A Thorn in Every Heart

Enchanted Legacies #1

by Kate King

What if Belle never returned to the enchanted castle?

After her cheating husband ruins her life, twenty-nine-year-old musician, Alixandria Knight, moves from Chicago to Ironhill, Pennsylvania—a near-abandoned Appalachian ghost town with a firey history. Officially, she’s there to help her aging grandmother. Unofficially, Alix just wants to escape reality.

She’ll get her wish.

When a one night stand with a wickedly handsome stranger turns out to be more than she bargained for, Alix is whisked away to the land of the fae. There, she uncovers her family’s darkest secret. Sixty years ago, Alix’s grandmother, Isabelle, broke her promise to marry a beastly king. Now, the fae are hungry, and it’s up to Alix to clear her family’s debt.

Beauty and the Beast meets Anastasia in this spicy and addictive modern fairytale mashup from the USA Today bestselling author of Wilde Fae.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Fae, Fantasy Romance, Retellings, Audiobook

1 pages, Audio CD

Published May 27, 2025

About the author

Kate King is an author, coffee addict, and avid reader from Boston, Massachusetts. She lives in a converted church with her husband and two cats, and often writes in cemeteries.

In addition to romance, she writes YA thrillers with a magical twist and wants to publish thirty books before turning thirty.

Reviews

[Marissa.Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ Finally a romantasy series with a relatable FMC who isn’t a teenager! Peaches may also be my new fave character nickname but only when it comes out of this MMCs mouth! I think I found my new fave retelling, this is a Beauty and the Beast meets Anastasia and it was perfect!

When Alix needs an escape after finding her husband in a precarious situation she winds up and her grandmother’s house. When she makes a trip to the local diner/bar she meets the most handsome man she’s ever laid eyes on and says screw it and takes him home. However, he’s not an ordinary man and spent the last 99 years in an fae prison that no one has ever left..until him. He’s on a mission to find the girl the king thinks he loves in order to break a 100 year old curse on their kingdom. The only thing he knows is the girl he’s looking for is wearing a specific necklace, that Alix happens to be wearing.

When Alix wakes up in a mysterious land after being kidnapped she’s mistaken for someone else…who happens to be her grandmother. All the stories she’s heard and read in her grandmas best selling books were all real! In order to break the curse Alix must pretend to be her grandmother and make the king fall in love with her according to the prophecy…only it may be far more sinister than that. How do you make a king fall in love with you when the only person he loves is himself?

Alix finds her life in danger at every turn, not only by the cursed citizens who turn into animals every time the sun comes out, but also by someone among the court. Our MMC saves her countless times but out of duty or because he just can’t bear to see any harm come to her?

The witty humor from the FMC was absolutely everything! Then we have the broody fae MMC, they definitely give Anastasia and Demitri vibes and I was living for it! This was so unique in the sense that it was an urban fantasy, but also had a magical fae land. The way she incorporated the worlds was perfect! This is hands down the best re-telling I have ever read. It was everything I could ask for in a romantasy!!

Thank you so much to Kate King for allowing me to read this pre-release in exchange for my honest review

[taniasmu · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking for a book to take me out of a slight reading slump I’ve been stuck in. I saw this one had fairly good reviews and tried giving it a shot.

It really didn’t do it for me.

I guess I have very specific tastes when it comes to fantasy retellings, especially when it’s a “modern day” type of retelling. This is a very personal point of view, and I understand that modern day retellings can be quite fun for many people… but I just found this book sort of cringe to be completely honest.

First of all, the excessive swearing, everywhere! I guess it’s meant to help portray the characters as more “adult”, but I find it just annoying. In my opinion, swearing in books is like salt in cooking, you just need a pinch and only when actually necessary.

Then, the constant pop culture references just gave the ick. I mean, if the MC keeps on making references that should not make absolutely any sense to the other characters (who live in a fantasy world), but they don’t really comment much on or notice most of the time then it just feels very weird and out of touch. It made the book extra hard to get into. It’s like watching a sitcom or something, but if that’s the vibe you’re going for then by all means go ahead…
Besides, everything is too predictable right from the start and that just makes it plain boring.

Also, I do feel like the MC is lacking some personality. Yes she’s a musician alright and she loves music and whatever but what else???? Her personality is only very bluntly described by “I like…” statements but her behavior rubs me off as immature and simply not likeable. It truly feels like the only thing this girl does is swear, get horny, and make pop culture references.

I did struggle to finish this book and wouldn’t really recommend unless you actually enjoy these sort of reimagining tales that lack seriousness and depth overall.

[Pandora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg I just ate this up. I was drawn in from the very first chapter and didn't want to stop reading.
This was such a good reimagining of beauty and the beast. I loved the chemistry between Alix and Daemon. The fact that Alix isn't in her teens also makes it that much more relatable. The world building was fantastic and I could picture everything clearly. I loved the different personalities found in their entourage and I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing more from them after finding out this will be an interconnected series.

[Ravs · Rating 2 out of 5]

You ever read a self insert ACOTAR fanfic? Well you shouldn’t.

[Hails · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fairytale retellings are frequently my favorite kinds of stories to read. I love that A Thorn in Every Heart was NOT your mother’s beauty and the beast tale—it was better. Alix is Belle’s granddaughter and her story leans more heavily on the Anastasia retelling. I’m not going to lie, I absolutely ATE this story up. If I hadn’t been annotating my book, I easily could have devoured it in a day because it was so hard to put down!

There were so many funny moments (pop culture, banter, internal dialogue, etc) that had me HOWLING with laughter obnoxiously enough to disturb my cat. One of the many things I loved about ATIEH is that it was fun to read. The tone of the book was mostly lighthearted, even with the darker scenes.

I was absolutely feral for Alix and Daemon’s romance. I can’t say too much without spoilers, but just know you’ll be squealing and kicking your feet. Plus, the spice is perfection. Chefs kiss. No notes. Spectacular give me 14 of them.

I genuinely cannot wait for book 2 in August!

I RECOMMEND IF:
If you’re in love with the cartoon Dimitri from the cartoon film Anastasia, but wish he could be even more feral then you’ll love Daemon and absolutely adore for A Thorn in Every Heart.

WHAT TO EXPECT:
• beauty and the beast meets Anastasia
• bodyguard romance
• portal fantasy
• fated mates
• 30 year old FMC
• forbidden romance
• realistic reaction to fantasy world
• crafty and artsy girlie
• they’re nocturnal for *reasons*
• touch her and ☠️
• spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Chanel]

DNF @7%. Lost me with the best friend cheating with her boyfriend. This normally doesn't bother me cause a lot of books start this way but she walked in on them fucking on her desk and her best friend saw her and instead of being ashamed of what she was doing, as normal best friends would, she shrugs and keeps fucking this girls man. Our FMC proceeds to just quietly leave and its like a scene change to the story. This honestly could have happened off page. I also agree with another reviewer that there was swearing in almost every sentence. Way too excessive for a book thats supposed to have fantasy elements.

[oscar⭒ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the readings I was most looking forward to. I left with very high expectations, which were also exceeded! Alix is a 29-year-old girl, trying to divorce her husband who cheated on her, and after a one-night stand with a handsome stranger she finds herself catapulted into the world of the fae, with whom she is much more involved than she thinks. The enchanted world where our protagonist finds herself is one of the most magical I have read about, and this is all due to the author's writing style. Indeed, the author not only writes divinely, but has managed to convey the fairy-tale tones of the story and this world beautifully. In this book we found fabulous elements of unique magic, a special found family and a breathtaking tension between the two main characters. The writing style is probably the element I liked the most, a peculiar magic.

[Lexi · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC Review

Okay…this wasn’t for me. But I’ll break it down because it might be for someone else.

Pros:
30 yr old FMC
Spicy enough
Some creative ties with Beauty & the Beast

Cons:
The pictures of the characters at the start of the chapters do not match the descriptions of the characters. One character was described as being blonde, and he’s dark skinned dark haired in his picture. Another was described as looking East Asian—but he looked as white as all the other characters. Couldn’t tell which one was even supposed to be him.

SO many pop culture references and brand names. For me that’s a turn off. I know the FMC comes from “our” world, but it seemed a little excessive.

King Thorne wasn’t doing it for me. He didn’t have any personality—he was kind of villain without a cause. It’s played off as “he’s just a bit narcissist” but even narcissists have an idea of what their goals are and some personality.

The magic system takes a big backseat to the romance. A couple things are explained but the magic never seems that important. When the curse is broken we assume everyone’s full powers come back but that is never really addressed.

Cringey references to Disney movies, like direct quotes. A siren mention she always wanted to be “part of their world”, a “be my guest” line slipped in there…

And this one is very personal, but the fae language is described as being “like French” because he mentions he can pick out a few words of French, then just speaks straight up French. Maybe because I’m a fluent French speaker I cringed a little extra hard at that one. Maybe change up the language a little so it actually is “like French” without being French? (I get beauty and the beast is set in France, but this is set in a made up Fae land?)

Also, why do the characters from this Fae land, most of which have never been to our world have British, Irish, and French accents? The one character that was exiled and spent time in Britain is described as having an Irish accent….which can almost make sense, but it really doesn’t for any of the other characters.

While I loved that our FMC was not 18, and was married in the human world and going through some stuff—I feel like her reactions to the things that happened to her were not typical. She was too busy comparing the people and the things happening to her to TV shows to have a real reaction to being kidnapped and taken to another world….


So if you want something silly and not at all serious, this may be for you. There are plot holes, things that seem like they should be addressed that never are, etc but there are parts that are kind of fun.

[Noi (in & out)]

Dnf'ed at 27%

Should have given it up the moment she said to herself she was not the main character

[Cece ❀Rants, Raves &Reviews❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow wow wow. Someone described this as Anastasia + Dimitri characters from the cartoon movie with Fey beauty and the beast retelling. And that’s so accurate and fun


“I’d have to do to protect her.
“You wouldn’t,” I hiss.
Thorne smirks. “You’re correct. I won’t, as long as you find my bride for me.”
“How the fuck am I supposed to find your missing bride?” I grind out. “And how would I recognize her if I did?”
Thorne appears unfazed, as if he anticipated this argument. “Sixty years ago, Isabelle came through the mountain gate. She lived nearby to the entrance in a town called Ironhill. I remember”

“I am very sure.” I hiccup. “I’ll be on the first flight to Ironhill tomorrow morning.”

“No,” I said honestly. “What do you think?”
Kastian looked at the ship. “I think my father will shit himself if he ever finds out I managed to escape the Dyaspora with the King of Vernallis.”
I laughed hollowly. I didn’t doubt he was right.”

“Oh my God, I’m losing my mind,” she said.
“I doubt that, Peaches,” I blurted before I could stop myself.
Those words had been the biggest mistake of my life.

Now, I stare across the room at Alix’s unconscious body.
A moment ago, all I could see was her pretty”

“want me to fuck you. I can taste it, and it’s driving me fucking insane.”
I suck in a gasp. He can smell me getting wet for him? Um okay, that’s so fucking embarrassing. Please let me just drop dead now.
My internal panic attack immediately goes silent when his hands dart down and cups me between the legs through the fabric of my nightgown. He scrapes his fingers over the thick fabric, and a jolt of pleasure shoots through me. I whimper.
His lips crash down on mine, swallowing the sound.
I melt against him. He kisses me hungrily, his lips hot and demanding, as if he’s lost all inhibition or control. I”

“?.want me to fuck you. I can taste it, and it’s driving me fucking insane.”
I suck in a gasp.
His lips crash down on mine, swallowing the sound.
I melt against him. He kisses me hungrily, his lips hot and demanding, as if he’s lost all inhibition or control. I”

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice: 🌶️

This story is inspired by Beauty & the Beast and Anastasia, as advertised. I definitely agree with the Beauty & the Beast, but I would say this is more The Magicians than Anastasia.

This is definitely a more unique fairytale retelling (in fact I would say it’s more of an “inspired by”), and I enjoyed it. I will be reading book 2, it’s a Little Mermaid retelling and I really enjoyed Odessa’s character and I’m excited to read more of her.

Notable Tropes ——

🎻 Hidden Identity
🎻 Winged MMC
🎻 Beauty & the Beast inspo
🎻 One Night Stand gone terribly wrong
🎻 Kidnapped by the Fae
🎻 Isekai (I know this pertains to anime but it seems an appropriate trope for this lol)

[Mary Anderson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was, genuinely, the worst book I have ever read.

For starters, I find it extremely corny/distracting to mention modern things in fantasy books. This book mentions LuLuLemon, “the Viking from TrueBlood”, “I choose the bear”, and more pop-culture topics that feel very out of place.

Second, there were different pieces of this story that you simply do not get resolved. For example, one antagonist somehow knows the FMC secret. How? I don’t know! There are multiple attempts on her life. By who? For what? Could not tell ya! In the beginning of the book, the grandmother has a breakdown saying that beasts were coming for her. It was extremely ominous and almost like it was a prophecy of some kind. Does this get answered? Only sort of!!!

Third, the insta-love in this book is bad. Terrible, terrible bad. MMC is a brutish asshole because he wants to claim her and can’t. FMC is confused the entire time. There is no connection or intimacy. You learn very little about who these characters are as people. They just have sex and “bond” and the guy is obsessed.

And finally, there are some things that just don’t make sense to me First and foremost, the MMC is next in line to the thrown once his brother dies (current king) even though he is the bastard child of the previous king. It is established that the MMC is popular and people adore him and want to follow him. No examples of why or how that is the case are displayed. One character has a secret back story that keeps getting mentioned. MMC knows the back story. FMC does not. And it just….is never revealed? FMC’s husband cheats on her with her best friend. She walks in on it. The best friend sees her (while having sex) and simply shrugs and waves her away. IN THE FMC’s OWN HOME!!!!! And our FMC just….LEAVES?!

To conclude, it is abundantly clear to me that this book was written in a matter of months, possibly only one. I enjoy a retelling, but I enjoy complex characters and well-built worlds way more.

[Kiandra 🦋 · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO CUTE

[Shelby | Spicy.booknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

MF Contemporary Romantasy
One Night Stand to Slow Burn
Fae / Human
Mistaken Identity
Forced Proximity
Retelling With A Twist
Touch Her & Die
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥

This was such a pleasant surprise for me. I was looking for an audiobook to listen to while at work and just randomly picked this since it was new on Libby and lucky me, because its a definite winner. I actually got impatient listening to it, and just finished it on my kindle. I normally don't read retellings, so that's another reason I am glad I went in blind.

Alix and Daemon have some really good chemistry, right from the beginning that leads to a one night stand gone wrong. After a case of mistaken identity, she is whisked away to the Fae Realm where she's believed to be the one that will finally break a century old curse on the Fae King and the realm. Because of that, she becomes suddenly off limits to Daemon and the pining and slow tortuous burn begins. And oh man, a pining Daemon is something else. The spice its really good in this one. Alix goes from an innocent, insecure people pleaser to really taking control, and there is a carriage scene in this book that was so freaking hot!

The world building is very well done, and you are introduced to lots of fun characters that look like they will have their own stories told. The only complaint I have about this book at all is there is a lot of pop culture / romance book references and I'm just not a huge fan of that in fantasy. Its contemporary, so it make sense, so really its just a me issue. Otherwise, just a lot of fun to read with good banter and excellent spice.

[🌙henny✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man I fucking loved this. It was the perfect combination of funny and spicy, the characters were GREAT!!! As a 28 year old woman it was nice to read a book with an fmc who’s close to me in age and not prudish either, this bitch was FERAL!! Insatiable. Which was refreshing and satisfying as hell. I hate when the fmc pretends to not want the mmc, or lies to herself, but neither of those things happened in this book at all.

Another thing I absolutely adored about this was that in the kindle version at least, every chapter had unique character art that corresponds to moments from that chapter. It was SO CUTE!!!! I think every book should have that. I found myself really looking forward to seeing each one and I flicked through them all a bunch of times.

The plot itself wasn’t super intricate and it’s clear the romance was the main show (which is actually a plus for me), but we had so much time getting to know the characters, so much delicious forced proximity, I really struggled to put this book down. I loved it so much. The only criticisms I have really are that the cat should have had more screen time and the fmc should have pined for her violin more. Other than that though, excellent. I loved Daemon. What a man 🥵

[lunareadsalatte · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ // Anyone who knows me knows I love Belle, Disney and fairytales so when I was recommend a Beauty & the Beast x Anastasia retelling you already know I was sold and moved it to the top of my tbr. I was not disappointed in the slightest. I adored the magic, the FAE, the twists & turns, and found family. Also if you ever wanted to read a spicy fairytale loose retelling, this series is your best bet!! The chapter title header photos alone should convince you! 👀

The story starts out with a BANG, sadly literally, with our FMC Alix catching her husband cheating on her with her best friend. Seeking solace and company Alix then meets Daemon Ashwater in a bar in Ironhill, PA. After a whirl-wind romance of which was only supposed to last one night, Daemon realizes he just stumbled into possibly the only person who can help him save his friends and complete his mission. From there we are whisked away to a magical fae realm called Ellender and have to fulfill a 100 year curse in order to save the entire kingdom of Vernallis and in turn save the self-absorbed King Thorne. Who also so happens to be Daemon’s half brother.

Daemon is the love child of Damon from Vampire Diaries and Rhysand from acotar. He’s broody, he’s fiercely lovingly, protects his friends like family, is a natural born leader and is down real bad for our Alix. I adored their banter and chemistry throughout the entire book and I found myself unable to put book down just to know what happens next between them.

Also I have to talk about the found family?? I loved Kastian, Odessa, Jett, and Fox so much. The way they stood by each other through thick and thin. Odessa and Kastian with their palpable tension throughout.. 😱 so you already know I cannot wait for their story next!
I was recommended this by a booksta friend and I couldn’t be more grateful for it. Fun fact, now after reading alongside my bookclub I can proudly say I’m an ARC reader for A Storm in Every Heart aka Enchanted Legacies #2! So expect my review in August! Will be releasing every where Sept 2025! 🧜🏼‍♀️💜✨

Read if you enjoy:
🎻Romantasy
🪽Fae & Magic
♥️Spicy carriage rides
🎻30 yr old fmc
🪽Found Family
♥️Twist and turns

[T.P.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well written story that definitely had quite an interesting combination of Beauty and the Beast vibes alongside some elements of the Bluebeard folk tale. This book offers magical realm, dark prophecy, fated mates, a cursed society, court intrigue and of course, quite a few different supernaturals.

I really liked the FMC here, she is coming out of an unpleasant marriage and is at crossroads in terms of her future when a dashing gentleman, Daemon, sweeps her off her feet for a night to remember. However, the main hero has an agenda of his own and when he realises that Alix might be the person he has been hunting for, he drags her to the land of the fae.

Poor Alix finds herself among supernatural beings, complex connections and an impossible choice - never find her way home or help Daemon and his friends to break the curse by pretending to be her own grandmother, who has captured King Thornes' attention sixty years ago.

The chemistry between Alix and Daemon is instant from the start, but there are quite a few obstacles along the way and what started as a mere business deal appears to be turning into something unexpected for both of them. I also enjoyed quite a few of the side characters here, each one had their own quirks and I am sure I would love to read more about them.

This was a good story retelling with fairly mature characters, which I did appreciate. For anyone who enjoys their fairytales, this contemporary spin might be an enjoyable experience.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought for sure this was YA because of the writing, then it got spicy. Like, 10 pages in 😂
This was not for me. The idea sounded so good! A retelling of Beauty and the Beast, with a few added twists. But the characters fell flat. And there was supposed to be this strong and irresistible connection between our FMC and MMC but it just wasn’t there.
The curse wasn’t well explained, the characters just kind of did things without reason, and the stakes weren’t high enough. And it felt like the author decided to make it spicy at the last minute and randomly threw sex scenes into odd places? It just didn’t work for me.

[Katelyn Weeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this, but if you read fantasy for the magic then this probably isn’t the book for you. While the fae in the book obviously have magic it’s really not focused on at all, and plays such a tiny role in the book. But like I said, regardless I still liked reading it. I enjoyed the romance and I found the characters to be very enjoyable as well. I look forward to continuing the series as more books come out :)

[Christina | christinas.booknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, I found the take on the classic so new and refreshing. I loved the combination of the contemporary woman learning to navigate a fantasy world and the addition of the fantasy story was so good.

Daemon is the half brother to the king, he’s been in prison for the past 90 years when his brother Thorne comes and agrees to let him out of prison if he goes to the human realm and retrieves Isabelle, the woman Thorne says will break the curse on his kingdom. Daemon goes but instead of bringing Isabelle back he takes her granddaughter Alix by mistake.

This was such a fun and unique take on a classic story we have heard so many times. I loved watching Alix and Daemon come together, the tension between these two was palpable and I was here for it. I thought Alix’s inner-monologue while dealing with the new world was often so funny! This was a top tier romantasy for me with so many of the aspects I look for.

I was so excited to be given an eARC of this by the author.

🗓️ This book releases today!

Read if you like:
- Tension
- Fairy tales with a twist
- Magical curses
- Fae and Humans
- Spice 🌶️
- Found Family

[The Bookish Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Kate King book and it’s safe to say that I will definitely be reading her backlog! I truly enjoyed the writing style and pacing. The spice was spicing and the action was actioning! I read it in less than 24 hours because I simply couldn’t put it down. Peaches is my new favorite nickname 🥹

[Nicole | bookishhygienist · Rating 5 out of 5]

3/23/25: Wow!! This world and story was so magical and enchanting! A urban/fae fairytale mashup of what happens when Belle leaves the magical fae world and years later her granddaughter is kiddnapped in her place to marry the beastly King. This was unique, mystifying and wildly entertaining...I was hooked from the first page! Loved the side characters and found family with excellent banter, tension, forbidden pining and really well written spice. The author did so well incorporating aspects of Beauty and the Beast, Anastasia and even a little bit of Rapunzel into the plot and characters while still being unique and unpredictable. The character art at the beginning of each chapter was absolutely stunning and a tiny little foreshadowing tidbit that kept me turning pages and curious when that scene would play out. I am so excited for more in this interconnected world and cannot wait to buy my very own shelf trophy! Thank you Kate King and team for this ARC copy!

10/5/25 Audio reread: Kate has created such an enchanting and fun world that has humor, pop culture references and a splash of nostalgia as it uses a mash up of stories in fantasy we already love. Set in both the human world & fae realm…this is a mix of Anastasia & Beauty and the Beast. I loved it just as much the second time…great for a slump to reread!

[Laura (lady_h_reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
“Did you know that Fae senses are much stronger than humans? I can always smell how much you want me to fuck you. I can taste it, and it’s driving me fucking insane.”

Kate King’s best book yet! I'm a sucker for fairytale retellings, and Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite tales to be tweaked. That this one is also vibing with Anastasia (an absolute gem of a movie, just in case you haven't watched it yet, what are you waiting for?) makes for an engaging and exciting story mashup.

A case of mistaken identity. A family obligation. A bit of kidnapping and forced/arranged marriage to the wrong male. A strong FMC. A curse. A destiny.

Alix is the forbidden fruit. Daemon is the fae who whisks her away and cajoles her into staying. Who tries to resist his baser nature to claim her but is bound by duty to shadow and protect her. They have explosive chemistry that cannot be denied, and when they give in to their desires, the pages practically burn.

Fast burn to slower simmer, this is a standalone MF fantasy romance that ends in a HEA. The first of the Enchanted Legacies series, I cannot wait to see what Kate gifts us next!

Thanks to Kate King for the review copy.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot of this story is good. It’s what kept me going and getting to the end.

Big kudos for the FMC being actually in an adult age range. 29. Not 19. Not 22. Pushing and achieving 30. Love that.

However - there are some areas that could really have used improvement.

I found multiple errors while ready that could have been caught with copy editing.

There were some inconsistencies - the curse in this plot affects a body of people during the day but at one point early on it’s mistakenly written to imply it occurs at night.

The MMC is 900+ years old but is written with the personality of a 22 year old. I’d expect more mature from someone of this age because, like, let’s be honest.

King Thorne is a main protagonist with very little protagonist-ing. He needed more page room to develop his character and that wasn’t delivered at all.

All in all, I enjoyed it. Not bad.

[Inakaa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess I can summerize what was good about this book and what was not..

+ 30 year old fmc
+ story/premise (fairytale retelling)
+ ??

- the writing
- the inner monologues
- the dialogue
- the whole dark haired tattooed fae male with wings - it’s been done a hundred times
- the similarities to other, better written books
- the grammatical errors
- the fact that the fmc is 30 and everyone else is 100+, but they all speak like teenagers
- insta lust
- the fmc has no personality, nor does she use any wit or cleverness to trick the king into thinking she is Isabelle
- the fmc wasn’t sad when her husband cheated with her best friend, and she slept with someone just a day later?? (Idc if it’s her mate, it could have been character building)

[Alyx Gough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely unputdownable.
A Thorn In Every Heart hooked me from the very first page and did not let go. The tension between Alix and Daemon is electric—raw, brutal, and so addictively intense. I couldn’t get enough of their dynamic.

Alix is the kind of strong, clever, morally gray heroine I live for, and Daemon? He’s the villain you love to fall for—possessive, dangerous, and completely obsessed in the most delicious way.

Kate King’s writing is dark, sharp, and addictive. The worldbuilding is rich, the stakes are high, and every chapter had me on edge. If you’re into enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and “touch her and die” vibes with a side of court politics and slow-burning tension, this one is a MUST.

Dark, spicy, and full of heart—I’m already dying for the sequel. 👑🖤

[chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute grumpy/sunshine. I really enjoyed the plot and especially the MMC! There was cute artwork at the beginning of each chapter that was relevant to the events in the chapter, and I absolutely loved it. Overall this was a great read.
The fmc was definitely more relatable than most and I loved that she is older but her immature sense of humor bugged me at times. The pop culture references felt forced and annoying sometimes.
But overall I absolutely loved her and Daemon together. He was such a great MMC and I loved how obsessed he was with her. The pacing was perfect and the story had a satisfying conclusion.

[Olli_stay · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ very enjoyable. Exactly what I needed to read right now.

[The_Book_Brat · Rating 4 out of 5]

*MF
*Romantasy
*Dual-1st-PoV
*Fairytale retelling
*Cursed population
*Prophecy
*Mates
*Insta-Attraction
*Slow Burn
*Standalone
What a story!
I’m not normally a fantasy reader and generally not an MF but I’ve read work by this author before and really enjoyed it so thought I’d give this a go….and I am sooooo happy I did! This was a super storyline, really well written, gripping with a balance of characters, storytelling and spice 😃
This book follows Alix who after being mistaken for her grandmother is kidnapped into a fantastical world by a fae to fulfil a marriage contract…however nothing is as it seems and there’s a lot more to the prophecy forcing the marriage than meets the eye 😟 moreover it isn’t her intended whose caught her eye - it’s the burly, grumpy and secretive fae whose escorting her to hr betrothed 🙈 it’s abundantly clear there’s chemistry and a connection between them 🥰🥰 but is it enough to risk the fate of a nation?! 😬 it isn’t a clear cut love story and there are challenges to these two - with the curse, the attempted murders and their own stubbornness but there are swoonworthy moments 😍 this story has definite nods to Beauty and the Beast as well as Anastasia which made for an interesting combination! I will definitely coming back to this book as a re-read 😀

[Gabriela F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was this perfect? No. ..But was this perfect? Yes.