The Swan Prince by Ari Roper is a dark, dazzling fairytale retelling that enchanted me from the first page to the last.
Once, Prince Zephyr was the kingdom’s perfect heir: golden, refined, and destined for greatness. Then his parents were murdered, his crown nearly stolen, and he disappeared into the shadows, cursed to grow feathers under the moonlight. With his kingdom fracturing, his family pushes marriage as the key to breaking the curse. Determined not to be forced into anything, Zephyr and his family each choose a potential bride and create a set of trials, promising that whoever survives will earn a place at the royal ball… where he will choose his bride.
Enter Aria: street-raised, steel-willed, and the only woman among the kingdom’s infamous forty thieves. She doesn’t believe in crowns, or love, but when word spreads that the prince intends to gift his bride a legendary wish-granting amulet, she goes on a mission: get into the ball, win the trials, and steal the prize. But the closer she gets to Zephyr, the more dangerous her mission becomes, because falling for him might be the one thing she can’t survive.
Ari Roper delivers everything. The banter is the sassiest of sass (I laughed out loud more than once), the twists and turns do not let up, and the slow-burn chemistry between Zephyr and Aria absolutely gave me life. The spice is there, the tension is delicious, and the characters are beautifully written: complex, wounded, fierce, and unforgettable. The villains made me angry enough to throw things, and don’t even get me started on the side romance. OMG. I need a Fenric in my life…and a Jax. Truly.
A breathtaking blend of danger, desire, magic, and mayhem, The Swan Prince is a sassy, spicy, romantic fairytale you’ll want to reread the moment you finish.