The Forbidden Crown: An Enemies to Lovers Romantasy

by Nora Marrs

The fae Council threw me into the Trials, chained to the merciless Demon Prince for spectacle… until the prophecy blazed, and my fate became worse than death in the arena.

Prince Kade of House Rakir—assassin, shadow-wielder, commanded to crush me for the nobles’ amusement. Cruel, magnetic, and far too beautiful to trust.

I’m half-fae, half-mortal. Too human for their world, too cursed for mine. The prophecy carved into my skin could topple their throne, and Kade is the only one who knows it.

I should hate him. He wields my humiliation like a weapon. Yet his shadows shield me, his silence hides my secret, and his cruelty twists dangerously close to desire I can’t resist. Every look burns with the same does he want my surrender—or my destruction?

If he shields me, he pays with his life. If he betrays me, I won’t die cleanly. I’ll rot in chains and torment.

And the most dangerous part? I don’t know if I want his touch to save me… or ruin me.

101 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[Branne Brotton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This hits. If you love dark romantasy, hidden/found power, enemies to lovers, all coated with a nice thick layer of action, this is the perfect afternoon read between books. It's just 100 pages of action and suspense with the slightest hint of steam. 100 pages following a woman through a constant fight for her life alongside an unexpected companion, and then getting to see her hidden powers explode in the most satisfactory resolution to this short but impactful story. The whole book feels like the final conflict of an epic fantasy.

Set aside a weekend afternoon and consume this book like I did. I guarantee you'll be very happy you did.

[Amy M]

This was a really great story but this is not my preferred writing style. I struggle to stay engaged with overly descriptive language and, although beautifully written, it took me 2 weeks to read 100 pages. I loved the plot, but my dyslexia was triggered with the word choices and repetition for emphasis or dramatic effect.

Our FMC is forced to fight for the amusement of the fae and as the one fae prince mentors her, the other looks to see how she can be used for power. As a prophecy begins to unfold, she must choose between chains or ash.

[Soha Amer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense, magical, and full of tension. The Forbidden Crown delivers everything you want from an enemies-to-lovers romantasy—tension, power struggles, and a romance that burns slowly but fiercely.

The dynamic between the main characters is electric, filled with distrust, hidden truths, and undeniable attraction. Every interaction feels layered, making the progression from enemies to something more even more satisfying.

The fantasy world adds depth, with political intrigue, power plays, and the constant weight of destiny hanging over the characters.

It’s a story of loyalty, betrayal, and forbidden desire—where love might be the most dangerous risk of all.

[MimiAmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Forbidden Crown is a dark romantasy and has a very strong FMC and is full of descriptive prose. It is well written with a great deal of abuse. It’s just not my preference for reading material. Please note that I did not rate this story with low stars. Just because I don’t care for this genre doesn’t mean it’s a bad story.

Disclaimer: I received this ebook from BookFunnel and this is my honest opinion.

[Justene Ortman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forced to fight for the entertainment of others Seris is such a strong female character. Going through trials no person should have to face and hide her secret from others. As you read her struggles you learn more about Kade. Will he choose to help her or sit back and let life push her down. It’s thrilling, exciting and sometimes heart breaking.

[Alejandra Guerrero · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 10%
I tried. I really tried. But this is plagued with nonsensical descriptions, like “black as a mouth”, or “bright as venom”. It tries way too hard to sound cool and it fails miserably. Also, so far almost no dialogue and endless inner monologue. I’m not reading this.

[Katie Janssen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really brought me into Seris’ life and character and I loved that. I really felt like we were her throughout the book. Definitely a good read.

[Meloney Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

a quick afternoon read. I think i liked the story, however the writing style forced your mind to make intuitive leaps in order to fill in gaps of what felt like missing essential information.