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To Sway a Rogue: A Romantic Epic Fantasy
The morally grey characters of Six of Crows combine with the storytelling of Once Upon a Time in this swoony romantic fantasy novella about thieves, undeath, and innkeeping.
A thief queen, an undead rogue, and a vampiric assassin walk into an inn…
A thousand years ago, Talyria was a queen of thieves. Robbed of everything by a nearly eternal sleep and a powerful necromancer who is still on the loose, she vows to reclaim what she once lost. But that’s easier said than done when faced with the crippling fear of that necromancer finding her again. Especially since a new crime lord seems to have taken her place as the ruler of the criminal underworld, and he won’t be giving up his power easily.
Forced to lay low while she plots her revenge, Talyria finds an unwitting innkeeper’s son to marry her and pass her off as his brand-new bride. He has no idea of her secrets. But Victor has secrets of his own. Like that he’s actually a thief, and the fact that he isn’t fully alive anymore. Or that he’s now the host of the demigod of chaos.
Corallin is the daughter of the famed crime lord Elwis the Eel and she is on the hunt for a spellbook. Her quest has brought her through a blizzard to the door of Talyria and Victor’s inn. Little does she know; she isn’t the only thief who is staying the night.
Or the only killer.
With a terrible snowstorm brewing outside, everyone finds themselves trapped in the inn until dawn. But as bodies begin piling up within Victor, Talyria, and Corallin realize that they aren’t the only ones harboring a secret.
And one of those secrets is going to get them all killed.
May the best thief survive.
To Sway a rogue is the first book in Tempting Thieves, a multi-author romantasy collection featuring cunning thieves who outsmart relentless hunters, steal forbidden treasures, and find love along the way. With slow-burn longing, forced proximity, and secret identities every story delivers an irresistible fantasy escape. Perfect for fans of forbidden romance, morally gray heroes, daring rogues, and clean yet sizzling chemistry. Each book in the collection is a standalone. Read in any order.
A thief queen, an undead rogue, and a vampiric assassin walk into an inn…
A thousand years ago, Talyria was a queen of thieves. Robbed of everything by a nearly eternal sleep and a powerful necromancer who is still on the loose, she vows to reclaim what she once lost. But that’s easier said than done when faced with the crippling fear of that necromancer finding her again. Especially since a new crime lord seems to have taken her place as the ruler of the criminal underworld, and he won’t be giving up his power easily.
Forced to lay low while she plots her revenge, Talyria finds an unwitting innkeeper’s son to marry her and pass her off as his brand-new bride. He has no idea of her secrets. But Victor has secrets of his own. Like that he’s actually a thief, and the fact that he isn’t fully alive anymore. Or that he’s now the host of the demigod of chaos.
Corallin is the daughter of the famed crime lord Elwis the Eel and she is on the hunt for a spellbook. Her quest has brought her through a blizzard to the door of Talyria and Victor’s inn. Little does she know; she isn’t the only thief who is staying the night.
Or the only killer.
With a terrible snowstorm brewing outside, everyone finds themselves trapped in the inn until dawn. But as bodies begin piling up within Victor, Talyria, and Corallin realize that they aren’t the only ones harboring a secret.
And one of those secrets is going to get them all killed.
May the best thief survive.
To Sway a rogue is the first book in Tempting Thieves, a multi-author romantasy collection featuring cunning thieves who outsmart relentless hunters, steal forbidden treasures, and find love along the way. With slow-burn longing, forced proximity, and secret identities every story delivers an irresistible fantasy escape. Perfect for fans of forbidden romance, morally gray heroes, daring rogues, and clean yet sizzling chemistry. Each book in the collection is a standalone. Read in any order.
215 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 4, 2025
22 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
Nicki Chapelway
37 books327 followersNicki is a twenty-something author of swoony romantic fantasy. She has been writing since she was eleven and has since published several works. She enjoys creating stories with twisty-stabby faerie romances, retellings that take a darker turn, and epic fantasies in worlds full of monsters and magic.
Nicki lives in Ohio where she spends far too much time watching TV, playing video games, and sleeping. She listens to music basically all the time, and adores obsessing over mythologies, her shows, and her slew of fictional boyfriends. When not writing, she can usually be found at her desk with either a paintbrush or a pen in her hand.
Subscribe to her newsletter and receive a free book!
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Nicki lives in Ohio where she spends far too much time watching TV, playing video games, and sleeping. She listens to music basically all the time, and adores obsessing over mythologies, her shows, and her slew of fictional boyfriends. When not writing, she can usually be found at her desk with either a paintbrush or a pen in her hand.
Subscribe to her newsletter and receive a free book!
https://mailchi.mp/b6ec5f4a74a5/subsc...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 3, 2025
****Actual Rating 4.5 Stars****
Every time I read a book set in Ruskhazar I feel like I get another piece of the slowly-growing-larger-with-every-book world puzzle, and I love being able to weave threads between them all and speculate on when or how they might all collide one day—it’s super fun and I love it!
On top of that and most importantly though is, yet again, another Nicki book where everyone’s trapped in one building with a killer on the loose and the most obvious person is confused too, lol. I loved that in An Apprentice of Death and in this one too despite the scenarios being so different yet “fun” (for the reader, not the characters, lol). I thought I pegged the murderer too, but alas I was wrong, boo. Though not too boo ultimately because I didn’t guess it correctly making it more surprising when the TRUE culprit was revealed!
I LOVE these characters! Victor and Talyria were my faves and I SO want another book with them, they are just so fun and a growing-strong-despite-their-flaws couple I want to see grow even closer. Based on the previous “El sister” books (Trapped By Magic and This Hollow Heart, respectively) I didn’t think I’d like Corallin at all, but she turned out to be very different then perceived by her family and I ended up liking her, as well as Leif though we admittedly don’t see him much.
I really appreciate Nicki weaving in plot points and characters from those previous books into this one as it just adds to the intrigue and mystery/danger that might pop up in the future (pretty please, Nicki?) as hinted at in the epilogue, plus all the tantalizing could be threads left over from this main plot.
Overall I really enjoyed this one and would highly recommend!
‼️Content‼️
Language: jetting; by the gods; gods
Violence: a character’s neck was broken and they died but then were brought back to life (not detailed); a body is found with multiple stab wounds in a pool of blood (not detailed); injuries and blood (not to semi detailed); a man is stabbed in the throat (not detailed); swords are found stabbed in a man (semi detailed); a character is stabbed, sliced, and gutted (semi detailed); fighting with weapons and magic (not detailed)
Sexual: mild thoughts about a husband wanting a wedding night with his wife; kissing (not detailed)
Alcohol/Drugs: people drink ale and a few are a bit drunk
Other: necromancers; a demigod brings a character back to life and now lives in their head; fantasy gods/goddesses/demigods in a fantasy world; magic; magical abilities/powers; in the past characters were buried alive and fell into long comas; vampires; a character’s vampirism was removed from them; sorcery; death and grief; dead bodies are animated to walk and fight by a necromancer; a character was imprisoned for a long time
****Note: I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher. All thoughts and opinions are most assuredly my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review. If I was I wouldn’t have read it. 😜****
Every time I read a book set in Ruskhazar I feel like I get another piece of the slowly-growing-larger-with-every-book world puzzle, and I love being able to weave threads between them all and speculate on when or how they might all collide one day—it’s super fun and I love it!
On top of that and most importantly though is, yet again, another Nicki book where everyone’s trapped in one building with a killer on the loose and the most obvious person is confused too, lol. I loved that in An Apprentice of Death and in this one too despite the scenarios being so different yet “fun” (for the reader, not the characters, lol). I thought I pegged the murderer too, but alas I was wrong, boo. Though not too boo ultimately because I didn’t guess it correctly making it more surprising when the TRUE culprit was revealed!
I LOVE these characters! Victor and Talyria were my faves and I SO want another book with them, they are just so fun and a growing-strong-despite-their-flaws couple I want to see grow even closer. Based on the previous “El sister” books (Trapped By Magic and This Hollow Heart, respectively) I didn’t think I’d like Corallin at all, but she turned out to be very different then perceived by her family and I ended up liking her, as well as Leif though we admittedly don’t see him much.
I really appreciate Nicki weaving in plot points and characters from those previous books into this one as it just adds to the intrigue and mystery/danger that might pop up in the future (pretty please, Nicki?) as hinted at in the epilogue, plus all the tantalizing could be threads left over from this main plot.
Overall I really enjoyed this one and would highly recommend!
‼️Content‼️
Language: jetting; by the gods; gods
Violence: a character’s neck was broken and they died but then were brought back to life (not detailed); a body is found with multiple stab wounds in a pool of blood (not detailed); injuries and blood (not to semi detailed); a man is stabbed in the throat (not detailed); swords are found stabbed in a man (semi detailed); a character is stabbed, sliced, and gutted (semi detailed); fighting with weapons and magic (not detailed)
Sexual: mild thoughts about a husband wanting a wedding night with his wife; kissing (not detailed)
Alcohol/Drugs: people drink ale and a few are a bit drunk
Other: necromancers; a demigod brings a character back to life and now lives in their head; fantasy gods/goddesses/demigods in a fantasy world; magic; magical abilities/powers; in the past characters were buried alive and fell into long comas; vampires; a character’s vampirism was removed from them; sorcery; death and grief; dead bodies are animated to walk and fight by a necromancer; a character was imprisoned for a long time
****Note: I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher. All thoughts and opinions are most assuredly my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review. If I was I wouldn’t have read it. 😜****
April 5, 2025
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
This book took a different turn than what I thought it was going to take… and I ended up loving it more because of it! I’m pretty sure I would rank this book as being up there with “Rage Like the Gods”. One of my favorite Ruskhazar novels!
While there was a good murder on the floor, I was super invested in the romances this book provided me with. What can I say? A previous thief queen with an undead rogue? An assassin with a super sweet novelist? Yes, please! I love how this book didn’t just focus on the main plot but also provided me with some backstory of these characters. The little twists between these four characters were so good, too! I love how if you read the other Ruskhazar novels you would see little cameos of some characters, leaving me with satisfying moments of, “Hey! I remember that guy!”
Talyria. Our previous thief queen! Her story is actually pretty sad. I liked how the author didn’t just show us her wanting to rebuild her empire but also showed us the vulnerable part of her who was afraid and grieving what she lost.
Victor. You can’t talk about Victor without talking about Likho. They were an interesting pair. A little bit of madness to Victor’s mortality. Honestly, a perfect mix. I loved Victor’s confident way of asking Talyria to marry him, and how he constantly wonders if he’s being a good husband to her. And his family! His dad was great, ahh, I loved him!
I remember other books in the Ruskhazar world describing Corallin as being creepy. So I had always envisioned her as being eccentric. And while she might still be a little bit, she was also very charming. I don’t know, I guess with the way she talks with Lief when they first meet or the way she tilts her head, it’s hard to remember that she’s a vampire assassin. I ended up really liking her character.
Lief. I love the trope of a big guy being a super sweet cinnamon roll. And Lief was exactly like that! I loved how he was a novelist and not a fighter, yet, he would do anything to keep Corallin safe. I felt that this book was more Talyria and Victor’s story. So we didn’t get too much time with Lief and how he fell for Corallin, which was sad, but I absolutely fell in love with his character and can’t wait to see more of him.
The only problem I have with novellas is how short they are. But otherwise, this one was fantastic and I can’t wait for these characters to show up again!
Content in Book:
1. Violence. (Multiple people are murdered (some details of blood and wounds. One person wrote a name with his blood. Blood spilling out of someone’s mouth. Etc.) Someone broke someone’s neck. With magic and sorcery. With weapons. Hand-to-hand combat. One person is an assassin. Killing people with rat poison. Wolves. Etc.)
2. Magic and sorcery. (Coming back from the dead. A spellbook that has healing spells. Necromancy and animating the dead. Moving objects with sorcery. Hiding in the shadows. Using magic from the worship of gods or demigods. Etc.)
3. Vampires. (Drinking blood. Biting people. Etc.)
4. Thievery.
5. Worshiping gods and demigods. (Worshiping the demigods allows different powers of sorcery.)
6. Crime lords and assassins.
7. Sex. None. (One couple is newlywed, so there was talk of the guy wanting to enjoy his “wedding night” but it never happens and is only talked about in good taste. There are a couple of kisses, but light and sweet. A couple of suggestive comments, clean.)
Who I Would Recommend This Book To:
While this book could probably be read without any prior knowledge of the other books in the Ruskhazar world, I would still recommend reading the other books centering around Elwis the Eel’s daughters; “Trapped by Magic” and “This Hollow Heart” especially “This Hollow Heart”. These books talk about the other two spellbooks and I just don’t think it would hit the same without having read those two.
Those who want a book with rogues, thieves, and assassins. Those who want more books in the world of Ruskhazar. Those who want two sweet romances. Those who want to read about crime empires. Those who want a murder-esque mystery.
This book took a different turn than what I thought it was going to take… and I ended up loving it more because of it! I’m pretty sure I would rank this book as being up there with “Rage Like the Gods”. One of my favorite Ruskhazar novels!
While there was a good murder on the floor, I was super invested in the romances this book provided me with. What can I say? A previous thief queen with an undead rogue? An assassin with a super sweet novelist? Yes, please! I love how this book didn’t just focus on the main plot but also provided me with some backstory of these characters. The little twists between these four characters were so good, too! I love how if you read the other Ruskhazar novels you would see little cameos of some characters, leaving me with satisfying moments of, “Hey! I remember that guy!”
Talyria. Our previous thief queen! Her story is actually pretty sad. I liked how the author didn’t just show us her wanting to rebuild her empire but also showed us the vulnerable part of her who was afraid and grieving what she lost.
Victor. You can’t talk about Victor without talking about Likho. They were an interesting pair. A little bit of madness to Victor’s mortality. Honestly, a perfect mix. I loved Victor’s confident way of asking Talyria to marry him, and how he constantly wonders if he’s being a good husband to her. And his family! His dad was great, ahh, I loved him!
I remember other books in the Ruskhazar world describing Corallin as being creepy. So I had always envisioned her as being eccentric. And while she might still be a little bit, she was also very charming. I don’t know, I guess with the way she talks with Lief when they first meet or the way she tilts her head, it’s hard to remember that she’s a vampire assassin. I ended up really liking her character.
Lief. I love the trope of a big guy being a super sweet cinnamon roll. And Lief was exactly like that! I loved how he was a novelist and not a fighter, yet, he would do anything to keep Corallin safe. I felt that this book was more Talyria and Victor’s story. So we didn’t get too much time with Lief and how he fell for Corallin, which was sad, but I absolutely fell in love with his character and can’t wait to see more of him.
The only problem I have with novellas is how short they are. But otherwise, this one was fantastic and I can’t wait for these characters to show up again!
Content in Book:
1. Violence. (Multiple people are murdered (some details of blood and wounds. One person wrote a name with his blood. Blood spilling out of someone’s mouth. Etc.) Someone broke someone’s neck. With magic and sorcery. With weapons. Hand-to-hand combat. One person is an assassin. Killing people with rat poison. Wolves. Etc.)
2. Magic and sorcery. (Coming back from the dead. A spellbook that has healing spells. Necromancy and animating the dead. Moving objects with sorcery. Hiding in the shadows. Using magic from the worship of gods or demigods. Etc.)
3. Vampires. (Drinking blood. Biting people. Etc.)
4. Thievery.
5. Worshiping gods and demigods. (Worshiping the demigods allows different powers of sorcery.)
6. Crime lords and assassins.
7. Sex. None. (One couple is newlywed, so there was talk of the guy wanting to enjoy his “wedding night” but it never happens and is only talked about in good taste. There are a couple of kisses, but light and sweet. A couple of suggestive comments, clean.)
Who I Would Recommend This Book To:
While this book could probably be read without any prior knowledge of the other books in the Ruskhazar world, I would still recommend reading the other books centering around Elwis the Eel’s daughters; “Trapped by Magic” and “This Hollow Heart” especially “This Hollow Heart”. These books talk about the other two spellbooks and I just don’t think it would hit the same without having read those two.
Those who want a book with rogues, thieves, and assassins. Those who want more books in the world of Ruskhazar. Those who want two sweet romances. Those who want to read about crime empires. Those who want a murder-esque mystery.
Read
May 5, 2025A cosy murder mystery set in a fantasy inn complete with vampires, a queen of thieves, and an assassin was not on my 2025 bingo card but, ya know, this was a nice bit of fun!
The vibes and characters were a delight, and I’m a sucker for a cosy murder mystery. My only quibbles are personal preference, namely the world building was too heady for my poor brain and half the story is told through flashbacks which felt a wee bit jarring at times.
It’s a short novella, perfect for an afternoon curled up with a warm beverage!
The vibes and characters were a delight, and I’m a sucker for a cosy murder mystery. My only quibbles are personal preference, namely the world building was too heady for my poor brain and half the story is told through flashbacks which felt a wee bit jarring at times.
It’s a short novella, perfect for an afternoon curled up with a warm beverage!
April 15, 2025
This was so fun, my favorite of the series that I have read so far.
June 1, 2025
THANK YOU NICKI FOR THIS MASTERPIECE.
.
3.5 stars!
i got obsessed with its vibes and world building. it was like reading mystery, thriller and romance all at once. Beautifully written characters and their background stories.
.
It excited me so much whenever Likho took over or talked to Victor. Those were my fav scenes from the book. Estelle irritated me so much she was such a whiny little girl who just screamed, cried and flirted all the time.
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The main couple chemistry was really cute and fast paces which i really enjoyed but felt so many gaps and i wanted to get to know them each other more but that's all we could get in 152 pages.
.
3.5 stars!
i got obsessed with its vibes and world building. it was like reading mystery, thriller and romance all at once. Beautifully written characters and their background stories.
.
It excited me so much whenever Likho took over or talked to Victor. Those were my fav scenes from the book. Estelle irritated me so much she was such a whiny little girl who just screamed, cried and flirted all the time.
.
The main couple chemistry was really cute and fast paces which i really enjoyed but felt so many gaps and i wanted to get to know them each other more but that's all we could get in 152 pages.
April 18, 2025
Okay, work! You do you! Love that for you bestie!! 😍😍😍
(Girl what the freak was this lol)
(Girl what the freak was this lol)
May 6, 2025
Goodness, I loved Bronwyn & Wilder’s story in Trapped by Magic and it was so fun getting to meet Corralin, Lief, Talyria, and Victor in this book. The magic, the secrets, the murder mystery, the interconnected pasts- it hooked me and kept reeling me in. Especially the last half of the book.
April 30, 2025
First of all, I didn't know that this book had two previous ones, I've read it as a part of the Tempting thieves series, because I think some things would make better sense. Still I felt like three people were writing this one, it felt shallow, twists weren't twisting and the romance didn't sell itself to me. Also this book is anything but it certainly isn't Six of crows, I find this offensive towards Soc, because it's just not that mastermind and mind-blowing full duology that keeps you waiting for the worst. Like some twists here were necessary, I also want to know more about Likho like he's the most interesting voice/character in this and you just give him some lines, wtf? Also I think she just used Loki's name and just changed it. SPOILER: Because as Loki, Likho is a demigod/god of chaos and I bet a mischief as well. I absolutely hated the I'm so badass I don't need a man but actually that one guy that saved me or is mysterious is so fine! Like girl, you serious? You are the independent badass, independent assassin and then you fall for a guy??? Also why are we mixing so many mythical creatures together, an elf mixed with a vampire that's immortal and is a thief/assassin/lost queen? And the reunion of two sisters is just what the fuck? Also one necromancer who is making our FMC a prisoner is just after her backstory memory never mentioned again? Like what was his purpose then??? And the third act breakup was absolutely atrocious! And can someone explain to me what purpose Estelle had? It just felt like a bunch of ideas were brewed together and just didn't hit the spot. I bet if I've read the two books before I would still be hella confused by this madness of a book. But someone else will probably love this, I'm sure the romantasy girlies (I'm one of the but this just didn't click well with me) will love and think that this is a peak fantasy literature, spoiler, it is not. Also the author is in her twenties and is she a Christian? I'm not sure about the acknowledgements joke, so if you know more, enlighten me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2025
This book was a fantasy version of Clue. Victor, a former guard and man who is not quite alive, has been making his way home. While on the road home he meets Talyria, a former vampire but still High Elf. One thing leads to another and they are married before they make it to the inn. Once they arrive, things go to heck in a handbasket. Someone is found murdered and another mysterious High Elf arrives just as the body is discovered. Then, it's a who-dun-it of fantastical proportions.
Victor is a reluctant vessel, even though made the deal. Talyria is a reluctant wife. Even though it is a marriage of convenience for the both of them, they learn that they may just be meant for each other after all. They are both more alike than they know, since they are keeping their own secrets tucked away. And Corallin is another mystery! We know who she is now, but not who she was before. She has a lot to live up to with her family, but she is definitely up to the task.
There is so much happening in a shorter story. Once the body is discovered it is a race to find the sorcerer. There is more destruction, death and general chaos until the killer is caught. With the snowstorm, no one can leave, so they know the guilty party is trapped with them. Will they figure out who the murderer is before it's too late? And what secrets will be revealed by the end of this story?
I enjoyed meeting Corallin's sister in Thie Hollow Heart and now I really want to read Trapped by Magic to get the other sister's story as well! This book was faster paced story and the only thing I can say that I wish was different was that it was a little longer! I would love to have gotten just a bit more back story and maybe a little more to main plot! But the ending hints at more to come so I am excited to see what comes next in this world.
Victor is a reluctant vessel, even though made the deal. Talyria is a reluctant wife. Even though it is a marriage of convenience for the both of them, they learn that they may just be meant for each other after all. They are both more alike than they know, since they are keeping their own secrets tucked away. And Corallin is another mystery! We know who she is now, but not who she was before. She has a lot to live up to with her family, but she is definitely up to the task.
There is so much happening in a shorter story. Once the body is discovered it is a race to find the sorcerer. There is more destruction, death and general chaos until the killer is caught. With the snowstorm, no one can leave, so they know the guilty party is trapped with them. Will they figure out who the murderer is before it's too late? And what secrets will be revealed by the end of this story?
I enjoyed meeting Corallin's sister in Thie Hollow Heart and now I really want to read Trapped by Magic to get the other sister's story as well! This book was faster paced story and the only thing I can say that I wish was different was that it was a little longer! I would love to have gotten just a bit more back story and maybe a little more to main plot! But the ending hints at more to come so I am excited to see what comes next in this world.
July 28, 2025
I picked up this book because I wanted a quicker reader while on vacation and unable to access a couple library holds from books that had recently come in. This was 4 stars for me until about the 70 percent mark and after that it was a solid 3 stars.
I enjoyed how quickly I was able to get through this since it was a novella but at the same time the lack of the author being able to world build (although she has written other books in this world so maybe there is more of that in there?) and lack of time to make things more atmospheric did decrease my enjoyment of the story. Yes the writing was pretty good and the characters were interesting but there needed to be more depth and therefore more pages for me to really enjoy this more. Even if there had been more pages there was a strong sense of past events that had taken place that you as the reader wouldn’t know about unless you had read other books set in this world.
One critique I have was that there is a pov where that pov acknowledges seeing and interacting with a certain character as though they didn’t know them before, then later in the story it is revealed they are in love and know the person. It is unrealistic to write a scene this way and it doesn’t really make sense from that character’s pov other than to make things a surprise for the reader.
If someone is in the mood for a murder mystery with a lot of stabby characters who are lovable and have heart behind them, and you want something short I think this could be a good read for you. I also liked that the author thanked Jesus at the end of her acknowledgements, to be honest I feel like I don’t interact with many people I know of who are believers that enjoy fantasy (especially any that have vampires in it.) Anyways, I don’t regret this I think give it a shot and see what you think!
I enjoyed how quickly I was able to get through this since it was a novella but at the same time the lack of the author being able to world build (although she has written other books in this world so maybe there is more of that in there?) and lack of time to make things more atmospheric did decrease my enjoyment of the story. Yes the writing was pretty good and the characters were interesting but there needed to be more depth and therefore more pages for me to really enjoy this more. Even if there had been more pages there was a strong sense of past events that had taken place that you as the reader wouldn’t know about unless you had read other books set in this world.
One critique I have was that there is a pov where that pov acknowledges seeing and interacting with a certain character as though they didn’t know them before, then later in the story it is revealed they are in love and know the person. It is unrealistic to write a scene this way and it doesn’t really make sense from that character’s pov other than to make things a surprise for the reader.
If someone is in the mood for a murder mystery with a lot of stabby characters who are lovable and have heart behind them, and you want something short I think this could be a good read for you. I also liked that the author thanked Jesus at the end of her acknowledgements, to be honest I feel like I don’t interact with many people I know of who are believers that enjoy fantasy (especially any that have vampires in it.) Anyways, I don’t regret this I think give it a shot and see what you think!
April 9, 2025
I'm prefacing this with the fact that my rating and experience with this book is ENTIRELY my fault and in no way reflects the author or their ability to write (they are a PHENOMENAL writer, I just goofed)
This is my first book by Chapelway and I didn't realize until too late that, while To Sway a Rogue is a standalone, it is part of an overarching series/world 😅😵💫 Again, my fault. Had I read the other books I feel my rating would he different.
Another note: a 3 🌟 rating is not a bad rating from me. It simply means the book was good, I just didn't connect with it the way I had hoped.
That being said, while this book is meant to be a standalone it doesn't feel like one? I'm not sure how to put it. I felt as though the readers were meant to already be acquainted with the characters, world, and magic system. While long-time readers of the series may find certain things redundant, there was a lack of information (in my opinion) for new readers.
Is this a bad thing? Not at all! That mystery/confusion kept me intrigued and wanting to know more. However, I'm left with more questions than answers and I'm confused as to where this book fits in the rest of the world and where to go from here. I have to go reread Chapelway's Instagram post on the timeline order 😅 I REALLY wish I would've realized this all sooner 😭💔
For this, I apologize and I hope to read more books in the series and come back with a better rating 💙
This is my first book by Chapelway and I didn't realize until too late that, while To Sway a Rogue is a standalone, it is part of an overarching series/world 😅😵💫 Again, my fault. Had I read the other books I feel my rating would he different.
Another note: a 3 🌟 rating is not a bad rating from me. It simply means the book was good, I just didn't connect with it the way I had hoped.
That being said, while this book is meant to be a standalone it doesn't feel like one? I'm not sure how to put it. I felt as though the readers were meant to already be acquainted with the characters, world, and magic system. While long-time readers of the series may find certain things redundant, there was a lack of information (in my opinion) for new readers.
Is this a bad thing? Not at all! That mystery/confusion kept me intrigued and wanting to know more. However, I'm left with more questions than answers and I'm confused as to where this book fits in the rest of the world and where to go from here. I have to go reread Chapelway's Instagram post on the timeline order 😅 I REALLY wish I would've realized this all sooner 😭💔
For this, I apologize and I hope to read more books in the series and come back with a better rating 💙
April 4, 2025
I really enjoyed this story by Nicki! If you follow her, you know that she got this idea of three sisters who were the adopted daughters of another of her characters and tell their stories across 3 multi-author series. This is the last of the stories and about the most mysterious sister of all. I was intrigued by this story from the beginning. There's a lot of time jumps, in the vein of Once Upon a Time, which I loved. As always, I'm left wanting more about these characters! However, this book is jam packed with plenty of action for shorter book! If you're a fan of Six of Crows or Once Upon a Time, you'll love this book!!
What to expect:
👩❤️💋👨Sweet kisses only. The romance in this book is very sweet. There is a marriage of convenience (I'm here for it! 😍)
⚔️Nicki is the queen of action violence (imo), and this book is no exception. Several people meet their untimely end.
🪄Sorcerers use elemental magic, magickers use spells. There is some necromancy in this story.
📚 This is a standalone book, but I recommend reading Elwis the Eel's stories, and Bronwyn and Natasya's stories before hand! 😉
What to expect:
👩❤️💋👨Sweet kisses only. The romance in this book is very sweet. There is a marriage of convenience (I'm here for it! 😍)
⚔️Nicki is the queen of action violence (imo), and this book is no exception. Several people meet their untimely end.
🪄Sorcerers use elemental magic, magickers use spells. There is some necromancy in this story.
📚 This is a standalone book, but I recommend reading Elwis the Eel's stories, and Bronwyn and Natasya's stories before hand! 😉
June 21, 2025
Pages📄: 144 pages (Kindle)
Main trope: Marriage of convenience💍, Thieves💰, Vampires🧛🏻♀️
Spice🌶️: Tame - Closed door🚪
Ending: Happily ever after❤️
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
To sway a Rogue is the first standalone book in the 'Tempting Thieves series'.
This book takes place in the Ruskhazar world - and because I've never read any books featuring this world, it took me a little time to get into this story. Not too much, but a little.
I did enjoy the romance aspect of this book, especially with it being two romance stories in this.
Talyria and Victor were my favorite couple, but I would have loved to see even more of our married couple.
Corallin and Leif were cute too, but here too, a bit more of their dynamic would have been great.
The plot and storyline was interesting and good, though the few aspects that were bit confusing made the story less enjoyable.
All in all, I think this was a good story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Main trope: Marriage of convenience💍, Thieves💰, Vampires🧛🏻♀️
Spice🌶️: Tame - Closed door🚪
Ending: Happily ever after❤️
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
To sway a Rogue is the first standalone book in the 'Tempting Thieves series'.
This book takes place in the Ruskhazar world - and because I've never read any books featuring this world, it took me a little time to get into this story. Not too much, but a little.
I did enjoy the romance aspect of this book, especially with it being two romance stories in this.
Talyria and Victor were my favorite couple, but I would have loved to see even more of our married couple.
Corallin and Leif were cute too, but here too, a bit more of their dynamic would have been great.
The plot and storyline was interesting and good, though the few aspects that were bit confusing made the story less enjoyable.
All in all, I think this was a good story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 17, 2025
Thank you to Nicki Chapelway for the ARC.
Plot 3.75/5
Characters 4/5
Ending 3.5/5
Interest 3.5/5
Overall 3.5/5
-This book wasn’t exactly it for me. The plot line was interesting with the mystery aspect but I felt like I was missing a lot of information on everything that it took time for me to enjoy this book. I still liked the setting of a close knit tavern and then multiple fantasy elements joining in. Piles of secrets also coming into play was very intriguing.
-The characters were fun to read about. I still didn’t quite understand why the two got married when they barely knew each other but having both of their point of views and seeing what they truly thought of one another and how they tried to keep their respectives secrets was fun. As the book was quite short, there wasn’t enough background or development to the characters in the long run, but it still felt fine.
-The ending didn’t stick out to me all that much. The secrets being revealed were what I was anticipating the most because I had no clue how each character would react. But overall the ending didn’t go out with a bang or a big plot twist that stuck to my mind.
Plot 3.75/5
Characters 4/5
Ending 3.5/5
Interest 3.5/5
Overall 3.5/5
-This book wasn’t exactly it for me. The plot line was interesting with the mystery aspect but I felt like I was missing a lot of information on everything that it took time for me to enjoy this book. I still liked the setting of a close knit tavern and then multiple fantasy elements joining in. Piles of secrets also coming into play was very intriguing.
-The characters were fun to read about. I still didn’t quite understand why the two got married when they barely knew each other but having both of their point of views and seeing what they truly thought of one another and how they tried to keep their respectives secrets was fun. As the book was quite short, there wasn’t enough background or development to the characters in the long run, but it still felt fine.
-The ending didn’t stick out to me all that much. The secrets being revealed were what I was anticipating the most because I had no clue how each character would react. But overall the ending didn’t go out with a bang or a big plot twist that stuck to my mind.
April 20, 2025
I love seeing all the different ways that Chapelway's characters and books connect. It's kind of like a fun little hunt. That being said, one definitely does not have to read the other books to understand what is going on in this one, though it would enhance the experience.
Talyria is old and full of secrets, and she was foolish enough to marry a man she barely knew. When they arrive at his father's inn right before a giant storm, they both realize that the other is hiding secrets in the middle of a murder investigation.
The mystery was well-written, and while the romance was fast-paced, it also showed that one couldn't expect to simply marry someone and move on with their lives without confronting the secrets and lies they were hiding. I expect that there will be more stories set in Ruskhazar in the future and therefore potential for cameos by the characters.
Talyria is old and full of secrets, and she was foolish enough to marry a man she barely knew. When they arrive at his father's inn right before a giant storm, they both realize that the other is hiding secrets in the middle of a murder investigation.
The mystery was well-written, and while the romance was fast-paced, it also showed that one couldn't expect to simply marry someone and move on with their lives without confronting the secrets and lies they were hiding. I expect that there will be more stories set in Ruskhazar in the future and therefore potential for cameos by the characters.
May 30, 2025
I have read another part of this series and was curious to know the story of another sister. But to be honest I was disappointed. First of all about the story itself, which is mainly a kind of simple murder mystery ( who's done it) and second of all because of the fact that the sister, Coraline is kind of a secondary character here, focusing on two other main characters and their love story. It feels like the focus of this story was mainly to introduce a new character to the series. Not that that's a bad thing, but it is disappointing when you expect Coraline's love story.
The pace of the story is perfect for its kind. Although I sometimes found the skipping between 3 characters viewpoints a little too much of a distraction in this book
The pace of the story is perfect for its kind. Although I sometimes found the skipping between 3 characters viewpoints a little too much of a distraction in this book
June 4, 2025
loved it !! a great start for this new series !! love Talyria and Victor... and Corallin , too !! this is their murder mystery to solve... Talyria has been in a sleep for a thousand years and she lost everything .. she was the queen of thieves ... and the world is different now... Victor is going home finally... he was a guard , a thief and he's undead... they meet and marry on their way to the Inn that Victor's father owns... right before a major storm that traps everyone inside... this is also, where Corallin ends up, she looking for a spell book.. and then, there's the matter of the dead body... everyone has secrets !!! which one will get them killed ? so good !!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 5, 2025
To Sway a Rogue by Nicki Chapelway
⚔ Trapped in an inn
⚔ A MMC who isn't exactly alive...
⚔ A k!ller on the loose
⚔ Thieves
⚔ Swoony romance, a kiss or two (no spice)
Genre: Fantasy
While not exactly my usual style (contains vampires and necromancers), I did really enjoy this one! This book is about secrets. Everybody's got them! Would recommend if you are looking for a stabby fantasy with a side of romance!
A standalone in the Tempting Thieves series, ties in to the author's other books
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⚔ Trapped in an inn
⚔ A MMC who isn't exactly alive...
⚔ A k!ller on the loose
⚔ Thieves
⚔ Swoony romance, a kiss or two (no spice)
Genre: Fantasy
While not exactly my usual style (contains vampires and necromancers), I did really enjoy this one! This book is about secrets. Everybody's got them! Would recommend if you are looking for a stabby fantasy with a side of romance!
A standalone in the Tempting Thieves series, ties in to the author's other books
⭐⭐⭐⭐
June 2, 2025
I have some mixed feelings about this story.
I didn't realize this was part of a series. I do think you can read and understand it as a standalone, but i wonder if you get more information and understanding if you read the other books first (I actually own both of them too).
I liked Victor as a character, but the procession angle made me uncomfortable. So, I struggled some with this.
The romance in the book was good and I enjoyed that there was a murder mystery (I love murder mysteries).
The murder mystery was actually why I picked up the book.
I think the world building was well-done and the concept was good. I just think some of the topics weren't for me. I am going to read the other books, because this one wasn't bad.
I received an arc via booksprout.
I didn't realize this was part of a series. I do think you can read and understand it as a standalone, but i wonder if you get more information and understanding if you read the other books first (I actually own both of them too).
I liked Victor as a character, but the procession angle made me uncomfortable. So, I struggled some with this.
The romance in the book was good and I enjoyed that there was a murder mystery (I love murder mysteries).
The murder mystery was actually why I picked up the book.
I think the world building was well-done and the concept was good. I just think some of the topics weren't for me. I am going to read the other books, because this one wasn't bad.
I received an arc via booksprout.
March 12, 2025
The story follows Talyria, a former queen of thieves, who must navigate a world of secrets, revenge, and danger after being robbed of everything by a necromancer. Alongside her is Victor, an innkeeper's son with his own dark secrets, and Corallin, a crime lord's daughter on a quest for a spellbook. The plot unfolds in a snowstorm, trapping the characters in an inn where secrets unravel, and survival becomes a challenge.
April 14, 2025
I. Need. More!!!! I got wayyyy too attached to too many characters in this book. And I swear if there isn’t a sequel at some point I’ll be so disappointed! If you’re looking for a quick read with a lot of fun and a little love, this is it! If you’re looking for a ton of character development and backstory that is pertinent to the short plot, I’d say maybe not. But it’s a fun read and definitely a good one to have on hand if you’re in a slump!
April 8, 2025
This was a great fantasy short story with vampires, sorcerers and demigods! The story follows Talyria and Victor, who get married on a whim and travel to Victor's family inn. However when a guard is found murdered, the mystery and Sorcery deepens! Victor and the demigod trapped within him adds an interesting angle to the story.
May 29, 2025
I've loved this fantastic read. There's much happening in the story, and it's been very engaging - read, I need more though - and all has sense with realistic but unique characters - Talyria and Victor are interesting at the very least-, magic, world building, cozy murder mystery with morally grey characters. Anyway, I recommend this here to introduce you in as a mood reader.
April 4, 2025
This fascinating book was quite bloody, and a lot of people got killed. However, I loved the storyline, the world building, and most of the characters! It’s not a standalone book, but the story within is complete by itself.
May 11, 2025
A very good and satisfying read. Loved the romance, magic system and the mystery part. Too short and the world building too rushed but that’s kinda expected from the novel this short and at the end we did find out that this author’s original work has sisters’ stories as well so there goes that
June 23, 2025
The ideas and world building concepts were interesting but needed more flushing out than what a novella could provide. At only 18 chapters, it felt rushed and confusing at times. There were some typos and grammatical errors that also threw me off.
April 15, 2025
This book was great! It is very well written and the magic system was very well thought out and unique. The romance was cute with lots of banter. Would highly recommend.
April 16, 2025
(2.75 stars)
short and sweet but with a rich world that would benefit from a longer work. i was a little confused about everything but talyria and victor were very cute
short and sweet but with a rich world that would benefit from a longer work. i was a little confused about everything but talyria and victor were very cute
April 27, 2025
2.5 rounded up...
May 29, 2025
I love this world! I love that every book adds to it and all of it weaves together yet stands alone nicely. This book is no different. Absolutely a fun and enjoyable read. Love and great characters.
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