The Prince and His Stolen Groom

Stolen Groom #1

by J.E. Ridge

A magic spell protects the Desolated Lands from evil mages and their nefarious schemes. As a condition of this spell, Princess Francesca of Woe and Prince Brendon of Bane must marry.

Rick knows his sister will be miserable in this marriage, so he concocts a half-baked plan to kidnap the groom and stall the wedding. He just needs time to find an alternative way to keep the spell active. Everything seems to go smoothly until someone else arrives at the castle claiming to be Prince Brendon. Now Rick has to juggle two grooms: the real one he stashed in a magic tower, and the imposter romancing his sister.

Because Rick disrupted the wedding, the spell begins to weaken, allowing an evil mage to slip past the magical defenses. Chaos ensues as Rick struggles with imposters, evil minions, and his growing feelings for Brendon.

Who knew stealing one groom would cause so much trouble?

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Magic, Romance, Queer, LGBT, Royalty

283 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 16, 2024

About the author

J.E. Ridge is a pen name for Jennifer Ridge to distinguish between Adult and Young Adult fiction. She has her Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing from Western Michigan University, and her Master's in Library and Information Science from Wayne State University. She wrote her first novel at twelve years old, which--along with several other projects--will probably never again see the light of day. Many of her earliest projects focused on LGBT+ couples and lately she's been revisiting her favorite tropes with a queer spin.

Source: Amazon.com

Reviews

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*** stars

As they celebrated their new beginnings, none of them suspected that one of their grandchildren would one day royally fuck up all their careful planning.

Bahahaha, careful planning… these guys were drunk off their asses.


This book was a bit looney and confusing at times but it was also very entertaining. I loved how the author set up the different narratives, especially with the interruptions from the evil mage. *lol

[trice (semi ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book tried to be funny but it's not that funny.

yea, sure cyril's interruptions were amusing, and his wife was a fun character, but that's really it.

i wish i could say more about the romance, but there really is nothing to say. it felt like rick and brendon's relationship was built mostly on lust. there were a few sprinkles of romantic moments, but it's just that. sprinkles.

rick's family and their dynamics was also a big issue, but it was dealt with quite perfunctorily, just an apology and brendon's soothing words.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A jaungty good time.

This book was so silly and self aware, I LOVED all the 4th wall breaking! Had me laughing out loud. The romance itself was cute I just wish we got more moments with the ropes!

If you want a silly read to break you out of a slump, pick this one up!

[Mar Que]

DNF - 21%

Мне надо было чем-то разбавить "Гротеск" Нацуо Кирино и выбор пал на эту книжку. И даже с моим разжиженным мозгом, которому нужно было только ненапряженное развлечение, отдохнуть как-то не получилось.
По сюжету, сестра главного героя Рика, должна вступить в династический брак с принцем соседней страны, потому что иначе щит, защищающий обе страны от злых сил падет и тогда все, пиши-пропало. Сестра за соседнего принца не очень хочет замуж (ей больше нравится лезть под юбки служанкам), и Рик не находит ничего лучше, чем похитить жениха и как-то убедить его отменить свадьбу. Пока жених кукует в башне, появляется подставной жених.
И нет, это не самое ужасное. К похищению благодаря названию я была готова. Трэш начинается потом.
Рик — это какой-то истероид, которого постоянно кидает из одной крайности в другую. Сперва он говорит, что сестра должна выполнить свой долг, а потом похищает ее жениха и запирает в магической башне. Он собирается убедить жениха отменить свадьбу, а потом подсовывает ему любимые книги сестры, дабы у них были точки соприкосновения. И у него становиться тесно в штанах буквально от малейшего прикосновения.
На ао3 есть такой тэг "crack treated seriously", когда в фанфике происходит лютейший наркоманский бред, автор это осознает, но персонажи относятся к ситуации серьезно и на этом контрасте, собственно, строится весь юмор. Так вот, тут вся книга написана в таком стиле и это выливается неизбежно в плоские шутки на грани фола. В основном шутки, естественно, про секс. Может дело во мне, но я такое могу принимать только очень дозированно. И чем дальше, тем более абсурдным для меня становился местный юмор.
И если факт того, что Рик зачем-то отправился похищать жениха, нарядившись в платье своей сестры, я еще могла пережить, то после сцены, где Рик вывел жениха погулять, надев на него волшебный красный кожаный БДСМ-ошейник и все закончилось очередным стояком и шутками про стоп-слова, я с чистой совестью захлопнула эту книгу.

[Nirav · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellently written and thought out tale.
It's absolutely hilarious, but the story doesn't rely on just it's humour. There is a complex tale woven behind the main conflict of the book which is explained very masterfully.

I would recommend this book to everyone, irrespective of their reading preferences. It's so fresh and unique!

[PaperMoon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't get past the irreverent tone of this fantasy - modern day lingo, cunnilingus in the first few pages, an evil Mage called Cyril, unsettling chapter narrative POVs switches ... I could go on.

[Ley Taylor Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Y'all, I loved this book. I don't often find myself giggling out loud even to romance books, but I really couldn't help myself with this one—it's just so goddamn funny. Between the naughty banter, the absolute shenanigans the main cast gets itself into, and the charming and somewhat irreverent narration style, I was laughing, affectionately rolling my eyes, and also kicking my feet and twirling my hair the entire time. I love a romance that's not afraid to be silly while still being good, and this book definitely delivered.

My favorite part by far had to be the interruptions featuring the Lord of Darkness, Prince of Shadows, Bringer of Terrible Evil, the Great and Powerful Cyril (and also his darling wife). Something about his chapters just screams fantasy rom-com in a way that's reminiscent of William Goldman and the "let's check in on the ineffectual villain" chapters of Good Omens. I thought the particular sense of humor and evil wizard fantasy vibes set the tone for the overarching plot really well—even more so than Rick's own chapters. I was thrilled every time he showed up (in his own narration or otherwise).

There are a few things that keep this from being a five-star read for me, though they're minor enough as to not fully detract from the appeal of the book. I personally would have preferred if the entire book had been written in limited omniscient third like Cyril's chapters, as I think it would have been able to engage that much more with the writing style's sense of humor and dramatic irony. The whole book hinges on a series of escalating misunderstandings, and there are a few points where Rick's first-person POV left me waiting for him to catch up to the punchline of a joke I'd already been told.

The ending also feels a bit rushed and contrived, though this is improved somewhat by the self-aware nature of the book and the fact that it hangs a lantern on the whole thing. The misunderstandings become less circumstance-based as the story progresses, so there is a bit of the "just talk to each other" frustration that comes with the miscommunication trope. The fact that everything wraps up relatively neatly despite this feels too clean to me, but that also doesn't stop it from being a good ending.

Overall, this is a fantastic read and I like that there are enough plot threads to allow for a potential companion novel while still being a satisfying standalone. If you're looking for a good, mildly kinky queer romance that engages with your favorite fanfic-style tropes with a self-aware wink, definitely check this one out!

[Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful dumbassery

I honestly just picked this up at random, looking for another read for Pride and figured "why not?" I didn't expect it to be actually GOOD. I love the way this book pokes fun at itself while touching on important themes. Rick is a dumbass in such a good way. Everyone is just weird and stupid and fun. 4.5 stars. Minus half a star because a box of cereal showing up really threw me. It was there for joke purposes, which I did enjoy, but sometimes having modern Items in medieval fantasy feels like crunching down on a grain of sand to me and for whatever reason, that was one. But still such an excellent, funny read. Cheesy with a purpose. I just can't decide if it's cheese whiz or brie, in the best possible way.

[sunnoah · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was alright !!! i quite enjoyed the story and especially that everyone ended up happy 🫶 it was a little confusing at times tho ..

[⋆ forest ˖]

DNF 53%

i’m a bit depressed rn so i can’t find the motivation to finish this lol

[Aldara Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty, hilariously absurd, fun, and naughty. This is the perfect book to cozy up and spend a delightful day reading. Every POV is wonderfully written; I'm usually a reader who strongly prefers one POV character over the rest, but this is one of the few books that didn't have me wishing I could skip ahead, because I was enjoying every single page. The villains are fantastic. Enough said.

[Shaitanah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty, hilarious and very cute! A lovely feel-good read with a fun twist on some good old fairy tale/fantasy tropes.

[endlesslyloverman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun quick read! At first I wanted a slower build to the romance but it was enjoyable start to finish.

[Natalie Sypeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the humor, the outlandishness, the messiness and the fun the author had playing with some classic fantasy tropes. It was fun when the characters broke the 4th wall, like when the wizard said he couldn't help the night fight the monster, but could only offer guidance and advice lol. I also always like the trope where one of the characters tries to seduce the other and the other is clueless about what is going on.

I will say that the reason this didn't get a 5 star despite being a great time was that I felt it lacked a bit of depth. There was a part of me that appreciated that the characters were just starting to fall in love by the end of the book because I felt we didn't get to know either of them quite enough for me to believe the two of them were full blown in love, but I definitely could see the two of them really growing to deeply love each other. I will also say that I felt we were teased for a lot of kink and then the one smut scene, while good, fell a little flat.

Overall, a quick easy read that had me thoroughly entertained.

[Cynthia M Brow · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Prince and His Stolen Groom is just the funniest book I have read in a long time. The characters are fun and in the beginning of the story the world building was a little hard to understand. As I continued to read I was pulled into the book and truly enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Viki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gay fairytale with modern language (and characters) that mentions kinks (and doesn't deliver) and doesn't take itself seriously - at all, up to and including the supposed stealing of the groom.

I thought I'd be slamming (figuratively) this book shut over the first chapter but there is some entertainment value in a so-not-a-bad-boy prince who cares to suddenly save his sister from saving the kingdom (cause of ludicrous spell) by being chaotic-good and trying not to like her fiance who likes him back. Failing. And everyone doing some minor and major mistakes and it's not always as funny as it wants to be but once I decided to accept the unseriousness of this business, I liked it well enough.

[Mystic DreamClouds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be honest. I read this book solely for the cover because why not? It’s captivating and the title is unique. Although I’m giving it four stars this book will always be one of my favorites.

The first few chapters were like a rickety road. I had trouble getting through the history of the magic spell that protects the Desolated Lands. It was a bit confusing to me, but otherwise would have been funny.

Rick is my favorite character and he deserves a big bear hug! Rick is an innocent character. It’s true he kidnapped Prince Brendon to stall the wedding but it was with good intentions and he regrets it constantly. He does his best to find an alternate way to keep the spell intact without making his sister miserable while also ensuring Brendon isn’t feeling disheartened, stuck in a castle. Although Rick cares about what would happen if his secrets out, he’s prioritizing others first. Rick’s past is partly to blame for his lack of confidence and self-doubt but I’m glad Brendon was able to see beyond that.

Brendon was an interesting character upon introduction. I liked how he kept his distance from Rick at first but slowly started to open up as time progressed. It felt realistic and since Brendon was an outsider, he was able to understand Rick for who he really was. That said, I didn’t catch when Brendon fell for Rick, it felt sudden but honestly I didn’t mind. These two make a good couple so I was glad.

Cyril was an interesting addition and added an amusing element of drama to the story. I liked how he was portrayed with two separate personalities, yet yielded to his wife. His perspective was interesting and I loved his two minions. They definitely added a lot of comedic misunderstandings and events to this story.

The other characters weren’t very interesting. There is a sapphic relationship and although it is welcomed, I didn’t like the characters at all. Rick’s sister, Francesca or Franny and Kit. Honestly they were kind and cared about their respective people but it didn’t feel like they really did. It didn’t come across to me in the story and they felt annoying, at times. For example, I wish Francesca was honest to Rick about how she felt about getting married, or Kit actually took a moment to acknowledge Rick as Francesca’s brother. I’m not going to delve into the parents because they aren’t worth mentioning.

Overall, this was a fun, witty and enjoyable story. I would honestly love a second book detailing Rick and Brendon’s married life in the Kingdom of Bane.

Read more reviews @ Mystic's Review Shelf

[Rin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Spoilers ahead:

I want to give this book credit for the super cute relationship between Rick and Brendon. They had so much chemistry, Rick's quick attachment to Brendon was so cute, and I loved everything about them and their story. You know, when it wasn't being hijacked.

- I loathed Franny and her mother with every fiber of my being. Franny was boring at best, and selfish and horrible at worst, and her mother was just despicable. They completely ruined the book for me, the story tried to get me to care about Franny by constantly shoving her in my face, and I never could because she didn't deserve it. I hated that we never got to properly see the mother get her comeuppance for being so horrible. Hell, the best I can really say about Kit was that she wasn't as bad as the other women for most of the story, and then she started to grow on me at the end, but I still can't forget how incompetent she was at times, and honestly kind of a bad friend to Brendon. Mostly though, it was Franny and her mother that ruined everything, I couldn't stand them, and I was so glad Rick ended up leaving the kingdom, I hope they never haunt his doorstep again.

- I would say about 95% of the humor did not land. It felt so forced, and I particularly disliked the constant 4th wall breaking. It was just... boring ૮₍ ˶•⤙•˶ ₎ა Again, it felt like the writing was trying so hard to get a laugh instead of just letting the characters be funny organically, and I just had to roll my eyes and wait for it to be over every time (ᵕ—ᴗ—)"

- I also really hated the Interruptions. Very aptly named because that's what they felt like; pointless, annoying interruptions in the story that ended up going nowhere. You could genuinely take them and those characters out, and not miss a thing (though to be fair, the moment between Cyril and Lucinda in the tower was pretty cute, but like, it's not your story and you've been interrupting enough, so I don't care?). Maybe that was the point, because they were called "Interruptions," but honestly, it already felt like we were taking even more time away from the main characters.

I wanted to see more of Rick and Brendon because that's who I thought the story was supposed to be about, but they honestly spend the same amount of time, if not more, with other characters than with each other, and then when they ARE with each other, they're CONSTANTLY interrupted. I don't ever want to spend a story groaning because, yet again, somebody else is taking attention away from the only two interesting and romantic characters.

I'd actually had some high hopes for this because I thought it would be a fun, quick read with a lot of cute and romantic moments, and instead the book felt like it lasted FOREVER just for all the pointless (and most often severely insufferable) side-characters. At least I got some joy with Rick and Brendon. Everyone else just dragged the story down.

[fishreads (on indefinite hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun fantasy that didn't take itself too seriously. It kept me engaged all through the story which lately is not often the case for me when reading m/m romance. Romance was a bit on the lighter side, but I didn't mind it as the plot and character dynamics were plenty entertaining.

This is a story of five kingdoms which in order to keep their lands safe from evil, cast a spell which requires members of different royal families to marry in order to strengthen bonds between kingdoms.

The last marriage between the second generation is the one between Francesca, the princess of Woe and Brendon, the prince of Bane. Except, a week before the wedding, Francesca's brother Frederick (or Rick as he prefers) discovers Francesca doesn't really have much interested in marrying a man, since she is a lesbian. In order to save his sister from a possibly unhappy marriage Rick comes up with a half baked plan and ends up kidnapping Brendon and locking him up in his magical tower.

Rick was a very endearing character, because despite his questionable actions his heart was in the right place. At times, seeing how nobody in his family ever took him seriously, my heart really went out to him. His mother's behavior seemed particularly worrisome as she was disturbingly controlling of everything but even more so when it came to Rick. It was disturbing not to see it addressed as problematic. But I was glad that in the end Rick managed to find in Brendon someone who could see him for what he really was.

Themes: limited multiple POV, sister's fiance, royalty, arranged marriage, kidnapping

[Jeanette Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute gem. All the best elements of fairytales can be found here. Princes and princesses, good and evil mages, towers and dragons. It's got the snark and comedic action of the Princess Bride. Royals, Francesca and Brendon were betrothed since birth, except marriage to the prince would make Francesca miserable. To save his sister, Rick kidnaps Brendon and imprisons him in his magic tower. Kit, Brendon's second, takes his place.
The ensuing chapters are filled with chaotic good fun. Francesca and Kit fall for each other. Brendon and Rick are attracted to each other. Which could turn to love. If they didn't get interrupted every single time they're alone with each other.
One of the authors is a YA author. And this book would work as a young adult novel. I'm glad it isn't and not just because of the steamy pining, and sizzling interactions. It's a delightful and quickly read tale. I often judge a book by either it's title or cover, and forgo reading the blurbs. Both tickled my fancy. Ten out of ten, would definitely recommend.
I received an advanced copy of this book and this is my review.

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Prince and His Stolen Groom is the first book in J.E. Ridge’s Stolen Groom series, and it is one that has me excited for more. I feel this will be a story to divide people – it will either work extremely well or it will have people viewing it as (possibly) cringy – but it did work for me.

Although I did not find The Prince and the Stolen Groom to be the laugh-out-loud story that was likely intended, it was one that had me hooked from the start. It had that low level of amusement that had me smiling at things, eager for more of the chaos. In many ways, it was over the top – yet it worked for this story. It was silly, filled with confusion, and it played with tropes in a way that ensured the reader knew what was coming while questioning what mayhem would unfold next. It was the kind of addictive story that made it easy for me to overlook the things that did not work for me – such as some terms being used that did not fit in a fantasy novel – as I was too invested to be distracted by these little things.

All in all, The Prince and His Stolen Groom was a great start to series, and I cannot wait to see what comes next.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

This book will either hit you in the funny bone … or it won’t. It’s farcical, irreverent, silly, corny, and cheesy in equal measure. It’s also a great deal of fun, with a pair of star-crossed lovers who have no idea what’s going on, a pair of star-crossed lovers who know exactly what’s going on, and an evil wizard so devoted to giving his wife a wonderful holiday that he’ll even play at being a Good Wizard.

Even though there’s a light time and a lot of whimsy, there are some dark moments here and there.

This book is well written and well paced and I flew through it in one day. It has a light, easy tone, while still touching on some more delicate matters, and seems well set up for future books. The world building is a mess, with cereal boxes and flying horses, magic swords and enchanted shibari ropes. But it’s fun. And really, isn’t that the most important part of any book?

Read Elizabeth's review in its entirety here.

[isthisakink · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was way fucking cuter than the blurb made me think it would be. Like, I expected to like it, but I wound up loving it. It had more depth and dimension to it, which was a super neat bonus. I love when a blurb undersells.

I would’ve loved to have gotten the full Mattias story, and I would’ve loved an epilogue that put that hateful mama in her place and showed Rick getting his fresh start somewhere healthier and happier, but beggars can’t be choosers, and this was more than enough.

The minions were fantastic and Lucinda made better mom material than the actual mom. Also wonderful bonuses.

4.5/5. Classic tropes and vibes but make them queer. I loved the writing style and the characters and the way the story was told/narrated. It gave me happy chemicals and that’s basically my biggest “book want” right now. I’d definitely read a sequel, though more respect for Rick would be a requirement. Bless himbs heart.🥺🥲



(—I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews (GRR). All ratings, reviews, and opinions are my own.—)

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Prince and His Stolen Groom was so fun! I'm not usually a massive romantasy reader, but when I read the blurb for this on GRR I had to grab a copy and give it a read. There were some aspects lacking for me, like the chemistry between Rick & Brendan. They had chemistry, but it felt underdeveloped. The skip from okay I find you attractive to let's get married was too quick for me, despite the plot blocks that held back the marriage proposal. Fran became frustrating after Brendan exposed her lack of faith in her brother, and the fact that his family wouldn't address him in the way he was comfortable cemented that his family really weren't great to him. I felt like the family issues weren't really resolved. I'd have liked to see Rick chewing them out rather than his mother saying his leaving was for the best. Overall, though I liked the comedy and fantasy aspects a lot, the marriage protection spell was a great concept and stealing your sibling's arranged fiancé was also a fun trope that was explored.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

The spell used to protect the Desolate Lands from evil mages and their like requires Princess Francesca of Woe to marry Prince Brendan of Bane. Rick knows his sister will be miserable so he resolves to help her. His idea is to kidnap the prince and hide him in his magic tower until he can find an alternate way to satisfy the spell. Then everything goes wrong. A fake Prince Brendan shows up and romances his sister; evil minions show up and create havoc. Rick is finding it increasingly difficult trying to juggle.

This story turned out to be quite a gem. There were surprises, twists, and excellent interchanges. There were lots of high-flown speeches from villains and heroes alike, guaranteed to make you smile, groan or laugh. It was fun to read and we are treated to more than one romance. Hop on for the journey with the main characters as they find their own unique blend of happiness. It would be a delight to read more set in this amazing world.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyable

This was a fun book, with likable characters, which for me usually means 5 stars. However I knocked 2 off because of the following:

One star off because there were chapters that got a bit confusing about who was narrating that part. Admittedly there are 2 chapters titled Character A and Character B Fight For Narration Rights or similar, but there was at least one other chapter where I kept pausing to consider who's point of view it was, taking me out of the book and making it tricky to get back in.

Another star off because there were a few points where a character wouldn't know of anyone event I was sure they'd witnessed first hand - again taking me out of the book. Now, again, I should admit that things go quickly in places and times I read while very tired so perhaps I was misremembering. However I felt it was worth taking a star off because there were other points I felt I had to re-read a paragraph or two to understand what had actually happened before I could continue.

I wouldn't let this put you off though, it's a very enjoyable story.

[Adelaide Blaike · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Did you just moan?" he demanded.
"No."
"Yes, you did!"
Thinking fast, I said, "It was a groan of pain. This position is very uncomfortable." He'd let me go before when he'd accidentally hurt me, maybe it would work a second time.
No such luck. His hand tightened on my wrists as he exclaimed, "You were moaning during my Very Serious Escape Attempt!"
The way he capitalized those words gave it an official air that the situation did not warrant. All he'd done was pin me to a table, it was hardly a well-thought-out plan.

This was such a fun read - and the pages flew by!

So yes, the protagonist is not the brightest bulb. Yes, there's a plot event about halfway thorough that has me still scratching my head. But it was irreverent and light-hearted and funny and made me smile...and that is exactly what I need right now. With sprinklings of kink, evil-that-isn't-really-evil-because-he's-on-vacation, and the fate of several kingdoms at stake, this book made for an incredibly fun jaunt.

(And now I want my own magical tower, please)

[Srikanth Krishna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Charming and Whimsical Royal Rom‑com!

The Prince and His Stolen Groom is a delightfully lighthearted fantasy romance that flips the usual royal trope on its head. Rick, determined to save his sister from a loveless arranged marriage, hatches a hilariously half-baked plan to kidnap the groom—only to discover there's another impostor in the castle claiming to be Prince Brendon. Cue chaos, magic spells, and a whole lot of heart.

What makes this read shine:

Playfully absurd premise—the magical spell, the twin‑groom mix‑up, and the high‑stakes deception create a roller‑coaster perfect for rom‑com lovers.

Bright and funny tone—the story balances humor with suspense and a touch of magical fantasy, keeping the pages turning.

Lovely character dynamics—Rick's protective instincts and Brendon's presence spark chemistry, while charming side characters and a sprinkling of mischief elevate the fun.

[Yackie]

This book was exactly what I wanted. It’s funny but has steaks, even if they’re quite silly. It breaks the fourth wall in the best ways. It’s so unserious but written well enough that every character is their own person and it’s fast enough to keep me entertained. I also like that, while it may seem like some comedy smut novel, it’s more in the vein of Running Close to the Wind where all the characters have inappropriate humor but I don’t have to trudge through arduous sex scenes.
Also the chapter called “homosexual supporting cast vs evil minions” was such a clear Ouran High School Host Club reference I am helpless but to respect it.

I would read it exactly fifty billion more of these books

[Don · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my honest review in exchange of the ARC.

I wish I could've given this book a higher rating, but it just wasn't for me. (I think I have to stop reading ARC books because of the kink list lmao)

I can definitely see the appeal, a quirky book subverting the cliché fantasy damsel in tower/arranged marriage etc etc, but this is particular was a bit too on the nose for me. Plus I don't like breaking the 4th wall that much, which was done multiple times in this book.

First, the characters: most of them were insufferable. The mother, the sister, the evil mage, even Ricky sometimes. GOD. Too many "main" characters. Brandon was legit the only person I liked, but I feel like he was just there as a victim the whole time, so.

The plot? Sometimes I had the feeling it was tying to hit too many check points and it made the whole thing feel a bit cheesy. What IS the plot really, asode from the blurb description? After the kidnapping, what REALLY happens? Maybe I'm being too harsh, but there were multiple times I was wondering to myself "okay, when is shit actually gonna go down?" Let's be fr, the action consisted of Ricky going to and fro the tower and castle lmao. Even the evil mage felt like he was dragging his feet with his deeds.

The romance felt misplaced. Or maybe forced. Didn't really understand why Ricky and Brandon fell in love? Imo Ricky is too boring and self-pitying. If I think too deeply, I think I could say the same about Brandon, aside from the fact he stood up for Ricky at the end. The villain couple had more chemistry than the MMCs 🙄 gimme a book about them.

Also the reversed roles also didn't help the rating lmao, but that's more of a me problem than the book. I just always rate down when there's switching/positions I don't fw.

In conclusion, idk tbh