Bright Spring

Harmony of Seasons #1

by Emmaline Strange

Can a prince's love shatter a god's curse?After playing a part in his brother’s death, Auro embraced the curse his father placed on him. He knows he doesn’t deserve to be saved. Every spring has been the same for four hundred Awaken, perform his duties as the god of spring, return to cursed slumber. He’s known nothing but service, solitude, and grief, until he stumbles upon a handsome stranger in his forest.

Alexios has a curse of his a royal marriage and a destiny determined by others. When he finds himself lost and injured in the wild forest, a chance encounter with a shy, peculiar stranger shows him he’s not as helpless as he thought.

Alexios coaxes Auro out of solitude and back into the world, but their time is running when spring ends, Auro will turn to stone. When an assassin comes for Alexios, Auro decides enough is enough—it’s time for him to break his curse and heal his family.

Can Auro and Alexios break Auro’s curse and forge their own destiny? Or will time run out, returning Auro to cold, unfeeling stone?

Bright Spring is the slowburn first book in Harmony of Seasons, a sword-and-sandal queer fantasy romance series. If you love mythology, gods, heroes, and lots of toga content, warm your face in the sunshine of Bright Spring.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Queer, M M Romance, Mythology, LGBT, High Fantasy

380 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2024

Reviews

[Kit (Metaphors and Moonlight) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled to get into this at first. Something about it felt sort of stiff, and I initially thought it was the audio narration, and I still think it was a little bit, but I think it was more so the writing. I also just wasn't really feeling the romance. They were attracted to each other with no real development beyond that.

But about halfway through, I got more into it! It became less focused on the romance, more about Alexios's struggles and political mystery and figuring out how to break a magical curse. Funnily enough, that also helped me enjoy the romance more, because I was seeing the characters actually do things together and feeling the connection between them.

And it was ultimately a sweet romance. Also hot! This book had some beautiful sex scenes.

But I have to admit I found some parts of the mystery and plot so frustrating. I just couldn't believe these characters wouldn't think of the most obvious things. I felt like I was watching a horror movie and screaming at the characters to not split up and go into creepy dark rooms filled with weapons. One person all but spelled out the answer to one part of the mystery directly to the MCs, and they just shrugged it off. *SPOILER (I know I just said they were obvious, but still)* "Oh, there was no body, that was a lie, so it was the princess's family who hired the assassin." "There's clearly some sort of shapeshifter or mimicry magic. Alexios, Auro, and Leofric need to stop automatically trusting everyone, and they should have code words for each other to make sure it's really them." "Don't drink that tea! Don't drink that wine! Stop drinking everything you're handed while alone in rooms with people you know are being shady!" *END SPOILER* And honestly, Leofric was a terrible guard. Sure, he knew how to fight if Alexios was attacked, but that was it. He didn't actually keep Alexios safe. In fact, all of the guards were terrible, considering how Auro kept sneaking into Alexios's room without anyone noticing. I still wanted to know what would happen in the plot, I just would've preferred if it hinged less on characters being bad at their jobs and ignoring things right in front of their faces related to the mystery they were trying to solve.

This was basically a complete story, but it's more of a "happy for now" than a "happily ever after." A couple bigger story threads are still open. So even though the next book is about different characters, you'll have to keep reading to get a complete happy ending. (At least, I assume it will be happy, and I assume there will be four books, one for each brother/season.)

I enjoyed the audiobook narration by Lance West well enough. To be honest, it was somehow both natural and stiff, which doesn't seem like it makes sense, and I'm still not sure if the stiffness came from the narration or the writing. But it was still good, there was some emotion in it, and characters sounded different enough.

Overall, I did enjoy this book, despite the negatives I mentioned. Once I got into it, I wanted to keep listening, and I want to continue the series. This was a sweet, sexy fantasy romance with a bit of politics and magic!

*Rating: 3.5 or 4 Stars // Read Date: 2025 // Format: Audiobook*

Recommended For:
Anyone who likes queer fantasy romance, sweet and sexy romance, nature deities, and a bit of magic, politics, and mystery.

Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight

[M.E. Aster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate and I mean HATE putting down a book especially by an author that I’ve previously enjoyed but unfortunately that’s what I had to do with Bright Spring.

And honestly, I don’t know why this book didn’t do it for me. The premise seemed right up my alley. Set in Ancient Greece, a God and a prince fall in love while fighting against the forces set up against them including a previous engagement and a short time line.

I wanted to love this book, I really did, but something didn’t click for me. I have read other books by Strange and loved them but I couldn’t make myself fall into this world.

[Callie · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh

i usually love emmaline strange books, but i couldn’t with this one. i almost dnfed, i felt like i couldn’t connect or even like alexios that much.

[✨Meli the bookworm✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ~ 4.4⭐

While I had some issues to fully connect with one of the mc (Alexios) during the first half of the book, last 40% of the book was ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS AND ALMOST MADE ME IMMEDIATELY BUY THE NEXT ONE IN EBOOK FORMAT, EVEN THOUGH RIGHT NOW I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ADDING ANY MORE SCREEN TIME TO MY ALREADY TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME A DAY BECAUSE I NEED ANSWERS!! I am gonna try to wait for the audiobook, key word try. *send prayers for my eyes*

REALLY REALLY GOOD!!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweetly written first love romantasy between a prince and a former-prince-now-half-god. At first I thought it'd just be cutesy and discuss why the two could not be together and be more of a slowburn, but they fell in love pretty quickly. Then I thought the story would be about their relationship but in the last third (?) of the book, the plot really took off.

I'd say that the last third rushes the plot a lot and some things seem to resolve too fast. Then again, I did hope for an easy light read, which this certainly is.

I backed the book on Kickstarter and I wish I had backed the whole series; I wish I did not have to wait about a year for the next instalment because I want to know what happens with the curse and the brothers!

[Gabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The chemistry between the main characters is UNDENIABLE since the VERY START. I love how they’re written and how beautiful and true (and hot) their relationship is. The book itself is full of mystery and left me genuinely intrigued. I had the best time reading it and I can’t wait to read what’s to come!

[Ashleyann Sanabria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so sweet! Auro was especially sweet and kind, I adored him. Initially the building is rather slow, but at about 40% it really picks up! The twists at the end were definitely interesting, and the story kept me guessing! I am SO READY for the next book! If you like historical romance vibes, romances with demigods, a dash of royal politics, secrets and curses, then give this book a shot!

[pani tet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Можна назвати купу недоліків (як то слабка динамічність, деякі вчинки героїв, надто раптові сюжетні ходи на фоні неспішного плину історії), але не дуже хочеться вдаватись в мінуси тут. Бо книга хоч і не супер чудова незабутня, та час провела спокійно й добре. Сила любові знов долає всі темні закляття та політичні поневіряння королівств, good for them. :)

[Briana Winters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Official review to come.. but 2nd time reading and I would give this gem 10 stars if I could ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was incredibly adorable and I enjoyed every moment of it, even if at times the pacing was so fast I was getting whiplash.

[Alastair H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'all. Y'ALL. I have died and gone to heaven. This book was everything I have ever wanted. And the fact we get an entire series???? I have this list of books I'm getting paperbacks of if I pass my board exams (✨motivation✨) this one is 100% on it. I need a physical copy like I need air.

This is an extremely romantic fantasy starring possibly the sweetest god ever and the unexpected yet adoring prince who falls face first in love with him. You guys I couldn't put it down!! It has the ancient greek mythology vibe that speaks to my inner nerd. Auro and Alexios are perfect together. They swept me up on their adventure and got me heavily invested in their happiness and safety.

Although there are plenty of plot points and exciting royal angst, we also get lots of quiet romantic moments with kisses and affection among Auro's spring flowers. The writing is exceptional, seriously so pretty and descriptive. Each scene felt splashed with water colors and that crystalline spring feeling. Not only did I love the story but I simply loved reading the way things were described and the words that were placed together. The story telling was immaculate.

And Leofric!!! Leofric and Cosmo are next this is not a drill!!! *silent screaming*

This was hands down one of my fav 2024 reads so far!! How am I supposed to wait for the rest of this series?? How am I supposed to even think about anything else??? The book hangover is REAL.

[Trish Skywalker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narrated by Lance West (and done beautifully!)
WOW WOW WOW!!
Emmaline created a beautiful world with two stunning MCs, and I can’t wait to go through the rest of the seasons!
This is Auro’s story, the pink-haired, adorable God of Spring. Cursed to remain a statue through the other three seasons, Auro awakes one spring to find a gorgeous man has fallen outside of his temple. Alexios is the crown prince of Papia, but Auro sees him as he is as a person: sweet, caring, and handsome. Alexios is immediately taken with Auro, but he is on the cusp of an arranged marriage. The closer the two become, the more Alexios wants to refuse his royal path to a political match and producing an heir.
But nothing in this world is what it seems, and as Alexios tries desperately to break Auro’s curse, they find a sinister plot with him at the center.
I don’t want you to spoil anything because this book is so twisty and mysterious, and so much better if you don’t know the twists! But it was absolutely wonderful: exciting, emotional, sexy, and action packed!
Alexios and Auro are absolute darlings, and Emmaline’s description of double cinnamon rolls was right on the money.
-God of Spring
-Crowned Prince
-Political intrigue and sinister plots
-An unbreakable curse
-A sweet and steamy romance

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ++ stars overall. It was actually more like 2 stars till halfway, then close to 4 stars at the end, so this is an average.

This book was very slow to start for me - I felt like it didn't really pick up and become compelling until after the halfway mark. I was in definite "DNF" mode for most of the first half, but the end half was surprisingly engaging. I ended up being fully invested in the MC's and their future, as well as the overall series arc - shoot, I even teared up in places.

The sexual side of the relationship takes awhile, but it's worth the wait as these scenes are handled so well. They were described in a way that I found quite fascinating - the sex was completely entangled in a web of sensuality that ended up leaving these scenes as feeling really evocative. In particular, the atmosphere and pacing during the first interaction felt like a thoughtfully well-written "first time" type of scene. Overall, the author's take on sex scenes is refreshingly different and well paced. By book's end, the MC's achieve close to nuclear fusion during their final sex scene, and yet it's handled in a way that still lifts it to a level where it feels more beautiful than raunchy.

The author can come up with some really intriguing mental images, i.e.:

Alexios kissed his way back up Auro’s trunk, the two of them now flopped ungracefully on the marble like a pair of hauled-out seals.

That image may not be flattering 😁, but it gave me an astonishingly clear mental image for what was happening. This author writes well, which is definitely not always the case in MM books.

Now to nitpick 🫤

For most of the book, the relationship between Alexios and Auro feels oddly impersonal. We get a sense early on that each MC is intrigued by the other, but never anywhere near a level where you'd expect pangs of passion. sexual or otherwise. The overall pacing of the first part of the book felt really "off" (and quite bland) to me.

There are a few editing issues that pop up - for instance, the terms "compute" and "intel" are used in a world that has no computers or spy organizations - glaringly out of place. Then there was a place where the word "regarding" was used three times over the span of two sentences. Here's the first sentence:

His parents were furious with him regarding his willful disobedience regarding Auro, and they sought to punish him for going against their wishes.

I'm no grammarian (far from it) but I find things like this irksome. There were a few other little glitches that could have been caught and corrected by a more thorough edit.

The character of Alexios sometimes feels rather callous in the way he interacts with Auro. Here's an exchange between Alexios and Auro:

“Or, you’re too afraid to try to change them,” said Alexios. “You might fail. Or worse—you might succeed. And you’d have to face your brothers, and what you all have done.”

“I face what I have done every day,” said Auro.

“For three months of the year, maybe,” scoffed Alexios, “knowing if things get too difficult to bear you will soon return to slumber—safe from past and future both.”

This was a really uncalled for chastisement of Auro, and it came across as extremely petty. These incidents are hard to reconcile with the Alexios who is completely head over heels and even worshipful (by his own admission) of Auro, who is a gentle soul. When he snipes at Auro, it feels like he's beating a puppy and makes me want to smack Alexios on the snout.

The F-bomb is dropped here and there at times in a way that feels awkward, because there is a real dearth of cussing otherwise. It would have been less disruptive to remove the F-bomb as an adjective and go with something less in your face and more suitable to the story's overall setting.

A full physical description of Auro is not provided until the first sex scene, at which time we find out very specifically that Auro is somewhat curvy (vs muscular), is petite and delicate, i.e.:

Auro’s hands were small and soft. Alexios brought each of Auro’s fingers to his lips and kissed them, and then the tiny bones of his wrists.

I wish the author had given us a clearer idea of what Auro looked like earlier on than this. While it was apparent from the get-go that Auro was femme, I did not envision his physical self as being quite this small and delicate. Which leads me to something that is a real negative for me - the cover art. The cover art looks wonky and the proportions are totally skewed. Auro's foot looks like it is huge (which led me to believe he was not small and delicate until I was told differently) and would be better suited to a gargoyle. To me, it's a really bad depiction of both MC's. I took a peek at book 2 and I'm seeing that the cover art there is done similarly, and is even worse than it is for this book.

My next nitpicks are probably spoilers:

The book's end is obviously a set up for book 2, but it leaves a ton of unanswered concerns regarding this book's MC's and I found that frustrating. Is Auro no longer a god? Has he lost his 'grace' (powers) permanently? Or will he revert back to his previous physical incarnation and powers in future springs? Did they even bring his brother's "grace" with them to the temple? If not, what caused the changes to Auro and his summer brother? And, most importantly, are Alexios and Auro in an HEA situation?

Side note: I (correctly) guessed at the 50% mark that Leofric was a likely candidate for a future book's MC 😁, which is cool because I like how his character evolved. And I will repeat here, his depiction on the cover of the second book is just all kinds of wrong.

It's a lot of nitpicking, but the fact that the end portion of the book was SO much better than all that came beforehand made me frustrated. I wish the whole thing had been that well-written and compelling. Dang. 🫤

If you like fantasy MM, I would definitely recommend this book and I look forward to book 2 (especially if it ties up the loose ends for the MC's from this book.)

[L. J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

TBA

[Dear Reader 0801 · Rating 5 out of 5]

From reading the dedication, I knew this book would be for me. I was so intrigued with mythology as a kid and read every book in our school library on mythology that I could get my hands on probably at least twice. While this book didn’t follow a particular mythology history, it had all the elements that I enjoyed from those stories. We are introduced to Alexios who is the prince of Papia and is soon to be wed in a marriage to strengthen alliances between two kingdoms. He’s a little rebellious and in one of his excursions away from the palace villa, he meets Auro, the god of spring who has just woken.

These could not be sweeter characters in this story and I enjoyed reading them so much. There is a touch of innocence in their interactions especially in the beginning of getting to know one another. Alexios is fully aware of the pressure upon him from the royal obligations placed upon him while Auro still cannot forgive himself for his role in the events that caused him and his brothers to be cursed all those years ago.

Did I get a little emotional as it nears closer to the end of spring and when Auro must return to his plinth at the temple? Absolutely felt the emotion between these two characters as the time ticks down against the inevitable. They have uncovered some mysteries occurring in surrounding kingdoms and are on the road to hopefully breaking the curse, but will it be enough?

I’m excited that this will be a series and can’t wait to see how the stories for the rest of the four brothers plays out. From little bits of the story, I have questions that I hope will be answered as the series progresses and we meet the other brothers in more detail.

[Velvet Wrapped Smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa! This story was captivating. I received this as an ARC and am providing my honest opinion.

What an incredible world. I was sucked in and desperate to know how this one would end. As it is a series, it ends on a cliffhanger (I wasn't sure if each of these were standalones within the same universe, but this one is definitely a multi-book series), and hot damn now I need to know what happens in all 4 books!

The characters were gorgeous and I fell in love with Auro from the moment he first came onto the page. His pink curls, his soft tummy, everything about him is sweet and beautiful and precious. I felt for Alexios and his sexuality struggle is one that made sense in the context of his world.

The spice was spicing. For a book with such a beautiful cover, I was pleasantly surprised to find some wonderfully detailed scenes between the two MMCs. Watching them explore sex together was perfect for their romance, and seeing this morph from gentle, exploratory sex, to the sex they needed or wanted was also a beautiful journey.

I also liked that there wasn't a lot of dirty talking. I find that after so many books, you become desensitised to the dirty talk. In this, the sex is described in beautiful detail, without added dialogue.

This book is third person POV, but I didn't hate it. Overall, very solid book and now I need the next 3, please and thank you.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Auro and Alexios's road to their HEA is paved with betrayal, suspense, pain, twist & turns, and evil. They find themselves fighting unknown enemies and battles they never expected, making it more difficult to accomplish their most important task, searching for a way to break Auro's curse in the limited time they have. But between all the chaos, they are able to create stolen moments to be together, making sweet, tender, and precious memories to be cherished when apart. Their love just shines pure, making you feel all fuzzy and warm. The world building is full of magic and intrigue. The characters are fully developed; loveable and captivating, their chemistry sizzling off the page. The story does start off a little slow but the plot is still tantalizing enough to keep pulling you along deeper into the story. And then bam, before you know it you're deep in the middle of evil plots, nail biting suspense, betrayal, and the twists and turns making you see everyone suspiciously, trying to figure out who is the true enemy and unable to put the book down.
It does end in a cliff hanger but it had to, there's too much in this riveting story to be told in one book. Now I'm anxiously waiting for the next book, Dauntless Summer!!

[May Bunny8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I backed the KickStarter and got the ebook early. I'm so glad I did! I finished this a few weeks ago and am still thinking about it.
Auro was my favorite, very sweet and innocent but at the same time a powerful God. Also pink hair ✨️ I really liked his connection with nature.
I like Alexios too. He did have the prince problem (expected to enter an arranged marriage to unit the kingdoms and carry on the family line) Alexios is very sweet too and cares about the Kingdoms.
More than once you are reminded Auro is only here for the Spring.
I will admit the story didn't go the way I thought and I'm glad it didn't! Part of me wasn't sure if I wanted to keep reading because I really felt for Auro and Alexios. Yet the other part wanted to keep reading and hold on to hope something would work out.
I don't want to post any spoilers.
I really enjoyed the searching for Grace and how both characters decided to make the most of the time they had together ❤️ Despite everything against them.
The book is very well written and has a Fairytale or myth feeling to it and I love that!
This is an on going series so keep that in mind for the end of the book.

[DMCechak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bright Spring - Harmony of Seasons Series

‘Alexios felt his universe narrow to a deep, deep chasm behind his groin—a pull like gravity, like a maelstrom, sucking all of his awareness into this tiny, white-hot point where he plunged in and out of Auro, whose entire body tensed, vibrating with the same need. Alexios knew in that moment the maelstrom was one they shared. It had to be, not two people feeling something similar, at the same time—but them both sharing a piece of the same, singular thing. Sitting by the same fire, swimming in the same lake. Looking at the same stars, being blinded by the same sun.‘

Emmaline Strange once again creates a fantastical world where Auro greets the dawn of each spring from his statue’s pedestal, where he must prepare the world for his season, while his three brothers wait in turn for theirs.

Prince Alexios befriends then falls in love with Auro, while expectations of marriage to the princess of an adjacent kingdom loom over him, crushing his heart.

With secrets and lies and magic about, romance and need show purpose in finding a way for Alexios and Auro to be together forever.

[Alysha Everwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, the dedication in this book made my middle school self feel seen “For you, if you were the weird kid obsessed with Greek mythology.”
The mythology based premise surrounding a prince, Alexios and a Greek god, Auro, I was immediately interested!
I loved the atmosphere the author created, a vivid movie playing out in my mind from he lush and magical descriptions, my love for each character growing as we got to know them better. The struggle Alexio’s faces with the expectations that come with being a prince going against what his heart wants was fleshed out in tragic circumstances, while Auro is more free spirited and soft, but faces a curse that threatens to stand in the way of his hearts desires! The spice in this was too much for my taste, so I did skip over quite a bit as it is a decent amount, but I really loved the story and the characters and was rooting for them the whole way through. It had enough plot to keep you intrigued and a beautiful romance that makes you afraid for a tragic ending. I can’t wait to continue the series!

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Auro and Alexios' story is woven through with romance, courtesy of some extremely atmospheric and beautifully descriptive world building, as well as characters who feel both mythical and deeply real at the same time. There's plenty of story-- with angst and problems and things that could stand in the way of the love story (Alexios has prince like commitments, Auro is a Spring god, and you know…seasonality, not everything is what you'd expect, etc. etc.) but it's beautifully balanced with moments that feel timeless-- for all the sweetness and heat (and there's plenty of both) and exploration that goes into falling in love. I won't spoil any plot points, but I will say that this book is easy to pick up, hard to put down, and I definitely can't wait to see more from this world.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sweet love affair with some intriguing subplots, and I’m interested to see how all of those progress with the rest of the planned series.

The one thing that kept this from being a five-star read for me was that it lacked character development apart from Alexios and Auro. It could have been interesting to see more of a friendship between Alexios and Gaius Ursus, and how their geographical separation contributed to Alexios’s isolation, especially when Gaius writes back about the roads project. Dafina didn’t get much of a personality until near the end, Leofric got about half of one (presumably to be filled out in the next book), and Alexios’s parents were also rather flat.

I did enjoy the two main characters, as well as the descriptions of Auro’s magic and relationships with the living things of spring.

[Zipporah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dnf this about half way through. Honestly I like alot about this book but did not vibe with the 2 main leads. Auro just seemed way to meek and shy to be a 300 year + god, he treats himself wayyy too small in a way that really irked me. Alexious is a character I really grew to hate. He complains so much about his circumstances as a prince who has no control over his future marriage or his lack of governmental power and how his parents just use him as a figure head. OK? Then go get the power you need to make the life decisions you want instead of just stewing! My issue with him is that he's just so reactionary especially when it comes to his romantic relationship with Auro. He's a prince he could literally try anything to not have to go through his impending betrothal but no he's going through with it while stringing Auro along with his tiny love kernels.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not been kept at the edge of my seat in a long time. I could not put the book down. Alexios and Auro's story was so sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. Trying to break a family curse, become a fine ruler for the kingdom, and break a betrothal can be a lot for a young prince, who just fell in love with a god. However, Alexios and Auro find that things are not as they appear, and end up facing a formidable foe.

Now, one may say the ending is a bit of a tragedy (depending on how you look at it), but at least two members of the cursed family is awake at the same time. Let's just say this story left on a cliffhanger, and I desperately need to now what happens next.

Bright Spring as another great work written by Emmaline Strange, and you do not want to miss it.

[Robert West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bright Spring is the first book in the Harmony of Seasons series by Emmaline Strange .
The series is about four cursed Demigod Brothers .
Book 1 . Bright Spring tells the story of Auro the God of Spring.
Prince Alexios is fed up with the Tedium of Palace life . He longs for purpose and adventure , so one day he sneaks out of the palace to take his favourite horse Xanthos for a ride on the estate. During his ride an accident happens, and he is found by Auro the god of spring. Auro Treats his wound’s and cares for him until he is able to return to the palace. They can’t stop thinking about each other.. Alexios thinks of the beautiful pink haired man who saved him. And Auro the beautiful Prince the first man, to hold his interest in the last 400 Springs

This Romantacy has it all, adventure, assassins, evil magicians and of course first love.
Emmaline Strange took us on a journey with a great story , many sweet moments and enough spice to curl your toes.

[Mykah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story that will grip you from the very beginning! Alexios and Auro have my entire heart- I love how the book is setup and how well the story flowed. It truly felt like I was apart of their love story and Emmaline has such a beautiful way with words that wrap around you like a blanket. These tenderhearted guys will have you laughing and smiling and rooting for them from the very first time they lock eyes. This book is the perfect fluff and smut all rolled up into what is a touching love story about love prevailing through even the most complicated lives and treacherous plots. Don’t hesitate to pick up Bright Spring, let the love wash over you because this story is a breath of fresh air.

[Shaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's pretty rare that i can't contain myself and have to yell (lovingly) at an author before I even finish a book... But i had to with this one. It is SO gorgeous and SO complex and SO swoony--like all of Emmaline's books--but it also stressed me the eff out! Oof. I need the next book, like, NOW. I can't. I just CAN'T wait. Anyways. All that to say... Read this. It's amazing. It's DIFFERENT. it's magical. The writing and world-building is beyond compare. But... Also be warned that it's kind of a cliffie at the end, not totally an HEA though that's kind of hinted at. Definitely a series where you must read in order and will not be able to stop after book 1!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A prince, and a god, and a curse - oh my! This is a great start to the four part series and I’m totally on board for it. Like the writer’s other books, this one is full of magical beings mixing with mortals and a hot love story to boot.

Alexios is a prince on the verge of entering an arranged strategic marriage. Auro is the god of spring 400 years into a curse that was put upon 4 brothers. They both know there is a time limit on their relationship but that doesn’t stop them from falling hard. The love scenes are hot and the conclusion was well done. It’s obvious their story will be entwined with the next books and I can’t wait to read more.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich habe von der Autorin ein ARC bekommen.

Ich fand das Buch sehr gut. Die Charaktere waren komplex und sympathisch. Vorallem für Auro habe ich richtig mitgefiebert. Die Handlung war spannend, romantisch und durchdacht. Ich liebe auch den Schreibstil der Autorin, ich mochte auch die anderen Bücher von ihr und Bright Spring hat mich nicht enttäuscht. Ein gelungener Serieneinstieg!
Der zweite Band wurde schon angeteasert und ich freue mich sehr darauf.
Ich kann Bright Spring nur empfehlen und erwarte mit Spannung die nächsten Bücher der Reihe!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: This was my first experience with Emmaline Strange's work. I enjoyed the magic in the story. I liked the characters and found the princess to be entertaining and amusing. I was thrilled by all the twists and turns that kept the story moving forward. The steamy scenes were too descriptive for my tastes. I thought Lance West's narration was good, and his performance kept my attention. I was gifted an audiobook through Spotify by the author. There was no financial gain for me when I volunteered to post a review which reflected my honest opinion.