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Dark Rulers #1
Bride to the Fiend Prince
When her father surrenders to an invading kingdom, Amarylla doesn't realize she's part of the treaty until it's too late. Drugged to prevent resistance, she's swept away to the dark, tortured kingdom of Terelaus, where she is forced to marry the Fiend Prince. When Amarylla holds a dagger to his throat on their wedding night, she and the Prince come to a tenuous arrangement of their own. But he may not be the greatest danger lurking in the Cursed Palace.
Trigger warnings are available on the author's website and in the front matter of the book.
Trigger warnings are available on the author's website and in the front matter of the book.
Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2021
557 people are currently reading
7423 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca F. Kenney
72 books2,866 followersRebecca F. Kenney writes spicy fantasy romance about sassy, strong women and hot guys with tragic backstories... pirates, warlords, demons, Fae, and royals. Her main series are the "Wicked Darlings" series (spicy Fae retellings of the Nutcracker, Wonderland, and Oz), the "Dark Rulers" series (standalones in a shared world), and the "For the Love of the Villain" series of genderbent fairytales. Other books include a post-apocalyptic vampire romance trilogy ("The Vampires Will Save You"), a demon romance "Interior Design for Demons," a dark mermaid fantasy duet, and other spicy retellings.
Rebecca is represented by Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary. She lives in upstate South Carolina with her handsome blue-eyed husband and two smart, energetic kids.
For updates and information about upcoming novels, follow on Instagram @rebeccafkenneybooks, on Twitter @RebeccaFKenney1, and on TikTok @rebeccafkenney
Rebecca is represented by Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary. She lives in upstate South Carolina with her handsome blue-eyed husband and two smart, energetic kids.
For updates and information about upcoming novels, follow on Instagram @rebeccafkenneybooks, on Twitter @RebeccaFKenney1, and on TikTok @rebeccafkenney
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
January 14, 2023
3 "Essence" Stars ⭐️
I am not going to say I picked up this book with the expectation that it would be the best book of my year or my next favourite. I wanted some quick escapism and some on-page Hanky Panky...and whilst it does deliver on the escapism part the hanky panky was basically a bunch of horny cheezy pizza instalove that was nothing more than heavy petting in storage rooms and closets. I wanted something with experience, a crust, decent toppings and sauce. NOT JUST CHEESE in the form of a girl seeing metaphorical fireworks as she is made to come for the first time in her life.
This story follows Amarylla, the princess of Brintzia who is "betrayed" by her King Father as he forces her into a marriage with the Fiend Prince, the Son of the Dreadlord as part of a peace treaty in the war between their Kingdoms. The Dreadlord wants grandbabies and he wants them fast so viewing his new daughter-in-law as nothing more than a glorified breeding mule, he tasks his son to get that bun in the oven as soon as possible. Their wedding night however does not go as planned and Fiendy-boy finds himself with a dagger to his throat forced to strike up a deal with our poisonous flower.
My biggest gripe is the premise of this book gives off everything that makes me want to go goo-goo eyed at a book. It has dark vibes, with enemies to lovers in an arranged marriage with forced proximity and adding in a dash of a fake relationship. But I had to almost force myself into imagining each day was actually a week or month to explain how quickly the feelings of "I hate you and I want to literally kill you" changed into "I cannot imagine this world without you and I would never leave you". In terms of the book - this all happened in about 5 DAYS. Instalove is not one of my favourite tropes and I tend to avoid it like the PLAGUE... If I had known this book was so instalovie I might not have picked it up. The lightning flash switch between feelings of hate and love is not a fulfilling experience as I wanted more. If I do delude myself with my "own timeline", the relationship was cute, quaint, built on sexual tension and feisty banter.
The smut in this was also not really my cup of tea. For a book that is trying to be dark, it is the complete polar opposite in terms of sexual content. It's just awkward and for a book with on-page sex it's AUTOMATICALLY marketed as New Adult/Adult but it felt so juvenile. Reading about body-shattering, almost "fireworks in the background" just from kissing and FIRST experiences of someone touching themselves together made me feel like this was written by a bunch of horny teenage girls who have just discovered sex and want to write about it.
I don't think I can be upset about being underwhelmed by the book, it's very short almost too short so there isn't much time to develop the story, develop the characters and resolve the strife. If you do not take this too seriously and do not go into this expecting convoluted plots, intricate political intrigue and fleshed-out character development it's not toooooo bad. I did like the way it blended the tropes together and put a sweet spin on forced marriage with a fake relationship thrown in. In all honesty, this reads in a very typical style to books I used to love as a teenager with a badass MC who can kick some ass and a flirty smartass prince who most of the time has a GORGEOUS face with highly kissable lips. Now, I didn't really connect with the princess as she is very one-dimensional.
I would recommend this if you are looking for a short easy read, something that can be picked up for a long-haul flight or to take to the beach. It passes the time well without needing to concentrate on the story and plot too much but will still transport you into a magical world. It gives you what you need, but it is not the highest quality. Think of that craving for chocolate you have but you're eating some run-of-the-mill grocery store one and not having that rich dark full-bodied "Belgian" experience.
↜⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒↝
Well it scratched an itch…
But I don’t know if that was a satisfactory scratch or I need to apply an antihistamine ointment to fully recover…
BECAUSE NOONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND FALLS IN LOVE WITH THEIR ENEMY IN 3 FLIPPING DAYS!!!!
Ranty or tame RTC…. Need to parse my thoughts 😡
I am not going to say I picked up this book with the expectation that it would be the best book of my year or my next favourite. I wanted some quick escapism and some on-page Hanky Panky...and whilst it does deliver on the escapism part the hanky panky was basically a bunch of horny cheezy pizza instalove that was nothing more than heavy petting in storage rooms and closets. I wanted something with experience, a crust, decent toppings and sauce. NOT JUST CHEESE in the form of a girl seeing metaphorical fireworks as she is made to come for the first time in her life.
This story follows Amarylla, the princess of Brintzia who is "betrayed" by her King Father as he forces her into a marriage with the Fiend Prince, the Son of the Dreadlord as part of a peace treaty in the war between their Kingdoms. The Dreadlord wants grandbabies and he wants them fast so viewing his new daughter-in-law as nothing more than a glorified breeding mule, he tasks his son to get that bun in the oven as soon as possible. Their wedding night however does not go as planned and Fiendy-boy finds himself with a dagger to his throat forced to strike up a deal with our poisonous flower.
My biggest gripe is the premise of this book gives off everything that makes me want to go goo-goo eyed at a book. It has dark vibes, with enemies to lovers in an arranged marriage with forced proximity and adding in a dash of a fake relationship. But I had to almost force myself into imagining each day was actually a week or month to explain how quickly the feelings of "I hate you and I want to literally kill you" changed into "I cannot imagine this world without you and I would never leave you". In terms of the book - this all happened in about 5 DAYS. Instalove is not one of my favourite tropes and I tend to avoid it like the PLAGUE... If I had known this book was so instalovie I might not have picked it up. The lightning flash switch between feelings of hate and love is not a fulfilling experience as I wanted more. If I do delude myself with my "own timeline", the relationship was cute, quaint, built on sexual tension and feisty banter.
The smut in this was also not really my cup of tea. For a book that is trying to be dark, it is the complete polar opposite in terms of sexual content. It's just awkward and for a book with on-page sex it's AUTOMATICALLY marketed as New Adult/Adult but it felt so juvenile. Reading about body-shattering, almost "fireworks in the background" just from kissing and FIRST experiences of someone touching themselves together made me feel like this was written by a bunch of horny teenage girls who have just discovered sex and want to write about it.
I don't think I can be upset about being underwhelmed by the book, it's very short almost too short so there isn't much time to develop the story, develop the characters and resolve the strife. If you do not take this too seriously and do not go into this expecting convoluted plots, intricate political intrigue and fleshed-out character development it's not toooooo bad. I did like the way it blended the tropes together and put a sweet spin on forced marriage with a fake relationship thrown in. In all honesty, this reads in a very typical style to books I used to love as a teenager with a badass MC who can kick some ass and a flirty smartass prince who most of the time has a GORGEOUS face with highly kissable lips. Now, I didn't really connect with the princess as she is very one-dimensional.
I would recommend this if you are looking for a short easy read, something that can be picked up for a long-haul flight or to take to the beach. It passes the time well without needing to concentrate on the story and plot too much but will still transport you into a magical world. It gives you what you need, but it is not the highest quality. Think of that craving for chocolate you have but you're eating some run-of-the-mill grocery store one and not having that rich dark full-bodied "Belgian" experience.
↜⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒⭒↝
Well it scratched an itch…
But I don’t know if that was a satisfactory scratch or I need to apply an antihistamine ointment to fully recover…
BECAUSE NOONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND FALLS IN LOVE WITH THEIR ENEMY IN 3 FLIPPING DAYS!!!!
Ranty or tame RTC…. Need to parse my thoughts 😡
February 3, 2023
I mean.. What did I expect, really?
Instead of a full review I give you a collection of my notes on this book:
1) How often does her core heaten up? Is she okay? Are you okay, Amarylla?
2) Wait since when do we love him?
3) Why are we crying?
4) Is he okay? Galanrae, are you okay?
5) Wait what's happening?
6) Ouch. That was not cool.
7) Okay, scratch that last one. We fixed it fast.
8) How? When?
9) You should really listen to your doctor, Amarylla.
*The end*
Instead of a full review I give you a collection of my notes on this book:
1) How often does her core heaten up? Is she okay? Are you okay, Amarylla?
2) Wait since when do we love him?
3) Why are we crying?
4) Is he okay? Galanrae, are you okay?
5) Wait what's happening?
6) Ouch. That was not cool.
7) Okay, scratch that last one. We fixed it fast.
8) How? When?
9) You should really listen to your doctor, Amarylla.
*The end*
February 9, 2022
this was okay. very fast paced but managed to wrap up a solid plot with decent romance. the romance didn’t entirely stir me- and i found the mc suffered from what i like to call the “celaena syndrome” where she’s just all “im beautiful and gorgeous but i also fight and kick butt and i don’t like dresses but i’ll wear pants etc etc” and it was a lil in your face and well. i do nawt like that shit lol. but she did put in the work and wasn’t all talk so there was that. the love interest was sweet and unique and the duo together were good too- it was as slow burn as one could manage within the word limit. but done decently. i definitely skimmed the magic’s descriptions lol but overall it was an ok time pass.
December 21, 2022
I did really enjoy this book. The writing style was nice, and it was very fast paced which was what I was in the mood for, but it was also a little too fast paced if that makes sense? The plot was nice and the spicy scenes were okay
April 20, 2023
It could have been worse. But it also could have been better.
July 25, 2023
For a short, standalone story, it was well developed with an interesting plot. I was pleasently surprised by how well the characters ended up being developed. Within 200 pages, the plot was fleshed out, characters went from hating each other to loving each other, and the over all villain was taken care of. It was so frustrating seeing how weak Gal was because of what his father had done. And then finding out his father kept him weak on purpose. So glad when that jerk got what he deserved. Amarylla is such a strong FMC. They way she helped Gal and the country was amazing. She didn't allow him to continue to turn a blind eye to his people.
October 3, 2021
Loved this enemies-to-lovers romance! It’s on the dark side but in a delicious way, not a depressing way. Great romance, characters, and action.
not-for-me
June 18, 2024Tried it and this book is not for me.
January 26, 2022
The rain woke me up at 2am and as I looked through my library, I realized that I had this book. I took a chance and started reading, I don’t think I’ve read other books by this author.
The review:
This book had a good storyline but it felt rushed but its got a few pages so I’m not sure what I expected. So its a short enough book you can devour in one sitting and not be bored but its lacking depth and feels rushed.
The review:
This book had a good storyline but it felt rushed but its got a few pages so I’m not sure what I expected. So its a short enough book you can devour in one sitting and not be bored but its lacking depth and feels rushed.
February 14, 2022
I devoured this in two days (quick for me).
I love arranged marriages. It’s one of my favorite tropes. It makes for lovely angst and tension.
This book has a feisty female lead, a handsome Prince, and a fun unique magic premise.
I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop.
I would say maybe it was a tad quick, but it’s a standalone book so there’s only so much time to get the relationship and the story in. I’m not counting it against the book.
I love arranged marriages. It’s one of my favorite tropes. It makes for lovely angst and tension.
This book has a feisty female lead, a handsome Prince, and a fun unique magic premise.
I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop.
I would say maybe it was a tad quick, but it’s a standalone book so there’s only so much time to get the relationship and the story in. I’m not counting it against the book.
November 22, 2024
>> ACTUAL RATING 1,5*
I read this after a more than half a year long reading slump (yes this was my first book of 2023), and I wasn't expecting it to be great. I just was kind of hoping for something fun, light, and quick to get me back into reading ... and this was not it. This was very unfun to read, actually. My slump is broken, but at what cost ...
Although this was kind of a surprise because the one R.F. Kenney book I read before (The Horseman of Sleepy Hollow) was actually amazing; suffice to say this is not a good book by any means, not even in the entertaining way. Most of my time with it was miserable.
RATING: ⭐✨/5
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/4
VIOLENCE: 🩸🩸/4
🆗 World
🆗 Writing
🆗❌ Characters
❌ Plot
❌🤮 Romance
***
I usually start with the good things, but there wasn't really anything good. The worldbuilding was okay; nothing special or overly memorable but at least not confusing or contradictory. From what I gathered, at least ... I didn't really pay overly critical attention to it, to be honest.
The plot was extremely basic and predictable too. I guess every arranged/forced marriage fantasy romance is kind of predictable for that very same reason, but even aside from that ... (and this comes from someone who is absolute GARBAGE at predicting plots—seriously, I am far easier surprised than most people who read more than I do, and yet I still predicted the revolution plot from basically the very beginning, and like the fact that the Prince's father was the main villain.) There was just nothing memorable or unique about it whatsoever, and even within the context of those cliches, it wasn't a particularly gripping cliche execution either.
On this note, I actually want to say that the main complaint (aside from the FeMC, but she also kind of ties into this) I have is that this story feels very inverse damsel in distress, and not in a good way. It actually reads EXACTLY like a stereotypical, badly executed, disrespectful damsel in distress story with a damsel character who can't help themselves, is weak (I am not talking about his physical weakness, by the way) and must be saved by the big, strong hero who sweeps into their life and almost magically fixes it ... which I found extremely off-putting. It was the main reason I hated the romance and the book as much as I did, as opposed to just finding it meh. I swear if this wasn't there, I would have probably given this 3*.
... The fact that the damsel was the man and the hero the woman does not make this kind of damsel in distress execution any less disrespectful or toxic, by the way.
Speaking of characters, the only positive thing I have to say (and kind of the reason I gave this book an extra 0,5*) was that there actually WAS some character development. Did I enjoy, like, or root for any of the characters? No. But at least the events around them influenced them, you know.
The FeMC was a conceited, selfish brat with no personality besides being "not like other girls" who is rude to and drawing preemptive conclusions about the MMC ... at least she got a little smarter at the end. She didn't seem to ever get over her condescending moral superiority, which was one of the main reasons I disliked the romance was so much. The only cognitive functions I saw in her were Se and Te, I want to say she's an ESFP but that's an educated guess more than a real deduction. Suffice to say, I really hated her for the way she treated the people in her life, first and foremost, the MMC, but also her father. I am glad she choose at the end to stay with the MMC, but I was hoping she would reconcile with her father anyway because I felt really bad for him, but I should have known better.
The MMC was fine for the most part; I actually enjoyed his vibe at the beginning (until he unavoidably turned into an unconditional simp). He was funny and more intelligent than the FeMC. What I didn't like was that he needed her to grow a spine and stand up to his father. It comes across very much like he needed her to save him (by just existing in his life and doing little else, mind you) which is just ... ew. Not sorry. I would have loved his arc so much more if he (and the book) didn't attribute all his development to her entering his life.
And I also could not tell you what his MBTI/cognitive functions are, which says a lot about how well-developed a character is.
Every other character was just really bland and one-dimensional. The villain was extremely stereotypical and boring, and I don't actually remember any other character of significance, so I think that says something.
The romance, as I mentioned, was the worst part. I cannot root for a couple where one of them treats and thinks about the other like this FeMC treated the MMC, especially after he confessed to her.
She is quite literally either rude to the MMC, objectifies him, or pities him. Nothing else. She suffered from a huge moral superiority complex and just the way she spoke and even thought about him was horrible.
He was clearly struggling with self-worth and was, in general, just is lonely and treated her way too kindly and she was observing all of that and not doing anything to alleviate those feelings or be kind and gentle to him back. Her attitude can be summed up with "I must protect him, he needs me, now that I'm here to fix him he can grow through my influence" paired with utter lack of respect and belief in him without her influence/her by his side. It was honestly disgusting.
***
Yeah, so that's basically that. I hated the FeMC, the MMC was fine, but I didn't enjoy the way his development was portrayed and handled. The world and plot were basic but ... fine, I guess. It's not like I expected anything revolutionary here.
The main reason I am giving this 1,5* and not like at least 2,5-3* is because of how toxic the whole romance and damsel message comes across. I could not stand the way the FeMC treated the MMC and was portrayed as his savior/the only reason he found strength or whatever. It grossed me out, quite frankly, and I sincerely hope I never have to read anything like that again.
I also hope that the other Dark Rulers are better, since this is the oldest book. I am continuing, but only because they're standalones.
I read this after a more than half a year long reading slump (yes this was my first book of 2023), and I wasn't expecting it to be great. I just was kind of hoping for something fun, light, and quick to get me back into reading ... and this was not it. This was very unfun to read, actually. My slump is broken, but at what cost ...
Although this was kind of a surprise because the one R.F. Kenney book I read before (The Horseman of Sleepy Hollow) was actually amazing; suffice to say this is not a good book by any means, not even in the entertaining way. Most of my time with it was miserable.
RATING: ⭐✨/5
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/4
VIOLENCE: 🩸🩸/4
🆗 World
🆗 Writing
🆗❌ Characters
❌ Plot
❌🤮 Romance
***
I usually start with the good things, but there wasn't really anything good. The worldbuilding was okay; nothing special or overly memorable but at least not confusing or contradictory. From what I gathered, at least ... I didn't really pay overly critical attention to it, to be honest.
The plot was extremely basic and predictable too. I guess every arranged/forced marriage fantasy romance is kind of predictable for that very same reason, but even aside from that ... (and this comes from someone who is absolute GARBAGE at predicting plots—seriously, I am far easier surprised than most people who read more than I do, and yet I still predicted the revolution plot from basically the very beginning, and like the fact that the Prince's father was the main villain.) There was just nothing memorable or unique about it whatsoever, and even within the context of those cliches, it wasn't a particularly gripping cliche execution either.
On this note, I actually want to say that the main complaint (aside from the FeMC, but she also kind of ties into this) I have is that this story feels very inverse damsel in distress, and not in a good way. It actually reads EXACTLY like a stereotypical, badly executed, disrespectful damsel in distress story with a damsel character who can't help themselves, is weak (I am not talking about his physical weakness, by the way) and must be saved by the big, strong hero who sweeps into their life and almost magically fixes it ... which I found extremely off-putting. It was the main reason I hated the romance and the book as much as I did, as opposed to just finding it meh. I swear if this wasn't there, I would have probably given this 3*.
... The fact that the damsel was the man and the hero the woman does not make this kind of damsel in distress execution any less disrespectful or toxic, by the way.
Speaking of characters, the only positive thing I have to say (and kind of the reason I gave this book an extra 0,5*) was that there actually WAS some character development. Did I enjoy, like, or root for any of the characters? No. But at least the events around them influenced them, you know.
The FeMC was a conceited, selfish brat with no personality besides being "not like other girls" who is rude to and drawing preemptive conclusions about the MMC ... at least she got a little smarter at the end. She didn't seem to ever get over her condescending moral superiority, which was one of the main reasons I disliked the romance was so much. The only cognitive functions I saw in her were Se and Te, I want to say she's an ESFP but that's an educated guess more than a real deduction. Suffice to say, I really hated her for the way she treated the people in her life, first and foremost, the MMC, but also her father. I am glad she choose at the end to stay with the MMC, but I was hoping she would reconcile with her father anyway because I felt really bad for him, but I should have known better.
The MMC was fine for the most part; I actually enjoyed his vibe at the beginning (until he unavoidably turned into an unconditional simp). He was funny and more intelligent than the FeMC. What I didn't like was that he needed her to grow a spine and stand up to his father. It comes across very much like he needed her to save him (by just existing in his life and doing little else, mind you) which is just ... ew. Not sorry. I would have loved his arc so much more if he (and the book) didn't attribute all his development to her entering his life.
And I also could not tell you what his MBTI/cognitive functions are, which says a lot about how well-developed a character is.
Every other character was just really bland and one-dimensional. The villain was extremely stereotypical and boring, and I don't actually remember any other character of significance, so I think that says something.
The romance, as I mentioned, was the worst part. I cannot root for a couple where one of them treats and thinks about the other like this FeMC treated the MMC, especially after he confessed to her.
She is quite literally either rude to the MMC, objectifies him, or pities him. Nothing else. She suffered from a huge moral superiority complex and just the way she spoke and even thought about him was horrible.
He was clearly struggling with self-worth and was, in general, just is lonely and treated her way too kindly and she was observing all of that and not doing anything to alleviate those feelings or be kind and gentle to him back. Her attitude can be summed up with "I must protect him, he needs me, now that I'm here to fix him he can grow through my influence" paired with utter lack of respect and belief in him without her influence/her by his side. It was honestly disgusting.
***
Yeah, so that's basically that. I hated the FeMC, the MMC was fine, but I didn't enjoy the way his development was portrayed and handled. The world and plot were basic but ... fine, I guess. It's not like I expected anything revolutionary here.
The main reason I am giving this 1,5* and not like at least 2,5-3* is because of how toxic the whole romance and damsel message comes across. I could not stand the way the FeMC treated the MMC and was portrayed as his savior/the only reason he found strength or whatever. It grossed me out, quite frankly, and I sincerely hope I never have to read anything like that again.
I also hope that the other Dark Rulers are better, since this is the oldest book. I am continuing, but only because they're standalones.
August 17, 2023
I’m not sure what I was expecting, but after reading a few of Kenney’s more recent books, this felt a little… anti climatic.
It’s not even necessarily the length, because she’s written short books before that hit the spot just right. This just felt a little shallow. Nothing was fully fleshed out (pun intended iykyk).
It’s not even necessarily the length, because she’s written short books before that hit the spot just right. This just felt a little shallow. Nothing was fully fleshed out (pun intended iykyk).
July 10, 2024
5 stars for a creative story with reversed roles. It was refreshing to read about a princess rescuing a prince in a fluffy spicy book! Couldn't put the book down for a whole day!
March 4, 2025
Hi yeah so I LOVED THIS
August 4, 2025
I would read this book again with joy in my heart.
-enemies to lovers
-Magic
-Romantasy vibes
-HEA
-enemies to lovers
-Magic
-Romantasy vibes
-HEA
November 5, 2024
Very engaging story. Cannot wait for the next book to come out .. wish I’d known it hadn’t been published yet.
August 5, 2024
The way they insult each other at the beginning is my cup of tea. I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would, consumed in one day, good story line, good tension and a quick read
April 29, 2022
TLDR - fast paced romantasy with good banter -
I really liked the MC here although I think I loved the love interest more (mainly cos one tiny think about the MC irked me). The story this followed made sense and progressed in a way I could keep up with (I don’t like when the goal of the hero changes all the time in weird ways). The dynamic between MC and love interest was good, marketed as enemies to lovers to me it didn’t really hit that enemies vibe for me but it did start of as not friends and then to lovers.
The spice in this was tame and minimal bit still good and weirdly I’m satisfied with the level there was in this book. I probably only would’ve wanted one more scene at the end
Overall this was really good and I liked how short the chapters were but how they never felt like they stopped either
I really liked the MC here although I think I loved the love interest more (mainly cos one tiny think about the MC irked me). The story this followed made sense and progressed in a way I could keep up with (I don’t like when the goal of the hero changes all the time in weird ways). The dynamic between MC and love interest was good, marketed as enemies to lovers to me it didn’t really hit that enemies vibe for me but it did start of as not friends and then to lovers.
The spice in this was tame and minimal bit still good and weirdly I’m satisfied with the level there was in this book. I probably only would’ve wanted one more scene at the end
Overall this was really good and I liked how short the chapters were but how they never felt like they stopped either
February 15, 2022
I adored this book! Princess Amarylla finds herself married against her will to the Fiend Prince at the very beginning of the book, but soon learns that her new husband isn't any more enthusiastic about the pairing than she. As she learns to navigate the dark kingdom of Terelaus, she realizes that not everything about the Fiend Prince is what it seems. Kenney does an excellent job building tension and attraction between these two, so much so that I finished this page-turner in one night. I immediately downloaded the next in this series. A must-read for those who like their romance a bit dark.
June 26, 2023
My 1st book from Rebecca F. Kenney and hopefully not my last. She writes intriguing characters and shows powerful women can be a princess, too. This had a Beauty and the Beast/ Phantom of the Opera vibes.
February 4, 2022
4.5 Stars
A short read but I really enjoyed it.
Love the enemies to lovers trope!
A short read but I really enjoyed it.
Love the enemies to lovers trope!
March 10, 2022
She was promised she get to marry for love, a man of her choosing. Instead she was given to barter a peace agreement . It was a lie: there would be no peace or love.
January 12, 2025
Was it the best piece of literature I’ve ever read? No. Did I enjoy myself start to finish? Absofuckinlutely. And that’s all that really matters in the end.
November 19, 2024
Nothing says “welcome to marital bliss” quite like being drugged, kidnapped, and forced to marry a literal Fiend Prince. Bride to the Fiend Prince dives headfirst into dark fantasy drama, and let me tell you, it does not hold back. Rebecca F. Kennedy serves up a tale that’s equal parts gothic romance, high-stakes survival, and “oh no, he’s hot” moments.
Amarylla, our dagger-wielding bride, is not here for anyone’s nonsense—not her father’s betrayal, not her new husband’s brooding menace, and definitely not the cursed palace dripping with danger. The girl’s got spine, sass, and a death wish (seriously, holding a dagger to your brand-new husband’s throat? Bold move, Amarylla). But instead of instant doom, she strikes an uneasy truce with the Fiend Prince, who is just the right mix of terrifying and tantalizing.
Speaking of the Prince—what a vibe. He’s dark, he’s tortured, and he’s probably hiding enough secrets to fill an entire sequel. Their chemistry crackles with tension, and their “arrangement” keeps you hooked, wondering who’s going to stab—or seduce—who first.
And then there’s the palace, which is less “home sweet home” and more “death trap with chandeliers.” Ghosts, curses, lurking dangers—it’s like Hogwarts got a goth makeover, and I am here for it. But the real danger isn’t just the cursed halls; it’s the creeping sense that something far worse is coming for Amarylla and her reluctant husband.
Kennedy’s writing is darkly lush, pulling you into a world where every shadow holds a secret. The pacing keeps you on edge, and the blend of political intrigue, romance, and supernatural peril hits all the right notes. Sure, there are a few moments where you might roll your eyes at the dramatic flare, but isn’t that half the fun?
Final verdict? 7/10 for a heroine with bite, a Prince with baggage, and a palace with serious attitude. It’s a wickedly fun read for anyone who loves their fantasy dark, their romance complicated, and their settings unapologetically cursed.
January 19, 2025
This book had the potential to be a gripping and immersive read but fell short due to its brevity. At under a week, or so it seems, of in-story time, the pacing felt rushed, leaving little room for the plot and character development to flourish. While the core concepts and setting were intriguing, they lacked the depth needed to truly draw me in and become attached to the story.
The characters were likeable and hit some of my favorite tropes, especially enemies to lovers; the execution of the enemies to lovers arc felt unconvincing. Their transition from hostility to love happened so quickly it felt superficial, undermining the tension and emotional payoff that make this trope so satisfying.
One standout feature was the unique balance of dark setting with a fairytale-like spiciness. This blend was charming and gave the romance a whimsical quality, even if it didn’t fully align with the darker tone of the world.
Overall, while the book had enjoyable moments and promising ideas, it left me wanting more substance, development, and time to connect with the story and its characters. If the author had given it more room to breathe, it could have been a fantastic read.
I’d definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, engaging read to cleanse their palate between longer series. The author’s writing style is enjoyable, and I’m excited to explore more of their work in this standalone series.
The characters were likeable and hit some of my favorite tropes, especially enemies to lovers; the execution of the enemies to lovers arc felt unconvincing. Their transition from hostility to love happened so quickly it felt superficial, undermining the tension and emotional payoff that make this trope so satisfying.
One standout feature was the unique balance of dark setting with a fairytale-like spiciness. This blend was charming and gave the romance a whimsical quality, even if it didn’t fully align with the darker tone of the world.
Overall, while the book had enjoyable moments and promising ideas, it left me wanting more substance, development, and time to connect with the story and its characters. If the author had given it more room to breathe, it could have been a fantastic read.
I’d definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, engaging read to cleanse their palate between longer series. The author’s writing style is enjoyable, and I’m excited to explore more of their work in this standalone series.
December 20, 2025
2.5 🌟
✓ PNR
✓ Marriage of convenience
✓ Slow burn
✓ Entertaining plot - 2.5 / 5
✓ Mature language
✓ Fast paced
✓ Spice 🌶 / 5
✓ Villain gets the girl
✓ One bed
✓ Enemies to Lovers
✓ Standalone
✓ Forced proximity
✓ Magic
✓ HEA (kinda 🤔)
Amarylla has dinner with her father, but she will soon realize that she has been drugged, which will prevent her from being resilient when she meets her new husband. She doesn't realize that she is part of a treaty because her father surrendered to the Dark Kingdom of Terelaus in order to save her kingdom.
After being drugged, Amarylla is dragged to meet her new husband, the Fiend Prince.
What she doesn't realize is that there is far more danger lurking in the cursed palace than her husband.
I was looking for a short, easy read with a minimal plot and a fast pace.
Even though the plot was minimal, I was surprised by the storyline and the unique magic premise.
Although they jumped too quickly from enemies to lovers for my taste, I understand why, and I ultimately enjoyed their relationship.
The world-building is lacking, but I didn't have high expectations when I picked up this book, so I can't complain about that.
✓ PNR
✓ Marriage of convenience
✓ Slow burn
✓ Entertaining plot - 2.5 / 5
✓ Mature language
✓ Fast paced
✓ Spice 🌶 / 5
✓ Villain gets the girl
✓ One bed
✓ Enemies to Lovers
✓ Standalone
✓ Forced proximity
✓ Magic
✓ HEA (kinda 🤔)
Amarylla has dinner with her father, but she will soon realize that she has been drugged, which will prevent her from being resilient when she meets her new husband. She doesn't realize that she is part of a treaty because her father surrendered to the Dark Kingdom of Terelaus in order to save her kingdom.
After being drugged, Amarylla is dragged to meet her new husband, the Fiend Prince.
What she doesn't realize is that there is far more danger lurking in the cursed palace than her husband.
I was looking for a short, easy read with a minimal plot and a fast pace.
Even though the plot was minimal, I was surprised by the storyline and the unique magic premise.
Although they jumped too quickly from enemies to lovers for my taste, I understand why, and I ultimately enjoyed their relationship.
The world-building is lacking, but I didn't have high expectations when I picked up this book, so I can't complain about that.
May 27, 2023
4.5⭐️
2.5🌶
I will start by saying that this is a great book if you are in a reading slump and need a short book to recover. Bonus, it is a standalone in a series.
The main characters are likable and fit the enemies to lovers trope. Literally. Since the princess is sent to her kingdom's rival to marry their prince. But who she marries isn't what she was expecting and learns that it is not only her kingdom she needs to save.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to the other books in this series.
2.5🌶
I will start by saying that this is a great book if you are in a reading slump and need a short book to recover. Bonus, it is a standalone in a series.
The main characters are likable and fit the enemies to lovers trope. Literally. Since the princess is sent to her kingdom's rival to marry their prince. But who she marries isn't what she was expecting and learns that it is not only her kingdom she needs to save.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to the other books in this series.
February 26, 2023
Ooooh, this was so good! Definitely a contender for favorite Kenney romance. The combination of powerful, warrior princess and weakened, fiend prince was super hot. I don’t know, there was just a chemistry there that really hit the spot. So yeah. Loved it!
May 18, 2023
Pretty enjoyable for a simple read!
March 20, 2025
I was bored....
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