A Court of Fire and Frost: A Romeo and Juliet Retelling: Legends of Love

Legends of Love #1

by Daniela A. Mera, Elayna R. Gallea

“We reached across the sea and found each other, only to lose everything at the hands of fate.”
Two Courts. Two Fae. One Winter, one Summer.
A sea between them.
One forbidden love.

Elva

I am not a good Fae.

Maybe I was at one point, but things change. I have been shaped into the Fae I am today.

Cold. Heartless. Uncaring.

I spend my days hunting the worst criminals in our world.

For a long time, I didn’t care what happened to me. Then one day, I meet a Summer Fae that I can’t get out of my head.

Every time I see him, our connection grows. Everything about this is forbidden. I can’t let myself get close to anyone.

But with him, I can’t seem to help it.

When my past finally catches up with me, our connection may be the only thing that saves me.

Nathaniel

The day I saw my life flash before my eyes, I was freezing my ass off at the docks, helping a mysterious early morning shipment.

She turned around and it just sort of… happened.

It sounds more dramatic than it was.

The more time I spend with her, the more shocked I am to realize she is the same as me. I have never felt a connection like this to any being in all of Aranthium.

Then, just like that, she is gone.

And I’ve decided I will do whatever it takes to find her. Even if it means walking down a dark path.

Everyone thinks I’m crazy, but I know she is worth it.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Fae, Romantasy, Retellings, Young Adult

402 pages, Paperback

Published September 25, 2023

About the author

Daniela A. Mera was born into a royal Fae family in Scotland. She was a free spirit who loved traveling and cloud watching while laying velvet-soft grass. When she came of age, her mother forced her to travel to Las Vegas in order to kill a dragon and conquer a neighboring kingdom.

The dragon turned out to be a man, whom she fell wildly in love with. The couple ran away to the gentle hills of Mexico where Daniela ate lots of tacos and fruits the size of her head.

Something along those lines, anyway.

She writes whimsical tales full of lore all around the world, full of emotionally available men and women who run the world. She can be found listening to sappy romance ballads while writing scenes meant to emotionally damage her readers.

When not writing, Daniela can be found doing yoga and playing video games. Join her newsletter for freebies at: www.danielaamera.com

Reviews

[Laura ♥ ♑︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ | 2 🌶️

❤️Low spice
❤️Romeo and Juliet retelling
❤️Forbidden love
❤️Reverse grumpy/sunshine
❤️Lost Heir
❤️Shifter fae
❤️Touch her/him and d!e

This was such a good romantasy! The world-building and character development in A Court of Fire and Frost were flawless. This book has action, self-discovery, humor, and romance. I loved every bit of it.

Elva is a fierce and strong winter fae.
Nathaniel is a softhearted and sunshiny summer fae.
He’s basically the exact opposite of his other half, Elva. The two complimented each other perfectly and also brought out the best in each other.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an arc and this is my honest review.

Happy release day! It’s available on KU for anyone who wants to read it.

“But the stars seem to have cursed us. Fortuna has cursed us.”

I honestly don’t know where to start with this. I had really high hopes and I think I psyched myself up expecting amazing things. Unfortunately for me it just fell short of those expectations. It’s an easy read for anyone who wants that and the world building is laced through the book rather than a smack of it right from the offset. Which is always a benefit in my eyes!

Elva is our FMC, she’s doesn’t class herself as a particularly good person. I think her actions speak otherwise for the most part though. You’re literally introduced to her as she disposes of a body. That sounds bad but then she reveals why she’s got him and you’re like, “yep ok. That’s totally reasonable. Crack on.” I just don’t really see her as a bad person. I suppose if anything it adds some realism. Especially later on when she’s deliberating over issues in the winter court and if she’ll ever be any better than her mother. It actually makes her more “human” for a fae, doubting her own capabilities and whether she’ll be good enough.

Nat? I’m a little lost with him if I’m honest. Our MMC is seemingly quite meek at times and others, not so much. He’s funny and I definitely think he had some good moments. As a summer fae he’s just a more “happy go lucky” person, whereas Elva (winter fae) is more the “badass”. The contrast is quite stark but it does work together. I’d have just liked to see more of them actually “being together”.

There’s a whole insta love thing that goes on with these two. I say insta love but it’s like “I’m so drawn to him/her” insta obsession. Which absolutely tracks with R&J vibes! So that does what it says on the tin.

There’s a lot of fantasy elements in this that have been brought in too. We have Fae, vampires, merpeople, mentions of hades (demigods) etc. which I think is really cool. I like when worlds are meshed like that, it just gives you so much more to explore. In terms of the writing? It just felt like it was choppy in parts, which just really threw me off.

I feel like I’m being overly negative. I genuinely didn’t hate it but I think my expectations of this were far too high and it’s just not resonated with me. I’m actually gutted because I really wanted to be obsessed with this and I just wasn’t.

As always though, if you enjoy the cover/ blurb, give it a go! You might enjoy it more than I did 😊

[Charli Grace the bibliophilic story addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

TL;DR: 5/5 stars, great fantasy novel with representation, great worldbuilding, and romance.

~-*disclaimer*-~
I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book. Everything said here was written in full by me.

Opposite Ends of The Sea is a thrilling book, filled from cover to cover with shocking plot twists, a mysterious romance, multiple perspectives, shapeshifters, and a dystopian world guaranteed to make you want for more. Aranthium is amazingly built, containing multiple societies with their own laws, rulers, and classes. From The Realm of The Vampires, Ice Mer Domain, Snow Were Territory and The Winter Court, to the Summer Fae Court, Desert Were Territory, Angel’s Landing, Northern Capital Province, Spring Mer Lands and the Gates of Hell, Elayna Gallea and Daniela Mera were endlessly creative. They combined everything we know about the Fae (and many other species) with their own stories and ideas. The main characters, Elva and Nathaniel (Nathan), have inherent flaws and trust issues, but also their own talents and likeable characteristics that made me love them and their relationship. There was also LGBTQ+ representation, so that’s great! Nathan’s relationship with his mother and sister were believable, as was Elva’s with her mother. I love dystopian societies, and this carried a lot of dystopian aspects as well as fantasy. The way that the shapeshifting is described is one of my favorite ways I’ve ever seen it portrayed, and the magic system was incredibly solid! It reminded me slightly of a book I read called An Enchantment Of Ravens (one of my favorite books) but with a much more developed world and society. After finishing this book, I can’t wait for the sequel, and I’m excited to read Mera’s other series, beginning with Lady of The Primordial Tree! Gallea also has two (soon to be three when Rise of The Subversives comes out in February) other books released, The Runaway Healer and Sequenced, both books I would 100% recommend to anyone. Plus, this book has a beautiful cover, one of my favorites I’ve ever seen. The ending to this book isn’t quite a cliffhanger, but the authors definitely left room for a sequel (or a few, my fingers are crossed!) I can’t wait until my physical copy comes and I can have it on my Favorites shelf.

~Charli, a bibliophile

[Lover of books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very captivating!! I loved the fact that the whole book's time span is multiple years. So ya can actually see the relationship growing. The characters were great!!

[Mandy Sickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received A Court of Fire and Frost in return for an honest review from the authors.

Nathaniel is a summer fae who needed a change and moved away from the court living moving to a place where it's cold and he needs to use his magic to heat himself up. It's while at work he encounters Elva an assassin on the run from her mother the queen. After a chance encounter the two are immediately enchanted with each other that they are both looking forward to her visits until she suddenly stops coming. Determined to find why she's suddenly no longer coming Nathaniel sets out on a danger adventure that will change both their lives forever.

I love Nathaniel and Elva they both stole places in my heart right from the start. I love they have this sweet connect that just continues to grow over time as they have this little visits. I'm a huge fan of dual pov's so it was nice being able to see both of their feelings. I love how sweet their romance was as it continued to blossom into a beautiful love story. The chemistry between them just works so well and just the right amount of steam.

I devoured A Court of Fire and Frost in one afternoon it was hard to put down and I had to see how their love story was going to play out. I haven't read very many Romeo and Juliet retellings but this is by the best one I've read. I loved every moment of the story the fae concept of Winter and Summer courts just works so well as two rival families. The bad guys are just wicked and cheered our lovers on as they overcame every challenge.

This is my first book by the authors but I'm obsessed, they did a beautiful weaving a story that captures the heart as well as the imagination. I was so nervous about how the Romeo & Juliet ending would play out in the story. However, they nailed it perfectly hitting it out of the park and exceeding my expectations. My only complaint is that it's over, and I'm not ready to say goodbye to Nathaniel and Elva's world just yet. I hope we will have more retellings yet to come. Highly recommend if you love retellings.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

Let me say it again, and shout it from the rooftops I LOVED THIS BOOK.

Everything about this was perfect, from the story, to the love interests, to the writing just *chefs kiss*.

Two star crossed lovers, from two different Fae courts, there were some SERIOUS Romeo & Juliet vibes, but that’s just a small part of this story. There’s also political intrigue, mystery, other fantasy creatures, and just everything you could possibly love. The magic system was interesting, while still being well thought out and easy to follow.

I say it again, EVERYONE if you like Fae love stories, with a dash of bada*s female MC and golden retriever puppy male MC run and read this book.

*I received and ARC of this book for an honest review*

[Stephanie]

Not feeling the first chapter, and I don’t care for when fantasy books start in the modern world.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received as an ARC in exchange for honest review, which is entirely my own.

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE ACOTAR SERIES. This is a re-release of an existing book titled “Opposite Ends of the Sea”. I didn’t read the original release and am not aware the reason for re-publication but the similarity of the new title bugged me. It felt ‘jumping on the coattails of’ instead of uniquely owning its own place in the Fae fantasy world.

The first person dual-narrative between the two MC’s had great potential for character development and to highlight the conflict between the two courts/MC’s but I felt this could have been used a lot deeper to explore the intricacies of the opposing courts. Consequently, I wasn’t left feeling particularly attached to, rooting for, or vehemently against, any of the characters. I enjoyed the humour and romance side of this story as well as the timeline over several years.

The world-building was good and I appreciated the slower release of information as the story evolved. From the beginning I was very invested and couldn’t put the book down for the first half though as the story progressed there were no crescendo/tenterhook/cliffhanger moments that had me peeling my eyelids open after dark or overfilling my cup of tea. The tense moments that did exist seemed to be over very quickly before I even felt nervous. The ending was cute but I wasn’t pleading for more.

Could have done with another round of editing. For a final version, I was surprised to see so many typos (example: “Grabbing one last chocolate chip cooking…”, “The sky crawls up the sky…”, and there were more).

In conclusion: great concept, good introduction to a new Fae world, and easy to read. Lacked character depth and edge-of-seat storytelling.

[Gal Wohlen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the amazing opportunity to get an advance copy and be an ARC of Opposite Ends of the Sea (OES).
I love retellings. I think they are my favorite type of books/trope/genre? I really don't know how you define it, but you get a general idea. Romeo and Juliet are such a classic. A true love story. So I was very excited to read this book.
The book started with intrigue and mystery, which got my attention. I read the first half of the book in a day, hahaha, and probably would have finished it if it hadn't been because life and my responsibilities needed me.

OES is filled with magical creatures. We have Fae, Warlocks, Vampires, Werewolves (called Were), Mer (mermaids), Angels, and Demons. I don't mind having a large variety of magical creatures. I would have liked to see more interaction with all species since we only saw glimpses. The story was focused on Elva, a Fae from the Winter Court (I LOVED the name BTW), and Nathaniel, a Fae from the Summer Court. Two Fae, living in estranged courts, divided by a sea.
Elva is so powerful, and I liked her since page one. I love strong and independent female MC. But I also love that even being tough, she can show emotions. She can cry and not give a damn about what other people say.
And Nathan. Oh, my poor Summer Fae. He is so cute and caring. He may seem weak and vulnerable. But he made sure to teach us that power and strength reside in us. We have to believe in ourselves, and the limit will be impossible to reach.

I'm not a huge fan of Dystopian worlds, but Elayna and Daniela made sure to create a great one, making Aranthium really interesting. Nevertheless, I believe that they could've explained a little more how the world-building and territories worked. It was as if they thought we were already familiar with the political and species system.
The magic system made sense and was easy to follow. I really appreciated it, as sometimes, fantasy authors love to make complex magic systems.

I really liked the characters, but I couldn't connect with them. For me, it's really important, to be able to connect emotionally with the characters. Being able to feel their emotions. Something that I did not get with this book. However, I did like, having multiple POVs. As I believe, improves a lot the development of the plot.
I felt the story lacked a bit of connecting bridges and felt that plot was missing something. But overall was a good and enjoyable book.

[Eden Huntsman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet but a different spin to it. I won’t go into details of the book itself but instead tell the important details to know before reading. This book has a good variety of characters and moments of challenges they had to face/ overcome. The FMC has a good starting point but I didn’t feel like her character grew much from where she began. Development wise. I definitely see potential with her though with her story continuing. The MMC had some moments but I think I expected more from him as he grew more into himself and his abilities. It think the author did well of complementing each other with these two and that he truly was what she needed in life. I love how this story actually shows time and little hints at potential things to come. The thing I didn’t enjoy was I didn’t feel as drawn to read this nonstop. There definitely parts that dragged on and others I was like okay where are we going with this and what will happen next. I look forward to reading the next book and it’s potential to be even better.

[tappkalina]

dnf at 12%

[sairs_readsandreviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Romeo and Juliet retelling was a new type of read for me and I enjoyed it!

I think Nathanial shone the most for me as a character as his pov was often funny and cheeky and he liked to get himself into trouble. He was endearing to me.

I thought the bird shifter was a good added element which I found interesting and could imagine.

Overall I found myself struggling to connect with the characters at times and I felt we didn’t get to the core of who Nathanial and Elva were. Lots happened in the book but I would have preferred more time with the couple together! They had a lot of struggles but I felt that whilst the romance was the key factor it was actually quite low romance for me.

It was instalove which was never really explained for me so I didn’t really get the context of their drivers for their actions.
On reflection as it’s Romeo and Juliet I can see that is part of that type of story, I guess I’m just used to a lot of slow burn tension build!

There was a lot of time jumping at the beginning so whilst it spanned years we got time with both characters in their separate worlds before their experiences together.

I thought the world building was good, the underwater merpeople and the fae courts were well described and contrasted the human world. It was unique to me to read about a world that was modern and had modern human devices but also the fae realms - I tend to read books not set in our world so this was a happy medium for me.

I would recommend if you like easy read fae books and are interested in a Romeo and Juliet romance retelling. It’s dual pov with a hea and leads into the connected book well.

I received an arc and this is my honest review.

[Kristy Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is enjoyable, and an easy read. It was delightful watching this relationship grow over time. It's always refreshing to have a male character who isn't trying to dominate, but is perhaps shy.

[Emily Insinna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. “Two star crossed lovers” This book was immersive, engaging, and very easy to read. For fantasy there wasn’t huge sections of world building/lore and I was grateful. Sometimes very immersive worlds can drone on and on with geography, complex lore/magic systems and it’s easy to tune out. Any time the author introduced a piece of background or lore, it was immediately explained by the MC or a side character so the reader didn’t have to remember so much earlier information. The spice was very minimal and only 1 actual scene with detail. Part 2 was a little slow while Elva was in captivity and it wasn’t really explained who kidnapped her. Overall characters were written well, the story was interesting, and it was a very easy read. 4 stars.

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always forget when I’m reading a book on my phone. And that’s why it took me so long to finish.

This book is a beautiful Juliet and Romeo inspired high fantasy, with a happily ever after.

I loved the dynamic and relationship between Elva and Nathaniel. I loved how she was the badass and he was the goofball but would do anything for her. Including eating raw fish. If you read this book then you know.

The only problems I had with the book is the time jumping and it seemed to lag in certain areas. But all in all it was a good read, even for someone like me who has never been a real fan of Romeo and Juliet. This book makes it it’s own.

Also the ending was just beautiful and perfect. And I’m kicking myself in the ass that it took me so long to finish.

[Kara Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am so grateful to have received an Arc copy of this and I really enjoyed this book.

I really was taken with elva, and once I got about 1/4 way in, I ended up devouring it.

I do maybe wish there was a little more explanation as far as the layout of the courts and such. But I didn’t mind this overall.

I would def recommend giving this one a read.

Update: I have not stopped thinking about this books since I finished it. I just want to update and say it deserves my 5 star review because I can’t stop.

[Brittany Rudd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given a free arc in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the idea behind this book and was able to finish it. However I struggled when the grammar or sentence structure didn’t make sense. Some of the harder points of the story were too easily solved as well but I did enjoy parts of it and overall I like the premise.

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book as an ARC for my honest review.

From the beginning, this book sucked me. I read it in one day. I absolutely loved the character growth and the star-crossed lovers. It had a little spice, which was perfect. The ending left me wanting more. I can't wait for book 2.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

It was good, I liked the MCs and the world was good. But I felt like something was missing.

[art.books.chemistry (SamE.) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always feel a little guilty giving less than 4 stars to an ARC/promo book I've received for free but I also find it would be a disservice to my followers to not rate everything honestly. Fire and Frost is a huge insta-lust/love story right off the bat and these just aren't my favorite unless I'm reading something quick and dirty for spice. The meeting of the two main characters is good enough but then multiple years pass when they barely exchange 100 words but are still deeply crazy for each other to the point they would kill or die for the other one before even knowing each others names. But I can understand that some people like this.

The biggest thing that pulled me out of the story multiple times was when the FMCs snowy owl "cawed". Snowy owls hoot, bark, and hiss (the FMC's owl did hiss as well). Some other owls do caw but not really these. The part about how the MMC's osprey was a weird animal for the Summer Court was also not explained. They are northern and southern birds so a habitat analogy seems off.

Another thing that wasn't explained or closed appropriately in my opinion was the origin of the FMC being held prisoner. Was it her mother? Was it the rebels? Was it someone else? During this section I'm also pretty sure there was a fae holding a gun which is later said to not be a thing because of the iron. (Although also kind of silly, there are many polymer firearms these days which would absolutely allow a fae to carry/hold one without an issue and if they're careful it shouldn't be difficult to load bullets by touching only the brass casings.)

Overall, I just couldn't get completely pulled into the story, I felt there were a few holes and some shallow character development that was more appropriate for a YA novel.

[Resse · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Be my consort, breathe life into this place just as you have breathed life into me.”

The Pirate’s Deal ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫✨ (3.75)

One day, I was scrolling through Facebook, and I saw the authors’ post about ARCs available for the second book in the Romancing Aranthium series, The Pirate’s Deal. Since it was a series, especially a fantasy one, I wanted to read the first book before going on to the second one. I’m glad I did!

Opposite Ends of the Sea is pitched as an urban Romeo and Juliet retelling. Romeo and Juliet retellings are a hit or miss for me because I didn’t like the original due to personal experience. But I enjoyed and liked this one.

I was able to connect with the characters. They were flawed but realistic, even if it is a fantasy. As I was reading, there were moments when I felt like I could relate to Nathaniel and Elva.

Elva and Nathaniel understand one another and see each other for who they are. I love their relationship. They make each other better. However, I wish there were more glimpses into Elva’s relationship with Helena. Since they are best friends, you don’t see much of that. I just wished there were some strong female friendship moments.

I used to love fantasy. But I recently noticed that I have been reading less and less of it. I’m not sure what the reason is. So I was glad to be able to pick up a fantasy and enjoy it.

I loved so many quotes, and I was going to include them in their own mini section, but I was afraid there would be too much or spoil the story for other people. So I refrained from adding them.

[Kaitlin Blakely · Rating 2 out of 5]

SPOILERS
—-
—-
YAWNNNN. Troupe-y, no story building IMO

The time jumps are annoying. No real spice and the romance is non existent. I see other comments about the building relationship and for me it was just so not there. The story is designed to scream “mates” but not use that term or actual concept. MMC is a softie but with just a month of training he can kill the brutal, battle hardened crown prince. Everyone comes to the duel then calls it a murder. Everyone comes to the retribution and calls it murder. Same story twice in a row. Low reading level. Badass FMC figure but she doesn’t actually step up when go time except once. Boom. All the sudden it’s another year time jump and there’s a baby.

Books are subjective. My 2 could be someone’s 5 or another persons 1. I wanted this book to be good so I read the whole thing. It had potential. But looking back I wish I DNF’d and read something else when I realized at about 40% I was not liking the writing or progression of the story line.

[Tempest Reign · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐💫 (3.5 rounded to 4 on review sites)
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 🌶🌶🌶 

I enjoyed the worldbuilding and overall plot of this book, as well as the forbidden love aspect. 

But, I did struggle with a few things — the first half felt slow and I didn't really get into it easily, and I'm not sure if missed it, but I didn't find the characters features were described overly well early on (the most obvious example is Elva the FMC, who is dark skinned, but I don't recall actually knowing that until 40ish%. Again, maybe I missed it, but it made it hard to visualise her properly). 

The ending was great, and it leads nicely into the next book, but can definately be read as a standalone as Elva and Nathan have their HEA. 

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝑰 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕: Steamy romance, forbidden love, dual POV, powerful & fierce FMC, world-building, ending

[Kae | Kae’s Infinite Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really really really liked the last third-ish of the book and overall I had fun with it. The time jumps and pacing of the middle were just a bit sluggish at times. I was reading the indie version though so maybe the story was changed a bit for trad publishing. Either way I liked this take on Romeo and Juliette!

[Shandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elva is a winter Fae who was raised to be cold and heartless. It turned her into someone who hunts the worst the Fae world has to offer. By chance she meets Nathaniel, a summer fae working near the north kingdom. And for some reason she can't get him out of her head. They are complete opposites yet every time they meet their connection grows. Unfortunately for them Elva’s past is chasing her and when it catches up to her the only thing that can help her is their connection.

A Romeo and Juliet retelling this was slow burn at its best. Nate is adorable and completely devoted to Elva. And so is Elva, despite how hard she tries to hide herself. I also love the world, based loosely on Greek mythology. The world is very well populated with a lot of different species and we meet a lot in this story. Just fantasy at its best. Nate and Elva have a great love story and the ending makes it all worth it. Even as a stand alone it leaves enough to tie in the next book with Elva’s friend, Helena. Can't wait to read it.

Rating 4 stars

[Hillary Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dual POV. No spice. Slow burn but good story! The main characters are so sweet and good for each other. I really enjoyed it.

[Hunter P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

Omg. What a love story. Literally couldn't put it down. So well done I read it in just one sitting!

[books.breather]

dnf 4%

[Coral Hopwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars**

[Alyssa Korsmo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good! Cute and had enough to hold my interest. Plus the love story was done well but still had a good plot!