Til Quest Do Us Part

by Ivelisse Housman

Two Former Teen Protagonists Who Saved the World now need to learn how to be adults—with adult feelings—in this witty, warm romantic fantasy.

Princess Elysande Sybilla Aurelion of Estrachia, Voice of the Thousand-Eyed Goddess, impulsively made a vow to her knight, Faron, at eighteen years old, under the secrecy of night and the thousand watchful eyes of her patron deity. To be fair, they expected to perish at the hands of a raging sorceress the next day—but then they didn’t.

Once she took the throne, everything changed. Ely and Faron agreed that they were too young and too important—as the now Queen and Knight Guardian—to be anything more. And with Ely’s responsibility as the new sovereign of her people, it was better to forget the whole thing than risk the kingdom’s newfound peace.

Ten years later, Ely finds herself needing to marry the prince of a neighboring territory for political advantage, and discovers that she is, technically, married to her best friend. And the Goddess won't let her out of her oath that easily. Now, Ely and Faron must work together to seek the deity and break their vows in favor of the greater good—even if they risk rekindling a flame that never truly died.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Adult, Friends To Lovers, Fiction, Fantasy Romance

Paperback

Expected publication December 1, 2026

Reviews

[yuvi (hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★

Oh yikes. i'm so conflicted lol. while it was somewhat enjoyable, i still had some problems.
in theory, it promised everything. second chance, cozy romantasy, childhood lovers, queen × knight trope. but unfortunately, this ended up being another case of interesting premise but underwhelming execution.
the writing style was okay-ish imo but i felt like there wasn't any proper structure to the story overall. everything felt too rushed and all over the place. for a standalone fantasy, 23 chapters fell too short, ig? i would've liked it somewhat more had there been proper worldbuilding and magic system? the lack of worldbuilding and comprehensive magic system was one of the reasons i struggled to finish it. i even considered dnfing it but then decided not to.
anywayy
no matter what anyone says, princess and knight trope is one of the most beautiful tropes, if done right. it screams yearning and tension and stolen touches. but nope. this turned out to be another disappointment. i barely felt anything lol. there was no chemistry btw the mc's and they barely had any personality. and the lack of personality was the main reason why i struggled to connect with the characters, or the whole story in general. maybe i would've overlooked the lack of worldbuilding had there been more character development. idkkk. i wanted better character development damnit. i felt like they were just there. and there was no chemistry and no tension.
usually, i enjoy dual timelines but here, the flashbacks came out of nowhere and it was so abrupt and felt a bit jarring imo.
i think this had a great premise but it was not a good idea to try to fit everything in a standalone book. this would've worked better as a duology imo.
that being said, 3 stars isn't necessarily a bad rating. i did enjoy it. at times. but what saddened me the most was the unexplored potential.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

ִֶָ. 𓂃˖꣹ preread ꧔⟢ ִֶָ࿐

sry guys i've been lowk ia for the last few days. i'm not at fault honestly. reading slump is sucking the life outta me ughhh.
sigh
anyway
the cover lured me in (like damn hullo gorjisss😍)
i found this book on netgalley (available as 'read now' for next 48 hours, ig?)
the premise mhmmm. color me intrigued
wish me luckkk.
please get me out of this horrible slump😔🙏(*me to my reading slump*-begone you uncultured swine no one wants you

expected pub. date-december 1, 2026

── .✦ˋ°•*⁀➷
started- april 28
finished- may 04

[Grace Quan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was immersed in the romance from the very first page. So much so that all the fantasy elements practically faded to the background. While of course this speaks to how engaging the romance was, it also emphasizes how much the world building was lacking.

But to start, let's talk romance. First thing you should know is that it absolutely delivered. Ely and Faron's chemistry was off the charts! There were so many sizzling moments of brushing hands, glances across the room, and having to "platonically" share a bed. Strictly being friends for 10 years had so much built up tension and suppressed longing. There was also a little taste of the forbidden in the romance. Ely was the people's Queen and Faron was her Knight. The protector and the protected. So much fun! Also the fact that they were secretly married added a whole other level of greatness. The "my wife" and "my husband" moments were being spoon fed to me and I couldn't get enough of them.

I also loved the second-chance element of the romance. It allowed the rekindling of their relationship to be charged with so much history and tension. You could also feel the weight of everything unsaid in their friendship. All the "I love yous" they never said because they didn't want to cross a line. The tension and the chemistry were the best things about this book, they were so incredibly well done.

Beyond the romance, I ran into several major problems regarding the fantasy elements. First was the lack of any comprehensive world building. With references every other page to different goddesses and gods, I wish there was a more clear explanation to the different religions and how they tie in with the magic system of the world. With religion being a very present theme in the book, the topic needed more context and explanation. I also would have appreciated a clear definition of the magic system. Like who has access to magic? Does it take any skill to master? Are you born with it or is it learned? It was also not clear what magic could do. Ely could heal herself and other people, but beyond that I don't really remember what exactly were the limitations of magic. But again, I wasn't really focused on the fantasy as much as I was on the romance.

Separate from the plot and romance, I would like to talk about the writing. To me, the writing felt juvenile while relying on overly complex vocabulary to seem more mature than it actually was. This was very distracting to the reading process and took away from the writing instead of adding to it. The writing could have also benefited from less metaphors and similes. Again, it made the writing too flowery and distracted from the story.

Ultimately, the romance was more than enough to keep me invested. Although I found the world building and writing style definitely left something to be desired, Ely and Faron's relationship carried the story on their backs and that kept me satisfied. If you're looking for a romantasy book that mainly focuses on romance, I think you'll really enjoy this one.

3 stars. ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

📆 Publication Date: December 1, 2026

[Selene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really really loved the idea of this but personally struggled to get into at times. There not too much going on and the back story, flash backs were really confusing at times. I actually tripled checked it wasn’t a sequel because I really felt like I was missing so much context. I feel like this would have been have been so good if I hadn’t gotten the battle story from 10 yrs prior. I really enjoyed the authors writing style and the happy ending was sweet.

Thanks to the author and publisher for my arc, the opinions are my own.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes romantasy authors try to be Game of Thrones, which is all well and fine, but sometimes all you want is The Princess Bride or Stardust.

Both charming and funny, this was a pretty quick read that kept me delighted the entire time. A cozy little romantasy where the leads are fun and have great chemistry. A bit of spice but it wasn't overly descriptive or graphic, nor did it take up the entire story. It was just super cute!!!

Maybe a little too short to have any real world building or do anything groundbreaking, but it's a nice little treat that's light and filled with fluff. The type of story you want when everything else around you is doom and gloom.

Thank you to netgalley and Berkley for the arc.

[Brend]

Ten years after saving the world, the Queen finds herself needing to marry for political advantage, and discovers that she is, technically, married to her knight best friend since they made vows the night before the big battle thinking they would die anyways

Buzzing.

[BookishKB]

⚔️💍 Til Quest Do Us Part 💍⚔️

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

✨ What to Expect
• Cozy Romantasy
• Friends to Lovers
• Secret Marriage
• Quest Adventure
• Royal Politics
_ _ _ _

📅 Pub Date: December 1, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Ace, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus}]

*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!*

[louise ʚଓ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

spotify please play stupid song by olivia rodrigo, followed by hozier’s do i wanna know? cover.

full rtc!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ace Books/Penguin Random House for the e-ARC!

[RavenCantRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Til Quest Do Us Part

This was like reading a Y2K medieval/fantasy movie in the best way! If you loved Ella Enchanted or A Knights Tale then chances are you will absolutely adore this book! It doesn’t take itself *too* seriously while still hitting the important emotional beats and without compromising the heart of the story.

Ely and Faronn fell in love and got married in secret 10 years ago, the day before they were supposed to die, except…they survived. Now Queen Elysande is meant to marry the prince of a neighboring kingdom to secure an alliance, but the goddess she has dedicated her life to has other plans. Only a quest could make Ely and Faron confront the last 10 years of yearning, but will they finally follow their hearts?

I thought this book was adorable, cozy, fun, romantic and just great vibes all around! The world building is just enough to prevent confusion but doesn’t bog you down with the details, keeps the kingdom/magic very fun and light. Ely and Faron are so obviously obsessed with each other from page one, and everyone around them is just so good and kind.

*spoilers*

The wrap up was so neat and cute and just overall good, which normally I’d probably complain about, except it really fit the overall vibes of the book itself and I love that everyone just gets an uncomplicated happy ending. There are no bad guys, they were all vanquished long ago, and all of our characters just get to exist in peace and fall in love with who they want and man I just loved reading it.

*end spoilers*

If you like whimsy, cozy fantasy, and lovers-to-friends-to-lovers you’ll enjoy this one!

Big thanks to Berkley for the e-arc

[Sky | Booked and Unbusy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Til Quest Do Us Part was a story I thoroughly enjoyed! For me it started a bit slow, and I found myself taking some time to adjust to the writing style, but I quickly became invested, and the payoff was 100% WORTH IT, and didn’t take long AT ALL!

This book does a phenomenal job at showcasing neurodivergent MC’s and their behavior, as well as how it comes across both internally and externally. As a neurodivergent person myself, I really enjoyed this representation!

Most of the story our FMC Ely struggles with her sense of duty to her kingdom, and doesn’t tend to think of what would make her happy. I can 100% relate to this on a much smaller scale which made her enjoyable and personal to read.

The MMC, Faron, is probably the most lovable character I’ve read in awhile. It is so easy to love him. He is so true to his own character and what he believes in, and it’s incredibly admirable. Being neurodivergent, he shows his love in atypical ways, but it never felt lost on me as the reader.

This was my first ARC read ever, and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to experience this story and these characters, and love them longer! I cannot wait for the BEAUTIFUL physical edition to be on my bookshelf when it comes out!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author Ivelisse Housman, and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this ARC! Til Quest Do Us Part will be published in December 2026

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ As someone who is a big fan of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, I was OBSESSED with the concept of this book. I had so much fun catching onto all of the subtle Zelda and Link references.

The book starts off with giving us a little bit of background knowledge that the characters fought the big bad when they were 18 years old, and exchanged marriage vows in secret when they thought they were going to die. Now it’s 10 years later, the princess is now the queen, and they are no longer together.

It’s a slice of life story of a second chance romance and best friends to lovers. The fantasy plot of everything that happened when they were 18 is not important for us, we don’t need to know the depths of the politics of the world and all the characters that played a part in what happened. We are observing these two characters and how they are slowly going to rekindle what they once had. The author does such a good job of making you feel and understand that these characters have history and care for each other. We unpack pieces of their history slowly through the story, but I never felt like I didn’t know enough about them, even with the little information about their past we are given. We don’t need a lot of world building or political intrigue because it just feels like a little peak into these characters lives. I felt the chemistry and history between these characters so intensely, even with the little backstory we have of their original romance. I was absolutely giggling and kicking my feet. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

[Bre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neurodivergence in the form of fantasy romance. I inhaled every bit of it. Ely and her Knight Guardian, Faron, and a dumb decision when they were teenagers and thought they were about to die saving their kingdom. Now that decision has come back to haunt them. They must sneak away on a new quest to undo their teenage mistake so that Ely can marry, thus securing their safety of her kingdom from war.

It is beautifully written, following the sort of all over the place thought process of Queen Elysande. “That was why the Goddess liked Ely. Because her mind was never particularly tethered to one time or place, she was more open to receiving magic and interpreting her will—at least, she had been, once. In the temple, Ely had passed hours of study in a dreamlike state, tucked in close to the presence of the divine.”

Til Quest Do Us Part, though wonderfully witty and comical, tackles the idea of giving of oneself until there’s nothing left. It explores loss of religion/faith and reconciliation in a very palatable way. The whole this is pure fantasy, but I related so much to the characters and their struggles. Ely is every woman who wants to do what’s best for everyone else. Ely’s fretful and humorous self-talk a window into anyone’s mind with ADHD. The story is equal parts silly and a soul journey. The misadventures of Ely and Faron kept me invested the entire time.

This is perfect for anyone who wants a cozy fantasy romance that delves deep into self-discovery, has some on the edge of your seat scenes (with dragons!), and some spicy spice. I highly recommend it!

Thank you x100 to Ace for the egalley!!

[Memz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “Till Quest Do Us Part”, we explore a side of the story we oftentimes forget — what happens after the happily ever after? What if our main couple has responsibilities greatly than they realized — and must make painful choices in the name of the greater good?

I absolutely lovedddd this story, it was so whimsy and magical and Zelda-coded, I could see every single scene play in the back of my mind as I read. The relationship between Ely and Faron was full to the brim with yearning, laughs, and sighs — and while the conclusion felt a litttle.. “simple”, and I would’ve loved to explore the world a little more, I enjoyed it all the same. And I will be SAT for when the second book comes out (set in the same world! Probably different cast of characters? Who knows)

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!!

[gabby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for a chance to read this ARC!

This was very cute! Maybe a 3.25? I LOVED the plot line and was excited to see how everything would pan out, but it started falling a little flat around the middle. Faron felt a bit half-baked as a character (still hot though🙂‍↕️), and the ending was pretty abrupt. I was also a little bummed that they broke their vows before figuring out they wanted to be together (but that's just personal preference!!)

Overall still enjoyed it though!

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars⭐️ (rounded down but PLS goodreads give us half stars)

‘Til Quest Do Us Part’ was a refreshingly unique and fun read that had commentary upon how it’s insane to think the new adults in fantasy stories actually end up together post storyline.

Ely and Faron were 16/17 when they began their quest to save their land from an evil sorceress, then 18 when they prevailed and fallen in love. While we only get glimpses of that past/told what had happened, not long after their epic adventure life took hold as Ely was Queen and Faron a skilled guard/hero went about the country to check on its people…. The inevitable breakup due to the drastic differences of their roles taking off.

This story picks up 10 years later, with Ely and Faron tiptoeing around each other and never talking about what happened all those years ago. They’re the epitome of idiots in love. (They’re def the trope of duty bound people to a fault). Because how in 10 years of him still being your personal guard does the conversation not come up?😅

I saw some comps comparing this to the likes of Zelda x Link and I think if you’re looking for a dynamic similar, this would be a good book! It’s evident though that this book is written purposely lighter and with humor (i’m guessing it’s a fantasy-romance-comedy?), so it won’t be crazy in depth but I still found the writing descriptive and well done. This was an emotional rollercoaster at time from being entertaining to fully having me tear up at the end. I felt for Ely so hard pushing aside her wants and needs to what was best for her people,, and finally finding out what happened between them a decade prior??

I think the only drawback of being plopped in 10 years after their quest to save the country, can cause you to feel some disconnect between the characters and their romance. If you don’t have any stakes in the characters, why would you want them to be together? But I think this book did a good job of hooking me in so that I wanted to read to find out more of their past as the plot unfolded. And it definitely did as we got to know the characters better, I found them to be sweet and felt their emotions and all the angst between them.

Some drawbacks I had was some pacing towards the middle bogged down a little and I had to sort of push through it, whereas the last 30% ish took off and was sooo good.

While not totally comparable, I would say if you enjoyed the Villains & Virtues series (another fantasy-romance-comedy) you should check this out!

*ARC courtesy of netgalley*


(also really really love this cover!)

[Amy]

This cover is CRAZY. someone buy this for me for Christmas

[Lucia]

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

[pilar faircloth]

this is SO obviously legend of zelda fanfic i can’t wait to get my hands on an eARC to confirm

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Elysande, Voice of the Thousand-Eyed Goddess, and Faron, her loyal Guardian, were born with a purpose. Serving as the Goddess’s divine justice, Ely was destined to destroy the great evil plaguing the land, just as Faron was destined to die protecting her. The night before their final battle with the sorceress, Ely and Faron eloped in private, whispering vows beneath the stars, believing Faron would perish the next day. But that was ten years ago, and Faron never died. Now separated by duty, Ely is fulfilling her role as Queen, restoring her kingdom and marrying the prince of a neighboring territory to secure a crucial alliance, while Faron still serves as her personal guard, always there for her, but just as a friend. However, on the day of her engagement, the Thousand-Eyed Goddess sends her a sign - Ely is technically still married to Faron, and she does not approve of a new marriage while their old vows still hold. Though they called off their relationship years ago, Ely and Faron must journey together one last time to seek the deity and break their vows, even if their old flame never truly extinguished.

This had a lot of things I really look for in romantasy, and I think this is one of my favorites I’ve read in the genre! Something I love in any book, but romance specifically is distinct characterization, and this book delivered. Faron was not at all what I would expect from a book like this. He’s a short king who’s stoic and awkward, and is far more interested in horses and cooking than being some brooding macho man. Ely is also a breath of fresh air, with all the poise and regality of her position, but still showing her more introspective and caring side around Faron and her found family. Together, they felt like a refreshing subversion of typical romantasy archetypes, and their specificity is exactly what made their romance work so well.

The characters’ history really shows in the little actions and moments between them. Like how Faron is always making sure Ely is eating enough because she forgets to when she’s busy, or how Ely knows Faron is quiet and needs time to finish his sentences so she makes sure to never interrupt him when he’s speaking. Their whole dynamic was really cute, and those details cemented a convincing relationship!

The world-building and overall writing quality are incredible as well, and I felt so immersed in this world. In particular, everything involving the Thousand-Eyed Goddess was fascinating, and I found a lot of it reminiscent of the aesthetics of the Church of Shar from Baldur’s Gate 3 (just way less evil). This book also tends to lean more into the cozy side of the genre and never has any truly high stakes, and the writing style matches this perfectly. Every little description about the snowy environments, celestial magic, and salty campfire food felt very comforting and immersive, making this a great read for when I was looking to relax.

I do have a few critiques, specifically with the plot. While I did end up loving the book, it took some time for me to really get into it, due to the shaky first couple chapters. The blurb implies Ely and Faron have grown apart and buried their feelings for each other, but the first chapter opens with them cuddling in her bed due to her nightmares. Going in, I was expecting yearning and pining due to their duty-bound separation, but their immediate affection had me worrying this would be an all-horny-no-plot book. The following chapters also have little to no explanation of their previous relationship or what their current dynamic is like, leaving me confused and missing crucial context. Over time, I was able to piece things together on my own which is when I started really enjoying the romance, but it left me wishing the book had better established their relationship. It’s extremely difficult to get a reader to care about a romance established off-page, and the poor introduction didn’t do this already risky dynamic any favors.

The ending felt a little frustrating as well. With a blurb like this, if you’ve read any amount of romantasy you know exactly how the book is going to end, and sure enough, my prediction was spot on. Because of this, the plot can drag at times when the characters are in the throes of the will-they-won’t-they, and you just want them to get over it because you know what the outcome will be. At a certain point towards the end of the book, the waffling started feeling repetitive and tiresome, and I think a good 30 or so pages could have been cut for a more streamlined reading experience.

If the author decides to continue writing in this world, I think a spin-off about Casimir would be wonderful! I'd recommend this for those interested in a standalone cozy romantasy, fans of The Legend of Zelda or Baldur’s Gate 3, and anyone who likes chosen one, friends-to-lovers, or second-chance romance tropes.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ace, and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sheri MacQuarrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley for the advance copy of Til Quest Do Us Part

Ten years ago, Princess Elysande fell in love with Faron - her knight, guardian, and best friend. On a mission to defeat an evil sorceresses and facing almost certain death, the two were wed in a secret, impromptu ceremony performed by Ely herself … only, they didn’t die. Having to face reality, with Ely becoming Queen, the two separated.

Fast forward to the present, Ely is required to enter into an arranged marriage with a Prince from another kingdom to maintain a peaceful alliance and protect her people. Ely had assumed her secret wedding was not binding, but her Goddess sends some rather unsubtle signs that she is well aware and will not allow Ely to wed another while already married. Thus, Ely and Faron depart on a quest to have their marriage unbound.

This was a really unique story for me, and I think the author did an excellent job with the writing style. A fantasy standalone is incredibly difficult, especially being as character driven as this one is, but the writing style really helps keep you invested - the narrative is packed full of dry humor and witty dialogue that kept me laughing throughout. I liked that the main characters were not your standard fantasy main character cut-outs, physically or mentally; Faron is a warrior, but he defied all odds to become one, and he’s not the tallest or the strongest, but he absolutely will defend Ely the fiercest. They are flawed, they aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and together they complemented each other so well. Where one falls short, the other is there to step in. They are so aware and respectful of each other. I also appreciated how things were represented, even if not outright labeled; Ely seems to struggle with some PTSD from the events of her past, Faron struggles with crowds and public speaking, and the two do a fabulous job of supporting without overstepping, always leaving room for the other person to metaphorically take up the space they deserve. Also shout-out to the author for actually having proper horse care depicted along their quest, and Faron being appalled at the idea of two people riding one horse!

I did find myself wondering if I was reading a sequel in the beginning with the story taking place after such major events, but it was really unique to read the parts you wouldn’t usually get in a fantasy series. Generally you’re reading all the world-ending drama and original falling in love, but in this story you’re starting after all that has taken place. The flashbacks were a bit jarring, but once I realized what was going on, the placement made sense and added to the story. I will say that while their communication was amazing on so many levels, there were a few conversations that definitely could have saved them from the whole entire quest … but then we wouldn’t have had all the yearning or been stuck with only one bed to stay warm along the way! Overall, a very unique story with a sweet rekindling of romance between two former lovers.

[Lia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Til Quest Do Us Part - 5 ⭐️

A Zelda-inspired fantasy where a queen and her knight are secretly married.

She is a queen, and he is HER GUARD.

This book has the perfect touch of charm, humor, and tenderness.

Ely, a lost heir to the throne and the Voice of the Thousand-Eyed Goddess, must set out on a journey to defeat the evil alongside her guardian, chosen by the goddess herself.

We follow the story of Ely and Faron, who ten years ago, along with a group of adventurers, set out to defeat an evil sorceress threatening their kingdom.

In the past, they fell in love and impulsively decided to get married, because according to the prophecy, the Guardian always falls to save the Voice.

But after the battle, when they unexpectedly survive, the weight of their responsibilities forces them apart.

The story begins in the present, where Ely must marry a prince from another kingdom in a political marriage arranged when she was a child.

Throughout the book, we get glimpses of Ely’s past, which only make their love story even more compelling.

It’s incredible how the author captured every complex emotion that led them to this situation. The misunderstandings, the silence, the lack of communication, and everything that kept pulling them apart until they were finally able to face their feelings and talk.

This book is beautiful, light, and above all, so fun.

The romance is at the center of the story. Ely and Faron are two blind fools in love, completely unable to see their feelings for each other.

The journey they embark on is meant to find a way to separate, yet it only strengthens their feelings and makes them realize they might not want a future apart.

— My thoughts —

I loved these two fools in love, their love felt so tender and enchanting.

Faron is the sweetest, gentlest, and shyest MMC I’ve ever read!

Despite all the misunderstandings and lack of communication, everything resolves quite easily, and their feelings are always so clear that there’s never any doubt they both want the best for each other.

I adored their chemistry, the romance felt soft and cozy.

One of my favorite details is that the protagonists are close to their 30s, yet the romance still feels so innocent and beautiful.

I also loved their old companions. They appear at the beginning and at the end, and they were easily some of the most fun parts of the book.

Valiant and Prudence, their horses, added such a charming touch to the story.

The final chapter was my favorite. It’s where things finally get cleared up, and everything feels so fun and so heartwarming.

This is a standalone, and I definitely plan to read more from the author because I loved this book.

A truly comforting and charming read, it absolutely deserves a chance.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

From the summary, you may think this is a much more serious romantasy novel, but I would personally classify this one as more of a cozy romantasy. Our two main characters are Ely, queen and Voice of the Thousand-Eyed Goddess and her knight and Guardian Faron. Their roles were etched in stone and cyclical in that the Guardian always dies defending the Voice against the wicked sorceress--but in this cycle, Ely already broke it by killing the sorceress and Faron is still alive. Ten years later, they're not teen protagonists any more, and Ely is a serious queen who needs to fulfill her betrothal contract with the prince of a neighboring kingdom, but there's a slight catch--Faron and Ely were married 10 years ago, and in the eyes of the Thousand-Eyed Goddess they still are.

From the start, there is so much yearning and affection between Ely and Faron. There's the protectiveness between a knight and a queen, but there's also just the friendship and camaraderie of being companions on a life-or-death quest and working together for over a decade. You can't really see why they aren't together besides out of duty, and there is so much UST in their journey to get to the Thousand-Eyed Goddess temple that when they finally do kiss, you're going to cheer. (And the smut is quite nice too). Along the way, there are also many fun scenes of clearing ghosts from manors, attending small winter festivals, and tending to ornery horses.

However, I have to say that the worldbuilding of this novel is a bit sparse. You get the barest flashbacks of the quest that made Ely and Faron heroes, you get a few references to their other friends, and a few throwaway comments about things the evil sorceress did, but nothing about the cycles that came before or what makes this one so different. Tying into that is my biggest issue with this novel: when you finally get the flashback of why Ely and Faron decided to not really stay married before, it's that what ultimately drove Ely and Faron apart in the beginning was miscommunication, and it's still their biggest problem. They do get some lovely love confession scenes and words of devotion, but over and over again, their biggest problem is that they just can't talk about their honest feelings for each other, and while that makes some sense back when they were 19 and taking on new, hard duties, it makes much less sense now. The main conflict gets wrapped up in like the last 5% of the novel, which also seemed so fast.

For all of my issues with this novel though, it is a fun read that I read deep into the night, and I do recommend it if you want a knight/queen romance with lots of yearning and a more cozy setting.

[Mona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this arc!

I have...mixed feelings about Til Quest Do Us Part. On the one hand, the description sounded so appealing, so attractive to me. A post war/adventure premise with two protagonists that have had to grow up and take control of their own lives, only to have that control taken away from them. A knight and a princess romance that can't be together because the princess is now a queen and has to marry for the sake of her kingdom. A goddess that appears to be intervening to keep the two together...its such a fun premise. And, in fairness, I do think there's a lot to like here. I think the world building is interesting and has a lot of potential. I'd have loved to explore the different lands and their own laws and traditions.

I also liked some of the romance! I think if it were built up more previously, I would've adored it. But I don't think it was executed well enough until the last part of the book. There's definitely hints towards it that builds up over time, and I do give the author credit for keeping their characters consistent through out, but...I just don't think it really panned out well, at least in the early chapters. I wish the build up was more noticeable and I wish we got that from the flashbacks. But not only is it hard to tell when flashbacks actually happen, they appear pretty sporadically, and not for long. For a relationship that has so much hanging on past promises and history, it feels like the reader is expected to just...follow along with them without much of a look into who they were originally.

And I think that leads into another problem: characterization. To give credit where credit is due, both main characters feel very consistent through out. The issue is, for me, when the main character continues to act like she did 10 years ago. Which wouldn't be an issue if this was highlighted, but its not, not really. It has an unintentional effect of making Ely seem somewhat unlikable while she's trying to be selfless to her kingdom. Not to mention her shoot first, ask questions later attitude towards certain events where discussion would be a lot more helpful. I think Faron is better, but a lack of POV chapters for him means I never really connected with him either. Which is a shame, because I would've loved to see inside his head and to see what he actually wanted. I still think (and know) that people will like these two, but I myself couldn't connect to them like I wanted.

Still, I don't think this puts me off the book and I do want to give a second change after it release. There's still a lot of promise here! And I just know there is an audience who will love this anyway. It's cute, it's charming and there is a lot of potential from this author.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first impression of this book was a good one. The opening chapter reads like the intro sequence of a Disney film—whimsical and warm. It is a genuinely delightful beginning, and for a moment I thought I had found exactly what I was looking for.
Sadly, that was where my enjoyment largely plateaued.
The premise is original and I want to give it full credit for that. Set ten years after a world-ending battle, the story asks a question that is both simple and genuinely interesting—what happens to the people who saved the world once the saving is done? The commentary on choices made at eighteen versus choices made at thirty is handled with more self awareness than I expected, and I understood the motivations behind most of what happened and why. The plot itself was never really the problem. The tone was. The humor simply did not land for me. I could see the jokes coming—could identify the exact moments I was supposed to laugh—but the actual laugh never arrived. Comedy lives and dies on execution, and something in the delivery consistently fell just short of connecting.
The characters are likeable enough. Ely is a queen who makes time to crochet, which I appreciated enormously, and Faron is a perfectly decent love interest. The secondary cast from the friend group are engaging in theory. The problem is that by the time we meet all of them, they already share a decade of history that the reader has no access to—and rather than easing us into that history, the book seems to assume we already feel the weight of it. The emotional connections between these characters arrive pre-established and essentially static, which made it difficult to feel genuinely invested in what happened to any of them.
The book also simply needed to be longer. It reads closer to a novella than a full novel, and the brevity works against it at every turn—the world, the magic system, the relationships, the aftermath of a battle that sounds considerably more epic than anything contained in these pages. I wanted more of all of it and was given very little of any of it.
For an adult debut, this reads as though it was always meant to be YA—which is not a criticism so much as a clarification of expectations. Readers who enjoy light, whimsical romantasy with a gentle comedic touch may find more to love here than I did. For me, it was a charming start that never quite became the book it promised to be.

[Tina Liu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a book with clear shining strengths as well as noticeable flaws.

Ely, the female lead, is the queen of a country facing many political challenges. She is also blessed with the power of the goddess. The male lead, Faron, is the queen’s Knight Guardian. They first met ten years ago when Ely was still a princess, and they married soon after. However, they eventually decided they were too young and were better suited as friends. Since then, they have continued working closely together as queen and knight.

Now, ten years later, Queen Ely has decided to marry a prince from another country for political reasons.

**What I loved:**

1. I absolutely loved the setting and the chemistry between Ely and Faron. They have been friends for years and know each other better than anyone. But with Ely’s decision to marry another prince, their relationship also carries the tension of a forbidden romance. Ely holds the power in their dynamic. She is strong, capable, and independent. Meanwhile, Faron is incredibly sweet and devoted. The yearning between them is beautifully done.

2. The writing is gorgeous. You can truly feel the longing, hesitation, and internal conflict between Ely and Faron through the author’s words.

**What didn’t work for me:**

1. There are some contradictions in the story’s setup. For example, at the beginning of the book, it is clear that Ely and Faron often sleep together (without sex). However, later in the story, they struggle with whether or not they should even share the same bed. Similarly, Faron is initially described as the kind of person who fades into the background, but later he is portrayed as devastatingly handsome, with many women hoping to catch his attention.

2. Personally, I would have loved to see more of Ely and Faron’s lives as queen and knight, how they handle political enemies, protect their country, and rule together. Instead, the book focuses about 80% on the romance.

Overall, I think this is an enjoyable read if you can overlook the inconsistencies and simply enjoy the romance between Ely and Faron.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[bookishbunna]

⬦ Queen of the Kingdom FMC x her Loyal Knight MMC
⬦ Marriage of Convenience (NOT between FMC & MMC)
⬦ Forced Proximity during a Cozy Romantasy Road Trip
⬦ Second Chance Romance with ✨YEARNING✨
⬦ Only One Bed + Plenty of Steamy Scenes

SYNOPSIS: Queen Elysande must dutifully marry the prince of a neighbouring kingdom to secure a critical alliance and keep the peace. Of course, it's not that simple. Ten years ago, she and her knight, Faron, secretly got married on the eve of their final battle with an evil sorceress. This ill-advised teenage romance is now causing them problems as the Goddess they worship is discontent with Elys remarrying while already married to her knight.

So Elys and Faron must go on a little secret quest to undo their magical marriage bond before the other kingdom's wedding delegation discovers they're missing. But their road trip forces them in close proximity and eventually they'll have to confront their lingering feelings for each other, and why their relationship fell apart ten years ago.

If you're into cozy romantasy full of yearning, this is for you! I don't quite know how to put this into words, but sometimes the romance in romantasy doesn't feel very mutual. But in this one, you can definitely feel the tenderness and care seeping out of both FMC and MMC in their interactions and romantic moments 😳 Despite the Only One Bed trope and other Forced Proximity situations, they spend most of the story denying that they can be together, but that just makes the yearning more delicious 🤩

The pacing definitely picked up towards the end, and that Big Reveal at around 80% completely turned my interpretation of FMC and her relationship with MMC on its head. In a good way!! 🥰 It added a lot of depth and nuance to their characters and all the questions I had floating around were perfectly explained and made so much sense.

I really appreciated how flawed FMC was allowed to be, and how MMC wasn't your typical cold and domineering type of love interest. And I have to give a shoutout to MMC's horse, Valiant, who had so much personality and was the MVP so many times. The characterisation and premise ended up subverting my expectations, and the ending felt fulfilling with a fairytale charm!

[The Nightwatch Desk · Rating 3 out of 5]

At eighteen, Princess Elysande and Ser Faron married in secret. It was an impulsive decision when they thought their kingdom was about to be destroyed. After surviving the attack, they agreed to pretend it didn't happen so they could focus on their positions as Queen and Knight Guardian.

Ten years have passed, and now Ely needs to marry for political advantage. Except she's still married to her best friend, and for some reason their goddess refuses to accept the divorce. As they try to fix the situation, they find themselves unable to let go.

👑Adult Fiction
🐎Quest Romantasy
👑Queen x Knight
🐎Friends to Lovers
👑Second Chance
🐎Duty vs Desire
👑Neurodivergent MCs
🐎Open Door

'Til Quest Do Us Part' is a dreamy romantasy set in a magical kingdom with a constellation inspired religion. It explores themes of desire, duty, friendship, and growing up too soon. The story is sweet and warm, verging on cozy in a way that vaguely reminded me of 'Frozen.'

Princess Ely is struggling to be a worthy ruler. She's made a lot of sacrifices for her people, and she's weighed down by responsibility. It's the reason that’s she's been feeling extremely lost, purposeless, and disconnected from her goddess. She's someone who playacts as being the queen instead of it coming naturally.

The first chapter starts off abruptly and it was hard to follow the multiple summaries of previous events. It felt like I was entering the second book in a series without any warning. After the first quarter, the story settles into itself, and the pacing improves. But some elements, especially Ely’s personality, might have been better suited for a young adult novel.

Ely and Faron are full of soft yearning for each other. The romance is both the focus and the highlight of this story. Faron is loyal, devoted, and observant. They have incredible chemistry, especially in the intimate scenes. It's like they're two magnets that are constantly pulled together. I enjoyed seeing them rediscover their love for each other.

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Ace Books for providing this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Julie - One Book More · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I wonder what happens to the characters in romantasies after their happy ending.  Often, the protagonists are in their late teens or early twenties, and they have a lot of responsibility thrust on them. Do they stay together? Does the weight of their experiences affect them? This story begins a decade after the end of a typical romantasy.  The war has been won, good has prevailed, and that main couple who yearned for each other and made secret promises when they were about to head into battle? Well, they aren’t quite together anymore.  

Ely is a queen, and Faron is her knight. It’s pretty obvious that they still love each other, but duty, the past, and fear keep both of them silent.  They are friends and nothing more, but when it’s revealed that they are actually married, and the goddess clearly doesn’t want them to divorce so Ely can enter into a politically arranged marriage, the pair set off on a quest to dissolve the vow they made ten years ago.  

Much of the story takes place during the quest, and both Ely and Faron go through not just physical but emotional journeys.  I love their time together, from their more intimate and vulnerable moments to the multitude of shenanigans they get involved in. There are also some flashbacks that reveal more about their relationship and what happened between them, which I liked because it provided some of the context that was missing at the start of the story. In both the flashbacks and the present, they have a wonderful connection and relationship, and their affection for each other is so genuine.

I did wish there was a little more worldbuilding, and at the start, you're kind of thrust into this world with not much context. I actually stopped to check if it was a sequel because the first few chapters read like one. The star based magic system was interesting, which is why I had hoped it would delve into it more. That being said, you can definitely tell that this is a Zelda-inspired story. It’s entertaining and cozy with adventure and chaos and a great romance.  

Thanks to netgalley and Berkeley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thought are my own.

[LadyoftheBlade (Britt) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of Til Quest Do Us Part! I picked this up because the cover art is stunningly gorgeous and the premise of "what happens after the teens save the world"? sounded interesting.

The novel is told in third person limited. The novel follows Ely, a priestess turned princess turned Queen once the war against a villain only referred to as "the sorceress" is defeated. Ely is definitely not in love with Faron, her knight. And she is definitely not the same person she was 10 years ago when she and her friends defeated the evil plaguing the kingdom.

She has a duty to her people to marry Casimir, a prince she has been betrothed to since he was a child to secure an alliance between their kingdoms. That would be fine...but Ely and Faron have a secret. On the eve of the final battle against the sorceress, Ely and Faron said marriage vows to each other. And this they have been married for the last ten years. Now Ely and Faron have to go on one final quest to release each other from their marriage vows and make it back in time for Ely's wedding.

I can definitely see why this is comped to Legend of Zelda. The MMC does not say very much in a crowd and is portrayed as a silent type. The dynamic between Ely (The Voice of the Goddess) and Faron (the Guardian) is very Link and Zelda coded. Especially when the narrative points out that these are roles that have been inhabited by others from the same blood line in a historical cycle that keeps repeating.

I really liked Ely and definitely understood her being torn between her duty and her heart. Faron was a decent MMC. Since we follow Ely, I feel that she was afforded more character development than Faron because he really doesn't communicate much. His body language definitely communicates his feelings, but I wish we got to see a little bit more of his depth.

Plot wise, it is fairly low stakes and an easy read. I wouldn't go as far as to say cozy, but it is definitely romantic and atmospheric.

Overall, if you enjoy sweet romance with a happy ending, horses, knights, and princesses then this is the book for you!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for the ARC!

When I saw this book on Netgalley, I knew it was up my alley. The fact that it was Read Now made my day. So, I downloaded it and read it almost as soon as I got it. And I’m glad I did.

I’m a sucker for a cozy fantasy romance (especially with characters over the age of 25. I’m in my 40s…reading about 21 year olds gets a little tiring and makes me feel like an old lady). This one was adorable, sweet and a great palette cleanser after some darker reads. I also liked that this book focused on what happens after the chosen one and her friends save the kingdom. Mostly, just day to day life.

Our heroine, Queen Ely, was chosen as the voice of the goddess and went on to help save the kingdom. Now, it’s ten years later, she’s about to get married and she’s just kind of existing. Her best friend is her guard, Faron. He’s also her ex…sort of. When she tries to formalize her engagement, things don’t go so smoothly. Turns out the vow her and Faron made just before they went to face their possible doom is still holding strong. So, the two of them head off on a quest to end their marriage so she can wed someone else. On the way, both of them realize it won’t be that easy.

I found this book easy to read with a few laughs, some dry humor and two leads who are incredibly likeable. I was rooting for them to figure out their whole vibe and where they fit into the world as well as each other’s lives. Ely is easy to relate to because she’s like so many people in their late twenties: not sure what she’s doing and struggling with her choices. My favorite scene is near the end and it’s bananas (in a good way). I also loved their friends and kind of hope there’s maybe another book in this world with them in the future.

Overall, it was a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend Til Quest Do Us Part to anyone looking for a light-hearted fantasy romance with a good friends-to-lovers plotline and characters that are well into their 20s.