What do you think?
Rate this book
The Incandescent Kingdoms #1
Married at Sunrise: A King Thrushbeard Retelling
He’s marrying her to get a kingdom. She doesn’t trust anyone. When feelings and pirates get between the two, can they work together to survive? To become a king or queen of an Incandescent Kingdom is one of the utmost honors, and Prince Jax is sure he deserves it. He’s only got two He must be married, and he must tie up all loose ends from the Pirate Wars. That should be easy, especially since he went undercover as a pirate to end the wars. He’s good—too good—at playing different roles to get his way. But when his arranged marriage to Princess Heilani starts to change like the turn of a tide, he knows there’s more at risk than the masks he wears... Will Jax gain a kingdom without losing his heart? Heilani always knew an arranged marriage was in her future, so rejecting suitors who ask for her hand gives her satisfaction... until the king of Sunrise forces her to marry none other than Fox, a treasure hunting captain. Avoiding the captain on a ship is impossible, but growing feelings for him seems inevitable. When Heilani learns his true intentions for her, she knew she should have never trusted him. He’s a former pirate, after all... but is it possible there’s more to him than she realizes? Can Heilani learn to forgive and trust again when high sea adventures force her to turn to the prince? “Married at Sunrise” is a retelling of “King Thrushbeard” and is the first book in the Incandescent Kingdoms series. Each book can be read in order or as a standalone. This enemies to lovers, arranged marriage novel is a clean and swoony romance, perfect for young adult and adult readers!
316 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2023
27 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
September 16, 2024
This was my first time reading this book, but it definitely won’t be the last! I loved it and cannot wait to continue on in the series.
Most fairytale retellings that I’ve read almost never have their own original ideas, they stick too close to the plot. (Of course there are exceptions, but mainly, this is what I’ve encountered.)
This story was very unique, but still had some elements of King Thrushbeard. It was wonderfully written, its characters were well designed, their struggles and personalities relatable, and seemed real.
The plot was so interesting, and was not predictable, I was constantly pleasantly surprised by all the twists and turns.
In the beginning I found both Jax and Helieni to have the potential to annoy me, but after the first couple chapters, I knew that I would grow to like them. There was a lot more to them than what your first impression was.
Plot wise, i was hooked by the first page, and knew I would enjoy it, even if the characters had annoyed me, which they didn’t.
I’m so thankful that I read this book. The romance was very sweet and clean and normally I don’t like enemies to lovers, but this was another exception with that.
Pirates, ships, seafaring adventures and danger, sweet romance, forgiveness, learning to trust, light against darkness.
Most fairytale retellings that I’ve read almost never have their own original ideas, they stick too close to the plot. (Of course there are exceptions, but mainly, this is what I’ve encountered.)
This story was very unique, but still had some elements of King Thrushbeard. It was wonderfully written, its characters were well designed, their struggles and personalities relatable, and seemed real.
The plot was so interesting, and was not predictable, I was constantly pleasantly surprised by all the twists and turns.
In the beginning I found both Jax and Helieni to have the potential to annoy me, but after the first couple chapters, I knew that I would grow to like them. There was a lot more to them than what your first impression was.
Plot wise, i was hooked by the first page, and knew I would enjoy it, even if the characters had annoyed me, which they didn’t.
I’m so thankful that I read this book. The romance was very sweet and clean and normally I don’t like enemies to lovers, but this was another exception with that.
Pirates, ships, seafaring adventures and danger, sweet romance, forgiveness, learning to trust, light against darkness.
August 1, 2025
2 stars ✨
(To all my friends that love this one 🫣 I’m so sorry, it was a miss for me 🫢)
This was…not what I expected. I had a really hard time with her POV because she was kind of insufferable but that goes with this retelling, I suppose. I kept wondering why she thinks every hates her and what in the world she did to make everyone hate her. I felt like I was missing some important context (or a prior series) for the beginning part of this book. When we’re finally told it (okay, okay, it was almost a hundred pages in), it all made sense and made me mad at her family. She was still a little frustrating for me, but I could see where she was coming from. Mostly. She really acted like a bratty teen at times so I was desperate for that character development but she stayed acting like a fourteen year old for a while. 😅 I never felt their romance or cheered for them as a couple as again, they felt like teeny-boppers with the drama and lack of trust.
I’m really sad this was such a miss for me! I nearly dnf it multiple times but made myself hurry up and read it instead so I could count it towards my reading challenge. Nothing major affected my rating, though, I didn’t care for seeing about them “checking out” the other? It felt strange for a fairytale retelling world. I did like the Hawaii influences and setting as that was unique. I probably won’t read the rest of the series unless I hear that they’re better than this one.
Main Content-
There’s a golden wizard that will leave a special stone in a country for the new ruler to find & Jax is on the mission to get the wizard to see that he’s worthy for having a kingdom of his own; A bright light representing this happens; It’s said that a villain’s daughter is an enchantress who he made create potions that would turn people into zombie-like pirates and do his bidding (also said that she put a curse on him and the potion is like putting a spell on others); Someone thinks that the sharks didn’t like the enchantress’ energy as it was dark and wicked; Some believe the enchantress has magic like her mother, but it is more of a knowledge of plants than actual magic; A couple mentions of praying for something (but no mention towards Whom those prayers are directed towards).
No major language but a reference to “son of a—“ which is cut-off (Jax says he was going to say ‘barnacle’ but Heilani knows otherwise; Jax says he has the mouth of a sailor); Curses are said but not written out on-page; Minor phrases/language like ‘’what in the blazes’, ‘blast’, ‘bloody’, dang it’, ‘stupid’, and ‘idiot’ are used; Lots of eye rolling & sarcasm; Heilani says some hurtful things to Jax to get even with him.
Heilani has a rough and strained relationship with her siblings because of past bullying and feeling as if everyone hates her (this is a major part of the book; *Spoiler* ); Heilani doesn’t miss her mother’s nearness because her mother never liked her anyway; Because of past bullying from a gold-child cousin, everyone in Heilani’s family thinks badly about her; Heilani is jealous of her “perfect” sister; Heilani has a moment of hyperventilating; Heilani’s family looks down on people from rural parts; Jax grieves his younger sister (who drowned) & his mother (illness); Jax has tattoos; Lying & Lies (by both Heilani and Jax).
Being attacked, fighting, being held at knife-point and gunpoint, being shot, injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, & passing out; Thinking she’s going to die, near-death experiences, & thinking someone died and grieving the person (up to a handful of sentences); Characters are tortured off-page & mentions of their horrible injuries and pain (up to a few sentences); Remembering see someone hung & die (up to a couple sentences).
Many, many mentions of deaths, wars, battles, fighting/fights, injuries, & trauma; Mentions of pirates being hung for their crimes; mo pirates pillaging villages and leaving people to die; Mentions of torture, whippings, injuries, blood/bleeding, pain, & passing out; Mentions guns, gunshots, & being shot; Mentions of prisons & prisoners/hostages; Mentions of possibly drowning and/or being attacked by sharks; Mentions of a missing family member; Mentions of drunks, drinking, alcohol, & a bar; Mentions of jealousy & hatred; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of possible divorce; A few mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of slavery (including children); A couple mentions of assassination attempts.
1 hand kiss,
3 cheek kisses,
1 forehead kiss,
2 almost kisses (lasting from 2 to 5+ sentences),
1 kiss with no details,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences,
1 kiss that is used as a distraction and lasts a couple pages,
Remembering kisses & almost kisses (up to a few sentences); Staring at lips & Thinking about kissing/kisses (often, up to a few sentences); Wanting to kiss, touch, & embrace (up to a few sentences); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, Flutters, Electricity, Nearness, & Smelling (up to a few sentences); Noticing & Staring (including Heilani noticing his muscles, chest, and bare chest, up to a couple sentences); Flirting, Winks, & Blushes.
Heilani and Jax share a bedroom (she didn’t think about that or sharing a bed, but Jax takes the couch and says he isn’t interested in her for that reason, which confuses Heilani that he doesn’t want a woman “for pleasure”; Some scenes of this happens a few times and that it’s strictly a business marriage and her warning him not to try anything); Heilani and Jax check each other out; Drunk men try to touch and corner Heilani; A man touches Heilani’s cheek, licks his lips when looking at her, and stares at her in a creepy wya; Heilani gets jealous knowing that Jax has kissed other girls & thinks he won’t be faithful (he tells her that he won’t do that now that they’re married); Heilani is concerned the other girls could have had some kind of disease; Heilani is asked if Jax hurt her or forced her to do something she didn’t want to do; Heilani kicks a man between the legs in a fight.
Mentions of kisses, kissing, & wanting to kiss; Mentions of cheating; A few mentions of crushes; A couple mentions of women in an alleyway having tight corsets and lots of makeup.
(To all my friends that love this one 🫣 I’m so sorry, it was a miss for me 🫢)
This was…not what I expected. I had a really hard time with her POV because she was kind of insufferable but that goes with this retelling, I suppose. I kept wondering why she thinks every hates her and what in the world she did to make everyone hate her. I felt like I was missing some important context (or a prior series) for the beginning part of this book. When we’re finally told it (okay, okay, it was almost a hundred pages in), it all made sense and made me mad at her family. She was still a little frustrating for me, but I could see where she was coming from. Mostly. She really acted like a bratty teen at times so I was desperate for that character development but she stayed acting like a fourteen year old for a while. 😅 I never felt their romance or cheered for them as a couple as again, they felt like teeny-boppers with the drama and lack of trust.
I’m really sad this was such a miss for me! I nearly dnf it multiple times but made myself hurry up and read it instead so I could count it towards my reading challenge. Nothing major affected my rating, though, I didn’t care for seeing about them “checking out” the other? It felt strange for a fairytale retelling world. I did like the Hawaii influences and setting as that was unique. I probably won’t read the rest of the series unless I hear that they’re better than this one.
Main Content-
There’s a golden wizard that will leave a special stone in a country for the new ruler to find & Jax is on the mission to get the wizard to see that he’s worthy for having a kingdom of his own; A bright light representing this happens; It’s said that a villain’s daughter is an enchantress who he made create potions that would turn people into zombie-like pirates and do his bidding (also said that she put a curse on him and the potion is like putting a spell on others); Someone thinks that the sharks didn’t like the enchantress’ energy as it was dark and wicked; Some believe the enchantress has magic like her mother, but it is more of a knowledge of plants than actual magic; A couple mentions of praying for something (but no mention towards Whom those prayers are directed towards).
No major language but a reference to “son of a—“ which is cut-off (Jax says he was going to say ‘barnacle’ but Heilani knows otherwise; Jax says he has the mouth of a sailor); Curses are said but not written out on-page; Minor phrases/language like ‘’what in the blazes’, ‘blast’, ‘bloody’, dang it’, ‘stupid’, and ‘idiot’ are used; Lots of eye rolling & sarcasm; Heilani says some hurtful things to Jax to get even with him.
Heilani has a rough and strained relationship with her siblings because of past bullying and feeling as if everyone hates her (this is a major part of the book; *Spoiler* ); Heilani doesn’t miss her mother’s nearness because her mother never liked her anyway; Because of past bullying from a gold-child cousin, everyone in Heilani’s family thinks badly about her; Heilani is jealous of her “perfect” sister; Heilani has a moment of hyperventilating; Heilani’s family looks down on people from rural parts; Jax grieves his younger sister (who drowned) & his mother (illness); Jax has tattoos; Lying & Lies (by both Heilani and Jax).
Being attacked, fighting, being held at knife-point and gunpoint, being shot, injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, & passing out; Thinking she’s going to die, near-death experiences, & thinking someone died and grieving the person (up to a handful of sentences); Characters are tortured off-page & mentions of their horrible injuries and pain (up to a few sentences); Remembering see someone hung & die (up to a couple sentences).
Many, many mentions of deaths, wars, battles, fighting/fights, injuries, & trauma; Mentions of pirates being hung for their crimes; mo pirates pillaging villages and leaving people to die; Mentions of torture, whippings, injuries, blood/bleeding, pain, & passing out; Mentions guns, gunshots, & being shot; Mentions of prisons & prisoners/hostages; Mentions of possibly drowning and/or being attacked by sharks; Mentions of a missing family member; Mentions of drunks, drinking, alcohol, & a bar; Mentions of jealousy & hatred; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of possible divorce; A few mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of slavery (including children); A couple mentions of assassination attempts.
1 hand kiss,
3 cheek kisses,
1 forehead kiss,
2 almost kisses (lasting from 2 to 5+ sentences),
1 kiss with no details,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences,
1 kiss that is used as a distraction and lasts a couple pages,
Remembering kisses & almost kisses (up to a few sentences); Staring at lips & Thinking about kissing/kisses (often, up to a few sentences); Wanting to kiss, touch, & embrace (up to a few sentences); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, Flutters, Electricity, Nearness, & Smelling (up to a few sentences); Noticing & Staring (including Heilani noticing his muscles, chest, and bare chest, up to a couple sentences); Flirting, Winks, & Blushes.
Heilani and Jax share a bedroom (she didn’t think about that or sharing a bed, but Jax takes the couch and says he isn’t interested in her for that reason, which confuses Heilani that he doesn’t want a woman “for pleasure”; Some scenes of this happens a few times and that it’s strictly a business marriage and her warning him not to try anything); Heilani and Jax check each other out; Drunk men try to touch and corner Heilani; A man touches Heilani’s cheek, licks his lips when looking at her, and stares at her in a creepy wya; Heilani gets jealous knowing that Jax has kissed other girls & thinks he won’t be faithful (he tells her that he won’t do that now that they’re married); Heilani is concerned the other girls could have had some kind of disease; Heilani is asked if Jax hurt her or forced her to do something she didn’t want to do; Heilani kicks a man between the legs in a fight.
Mentions of kisses, kissing, & wanting to kiss; Mentions of cheating; A few mentions of crushes; A couple mentions of women in an alleyway having tight corsets and lots of makeup.
July 9, 2023
Easy 4.75 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟⚡
Are you looking for a POC safe/clean fantasy retelling of a fairy tale? something that gives you the same vibe as the Lunar Chronicles? a Fairy tale that is rarely if ever used? with the book's own twists and added plotlines?
well, look no further
This book has everything
It is suitable for every age
The first thing that drew me to this book was the theme. When I hear "retelling", usually I expect Cinderella or SnowWhite or Beauty and the Beast, you know the calssical well known ones. But this one was based on A King Thrushbeard retelling.
Here is a short summary of the original story which you could skip to the review
The story is about a beautiful princess who was also very arrogant and unkind. Her father, the King, is trying to find her a suitor to marry, but the princess very brutally rejects everyone. She insults every suitor present by commenting something demeaning related to their appearances. Her father is fed up with her especially when she ends up insulting her last suitor, King Thrushbeard. So her father vows to marry her off to the first beggar which happens the next day. Throughout her married life, the princess learns to be humble and kind and regretfull of her cruelty. In the end, she discovers that she married King Thrush in disguise.
The book builds on this story, and also draws from Hawaiin Culture. And when the original shows that the original princes is unkind, princess Heilani is anything but. She hides secrets from her family who thinks that she is indifferent. Enter the Pirate King, Prince Jax, who disguises himself as Fox and marries Heilani for his own agenda.
The story follows these two young couples and their journey to save not only their kingdoms and themselves from the evil Pirate Altan, but to also come to realize that they are more than they seem and what people percieve of them.
In this first book of the series, we are introduced to the five kingdomes (which I suppose each will get their own retelling) and Jax is trying to make his own kingdome the sixth with the help of Heilani
The book touches on different themes such as:
1- accepting your self
2- understanding others
3- proper communication
4- never judging others blindly
5- family problems
6- cultural presentation
I loved reading the book and learning about all the characters
the thing that irritated me in the end were the issue of Heilani's brothers. I don't think they felt remorse for what they put her through. At one point, her older brother says to her "let's start fresh" dismissing her story. He didn't even want to hear her side.
The other thing that I found annoying was this "I love him/her, No I don't" that was repeated throughout most of the book to creat this sense of a slow burn. I get it. but I think a couple of times would have been enough
Other than that, I loved this book. I enjoy reading a book once in a while focusing only on the story and the characters more than the sexual tension and lust. And this was it.
I am definetly going to be waiting for the next books in the series.
This was a well deserved 4.75 rounded up to 5 stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Are you looking for a POC safe/clean fantasy retelling of a fairy tale? something that gives you the same vibe as the Lunar Chronicles? a Fairy tale that is rarely if ever used? with the book's own twists and added plotlines?
well, look no further
This book has everything
It is suitable for every age
The first thing that drew me to this book was the theme. When I hear "retelling", usually I expect Cinderella or SnowWhite or Beauty and the Beast, you know the calssical well known ones. But this one was based on A King Thrushbeard retelling.
Here is a short summary of the original story which you could skip to the review
The story is about a beautiful princess who was also very arrogant and unkind. Her father, the King, is trying to find her a suitor to marry, but the princess very brutally rejects everyone. She insults every suitor present by commenting something demeaning related to their appearances. Her father is fed up with her especially when she ends up insulting her last suitor, King Thrushbeard. So her father vows to marry her off to the first beggar which happens the next day. Throughout her married life, the princess learns to be humble and kind and regretfull of her cruelty. In the end, she discovers that she married King Thrush in disguise.
The book builds on this story, and also draws from Hawaiin Culture. And when the original shows that the original princes is unkind, princess Heilani is anything but. She hides secrets from her family who thinks that she is indifferent. Enter the Pirate King, Prince Jax, who disguises himself as Fox and marries Heilani for his own agenda.
The story follows these two young couples and their journey to save not only their kingdoms and themselves from the evil Pirate Altan, but to also come to realize that they are more than they seem and what people percieve of them.
In this first book of the series, we are introduced to the five kingdomes (which I suppose each will get their own retelling) and Jax is trying to make his own kingdome the sixth with the help of Heilani
The book touches on different themes such as:
1- accepting your self
2- understanding others
3- proper communication
4- never judging others blindly
5- family problems
6- cultural presentation
I loved reading the book and learning about all the characters
the thing that irritated me in the end were the issue of Heilani's brothers. I don't think they felt remorse for what they put her through. At one point, her older brother says to her "let's start fresh" dismissing her story. He didn't even want to hear her side.
The other thing that I found annoying was this "I love him/her, No I don't" that was repeated throughout most of the book to creat this sense of a slow burn. I get it. but I think a couple of times would have been enough
Other than that, I loved this book. I enjoy reading a book once in a while focusing only on the story and the characters more than the sexual tension and lust. And this was it.
I am definetly going to be waiting for the next books in the series.
This was a well deserved 4.75 rounded up to 5 stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 9, 2025
Where to start with this one…even though I don’t have much to say about it, heh. I think to fully express my thoughts I’m going to use a thumbs up/thumbs down method of review because I honestly don’t know how else to express myself with this one, haha.
👍 Loved the Hawaiian setting and culture! I’ve been obsessed/fascinated with those islands since I was a kid, so having it as a fantasy setting? Sign me up!
👍 How kingdoms are established/built by a golden wizard leaving magical stones for people to find that make them rulers of said island—so creative! So cool! I love this idea!
👍 The cover’s pretty.
Er, that’s about it for likes I’m afraid. 😅 As for dislikes…
👎 Heilani and Jax. I didn’t hate either of them but I couldn’t like them either. Not to mention they were basically the same person with the same thoughts, which can be done well in having two similar people come together and find healing/understanding/what-have-you, but they never bonded over those shared things which made me wonder why they had such samey-samey thoughts all the time? Seemed like a missed opportunity to me.
👎 Jax’s “arc” of not being selfish—which aside from using Heilani to try to get a kingdom (which isn’t…great) I didn’t see him being this way the rest of the time, but whatever—and the REALLY clumsy and poor way it was slapped on at the end that actually had me cringing…yeah, I didn’t see the point or a need for that.
👎 The lack of depth plus missed character bonding in some scenes that were skipped in favor of weird time skips and glossed over areas in favor of other, to me, less important points.
👎 Enemies to lovers isn’t a romance trope I generally like and while this wasn’t terrible (and thank God Heilani didn’t flip her top too much once Jax reveals his true identity) it also didn’t help me like it any better, haha. I think I’m gonna have trouble with King Thrushbeard retellings in the future (this is my first) if they’re all even similar to this one.
So while not terrible, I couldn’t really get into it or like it the way I wanted to and I’m very disappointed by that.
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: past childhood bullying (a boy held a girl underwater to scare her and hit her with a paddle)
Language: dang it; son of a—; bloody
Violence: fighting with weapons and hand to hand (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); past childhood bullying (a boy held a girl underwater to scare her and hit her with a paddle); characters are tortured/whipped (not shown or detailed); characters fall off a tall tower/cliff
Sexual: mild suggestive hints/comments; kissing (not detailed)
Other: a wizard; magical stones; pirates; past death and grief; an enchantress; characters are imprisoned and tied up
👍 Loved the Hawaiian setting and culture! I’ve been obsessed/fascinated with those islands since I was a kid, so having it as a fantasy setting? Sign me up!
👍 How kingdoms are established/built by a golden wizard leaving magical stones for people to find that make them rulers of said island—so creative! So cool! I love this idea!
👍 The cover’s pretty.
Er, that’s about it for likes I’m afraid. 😅 As for dislikes…
👎 Heilani and Jax. I didn’t hate either of them but I couldn’t like them either. Not to mention they were basically the same person with the same thoughts, which can be done well in having two similar people come together and find healing/understanding/what-have-you, but they never bonded over those shared things which made me wonder why they had such samey-samey thoughts all the time? Seemed like a missed opportunity to me.
👎 Jax’s “arc” of not being selfish—which aside from using Heilani to try to get a kingdom (which isn’t…great) I didn’t see him being this way the rest of the time, but whatever—and the REALLY clumsy and poor way it was slapped on at the end that actually had me cringing…yeah, I didn’t see the point or a need for that.
👎 The lack of depth plus missed character bonding in some scenes that were skipped in favor of weird time skips and glossed over areas in favor of other, to me, less important points.
👎 Enemies to lovers isn’t a romance trope I generally like and while this wasn’t terrible (and thank God Heilani didn’t flip her top too much once Jax reveals his true identity) it also didn’t help me like it any better, haha. I think I’m gonna have trouble with King Thrushbeard retellings in the future (this is my first) if they’re all even similar to this one.
So while not terrible, I couldn’t really get into it or like it the way I wanted to and I’m very disappointed by that.
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: past childhood bullying (a boy held a girl underwater to scare her and hit her with a paddle)
Language: dang it; son of a—; bloody
Violence: fighting with weapons and hand to hand (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); past childhood bullying (a boy held a girl underwater to scare her and hit her with a paddle); characters are tortured/whipped (not shown or detailed); characters fall off a tall tower/cliff
Sexual: mild suggestive hints/comments; kissing (not detailed)
Other: a wizard; magical stones; pirates; past death and grief; an enchantress; characters are imprisoned and tied up
September 23, 2023
4.5 stars!
Best King Thrushbeard retelling I've read. I absolutely love Jax's character. Seeing how his and Heilani's relationship blossoms was really sweet. Sweet enemies to lovers trope. Clean sweet, swoony romance. My 1st book by Leialoha and I loved it ❤️
Best King Thrushbeard retelling I've read. I absolutely love Jax's character. Seeing how his and Heilani's relationship blossoms was really sweet. Sweet enemies to lovers trope. Clean sweet, swoony romance. My 1st book by Leialoha and I loved it ❤️
March 15, 2024
I really enjoyed the world building (you can really see elements of Hawaii)! The couple just wasn't for me--I felt like the MMC and FMC were the same character but in different bodies: their inner struggles were very much the same. Also, the amount of eye rolling in this book was excessive to me; I mean I understand the FMC is supposed to be abrasive/rude/difficult in the beginning but it wasn't just her doing it.
Although this romance didn't quite do it for me, I am interested in reading other books in the series to return to this world.
Christian fiction rating: 0/3 clean fiction
Although this romance didn't quite do it for me, I am interested in reading other books in the series to return to this world.
Christian fiction rating: 0/3 clean fiction
May 5, 2023
3.5 stars, rounded up
I absolutely LOVED the setting of this book. It seemed Hawaiian inspired, with plenty of palm trees, tropical breezes, and waterfalls. I loved the depictions of each of the islands as well as the salty sea air. It was all very vivid and really came to life for me as a reader.
The story is a “King Thrushbeard” retelling (which is fairly obscure fairy tale but one of my favorites) and I would say it is fairly light on the retelling elements. You can definitely read the book without having any familiarity with the original fairy tale. I would say the biggest difference is that the reader knows who Fox really is, while the reader doesn’t know the identity of the husband in King Thrushbeard.
The characters were interesting and the story was full of adventure with plenty of pirate battles and such. The pacing felt a liiiittle slow in spots, but it was still a fairly quick read.
Overall this book was a lot of fun and I would definitely recommend it for a reader who enjoys pirate stories.
And the cover is gorgeous too!
Thank you to Book Sirens for sending me a copy of the ARC in exchange for review.
I absolutely LOVED the setting of this book. It seemed Hawaiian inspired, with plenty of palm trees, tropical breezes, and waterfalls. I loved the depictions of each of the islands as well as the salty sea air. It was all very vivid and really came to life for me as a reader.
The story is a “King Thrushbeard” retelling (which is fairly obscure fairy tale but one of my favorites) and I would say it is fairly light on the retelling elements. You can definitely read the book without having any familiarity with the original fairy tale. I would say the biggest difference is that the reader knows who Fox really is, while the reader doesn’t know the identity of the husband in King Thrushbeard.
The characters were interesting and the story was full of adventure with plenty of pirate battles and such. The pacing felt a liiiittle slow in spots, but it was still a fairly quick read.
Overall this book was a lot of fun and I would definitely recommend it for a reader who enjoys pirate stories.
And the cover is gorgeous too!
Thank you to Book Sirens for sending me a copy of the ARC in exchange for review.
December 27, 2023
Wow!
That’s about all I can say at this point. This is definitely a bit heavier of a retelling than some, but it was good. I’m gonna give this book an actual rating of 4.75 for two reasons. This book was clean and had Christian themes, but it had an instance of implying the use of bad language. There was none but it was implied. The last reason, is the romance was a bit heavier in the beginning. Slightly instalovey, but very cute and I could root for the characters. I am highly anticipating the next book. Jax was sarcastic and a pirate. And Heilani was tough on the outside, but slowly softened. Greta book and can’t wait to continue!!
That’s about all I can say at this point. This is definitely a bit heavier of a retelling than some, but it was good. I’m gonna give this book an actual rating of 4.75 for two reasons. This book was clean and had Christian themes, but it had an instance of implying the use of bad language. There was none but it was implied. The last reason, is the romance was a bit heavier in the beginning. Slightly instalovey, but very cute and I could root for the characters. I am highly anticipating the next book. Jax was sarcastic and a pirate. And Heilani was tough on the outside, but slowly softened. Greta book and can’t wait to continue!!
May 5, 2023
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I received a copy for free and these are my own opinions.
Ok, I loved this book. It was such an easy read for me and so engaging. I stayed up til 1am (accidentally) just reading ‘one more chapter’! It was pitched exactly right for my taste and included alll the best things:
- enemies to lovers
- “fake” marriage
- forced proximity
- dual POV
- pirates
- a handsome but flawed love interest
The best quick description I could give is Pirates of the Caribbean meets Moana with some princes and princesses thrown in for good measure. I actually don’t know the fairytale it’s a retelling of, but that didn’t matter at all - I didn’t even realise it was a retelling until after I finished.
I loved the main characters and thought they both had great character arcs. It feels like they both grow throughout the book and their relationship develops too. The writing is a bit clunky in places and yes, perhaps some scenes are a bit predictable but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story at all. It managed that great feeling where I didn’t want to leave the characters at the end.
There are a few places where I felt the writing could have done with a bit of proofreading (some spelling mistakes that really shouldn’t be there eg “peaked interest” instead of “piqued”, and once, near the start “sales” instead of “sails” on a ship) and the occasional missed out word which made a few sentences a bit jarring, but it could be so easily fixed and I still really enjoyed the story.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to anyone looking for a bit of escapism into a fantasy world - especially if they’re fond of pirates. I’ll definitely be looking out for the next one in the series.
Ok, I loved this book. It was such an easy read for me and so engaging. I stayed up til 1am (accidentally) just reading ‘one more chapter’! It was pitched exactly right for my taste and included alll the best things:
- enemies to lovers
- “fake” marriage
- forced proximity
- dual POV
- pirates
- a handsome but flawed love interest
The best quick description I could give is Pirates of the Caribbean meets Moana with some princes and princesses thrown in for good measure. I actually don’t know the fairytale it’s a retelling of, but that didn’t matter at all - I didn’t even realise it was a retelling until after I finished.
I loved the main characters and thought they both had great character arcs. It feels like they both grow throughout the book and their relationship develops too. The writing is a bit clunky in places and yes, perhaps some scenes are a bit predictable but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story at all. It managed that great feeling where I didn’t want to leave the characters at the end.
There are a few places where I felt the writing could have done with a bit of proofreading (some spelling mistakes that really shouldn’t be there eg “peaked interest” instead of “piqued”, and once, near the start “sales” instead of “sails” on a ship) and the occasional missed out word which made a few sentences a bit jarring, but it could be so easily fixed and I still really enjoyed the story.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to anyone looking for a bit of escapism into a fantasy world - especially if they’re fond of pirates. I’ll definitely be looking out for the next one in the series.
June 8, 2023
What a fantastic story! Pirates, Hidden Identity, and an Arranged Marriage. This retelling was very well done. I enjoyed every minute of reading! Princess Heilani was such a great FMC, especially when paired with Prince Jax. Everyone’s owes their thanks to Captain Fox for the part he played in the Pirate Wars, but does anyone truly understand all he sacrifices? Loved the sibling friendships that blossom in this book. These enemies to lovers have to learn to forgive and trust again. I will be reading more by this author especially this series. Such a clean read that was full of suspense and warm chemistry. I received an advanced copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 3, 2023
This was the first pirate romance that I have read, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I really liked it! I especially loved how each of the main characters & even some of the side characters grew & developed into better people throughout the book! This book is a clean romance while still including a lot of the angst and confusion and feelings that new love carries with it. This book is also about how we treat each other, & about overcoming self doubt. I hope that there will be more stories in the future about the characters that I met here!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 14, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling! It had pirates, magic, a Hawaiian island type of setting, arranged marriages, and so much more. Often when I'm reading an ARC (I got this one from BookSirens) I come across typos or editing issues, but this one was so clean.
Definitely recommend this booi if you enjoy romance without the spice with a good dose of adventure!
Definitely recommend this booi if you enjoy romance without the spice with a good dose of adventure!
December 28, 2023
5 stars!!
**I was given an ARC copy by the author, but my opinions are entirely my own.**
I absolutely loved Married at Sunrise! Ms. Humpherys is a brilliant author who understands perfectly that everyone has flaws. No one is perfect, and no relationship is perfect.
I loved the way Jax and Heilani grew to care for each other, and the way Jax encouraged Heilani to reconcile with her siblings. I could also empathize with the Jax sometimes got too consumed by what he thought was important that he forgot what was the most important of all.
All in all, it was a great read!
**I was given an ARC copy by the author, but my opinions are entirely my own.**
I absolutely loved Married at Sunrise! Ms. Humpherys is a brilliant author who understands perfectly that everyone has flaws. No one is perfect, and no relationship is perfect.
I loved the way Jax and Heilani grew to care for each other, and the way Jax encouraged Heilani to reconcile with her siblings. I could also empathize with the Jax sometimes got too consumed by what he thought was important that he forgot what was the most important of all.
All in all, it was a great read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2023
I enjoyed the first half of this book. The halfway point on though lost me though. I started skimming until the end from 60% on.
Fox/Jax and Heilani spend most of the book going back and forth between "I love him/her" and "this is just business. Probably until about 95% this was going on. It got really old.
Heilani is bullied as a child and her family is either complicit, oblivious, or simply doesn't care. The bullying lasted long enough and was scarring enough where she's still suffering from it. Her parents see no use in her so neglect to educate her like her sisters and instead leave her with the boys(brothers/cousins) one of which becomes her tormentors because she's such an easy target. Examples given are being beaten with an oar enough to leave bruises and being held underwater.
I was really proud of Jax for confronting Heilani's brothers about the fact they knew this was going on and didn't care.
Their response was horrid though. It was awful what they said to Jax and the conversation with Heliani afterwards. Things like, "You kind of deserved it though." "It wasn't really that bad though, was it?" "She was asking for it." "How about we just forget it and start new."
I was absolutely disgusted by not only their reactions but the fact that Jax tells Heilani that she was probably too hard on them. And that Heilani is so happy with the, is this really an apology or even a mending?, well whatever it is she's basically a dog with a bone at this point groveling over scraps. But yes, she's happy about this and everyone is all good after that.
What a horrible approach to someone who's gone through any trauma. We don't tell other people how we think they should feel/act about trauma. The same situation can impact people differently. One person could see a car accident and be fine. Another person can have nightmares and a fear of driving for years to come.
We also don't invalidate people's feelings like this. They basically devalued Heilani's trauma and said she DESERVED it. Heilani has a hard time even hugging or touching her family members because she's afraid to get that physically close to someone. When her own brothers failed to stand up for her as a child she thought if she couldn't even trust her family then no one was trustworthy. And hugging puts one in a very vulnerable situation.
Also, Heilani is the "shark princess" because she loves and studies sharks. I thought this would play a bigger role. But we see her briefly interact with a shark at the beginning, the halfway point, then there's some generic sharks in an area shortly after the halfway point. What's really great though is that at one point
Overall I didn't like the "coincidences" and a few other minor quibbles(such as editing to catch errors)--some stated and others not--, but mainly the way Heilani's struggles were minimized. Manipulative abuse is awful, and the fact that her brothers are given a pass essentially disgusts me. Selling her off to Jax was a "relief" and "we were glad you took her" because they found her annoying.
This is the second book I've read from this author that takes serious issues and handles them poorly. I will not read a third.
Fox/Jax and Heilani spend most of the book going back and forth between "I love him/her" and "this is just business. Probably until about 95% this was going on. It got really old.
Heilani is bullied as a child and her family is either complicit, oblivious, or simply doesn't care. The bullying lasted long enough and was scarring enough where she's still suffering from it. Her parents see no use in her so neglect to educate her like her sisters and instead leave her with the boys(brothers/cousins) one of which becomes her tormentors because she's such an easy target. Examples given are being beaten with an oar enough to leave bruises and being held underwater.
I was really proud of Jax for confronting Heilani's brothers about the fact they knew this was going on and didn't care.
Their response was horrid though. It was awful what they said to Jax and the conversation with Heliani afterwards. Things like, "You kind of deserved it though." "It wasn't really that bad though, was it?" "She was asking for it." "How about we just forget it and start new."
I was absolutely disgusted by not only their reactions but the fact that Jax tells Heilani that she was probably too hard on them. And that Heilani is so happy with the, is this really an apology or even a mending?, well whatever it is she's basically a dog with a bone at this point groveling over scraps. But yes, she's happy about this and everyone is all good after that.
What a horrible approach to someone who's gone through any trauma. We don't tell other people how we think they should feel/act about trauma. The same situation can impact people differently. One person could see a car accident and be fine. Another person can have nightmares and a fear of driving for years to come.
We also don't invalidate people's feelings like this. They basically devalued Heilani's trauma and said she DESERVED it. Heilani has a hard time even hugging or touching her family members because she's afraid to get that physically close to someone. When her own brothers failed to stand up for her as a child she thought if she couldn't even trust her family then no one was trustworthy. And hugging puts one in a very vulnerable situation.
Also, Heilani is the "shark princess" because she loves and studies sharks. I thought this would play a bigger role. But we see her briefly interact with a shark at the beginning, the halfway point, then there's some generic sharks in an area shortly after the halfway point. What's really great though is that at one point
Overall I didn't like the "coincidences" and a few other minor quibbles(such as editing to catch errors)--some stated and others not--, but mainly the way Heilani's struggles were minimized. Manipulative abuse is awful, and the fact that her brothers are given a pass essentially disgusts me. Selling her off to Jax was a "relief" and "we were glad you took her" because they found her annoying.
This is the second book I've read from this author that takes serious issues and handles them poorly. I will not read a third.
June 5, 2023
Reader’s Notes:
– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
– this is told from Heilani & Jax/Fox’s points of view
– a character lost their mother & sister prior to the start of this story; the same character also doesn’t know if their sibling is dead or just missing
– a character was abused by a cousin as a child
Review:
This story was slightly similar to Camille Peters’ King Thrushbeard retelling Voyage (in that they both have: a charming captain, a girl hiding behind a mask, and an adventure on a ship) and I loved that! I also loved that Leialoha Humpherys wove in Hawaiian culture in her tale. I had to look up a few of the words to understand what they were and I loved that I got to learn them! I really enjoyed this King Thrushbeard retelling and that I could not only see the threads from that tale, but also an entirely new one being weaved by Leialoha creating a new world that housed it. I loved Jax/Fox’s transformation from being determined to teach Heilani a lesson and using her to get what he wanted to wondering about the woman behind the persona and if he might have feelings for her. I also loved getting to know Heilani’s persona and seeing the chinks behind her armor when she relaxed or got into her own thoughts. I loved that we didn’t get all the details of what they would be going after right away nor the full scope of why Heilani was the one needed for it. Some of my favorite scenes/moments in this book included: Fox trying to woo/flirt with Heilani, Heilani with the young boy on board the ship, the first time pirates attacked, the adventures on the enchantress’s isle, and the reconciling the past with the truth and forgiveness.
Summary:
Heilani is known as the shark princess and that deters people from getting close. She always knew that she was destined for an arranged marriage, but has no desire for it so she takes pleasure from rejecting each and every suitor that comes to ask for her hand. When her brother -the king- gets fed up with her, he tells her that the next person to request her hand he would give her to. Heilani believes he’s joking until the next day she finds herself married to Captain Fox, an ex-pirate. Heilani doesn’t trust anyone, let alone a former pirate and is determined to frustrate Fox enough that he’ll tear up their marriage papers and return her back home. But as she gets to know the man she now calls her husband, Heilani finds herself falling little by little until something is revealed that causes a hurt that backlashes against her heart.
Prince Jax went undercover as a pirate during the pirate wars and was very good at donning a persona like a second skin. So when Heilani rejects his princely offer of marriage and he hears of the king’s decree after he left, Jax becomes Captain Fox -an ex-pirate that helped Prince Jax end the pirate wars- and reoffers his hand in marriage to Heilani through her brother. Heilani has no idea that he is Jax, and he doesn’t plan on telling her until after he uses her to complete a mission that will end with him gaining his own recognized kingdom. But Jax didn’t expect to have feelings for the shark princess or to discover that she is someone entirely different than expected. But does he truly have feelings for Heilani, or is it just him falling for his own ruse? Some days he can’t tell the difference between the truth and the mask…
– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
– this is told from Heilani & Jax/Fox’s points of view
– a character lost their mother & sister prior to the start of this story; the same character also doesn’t know if their sibling is dead or just missing
– a character was abused by a cousin as a child
Review:
This story was slightly similar to Camille Peters’ King Thrushbeard retelling Voyage (in that they both have: a charming captain, a girl hiding behind a mask, and an adventure on a ship) and I loved that! I also loved that Leialoha Humpherys wove in Hawaiian culture in her tale. I had to look up a few of the words to understand what they were and I loved that I got to learn them! I really enjoyed this King Thrushbeard retelling and that I could not only see the threads from that tale, but also an entirely new one being weaved by Leialoha creating a new world that housed it. I loved Jax/Fox’s transformation from being determined to teach Heilani a lesson and using her to get what he wanted to wondering about the woman behind the persona and if he might have feelings for her. I also loved getting to know Heilani’s persona and seeing the chinks behind her armor when she relaxed or got into her own thoughts. I loved that we didn’t get all the details of what they would be going after right away nor the full scope of why Heilani was the one needed for it. Some of my favorite scenes/moments in this book included: Fox trying to woo/flirt with Heilani, Heilani with the young boy on board the ship, the first time pirates attacked, the adventures on the enchantress’s isle, and the reconciling the past with the truth and forgiveness.
Summary:
Heilani is known as the shark princess and that deters people from getting close. She always knew that she was destined for an arranged marriage, but has no desire for it so she takes pleasure from rejecting each and every suitor that comes to ask for her hand. When her brother -the king- gets fed up with her, he tells her that the next person to request her hand he would give her to. Heilani believes he’s joking until the next day she finds herself married to Captain Fox, an ex-pirate. Heilani doesn’t trust anyone, let alone a former pirate and is determined to frustrate Fox enough that he’ll tear up their marriage papers and return her back home. But as she gets to know the man she now calls her husband, Heilani finds herself falling little by little until something is revealed that causes a hurt that backlashes against her heart.
Prince Jax went undercover as a pirate during the pirate wars and was very good at donning a persona like a second skin. So when Heilani rejects his princely offer of marriage and he hears of the king’s decree after he left, Jax becomes Captain Fox -an ex-pirate that helped Prince Jax end the pirate wars- and reoffers his hand in marriage to Heilani through her brother. Heilani has no idea that he is Jax, and he doesn’t plan on telling her until after he uses her to complete a mission that will end with him gaining his own recognized kingdom. But Jax didn’t expect to have feelings for the shark princess or to discover that she is someone entirely different than expected. But does he truly have feelings for Heilani, or is it just him falling for his own ruse? Some days he can’t tell the difference between the truth and the mask…
May 25, 2023
I read Kidnapped at dusk and I loved that book but this was even better!!!
How should I start? With my favourite and main character, Heilani. I have never ever related to a character more than her. Yes, I’m not a princess or even from an island, but more like her predicament and her personality. It was like I was reading a version of myself, how convenient since I’m also 19. I understood her fears, her lack of trusting others, and her siblings. Goodness, I don’t get emotional reading, I don’t. But I did this time. Because her journey of self discovery and growth was so refreshing and beautiful, I couldn’t help but learn from it and love it!!! One of favourite characters ever!!!!
Jax—I’ll admit I didn’t like him or had mixed feelings regarding him until 60% of the book. I did like him. His deep feelings of not having anyone recognize his sacrifices and being misunderstood, I loved that he changed for Heilani and himself. Both of them were perfect for each other.
Iosefa, I’m not completely sure about him. I’m interested about him and if he gets a story, I definitely will read it. Others were delightful, Lavender, the twins, Malosi.
Also Dawson and Filia are getting their story and I can’t wait for that!!!
Overall, I loved this story and I can’t wait for more!!!
Thank you author for this ARC opportunity!!
How should I start? With my favourite and main character, Heilani. I have never ever related to a character more than her. Yes, I’m not a princess or even from an island, but more like her predicament and her personality. It was like I was reading a version of myself, how convenient since I’m also 19. I understood her fears, her lack of trusting others, and her siblings. Goodness, I don’t get emotional reading, I don’t. But I did this time. Because her journey of self discovery and growth was so refreshing and beautiful, I couldn’t help but learn from it and love it!!! One of favourite characters ever!!!!
Jax—I’ll admit I didn’t like him or had mixed feelings regarding him until 60% of the book. I did like him. His deep feelings of not having anyone recognize his sacrifices and being misunderstood, I loved that he changed for Heilani and himself. Both of them were perfect for each other.
Iosefa, I’m not completely sure about him. I’m interested about him and if he gets a story, I definitely will read it. Others were delightful, Lavender, the twins, Malosi.
Also Dawson and Filia are getting their story and I can’t wait for that!!!
Overall, I loved this story and I can’t wait for more!!!
Thank you author for this ARC opportunity!!
May 27, 2023
I opened this book with no clue what to expect. I am glad I did!
The easy read adventure was just what I needed for a short break from my normal reading. This fairytale retelling was a fun, clean, pirate filled, forced proximity, family redemption, romance perfect for the YA crowd. A misunderstood princess, a prince with selfish intent, what could go wrong?
I wouldn’t personally classify this as an enemies to lovers, but I see where that argument could be made. My only complaints, aka why it’s not getting five full stars, are 1) some of the major scenes felt a little rushed. 2) I felt like some of the characters were just thrown in. (I also found a singular typo where the wrong characters name was used, but I wouldn’t hold it against her.)
I will be recommending this fun book to some of the actual young adult readers in my life or if you need a super easy, read by the pool type of book.
Honestly, I am surprised this author isn’t more well-known. Her writing is easy to follow, her work is good quality, and the world she created sounds lovely.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. * thank you for letting me read your book. And thank you book sirens for introducing me to another fun author.
The easy read adventure was just what I needed for a short break from my normal reading. This fairytale retelling was a fun, clean, pirate filled, forced proximity, family redemption, romance perfect for the YA crowd. A misunderstood princess, a prince with selfish intent, what could go wrong?
I wouldn’t personally classify this as an enemies to lovers, but I see where that argument could be made. My only complaints, aka why it’s not getting five full stars, are 1) some of the major scenes felt a little rushed. 2) I felt like some of the characters were just thrown in. (I also found a singular typo where the wrong characters name was used, but I wouldn’t hold it against her.)
I will be recommending this fun book to some of the actual young adult readers in my life or if you need a super easy, read by the pool type of book.
Honestly, I am surprised this author isn’t more well-known. Her writing is easy to follow, her work is good quality, and the world she created sounds lovely.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. * thank you for letting me read your book. And thank you book sirens for introducing me to another fun author.
July 1, 2023
I love King Thrushbeard, and reading this was such a fun sport. I was hooked in the story the entire time, and it was such a sweet and light-hearted read.
Married at sunrise is a retelling of King Thrushbeard, and all I can say about the book is that it's perfect. The storyline and the characters were so well planned. Also, I loved the plot! My favorite thing about this was that it's a clean romance.
The main leads, Jax and Heilani, are such sweethearts. They have the best chemistry ever, and their interactions were always very pure and natural. I also liked how complex their characters were. I won't reveal much due to spoilers, but they feel like real people.
My favorite side character was Filia, Heilani's sister. She's very strong-headed and intelligent, and that's the reason I like her so much.
Something else that I liked about Married At Sunrise was how it portrayed family relationships and the importance of trust. Apart from the characters, the plot itself was very interesting and well-written.
I adored Married at sunrie and would recommend it to anyone who likes to read light-hearted, clean YA romance.
I received an ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Married at sunrise is a retelling of King Thrushbeard, and all I can say about the book is that it's perfect. The storyline and the characters were so well planned. Also, I loved the plot! My favorite thing about this was that it's a clean romance.
The main leads, Jax and Heilani, are such sweethearts. They have the best chemistry ever, and their interactions were always very pure and natural. I also liked how complex their characters were. I won't reveal much due to spoilers, but they feel like real people.
My favorite side character was Filia, Heilani's sister. She's very strong-headed and intelligent, and that's the reason I like her so much.
Something else that I liked about Married At Sunrise was how it portrayed family relationships and the importance of trust. Apart from the characters, the plot itself was very interesting and well-written.
I adored Married at sunrie and would recommend it to anyone who likes to read light-hearted, clean YA romance.
I received an ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 25, 2023
I really enjoyed reading this book! The plot kept me on my toes, and the characters were unique and relatable in a lot of ways. Specifically, I appreciated how Heilani and Jax both struggled in different ways to figure out who they wanted to be and where they fit in. Sometimes the inner dialogue felt a little bit repetitive, which distracted me a little from the otherwise great illustration of character development.
I loved the descriptions of places in the book--they made it easy to imagine what the islands look like. I feel like this book offered a solid taste of the Incandescent Kingdoms while making me excited to dive deeper into this world.
I also really appreciate the classiness of Humphreys' writing style. It is so refreshing to read a book without worrying about running into crude language and descriptions. I found that especially impressive since this book involves piracy and some violence. Somehow, even when crazy stuff happened, everything was described tastefully without losing any of the spirit of adventure.
Overall, a beautiful and well-written book!
**Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I loved the descriptions of places in the book--they made it easy to imagine what the islands look like. I feel like this book offered a solid taste of the Incandescent Kingdoms while making me excited to dive deeper into this world.
I also really appreciate the classiness of Humphreys' writing style. It is so refreshing to read a book without worrying about running into crude language and descriptions. I found that especially impressive since this book involves piracy and some violence. Somehow, even when crazy stuff happened, everything was described tastefully without losing any of the spirit of adventure.
Overall, a beautiful and well-written book!
**Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 2, 2023
Pirates, a prince and princess, undercover work, dangers at sea, island living and romance- this is what you are in for when you pick up Married at Sunrise. I was instantly curious about this book when I saw the title and I am so glad I picked it up based on that. This book just sucked me right into the adventure that awaits Princess Heilani and Prince Jax.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching their romance unfold as each of them has their own struggles to work through. I especially how they helped each other see the weaknesses and make things right in their lives, find themselves and their family. Such great characters, and you know when the MC hands the FMC a cutlass to spar that this will be an exciting read.
Humphreys did a fantastic job with the plot in this story. It is constantly moving and evolving with twists and turns. I could not put it down, I was so invested in Heilani, Jax and the people that matter most to them. And I am looking forward to more books in this series. It is going to be a good one.
*I received an advanced copy from the publisher/author and all opinions are my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching their romance unfold as each of them has their own struggles to work through. I especially how they helped each other see the weaknesses and make things right in their lives, find themselves and their family. Such great characters, and you know when the MC hands the FMC a cutlass to spar that this will be an exciting read.
Humphreys did a fantastic job with the plot in this story. It is constantly moving and evolving with twists and turns. I could not put it down, I was so invested in Heilani, Jax and the people that matter most to them. And I am looking forward to more books in this series. It is going to be a good one.
*I received an advanced copy from the publisher/author and all opinions are my own.
June 12, 2023
I’m always up for a good fairytale retelling and Married at Sunrise is based on King Thrushbeard, a tale I actually don’t know. After a quick synopsis read of the tale, I would say the author nailed this retelling with an islander twist.
Another element I’m always up for is a pirate story and our princess ends up on a pirate ship.
The question: is a princess always spoiled and a pirate always bad?
Captain Fox and the shark princess are forced into marriage and life on the ship. Captain Fox has a secret and the shark princess is quite vocal about her dislike of people.
I love the enemies to lovers trope. This was a pretty good will they/won’t they of that trope.
I enjoyed the lore of the Incandescent Kingdoms and how they come to be. I look forward to seeing more of the world.
This story has princes and princesses, pirates and adventurers, and of course an evil villain. I enjoyed its themes of reconciliation and family.
If you like pirates, fairytales, romance, and island life, then this book is a good choice for you.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Another element I’m always up for is a pirate story and our princess ends up on a pirate ship.
The question: is a princess always spoiled and a pirate always bad?
Captain Fox and the shark princess are forced into marriage and life on the ship. Captain Fox has a secret and the shark princess is quite vocal about her dislike of people.
I love the enemies to lovers trope. This was a pretty good will they/won’t they of that trope.
I enjoyed the lore of the Incandescent Kingdoms and how they come to be. I look forward to seeing more of the world.
This story has princes and princesses, pirates and adventurers, and of course an evil villain. I enjoyed its themes of reconciliation and family.
If you like pirates, fairytales, romance, and island life, then this book is a good choice for you.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 27, 2023
A unique spin on King Thrushbeard.
I loved the world building in this book, how an incandescent kingdom is formed and the history behind the existing kingdoms. I also enjoyed the sneak peaks of the other kingdoms and the royal families that rule them.
Heilani is wonderfully human, she has her flaws but she also has hidden kindness and vulnerability beneath her shark princess mask. Her journey throughout this book was amazing to see, especially how her familial relationships blossomed and how she became comfortable in her own skin.
Jax is another flawed character but his unconventional marriage with his new wife actually makes him want to be a better person and make the conscious decision to change. He actually lets people in, allowing him to love again after all the losses he suffered.
Heilani and Jax grow together so love not only grows between them but also self acceptance and a want to change so that their future together will be better than their pasts.
I look forward to seeing the other kingdoms in this series and what stories will take place in them.
I loved the world building in this book, how an incandescent kingdom is formed and the history behind the existing kingdoms. I also enjoyed the sneak peaks of the other kingdoms and the royal families that rule them.
Heilani is wonderfully human, she has her flaws but she also has hidden kindness and vulnerability beneath her shark princess mask. Her journey throughout this book was amazing to see, especially how her familial relationships blossomed and how she became comfortable in her own skin.
Jax is another flawed character but his unconventional marriage with his new wife actually makes him want to be a better person and make the conscious decision to change. He actually lets people in, allowing him to love again after all the losses he suffered.
Heilani and Jax grow together so love not only grows between them but also self acceptance and a want to change so that their future together will be better than their pasts.
I look forward to seeing the other kingdoms in this series and what stories will take place in them.
May 31, 2023
I've read several retellings of King Thrushbeard and enjoyed them all. If you're familiar with this fairytale, you have an idea of the twists and turns that the story will take, and I won't elaborate on them here to avoid spoilers. However, here are some things you can look forward to!
- a disguised prince 🤴
- swimming with sharks 🦈
- pirates ⚓
- magic 🌟
- treasure hunting
- clean romance
- Hawaiian-inspired setting and culture🌸
- marriage of convenience
- enemies to allies to lovers ❤️
- family bonds
- save the kingdom!
This particular retelling stood out to me because the narration is dual POV, which worked wonderfully to develop the characters and propel the plot. It's a perfect read for summer!
Other Thrushbeard retellings I would recommend include:
- Voyage by Camille Peters
- The Lady and the Wish by J.M. Stengl
- Maid and Minstrel by Kate Stradling
- Sands of Deceit by Celeste Baxendell
- a disguised prince 🤴
- swimming with sharks 🦈
- pirates ⚓
- magic 🌟
- treasure hunting
- clean romance
- Hawaiian-inspired setting and culture🌸
- marriage of convenience
- enemies to allies to lovers ❤️
- family bonds
- save the kingdom!
This particular retelling stood out to me because the narration is dual POV, which worked wonderfully to develop the characters and propel the plot. It's a perfect read for summer!
Other Thrushbeard retellings I would recommend include:
- Voyage by Camille Peters
- The Lady and the Wish by J.M. Stengl
- Maid and Minstrel by Kate Stradling
- Sands of Deceit by Celeste Baxendell
June 13, 2023
Loved this clean, romantic pirate and princes/princesses adventures which sees great development of characters throughout the story!
Prince Jax makes an important decision which has extensive ripple effects throughout the story and the consequences are more far reaching than his original expectations!
Princess Heilani has a much talked about reputation and is determined to remain single no matter how many suitors are introduced to her. However, her brother has other plans that change all their lives in the most unexpected ways!
Really enjoyed the action, the slow build romance, and the journey, both internally and externally, that the main characters travelled along.
Highly recommend this story and will look out for more writing from this author!
I received this advanced reader copy for free through Bookspout and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Prince Jax makes an important decision which has extensive ripple effects throughout the story and the consequences are more far reaching than his original expectations!
Princess Heilani has a much talked about reputation and is determined to remain single no matter how many suitors are introduced to her. However, her brother has other plans that change all their lives in the most unexpected ways!
Really enjoyed the action, the slow build romance, and the journey, both internally and externally, that the main characters travelled along.
Highly recommend this story and will look out for more writing from this author!
I received this advanced reader copy for free through Bookspout and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 2, 2023
I got this book as an ARC trough BookSirens.
I was totally in the mood for this :
- Pirates
- Arranged marriage
- Quest
- Hidden identity
- All of the above, yes.
It started great, a princess being the entitled and bitchy one. Usually it's the subling but I loved this take. She is given in marriage to a captain who is in fact the would be king of Aqua Isle and the "Pirate King".
But her siblings along with the captain are hiding his true identity. She doesn't trust anyone but start to get close to her husband. And I love it, it screams drama and so much more.
You don't get bored because everything is moving quickly and the plot advances. I kind of like this speed and felt it was right.
It was an easy and quick read and really enjoyable!
4,5 stars
I was totally in the mood for this :
- Pirates
- Arranged marriage
- Quest
- Hidden identity
- All of the above, yes.
It started great, a princess being the entitled and bitchy one. Usually it's the subling but I loved this take. She is given in marriage to a captain who is in fact the would be king of Aqua Isle and the "Pirate King".
But her siblings along with the captain are hiding his true identity. She doesn't trust anyone but start to get close to her husband. And I love it, it screams drama and so much more.
You don't get bored because everything is moving quickly and the plot advances. I kind of like this speed and felt it was right.
It was an easy and quick read and really enjoyable!
4,5 stars
May 23, 2023
This is the first full book in the Incandescent Kingdom series.
I won't lie I struggle with King Thrushbeard retellings. The writing and world building are well done. The characters are thought out and have a growth arch.
Heilani is the unwanted and unliked princess from the Sunrise Kingdom. Jax is the Pirate king, the third prince of a kingdom, and a very skilled liar.
Throughout the story I felt more for Heilani than Jax. I would say more on this but that's a spoiler 😉.
Do I recommend this book? Yes.
Will I continue with the series? Yes.
Sweet clean romance with mild language and violence fairy tale retelling.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I won't lie I struggle with King Thrushbeard retellings. The writing and world building are well done. The characters are thought out and have a growth arch.
Heilani is the unwanted and unliked princess from the Sunrise Kingdom. Jax is the Pirate king, the third prince of a kingdom, and a very skilled liar.
Throughout the story I felt more for Heilani than Jax. I would say more on this but that's a spoiler 😉.
Do I recommend this book? Yes.
Will I continue with the series? Yes.
Sweet clean romance with mild language and violence fairy tale retelling.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 2, 2023
4.5 ☆
This lovely story is based on the King Trushbeard story. It's a fairytale I'm not very familiar with, so it was a nice new experience for me 😄
I looked the story up and the author did a good job of resembling the original story and still be creative and different!
Luckily this FMC is a lot nicer than the one from the original story. Heilani seems to be a spoiled and egoistic person, but she is actually more complicated. She's not as bad as she appears and is formed by things from her past.
The MMC, Jax or Fox is an interesting character too. He is also more layered than he appears in the beginning.
Both characters experience a growth throughout the story. It's nice to read about it in a dual POV. Not only was there character growth, the romance was also growing. That part was very sweet!
The setting of the book feels Hawaiian inspired and it gives a very tropical vibe. I enjoyed that, it made me feel as if was on a journey.
There's also plenty of adventure and some plottwists.
A few elements in the story are:
- "enemies" to lovers (a little bit)
- forced proximity
- arranged marriage
- pirates
It was a very enjoyable read with a nice and easy flow!
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Booksirens and author!
This lovely story is based on the King Trushbeard story. It's a fairytale I'm not very familiar with, so it was a nice new experience for me 😄
I looked the story up and the author did a good job of resembling the original story and still be creative and different!
Luckily this FMC is a lot nicer than the one from the original story. Heilani seems to be a spoiled and egoistic person, but she is actually more complicated. She's not as bad as she appears and is formed by things from her past.
The MMC, Jax or Fox is an interesting character too. He is also more layered than he appears in the beginning.
Both characters experience a growth throughout the story. It's nice to read about it in a dual POV. Not only was there character growth, the romance was also growing. That part was very sweet!
The setting of the book feels Hawaiian inspired and it gives a very tropical vibe. I enjoyed that, it made me feel as if was on a journey.
There's also plenty of adventure and some plottwists.
A few elements in the story are:
- "enemies" to lovers (a little bit)
- forced proximity
- arranged marriage
- pirates
It was a very enjoyable read with a nice and easy flow!
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Booksirens and author!
June 2, 2023
It’s been a while since I’ve read a fairytale book! And I loved Married at Sunrise by Author Leialoha Humpherys. With pirates, princesses, and an enchantress there was everything to love about this book. Prince Jax, aka Captain Fox, and Heilani had an arranged marriage. A business contract at the most. Heilani wasn’t loved at home and Jax needed her for a quest. I loved reading the dual POV and seeing their feelings for each other change the more they spent time together. Both characters grow and the ending couldn’t be happier. You could classify this as enemies to lovers, close proximity, and secret identity. This retelling of King Thrushbeard is one I’ll recommend and reread! I can’t wait to read the other books by this author!
June 10, 2023
First of all—look at that cover! It beautifully reflects the culture and vibes of this story. It was a sweet romance and a clever take on the original tale. It was fun, but many moments were too convenient or even a bit clunky. The characters weren’t as nuanced as they might have been, and their assumptions about each other were frustrating (obviously, mistaken assumptions are the premise of the story, but didn’t they learn their lessons after the first time?). This was especially irritating because I think a better proofreader and editor could have made this an easy 4 or 4.5. I’m interested in how the world develops and how the sequels intertwine, but I’m not sure if I’ll read them. Thanks to BookSirens and the author for the ARC.
June 15, 2023
I loved everything about this book. It was action packed and very funny in many parts. It made me sad, made me laugh, and almost made me cry. This is one of the best books I’ve read from BookSirens & I look forward to reading more from this author. This story was literally amazing from the beginning to the end. The author is very descriptive so it’s easy to imagine the book and setting while you’re reading it, I felt as if I was actually there watching the story unravel. I loved all of the characters. I was not expecting the plot twist that happened mid book but this was truly a great novel. I really enjoyed it!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews