he doesn’t act like the author tells us he does. The world doesn’t act the way it should either with the 999 call acting as Hollywood portrays it—the paramedics just happen to know where they are and are able to respond immediately. The alley is an amazingly large place as Rafe is inside and outside the alley at the same time.
With gerunds misused and sentence structures lacking rhythm, rhyme, and sense, the first page is a great indicator that Kaufer has aspirations of grandeur and little talent to back it up. The reviews seem to be another indicator that no one bothered to teach Kaufer that starting a sentence with a verb is a big no-no in fiction as it’s passive voice and doing so twice in a row breaks the natural narrative flow. If Kaufer spent as much time on her work as she does on Twitter, her work would vastly improve. For now, it is a tedious, poorly written, and disorienting novel that is a solid DNF.
Unfortunately, A.R. Kaufer lacks not only the talent but the vision to create a scene worth following. By thrusting us, the reader, into the scene without hesitation or description, it’s a disjointed and overall disturbing vision. Our introduction to the world is through Rafe, a character who we are led to believe is a competent and trained man. The only problem is he doesn’t act like the author tells us he does. The world doesn’t act the way it should either with the 999 call acting as Hollywood portrays it—the paramedics just happen to know where they are and are able to respond immediately. The alley is an amazingly large place as Rafe is inside and outside the alley at the same time.
With gerunds misused and sentence structures lacking rhythm, rhyme, and sense, the first page is a great indicator that Kaufer has aspirations of grandeur and little talent to back it up. The reviews seem to be another indicator that no one bothered to teach Kaufer that starting a sentence with a verb is a big no-no in fiction as it’s passive voice and doing so twice in a row breaks the natural narrative flow. If Kaufer spent as much time on her work as she does on Twitter, her work would vastly improve. For now, it is a tedious, poorly written, and disorienting novel that is a solid DNF.
June 6, 2023
So we’re immediately thrown into the story. It’s a bit stale in the flow of things but it does eventually pick up and isn’t so clunky. The pov isn’t one I really like but that’s a personal preference. (3rd pov) Her roommate is a little sexist right off the bat… and is extremely untrusting I mean rightly so but it’s to a fault. There’s a few typos but none that are too distracting. Mention of self harm, sexual assault, victim blaming, ptsd. I wish there was more descriptive and emotion building with the characters it kinda just fell flat. I will say there’s no buildup for the release and the story overall fell flat.
December 3, 2022
I was given the opportunity to be the beta reader for this book, I can honestly say it has been the best book I have read in forever. I was pulled into their world, since page one. I hate that I started reading it during my busiest week, I did not want to put it down. It was a roller coaster of emotions, that is for sure! I personally can not wait to get my hands on book #2. Let me stop here because I don't want to give any spoilers, but trust me when I say this "READ IT,YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE IT FROM BEGINNING TO END!"
December 20, 2022
This book is action packed and full of drama.
Ana is full of self doubt and has trouble believing in herself.
She also has a hard time trusting people.
Will she become the queen she needs to be.
We will need to wait and find out in the next book.
Ana is full of self doubt and has trouble believing in herself.
She also has a hard time trusting people.
Will she become the queen she needs to be.
We will need to wait and find out in the next book.
March 30, 2023
Courting Fate written by the author A.R. Kaufer is the first installment in the Courtship Saga. The main character of the story is Ana Summers. Her best friend is Kara. One night, while returning from work, Ana was mugged and shot.
An army brat, Rafe was passing by and he heard the shot. He saw Ana and called 911 for help. Rafe helped Ana on time and saved her life. When Ana woke up the next day, after seeing Rafe she felt as if she already knew him from somewhere. Rafe cares for her a lot. Read this story to know what happens next as Rafe and Ana start to spend time together.
This is a fast paced novel and I enjoyed reading it. The title of the book is suitable. The writing style of the author is amazing. The storyline is interesting and it kept me on the edge of my seat until the last page. Ana's character is my favorite. Can't wait for second book in the series.
Those who love reading epic fantasy novels should get their hands on this one.
Rating 4.5/5
An army brat, Rafe was passing by and he heard the shot. He saw Ana and called 911 for help. Rafe helped Ana on time and saved her life. When Ana woke up the next day, after seeing Rafe she felt as if she already knew him from somewhere. Rafe cares for her a lot. Read this story to know what happens next as Rafe and Ana start to spend time together.
This is a fast paced novel and I enjoyed reading it. The title of the book is suitable. The writing style of the author is amazing. The storyline is interesting and it kept me on the edge of my seat until the last page. Ana's character is my favorite. Can't wait for second book in the series.
Those who love reading epic fantasy novels should get their hands on this one.
Rating 4.5/5
March 21, 2023
I so enjoyed this beautiful story by A.R Kaufer. Her writing is very clear and rich in her descriptions. I held my breath the entire time I was reading. I liked that she made the villain so despicable and didn't try to make him sympathetic. Some people are truly evil. I loved Ana and her kindness, selflessness, and strength, and her character development was inspiring. But oh, the ending! Can't wait for Book 2.
September 2, 2023
Wow!!!!
I want my own rafe!!! Please tell me where I can get one. The story for Ana and Rafe is so amazing and deep it will grab your attention and not let you go at least it did for me. It did start a little slow but I like that then BAM!!! Fantasy. The mix is perfectly done in my eyes this author's description of the world and characters had me experiencing things just like the Ana and Rafe. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would.
I want my own rafe!!! Please tell me where I can get one. The story for Ana and Rafe is so amazing and deep it will grab your attention and not let you go at least it did for me. It did start a little slow but I like that then BAM!!! Fantasy. The mix is perfectly done in my eyes this author's description of the world and characters had me experiencing things just like the Ana and Rafe. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would.
January 21, 2023
I’m in love!!!!! This book is gripping and flows very smoothly. The author clearly did a splendid job in crafting characters that work well together. I advise you to set some time aside to read this because it’ll be hard to put down!
April 22, 2023
Adored this book.
I cannot wait for book two, loved the storyline and the characters. Brimming with adventure and passion.
An incredible portal fantasy that you will find hard to put down.
I cannot wait for book two, loved the storyline and the characters. Brimming with adventure and passion.
An incredible portal fantasy that you will find hard to put down.
March 20, 2023
Fate is a cruel mistress
I found this book on my FYP on TikTok and decided I had to check it out. I adore anything fantasy related, and Tolkien is in my top five favorite authors so this one was a no brainer.
My only complaint is how long it took to get to the fantasy part (about 1/4 of the way in) but that is not because the non fantasy part wasn't intriguing, just a personal preference.
The whole story was fun and full of twists and turns, some obvious some not. I liked that Ana isn't 'perfect' but not completely 'broken' either, she felt like someone I could definitely get along with.
Rafe is a sweet, albeit somewhat frustrating at times, man and is patient with Ana. Plenty of women who read this will fall for him just for that reason.
And Kane... I hope he gets what he deserves slowly and painfully at Ana's hands.
*side note, I'm hoping a 'myth' mentioned comes to pass in book 2!*
I found this book on my FYP on TikTok and decided I had to check it out. I adore anything fantasy related, and Tolkien is in my top five favorite authors so this one was a no brainer.
My only complaint is how long it took to get to the fantasy part (about 1/4 of the way in) but that is not because the non fantasy part wasn't intriguing, just a personal preference.
The whole story was fun and full of twists and turns, some obvious some not. I liked that Ana isn't 'perfect' but not completely 'broken' either, she felt like someone I could definitely get along with.
Rafe is a sweet, albeit somewhat frustrating at times, man and is patient with Ana. Plenty of women who read this will fall for him just for that reason.
And Kane... I hope he gets what he deserves slowly and painfully at Ana's hands.
*side note, I'm hoping a 'myth' mentioned comes to pass in book 2!*
April 14, 2023
I wasn’t too interested at the start however I stuck with it and OMG! I can’t wait for the next book! Also wtf was that ending brb need 5-7 business days to process it 🫠
May 5, 2023
Courting Fate was interesting to say the least. It went through a lot of real world things. With a new spin on being the chosen one. Set in a real life setting this made this story feel very real. Like it could actually happened. Which was kind of cool. As for the characters I felt like they could have been better fleshed out. And the writing needed more editing as parts of it were confusing and I would have to go back and reread it. It took me a little longer to get through this one. I’m not sure I will pick up the next one
April 7, 2023
Undecided
I am undecided on how I feel about this book, I appreciated the main characters, the main story was a good one, I was not blown away by some of the writing, but other parts I loved. It left me feeling as if I missed something, I hope the second book clears up my questions, as I really want to love this story. I gave it 3 stars for now due to my own confusion about some of the plot. And that ending alone demands I read the next book, I need to know.......
I am undecided on how I feel about this book, I appreciated the main characters, the main story was a good one, I was not blown away by some of the writing, but other parts I loved. It left me feeling as if I missed something, I hope the second book clears up my questions, as I really want to love this story. I gave it 3 stars for now due to my own confusion about some of the plot. And that ending alone demands I read the next book, I need to know.......
February 28, 2023
I was given an ARC copy, after befriending Ms. Kaufer on Twitter. The characters, the story, I enjoyed every page! I laughed and cried, (God, I cried!). Kara is my favorite character, the protective big sister I wish I could've had. Ana and Rafe's story is beautiful, heartbreaking, and passionate. I cannot wait to read the next book and see where she takes this series!
July 6, 2023
The start of this story is one of action and excitement.
Indeed, from the very beginning, we are met with our hero Rafe a presumed military veteran, jumping to the rescue of Ana who, after being shot, is being violently assaulted.
Rafe quickly takes down the gun-wielding brute calling the police and EMTs to assist the injured woman.
Early on he becomes emotionally drawn to her and makes his affections known.
For her part, our protagonist, Ana Summers, has lived a tumultuous life within a series of foster families and group homes.
Now working in a bank, she lives a quiet, simple life of reading and video games which becomes upended by this horrible assault.
But we discover that what's on the surface isn't even close to the reality, and in a sudden twist of fate, Ana must begin facing the truth of who she is.
Together with her best friend Kara, and her hero Rafe, she journeys into a shocking self-discovery against her own inner demons and a truly despicable villain.
Will Ana be able to rise above her inability to trust in her own judgment and gain the strength to survive a horrendous battle in order to become the queen she was always meant to be?
As I mentioned previously, this was my review channel's very first book submission by an author, and after reading the description I was hooked.
I mean, everything from magic and futuristic tech to complex social structures and convoluted politics, how could I say no to that?
Right from the start I felt great empathy for Ana, the main female character. While I don’t know if I could have ever been as patient as her two, and later three, close friends are throughout the story, I can understand her on a personal level.
When you have been hurt so much, facing that pain is worse than feeling it the first time.
Ugly words spoken become a part of you and you begin to believe them even more than the words of your loved ones, especially as the fear of abandonment looms.
Running away and hiding feels safe, familiar, and while you may realize it isn’t healthy, it allows you to feel normal, even if only for a few moments.
The amazing characterization of Ana was so real to me, that, despite my emotional camaraderie with her, I wanted to jump into the story and encourage the expression of all that negative emotion, before then hugging the heck out of her until she understood how truly worthy she was of being loved.
There is a lot to love in this book not the least of which is the fantastic way the author managed to create this amalgamation of multiple genres allowing the story to feel real throughout.
I also loved the psychology of the story, skillfully interwoven which allowed me to understand Ana a little bit at a time.
I was able to cheer as Ana fought through dire circumstances to grow stronger and feel real anguish as she tried to push aside the hurt past of her youth.
Another point of the story I enjoyed was the idea of the kingdom.
It was very complex, with laws that seem realistic, bordering on truly worrisome.
The corruption within both military and political machines drew me right into the overall governing of this place.
Fun fact: I am a sucker for politics in fiction, as it adds to the realism and really helps me get a broader scope of the book.
I also liked the way the reader is given information about this world through dialog between the characters.
It's never easy to show rather than tell, but fortunately, it's achieved extremely well in this story.
There were a few grammar issues within the book, but they are extremely minor and do not detract from reading.
There were some cyclical plot points which, while I now see what the author was trying to achieve, could, at times, be somewhat confusing.
But, again these did not degrade the reading experience for me.
Finally, and this is just a personal preference of mine, I felt there could have been a bit more world-building, in the sense I wish there had been more indulgent descriptions.
There seems to be a current vogue for writers to make details less evident, with the theory that it is better to allow readers to visualize the story for themselves.
Call me old-fashioned, but I WANT to know every tiny detail of the story straight from the wonderful, creative mind of authors.
This trend, to me, is like admiring what could be a glorious painting, except all of the points of interest, color or reflection, have been removed.
This made the story very fast-paced, / but I would have loved to have enveloped myself in that beautiful place and within the characters and experienced so much more.
Ms. Kaufer presented such a beautiful, rich environment, imbued with so many species and cultures, and I would have loved to have dived into depths of detail to see it even more clearly within my mind's eye.
June 16, 2023
After trying to read this one for months on end, I finally finished Courting Fate! And what a ride has it been indeed :)
I read unexpected queen from this author before so I had high expectations because of how much I loved that book. Needless to say, I am destroyed by this story in the best way possible.
This story is quite fast-paced, which I generally don't like as a reader. But Autumn used her usual magic and now I am completely in love with this one.
Anna breaks my heart, yet she is an inspiration. Her story destroyed me, and made me hate people who treated her so badly and made her so insecure. And thus, I loved her around Rafe, who with his flaws, ended up being my favorite character in this book. He is amazing!
I didn't expect to love Kara as much as I did; she is just a side character. But she felt like an older sister and her relationship with Anna melted my heart. I am excited to learn more about her in the upcoming books of this series and love her even more!
The ending shattered me and made me so excited to read the next book. It drops in one week, and I am so excited to read more about these characters!
Courting Fate is a book that makes me fall in love with the genre. It was emotional, heartwrenching, happy, and sad all at the same time. I can't praise this story and the author's writing enough! The main couple is magical, and I also ended up loving other characters like Evren a lot as the book progressed.
5/5 from me for sure! Excited to see what the author does next with this pair of soulmates :)
I read unexpected queen from this author before so I had high expectations because of how much I loved that book. Needless to say, I am destroyed by this story in the best way possible.
This story is quite fast-paced, which I generally don't like as a reader. But Autumn used her usual magic and now I am completely in love with this one.
Anna breaks my heart, yet she is an inspiration. Her story destroyed me, and made me hate people who treated her so badly and made her so insecure. And thus, I loved her around Rafe, who with his flaws, ended up being my favorite character in this book. He is amazing!
I didn't expect to love Kara as much as I did; she is just a side character. But she felt like an older sister and her relationship with Anna melted my heart. I am excited to learn more about her in the upcoming books of this series and love her even more!
The ending shattered me and made me so excited to read the next book. It drops in one week, and I am so excited to read more about these characters!
Courting Fate is a book that makes me fall in love with the genre. It was emotional, heartwrenching, happy, and sad all at the same time. I can't praise this story and the author's writing enough! The main couple is magical, and I also ended up loving other characters like Evren a lot as the book progressed.
5/5 from me for sure! Excited to see what the author does next with this pair of soulmates :)
February 27, 2023
One thing I always enjoy about author A.R. Kaufer’s books is the way I go into the early part of the book thinking it’s going to be about one thing… but then there’s a surprise twist partway through and the book turns out to be about something entirely different! This caught me totally by surprise in a great way! Early on, I appreciated the thoughtful treatment of PTSD and sexual assault. There was a strong connection early in the book between Ana and Rafe, and Kara… and then after the big twist at the 25% mark or so, we find out why. This is a neat portal fantasy with characters who discover secrets about their pasts while also dealing with mental health issues. There’s a LOT going on, but the book deals with it really well. I love a book with really great characters who make you think about them long after the book is over, and this book definitely had that! Now I can’t wait for book two! 5/5 stars.
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