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Bound to the Tyrant King
"Teach me how to defend myself in a place where enemies whisper sweet words and every shadow veils threats."
A king of wrath & whim.
For years, Bora has heard tales of the mad king from her father, one of the ministers in the kingdom of Joseon.
So when a royal edicts arrives decreeing she will marry him, her world comes crashing a life sentence tied to the tyrant.
As Bora enters the palace, she will have to navigate the complex court and even more complicated hearts. Who to trust and who to betray, only she can decide. Will she become a player or remain a pawn?
This new adult, historical (closed-door) romance is perfect for fans of Korean dramas and webtoons.
A king of wrath & whim.
For years, Bora has heard tales of the mad king from her father, one of the ministers in the kingdom of Joseon.
So when a royal edicts arrives decreeing she will marry him, her world comes crashing a life sentence tied to the tyrant.
As Bora enters the palace, she will have to navigate the complex court and even more complicated hearts. Who to trust and who to betray, only she can decide. Will she become a player or remain a pawn?
This new adult, historical (closed-door) romance is perfect for fans of Korean dramas and webtoons.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 2, 2024
33 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 25, 2025
Two Bex Gil books in about two days… a third is also soon to come.
Content warnings for the ones that want them:
Sexual content: Kisses, fade to black scene between a married couple, and mentions of a woman having had her innocence stolen from her (the word rape is never explicitly used, but the situations heavily imply it), a man mentions wanting to “have fun” with his captive.
Language: One use of “piss”.
Violence/gore: Poisoning, attempted murder, death, torture alluded to and described vaguely, death and torture of a child (only the aftermath is shown, but it’s still sad), wounds (not graphically described), abduction, and physical abuse from a parent mentioned but not seen.
I will have to say, this was more of a 4.3 ⭐️ than a 5 ⭐️ read, but I rounded it up anyway. The main reason it isn’t 5 ⭐️ is because I felt as though some scene moved faster than they should have.
For starters (she says after she writes three paragraphs), I really enjoyed the accuracy and yet deception of the title. It fits perfectly with the story.
To start with characters or plot first… idk. They may be blended. If I repeat myself… suck it up. I am suffering from the monthly pain of being a woman and I am not in the mood to make anything perfect. In fact, I want to throw chairs and scribble my thoughts on walls with sharpies in a completely unorganized fashion, but I can’t, so here we are.
I saw a few people comment that the MCs relationship felt lusty instead of love-based… and I would like to address that.
‼️EVERYONE IS ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND I’M NOT JUDGING‼️
This is a historical arranged marriage. They didn’t ever have an opportunity to develop a relationship before they got married, but throughout the story you can see them slowly growing in affection towards one another. Physical attraction between the two was present the whole time though. The way I see it, however, is that… THEY ARE MARRIED! I don’t care if he thinks she is hot and tells her. He is her husband. Even if their relationship isn’t developed enough FOR YOU, it does not mean it’s built on lust. Historically, for accuracy’s sake, they would have done the dance the first night forward… however, that did not happen. I would say, for accuracy’s sake, that they took it slow.
My personal opinion is that the romance was sweet. Maybe I’m strange bc my parents got engaged after 10 days and married a couple weeks later and therefore I look at the way people fall in love differently, but I think the progression of their relationship given the circumstances and time period was done well.
Rant #1, over. Can’t promise there will be more, but I can’t promise there won’t be either.
Another thing I saw a few people mention was the fact that Bora, the FMC, is frequently described as plump or chubby, and the fact that she likes food is mentioned… but again, let’s look at the time period. That was seen as attractive (being plump). That doesn’t necessarily mean she was huge, it just means she was curvier. I don’t advocate for promoting unhealthy lifestyles, and this was not that. Her being chubbier was mentioned less frequently than the average fantasy novel mentions how slim or small their FMCs are.
Frankly, it was nice to read about a character that didn’t weigh 80lbs and could slay dragons. Not everyone (including myself) has a flat or toned stomach. Like many girls, I have tummy rolls and I have stretch marks. It’s not a sin to look human.
As for her liking food and thinking about food a lot… some people really be treating that like it’s seen as a personality trait! I’ve got news for you; I love food. I do think about food when I go to gatherings or parties that may have something yummy. I think Bora doing the same is justified. She wasn’t gluttonous or unhealthy.
Rant #2, over.
I feel like I should point out that Bex Gil is well studied in Korean history. If you haven’t read her bio yet, or even checked out her socials, you should.
Anyway, her research and knowledge shines beautifully through her books, and I thought everyone should know that.
I’m gonna do characters before I get too carried away… 😅
Bora is our FMC, and she is also seemingly a victim of pawnisim (my word I just decided to create for the description of a character that is treated like a pawn in other characters games). Her father, who was supposed to be kind, is not what he appears, and it isn’t until he gives Bora to the tyrant king that she begins to see that.
Bora is sweet and soft, naive to the politics and social drama of the court nobles. Something I love about Bora is the fact that she grows as the book progresses. She doesn’t just stay in her nativity, but rather, she learns from the people around her… and from her husband.
Seojun is a tyrant. At least, he is to those who want him dead. I don’t know why, but I expected the title to be an exaggeration and for him to actually just be misunderstood… but he kinda wasn’t. He was, but he wasn’t. He did torture bad guys and he does kill the bad guys. Justice for a king and from a king, but something a lot of “clean” books ignore. I have news for some of y’all: the world is a dark place, and we are meant to be a light… but that doesn’t mean letting the evil of the world run rampant.
Despite that, he was a good man. He was scarred, he was strong, he was wise, and he was powerful. He knew the game, and he played it well. All I can say is well done, Bex Gil, on successfully writing my favorite “tyrant”.
As I mentioned previously, this book doesn’t shy away from the dark side of politics (especially historical politics) like many books lately. If you want a book where all the bad guys are redeemed and nothing happens to anyone… then you can go away. Find a cozy fantasy.
I love me some good side characters, especially when a couple of them are crushing on each other… 😝 I love all of the side characters!
I am trying to think of everything I can say without spoilers, but spoilers keep coming to mind… so that may be my time to stop. If you made it to here, you’re a trooper and deserve some kind of award. 🥇
I’m definitely buying a physical copy of this book for my shelf guys, worry not. 😏
Content warnings for the ones that want them:
Sexual content: Kisses, fade to black scene between a married couple, and mentions of a woman having had her innocence stolen from her (the word rape is never explicitly used, but the situations heavily imply it), a man mentions wanting to “have fun” with his captive.
Language: One use of “piss”.
Violence/gore: Poisoning, attempted murder, death, torture alluded to and described vaguely, death and torture of a child (only the aftermath is shown, but it’s still sad), wounds (not graphically described), abduction, and physical abuse from a parent mentioned but not seen.
I will have to say, this was more of a 4.3 ⭐️ than a 5 ⭐️ read, but I rounded it up anyway. The main reason it isn’t 5 ⭐️ is because I felt as though some scene moved faster than they should have.
For starters (she says after she writes three paragraphs), I really enjoyed the accuracy and yet deception of the title. It fits perfectly with the story.
To start with characters or plot first… idk. They may be blended. If I repeat myself… suck it up. I am suffering from the monthly pain of being a woman and I am not in the mood to make anything perfect. In fact, I want to throw chairs and scribble my thoughts on walls with sharpies in a completely unorganized fashion, but I can’t, so here we are.
I saw a few people comment that the MCs relationship felt lusty instead of love-based… and I would like to address that.
‼️EVERYONE IS ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND I’M NOT JUDGING‼️
This is a historical arranged marriage. They didn’t ever have an opportunity to develop a relationship before they got married, but throughout the story you can see them slowly growing in affection towards one another. Physical attraction between the two was present the whole time though. The way I see it, however, is that… THEY ARE MARRIED! I don’t care if he thinks she is hot and tells her. He is her husband. Even if their relationship isn’t developed enough FOR YOU, it does not mean it’s built on lust. Historically, for accuracy’s sake, they would have done the dance the first night forward… however, that did not happen. I would say, for accuracy’s sake, that they took it slow.
My personal opinion is that the romance was sweet. Maybe I’m strange bc my parents got engaged after 10 days and married a couple weeks later and therefore I look at the way people fall in love differently, but I think the progression of their relationship given the circumstances and time period was done well.
Rant #1, over. Can’t promise there will be more, but I can’t promise there won’t be either.
Another thing I saw a few people mention was the fact that Bora, the FMC, is frequently described as plump or chubby, and the fact that she likes food is mentioned… but again, let’s look at the time period. That was seen as attractive (being plump). That doesn’t necessarily mean she was huge, it just means she was curvier. I don’t advocate for promoting unhealthy lifestyles, and this was not that. Her being chubbier was mentioned less frequently than the average fantasy novel mentions how slim or small their FMCs are.
Frankly, it was nice to read about a character that didn’t weigh 80lbs and could slay dragons. Not everyone (including myself) has a flat or toned stomach. Like many girls, I have tummy rolls and I have stretch marks. It’s not a sin to look human.
As for her liking food and thinking about food a lot… some people really be treating that like it’s seen as a personality trait! I’ve got news for you; I love food. I do think about food when I go to gatherings or parties that may have something yummy. I think Bora doing the same is justified. She wasn’t gluttonous or unhealthy.
Rant #2, over.
I feel like I should point out that Bex Gil is well studied in Korean history. If you haven’t read her bio yet, or even checked out her socials, you should.
Anyway, her research and knowledge shines beautifully through her books, and I thought everyone should know that.
I’m gonna do characters before I get too carried away… 😅
Bora is our FMC, and she is also seemingly a victim of pawnisim (my word I just decided to create for the description of a character that is treated like a pawn in other characters games). Her father, who was supposed to be kind, is not what he appears, and it isn’t until he gives Bora to the tyrant king that she begins to see that.
Bora is sweet and soft, naive to the politics and social drama of the court nobles. Something I love about Bora is the fact that she grows as the book progresses. She doesn’t just stay in her nativity, but rather, she learns from the people around her… and from her husband.
Seojun is a tyrant. At least, he is to those who want him dead. I don’t know why, but I expected the title to be an exaggeration and for him to actually just be misunderstood… but he kinda wasn’t. He was, but he wasn’t. He did torture bad guys and he does kill the bad guys. Justice for a king and from a king, but something a lot of “clean” books ignore. I have news for some of y’all: the world is a dark place, and we are meant to be a light… but that doesn’t mean letting the evil of the world run rampant.
Despite that, he was a good man. He was scarred, he was strong, he was wise, and he was powerful. He knew the game, and he played it well. All I can say is well done, Bex Gil, on successfully writing my favorite “tyrant”.
As I mentioned previously, this book doesn’t shy away from the dark side of politics (especially historical politics) like many books lately. If you want a book where all the bad guys are redeemed and nothing happens to anyone… then you can go away. Find a cozy fantasy.
I love me some good side characters, especially when a couple of them are crushing on each other… 😝 I love all of the side characters!
I am trying to think of everything I can say without spoilers, but spoilers keep coming to mind… so that may be my time to stop. If you made it to here, you’re a trooper and deserve some kind of award. 🥇
I’m definitely buying a physical copy of this book for my shelf guys, worry not. 😏
September 19, 2024
Bex Gil weaves a potent, gripping, and heartfelt tale about finding the strength in kindness, looking past lies you've been taught to believe to find the truth, and falling in love against all odds.
As someone who's never read or watched Korean royalty romance or historical fiction, and never particularly liked the enemies to lovers trope, I wasn't expecting to absolutely LOVE this story as much as I did, but rest assured, I absolutely devoured it.
Protagonists Seojun and Bora won my heart within the first few chapters, and proceeded to make me cheer, cry, and swoon as the story progressed. The plot falls into two parts, the first focusing more on the romance and the second more on the political intrigue of the Joseon court. I really enjoyed this because it allowed me to enjoy Seojun and Bora's relationship longer.
It's hard to explain just how much growth both characters have without spoiling anything... Bora grows from a kind but easily manipulated young woman, into a confident, caring, and wise queen, while Seojun learns to share his heart and hopes with another. Their dynamic was so heartwarming and wholesome. It's clear Bex cares about portraying healthy romances, and that means a lot to me. I also appreciated that Bora is a curvy queen like me!
As someone who's never read or watched Korean royalty romance or historical fiction, and never particularly liked the enemies to lovers trope, I wasn't expecting to absolutely LOVE this story as much as I did, but rest assured, I absolutely devoured it.
Protagonists Seojun and Bora won my heart within the first few chapters, and proceeded to make me cheer, cry, and swoon as the story progressed. The plot falls into two parts, the first focusing more on the romance and the second more on the political intrigue of the Joseon court. I really enjoyed this because it allowed me to enjoy Seojun and Bora's relationship longer.
It's hard to explain just how much growth both characters have without spoiling anything... Bora grows from a kind but easily manipulated young woman, into a confident, caring, and wise queen, while Seojun learns to share his heart and hopes with another. Their dynamic was so heartwarming and wholesome. It's clear Bex cares about portraying healthy romances, and that means a lot to me. I also appreciated that Bora is a curvy queen like me!
August 3, 2025
I haven't ever watched K-Dramas so i wasn't sure what to expect, but this book did not disappoint!
Firstly the character growth was so well done! Bora goes from a naive girl who lacks confidence, to a strong woman and queen who will protect what she loves.
Seojun went from a cold and callus king, who trusted almost nobody to a caring husband who learned to share his deepest parts of himself with his wife.
The romance was well done, and I really appreciated how Bex strived to show a healthy relationship dynamic as the book progressed. At first both the fmc and mmc were reluctant to trust each other, which is fair considering all of the political strife happening. As the plot furthers both realize the other is not the enemy and it i important to confront the biases that you have been told your whole life.
The plot was also well paced and highly enjoyable. The political tensions made it so the side characters had more depth, through the actions they carried out. It also provided more insight to the state of the kingdoms and helped show more of each characters motivations.
Overall a wonderful read that I highly reccomend!
Spice: Closed Door (allusions to things happening between married couple, but nothing on page)
Language: No swearing
Genre: Historical Romance
Firstly the character growth was so well done! Bora goes from a naive girl who lacks confidence, to a strong woman and queen who will protect what she loves.
Seojun went from a cold and callus king, who trusted almost nobody to a caring husband who learned to share his deepest parts of himself with his wife.
The romance was well done, and I really appreciated how Bex strived to show a healthy relationship dynamic as the book progressed. At first both the fmc and mmc were reluctant to trust each other, which is fair considering all of the political strife happening. As the plot furthers both realize the other is not the enemy and it i important to confront the biases that you have been told your whole life.
The plot was also well paced and highly enjoyable. The political tensions made it so the side characters had more depth, through the actions they carried out. It also provided more insight to the state of the kingdoms and helped show more of each characters motivations.
Overall a wonderful read that I highly reccomend!
Spice: Closed Door (allusions to things happening between married couple, but nothing on page)
Language: No swearing
Genre: Historical Romance
February 22, 2025
Oh my heart. This book has changed my life. I am seriously gonna cry now that it’s over. For all my Plus size babes who love a good historical romance…get to reading already! 🤧💖🫶🏻
December 3, 2025
I liked the beginning, and the author’s writing is easy to follow and paints a clear mental picture.
Bora’s naivety was very frustrating.
Seojun’s frequent lusty comments made the romance feel shallow. I never felt like Bora and Seojun really knew each other.
Bora’s obsession with food was overkill. It made Bora come across as very gluttonous, and was very unnecessary. Almost every chapter mentioned her love of eating, or how people would sneak her food, and that she’s chubby. I was looking forward to reading a book with a heavyset FMC, but Bora was portrayed as a pig who thought of little else besides eating. And her slapping people when angry made her seem immature.
I finished, but it was a bit of struggle.
Content: mild to low moderate violence, moderate innuendos, fade to black, no swearing
Bora’s naivety was very frustrating.
Seojun’s frequent lusty comments made the romance feel shallow. I never felt like Bora and Seojun really knew each other.
Bora’s obsession with food was overkill. It made Bora come across as very gluttonous, and was very unnecessary. Almost every chapter mentioned her love of eating, or how people would sneak her food, and that she’s chubby. I was looking forward to reading a book with a heavyset FMC, but Bora was portrayed as a pig who thought of little else besides eating. And her slapping people when angry made her seem immature.
I finished, but it was a bit of struggle.
Content: mild to low moderate violence, moderate innuendos, fade to black, no swearing
December 30, 2024
Overall, this is enjoyable. There are key Kdrama moments from various dramas woven in.
I did start to get annoyed with how everyone always “cocked an eyebrow.”
October 3, 2024
Bound to the Tyrant King follows Bora, daughter of a noble councilman, who enters an arranged marriage with the king. For as long as she can remember, she’s only heard tales of a cruel, bloodthirsty man from her father. However, she finds the king far different than how stories had described him and, to her dismay, much more handsome than she had imagined.
King Seojun is surrounded by snakes disguised as noblemen, each waiting for him to fall. In the precarious court life, he has built steep walls around his heart for protection, surprising himself when he takes an interest in Bora.
She is the daughter of his enemy, surely sent to kill him. He kills for sport and her days are numbered. With everyone in their lives trying to pull them apart, Bora and Seojun must decide who is worth trusting even if it’s only themselves.
This fantastic book got me out of a reading slump. As a lover of K-dramas and clean slow-burn, I was super excited to get my hands on this and it didn’t disappoint. The romantic tension is amazing, slowly dissolving into a swoon-worthy romance.
There is a wide range of characters to fall in love with. The dual POV is fun to read and helps to show Seojun slowly falling in love. Bora is a sweet character, and I appreciated her softer, feminine personality. Although she still has much witty banter between the court ladies and guards.
The story itself was satisfying. It had a perfect mixture of political conspiracy and romance. K-drama lovers will love this book! As someone who’s been to Korea, I felt like I was back at one of the palaces while reading this. Bex is knowledgeable on Korea and provides additional resources on historical context, which is alway a great bonus.
Note: This is New Adult and there is sexual tension and sometimes suggestive content that occurs between a married couple.
King Seojun is surrounded by snakes disguised as noblemen, each waiting for him to fall. In the precarious court life, he has built steep walls around his heart for protection, surprising himself when he takes an interest in Bora.
She is the daughter of his enemy, surely sent to kill him. He kills for sport and her days are numbered. With everyone in their lives trying to pull them apart, Bora and Seojun must decide who is worth trusting even if it’s only themselves.
This fantastic book got me out of a reading slump. As a lover of K-dramas and clean slow-burn, I was super excited to get my hands on this and it didn’t disappoint. The romantic tension is amazing, slowly dissolving into a swoon-worthy romance.
There is a wide range of characters to fall in love with. The dual POV is fun to read and helps to show Seojun slowly falling in love. Bora is a sweet character, and I appreciated her softer, feminine personality. Although she still has much witty banter between the court ladies and guards.
The story itself was satisfying. It had a perfect mixture of political conspiracy and romance. K-drama lovers will love this book! As someone who’s been to Korea, I felt like I was back at one of the palaces while reading this. Bex is knowledgeable on Korea and provides additional resources on historical context, which is alway a great bonus.
Note: This is New Adult and there is sexual tension and sometimes suggestive content that occurs between a married couple.
October 1, 2024
Bound to the Tyrant King is a historical K-drama esque story full of tension, political intrigue, plotting, scheming and court complexities along with blossoming romance between two unlikely individuals: Bora, the daughter of a kingdom minister who is also the great enemy of the king, and Seojun, the tyrant king of Joseon himself.
Growing up, Bora has heard only horrific tales from her father of the ruthless and terrible things the tyrant king has done. Her world therefore comes to a halt when she is entered into an arranged marriage with him, and she is in constant fear for her life. But is the king really as terrible as people say?
I really enjoyed this read! It is quite different to the usual fantasy stories I read, however I really enjoyed the scheming and plotting aspects of this story. Bora is a lovely character, she is so pure and kind, and sees only goodness in the world, and I really love the complexity of Seojun's character as well. He has so many layers, and it was so interesting to see how the two started off so careful and suspecting of each other, thinking each will be the cause of each other's downfall, to them blooming their undeniable feelings they had for one other. By the end, what they had between them had me swooning. There were many endearing and adorable scenes, but the author also did not shy away from some of the harsh realities which occurred in the palace courts.
This book is definitely one for the fans of historical k-dramas set in palace and court settings. Thank you to the author for the ARC, it was a privilege to read this story before its release!
Growing up, Bora has heard only horrific tales from her father of the ruthless and terrible things the tyrant king has done. Her world therefore comes to a halt when she is entered into an arranged marriage with him, and she is in constant fear for her life. But is the king really as terrible as people say?
I really enjoyed this read! It is quite different to the usual fantasy stories I read, however I really enjoyed the scheming and plotting aspects of this story. Bora is a lovely character, she is so pure and kind, and sees only goodness in the world, and I really love the complexity of Seojun's character as well. He has so many layers, and it was so interesting to see how the two started off so careful and suspecting of each other, thinking each will be the cause of each other's downfall, to them blooming their undeniable feelings they had for one other. By the end, what they had between them had me swooning. There were many endearing and adorable scenes, but the author also did not shy away from some of the harsh realities which occurred in the palace courts.
This book is definitely one for the fans of historical k-dramas set in palace and court settings. Thank you to the author for the ARC, it was a privilege to read this story before its release!
August 30, 2025
What can be said about Bound to the Tyrant King? The book caught my eye while browsing for titles similar to June Hur’s novels. As many may know, it is not easy to find books outside of cultures set in the West, and after that the books are filled with magic and spirits/demons and the like which I do not like to read. So, this book is a discovery I am happy to have made. The story follows Bora and Seojun in alternating first person chapters. I do not care much for this format but it did not take away from the story. Bora has been filled with tales that the king is vile and evil and dreads having to marry him, however the more she comes to know him the more opposed she becomes to her father, a corrupt minister.
This book takes place in the Joseon Dynasty (Korea) and the story had all the feel of a Kdrama. I liked Bora and Seojun as characters and the supporting cast is good as well. Supporting characters need to feel fleshed out and like they have their own lives outside of their dealings with the main cast and we have that here. From Haeji to Bora’s siblings. The only thing that slowed the story down for me was Bora’s constant thoughts of the king killing her. It is pretty much every chapter until their dynamic changes. Also there is a lot of growling and lip chewing. These are very small things and I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical drama, or books. I look forward to more such stories from this writer. Also the Author’s note at the end was very sweet.
P.S the art is lovely and also created by the writer.
This book takes place in the Joseon Dynasty (Korea) and the story had all the feel of a Kdrama. I liked Bora and Seojun as characters and the supporting cast is good as well. Supporting characters need to feel fleshed out and like they have their own lives outside of their dealings with the main cast and we have that here. From Haeji to Bora’s siblings. The only thing that slowed the story down for me was Bora’s constant thoughts of the king killing her. It is pretty much every chapter until their dynamic changes. Also there is a lot of growling and lip chewing. These are very small things and I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical drama, or books. I look forward to more such stories from this writer. Also the Author’s note at the end was very sweet.
P.S the art is lovely and also created by the writer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2024
Fans of historical Kdramas, you'll enjoy this book! It's a new adult, slow-burn, closed-door Korean historical romance that explores the dynamics of arranged royal marriages, power, trust, and survival in a treacherous court environment.
My favorite is Seojun, the MMC. His character is layered and complex, and I like how the reasons behind his actions are gradually revealed as the story progresses. Bora suspects him up until like 60% of the story and always thinks he's going to kill her any second. At one point, this got tiring, to be honest.
The romance unfolds slowly and sweetly, with swoon-worthy scenes sprinkled throughout the book. I also think the court intrigue and politics were done nicely so that readers can follow without getting overwhelmed. The glossary at the end is helpful to understand unfamiliar terms.
If you haven't watched any historical Korean dramas yet, I'd recommend checking one out before diving into this book. Under the Queen's Umbrella is a great choice—it features a strong female lead, a queen who's ready to do anything to protect her family. Watching it will help you better appreciate the customs, traditions, court politics, clothes, food, and architecture in the book.
A huge thank you to the author for providing me with a digital ARC of this book. I'm grateful for the opportunity to dive into this world before its official release.
My favorite is Seojun, the MMC. His character is layered and complex, and I like how the reasons behind his actions are gradually revealed as the story progresses. Bora suspects him up until like 60% of the story and always thinks he's going to kill her any second. At one point, this got tiring, to be honest.
The romance unfolds slowly and sweetly, with swoon-worthy scenes sprinkled throughout the book. I also think the court intrigue and politics were done nicely so that readers can follow without getting overwhelmed. The glossary at the end is helpful to understand unfamiliar terms.
If you haven't watched any historical Korean dramas yet, I'd recommend checking one out before diving into this book. Under the Queen's Umbrella is a great choice—it features a strong female lead, a queen who's ready to do anything to protect her family. Watching it will help you better appreciate the customs, traditions, court politics, clothes, food, and architecture in the book.
A huge thank you to the author for providing me with a digital ARC of this book. I'm grateful for the opportunity to dive into this world before its official release.
September 13, 2024
4.24 ⭐️
”My wedding hanbok was red, and that was for the best, as it would match the blood that would pour when my husband killed me.”
Bora is forced to marry the king of Joseon, whose reputation has led to the nickname of Tyrant King. Terrified from the horror stories she heard growing up, Bora treads lightly around the King until she witnesses acts that lead her to believe everything she was told growing up was a lie.
Oh this book. It really is a look at how our upbringing and viewing the world through our parents’ eyes can really cloud the truth of the world and others. As well as the way we make excuses for our loved ones because we are blinded by familial ties.
But on top of that, we have a wonderful love story woven between Bora and Seojun as Bora unravels the truth of the Tyrant King. It’s a soft, sweet love that simmers and blooms.
I also absolutely adore that a glossary is included at the end of the book which includes not only Korean terms the reader might not be familiar with, but also drawings of hanbok and Korean food mentioned in the book.
🖤 Korean historical romance
🖤 reads like a kdrama
🖤 curvy FMC
🖤 minor court politics
🖤 closed door romance
Thank you to Bex for an advance copy of this beautiful book.
”My wedding hanbok was red, and that was for the best, as it would match the blood that would pour when my husband killed me.”
Bora is forced to marry the king of Joseon, whose reputation has led to the nickname of Tyrant King. Terrified from the horror stories she heard growing up, Bora treads lightly around the King until she witnesses acts that lead her to believe everything she was told growing up was a lie.
Oh this book. It really is a look at how our upbringing and viewing the world through our parents’ eyes can really cloud the truth of the world and others. As well as the way we make excuses for our loved ones because we are blinded by familial ties.
But on top of that, we have a wonderful love story woven between Bora and Seojun as Bora unravels the truth of the Tyrant King. It’s a soft, sweet love that simmers and blooms.
I also absolutely adore that a glossary is included at the end of the book which includes not only Korean terms the reader might not be familiar with, but also drawings of hanbok and Korean food mentioned in the book.
🖤 Korean historical romance
🖤 reads like a kdrama
🖤 curvy FMC
🖤 minor court politics
🖤 closed door romance
Thank you to Bex for an advance copy of this beautiful book.
October 22, 2025
I really enjoyed this book Bora’s growth from being an innocent bumbling young lady to a queen coming into her power and coming to see the truth of society for what it is was an absolutely amazing journey. There were times where I wanted to smack her upside the head like girl that loves and wants you stop playing around and realize who the actual villain is.
The king, a.k.a. my man SJ? yeah he was Tea The development and the background complexity of this character was really well done like yes he could be ruthless. He could be violent, but he also had a soft side to him, and matter fact, he utilized the ruthlessness that was in him to better the lives of the people of Korea at the time.
Also the constant affirmation and support he gave Bora?????? Absolutely feral for that
I kinda wish we got to see a glimpse more into the romance of the side characters mainly the Court lady and the guard I was really looking forward to that, but perhaps it’ll be in another book
The king, a.k.a. my man SJ? yeah he was Tea The development and the background complexity of this character was really well done like yes he could be ruthless. He could be violent, but he also had a soft side to him, and matter fact, he utilized the ruthlessness that was in him to better the lives of the people of Korea at the time.
Also the constant affirmation and support he gave Bora?????? Absolutely feral for that
I kinda wish we got to see a glimpse more into the romance of the side characters mainly the Court lady and the guard I was really looking forward to that, but perhaps it’ll be in another book
September 1, 2024
This book was such a delight to read!
I wasn’t expecting this book to be something I would enjoy to my usual tastes but boy was I surprised.
It was the perfect balance of historical and fantasy and romance.
It read so smoothly and from the very start, the writing just lures you in and hooks you. I especially liked the mix between Korean culture in the clothing and food and all that but where I could still follow it all (I should also mention how incredible it was that the end of the book has glossaries for some words AND drawings of the outfits). It helped set the scene and really create the atmosphere that made the world so easy to fall into.
The characters were so much fun to read about and so well developed.
Honestly, there wasn’t a single thing that I didn’t like about this book!
I wasn’t expecting this book to be something I would enjoy to my usual tastes but boy was I surprised.
It was the perfect balance of historical and fantasy and romance.
It read so smoothly and from the very start, the writing just lures you in and hooks you. I especially liked the mix between Korean culture in the clothing and food and all that but where I could still follow it all (I should also mention how incredible it was that the end of the book has glossaries for some words AND drawings of the outfits). It helped set the scene and really create the atmosphere that made the world so easy to fall into.
The characters were so much fun to read about and so well developed.
Honestly, there wasn’t a single thing that I didn’t like about this book!
October 2, 2024
Alright, I'm in love. I have not finished quite yet, but boy is it hard to put this book down! The story is intriguing from the start with so many questions that draw you in eagerly predicting what's going to happen next, and it surprises me almost every time!
The romance has a great build up and I can't wait to finish it and see what's to come! I'll be honest, I didn't know how to feel about Seojun at first, but I knew the author, Bex Gil, loved him which kept me optimistic. And let me tell ya, he did not disappoint. His personality is simply *chefs kiss* for a tyrant king😏 and Bora is so adorable! She's one of those special ones that you just want to hold tight and protect.
Needless to say, I'm obsessed, I'm in love, and I have a new favorite! And if you love intrigue, true friendship, and genuine love, you will too.
The romance has a great build up and I can't wait to finish it and see what's to come! I'll be honest, I didn't know how to feel about Seojun at first, but I knew the author, Bex Gil, loved him which kept me optimistic. And let me tell ya, he did not disappoint. His personality is simply *chefs kiss* for a tyrant king😏 and Bora is so adorable! She's one of those special ones that you just want to hold tight and protect.
Needless to say, I'm obsessed, I'm in love, and I have a new favorite! And if you love intrigue, true friendship, and genuine love, you will too.
March 30, 2025
I really enjoyed the start of this, and loved getting immersed into a different culture and historical time. I wasn't overly fond of the FMC and found her lingering assumption that her new husband wanted to kill her a bit silly after a while. I skimmed some parts towards the end where i missed the anticipation of the unfolding plot as everything seemed obvious. But the romance was sweet at times, it had really cute moments in it and pretty prose. Over all, an enjoyable read.
Coarse language: none
Violence & gore: moderate, including torture
Sexual content: kisses on screen, definitely some sexual tension but nothing progresses past a lingering touch; everything else between the married couple is off screen.
Coarse language: none
Violence & gore: moderate, including torture
Sexual content: kisses on screen, definitely some sexual tension but nothing progresses past a lingering touch; everything else between the married couple is off screen.
October 7, 2024
As a lover of historical dramas I was very excited to read this book. Not only does the sweet gentle Bora have to adjust to being the queen but she also has to choose whether to be loyal to her family or her heart. The budding romance between Bora and Seojun was heartwarming and a joy to read. The court politics were engaging and helped to show the struggles Seojun faced even though he was the king. The details about the culture, food, and clothing makes you feel as if you’ve been transported to the palace. Overall this is one my favorite reads of the year and I am thankful to have received an advanced copy.
September 14, 2024
I absolutely devour "cold duke of the north" stories, so this was PERFECT for me!
If you love gentle female leads that turn that into their strength, tyrants that have a soft side to them, and mouth-watering descriptions of food, this will be perfect for YOU!
If you love gentle female leads that turn that into their strength, tyrants that have a soft side to them, and mouth-watering descriptions of food, this will be perfect for YOU!
September 10, 2025
great.
This was a great read. The action was good and the romance was my favorite . The couple was written so I good I could read another book about their life. In fact I wish there was a book 2!
This was a great read. The action was good and the romance was my favorite . The couple was written so I good I could read another book about their life. In fact I wish there was a book 2!
April 23, 2025
It was a fun read! I’m not an expert on Korean history or anything, but I’ve watched enough K-dramas to expect a certain vibe and esthetics and I just didn’t really get that here.
August 28, 2025
Favorite book of all time
August 2, 2024
🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
July 25, 2024
Perfect story
February 2, 2025
Great enemies to lovers story! The worldbuilding was excellent. The tension between the two was very strong. And then their love was so sweet! The ending could have used a little more challenge, I feel like, but overall, this was a very good read.
April 6, 2025
Review in portuguese🇧🇷:
5 estrelas e favoritado ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️❤️
O livro tem uma vibe de kdrama e webtoon
É enemies to lovers;
Gostei do desenvolvimento do casal e do plot.
É fade to black
Perfeito para fãs de romance.
Amei e favoritei. LEIAM ESSE LIVRO!
Quando li, estava no Kindle unlimited
5 estrelas e favoritado ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️❤️
O livro tem uma vibe de kdrama e webtoon
É enemies to lovers;
Gostei do desenvolvimento do casal e do plot.
É fade to black
Perfeito para fãs de romance.
Amei e favoritei. LEIAM ESSE LIVRO!
Quando li, estava no Kindle unlimited
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews