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The Lady and the Blade #1
Sworn To Ruin Him
I came to defeat a monster.
He made me want to become one.
I was supposed to be dead. Why? The magic running through my veins—magic that has been outlawed in Camelot for over ten years.
But death wasn't in the cards for me. Instead, I found sanctuary in the magic land of Annwyn.
There, I was forged into something a weapon trained by Merlin himself.
A weapon aimed at none other than the King of Camelot, Arthur Pendragon.
The golden tyrant. The witch-hunter. The beautiful monster who built his throne on the ashes of magic-users while secretly wielding forbidden power of his own.
Now I've returned to Camelot disguised as Sir Lioran, a knight competing in the deadly Shadow Trials—Arthur’s elite recruitment of magic-wielding warriors.
My mission is infiltrate the king's court, betray the crown, and ruin the king.
My reality becomes far more complicated.
Because Arthur isn't what I expected… He’s a storm hiding beneath the crown.
A storm in the shape of a merciless tyrant who rules through fear. He's also dangerously perceptive—a man whose icy blue eyes see through lies as easily as he wields the dark magic he's condemned others for possessing.
When Arthur drags me to the edge of obedience, the line between hatred and obsession begins to blur and I have to question my own sanity.
Duty says slit his throat.
Desire says taste the sin.
And then there's Lancelot--Arthur's lethal knight.
Sharp-eyed. Sinfully beautiful. A predator in polished armor.
Lance watches me like he sees through the mask of the man—as though he's already imagining the woman beneath it.
And when our paths cross behind closed doors, heat turns to hazard.
My mission in Camelot might be simple. But desire is not.
And in a game where magic is forbidden but essential, where every alliance is a betrayal waiting to happen, and where the greatest threat may be the passion burning between enemies, only one truth
Some oaths are made to be broken. But some ruins are too beautiful to resist.
Sworn To Ruin Him is a dark, super steamy romantasy where vengeance tangles with obsession. This world contains themes some may find disturbing. Meant for an adult audience.
(From Arthur, the juicy bits have been edited out)The sword slid from the stone like a blade through butter—gleaming in the girl’s hands as if it had been forged for her.
My hand went to my dagger.
One stroke, and the problem vanished. No witnesses but the trees.
Bury her deep, take the sword, rewrite the story.
My kingdom. My crown. My destiny.
She backed away from the lake, and I followed silently. My fingers traced the dagger’s hilt, the metal cool and familiar—a king’s tool for dirty necessities.
The girl turned and collided with me.
I instinctively brought my hands up to her arms, holding her in place. Her body was small, warm, pressed flush to mine. Fragile as a bird in a hunter’s grip.
He made me want to become one.
I was supposed to be dead. Why? The magic running through my veins—magic that has been outlawed in Camelot for over ten years.
But death wasn't in the cards for me. Instead, I found sanctuary in the magic land of Annwyn.
There, I was forged into something a weapon trained by Merlin himself.
A weapon aimed at none other than the King of Camelot, Arthur Pendragon.
The golden tyrant. The witch-hunter. The beautiful monster who built his throne on the ashes of magic-users while secretly wielding forbidden power of his own.
Now I've returned to Camelot disguised as Sir Lioran, a knight competing in the deadly Shadow Trials—Arthur’s elite recruitment of magic-wielding warriors.
My mission is infiltrate the king's court, betray the crown, and ruin the king.
My reality becomes far more complicated.
Because Arthur isn't what I expected… He’s a storm hiding beneath the crown.
A storm in the shape of a merciless tyrant who rules through fear. He's also dangerously perceptive—a man whose icy blue eyes see through lies as easily as he wields the dark magic he's condemned others for possessing.
When Arthur drags me to the edge of obedience, the line between hatred and obsession begins to blur and I have to question my own sanity.
Duty says slit his throat.
Desire says taste the sin.
And then there's Lancelot--Arthur's lethal knight.
Sharp-eyed. Sinfully beautiful. A predator in polished armor.
Lance watches me like he sees through the mask of the man—as though he's already imagining the woman beneath it.
And when our paths cross behind closed doors, heat turns to hazard.
My mission in Camelot might be simple. But desire is not.
And in a game where magic is forbidden but essential, where every alliance is a betrayal waiting to happen, and where the greatest threat may be the passion burning between enemies, only one truth
Some oaths are made to be broken. But some ruins are too beautiful to resist.
Sworn To Ruin Him is a dark, super steamy romantasy where vengeance tangles with obsession. This world contains themes some may find disturbing. Meant for an adult audience.
(From Arthur, the juicy bits have been edited out)The sword slid from the stone like a blade through butter—gleaming in the girl’s hands as if it had been forged for her.
My hand went to my dagger.
One stroke, and the problem vanished. No witnesses but the trees.
Bury her deep, take the sword, rewrite the story.
My kingdom. My crown. My destiny.
She backed away from the lake, and I followed silently. My fingers traced the dagger’s hilt, the metal cool and familiar—a king’s tool for dirty necessities.
The girl turned and collided with me.
I instinctively brought my hands up to her arms, holding her in place. Her body was small, warm, pressed flush to mine. Fragile as a bird in a hunter’s grip.
1011 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2026
130 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
H.P. Mallory
358 books2,819 followersI’m a huge fan of anything paranormal and I always have been. I get super excited whenever they have those Twilight Zone Marathon days and anything ghost or vampire related will always attract my attention.
My interests are varied but aside from writing, I’m most excited about traveling. I’m extremely fortunate to have been able to live in England and Scotland, both places really having a profound effect on my books.
Thanks for checking out my books and I hope you enjoy them! Happy Haunting!
H.P.
My interests are varied but aside from writing, I’m most excited about traveling. I’m extremely fortunate to have been able to live in England and Scotland, both places really having a profound effect on my books.
Thanks for checking out my books and I hope you enjoy them! Happy Haunting!
H.P.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
February 24, 2026
4.25 ⭐️
2.25 🌶
Sworn to Ruin Him by HP Mallory is not just another Camelot/King Arthur retelling. It's dark and spicy, it's complex, it's seductive, and its deliciously well done.
I came to Camelot to kill a king.
Instead, I became his obsession.
Duty says slit his throat.
Desire says taste the sin.
HP Mallory has taken the story of King Arthur and completely reimagined it in the best way. This story focuses on Guinevere with Arthur, Lancelot, Merlin and others as MMCs and supporting characters.
Arthur has banned magic within his kingdom and he ends those that exhibit powers that could be a threat to him. When Guinevere's magic is unleashed in a small town far north of Arthur and his castle, she should be killed for it, but through a stroke of fate she is able to escape into another land that is ruled by Merlin, and avoid execution. There, Merlin takes her in, teaches and trains her, honing her into a weapon that he unleashes on Arthur with the intention of destroying the King. What he fails to predict is the tension and chemistry that ignites between Guin and Lancelot, as well as between Guin and Arthur. As she works to complete her mission she finds herself questioning everything she thinks that she knows, as well as trying to control the attraction she feels for both the king and his first knight.
This is a story that focuses heavily on the character, world and relationship building. Through the multi-povs we learn what makes these characters tick, how they think and get hints of what their true motivations are. Mallory really takes the time to build this into an immersive story where I got to know these characters, see their world all around me and feel the intrigue and machinations that are constantly running through the plot.
There are many layers to this story and multiple players that are watching and affecting the outcome. With plot twists and character reveals peppered throughout, I could never really be sure of what would happen next or if the characters were who I thought them to be.
This is not some easy and mindless read. You have to pay attention, as there are hints and clues sprinkled in the story that all make sense as it progresses. I found myself sucked in and really unable to put the book down, but in those moments that I had to, my mind kept going back to the story, and to Guin, and wondering where the plot would take me next - I couldnt wait to get back to this book and back into this world.
If you are a fan of dark, complex and well-woven romantasy stories that keep you on the edge of your seat - and questioning what you think you know about the characters and the plot - then you definitely need to read Sworn to Ruin Him by HP Mallory. Its a dark and twisted journey through another side of Arthur and his kingdom.
2.25 🌶
Sworn to Ruin Him by HP Mallory is not just another Camelot/King Arthur retelling. It's dark and spicy, it's complex, it's seductive, and its deliciously well done.
I came to Camelot to kill a king.
Instead, I became his obsession.
Duty says slit his throat.
Desire says taste the sin.
HP Mallory has taken the story of King Arthur and completely reimagined it in the best way. This story focuses on Guinevere with Arthur, Lancelot, Merlin and others as MMCs and supporting characters.
Arthur has banned magic within his kingdom and he ends those that exhibit powers that could be a threat to him. When Guinevere's magic is unleashed in a small town far north of Arthur and his castle, she should be killed for it, but through a stroke of fate she is able to escape into another land that is ruled by Merlin, and avoid execution. There, Merlin takes her in, teaches and trains her, honing her into a weapon that he unleashes on Arthur with the intention of destroying the King. What he fails to predict is the tension and chemistry that ignites between Guin and Lancelot, as well as between Guin and Arthur. As she works to complete her mission she finds herself questioning everything she thinks that she knows, as well as trying to control the attraction she feels for both the king and his first knight.
This is a story that focuses heavily on the character, world and relationship building. Through the multi-povs we learn what makes these characters tick, how they think and get hints of what their true motivations are. Mallory really takes the time to build this into an immersive story where I got to know these characters, see their world all around me and feel the intrigue and machinations that are constantly running through the plot.
There are many layers to this story and multiple players that are watching and affecting the outcome. With plot twists and character reveals peppered throughout, I could never really be sure of what would happen next or if the characters were who I thought them to be.
This is not some easy and mindless read. You have to pay attention, as there are hints and clues sprinkled in the story that all make sense as it progresses. I found myself sucked in and really unable to put the book down, but in those moments that I had to, my mind kept going back to the story, and to Guin, and wondering where the plot would take me next - I couldnt wait to get back to this book and back into this world.
If you are a fan of dark, complex and well-woven romantasy stories that keep you on the edge of your seat - and questioning what you think you know about the characters and the plot - then you definitely need to read Sworn to Ruin Him by HP Mallory. Its a dark and twisted journey through another side of Arthur and his kingdom.
January 22, 2026
Hoped for the best
Trying to not spoil for others, so my accounts hopefully are vague. I just have so much to say without giving things away.. There might be comments that give away a little so proceed with caution.. definitely check the warnings for this book, definitely not what I was expecting
I went into this hoping it would be a 4-5 star read. I go through books so fast but It was a real struggle to get through this.. many times i just wanted to quit but I didnt because I knew how badass the FMC. she has sooo much potential, trained by this awesome sorcerer, she has a purpose, she has this awesome powerful gift.. overcoming trials. Such high hopes for her.
In the beginning she has these constant dreams, night after night, of this horrific assult thats gross and werid, has all these clues of bad shyt to come but that plot really doesnt go anywhere and its not really mentioned more in the book, except places that revealed it wasnt really a dream but yet she keeps on.. ignoring all red flags..
Whats shoved down our throats is there are like 6 different people lusting after her. And shes accepts almost all of them willingly.. shes a horn dog with no real loyalty to anyone.
There alot of full on internal monolog from different POVs, chapters that damn near repeat the same thought with different words paragraph after paragraph. Yes we know u want her and the beast within is battling, Yes u also want her but its shameful bc u really dont know the truth.. yes you want them all but are of so confused but dont care at the same time.. we get the point. SO I skipped and skipped and skipped. I was over it but hoping it would get better..
Bunch of cringe moments
Fmc is assaulted in her sleep but when she finds out about it shes turned on.. gross
she gets it on with multiple people and a monster.. gross
Another lady who has been with everyone apparently, gross
so many places where the story just leaves you hanging.. and confused .. and saying "what!"
theres one part where she willingly goes to this evil person lair bc "she has no choice" without protection or a plan [remember all the while shes this badass fmc who has these great powers, powers that supposedly are stronger than others].. she willingly drinks something that almost gets assulted, she is saved by someone at literally the very last second..(perfect opportunity to show off her badassnes but no she has to be saved) this savior then leads her to a tower the fmc has never been to before, granted ol girl is just in a bed sheet bc she just almost was assulted and escaped with no clothes. theres an info dump, then the savior starts to do stuff to her which makes the fmc all hot and bothered and yet 2 mins ago she was about to SAed.... how does any women go from being on the verge of assult to being aroused in like 5 min.. really?!? the savior leaves her hanging and then just leaves her in this place shes never been before in a sheet and next thing you know the fmc is back in her room.. how did she get back to her room, no one saw a women walking around in a sheet.. like this makes no sense. Anyways
She goes through these trials testing her strengths and weaknesses, and one of these trials is basically shaming her a whole long chapter for lusting after so many.. what does this have to do with bringing worlds together.. the plot goes full on excessive cringy spice thoughts from multiple povs. Chapter after chapter and we finally, finally get to a place where Its like, awe finally theres love caring vibes with this awesome protective 'ill give up everything for you' person who shes really into and 5 mins laters shes in the woods wanting to be f'ed by a monster..
Something happens towards the end where shes submitting, all the while she has done this incredible thing, something that no one else can do that means so much to this world, shes has this powerful lineage which puts her basically at the top of the food chain which theoretically gives her a get out of jail free card but instead of claiming this right revealing the truth that would topple everything and would put her a place of safety, instead she drops to her knees and is aggressively forcefully has something done to her and shes a willing participant??
Like where the heck is our powerful fmc.. where is her pride? Shes all too eger to submit where is our strong FMC from earlier in the book where shes all about toppling everything, wanting to bring world peace.. wanting to make her own choices, not being this pawn. This character is all over the place. I had such high hopes for her and this book. Hopefully theres someone out here that will enjoy love and cherish this book.. just not for me.
Trying to not spoil for others, so my accounts hopefully are vague. I just have so much to say without giving things away.. There might be comments that give away a little so proceed with caution.. definitely check the warnings for this book, definitely not what I was expecting
I went into this hoping it would be a 4-5 star read. I go through books so fast but It was a real struggle to get through this.. many times i just wanted to quit but I didnt because I knew how badass the FMC. she has sooo much potential, trained by this awesome sorcerer, she has a purpose, she has this awesome powerful gift.. overcoming trials. Such high hopes for her.
In the beginning she has these constant dreams, night after night, of this horrific assult thats gross and werid, has all these clues of bad shyt to come but that plot really doesnt go anywhere and its not really mentioned more in the book, except places that revealed it wasnt really a dream but yet she keeps on.. ignoring all red flags..
Whats shoved down our throats is there are like 6 different people lusting after her. And shes accepts almost all of them willingly.. shes a horn dog with no real loyalty to anyone.
There alot of full on internal monolog from different POVs, chapters that damn near repeat the same thought with different words paragraph after paragraph. Yes we know u want her and the beast within is battling, Yes u also want her but its shameful bc u really dont know the truth.. yes you want them all but are of so confused but dont care at the same time.. we get the point. SO I skipped and skipped and skipped. I was over it but hoping it would get better..
Bunch of cringe moments
Fmc is assaulted in her sleep but when she finds out about it shes turned on.. gross
she gets it on with multiple people and a monster.. gross
Another lady who has been with everyone apparently, gross
so many places where the story just leaves you hanging.. and confused .. and saying "what!"
theres one part where she willingly goes to this evil person lair bc "she has no choice" without protection or a plan [remember all the while shes this badass fmc who has these great powers, powers that supposedly are stronger than others].. she willingly drinks something that almost gets assulted, she is saved by someone at literally the very last second..(perfect opportunity to show off her badassnes but no she has to be saved) this savior then leads her to a tower the fmc has never been to before, granted ol girl is just in a bed sheet bc she just almost was assulted and escaped with no clothes. theres an info dump, then the savior starts to do stuff to her which makes the fmc all hot and bothered and yet 2 mins ago she was about to SAed.... how does any women go from being on the verge of assult to being aroused in like 5 min.. really?!? the savior leaves her hanging and then just leaves her in this place shes never been before in a sheet and next thing you know the fmc is back in her room.. how did she get back to her room, no one saw a women walking around in a sheet.. like this makes no sense. Anyways
She goes through these trials testing her strengths and weaknesses, and one of these trials is basically shaming her a whole long chapter for lusting after so many.. what does this have to do with bringing worlds together.. the plot goes full on excessive cringy spice thoughts from multiple povs. Chapter after chapter and we finally, finally get to a place where Its like, awe finally theres love caring vibes with this awesome protective 'ill give up everything for you' person who shes really into and 5 mins laters shes in the woods wanting to be f'ed by a monster..
Something happens towards the end where shes submitting, all the while she has done this incredible thing, something that no one else can do that means so much to this world, shes has this powerful lineage which puts her basically at the top of the food chain which theoretically gives her a get out of jail free card but instead of claiming this right revealing the truth that would topple everything and would put her a place of safety, instead she drops to her knees and is aggressively forcefully has something done to her and shes a willing participant??
Like where the heck is our powerful fmc.. where is her pride? Shes all too eger to submit where is our strong FMC from earlier in the book where shes all about toppling everything, wanting to bring world peace.. wanting to make her own choices, not being this pawn. This character is all over the place. I had such high hopes for her and this book. Hopefully theres someone out here that will enjoy love and cherish this book.. just not for me.
February 5, 2026
This is another Camelot retelling. It’s definitely different though. It’s dark for sure, and Guinevere is really who I feel the book focuses on mostly. Don’t get me wrong, Arthur is also one of your MMCs, but Guinevere is your lead. That alone makes it different. The book has an almost why choose vibe with Lancelot thrown into the mix, but not exactly in the way you’d think. Key word almost has a why choose vibe. The romance is fairly complex as all of the romance is very forbidden romance. There’s also some other characters thrown into the mix that I think are going to be more important in book 2, but we just kind of got the tip of the iceberg on them in this book. This book is a more complex romantasy, and does have a lot happening. Now, the magic system and world building isn’t overly complex, so I don’t think following the more layered storyline will be too hard for those newer to the romantasy genre. The book is fairly spicy in terms of tension, fantasies, and dreams. But as far as actual spicy scenes with Guinevere, there aren’t as many, which is why I probably leave this book at 3 spicy. This book is a longer book, yes, but completely worth the read IMO. It had been a few years since I had read any book by this author. I enjoyed her writing then, and definitely do so as well now too. Which is interesting because I definitely am reading more complex and darker things now. I am not going to complain about it, completely opposite. I cannot tell you how happy I was when I finished this book and was like, “This is the same hp mallory right?” And I went and checked her author page to make sure lol. I definitely was thrilled. Anyways. I cannot wait for book 2 because I NEED to know what’s going to happen next. There were some serious “TF?!” things thrown at us in the last 1/4 of the book that I just need more of!
This Fantasy Romance is book 1 in The Lady and the Blade Series. This book does have darker themes, scenes, and topics. The romance in this book is a forbidden romance. This book is spicy with open door spice. Guinevere has been trained by Merlin to do one thing and one thing only. Bring Arthur down. Magic in Camelot is banned, and the reason for her parents’ death. When Arthur wants nights with magic, and hosts a competition to find the best, she will be the best. Hidden to look like a man. He wont know his biggest enemy is a woman hiding among them to bring him down.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🚫Check TWS
📱Ebook
This Fantasy Romance is book 1 in The Lady and the Blade Series. This book does have darker themes, scenes, and topics. The romance in this book is a forbidden romance. This book is spicy with open door spice. Guinevere has been trained by Merlin to do one thing and one thing only. Bring Arthur down. Magic in Camelot is banned, and the reason for her parents’ death. When Arthur wants nights with magic, and hosts a competition to find the best, she will be the best. Hidden to look like a man. He wont know his biggest enemy is a woman hiding among them to bring him down.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🚫Check TWS
📱Ebook
January 3, 2026
I have enjoyed this author’s writing for a while, so I had to follow along as she penned a romantasy book even if it isn’t my favorite genre, along with a few other items that aren’t, and man what a book it is. This is quite the tale of Guinevere, Arthur, Lancelot, and so many others, it keeps your attention glued to the pages. I went along reading, and the author threw so many curve balls, my head was spinning. I really can’t cover much as I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises, but I can say this book is well-written, captivating, interesting, and definitely worth a read, especially if you like this genre and author. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
January 18, 2026
so many paths. I really enjoyed this. there was so much with this story. it's such a good lead up. characters going through their own story and you seeing their side if it is great. im so intrigued on how these love interests will wind together and what other betrayals are coming. they need some justice from a certain character though, im definitely excited for that
January 21, 2026
I loved this book! ⭐4.5 and 🌶3.5 from me! This was an awesome Arthur/Guinevere retelling with amazing world building, morally gray mmc's, a fierce FMC, hidden identity, forced proximity, forbidden magic and deadly trials. A slow burn / high heat dark romantasy with some feet kicking spice 🔥🔥! Definitely recommend!
January 19, 2026
The book had lots of spice! I really enjoyed the hunting trials the most, all of the creatures were awesome. There was a huge plot twist for me during the blood trials. I did have some trouble getting started with the book but once I sat down I found that I couldn’t put it down.
January 29, 2026
Loved this reimagined version of Arthur and the knights of the round table! The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was because some of the spicy scenes didn’t feel realistic and took me out of the story a bit but other than that the story was amazing 😻 I highly recommend giving this a read!
January 9, 2026
If you like your romantasy dark, dangerous, and fully committed to ruining your sleep schedule, Sworn To Ruin Him is not a suggestion. It is a threat.
This is the kind of book that whispers “just one chapter” and then watches you greet the sunrise like an accomplice. HP Mallory doesn’t invite you into this story. She drags you into Camelot, locks the doors, and lights the place up with forbidden magic while daring you to look away.
Guinevere was meant to die for the magic in her blood. Instead, she is smuggled into Annwyn, reforged by Merlin, and sent back as a weapon wearing a knight’s name. Sir Lioran enters the Shadow Trials with one mission. Infiltrate the court.
Betray the crown.
Ruin the king. Simple plan.
Absolutely disastrous execution, in the best way possible.
Because Guinevere is not just deadly. She is disarmingly human. Powerful, trained, and lethal, yet still carrying an innocence that makes every stolen glance, violent encounter, and forbidden want feel sharper. She isn’t just navigating the world. She is transforming inside it, and watching that evolution is addictive. Duty screams one direction. Desire whispers another. Chaos eagerly volunteers as a third option.
And Arthur Pendragon. Let’s clear something up. This is not the bedtime story king. This is the golden tyrant. The witch hunter. The man who burns magic users while hiding forbidden power in his own hands. He is control wrapped in a crown, ice cold authority masking a violent storm underneath. Every scene with him hums with danger, like the air itself is waiting for something to break. Hatred should be easy. It is not.
Then there is Lancelot, who walks onto the page like a problem with cheekbones. Sharp eyed, lethal, sinfully beautiful, and far too observant for anyone’s peace of mind. He looks at Guinevere like the armor is already transparent, like he’s halfway to uncovering every secret she’s desperate to keep. Every interaction with him feels like a game of who will blink first. No one wins. Everyone sweats.
The worldbuilding deserves its own slow clap. Annwyn feels ancient, sacred, and alive with old magic. Camelot feels oppressive, glittering, and hungry, a place where beauty hides rot and loyalty expires quickly. The cast grows steadily, each character bringing sharpened motives and quiet threats. This book is crowded in the best way, full of schemes, betrayals, and moments that make you mutter “this is going to end badly” right before reading faster.
And the romance. Oh, the romance. Steamy, yes. But also messy, obsessive, and soaked in danger. This is not love that waits patiently. It claws at the edges of revenge and dares it to flinch. The push and pull between wanting to destroy someone and wanting to devour them is handled so well that you start rooting for bad decisions.
I devoured this book without hesitation or dignity. No crumbs. No self control. I pulled an all nighter because putting it down felt like personal betrayal. This Arthur and Merlin retelling doesn’t just twist the legend. It grabs it by the throat and asks how far it’s willing to go.
I am obsessed, already plotting a reread, and waiting for the next installment to emotionally wreck me all over again. If you want a dark, super steamy romantasy full of forbidden magic, dangerous men, sharp dialogue, and choices that absolutely should not be made but absolutely will be, Sworn To Ruin Him is calling your name. And it does not take no for an answer.
This is the kind of book that whispers “just one chapter” and then watches you greet the sunrise like an accomplice. HP Mallory doesn’t invite you into this story. She drags you into Camelot, locks the doors, and lights the place up with forbidden magic while daring you to look away.
Guinevere was meant to die for the magic in her blood. Instead, she is smuggled into Annwyn, reforged by Merlin, and sent back as a weapon wearing a knight’s name. Sir Lioran enters the Shadow Trials with one mission. Infiltrate the court.
Betray the crown.
Ruin the king. Simple plan.
Absolutely disastrous execution, in the best way possible.
Because Guinevere is not just deadly. She is disarmingly human. Powerful, trained, and lethal, yet still carrying an innocence that makes every stolen glance, violent encounter, and forbidden want feel sharper. She isn’t just navigating the world. She is transforming inside it, and watching that evolution is addictive. Duty screams one direction. Desire whispers another. Chaos eagerly volunteers as a third option.
And Arthur Pendragon. Let’s clear something up. This is not the bedtime story king. This is the golden tyrant. The witch hunter. The man who burns magic users while hiding forbidden power in his own hands. He is control wrapped in a crown, ice cold authority masking a violent storm underneath. Every scene with him hums with danger, like the air itself is waiting for something to break. Hatred should be easy. It is not.
Then there is Lancelot, who walks onto the page like a problem with cheekbones. Sharp eyed, lethal, sinfully beautiful, and far too observant for anyone’s peace of mind. He looks at Guinevere like the armor is already transparent, like he’s halfway to uncovering every secret she’s desperate to keep. Every interaction with him feels like a game of who will blink first. No one wins. Everyone sweats.
The worldbuilding deserves its own slow clap. Annwyn feels ancient, sacred, and alive with old magic. Camelot feels oppressive, glittering, and hungry, a place where beauty hides rot and loyalty expires quickly. The cast grows steadily, each character bringing sharpened motives and quiet threats. This book is crowded in the best way, full of schemes, betrayals, and moments that make you mutter “this is going to end badly” right before reading faster.
And the romance. Oh, the romance. Steamy, yes. But also messy, obsessive, and soaked in danger. This is not love that waits patiently. It claws at the edges of revenge and dares it to flinch. The push and pull between wanting to destroy someone and wanting to devour them is handled so well that you start rooting for bad decisions.
I devoured this book without hesitation or dignity. No crumbs. No self control. I pulled an all nighter because putting it down felt like personal betrayal. This Arthur and Merlin retelling doesn’t just twist the legend. It grabs it by the throat and asks how far it’s willing to go.
I am obsessed, already plotting a reread, and waiting for the next installment to emotionally wreck me all over again. If you want a dark, super steamy romantasy full of forbidden magic, dangerous men, sharp dialogue, and choices that absolutely should not be made but absolutely will be, Sworn To Ruin Him is calling your name. And it does not take no for an answer.
February 11, 2026
Sworn to Ruin Him seduced my soul from the very beginning. HP Mallory's merciless world building sets your feet right into a terrified Camelot that is full of secrets, deception, and desire. The many characters portrayed in the story are captivating beyond compare, and so well written, you can't decide who you love or hate more. So much intrigue and secrets to unfold, so many theories that run through you mind as you travel through the pages.
Guinevere is the pinnacle of a powerful heroine that doesn't know the whole story. She's placed back in Camelot, after being trained by Merlin, to infiltrate the castle under disguise as a male knight to compete in the deadly Shadow Trials to win her place as a Knight of the Round Table. She is driven by the need for revenge, but as secrets of the past are revealed and she builds relationships with those she is intended to destroy, she begins to question her entire world and the people in it.
Arthur Pendragon....where to start with him. He is the perfect morally gray protagonist. He's feared by the people of Camelot after he ruled magic punishable by death a decade ago. But, from the moment he sees the stunning woman with white hair and violet eyes, he's obsessed, and will stop at nothing to find her. All the while he is fighting his own demon, and trying to hold it all together without showing weakness to the kingdom and anyone that would use it against him.
Then there is Lancelot...he was completely unexpected. His loyalty to Arthur is above and beyond, but there is something about Sir Lioran that he can't seem to shake. He is charming, honest, loyal, and so full of passion. I won't lie, I'm rooting for him.
Can "Sir Lioran" hold his disguise, or will his truth be revealed during the trials?
Will Arthur be able to hold himself together while secretly losing himself to much darker desires spiraling within himself?
Will Lancelot keep Lioran's secrets or turn him in to Arthur?
I won't give any of it away, because that's the part of the intrigue that kept me on the edge of my seat and awake til all hours of the night. Definitely THE BEST ARC read I've done so far!!! I cannot wait to read the second book in the series!!!
Guinevere is the pinnacle of a powerful heroine that doesn't know the whole story. She's placed back in Camelot, after being trained by Merlin, to infiltrate the castle under disguise as a male knight to compete in the deadly Shadow Trials to win her place as a Knight of the Round Table. She is driven by the need for revenge, but as secrets of the past are revealed and she builds relationships with those she is intended to destroy, she begins to question her entire world and the people in it.
Arthur Pendragon....where to start with him. He is the perfect morally gray protagonist. He's feared by the people of Camelot after he ruled magic punishable by death a decade ago. But, from the moment he sees the stunning woman with white hair and violet eyes, he's obsessed, and will stop at nothing to find her. All the while he is fighting his own demon, and trying to hold it all together without showing weakness to the kingdom and anyone that would use it against him.
Then there is Lancelot...he was completely unexpected. His loyalty to Arthur is above and beyond, but there is something about Sir Lioran that he can't seem to shake. He is charming, honest, loyal, and so full of passion. I won't lie, I'm rooting for him.
Can "Sir Lioran" hold his disguise, or will his truth be revealed during the trials?
Will Arthur be able to hold himself together while secretly losing himself to much darker desires spiraling within himself?
Will Lancelot keep Lioran's secrets or turn him in to Arthur?
I won't give any of it away, because that's the part of the intrigue that kept me on the edge of my seat and awake til all hours of the night. Definitely THE BEST ARC read I've done so far!!! I cannot wait to read the second book in the series!!!
January 14, 2026
This book will have you in a literal choke hold.
Do you like magic the gathering vibes? What about dungeons and dragons?
Turnt up Hogwarts?
Lord of the rings-but not boring?
You came to the right place.
If you're tired of the same old same old reworked fairytale retellings because they're over done THIS is the book for you!
This is literally one of the best books I've been waiting on that I never even knew I needed.
It's like NOTHING you've read before because who the actual FUCK writes a spicy enemies to lovers story about King Arthur. Go ahead name a book.... I'll wait.
It will keep you guessing what's gone happen next and to who is it gonna happen next. Lies, deception, double crossing, spies, double identities, mystical, magical lands, enchanting characters, unexpected twists and turns. It'll have you praying in the middle of a whole scene. You'll be saying "oh please don't let that happen" and "what are we gonna do if it does happen?"
She's took all the tropes and said bet. THEN she DOUBLED DOWN and rolled it back a few CENTURIES!
She listed all the trigger warnings right at the top of chapter 1 which I love. She also took the time to place a trigger warning over a very upsetting scene so you CAN skip it. Which is what I did and it doesn't affect the story line at all. It picks right back up.
She also doesn't use the same boring typical descriptors most authors burn us out on when she is describing spicy scenes! It was really refreshing.
All the important king Arthur characters are there and even some new twisted additions too! I literally took my time with chapters 1-10 and thenwent from chpt11-finished in 16 hours because I couldn't put it down.
Trials of strength, trials of Truth, trials of terror never made me want to devour a book this delicious before.
She is very very very artistically descriptive which can be hard for sensitive readers but I was all in for it. She said book 2 isn't far away! I loved this, you really have to give it a try! Read it today because where else you going to read another king Arthur book of this magnitude? Again I'll wait....... But you shouldn't!
Do you like magic the gathering vibes? What about dungeons and dragons?
Turnt up Hogwarts?
Lord of the rings-but not boring?
You came to the right place.
If you're tired of the same old same old reworked fairytale retellings because they're over done THIS is the book for you!
This is literally one of the best books I've been waiting on that I never even knew I needed.
It's like NOTHING you've read before because who the actual FUCK writes a spicy enemies to lovers story about King Arthur. Go ahead name a book.... I'll wait.
It will keep you guessing what's gone happen next and to who is it gonna happen next. Lies, deception, double crossing, spies, double identities, mystical, magical lands, enchanting characters, unexpected twists and turns. It'll have you praying in the middle of a whole scene. You'll be saying "oh please don't let that happen" and "what are we gonna do if it does happen?"
She's took all the tropes and said bet. THEN she DOUBLED DOWN and rolled it back a few CENTURIES!
She listed all the trigger warnings right at the top of chapter 1 which I love. She also took the time to place a trigger warning over a very upsetting scene so you CAN skip it. Which is what I did and it doesn't affect the story line at all. It picks right back up.
She also doesn't use the same boring typical descriptors most authors burn us out on when she is describing spicy scenes! It was really refreshing.
All the important king Arthur characters are there and even some new twisted additions too! I literally took my time with chapters 1-10 and thenwent from chpt11-finished in 16 hours because I couldn't put it down.
Trials of strength, trials of Truth, trials of terror never made me want to devour a book this delicious before.
She is very very very artistically descriptive which can be hard for sensitive readers but I was all in for it. She said book 2 isn't far away! I loved this, you really have to give it a try! Read it today because where else you going to read another king Arthur book of this magnitude? Again I'll wait....... But you shouldn't!
February 9, 2026
This is what they mean when they say ‘I still read fairytales, they’re just darker now.’ and we LOVE it.
This is my first book by HP Mallory and what a treat it was. I was so obsessed! I will definitely be continuing the series. From the very beginning this book is gripping.
You have some very good spice but not an overbearing amount. The tension and yearning are to die for. Arthur and Lance both are captivating in their own different ways. Arthur is the rough bad boy type and Lance is the party boy willing to risk it all and we all know that us ladies wanna tame either one of those kinds of guys. Some other surprises mixed in too that I was not expecting but girl I was here for it but I don’t want to give away who with.
Getting away from the spice; let’s talk about the story, the writing, and the world. The writing by HP Mallory is so descriptive you can find yourself imaging every single detail. You can see the castle. You can see the magic. The flowers. The knights. The entire book paints vivid pictures in your head. The world is a world we have heard of so many times but reimagined and made significantly more interesting. The Trials are gripping. The tests the knights must endure are meant to test their strength and emotions and eventually had me wondering what I would do. What secrets would the trials reveal about me? What would my shadow self say? I was completely immersed.
Last but not least, Guin. She deserves her own little section. We watch Guin grow so much. We see her grow from someone who doesn’t know her own power and strength to the baddie that takes the reins. Guin has her heart in the right place but is town between everyone and her journey to find the right way, her own way, is heartbreakingly beautiful.
This book was gripping, spicy, creative, fun, imaginative, and all around a great time. I cannot wait for book 2!!
This is my first book by HP Mallory and what a treat it was. I was so obsessed! I will definitely be continuing the series. From the very beginning this book is gripping.
You have some very good spice but not an overbearing amount. The tension and yearning are to die for. Arthur and Lance both are captivating in their own different ways. Arthur is the rough bad boy type and Lance is the party boy willing to risk it all and we all know that us ladies wanna tame either one of those kinds of guys. Some other surprises mixed in too that I was not expecting but girl I was here for it but I don’t want to give away who with.
Getting away from the spice; let’s talk about the story, the writing, and the world. The writing by HP Mallory is so descriptive you can find yourself imaging every single detail. You can see the castle. You can see the magic. The flowers. The knights. The entire book paints vivid pictures in your head. The world is a world we have heard of so many times but reimagined and made significantly more interesting. The Trials are gripping. The tests the knights must endure are meant to test their strength and emotions and eventually had me wondering what I would do. What secrets would the trials reveal about me? What would my shadow self say? I was completely immersed.
Last but not least, Guin. She deserves her own little section. We watch Guin grow so much. We see her grow from someone who doesn’t know her own power and strength to the baddie that takes the reins. Guin has her heart in the right place but is town between everyone and her journey to find the right way, her own way, is heartbreakingly beautiful.
This book was gripping, spicy, creative, fun, imaginative, and all around a great time. I cannot wait for book 2!!
January 20, 2026
A Dark Arthurian Romantasy
🔥Slow-Burn/High Heat🔥
🩶Morally Grey MMCs (that’s right plural)🩶
💜Fierce FMC💜
💀Deadly Trials💀
🔎Hidden Identity🔍
🖤Forced Proximity🖤
✨Forbidden Magic ✨
HP Mallory did amazing with this King Arthur retelling! The world building was thorough and the ambience was so well done that you are able to imagine/feel yourself in the story right along the characters. The amount of tension, trials, emotional devastation, self reflection, discoveries and plot twists in this book is unreal!
Guinevere finds herself training under the guidance of Merlin and Corvin (previously a knight of the round table) for three years after being on the run for using forbidden magic. Now she is on a mission from Merlin to infiltrate Camelot and King Arthur’s court.
Merlin and Arthur were once as close as family and now view each other as the enemy after Arthur forbade magic in the kingdom. Now Arthur is portrayed as a tyrant.
As Guin infiltrates Camelot and faces the trials to become a knight of the round table under a clever disguise, she is finding there is more to Merlin’s and Arthur’s story than either man led her to believe.
Along the way she discovers absolutely shocking truth about herself and finds she can’t stop her attraction more than one man!
The plot twists and characters introduced in this book… amazing. The cliff hangers will leave you staring at a wall and needing the next book immediately! I’m in a chokehold and 💯 ok with it! The spice in this book had you kicking your feet one second to being able to feel the heat radiate from the page the next!🥵
🔥Slow-Burn/High Heat🔥
🩶Morally Grey MMCs (that’s right plural)🩶
💜Fierce FMC💜
💀Deadly Trials💀
🔎Hidden Identity🔍
🖤Forced Proximity🖤
✨Forbidden Magic ✨
HP Mallory did amazing with this King Arthur retelling! The world building was thorough and the ambience was so well done that you are able to imagine/feel yourself in the story right along the characters. The amount of tension, trials, emotional devastation, self reflection, discoveries and plot twists in this book is unreal!
Guinevere finds herself training under the guidance of Merlin and Corvin (previously a knight of the round table) for three years after being on the run for using forbidden magic. Now she is on a mission from Merlin to infiltrate Camelot and King Arthur’s court.
Merlin and Arthur were once as close as family and now view each other as the enemy after Arthur forbade magic in the kingdom. Now Arthur is portrayed as a tyrant.
As Guin infiltrates Camelot and faces the trials to become a knight of the round table under a clever disguise, she is finding there is more to Merlin’s and Arthur’s story than either man led her to believe.
Along the way she discovers absolutely shocking truth about herself and finds she can’t stop her attraction more than one man!
The plot twists and characters introduced in this book… amazing. The cliff hangers will leave you staring at a wall and needing the next book immediately! I’m in a chokehold and 💯 ok with it! The spice in this book had you kicking your feet one second to being able to feel the heat radiate from the page the next!🥵
January 28, 2026
ARC Review
I received this book as an ARC and I was so excited to read it. It's a retelling of King Arthur, Merlin, Guinevere and Lancelot (and other characters from that story). I was actually gripped from the beginning. The flow was easy and the world building was easy to follow. I enjoyed the story overall and I look forward to reading the second book. There are multiple POVs. That's personally not my favorite thing but I do feel like it was excuted well, however, the explanations or narration of each character's POV did feel a little repetitive.
The spice level is around a 3 or 3.5 (for me). The one thing I didn't really understand was all the sexual tension and lust between almost every person the MFC met. I felt like it was *kind of* explained in one scene but not really? Still trying to understand it. Don't get me wrong, I love spicy scenes and love a good smut book but in this case, I couldn't quite figure out the *why* behind it all with each character. Hoping that the allure or pull everyone has to the MFC and her to them, gets addressed or explained in book 2. There is one "plot hole" if you will, where it was consistently talked about in the beginning of the book, regarding dreams Guinevere had involving Arthur. That also was never addressed or brought up again, so I'm hoping that we get a full circle on it ok book 2.
Again, I really enjoyed this book and if I didn't have 2 small children in this flu season, I would have finished the book in about 2 days.
I'd read it again for the first time if given the opportunity!
I received this book as an ARC and I was so excited to read it. It's a retelling of King Arthur, Merlin, Guinevere and Lancelot (and other characters from that story). I was actually gripped from the beginning. The flow was easy and the world building was easy to follow. I enjoyed the story overall and I look forward to reading the second book. There are multiple POVs. That's personally not my favorite thing but I do feel like it was excuted well, however, the explanations or narration of each character's POV did feel a little repetitive.
The spice level is around a 3 or 3.5 (for me). The one thing I didn't really understand was all the sexual tension and lust between almost every person the MFC met. I felt like it was *kind of* explained in one scene but not really? Still trying to understand it. Don't get me wrong, I love spicy scenes and love a good smut book but in this case, I couldn't quite figure out the *why* behind it all with each character. Hoping that the allure or pull everyone has to the MFC and her to them, gets addressed or explained in book 2. There is one "plot hole" if you will, where it was consistently talked about in the beginning of the book, regarding dreams Guinevere had involving Arthur. That also was never addressed or brought up again, so I'm hoping that we get a full circle on it ok book 2.
Again, I really enjoyed this book and if I didn't have 2 small children in this flu season, I would have finished the book in about 2 days.
I'd read it again for the first time if given the opportunity!
February 28, 2026
This one just wasn’t for me. I went in expecting a truly dark fantasy, with the promise of an Arthurian twist. I could see the bones of something bold there, and I understand what the author may be building toward. It’s possible book two smooths out a lot of what didn’t land for me. But by the end of book one, I wasn’t excited enough to keep going.
The writing itself? Strong. It absolutely hooked me. I genuinely enjoyed the non-romantic elements; the worldbuilding, the tension, the atmosphere. That’s actually where the story shined brightest for me. The struggle came with the romantic and intimate elements. I read dark romance. I read spicy. I’m not easily rattled. But this felt less dark romance and more deliberately taboo, like the goal was to push boundaries as far as possible. I could have accepted that if it felt cohesive, and was more properly disclosed. Those scenes read differently for me too. The tone shifted. The detail became graphic in a way that felt designed to shock rather than deepen the narrative.
Most of those scenes were technically plot-centric, yet they didn’t feel like they were moving the story forward. Instead, it felt like the plot took a backseat to extended spicy sequences that ultimately fell flat for me. Guin, who should have stood powerfully on her own as the badass witch she is, sometimes felt reduced to a vehicle for more of those moments, which was disappointing.
I do believe there’s an intentional direction here, and maybe book two delivers on it. I’m not closing the door completely. I may circle back one day and see if my feelings change. But for now, this one just didn’t quite cast the spell on me I was hoping for.
The writing itself? Strong. It absolutely hooked me. I genuinely enjoyed the non-romantic elements; the worldbuilding, the tension, the atmosphere. That’s actually where the story shined brightest for me. The struggle came with the romantic and intimate elements. I read dark romance. I read spicy. I’m not easily rattled. But this felt less dark romance and more deliberately taboo, like the goal was to push boundaries as far as possible. I could have accepted that if it felt cohesive, and was more properly disclosed. Those scenes read differently for me too. The tone shifted. The detail became graphic in a way that felt designed to shock rather than deepen the narrative.
Most of those scenes were technically plot-centric, yet they didn’t feel like they were moving the story forward. Instead, it felt like the plot took a backseat to extended spicy sequences that ultimately fell flat for me. Guin, who should have stood powerfully on her own as the badass witch she is, sometimes felt reduced to a vehicle for more of those moments, which was disappointing.
I do believe there’s an intentional direction here, and maybe book two delivers on it. I’m not closing the door completely. I may circle back one day and see if my feelings change. But for now, this one just didn’t quite cast the spell on me I was hoping for.
February 1, 2026
This was my very first ARC reading and I had a blast! I liked retellings and I think this was done well. I love how the author put a twist into it as well. I felt the characters were very connecting; I like how I was able to envision what they sound like and the cadence of how they spoke. I thought that was cool. The story was good. Heavy on misogyny with one character 😒 and there was one point in the story where there was an opportunity to be rid of him forever but the fmc didn’t go that route; which was frustrating but I understand why she did it. It did get spicy in parts throughout, so if you’re a no spice type of person then this might not be the book for you. (Team Lance, btw) The magic system wasn’t anything too spectacular; it seemed pretty simple but it was cool nonetheless. It would’ve been nice to have seen more of it. The main reason the rating wasn’t any higher was because of the dialogue. It got very repetitive and I got so annoyed with it. And not gonna lie, I skimmed through some of the dialogue because they said the same thing in the last paragraph but it was rephrased differently. But that’s just me 🤷🏾♀️ And although I mentioned the characters were connecting, there were times when some decisions or their thought process made no sense to me. Overall, I enjoyed the story and loved that twist at the end ( you got me there!). I can’t wait to read the next book and to see how everything continues!
February 7, 2026
Sworn To Ruin Him - H P Mallory
The Lady And The Blade - Book 1
Thank you @hpmalloryauthor for my gifted ebook copy.
My Review:
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pages: 1011
Genre: Romantasy
Published: January 1, 2026
Tropes:
🪄Games and Trials
🪄Enemies To Lovers
🪄Slow Burn
🪄Elemental Magic
🪄Plot Twists
🪄Tension
🪄Morally Grey MMC’s
🪄Hidden Identity
🪄Forced Proximity
🪄Love Triangles
🪄Forbidden Magic
🪄Age Gap
A retelling of King Arthur and Camelot. This book totally captivated me from page one. This is King Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot’s story plus a cast of characters who are equally captivating. I found myself totally rooting for Lancelot and King Author. By the end Lancelot had a slight edge. I’m so hoping that Kay receives his justice in the next book. The last few pages of the book will haunt me until the sequel is released. It brought a character I had despised redemption and an explanation I could accept.
This book is a must read for fantasy lovers. It is so very well written and filled with an exceptional cast of characters. An epic storyline that will hold you hostage til the end. I have already preordered the sequel!
I highly recommend this amazing book.
#hpmallory #sworntoruinhim #fantasy #romantasy #booktok #bookstagram #retelling #theladyandtheblade #mustread
The Lady And The Blade - Book 1
Thank you @hpmalloryauthor for my gifted ebook copy.
My Review:
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pages: 1011
Genre: Romantasy
Published: January 1, 2026
Tropes:
🪄Games and Trials
🪄Enemies To Lovers
🪄Slow Burn
🪄Elemental Magic
🪄Plot Twists
🪄Tension
🪄Morally Grey MMC’s
🪄Hidden Identity
🪄Forced Proximity
🪄Love Triangles
🪄Forbidden Magic
🪄Age Gap
A retelling of King Arthur and Camelot. This book totally captivated me from page one. This is King Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot’s story plus a cast of characters who are equally captivating. I found myself totally rooting for Lancelot and King Author. By the end Lancelot had a slight edge. I’m so hoping that Kay receives his justice in the next book. The last few pages of the book will haunt me until the sequel is released. It brought a character I had despised redemption and an explanation I could accept.
This book is a must read for fantasy lovers. It is so very well written and filled with an exceptional cast of characters. An epic storyline that will hold you hostage til the end. I have already preordered the sequel!
I highly recommend this amazing book.
#hpmallory #sworntoruinhim #fantasy #romantasy #booktok #bookstagram #retelling #theladyandtheblade #mustread
February 21, 2026
I knew from the moment that I read the synopsis of this book that I had to have it. I applied directly with the author to get access to this book and was so elated when I was given permission to read it.
This did not disappoint me in any way. First of all, the cover art is spectacular. That in and of itself should just suck you in. However, when you sink your teeth into this story, you're going to be so connected to the characters and the story itself.
I loved that this book had a romance aspect and what I consider to be some low level spice to it but it focused on the story and the characters. I appreciated that in so many ways. I feel like too often today, authors get so invested in the spice that they lose track of the story. However, with this book that was not the case.
This was the first book that I read by this author and I definitely want to read more by her after reading this book. I am a fan.
This is the story gives you all the King Arthur vibes but in a very original and unique way. I love that this book focuses on the characters and the world around them. I feel like the world building and character development was exceptional, and it definitely kept me wanting to turn the page. I want to say so much but I don't want to give anything away because reading this is the most amazing journey that you have to experience for yourself.
This did not disappoint me in any way. First of all, the cover art is spectacular. That in and of itself should just suck you in. However, when you sink your teeth into this story, you're going to be so connected to the characters and the story itself.
I loved that this book had a romance aspect and what I consider to be some low level spice to it but it focused on the story and the characters. I appreciated that in so many ways. I feel like too often today, authors get so invested in the spice that they lose track of the story. However, with this book that was not the case.
This was the first book that I read by this author and I definitely want to read more by her after reading this book. I am a fan.
This is the story gives you all the King Arthur vibes but in a very original and unique way. I love that this book focuses on the characters and the world around them. I feel like the world building and character development was exceptional, and it definitely kept me wanting to turn the page. I want to say so much but I don't want to give anything away because reading this is the most amazing journey that you have to experience for yourself.
February 23, 2026
Sworn To Ruin Him is a dark retelling or reimagining of King Arthur, Camelot and knights of the round table.
I definitely struggle to get into this book and felt like I could have skipped some of it. However once I got into the book I was definitely intrigued. There was so much going on in this book from the trials, the deception, tension, longing, doubt and discourse being sowed it was such an intense experience. I could not put it down because I had to know what happened next. I loved how much chemistry Guin and Lance had and how they reacted to each other but found I was constantly hoping for more. Either more in the form of answers or a decision made by Guin but either way I felt like I was always on the cusp of some kind of decision or change or Guin accepting her destiny or being honest but it never came. So many times I hope she would put trust in Lance and she didn’t. I could tell that this book was just going to keep my blood pumping and constantly waiting for some major revelation or dramatic change but by the end I had more questions and a cliffhanger!!! I had hope for more development in the relationships that were made in this book but I hope book two will bring everything together and provide a resolution to so many questions and some of the longing between characters.
I definitely struggle to get into this book and felt like I could have skipped some of it. However once I got into the book I was definitely intrigued. There was so much going on in this book from the trials, the deception, tension, longing, doubt and discourse being sowed it was such an intense experience. I could not put it down because I had to know what happened next. I loved how much chemistry Guin and Lance had and how they reacted to each other but found I was constantly hoping for more. Either more in the form of answers or a decision made by Guin but either way I felt like I was always on the cusp of some kind of decision or change or Guin accepting her destiny or being honest but it never came. So many times I hope she would put trust in Lance and she didn’t. I could tell that this book was just going to keep my blood pumping and constantly waiting for some major revelation or dramatic change but by the end I had more questions and a cliffhanger!!! I had hope for more development in the relationships that were made in this book but I hope book two will bring everything together and provide a resolution to so many questions and some of the longing between characters.
February 9, 2026
✨ ARC REVIEW ✨
Easily 5/5 for me! This is definitely a great ROMANTASY retelling/spinoff of Camelot. It features our favorite set of Arthurian Lore characters like King Arthur,Merlin, Lancelot, Queen Guinevere, etc. where magic is banned, King Arthur is not the good King Arthur we traditionally know, and Queen Guinevere, our FMC, who is disguised as a knight sent to infiltrate Arthur’s Court by Merlin who has to endure a set of deadly trials as competition to become part of The Knights of The Round Table.
Think of it like Mulan. Also, definitely check your trigger warnings for this as it leans towards more on the dark side of the spice meter on this.
I really like how well written this is in the details. Yes, it is a heavy book especially for a Book 1 of The Lady and the Blade series, but it is written in great detail, and lots of internal monologues with multiple POVs. There are lots of shocking revelations, but at the very end, there was one that I did not expect AT ALL especially with Corvin. I’m not sure how many books the author plans to have with this series but given how the plot is moving, I do hope it picks up in favor of Guin coming out on top of this. I am also team Lancelot HAHAHA.
Tropes that I personally liked:
- Why Choose
-Forced Proximity
Easily 5/5 for me! This is definitely a great ROMANTASY retelling/spinoff of Camelot. It features our favorite set of Arthurian Lore characters like King Arthur,Merlin, Lancelot, Queen Guinevere, etc. where magic is banned, King Arthur is not the good King Arthur we traditionally know, and Queen Guinevere, our FMC, who is disguised as a knight sent to infiltrate Arthur’s Court by Merlin who has to endure a set of deadly trials as competition to become part of The Knights of The Round Table.
Think of it like Mulan. Also, definitely check your trigger warnings for this as it leans towards more on the dark side of the spice meter on this.
I really like how well written this is in the details. Yes, it is a heavy book especially for a Book 1 of The Lady and the Blade series, but it is written in great detail, and lots of internal monologues with multiple POVs. There are lots of shocking revelations, but at the very end, there was one that I did not expect AT ALL especially with Corvin. I’m not sure how many books the author plans to have with this series but given how the plot is moving, I do hope it picks up in favor of Guin coming out on top of this. I am also team Lancelot HAHAHA.
Tropes that I personally liked:
- Why Choose
-Forced Proximity
February 19, 2026
Are you a fan of Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, Lady of the Lake, Guinevere, Merlin and those times? Well, here is a different spin on the era and players some time after Arthur managed to take the sword from the stone. Arthur had banned all magic…now, he is having trials to incorporate those with the most and talented magic to delegate them to the Round Table. Guin was forced into Merlin’s chambers where she practiced her abilities under his guidance. Now, she will go in disguise to fight in the trials to ultimately destroy Arthur. Only, Lancelot adds a caveat to her plans as well. She is attracted to both men, and they her. Can they see through her male disguise?
The story adds more dangerous elements than we know from the original tales of Camelot. Betrayals, twits, turns, and more action will keep you entertained and sitting on the edge of your seats. There are questions left unanswered, surprises, prophecies, and more in the making. What will become of this dark twisted tale and those involved? Will Guin be able to separate the truth from non-truths? Where will her heart and mind lead her? Her abilities and discoveries she will make about herself? Stay tuned….the next book will give us what we seek and oh how bittersweet I expect it to be!
The story adds more dangerous elements than we know from the original tales of Camelot. Betrayals, twits, turns, and more action will keep you entertained and sitting on the edge of your seats. There are questions left unanswered, surprises, prophecies, and more in the making. What will become of this dark twisted tale and those involved? Will Guin be able to separate the truth from non-truths? Where will her heart and mind lead her? Her abilities and discoveries she will make about herself? Stay tuned….the next book will give us what we seek and oh how bittersweet I expect it to be!
January 11, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️🌶️
Wow, just wow. King Arthur reimagined is the story I never knew I needed, but I did.
Containing all my favorite tropes/themes like games & trials, slow burn, tension, enemies to lovers, elemental magic and plot twists that had my jaw on the floor, this story has completely ensnared my mind. When I wasn’t reading the story, I was thinking about the characters and trying to imagine what would happen next.
I could physically feel the slow burn & tension in my chest and the moment two of the characters finally collided - I was kicking my feet and giggling. And while the spice was spectacular, it never took away from the plot which (in my opinion) is a very difficult balance that H.P. Mallory mastered.
I may be pulling for one MMC (not to be named) in particular, but the potential love triangle that exists between the FMC and two MMCs is done so well that I honestly would be excited to see her end up with either - that is, if she ends up with anyone at all.
I highly recommend this read and am chomping at the bit for book two so I can continue this journey with Guin. 🖤
Wow, just wow. King Arthur reimagined is the story I never knew I needed, but I did.
Containing all my favorite tropes/themes like games & trials, slow burn, tension, enemies to lovers, elemental magic and plot twists that had my jaw on the floor, this story has completely ensnared my mind. When I wasn’t reading the story, I was thinking about the characters and trying to imagine what would happen next.
I could physically feel the slow burn & tension in my chest and the moment two of the characters finally collided - I was kicking my feet and giggling. And while the spice was spectacular, it never took away from the plot which (in my opinion) is a very difficult balance that H.P. Mallory mastered.
I may be pulling for one MMC (not to be named) in particular, but the potential love triangle that exists between the FMC and two MMCs is done so well that I honestly would be excited to see her end up with either - that is, if she ends up with anyone at all.
I highly recommend this read and am chomping at the bit for book two so I can continue this journey with Guin. 🖤
January 18, 2026
As soon as I saw that this book was about King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Merlin, I knew I had to read it! The magic systems, the trails to become a knight of the round table, and the political games that are played within the castle make this book hard to put down.
Guinevere has spent the last three years perfecting her magical abilities under the guidance of Merlin and Corvin, a former knight of the round table, and now it is time for her to finally go on the mission she has been preparing for. She is to infiltrate King Arthur's castle under the guise of being a knight named Sir Lioran and go through the Shadow Trials to earn a place as one of the new knights of the round table. But keeping the secret of who she truly is hidden proves to be much harder than she thought, especially when she discovers that Arthur and Lancelot are not exactly the monsters that Merlin painted them as. The attraction she feels towards the king but also towards the king's favorite knight start to blur the lines of duty for Guin. I loved every second of this book and that ending took me by complete surprise. I need book 2 asap!
Guinevere has spent the last three years perfecting her magical abilities under the guidance of Merlin and Corvin, a former knight of the round table, and now it is time for her to finally go on the mission she has been preparing for. She is to infiltrate King Arthur's castle under the guise of being a knight named Sir Lioran and go through the Shadow Trials to earn a place as one of the new knights of the round table. But keeping the secret of who she truly is hidden proves to be much harder than she thought, especially when she discovers that Arthur and Lancelot are not exactly the monsters that Merlin painted them as. The attraction she feels towards the king but also towards the king's favorite knight start to blur the lines of duty for Guin. I loved every second of this book and that ending took me by complete surprise. I need book 2 asap!
February 14, 2026
4⭐️ Review
3🌶️ Rating
This is a fantastical retelling of Camelot and King Arthur’s court!!! We have Merlin, we have Lancelot, we have Guinevere, and of course we have King Arthur himself.
Throughout the book we go through trials, called the shadow trials, where at the end King Arthur is to pick the Knights of the Round Table… buuuttttt… in this world people have magic, and secrets.
This is the R-Rated “She’s the Man” of medieval times and Guinevere disguised as Sir Lioran competes.
Beautiful deception, spicy so hot, and unusual alliances bring unexpected players together. It’s really up in the air who will come out on top in this game where secrets and manipulations are currency. And the King might hold the biggest secret of all 🐉.
I highly recommend this book, BUT check your triggers first. Tropes include:
⚔️Enemies to Lovers
🤺 Feisty FMC
🩶 Morally Grey Men
🙏🏼Forced Proximity
🔥Slow Burn Energy
This book left me reeling and needing to know what happened next. It’s a page turner, and I wish you luck putting it down.
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read their work. I was given an ARC and this is my honest review.
3🌶️ Rating
This is a fantastical retelling of Camelot and King Arthur’s court!!! We have Merlin, we have Lancelot, we have Guinevere, and of course we have King Arthur himself.
Throughout the book we go through trials, called the shadow trials, where at the end King Arthur is to pick the Knights of the Round Table… buuuttttt… in this world people have magic, and secrets.
This is the R-Rated “She’s the Man” of medieval times and Guinevere disguised as Sir Lioran competes.
Beautiful deception, spicy so hot, and unusual alliances bring unexpected players together. It’s really up in the air who will come out on top in this game where secrets and manipulations are currency. And the King might hold the biggest secret of all 🐉.
I highly recommend this book, BUT check your triggers first. Tropes include:
⚔️Enemies to Lovers
🤺 Feisty FMC
🩶 Morally Grey Men
🙏🏼Forced Proximity
🔥Slow Burn Energy
This book left me reeling and needing to know what happened next. It’s a page turner, and I wish you luck putting it down.
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read their work. I was given an ARC and this is my honest review.
February 20, 2026
I love this book. I was invested in it immediately. The pacing is excellent and it kept me fully engaged and reaching for it at every spare moment. this is spicy why choose enemies to lovers juicyness. I also enjoyed the multiple POVs throughout. im team Lance, but all in each MMC has thier own sort of attractions. Guin (Guinevere) is an interesting MFC, with a multifaceted personality that I felt was written well and evolves as the story unfolds. I sometimes became frustrated with or for her lol. Lance (Lancelot) is my fav mmc - that whole tender hero thing I guess, but Arthur still has the potential to win me over depending on the next book, and Corvin will be an interesting adventure as well I'm sure, I had my eye on him right feom the start but he doesn't play a huge role in this book, so again the next book will be where he really gets to shine I suspect. the villians are villainy too (I'm looking at you Kay!) and I do love a villian you can really hate. The ending left me literally flipping back and forth thinking no,no,no, don't be over yet! so until that next story Ill be pondering!! this book will stick with me for a good while!
February 22, 2026
Sworn to Ruin Him is the first book in the epic dark fantasy series, The Lady and the Blade. HP Mallory delivers a wonderful Sword in the Stone/King Arthur retelling. I was engrossed in the story from the start. The author constructed a strong world filled with magic, deception, the need for revenge, revelation of secrets, tension (in many forms), twists, turns, dominance, and submission.
The character development is rich, complex, and filled with backstory. Each character is three-dimensional and realistic. I loved the multiple POVs, as they give each character time to shine, allowing the reader to really get to know and understand them, their motives, and personalities.
The romantic content is spicy, messy and complex, and flows freely throughout Sworn to Ruin Him. It ebbs and flows between obsession, danger, need, and want. You'll be rooting for one pairing only to have the script flip and change your mind.
There are content warnings listed in the description on retail pages, as well as inside the book, including:
Violence, explicit scenes, dark themes, and elements of non-consent. 18+ recommended.
The character development is rich, complex, and filled with backstory. Each character is three-dimensional and realistic. I loved the multiple POVs, as they give each character time to shine, allowing the reader to really get to know and understand them, their motives, and personalities.
The romantic content is spicy, messy and complex, and flows freely throughout Sworn to Ruin Him. It ebbs and flows between obsession, danger, need, and want. You'll be rooting for one pairing only to have the script flip and change your mind.
There are content warnings listed in the description on retail pages, as well as inside the book, including:
Violence, explicit scenes, dark themes, and elements of non-consent. 18+ recommended.
January 2, 2026
I received Sworn to Ruin Him as an ARC, and the only mistake I made was thinking I could read it slowly.
This book owned me from the opening chapters. I was hooked early, convinced I had the plot figured out—only for the story to rip the rug out from under me again and again. Every reveal felt intentional, every twist sharper than the last, and the tension never once let up.
The atmosphere is dark, seductive, and layered with secrets. Just when you think you understand the characters, their motivations shift and deepen, pulling you further into the chaos. The slow unraveling of truths had me flying through pages, desperate for answers and dreading the moment I’d reach the end.
And that ending? Criminal. There are so many unanswered questions, and I need book two immediately—like, yesterday. This was addictive, unputdownable, and left me both satisfied and completely feral for what comes next.
If you love dark fantasy romance that keeps you guessing and doesn’t hold your hand, this one is absolutely worth the ride.
This book owned me from the opening chapters. I was hooked early, convinced I had the plot figured out—only for the story to rip the rug out from under me again and again. Every reveal felt intentional, every twist sharper than the last, and the tension never once let up.
The atmosphere is dark, seductive, and layered with secrets. Just when you think you understand the characters, their motivations shift and deepen, pulling you further into the chaos. The slow unraveling of truths had me flying through pages, desperate for answers and dreading the moment I’d reach the end.
And that ending? Criminal. There are so many unanswered questions, and I need book two immediately—like, yesterday. This was addictive, unputdownable, and left me both satisfied and completely feral for what comes next.
If you love dark fantasy romance that keeps you guessing and doesn’t hold your hand, this one is absolutely worth the ride.
January 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This was unexpected. Set in a world that most know, Camelot, with the legends we all know, but they aren’t the ones we know.
This is a dark fantasy so check your triggers. I devoured all 1011 pages over 2 days, I could not put this down.
Multiple love interests keeping me guessing where this is going to go. Lance is my fave at the moment he is such a sweetie, well he was, not sure how I feel after the ending but I have no doubt that’s what the author wants
The way the, what we think at the end of book 1 is the main villain is written, is really clever. Are we routing for him as a love interest? Maybe..
The ending leaves us wondering whose bad, whose good and whose redeemable
The world building was extensive, and the magic system was easy to comprehend with detailed descriptions.
My only issue, which stopped in being a five star read, which isn’t really an issue, it didn’t need to be as long as it was. Some innner monalogues were repeated. Of course, not word for word but the jist of it.
Overall a really good read with spice and plot.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This was unexpected. Set in a world that most know, Camelot, with the legends we all know, but they aren’t the ones we know.
This is a dark fantasy so check your triggers. I devoured all 1011 pages over 2 days, I could not put this down.
Multiple love interests keeping me guessing where this is going to go. Lance is my fave at the moment he is such a sweetie, well he was, not sure how I feel after the ending but I have no doubt that’s what the author wants
The way the, what we think at the end of book 1 is the main villain is written, is really clever. Are we routing for him as a love interest? Maybe..
The ending leaves us wondering whose bad, whose good and whose redeemable
The world building was extensive, and the magic system was easy to comprehend with detailed descriptions.
My only issue, which stopped in being a five star read, which isn’t really an issue, it didn’t need to be as long as it was. Some innner monalogues were repeated. Of course, not word for word but the jist of it.
Overall a really good read with spice and plot.
January 13, 2026
This was an amazing romantasy retelling of Camelot and King Arthur’s Court. Everyone’s favorite players are there including Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Guinevere, and of course Merlin!
H.P Mallory did an amazing job of building the world, where you don’t have to know anything about King Arthur to follow the story, but if you do it brings it to life in a brand new way.
This story had all my favorite tropes, including enemies to lovers, love triangle, morally gray MMC. There is forced proximity, and hidden identity, that weaves through several plot twists I didn’t see coming. There was a slow burn throughout the book that built tension that left the reader wanting to keep reading.
Without spoilers I am definitely rooting for one MMC, but have a feeling it will flip in the next installment. This book has a strong heroine, whom still has a lot of growth potential. She is fierce and mouthy, defiant but loyal. She is in the early path of self discovery, and once she comes into her own will blaze a path that brings everyone along for the ride!
H.P Mallory did an amazing job of building the world, where you don’t have to know anything about King Arthur to follow the story, but if you do it brings it to life in a brand new way.
This story had all my favorite tropes, including enemies to lovers, love triangle, morally gray MMC. There is forced proximity, and hidden identity, that weaves through several plot twists I didn’t see coming. There was a slow burn throughout the book that built tension that left the reader wanting to keep reading.
Without spoilers I am definitely rooting for one MMC, but have a feeling it will flip in the next installment. This book has a strong heroine, whom still has a lot of growth potential. She is fierce and mouthy, defiant but loyal. She is in the early path of self discovery, and once she comes into her own will blaze a path that brings everyone along for the ride!
January 28, 2026
go read this book. It’s a five star all the way through.
⸻
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars
Sworn to Ruin Him (The Lady and the Blade) by H.P. Mallory is an easy five-star read. The writing is immersive and distinctive, pulling you into a dark fantasy world where nothing is ever as it seems.
Guinevere is a compelling FMC—strong, fearless, and layered. She wears more than one face, but in this world, almost everyone does. The story is filled with betrayal, magic, secrets, and manipulation, making it impossible to know who to trust. Every character has an agenda, and the twists keep coming when you least expect them.
This is the kind of book that keeps you up late, convinced you can predict what’s coming next—only to be completely blindsided. The tension is constant, the stakes are high, and the atmosphere is perfectly dark.
And the male characters? Possessive, dangerous, and intense.
The romance is fiery, and the spice level is very high.
If you enjoy dark fantasy romance with strong characters, intrigue, and heat, this book delivers.
⸻
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars
Sworn to Ruin Him (The Lady and the Blade) by H.P. Mallory is an easy five-star read. The writing is immersive and distinctive, pulling you into a dark fantasy world where nothing is ever as it seems.
Guinevere is a compelling FMC—strong, fearless, and layered. She wears more than one face, but in this world, almost everyone does. The story is filled with betrayal, magic, secrets, and manipulation, making it impossible to know who to trust. Every character has an agenda, and the twists keep coming when you least expect them.
This is the kind of book that keeps you up late, convinced you can predict what’s coming next—only to be completely blindsided. The tension is constant, the stakes are high, and the atmosphere is perfectly dark.
And the male characters? Possessive, dangerous, and intense.
The romance is fiery, and the spice level is very high.
If you enjoy dark fantasy romance with strong characters, intrigue, and heat, this book delivers.
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