Lady of the Lake

Fey Academy for Spies #3

by C.N. Crawford, Alex Rivers

Nia finds herself entangled in a world of lies and betrayal, where the truth is as elusive as the Dream Stalker himself. Now trapped in a perilous court, she must navigate her own web of deceit while honing her magic. Every ally may be an enemy, and every word could be her last. In this treacherous world, survival depends on mastering her powers as Lady of the Lake. But as Nia's strength grows, so does the danger, and she must if she can trust those closest to her—or she risks losing the war, her life, and her heart.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Fae, Enemies To Lovers, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Audiobook

512 pages, Paperback

Published April 15, 2025

About the author

To get sneak peaks at the next book, sales, and news about releases, Sign up here.
To join C.N. Crawford's fan group and chat to the authors, Click here.
To stalk on instagram, Click here.
For a free standalone novel, Sign up here.

C.N. Crawford are Wall Street Journal bestselling authors of romantasy books, including books with fae, demons, and magical academies.

We write fantasy romance, urban fantasy, and portal romance. Our books often include trials, banter, and enemies to lovers stories.

Note: We are actually two people--a former biologist (Nick) and a former school psychologist (Christine).

Some books are both of us, and some are just Christine!

Reviews

[Emmy Rosam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ A really fun conclusion to the trilogy! It’s such a lighthearted, comedic fantasy romance read. Really fun ☺️

[Kiara (easing back in) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I will never stop thinking about you." His voice is ragged. "Even when the stars burn out, you'll still be in my head because you were the only thing that ever made me feel like I wasn't completely alone."

4 ⭐️ I loved getting to spend more time with Nia and Talan. Watching them slowly grow closer while they were both keeping secrets from each other had me completely invested. And the amount of "my wife" sprinkled throughout the story? I ate it up every single time. 🤭

Nia has grown so much since book one, becoming more confident, more powerful... and definitely more stabby. It was so satisfying seeing her come into her own.

“I'm fleeing from a fucking basilisk so I can marry a man I've kissed once, a man I'm also trying to kill. Worst game of Kiss, Marry, Kill ever.”

Talan was once again the highlight of the book for me. There was so much more to him than the terrifying prince everyone believed him to be, and peeling back those layers only made me love him more. Watching Talan care for Tarasque was so unexpectedly wholesome, and she completely stole my heart too 🐉

And can we talk about Mordred? I ended up loving him way more than I expected. The fact that all he wanted was to throw a banquet that people would attend… 🥹😭 I can’t.

For most of this book, I thought this might end up being my favorite.

But then we got to the ending.

It wasn’t where the story ended that left me wanting more—it was how quickly we got there.

After spending three books building up these relationships, mysteries, and reveals, everything wrapped up so fast that I never really got to sit with any of it. More than anything, I just wanted to see Talan and Nia once all the lies had finally come to light—to watch them simply exist together for a little while.

The rushed ending also left me with a few unanswered questions. None of it ruined the experience for me, but it did keep this one from living up to the first two.

Even so, I had such a great time with this trilogy. The world pulled me in so easily, I grew so attached to these characters, and I’m genuinely so sad it’s over. 🥹

"It's like I was living in a world of shadows and mist, and then you showed up in my castle—wild, furious, insulting me. And you looked like dawn." His voice drops. "Rose and honey. You felt like something I lost a long time ago. And ever since, I haven't been able to clear my mind. Without you, now, I think it would feel like the air stopped moving through the trees. It would feel like the sun would never rise, the rivers would stop flowing, and everything would turn to dust."

Tropes / What to Expect

🕵️ Hidden Identity
💌 Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Morally Grey Prince
❤️‍🔥 Slow Burn
🤭 My Wife
💍 Marriage of Convenience
✨ Forced Proximity
☠️ Touch Her and Die
🐉 Dragons
👑 Political Intrigue
🤍 Found Family
🎧 Full Cast Graphic Audio

Fey Academy for Spies Series

Avalon Tower — 4.5 ⭐️ My review
Vale of Dreams — 4.5 ⭐️ My review
Lady of the Lake — 4 ⭐️

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
✧･ﾟPre-Read ･ﾟ✧
somehow we’re already at the final book 🥹

[shaelinslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was suuuuch a satisfying conclusion to Nia’s story, and my GOD I love Talan.

With the fun fey atmosphere, the Camelot inspiration, and the ‘villain’ getting the girl… this was an auto 5 star for me.

The amount of “my wife” being said in here was the correct amount, and I will not be taking any further questions at this time. I LOVE THIS SERIES. I am so sad it’s over, but I loved every second!

[èvieane]

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ᯓ★ RTC ⁀➷ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ daddy Mordred got his banquet, and that is literally everything I cared about 🥹 this had such a perfect and wholesome ending!!!!



⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ᯓ ✿ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍pre-reading ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⪼ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ started ┆12-July-2025┆
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⤿ I don't even need a break or anything. Starting this immediately because I badly need these two to get down to business already; this is the funniest thing ever and I can't wait for it all to go down in flames 😭😭

[Sonia Koss · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ overall, I think I’m satisfied with this conclusion to the main trilogy. It was nice to see all of the loose ends tied up in terms of the main conflicts. 𝘏𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, it definitely felt rushed towards the end. According to my kindle, I only had 45 mins left of the book to read, yet there was still the conflict in Avalon AND they hadn’t defeated the king yet?? While all of this 𝘸𝘢𝘴 eventually resolved, it felt very crammed together. Our found family / side characters also took a backseat in this book, and although I understand why, it was still upsetting because I just loved them 😩 When Serana died, it didn’t emotionally hit me like I thought it would, just because we really didn’t see much of them at all during this book…

Also, I’d say 85% of the book focuses on the relationship and tension between Talan and Nia, and in the end, we get one chapter of actually seeing them romantically together (following the reveal of the betrayals and secrets)😭😭 from there, it jumps STRAIGHT into the conflict at Avalon Tower and we don’t get to see them truly be a couple again!! All that yearning 😩 and tension!!! 😭 for only one chapter, after everything is said and done??? This connects back to my thoughts about the ending feeling rushed - the timeline between events could have been longer, and the in between could have been filled with more Nia/Talan couple moments with them both being their true selves…. Also, where is the resolution about why they can hear each others thoughts??? Is there precedence for this??? Are they mates??? Is there lore around this??? 😩

Overall, despite my critiques, I did thoroughly enjoy the book, and I recommend the series. Here I am at 1:40am typing up my review instead of sleeping because I just couldn’t put the book down tonight lol. One more chapter turned into 20 more chapters and here we are

[♡Naz♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Stop everything you’re doing because I have found another one of my top reads of the year. I’ll admit, I stepped away from this one for a hot minute, but coming back to it was the best decision I’ve made all month—it hit so much harder the second time around.

Alex Rivers and C.N. Crawford have delivered an Arthurian retelling that is equal parts breathtaking and brutal. The writing is lush, the world-building is top-tier, and the way they’ve reimagined this legend is nothing short of brilliant. If you’re looking for a book that perfectly balances high-stakes action with soul-aching character arcs, this is your new obsession.

Can we please talk about Talan? Because I am officially a goner. This cocky, unpredictable prince is everything I want in a male lead and more. He radiates that "touch her and you’ll regret existing" energy that we all crave, and honestly? Hello, new SHADOW DADDY.

The fake relationship and marriage-of-convenience tropes were executed to perfection, providing the ultimate foundation for a slow burn that actually feels earned. Watching his protective side flare up while he tries to maintain that smirk was absolute torture in the best way possible.

And then there’s Nia—our resident badass. I am such a sucker for a strong female lead who takes absolutely no nonsense from anyone, and Nia delivered on every front. Her resilience and fire made her the perfect match for Talan’s chaos.

Their chemistry wasn't just sparking; the forced proximity was straight-up lava. The connection between them was a total chef’s kiss, building through emotionally charged moments that made the eventual payoff feel like a literal reward. The spice was top-tier, but it was the underlying emotional intimacy that truly sold me on their bond.

The pacing of this book was a total page-turner, packed with action that kept me on the edge of my seat.

I opted for the audiobook, and let me tell you, the narrator deserves a gold star for bringing these characters to life so vividly.

Also, a special shout-out to Nia’s dad, Mordred—he was such a hoot and provided the perfect amount of personality to every scene he was in.

This is easily my second-favourite Arthurian retelling of all time, and it’s a total 5-star masterpiece. Do yourself a favour and add this to your TBR immediately; you won't regret it.

[amandathebookworm 📚🪱 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh. This was so satisfying & I’m genuinely so sad it’s over. 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I absolutely loved the direction this trilogy took & what a dreamy lil dream it’s been. Where we started compared to where we ended? A true journey. Plot, pros, & cons below (& thank you SO MUCH to the authors for the ARC).


PLOT
The Dream Stalker’s scheming continues when he tells Nia of his plans to marry her, & immediately. He doesn’t know she’s his enemy, but despite how infuriatingly attractive she finds him she’s still very aware of her job to help Avalon Tower overthrow his & his father’s regime. She must help the humans & save the rebels by getting close to the prince, but her feelings start getting entangled with her mission & it becomes harder to know who to trust. This book has
- political arranged secret marriage
- one of my favorite villains
- political scheming
- tension out the butt, my god
- betrayals
- dragons, fey, demi-fey, humans


PROS
- I shan’t be shutting my trap about the Dream Stalker for the rest of my days. I love him. Talan is truly one of my favorite villains & is really morally gray. He’s a flirty little bitch (my favorite type of MMC) & I fear he’s entered the ranks of favorite book boyfriends. He made me giggle, he made me swoon, he made me gasp, & he was just everything I wanted & more.
- Nia remains awesome & funny. Her journey in this book specifically was a treat. She really ran the gamut in this series with what her role is in her own life & I feel like I saw my baby sister grow up.
- The tension between Talan & Nia was excruciating (complimentary) at times but never felt forced. Omg it was DELICIOUS.
- The ending was EXTREMELY satisfying in many ways.
- Mordred made me lol multiple times for real. Something about a grumpy out of touch fey king with no chill tickled my funny bone.
- There was a solid twist at the end I didn’t expect that was like “OOOOH OK”.
- I highlighted a LOT. Whether they were flirty Talan lines, funny Nia lines, or thoughtful reflections on society, I had lots of good quotes.
- More dragons! They were fun!


MIDS
- Sometimes the depths Nia’s magic felt a taaaaaad convenient. But not enough for me to really care & not enough to affect my rating. It was explained well though so it wasn’t like, poorly done at all. But I like limits when it comes to magic which I do feel like books 1 & 2 did well. It’s a part of character growth though, so it’s understood. That’s just a personal thing for me.


CONS
- That it’s over. 😭
- Selfishly I could have loved one more spicy scene 😆 THEY ARE SUCH A FIRE COUPLE OKAY LET ME LIVE.


⚠️ SPOILERS ⚠️
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Hey no really quit reading if you haven’t read this
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
- Talan’s political maneuvering coming to a head at the end with the king’s plans was SO SATISFYING. I was like “omg yes it’s happening.”
- Wythe could die in a fire & it would be too good for him. Talan shoving the sword through his chest was GREAT.
- Talan being basically incapacitated & speaking Nia’s book job lines in English MADE ME SWOON.
- I liked how we ended things with Raphael. I never hated him, & the jealousy scene was SCRUMPTIOUS, but I am overall pleased with the resolution of that love triangle.

[vicky ꨄ︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly love the way this series ended, I would not change a thing about it. So happy that he got his Banquet. Also where can I find myself Talan????











————————————————————

𐙚⋆°. preread

Starting a new book since I don’t want to finish my currents reads since i’m enjoying them to much, just gonna take my time with them. Also trying find time to read during finals is so annoying

[Blondesandbookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhh this was the perfect ending to this series! If Vale of Dreams left you obsessed with Talan, aka the dream stalker, aka my book boyfriend then you will love Lady of The Lake! The tension between characters. 🔥 The lore. 🔥 The dragons. 🔥

[Delfien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rather dissapointed with the whole plot. Book 1 and 2 kind of built a world and tension, but i feel like book 3 did not deliver on that at all. It miserably failed to climax at any storyline/aspect whatsoever.
The slow burn relationship building between talan and nia, did not deliver at all. It was over before it started.
The mmc turned out to be so docile, you could best describe him as taupe.
The whole war raging was all of the sudden just done and dusted.
Everyone wins, but no one really does. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Just rather dissapointed with it all.

[BookBunny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe 2.5 stars.
It really pains me to give such a low rating, because I absolutely LOVED the second book and was so excited for this series finale. However, it was sadly a disappointment.
I don't know where to start. This had the possibility to be such a banger, but it didn't live up to its potential. The plot was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Some parts felt very drawn out and others, especially the towards the end, felt extremely rushed and underdeveloped. Possible plot directions were ignored which made the story feel bland. Also, the way everything ended seemed way too convenient and easy and there were quite a few lose ends (I believe the authors will write a spin-off series but this just made the series feel unfinished - and not in a good way).
The writing style was okay at best. Though it was very easy to read and I got pulled into the world again quickly, the writing was often giving teenage wattpad vibes. Idk if it was lazy editing or just the authors, but "snowy snow" and "animal pleasure ripples through my body" are just two out of many questionable writing choices.
My precious boi the Dream Stalker lost quite a bit of his spark and even though I absolutely devoured every page where he was on like I was starving and I still adore him, he felt lacking in this book. The way his character was portrayed in the last one made him so intriguing and complex, which is why I had such high hopes for him, but the way his story progressed felt anticlimactic. He had the possibility to be absolutely magnificent, but in the end he was just *insert generic fantasy-romance MMC description*- I'm so sad.
Nia was as strong as in the previous books and I still liked her. BUT: I still don't know what it exactly means to be the lady of the lake (wasn't this book supposed to clarify that), her additional powers were not explained at all, what do the glowing symbols do and overall her position as this lady didn't have any real impact on the story. I'm confused.
Also, all the few side characters and side plots were completely irrelevant and some tragic developments didn't feel tragic at all because the characters just didn't get the "screen time" to make me feel invested in them.

Careful spoiler:

One thing I was immensely disappointed about: After all the tension, yearning and build-up from book 2 and more than half of book 3 all we get from Nia and Talan is ONE mediocre spice scene, where it was mentioned 5 times in 2 pages how her "core heats and liquid pools in her belly". And their first time together is in a public setting, in a hallway against the wall. That's all we get. In the entire series. Whhhyyyyyy????? I feel so let down. All I can do at this point is hope that someone on ao3 will write something better for them.
Also, there was no explanation for their mental connection. This was a big part which made their synergy so fascinating - that they knew each other for years, yet still didn't really know who the other was due to both of them playing their parts. I'm also sad, that beyond the connection existing it doesn't come up again/becomes relevant at all...even after it is revealed who they are to each other.

Overall, I'd still recommend the series just so people won't miss out on ma boi Prince Talan in book 2 where he was a legend. But sadly the series is nothing more than a quick read from where to quickly move on to the next books on your tbr.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ but …

Ok look, this was a fantastic continuation of Nia and Talan’s story, and yes, I’m giving it 4 stars because overall? Incredible. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t yelling at the book a little.

First off, Nia and Talan? Obsessed. I loved their dynamic and the way their relationship evolved, even if I was screaming for more. Nia getting down and dirty with the killing? Queen behaviour. And the King’s reaction when he found out they were married? I had to pause reading to laugh… “YOU FUCKING WHAT!?” ….

I also loved the friendships Nia built. The moment her crew figured things out and backed her up? I was misty-eyed. It hit me right in the heart.

Now my little gripe: I needed more time with Talan and Nia when everything was out in the open. Most of their together-time was when he still thought she was a humble onion-farming princess. The betrayal hit hard, sure … but their reconnection felt rushed. I wanted more of them knowing each other and being in love, not just skimming the surface before all hell broke loose.

And the final act? Whew. So much action so fast. After all that build-up, it wrapped a bit too quickly for my taste. Honestly, I wouldn’t have been mad if there was one more book just to give us more Talan and Nia and a more drawn-out finale.

Still, I devoured this series. It’s one I’ll be thinking about for a long time … and I wouldn’t say no to a spin-off, just saying.

[Gabi Koz · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ !! An incredible finale to this trilogy 😍 book 3 was action packed, satisfying romance & reveals to get answers from everything throughout the series!!!

I had a blast with this series!!! 10/10 recommend for the romantasy girlies

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely my favorite book from the series! 😍

Loved how everything ended

[Hope Lyness · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how you finish a trilogy!

I’m equal parts stoked and devastated to have read the final book in the Fey Academy for Spies series. Stoked because I have been waiting to see how the story pans out since last year and devastated because that’s it! The story is complete and there is no more Talan or Nia or Avalon Knights and that makes me sad.

The third instalment of this story was gripping. The pressure Nia was under to maintain her cover while at the Fey court and still participate in the schemes of Avalon Tower was really stressful to read at times. If I was a nail biter, I would have none left! The lies upon lies that she had to keep track of were slowly breaking her. One of the best parts of this book was when Nia finally opened up and owned the truth. Owned her mistakes. Owned that she was sick of living for everyone else. Always the carer and never the cared for. Her heart was broken and she needed to discover what she wanted from her life. It’s something so many of us can resonate with.

And Talan, my love. I knew there was more to the Dream Stalker than brutality, fear and death. His story was incredibly sad but I adored the glimpses into his past to see how it shaped him into the man he became.

This entire series is brilliant. It’s engaging and clever with characters that are easy to love and hate because they mirror our humanness. These books ask us to look at how we present ourselves to the world and whether we are being honest about who we really are. It shows us how easy it is for humans to deceive ourselves but also how powerful we are we when open our eyes to the truth and own it.

Unputdownable.

*gratefully received as an arc

[Brittanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟From fake mistress schemes to fae chaos, this finale absolutely delivered. 🌊

✨Nia, accidental pretend mistress and future secret wife to Talon, spends this book sparring with the self proclaimed “most devastatingly seductive man in the kingdom,” while he’s inconveniently engaged to a countess he absolutely does not want. The banter? Ruthless. Flirty. Elite.

“I wish I ordered your torture, just for the crime of being tedious.” 🤣

Talon completely stole the show, but Nia holds her own. She’s witty, capable, vulnerable, relatable, and armed with a snarky sense of humor that made her ridiculously easy to root for. Their antagonism will have you grinning nonstop.

“Do you really think I’d let my wife fall to her death? It would be a tiresome inconvenience.” 🤣

And then BAM.💥Around the halfway mark this book throws betrayal into the mix and suddenly every loyalty feels questionable. 👀Red flags everywhere. Trust nobody. If you need permission to switch sides emotionally, this is it. Yet somehow, even with the chaos exploding around them, the banter never misses.

“My portrait is hanging up all over the kingdom.”
“Is that so? We didn’t have your portrait on our farm.”
“No, you were sadly deprived, heartbreaking really.” 🤣

👉From post apocalyptic fae invaded France to sneaking through the Fey Academy for Spies, this series has been such a wild ride, and this finale wins! Packed with action, twists, tension, romance, steam (I skipped) and dialogue sharp enough to wound, this book leaves you completely satisfied by the final page.👏

[Paulina · Rating 3 out of 5]

- 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴

“𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙥 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙡𝙚 - 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙙, 𝙛𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨, 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚. 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙬𝙣. 𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙮. 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙜𝙤. 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙞 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙. 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙞 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙨. 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙣 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩”

i really enjoyed ‘avalon tower’ and ‘vale of dreams’, so i was genuinely excited when ‘lady of the lake’ was finally released. i’ve been invested in this world, the characters, and the slow-burning tension between talan and nia, so i had high hopes going in. unfortunately, this book didn’t land the way i expected it to

the pacing felt really off for me. the first 60% of the book was quite slow - not much happened plot-wise, and it felt like we were just circling the same issues. then suddenly, in the last 10-15%, everything happened all at once. i found myself checking how many pages were left and being shocked there was so little time to wrap everything up. the ending felt rushed and unsatisfying. there were so many unresolved plot points - what happened to nia’s mum? what about the king? are the fey and human lands allies now? is mordred forgiven? there just weren’t enough answers, and that left me feeling a bit let down

i also felt like the relationship between talan and nia, which had been such a strong point in book two, lost some of its spark. the tension and chemistry that made their dynamic so compelling just didn’t come through in the same way. they went from this intense push-pull dynamic to suddenly being together, and we didn’t get much time with them as a couple

overall, it was a decent conclusion to the series, but it didn’t give me the closure i was hoping for. i still really love the world and characters, but ‘lady of the lake’ left me wanting more - more answers and more emotional payoff

“𝙞 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢. 𝙞’𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙛 𝙬𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙨𝙝”

[Aya ☕︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so rushed 🫤

[realms.of.romantasy (Cara B) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just WOW!!! I absolutely love when a series gets better with each book! And THIS series is one of those. After Vale of Dreams, I couldn’t possibly think that the next book could outdo it. Boy was I wrong! Lady of the Lake far far exceeded my expectations and really blew me away!

We start right where we left off in Vale of Dreams; and boy is it a whirlwind!! This book sucked me in and gripped me by the hairs. The story is so incredible. But, I am a sucker for any kind story full of Camelot/Arthurian lore. The imagery and vivid detail Crawford & Rivers crafted is so magnificent. The characters are well rounded and the growth is astounding. I especially enjoyed watching as Nia finally came into her own after so many struggles. She has learned to be comfortable in her skin as a Demi-fey and goes headstrong into battle for her family/friends. But Talan, OMG, it was so amazing to see a different side of him that we had not yet seen in the previous installments. I have been #teamtalan since the first installment and my declaration has not been swayed, only fortified after we are given a chance to get to know who he truly is, at heart, in LotL!! I also enjoyed getting to see a different side of Mordred. While he will never be considered fluffy and warm, we do get some glimpses of goodness within his heart by the end of Lady of the Lake.

I am so sad that this series has come to a conclusion. I will most definitely miss this world and these characters. But I know that C.N. Crawford has her next epic story up her sleeve!!

This truly is a must read trilogy! If you enjoy lots of angst and tension, political intrigue, a morally gray MMC, forced proximity, fake marriage, enemies to lovers, high stakes and Arthurian lore/mythology - READ 👏🏻 THIS 👏🏻 BOOK/SERIES 👏🏻

[Kate Dash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This finale really looked me in the eyes and said: “what if we gave you fae chaos, betrayal, fake mistress schemes, AND a man constantly calling her his wife?” And honestly? Life changing.
Talan absolutely carried this book on his dramatic little shadow daddy shoulders. The banter between him and Nia was elite from start to finish—every conversation felt like flirting disguised as emotional warfare.
And Nia?? She held her own every single time. Smart, stubborn, chaotic, and somehow surviving a court where literally EVERYONE feels suspicious.
The second half especially had me STRESSED. Betrayals everywhere, loyalties shifting every five pages, and me sitting there like:
👁️👄👁️ “trust nobody.”
Also Mordred deserved every good thing in this world and I will not elaborate further because I’m emotional.

Tropes & Vibes
♡ fake relationship
♡ marriage of convenience vibes
♡ enemies to lovers
♡ shadow daddy MMC
♡ dangerous fae court
♡ “my wife” energy
♡ betrayal & shifting loyalties
♡ Arthurian retelling

[Tetiana O]

Я читала і кайфувала. Давно не захоплювалась так історією і не ковтала серію цілком 😍. Я думала про персонажів протягом для, за кермом, мені було цікаво, що буде далі і як Нія знов викрутиться.

Тут багато хімії між персонажами, таємниць, зрад. Постійний рух історії. Спочатку я не сильно прониклась цим закрученим сюжетом фейрі і камелоту, хоча поєднання дійно цікаве, але чим далі - тим більше я розуміла шо куди, а щє додала ясності хронологія в кінці.

Від Талана віє вайбом шадоу дедді, нравиться таке 🤭. Нія нарешті тож роздуплилась і перестала бути всім зручною. Можливо я б активніше розвивала саме любовну лінію, але вона мала свій шарм забороненого кохання і потягу до ворога.

Раджу, мені дуже сподобалось 😍

[Sophie (lambsbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Since when did you give a fuck about the gods? The only god you need to worship is me.”

4.25 stars

Picture the scene: you’re fresh off the battlefield, watching your allies die and the hot fae you’ve come to like-love-hate-whatever is killing your people while riding a dragon, and you’re racing back to his castle to make sure he doesn’t suspect you of being a spy. Well, bebe, he’s gonna surprise you another way when you sneak back.

HaPpY mArRiAgE pRoPoSaL

"But have no fear—when you are my wife, she won’t be able to lay a finger on you. Anyone who so much as looks in your direction without my permission will beg for death before I’m done with them.”

Wellllll, this was fun

I’m afraid I’ll like fucking the enemy so much, I’ll destroy the entire mission.

This picks up right where we left off at the end of book 2, with Talon basically ordering Nia to marry him lmao. This one was full of scheming, dragons, spice, family, heartbreak, and OUTRAGE at the Pendragons - omg I was so outraged guys lol

I find that the best thing, really, for a post-breakup emotional spiral is a near-death experience.

Nia was once again a queen. She let no one get away with anything and did what she needed to do *clap* Talon was perfection, no notes.

Am I a spy or a prisoner who’s completely lost control of my mission? As an undercover agent, I should be a manipulator, a puppeteer, influencing those around me to work for my agenda. Instead, I’m fleeing from a fucking basilisk so I can marry a man I’ve kissed once, a man I’m also trying to kill. Worst game of Kiss, Marry, Kill ever.

Thank you to the authors for this eARC!! But also because I was so sad I missed the ARC sign-up that I messaged Christine to say I was sad and she sent it to me anyway and I love her now

[Heather Becht (fantasyromantasy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝓓𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓷, 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓻𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓪 𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓿𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓼. 𝓓𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓷, 𝓝𝓲𝓪, 𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓰𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓼𝓮𝓽 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓮.”

Let it all burn down.
SAVAGE NIA IS MY FAVORITE SEASON

This has been my most anticipated release of 2025, and I am absolutely feral for this series. It’s rare that sequels in a series are better than the last, and after my obsession with Vale of Dreams, I was nervous going into the final book of the series. This book blew me away! It will easily be a contender for my favorite read of the year. I soaked up every word and was dreading the end because I didn’t want to say goodbye to the characters. I’ve read quite a few of C&N’s series, and this is by far the best book they have written.

The amount of highlights throughout this book that I have on my kindle is absurd. This book is highly quotable, filled with so many phenomenal jaw dropping moments. Nia’s transformation into an absolute badass is compelling, and her character arc throughout the series is nothing short of incredible. Talan is misunderstood, fueling the narrative of his savageness through brutal words and fierce actions. Mordred is my favorite side-character, he is hilarious and his idiosyncrasies crack me up. I am 100% in my villain era and I never want to leave it. The plot twists are absolutely mind-blowing; it’s literal perfection.

If you're ready to experience the primal and possessive finale, buckle up, grab a drink at The Shadowed Thicket, and enjoy the ride!


𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓥𝓲𝓫𝓮𝓼:
✨ Portal Fantasy
🌙 Villain Romance
✨ Morally Gray MCs
🌙 Forced Proximity
✨ Slow Burn Enemies to Lovers
🌙 Fake Relationship
✨ Banter and Found Family
🌙 Hidden Identity
✨ Spy Academy with Fey
🌙 Arthurian Mythology
✨ Touch Her and ☠️
🌙 High Stakes
✨ Courtly Intrigue
🌙 Dragons & Riders

“𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 𝓫𝓾𝓻𝓷 𝓸𝓾𝓽, 𝔂𝓸𝓾’𝓵𝓵 𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓫𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓼𝓷’𝓽 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓹𝓵𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓵𝔂 𝓪𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓮.”

[يمنى سمير · Rating 5 out of 5]

الجزء الثالث والأخير من السلسلة، وتقدم خاتمة ملحمية مليئة بالتشويق والعمق العاطفي.
تتبع القصة سيري وجيرالت وينيفر في رحلة معقدة عبر الزمان والمكان، حيث تتشابك مصائرهم مع الحروب والسحر والخيانة.
الكتابة غنية بالتفاصيل، والشخصيات متعددة الأبعاد، مع حبكة تجمع بين الفانتازيا والدراما السياسية.
رغم بعض الإيقاعات البطيئة، إلا أن النهاية المبهمة والمؤثرة تترك انطباعًا قويًا.
مثالية لعشاق الفانتازيا الملحمية.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great finish to the story. I have really enjoyed the entire series, watching Nia go from thinking she was just a human to a capable, confident, and powerful Demi fae.
Talan and Nias story had me on a rollercoaster of emotions. The character twist for him was perfect. The pendragons what they deserved.
I am looking forward to the spin off an hope we get to see all the characters from this series again.

[Heather Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! What an ending to a great trilogy! This book has action, romance, and plots aplenty! I love Nia and Talon! What great characters who you learn to love throughout reading. The action throughout this book is wonderful and keeps you locked in! This is a slow burn trilogy and enemies to lovers. Two of my favorite tropes! Sad to see this end but can’t wait for future spin off series!

[Kricketland · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT TO EXPECT:
✔️ Enemies to Lovers
✔️ Touch Her and ☠️
✔️ Hot Villain
✔️ Slow Burn
✔️ Fey Spies
✔️ Dragons

Lady Of The Lake is the final book in the Fey Spy Academy series. In it, Nia finds herself surrounded by betrayal while living a lie as an Avalon Academy spy sent to help assassinate Talan (the Dream Stalker). In Lady of the Lake, Nia really comes into her own powers and inner strength, and she starts to develop her full strengths while fighting her attraction to Talan.

I loved the twists and turns of the final chapter in the series as everything comes to a head with the battle between the humans and the Fey and the power struggle over kingdoms. I have been rooting for #teamtalan all throughout the series, so I was excited to see what the conclusion to the fake relationship between Talon & Nia would end. The ending gave me the conclusion to the storyline, wrapping up all the characters. I am looking forward to seeing where the planned spin-off series goes. I am giving The Lady Of The Lake a rating of 5 / 5 stars.

[🌙henny✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh man. This series was way better than I expected it to be. Talan absolutely elevated these books. He’s my favourite character archetype: spoiled hedonistic prince who’s convinced everyone he’s evil when actually he’s secretly really nice and cares about the misfortune of the working class. Also he’s really hot and scary. He’s SUCH a scream honestly, I’m so glad that first guy wasn’t the endgame.

There wasn’t quite as much yearning and tension as I’d have liked, we spent a lot of this book focusing on Avalon tower because it was built up to have so many unanswered questions that now all had to be answered, so there was a lot to do. But listen, every scene my man Talan was in, he dominated. I’d do anything he asked of me fr 🥵 I’m surprised Nia held out as long as she did. I looked up the fanart. I would have folded the second he locked eyes with me.

Ugh the fact that they heard each other in their heads for years???? Beautiful. The reason was never explained though. We could have had a secret mate bond and I would have absolutely lost it. But I’ll take what I can get I guess. I just loved everyone in this. I didn’t love the VAs attempts at British accents but listen, it was good enough. Mostly. Those graphic audios are my favourite 😮‍💨

It’s really hot again today. Europe is experiencing the mother of all heatwaves right now. France just got its highest recorded temperature ever. It pales in comparison to the temperature of my house while I was reading this book though. I had to get an ice pack from the freezer right around the time Nia and Daddy Talan reunited in the hallway. I just love him so much 😭 he’s so FLIRTY!! I need another 50 books which mmcs that are exactly like this man STAT!!

I loved Mordred too. He too is a bit of a scream. I felt bad for him, all he wanted was his party 😭 and the public executions of those who wronged him too I suppose. Both reasonable requests. GIVE THE MAN HIS PARTY!!

Anyway I had a great time. 4.5/5 rounded down. Sad it’s over, wish we’d had more spice. I read books to feel like I’ve lived a thousand lives and this was a very memorable one 🥹 I’ll never forget you Talan 🤍

[Renée · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. Was. Not. Prepared.

This book was the BEST ending to a trilogy I've read in a long time.

if you liked Avalon Tower
loved Veil of Dreams
you're going to be obsessed with LotL!

I love it when authors make characters like Nia. She's definitely flawed, and when that house of cards tumble, she learns a lot about herself.

Talan is the hot goodness we always expect from Talan. His one-liners in this book were incredible.

But what I really loved about this book? The action! Every fight scene had me on the edge of my seat, mentally screaming and cheering them on.

I LOVE that Crawford and Rivers took a stab at this administration, too. I was cackling.

Read this story if you love:

🧝‍♀️morally grey MCs
🐉enemies-to-lovers
🧝‍♀️one bed/horse/dragon
🐉epic fight sequences
🧝‍♀️a little bit of mystery
🐉spy vs spy
🧝‍♀️edging

thank you so much to CN Crawford and Alex Rivers for the ARC! Epic ending.

[Marie Rasmussen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
I just love this trilogy!! I read the first two back in December and haven’t stopped thinking about this world and these characters. Such a unique plotting with AMAZING banter and tension. Highly recommend for my romantasy girlies