To Poison a Prince

A Tale of Two Princes #2

by Aldrea Alien

Someone is out to murder his husband and he might just be the reason they succeed.

Imperial Crown Prince Darshan knew his journey home wasn’t going to be the modest one he hoped for, especially not after eloping with Hamish, a former prince—and now exile—of Tirglas.

When he thwarts a clumsy attempt on his husband’s life during a soirée hosted by his long-standing rival and half-sister, he figures the worst is behind them.

Yet, the threat of death continues to shadow them across the empire. Someone is intent on making the rumours of his husband’s demise a reality, someone who can erase the memory of their very presence from people’s minds.

Darshan must discover who is behind the attempts before they succeed. But who can he trust when the culprit is capable of slipping by the most vigilant of guards?

*This book contains violence, gore and explicit adult themes.*

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Royalty, LGBT, Magic, Adult, Gay

Kindle Edition

First published July 31, 2021

About the author

Mother. Animal lover. Vampire. Fangirl.

Aldrea Alien is a multi-award-winning, USA Today Bestselling, bisexual and genderfluid author from New Zealand. She writes fantasy romance of varying heat levels and sexualities.

She grew up on a small farm out the back blocks of a place known as Wainuiomata alongside a menagerie of animals, who are all convinced they're just as human as the next person (especially the cats). She spent a great deal of her childhood riding horses, whilst the rest of her time was consumed with reading every fantasy book she could get her hands on and concocting ideas about a little planet known as Thardrandia. This would prove to be the start of The Rogue King Saga as, come her twelfth year, she discovered there was a book inside her.
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Aldrea now lives in Upper Hutt, on yet another small farm with a less hectic, but still egotistical, group of animals (cats will be cats). She still hasn't yet found an off switch to give her an ounce of peace from the characters plaguing her mind, a list that grows bigger every year with all of them clamouring for her to tell their story first. It's a lot of people for one head.



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Reviews

[Kaje Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action has moved from Hamish's Scots-inspired rocky and rough kingdom to the journey home for Darshan, and their arrival in the world of luxury, slaves, intrigue and assassination. There is a lot of danger, adventure, conflict and magic in this one. And our heroes develop in their relationship, and in their interactions with their family members, good and bad. I thoroughly enjoyed this installment.

[Abrianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Aldrea Alien is a fantastic writer and her world-building skills are brilliant. She's able to weave the story with lots of detail but makes it so that it doesn't get bogged down with description.
Hamish and Darshan are in Darshan's home country. They have to not only prove to the king that their marriage is legitimate, but also stop Darshan's bitter sisters from trying to kill Hamish.
It's a bit mystery, a bit romance, and a lot of magic. These two grow as a couple as they have to learn how to navigate a new political minefield together and apart as well as keep their relationship solid.
I am so glad we got more of these two because they're so sweet. Hamish is a big cinnamon roll who won't hesitate to protect the man he loves, and Darshan is learning how to be more cognizant of someone else's wants and needs while also staying true to himself and what he stands for.

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the world building: it’s immersive, detailed but not overwhelmingly so, and just so compellingly woven throughout moments of plot and character development. I think anyone who enjoys fantasy would enjoy both the style and the substance here: I felt like I was always learning new things, but not that the narrative was being slowed down at all to present them to me. Hamish and Darshan are not only part of an interesting world, they’re also interesting people, and easy to root for. This book is not short, but I still didn’t want it to end— it was that easy to get caught up in. Overall, this book is well worth a read, and also part of a series, so don’t miss out on reading previous installments, if you haven’t already.

*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed seeing Darshan and Hamish get together in the first book, but I liked this one even more. I loved the intrigue not only of who was trying to pull off the assassination, but how they were doing it. Also, this book took the old Soviet trick of erasing people from photographs once they were out of favor to a whole new level that makes you think about today and the increasingly digital world. Our main characters have a wonderful, strong relationship and they need it to get through the challenges here.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

First things first I was so excited and happy to return to the Spellster world. It was a privilege and delight to receive an ARC of this novel. Now, on to the review!

To Poison a Prince picks up after To Target the Heart, the second in A Tale of Two Princes, part of Alien’s larger Spellster world. (The full series in chronological order being The Leap to Freedom, Willow, Someone Else’s Shoes,To Target the Heart, To Poison a Prince, In Pain and Blood,An Unexpected Gift) Hamish and Darshan have left Tirglas, a failure in diplomacy but a success in matters of the heart and are now traveling through Udynea. This book is a journey but not solely through the geopolitical landscape of the Udynea Empire. It is also a journey to understanding their new lives and positions, understanding the depth of the commitment and changes it has brought to their lives now that Hamish and Darshan are husbands. There is also a new and unsettling power for Darshan to grapple with as the title alludes to a threat to his new husband’s life.

Someone wants to poison Hamish. Bad enough to try again and again in different places, using different means and different scapegoats. But there are common threads to be gathered and woven into the large and complicated tapestry that is Udynea politics. And if this wasn’t enough there is the validity of their marriage to contend with and not just from the Tirglasian side. And if you pay attention there are seeds of what’s to come in the timeline.

This book gives the characters time to grow, change and understand themselves and their relationship better. While not as action packed, it doesn’t feel lacking. The characters have a lot to work through from both internal and external sources but through it all they have each other. While they might have jumped into marriage, neither take it lightly. This book was a joy to immerse myself in, although there were times when I just wanted things to happen a little faster. All in all it was highly enjoyable, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

[Chetana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

You know how I said I missed the political intrigue involved in a book with 2 princes. Well I got my wish in this book. Though not the most intricate political intrigue, there were assassination attempts and a mystery involved along with the mystery of the discovery of new powers and what they involve.

But it all boiled down to Darshan and Hamish. I quite liked the parts where it was just the two of them. And it was not all roses for this couple. They argued, or as Hamish insisted, they had heated discussions and tried to find a balance between their two cultures. I basked in their affection for each other throughout this book and liked that we got to see more of the romance.

Coming to the cons, I just felt the story was incomplete. There were some plot points w.r.t. what Tirglas would do now that Hamish has runaway and what Darshan's powers were. They might be addressed in the extended Spellster universe novels but I am not sure. But I have enjoyed this book enough to overlook it a little.

All in all I enjoyed this jaunt through both Tirglas and Udynea and have found another favourite couple - Hamish and Darshan.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

While this was long (so long) I loved the story! There’s a mystery, court politics, danger, magic, and romance. I loved how these two worked as a couple; with respect, trust, and love.

There were a few editing errors, and a few conflicting details, but I could forgive in light of the epic size the book is. There is still more in this world to find out and I hope to get to some of the other books in this series.

[Joscelyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't want to spoil it is I'll just say that Darshan and Hamish's danger fraught journey is a fantastic addition to the Spellster world and to the Darshan and Hamish's continued adventures. As long as it was, 732 pages, I still wasn't ready for it to end.

*I voluntarily reviewed an Arc of this book*

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third work I’ve read by Aldrea Alien and I found myself revisiting my other reviews in order to write this one. For the prequel to To Poison a Prince, I recall enjoying the characters and their interactions, thinking the plot was compelling and that the world building had merit. For this installment, I’m less sure. The same characters that I liked previously, Hamish and Darshan, the titular princes of the series, fell flat for me this time around. The new characters didn’t do much for me at all.
I think the author was trying very hard to capture the decadence and in-fighting of an immensely powerful family but somehow all the lavish descriptions and catty interactions just felt dull to me. They felt like caricatures. Everything from the first book had been dialed up to extremes (including Hamish’s mother’s vigorous homophobia to the point she declares war for her son’s ‘murder’ a.k.a. marriage) and I couldn’t buy in to it.
We get a new perspective on how powerful Darshan is in terms of magic and politics, but he is so powerful that all threats feel mild. Someone is trying to kill Hamish (for reasons that feel convoluted to me at best and a little silly at worst) and actually manages to poison him a few times but each time (except for the climax) Darshan is able to save the day with his magical healing powers, enhanced by his newfound plant daddy powers.
Hamish also gains a strange flavor of plot amour as his dyslexia makes him immune to magical hypnosis (which is part of the murder plot and also something Darshan’s father uses to manipulate people).
Overall, there were a lot of moving pieces to this plot and the characters didn’t motivate me. The happy ending the princes get felt a little too easy and unearned.
Additionally, the overarching themes of homophobia as well as some anti-sex-worker/slut-shaming sentiment (Darshan repeatedly calls himself a whore for sleeping around and makes some off-color remarks about actual sex workers), with a good dash of cis-heteronormativity made this somewhat unpalatable, which is a shame, because I really wanted to like it.

[Vivi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pros:
The world is lively and highly detailed. The first introduction to the streets of Udynea, made me feel like I was actually there viewing it through the eyes of Hamish. The artwork with Darshan and his full beard is nice. The placement of Darshan on the first cover was awkward and this one has shown great improvement. The addition of the spymaster Zahaan was nice.

Cons:
The traveling scenes at the beginning of the book were a bit long and kind of repetitive. Like the last novel, this also suffers from too much exposition. I felt that the willow battle wasn't needed. Darshan basically becoming almost a god bringing back the dead multiple times, with no consequences was kind of weird to me. His twin sister seemed almost like an eight-year-old in her behavior.

Overall thoughts on the story:

I liked this book more than the first one and I would like to see more of the characters now that their relationship is established I would like to see how Darshan would be asking and how his having so much power would affect his rule. Darshan almost seemed to be going mad with power, he almost killed his father, his sister and he did kill guards. He single-mindedly went after the hypnotist not thinking that guards would be in the tower and broke it apart tearing down buildings and killing people and the only thing that was said after is that he got people killed because he was exhausted. I felt like more repercussions should have been against him for taking lives. I would like to have seen if his people look at him differently now. Darshan help starts a war with Tirglas by not following the rules so blood is on his hands. I found it odd that he basically threatened to kill Hamish's mother right in front of him and Gordon and they didn't flinch. When he gets angry he gets unhinged and I thought that's where she was going to go with that but this is a romance first, I would like to see more of Hamish and Darshan with a focus on the fantasy aspect.
I liked that they had disagreements on what they wanted in a family, it was nice to see that Hamish did not just lay down and let Darshan control everything. Speaking of control I thought that scene where Darshan was hurting him while they were intimate and saying that he owned him was very telling of how Darshan really felt about their power dynamic. Darshan's sister and Zahaan mentioned that he was a different person before he left and from what was written in those pages he doesn't seem to be that much different, he still has a quick temper and controlling and possessive.

I could see that she wanted to branch out more into the fantasy aspect of this book but she had to stay in the lines of the romance and it was obvious with the willow scene. The willow scene was not needed and took up a lot of time that could have been used elsewhere, though I enjoyed the lore of it it felt out of place. I feel like a complete fantasy book with these characters is needed to delve into more of the world. I also liked that Gordon was able to come to the wedding but I want to know how the war with the empire will pan out and how will things change when Gordon takes the throne. I wish there were more books in this series.

[F. Thot Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the first book in the duology more. The second book is not bad, it’s just incredibly long and needs editing. For me, the second book was more plot driven and I prefer more character driven stories.

Overall, I liked the story and the smut was delectable (albeit for such a long book I need more). My biggest critique is the pacing. There needed to be more levity or smut throughout. The first book had more comedic characters like Gordon and the nephews to break things up.

My favorite thing about this book is Hamish’s gentleness and that we can see Darshan become more of himself as he cares and grows with Hamish. There is definitely character development in both the MCs and I like that.

Out of the hundreds of MM romances I’ve read, this is easily in the top 25 and I would say the series ranks in my top 15 MM romance series/books.

[Whendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read a book with this much attempt at killing someone. I really loved this book. I want to read Dashan and Hamish children's story, I don't know if there's a plan for the book but pleaseeeeeee write it anyway

[Sadonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

This review and much more can be found at Love Bytes Reviews

NOTE: This is the second book in this series starring Hamish and Darshan. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily work as a standalone. Reading To Target the Heart first is highly recommended.

This book begins immediately following the events of the previous book, To Target the Heart. After the many trials and tribulations of Tirglas, Hamish and Darshan are off to Udynea, Crown Prince Darshan’s homeland – and specifically to the capital, Minamist and back to his father and family. Darshan knows the journey will not be easy – but he knows that their arrival and dealing with the politics of Udynea will also be difficult. But he cannot foresee ALL that they will have to deal with. Never mind that he’s arrived home unexpectedly, but he’s got a husband in tow 🙂

After the failure of Darshan’s mission to Tirglas and the instability there, he has to deal with the intrigue within his own country. While he is more adept at this political jockeying, Hamish is not necessarily prepared for it. And when someone tries to poison Hamish, all bets are off. While Hamish and Darshan are trying to move forward as a couple, there are always new situations they find themselves dealing with. New threats continue to come at them. Darshan has a lot on his plate but he and Hamish to make a formidable time. There is a LOT going on in this book and I don’t want to be spoilery because half the fun is trying to figure out who is behind what 😉 Suffice to say it’s a wild ride 😀

Again I will say that Fantasy is not generally my favorite genre. But I fell in love with Hamish and Darshan in the first book and I loved them in this one. Poor Hamish is still trying to overcome the trauma of his life and exile from Tirglas. Darshan realizes that getting and more importantly keeping what he wants is not going to be easy. But he’s in it to win it 😉 Once again the world building of this very interesting land and it’s people is well -done and rather seamlessly rolled into the story. I didn’t feel like I was dealing with info-dumping or long dry bits covering the history of the people and the lands. It’s quite a long book, but I didn’t feel like pacing of the story dragged much. And really given the complexity of the story, I didn’t feel like it was overly long and it kept me engaged and wanting to figure out who and how and why things were happening. This series is highly recommended for Fantasy fans. If I, a non-fantasy fan enjoyed it, then I can see real fantasy aficionado absolutely loving this 😀

[Apparently a reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

[EDIT]: I actually changed my mind I think this duology is my all time favorite, I know I ranted a lot but I do actually love this series a lot so im changing my rating from 2/5 to 4/5


Okay so I've only read 25% of the book but I have things to say, in the first book I didn't really feel like Hamish and Darshan weren't equals, infact they were always on the same page and I loved that.

But in the second book there seems to be a power dynamic between them, they don't feel like equals, first of all the way Darshan treats Hamish as if he's a kid who doesn't know anything(yes, he is new to the court life in Udynea but my point still stands) also looking at each of them individually we can see the power dynamic.

Darshan is the heir to the throne, the most powerful spellster we see in the series, who can control plants now, and who's rich and has everyone kissing his ass for favors.

Then we have Hamish: the ex prince who got disowned and pronounced dead by his family, the specialist with weak magic, the traumatized man with no wealth or sway to his name, who has to rely on his husband's wealth and power(both magically and politically) to just SURVIVE.

I just feel like Hamish(who's my fave character btw) is being treated like "the damsel in distress" who can't do anything for himself but hide behind Darshan, and I hate to say it but he does seem like a "bedwarmer" in this book, and the guy has to stand up for himself, it just feels like Hamish is always following and not walking WITH Darshan.

I'm gonna finish this book because I loved the first one so much, but I'm not even to the halfway point and I still feel weird about how Hamish is treated, I hope something happens to change my mind but I have little hope of it happening.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darshan and Hamish's story continues in this book. This very long book is sweeping and held my interest through many twists and turns. As the story opens, Darshan and Hamish continue their journey to reach Darshan's home. Along the way, they experience many dangers, a supernatural experience at an island, and various assassin attempts on Hamish's life.

When they arrive, they must face Darshan's father and a new life for Hamish in the Crystal Court. Dangers continue to abound. This book also has romance, magic, a lot of passion and a beautiful, healing forever love. I really enjoyed this story and, although it seems complete with a fantastic HEA, I wouldn't mind revisiting for an update on other characters in the palace. Great world-building, detailed character development, and an interesting, layered society. Highly recommended!

[Ryan Brousseau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this series!!! Fully in love with Hamish, and his and Darshans story/journey were a blast to follow! Book two gave a bit more action and some great "who did it" vibes.

I only wish we got a little more resolution to their situation with Tirglas. Even just an announcement of his brother's coronation would have been cool. BUT this book made me laugh, it made me cry and the picture of their perfect little family painted at the end was a beautiful ending to a wonderful story! Thank you!

[Tasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

First read: 4 stars
Second read: 3 stars - I was really looking forward to reading this again, but it felt stilted and VERY long. Probably could have used some more editing. It actually felt more like 2 books - the journey to Minamist and being in Minamist.

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Homophobia mentioned
Slavery
Physical & psychological child abuse mentioned
Depression mentioned
Attempted suicide mentioned
Graphic attempted murder
Poisoning