Our Vicious Oaths: A Novel

by N.E. Davenport

Enter a new world of romantic fantasy from award-winning author N.E. Davenport—a journey of powerful magic, enemies-to-lovers, and political intrigue—as a warrior-princess and a vengeful king from rival fae courts form a fierce alliance to take down a merciless despot.

Princess of the Aether Dominion, Kadeesha wants nothing to do with fae politics. She is a warrior, first and foremost, and believes her greatest strength is leading her squadron of elite winged serpent flyers to protect her homeland. But bound since infancy to be betrothed to the Hyperion High King, ruler of all Dominions, she has no choice but to do what men have chosen for her.

Repulsed by the idea, she decides to spend one last night of freedom—in the arms of a dangerous stranger who takes her to sexual heights she’s never experienced before…but who is only using Kadeesha to set a trap for the High King.

For the High King and the kings of his six Dominions were responsible for the decimation of the Apollyon Court, and its new king, Malachi, wants his pounds of flesh.

On Kadeesha’s wedding day, Malachi and his special forces attack. Her father is killed, and Malachi wounds the High King, ultimately taking Kadeesha as hostage back to his land.

But she is no true hostage. The two form a pact: she will help lure the High King so Malachi can kill him once and for all, and he in turn will not harm Kadeesha or the Aether people. And as much as Kadeesha hates politics, she is now the Queen of her folk. Fae bonds are unbreakable…and so, perhaps, is the attraction Kadeesha and Malachi feel for each other. For even as they must publicly display their connection to provoke the High King’s jealousy, they struggle to resist the powerful allure between them in order to achieve their ultimate goals.

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

1 pages, Audio CD

First published October 28, 2025

Reviews

[Esta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our Vicious Oaths was so fun and the kind of fun that makes you want to overthrow tyrants and the patriarchy and flirt with your very attractive enemy whilst plotting to overthrow them too.

But first and foremost. Spice tolerance is subjective, as are books/art. So PSA: This is spicy and it gets the full 5 out of 5 chilli rating from me. Never have I ever given out a full 5 chillis before, and I read a lot of romantasy. It wouldn't be so far-fetched to classify this as erotica.

If you’re spice-averse, technically you could skip those parts if you wanted to. But you’d be skipping, what, ten chapters approximately? There are stretches where the plot takes a backseat because the characters are... occupied and good for them. I interpreted it as the main character Kadeesha’s confidence and ownership of her desires as part of the characterisation, and I like that. But you can also see a transition from physical to more emotional intimacy as part of the development.

I wouldn’t call it enemies to lovers since it’s kinda insta-lusty. Perhaps enemies with benefits to allies with benefits to… ? (I will leave that hanging for y’all). But I think it’s an interesting take on the traditional tropes and very different in the way it changes up the execution of the tension between Kadeesha and Malachi.

But yeah anyway, besides all that, Our Vicious Oaths is about power and autonomy and about a woman who decides she is not a vessel or a pawn or a prophecy but a person with agency and wrath and a story that belongs only to her. And it says all that while everyone’s hot, dangerous and immortal, so yay.

This is a big call but I won’t be surprised if everyone’s new favourite shadow daddy is Malachi. He's arrogant and dangerous but he's got a tragic past, and he will do anything for his loved ones.

Also did I mention the fae are melanated? Love to see it.

I probably speak for many when I say this is a standalone book, but no one would be upset if there were another 3-4 or even say, 7 more books set in this world. Also, how do I get me a half-bird, half dragon sidekick who I can chat to telepathically? Zahzah is adorable and by adorable I mean won’t hesitate to burn asshats to a crisp and eat their bones.

I’m giving this five stars because it was fun, escapist and a bit unhinged, in the best way. If you love brutal fantasy/romance with courtly politics, lots of decapitation (oh yeah forgot to mention, this is pretty dark and bloody--mind your triggers!), shadow daddies with a grill, found families, epic fae worlds and lore, you’ll most likely enjoy this too.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & HarperCollins UK for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Here for the Black fae & half-avian half-draconic flying serpent besties that they can telepathically communicate with.

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚔️🖤 Bookish Thoughts
Six stars. I read this in one sitting.
The worldbuilding was immersive, and I was obsessed with the magic system! Our MCs were powerful, unhinged, and morally gray. And maybe a little bit toxic, but I was into it.

Kadeesha was a baddie from the start. Determined, stubborn, and always ready to throw fire (literally). Her sisterhood with her squadroon warriors was everything! I wish we’d spent more time with them.

Malachi, is my new favorite shadow daddy. Very deadly with his shadows and it was hot! He was arrogant but damn he was smooth! Their tension was next level, and those spice scenes? Yeah 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Don’t get me started on their first time meeting!

I’m so sad this is a standalone. It’s strong on its own, but I would live in this world for an entire series. I wanted to know more from the other courts and the magic system!!

✨ Favorite Quote:
“If anything happened to you, I’d drown the world in shadows that would devour it and every living soul.”

🖤 What You Can Expect:
Shadow daddy
Stabby Princess FMC
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Political court scheming
Black fae
- - - -

📅 Pub Date: October 28, 2025
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Kaila.Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

The classic fairytale of one night stand before your wedding turned into kidnapping. This is going on the VERY spicy standalone list. Even though it is a fast burn there is still great tension.

the world building and magic were great for a standalone book! Overall a fun time.. but again… very spicy 🤣.

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel was such a thrilling dark romance fantasy! It was enjoyable from beginning to end. It was emotional, tense and full of mystery! The enemies to lovers tension in this book was intense. The female main character in this story, whose name was Kadeesha, was extremely strong and powerful! This book also comes with court intrigue and is magical. This book was plot driven, medium paced and easy to read. I was really surprised at how spicy this book was! I would rate it a 3 out of 5 spice level. I really enjoyed the immersive world building in this story. This is a standalone book that came with great plot, which was well executed! Overall, I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars!

Content warnings include sexual content, murder, violence and death. I think readers of the movies “Stardust” and “Ladyhawke” would really enjoy reading this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, author N.E. Davenport and Avon and Harper Voyager for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on October 28, 2025!

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a super steamy romantasy with a morally gray (at best!) hero, a badass heroine, lots of political intrigue, Black fae, and dragonlike creatures then you need to pick up Our Vicious Oaths!

This was fantastic - but be prepared for a wild ride that is both very bloody and extremely sexy. It follows a princess in a forced betrothal to a high king who has murdered four wives already. But at the wedding ceremony things go very wrong and she ends up in the hands of a rival king. But as the tagline says, the enemy of my enemy is my lover...

It's quite literally enemies to lovers and I thoroughly enjoyed it. While I could see there being more books in the series, it reads like a standalone with a satisfying conclusion. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our Vicious Oaths is a solid romantasy. It has a bit of everything: morally gray MCs, shadow daddy, enemies to lovers, touch her and die, high heat, a warrior fmc who rides a dragon(it's not a dragon but yk) and plenty of action. Fast paced with something always happening, so it is impossible to get bored reading this book. 
If you're craving a good romantasy that checks all the boxes this is perfect for you. It's also a standalone so bonus points for that. 
It definitely feels like something I've read before but sometimes you just want a good time and this delivers. 

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

[Books_and_Crafts · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was very mid. 90% spice and very little plot to be found. Had really high hopes but unfortunately, expected too much.

[Kayla]

Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me. It started off strong, but around the 25% mark, the writing became a bit convoluted and difficult to follow. The pacing felt incredibly slow, and the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between the main characters lacked the tension and development I was hoping for. Their physical relationship began too early, which undercut the slow-burn and angsty payoff that usually makes this trope so satisfying. Some stylistic choices—like the male characters wearing grilles—also felt a bit corny and didn’t add the intrigue I was expecting.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this advanced reader copy!

[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 / 5 Stars
This was a really entertaining romantasy with lots of politics, war, magical powers, and spice! The plot is layperson terms: Kadeesha’s life has been decided by a prophecy since she was born. As princess of the Aether domain, she will become the high queen of the continent, her husband will become high king, and she will birth the sole heir. He is set to marry Rashaud, the current high king of the Six Kingdoms, who is merciless and look at that, all of his past wives have died in mysterious ways (yikessss). But Kadeesha is not a wallflower. She is a warrior and the leader of the Nkita, a squadron of winged serpents, and she just wants one last night of fun before her wedding. Spending the night with a hot stranger, she thinks it was just fun, but this stranger actually sets her up. He is Malachi, the King of Apollyon, the northern part of the continent that is at odds with the Six Kingdoms and he wants revenge for the role the Six Kingdoms played in the murder of his parents. Mayhem ensues on the wedding day and Malachi takes Kadeesha back to his court. They have a shaky agreement: she will help Malachi lure in Rashaud, so that Malachi can kill him, and Malachi will ultimately leave her region alone when all is settled. Except that neither really believes the other and is plotting to kill each other in between copious amounts of sex. Who will end up the victor? Who will end up alive? And will they just admit their feelings for each other?

You will probably like this book if you like:
🖤 Morally grey protagonists
🐉 Unapologetically Black Faes
🖤 Royal court politics
🐉 Enemies to lovers
🖤 Badass female warriors on winged serpents
🐉 Forced proximity
🖤 Shadow powers
🐉 Found family
🖤 Spice and lots of it

This had some of the best royal court politicking and maneuvering from any book that I have read this year. It felt very Game of Thrones with the different kingdoms and one person trying to become the ruler of them all. Malachi uses brute force but he isn’t dumb – he is always aware of what is going on in his court. Kadeesha has been taught to use her feminine wiles to her advantage but she also isn’t afraid to use her powers and strength when needed. I loved the chess aspect of it and seeing each person trying to outsmart the others and what strategies they ended up using. The two of them really balanced each other out well and respected each other’s political prowess.

I loved each group’s found family. Kadeesha had her Nkita who were all badasses and would literally die for each other. Same with Malachi’s cadre. They helped add levity and humanity to each royal and gave them something to bond over.

And this book was spicy. The spice started in chapter 2 and it was a fast burn (truly whatever is the opposite of a slow burn is what this was). Malachi is cocky and full of himself but he has the goods to back it up and that just made him hotter. Kadeesha stood in her power in every aspect, including her sexuality, and when they got together it was literally magic. It did feel like their relationship focused on physical intimacy in lieu of emotional intimacy and communication. There were times that I wanted to wave my hands in front of them to get them to focus for 30 seconds to talk about literally anything instead of going at it like feral, violent bunnies and because of that, when they started to develop deeper, it felt a little unearned.

This is also a standalone book which I feel is rare for fantasy these days but it was great to get a full arc of the story with a satisfying conclusion. The ending felt a bit rushed and there were a few times in the middle where it lagged but honestly, I would read another book about Kadeesha and Malachi in a heartbeat.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: October 28, 2025
_____________________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: The tagline of this is "the enemy of my enemy is my lover." How was I supposed to do anything except beg for the ARC? And there is a dragon on the cover?? All of my favorite things.

[amandathebookworm 📚🪱 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - 4.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 — this was a spicy good time! Had a blast & def enjoyed the duet audiobook!


PLOT
The night before her prophesied arranged marriage, she goes to a brothel to have one last night of fun & does so. Then, at her wedding the next day, her one last swing turns up & he’s no random man; he’s the enemy king hellbent on revenge against her court & her betrothed. This book has:
- warrior princess FMC
- shadow daddy king MMC
- throne scene
- forced proximity & arranged marriage
- fae courts, lore, & politics
- higher spice


PROS
- Both leads are awesome. They were both firm but not too stubborn it blinded them to their realities.
- Really solid world-building, especially for a standalone.
- The political maneuvering was very fun. It was like a game of political cat & mouse between our leads & I enjoyed the chase.
- This leaned into fae lore & I really dug jt! Bargains & conniving & it was delightful.
- Spicy spicing


CONS
- This was mostly spice & less romance. I’d have liked to see a more level climb to the big feelings because it felt like a jump from sex to love.


Def recommend! Such a fun time.

[kitkat (semi-hiatus ♡︎)]

why not?

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sexy dark romantasy with lush world-building, high political intrigue, and lots of panty-burning spice.

This was such a fun read. Perfect for romantasy lovers looking for something that breaks the mold, yet still has all of the beloved features and tropes.

What’s to love…
- Standalone
- FAE + bonded kongamatos (flying avian/draconic serpents)
- Morally grey MCs
- Shadow Daddy
- Badass Warrior Princess
- Dual POV
- lush prose + imagery + world-building
- SPICY + SEXY AF
- politcal intrigue
- prophecy
- Enemies-to-lovers vibes
- found family

What’s not to love…
- This is SUCH a great example of a standalone that I feel a little bad saying this but I’m a hardcore series fan, so I would have gladly taken two (or even three) books in this world.
- I wanted a bit more relationship development and non-spice related intimacy between the two MCs.

🌶️- Fast-burn, panty-melting, IMMACULATELY written spice. A LOT of it. Some of the things the MMC said 🥵 No chapters for this one, honestly it happened so frequently I kept forgetting to bookmark it, not to mention I was mildly distracted by how good the spice was!
Thank you NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

4.5⭐️| IG | TikTok |

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh this was funnnnn

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

“I feel like you’re just here for the zipline.” - Me to whomever cared more about the sex scenes than anything else.

If you’re just looking at the first half of this book, you’d think it was meant to be erotica, and it somehow slipped through the cracks at a non-romance-focused publisher. However, once you finally get past the midpoint, the fantasy comes into play.

However, that means this book was a bit of a letdown for me. While I knew this was a romantasy going in, I was still expecting the “fantasy” part of that phrase. Instead, I was given a whopping seven sex scenes, all within the first half of the book, without much care for the inevitable war we kept getting told about.

In my opinion, these characters were simply too damn horny. All they thought about each other was how horny the other person made them by just standing there breathing. I didn’t see a hint of actual chemistry between them. I just kept getting told about how they didn’t know why they were so attracted to a person they should hate. With a little more work, especially with the revelation in the latter half of the book, it would have been interesting to explore if Kadeesha and Malachi really did have feelings for each other or if there was some meddling higher being pushing them together because of the prophecy about Kadeesha.

Even with all the sex scenes and references to how horny the characters are, the pace of this book is incredibly slow. Every scene felt like it was taking twice as long as it should because the characters had to keep monologuing every chance they got, and they talked in circles. Though this book isn’t terribly long for a standalone fantasy, I feel like it could have been pared down due to how overwritten everything but the actual war seemed to be.

Now, I don’t want to discount the book and say the war didn’t happen. Things with Kadeesha and Malachi going against the High King pick up in the second half of the book when they finally stop having so much sex, but even still, it drags out with the actual war only happening in the last two chapters. When I reached the end, before reading the epilogue, I had a “was that it?” moment because it felt so abrupt. In a way, it was like the author had reached their word count and wasn’t allowed to write anymore, or else they would…idk…get docked points in their creative writing class for not following directions??

There was also an interesting bit of plot in the first half of the book where someone challenges Malachi for his throne. I thought this was a good inclusion and I thought it was purposefully done to show how Malachi as immature and blinded by his need for revenge compared to this rival who is purporting to actually care about the people of the court and demonstrating that in that text. While reading, I thought Malachi was going to realize he needed to change because of this reaction to his rival, or at the very least, I thought this character was going to be a genuine threat to Malachi’s rule. However, the character doesn’t actually matter much, and Malachi doesn’t learn anything from this experience. He only realizes the error of his overly bloodythirsty ways when Kadeesha goes, “Maybe we don’t kill everyone???”

I also want to mention that the author tried to make combating misogyny one of the themes of the book. Personally, I think they failed. Kadeesha comes from a court where, much like our world’s past and even present, women are treated as lesser than men, should be seen and not heard, and only exist as objects to walk around barefoot and pregnant. This is further exemplified by Kadeesha’s prophecy (and a huge point with the High King plotline) being about how she’s going to get pregnant and have a son. Sure, she’s allowed to play at being a general of an all-female group of people who ride what is most easily described as dragons, but it’s all lip service (to Kadeesha as well as the audience) since her being a general doesn’t actually matter. When she goes to Malachi’s kingdom, she learns that they’re feminists there and Malachi thinks it’s normal for women and men to be equal.

Wow. What an icon…

Kadeesha moans and groans about how unfair it is to be a woman in her misogynist kingdom, but the book doesn’t actually reckon with this in a way that shows that Kadeesha rises above it all and is determined to make a change (which you would think would be important since she’s the heir to her kingdom). In the end, Kadeesha only has what she does because Malachi let her have it/because of her connection to him. I understand talking about such themes isn’t necessarily the goal of a romantasy, or the place where it’s going to be given the space needed to unpack it, but it was so heavy-handed in this book that I was expecting something to come of it, even if it was just something silly like “and Kadeesha hired more women in male-dominated roles! Girl power!”

I think if you go into this book with the proper expectations, you’re likely to enjoy it more than I did. For me, this book failed in too many aspects to make it enjoyable and left me exhausted by the end.

[Allison DeLaPaz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for Our Vicious Oaths, but it sadly didn’t live up to its potential. I love the pretty cover so much but the words inside not so much. The premise had so much promise and potential I was so excited, but the execution fell flat and disappointed me.

The romance felt rushed and overly focused on physical attraction without any emotional depth or believable development. Kadeesha is introduced as a fierce, capable warrior, but her character is quickly reduced to someone who loses all of that the moment Malachi appears and is around. Their connection just utterly lacked in the substance department, and the constant flirtatious banter grew tiresome, cringy, and eye roll worthy fast.

What really took me out of the story, though, was the disconnect between the serious tone of the world and the misplaced spicy scenes. Like really?

Malachi’s character came across as immature man child to me who was lust-driven. I couldn’t take him seriously as a ruler or love interest. The world-building was shallow, the pacing dragged, and any potential for deeper conflict or slow-burn tension was drowned out by superficial interactions. Some parts felt more tell than show. I was looking for a meaningful fantasy romance with depth and stakes, this simply wasn’t isn’t it.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC after this book has been released.

(Thank you to the publisher for an early copy)

[brittany:)]

Finally starting this, I’ve heard great things!!🐉

[Daniela M · Rating 1 out of 5]

At a glance, this story had so much potential. The idea of the two main leads working together to bait a common foe, whilst fighting their own feelings sounds like a yearning and pining gold mine, however, the execution was lacking.

I didn't mind that the two leads hook up at the beginning of the story. I actually found it unique that they hooked up before the plot really hits, and then have to see each other again in the aftermath was interesting. Again, this could have been a wonderful set up for navigating awkward pining, but instead, we get constant sexual quips and banter that quickly becomes incessent.

Kadeesha is always addressed as a badass, no nonsense lead, but she turns into mush when Malichi is around. She devolves into this "what's wrong with me?" narrative, and falls for his shallow lust. There's nothing strong or empowering about it. She melts into him with no courting or believable wooing.

Malachi is also depicted as a strong ruler, but in a scene of interrogating people, when the idea of torture comes up and Kadeesha reprimands it's use on children, Malachi responds with the thought of wanting to bed her. There is a lack of time and place for these spicy scenes. We're literally being confronted with the prospect of torture for information, and this future king-ruler of a bunch of people-is thinking about getting her to scream his name in bed.

It makes taking this story seriously very difficult. How am I supposed to believe that he will be a worthy ruler when all he's thinking about is getting laid instead of his court? How am I supposed to believe that Kadeesha is a strong, fiery woman when she lets this behavior go unchecked? How am I supposed to believe in their love when all we see are lustful interactions with zero moments of getting to know one another?

I suppose if you like the spice and talking dragons of Fourth Wing, you might enjoy this as well, even though the dragons are lacking in this. But if you're looking for a fleshed out political world with a yearning slow burn, this is not it.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins Publishing, and the author for the ARC!

[kiki’s delivery witch ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

find more reviews on my blog

Alright, y’all best buckle up for Our Vicious Oaths come October, because this dark romantasy is a wild ride. Picture me, curled up with my fuzzy blanket, squealing like a teenager at a K-pop concert, because this book had me hooked. It’s got fae politics, a warrior-princess who’d rather stab than swoon, and a vengeful king who is serving looks AND chaos. Fuckbuddies-to-enemy-fuckbuddy-to-lovers done so right.

Kadeesha, our badass princess, is out here leading winged serpent flyers (More pterodactyl than dragon) and dodging a betrothal to some crusty High King. Then there’s Malachi, the brooding Apollyon king with a vendetta and abs that probably have their own fan club. Their chemistry? Sizzling. I was giggling like a fool when Kadeesha’s “one last night of freedom” turned into a spicy trap with Malachi. Davenport writes tension so thick you could cut it with a dagger.

The plot’s a whirlwind… there’s political intrigue that meets fae Hunger Games. Malachi’s attack on Kadeesha’s wedding day? Their uneasy alliance to take down the High King? Chef’s kiss. I loved how Kadeesha grows into her queenly vibes, even if she’d rather punch politics in the face. My only gripe and why it’s not five stars is the pacing. Sometimes it’s like Davenport floored the gas, and I’m like, “Girl, slow your roll!” A few threads got a lil tangled.

Still, I’m obsessed. This book’s a glitter (ather?) bomb of magic, betrayal, and steam. If you love fae with bite and romance that slaps, you’ve found your Halloween read, cause this comes out right before.

[Karly · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.25/5) I've been craving a good romantasy standalone, and Our Vicious Oaths absolutely hit the spot.

What to expect:
💜 Dark fantasy romance
💜 3rd person, dual POV
💜 Enemies to lovers
💜 Powerful MCs
💜 Political intrigue

Spice rating: 🌶🌶🌶.5

Our Vicious Oaths is a fun, SPICY, fast-paced read I binged in less than 2 days. I chose to immersive read with a physical copy and the audiobook and loved the experience.

This book has one of the most iconic meet cues because Kadeesha is THAT girl and unapologetically and authentically herself. Malachi completely matches her energy—I LOVE a MMC who doesn't shy away from a fierce FMC—and I couldn't help but swoon over these two.

Exhibit A:
"'F*ck you,' she hissed. 'Need you? I hate you.'" ...... "'You f*cking love me when I'm inside you. Admit it, Princess.'"

Exhibit B:
"You, love, are veritably magnificent when you're bloodthirsty. I like it."

N.E. Davenport packs a lot into this book, and I'm overall happy with what we received in terms of world building and magic system development for a standalone. That being said, I wouldn't mind a series of interconnected standalones (I'm looking at our other kongamatos riders 👀) to further build upon this world and all the characters introduced.

This book is perfect for romantasy lovers who want a spice-forward, fast read. If you're the type of reader who prefers a slow burn between enemies, this won't be the book for you. They literally sleep together within the first 10% of this book and continue to hate f*ck each other throughout almost the entirety of the book.

While the plot took a back seat to the spice at times, I still had a great time and can't wait to read more books by N.E. Davenport.

A sincere thank you to Allurial for gifting me a special edition of Our Vicious Oaths.

[amarachireads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun dark romantasy that had me hooked the whole book. I liked the characters and plot and the romance was hot, hot,hot. I liked the fae aspect and how strong the fmc was in so many aspects. The mmc who was a playboy in the beginning was very interesting and I would say charming. I wished that the world building had been more but I did still get the world and why things were the way they were. This romantasy was more character focused and I think it really built the romance and the main characters relationship more. There were a lot of spicy spicy scenes but also not as dark as I expected. The politics was intriguing and yes there is a happy ending but I would like more books in this world. Thanks to the publisher for this arc!

Read for:
* Romantasy
* Diverse characters
* Black Romance
* Steamy
* Political intrigue
* Marriage of convenience

[Crystal · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't even have the words to describe how misogynistic I found this book to be. Especially the smut. I found it to be quite nauseating.

[alyssa✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

one of the better romantasy books i’ve read! it was too focused (in my opinion) on the physical aspects of their relationship and i wanted to see more emotional development as well 😅

[Zana]

DNF @ 60%

The fomo hit me so hard that I ended up requesting this arc. Also, the shiny gold dragon on the cover drew me in.

Friends and haters, I tried. I really did.

But this was so unbelievably mid that I had to DNF. It was giving Red Tower if Red Tower bothered to publish more POC authors.

There was so much infodumping and overexplaining that it took me out of my magical political fantasy headspace. I didn't give a shit. It read like a teenager's first fantasy manuscript.

There was an unbelievable amount of sex that I was legit wondering if I was reading erotica or romantasy. The insta lust was off the charts. Holy shit. It all got so old so quickly. Three straight chapters of sex. I couldn't breathe. I love smut, but this was too much smut.

I did like that this was an all Black cast though. Not sure how I feel about the guys wearing grilles, but at least it's different than your cookie cutter Euro romantasy dominating the genre.

Anyway, I'm out.

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this arc.

[CarlysGrowingTBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

General Thoughts:
This book was truly a fun ride!! The political intrigue involved within a novel was definitely fun to witness and follow along with. I felt like it all made sense and all the players in the political aspects made sense.

This book was hot!! A hot bad ass and confident FMC. A shadow daddy with a sparkling grill and locs with a soft spot for our commanding FMC?!?! ummmm yes. Please. More of that!! And the sex scenes were well written and compelling. I couldn't put this down!!

The story was also interesting and kept me intrigued. I really liked the way things unfolded as well as the high stakes that were moving into the story. I'll definitely read more of this author's fantasy books. They really took me on a ride.

Book Stats:
📖: 528 pages
Genre: fantasy
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Format: paperback
Series: standalone

Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 17 hours 46 minutes
🎤: Jeanette Illidge, Morris Kellswater
Publisher: Harper Audio
Format: dual narration/dual pov

Disclaimer: I read this book as a gifted physical finished copy from the publisher and a self purchased audiobook via Libro.FM. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay.

I really liked the world-building. I liked the build-up of the relationship between Kadeesha and Malachi. I liked Kadeesha!

But immortal fae and I always have a bone to pick with each other, and some of it was mentioned in the book but it just didn't quite work with me. It's because they're 25 and 26, respectively, and essentially overpowered fetuses in this game of immortality being played. So I dunno. Plus, it's just me, but I have a bone to pick when someone is a general and they command a total of 12 people (okay, her rank is squadron general but c'mon).

I also really did not like Malachi. He's a shit king. True, he grows, but literally only because Kadeesha is there pointing things out to him like a fae Jiminy Cricket. And it takes forever for even her to get through to him.

Also, the baby thing. I just do not like the pregnancy trope and that's on me for not DNFing.

However, fans of ACOTAR will love this one. There's a lot to enjoy!

[Samantha Gaudious · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there is a word i instantly think of for this book its: SEXY!!! 🥵👏

Honestly a fantastic blend of Fantasy, Romance & Spice 🖤 Absolutely a must read!

[Cydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I have had such a great reading year in terms of really, really enjoying a lot of the books I've read. About 30% of my reads have been 5-star! But I think Our Vicious Oaths might be both my favorite read of the year, and my favorite romantasy book of all time!

This has Blackity Black fae, royal courts, political intrigue, betrayal, treason, regicide, shadow-wielding, faerie magic, flying war serpents, true enemies-to-lovers, impeccable spice, a MMC with a grill, a truly unapologetically brilliant fae queen, and a vengeful fae king. The magic system was exciting and expansive, the plot was well-developed, the writing was funny but still packed a punch, the pacing was immaculate, the twists and turns shook the wheel—there are genuinely so many things I loved about this book! The villain who shall not be named was a believably evil villain whose demise was satisfying and well-deserved. The serpents were so cool and their bond to certain fae made sense. ZahZah is a precious baby.

I loved how empowering the story is—not only to Kadeesha as a fae queen and the limitations that come with that title, but also in the way Malachi loves her. He gives her the space to be messy and figure things out and she gives him the space to bounce his craziness off someone more sane so he can be sharper in his approach! One thing that was executed really well was emphasizing Kadeesha's path to consent as she grows into her power. The more empowered she becomes to defend herself and her people, the more she gains the ability to say what she needs and wants, the more she dares to dream.

This was my first time reading N.E. Davenport and while I desperately would love to see more of these characters and this world, I also think it stands strong as a true standalone in that all my questions were answered, I didn't feel like there were any plot holes, and I was left feeling like I had a good grasp on the path ahead.

Thank you to Harper Voyager for the physical galley and both HV and NetGalley for the ARC!

5 ⭐️s
4 🌶️
🚨 Pub Date: 10/28/25

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

My Selling Pitch:
Another half-baked acotar rip-off, chock-full of anachronisms.

On my do not read list.

Pre-reading:
I haven’t read this author before, but I’ve heard phenomenal things.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
My brain’s already autocorrected that to riding kangaroos.

Oh no, I think I’m going to hate this. It’s giving YA.

It’s kind of giving Fourth Wing wanna be.

How do you make lilac leather, and how does that make sense for a stealth squadron even with an invisibility shield?

This is really poorly written so far.

Not vigorously LMAO.

You know, I didn’t need a blowjob in chapter 2.

Really weird that this book is opening with watch your family member get blown.

This is a lot of telling not showing.

I don’t trust his aunt. (Unfounded. This book does not have a single plot twist.)

They’re right. This is just blackotar lmao.

You can tell she's a feminist because she owns a brothel. Like I’m just-

Bounce on it crazy style. This book is BAD.

This is cringe af.

Dicked down in ye olde fantasy is crazy.

Ugh, another piney boy.

EW. Get me out of here.

His ego can’t handle-BOY, BYE

It has like every bad cliche. Like how to make your mans cool-open with him having casual sex with a woman he doesn’t respect. Like girl, I hate it here.

The author: look they’re equals!
Sam: …the bar is in hell.

Unfortunately, I do love the god in bed trope every fucking time. Why is THIS the hill my sense of humor dies on? (It’s the religious trauma lmao.)

Not the hard screw lmao. This is so BAD. COMICALLY BAD!

The audiobook sounds like Calliou for Kiyun, and it’s sending me picturing this bald ass Canadian child.

So Jacobi and Serena? And Dedric and Latisha lmao. (I did lowkey think this was gonna be a series, but I’m very thankful it’s not.)

Black Elsa, heard.

CAMARADERIE, I mean-🎶

So she built a sorority.

Take a shot every time someone sucks their teeth.

Red weddings are so tired at this point.

Feel your fuck up is crazy.

So the thirteen. I know SJM didn’t invent it, but girllll-

I just don’t need to know everyone’s eye color and exact shade of skin color.

What do you mean he’s wearing a grill?

Not that as you wish Princess Bride shit.

Glom??? In ye olde. This is all anachronisms!

“I was cajoled here?” No one talks like this!

This reads like she edited with a thesaurus and find and replace. No one says “show some capitulation.”

Why are we bloating the word count? She’s like they’re probably related and then details why she thinks they’re probably related and no one cares and it’s never relevant.

She’s like telling us the relevance of every single action, and it’s like you can just say the action and let the reader infer the most basic thing.

You can’t make Rihanna a singer in this day and age. Shocked the other one isn’t Lizzo.

So help me god, if they don’t have plumbing, but they have grills and stiletto nails-

So her being wet is not consent to strip her. Oh, I’m so annoyed with this book.

These sex scenes are so cringe and insta-love. Like I hate this.

God, make it stop.

My brain also keeps autocorrecting it to Kalamata olives.

Not more chortling! What is up with publishing this year? Were they contractually obligated to include this word? I’ve never seen it so much before. It’s so out of place every single time. Chortle to me is like an old, fat Santa belly laugh. It belongs on somebody’s fat merchant dad that the book’s gonna treat like an idiot. I feel like every time I’ve read it this year it’s where a snicker or a chuckle should’ve been.

This is so incredibly bad. The way I’m team villain because homie is actually a bad and incompetent king lmao. Castrate the man. Maybe then we’d get some actual politicking done.

So help me god, if they eat soup-

We gotta stop normalizing choking. Number one predictor of domestic abuse and murder. (Samantha, you’re kink shaming again. You’re damn right I am.)

Moderately better sex scene, but then she’s still over-explaining and cringing me out.

All her writing is so repetitive. Like find a synonym, babe.

You know, I asked her to find a synonym and then she does do a find and replace, but it’s for a word with a completely different connotation. Oh, this book is driving me nuts. Did anyone edit this? Like for real?

The fantasy girlies love a bath scene. It’s me. I’m fantasy girlies.

She’s even using the exact same scents as SJM. Like be so for real.

How is a saltwater bath gonna get you clean? That’s gonna ruin your hair.

“Get the suds out good” is not correct.

Not the Twilight irrevocably line 😂

I’m so desensitized to all the fucking. I’m like preparing Thanksgiving dinner while they’re going to bone town.

They keep comparing this man to a cat, and I’m like I’m such a dog person.

How long is this sex scene? Is this like six chapters now? I’m not even joking. Also, I’m a little pervert-see my entire reading history. I’m down for a book that’s mostly just fucking, if it’s good fucking. This is not good fucking.

The word count of this is so, so bloated. Everything is so redundant. Just fucking move the book.

I think The Jasad Heir has ruined me for fantasy, and if it’s not that I don’t want it.

In what world do you say your dick fucked me with swagger?

All these fantasy book dudes are like I’m sure I’ve exhausted you. Have you met men? They nut once and roll over and look dead. We’ve gotta change this narrative.

I know I’m so checked out from this book and I’ve already decided that I hate it and there’s no redeeming it, but I do not need her to spend pages and pages on these fucking flowers.

Weird to tell your mom that you’re good in bed.

Wait, kind of a plot hole that they have an invisibility spell when they’re riding their dragons because of some magic. Why couldn’t they be invisible going to and from her bachelorette essentially? (Because then we wouldn’t have a book.)

Oh, that’s morning sickness. That bitch is pregnant. But you know, if you fuck for six chapters straight, I think that’s what you get.

HIS DICK GAME. OH, I HATE THIS BOOK.

I like this little abortion chat they’re having, but I don’t think she’s actually gonna have one.

Ain’t got no tears left to cry🎶

But like if it mattered to you, you would chug that real fast.

I’ve been reading this all day, and I can’t get through it. It’s so bad. (I averaged maybe like four chapters per six hours.)

How is this book gonna say henceforth in one sentence and dick game in the next?

Oh god, they’re fucking the shadows again.

Bequeathed in the middle of a sex scene is crazy.

This is for the people who like solely get off on the wife and husband titles and that’s just not me.

Humping??? Ugh.

There’s so little plot to this book and yet it’s 500 pages. I can be down for a bad book that is mostly just fucking-see Assassin Princess Warrior or whatever order of buzzword nouns it is, but this is so melodramatic and bad.

You’re only my equal if you can kill me is crazy.

I don’t know what the timeline is on this book, but it feels like they’ve known each other for like 48 hours. (Long enough to get pregnant but-)

Hey, I’ve said it before, but I feel like this also fits into the category. He’s not a good man just because he’s not raping and murdering you. The bar has to be higher than that.

Hey, I know I killed your dad, but he deserved it, so it’s chill, right?

Oh, now they’re mind-reading again. We have to stop pushing this narrative that your true love should be able to read your mind.

Every single romantasy reads exactly the same to me.

Info dumping about the not-dragons’ powers 95% into this book is criminal.

She’s playing real fast and loose with shadow physics lmao.

I’m so glad we solved patriarchy by-checks notes- oh yes, being a war prize engagement, impregnated by her captor, and birthing a son prophesied to fix the world. Dany you are not.

At least this is a standalone and it didn’t to be continued me.

Post-reading:
One of these days, I’m gonna find a romantasy that’s not an SJM clone. Today is not that day.

Objectively, this is readable. It is coherent. It tells a complete story arc. But holy fuck, I hated every second of this. It’s about 300 pages too long for a story you’ve already read. It is criminal how bloated this word count is. Every detail is over-explained. The author doesn’t trust her reader to do any heavy lifting and spoonfeeds the relevance of not just every character’s action, but their every thought. It’s gratingly repetitive. There’s a couple phrases that are overused to the point they could be a drinking game. Ironically, there’s also places in the text where it feels like she was editing with a thesaurus in hand and throwing in synonyms willy-nilly that almost mean the same thing, but the connotation of the word makes it not quite fit. The whole thing’s just awkward. It’s also chock full of anachronisms. I’m not anti-slang or pop culture references in a book, but I think your story has to have a pretty high degree of camp if you’re going down that route. If you expect me to take your ye olde fantasy seriously where they don’t have doctors and indoor plumbing, you can’t have your MMC talk about his dick game.

I know SJM didn’t invent the genre, but this book has some striking similarities. It’s a running joke that I keep track of how many romance MMCs smell like pine because it’s like every author has forgotten there’s other things to smell like, but to throw in specifically lavender soap and a squadron of not-dragon riding female warriors… and then to make him a shadow daddy who can speak mind to mind with her. It’s disappointing. It feels lazy. It feels like it was written as an amalgamation of tropes rather than as its own unique story.

The romance is super rushed. It tries to bill itself as enemies to lovers, but this is insta-love at its most cliché. It’s also rough on the internalized misogyny. It’s one of those books that thinks it’s feminist because she runs a brothel and likes exhibitionism so she must be sexually liberated and free! But then the only way it knows how to introduce its MMC and show he’s too cool for school is by having him fuck an NPC because he’s never viewed women as anything but objects until he meets the FMC. She can fix him, no really she can! I’m so tired of this. This isn’t romantic. Do so much better. It’s also a choice to make the happily ever after be getting impregnated by your captor who killed your family. Obviously, this will end the patriarchy when you- checks notes- birth a son!

The smut in this is abrupt, too long, and once again repetitive as hell. There’s books with lengthy sex scenes, and then there’s dragging out glorified missionary for multiple chapters. It contributes nothing to the plot, and it felt pretty amateur and clumsy. It wasn’t hot. The dirty talk didn’t work for me.

And I think my main problem with this book’s writing across the board-we’re talking plot, character development, and sex scenes- is that it’s all telling and no showing. Nothing has room to breathe. It’s so frustrating. Just give me the dialogue. You don’t need to explain to me that this shows he’s a damaged individual with a dark past. I have eyes. I’ll make the leap. There’s a particularly egregious instance of infodumping at the 95% mark. She halts one of the precious few action scenes to detail the not-dragons’ powers. Like girl, you are out of pages. It doesn’t matter how your magic system works anymore. The book is over. It felt like a beta reader pointed out a plot hole, and instead of going back and developing the world in earlier chapters, she was like I can hand-wave this away with a line about how actually, there’s a loophole because they’re bonded teams. It’s sloppy work.

And there is no real magic system to this book. Powers exist just for the vibes. All these shadow daddies need a physics lesson. They’re so overpowered because it doesn’t make sense that darkness can turn into swords and arrows and somehow also tornadoes. Somehow, this absence of light has weight to it so it can be used for sanitized tentacle porn. Every character is supposedly the most powerful fae ever, but the reader never gets an explanation for why they’re more powerful than they theoretically should be. It’s very big dick, bigger powers, and it all just feels like overcompensating.

The side characters are barely developed, but even then, they just feel like thinly veiled SJM rewrites.

And I just don’t have anything positive to say. It’s a dime a dozen plot, with a romance I was never invested in, and the writing’s just okay. I will never understand the popularity of these generic fantasies. I think reading Tamora Pierce as a child spoiled me. I know they could be so much more. That’s the bar. And that was for children!

If I knew nothing else about this author, this book would put me off ever picking her up again. I’ve heard such good things about her dystopian series, though, and curiosity is a hard drug to me. I’ll give her another shot. As far as this book goes… if you like acotar rewrites, you’ll probably like this one. If, like me, that series is the bane of your existence, don’t pick this up. You will hate it.

Who should read this:
Acotar fans
Quicksilver fans
Generic romantasy fans

Ideal reading time:
Anytime

Do I want to reread this:
Fuck no

Would I buy this:
Fuck no

Similar books:
* A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas-OG romantasy
* Quicksilver by Callie Hart-acotar rewrite, dystopian, fantasy romance, vampires
* Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout-acotar rewrite, dystopian, fantasy romance
* A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand-acotar rewrite, fantasy romance, family drama
* The Deathless One by Emma Hamm-fantasy romance
* A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene-acotar rewrite, Swan Lake retelling, fantasy romance
* Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros-fantasy romance, magic school, dragons
* Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer-fantasy romance, why choose
* Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma-dark academia, urban fantasy, vampires, enemies to lovers romance
* Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton-The Little Mermaid retelling, fantasy, enemies to lovers romance

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

this is a very much classic fae enemies to lovers story w/ two powerful protagonists. i think that my favorite part of the whole thing was the animal companions - they're very much dragon adjacent and i will always love that. i also liked the friendships and the complicated relationship that the fmc has with her parents (especially with her mom).

however, the relationship is a fast burn in terms of lust, which doesn't typically work for me personally. i also felt like pacing was slightly off - there were several sections of this that felt too slow. that being said though, if you like spice and fae, I would 100% recommend giving this a try.

**thank you to harper voyager for the ARC copy**