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Stolen Brides of the Fae #3
Stolen Midsummer Bride
Steal a bride. Save the library. Try not to die.
Basil, a rather scholarly fae, works as an assistant librarian at the Great Library of the Court of Knowledge. Lonely and unwilling to join the yearly Midsummer Revel to find a mate, Basil takes the advice of his talking horse companion and decides to steal a human bride instead.
But Basil never expected to find a human girl waiting for him, wanting to get snatched. Nor had he expected a girl like Meg, an illiterate farmgirl who has no use for books.
With the barrier with the Realm of Monsters wearing thin and the chaos of Midsummer Night about to descend, will this unlikely pair put aside their differences long enough to save the Great Library from destruction? And maybe find a spark of love along the way.
Basil, a rather scholarly fae, works as an assistant librarian at the Great Library of the Court of Knowledge. Lonely and unwilling to join the yearly Midsummer Revel to find a mate, Basil takes the advice of his talking horse companion and decides to steal a human bride instead.
But Basil never expected to find a human girl waiting for him, wanting to get snatched. Nor had he expected a girl like Meg, an illiterate farmgirl who has no use for books.
With the barrier with the Realm of Monsters wearing thin and the chaos of Midsummer Night about to descend, will this unlikely pair put aside their differences long enough to save the Great Library from destruction? And maybe find a spark of love along the way.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 18, 2021
219 people are currently reading
1913 people want to read
About the author
Tara Grayce
33 books789 followersBorn and raised in Michigan, I enjoy traveling to new adventures that inspire my writing.
Growing up, I read just about every book I could get my hands on, especially fantasy. I currently write YA fantasy and romantic fantasy filled with lots of humor, spunky and tough leading ladies, and broken heroes.
When I am not writing, I enjoy spending time with my chocolate lab, Miss Kisses.
Growing up, I read just about every book I could get my hands on, especially fantasy. I currently write YA fantasy and romantic fantasy filled with lots of humor, spunky and tough leading ladies, and broken heroes.
When I am not writing, I enjoy spending time with my chocolate lab, Miss Kisses.
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January 30, 2023To DNF or not to DNF - that is the question...
And unfortunately for the author, the answer will have to be the former.
This book was in my tbr because it apparently is a Midsummer Night's Dream (which I love) loose retelling and because of its cover. It totally looked like Azriel was getting all touchy with Aelin, which is a concept only my twisted mind would find cute.
Sadly, this didn't deliver. The story was okay, I guess, but its execution let me down. I found the writing a little too messy and, even though it's categorized as NA, it definitely reads like a YA.
DNFing like a pro at around 14%. Cute cover, tho.
And unfortunately for the author, the answer will have to be the former.
This book was in my tbr because it apparently is a Midsummer Night's Dream (which I love) loose retelling and because of its cover. It totally looked like Azriel was getting all touchy with Aelin, which is a concept only my twisted mind would find cute.
Sadly, this didn't deliver. The story was okay, I guess, but its execution let me down. I found the writing a little too messy and, even though it's categorized as NA, it definitely reads like a YA.
DNFing like a pro at around 14%. Cute cover, tho.
May 7, 2021
Okay, that was absolutely delightful!
(Disclaimer: I was a copyeditor for this one.)
(Disclaimer: I was a copyeditor for this one.)
May 21, 2021
I loved this book so much! Basil is absolutely ADORABLE. I'd happily be snatched by him any day. xD
September 19, 2021
This was adorable and beautiful and so much fun!
Sundry thoughts:
•I very much want a bookwyrm.
•I would also love to spend some time in a magical library. (New dream job: librarian in a enormous, beautiful magical library.)
•Basil is the absolute sweetest. So kind and considerate and selfless.
•Meg! Sensible with a hint of fire.
•Buddy. Hilarious with an actual wise streak (and a pretty wide snarky streak as well).
•Semi-sentient house (which reminded me a little of The Office from Beaumont and Beasley).
I love so many of Tara Grayce’s main characters. They’re real and vulnerable with believable character growth and sensible heads on their shoulders. While some of the magic in this story was a bit confusing, I also found the description to be vivid and slightly mysterious, just like the Fae Realm.
Also, some of the narrative lines and themes were quite thought-provoking and profound. And I absolutely love how Tara Grayce places so much emphasis on commitment, communication, sacrifice, and selflessness in relationships, not just the sensations of falling in love. I love the romances she writes so much.
Stolen Midsummer Bride is perfect for fans of quick reads, sweet romance, intriguing fae, and magical buildings. (And if you enjoy Shakespeare, the references to A Midsummer Night’s Dream are fun, too.)
Content: Mentions of a cruel landlord who traffics in humans lives. Mention of the wild Court of Revels where people wear very scanty clothing and indulge in all sorts of carnal pleasures. Two married monarchs deal with a lot of marital strife and play nasty pranks on each other. Mild violence. Some non-descriptive kissing.
Sundry thoughts:
•I very much want a bookwyrm.
•I would also love to spend some time in a magical library. (New dream job: librarian in a enormous, beautiful magical library.)
•Basil is the absolute sweetest. So kind and considerate and selfless.
•Meg! Sensible with a hint of fire.
•Buddy. Hilarious with an actual wise streak (and a pretty wide snarky streak as well).
•Semi-sentient house (which reminded me a little of The Office from Beaumont and Beasley).
I love so many of Tara Grayce’s main characters. They’re real and vulnerable with believable character growth and sensible heads on their shoulders. While some of the magic in this story was a bit confusing, I also found the description to be vivid and slightly mysterious, just like the Fae Realm.
Also, some of the narrative lines and themes were quite thought-provoking and profound. And I absolutely love how Tara Grayce places so much emphasis on commitment, communication, sacrifice, and selflessness in relationships, not just the sensations of falling in love. I love the romances she writes so much.
Stolen Midsummer Bride is perfect for fans of quick reads, sweet romance, intriguing fae, and magical buildings. (And if you enjoy Shakespeare, the references to A Midsummer Night’s Dream are fun, too.)
Content: Mentions of a cruel landlord who traffics in humans lives. Mention of the wild Court of Revels where people wear very scanty clothing and indulge in all sorts of carnal pleasures. Two married monarchs deal with a lot of marital strife and play nasty pranks on each other. Mild violence. Some non-descriptive kissing.
July 19, 2021
Revelry isn't just the debauched pursuit of mindless, excessive--and often cruel-- pleasures as King Oberon and Titania have turned it into. It is supposed to be a place of art. No matter how seemingly frivolous, art can give a laugh, a light, a spark of pleasure relieves sorrow and uplifts the soul. It can tell truths and reach hearts better than dry, pedantic tomes. That's the true purpose of the Court of Revels.
Ahem. Attention, do I have your attention? Good.
First, I will say that even though I LOVE the Elven Alliance series by Tara Grayce, I was a little shy of reading this book because it was in the Stolen Brides of the Fae set, and I will be honest and say that I...don’t really like the stolen bride trope.
But Tara weaves together a whimsical, sensible, and absolutely adorable tale that looks at the crazy Fae world with an utterly refreshing lens.
First of all our heroine is a practical, realistically tough farm girl who reminds me a bit of Sophie Hatter with how she adapts to the Fae world.
And Basil...well, how shall I describe Basil except as an utterly unique hero in the fae romance world. An under-appreciated librarian who is as sensible as he is sentimental and brave as he is gentle. Bless Basil.
I’ll admit, I do enjoy Fae courts and Fae settings. But I also know the myths these stories come from are deeply unhealthy in their messages. Instead of trying to romanticize or validate everything, Tara points out the shortcomings with humorous wit. Oberon and Titania are portrayed as toxic as they ACTUALLY are. Fae traditions can be very damaging and foolish. But even while showing the pitfalls, Tara also showers us with the sweetness of magic done right.
I cannot wait for more in this world.
Ahem. Attention, do I have your attention? Good.
First, I will say that even though I LOVE the Elven Alliance series by Tara Grayce, I was a little shy of reading this book because it was in the Stolen Brides of the Fae set, and I will be honest and say that I...don’t really like the stolen bride trope.
But Tara weaves together a whimsical, sensible, and absolutely adorable tale that looks at the crazy Fae world with an utterly refreshing lens.
First of all our heroine is a practical, realistically tough farm girl who reminds me a bit of Sophie Hatter with how she adapts to the Fae world.
And Basil...well, how shall I describe Basil except as an utterly unique hero in the fae romance world. An under-appreciated librarian who is as sensible as he is sentimental and brave as he is gentle. Bless Basil.
I’ll admit, I do enjoy Fae courts and Fae settings. But I also know the myths these stories come from are deeply unhealthy in their messages. Instead of trying to romanticize or validate everything, Tara points out the shortcomings with humorous wit. Oberon and Titania are portrayed as toxic as they ACTUALLY are. Fae traditions can be very damaging and foolish. But even while showing the pitfalls, Tara also showers us with the sweetness of magic done right.
I cannot wait for more in this world.
May 24, 2021
Oh my goodness, I adored this story to absolute bits. The perfect romantic comedy set in a lush world with characters that leap right off the page and into your imagination.
March 29, 2024
Adorable. This will brighten your day and lighten your mood.
If it doesn't, time for actual therapy, my dudes.
If it doesn't, time for actual therapy, my dudes.
August 29, 2022
truly just as ridiculous and fun as I hoped it would be. I would very much like to spend an afternoon in the magical library.
4 stars.
4 stars.
May 24, 2021
Tara Grayce did it again! Seriously, I don’t get how she writes such adorable characters. I fell in love with Basil, Meg, Buddy, and the rest almost from the moment I met them. Tara has a gift for world building as well. I want to go visit the Court of Knowledge (although idk if I want to be married to a fae) Highly recommend this short novel if you want a fun summer read!
May 23, 2021
5 stars // read May 2021
This is the first time I've read a book on its release day (I usually wait for reviews and/or sales before purchasing.) But I was very confident that I'd like it, because after all: sentient libraries (complete with bookwyrms)! fae! clean arranged marriage! What isn't to like??
Meg and Basil complement each other so well and I appreciate that they actually COMMUNICATE with each other. No unnecessary drama due to a communication breakdown. 👍 I also appreciated Meg's character-yes, she's illiterate and may only take a bath once a week, but her courage and country experience comes into play and at the end she's still a farm girl at heart. Basil is sweet but also willing to fight for what he cares about. Their relationship was just so pure 💕
I was a bit iffy about the talking pony, but he grew on me.
Not to spoil anything, but we get to see some pretty unique monsters and it's so nice to have different fantasy creatures than the same typical ones!
This is basically a retelling of a Midsummer Night's Dream. I've only a rudimentary knowledge of the tale from reading an abridged version at like age eight or something, but I was still able to track along pretty well.
The ending is perfect, although I do hope that we get to see more snippets in the future! ☺
Content: none/mild; frequent references are made to the Court of Revels' apparent distaste for clothing beyond the essentials, also mild fairytale violence.
This is the first time I've read a book on its release day (I usually wait for reviews and/or sales before purchasing.) But I was very confident that I'd like it, because after all: sentient libraries (complete with bookwyrms)! fae! clean arranged marriage! What isn't to like??
Meg and Basil complement each other so well and I appreciate that they actually COMMUNICATE with each other. No unnecessary drama due to a communication breakdown. 👍 I also appreciated Meg's character-yes, she's illiterate and may only take a bath once a week, but her courage and country experience comes into play and at the end she's still a farm girl at heart. Basil is sweet but also willing to fight for what he cares about. Their relationship was just so pure 💕
I was a bit iffy about the talking pony, but he grew on me.
Not to spoil anything, but we get to see some pretty unique monsters and it's so nice to have different fantasy creatures than the same typical ones!
This is basically a retelling of a Midsummer Night's Dream. I've only a rudimentary knowledge of the tale from reading an abridged version at like age eight or something, but I was still able to track along pretty well.
The ending is perfect, although I do hope that we get to see more snippets in the future! ☺
Content: none/mild; frequent references are made to the Court of Revels' apparent distaste for clothing beyond the essentials, also mild fairytale violence.
May 30, 2021
I wanted to like this. It was written well. I just lost interest and felt it got a little silly there at the end. Their love was also a little unbelievable and sudden. Just not my thing but I know many girls who would love this.
December 2, 2022
Free today (12/2/2022) on Amazon.
——
Even better than I hoped. 😊
If it has Tara Grayce on the cover, I'm reading it. :)
——
Even better than I hoped. 😊
If it has Tara Grayce on the cover, I'm reading it. :)
November 1, 2022
Cute and fun
I adored this story. Meg was the perfect spunky heroine without being hard to like. I loved her instantly. I loved Basil too...what's not to love with a swoony librarian? I also adored the House, Library and Buddy. It was all so good. Book wyrms, fae courts, icky spiders, a basilisk...this book has it all. My only complaint...I want more. ;)
I adored this story. Meg was the perfect spunky heroine without being hard to like. I loved her instantly. I loved Basil too...what's not to love with a swoony librarian? I also adored the House, Library and Buddy. It was all so good. Book wyrms, fae courts, icky spiders, a basilisk...this book has it all. My only complaint...I want more. ;)
October 25, 2022
SIMPLY DELIGHTFUL!!! <3 <3 <3
Humorous, Clever, Wholesome, and Fast Paced!
*Definitely my favorite of the Stolen Brides Series*
Humorous, Clever, Wholesome, and Fast Paced!
*Definitely my favorite of the Stolen Brides Series*
June 7, 2021
Read on the principle that I read everything Tara Grayce writes. This was darling, as always. My favourite part was where the mild-mannered fae librarian turns up on his rotund pony to trundle away the human farm girl who has helpfully plonked herself in the middle of the enchanted fae glade in the hopes of catching a wealthy fae lord.
March 23, 2023
Tara’s books are always a delight, and this one is no exception. 🧡
August 31, 2025
A fun, easy, lighthearted read. It was a nice book, and while it wasn’t a favorite, it gave all the cozy feels and sweet adventure with enough action to keep me from being bored. I liked it, and would recommend if you’re a fan of Fae or just a cozy fantasy story with no-spice romance.
June 21, 2021
Generally, I'm not fond of kidnapped person stories. But considering the kidnapping was on purpose, I can't help but be fond of this one. XD
I liked the characters, their development, and the world around them. Everything was done so well, and maybe what could have been done better was the romantic development aspect but it didn't bother me as much (probably because I was blinded by libraries and a cool magical world). Besides, this is a novella.
Anyway, overall, I didn't find anything specific to hate. A good story. :)
Content: Doesn't get past kissing, the romance. There does exists a court, however who likes to wear leaves as their clothing xD
I liked the characters, their development, and the world around them. Everything was done so well, and maybe what could have been done better was the romantic development aspect but it didn't bother me as much (probably because I was blinded by libraries and a cool magical world). Besides, this is a novella.
Anyway, overall, I didn't find anything specific to hate. A good story. :)
Content: Doesn't get past kissing, the romance. There does exists a court, however who likes to wear leaves as their clothing xD
February 12, 2024
So sweet and wholesome—I love Meg and Basil! This author really knows how to write fun, interesting characters and sweet, swoony romance and this one is not exception despite it being a novella which usually ends up lacking on one or more of these things. Being a farmgirl myself I really appreciated how Meg handled and reacted to certain things and situations while Basil really spoke to my book lover heart. 🥰🥰
And on top of our heroes being awesome, the sweet romance, and great action scenes there’s a sentient library AND house, both with personalities and I love them both as much as Basil and Meg! And Buddy!!! The best talking pony ever! I own a pony and I could tell without the author saying so she’d had a pony at one point in her life because Buddy acted EXACTLY like the cute little stinkers, lol.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to continue the rest of the series!
‼️Content‼️
Language: wench
Violence: fighting monsters with weapons (not detailed aside from characters being covered in monster guts); injuries and blood (not detailed)
Sexual: a girl is vaguely threatened with becoming a prostitute; kissing (not detailed); fae of a certain court wear only leaves as clothes which barely cover them though nothing is shown
Drug/Alcohol: a character is bit by a basilisk and poisoned; a love potion is used
Other: magic; fae; magical creatures, places, and powers; mentions and threats to people being sold as slaves (human trafficking); a fae “kidnaps” a willing bride; giant spiders
And on top of our heroes being awesome, the sweet romance, and great action scenes there’s a sentient library AND house, both with personalities and I love them both as much as Basil and Meg! And Buddy!!! The best talking pony ever! I own a pony and I could tell without the author saying so she’d had a pony at one point in her life because Buddy acted EXACTLY like the cute little stinkers, lol.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to continue the rest of the series!
‼️Content‼️
Language: wench
Violence: fighting monsters with weapons (not detailed aside from characters being covered in monster guts); injuries and blood (not detailed)
Sexual: a girl is vaguely threatened with becoming a prostitute; kissing (not detailed); fae of a certain court wear only leaves as clothes which barely cover them though nothing is shown
Drug/Alcohol: a character is bit by a basilisk and poisoned; a love potion is used
Other: magic; fae; magical creatures, places, and powers; mentions and threats to people being sold as slaves (human trafficking); a fae “kidnaps” a willing bride; giant spiders
June 28, 2021
Cute
Cute and enjoyable novella, although I feel like I didn't quite deeply connect to the characters--but Basil and Meg were still cute and I liked how they weren'twhat each other expected but were what each other needed once they accepted each other for who they were. I think my expectations would have been a bit different and I might have enjoyed it more if I knew it was partly an A Midsummer Night's Dream retelling going in, and all the inanity of that would be going on in the background.
Cute and enjoyable novella, although I feel like I didn't quite deeply connect to the characters--but Basil and Meg were still cute and I liked how they weren'twhat each other expected but were what each other needed once they accepted each other for who they were. I think my expectations would have been a bit different and I might have enjoyed it more if I knew it was partly an A Midsummer Night's Dream retelling going in, and all the inanity of that would be going on in the background.
September 18, 2023
I love this story so much. Basil and Meg actually communicate as a couple (*gasp* the rarity) and watching the two of them conquer the troubles that come their way as well as the troubles in their own home and relationship is great.
Plus, uh hello, talkinghorse sorry pony and a sentient house. What’s not to love?
Plus, uh hello, talking
September 15, 2021
Oh lord was this bad… really cool concept and some fun world building elements but just… not well executed.
Read
September 25, 2021*Note: I read this series however I do not personally recommend it due to magic.
But. This. Was. So. Cute.
But. This. Was. So. Cute.
April 4, 2022
After reading the Elven Alliance books, I’ve sort of – and I’m saying this in the most neutral and genuine way possible – developed a fascination with Tara Grayce’s work and figured I’d take a gander at her non-EA books to see if the general blandness is a symptom of her writing style or if it’s just that one series.
Do I finally have an answer? Well. We’re still in 3-out-of-5 city, so … Let’s check a look.
This one’s not exactly a groundbreaking story, lads. What you see in the blurb and on the cover is pretty much it. It’s a light and breezy romance that’s inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream by some obscure author I can’t remember. I haven’t read that one (I don’t care for theater or plays I’m SORRY, I tried reading Hamlet once and it bored me out of my skull) so I can’t speak for how well the inspiration and references are integrated or how accurate they are. King Theseus and Hippolyta are there, as well as the four quarreling lovers and a group of actors, which I understand are all based on the play?
It would explain why most of the names are Greek, and then there’s … Basil, a tasty herb.
ANYHWAY, my missing out on some tasty Willy Shacks references notwithstanding, the main flaw in the whole book is right there in the blurb. Actually, it’s in the very title itself.
You might think: oh, this is going to be a cute little story about two young people falling in cute puppy love after surviving a series of life-threatening events?
No, um, actually it’s about how profound and deep and true their love is, and how they overcome their differences and Choose To Love each other and how they’re each other’s Home and how they’re family. Except it all happens. In the span of 3-4 days. I could even make the argument it happens overnight with decent evidence.
Call me a cynic, but I just had a really hard time suspending my disbelief.
Let me describe the so-called conflict:
Basil needs a bride because he’s lonely, but he can’t get laid because he’s poor and a nerd and can’t get a promotion. His pony friend tells him to steal a bride on the night before Midsummer, because drama, and he’s like “yeah ok.”
Meg’s family is destitute, and a big scary man is threatening to sell her as a slave if they don’t cough up the cash soon. Meg decides to get kidnapped by a “fae warrior” as a get-rich-quick scheme in an attempt to save her siblings from slavery.
They meet in a fairy circle and Basil just picks her up. They get “married”/mated/bonded/whatever on the way to Basil’s house, on horseback (ponyback?), barely before they introduce themselves. Before Meg, who saw a dude roll up on a PONY, finds out whether he’s actually rich or not.
So Meg finds out that Basil is poor, and Basil finds out that Meg can’t read and thus can’t help him at work. What drama. They’re both kinda bummed out about this but I’m not sure what else they expected when marrying a literal random person whose name they didn’t know? Whatever, man.
A couple of days later and some cutesy yet very on-the-nose interactions later, we find out that Meg is actually spunky and sensible and knows things about subduing farm animals which apparently translates flawlessly into battling supernatural beings a hundred times their size, which makes her so much more valuable in Basil’s eyes despite her inability to read, and we also find out that Basil …
Ok, I think Basil was supposed to be. Kind? Or something? I’m not sure. He’s still very much poor and a nerd at the end, and Meg just learns to accept that? So that’s … fun, for her. I guess. Meg gets to figure out that Basil is great despite being poor, while Basil learns that Meg thankfully has other useful traits even if she can’t read. Truly the romance of the ages.
Then a bunch of Midsummer Night shenanigans happen, the four lovers get love-potioned as per the play, Basil gets got by a basilisk and it’s all very dramatic.
(Also, there’s this part where they encounter a cockatrice, which is the thing that killed Basil’s parents. Basil tells Meg this at the end of a chapter all angsty-like, and then at the beginning of her chapter, right after the previous backstory drop, Meg notes that Basil isn’t doing well and it’s because the cockatrice is affecting him more than other monsters, since it was a cockatrice that killed his parents. Like, yeah, no shit. Thanks for the recap of the previous 100 words.)
After all of that, we get tearful and heartfelt monologues and dialogues about how Basil isn’t alone and actually has a family (that family being the woman he met 3 days ago and her siblings that he hasn’t met yet, the four people who didn’t give a fuck about him and were busy with their own petty drama, a random dude who helped create the situation that almost killed him, his place of work, and the one individual actually worthy of being called family aka the talking pony he lives with) and that they love each other so dearly and are each other’s home. And I’m just sitting there. And I keep thinking. 3. Days.
I feel like Tara Grayce is really into the concept of choosing who you love and accepting all their flaws, but keeps missing the entire point of why and how such a love story would work. For one, she keeps writing romances between two really hot people (Basil has chest muscles despite the book making a big deal out of how he’s not a warrior and just a librarian) whose flaws amount to “can’t read” or “poor” or “shy”, so their SO’s “accepting” them amounts to “accepting” a bowl of warm, delicious soup that’s two degrees below your personal ideal soup temperature. But in this case specifically, the concept fundamentally can’t work, because choosing to love and to accept takes time and effort, which these two simply do not have or give. They just see that the other person has multiple personality traits and go “I have accepted you as you are.”
And yeah, you might say "Why read a cute and simple romance if you’re not enjoying it?" But I would have enjoyed it if it was a simple and cute romance, if it committed to being that instead of trying to go for something more emotional and profound. I would have totally vibed if Basil and Meg just … liked each other? If they worked well together and enjoyed each other’s company and were attracted to each other. I even accept the explanation that extreme circumstances bring people together quicker. But I just can’t accept the whole “you’re my home, you’re my mate, you’re my family” shit from people who’ve known each other for less than a work week. It just feels forced and hollow. When Basil started lecturing another character about the nature of true love I couldn’t believe his audacity. (And also there’s something ironically funny about an author’s OC lecturing a Shakespearean character about the nature of true love.)
There’s just no room for these sorts of “overcome our differences and learn to love each other” stories when they take place over the course of a few days, because the “flaws” they learn to accept in each other are surface-level, obviously because those are the only one’s they actually know of. Like, wow, Basil accepted that Meg can’t read and is plucky! How brave and wonderful of him to choose love and make her his home!
Okay, so the romance falls flat, but what about the other plot? Well, it’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream but there’s random fairy monsters and a big library. And that’s about it, really.
I’m of the opinion that a good romance needs a blend of internal and external conflict. Internal conflict between the lovers to keep them from getting together, and external conflict to keep the lovers apart. Here, the internal conflict is weak for the reasons I explained above, while the external conflict has … nothing to do with them, and in fact mostly works to bring them together at the end.
So this book is basically … just a bunch of low-conflict, no-stakes faffing about until the leads realize they’re each other’s mates, home, family etc etc. It’s Elven Alliance all over again but mercifully short and there’s no Essie to make a stink.
And I mean, if you’re into that, then this book definitely delivers. It’s got everything it advertises in the blurb. But if you’re even slightly familiar with romance tropes, then you need only read the blurb and you’ll get the experience of reading the book, because while it tries to reach deeper, its arms are too short and its midsummer dreams are too large.
Do I finally have an answer? Well. We’re still in 3-out-of-5 city, so … Let’s check a look.
This one’s not exactly a groundbreaking story, lads. What you see in the blurb and on the cover is pretty much it. It’s a light and breezy romance that’s inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream by some obscure author I can’t remember. I haven’t read that one (I don’t care for theater or plays I’m SORRY, I tried reading Hamlet once and it bored me out of my skull) so I can’t speak for how well the inspiration and references are integrated or how accurate they are. King Theseus and Hippolyta are there, as well as the four quarreling lovers and a group of actors, which I understand are all based on the play?
It would explain why most of the names are Greek, and then there’s … Basil, a tasty herb.
ANYHWAY, my missing out on some tasty Willy Shacks references notwithstanding, the main flaw in the whole book is right there in the blurb. Actually, it’s in the very title itself.
You might think: oh, this is going to be a cute little story about two young people falling in cute puppy love after surviving a series of life-threatening events?
No, um, actually it’s about how profound and deep and true their love is, and how they overcome their differences and Choose To Love each other and how they’re each other’s Home and how they’re family. Except it all happens. In the span of 3-4 days. I could even make the argument it happens overnight with decent evidence.
Call me a cynic, but I just had a really hard time suspending my disbelief.
Let me describe the so-called conflict:
Basil needs a bride because he’s lonely, but he can’t get laid because he’s poor and a nerd and can’t get a promotion. His pony friend tells him to steal a bride on the night before Midsummer, because drama, and he’s like “yeah ok.”
Meg’s family is destitute, and a big scary man is threatening to sell her as a slave if they don’t cough up the cash soon. Meg decides to get kidnapped by a “fae warrior” as a get-rich-quick scheme in an attempt to save her siblings from slavery.
They meet in a fairy circle and Basil just picks her up. They get “married”/mated/bonded/whatever on the way to Basil’s house, on horseback (ponyback?), barely before they introduce themselves. Before Meg, who saw a dude roll up on a PONY, finds out whether he’s actually rich or not.
So Meg finds out that Basil is poor, and Basil finds out that Meg can’t read and thus can’t help him at work. What drama. They’re both kinda bummed out about this but I’m not sure what else they expected when marrying a literal random person whose name they didn’t know? Whatever, man.
A couple of days later and some cutesy yet very on-the-nose interactions later, we find out that Meg is actually spunky and sensible and knows things about subduing farm animals which apparently translates flawlessly into battling supernatural beings a hundred times their size, which makes her so much more valuable in Basil’s eyes despite her inability to read, and we also find out that Basil …
Ok, I think Basil was supposed to be. Kind? Or something? I’m not sure. He’s still very much poor and a nerd at the end, and Meg just learns to accept that? So that’s … fun, for her. I guess. Meg gets to figure out that Basil is great despite being poor, while Basil learns that Meg thankfully has other useful traits even if she can’t read. Truly the romance of the ages.
Then a bunch of Midsummer Night shenanigans happen, the four lovers get love-potioned as per the play, Basil gets got by a basilisk and it’s all very dramatic.
(Also, there’s this part where they encounter a cockatrice, which is the thing that killed Basil’s parents. Basil tells Meg this at the end of a chapter all angsty-like, and then at the beginning of her chapter, right after the previous backstory drop, Meg notes that Basil isn’t doing well and it’s because the cockatrice is affecting him more than other monsters, since it was a cockatrice that killed his parents. Like, yeah, no shit. Thanks for the recap of the previous 100 words.)
After all of that, we get tearful and heartfelt monologues and dialogues about how Basil isn’t alone and actually has a family (that family being the woman he met 3 days ago and her siblings that he hasn’t met yet, the four people who didn’t give a fuck about him and were busy with their own petty drama, a random dude who helped create the situation that almost killed him, his place of work, and the one individual actually worthy of being called family aka the talking pony he lives with) and that they love each other so dearly and are each other’s home. And I’m just sitting there. And I keep thinking. 3. Days.
I feel like Tara Grayce is really into the concept of choosing who you love and accepting all their flaws, but keeps missing the entire point of why and how such a love story would work. For one, she keeps writing romances between two really hot people (Basil has chest muscles despite the book making a big deal out of how he’s not a warrior and just a librarian) whose flaws amount to “can’t read” or “poor” or “shy”, so their SO’s “accepting” them amounts to “accepting” a bowl of warm, delicious soup that’s two degrees below your personal ideal soup temperature. But in this case specifically, the concept fundamentally can’t work, because choosing to love and to accept takes time and effort, which these two simply do not have or give. They just see that the other person has multiple personality traits and go “I have accepted you as you are.”
And yeah, you might say "Why read a cute and simple romance if you’re not enjoying it?" But I would have enjoyed it if it was a simple and cute romance, if it committed to being that instead of trying to go for something more emotional and profound. I would have totally vibed if Basil and Meg just … liked each other? If they worked well together and enjoyed each other’s company and were attracted to each other. I even accept the explanation that extreme circumstances bring people together quicker. But I just can’t accept the whole “you’re my home, you’re my mate, you’re my family” shit from people who’ve known each other for less than a work week. It just feels forced and hollow. When Basil started lecturing another character about the nature of true love I couldn’t believe his audacity. (And also there’s something ironically funny about an author’s OC lecturing a Shakespearean character about the nature of true love.)
There’s just no room for these sorts of “overcome our differences and learn to love each other” stories when they take place over the course of a few days, because the “flaws” they learn to accept in each other are surface-level, obviously because those are the only one’s they actually know of. Like, wow, Basil accepted that Meg can’t read and is plucky! How brave and wonderful of him to choose love and make her his home!
Okay, so the romance falls flat, but what about the other plot? Well, it’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream but there’s random fairy monsters and a big library. And that’s about it, really.
I’m of the opinion that a good romance needs a blend of internal and external conflict. Internal conflict between the lovers to keep them from getting together, and external conflict to keep the lovers apart. Here, the internal conflict is weak for the reasons I explained above, while the external conflict has … nothing to do with them, and in fact mostly works to bring them together at the end.
So this book is basically … just a bunch of low-conflict, no-stakes faffing about until the leads realize they’re each other’s mates, home, family etc etc. It’s Elven Alliance all over again but mercifully short and there’s no Essie to make a stink.
And I mean, if you’re into that, then this book definitely delivers. It’s got everything it advertises in the blurb. But if you’re even slightly familiar with romance tropes, then you need only read the blurb and you’ll get the experience of reading the book, because while it tries to reach deeper, its arms are too short and its midsummer dreams are too large.
May 21, 2021
Honestly, this was pretty good and it served very well as a de-stresser after work.
Something I love about Tara Grayce’s writing is the way she shows the deeper sides of love, not basing it (only) on looks but about genuinely appreciating the other’s talents and skills and making fantasy relationships altogether much more realistic and fun to read.
My only slight problem with this is it felt a tad rushed. The relationship seemed to move very quickly from distrust and unfamiliarity to love and affection. In addition, it didn’t feel like a whole lot of the book focused on their relationship, more on the incidents of Midsummer’s night. But on the whole, it was another great read from this author! I’ll likely be looking more into the rest of the series.
Something I love about Tara Grayce’s writing is the way she shows the deeper sides of love, not basing it (only) on looks but about genuinely appreciating the other’s talents and skills and making fantasy relationships altogether much more realistic and fun to read.
My only slight problem with this is it felt a tad rushed. The relationship seemed to move very quickly from distrust and unfamiliarity to love and affection. In addition, it didn’t feel like a whole lot of the book focused on their relationship, more on the incidents of Midsummer’s night. But on the whole, it was another great read from this author! I’ll likely be looking more into the rest of the series.
May 18, 2025
I absolutely love this sweet romance about a fae librarian and a woman who can't read. It's so unique and different. I wouldn't have thought that the author would chose not to make the illiterate woman literate, but instead to show how even people who aren't talented in certain areas have their own gifts and abilities. These characters are loveable because they show how the unconfident can shine because of who they are inside.
Reread and Review because reading helps me feel better.
Reread and Review because reading helps me feel better.
March 30, 2025
An enjoyable novella! I am not normally a huge fan of fae in fantasy, but I wanted to give this one a try, and I’m glad I did. I was impressed with the worldbuilding. Although there are underlinings of viciousness that are often in books with fae, this one was more focused on the whimsical aspects. I plan to check out this author’s other books.
Spice level: kisses only
Spice level: kisses only
December 20, 2021
This was such a fun, sweet novella! The characters were all unique and fleshed out and the world building was so cool!! 🤩
I loved Meg and Basil’s relationship and how they learned to love each other and see their values, not just hate that they weren’t exactly what they were hoping for. 😍 Basil was so sweet and I loved him! And Meg was a great protagonist, strong and caring.
Tara knows how to intertwine humor into her writing and it makes it so fun! I loved the little phrases Meg says and Buddy’s (the talking equine pony companion) whole attitude. He was hilarious yet wise at the same time. 😂 And the Foolish Four and the Deplorable Duo? They’re exactly how they sound. 😂😂
As I said, the world building was so cool! I loved all the uniqueness of the Fae Realm, how theirs all these different courts for knowledge, strength, and everything else. The fae creatures, the magical house and library, the Anywhere Door, the new type of monsters, the magical marriage bonding, all of it was just so cool!!
The action was well written as well and kept me engaged! Even when their wasn’t action I was thoroughly engaged. 😆 And it was clean, which is aways so good to see!
Now I really want to read more in this series…👀😆😂
I loved Meg and Basil’s relationship and how they learned to love each other and see their values, not just hate that they weren’t exactly what they were hoping for. 😍 Basil was so sweet and I loved him! And Meg was a great protagonist, strong and caring.
Tara knows how to intertwine humor into her writing and it makes it so fun! I loved the little phrases Meg says and Buddy’s (the talking equine pony companion) whole attitude. He was hilarious yet wise at the same time. 😂 And the Foolish Four and the Deplorable Duo? They’re exactly how they sound. 😂😂
As I said, the world building was so cool! I loved all the uniqueness of the Fae Realm, how theirs all these different courts for knowledge, strength, and everything else. The fae creatures, the magical house and library, the Anywhere Door, the new type of monsters, the magical marriage bonding, all of it was just so cool!!
The action was well written as well and kept me engaged! Even when their wasn’t action I was thoroughly engaged. 😆 And it was clean, which is aways so good to see!
Now I really want to read more in this series…👀😆😂
August 26, 2022
A lighthearted and humorous read! Clean, with a sweet romance.
April 14, 2025
He’s a golden-hearted, kinda awkward fae librarian. She’s a vivacious (& illiterate) human farm girl. Naturally they’re a perfect match. 😂
This was my first Tara Grayce book, despite having her books on my TBR for years, and I AM IN LOVE. 😍 I mean, a loose retelling of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with fae, monster attacks, a sentient library, a talking horse, and the cutest marriage of convenience?! Your girl was SOLD.
The “bride snatching” could sound like a red flag, but I promise you, it’s not and totally a mutual agreement marriage. Basil and Meg being so much cuteness and balance to each other’s lives.
This no-spice romantasy brings sweet, swoony romance together with tender moments, hilarious banter, and heart-stopping action!
This was my first Tara Grayce book, despite having her books on my TBR for years, and I AM IN LOVE. 😍 I mean, a loose retelling of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with fae, monster attacks, a sentient library, a talking horse, and the cutest marriage of convenience?! Your girl was SOLD.
The “bride snatching” could sound like a red flag, but I promise you, it’s not and totally a mutual agreement marriage. Basil and Meg being so much cuteness and balance to each other’s lives.
This no-spice romantasy brings sweet, swoony romance together with tender moments, hilarious banter, and heart-stopping action!
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