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Curse of Fate and Fae #1
Prince of Never
Destined to love him. Destined to own him. Destined to destroy him.
Only one thing stands between Tarian and his crown: a woman prophesised to be his downfall. He'd expected a formidable enemy, but what he found was a human librarian. One who seems to have a penchant for recklessness and a serious lack of self-preservation instincts. One who poses a serious dilemma.
How to take his crown when he can't remove the one thing standing in his way?
Imogen has always fought to keep control. Control of herself, control of her life. Because when the world thinks you're crazy, you have to show you aren't. Especially when you're not sure yourself. But when a fae prince takes her to another realm, she's forced to face her biggest fears.
Was she right all along or has she finally lost her mind?
With a strange bond pulling them together and dangers lurking around every corner, will they find that love is a blessing or a curse?
Prince of Never is the captivating first book in the Curse of Fate and Fae series. If you like fated mates, political intrigue, and star-crossed love, then you'll love this seductive fantasy romance by Lorelei Johnson & Hailey Jade.
Only one thing stands between Tarian and his crown: a woman prophesised to be his downfall. He'd expected a formidable enemy, but what he found was a human librarian. One who seems to have a penchant for recklessness and a serious lack of self-preservation instincts. One who poses a serious dilemma.
How to take his crown when he can't remove the one thing standing in his way?
Imogen has always fought to keep control. Control of herself, control of her life. Because when the world thinks you're crazy, you have to show you aren't. Especially when you're not sure yourself. But when a fae prince takes her to another realm, she's forced to face her biggest fears.
Was she right all along or has she finally lost her mind?
With a strange bond pulling them together and dangers lurking around every corner, will they find that love is a blessing or a curse?
Prince of Never is the captivating first book in the Curse of Fate and Fae series. If you like fated mates, political intrigue, and star-crossed love, then you'll love this seductive fantasy romance by Lorelei Johnson & Hailey Jade.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 25, 2023
59 people are currently reading
2073 people want to read
About the author
Lorelei Johnson
24 books160 followersBe sure to follow Lorelei on BookBub for the latest on sales: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lorel...
Lorelei Johnson is an Australian romance author, primarily writing Paranormal Romance and Fantasy Romance. She graduated from Flinders University, where she studied English Literature and Creative Writing before she discovered her degree was useless and she hated studying in an institution. She went into administrative work where she learnt just enough business sense to start publishing her own books.
Lorelei is fuelled by caffeine and sarcasm, priding herself as a true 90's kid. She labels her self-publishing as anti-establishment, but really she's just a chicken who decided to avoid the gatekeepers all together and enjoy the freedom to write whatever the heck she likes. Through her writing, she likes to explore the many facets of love and revel in a little magic and a little smut, of course.
And don't forget to follow on the socials!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoreleiJohns...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loreleijohn...
Lorelei Johnson is an Australian romance author, primarily writing Paranormal Romance and Fantasy Romance. She graduated from Flinders University, where she studied English Literature and Creative Writing before she discovered her degree was useless and she hated studying in an institution. She went into administrative work where she learnt just enough business sense to start publishing her own books.
Lorelei is fuelled by caffeine and sarcasm, priding herself as a true 90's kid. She labels her self-publishing as anti-establishment, but really she's just a chicken who decided to avoid the gatekeepers all together and enjoy the freedom to write whatever the heck she likes. Through her writing, she likes to explore the many facets of love and revel in a little magic and a little smut, of course.
And don't forget to follow on the socials!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoreleiJohns...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loreleijohn...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews
November 17, 2023
3.5 Stars
This high-fantasy, enemies-to-lovers romance, between a human woman with a whip-smart tongue and the broody fae prince who steals her away from everything she once knew, is an enchanting, imaginative, and sexy new read for romantasy lovers to sink their teeth into.
When Imogen, a seemingly shy librarian with a muddled past, finds herself kidnapped from our world by Tarian, a fae prince with ulterior motives, she is quickly thrust into a magical realm full of danger and duplicitous royal scheming. To make matters worse, she finds herself saddled with a fated mate bond to the moody prince—who can’t seem to decide whether he wants to f*ck her or kill her—made more complicated by a foretold prophecy that marks Imogen as the destined downfall for the unseelie court Tarian is meant to one day rule.
The romance aspect of the story had a fun push-and-pull to it that always makes me favour enemies-to-lovers pairings in my romance reading. Imogen was ballsy and combative, not taking a single shred of Tarian’s bossy demands, fighting at every turn to try and get home and out of the mythical hellscape she finds herself a pawn in amongst the powerful high fae. Tarian, also stubborn and headstrong, and trying to deflect the prophecy he’s weighted under, doesn’t expect Imogen to be his mate and is rightly perplexed over the increasingly complicated dynamic he now shares with his destined lover AND destroyer.
I’d argue that the shift from disgruntled enemies to impassioned star-crossed lovers came perhaps a bit fast for my personal liking, but the fact this is an ongoing series and the last act left their relationship and their fate up in the air to be continued, settled any qualms I initially had, knowing that there will be a lot more obstacles and growth to be found for these two before they reach any sort of well-earned happily ever after. What can I say, I like to make them work for it and I think this series will deliver in that respect.
As far as fae storytelling and world-building is concerned, this felt both familiar and compelling to me. With warring fae courts, Beltane festivals, and depraved high fae hunts of the lesser beings for their own twisted delights, this story kept a decent pace and wove many fae folklores, themes, and archetypes nicely into the story.
This story does essentially end with a cliffhanger (of sorts), and the wait for book two will no doubt be a pain in my arse, but I think I enjoyed myself enough to be intrigued by the road this story will take in future sequels.
Also, that cover! *chef's kiss*
***A special thanks to the authors and the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This high-fantasy, enemies-to-lovers romance, between a human woman with a whip-smart tongue and the broody fae prince who steals her away from everything she once knew, is an enchanting, imaginative, and sexy new read for romantasy lovers to sink their teeth into.
When Imogen, a seemingly shy librarian with a muddled past, finds herself kidnapped from our world by Tarian, a fae prince with ulterior motives, she is quickly thrust into a magical realm full of danger and duplicitous royal scheming. To make matters worse, she finds herself saddled with a fated mate bond to the moody prince—who can’t seem to decide whether he wants to f*ck her or kill her—made more complicated by a foretold prophecy that marks Imogen as the destined downfall for the unseelie court Tarian is meant to one day rule.
The romance aspect of the story had a fun push-and-pull to it that always makes me favour enemies-to-lovers pairings in my romance reading. Imogen was ballsy and combative, not taking a single shred of Tarian’s bossy demands, fighting at every turn to try and get home and out of the mythical hellscape she finds herself a pawn in amongst the powerful high fae. Tarian, also stubborn and headstrong, and trying to deflect the prophecy he’s weighted under, doesn’t expect Imogen to be his mate and is rightly perplexed over the increasingly complicated dynamic he now shares with his destined lover AND destroyer.
I’d argue that the shift from disgruntled enemies to impassioned star-crossed lovers came perhaps a bit fast for my personal liking, but the fact this is an ongoing series and the last act left their relationship and their fate up in the air to be continued, settled any qualms I initially had, knowing that there will be a lot more obstacles and growth to be found for these two before they reach any sort of well-earned happily ever after. What can I say, I like to make them work for it and I think this series will deliver in that respect.
As far as fae storytelling and world-building is concerned, this felt both familiar and compelling to me. With warring fae courts, Beltane festivals, and depraved high fae hunts of the lesser beings for their own twisted delights, this story kept a decent pace and wove many fae folklores, themes, and archetypes nicely into the story.
This story does essentially end with a cliffhanger (of sorts), and the wait for book two will no doubt be a pain in my arse, but I think I enjoyed myself enough to be intrigued by the road this story will take in future sequels.
Also, that cover! *chef's kiss*
***A special thanks to the authors and the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2023
arc copy provided in exchange for an honest review. this in no way changes my rating or review.
this book reminded me why i don't read captive romances. i thought perhaps my mind had been changed with a dawn of onyx, but this book firmly solidified my decision to henceforth keep captive romances in the NO column.
this book definitely had potential. it was dual-pov, which definitely made it more interesting, and the start was quite captivating - plus the fae world may not have been unique, but it's always a fun read. and both characters definitely had intriguing personalities and backstories in the first section of the novel. but once the romance started... it only went downhill, in my opinion.
i simply couldn't stand how the two mc's fell in love without EVER having an actual conversation. their every interaction consisted of:
part 1: fmc running away
part 2: mmc catching her and screaming at her ("you're going to get yourself killed! but also i won't teach you anything about this world or ever let you go home!" (not an actual quote haha but...))
part 3: sexual tension.
and while yes, i love some sexual tension and fated mates, the mates must also communicate with one another and actually get to know each other's personalities... tension and attraction cannot get you through life's troubles.
and then, for the cherry on top, there was some absolute stupidity from both mc's, and THEN some beautiful miscommunication.
anyway. sorry for the anger but this book really pushed some buttons... nonetheless, i thank the authors, publisher and netgalley for the arc copy provided.
this book reminded me why i don't read captive romances. i thought perhaps my mind had been changed with a dawn of onyx, but this book firmly solidified my decision to henceforth keep captive romances in the NO column.
this book definitely had potential. it was dual-pov, which definitely made it more interesting, and the start was quite captivating - plus the fae world may not have been unique, but it's always a fun read. and both characters definitely had intriguing personalities and backstories in the first section of the novel. but once the romance started... it only went downhill, in my opinion.
i simply couldn't stand how the two mc's fell in love without EVER having an actual conversation. their every interaction consisted of:
part 1: fmc running away
part 2: mmc catching her and screaming at her ("you're going to get yourself killed! but also i won't teach you anything about this world or ever let you go home!" (not an actual quote haha but...))
part 3: sexual tension.
and while yes, i love some sexual tension and fated mates, the mates must also communicate with one another and actually get to know each other's personalities... tension and attraction cannot get you through life's troubles.
and then, for the cherry on top, there was some absolute stupidity from both mc's, and THEN some beautiful miscommunication.
anyway. sorry for the anger but this book really pushed some buttons... nonetheless, i thank the authors, publisher and netgalley for the arc copy provided.
September 21, 2023
I first want to thank Lorelei Johnson, Hailey Jade, and NetGalley for this ARC ebook edition.
Imogen is a librarian at a local university. When she was younger, she was attacked by a vampire and bitten. The only problem with this story is... no one believes her. And nobody can see the scars on her throat. For years now, she's struggled with the truth she remembers and the fact it makes everyone else think she's crazy. Is she crazy?
When she's attacked again while walking out to her car after work, she's thrown back to those memories she can't trust. The man who attacks this time doesn't go for her throat, but his long claws on his hand gouge into the hood of her car. Again, though, it seems as if nobody else can see them but her. The next night, she gets home to find a man in her apartment. His intention of killing her clear. After a brush of their skin, though, he seizes up and while the hatred is still clear in his eyes, he no longer seems to have the ability to cause her harm. Instead he whisks her away to the fae realm where he is the prince of the Unseelie Court.
And Imogen? She's the center of a prophecy predicting his downfall.
I really loved this book. I loved the tension. I loved the politics. I loved the constant question of who you could trust and who was using careful half-truths to get what they wanted. There's building anticipation throughout the entire story, making it so the book felt impossible to walk away from.
I will say, I really wish the prophecy would have been included as, perhaps, an epigraph at the beginning of the book. For the first half of the story, we're only really given vague notions of what it was, what it outlined, and how the prince saw it as unavoidable, even when his advisor urged him that some prophecies could be misconstrued. As it stands, we aren't given the prophecy in full until we're at least halfway through the book. And I would have really loved to try to unravel it throughout the whole book on my own.
As things come to light, a lot of my initial hunches about some truths that were being withheld proved to be right, so the plot twist, if you want to call it that, wasn't really much of a shock. However, that didn't take away from the story in the slightest. By the time I finished the last page, I was buzzing with the anxiety and excitement of wanting to read more of this story. And I absolutely will as soon as the next book becomes available. If you like fae realms, fated mates, cursed prophecies, and enemies-to-lovers, I highly recommend this novel. It's well written and will leave you at the edge of your seat long after you close the book at the end.
Imogen is a librarian at a local university. When she was younger, she was attacked by a vampire and bitten. The only problem with this story is... no one believes her. And nobody can see the scars on her throat. For years now, she's struggled with the truth she remembers and the fact it makes everyone else think she's crazy. Is she crazy?
When she's attacked again while walking out to her car after work, she's thrown back to those memories she can't trust. The man who attacks this time doesn't go for her throat, but his long claws on his hand gouge into the hood of her car. Again, though, it seems as if nobody else can see them but her. The next night, she gets home to find a man in her apartment. His intention of killing her clear. After a brush of their skin, though, he seizes up and while the hatred is still clear in his eyes, he no longer seems to have the ability to cause her harm. Instead he whisks her away to the fae realm where he is the prince of the Unseelie Court.
And Imogen? She's the center of a prophecy predicting his downfall.
I really loved this book. I loved the tension. I loved the politics. I loved the constant question of who you could trust and who was using careful half-truths to get what they wanted. There's building anticipation throughout the entire story, making it so the book felt impossible to walk away from.
I will say, I really wish the prophecy would have been included as, perhaps, an epigraph at the beginning of the book. For the first half of the story, we're only really given vague notions of what it was, what it outlined, and how the prince saw it as unavoidable, even when his advisor urged him that some prophecies could be misconstrued. As it stands, we aren't given the prophecy in full until we're at least halfway through the book. And I would have really loved to try to unravel it throughout the whole book on my own.
As things come to light, a lot of my initial hunches about some truths that were being withheld proved to be right, so the plot twist, if you want to call it that, wasn't really much of a shock. However, that didn't take away from the story in the slightest. By the time I finished the last page, I was buzzing with the anxiety and excitement of wanting to read more of this story. And I absolutely will as soon as the next book becomes available. If you like fae realms, fated mates, cursed prophecies, and enemies-to-lovers, I highly recommend this novel. It's well written and will leave you at the edge of your seat long after you close the book at the end.
March 23, 2024
Onto the last book (hopefully) of the four I haven't liked this month. Okay, this has taken forever. I haven't fully connected with the stories I've been picking up and, in exchange, I just kept starting new books in the hopes I would enjoy them and make the others more pleasant, and instead kept picking books I wasn't vibing with- hence my bad mood towards them.
After three weeks of exams and books I didn't like, I'm finally done. I'm free.
I do want to say that I did like the beginig and, maybe in a different point of my life, I would have liked the rest of it a bit more. The FMC was annoying and her attempts to scape just to be brought back / coming back on her own / not even attepting anything anymore were repetitive and unnecesary after a while.
Not to mention how badly I dislike the trope of "does he really like me?" *the guy is literally begging on his knees for her attention, proclaiming his love for anyone who wants to listen*, then some minor inconvenience occurs and he has to leave or whatever "he never loved me in the first place, I knew I shouldn't have trusted him, I will be alone forever. I hate him!"
I feel like, with this type of scenes, the author is calling all of us idiots. Are we supposed to sympathise with the FMC when it's so obvious that she is, in fact, wrong? The MMC does love her, and it's so painfully clear that I don't know if the author wants me to follow the FMC's thoughts or just feel sorry for her idiocy.
Anyways, I'm shipping Imogen and Solas. That would be a good enemies to lovers.
I'm sorry if this review is kinda all over the place and doesn't make much sense gramatically or otherwise. I have the worst cold right now 😣😣
After three weeks of exams and books I didn't like, I'm finally done. I'm free.
I do want to say that I did like the beginig and, maybe in a different point of my life, I would have liked the rest of it a bit more. The FMC was annoying and her attempts to scape just to be brought back / coming back on her own / not even attepting anything anymore were repetitive and unnecesary after a while.
Not to mention how badly I dislike the trope of "does he really like me?" *the guy is literally begging on his knees for her attention, proclaiming his love for anyone who wants to listen*, then some minor inconvenience occurs and he has to leave or whatever "he never loved me in the first place, I knew I shouldn't have trusted him, I will be alone forever. I hate him!"
I feel like, with this type of scenes, the author is calling all of us idiots. Are we supposed to sympathise with the FMC when it's so obvious that she is, in fact, wrong? The MMC does love her, and it's so painfully clear that I don't know if the author wants me to follow the FMC's thoughts or just feel sorry for her idiocy.
Anyways, I'm shipping Imogen and Solas. That would be a good enemies to lovers.
I'm sorry if this review is kinda all over the place and doesn't make much sense gramatically or otherwise. I have the worst cold right now 😣😣
March 12, 2025
Enjoyed this book immensely. I've always been a fan of fantasy. The trials they go through could be not only surprising, but also infuriating. Looking forward to the second book.
September 25, 2023
If you enjoy romantic fantasy with enemies to lovers, fated mates, a steamy cramped storage room moment, and witty banter between a sassy human librarian and morally grey fae prince then this book is for you!
Summary: Imogen is a librarian who has grown up being told she is crazy for claiming to have been attacked by other-worldly creatures. Her fears are confirmed when she is kidnapped by Tarian, the Unseelie Prince, and taken to another realm. Tarian has grown up with a cruel mother as Queen and told he is cursed to have a mate who will bring down his court. Tensions fly between the two as they discover more about themselves and their unwanted bond.
Review: Overall, I loved this book! The authors did a great job of making me strongly dislike Tarian before he began to redeem himself (although he still has a way to go). I loved Imogen’s journey of self-discovery and character development. She learns how to stand her ground, and is not afraid to share exactly what’s on her mind. The tension and spice between the two was chef’s kiss! The story featured several magical creatures such as satyrs and griffins, which I really enjoyed. It is easy for romantic fantasies to be formulaic, but elements such as these helped differentiate the story. I wish Ethan’s character and backstory had been more developed, as he seemed to just pop in at perfect moments with little explanation. The ending left me wondering what happens next, and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series!
You might like this book if you enjoyed:
- A Fate of Wrath & Flame
- What Lies Beyond the Veil
Thank you to the authors and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Summary: Imogen is a librarian who has grown up being told she is crazy for claiming to have been attacked by other-worldly creatures. Her fears are confirmed when she is kidnapped by Tarian, the Unseelie Prince, and taken to another realm. Tarian has grown up with a cruel mother as Queen and told he is cursed to have a mate who will bring down his court. Tensions fly between the two as they discover more about themselves and their unwanted bond.
Review: Overall, I loved this book! The authors did a great job of making me strongly dislike Tarian before he began to redeem himself (although he still has a way to go). I loved Imogen’s journey of self-discovery and character development. She learns how to stand her ground, and is not afraid to share exactly what’s on her mind. The tension and spice between the two was chef’s kiss! The story featured several magical creatures such as satyrs and griffins, which I really enjoyed. It is easy for romantic fantasies to be formulaic, but elements such as these helped differentiate the story. I wish Ethan’s character and backstory had been more developed, as he seemed to just pop in at perfect moments with little explanation. The ending left me wondering what happens next, and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series!
You might like this book if you enjoyed:
- A Fate of Wrath & Flame
- What Lies Beyond the Veil
Thank you to the authors and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
September 17, 2023
I am obsessed!
This book has such a strong start that I was immediately hooked.
The fae world is familiar but not boring and overdone. I really enjoyed how the authors employed typical troops but not in the typical way. Everything felt very fresh and unique, but maintained the favorites that we all know and love: fated mates, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, only one griffin.
I really enjoyed their take on the mating bond. Nothing was innate. Every part of the bond had to be triggered by certain actions and choices. It kept me interested.
Our MMC Imogen turned out to be this incredibly sassy and stubborn person who wasn’t going to kowtow to anyone regardless of reputation, sharp teeth, magical powers, or royalty rank. She was consistent throughout, which is making her journey fun to discover as it's revealed.
Our FMC Tarian is wonderfully deep. We learn tidbits about his past that so perfectly explain why he is who he is, and the self-doubts he has to fight past really make his character arc emotional for the reader.
My biggest complaint is the best friends in the human world, Ivy and Ethan. For me, they were too much. Their personalities, their appearances. It was like they had to be so very extra to stand out against the strong characters of Imogen and Tarian, but it made me not enjoy the moments where they were involved.
I did, however, love the character Sarah. I found her to be a much more enjoyable side character and friend to the FMC. I look forward to her continued presence in Imogen’s life.
There is legitimately so much I enjoy about this book, and I am anxiously anticipating the next in the series as well as planning to devour everything by these authors.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC!
This book has such a strong start that I was immediately hooked.
The fae world is familiar but not boring and overdone. I really enjoyed how the authors employed typical troops but not in the typical way. Everything felt very fresh and unique, but maintained the favorites that we all know and love: fated mates, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, only one griffin.
I really enjoyed their take on the mating bond. Nothing was innate. Every part of the bond had to be triggered by certain actions and choices. It kept me interested.
Our MMC Imogen turned out to be this incredibly sassy and stubborn person who wasn’t going to kowtow to anyone regardless of reputation, sharp teeth, magical powers, or royalty rank. She was consistent throughout, which is making her journey fun to discover as it's revealed.
Our FMC Tarian is wonderfully deep. We learn tidbits about his past that so perfectly explain why he is who he is, and the self-doubts he has to fight past really make his character arc emotional for the reader.
My biggest complaint is the best friends in the human world, Ivy and Ethan. For me, they were too much. Their personalities, their appearances. It was like they had to be so very extra to stand out against the strong characters of Imogen and Tarian, but it made me not enjoy the moments where they were involved.
I did, however, love the character Sarah. I found her to be a much more enjoyable side character and friend to the FMC. I look forward to her continued presence in Imogen’s life.
There is legitimately so much I enjoy about this book, and I am anxiously anticipating the next in the series as well as planning to devour everything by these authors.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC!
September 19, 2023
Firstly, thank you to the Authors and NetGalley for this ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. This book had everything for me. Enemies to lovers, fated mates, fae, slow burn and a strong female character. For lovers of ACOTAR and From Blood and Ash this one is definitely for you.
We start out with Imogen, who is a librarian with a interest in mythical creatures (go figure lol). But not everything is at it seems. After being attacked years before by what she believes to be a vampire, Imogen questions her safety at every turn. The problem is , no one believes her. When a second attack occurs and her credibility is again called in to question, Imogen is left to question her own sanity.
However, that all changes when she is attacked and swept away to the fae realm by Tarian , the unseelie prince. A prophecy has lead him to seek her out, however what he found isn’t what he expected.
Although this is a slow burn, the tension between the two main characters was greatly depicted and left me wanting to keep reading.
Excellent, simplistic world building that allowed me to see the Fae realm through the authors eyes . A great approach to fated mates that allowed for great character development and allowed us to delve into Tarian’s background.
A quick read, but one I could not put down and demolished in 24 hours. With an ending that has left me excited for the next in the series.
September 19, 2023
Lorelei Johnson and Hailey Jade did a fantastic job of creating the story with such evocative description it plays out as if you’re part of the vivid scenery. The protagonists alternate by chapter from Imogen to Tarian, giving us even more background, intel, and perspective while adding to the highly absorbing storyline. It took me a second to fully appreciate the characters, but I’ve got a thing for Fae stories, and factor in the inexorable bonds, gothic castles, imperious beasts, swoon-worthy talk of dark matter, and dying stars — this gem kept me reading late into the night. That ending tho 😩 I’m gonna need book 2 asap.
September 25, 2023
Prince of Never by Lorelei Johnson, Hailey Jade is an absolute jewel of a book. However, be forwarned you will are reading a series that must be completed - and that, my friends, is a testament to good story writing. If you can read one book in a series and never have the itch to read the entire series there is something missing in the writing. And, you may be waiting for a bit for the sequel apparently......(sigh). Which means when the sequel comes out you will need to pick up the first and read it all over again.
Imogen is just a librarian. Well, a librarian that sees vampires and unexplainable creatures and has been told she is crazy her entire life. But that is all tested when a strange man shows up to kidnap her and she runs him over with her car only to have another, more powerful, man show up at her home to take her to Faerie. There she is taken as a captive of the Dark Prince Terrian - feared by all others in his realm and controlled by his awful mother.
This is an enemies to lovers trope but it ends on a cliff-hanger with heartbreak and betrayal and questions left unanswered. The book is a short read - easily finished in a weekend setting, but one that will stay with you and leave you hoping that certain Fae choose the right path even if its a hard one to choose.
Yes! I am going to anxiously be awaiting the second book - I only wish the release date wasn't until August 2024. And I suppose I will have to snag a paper copy in order to get the second one - hoping the cover art is just as beautiful.
Thank you for the great read!!
Disclosure: The MFC and her best friend Ethan enjoy the use of profanity - and the use of the "f" word. If this is offensive then you might want to skip this book. Though it is not excessive it is there. There are scenes within this book that are somewhat graphic. And, keep in mind this is the Unseelie Court - it is the land of the Fae and is violent, and at times rather course and disgusting.....true to Faerie form. Although unable to lie the Fae prove that deception is not above them and court games quickly turn nasty. And humans have no place in a land that is filled with violent and powerful beings who see humans as mere play toys.
I received an advanced readers copy of this book.
Imogen is just a librarian. Well, a librarian that sees vampires and unexplainable creatures and has been told she is crazy her entire life. But that is all tested when a strange man shows up to kidnap her and she runs him over with her car only to have another, more powerful, man show up at her home to take her to Faerie. There she is taken as a captive of the Dark Prince Terrian - feared by all others in his realm and controlled by his awful mother.
This is an enemies to lovers trope but it ends on a cliff-hanger with heartbreak and betrayal and questions left unanswered. The book is a short read - easily finished in a weekend setting, but one that will stay with you and leave you hoping that certain Fae choose the right path even if its a hard one to choose.
Yes! I am going to anxiously be awaiting the second book - I only wish the release date wasn't until August 2024. And I suppose I will have to snag a paper copy in order to get the second one - hoping the cover art is just as beautiful.
Thank you for the great read!!
Disclosure: The MFC and her best friend Ethan enjoy the use of profanity - and the use of the "f" word. If this is offensive then you might want to skip this book. Though it is not excessive it is there. There are scenes within this book that are somewhat graphic. And, keep in mind this is the Unseelie Court - it is the land of the Fae and is violent, and at times rather course and disgusting.....true to Faerie form. Although unable to lie the Fae prove that deception is not above them and court games quickly turn nasty. And humans have no place in a land that is filled with violent and powerful beings who see humans as mere play toys.
I received an advanced readers copy of this book.
October 4, 2023
I was really disappointed by this read. I stuck through it but I felt like there were so many things going on, and I didn’t care about either Tarin or Imogen to bother trying to understand the plot line. This was no different to any of the thousand Fae romances on the market and it had absolutely no unique selling points. Super disappointed.
Tropes
- enemies to lovers
- fated mates
- key to the prophecy
Tropes
- enemies to lovers
- fated mates
- key to the prophecy
November 2, 2023
The first book in the Curse of Fate and Fae series, Prince of Never was a fun journey into the realm of fantasy romance. If you're a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, this book has it all. From the moment I started reading, I was hooked, and I couldn't put it down.
The story revolves around Imogen, a librarian whose life takes a sudden turn when she claims to have been attacked by fantastical creatures. Unfortunately, no one believes her, until she's kidnapped by Tarian, an Unseelie Prince who has no desire to be tied to the mate destined to bring down his kingdom.
What I loved most about this book were the well-crafted characters. Imogen's growth throughout the story is a joy to witness as she becomes more confident and assertive. Tarian's character arc hints at a redemption journey, which keeps you engaged and wanting more.
The book does a great job of keeping you on your toes with intriguing twists and a dose of sexual tension between the main characters. I appreciated the unique approach of keeping the human and Fae realms separate, connected only by a portal. The addition of changelings in the plot added an interesting layer not commonly found in modern Fae romances.
However, I would have preferred a bit more world-building before diving into the narrative. The first chapter moved swiftly, which was exciting but left me slightly confused. Additionally, I wanted more details about Imogen's past and a more elaborate exploration of the prophecy that brings Tarian into her life.
Despite these minor shortcomings, 'The Prince of Never' is a compelling fantasy read that promises more exciting developments in the series. My only complaint is that it wasn't longer, as there's potential for greater detail and elaboration. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series
Thank you for providing me a copy to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The story revolves around Imogen, a librarian whose life takes a sudden turn when she claims to have been attacked by fantastical creatures. Unfortunately, no one believes her, until she's kidnapped by Tarian, an Unseelie Prince who has no desire to be tied to the mate destined to bring down his kingdom.
What I loved most about this book were the well-crafted characters. Imogen's growth throughout the story is a joy to witness as she becomes more confident and assertive. Tarian's character arc hints at a redemption journey, which keeps you engaged and wanting more.
The book does a great job of keeping you on your toes with intriguing twists and a dose of sexual tension between the main characters. I appreciated the unique approach of keeping the human and Fae realms separate, connected only by a portal. The addition of changelings in the plot added an interesting layer not commonly found in modern Fae romances.
However, I would have preferred a bit more world-building before diving into the narrative. The first chapter moved swiftly, which was exciting but left me slightly confused. Additionally, I wanted more details about Imogen's past and a more elaborate exploration of the prophecy that brings Tarian into her life.
Despite these minor shortcomings, 'The Prince of Never' is a compelling fantasy read that promises more exciting developments in the series. My only complaint is that it wasn't longer, as there's potential for greater detail and elaboration. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series
Thank you for providing me a copy to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 28, 2023
I cannot get over how much I enjoyed this absolute masterpiece 👏🏻
Every thing came together so beautifully for me that by the end I was DYING to know what was going to happen and even until the last sentence I was like !!!!!!
This itched my post ACOTAR scratch I didn’t know I had. The character building between Imogen and Tarian was *chefs kiss* and I couldn’t get enough of them and tbh I’m nervous the direction book two will go but also I want to read it RIGHT THIS SECOND because I’m going to heel over if I don’t know how this all plays out immediately 🫠
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC!
Every thing came together so beautifully for me that by the end I was DYING to know what was going to happen and even until the last sentence I was like !!!!!!
This itched my post ACOTAR scratch I didn’t know I had. The character building between Imogen and Tarian was *chefs kiss* and I couldn’t get enough of them and tbh I’m nervous the direction book two will go but also I want to read it RIGHT THIS SECOND because I’m going to heel over if I don’t know how this all plays out immediately 🫠
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC!
September 16, 2023
Absolutely unputdownable. I finished this book in one day and I don't regret a single moment. Chores? Don't know them.
The amount of angst here is off the charts and I am living for it. Imogen comes from the modern world, which is completely different than most fae-human books, and tries her hardest to come back home. She is a stellar FMC that is not whiny nor is she unrelatably brave and strong. She is a fair mix between both that is enough to cheer her on when she is about to go bat shit to feeling her sadness when she feels it.
Tarian's moodiness makes even the king of angst, Edward Cullen (in Midnight Sun, might I add) himself, look like the telly tubby's sun. But, he has the reason to be full of anger and weariness. His life kinda sucks.
I enjoyed even the side characters. Ethan of course, what a cutie. But Ves and Sarah as well. I am hoping for a little more cross over of Ves x Ethan shenanigans in the future, but we will see!!
The snark and light humor in between the dark pieces helps a lot with breaking out the drama. But, the tension? The star-crossed lovers meets impossible fate? Chefs kiss.
The book does seem slow, but it has book 1 struggles of laying down the plot and characters with nothing much happening. However, it was excellent and delicious overall.
The amount of angst here is off the charts and I am living for it. Imogen comes from the modern world, which is completely different than most fae-human books, and tries her hardest to come back home. She is a stellar FMC that is not whiny nor is she unrelatably brave and strong. She is a fair mix between both that is enough to cheer her on when she is about to go bat shit to feeling her sadness when she feels it.
Tarian's moodiness makes even the king of angst, Edward Cullen (in Midnight Sun, might I add) himself, look like the telly tubby's sun. But, he has the reason to be full of anger and weariness. His life kinda sucks.
I enjoyed even the side characters. Ethan of course, what a cutie. But Ves and Sarah as well. I am hoping for a little more cross over of Ves x Ethan shenanigans in the future, but we will see!!
The snark and light humor in between the dark pieces helps a lot with breaking out the drama. But, the tension? The star-crossed lovers meets impossible fate? Chefs kiss.
The book does seem slow, but it has book 1 struggles of laying down the plot and characters with nothing much happening. However, it was excellent and delicious overall.
September 21, 2023
The Prince of Never, book one of the Curse of Fate and Fae series by Lorelei Johnson and Hailey Jade, is to be published on September 25, 2023. I want to thank the publishers, Lorelei Johnson, Hailey Jade, and Netgalley, for the opportunity to read and review the ARC copy!
My first thought of the Prince of Never is that I absolutely loved the strong main characters, Imogen and Tarian. I enjoyed their enemies to lovers' relationship and their banter. I laughed out loud many times. I wasn't expecting the steamy moments between them, and from this book, I was pleasantly surprised! Overall, I think all of the main and the supporting characters are well developed and interesting. It didn't take me long to become invested in them!
I read, I should really say, consumed, the Prince of Never very quickly! I read the book in a few short hours. Honestly, I didn't want the book to end, I had to know more! The plot is intriguing! I loved the concept of fated mates, and I found the prophecy interesting. I wish there had been more information given about the prophecy involving Imogen and Tarian. I'm hoping the sequel will answer many questions that have been left unanswered regarding the prophecy and Imogen's role to play in it.
While there are two authors, I felt the writing was as one voice, and the style was consistent throughout the book. Often with two writers, the writing styles can be conflicting, I think Johnson and Jade did well with their collaboration of the Prince of Never. The dual point of view of Imogen and Tarian from chapter to chapter were also done in a manner that was concise and clear to the reader.
The cliffhanger ending took me by surprise. The ending came up suddenly, and I was not mentally prepared. I generally do not like cliff-hanger endings in books. It's something most have come to expect from television shows, but with book series, I enjoy when each book has a clear ending and beginning. The ending is my only complaint with the Prince of Never. I can only pray that Johnson and Jade release the sequel, The Queen of Ever, quickly so that my suffering in waiting will be over soon.
Definitely don't hesitate to pick up The Prince of Never. You will be hooked from the start. Prepare yourself to enter the realm of the Fae, the Unseelie and Seelie Courts, and to Shadowmire; you won't want to return to the Human realm!
My first thought of the Prince of Never is that I absolutely loved the strong main characters, Imogen and Tarian. I enjoyed their enemies to lovers' relationship and their banter. I laughed out loud many times. I wasn't expecting the steamy moments between them, and from this book, I was pleasantly surprised! Overall, I think all of the main and the supporting characters are well developed and interesting. It didn't take me long to become invested in them!
I read, I should really say, consumed, the Prince of Never very quickly! I read the book in a few short hours. Honestly, I didn't want the book to end, I had to know more! The plot is intriguing! I loved the concept of fated mates, and I found the prophecy interesting. I wish there had been more information given about the prophecy involving Imogen and Tarian. I'm hoping the sequel will answer many questions that have been left unanswered regarding the prophecy and Imogen's role to play in it.
While there are two authors, I felt the writing was as one voice, and the style was consistent throughout the book. Often with two writers, the writing styles can be conflicting, I think Johnson and Jade did well with their collaboration of the Prince of Never. The dual point of view of Imogen and Tarian from chapter to chapter were also done in a manner that was concise and clear to the reader.
The cliffhanger ending took me by surprise. The ending came up suddenly, and I was not mentally prepared. I generally do not like cliff-hanger endings in books. It's something most have come to expect from television shows, but with book series, I enjoy when each book has a clear ending and beginning. The ending is my only complaint with the Prince of Never. I can only pray that Johnson and Jade release the sequel, The Queen of Ever, quickly so that my suffering in waiting will be over soon.
Definitely don't hesitate to pick up The Prince of Never. You will be hooked from the start. Prepare yourself to enter the realm of the Fae, the Unseelie and Seelie Courts, and to Shadowmire; you won't want to return to the Human realm!
September 24, 2023
Firstly, happy *almost* pub day to this beauty of a book, which is out tomorrow, 9/25! I can’t wait for other folks to get a piece of this exciting first installment in a new fantasy series by Lorelei Johnson and Hailey Jade!
Admittedly, I haven’t read anything from these authors before, nor did I have an idea of what I was getting myself into when I began this book. I had been drawn to the cover and the title, and thought I’d give it a shot. Ohhhh how glad am I that I read this. This book starts with the bones of a pretty classic Beauty and the Beast retelling, with a kidnapping of our heroine librarian, Imogen, from the human world into the fae realm by the Unseelie Prince, Tarian. From there, however, the book diverges in all the best ways.
To start with: Imogen has a fire and spunk to her that is so easy to root for. She spends a lot of the book trying to get back home, and though numerous roadblocks begin to make that effort more and more difficult, her headstrong attitude and refusal to cow to her surroundings is endearing, believable, and refreshing. Tarian is your typical morally grey, sexy and brooding grump, but the kernels of ✨broken, soft boi✨ that we see are heartbreaking and makes the reader want to give him a big hug (or, at least, I did).
The story also puts its own spin on fated mates, a trope that usually isn’t my favorite for what feels like a lack of agency, but it is cultivated so well in this book that I actually found myself pretty feral for the way the subsequent romance was written around it lol. For those wondering, yes, the spice is also fabulous when it happens, but the writers are good and make you wait for it till a bit past the halfway point.
Complete with a slew of side characters I either was intrigued with or intensely hated, the world is fleshed out in ways that kept me guessing, and with one huge plot twist near the end of the book that had rippling repercussions—some that I could see coming and some that I couldn’t—the cliffhanger at the end left me on the floor staring at the ceiling, wondering how I am supposed to wait so long for the second book. For all of this, I give the book 4.5⭐, and a glowing recommendation for anyone who loves fated mates, hate to love, courts and political intrigue, and a very very headstrong heroine!!
*Thank you again to NetGalley and Xpresso Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
Admittedly, I haven’t read anything from these authors before, nor did I have an idea of what I was getting myself into when I began this book. I had been drawn to the cover and the title, and thought I’d give it a shot. Ohhhh how glad am I that I read this. This book starts with the bones of a pretty classic Beauty and the Beast retelling, with a kidnapping of our heroine librarian, Imogen, from the human world into the fae realm by the Unseelie Prince, Tarian. From there, however, the book diverges in all the best ways.
To start with: Imogen has a fire and spunk to her that is so easy to root for. She spends a lot of the book trying to get back home, and though numerous roadblocks begin to make that effort more and more difficult, her headstrong attitude and refusal to cow to her surroundings is endearing, believable, and refreshing. Tarian is your typical morally grey, sexy and brooding grump, but the kernels of ✨broken, soft boi✨ that we see are heartbreaking and makes the reader want to give him a big hug (or, at least, I did).
The story also puts its own spin on fated mates, a trope that usually isn’t my favorite for what feels like a lack of agency, but it is cultivated so well in this book that I actually found myself pretty feral for the way the subsequent romance was written around it lol. For those wondering, yes, the spice is also fabulous when it happens, but the writers are good and make you wait for it till a bit past the halfway point.
Complete with a slew of side characters I either was intrigued with or intensely hated, the world is fleshed out in ways that kept me guessing, and with one huge plot twist near the end of the book that had rippling repercussions—some that I could see coming and some that I couldn’t—the cliffhanger at the end left me on the floor staring at the ceiling, wondering how I am supposed to wait so long for the second book. For all of this, I give the book 4.5⭐, and a glowing recommendation for anyone who loves fated mates, hate to love, courts and political intrigue, and a very very headstrong heroine!!
*Thank you again to NetGalley and Xpresso Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
September 25, 2023
Okay, I LOVED THIS and you will too.
This book does NOT have a slow start, instead there is so much excitement and anticipation starting in the first few chapters. Once I started reading, I simply just could not put it down until it was over.
In the beginning we are introduced to our FMC, Imogen. She is a librarian currently working on campus, a wallflower due to some past complications. 12 years prior to where we meet her she was attacked at a night club, by a strangely attractive man with sharp eyes and pale skin. Doctors and police shrugged her off as crazy since all of the evidence (literal fang marks on her neck) could only be seen by her. Since that attack she walks through life with a brave face, and a fear for seeming crazy. Just when life gets a little normal for her, she is attacked by another monster. Since mace is illegal she sprays her new attacker with deodorant and hits him with her car. Turns out the monster man who attacked her in the parking lot works for a Fae prince who is trying to get ahold of her. Imogen unknowingly has been written of in an ancient prophecy, foretold to be what brings the prince to his knees. He needs to find her and kill her, except when he does find her killing her is the last thing he's able to do...so he basically kidnaps her instead and the adventure begins.
Imogen is sassy, and despite all she has been through she is brave, and witty. She is the female lead of my dreams! Absolutely perfect and makes any scene feel fresh and exciting. She single-handedly is impressive enough to want to keep reading about.
Tarian the Fae prince, our MMC is dark and seemingly made of stone and scary to all who work for him or know him until Imogen abruptly lands in his dangerous kingdom. We find out he has a softer side to his not so charming character defects. I loved how sarcastic he could be, and his over protectiveness. Honestly when I learned about his past and what has happened to make him become who he is, I felt all the emotions and wanted to hug him.
If you love enemies to lovers, banter, betrayals, rivalry between courts, fated mates, modern Fae, magical worlds, a singular sassy griffin, and so so much more you will love this as much as I did. Also their take on fated mates and magic systems were so good, it definitely kept things interesting.
Thank you so much to NetGally and Xpresso Book tours for this ARC, I'm so happy I got to read something that made me happy and excited! I can't wait to read what comes next from Lorelei and Hailey! #PrinceOfNever #NetGally
This book does NOT have a slow start, instead there is so much excitement and anticipation starting in the first few chapters. Once I started reading, I simply just could not put it down until it was over.
In the beginning we are introduced to our FMC, Imogen. She is a librarian currently working on campus, a wallflower due to some past complications. 12 years prior to where we meet her she was attacked at a night club, by a strangely attractive man with sharp eyes and pale skin. Doctors and police shrugged her off as crazy since all of the evidence (literal fang marks on her neck) could only be seen by her. Since that attack she walks through life with a brave face, and a fear for seeming crazy. Just when life gets a little normal for her, she is attacked by another monster. Since mace is illegal she sprays her new attacker with deodorant and hits him with her car. Turns out the monster man who attacked her in the parking lot works for a Fae prince who is trying to get ahold of her. Imogen unknowingly has been written of in an ancient prophecy, foretold to be what brings the prince to his knees. He needs to find her and kill her, except when he does find her killing her is the last thing he's able to do...so he basically kidnaps her instead and the adventure begins.
Imogen is sassy, and despite all she has been through she is brave, and witty. She is the female lead of my dreams! Absolutely perfect and makes any scene feel fresh and exciting. She single-handedly is impressive enough to want to keep reading about.
Tarian the Fae prince, our MMC is dark and seemingly made of stone and scary to all who work for him or know him until Imogen abruptly lands in his dangerous kingdom. We find out he has a softer side to his not so charming character defects. I loved how sarcastic he could be, and his over protectiveness. Honestly when I learned about his past and what has happened to make him become who he is, I felt all the emotions and wanted to hug him.
If you love enemies to lovers, banter, betrayals, rivalry between courts, fated mates, modern Fae, magical worlds, a singular sassy griffin, and so so much more you will love this as much as I did. Also their take on fated mates and magic systems were so good, it definitely kept things interesting.
Thank you so much to NetGally and Xpresso Book tours for this ARC, I'm so happy I got to read something that made me happy and excited! I can't wait to read what comes next from Lorelei and Hailey! #PrinceOfNever #NetGally
September 23, 2023
This book was absolutely addicting. I read it in a day even with a four month old to take care of. I loved the writing style, the characters felt relatable and I liked that they were a bit older instead of the usual 18 year old we seem to get in most fantasy novels. While the romantic aspect of it could be seen as predictable, I still loved it just the same. My only real complaint with this book (apart from the ending that has me agonizing over what is going to happen next) is that I felt like some of the bigger plot points were glazed over - for example, when Ethan finds her in the fae realm for the first time and casually mentions he is half-fae and Imogen just accepts it without a second thought. Why did he never mention anything when she was obviously a believer, he also could absolutely see the scars on her neck - he never mentioned anything or made her feel less crazy for the things she thought and believed? Seemed a bit far fetched that she wouldn't have any follow up thoughts or questions about that. Apart from that - the world immersive, the world building was a really great balance between being descriptive without being too much and becoming hard to digest. I found some people saying they didn't think the romance was believable but I thought the author's did an amazing job of enemies to lovers, wanting to hate someone so desperately but longing for them all the same. I'm a sucker for fated mates. I can't wait to read the sequel!
September 24, 2023
This is a great fae book and I can’t wait for the next one! If you like ACOTAR vibes, this is a great one for you. Really, I feel like this one is more 4.5 stars. The beginning was a little rough for me and I was waiting for it to get going, but once it got going…so good.
Imogen is a human, works at a university, but secretly thinks she might be a little crazy. She’s seen things others can’t, she’s convinced she’s been bitten by a vampire and had a scar from it nobody else can see (again, crazy, right?) and a vampire looking creature attacks her and she hits it with her car. Has claw marks to show on the car, but again, nobody can see them.
Tarian is a fae prince. He’s the prince of darkness, and people fear him. His mother, queen of the unseelie court, won’t let him have his birthright until he takes care of the one who has been fated to make him destroy the unseelie court as it is. Since none of his people can’t seem to take care of the issue in the human realm, he’ll have to do it himself.
He hides in her apartment, ready to kill her, but when he touches her, he can’t seem to hurt her anymore. He decides to take her back to the fae realm until he can figure out what to do with her. He can’t seem to stop thinking about her and that is incredibly frustrating.
I felt like once they get to the fae realm, things are just moving a bit slow and nothing is really happening, but once you get to the festival, things really start to pick up and get goooood.
Tropes:
Fated mates
Will they/won’t they
Slow burn
Secret identity
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Imogen is a human, works at a university, but secretly thinks she might be a little crazy. She’s seen things others can’t, she’s convinced she’s been bitten by a vampire and had a scar from it nobody else can see (again, crazy, right?) and a vampire looking creature attacks her and she hits it with her car. Has claw marks to show on the car, but again, nobody can see them.
Tarian is a fae prince. He’s the prince of darkness, and people fear him. His mother, queen of the unseelie court, won’t let him have his birthright until he takes care of the one who has been fated to make him destroy the unseelie court as it is. Since none of his people can’t seem to take care of the issue in the human realm, he’ll have to do it himself.
He hides in her apartment, ready to kill her, but when he touches her, he can’t seem to hurt her anymore. He decides to take her back to the fae realm until he can figure out what to do with her. He can’t seem to stop thinking about her and that is incredibly frustrating.
I felt like once they get to the fae realm, things are just moving a bit slow and nothing is really happening, but once you get to the festival, things really start to pick up and get goooood.
Tropes:
Fated mates
Will they/won’t they
Slow burn
Secret identity
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
September 26, 2023
First off, can I say OMG. The story of a human girl and her Unseelie prince is mind consuming. I could not put my ereader down with out fighting with my mind and let’s face it my hands. It was like I wanted to keep reading or miss events and moments… yet we know that wouldn’t happen, but tell my mind that. My mind and heart are off in a different time with Imogen and Tarian. Due to a prophecy set before Imogen’s time, Tarian has been avoiding all things positive. Where he is all doom and gloom Imogen is full of life and hope. She just wants to be loved and to belong. Tarian must be rid of his downfall but can he willing throw away his happiness to please his Queen of a mother? Will the Seelie King stand in Tarian’s way? Can Imogen trust those close to her or is she bound to be betrayed by everyone she holds dearly? Can she get past the words of others to find her path? Who has her best interests at heart and wish her all the best? To find these answers you must pick up this book and join me in the far away fae realm. I recommend this book to anyone who just wants to be swept away and thrust into the unknown. Any fantasy- romance reader would greatly enjoy this fascinating book of Lorelei and Hailey’s.
Happy reading!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Happy reading!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2023
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours, Lorelei Johnson, Hailey Jade and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to review this ARC. First, what an absolute ride. This is a fast-paced, super grumpy enemies-to-lovers, found family smorgasbord.
There's a lot of potential here. My two mild criticisms are 1) we didn't get enough world building, including the magic system and 2) I think we needed a Beauty and the Beast, snowball in the courtyard, "maybe he's not so bad" moment and I didn't feel like we got that.
This may be one of the few FMC that I didn't immediately dislike. I think she develops realistically and her actions all seem to make sense. The MMC is understandably an ass but I really think he's going to really show up in book #2. I'm here for it.
I would absolutely recommend this book but BRACE YOURSELF, this isn't a cliffhanger it's a cliff dive into a volcano.
Can't wait for the next installation! Happy reading!
There's a lot of potential here. My two mild criticisms are 1) we didn't get enough world building, including the magic system and 2) I think we needed a Beauty and the Beast, snowball in the courtyard, "maybe he's not so bad" moment and I didn't feel like we got that.
This may be one of the few FMC that I didn't immediately dislike. I think she develops realistically and her actions all seem to make sense. The MMC is understandably an ass but I really think he's going to really show up in book #2. I'm here for it.
I would absolutely recommend this book but BRACE YOURSELF, this isn't a cliffhanger it's a cliff dive into a volcano.
Can't wait for the next installation! Happy reading!
September 26, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! Prince of Never was a good start to a new series. I read this book in just one night because it's so fast paced and I felt like I just had to keep turning the page. Which I find is a good sign that other readers will, like myself, be left excited for future books. I really liked Imogen a lot. Tarian definitely grew on me as well. Fated mates isn't my favorite trope in general, but if someone likes it I think this book does a good job with it. The world building wasn't bad, but I'll be hoping for more in future books. As I said, I think Prince of Never was overall a good start to a new series and I'll have high hopes for the next book!
November 18, 2023
This book was giving acotar vibes which I loved but the chokehold acotar has me in meant I kept thinking of acotar throughout and it made it really difficult for me to see this as its own. I felt like it jumped around a bit which made the story not flow very well but it was still an enjoyable read. I'm disappointed in the relationship development between Tarian and Imogen. I've read a few books recently where it goes from 0 to 100 with no development between the characters which is really frustrating and it doesn't make the relationship feel authentic, or believable. I thought the ending cliffhanger was quite anticlimactic and felt a bit like an easy way out to end the book. I'm still eager to read the next book in the series but the ending did not have the impact it should have.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the eARC!
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the eARC!
September 19, 2023
This book was laugh out loud funny in so many places! I couldn't stop, it just kept me so sucked in to find out what would happen next. Imogen is a strong, sassy, and brave human girl who is kidnapped by the Unseelie prince, Tarian. His plan is to kill her to prevent a prophecy from fulfilling, but the moment he touches her, everything changes. I loved watching everything unfold between the two of them, especially because everyone around them had it figured out long before they did. Funny, spicy, and dramatic, I can not wait to see what happens next!
September 25, 2023
I received my copy of this book as an ARC from Netgalley.
As far as enemies-to-lovers goes, this book was great. There was banter, angst, miscommunication, sexual tension, kidnapping, mommy issues, strong-willed heroine vs tortured fae prince *chefs kiss* and it all came together perfectly. The characters were all fairly well developed and the story was consistent. It was an easy book to binge read and I finished it with genuine frustration about having to wait for a second one to be released. I found I was able to guess the “twists” before they happened but I read this trope often and genuinely have no complaints, I’m just looking forward to the next one.
As far as enemies-to-lovers goes, this book was great. There was banter, angst, miscommunication, sexual tension, kidnapping, mommy issues, strong-willed heroine vs tortured fae prince *chefs kiss* and it all came together perfectly. The characters were all fairly well developed and the story was consistent. It was an easy book to binge read and I finished it with genuine frustration about having to wait for a second one to be released. I found I was able to guess the “twists” before they happened but I read this trope often and genuinely have no complaints, I’m just looking forward to the next one.
September 16, 2023
First, I would like to thank the author & booksprout for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is voluntary & honest
This was such a fantastic quick read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It was an excellent steamy fae romance with a plot twist to keep you on your toes.
It had good character building, and the plot didn’t drag. I loved the main characters, especially the tension between them, and there's a great cast of side characters, too!!
I am looking forward to the next book!
This was such a fantastic quick read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It was an excellent steamy fae romance with a plot twist to keep you on your toes.
It had good character building, and the plot didn’t drag. I loved the main characters, especially the tension between them, and there's a great cast of side characters, too!!
I am looking forward to the next book!
September 18, 2023
She spent her whole life seeing things nobody else did and thinking there was something wrong with her until she was taken by a Fae and kept until her true self showed.
But she went through a long battle to get there, thinking she wasn't wanted by anyone when the one person who did was too busy fighting not to.
Some good twists to this story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
But she went through a long battle to get there, thinking she wasn't wanted by anyone when the one person who did was too busy fighting not to.
Some good twists to this story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 24, 2023
A human and a Fae Prince with dark magic. She will bring down his court and he simply wants her dead. What could go wrong? Well I will leave you to read the story to find out! Seelie and Unseelie, Changelings, Beltane, a hunt, oracles, fate and so much more! Highly recommended and I cannot wait for the next installment!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 25, 2023
Imogen is a university librarian with a history of psychosis. When she imagines being bitten by a vampire, or being hunted by a claw-handed beast that no one else around her can see, she thinks she is losing her mind.
It isn’t until Imogen is kidnapped by a Fae Prince and taken to his realm as a prisoner, that she realizes all the monsters that she’s imagined her entire life were, perhaps, real.
Among the monsters is a quirky cast of mythical creatures, an evil Queen, and rival Fae courts.
-Enemies to lovers
-fated mates
-2/5 🌶️
You’ll like this book if you liked Cruel Prince, but needed 🌶️🌶️ and romance.
It isn’t until Imogen is kidnapped by a Fae Prince and taken to his realm as a prisoner, that she realizes all the monsters that she’s imagined her entire life were, perhaps, real.
Among the monsters is a quirky cast of mythical creatures, an evil Queen, and rival Fae courts.
-Enemies to lovers
-fated mates
-2/5 🌶️
You’ll like this book if you liked Cruel Prince, but needed 🌶️🌶️ and romance.
September 25, 2023
Prince of Never was a fast paced, spicy, Fae filled fantasy read! And those are a few of my favourite things! I felt like there could have been a bit more backstory to the characters and some world building, but that may come in future books. Overall though I love the premise and the characters and I can’t wait to find out what the Seelie Court is going to be like! I also really enjoy the style of writing, the cover is beautiful, and I love the chapter illustrations as well.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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