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A Crown of Thorns and Vows
Beneath the blood-red moon of Hollowseed, mortal scholar Tessa Morgan becomes the unwilling bride of prophecy. Torn from her world by ancient magic, she is promised to Prince Erian of Hollowseed as part of an age-old vow. Bound by duty and destiny, the mortal and the fae must walk a delicate tightrope between loyalty and desire. In the gilded halls of faerie intrigue, jealousy and secrets fester like thorns—and their arranged marriage, meant to save a kingdom, might just as easily unleash its ruin.
Whispered prophecy haunts them: when mortal and fae are wed under hollow boughs, a thorn-crowned bride will herald the end of an era. Now forbidden sparks ignite between Tessa and the brooding prince. Each stolen glance is a betrayal of duty; each shared moment a step toward salvation or downfall. In a kingdom of moonlight and murmured promises, love may become the deadliest magic of all.
Whispered prophecy haunts them: when mortal and fae are wed under hollow boughs, a thorn-crowned bride will herald the end of an era. Now forbidden sparks ignite between Tessa and the brooding prince. Each stolen glance is a betrayal of duty; each shared moment a step toward salvation or downfall. In a kingdom of moonlight and murmured promises, love may become the deadliest magic of all.
Paperback
First published June 20, 2025
3 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Juliette Calloway
4 books9 followersJuliette Calloway writes love stories where sparks fly, hearts race, and happy endings are truly earned. Her novels blend fierce chemistry, emotional tension, enchanting fantasy realms, and unforgettable characters crafted for stubborn dreamers who never fall easily.
When she’s not weaving enemies-to-lovers tension or battling imaginary beasts, Juliette can be found curled up with a good cup of coffee, dreaming up her next swoon-worthy hero.
Her passion is creating romance that feels electric, escapist, and just the right amount of magical — stories you’ll devour in one sitting and dream about after ;)
When she’s not weaving enemies-to-lovers tension or battling imaginary beasts, Juliette can be found curled up with a good cup of coffee, dreaming up her next swoon-worthy hero.
Her passion is creating romance that feels electric, escapist, and just the right amount of magical — stories you’ll devour in one sitting and dream about after ;)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
July 5, 2025
Arranged marriage? ✔️
Mortal girl stuck in a fae kingdom? ✔️
Prophecy that might doom an entire world? DOUBLE ✔️
And yet I STILL VOLUNTARILY FELL FOR THE BROODING PRINCE. 😩🔥
Tessa Morgan just wanted to study legends, not become one. But thanks to some ancient magic and a blood-red moon, this mortal scholar is now shackled to a fae prince and bound by a prophecy that says she might end an era. (Casual. No pressure.)
Cue:
🌿 court intrigue 🖤 enemies-to-reluctant-allies 📜 academic smarts vs fae arrogance 💫 tension-filled slow burn that had me SCREAMING internally every time Prince Erian let his icy mask slip
The worldbuilding is lush and immersive that you can practically feel the moonlight in Hollowseed and the stakes? High. Like “save the kingdom or burn with it” high. Tessa is all heart and grit, and I was rooting for her from page one.
And Prince Erian?
Cold. Calculated. Secretly soft (maybe). Let’s just say... I was intrigued 😏
Is the romance fast? No. Is it worth the wait for a kiss? ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY.
If you’re craving:
✨ portal magic 🖤 fae politics 📚 scholar heroine energy 👑 and a kiss under pressure scene that will have you SCREAMING at the page…
Then go grab your crown, your book, and your nearest morally grey love interest because A Crown of Thorns and Vows is out NOW!
Welcome to Hollowseed, babes. The prophecy awaits. 🌙🌿
Tessa Morgan just wanted to study legends, not become one. But thanks to some ancient magic and a blood-red moon, this mortal scholar is now shackled to a fae prince and bound by a prophecy that says she might end an era. (Casual. No pressure.)
Cue:
🌿 court intrigue 🖤 enemies-to-reluctant-allies 📜 academic smarts vs fae arrogance 💫 tension-filled slow burn that had me SCREAMING internally every time Prince Erian let his icy mask slip
The worldbuilding is lush and immersive that you can practically feel the moonlight in Hollowseed and the stakes? High. Like “save the kingdom or burn with it” high. Tessa is all heart and grit, and I was rooting for her from page one.
And Prince Erian?
Cold. Calculated. Secretly soft (maybe). Let’s just say... I was intrigued 😏
Is the romance fast? No. Is it worth the wait for a kiss? ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY.
If you’re craving:
✨ portal magic 🖤 fae politics 📚 scholar heroine energy 👑 and a kiss under pressure scene that will have you SCREAMING at the page…
Then go grab your crown, your book, and your nearest morally grey love interest because A Crown of Thorns and Vows is out NOW!
Welcome to Hollowseed, babes. The prophecy awaits. 🌙🌿
June 27, 2025
A Crown of Thorns and Vows had some truly beautiful writing. The author’s prose was so vivid and descriptive, it made the world come to life in this lush, immersive way. I kept stopping just to admire how poetic it was.
The plot moved along well, and the prophecy arc definitely kept things going. However, what was missing for me was depth in the characters. There wasn’t much emotional buildup or banter, and the romance felt very insta-love. I’m someone who loves angst, tension, and slow emotional growth in relationships, and I just didn’t get that here.
We didn’t get much insight into the characters’ inner worlds, no real sense of motivation, no spark between them that made me root for the couple. I wanted more dialogue, more connection, and more time to fall in love with them.
I’m still giving it 4 stars because the writing is stunning, but I do wish the character development and emotional layers had matched the beauty of the prose. Thanks to the author for giving me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The plot moved along well, and the prophecy arc definitely kept things going. However, what was missing for me was depth in the characters. There wasn’t much emotional buildup or banter, and the romance felt very insta-love. I’m someone who loves angst, tension, and slow emotional growth in relationships, and I just didn’t get that here.
We didn’t get much insight into the characters’ inner worlds, no real sense of motivation, no spark between them that made me root for the couple. I wanted more dialogue, more connection, and more time to fall in love with them.
I’m still giving it 4 stars because the writing is stunning, but I do wish the character development and emotional layers had matched the beauty of the prose. Thanks to the author for giving me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2025
Arranged marriage is one of my favorite tropes, so I was instantly excited to dive into this new Romantasy.
Pitched as perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, A Crown of Thorns and Vows follows Tessa Morgan, a woman pulled into the fae realm of Hollowseed by an ancient prophecy— and bound to marry the brooding, powerful fae prince Erian Highthorn. As political intrigue, betrayal, and dangerous magic threaten the kingdom, their arranged marriage becomes the key to survival—and their growing, forbidden passion becomes impossible to deny.
The prophecy about the mortal bride is introduced to us at the beginning of the book and immediately sets the tone for the complicated dynamics that are to come once Tessa is magically transported to Hollowseed. The world was described beautifully, and the intrigue is everywhere, considering the court sees Tessa as the “mortal harbinger” of either salvation or ruin and not many people seem to be as optimistic as the queen, who was one of the characters I enjoyed the most alongside Prince Erian. He’s honorable, and despite the fear engrained in him especially by his father about the mortal bride of the prophecy, he wants to protect Tessa and sees her as a victim of fate as much as he is. In short, he’s my type of character. And I loved him with Tessa, though I would have loved seeing a little bit more build-up between the two before they fell in love.
As with all portal fantasies, or fantasy books where the protagonist goes from living a normal existence to a magical one, I prefer it when I see a little bit of the protagonist’s life before everything changes, which is something I don’t feel like we’ve seen enough for Tessa. I would have loved seeing her interact with the people in her life just to get a sense of what she was losing once she was in the world of the fae.
Here are some tropes!
🔥 mortal x fae romance
❤️🔥 forced proximity
💍 arranged marriage
🪨 portal fantasy
🏰 court intrigue
❣️ brooding hero
❣️ strong heroine
✨ fae magic
🔮 prophecy romance
Rating 3.5 ⭐️
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
Pitched as perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, A Crown of Thorns and Vows follows Tessa Morgan, a woman pulled into the fae realm of Hollowseed by an ancient prophecy— and bound to marry the brooding, powerful fae prince Erian Highthorn. As political intrigue, betrayal, and dangerous magic threaten the kingdom, their arranged marriage becomes the key to survival—and their growing, forbidden passion becomes impossible to deny.
The prophecy about the mortal bride is introduced to us at the beginning of the book and immediately sets the tone for the complicated dynamics that are to come once Tessa is magically transported to Hollowseed. The world was described beautifully, and the intrigue is everywhere, considering the court sees Tessa as the “mortal harbinger” of either salvation or ruin and not many people seem to be as optimistic as the queen, who was one of the characters I enjoyed the most alongside Prince Erian. He’s honorable, and despite the fear engrained in him especially by his father about the mortal bride of the prophecy, he wants to protect Tessa and sees her as a victim of fate as much as he is. In short, he’s my type of character. And I loved him with Tessa, though I would have loved seeing a little bit more build-up between the two before they fell in love.
As with all portal fantasies, or fantasy books where the protagonist goes from living a normal existence to a magical one, I prefer it when I see a little bit of the protagonist’s life before everything changes, which is something I don’t feel like we’ve seen enough for Tessa. I would have loved seeing her interact with the people in her life just to get a sense of what she was losing once she was in the world of the fae.
Here are some tropes!
🔥 mortal x fae romance
❤️🔥 forced proximity
💍 arranged marriage
🪨 portal fantasy
🏰 court intrigue
❣️ brooding hero
❣️ strong heroine
✨ fae magic
🔮 prophecy romance
Rating 3.5 ⭐️
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
June 23, 2025
Tessa unexpectedly lands in a Fae realm, is captured, and told her arrival is linked to an ancient prophecy that must be fulfilled. She is forced to marry the Prince despite being an outcast in their land, urged that it is the only way to avoid the Kingdoms foretold ruin.
Tessa uses her academic knowledge of folklore to try to unpick the prophecy, and seamlessly navigates the Kingdoms hostility towards her with grace and intelligence. I enjoyed seeing Prince Erian evolve from his admiration of Tessa to his love for her, and their willingness to sacrifice for each other.
There are evil threats, sinister plots, high stakes and ominous threads of fate dictating their roles, but they face the journey together. This is an epic journey of bravery and resilience, with descriptive worldbuilding.
Tessa uses her academic knowledge of folklore to try to unpick the prophecy, and seamlessly navigates the Kingdoms hostility towards her with grace and intelligence. I enjoyed seeing Prince Erian evolve from his admiration of Tessa to his love for her, and their willingness to sacrifice for each other.
There are evil threats, sinister plots, high stakes and ominous threads of fate dictating their roles, but they face the journey together. This is an epic journey of bravery and resilience, with descriptive worldbuilding.
June 25, 2025
A Crown Of Thorns And Vows by Juliette Calloway
3.5 stars!
This was a unique twist on the portal worlds. Our FMC is a mortal scholar intrigued by the legend of the fae world that she thought was nothing more than legend. She is thrown into the world of the fae and caught in an arranged marriage to the prince. This was a fun and easy read with an interesting premise. That said, I found myself wishing for bit more depth to the characters and overall story. Still, a worthwhile read for the right audience.
Tropes
- Arranged Marriage
- Portal Magic
- Mortal x Fae Romance
3.5 stars!
This was a unique twist on the portal worlds. Our FMC is a mortal scholar intrigued by the legend of the fae world that she thought was nothing more than legend. She is thrown into the world of the fae and caught in an arranged marriage to the prince. This was a fun and easy read with an interesting premise. That said, I found myself wishing for bit more depth to the characters and overall story. Still, a worthwhile read for the right audience.
Tropes
- Arranged Marriage
- Portal Magic
- Mortal x Fae Romance
June 8, 2025
I was given an ARC copy of this book.
The world building was very descriptive and beautiful and the plot was good, but I felt like more effort was put into describing the environment than anything else.
I didn’t feel any connection to Tessa or Erian. There was no romance between them except for a kiss in the woods, so it was hard to understand where their love for each other came from. Maybe it came from all the times Erian had to save Tessa. The characters felt very flat and generic to me, which is such a bummer because who doesn’t love a fae/mortal relationship.
The pacing was fast, which isn’t always a terrible choice, but this felt a little too fast. It didn’t give readers a glimpse into Tessa’s and Erian’s relationship and it felt rushed. We seemed to get more of a look at the building relationship between Tessa and Queen Aurelia. Between the detailed world and Tessa getting injured, I felt like there wasn’t any time for character development.
The world building was very descriptive and beautiful and the plot was good, but I felt like more effort was put into describing the environment than anything else.
I didn’t feel any connection to Tessa or Erian. There was no romance between them except for a kiss in the woods, so it was hard to understand where their love for each other came from. Maybe it came from all the times Erian had to save Tessa. The characters felt very flat and generic to me, which is such a bummer because who doesn’t love a fae/mortal relationship.
The pacing was fast, which isn’t always a terrible choice, but this felt a little too fast. It didn’t give readers a glimpse into Tessa’s and Erian’s relationship and it felt rushed. We seemed to get more of a look at the building relationship between Tessa and Queen Aurelia. Between the detailed world and Tessa getting injured, I felt like there wasn’t any time for character development.
June 21, 2025
Thank you Juliette for providing me with an ARC in exchange for honest feedback!
I really enjoyed the start of the book, but unfortunately, something didn't quite click for me.. I hate writing a negative review, but I want to be honest.. The biggest positive for me was that the world building was great! It sounded like a mystical, beautiful place.
I'm afraid the rest of it just wasn't for me....
I'm not a huge fan of third person and the chapters were realllly long, which I definitely struggled with.
I didn't feel any connection to the characters - I'd love to learn about bit more about Tessa & Erian to connect to them better. It felt like Tessa was constantly in trouble and Erian was coming to her rescue, then they went from knowing nothing about each other to being in love overnight... It was similar with the Queen - she knew nothing about Tessa but their relationship was instant.
I'm sure many other people will love this book! I'm afraid it just wasn't my cup of tea.
I really enjoyed the start of the book, but unfortunately, something didn't quite click for me.. I hate writing a negative review, but I want to be honest.. The biggest positive for me was that the world building was great! It sounded like a mystical, beautiful place.
I'm afraid the rest of it just wasn't for me....
I'm not a huge fan of third person and the chapters were realllly long, which I definitely struggled with.
I didn't feel any connection to the characters - I'd love to learn about bit more about Tessa & Erian to connect to them better. It felt like Tessa was constantly in trouble and Erian was coming to her rescue, then they went from knowing nothing about each other to being in love overnight... It was similar with the Queen - she knew nothing about Tessa but their relationship was instant.
I'm sure many other people will love this book! I'm afraid it just wasn't my cup of tea.
July 13, 2025
Thank you to the author for the gifted paperback. Opinions are my own.
I was instantly intrigued by the premise of this book, which was pitched as perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, and we all know how much I adore them.
A Crown of Thorns and Vows follows Tessa, a woman pulled into a fae realm by an ancient prophecy. Here, she is bound to marry a brooding, powerful fae prince she doesn't trust, and this arranged marriage becomes the key to their survival as dangerous magic threatens the kingdom…
The book opens right as the fae first find out about the prophecy of the mortal bride that is to bring either salvation or doom, setting the stage for the intrigue that is to follow. Soon after, we see Tessa being thrust into the world of the fae, and we discover more about the world, its players and its politics through her eyes. The evocative writing and the detailed description of the world made this read very immersive. As for the romance, while Tessa and Erian were adorable, and while I loved how Erian fought his own misgivings about the prophecy, I wish we could have gotten more build-up and scenes between the two where we see them moving from strangers to more.
Here is what you can expect:
- mortal x fae romance
- forced proximity
- arranged marriage
- portal fantasy
- court intrigue
- brooding hero
- strong heroine
- fae magic
- prophecy romance
Rating: 3.5 stars
I was instantly intrigued by the premise of this book, which was pitched as perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, and we all know how much I adore them.
A Crown of Thorns and Vows follows Tessa, a woman pulled into a fae realm by an ancient prophecy. Here, she is bound to marry a brooding, powerful fae prince she doesn't trust, and this arranged marriage becomes the key to their survival as dangerous magic threatens the kingdom…
The book opens right as the fae first find out about the prophecy of the mortal bride that is to bring either salvation or doom, setting the stage for the intrigue that is to follow. Soon after, we see Tessa being thrust into the world of the fae, and we discover more about the world, its players and its politics through her eyes. The evocative writing and the detailed description of the world made this read very immersive. As for the romance, while Tessa and Erian were adorable, and while I loved how Erian fought his own misgivings about the prophecy, I wish we could have gotten more build-up and scenes between the two where we see them moving from strangers to more.
Here is what you can expect:
- mortal x fae romance
- forced proximity
- arranged marriage
- portal fantasy
- court intrigue
- brooding hero
- strong heroine
- fae magic
- prophecy romance
Rating: 3.5 stars
June 10, 2025
This book had a lot of potential. The author describes the world in great, vivid detail and I truly felt immersed in the story. The plot was compelling, a human girl who is transported to a fae realm to fulfill a magical prophecy. Thrust into a marriage with the prince, she begins to unravel what the prophecy means for her, her new husband, and the fae realm.
I found myself wanting more connection with the main characters, and for them to have more connection with each other. There was very little banter, and both just accept the prophecy with no push or fight. I found myself wanting that angst and tension that's common with romantasy, and maybe some aggression between the couple as reluctant allies to lovers. But we didn't get that, and so their relationship fell flat for me. There's also very little romance and no spice between them so it left them appearing more as comrades than lovers.
Thanks to the author for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!
I found myself wanting more connection with the main characters, and for them to have more connection with each other. There was very little banter, and both just accept the prophecy with no push or fight. I found myself wanting that angst and tension that's common with romantasy, and maybe some aggression between the couple as reluctant allies to lovers. But we didn't get that, and so their relationship fell flat for me. There's also very little romance and no spice between them so it left them appearing more as comrades than lovers.
Thanks to the author for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!
June 14, 2025
I received this as an ARC, and I want to leave an honest review. I almost didn't review because I don't like giving negative feedback, I so wanted to enjoy this book.
The concept was was great - a mortal is sucked into a fae dimension? Yes please!
The houses and furniture magically carved from trees, throwing in some bioluminescence? Check.
It was the characters that left me empty. Everyone was so NICE, and unfailingly polite. There was no dimension - who is Tessa? Still not sure. What motivates her? As far as I could tell it was a desire to be a nice and agreeable person even when her world was upside down. Likes? Dislikes? Hmmm. Just the prophecy, which was definitely the single driving force of this book.
I felt the same about the prince, and the two of them together were, again, very nice. Also polite.
I was confused by the queen suddenly treating Tessa like a mother, with no relationship building - just a saccharine sweetness that felt unearned.
This concept had a lot of potential, but I love character driven stories so it sadly didn't hit the mark for me.
The concept was was great - a mortal is sucked into a fae dimension? Yes please!
The houses and furniture magically carved from trees, throwing in some bioluminescence? Check.
It was the characters that left me empty. Everyone was so NICE, and unfailingly polite. There was no dimension - who is Tessa? Still not sure. What motivates her? As far as I could tell it was a desire to be a nice and agreeable person even when her world was upside down. Likes? Dislikes? Hmmm. Just the prophecy, which was definitely the single driving force of this book.
I felt the same about the prince, and the two of them together were, again, very nice. Also polite.
I was confused by the queen suddenly treating Tessa like a mother, with no relationship building - just a saccharine sweetness that felt unearned.
This concept had a lot of potential, but I love character driven stories so it sadly didn't hit the mark for me.
June 4, 2025
This book had me in a chokehold from the minute I picked it up! Tessa is a mortal girl who accidentally ends up in hollow seed. Desperate to be saved from a dooming prophecy the king and queen of hollow seed force Tessa to marry their son, prince Erian. Tessa is not accepted by anyone at the beginning. Watching her character develop and her relationship with Erian flourish is the highlight of the book. Love overcomes all things! If you’re looking for a book like ACOTAR but way more unique… check this book out right now! You won’t regret it. I received this book as an ARC and I am leaving my honest opinion on the book. Ms. Calloway is an extremely descriptive writer giving you a lot of material to help you envision the realm of hollowseed! I’m anxiously awaiting her next book.
July 18, 2025
If you enjoy reading for the VIBES and you’re into lush fantasy worlds, this is a whimsical fae fantasy with slow-burn romance, that you might want to check out!
A Crown of Thorns and Vows follows a mortal scholar named Tessa, who gets swept into an arranged marriage with a fae prince because of this ancient prophecy. There’s a masquerade ball, an enchanting fae realm and some really vivid writing—you’ll feel like you’re actually there!
I think this is more suited for a plot driven YA audience, with less focus on the characters and romance, and more focus on the prophecy and Tessa navigating the fae court politics. Overall a whimsical and beautifully written book perfect for fans of the fae!
A Crown of Thorns and Vows follows a mortal scholar named Tessa, who gets swept into an arranged marriage with a fae prince because of this ancient prophecy. There’s a masquerade ball, an enchanting fae realm and some really vivid writing—you’ll feel like you’re actually there!
I think this is more suited for a plot driven YA audience, with less focus on the characters and romance, and more focus on the prophecy and Tessa navigating the fae court politics. Overall a whimsical and beautifully written book perfect for fans of the fae!
June 6, 2025
Tessa knows about myths, legends and prophecy but she doesn’t believe in them. Now that she is in one she has to rethink everything. This story has great world building, a FMC willing to look past her fear to find a solution and a found family.
June 25, 2025
I got an arc, but my rating/review are my own!
review coming soon...
review coming soon...
July 13, 2025
This book is full of prophecies, fae, and human worlds! Our poor human FMC stumbles upon an entrance to the fae world and is immediately thrust into an age old prophecy in which she will either bring about the destruction of the crown or save it. The prince she is promised to turns out to be a super hot amazing dude! Together they have to figure out how to save their land while dealing with betrayal all around. What neither of them expected was for love to happen along the way.
June 26, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up
Tessa (a mortal) ends up transporting to the magical Fae kingdom through a portal late one night while walking home from the library at school (she is a college student studying these folklores and now she is in one). She is cut off from her home world and ends up being taken to see the Prince and finds out she is part of an ancient prophecy tying herself to the Prince as his bride everyone has been struggling with this prophecy for years and most at this point feel it's a bad omen since it could lead to "ruin OR salvation" but most people are like... no Ruin for sure!
Tessa did not have any of this on her Bingo card for the year --> falling through a portal: X; being part of an ancient prophecy: X; being on her own in a foreign land: X; told she now has to be in an arranged marriage to the prince of the Fae: X things are not looking good for our girl.
Tessa struggles with feeling out of place in a foreign land and is bullied by the locals, she also becomes the target of death threats and attacks where the prince (Erian our MMC) is frequently coming to her rescue. There is some shady stuff going on with some of the people in this world how is Tessa going to stay safe when she doesn't know who is after her or who to trust?
Beautiful descriptive world building but I felt this took up a really big portion of the story so much so that it kind of felt like too much to get through this and on to the story at times, our lead characters had minimal contact with each other throughout the first half of the book and while the prince did keep saving Tessa I felt Tessa was building a better relationship with the Queen than her husband Erian. I would have liked more banter/interactions with our lead characters to get to know them better.
By the time Tessa and Erian did end up spending more time together over 50% of the book was done and left not much time to really build a relationship without it feeling kind of rushed I was hoping for a spark between the couple which kind of happened in the woods after a near death experience for the two of them making this feel more like an insta-love story. I also had questions about the fae magic and if/how it replenishes?
I received an ARC copy of this book and appreciated the opportunity to read about this magical world and Tessa and Erian they both handled their less than ideal situation with grace and dignity that many others in their situation wouldn't handle as well (including myself). The book sets up for a sequel and I would love to read more in the series.
The chapters were all very long, this is probably just my own personal preference but I like a mix of long and shorter chapters and I often have my kindle set to time left in chapter, seeing over an hour left at the beginning of each chapter was a bit daunting.
wrote a bit more about this on my blog:
https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/202...
*ARC *Romantasy *Fae + Human *strangers --> more *travel to another world *portal magic
*written in 3rd person *allies to lovers *Indie author *arranged marriage
*bullying by fae people towards FMC *drama/political intrigue
*super slow burn (no spice) *insta love
Tessa (a mortal) ends up transporting to the magical Fae kingdom through a portal late one night while walking home from the library at school (she is a college student studying these folklores and now she is in one). She is cut off from her home world and ends up being taken to see the Prince and finds out she is part of an ancient prophecy tying herself to the Prince as his bride everyone has been struggling with this prophecy for years and most at this point feel it's a bad omen since it could lead to "ruin OR salvation" but most people are like... no Ruin for sure!
Tessa did not have any of this on her Bingo card for the year --> falling through a portal: X; being part of an ancient prophecy: X; being on her own in a foreign land: X; told she now has to be in an arranged marriage to the prince of the Fae: X things are not looking good for our girl.
Tessa struggles with feeling out of place in a foreign land and is bullied by the locals, she also becomes the target of death threats and attacks where the prince (Erian our MMC) is frequently coming to her rescue. There is some shady stuff going on with some of the people in this world how is Tessa going to stay safe when she doesn't know who is after her or who to trust?
Beautiful descriptive world building but I felt this took up a really big portion of the story so much so that it kind of felt like too much to get through this and on to the story at times, our lead characters had minimal contact with each other throughout the first half of the book and while the prince did keep saving Tessa I felt Tessa was building a better relationship with the Queen than her husband Erian. I would have liked more banter/interactions with our lead characters to get to know them better.
By the time Tessa and Erian did end up spending more time together over 50% of the book was done and left not much time to really build a relationship without it feeling kind of rushed I was hoping for a spark between the couple which kind of happened in the woods after a near death experience for the two of them making this feel more like an insta-love story. I also had questions about the fae magic and if/how it replenishes?
I received an ARC copy of this book and appreciated the opportunity to read about this magical world and Tessa and Erian they both handled their less than ideal situation with grace and dignity that many others in their situation wouldn't handle as well (including myself). The book sets up for a sequel and I would love to read more in the series.
The chapters were all very long, this is probably just my own personal preference but I like a mix of long and shorter chapters and I often have my kindle set to time left in chapter, seeing over an hour left at the beginning of each chapter was a bit daunting.
wrote a bit more about this on my blog:
https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/202...
*ARC *Romantasy *Fae + Human *strangers --> more *travel to another world *portal magic
*written in 3rd person *allies to lovers *Indie author *arranged marriage
*bullying by fae people towards FMC *drama/political intrigue
*super slow burn (no spice) *insta love
June 9, 2025
5 ⭐️Tessa and Prince Erian have entered the Fantasy Genre Battle for the crown and place in your hearts! This was a super creative and beautifully detailed start for a series. Ms. Calloway, the author, does not hold back with her pen, delivering an extremely eloquent, intricately woven, immensely descriptive story! I was awed at her world building and attention to detail. I highlighted SO many passages, because they were so poetic and original. From the moment Tessa fell through the Veil as a mortal, I was hooked. Prince Erian and his hidden gentleness, heroism, and well mannered moral compass snagged me. Queen Aurelia, was wise, kind, and a total gem and she sealed the deal for me. This story has it all - Fae, magic, portal world changes, mystery and intrigue, prophesies, slow burn relationship….. you get the idea 😉
*I am so grateful to Ms. Calloway for my ARC, and the opportunity to read and review this book prior to release to the public*
*Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for permitting me to read and review this book prior to release to the public.*
**pictures used for the video are from the authors site @amdunnewin they are not mine**
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Thank you to @dani.loughary.author for sending me such a beautiful little package 🥹 #embersoffate has all of the sexy, adventure and mystery tropes we want. I am so excited to read, and so should you! It’s now available on her website, #amazon , #kindle , #kobo #barnesandnoble !! ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. …………………….#bookish #arc #booktok #bookstagram #fantasy #romantasy #books #prbox
*I am so grateful to Ms. Calloway for my ARC, and the opportunity to read and review this book prior to release to the public*
*Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for permitting me to read and review this book prior to release to the public.*
**pictures used for the video are from the authors site @amdunnewin they are not mine**
……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. …………………….
Www.goodreads.com/evelynreadseverything
Www.facebook.com/evelynreadseverything1
https://www.instagram.com/evelynreads...
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#bookish #booktok #bookstagram #books #adventure #history #inspiring #fantasy #romantasy #romcom #hero #bookrecommendation #bookshelf #library #lovetoread #theknightandthemoth #magic #gooddefeatsevil #mystery #arc #warrior #barnesandnoble #newbook #music #target #kindle #ku #sounserious #netgalley #vengeance #pirates #90skid #mythical #magic #slowburn
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Thank you to @dani.loughary.author for sending me such a beautiful little package 🥹 #embersoffate has all of the sexy, adventure and mystery tropes we want. I am so excited to read, and so should you! It’s now available on her website, #amazon , #kindle , #kobo #barnesandnoble !! ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. ……………………. …………………….#bookish #arc #booktok #bookstagram #fantasy #romantasy #books #prbox
June 21, 2025
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read! I LOVED the writing style and the detailed descriptions. The world building is incredible! I truly felt like I was stepping into the world of the Fae. Not only were the descriptions of everywhere Tessa went super immersive, but the descriptions of the Fae themselves and the clothing they wore were incredible. I love attention to detail, and this book definitely has that!
I also feel like Tessa was made to be very relatable. Her thoughts and feelings with the situations she was experiencing were well thought out. She really walked into a situation with a target on her back from many different angles, and handled everything she was going through well and I also liked how her wittiness came out in really uncomfortable situations. I loved reading the situations in which she put certain characters in their place and showed them they couldn’t walk all over her simply because she was human.
I gave this book 4 stars because her relationship fell really flat for me with the MMC. I was hoping that there would be more tension (especially with the prophecy shared at the start of the book) and that the relationship between here and Prince Erian would have this moment in which they really clicked, and things would evolve into more. More passion, but not in a spice kind of way so to speak. There were moments in the book where he connected with Tessa and really was vulnerable with her, but overall I just feel like it was kind of flat. I also really wish we had gotten just a little bit more of a glimpse of what Tessa’s life was like before she stepped into the Fae world. I feel like her character would have been a little more rounded for me if I knew a little bit more as to who she was before she stepped into the Fae realm, and could have really shown more of her growth as to who she became once she left the human realm.
I will 100% be reading the next book in this series. With this being the first book, I have a feeling that I will love the next one even more. With the world building being so incredible, it will leave so much more room to further develop the characters and Tessa’s relationship with Prince Erian.
Thank you again to the author for allowing me to ARC read this book! Overall well done!
Overall, I really enjoyed this read! I LOVED the writing style and the detailed descriptions. The world building is incredible! I truly felt like I was stepping into the world of the Fae. Not only were the descriptions of everywhere Tessa went super immersive, but the descriptions of the Fae themselves and the clothing they wore were incredible. I love attention to detail, and this book definitely has that!
I also feel like Tessa was made to be very relatable. Her thoughts and feelings with the situations she was experiencing were well thought out. She really walked into a situation with a target on her back from many different angles, and handled everything she was going through well and I also liked how her wittiness came out in really uncomfortable situations. I loved reading the situations in which she put certain characters in their place and showed them they couldn’t walk all over her simply because she was human.
I gave this book 4 stars because her relationship fell really flat for me with the MMC. I was hoping that there would be more tension (especially with the prophecy shared at the start of the book) and that the relationship between here and Prince Erian would have this moment in which they really clicked, and things would evolve into more. More passion, but not in a spice kind of way so to speak. There were moments in the book where he connected with Tessa and really was vulnerable with her, but overall I just feel like it was kind of flat. I also really wish we had gotten just a little bit more of a glimpse of what Tessa’s life was like before she stepped into the Fae world. I feel like her character would have been a little more rounded for me if I knew a little bit more as to who she was before she stepped into the Fae realm, and could have really shown more of her growth as to who she became once she left the human realm.
I will 100% be reading the next book in this series. With this being the first book, I have a feeling that I will love the next one even more. With the world building being so incredible, it will leave so much more room to further develop the characters and Tessa’s relationship with Prince Erian.
Thank you again to the author for allowing me to ARC read this book! Overall well done!
July 9, 2025
3.75⭐️ I tend to round up for the benefit of the author since half stars aren't allowed :)
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Voracious Readers and was quite excited to dive in! Was this top tier for me? Not quite. Did I enjoy the ending enough that I look forward to the next? Yes!
What did I love about this book?
✨Scholar FMC. Give me all the brains!
✨The world was beautifully described and created a vivid depiction of the characters surroundings. I truly enjoyed feeling immersed in a nature-centric world.
✨How the romance ends up. I love these two together. The mortal x fae relationship, the sacrifice, the equity of rule. The Prince is a GEM.
✨ The Queen. Enough said.
✨One of my measures of a great fantasy book is whether or not my breath hitches or my eyes well up with tears when the epic battle happens. Although I wasn't brought to tears, my emotions were definitely roused in the final chapters!
Where would I give feedback/questions - of course, influenced by my preferences 🙃
✨ Some may not agree with my criticism of this, but the "mortal dropping into the fae world and (relatively) complicitly getting married" storyline happened too fast. It lacked build and enough reasonable opposition from the FMC.
✨ Could have used a bit more character development. Loved that Tessa was considered a scholar. I was really excited about the idea of her linking up with the fae librarian and using her brainpower to figure out the prophecy. We got a taste of it - but I wanted more. For any fans of Fourth Wing, think about Violet's constant harkening back to studying as a scribe and how it serves her as her weapon. I wanted her intellect to shine more.
✨ Even though I said I loved how the romance ENDED UP, I'd have loved a bit more banter and yearning to get there.
✨I was always expecting the Prince to have stronger magic. Generally royals do. I was hoping for some epic reveal that never came.
✨ Why are the chapters so long?
✨ And last but not least, stop thanking the Prince endlessly, Tessa. *Ick!*
Overall, I would definitely recommend this read for someone who enjoys court intrigue, mortal x fae relationships, and a prophecy trope. Thank you to the author for allowing me to read and provide feedback!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Voracious Readers and was quite excited to dive in! Was this top tier for me? Not quite. Did I enjoy the ending enough that I look forward to the next? Yes!
What did I love about this book?
✨Scholar FMC. Give me all the brains!
✨The world was beautifully described and created a vivid depiction of the characters surroundings. I truly enjoyed feeling immersed in a nature-centric world.
✨How the romance ends up. I love these two together. The mortal x fae relationship, the sacrifice, the equity of rule. The Prince is a GEM.
✨ The Queen. Enough said.
✨One of my measures of a great fantasy book is whether or not my breath hitches or my eyes well up with tears when the epic battle happens. Although I wasn't brought to tears, my emotions were definitely roused in the final chapters!
Where would I give feedback/questions - of course, influenced by my preferences 🙃
✨ Some may not agree with my criticism of this, but the "mortal dropping into the fae world and (relatively) complicitly getting married" storyline happened too fast. It lacked build and enough reasonable opposition from the FMC.
✨ Could have used a bit more character development. Loved that Tessa was considered a scholar. I was really excited about the idea of her linking up with the fae librarian and using her brainpower to figure out the prophecy. We got a taste of it - but I wanted more. For any fans of Fourth Wing, think about Violet's constant harkening back to studying as a scribe and how it serves her as her weapon. I wanted her intellect to shine more.
✨ Even though I said I loved how the romance ENDED UP, I'd have loved a bit more banter and yearning to get there.
✨I was always expecting the Prince to have stronger magic. Generally royals do. I was hoping for some epic reveal that never came.
✨ Why are the chapters so long?
✨ And last but not least, stop thanking the Prince endlessly, Tessa. *Ick!*
Overall, I would definitely recommend this read for someone who enjoys court intrigue, mortal x fae relationships, and a prophecy trope. Thank you to the author for allowing me to read and provide feedback!
July 11, 2025
I felt this book had so much potential but for me it just fell short of a fantasy/romantasy that I could enjoy.
The premise was really interesting, my favourite part being when Tessa fell through the portal to the fae realm and I found the crown of thorns ceremony interesting, but it put me on the back-foot from the start with chapters that were super long. I was reading on my kindle and each chapter was 30+ minutes read time, with one chapter being 50 pages long (1 hour, 10 to read) which I really struggled with. Especially considering I felt some of what was being said/described wasn’t necessary or had already been spoken about before.
I thought the characters were very surface level, they seemed to have instant bonds which didn’t make much sense considering the supposed rivalry and mistrust between fae and human, but the queen straight away sided with the human she just met and it didn’t take long for erian to do a 180 too. Considering Tessa had been taken captive, forced to marry someone and was hurt in the process, she seemed really happy to just go along with everything, which I didn’t find very believable. I also didn’t believe the love story, they had supposedly only known each other for a few days, had an arranged marriage very much against their will and then all of a sudden they loved each other. I feel that a bit more tension between Erian and Tessa would have made for a better flow to the story, a bit of push and pull or something and unfortunately I didn’t feel that a whole lot really happened.
I forced myself to finish because I knew this was an arc read, and although I did think the world building was very good, with great descriptions, some of it was overkill and hurt the pacing of the book. It just wasn’t my style unfortunately but thank you so much to Juliette for allowing me to read her book in exchange for an honest review. With every debut there are always teething problems as a writer finds their feet and I’m sure there will be those who will love this book and I wish Juliet every success for the series!
The premise was really interesting, my favourite part being when Tessa fell through the portal to the fae realm and I found the crown of thorns ceremony interesting, but it put me on the back-foot from the start with chapters that were super long. I was reading on my kindle and each chapter was 30+ minutes read time, with one chapter being 50 pages long (1 hour, 10 to read) which I really struggled with. Especially considering I felt some of what was being said/described wasn’t necessary or had already been spoken about before.
I thought the characters were very surface level, they seemed to have instant bonds which didn’t make much sense considering the supposed rivalry and mistrust between fae and human, but the queen straight away sided with the human she just met and it didn’t take long for erian to do a 180 too. Considering Tessa had been taken captive, forced to marry someone and was hurt in the process, she seemed really happy to just go along with everything, which I didn’t find very believable. I also didn’t believe the love story, they had supposedly only known each other for a few days, had an arranged marriage very much against their will and then all of a sudden they loved each other. I feel that a bit more tension between Erian and Tessa would have made for a better flow to the story, a bit of push and pull or something and unfortunately I didn’t feel that a whole lot really happened.
I forced myself to finish because I knew this was an arc read, and although I did think the world building was very good, with great descriptions, some of it was overkill and hurt the pacing of the book. It just wasn’t my style unfortunately but thank you so much to Juliette for allowing me to read her book in exchange for an honest review. With every debut there are always teething problems as a writer finds their feet and I’m sure there will be those who will love this book and I wish Juliet every success for the series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2025
Disclosure: I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review. As someone who loves supporting indie authors, I always aim to share thoughtful, fair feedback. While I have personal reading preferences—like a love for fantasy, horses, or specific tropes—I never let that impact my rating unless it's relevant to the book’s intent or audience. I review with the genre and readership in mind.
A Crown of Thorns and Vows is a YA epic romantasy that surprised me in all the best ways.
The story follows Tessa, who gets poofed into the fae realm and is immediately married off to a fae prince, Erian, due to a prophecy she had absolutely no say in. She doesn’t want it, didn’t ask for it, but has no choice except to play along. I really felt for her through the book, she is only a fragile little human without any power, only knowledge.
Once I got through the initial worldbuilding (which is dense, but totally worth it), I was completely hooked. The book is packed with action, political intrigue, and high stakes, and I genuinely wasn’t ready for just how intense and fast-paced things would get.
The romance? Beautifully slow burn. Watching Tessa and Erian’s relationship evolve as they work together to uncover the truth behind the prophecy was one of my favorite parts. Their connection felt real and earned, and by the end, I was fully rooting for them.
Also — shoutout to a certain character who gave me major fae Jafar (from Aladdin) vibes. Dark, cunning, mysterious… the only thing he was missing was a parrot, and honestly, I didn’t even mind 😂
And the writing? Stunning. The language pulled me deep into the world and made everything feel vivid and immersive. If you're a fan of detailed fantasy with strong romantic threads and high-stakes drama, this is one to add to your TBR.
A Crown of Thorns and Vows is a YA epic romantasy that surprised me in all the best ways.
The story follows Tessa, who gets poofed into the fae realm and is immediately married off to a fae prince, Erian, due to a prophecy she had absolutely no say in. She doesn’t want it, didn’t ask for it, but has no choice except to play along. I really felt for her through the book, she is only a fragile little human without any power, only knowledge.
Once I got through the initial worldbuilding (which is dense, but totally worth it), I was completely hooked. The book is packed with action, political intrigue, and high stakes, and I genuinely wasn’t ready for just how intense and fast-paced things would get.
The romance? Beautifully slow burn. Watching Tessa and Erian’s relationship evolve as they work together to uncover the truth behind the prophecy was one of my favorite parts. Their connection felt real and earned, and by the end, I was fully rooting for them.
Also — shoutout to a certain character who gave me major fae Jafar (from Aladdin) vibes. Dark, cunning, mysterious… the only thing he was missing was a parrot, and honestly, I didn’t even mind 😂
And the writing? Stunning. The language pulled me deep into the world and made everything feel vivid and immersive. If you're a fan of detailed fantasy with strong romantic threads and high-stakes drama, this is one to add to your TBR.
July 13, 2025
⭐️3.5
Thank you Juliette for letting me read and review this book!🫶🏼
Beneath the blood-red moon of Hollowseed, mortal scholar Tessa Morgan becomes the unwilling bride of prophecy. Torn from her world by ancient magic, she is promised to Prince Erian of Hollowseed as part of an age-old vow. Bound by duty and destiny, the mortal and the fae must walk a delicate tightrope between loyalty and desire. In the gilded halls of faerie intrigue, jealousy and secrets fester like thorns—and their arranged marriage, meant to save a kingdom, might just as easily unleash its ruin.
I am honestly a bit disappointed by this book in my opinion. When i read what it was about i was very excited but halfway the book i got less and less excited to keep reading. This writing style was not for me, some scenes (especially one scene) had been written unneccasary long in my opinion. I get it was a fight scene but it was written for so many pages that at some point i just skipped to the last page of the fighting scene😅
What i did love was the characters! We get to know Tessa Morgan who is a scholar who is doing research on the fae land, and get to know Erian, the prince of Hollowseed. I personally really love Erian, he is scared of what the propechy has told about the mortal and honestly i totally get that. And his mother Queen Aurelia, i absolutely love her so much for believing in Tessa no matter what the prophecies have said! To help Tessa feel like she belonged and steering her son that Tessa isnt like what the prophecies have said!
Plot wise, outside of that way too long of a fight scene, i really liked. The only thing i was a bit disappointed at was how predictable it is. From the very beginning i already knew how it would go, but i loved to read how Tessa discovers the truth!
So overall, it was an alright book! I wouldn't recommend it fastly, but atleast it wasn't so bad to DNF it. but Erian is still🥵
Thank you Juliette for letting me read and review this book!🫶🏼
Beneath the blood-red moon of Hollowseed, mortal scholar Tessa Morgan becomes the unwilling bride of prophecy. Torn from her world by ancient magic, she is promised to Prince Erian of Hollowseed as part of an age-old vow. Bound by duty and destiny, the mortal and the fae must walk a delicate tightrope between loyalty and desire. In the gilded halls of faerie intrigue, jealousy and secrets fester like thorns—and their arranged marriage, meant to save a kingdom, might just as easily unleash its ruin.
I am honestly a bit disappointed by this book in my opinion. When i read what it was about i was very excited but halfway the book i got less and less excited to keep reading. This writing style was not for me, some scenes (especially one scene) had been written unneccasary long in my opinion. I get it was a fight scene but it was written for so many pages that at some point i just skipped to the last page of the fighting scene😅
What i did love was the characters! We get to know Tessa Morgan who is a scholar who is doing research on the fae land, and get to know Erian, the prince of Hollowseed. I personally really love Erian, he is scared of what the propechy has told about the mortal and honestly i totally get that. And his mother Queen Aurelia, i absolutely love her so much for believing in Tessa no matter what the prophecies have said! To help Tessa feel like she belonged and steering her son that Tessa isnt like what the prophecies have said!
Plot wise, outside of that way too long of a fight scene, i really liked. The only thing i was a bit disappointed at was how predictable it is. From the very beginning i already knew how it would go, but i loved to read how Tessa discovers the truth!
So overall, it was an alright book! I wouldn't recommend it fastly, but atleast it wasn't so bad to DNF it. but Erian is still🥵
August 11, 2025
A Crown of Thorns and Vows is an arranged marriage fantasy book with a mortal and fae royalty. Tessa is a university student who was sucked through the Veil bringing her to a realm she believed to be fairy tale. Erian is the Prince of Hallowseed who has been promised to a mortal since an Oracle spoke the prophecy.
Juliette Calloway did a wonderful job with the world building in this story. I'm not a fan of 3rd person POV, so it took me longer than anticipated to finish the book, and it didn't help that the chapters were long. ACoTaV didn't feel like an enemies to lovers situation but more of a reluctant allies to lovers..
The characters fell short, I didn't feel like I truly got to know them, and in my opinion that's the case with most 3rd person POV books. The sadness that happened in chapter 8 didn't hit as hard as I felt it could have if I felt a connection with the characters.
Some of the book felt repetitive and I wasn't sure if it just felt familiar or if the author really repeated herself throughout the story. Like, the fact that the palace was inside a living tree, that was mentioned SO much. I didn't get a chance to forget it was living with how often it was brought up. The passage of time also felt off, for example- I thought the wedding was the night before the Court of Veils ball, but when Tessa returned to her room she made it seem like the wedding had been nights prior.
Spoilers ahead:
I'm not sure if we as readers were supposed to feel shocked when it was revealed that Sylas was behind all the bad things happening, but I was anything but. I felt it would have been more surprising if Erian turned out to be behind it. Honestly I thought that's where it was headed because the author kept mentioning his gloved hands, and I'm literature those are used to symbolize concealment of ones true nature.
Juliette Calloway did a wonderful job with the world building in this story. I'm not a fan of 3rd person POV, so it took me longer than anticipated to finish the book, and it didn't help that the chapters were long. ACoTaV didn't feel like an enemies to lovers situation but more of a reluctant allies to lovers..
The characters fell short, I didn't feel like I truly got to know them, and in my opinion that's the case with most 3rd person POV books. The sadness that happened in chapter 8 didn't hit as hard as I felt it could have if I felt a connection with the characters.
Some of the book felt repetitive and I wasn't sure if it just felt familiar or if the author really repeated herself throughout the story. Like, the fact that the palace was inside a living tree, that was mentioned SO much. I didn't get a chance to forget it was living with how often it was brought up. The passage of time also felt off, for example- I thought the wedding was the night before the Court of Veils ball, but when Tessa returned to her room she made it seem like the wedding had been nights prior.
Spoilers ahead:
I'm not sure if we as readers were supposed to feel shocked when it was revealed that Sylas was behind all the bad things happening, but I was anything but. I felt it would have been more surprising if Erian turned out to be behind it. Honestly I thought that's where it was headed because the author kept mentioning his gloved hands, and I'm literature those are used to symbolize concealment of ones true nature.
October 4, 2025
🔥 BRO vs. A CROWN OF THORNS AND VOWS 🔥
🥊 The Book: Mortal scholar Tessa Morgan gets yanked from her world and tossed under a blood-red moon into Hollowseed, where she’s bound by prophecy to marry Prince Erian. Their arranged marriage is meant to save the kingdom, but with fae intrigue, whispered betrayals, and a prophecy about a thorn-crowned bride, duty and desire get tangled fast.
💪 The Bro: Romantasy isn’t usually my main ring, but I’ll show up if the gloves are laced with prophecy, fae courts, and an arranged marriage setup.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 1: First Impressions
-The fae world is gorgeous—lush, cinematic, and easy to sink into. Calloway knows how to paint a scene.
-Right out the gate, the setup promises juicy prophecy drama and reluctant-ally tension.
-The bones of the plot are strong. There’s prophecy, intrigue, and looming doom.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 2: In the Thick of It
-Tessa and Erian read more like comrades than a couple. While the characters are interesting, their chemistry is a bit muted when it should burn.
-The arranged marriage premise begs for angst, banter, push-and-pull. Instead, we get polite acceptance of destiny.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 3: The Home Stretch
-Worldbuilding stays the prized fighter all the way through: atmospheric, elegant, and immersive.
-The romance arc, though, never grows as much bite as I’d like. With more internal conflict, this could’ve been a heavy hitter.
-Still, the prose is beautiful, and Calloway can really write. I’m locked in for her next adventure!
⸻
🔥 FINAL BELL: The ARC Bro Scorecard 🔥
🥊 Split Decision – A Crown of Thorns and Vows dazzles with its lush fae world but pulls its romantic punches. Gorgeous atmosphere, great prose, and a fun ending keep you reading, but the romance arc keeps it from hitting knockout status.
🥊 The Book: Mortal scholar Tessa Morgan gets yanked from her world and tossed under a blood-red moon into Hollowseed, where she’s bound by prophecy to marry Prince Erian. Their arranged marriage is meant to save the kingdom, but with fae intrigue, whispered betrayals, and a prophecy about a thorn-crowned bride, duty and desire get tangled fast.
💪 The Bro: Romantasy isn’t usually my main ring, but I’ll show up if the gloves are laced with prophecy, fae courts, and an arranged marriage setup.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 1: First Impressions
-The fae world is gorgeous—lush, cinematic, and easy to sink into. Calloway knows how to paint a scene.
-Right out the gate, the setup promises juicy prophecy drama and reluctant-ally tension.
-The bones of the plot are strong. There’s prophecy, intrigue, and looming doom.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 2: In the Thick of It
-Tessa and Erian read more like comrades than a couple. While the characters are interesting, their chemistry is a bit muted when it should burn.
-The arranged marriage premise begs for angst, banter, push-and-pull. Instead, we get polite acceptance of destiny.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 3: The Home Stretch
-Worldbuilding stays the prized fighter all the way through: atmospheric, elegant, and immersive.
-The romance arc, though, never grows as much bite as I’d like. With more internal conflict, this could’ve been a heavy hitter.
-Still, the prose is beautiful, and Calloway can really write. I’m locked in for her next adventure!
⸻
🔥 FINAL BELL: The ARC Bro Scorecard 🔥
🥊 Split Decision – A Crown of Thorns and Vows dazzles with its lush fae world but pulls its romantic punches. Gorgeous atmosphere, great prose, and a fun ending keep you reading, but the romance arc keeps it from hitting knockout status.
June 17, 2025
I received a copy of this book as an ARC in exchange of my honest review.
From the first few pages the story had me hooked! I knew it was going to love this book from the first chapter. Tessa Morgan, a mere mortal ends up in a magical world where she’s expected to follow suit a marry a prince fae, Erian, to fulfill a centuries old prophecy.
The author describes the magic land of Evaloria in vivid detail, the attention to detail makes it so easy to immerse yourself in the story. The book is fast paced which keeps you on your toes from the beginning, however, this made the romance story feel rushed and we can’t connect to the characters on an emotional level.
Tessa is a strong, intelligent and passionate character while Erian is a more reserved, strong willed yet kind person. Through the book we could see Erian showing vulnerability but their true feelings for each other only came to light whenever one of them was in great danger or pain. Although this creates palpable tension and shows their soft sides, it doesn’t leave space for emotional growth, or true bonding leading to their (beautiful) love story.
Overall, I could NOT put this book down! The writing was simply stunning, the details and easy flow made it such an immersive experience. If you love fantasy with romance, with no spice and high stakes drama, this one’s for you! I’m excited to read the next book in the series and seeing the characters grow and their relationship evolve!
Thank you so much for this ARC to the author, really enjoyed the story!
From the first few pages the story had me hooked! I knew it was going to love this book from the first chapter. Tessa Morgan, a mere mortal ends up in a magical world where she’s expected to follow suit a marry a prince fae, Erian, to fulfill a centuries old prophecy.
The author describes the magic land of Evaloria in vivid detail, the attention to detail makes it so easy to immerse yourself in the story. The book is fast paced which keeps you on your toes from the beginning, however, this made the romance story feel rushed and we can’t connect to the characters on an emotional level.
Tessa is a strong, intelligent and passionate character while Erian is a more reserved, strong willed yet kind person. Through the book we could see Erian showing vulnerability but their true feelings for each other only came to light whenever one of them was in great danger or pain. Although this creates palpable tension and shows their soft sides, it doesn’t leave space for emotional growth, or true bonding leading to their (beautiful) love story.
Overall, I could NOT put this book down! The writing was simply stunning, the details and easy flow made it such an immersive experience. If you love fantasy with romance, with no spice and high stakes drama, this one’s for you! I’m excited to read the next book in the series and seeing the characters grow and their relationship evolve!
Thank you so much for this ARC to the author, really enjoyed the story!
June 9, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for A Crown of Thorns and Vows, by Juliette Calloway
I will start as always by saying this review is just my personal opinion. But I am a sucker for a fairytale. And this is a perfect example of one!
Juliette’s Writing is so immersive, you can really imagine yourself within this hidden world behind the veil. The attention to detail, the descriptions of colour and light! It’s perfection, a true fairy story!
It’s got everything a classic fairytale should have, and there’s no spice! But it doesn’t need it at all!
A tale of a human girl who’s accidentally found herself in a magical world that she has to navigate with delicacy. Where being different earns you a bad name before you’ve even opened your mouth! And there really is a handsome prince who saves her! It’s got magic and danger, prophecies and a masquerade ball! With lots of yummy sounding concoctions of tea!
I adore that the FMC is strong willed and brave! She found herself in a truly unbelievable situation, but she handles it with true spirit and grace! I adore Tessa! She thinks like a real person, Which makes her all the more relatable!
This book really was wonderful, I loved everything about it! I feel so nostalgic even reading this story, even though it’s brand new it really resonated with me as if it was an old tale I’d been told before once upon a time. This book really had magic between its pages!
Thank you for letting me ARC read your magical story Juliette!!
I will start as always by saying this review is just my personal opinion. But I am a sucker for a fairytale. And this is a perfect example of one!
Juliette’s Writing is so immersive, you can really imagine yourself within this hidden world behind the veil. The attention to detail, the descriptions of colour and light! It’s perfection, a true fairy story!
It’s got everything a classic fairytale should have, and there’s no spice! But it doesn’t need it at all!
A tale of a human girl who’s accidentally found herself in a magical world that she has to navigate with delicacy. Where being different earns you a bad name before you’ve even opened your mouth! And there really is a handsome prince who saves her! It’s got magic and danger, prophecies and a masquerade ball! With lots of yummy sounding concoctions of tea!
I adore that the FMC is strong willed and brave! She found herself in a truly unbelievable situation, but she handles it with true spirit and grace! I adore Tessa! She thinks like a real person, Which makes her all the more relatable!
This book really was wonderful, I loved everything about it! I feel so nostalgic even reading this story, even though it’s brand new it really resonated with me as if it was an old tale I’d been told before once upon a time. This book really had magic between its pages!
Thank you for letting me ARC read your magical story Juliette!!
June 12, 2025
“I haven’t felt fear like that in… in my entire life. I thought I was going to lose you before I had a chance to properly know you.”
The writing of the story is truly immersive, you can really see yourself visiting this world hidden behind the veil. Juliette’s attention to detail, description of colors and light makes this a perfect fairytale setting. It has everything a fairytale should have- magic, faeries/mythical creatures, a distant land, and of course a villian!
Tessa is a woman who finds herself trapped in Evaloria and is hated purely for being mortal. She is strong-willed, brave, and intelligent. She shows true grit and grace while navigating her unusual circumstances.
Erin, the Prince of Evaloria, has been programmed to believe that humans are inherently bad and will ruin his beloved home. At first he is cold and cruel to Tessa and does not want to give her a chance. As he realizes she wants to truly help him, he starts to question all he has ever been told.
I enjoyed watching their relationship progress through out the story. Learning to trust each other to help fight a common problem. There were times in the story that I felt it dragged but overall it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to continuing on with the series.
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🚫
Tropes:
Arranged Marriage
Court Intrigue
Fae & Mortal
Earth Magic
Slow Burn
Thank you Juliette Calloway for my ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review
The writing of the story is truly immersive, you can really see yourself visiting this world hidden behind the veil. Juliette’s attention to detail, description of colors and light makes this a perfect fairytale setting. It has everything a fairytale should have- magic, faeries/mythical creatures, a distant land, and of course a villian!
Tessa is a woman who finds herself trapped in Evaloria and is hated purely for being mortal. She is strong-willed, brave, and intelligent. She shows true grit and grace while navigating her unusual circumstances.
Erin, the Prince of Evaloria, has been programmed to believe that humans are inherently bad and will ruin his beloved home. At first he is cold and cruel to Tessa and does not want to give her a chance. As he realizes she wants to truly help him, he starts to question all he has ever been told.
I enjoyed watching their relationship progress through out the story. Learning to trust each other to help fight a common problem. There were times in the story that I felt it dragged but overall it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to continuing on with the series.
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🚫
Tropes:
Arranged Marriage
Court Intrigue
Fae & Mortal
Earth Magic
Slow Burn
Thank you Juliette Calloway for my ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review
June 18, 2025
I am privileged to have been given this e-ARC read ... I gave this debut novel three out of five stars—a solid start that shows promise but doesn’t quite reach its emotional potential.
The author’s world-building is gorgeous—richly textured, immersive, and effortlessly cinematic. It’s easy to visualize the fae realm she’s created, and I found myself completely transported by her elegant descriptions.
That said, where the setting shimmers, the characters feel a bit dimmed by comparison. The main protagonists show little growth, and their relationship lacks the tension and chemistry I crave in a romantasy. There’s an arranged marriage with the setup for a compelling “reluctant allies to lovers” arc, but neither the angst nor the slow burn materialized. With minimal banter and no real resistance to the prophecy’s demands, the romantic thread fell flat. Rather than lovers on a fated path, the couple read more like polite comrades sharing a quest.
The plot itself has solid bones and clear direction, but I kept wishing for more spark—more internal conflict, more push-and-pull, more passion. This world deserves a love story with teeth.
Still, for a first effort, this novel lays a strong foundation. With the author’s gift for setting and atmosphere, I’d be excited to see what she does with deeper character work and bolder emotional stakes in future stories.
Loved this opportunity to read this e-ARC
The author’s world-building is gorgeous—richly textured, immersive, and effortlessly cinematic. It’s easy to visualize the fae realm she’s created, and I found myself completely transported by her elegant descriptions.
That said, where the setting shimmers, the characters feel a bit dimmed by comparison. The main protagonists show little growth, and their relationship lacks the tension and chemistry I crave in a romantasy. There’s an arranged marriage with the setup for a compelling “reluctant allies to lovers” arc, but neither the angst nor the slow burn materialized. With minimal banter and no real resistance to the prophecy’s demands, the romantic thread fell flat. Rather than lovers on a fated path, the couple read more like polite comrades sharing a quest.
The plot itself has solid bones and clear direction, but I kept wishing for more spark—more internal conflict, more push-and-pull, more passion. This world deserves a love story with teeth.
Still, for a first effort, this novel lays a strong foundation. With the author’s gift for setting and atmosphere, I’d be excited to see what she does with deeper character work and bolder emotional stakes in future stories.
Loved this opportunity to read this e-ARC
June 24, 2025
Beautiful. That's the first word that comes to my mind when I think of A crown of Thorns and vows by Juliette Calloway. From the very first page, you're drawn into this beautifully descriptive world as you're witnessing a secret gathering in Hollowseed and it only gets better from there. What Juliette was able to do was create such a vivid and beautifully described land, that mixes modern society with a stunning Fae world as we see our main character, Tessa go from living a normal college student life to being brought into this magical world she wasn't prepared for, yet ends up embracing fully. The relationship between Prince Erian and Tessa grew quite quickly (which I loved since I'm not big on slow burns) but it wasn't rushed and it was built on having to trust each other and figure out a way to change the prophecy. There isn't any spice in this story, but it wasn't necessary to show the intimacy of the main character's relationship. my favorite part of this story though is how caring
and motherly the queen is to Tessa. Rather than having a judgmental and disapproving queen mother, Aurelia embraces her new daughter in law and is a fierce ally and the voice of reason.
A crown of Thorns and vows was hands down one of the most uniquely written books with vivid imagery and a conflict unlike any other.
June 5, 2025
This book is a great start to a amazing series. I fell in love with how descriptive the author is within the story with setting description and has made a plot of magic and intrigue. The plot is the strongest point of this book and it has the ability to really catch a readers attention. Truly a wonderful start. This reads like a YA romance with a fairytale twist. A refreshing newbie to the genre.
But, I personally feel like the characters have the potential to be so much more. They seem very one dimensional and haven’t really made a lasting impact for me to root for them. Their relationship being born out of arrangement could play into it but honestly even at the end, there wasn’t much chemistry as it never felt like the characters really got to know each other. The character development seemed very rushed to me. Although that being said, I feel like with the potential of a second book, I really hope the author uses the opportunity to tell us more about Prince Erian and Tessa as who they as people instead of their role in their prophecy. That being said, I am rooting for the author to flourish and can’t wait to continue to read her works and watch her built her world for all of us to enjoy.
I received this as an ARC reader and am giving my honest opinion.
But, I personally feel like the characters have the potential to be so much more. They seem very one dimensional and haven’t really made a lasting impact for me to root for them. Their relationship being born out of arrangement could play into it but honestly even at the end, there wasn’t much chemistry as it never felt like the characters really got to know each other. The character development seemed very rushed to me. Although that being said, I feel like with the potential of a second book, I really hope the author uses the opportunity to tell us more about Prince Erian and Tessa as who they as people instead of their role in their prophecy. That being said, I am rooting for the author to flourish and can’t wait to continue to read her works and watch her built her world for all of us to enjoy.
I received this as an ARC reader and am giving my honest opinion.
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