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Towerfall #2
The Lovers
From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the House of Night series Kristin Cast comes a spicy and spellbinding light romantasy filled with tarot, banter, steamy tension, and a heroine caught between her toxic ex and a dangerously charming king who may not be who he seems.
Gemma Summers is broke, burnt out, and about three weeks from moving back in with her parents. Her career has imploded, her confidence is circling the drain, and the last thing she needs is a run in with Alder Hawke—the dangerously charming ex who still haunts her dreams and could buy her a new life with just his pocket change.
When a magickal tarot card sends them spiraling—literally—into another realm and they land in the steampunk inspired Kingdom of Cups, Gemma is forced to rely on the man who shattered her trust, broke her heart, and somehow still makes her weak in the knees.
But survival in the world of Towerfall is anything but simple, especially when she's caught between the ex who wants to own her and a roguish former king who sees through every one of her defenses.
With secrets mounting, identities unraveling, and her heart very much on the line, Gemma must decide: will she cling to the version of herself she built in the real world… or risk everything to become the woman she was always meant to be?
One enchanted tarot card. Two infuriatingly hot men. And a modern woman who refuses to be anyone's damsel.
Gemma Summers is broke, burnt out, and about three weeks from moving back in with her parents. Her career has imploded, her confidence is circling the drain, and the last thing she needs is a run in with Alder Hawke—the dangerously charming ex who still haunts her dreams and could buy her a new life with just his pocket change.
When a magickal tarot card sends them spiraling—literally—into another realm and they land in the steampunk inspired Kingdom of Cups, Gemma is forced to rely on the man who shattered her trust, broke her heart, and somehow still makes her weak in the knees.
But survival in the world of Towerfall is anything but simple, especially when she's caught between the ex who wants to own her and a roguish former king who sees through every one of her defenses.
With secrets mounting, identities unraveling, and her heart very much on the line, Gemma must decide: will she cling to the version of herself she built in the real world… or risk everything to become the woman she was always meant to be?
One enchanted tarot card. Two infuriatingly hot men. And a modern woman who refuses to be anyone's damsel.
384 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2026
About the author
Kristin Cast
88 books9,613 followersKristin is a #1 NYT and #1 USA Today bestselling author with over 30 million books in print.
She is proudly neurodivergent (ASD + OCD) and deeply consumed by character-driven chaos, emotionally vulnerable heroes, and smart, sexy heroines who always get the last word and the hot guy. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her devouring thriller, horror, and romance novels, practicing witchcraft, and being the exact kind of unhinged that makes group chats worth opening.
She is proudly neurodivergent (ASD + OCD) and deeply consumed by character-driven chaos, emotionally vulnerable heroes, and smart, sexy heroines who always get the last word and the hot guy. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her devouring thriller, horror, and romance novels, practicing witchcraft, and being the exact kind of unhinged that makes group chats worth opening.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
February 12, 2026
i'm sorry but this was not a good book.
i'm a sucker for a portal fantasy. A SUCKER I TELL YOU. I have NEVER not liked one because i have fun with it always. however, this book takes the portal fantasy elements that are fun to experience (learning about the world from someone who had to figure it out too) and throws them away.
this kingdom is a combination of magic and clockwork machines that's function is...unclear? i don't know how tarot relates. i don't know why magic was banned. i don't know how magic and machines interact. i don't know how on EARTH the background movements even happened because the entire plot sequence is nonsensical.
the romance is dry and aggravating the whole time. the fmc is boring and lame. i'm sorry but there's not a single part of this book that i found enjoyable or redeemable.
**thank you to Bloom for the ARC copy**
i'm a sucker for a portal fantasy. A SUCKER I TELL YOU. I have NEVER not liked one because i have fun with it always. however, this book takes the portal fantasy elements that are fun to experience (learning about the world from someone who had to figure it out too) and throws them away.
this kingdom is a combination of magic and clockwork machines that's function is...unclear? i don't know how tarot relates. i don't know why magic was banned. i don't know how magic and machines interact. i don't know how on EARTH the background movements even happened because the entire plot sequence is nonsensical.
the romance is dry and aggravating the whole time. the fmc is boring and lame. i'm sorry but there's not a single part of this book that i found enjoyable or redeemable.
**thank you to Bloom for the ARC copy**
February 10, 2026
This book was so much fun! I love that our MFC is voluptuous and so relatable. Towerfall is a great world is great to play in and I look forward to the rest of the series! If you like enchanted kingdoms with a HEA this is the series for you! What a great escape!
March 3, 2026
This was SUCH a cool and promising concept - but this is AI. Maybe not all of it, but a lot. The writing lacks depth, follows some of the classic AI formulas, and is extremely repetitive. I tried to look past it or doubted myself but by 130 pages (halfway in) not a damn thing happened except the same 3 convos between the MMCs and the FMCs over and over. Disappointed to say the least.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
1.25 stars
I really wanted to like The Lovers, but it just did not work for me. I never connected with Gemma and honestly found her kind of annoying throughout the book, and neither love interest did anything to win me over. Alder irritated me from the second he opened his mouth, and while Lockhart was technically better, it was mostly because he met the bare minimum of not treating Gemma like she was worthless, which is not exactly compelling. I was also frustrated by how underexplained the fantasy elements were. We are dropped into this world with almost no real context beyond the existence of kingdoms, and the magick system made no sense to me at all, especially since we are never told why magick was even banned in Towerfall. My biggest issue, though, is the fact that both male love interests look identical but have completely different personalities. It drove me crazy that whenever Gemma was with Lockhart, she would suddenly think about how differently Alder treated her, as if she completely forgot that she had already met Lockhart, who is literally Alder’s doppelgänger, within hours of arriving in Towerfall. Overall, this just left me confused, frustrated, and wishing the book had spent more time developing its world and characters instead of expecting me to fill in the gaps myself.
I really wanted to like The Lovers, but it just did not work for me. I never connected with Gemma and honestly found her kind of annoying throughout the book, and neither love interest did anything to win me over. Alder irritated me from the second he opened his mouth, and while Lockhart was technically better, it was mostly because he met the bare minimum of not treating Gemma like she was worthless, which is not exactly compelling. I was also frustrated by how underexplained the fantasy elements were. We are dropped into this world with almost no real context beyond the existence of kingdoms, and the magick system made no sense to me at all, especially since we are never told why magick was even banned in Towerfall. My biggest issue, though, is the fact that both male love interests look identical but have completely different personalities. It drove me crazy that whenever Gemma was with Lockhart, she would suddenly think about how differently Alder treated her, as if she completely forgot that she had already met Lockhart, who is literally Alder’s doppelgänger, within hours of arriving in Towerfall. Overall, this just left me confused, frustrated, and wishing the book had spent more time developing its world and characters instead of expecting me to fill in the gaps myself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2026
Ok so I rated this book 3.5 ⭐️! Not a bad rating in my book at all! And while I appreciate the angle of having survived through narcissism, some parts just irritated me lol. Not in an “I hate this book” kind of way, but in a “hey girl! Wake up and realize that these are two different guys 😂” way.
The whole magic system and machines I would have LOVED to go into more about all that. What caused them to come to life was keeping me turning the pages the whole time but when I found out I was like “oh ok”.
I loved the world building and the mystery I always love portal fantasies so this book will definitely satisfy with all that. Who wouldn’t love having a hot romp and then immediately being zerped into another dimension where you’re fitted with ball gowns and there’s castles and hot naked men in the woods!
It’s a quick and easy read that dedicates part of the story to surviving a narcissist. And boy was that satisfying! I recommend this book if you’re wanting a fun little simple portal fantasy.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books and Kristen Cast for this fun little romp through a portal in exchange for my honest review!
The whole magic system and machines I would have LOVED to go into more about all that. What caused them to come to life was keeping me turning the pages the whole time but when I found out I was like “oh ok”.
I loved the world building and the mystery I always love portal fantasies so this book will definitely satisfy with all that. Who wouldn’t love having a hot romp and then immediately being zerped into another dimension where you’re fitted with ball gowns and there’s castles and hot naked men in the woods!
It’s a quick and easy read that dedicates part of the story to surviving a narcissist. And boy was that satisfying! I recommend this book if you’re wanting a fun little simple portal fantasy.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books and Kristen Cast for this fun little romp through a portal in exchange for my honest review!
February 18, 2026
I really enjoyed returning to Towerfall and seeing Gemma and Alderic’s relationship bloom. I especially loved watching Gemma become empowered and stand up for herself despite a bad circumstance.
Plot: 7/10
Magic system: 2/5
Spice level: 2/5
Plot: 7/10
Magic system: 2/5
Spice level: 2/5
February 21, 2026
Adored this book 😭 I loved the empress but this one was absolutely stunning. I wasn’t sure how the author was going to be able to create a whole new story within the portal world but she freaking nailed it!
February 25, 2026
2.5 stars: As someone who rarely reads things that have fantasy elements I actually found this really fun. I needed a mindless break after finishing my thesis, and this worked out really well! A bit cliche & millennial (though I am in my millennial era rn, shout out maddy) and the indirect food porn was…. Interesting… so not quite 3 stars! I also liked that Tarot was so well wrapped into this! Just a fun one, but I’m not dead and dying over it. (LOVE the cover tho)
June 7, 2026
I really need to start listening to reviews. 2⭐️ instead of one because a man dies.
March 19, 2026
Genuinely the worst book I have EVER read. Clearly Ai-assisted.
March 27, 2026
I'm honestly kind of confused by this book and would be unsurprised to find out that I somehow skipped several world building chapters (I didn't miss them, they just weren't there). I don't really understand what happened to the magic to make it disappear, or how the machine/mechanisms work. I also felt like the whole plot was crammed into the last 20% of the book.
I think there could have been some benefit from having a Lockhart POV chapter or two, from the perspective of someone native to the magic realm, to help explain the magic/issues plaguing the land AND to establish that there are two different dudes here. I knew there were two of them due to the synopsis on the back of the book, but it doesn't come up or be realized by the FMC at all until very late in the book. Too late, in my opinion, to fully establish a fully fleshed out love story.
I think there could have been some benefit from having a Lockhart POV chapter or two, from the perspective of someone native to the magic realm, to help explain the magic/issues plaguing the land AND to establish that there are two different dudes here. I knew there were two of them due to the synopsis on the back of the book, but it doesn't come up or be realized by the FMC at all until very late in the book. Too late, in my opinion, to fully establish a fully fleshed out love story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Title: The Lovers
Author: Kristin Cast
Genre: Romantasy
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶
Pub Date: February 10, 2026
6/150📚
Obsessive passion, bad decisions, and the kind of love that absolutely should come with a warning label -- I ate this up!! So good! I really loved how Gemma just seemed so real - has flaws and insecurities like most of us. Her growth throughout the book was extremely satisfying. I liked that I already knew how the magick system worked because of book one, however, I don't think you'd be lost if you read it as a standalone (I definitely prefer the series together).
Gemma loses her job and needs to move back to her hometown, she is reunited with a toxic ex and of course a tarot card pulls them into another realm - Gemma then has to figure out how to break this toxic cycle to save herself and the kingdom. Add in some spice and a new love interest and we are good to go! I can't wait for book 3 out this May!!
Thank you Kristin for my ARC, I can't wait for the next one!!
Author: Kristin Cast
Genre: Romantasy
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶
Pub Date: February 10, 2026
6/150📚
Obsessive passion, bad decisions, and the kind of love that absolutely should come with a warning label -- I ate this up!! So good! I really loved how Gemma just seemed so real - has flaws and insecurities like most of us. Her growth throughout the book was extremely satisfying. I liked that I already knew how the magick system worked because of book one, however, I don't think you'd be lost if you read it as a standalone (I definitely prefer the series together).
Gemma loses her job and needs to move back to her hometown, she is reunited with a toxic ex and of course a tarot card pulls them into another realm - Gemma then has to figure out how to break this toxic cycle to save herself and the kingdom. Add in some spice and a new love interest and we are good to go! I can't wait for book 3 out this May!!
Thank you Kristin for my ARC, I can't wait for the next one!!
February 16, 2026
thank you Bloom for the gifted finished copy!!
this book was a ton of fun, i absolutely adored the first book in this series so i was so excited to read the next. while i think the first one was better, this was still such a fun quick read. they are all interconnected standalomes in a tarot card magic fantasy realm. i LOVE the tarot card system and the different time lines in this book!! such a cute cover as well!!
this book was a ton of fun, i absolutely adored the first book in this series so i was so excited to read the next. while i think the first one was better, this was still such a fun quick read. they are all interconnected standalomes in a tarot card magic fantasy realm. i LOVE the tarot card system and the different time lines in this book!! such a cute cover as well!!
February 16, 2026
I had to DNF at 69%.
Gemma is too stupid to live by far. She can’t tell Alder from Alderic even though she’d been with Alder TEN YEARS?? That’s like not being able to tell your husband from his identical twin. So that “twist” was frustratingly idiotic.
Speaking of obvious and irritating twists: Alder is so laughably evil he becomes a one dimensional caricature with zero nuance. And having a chubby small-town gf is SO important to his image to jump through all those hoops? Doubt. Also, he is potentially in the top 5 of the most punchable MCs I’ve read.
So back to stupid-ass Gemma: her priorities are fucking WHACK. She spends 70% of the 2/3rds I read fucking focused on relationship shit between her and Alder. As much as she says she cares about getting home, she herself does nothing to actually further that agenda besides yell at Alder to do it.
The writing itself is fucking brain rotted FaRo BookTok shit and I can’t do it.
I WANT MY SUNDAY BACK.
Gemma is too stupid to live by far. She can’t tell Alder from Alderic even though she’d been with Alder TEN YEARS?? That’s like not being able to tell your husband from his identical twin. So that “twist” was frustratingly idiotic.
Speaking of obvious and irritating twists: Alder is so laughably evil he becomes a one dimensional caricature with zero nuance. And having a chubby small-town gf is SO important to his image to jump through all those hoops? Doubt. Also, he is potentially in the top 5 of the most punchable MCs I’ve read.
So back to stupid-ass Gemma: her priorities are fucking WHACK. She spends 70% of the 2/3rds I read fucking focused on relationship shit between her and Alder. As much as she says she cares about getting home, she herself does nothing to actually further that agenda besides yell at Alder to do it.
The writing itself is fucking brain rotted FaRo BookTok shit and I can’t do it.
I WANT MY SUNDAY BACK.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 31, 2026This book just pissed me the fuck off for so many reasons…. I get it there’s trigger warnings against narcissism and manipulation but this just took me to another level of annoyed. And I wasn’t even like trying to be annoyed at the MMC, but she just was annoying the fuck out of me. She couldn’t blatantly tell that these were two separate guys and every time she would talk about the guy who constantly manipulates her she would turn right around and act like she was in love with him. I just couldn’t get on the train with her. I just couldn’t. And the guy who was clearly another guy wasn’t telling her that it wasn’t even him like she would be like continuing a conversation with him that was obviously with the other guy and he would go along with it like are we so fucking serious right now.???
April 5, 2026
I went into this one not realizing it was the second book in a series. I didn’t feel lost, but I’m sure I missed a lot of the world building and potentially a bit about the characters in book one.
Overall, not a bad read I just didn’t like it as much as I’d hoped. It was an interesting take on modern world and fantasy world combination and had a lot of potential I just couldn’t get past the relationship of the main characters. I know it was the way it was for a reason, but it felt like it overshadowed a lot of the story! I enjoyed the tarot card, the magic, and a certain other male character (no spoilers here) a lot though. And bonus points for the gorgeous cover and pretty sprayed edges!
Overall, not a bad read I just didn’t like it as much as I’d hoped. It was an interesting take on modern world and fantasy world combination and had a lot of potential I just couldn’t get past the relationship of the main characters. I know it was the way it was for a reason, but it felt like it overshadowed a lot of the story! I enjoyed the tarot card, the magic, and a certain other male character (no spoilers here) a lot though. And bonus points for the gorgeous cover and pretty sprayed edges!
March 1, 2026
This was fun but I enjoyed book one, The Empress, way more. I didn't care for the characters in this one as much. Also, it just felt like there was less of a plot to this book. The tarot card aspect, that was also included in the first book, felt like an afterthought and not like a driving force. The "twist" of the book did not take me by surprise at all, given the build-up. I was honestly surprised how long it took her to figure it out.
I have to say that a 3-star rating may not seem to exactly line up with my critiques, BUT it was unique and like I said before I had fun time with it overall. I just had a couple annoyances I needed to point out.
I have to say that a 3-star rating may not seem to exactly line up with my critiques, BUT it was unique and like I said before I had fun time with it overall. I just had a couple annoyances I needed to point out.
March 29, 2026
Not sure why there's so much hate with this one, but I found it an enjoyable, escapist palate cleanser. An isekai-esque portal fantasy, the book follows Gemma as she somehow wakes up in the kingdom of Towerfall with her sucky ex, Alder. I found the descriptions of the world really fun and silly, and this is a book that's meant to be read and just have fun with. Like, enjoy it for what it is instead of harping on why it's not perfect and it'll be a super fun time-- guaranteed.
June 5, 2026
I think 3 stars is perfect for this book. I really wish I could give it 4, and I would, if not for the middle 150 pages of the book. The beginning? Really strong and interesting. The end? Had me on the edge of my seat. The middle was just so long and repetitive
April 28, 2026
DNF at “wet ball slapping” 30% in
June 4, 2026
i was only intrigued at the twist even though i knew it was coming. boring read with no depth in characters or backstory.
February 21, 2026
A body positive fantasy romance where one woman is transported into a the Towerfall realm along with her toxic ex. Thinking she can trust him to get them out, she quickly realizes there are darker sides to him than even she knew and she will have to rely on her own strength (along with a mysterious other man) to escape. This was entertaining and had important messages about female empowerment and not tolerating abusive relationships. Can be read as a standalone but is the second book in a series. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Karina Halle or Devney Perry. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary digital copy and physical ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 13, 2026
This book was hard for me to get through. I really wanted to like it… I just didn’t feel connected to the characters at all and the magic system/fantasy elements were so confusing.
I get that this is the second book in the series, but it is an interconnected STANDALONE. I shouldn’t have the read the first book in order to have even the slightest understanding of this world. I assume most of Alderic’s background and pretty much any basic information about him and his character is set up in the first book, because none of it was here. I know next to nothing about him aside from that he used to be the King of Pentacles, he sails, he loves Gemma, and he seems to love strawberries. I know nothing about his family, childhood, his past, overall likes and dislikes, or literally anything else.
The epilogue was so disappointing. Alderic looks exactly like Alder.. were there no consequences to him entering this world identical to Alder and with the woman Alder was known to be with??? Gemma’s best friend (rightly) despised Alder, does she just suddenly let that go?? ALDER WAS ABOUT TO BE INDICTED FOR FRUAD… HOW IS ALDERIC NOT IN JAIL???? You can’t exactly just tell the legal system he’s not Alder and is actually his doppelganger from another world. I needed answers to these very logical questions and got none. OH! And Alderic is this master baker/chef???? He’s this phenomenal cake decorator??? Where did that come from?! If the author had at the very least set up that he enjoys drawing or art it would make more sense.
I’m just really disappointed.
I get that this is the second book in the series, but it is an interconnected STANDALONE. I shouldn’t have the read the first book in order to have even the slightest understanding of this world. I assume most of Alderic’s background and pretty much any basic information about him and his character is set up in the first book, because none of it was here. I know next to nothing about him aside from that he used to be the King of Pentacles, he sails, he loves Gemma, and he seems to love strawberries. I know nothing about his family, childhood, his past, overall likes and dislikes, or literally anything else.
The epilogue was so disappointing. Alderic looks exactly like Alder.. were there no consequences to him entering this world identical to Alder and with the woman Alder was known to be with??? Gemma’s best friend (rightly) despised Alder, does she just suddenly let that go?? ALDER WAS ABOUT TO BE INDICTED FOR FRUAD… HOW IS ALDERIC NOT IN JAIL???? You can’t exactly just tell the legal system he’s not Alder and is actually his doppelganger from another world. I needed answers to these very logical questions and got none. OH! And Alderic is this master baker/chef???? He’s this phenomenal cake decorator??? Where did that come from?! If the author had at the very least set up that he enjoys drawing or art it would make more sense.
I’m just really disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2026
Was I excited to read this book? Absolutely.
Was it a disappointment? Absolutely.
The FMC was annoying and if I was in this book I would’ve slapped her for being so naïve. Why does she keep being contradictive to herself? She got out of a toxic relationship and wants to go back with him?!
And when they are in the Kingdom of Cups she doesn’t notice that it is two different persons? As soon as we meet the lookalike, I knew it was somebody else. I think we all did. Except for the FMC.
Honestly it was a big difference between The Empress and this book.
Was it a disappointment? Absolutely.
The FMC was annoying and if I was in this book I would’ve slapped her for being so naïve. Why does she keep being contradictive to herself? She got out of a toxic relationship and wants to go back with him?!
And when they are in the Kingdom of Cups she doesn’t notice that it is two different persons? As soon as we meet the lookalike, I knew it was somebody else. I think we all did. Except for the FMC.
Honestly it was a big difference between The Empress and this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2026
The POTENTIAL that this book had!
But it fell seriously flat. How boring could it possibly be?
There was no action, no reason to keep reading.
The WOW moment wasn’t even WOW it was more like 😑😑😑 really?
Sorry, but it’s a no from me dog
But it fell seriously flat. How boring could it possibly be?
There was no action, no reason to keep reading.
The WOW moment wasn’t even WOW it was more like 😑😑😑 really?
Sorry, but it’s a no from me dog
June 22, 2026
I really don't understand why I enjoyed this as much as I did. This is heavily flawed, there are plot points that make 0 sense, I couldn't turn my brain off while reading, and yet I still enjoyed it. Something in this worked for me on some level. Personally, I think it's the setting and the horrid ex. We've all been there, an ex that won't let you go even though you're practically begging them to, and to follow Alder in this book, you just can't wait to see him get his just deserts.
Honestly there was a lot more we could have done with this. I think instead of the Author playing with the idea that readers wouldn't catch on that this was 'The tale of two Alders' and had Gemma realize from the first interaction with Alderic, we could have had more of the book to invest in their building relationship. We could have moved the plot and romance forward almost from the beginning, but instead we waited until after the 70% mark to do the super obvious Alderic reveal and the evil kingdom plot doesn't make a full appearance until almost 80%. Honestly most of the book is Gemma trying to grow a backbone towards Alder 1.0 and failing, so it's a lot of wasted potential.
Now, that said, I had fun with the Alderic 2.0 being very obviously a different person and Gemma being too dense to notice that the man she spent A. DECADE. WITH. Was suddenly a different man, mannerisms and scars and all. Good thing she's not a detective.🤭
Alderic 2.0 is honestly sweet, but he's not really fleshed out. He's there to support Gemma but without the "from first sight I knew I loved you", his whole schtick falls flat. He's silently pining while hoping she's choosing him, but they barely interact together for anything real to actually be building between them. Gemma's history with Alder 1.0 does all the heavy lifting here, and that's sad. As previously stated, if the author hadn't been trying to (poorly) play into a twist, we could have had relationship and plot building happening and I think this could have stuck the landing.
The overall climax was just ... what? Lol. Women supporting women, fuck the patriarchy, suddenly became what won the day, and it was laughable. Still don't understand why we went that way, as there was almost no lead up to it, but whatever. It was still fun to see a bunch of randos come charging in to save the day.
Gemma needs a brain overhaul. She's not a smart or strong character, but a lot of what she went through in her past as well as her determination stuck with me. She's a pushover but at least she acknowledges it and tries to stop and grow from it even if she's not always successful.
The ending. So this plays into plot points that make 0 sense. At the begining of the book Gemma lost her job, her home, everything. She had nothing to go back to. Alder 1.0 admits that he was fucked, and so he never wanted to go back because he was being indicted. So riddle me this batman, why would either Gemma or Alderic 2.0 ever want to go to that world? There's this pesky business of ID, and social security, and assuming he just takes over Alders' identity, he too, would be fucked. If not, cool, but how were they going to set themselves up in her world? No answers given... just they started a business together 6 months later and are happy.....hmmm...I call bullshit.
But whatever.
The story was entertaining, Towerfall is interesting, if not fully assembled. Some of the dialogue is genuinely either funny or heartfelt. The characters still somehow managed to get me on board with their half baked shenanigans, and somehow along the way I just decided to have fun.
I bought book 3, so obviously I have to continue. 😁 Wish me luck.
Honestly there was a lot more we could have done with this. I think instead of the Author playing with the idea that readers wouldn't catch on that this was 'The tale of two Alders' and had Gemma realize from the first interaction with Alderic, we could have had more of the book to invest in their building relationship. We could have moved the plot and romance forward almost from the beginning, but instead we waited until after the 70% mark to do the super obvious Alderic reveal and the evil kingdom plot doesn't make a full appearance until almost 80%. Honestly most of the book is Gemma trying to grow a backbone towards Alder 1.0 and failing, so it's a lot of wasted potential.
Now, that said, I had fun with the Alderic 2.0 being very obviously a different person and Gemma being too dense to notice that the man she spent A. DECADE. WITH. Was suddenly a different man, mannerisms and scars and all. Good thing she's not a detective.🤭
Alderic 2.0 is honestly sweet, but he's not really fleshed out. He's there to support Gemma but without the "from first sight I knew I loved you", his whole schtick falls flat. He's silently pining while hoping she's choosing him, but they barely interact together for anything real to actually be building between them. Gemma's history with Alder 1.0 does all the heavy lifting here, and that's sad. As previously stated, if the author hadn't been trying to (poorly) play into a twist, we could have had relationship and plot building happening and I think this could have stuck the landing.
The overall climax was just ... what? Lol. Women supporting women, fuck the patriarchy, suddenly became what won the day, and it was laughable. Still don't understand why we went that way, as there was almost no lead up to it, but whatever. It was still fun to see a bunch of randos come charging in to save the day.
Gemma needs a brain overhaul. She's not a smart or strong character, but a lot of what she went through in her past as well as her determination stuck with me. She's a pushover but at least she acknowledges it and tries to stop and grow from it even if she's not always successful.
The ending. So this plays into plot points that make 0 sense. At the begining of the book Gemma lost her job, her home, everything. She had nothing to go back to. Alder 1.0 admits that he was fucked, and so he never wanted to go back because he was being indicted. So riddle me this batman, why would either Gemma or Alderic 2.0 ever want to go to that world? There's this pesky business of ID, and social security, and assuming he just takes over Alders' identity, he too, would be fucked. If not, cool, but how were they going to set themselves up in her world? No answers given... just they started a business together 6 months later and are happy.....hmmm...I call bullshit.
But whatever.
The story was entertaining, Towerfall is interesting, if not fully assembled. Some of the dialogue is genuinely either funny or heartfelt. The characters still somehow managed to get me on board with their half baked shenanigans, and somehow along the way I just decided to have fun.
I bought book 3, so obviously I have to continue. 😁 Wish me luck.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I used to read Kristin Cast early in my reading journey, but it's been a minute. But I loved her older YA work, and with a cover like this, I was excited to dive right in. So, The Lovers was a book I desperately wanted to LOVE. I went in excited to see her take on adult romantasy, and while there is a lot here to like, it didn't ever quite click for me.
The story centers on Gemma, who travels to a friend’s wedding only to run into her ex, Alder, a man who is openly manipulative, emotionally abusive, and financially controlling. Despite recognizing his toxicity, Gemma still falls into bed with him. Shortly after, the two wake up in a strange fantasy realm where Alder has a near identical counterpart named Alderic. From there, the book leans heavily into a love triangle built on deception, secrets, and repeated emotional manipulation.
In this new world, Alder pretends to be King Alderic in order to protect himself and Gemma. Gemma resents this and constantly clashes with him, yet their interactions are framed as sexual tension rather than the deeply unhealthy dynamic it clearly is. Alderic, on the other hand, is written as gentle, attentive, and romantic, except for the fact that he allows Gemma to believe he is Alder for most of the book. The justification is love, and that explanation is somehow treated as enough. Instead of feeling romantic, it just felt frustrating. Both men lie to her repeatedly, and the story asks the reader to accept that intention somehow outweighs impact. Or that it even makes sense.
What made this harder to sit with is Gemma herself. Her characterization felt thin and entirely centered around these men. Despite clearly noticing how different Alder and Alderic behave, it takes her nearly the entire book to fully acknowledge that they are not the same person. This delay reads less like emotional complexity and more like narrative convenience. I never felt grounded in who she was outside of the romance, which made it difficult to care about her choices or growth.
To be fair, I don't love love triangles, except when I feel like there is legitimate draw and tension between both men. Not so much here. And the larger fantasy portion never really landed with me. The world is losing magic, an evil queen is sacrificing women to maintain power, and Alder is actively complicit in supporting her. Those stakes feel high, but they remain underdeveloped. The magic system is vague, the political stakes are unclear, and the world building feels more like a backdrop than a living place. There are ideas here that could have worked, and I see the glimmers of the Kristin Cast world building and tension I used to love. But more often that not, I was frustrated or confused rather than intrigued or compelled, especially when the story seemed to assume emotional investment without doing the work to earn it.
Some readers may enjoy the chaotic romance, the secrets, and the messy love triangle, but this book left me disconnected and not really rooting for any of the characters. But certainly am interested in reading the first book or more in this world.
The story centers on Gemma, who travels to a friend’s wedding only to run into her ex, Alder, a man who is openly manipulative, emotionally abusive, and financially controlling. Despite recognizing his toxicity, Gemma still falls into bed with him. Shortly after, the two wake up in a strange fantasy realm where Alder has a near identical counterpart named Alderic. From there, the book leans heavily into a love triangle built on deception, secrets, and repeated emotional manipulation.
In this new world, Alder pretends to be King Alderic in order to protect himself and Gemma. Gemma resents this and constantly clashes with him, yet their interactions are framed as sexual tension rather than the deeply unhealthy dynamic it clearly is. Alderic, on the other hand, is written as gentle, attentive, and romantic, except for the fact that he allows Gemma to believe he is Alder for most of the book. The justification is love, and that explanation is somehow treated as enough. Instead of feeling romantic, it just felt frustrating. Both men lie to her repeatedly, and the story asks the reader to accept that intention somehow outweighs impact. Or that it even makes sense.
What made this harder to sit with is Gemma herself. Her characterization felt thin and entirely centered around these men. Despite clearly noticing how different Alder and Alderic behave, it takes her nearly the entire book to fully acknowledge that they are not the same person. This delay reads less like emotional complexity and more like narrative convenience. I never felt grounded in who she was outside of the romance, which made it difficult to care about her choices or growth.
To be fair, I don't love love triangles, except when I feel like there is legitimate draw and tension between both men. Not so much here. And the larger fantasy portion never really landed with me. The world is losing magic, an evil queen is sacrificing women to maintain power, and Alder is actively complicit in supporting her. Those stakes feel high, but they remain underdeveloped. The magic system is vague, the political stakes are unclear, and the world building feels more like a backdrop than a living place. There are ideas here that could have worked, and I see the glimmers of the Kristin Cast world building and tension I used to love. But more often that not, I was frustrated or confused rather than intrigued or compelled, especially when the story seemed to assume emotional investment without doing the work to earn it.
Some readers may enjoy the chaotic romance, the secrets, and the messy love triangle, but this book left me disconnected and not really rooting for any of the characters. But certainly am interested in reading the first book or more in this world.
March 5, 2026
After reading "The Empress" the first book in the Towerfall series, I wanted to continue the series. I tandem read listening to the audiobook while reading along to the physical version. The narrators did an excellent job! I recognized Laura Horowitz, who voiced the FMC from social media shorts and Walker Williams, who voiced the MMC from other books I've read in the past.
It follows Gemma, a woman on the verge of being broke, who is the maid of honor for her friend's wedding, alongside her rich ex-lover Alder, who is also the best man. Although Gemma is vocal about not wanting financial support from Alder, it doesn't take much for him to convince her to change her mind with his c*ck on the dock outside of the wedding reception venue. It had the potential to be an "enemies to lovers" love story with banter but instead was a wanna be "second-chance" romance with annoying emotional dependency, making the chemistry feel forced & cringy When the story continues & both of them get dumped through a portal through a tarot card into Towerfall, I was hoping it would get better, but nothing really changes. The character development & world building were lacking, but the plot was unique enough to keep me invested in the story to continue reading. Although I finished, in the end, it wasn't well developed. I give it 2🌟.*
*In re: to my final rating, I was torn; I've been a fan of Kristin Cast & her mother P.C. Cast since "House of Night" & I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt by giving it 3🌟, but the surprise reveal of a certain MMC turned me the wrong way. He gets introduced in ch 24 out 37, that's 68% of the damn book,after all this time why introduce him now? Why couldn't it be a love triangle with two men from the beginning when they land in Towerfall? Why have the FMC practically gaslighting herself in fighting for a toxic relationship she never f***ing wanted. I mean, she's already admitted to herself she is emotionally unintelligent by saying: "Emotional maturity is wildly overrated"(pg 204). This twist/secret was just an excuse for Alder as a character to redeem himself; throughout the entire book he is a complete asshole & not in a sexy morally grey dominating way the author tried to portray him. Even the blurb on the back or any other source of summary implies two men are in the story not one: "One enchanted tarot card.Two infuriatingly hot men.And a modern woman who refuses to be anyone's damsel. . . she's caught between the ex who wants to own her and a roguish former king who sees through every one of her defenses"(back cover). It leaves the reader confused, led on & disappointed. What's sad is the two novellas: "King" & "Two" co-written by Gina L. Maxwell was better written & more enjoyable to read even though they were shorter. With book 3 "Fortune" coming out 5/26/26, I have hope it's better; I will be reading it regardless of my views on this one.
It follows Gemma, a woman on the verge of being broke, who is the maid of honor for her friend's wedding, alongside her rich ex-lover Alder, who is also the best man. Although Gemma is vocal about not wanting financial support from Alder, it doesn't take much for him to convince her to change her mind with his c*ck on the dock outside of the wedding reception venue. It had the potential to be an "enemies to lovers" love story with banter but instead was a wanna be "second-chance" romance with annoying emotional dependency, making the chemistry feel forced & cringy When the story continues & both of them get dumped through a portal through a tarot card into Towerfall, I was hoping it would get better, but nothing really changes. The character development & world building were lacking, but the plot was unique enough to keep me invested in the story to continue reading. Although I finished, in the end, it wasn't well developed. I give it 2🌟.*
*In re: to my final rating, I was torn; I've been a fan of Kristin Cast & her mother P.C. Cast since "House of Night" & I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt by giving it 3🌟, but the surprise reveal of a certain MMC turned me the wrong way. He gets introduced in ch 24 out 37, that's 68% of the damn book,after all this time why introduce him now? Why couldn't it be a love triangle with two men from the beginning when they land in Towerfall? Why have the FMC practically gaslighting herself in fighting for a toxic relationship she never f***ing wanted. I mean, she's already admitted to herself she is emotionally unintelligent by saying: "Emotional maturity is wildly overrated"(pg 204). This twist/secret was just an excuse for Alder as a character to redeem himself; throughout the entire book he is a complete asshole & not in a sexy morally grey dominating way the author tried to portray him. Even the blurb on the back or any other source of summary implies two men are in the story not one: "One enchanted tarot card.Two infuriatingly hot men.And a modern woman who refuses to be anyone's damsel. . . she's caught between the ex who wants to own her and a roguish former king who sees through every one of her defenses"(back cover). It leaves the reader confused, led on & disappointed. What's sad is the two novellas: "King" & "Two" co-written by Gina L. Maxwell was better written & more enjoyable to read even though they were shorter. With book 3 "Fortune" coming out 5/26/26, I have hope it's better; I will be reading it regardless of my views on this one.
March 29, 2026
Back to Towerfall we fall...
Gemma is a hard-working woman who has found herself falling into harder times: her promotion was denied to her, her credit card is maxed out and she's faced with the reality of having to move back home. The cherry on top of all of it? Having to see her smug ex-boyfriend at her friend's wedding amidst her crashout.
When Gemma is faced with her ex again, confusing feelings threaten to rob her of her own independence. Her ex, Alder, represents all of the things she's been missing: safety, security and a future. But as she struggles to figure out what she wants, Gemma finds herself waking up in a totally different realm... Alder at her side.
Now Gemma has to rely on Alder for even more: traversing a world with viable threats, political plots and a kingdom with a huge secret.
The review: I don't think it was expressly necessary to read the first book. It helped to know ahead of time that the characters had "mirror versions" in the alternate realm but I think readers could have picked that up along the way. Reading the first book did allow for an established setting which did cut down a little on the backstory. Not that too many things were actually explained.
For example: what is with the machinery? Where did they come from? There was really no explanation given for how the machines came about or their roles in this particular universe. Coming off of the first book that played heavily on the "medieval times" aspect, having the introduction of machines was a little jarring. Even for an advanced kingdom, it didn't quite fit.
The FMC was a little difficult to understand in this book. She was facing tremendously tough times back home and her ex (who seemingly loved her) wanted to provide everything for her. She clearly still had feelings for him but kept going back and forth. The contradictions were a little annoying after the 5th time Gemma made the same argument.
The couple did not seem particularly upset about being in a different realm. In fact, it was accepted too easily. Gemma did keep up the idea that they should find a way home but it was never a pressing issue. The pair simply moved into the castle and no one questioned it.
You would think the kingdom would notice their Lord acting strangely but not one person missed a beat. I understand that Alder was written as a man who knows what he wants and goes into every situation with assuridty but even still. Being dropped into a new realm without any frame of reference would give anyone pause.
Then there was the other one... he never questioned that someone was stealing his identity? Never thought to tell Gemma from the get-go who he was? This goes a little beyond miscommunication.. it feels like a few plot-sized holes.
I feel more confused about Towerfall than before. Just how many times does this realm need to be saved before it's good to go?
(( Sidenote: what's with all the fruit play?))
Gemma is a hard-working woman who has found herself falling into harder times: her promotion was denied to her, her credit card is maxed out and she's faced with the reality of having to move back home. The cherry on top of all of it? Having to see her smug ex-boyfriend at her friend's wedding amidst her crashout.
When Gemma is faced with her ex again, confusing feelings threaten to rob her of her own independence. Her ex, Alder, represents all of the things she's been missing: safety, security and a future. But as she struggles to figure out what she wants, Gemma finds herself waking up in a totally different realm... Alder at her side.
Now Gemma has to rely on Alder for even more: traversing a world with viable threats, political plots and a kingdom with a huge secret.
The review: I don't think it was expressly necessary to read the first book. It helped to know ahead of time that the characters had "mirror versions" in the alternate realm but I think readers could have picked that up along the way. Reading the first book did allow for an established setting which did cut down a little on the backstory. Not that too many things were actually explained.
For example: what is with the machinery? Where did they come from? There was really no explanation given for how the machines came about or their roles in this particular universe. Coming off of the first book that played heavily on the "medieval times" aspect, having the introduction of machines was a little jarring. Even for an advanced kingdom, it didn't quite fit.
The FMC was a little difficult to understand in this book. She was facing tremendously tough times back home and her ex (who seemingly loved her) wanted to provide everything for her. She clearly still had feelings for him but kept going back and forth. The contradictions were a little annoying after the 5th time Gemma made the same argument.
The couple did not seem particularly upset about being in a different realm. In fact, it was accepted too easily. Gemma did keep up the idea that they should find a way home but it was never a pressing issue. The pair simply moved into the castle and no one questioned it.
You would think the kingdom would notice their Lord acting strangely but not one person missed a beat. I understand that Alder was written as a man who knows what he wants and goes into every situation with assuridty but even still. Being dropped into a new realm without any frame of reference would give anyone pause.
Then there was the other one... he never questioned that someone was stealing his identity? Never thought to tell Gemma from the get-go who he was? This goes a little beyond miscommunication.. it feels like a few plot-sized holes.
I feel more confused about Towerfall than before. Just how many times does this realm need to be saved before it's good to go?
(( Sidenote: what's with all the fruit play?))
June 20, 2026
I was absolutely fooled by a pretty cover. This book was disappointing, to say the least.
I loved *House of Night* as a teenager and was excited to see an adult fantasy romance from the same author. Unfortunately, this felt nothing like the writing I remembered.
Full disclosure: I skipped the first book because of its reviews. Each installment is marketed as a standalone set within the same world, but the world-building here felt almost nonexistent. I spent most of the book confused about the setting, the magic system, and the rules of this fantasy realm.
The characters didn't help. Gemma, our FMC, has very little personality beyond being recently unemployed, plus-sized, and struggling with a toxic ex-boyfriend. The MMC fares even worse, and the romance develops with almost no foundation. The characters go on what amounts to two decent dates, know virtually nothing about one another, and somehow arrive at true love.
For anyone curious, here's the basic plot:
Gemma attends a wedding after losing her job and dealing with her incredibly attractive but narcissistic ex, Alder. A wedding game reveals the Lovers card, which appears to depict the two of them. She reconnects with Alder, sleeps with him, and he immediately begins offering to solve her financial problems while referring to her as his property.
The next morning, they wake up in a fantasy world. Gemma panics while Alder appears strangely unbothered. After running off, Gemma encounters Alder's doppelgänger, Lord Lockhart, yet somehow never realizes they are two different people. Meanwhile, Alder is mistaken for Lord Lockhart, and the two are brought to a castle.
Despite noticing that several of her friends have counterparts in this world, Gemma never considers that Alder might also have one....even after meeting both men and witnessing the confusion firsthand. Much of the novel consists of Gemma interacting with "Alder," who is either cruel, manipulative, and controlling or kind, thoughtful, and charming. The obvious explanation remains invisible to her for far too long.
Eventually, she discovers the truth just in time to save the magical realm with her fated love, Lord Lockhart, defeat her terrible ex, overcome the evil queen through the power of true love, and return home engaged. (Oh! and everything took place over a few days)
Somehow Lord Lockhart returns to the real world without facing any of the legal consequences that Alder was dealing with before they left. And they live happily ever after.
The end.
I loved *House of Night* as a teenager and was excited to see an adult fantasy romance from the same author. Unfortunately, this felt nothing like the writing I remembered.
Full disclosure: I skipped the first book because of its reviews. Each installment is marketed as a standalone set within the same world, but the world-building here felt almost nonexistent. I spent most of the book confused about the setting, the magic system, and the rules of this fantasy realm.
The characters didn't help. Gemma, our FMC, has very little personality beyond being recently unemployed, plus-sized, and struggling with a toxic ex-boyfriend. The MMC fares even worse, and the romance develops with almost no foundation. The characters go on what amounts to two decent dates, know virtually nothing about one another, and somehow arrive at true love.
For anyone curious, here's the basic plot:
Gemma attends a wedding after losing her job and dealing with her incredibly attractive but narcissistic ex, Alder. A wedding game reveals the Lovers card, which appears to depict the two of them. She reconnects with Alder, sleeps with him, and he immediately begins offering to solve her financial problems while referring to her as his property.
The next morning, they wake up in a fantasy world. Gemma panics while Alder appears strangely unbothered. After running off, Gemma encounters Alder's doppelgänger, Lord Lockhart, yet somehow never realizes they are two different people. Meanwhile, Alder is mistaken for Lord Lockhart, and the two are brought to a castle.
Despite noticing that several of her friends have counterparts in this world, Gemma never considers that Alder might also have one....even after meeting both men and witnessing the confusion firsthand. Much of the novel consists of Gemma interacting with "Alder," who is either cruel, manipulative, and controlling or kind, thoughtful, and charming. The obvious explanation remains invisible to her for far too long.
Eventually, she discovers the truth just in time to save the magical realm with her fated love, Lord Lockhart, defeat her terrible ex, overcome the evil queen through the power of true love, and return home engaged. (Oh! and everything took place over a few days)
Somehow Lord Lockhart returns to the real world without facing any of the legal consequences that Alder was dealing with before they left. And they live happily ever after.
The end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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