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Cursed Fae #1
Cold Hearted
To save my kingdom, someone must die.
Every hundred years, a curse descends on Faerie. For the last two millennia, the Summer Court princess has ended it. She has travelled to the mirror realm, found an Ethereum Lord, and returned with his magical heart.
Now it’s my turn.
I have trained to become the perfect assassin so I can retrieve my prize. But when I step through the portal, I’m immediately taken captive by Zander, a handsome royal guard.
To reach my target, I’m forced to play by his rules. Fail my task and everyone I’ve ever known and loved perishes. But Zander has secrets, and they call into question everything I have been taught my entire life…
Every hundred years, a curse descends on Faerie. For the last two millennia, the Summer Court princess has ended it. She has travelled to the mirror realm, found an Ethereum Lord, and returned with his magical heart.
Now it’s my turn.
I have trained to become the perfect assassin so I can retrieve my prize. But when I step through the portal, I’m immediately taken captive by Zander, a handsome royal guard.
To reach my target, I’m forced to play by his rules. Fail my task and everyone I’ve ever known and loved perishes. But Zander has secrets, and they call into question everything I have been taught my entire life…
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2024
1210 people are currently reading
12593 people want to read
About the author
Leia Stone
93 books6,547 followersLeia Stone is the USA Today bestselling author of multiple bestselling series including Matefinder and Wolf Girl. She's sold over two million books and her Fallen Academy series has been optioned for film. Her novels have been translated into five languages and she even dabbles in script writing. Leia writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance with sassy kick-butt heroines and irresistible love interests. She lives in Spokane, WA with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 735 reviews
November 4, 2025
4.5 ✧
Cold Hearted by Leia Stone & Julie Hall is a shimmering fairytale brimming with adventure and clean romance, a standalone in the interconnected Cursed Fae series. It follows Dawn Ambrose, princess of the Summer Court of Faerie, as she embarks on a perilous quest to save her realm from a curse that threatens to unravel it every century. To break it, princesses are trained into assassins, tasked with stealing the black heart of an Ethereum Lord, ruler of the mirror world. But Dawn’s carefully laid plans are shattered when, instead of being sent before a Lord, she’s dropped into the path of Zander, a maddeningly handsome royal guard who becomes her greatest obstacle—and perhaps her fiercest ally. Secrets rise, loyalties shift, and Dawn must decide what she’s truly willing to sacrifice to save Faerie. 🌙🗡️🌸
───♡─────────────
♡ What I loved most:
• This book gave me grown-up fairytale vibes in the very best way. If you were once the girl who lived and breathed Disney princesses, this will feel like a return to that magic—only richer and more daring 👑✨
• The lore was lush and detailed, but explained so gracefully that I never felt lost 🌌🧚🏻♀️
• Double POV! I loved being inside both their heads 🥺
• The enemies-to-lovers setup was delicious, with sparks flying from the very first encounter 🔥
• Dawn was *so* relatable—her wandering, distracted thoughts in tense moments felt exactly like me 🙈
• The banter between her and Zander was razor-sharp, hilarious, and endlessly entertaining 💌
• The tension!! Their flirty exchanges had me swooning 💖
• The pacing was tight and energetic—I was never bored ⏳
• FIGHT SCENES!! Many! And intense!! I absolutely devoured them ⚔️
• The mid-book plot twist was predictable but oh-so-satisfying—the exact flavor of drama I wanted 😌✨
• A lovely little subplot of sisterhood warmed my heart—women protecting women always gets me 🥺🌸
• The ending wrapped Dawn’s arc while also setting up the next book perfectly ✨
✘ What didn’t quite work for me:
• While I adored the idea that love conquers all, I really struggled with how easily Dawn seemed to cast aside her mission. 🌪️
• Some of Dawn’s choices and inner dialogue came across as selfish at times. 💔
❀ Overall:
Cold Hearted was a beautiful, fast-paced fairytale filled with rich lore, secrets, sharp banter, and slow-burning tension. It gave me that nostalgic feeling of being a little girl wrapped in fairytales, except this time perfectly tailored for my adult heart. I truly flew through the pages, enchanted the whole way through. I cannot wait to continue this series! ✨🗡️💖
「Cursed Fae series」
#1 Cold Hearted — 4.5 ✧
#2 Faint Hearted — 4.5 ✧
#3 Broken Hearted — 4.75 ✧
#4 Black Hearted — 4.75 ✧
Cold Hearted by Leia Stone & Julie Hall is a shimmering fairytale brimming with adventure and clean romance, a standalone in the interconnected Cursed Fae series. It follows Dawn Ambrose, princess of the Summer Court of Faerie, as she embarks on a perilous quest to save her realm from a curse that threatens to unravel it every century. To break it, princesses are trained into assassins, tasked with stealing the black heart of an Ethereum Lord, ruler of the mirror world. But Dawn’s carefully laid plans are shattered when, instead of being sent before a Lord, she’s dropped into the path of Zander, a maddeningly handsome royal guard who becomes her greatest obstacle—and perhaps her fiercest ally. Secrets rise, loyalties shift, and Dawn must decide what she’s truly willing to sacrifice to save Faerie. 🌙🗡️🌸
───♡─────────────
♡ What I loved most:
• This book gave me grown-up fairytale vibes in the very best way. If you were once the girl who lived and breathed Disney princesses, this will feel like a return to that magic—only richer and more daring 👑✨
• The lore was lush and detailed, but explained so gracefully that I never felt lost 🌌🧚🏻♀️
• Double POV! I loved being inside both their heads 🥺
• The enemies-to-lovers setup was delicious, with sparks flying from the very first encounter 🔥
“He took one look at the dried blood on my wrists and shook his head. ‘Tsk tsk, little bird. You carry too much anger.’
I wanted to blind him with sunlight then, and show him just how angry I could be, but I swallowed it down and held up the loose cuffs. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. I wish you no harm and pray that you have many years of health ahead of you,’ I said in a syrupy sweet voice, and gave him an overly enthusiastic grin.”
• Dawn was *so* relatable—her wandering, distracted thoughts in tense moments felt exactly like me 🙈
• The banter between her and Zander was razor-sharp, hilarious, and endlessly entertaining 💌
• The tension!! Their flirty exchanges had me swooning 💖
“‘What I desire now is for you to become intimate...’ I lowered my voice into a whisper and Zander’s brows rose as he waited for me to finish my thought. I leaned closer so I could whisper the next words directly into his ear. ‘... with the end of my blade.’”
• The pacing was tight and energetic—I was never bored ⏳
• FIGHT SCENES!! Many! And intense!! I absolutely devoured them ⚔️
• The mid-book plot twist was predictable but oh-so-satisfying—the exact flavor of drama I wanted 😌✨
• A lovely little subplot of sisterhood warmed my heart—women protecting women always gets me 🥺🌸
• The ending wrapped Dawn’s arc while also setting up the next book perfectly ✨
✘ What didn’t quite work for me:
• While I adored the idea that love conquers all, I really struggled with how easily Dawn seemed to cast aside her mission. 🌪️
• Some of Dawn’s choices and inner dialogue came across as selfish at times. 💔
“‘You do it for them. One person’s happiness is not worth more than thousands,’ she said.
I turned and forced her to look at me. ‘Even if it’s my happiness, Mother?’”
❀ Overall:
Cold Hearted was a beautiful, fast-paced fairytale filled with rich lore, secrets, sharp banter, and slow-burning tension. It gave me that nostalgic feeling of being a little girl wrapped in fairytales, except this time perfectly tailored for my adult heart. I truly flew through the pages, enchanted the whole way through. I cannot wait to continue this series! ✨🗡️💖
「Cursed Fae series」
#1 Cold Hearted — 4.5 ✧
#2 Faint Hearted — 4.5 ✧
#3 Broken Hearted — 4.75 ✧
#4 Black Hearted — 4.75 ✧
May 25, 2024
2.25⭐️ really enjoyed the first half, then it took a turn and just felt silly
April 27, 2024
I really wanted to like this, I thought the plot was great but the execution was lack luster, overall world building/relationships felt incredibly rushed
May 25, 2024
read this in one sitting & it saved me from a 3 week long reading slump 😌
fast paced, entertaining, less than 3 hour read time!!!
she’s sent to kill an evil lord from another kingdom aka badass assassin fmc
Things to know:
Romantasy
Dual pov
Light fantasy
Secret abilities
Flirty banter
He calls her “little bird”
Closed door
fast paced, entertaining, less than 3 hour read time!!!
she’s sent to kill an evil lord from another kingdom aka badass assassin fmc
Things to know:
Romantasy
Dual pov
Light fantasy
Secret abilities
Flirty banter
He calls her “little bird”
Closed door
June 19, 2024
I would suggest this book to anyone looking for a short, fast-paced YA fantasy!
I was really excited to have a badass female assassin who had supposedly trained her whole life for this mission. But she didn't follow through on the mission because the man she was sent to kill was her fated mate. Which I mean - totally understandable, but at the same time, she doesn't know him at all and decides that she is going to let her entire kingdom die just so she can have true love. Felt like a let down that her mission went sideways so fast. I'm a visual reader and found that the world building wasn't for me - I was confused on some of the story/plot lines as well.
It's really rare for me to give lower ratings, but I was really looking forward to this book, and it felt a little rushed and underdeveloped to me.
I also want to point out (because I know if can be maybe triggering for those of us who were raised this way) that this book has some purity culture to it. MMC was insinuated to be a flirt, but he wouldn't sleep with the pure FMC until they got married, etc.
I was really excited to have a badass female assassin who had supposedly trained her whole life for this mission. But she didn't follow through on the mission because the man she was sent to kill was her fated mate. Which I mean - totally understandable, but at the same time, she doesn't know him at all and decides that she is going to let her entire kingdom die just so she can have true love. Felt like a let down that her mission went sideways so fast. I'm a visual reader and found that the world building wasn't for me - I was confused on some of the story/plot lines as well.
It's really rare for me to give lower ratings, but I was really looking forward to this book, and it felt a little rushed and underdeveloped to me.
I also want to point out (because I know if can be maybe triggering for those of us who were raised this way) that this book has some purity culture to it. MMC was insinuated to be a flirt, but he wouldn't sleep with the pure FMC until they got married, etc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2024
The storyline was interesting, and I wanted to like it, but the chemistry was lacking. The MFC was written to be a big major assassin, but the writing and character development didn't support the major feats she could accomplish. When she left one of the major pieces of the story behind because of her "mate," then the story lost all interest for me.
June 5, 2024
This book is okay. The premises were good but didn't really do much for me. I also just did not vibe with the fmc. Did enjoy the world though.
June 3, 2024
I've been in a book slump recently and this book definitely helped me get out of it! Cold hearted was a fast paced, entertaining read that you will enjoy. Dawn and Zander live rent in my head. If you are looking for something nice and easy to read that will have you hooked since the beginning I definitely recommend you reading Cold Hearted!
Tropes:
Fantasy
Fated mates
Dual POV
Enemies to lovers
Closed door
Tropes:
Fantasy
Fated mates
Dual POV
Enemies to lovers
Closed door
July 4, 2024
rating: ★★★.5
aesthetic: 🐎🌾🧚🏽♂️🕯️☀️❤️🔥☠️🗡️🕊️🫀🥀
tropes: shadow wielder, fated-mates, enemies-to-lovers, one bed, forbidden romance
Despite my rating being below 4★ I still enjoyed the premise of the story, the repetition of the curse over thousands of years, and each century a new summer court champion attempts to suppress the curse by retrieving a black heart from the lords of Ethereum. It was different and the way it played out was intriguing and fast-paced, but like most fae stories there was also the repetition of various tropes and characteristics of the fmc and mmc. A tall, dark haired, shadow wielder mmc and a strong, independent and powerful fmc sent away to help her kingdom/homeland appear quite commonly in fantasy romances. Zander was a loveable character, his sarcastic demeanour was laughable and his heated comments created lust and tension-heavy moments between himself and Dawn. Dawn was a fierce and proud fae princess, but perhaps at times was too ‘cocky’ with her strength and ability when it came to taking down enemies, which isn’t necessarily a bad character trait but at times it wasn’t necessary to remark on.
I think personally what was lacking was the romantic development between Zander and Dawn. It appeared quite rushed from being enemies, to lusting after one another, to being deeply in love, I wish the moments in between felt longer and their banter and connection had time to actually develop. I couldn’t emotionally connect to their romance which pained me because I loved their story I just don’t think it was long enough for there to be any chemistry between characters. It felt more like it was put there because it had to be.
I did enjoy however, the storyline itself and I plan on continuing the series as it releases. I do recommend this book as a quick palate cleanser between much heavier books, or for those who enjoy a fast-paced fantasy with a touch of romance.
aesthetic: 🐎🌾🧚🏽♂️🕯️☀️❤️🔥☠️🗡️🕊️🫀🥀
tropes: shadow wielder, fated-mates, enemies-to-lovers, one bed, forbidden romance
Despite my rating being below 4★ I still enjoyed the premise of the story, the repetition of the curse over thousands of years, and each century a new summer court champion attempts to suppress the curse by retrieving a black heart from the lords of Ethereum. It was different and the way it played out was intriguing and fast-paced, but like most fae stories there was also the repetition of various tropes and characteristics of the fmc and mmc. A tall, dark haired, shadow wielder mmc and a strong, independent and powerful fmc sent away to help her kingdom/homeland appear quite commonly in fantasy romances. Zander was a loveable character, his sarcastic demeanour was laughable and his heated comments created lust and tension-heavy moments between himself and Dawn. Dawn was a fierce and proud fae princess, but perhaps at times was too ‘cocky’ with her strength and ability when it came to taking down enemies, which isn’t necessarily a bad character trait but at times it wasn’t necessary to remark on.
I think personally what was lacking was the romantic development between Zander and Dawn. It appeared quite rushed from being enemies, to lusting after one another, to being deeply in love, I wish the moments in between felt longer and their banter and connection had time to actually develop. I couldn’t emotionally connect to their romance which pained me because I loved their story I just don’t think it was long enough for there to be any chemistry between characters. It felt more like it was put there because it had to be.
I did enjoy however, the storyline itself and I plan on continuing the series as it releases. I do recommend this book as a quick palate cleanser between much heavier books, or for those who enjoy a fast-paced fantasy with a touch of romance.
June 19, 2024
I think it’s a great book if you need a quick read or a little palette cleanser in the middle of a big series. It has all the makings of a romantasy that people would love but I do wish it was longer. Because of how short the book is and it being a standalone (interconnected with the other books in the series), some parts of it felt rushed even with the interesting premise for the world and the romance. I would’ve loved some parts to be longer and that the romance was better developed so that we could see more tension, a lot of it just seemed too easy. But either way it’s still such a fun little read and I did catch myself giggling a few times!
June 7, 2024
Very loveable, easy to follow romance adventure. It's a clean fade to black sweet tendor moment romance. Dawn is a typical warrior princess with a big heart meets a mysterious dark fae male and the rest is history. It's sweet easy to follow interesting story. Has some pretty good world building for how short the story is and a lot of microtropes like one bed, one horse. Etc. Would totally recommend.
June 23, 2024
3.5⭐️. A quick and easy read which I appreciated. The story was intriguing and the ending opened into the second book nicely. The FMC felt a little juvenile and for having such extensive training, I felt she overlooked a lot of obvious details and things throughout the book. Their relationship moved surprisingly quickly and I felt it could’ve been a little more developed. Overall, a fun, fast paced and cozy fantasy read.
A big thank you to the authors for an advanced copy of this book!
A big thank you to the authors for an advanced copy of this book!
February 7, 2025
Brooo, the plot twist was goood…
She didn’t go back to her kingdom and that’s crazy. Also, them being mates and the only way to ‘save’ her kingdom is to kill them? Crazy.
The ONLY downside to this book was it was a tad cringe at times and the writing had an off feeling ? Like idk it could’ve had more depth I guess.
Idea is well thought out and a great story tho!
5/5
She didn’t go back to her kingdom and that’s crazy. Also, them being mates and the only way to ‘save’ her kingdom is to kill them? Crazy.
The ONLY downside to this book was it was a tad cringe at times and the writing had an off feeling ? Like idk it could’ve had more depth I guess.
Idea is well thought out and a great story tho!
5/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2024
i cannot wait to read book 2. Cold Hearted was absolutely amazing. I didn't want to put it down. I needed to keep going because I had to find out what happened next. well now I have to wait for the rest of the series.
July 7, 2024
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Cold Hearted by Leia Stone & Julie Hall 🖤♡
♡Fated mates
♡Forced proximity
♡Enemies to Lovers
♡Forbidden Love
♡Cursed Kingdom
♡Royalty
♡Fae
♡Magic
♡Female Assassin
I loved this enemies to lovers, forbidden love romantasy, it was a fast paced, addictive and a cosy read! The characters of Dawn and Zander were a delight, I loved their journey, the banter, the ‘cuffs’ concept and the cute pet name ‘little bird’.
Due to a cruel curse, every one hundred years the Summer Court princess next in line for the throne has to travel to the mirror realm and take the heart of a dark Ethereum Lord and return it to her kingdom.
Dawn has trained all her life for this, to be a skilled assassin and she will be sent on a mission and left with an impossible choice. If she fails her people will perish and die.
This is such an easy read yet totally intriguing, you’ll love it and check out the gorgeous cover!
I’m excited for the next book in the Cursed Fae series which is called Faint Hearted and will be released in October. Each book is a stand alone but inter-connected.
Publication Date 05 June 2024
Publisher HQ Fiction GB
Thanks to the lovely team at Harlequin Australia for a copy of the book.
Cold Hearted by Leia Stone & Julie Hall 🖤♡
♡Fated mates
♡Forced proximity
♡Enemies to Lovers
♡Forbidden Love
♡Cursed Kingdom
♡Royalty
♡Fae
♡Magic
♡Female Assassin
I loved this enemies to lovers, forbidden love romantasy, it was a fast paced, addictive and a cosy read! The characters of Dawn and Zander were a delight, I loved their journey, the banter, the ‘cuffs’ concept and the cute pet name ‘little bird’.
Due to a cruel curse, every one hundred years the Summer Court princess next in line for the throne has to travel to the mirror realm and take the heart of a dark Ethereum Lord and return it to her kingdom.
Dawn has trained all her life for this, to be a skilled assassin and she will be sent on a mission and left with an impossible choice. If she fails her people will perish and die.
This is such an easy read yet totally intriguing, you’ll love it and check out the gorgeous cover!
I’m excited for the next book in the Cursed Fae series which is called Faint Hearted and will be released in October. Each book is a stand alone but inter-connected.
Publication Date 05 June 2024
Publisher HQ Fiction GB
Thanks to the lovely team at Harlequin Australia for a copy of the book.
August 6, 2024
This is good, but it is SO fast-paced.
The whole book's not even 300 pages long. And it's a standalone (sort of?). So I knew this was going to happen quick. But the sheer amount of stuff that happens in this book is mind-boggling.
Obviously there's the assassin plot. But on top of that, there's a rebellion, a usurper, a monster that needs killing, kidnapping (actually, there's more than 1 of these.) Imprisonment, A slave-trade auction, a badass princess who saves herself. An ancient curse, Wise Ones who issue a prophecy. A magical plague. Found family and fated mates. With a semi-cliffhanger.
Just bam, bam, bam, bam. Non-stop action, intrigue, plot! Romance!
Here's the thing. All of it is GOOD. Or would have been, if it hadn't been happening at a break-neck pace. If this plot had been expanded over several books, and not included 4 different couples that need to get together, this would easily be a 5 star read for me.
The characters are good. The banter's great. The plot is insane. This had so much potential, it's just all crammed into only 288 pages.
The main characters feel like they're falling in love with each other after only 2-3 days together. The 'mating bond' happens after a singular kiss. I'd complain about insta-love, but everything in this book is so insta- there's really no point.
This is getting 3 stars from me. I can't justify giving it more because no matter how much good stuff is in this story, it's entirely too short.
The whole book's not even 300 pages long. And it's a standalone (sort of?). So I knew this was going to happen quick. But the sheer amount of stuff that happens in this book is mind-boggling.
Obviously there's the assassin plot. But on top of that, there's a rebellion, a usurper, a monster that needs killing, kidnapping (actually, there's more than 1 of these.) Imprisonment, A slave-trade auction, a badass princess who saves herself. An ancient curse, Wise Ones who issue a prophecy. A magical plague. Found family and fated mates. With a semi-cliffhanger.
Just bam, bam, bam, bam. Non-stop action, intrigue, plot! Romance!
Here's the thing. All of it is GOOD. Or would have been, if it hadn't been happening at a break-neck pace. If this plot had been expanded over several books, and not included 4 different couples that need to get together, this would easily be a 5 star read for me.
The characters are good. The banter's great. The plot is insane. This had so much potential, it's just all crammed into only 288 pages.
The main characters feel like they're falling in love with each other after only 2-3 days together. The 'mating bond' happens after a singular kiss. I'd complain about insta-love, but everything in this book is so insta- there's really no point.
This is getting 3 stars from me. I can't justify giving it more because no matter how much good stuff is in this story, it's entirely too short.
November 14, 2024
This is how this book went:
Princess FMC who has to time travel and kill the king of a realm that destroyed/cursed hers.
Me: YAASSSS QUEEN LEGGOOO
FMC arrives at said realm and meets a hunky dude who turns out to be the King's royal guard. Sparks fly.
Me: YAAASSS GIVE ME MORE
UST and banter and only one horse/one bed and I'm having suck a great time!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
FMC and MMC start talking about how they've never felt this way bla bla bla, there's something different bla bla bla, I'm falling in love with her/him bla bla bla.
That was after less than 2 full days. 🥲
Me: Starts rolling eyes.
Continues reading even though I KNOW things will go down hill from there.
Spoiler alert: it did.
The cheesiness and the Insta love.... MY GOD.
He's her literal enemy who she has to KILL and she falls for him in a day.
Sigh.
2 stars solely for the first part of the book.
Princess FMC who has to time travel and kill the king of a realm that destroyed/cursed hers.
Me: YAASSSS QUEEN LEGGOOO
FMC arrives at said realm and meets a hunky dude who turns out to be the King's royal guard. Sparks fly.
Me: YAAASSS GIVE ME MORE
UST and banter and only one horse/one bed and I'm having suck a great time!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
FMC and MMC start talking about how they've never felt this way bla bla bla, there's something different bla bla bla, I'm falling in love with her/him bla bla bla.
That was after less than 2 full days. 🥲
Me: Starts rolling eyes.
Continues reading even though I KNOW things will go down hill from there.
Spoiler alert: it did.
The cheesiness and the Insta love.... MY GOD.
He's her literal enemy who she has to KILL and she falls for him in a day.
Sigh.
2 stars solely for the first part of the book.
September 18, 2024
3.5 💫 This was a fun easy to follow romantasy! I do think the relationship in this was rushed but the ending has me excited for the next book!
June 14, 2024
3.5 stars (rounded up)
1 green pepper (tbh maybe just 1/2 a green pepper)
If you're looking for a cozy-adjacent adventure full of mystery and magic, with enemies-to-lovers romance, check out 'Cold Hearted' by Leia Stone and Julie Hall. It's the first book in the Cursed Fae series, but can be read as a standalone. It's closed door, light spice, with tension and flirting. Sweet and easy to follow, I imagine it would work great as a palate cleanser.
Dawn, our FMC, is a princess who has been trained from birth to one day travel to a mirror realm through a portal to unalive an Ethereum Lord, and return to her realm with his heart, in order to save her realm. But when Dawn goes through the portal, she finds herself take prisoner by Zander, a handsome royal guard. They both have secrets, and only one horse available to get them to their destination. What will Dawn do, what will she sacrifice, in order to save her realm and all of the people who live in it? Guaranteed HEA. Ends in a way that ties to the next book, 'Faint Hearted,' but no major cliffhanger ending.
The plot is good. It's dual POV, which I like. I found it interesting and enjoyable. I didn't find it to be very unique or original in overall plot, however it was still a fun read.
Pacing felt great. I flew thew this book, it isn't a long book at 288 pages, so it's a nice, quick read. The actions starts pretty immediately and there aren't any big breaks.
Prose is good, flowed well. Dialogue felt natural, had some funny lines and some sweet lines.
If you like these tropes, you'll probably like it: royalty, one horse/bed, fated mates, enemies to lovers, cursed kingdoms
I'm now realizing just how much I don't love it when books put so much value on a woman's virginity. If you chose to remain chaste for whatever reason(s), that's your choice and good for you for sticking to your goals. But I feel it isn't healthy to insinuate that a woman's worth can be found in her v-card status. Take a second to reflect on what that could feel like for a SA survivor. This isn't exclusive to this book, and it isn't a major factor in the plot at all, (but is mentioned multiple times). I know some people enjoy this trope, and that's their choice - I don't mean to hate on them. I just don't enjoy that trope much, and felt the need to explain why. We're all free to like/dislike whatever we want.
I do plan to continue the series. This book includes a preview for 'Faint Hearted' that indicates that book will have some rep that the literary world could always use more of.
Thank you to the authors and The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC of this book. This is my unbiased review.
1 green pepper (tbh maybe just 1/2 a green pepper)
If you're looking for a cozy-adjacent adventure full of mystery and magic, with enemies-to-lovers romance, check out 'Cold Hearted' by Leia Stone and Julie Hall. It's the first book in the Cursed Fae series, but can be read as a standalone. It's closed door, light spice, with tension and flirting. Sweet and easy to follow, I imagine it would work great as a palate cleanser.
Dawn, our FMC, is a princess who has been trained from birth to one day travel to a mirror realm through a portal to unalive an Ethereum Lord, and return to her realm with his heart, in order to save her realm. But when Dawn goes through the portal, she finds herself take prisoner by Zander, a handsome royal guard. They both have secrets, and only one horse available to get them to their destination. What will Dawn do, what will she sacrifice, in order to save her realm and all of the people who live in it? Guaranteed HEA. Ends in a way that ties to the next book, 'Faint Hearted,' but no major cliffhanger ending.
The plot is good. It's dual POV, which I like. I found it interesting and enjoyable. I didn't find it to be very unique or original in overall plot, however it was still a fun read.
Pacing felt great. I flew thew this book, it isn't a long book at 288 pages, so it's a nice, quick read. The actions starts pretty immediately and there aren't any big breaks.
Prose is good, flowed well. Dialogue felt natural, had some funny lines and some sweet lines.
If you like these tropes, you'll probably like it: royalty, one horse/bed, fated mates, enemies to lovers, cursed kingdoms
I'm now realizing just how much I don't love it when books put so much value on a woman's virginity. If you chose to remain chaste for whatever reason(s), that's your choice and good for you for sticking to your goals. But I feel it isn't healthy to insinuate that a woman's worth can be found in her v-card status. Take a second to reflect on what that could feel like for a SA survivor. This isn't exclusive to this book, and it isn't a major factor in the plot at all, (but is mentioned multiple times). I know some people enjoy this trope, and that's their choice - I don't mean to hate on them. I just don't enjoy that trope much, and felt the need to explain why. We're all free to like/dislike whatever we want.
I do plan to continue the series. This book includes a preview for 'Faint Hearted' that indicates that book will have some rep that the literary world could always use more of.
Thank you to the authors and The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC of this book. This is my unbiased review.
June 15, 2024
You can find this review of Cold Hearted on my blog, Heart’s Content
A really big shoutout and thank you to the authors for providing me with a complimentary copy!
When I signed up for Cold Hearted, I expected to be walking into an addictive read that I’d finish in a sitting.
Spoiler alert: I was right.
Cold Hearted was definitely an addictive, fast-paced, romantic fantasy and because it matched my expectations perfectly, I was not surprised in the least. BUT, the fact that the authors managed to introduce such a complex world, filled with details, introductions, set-up for this story AND the rest of the series in such a short book surprised my socks off!
Cold Hearted hits the metaphorical ground running. The authors have whittled down their writing to a sharp dagger point precision; be it the setting of the stage, the introduction of the characters or the importance of the current plot task ahead. With quick and effective means Stone and Hall draw you deep into their world that rushes by us in a single sitting.
The plot of Cold Hearted follows a simple (initially, at least) story-line. There’s a clear enemy introduced, who is to be found by the protagonist and this process is a big part of what keeps the protagonist’s world from splintering because of an old curse cast upon them. However, what follows is the unravelling of what Hall and Stone have actually planned. I will say that this particular plot line is a little familiar to me, however, I hadn’t guessed that this was where the plot was heading and loved the surprise that came with the reveal!
The character focus in this book, is of course, on the two protagonists. Both the FMC, Dawn and the MMC, Zander take turns in an interesting pattern, to narrate the story from their perspective. I love single POVs, but I can see the purpose of having both characters pitch in their thoughts and sides of the story when the book is short and sweet. It gives a more wholesome understanding of both the characters’ stances and adds nuance to the story-telling when done well (which it was). What I was surprised to find was how much room the authors had made for the secondary and tertiary characters. They aren’t extremely detailed in the way you might see in a 400+ page book, but they are still somehow very distinct and assume the right amount of scene space and each possess a unique plot purpose.
The pace, as mentioned earlier, was extremely even and swift, leaving your thoughts in the dust as you race to keep up!
I highly recommend you dive into this series. From what I read, the Cursed Fae series will most likely read with four interconnected books that may also work as stand-alones.
Five fun filled stars! Check trigger warnings as always. Happy reading.
A really big shoutout and thank you to the authors for providing me with a complimentary copy!
When I signed up for Cold Hearted, I expected to be walking into an addictive read that I’d finish in a sitting.
Spoiler alert: I was right.
Cold Hearted was definitely an addictive, fast-paced, romantic fantasy and because it matched my expectations perfectly, I was not surprised in the least. BUT, the fact that the authors managed to introduce such a complex world, filled with details, introductions, set-up for this story AND the rest of the series in such a short book surprised my socks off!
Cold Hearted hits the metaphorical ground running. The authors have whittled down their writing to a sharp dagger point precision; be it the setting of the stage, the introduction of the characters or the importance of the current plot task ahead. With quick and effective means Stone and Hall draw you deep into their world that rushes by us in a single sitting.
The plot of Cold Hearted follows a simple (initially, at least) story-line. There’s a clear enemy introduced, who is to be found by the protagonist and this process is a big part of what keeps the protagonist’s world from splintering because of an old curse cast upon them. However, what follows is the unravelling of what Hall and Stone have actually planned. I will say that this particular plot line is a little familiar to me, however, I hadn’t guessed that this was where the plot was heading and loved the surprise that came with the reveal!
The character focus in this book, is of course, on the two protagonists. Both the FMC, Dawn and the MMC, Zander take turns in an interesting pattern, to narrate the story from their perspective. I love single POVs, but I can see the purpose of having both characters pitch in their thoughts and sides of the story when the book is short and sweet. It gives a more wholesome understanding of both the characters’ stances and adds nuance to the story-telling when done well (which it was). What I was surprised to find was how much room the authors had made for the secondary and tertiary characters. They aren’t extremely detailed in the way you might see in a 400+ page book, but they are still somehow very distinct and assume the right amount of scene space and each possess a unique plot purpose.
The pace, as mentioned earlier, was extremely even and swift, leaving your thoughts in the dust as you race to keep up!
I highly recommend you dive into this series. From what I read, the Cursed Fae series will most likely read with four interconnected books that may also work as stand-alones.
Five fun filled stars! Check trigger warnings as always. Happy reading.
May 30, 2024
The moment I saw this cover, this title and the name of Leia Stone I didn't hesitate and ordered my copy. I had no clue what this story was gonna be about, apart from Fae since that was in the title, but since I loved her other series of interconnected Fae romances I didn't doubt I was gonna like this one. And as soon as the book came in I got started.
This book is incredibly fast paced. It's therefore an easy and quick read, but there were times I wondered if it wouldn't have been better if the book had been a little bit slower and a little bit bigger. It would have given us a little more time to become familiar with both worlds and with all the characters involved.
Because there was really a lot happening and going on in this book. Apart from the curse, forcing a princess to kill a prince from another realm to save her own, there was also a revolution going on and eventually there was also some kidnapping and slavery going on. And all of those things happened quite quickly and were also solved quite quickly.
However, the characters totally make up for that. I really loved their banter, their teasing and the way they challenged each other to be different and better. I also really liked that their love has already grown so strong when the truth, which we as a reader expected from the start of course, comes out that they are forced to be creative and look for other solutions.
I'm really excited about the next book in the series now too! The epilogue promises me a heroine I might be able to really relate to!
This book is incredibly fast paced. It's therefore an easy and quick read, but there were times I wondered if it wouldn't have been better if the book had been a little bit slower and a little bit bigger. It would have given us a little more time to become familiar with both worlds and with all the characters involved.
Because there was really a lot happening and going on in this book. Apart from the curse, forcing a princess to kill a prince from another realm to save her own, there was also a revolution going on and eventually there was also some kidnapping and slavery going on. And all of those things happened quite quickly and were also solved quite quickly.
However, the characters totally make up for that. I really loved their banter, their teasing and the way they challenged each other to be different and better. I also really liked that their love has already grown so strong when the truth, which we as a reader expected from the start of course, comes out that they are forced to be creative and look for other solutions.
I'm really excited about the next book in the series now too! The epilogue promises me a heroine I might be able to really relate to!
June 5, 2024
‘Cold Hearted’ is the first a standalone book in the ‘Cursed Fae’ series collaborated by Leia Stone and Julie Hall. The story takes place in dual places—beginning with Faerie, with the majority of the story unfolding in Ethereum. From the world-building to the character dynamics, the book tells a story of fate, duty and the consequences of such.
The story revolves around Dawn—crown princess to the Summer Court in Faerie—she is tasked with the quest to go to Ethereum to kill and come back with the heart of an Ethereum Lord. However, Dawn’s journey doesn’t exactly go to plan when she finds herself being taken captive.
What I loved most was the intriguing plot and fleshed out characters. Dawn struggles to grapple with her responsibility to her kingdom, as well as her growing relationship with the Commander of the Noreum Army—Zander. Their dynamic is one of animosity which builds into a slow-burn romance. The perfect enemies-to-lovers.
Zander, though he’s the Commander of the Nereus Army, he is so much more than that. I loved how we got to discover more of his background with each chapter. The two of them have had great banter as well as chemistry and one of my favourite scenes involved the one bed trope. It was just wonderful to see them falling in love, they really were a beautiful couple to read about.
The authors have written a captivating world which combines the details of both kingdoms, from the differing courts to the curse. The descriptions are vivid, helping to transport the reader into a magical world of fantasy. Both Stone and Hall managed to create a narrative that eagerly kept me captivated unable to put the book down. It was so enjoyable in fact, I managed to read the book in two sittings—ultimately bringing me out of a slump.
Overall, ‘Cold Heated’ was oh so satisfying on so many levels as it offered a mixture of adventure, romance and intrigue that was set against a backdrop of beautifully captivating world. The only reason it was not a 5 star for me was because at times the story did feel rushed, especially toward the end. However, that did not take away from the experience for me. I can’t wait for the next book to find out how the rest of the story will unfold.
Thank you to Netgalley and the authors for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The story revolves around Dawn—crown princess to the Summer Court in Faerie—she is tasked with the quest to go to Ethereum to kill and come back with the heart of an Ethereum Lord. However, Dawn’s journey doesn’t exactly go to plan when she finds herself being taken captive.
What I loved most was the intriguing plot and fleshed out characters. Dawn struggles to grapple with her responsibility to her kingdom, as well as her growing relationship with the Commander of the Noreum Army—Zander. Their dynamic is one of animosity which builds into a slow-burn romance. The perfect enemies-to-lovers.
Zander, though he’s the Commander of the Nereus Army, he is so much more than that. I loved how we got to discover more of his background with each chapter. The two of them have had great banter as well as chemistry and one of my favourite scenes involved the one bed trope. It was just wonderful to see them falling in love, they really were a beautiful couple to read about.
The authors have written a captivating world which combines the details of both kingdoms, from the differing courts to the curse. The descriptions are vivid, helping to transport the reader into a magical world of fantasy. Both Stone and Hall managed to create a narrative that eagerly kept me captivated unable to put the book down. It was so enjoyable in fact, I managed to read the book in two sittings—ultimately bringing me out of a slump.
Overall, ‘Cold Heated’ was oh so satisfying on so many levels as it offered a mixture of adventure, romance and intrigue that was set against a backdrop of beautifully captivating world. The only reason it was not a 5 star for me was because at times the story did feel rushed, especially toward the end. However, that did not take away from the experience for me. I can’t wait for the next book to find out how the rest of the story will unfold.
Thank you to Netgalley and the authors for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 1, 2024
Thank you to the authors and TheNerdFam for the e-arc for an honest review. Cold Hearted is out now and on KU!
Read in under 5 hours. This was such a fun and easy to follow romantasy! quick, entertaining, cute lil romance!
the ending definitely has me excited for the next book!
fantasy romance
duel POV
enemies to lovers
closed door
fated mates
one horse/bed
forbidden love
Read in under 5 hours. This was such a fun and easy to follow romantasy! quick, entertaining, cute lil romance!
the ending definitely has me excited for the next book!
fantasy romance
duel POV
enemies to lovers
closed door
fated mates
one horse/bed
forbidden love
June 23, 2024
4/5
I love the angst and the undeniable cchemistry between Zander and Dawn, and not to mention Dawn is such a brave heroine (or assassin).
My only gripe with this book is that the plot is so predictable! I can guess who the Lord is almost immediately and that is probably the only twist the book has.
@chevreads on ig
I love the angst and the undeniable cchemistry between Zander and Dawn, and not to mention Dawn is such a brave heroine (or assassin).
My only gripe with this book is that the plot is so predictable! I can guess who the Lord is almost immediately and that is probably the only twist the book has.
@chevreads on ig
August 13, 2024
4 ★ “i love you too little bird. today. tomorrow. and forever”
i can’t wait for faint hearted to come out in october!
i can’t wait for faint hearted to come out in october!
November 12, 2024
A fun quick read, though the romance happened too fast making it hard to believe in. Insta love ain’t for me 🫣
May 24, 2024
This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I read it in 2 days and enjoyed it. It’s a great intro to fantasy, or even a perfect summer fantasy read where you need something lighter and easier.
It’s less than 300 pages and entertaining from beginning to end. It has fae, magic, betrayal, enemies to lovers. Little to no spice, but the romance is very sweet.
It’s less than 300 pages and entertaining from beginning to end. It has fae, magic, betrayal, enemies to lovers. Little to no spice, but the romance is very sweet.
May 23, 2024
4.5 stars
Tastes change as we grow older, as a kid I hated cooked carrots. I would avoid them at all costs and fantasy was my cooked carrot genre. Until I read Fourth Wing and now at the age of nearly old crone it seems to be one of my favourites.
For anyone considering trying the genre this is a great gateway book, not too many characters, easy to understand plot but enough to hook you in and keep you interested.
Dawn Ambrose, Princess of the summer court has been trained to be the perfect assassin to retrieve a Lord’s heart and save her kingdom. But what if everything she has been taught is wrong and what if she discovers another way around the curse?
I liked Dawn from the start, strong, capable and sassy. When she meets royal guard Zander their instant dislike was glaringly obvious as the perfect romantasy chemistry.
This has enemies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed, magical creatures and plenty of action and trials along the way. I can’t wait for the next book in this interconnected series to see what more is in store for the mirror realm.
Tastes change as we grow older, as a kid I hated cooked carrots. I would avoid them at all costs and fantasy was my cooked carrot genre. Until I read Fourth Wing and now at the age of nearly old crone it seems to be one of my favourites.
For anyone considering trying the genre this is a great gateway book, not too many characters, easy to understand plot but enough to hook you in and keep you interested.
Dawn Ambrose, Princess of the summer court has been trained to be the perfect assassin to retrieve a Lord’s heart and save her kingdom. But what if everything she has been taught is wrong and what if she discovers another way around the curse?
I liked Dawn from the start, strong, capable and sassy. When she meets royal guard Zander their instant dislike was glaringly obvious as the perfect romantasy chemistry.
This has enemies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed, magical creatures and plenty of action and trials along the way. I can’t wait for the next book in this interconnected series to see what more is in store for the mirror realm.
May 26, 2024
I read this as an ARC.
loved this book. All of the twisted and turns. I loved the budding romance between the main characters. I felt that it was written in a style that made for an East read.
The narration was spot on. Admittedly, I was surprised by the male narrators voice, but I think his voice did suit the MC.
Very pleased
loved this book. All of the twisted and turns. I loved the budding romance between the main characters. I felt that it was written in a style that made for an East read.
The narration was spot on. Admittedly, I was surprised by the male narrators voice, but I think his voice did suit the MC.
Very pleased
May 21, 2024
I was fortunate to get a copy of this book in an Advance Reading Copy and truly enjoyed it! An interesting world and easy to binge. Of course I need book 2 asap to find out what will happen next! Aaaaahhh!!!!
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