Red Kingdom

Fairy Tale Retellings #2

by Rachel L. Demeter

Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.

Princess Blanchette’s world shatters when the Black Wolf tears apart her castle and everything she holds dear. All she clings to is the vow she made to her grandmother on her deathbed.

Hailed as the people’s champion, Sir Rowan Dietrich liberates the capital in a quest for vengeance. He takes Winslowe Castle with an army at his back and his wolf, Smoke, at his side.

United by a shared cause and powerful attraction, Rowan and Blanchette embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption—a path filled with loss, transformation, and ultimately, the healing power of love.

Can Norland’s resplendent princess, with her captivating beauty and spirit, tame the fabled Black Wolf?

Inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Red Kingdom is a passionate, slow-burn historical romance about the enduring quest for love and the longing for a world at harmony.

*Red Kingdom is a standalone installment in a series of reimagined fairy tales.

Disclaimer: This is not your grandmother's Little Red Riding Hood. Red Kingdom is a dark historical romance set in a war-torn kingdom. As such, it contains graphic content and mature themes, including grief, strong violence, offscreen rape and suicide, and animal/human death. Reader discretion is advised.

What you can expect from Red Kingdom...
Dark, Medieval Setting
Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Forced Proximity
Broken Alpha Hero
Strong Heroine
Wolf Companion
He Falls First
Angst
Redemption
Warring Kingdoms
Historical Intrigue
Epic Battles
Game of Thrones Vibes

Genres: Romance, Historical, Retellings, Enemies To Lovers, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Romance

410 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 10, 2024

About the author

Thank you for stopping by my Goodreads page!

I live in Sunny California with my dashing husband, who inspires my romance novels every day!

Writing has always been an integral part of my identity. Before I physically learned how to write, I'd narrate stories to my mom and she'd record them for me.

I graduated from Chapman’s film school, where I often received the feedback on my scripts, “Your stories and characters are great, but this reads like a novel!” That’s when I realized my true calling.

I'm passionate about writing stories that explore what it means to be human and to be loved. My books focus on hope, courage, and redemption in the face of adversity.

In my free time, I frequent reptile expos, lift double my body’s weight, and indulge in dinosaur trivia.

My dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through my words.♥

Don't be a stranger! I cherish my readers, and I'd love to connect with you:

Official Site | TikTok | Facebook Page | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Google+ | Amazon Author Page

Reviews

[Kat valentine ( Katsbookcornerreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

More importantly, who was she? A princess, a queen… or a wolf’s prey?

Red Kingdom was a fabulous!!!! This book I'm sure will become a absolute classic with amazing writing and awesome characters!! Rachel L. Demeter has twisted the Red Riding Hood fairytale with a historical romance to produce a epic tale with a storyline that you can't help being pulled into. Both the MMC and FMC are uniquely flawed by the past and present. Rowan Dietrich is the Black wolf Norland with dangerous looks and a strong sworn arm he is feared by many! And if he wasn't intimidating enough a large black wolf named Smoke is his right hand. Rowan has seen many awful things over the years and watched as King Bartholomew has terrorized and hurt his own people and was even behind the death of Rowan's wife as a lesson to him to do as he is told! For years he has plotted his revenge. So when he lays siege to Winslowe castle all are killed except for the beautiful princess Blanchette. She stays alive by keeping to the shadows covered by her red hooded cape that her grandmother made for her. She escapes barely but soon the black wolf will run this little raven to ground. As they put aside their vengeance and start to trust one another and fall in love one of Rowan's most trusted men doesn't like what is happening and his treachery could lead to not only losing Blanchette but also his daughter! The chemistry between Rowan and Blanchette is slow burn with both dealing with scars and past headache. Rowan falls first but Blanchette takes a while longer! She is attracted to him but a promise she made to grandmother leaves her feeling conflicted. But the more she's around Rowan the more she wants him. Rachel Demeter is a fantastic writer and a great storyteller and while their was some steamy scenes she didn't have to rely on graphic sex scenes to keep your attention! This was a love story with angst,love,passion and forgiveness and a happily ever after. If you are hooked on great fantasy romances with dark sexy knights and a female main character who isn't just smart but strong out spoken and brave! And a pet Wolf who's loyal to his master till the end. Check this book out!! I'm so glad I did! Until next Time Luv's😉💋

[Rachel L. Demeter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Two in my Fairy Tale Retellings series! This is a reimagined, dark, adult twist on the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood; a tender, slow-burn historical romance set against a medieval, war-torn backdrop. (i.e., Not your grandmother's Little Red Riding Hood.)

Red Kingdom was a deeply moving story to write—and I’m honored to share it with this wonderful community of readers. ❤️🐺

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Royalty, Captive, Age Gap, Knights, Dark Romance, Adult Fairy Tale Retellings, Tortured Hero, Alpha MMC, Strong FMC, Epic, Redemption, Romantic Suspense, Animal Character (Rowan’s wolf), He Falls First, Forced Proximity


Spice Factor: Slow Burn, Open Door

Series: Beauty of the Beast: A Dark Beauty and the Beast Retelling (Standalone)

Trigger Warnings: Graphic battles and a war-torn setting, rape and suicide (occurs offscreen), dark themes, adult sexual content, death, depiction of grief and depression

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My, my, how you have grown up, Little Red Riding Hood…

Rachel L. Demeter’s RED KINGDOM is a reimagined, darker and more grown-up and probably more realistic version of an old favorite fairy tale we all know. Will we discover there is more to the Big Bad Wolf than meets the eye?

Hang on to your heartstrings and your sense of adventure as we enter a world from long ago, where castles and kingdoms were taken as plunder and one princess vows to avenge the family she has so brutally lost. Will Princess Blanchette discover there is more to the world she knew safely behind the castle walls? Will she discover the Black Wolf is not the feral monster she believes, but maybe a man who fights for the people who make her life so much easier?

Talk about a slow burn romance with heart! Talk about characters growing before your very eyes!

This tale is magnetic, even if you think you know the ending, the journey to arrive is simply amazing as the lines between good versus evil become a little blurred and things are not always as they have appeared. Beautiful storytelling that is magically satisfying!

I received this copy from the author and as always, this is my honest opinion.

[Myla · Rating 5 out of 5]

.

I thoroughly enjoyed this dark retelling of the classic tale. The plot was carefully woven with suspense and intrigue, leaving you guessing until the end.

I also liked the story's build-up and tension between Rowan and Blanchette. After what happened to Blanchette's family it's understandable why she doubts Rowan's interest in her. But as the story unfolds, we get more insight into each character.

Overall, Red Kingdom perfectly balances drama, mystery, romance, and the right amount of steamy scenes. If you're looking for an action-packed retelling, set in medieval times, I highly recommend this one.

Note: Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new book from Rachel L. Demeter was not in my bookish predictions for 2024 but here we are and I'm certainly not complaining. Red Kingdom is the second book in her reimagined classic fairy tales (Beauty of the Beast being the first) and it can be read as a standalone book. Now let me tell you, I went through the emotions with this book and I mean this in a very good way. It was truly a rollercoaster but one I didn't mind being on. I loved the story and its characters, especially some of the animal ones which is partly why I went through so many emotions. If you like dark historical romance novels, then you really have to give Red Kingdom a go. It's a must!

Set in 1455, the story starts with Winslowe Castle being sieged by the Black Wolf, Rowan Dietrich, and the army that he's gathered against King Bartholomew. Once a loyal knight, Rowan now fights against the King instead of for him. In the meanwhile princess Blanchette, the daughter of the king, is stuck within the castle with enemy soldiers all around. As Winslowe Castle gets taken and Blanchette's family gets murdered, she manages to flee and escape with the help from a local villager. But it isn't long until the Black Wolf finds and brings her back to the castle. As time goes on and Blanchette gets to know Rowan better she is forced to come to terms with her new reality, how atrocious her father really was and her budding feelings for Rowan.

The relationship between Blanchette and Rowan was very much the epitome of a slowburn romance. I love all kinds of romance but I have a fondness for a good slowburn. I do have to admit that sometimes it was a little too slow even for me as a lover of slowburn romances, although in the end all the angst and pining was so worth it when Rowan and Blanchette finally got together. Because of this I felt like their relationship was well-developed as they went from enemies to allies to friends to lovers. I did really like that but at times through reading the book I just wanted more smooches.

The story was beautifully written, as per usual with a book by this author. Some of the descriptions were very poignant, giving me tears in my eyes even. Also, some of the animals in this book had my heart. Like Sunbeam, Rowan's horse and Smoke, Rowan's wolf. I just wanted to keep throw my arms around them to keep them safe and sound. They were too precious and a good addition to the story.

Red Kingdom by Rachel L. Demeter was a dark and heartrending romance, reimagining the classic Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale. It's a beautiful and harrowing love story about loss, forgiveness and strength.

[Ashley Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The VERY sweet author of this book sent me an ARC copy of this book and oh man did I LOVE this dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood!! ❤️
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (several open door scenes but no kinks)
Tropes: enemies to lovers, slow burn romance, forced proximity, strong FMC, tortured MMC, and touch her and 💀 vibes.
I will admit that I don’t usually read historical fiction but I was hooked from the first chapter. From the jump our ‘wolf’ Rowan is overthrowing the king of Norland who happens to be Red’s (Blanchette) father and she becomes the sole survivor of her family. Obviously and rightly so Blanchette hates the man who stole her kingdom and caused the death of her family but… she’s finding it harder and harder to resist her attraction to Rowan. And Rowan? Well, Rowan knows that it’s dangerous to keep Blanchette around but he just can’t seem to let her go. 👀

If I haven’t convinced you to read this yet then read this for the action that’s packed in here, or for the red hot tension, or for the smart, cunning FMC, or for the broken MMC trying to right his wrongs. You really do get it all in this book. ❤️

[Kaity ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. Was. So. Good!! I had been hoping for a new Red Riding Hood story and then this appears!! I loved this. It was dark, gritty, and captivating, what I love from dark fairytales. Rowan Dietrich?? I’m in love. He and Blanchette were such complex characters, not trusting of one another, which contributed to the super slow burn romance, which I liked! The focus of the story was what happened within the kingdom and war. The book was unexpectedly violent, one of the battles reminding me of The Battle of Helm’s Deep, but it was done SO well! The writing was exquisite *chef kiss*, so detailed and it created this medieval kingdom in my mind, a dangerous yet beautiful world. The weaving of the Red Riding Hood story was very well done and I just loved that!! It was exciting from beginning to end, romantic, and dramatic! Such a wonderful ending as well. 5 stars! 🗡️ 🐺

*~ Thank you to the author for the ARC ~*

[Janna Check · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but at times I felt it jumped around considerably which is why I took off one star. The scene would pivot so often in a chapter that I never felt I could really get into it. Now that being said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and characters and would definitely read another one of Rachel Demeter’s books.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Catherine Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*


BOOK OVERVIEW:
Princess Blanchette Winslowe wakes one night to find death and destruction at her doorstep in the Kingdom of Norland as her family’s castle is taken over by an army led by Sir Rowan Dietrich (one of her father’s former knights) whose nickname is the Black Wolf of Norland. Her family does not survive the siege of the castle. Blanchette makes a narrow escape with the help of a local man and his son. The Black Wolf and those around him do not want the princess on the loose, and the Black Wolf finds her and keeps her prisoner at her own home. Blanchette despises Rowan and considers him a traitor and the murderer of her family where only she and her sister who is a Queen in another Kingdom remain. Slowly Blanchette becomes aware of the atrocities her father committed on his Kingdom as their ruler, and she begins to see Rowan in a different light, especially after she learns that he condemned the killing of her innocent family members. Together, they both have endured an unfathomable amount of grief and trauma and they both want to see Norland at peace. As they spend more time together their feelings for each other grow as their mutual desire for one another to help Norland unites them.

REVIEW:

Rachel L. Demeter has been one of my favorite authors since I discovered her first book in this series (Beauty of the Beast) back in 2017. I was beyond thrilled to see that book 2 came out!

Red Kingdom is book 2 in Rachel L. Demeter’s adult fairytale retellings. This book is based on the fairytale “Little Red Riding Hood”, and is set in the later medieval times of 1455. Rachel is an amazing storyteller and always paints such vivid stories for her readers. You feel like you are in the story yourself. This is a very dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, and there are many graphic scenes of war, death, and other atrocities. Death was a constant companion during this era from warfare, disease, and starvation to name a few. Rachel does not shy away from making this a realistic picture of a war torn medieval Kingdom.

Like with her first fairy tale retelling, Rachel does a good job of keeping aspects of the original story while still making it her own. The red riding cloak which is a constant in the novel, the Black Wolf of Norland and his literal black wolf Smoke, and her relationship with her grandmother and the promise she made her before she was killed by a wolf in sheep’s clothing (their old friend who sided with the Black Wolf). There was also a nod to the story in the end of the book with one of the villains.

I love the way Rachel wrote her characters-you really get to know them and what they go through. You really get to know Blanchette and Rowan and how their experiences shape them (Blanchette is no damsel in distress, and Rowan is much more than the war hungry Black Wolf of Norland). Rachel also makes you well acquainted with secondary characters by giving them vivid descriptions and backstories and how they relate to the main characters. This sometimes proves to break your heart if something happens to them, and you mourn along with the main characters. I also loved that there were Easter eggs from the first book in regard to some of the characters! I was so excited to see how the two stories came together! Another unique thing Rachel does is give you the POV of the villains in the story. Although the villains in this story do unforgivable acts of evil, she helps you look into their minds and see how they came to be as evil as they are. Her villains have tragic backstories themselves, but instead of the MMCs, their backgrounds mold them into bitter and evil humans.

Since this is a love story, and a story about the power of love, I also want to touch on that. Rachel creates amazing slow burn relationships that showcase how love can heal and redeem us. This relationship is a true enemies to lovers story. Rowan and Blanchette have a turbulent start to their relationship due to the fact that she blames him for the destruction of her family, and he thinks she is a privileged princess that is clueless to the atrocities her father committed. Slowly they get to know each other, and realize not is all as it seems. Rowan is not the cruel and ruthless killer she thinks, and Blanchette is not the clueless damsel in distress. They get to know each other, and learn about each other’s pasts and how it shaped them. Eventually, they start to care about each other, and those feelings turn to desire and then love. They prove to be there for each other, and realize that they are stronger together. Rachel wrote their interactions once they realized their feelings for each other in a beautiful and sensual way.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves adult fairytale retellings, enemies to lovers, historical romance, and romance in general. Another 5 star read by Rachel L. Demeter!

[Minni Mouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're like me and you long for historical medieval fiction with less washboard-ab romance than Kathryn Le Veque's works but also with the history/romance/action combination like Robin LaFevers' His Fair Assassin series, look no further.

I feel I'm at an unfair advantage reviewing an ARC of this book because one of my all-time favorite genres and books to read are action-oriented historical medieval fiction with romance...which has been this author's series so far. Beauty of the Beast served that up well while maintaining a pretty close and consistent parallel to the fairy tale. This book is a dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with an emphasis on dark and with more creative diversions from the tale. And when I say emphasis on "dark," the author wasn't kidding with those trigger warnings -- we open with quite a brutal and violent beginning, including the offscreen rape and murder of a thirteen-year-old girl by a secondary character. Didn't lava that...but there we have it.

THE GOOD
1) I've only read one other of Rachel Demeter's books, but both this one and that one were written consistently well. The writing gives believable history and context, the dialogue is appropriate for the time, and the characterizations are clear & distinct.

2) I personally liked starting off the story with an action-oriented bang.

3) For an enemies-to-lovers romance, the two main characters pretty convincingly didn't like each other for a while in true enemies style.

4) There were some cool tie-ins to the darkness of Little Red Riding Hood, particularly with the spookiness of the forest and other nightmares.

5) I love the approach of tackling fairy tales from a non-fantasy, dark historical fiction approach. Love, love, love. You see this done a lot with Beauty and the Beast retellings but not so much with other tales.

THE MEH
1) Book chemistry. After the first several chapters, we take a step back from the action for a big chunk of the book. I'd personally been hoping for a bit more action & suspense throughout.

2) I'm not super familiar with the original tale of Little Red Riding Hood, but I know it's ultimately supposed to represent themes including loss of innocence, a young girl's puberty, and coming of age. It would have been cool to see a deeper allegory to those themes, or if those parallels were there to at least to make it more obvious.

3) This is an extremely slow-burn romance. Having recently come from books like To Poison A King and reminiscing over Daughter of the Forest again, I love me a good slow-burn romance. This one definitely had romance more on the backburner than a historical romance, though, versus carrying a significant part of the consistent plot and character development. Book chemistry preference: I would've liked a tad bit more romance and chemistry between our love interests.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I'd read anything in this "Dark Fairytales Retellings" series.

Thank you to the author for the ARC!

[NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books} · Rating 5 out of 5]

***5 "I promise..." stars***



"Sweet little Blanchette, dressed in her grandmother's red riding cloak and all alone in the deep, dark woods..."

Rachel L. Demeter's books deserves to stand proudly beside the Classics that everyone loves!!!
This woman is very talented and an exceptional storyteller...
This was my third read by her pen and every single time, I am being pulled inside the story and goosebumps are taking over my body...
I have loved the "Beauty of the beast", the first book in a series of retellings and I was feeling that that was the true story behind the tale, and now, the second story based on the fairy tale of "Red Riding Hood" was equally mesmerized...
This time the setting was more medieval, but it was very atmospheric and epical!!!

"Who was she?
A princess, a queen... or a wolf's prey?"

Blanchette is seeing her whole world tumbling down because of the Black Wolf and his warriors. Her whole family is dead and her kingdom is falling apart in the hands of a monster...
She is wearing the red riding cloak that her grandmother had made for her and she is willing to keep the promise she made to her deathbent while she is trying to survive this new reality...
She shall not bow to the conqueror because she is the rightfully queen of this kingdom...

"Was she even a princess any longer?
She was the first and last of her name, a hostage in her own home."

Rowan, known as the Black Wolf, he is living a life of constant battles...
He was after revenge of a cruel king and now, after so much bloodshed, he is the ruler of Norland. A title that he never wanted, cause he is born a warrior. He just wanted justice for the people who were suffering in the hands of a ruthless and injustice king...
Smoke, his loyal companion, is a black wolf, as it is his emblem... and Blanchette, the fallen princess is the thorn on his side that he is falling fast under her spell...
Together they could rule this kingdom peacefully, but the princess doesn't embrace this opinion!!!

"Blanchette Winlowe.
His doom and salvation."

Rowan and Blanchette were both broken of the past and the losses of the present!!! They are enemies, but are they really???
They are forced to be together and slowly and steadily, they are learning much from each other...
Blanchette is trying really hard to keep her promise to her dead grandmother but Rowan is making it very hard to keep hating him...
Rowan is tired of the constant battles and the blooshed... Blanchette is showing him that there are other ways to live your life and that is a dangerous thing to want someone in his position...
What will happen when everything and everyone is against them???

"I can not hate you, anymore, Rowan Dietrich." {Blanchette}

"You bring me such warmth, Blanchette... One like I've never known." {Rowan}

Oh how I loved Blanchette and Rowan!!!
They were so perfect for each other, but their story wasn't an easy one...
There were happening too many ugly things around them... there were too many enemies against them...
It was impossible in their world to bloom a love so pure and magnificent....
Still the trust they built with each other was leading them in dangerous paths...
Can love conquer everything at the end???

"Sometimes bad things must happen to bring about lasting good. Sometimes, winter comes, and it's dark and painful, but it clears the earth for spring."

Thank you, Rachel, for thinking about me and provided me with an arc copy of this beautiful story!!! I appreciate it!!!

[Meg (fantasybook.adventurer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Red Kingdom✨

Wow. This dark fairytale retelling of Little Red Riding Hood starts off with a BANG, hitting the ground running at full force.

In this twisted historical romance, we follow Blanchette and Rowan after he, also known as the Black Wolf, invades her palace and kills her family. The Black Wolf also gave me Robin Hood vibes and I absolutely adore Rowan with all of my heart- and his wolf sidekick, Smoke, too. He and Blanchette are incredibly tortured souls, plagued by PTSD, shame, guilt, and visions, trying desperately to navigate betrayal and broken hearts. Following their romance and relationship was a precious light amidst the darkness.

Red Kingdom was a beautiful tale that took me to the old world of the Europe. Tropes include forced proximity, touch her and die, enemies to lovers, morally grey MMC who speaks French *swoon*, open door spice (3/5), some language, trainer x trainee, age gap, and slow burn. It was a wonderful adventure and I’ll continue to look forward to Rachel’s reads. Thank you, Rachel, for this gifted arc!

[Chelsea Semprun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE a good retelling and this checked all of those boxes. This Little Red Riding Hood retelling was imaginative and unexpected. It also contained a lot of my favorite tropes (don’t want to spoil anything for you but if you want to know what tropes go look up the author’s IG). Rachel’s way of writing had me absolutely in a trance.

She describes everything so vividly, I often felt myself among the pages— for the good and the bad. Red Kingdom had me on the edge of my seat throughout this journey.

Note: I would say make sure to check any of your sensitive subjects/triggers as this does have violence, mentions of SA/R, and gore.


I received this book as an ARC for review and this is absolutely one of my best books of 2024. I can’t shut up about it!!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood Rachel L. Demeter creates a story uniquely her own even while paying tribute to a beloved story.

Swept back in time to a fictional medieval land, Norland, Ms. Demeter gives her audience a vivid and riveting reading experience. This writer merged pertinent historical facts with her fictional land seamlessly. Starting off with the siege of the royal family of Norland's castle by the infamous Black Wolf, this story was fast paced and impossible to put down. The battle segments depicted in this work felt authentic, as if this author transported her readers to an actual medieval battle scene. Ms. Demeter's fight segments were exceedingly well written from the build up to battle, to the actual battle, to the terror and brutality of the aftermath of a siege.

Sir Rowan Dietrich, The Black Wolf, was complex in his role as a conqueror. At face value he could appear a villain but with careful revelations it became apparent he was the hero that not only the people of Norland needed but that Princess Blanchette also needed. As the only surviving member of the Royal Family of Norland Princess Blanchette carried the weight of her legacy as well the sorrow of her family's loss. Left with nothing but a signet ring and a red cape her grandmother made, Blanchette proved that she could rise from the ashes of tragedy and was more than capable of holding Sir Rowan accountable.

As a couple Sir Rowan and Princess Blanchette were well matched. They each had many layers to uncover and their slow burn basic attraction kept them in each other's sphere. The incremental exposure of this pair's compatibility from their kindness, self-sacrifice and integrity was skillfully done by Ms. Demeter. The respect, trust and love that developed between Sir Rowan and Blanchette felt true and honest to this story.

Ms. Demeter does exceptionally well in expressing her character's emotions. As a writer she easily captivates her audience with her beautiful imagination as well as her perceptive writing. Rachel L. Demeter's Red Kingdom is a story that might just be the hidden treasure of this year!

*I was given an advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.*

[Brianna Makae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red kingdom by Rachel L. Demeter
3/5 stars
I over all enjoyed the story, I thought the character growth and relationships were satisfying. The transition from enemies to lovers was a veryyyyyyy slow burn. But at the same time felt fast and unnatural, due to pacing.
Which brings me to my biggest issue with this book. As a whole, the pacing felt unnatural and rushed. It felt as though the author had a bullet-point list of everything they wanted to accomplish and was focused only on making sure everything was checked off that list.
Instead of just telling the story, a lot of the verbiage was flowery and over descriptive just for the sake of being flowery and descriptive. Instead of being invested in two characters love story, I was rolling my eyes at another paragraph about how huge and beautiful Rowan was, or how the lighting made her noticed his hair.. again. As if in the last chapter we didn’t read the exact same scenario.
Because of how quickly things happened, I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters. When most of them ended up dead, I was able to move past them with little to no thought more about them.

It was a quick story. It read more like an edgy YA romance novel with the addition of shock factor in the gratuitous amount of character deaths and fairly cringy almost-smut. Which had me speed reading pages just to get past some drawn out scenes. I will not be reading again, but would recommend to those that are new to the genre.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Alexandria (Ink Stained Sorceress) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Kingdom by Rachel Demeter completely blew me away! As a devoted fan of the Red Riding Hood story (I even use "redridingnerd" in my gaming usernames!), I approached this retelling with excitement tinged with a bit of nervousness. But oh boy, was I pleasantly surprised!

From the moment I delved into the advanced reader copy (ARC), I was utterly engrossed. Seriously contemplating getting the physical version upon release! This book took me on an emotional journey—prepare for your heart to be both broken and filled with love. The storytelling is enchanting, and the historical romance element adds a delightful twist to the classic tale. And let's talk about the romance: usually, I'm not a fan of slow burns, but this one was executed flawlessly.

Rowan and Blanchette were perfectly crafted characters that stole my heart. I'm already considering a re-read because there was a moment that literally made me gasp out loud!

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the very first page, we start off with a battle that rips the rug right out from under Blanchette's feet. Red Kingdom is a Red Riding Hood retelling that also (for me anyway) gives off Robin Hood vibes which I absolutely love!

Blanchette starts off by being a little bit on the annoying side with how she was treating Roman and giving those around her a hard time when they tried to explain how her father was, but maybe we can chalk that up to not just the trauma she's been through but also having a hard time that someone that she loved would be capable of doing the things that he did.

This is a book that is filled with epic battle scenes and there are 3 events that happen in this book that will absolutely rip your heart out and stomp on it leaving you staring into the void. WHHHHHYYYYYY!!!!!!!??????????? (Rachel, you know what you did, girl!! lol)

The enimies-to-friends-back to enemies-back to friends-to loves dynamic between Blanchette and Roman is off the charts!

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! Fantastic read from Rachel!

For someone who's not a fan of historical romance, Rachel definitely knows how to keep a reader vested in the story.

Red Kingdom is a unique take on the retelling of the fairytale, Little Red Riding Hood.

The story starts off with some great action but then Rachel takes readers into a deeper story, allowing readers to see who these characters are.

Red Kingdom is definitely more heavy on the plot & character development and less reliant on the romance and chemistry between Rowan & Blanchette. And honestly, that's what made this story even more enticing.

Rachel delivers a story that has depth, many layers, and characters that readers will empathize with. I truly loved watching Rowan and Blanchette grow in their own ways as the story unfolded. It was just another layer to a very well plotted out story that gives readers the HEA they enjoy.

Red Kingdom is highly recommend to any fantasy or historical romance reader.

[Erica • thebridgeto.fantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an SPECTACULAR retelling of Little Red Riding Hood! The whole book was very moving. If you’re looking for a dark adult, stand-alone retelling : this is it!! It had me sucked in from the very beginning, where you are dropped right into the middle of a war. But the way it’s written is phenomenal! I literally felt like I was in that book experiencing all of the carnage and trauma the FMC (Blanchette) was going through. She, in the midst of this battle, she’s forced to watch as many of her friends and family are brutally taken down by turn coats. These men are lead by the notorious “Black Wolf”, Rowan and his literal wolf - Smoke. I don’t want to say too much more (I want everyone to be shocked lol) but there are lies, deceit & redemptions. Some 🌶️🌶️, slow-burn, age-gap, multi-povs, A WOLF. (I’m still crying over him nbd).

[Bluepolkadots · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning.
Adult retelling not for the faint of heart.
The story reminds us that perspective is personal and opening your heart/mind to the broader picture can be overwhelming but freeing.

Blanchette is a well rounded fierce character.

Rowan (The Black Wolf) broke my heart over and over again.

The secondary characters give the story depth without muddling the plot and main themes.

“…Sometimes winter comes and it is dark and painful, but it clears the earth for spring.”

Two part book, good chapter length and transition. Foreshadowing and flashbacks merge seamlessly with the story.

ARC reader.

[Nita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow I don't know where to start with this book. Up until the last 4 chapters this was a 3 star read. I found Blanchette insufferable for over half of the book. As well, I found part 1 of the book to be rather slow and redundant. But boy did the pace of the book pick up in part 2. Blanchette became the woman she was always meant to be. Rowan was perfection. I continued to love him more and more throughout whole the book. I honestly would have loved for the whole book to have been his pov. There were so many secrets and plot twists that happened that made things exciting. There was a lot of loss and sadness as well. Also, this was the slowest slow burn in the history of slow burns. The last 4 chapters were EPIC.

[bay · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I tell you I couldn’t put this down it was so good. The retelling of one of my favorite childhood classics! Little red riding hood. The slow burns, the emotions and world building! Get prepared for this beautifully written historical romance and grab popcorn some tissue and a blanket because the roller coaster this threw me on I didn’t want to get off of it!

[L.P. Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enchanting story inspired by The Little Red Riding Hood and the “Big Bad Wolf”. In this tale, Little Red Riding Hood is all grown up and faces many battles within her kingdom and her own heart. This story starts you in the midst of action and continues to transpire throughout the whole story. Was such a fun read and a beautiful historical fiction piece!

[Lesleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Rachel’s retelling of Red Riding Hood was so fun! I loved her interpretation. And the slow burn was driving me crazy in the best way.

When I started the book I was instantly drawn in will the detail and storytelling. It felt, to me, like the beginning of Anastasia. I love love love that movie so I instantly was sucked in.

I was so really rooting for the couple and for them to succeed. Rachel did a great job with her retelling.

I will definitely be checking out her other retellings!

[Kayla Mourato · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed, I smiled, I got my heart ripped out. Naturally 5 stars!

I fell into this retelling very quickly and grew attached to almost every character. Even characters that weren’t main characters and were barely even side characters.

****possible spoiler depending how you look at it****




I’ve always wanted a wolf, so I was jealous!

[Frankie Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely different from what I normal read but it hooked me in real good and I could not put it down. Would 100 percent recommend to anyone and everyone

[The Gothic Grimoire · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨A MUST READ✨
This book will change your life and if you’re like me and you love retellings let me tell you this one will forever change your outlook on how fairytales can be retold in the most dark and delicious way. There are so many emotions that poured out of me reading this book, you will feel love, you will feel hatred, betrayal, heartbreak, angst, swooning, blushing, joy, remorse, EVERYTHING. Read this book, you will love it I promise you that.

[K.J. Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fairy tale's lend themselves to a romance retelling really easily, which is the reason that they are the ones that you see done most often. I was intrigued to see how a Red Riding Hood retelling would work. I have to say I enjoyed it. In many ways, this is a reimagining, or perhaps it takes inspiration from the fairy tale, rather than a retelling. The good and evil that stalk these pages isn't quite so clear cut or obvious as you might remember from the original story. But then, things are never as obvious as they first appear.
Blanchette, a princess rarely seen without her Red Riding Hood finds her world turn upside down at the hands of the Black Wolf. He tears her family apart, almost literally, but she can't help but be drawn to him.
I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance and this was certainly that. It was a slow burn though, which is always painful and delightful all at the same time. Every time I thought they were finally going to take the jump, they didn't and I found myself getting more frustrated and invested in the story.
This was a great read. If I had a tiny niggle, it was the way governess was used as a title. Poor Agnes, who had been Blanchette's governess when she was younger was constantly referred to as Governess Agnes, I'm not sure why.
I haven't read the first retelling in this series, but I'm definitely planning on checking it out after enjoying this one so much.

[Marlou Klijn · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 42%

I still can't believe authors ask me to read and review their books. Unfortunately RED KINGDOM was not a match for me.

The story begins immediately. There's no buildup, no introduction of characters, we are thrown into a fight and it's just problem after problem. The characters lack personality. Background is given mostly though haphazardly written flashbacks. Demeter tried really hard to add all these great tropes, but it was not it for me.

There should be a big massive content warning at the beginning of the book, because some of the stuff that happened is not for certain people. I was just disgusted by how it was portrayed, but for other people it's quite triggering (r@pe, @ssault, cold blooded unaliving)

So yeah, I can go on and on about how toxic and problematic this book is, but I'd rather just leave it behind me.

This book was provided to me by the author.

[Julianna Vecchiotti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 21: Red Kingdom

Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Red Kingdom was described as a Little Red Riding Hood retelling. This was a bit of a stretch and struck me more as Beauty and the Beast. All the Red Riding Hood parts felt forced, like her red cloak. I think this could have been better if the author hadn’t tried so hard to mold it into a retelling and just let the story unfold.

The romance was slow burn and very sweet. I liked how the MMC and FMC interacted and felt like the development of their relationship was very believable.

I generally enjoy happier romance, but this story felt like tragedy after tragedy and I didn’t have time to breathe between events.