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Beneath the Cursed Veil
My captor, my enemy, and my fated mate.
I’m the best bounty hunter in the business. I find lost artifacts that people would kill to possess. I’m also broke. When a notorious leprechaun offers me a job I can’t refuse, I realize too late I’m not hunting an object.
The contract was simple; steal the prince, escape unseen.
Spoiler I failed. Horribly.
The moment I step into the fae kingdom beyond the veil, I feel it—someone watching me. Waiting for me.
King Vareck.
He’s nothing like I imagined—fierce, unyielding, and as cursed as the frozen lands of Faerie. An ice-cold ruler whose very presence bends the room to his will. He shouldn’t care about a thief like me, but we have one thing in common.
Vareck is more than just a king—he’s the man who has haunted my dreams for years.
And apparently, I’ve been in his too.
The difference?
He’s been searching the nine realms for me, and I never thought he was real.
Now that he’s found me, he has no intention of letting me go.
*Beneath the Cursed Veil is sarcastically funny, fantasy romance novel with steam. This is book one in the Faeted Winter duet.*
I’m the best bounty hunter in the business. I find lost artifacts that people would kill to possess. I’m also broke. When a notorious leprechaun offers me a job I can’t refuse, I realize too late I’m not hunting an object.
The contract was simple; steal the prince, escape unseen.
Spoiler I failed. Horribly.
The moment I step into the fae kingdom beyond the veil, I feel it—someone watching me. Waiting for me.
King Vareck.
He’s nothing like I imagined—fierce, unyielding, and as cursed as the frozen lands of Faerie. An ice-cold ruler whose very presence bends the room to his will. He shouldn’t care about a thief like me, but we have one thing in common.
Vareck is more than just a king—he’s the man who has haunted my dreams for years.
And apparently, I’ve been in his too.
The difference?
He’s been searching the nine realms for me, and I never thought he was real.
Now that he’s found me, he has no intention of letting me go.
*Beneath the Cursed Veil is sarcastically funny, fantasy romance novel with steam. This is book one in the Faeted Winter duet.*
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 25, 2025
554 people are currently reading
2230 people want to read
About the author
Aurelia Jane
24 books218 followersAurelia Jane is an author and word nerd.
When she’s not writing or chauffeuring her kiddos, she can be found spending time with her husband and kids, searching for hilarious memes, talking to her co-author, drowning in coffee, or finding a way to be active when all she really wants to do is take a nap.
She resides in Texas, making air-conditioning and salsa two of her best friends.
For subrights, media, or film inquiry, please reach out to team@kelandaurelia.com
Follow her on Instagram @authoraureliajane and join our patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/kelandaurel...
When she’s not writing or chauffeuring her kiddos, she can be found spending time with her husband and kids, searching for hilarious memes, talking to her co-author, drowning in coffee, or finding a way to be active when all she really wants to do is take a nap.
She resides in Texas, making air-conditioning and salsa two of her best friends.
For subrights, media, or film inquiry, please reach out to team@kelandaurelia.com
Follow her on Instagram @authoraureliajane and join our patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/kelandaurel...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 312 reviews
April 22, 2025
If you are a cat owner, you are going to love this book for the familiar alone!
Throw in some fae, secrets, and shared dreams and you get this book!
Throw in some fae, secrets, and shared dreams and you get this book!
Read
August 15, 2025Hiya! Couple of things from the author(s). . .
1. This is the first book in the Winter trilogy, which means not everything will be wrapped up just yet. Gotta wait for books 2 & 3 to have that. Upside? B2 comes out August 31st. Huzzah 🥳
2. We’ll be doing every season starting from winter. Each season is a different couple. While there is an over arching story across the planned 8-9 books, each season will wrap up that individual couple’s romance/storyline.
3. We have a super cool (and kinda spicy) prequel story you can read for free here: https://BookHip.com/HCRSVAA
4. We mostly hang out on Instagram and Patreon. You can find links for all that and more here: https://linktr.ee/kelandaurelia
If you post about it on social media we love to be tagged (as long as it’s not mean) lol. 😆
Thank you so much for your interest in the Faeted Seasons series. 💕
1. This is the first book in the Winter trilogy, which means not everything will be wrapped up just yet. Gotta wait for books 2 & 3 to have that. Upside? B2 comes out August 31st. Huzzah 🥳
2. We’ll be doing every season starting from winter. Each season is a different couple. While there is an over arching story across the planned 8-9 books, each season will wrap up that individual couple’s romance/storyline.
3. We have a super cool (and kinda spicy) prequel story you can read for free here: https://BookHip.com/HCRSVAA
4. We mostly hang out on Instagram and Patreon. You can find links for all that and more here: https://linktr.ee/kelandaurelia
If you post about it on social media we love to be tagged (as long as it’s not mean) lol. 😆
Thank you so much for your interest in the Faeted Seasons series. 💕
April 15, 2025
Beneath the Cursed Veil the Aurelia Jane and Kel Carpenter
Book 1 of the Faeted Seasons: Winter duet
Releasing 4/25
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for entrusting me with an early copy.
Modern day romantasy
Multiple POV, masquerade meet cute, enemies to lovers, he kidnaps her but she started it, touch her and 💀, only one bed, snarky cat familiar, dream sharing🥵, fated mates, morally grey everyone, fae royalty, cursed land and prophecy, fae and many other magical beings, romance reader gets her snarly MMC in real life, cliffhanger!
Meera has a talent for finding items, and the need for money for her beloved antique store. Which is why she keeps taking jobs from a shady leprechaun to find him items. But her world is turned upside down when the next job he gives her is not for an item, but for a person!
While struggling to keep his starving, cursed kingdom afloat, Vareck spends his free time searching the realms for the female who haunts his dreams. But when she shows up only to swipe his nephew, he ends up capturing her - not quite the introduction he had in mind.
I enjoyed the beginning of Meera and Vareck's journey! They started out a bit rough and it was fun to watch them banter and fall for each other. And the snarky cat familiar! Love him so much! There was a lot still unanswered and the end and it was definitely left on a cliffhanger making me want the next book now!
Book 1 of the Faeted Seasons: Winter duet
Releasing 4/25
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for entrusting me with an early copy.
Modern day romantasy
Multiple POV, masquerade meet cute, enemies to lovers, he kidnaps her but she started it, touch her and 💀, only one bed, snarky cat familiar, dream sharing🥵, fated mates, morally grey everyone, fae royalty, cursed land and prophecy, fae and many other magical beings, romance reader gets her snarly MMC in real life, cliffhanger!
Meera has a talent for finding items, and the need for money for her beloved antique store. Which is why she keeps taking jobs from a shady leprechaun to find him items. But her world is turned upside down when the next job he gives her is not for an item, but for a person!
While struggling to keep his starving, cursed kingdom afloat, Vareck spends his free time searching the realms for the female who haunts his dreams. But when she shows up only to swipe his nephew, he ends up capturing her - not quite the introduction he had in mind.
I enjoyed the beginning of Meera and Vareck's journey! They started out a bit rough and it was fun to watch them banter and fall for each other. And the snarky cat familiar! Love him so much! There was a lot still unanswered and the end and it was definitely left on a cliffhanger making me want the next book now!
May 5, 2025
So after this girl told you she can find anything and anyone with her distinct magic, the first thing you do is force a necklace on her that makes her magic less so she has no way to use that magic needed to help find a person she kidnapped. Not only that, but you enlist the help of the one person who hired the FC and put a magical bind on her in the first place. And this was after she told you it’s someone close but she can’t speak of it due to the magical bind and she burst into a cussing rage when she noticed you were asking the person who hired her for help to find the person kidnapped. And the FC just… forgives him. Because he’s hot. And she’s horny.
The mental gymnastics of the whole situation is cringe and irritating. Not only do I think these characters are dumber than a box of rocks, but now I feel like the author(s) think me, as in the reader, is too 🙄
The mental gymnastics of the whole situation is cringe and irritating. Not only do I think these characters are dumber than a box of rocks, but now I feel like the author(s) think me, as in the reader, is too 🙄
November 7, 2025
I finished this one sometime ago, so I don't remember much about this one. Other than it has a fated mate trope and faes. There was also a cliffhanger in the end there. Other than that, I guess it was an okay fantasy romance, I guess.
Honestly, I wouldn't have much to say about a book if it lands on the mediocre or okayish scale. And this one was definitely is.
Honestly, I wouldn't have much to say about a book if it lands on the mediocre or okayish scale. And this one was definitely is.
April 30, 2025
2.5 / 5.0
This was very meh. The characters weren’t interesting, the history of the curse on faerie wasn’t consistent, and the pacing was mediocre. I really wanted there to be yearning and action and mystery, but it resolved the first plot point almost immediately, then meandered to the next conflict with cozy day-in-the-life pacing and no romance, and then just rolled down to the end in an anticlimactic cliffhanger. And the dialogue is mind-numbingly bad.
Anyways, I won’t be continuing and I won’t be getting the SE. It’s not worth it which is too bad since it’s a beautiful book. I am disappointed since other series by this author duo are pretty good.
Until Next Time,
MC
This was very meh. The characters weren’t interesting, the history of the curse on faerie wasn’t consistent, and the pacing was mediocre. I really wanted there to be yearning and action and mystery, but it resolved the first plot point almost immediately, then meandered to the next conflict with cozy day-in-the-life pacing and no romance, and then just rolled down to the end in an anticlimactic cliffhanger. And the dialogue is mind-numbingly bad.
Anyways, I won’t be continuing and I won’t be getting the SE. It’s not worth it which is too bad since it’s a beautiful book. I am disappointed since other series by this author duo are pretty good.
Until Next Time,
MC
April 7, 2025
Omg! Was hooked from the very first line. Loved the banter between all the characters. Not a fantasy romance that is common. It is modernized to the point it talks about cell phones and even the clothing that is described is more like what we wear today. Highly recommend to read. Looking forward to the next book.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #beneaththecursedveil #thenerdfam
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #beneaththecursedveil #thenerdfam
April 13, 2025
Thank you to Nerd Fam for gifting me the eARC for an honest review. This book was easy to read fantasy. This book pulled me in right away its fast paced format and the fated mates- Meera & Varek. Oh and I can't forget the sidekick and the best car ever! Meera is really relateable in her stubbornness to accept help from her family which leads her into complicated situations. I love the banter between Meera & Varek. I enjoyed the novel because it keeped me wanting more. I just think it needed some umph. I am looking forward to see where the story takes us!
April 23, 2025
Thank you to the Nerd Fam and the authors for the eARC of Beneath the Cursed Veil!
I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! What did the authors put in this, crack?! Such a fun read!
All of the characters were funny and interesting. Corvo stole the show with his big personality! Varek, the Fae King, was refreshing. Instead of being a typical crazy powerful/power hungry/cunning and cruel Fae King, he was like a slightly lost golden retriever, reluctant to have power. I really liked Lou/Lucien. He was such an interesting character!
The pacing was consistent throughout, with this story keeping my interest the whole time. I had to know what happened next!
The writing style was smooth and easy to digest. I got Assistant to the Villain vibes while reading this story.
World Building/Imagery: I would have liked to feel more immersed in the Fairie world. Most things had high level descriptions. I wanted more info on the types of magic and creatures.
I appreciated the curvy FMC to represent us plus sized readers.
This book had great spice. I would rate this book 2/5 🌶️
The plot seemed focused mostly on the fated mates aspect of the story. I would have liked to see other plot point resolution such as a plan toward finding the Prince, how to even start trying to break the curse, and Meera’s familiy’s reaction to her disappearance.
Tropes in this story:
- fated mates
- forced proximity/one bed
- touch her and 💀
Overall, I am giving this book four stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! What did the authors put in this, crack?! Such a fun read!
All of the characters were funny and interesting. Corvo stole the show with his big personality! Varek, the Fae King, was refreshing. Instead of being a typical crazy powerful/power hungry/cunning and cruel Fae King, he was like a slightly lost golden retriever, reluctant to have power. I really liked Lou/Lucien. He was such an interesting character!
The pacing was consistent throughout, with this story keeping my interest the whole time. I had to know what happened next!
The writing style was smooth and easy to digest. I got Assistant to the Villain vibes while reading this story.
World Building/Imagery: I would have liked to feel more immersed in the Fairie world. Most things had high level descriptions. I wanted more info on the types of magic and creatures.
I appreciated the curvy FMC to represent us plus sized readers.
This book had great spice. I would rate this book 2/5 🌶️
The plot seemed focused mostly on the fated mates aspect of the story. I would have liked to see other plot point resolution such as a plan toward finding the Prince, how to even start trying to break the curse, and Meera’s familiy’s reaction to her disappearance.
Tropes in this story:
- fated mates
- forced proximity/one bed
- touch her and 💀
Overall, I am giving this book four stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 9, 2025
Thank you to the authors for gifting me a paperback copy. Opinions are my own.
This book was such a delight, and it has one of my favorite premises!
BENEATH THE CURSED VEIL is the first book in the Faeted Seasons series, and it follows a bounty hunter who is offered a job to steal the prince. However, things go sideways once she crosses into Faerie and finds King Vareck waiting for her. He's as cursed as his lands, but he's also the man who's been appearing in Meera's dreams—and she's been appearing in his!
Vareck also has a talking cat familiar who calls him "can opener" and trips people out of windows 🤭 He was such a highlight of this reading experience.
I DEVOURED this book! Meera has an amazing relationship with her sister (an immediate thumbs up in my book 👍) and she has an awesome power that allows her to find ANYTHING, which is how she manages to be the best in her business. Undeniably though I was super curious about the romance, and it did not disappoint. Meera and Vareck had a really fun dynamic. They were curious about one another, but also distrustful, and their banter was SPOT ON. I found myself kicking my feet more times than I can count, and their scenes were PACKED with intense moments.
Here are some tropes you might enjoy:
- fated mates
- shared dreams
- sassy cat familiar who is actually a god
- possessive MMC
- fae royalty
- touch her and…
This book was such a delight, and it has one of my favorite premises!
BENEATH THE CURSED VEIL is the first book in the Faeted Seasons series, and it follows a bounty hunter who is offered a job to steal the prince. However, things go sideways once she crosses into Faerie and finds King Vareck waiting for her. He's as cursed as his lands, but he's also the man who's been appearing in Meera's dreams—and she's been appearing in his!
Vareck also has a talking cat familiar who calls him "can opener" and trips people out of windows 🤭 He was such a highlight of this reading experience.
I DEVOURED this book! Meera has an amazing relationship with her sister (an immediate thumbs up in my book 👍) and she has an awesome power that allows her to find ANYTHING, which is how she manages to be the best in her business. Undeniably though I was super curious about the romance, and it did not disappoint. Meera and Vareck had a really fun dynamic. They were curious about one another, but also distrustful, and their banter was SPOT ON. I found myself kicking my feet more times than I can count, and their scenes were PACKED with intense moments.
Here are some tropes you might enjoy:
- fated mates
- shared dreams
- sassy cat familiar who is actually a god
- possessive MMC
- fae royalty
- touch her and…
April 2, 2025
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review. A unique fae romantasy with action, fated mates, and the best cat I have ever read! This was cute and witty as well as sweet and a little angsty at times. The ending definitely left me waiting for book 2.
April 29, 2025
I don’t know what the authors put into this book, but I could not put it down! It was fast paced, entertaining and the banter was top notch, not only between Meera and Vareck, but also Vareck and Corvo (Vareck’s familar). I can’t even tell you how many times they had be laughing out loud. I am so happy to see that we only have to wait until June for the second half of the duet because I’m hooked and I need answers as well as more Meera, Vareck and the crew ASAP!
Thank you to the authors and NerdFam for the eARC!
Thank you to the authors and NerdFam for the eARC!
April 13, 2025
Tropes: fated mates, he falls first, blood bonds, fae
I'm not a huge fan of when characters meet and there's immediate attraction. I get that they have been in each other's dreams...but like...Noone falls THAT fast.
I'm not a huge fan of when characters meet and there's immediate attraction. I get that they have been in each other's dreams...but like...Noone falls THAT fast.
April 16, 2025
Thank you to the NerdFam and the Author for a copy of this free eARC.
This book was a lot of fun. I had a huge chunk of laughs through a lot of it. I definitely found the world to be intriguing and unique.
Beneath the Cursed Veil is a fast paced fantasy, has plenty of twists, leaves you at the edge of your seat, and makes you keep turning the page. The world and story were engrossing, and once you add in Corvo the King's familiar cat you get even more going on. Without Corvo though I'm not sure how our FMC and MMC would have handled anything. Maybe he's the real hero of the story. XD
We have a our FMC Meera who's adopted into her family who are all into underground fighting/gambling, while she just wants to own and run an antiques shop. Sadly that doesn't pan out as well as she wants it to and so she starts working with a Leprechaun with magical contracts to make her mortgage. She accepts her contracts, and realizes she just might kill him this time..... Oh right, did I mention she's been having dreams of a mysterious male for 4 years and has no clue who he is but she does know his voice? No. Okay, well there's that to. And with that she's off to Faerie where things quickly go sideways and she ends up in situations that she couldn't even dream of.
If you want a story that's fast paced, fun, has some spice in it where it doesn't take over the entire plot, has a sassy cat familiar and a feisty female this could be the story for you. I can't wait to see what happens in book 2..... Oh by the way, watch out for the cliff.
This book was a lot of fun. I had a huge chunk of laughs through a lot of it. I definitely found the world to be intriguing and unique.
Beneath the Cursed Veil is a fast paced fantasy, has plenty of twists, leaves you at the edge of your seat, and makes you keep turning the page. The world and story were engrossing, and once you add in Corvo the King's familiar cat you get even more going on. Without Corvo though I'm not sure how our FMC and MMC would have handled anything. Maybe he's the real hero of the story. XD
We have a our FMC Meera who's adopted into her family who are all into underground fighting/gambling, while she just wants to own and run an antiques shop. Sadly that doesn't pan out as well as she wants it to and so she starts working with a Leprechaun with magical contracts to make her mortgage. She accepts her contracts, and realizes she just might kill him this time..... Oh right, did I mention she's been having dreams of a mysterious male for 4 years and has no clue who he is but she does know his voice? No. Okay, well there's that to. And with that she's off to Faerie where things quickly go sideways and she ends up in situations that she couldn't even dream of.
If you want a story that's fast paced, fun, has some spice in it where it doesn't take over the entire plot, has a sassy cat familiar and a feisty female this could be the story for you. I can't wait to see what happens in book 2..... Oh by the way, watch out for the cliff.
April 26, 2025
What to expect:
Enemies to lovers
Touch her & ☠️
Forced proximity
Fated mates
Familiars 🐈
Meera is quite gifted, and she utilizes her talent to track down rare items in exchange for money. The leprechaun she works with has a job that offers high compensation, but little does she know that the job entails capturing the Prince of the Faerie realm.
The night she shows up in Faerie, there is a ball at the Kingdom where she plans to kidnap the Prince. King Vareck senses Meera and realizes she is the woman he has been dreaming about for the past 4 years. While running the kingdom and trying to keep the realm afloat, he has been searching for her.
Meera also has the same dreams, but didn't believe it was real because his face was never revealed, just the sound of his voice. The moment they meet, things suddenly take a turn for the worse. He ends up kidnapping her to find out what happened to Prince Damm and also to learn more about her.
"Weird how I could want to strangle him during the day, but each night, my dreams were filled with him. Every delicious inch of him. An ache throbbed between my legs, and I squeezed them together."
Could they be fated mates because they dream about one another? Who paid Meera to kidnap Prince Damon? What do they want?
Enemies to lovers
Touch her & ☠️
Forced proximity
Fated mates
Familiars 🐈
Meera is quite gifted, and she utilizes her talent to track down rare items in exchange for money. The leprechaun she works with has a job that offers high compensation, but little does she know that the job entails capturing the Prince of the Faerie realm.
The night she shows up in Faerie, there is a ball at the Kingdom where she plans to kidnap the Prince. King Vareck senses Meera and realizes she is the woman he has been dreaming about for the past 4 years. While running the kingdom and trying to keep the realm afloat, he has been searching for her.
Meera also has the same dreams, but didn't believe it was real because his face was never revealed, just the sound of his voice. The moment they meet, things suddenly take a turn for the worse. He ends up kidnapping her to find out what happened to Prince Damm and also to learn more about her.
"Weird how I could want to strangle him during the day, but each night, my dreams were filled with him. Every delicious inch of him. An ache throbbed between my legs, and I squeezed them together."
Could they be fated mates because they dream about one another? Who paid Meera to kidnap Prince Damon? What do they want?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2025
Meera is a fae living in the human world, working as a bounty hunter using her unique magical ability to find things. But when she’s tasked with finding a person at the royal fae ball, everything changes.
For years, Meera has been haunted by dreams of a mysterious fae man she’s never met. At the same time, King Vareck has been dreaming of a girl he’s never seen—but he’s certain he must find her. When they meet at the ball, the connection is instant. They recognize each other from their dreams… and then chaos erupts. Handcuffs snap into place, someone is kidnapped, and Meera ends up running for her life.
From there, the story picks up pace, full of action, tension, and emotional stakes. Vareck is furious, Meera is defiant, and their chemistry is impossible to ignore—especially when he locks her in his bedroom (and yes, there’s only one bed). 🔥 Their steamy dream connection, the mate bond twist, and the slow-burn tension made every moment between them feel electric. I loved the way their romance unfolded amid danger —it added depth and urgency to their bond.
The world is rich with fae, witches, leprechauns, and magic, blending danger, destiny, and desire in a way that completely pulled me in. I couldn’t stop imagining the enchanting setting and the fate-driven pull between these two characters.
If you love fantasy romance with high stakes, magical tension, and a fated love that refuses to be denied—this one is for you.
For years, Meera has been haunted by dreams of a mysterious fae man she’s never met. At the same time, King Vareck has been dreaming of a girl he’s never seen—but he’s certain he must find her. When they meet at the ball, the connection is instant. They recognize each other from their dreams… and then chaos erupts. Handcuffs snap into place, someone is kidnapped, and Meera ends up running for her life.
From there, the story picks up pace, full of action, tension, and emotional stakes. Vareck is furious, Meera is defiant, and their chemistry is impossible to ignore—especially when he locks her in his bedroom (and yes, there’s only one bed). 🔥 Their steamy dream connection, the mate bond twist, and the slow-burn tension made every moment between them feel electric. I loved the way their romance unfolded amid danger —it added depth and urgency to their bond.
The world is rich with fae, witches, leprechauns, and magic, blending danger, destiny, and desire in a way that completely pulled me in. I couldn’t stop imagining the enchanting setting and the fate-driven pull between these two characters.
If you love fantasy romance with high stakes, magical tension, and a fated love that refuses to be denied—this one is for you.
April 1, 2025
Ok ok ok! This was a hard one to put down, and I'm fully invested already. I already can't wait for the next book because boy, does this one leave you on a cliffhanger! Very little down time, because something is always happening, but this book was written in such a way that it was bringing you along for the ride. Joyful or frustrating... even for the spice. A job gone wrong? Or maybe it's just right... but wait...
Haha, see what I did there? You just have to pick this one up and read it! Again, I know I'm fully invested and am so grateful to have been brought to this world.
Haha, see what I did there? You just have to pick this one up and read it! Again, I know I'm fully invested and am so grateful to have been brought to this world.
April 9, 2025
✨✨✨Book Review✨✨✨
ARC Review
Beneath The Cursed Veil By AURELIA JANE and KEL CARPENTER
I rated this 4⭐️ and 2.5🌶️
This was a really easy book to get into. Starts off right away with pulling you in. It was a fast paced, fated mates romantasy. There was a badass FMC and a Protective MMC, little suspense and a whole lot of tension. I really did enjoy the story line and the characters. I did feel like it was missing that umph.
Thank you to the NerdFam for the gifted ARC!
ARC Review
Beneath The Cursed Veil By AURELIA JANE and KEL CARPENTER
I rated this 4⭐️ and 2.5🌶️
This was a really easy book to get into. Starts off right away with pulling you in. It was a fast paced, fated mates romantasy. There was a badass FMC and a Protective MMC, little suspense and a whole lot of tension. I really did enjoy the story line and the characters. I did feel like it was missing that umph.
Thank you to the NerdFam for the gifted ARC!
April 28, 2025
Thank you Nerd Fam for the Arc copy of this book.
While the story made me giggle here and there , and the Cat was a fantastic bonus, the story was just ok for me. It has a lot of the same elements as most fantasy/fae books do with unknown dates mates and half humans . Overall good story
While the story made me giggle here and there , and the Cat was a fantastic bonus, the story was just ok for me. It has a lot of the same elements as most fantasy/fae books do with unknown dates mates and half humans . Overall good story
April 25, 2025
Full review coming soon
May 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (rounded up to 4)
Audiobook Review • Fantasy Romance
This was a fun, fast-paced fantasy romance with an intriguing premise—a female bounty hunter, magical creatures galore (think leprechauns, furies, fae, orcs, and more), and a fated mates angle with a twist. I loved the potential of this world, and it definitely had a "D&D meets anime" vibe that made it entertaining to picture while listening.
Our MMC has spent years searching for the mysterious woman from his dreams, and when he finally finds her, things move fast. The magic system—especially the idea of magic being able to compel others—was a cool touch, and the connection between the leads was compelling enough to keep me listening. The cat familiar absolutely stole the show for me. Funny, snarky, and super memorable—easily the standout character.
That said, I was left wanting more in terms of world-building and plot depth. The story felt like a novella or prequel—something meant to set the stage for a larger series. There were missed opportunities for character development and political intrigue, especially with the MMC being a king. We barely see him in his role, there's no real court dynamic or governing tension, and some plot points (like a kidnapped royal nephew!) were brushed over quickly.
Spice: 🌶️ 0.5 (just one scene, mild)
The audiobook had some issues. The male narrator was great—engaging, clear, and consistent—but the female narrator’s audio quality was poor and her voice volume was so low I had to constantly adjust my settings. It honestly sounded like it was recorded on a phone. It made for a frustrating listening experience at times.
Overall, this had potential and a fun premise, but lacked the depth I personally look for in fantasy romance. Still, I’m curious to see where the series goes, especially with the solid groundwork laid here and that beautiful special edition cover (yes, I ordered it!).
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. 💜
📚 Find me on Booksta + BookTok + Tome: @bookishsirensong – always down to scream about fantasy romances & ocean magic with fellow readers 💬🌊
Audiobook Review • Fantasy Romance
This was a fun, fast-paced fantasy romance with an intriguing premise—a female bounty hunter, magical creatures galore (think leprechauns, furies, fae, orcs, and more), and a fated mates angle with a twist. I loved the potential of this world, and it definitely had a "D&D meets anime" vibe that made it entertaining to picture while listening.
Our MMC has spent years searching for the mysterious woman from his dreams, and when he finally finds her, things move fast. The magic system—especially the idea of magic being able to compel others—was a cool touch, and the connection between the leads was compelling enough to keep me listening. The cat familiar absolutely stole the show for me. Funny, snarky, and super memorable—easily the standout character.
That said, I was left wanting more in terms of world-building and plot depth. The story felt like a novella or prequel—something meant to set the stage for a larger series. There were missed opportunities for character development and political intrigue, especially with the MMC being a king. We barely see him in his role, there's no real court dynamic or governing tension, and some plot points (like a kidnapped royal nephew!) were brushed over quickly.
Spice: 🌶️ 0.5 (just one scene, mild)
The audiobook had some issues. The male narrator was great—engaging, clear, and consistent—but the female narrator’s audio quality was poor and her voice volume was so low I had to constantly adjust my settings. It honestly sounded like it was recorded on a phone. It made for a frustrating listening experience at times.
Overall, this had potential and a fun premise, but lacked the depth I personally look for in fantasy romance. Still, I’m curious to see where the series goes, especially with the solid groundwork laid here and that beautiful special edition cover (yes, I ordered it!).
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. 💜
📚 Find me on Booksta + BookTok + Tome: @bookishsirensong – always down to scream about fantasy romances & ocean magic with fellow readers 💬🌊
April 19, 2025
This book followed meera who isn’t sure where she comes from as she is adopted. She accepts a job that puts her in sight of the fae king. This books is full of mystery and intrigue and a little romance as well with spice scenes.
July 19, 2025
Corvo the cat (or is he?) is lurking somewhere, waiting for the right moment to sass you into reading this book for the simple pleasure of meeting him. Because he is the most important character in the book, clearly, and we should all feel honored to be in his presence.
Beneath the Cursed Veil is the first book in the Faeted Seasons: Winter duet with a very interesting fated mates story. The second book, Beyond the Winter Kingdom, is releasing on August 12 and I am so glad it’s close because I am very much looking forward to seeing what happens next.
The story follows Meera, a half high fae who lives in our world with her adoptive family of redcaps and owns an antiquity shop. Meera has the unique ability to find anything, which she uses to find objects people would pay good money to possess. Then Lou, a shady leprechaun, offers her the job that could settle her affairs, but it’s only after she accepts the contract than she learns her objective: steal the prince of Faerie and get away unseen. But things go wrong once she sneaks into the Faerie court, for she attracts the attention of the prince’s uncle, King Vareck. Vareck, who appears to be the mysterious man who has been haunting her dreams for years. Vareck, who has been searching for the woman of his dreams across the realms, and now that he’s found her, he will not let her go.
This book has all the elements I love in a Romantasy: a cast of interesting characters, complete with a wonderful family dynamic for the protagonist, a compelling story, a nice romance arc and, cherry on top, it was also FUN. There were moments that had me cackling, and most of them were thanks to Corvo, Vareck’s familiar. This cat/god has sass on speed-dial and I love him for it. As for the romance, I enjoyed it and loved how Vareck and Meera toed between mistrust, curiosity and the lingering lust that comes from their dreams. The combination of all of these elements, plus the authors’ great writing style, made this book a fast, unputdownable read.
Here are some tropes!
🔮 fated mates
💭 shared dreams
🐈⬛ sassy cat familiar who is actually a god
🔥 possessive MMC
👑 fae royalty
💀 touch her and…
Thank you to the authors for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
Beneath the Cursed Veil is the first book in the Faeted Seasons: Winter duet with a very interesting fated mates story. The second book, Beyond the Winter Kingdom, is releasing on August 12 and I am so glad it’s close because I am very much looking forward to seeing what happens next.
The story follows Meera, a half high fae who lives in our world with her adoptive family of redcaps and owns an antiquity shop. Meera has the unique ability to find anything, which she uses to find objects people would pay good money to possess. Then Lou, a shady leprechaun, offers her the job that could settle her affairs, but it’s only after she accepts the contract than she learns her objective: steal the prince of Faerie and get away unseen. But things go wrong once she sneaks into the Faerie court, for she attracts the attention of the prince’s uncle, King Vareck. Vareck, who appears to be the mysterious man who has been haunting her dreams for years. Vareck, who has been searching for the woman of his dreams across the realms, and now that he’s found her, he will not let her go.
This book has all the elements I love in a Romantasy: a cast of interesting characters, complete with a wonderful family dynamic for the protagonist, a compelling story, a nice romance arc and, cherry on top, it was also FUN. There were moments that had me cackling, and most of them were thanks to Corvo, Vareck’s familiar. This cat/god has sass on speed-dial and I love him for it. As for the romance, I enjoyed it and loved how Vareck and Meera toed between mistrust, curiosity and the lingering lust that comes from their dreams. The combination of all of these elements, plus the authors’ great writing style, made this book a fast, unputdownable read.
Here are some tropes!
🔮 fated mates
💭 shared dreams
🐈⬛ sassy cat familiar who is actually a god
🔥 possessive MMC
👑 fae royalty
💀 touch her and…
Thank you to the authors for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
April 17, 2025
Ohhhh gosh what can I say about Beneath the Cursed Veil? First off, I was privy to an advance copy, courtesy of the Nerd Family, so thank you so much for letting me read this book. Now on to the good stuff.
Beneath the Cursed Veil captured my interest in the first chapter. I did not expect the book to be as funny and literally laugh out loud in some parts.I absolutely loved Meera and Sadie’s dynamic as sisters, very Tory and Darcy vibes from Zodiac Academy.
Meera is not your typical fae as we all read from a lot of other fae fantasy books, She’s a vivacious, curvy firecracker that only wants to keep her business alive, so she takes odd jobs from a leprechaun. One job just happens to land her meeting the king of Faerie.
Let’s jump to the MMC Vareck. My high fae king. And oh what a king he is. Vareck is king to a cursed kingdom that is and is completely caught up in search of the girl of his dreams…literally. I found loving Vareck and his sass wonderfully charming along with his familiar cat named Corvo.
Corvo hands down stole the show for me. I could read entire chapters on him alone. Everytime his little tails and paws showed up I smiled.
The trio of Vareck, Meera, and Corvo won my heart instantly and I cannot wait for book 2.
I love how not all fantasy books have to be super deep to enjoy full heartedly.
Beneath the Cursed Veil is such an easy romantasy read that leaves you wanting more.
Beneath the Cursed Veil captured my interest in the first chapter. I did not expect the book to be as funny and literally laugh out loud in some parts.I absolutely loved Meera and Sadie’s dynamic as sisters, very Tory and Darcy vibes from Zodiac Academy.
Meera is not your typical fae as we all read from a lot of other fae fantasy books, She’s a vivacious, curvy firecracker that only wants to keep her business alive, so she takes odd jobs from a leprechaun. One job just happens to land her meeting the king of Faerie.
Let’s jump to the MMC Vareck. My high fae king. And oh what a king he is. Vareck is king to a cursed kingdom that is and is completely caught up in search of the girl of his dreams…literally. I found loving Vareck and his sass wonderfully charming along with his familiar cat named Corvo.
Corvo hands down stole the show for me. I could read entire chapters on him alone. Everytime his little tails and paws showed up I smiled.
The trio of Vareck, Meera, and Corvo won my heart instantly and I cannot wait for book 2.
I love how not all fantasy books have to be super deep to enjoy full heartedly.
Beneath the Cursed Veil is such an easy romantasy read that leaves you wanting more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2025
Received this arc by The Nerd Fam
3.75⭐️
0.1🌶️
This had me laughing all the way through and I can fully agree that this was defo a sarcastic fantasy romance read. It was good pace, easy to follow instead of it being serious. The humour in this is defo 5/5 without a doubt.
Credits to Corvo the cat, he was my favourite character throughout the book.
There wasn’t much world building, and I’m normally not a fan on heavy world building, but in this case I would of like a little bit more info on who was who (brownies, redcap, high fae) regarding the different types of fae’s and the magics.
I loved the story between Meera and Vareck, it’s was easy to see that they both fell for each straight away, even tho they both dreamt about each other but their faces weren’t visible in their dreams. I’m hoping the romance continues in book 2.
This book left on cliffhanger, in my opinion I feel like the extra bit at the end wasn’t needed, but I am excited to see what happens. As per when I read books I always have questions 😂😂. What’s the deal with the Prince being kidnap and not The King, is there some hidden secret on who and what Meera is, what happen with the blood oath, what game is the witch playing.
Couple of things I noticed which made me like the story more, was that Meera is curvy, and The King’s next commander is POC.
I would defo recommend this, it’s easy pace, will have you laughing, but do note it ends on a cliffhanger and you will have questions that would make you wanna dive into the next book to see if those questions get answered.
3.75⭐️
0.1🌶️
This had me laughing all the way through and I can fully agree that this was defo a sarcastic fantasy romance read. It was good pace, easy to follow instead of it being serious. The humour in this is defo 5/5 without a doubt.
Credits to Corvo the cat, he was my favourite character throughout the book.
There wasn’t much world building, and I’m normally not a fan on heavy world building, but in this case I would of like a little bit more info on who was who (brownies, redcap, high fae) regarding the different types of fae’s and the magics.
I loved the story between Meera and Vareck, it’s was easy to see that they both fell for each straight away, even tho they both dreamt about each other but their faces weren’t visible in their dreams. I’m hoping the romance continues in book 2.
This book left on cliffhanger, in my opinion I feel like the extra bit at the end wasn’t needed, but I am excited to see what happens. As per when I read books I always have questions 😂😂. What’s the deal with the Prince being kidnap and not The King, is there some hidden secret on who and what Meera is, what happen with the blood oath, what game is the witch playing.
Couple of things I noticed which made me like the story more, was that Meera is curvy, and The King’s next commander is POC.
I would defo recommend this, it’s easy pace, will have you laughing, but do note it ends on a cliffhanger and you will have questions that would make you wanna dive into the next book to see if those questions get answered.
April 25, 2025
This book was so much fun. Beneath the Cursed Veil by Kel Carpenter and Aurelia Jane completely sucked me in. It had that perfect mix of fast pacing, great banter, and characters you want to follow around forever. I swear, I blinked and was already a third of the way through.
Meera is a finder-for-hire just trying to keep her antique shop open. She’s smart, capable, sarcastic in all the right ways, and honestly, super easy to root for. Her latest job? Track down a person... totally different from her usual gigs, but nothing she can’t handle. Until she runs into Vareck.
Vareck is the king of a cursed kingdom, and he’s been searching for the woman from his dreams. He’s never met her, doesn’t even know her name… until he sees Meera mid-hunt. Sparks fly. Complications ensue. The banter? Top tier. Their chemistry? Immediate and addictive.
Even the side characters had me invested. Each one felt like they had their own story going on, and I’d 100% read those too. Also, Corvo, the talking cat with a serious attitude, stole every single scene he was in. I need more of him.
The world-building is easy to fall into, the magic system is simple but clever, and the dialogue had me grinning constantly. It’s the kind of book that makes reading feel effortless.
Honestly, I didn’t expect to love this one as much as I did, but now I’m counting down to the next book and checking the authors’ backlists. Total win.
Huge thanks to The Nerdfam for connecting me with this ARC!
Meera is a finder-for-hire just trying to keep her antique shop open. She’s smart, capable, sarcastic in all the right ways, and honestly, super easy to root for. Her latest job? Track down a person... totally different from her usual gigs, but nothing she can’t handle. Until she runs into Vareck.
Vareck is the king of a cursed kingdom, and he’s been searching for the woman from his dreams. He’s never met her, doesn’t even know her name… until he sees Meera mid-hunt. Sparks fly. Complications ensue. The banter? Top tier. Their chemistry? Immediate and addictive.
Even the side characters had me invested. Each one felt like they had their own story going on, and I’d 100% read those too. Also, Corvo, the talking cat with a serious attitude, stole every single scene he was in. I need more of him.
The world-building is easy to fall into, the magic system is simple but clever, and the dialogue had me grinning constantly. It’s the kind of book that makes reading feel effortless.
Honestly, I didn’t expect to love this one as much as I did, but now I’m counting down to the next book and checking the authors’ backlists. Total win.
Huge thanks to The Nerdfam for connecting me with this ARC!
April 9, 2025
I have a new obsession and it’s Beneath the Cursed Veil!!💜
I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did but I was immediately hooked from page one and before I knew it, I was finished.😱
The ending was 😱 and I neeeeeed book two now please.
The plot was so good and so different from any fantasy I’ve read before. I love the concept of Varreck and Meera having dreams about each other and found it funny that he knew she existed and was looking for her, while Meera thought he was just someone she dreamt about often and didn’t suspect he was real.😂
I absolutely love Meera and her family. They are all so badass and I just love their dynamic.💜
Meera grows a lot in this book and I am so here for it. I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes in the next book and there are a few things I think we’ll find out about her and what she really is.👀🤭
Vareck! Get me a man like this please!😮💨🔥🔥
From his first pov chapter I was in love and I kept falling for him as the book continued.🥹 I love how obsessed, protective, caring, and loving he is towards Meera, and how he showed her she could trust him and not run away when things get difficult.💜
Thank you so much for this early arc copy, The Nerd Fam and the authors. I can’t wait for book 2!🥳💜
I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did but I was immediately hooked from page one and before I knew it, I was finished.😱
The ending was 😱 and I neeeeeed book two now please.
The plot was so good and so different from any fantasy I’ve read before. I love the concept of Varreck and Meera having dreams about each other and found it funny that he knew she existed and was looking for her, while Meera thought he was just someone she dreamt about often and didn’t suspect he was real.😂
I absolutely love Meera and her family. They are all so badass and I just love their dynamic.💜
Meera grows a lot in this book and I am so here for it. I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes in the next book and there are a few things I think we’ll find out about her and what she really is.👀🤭
Vareck! Get me a man like this please!😮💨🔥🔥
From his first pov chapter I was in love and I kept falling for him as the book continued.🥹 I love how obsessed, protective, caring, and loving he is towards Meera, and how he showed her she could trust him and not run away when things get difficult.💜
Thank you so much for this early arc copy, The Nerd Fam and the authors. I can’t wait for book 2!🥳💜
March 31, 2025
I NEED MORE..
First of all, I won't give any spoilers.
I saw the email with the copy of the book earlier and thought "how cool, new book, let's start it today."
I just finished it in one sitting.
I JUST FINISHED IT IN ONE SITTING!
The romance was sweet and made me blush.🤭
The spicy was fire.🔥
The action was just right.💪
And finally I saw two protagonists who had emotional maturity and when they made a mistake they talked it over, not revenge, not hurting the other person on purpose, etc. It was refreshing.
I loved it.
I have to know.
Where is the prince?
Where is Sadie?
What is the protagonist
and most importantly why don't we kill Lou?????
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
Merged review:
I NEED MORE..
First of all, I won't give any spoilers.
I saw the email with the copy of the book earlier and thought "how cool, new book, let's start it today."
I just finished it in one sitting.
I JUST FINISHED IT IN ONE SITTING!
The romance was sweet and made me blush.🤭
The spicy was fire.🔥
The action was just right.💪
And finally I saw two protagonists who had emotional maturity and when they made a mistake they talked it over, not revenge, not hurting the other person on purpose, etc. It was refreshing.
I loved it.
I have to know.
Where is the prince?
Where is Sadie?
What is the protagonist
and most importantly why don't we kill Lou?????
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC
First of all, I won't give any spoilers.
I saw the email with the copy of the book earlier and thought "how cool, new book, let's start it today."
I just finished it in one sitting.
I JUST FINISHED IT IN ONE SITTING!
The romance was sweet and made me blush.🤭
The spicy was fire.🔥
The action was just right.💪
And finally I saw two protagonists who had emotional maturity and when they made a mistake they talked it over, not revenge, not hurting the other person on purpose, etc. It was refreshing.
I loved it.
I have to know.
Where is the prince?
Where is Sadie?
What is the protagonist
and most importantly why don't we kill Lou?????
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
Merged review:
I NEED MORE..
First of all, I won't give any spoilers.
I saw the email with the copy of the book earlier and thought "how cool, new book, let's start it today."
I just finished it in one sitting.
I JUST FINISHED IT IN ONE SITTING!
The romance was sweet and made me blush.🤭
The spicy was fire.🔥
The action was just right.💪
And finally I saw two protagonists who had emotional maturity and when they made a mistake they talked it over, not revenge, not hurting the other person on purpose, etc. It was refreshing.
I loved it.
I have to know.
Where is the prince?
Where is Sadie?
What is the protagonist
and most importantly why don't we kill Lou?????
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC
April 3, 2025
This book was an absolute delight! Meera is a bounty hunter who normally hunts for things but she gets herself into a bit of a situation where she needs to kidnap a fae Prince… and that my friends is where the real fun begins!!!
I’m a sucker for multiple POVs and you definitely get them in this book! You get to see Meera’s POV and King Varek’s which I love (and some bonus POVs but I don’t want to say too much about those!!) This book has fated mates, magical contracts, kidnapping, witches, and a Maine coon cat who is an ABSOLUTE MENACE!!!
Also, I was clearly not paying attention when I read the book synopsis because how did I miss that this book had leprechauns? 1000% more awesome!
This is the first book of a series and while the ending leaves you wanting more, it does not emotionally devastate you. So don’t be scared to pick it up! Releases on 4.25.25!!
Thanks to the Nerd Fam for letting me read this book before it released!!!!
I’m a sucker for multiple POVs and you definitely get them in this book! You get to see Meera’s POV and King Varek’s which I love (and some bonus POVs but I don’t want to say too much about those!!) This book has fated mates, magical contracts, kidnapping, witches, and a Maine coon cat who is an ABSOLUTE MENACE!!!
Also, I was clearly not paying attention when I read the book synopsis because how did I miss that this book had leprechauns? 1000% more awesome!
This is the first book of a series and while the ending leaves you wanting more, it does not emotionally devastate you. So don’t be scared to pick it up! Releases on 4.25.25!!
Thanks to the Nerd Fam for letting me read this book before it released!!!!
April 13, 2025
4,5 ⭐️ Wait a second, this is the end?!?
In this book you follow Meera. A girl who is (probably) half fae, living in the human realm. Going on a hunt for something (or in this case someone) in the faerie realm. She succeeds, but also gets caught by her mysterious dream man. Who turns out to be the king.
This book is a perfect combination between fantasy, comedy, and spice. It’s very well written.
I love how the relationship develops, I love the hilarious scenes with the talking cat.
I feel like you know how certain parts are going to go and somehow it still surprises you.
And now I can’t wait for the next part, while this book is not even officially out. 😩
I received this book as an ARC through Nerdfam, this is my honest opinion.
In this book you follow Meera. A girl who is (probably) half fae, living in the human realm. Going on a hunt for something (or in this case someone) in the faerie realm. She succeeds, but also gets caught by her mysterious dream man. Who turns out to be the king.
This book is a perfect combination between fantasy, comedy, and spice. It’s very well written.
I love how the relationship develops, I love the hilarious scenes with the talking cat.
I feel like you know how certain parts are going to go and somehow it still surprises you.
And now I can’t wait for the next part, while this book is not even officially out. 😩
I received this book as an ARC through Nerdfam, this is my honest opinion.
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