The Stolen Crown

The Ever Seas #4

by L.J. Andrews

Love and duty are thrown to the treacherous deep sea in the next Ever Seas book from bestselling author and TikTok sensation LJ Andrews.

She is the life of the party. He is the villain you never wish to meet alone.

Tait Heartwalker may be the cousin of the Ever King, but royally good company he is not. He’s ill-tempered and unapproachable, sharpened by the hard responsibilities of life and loyalty. But to the dismay of Mira Sekundär, princess of the glamour fae, he’s also intoxicating to look at.

Despite doing their best to avoid each other, fate has other plans when an otherworldly storm shipwrecks Tait and Mira far beyond the boundaries of the Ever Kingdom. They are forced to break through the thorny barriers between them and work together to find their way home. One wrong step and they’ll never return alive…

Yet as their feelings deepen, a new threat rises from the waters. And this enemy is so dangerous, even the history books tried to forget their existence.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Pirates, Fantasy Romance, Romance, Fae, Dark Romance

499 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 6, 2026

About the author

LJ Andrews is a USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of fantasy romance. She mystically brings to life worlds of dark Nordic and Viking myths bound by conflicts that bring together impassioned heroes and heroines.

In her non-author moments, she is courageously corralling her four children to the myriad of life activities that involves, along with spending time with her favorite hero, her husband. Add two high maintenance dogs and a sassy conure to the mix and that sums it up. LJ Andrews thrives spending time in the Rocky Mountains where she lives in Utah.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Sophie (lambsbooks)]

NEW RELEASE DATE!!🥳
October 6, 2026

Grumpy Hearttalker and Sunshine-y Mira?

Yes please

[TialyN]

The book is postponed two years after original date? That just doesn’t seem fair towards original fans who's been waiting and looking forward to this book.

[Liana Gold]

A storm & a shipwreck. She is the life of the party. He's the villain but also intoxicating to look at. Together, they must find their way home. But there is a threat in the water that is preventing their return.

Another one of my most anticipated books.





Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group/Ace and the author, L.J. Andrews for an early copy!

Publication date: October 6, 2026

[elsie ۵]

Really looking forward to Tait and Mira’s story! They set sail for the Ever and never arrived. It’s going to be so gooood!!!

[Demi Winters]

LJ Andrews never misses! The Stolen Crown contains a magical combination of forced proximity and danger-infused action scenes that drive an unlikely duo together in order to survive a shipwrecking. Mira and Tate's slowly unfolding romance had me kicking my feet--they were simultaneously sizzling hot and adorably sweet.

[Matea ☽ [ia]]

update on my mental state
The cover is up and gorgeous, the tropes are exactly my weakness, and I’m not okay. I already know I’ll be crying tonight without this book in my hands.🥲

A few paragraphs in Ever Queen and I’m already addicted. I NEED them like oxygen 😭

[ciana]

“but the truth is i lied. i would fall to my knees in front of you and beg for a single touch if that is all you offered.”

—

okay hello this is officially my new favorite book in the ever seas series. i genuinely didn’t think anything was going to beat the mist thief (i still love u jonas), but this absolutely topped it. like WOW this was so insanely fun that i read it in a little over 24 hours.

i’ve been obsessed with both tait and mira ever since they were introduced. the push and pull between them and slow burn has been so good so i was beyond excited for their book, and it surpassed my expectations.

mira is such a fun and relatable fmc. her insecurities about wanting love, putting herself out there, and fearing rejection was way too real. at the same time, i love that she sticks up for herself and never lets people walk all over her. also, let my girl plan a party!!!

and tait… welcome to my book bf list. the way his touch aversion and past trauma were explored actually made me sob. he’s so incredibly protective of her and i love him so much. also you freak? spectacular give me 14 more spice scenes. (p.s. nearly died at the “show me” scene).

the grumpy/sunshine dynamic absolutely delivered. and one thing about me is forced proximity is one of my favorite tropes, so the second i realized they were shipwrecked and stuck together?? i was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. the banter was so good, and the buildup from the last few books absolutely paid off.

i also love how we always get to see everyone reconnect at the end. the found family in this series is so good, and getting little glimpses of all the couples from the previous books is one of my favorite parts.

let me just say… i clocked who book five was going to be about so early on, and i’m so excited that i was right. i genuinely cannot wait for their story hehe.

this series is such a fun summer read. i still haven’t started the broken kingdoms series, but the more i learn about all the parents, the more i want to pick it up. i love interconnected stories, so this whole world is everything.

a huge thank you to berkeley/ace and netgalley for this e-arc! ♥︎

“𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚, 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.”

[Kate Bishop]

Tait and Mira’s story will be worth every second of waiting. I’m glad that LJ has the extra time to make sure TSC is everything she wants it to be and more. Sometimes going trad means having to change some timelines around, but if that means the authors I love get to have some room to breathe and their current works get to reach a wider audience, then I’ll wait as long as I have to. We are not entitled to their art, and I think the book community as a whole needs to be reminded that these books are gifts.

[Katie Beasley]

This series has been so much fun to read! Who doesn't want to read about morally gray pirates and the ladies that bring them to their knees. I was very excited about Tait and Mira because we had gotten glimpses of their banter from previous books, and it was top notch. We all know there is such a fine line between love and hate, and these two were RIGHT on that line. I do have to say that I was borderline done with how mean Tait was being to Mira BUT when he flipped his tune and his true thoughts came out it ALL made sense. The man had been down bad for Mira from the beginning but was scared of his reaction to her. He was scared that his power would hurt her. He had been through a LOT and had trauma around touch and all of that came out by him pushing her away. I would recommend checking TWs for this one- there are things referenced that were heavier than I expected. I have to say I have not read a book where the MC and FMC get stuck on an island but really enjoyed watching these two be forced to be in each other's space so that they could FINALLY lower their walls. I felt awful for Mira- she kept getting these glimpses of Tait and would get hope that he might actually like her. And then he would be a jerk BUT when she finally realized the truth behind all of his pricklyness, she was SO patient with him. They had been building the foundation of a relationship without being in one. So once they opened up with each other about everything, it all felt natural and was just a matter of time. Tait was a true "I will burn the world for you" man while Mira was a "Who hurt you" woman. These two were a match made in heaven and watching them get their together was PERFECT. Also once the spice hit, it was oh so HOT!!

Mira can't believe she has to continue traveling with Tait, the man who somehow she can't stop thinking about while he oh so clearly hates her. Or he finds her revolting. She doesn't know what is worse. All she knows is how much it bothers her. She has never had someone treat her the way he does. He is dismissive and sometimes downright rude. But that will all come to an end soon because they will go their separate ways. But then after a night on the ship, a storm hits that separates Tait and Mira from the rest of the crew. They find themselves on an island in the middle of nowhere and now have to navigate surviving together. She has got to get through to him. She can't deal with this degree of hate anymore. She gets glimpses of a sweet man inside and then it's like the walls shut down around him. But the logner they are on the island together, the more they ever so slowly start to open up to each other. The more she starts to realize that there is a lot more to Tait than she thought. That he has been through a lot more. That he is scared of his feelings for her and what that could mean for him and for her. That he doesn't want to hurt her. In fact her truly cares for her but he can't hide it anymore. To say that she is shocked is an understatement. And now they are navigating escaping the island and ending up in a new territory with a bond between them. A bond that continues to grow the longer they are together. But there is something weird about the new island they are on- their hosts to be exact. They are almost too friendly. Too welcoming. And when Tait and Mira realize what is going on- they run. They finally reconnect with everyone. But they have let their guard down too soon and Mira realizes that she would do anything to protect Tait. Including give herself up. She just hopes he knows how much she loves him.

Tait can't believe his cousin. He knows that Eric is meddling. That he thinks there is something going on between Tait and Mira. He couldn't be more wrong. The woman gets on his every nerve. How can she possibly be so stunning? How can her power be so awe inspiring? How does he find himself rescuing her regularly. He just has to keep pushing her away. The last thing he wants to do is hurt her but he is terrified of what will actually happen if he lets her in. So he keeps pushing her away. He keeps being mean to her. He keeps watching her light diminish a little when they are together. He hates himself but it is for the best- or at least that is what he tells himself. But then disaster strikes, and he finds himself on an island with Mira without his crew. He realizes how much grit she has. What she is willing to do to survive. He is liking her more and more every day. She doesn't know that yet and that is becoming harder and harder to hide. Finally he snaps- he tells her the truth. How he cares for her. How he wants her but he is terrified that he will hurt her. He tells her how touch has been used against him. And how he never wants to hurt her. And it's like a weight has been lifted. And her patience and understanding is like a soothing balm to his soul. Now that he has dropped his walls, he never wants to raise them again. He is hers and she is his. They finally get off the island and end up with a new group of people. All while navigating this new thing between them. But Tait knows something is off about these people. And once they reconnect with Eric, he still feels like there is more at play than what they can see. What he doesn't expect is Mira to be in the center of everything. All he knows is that he will burn the world for her. Because now that they are together, he doesn't ever want them to not be.

This was a very fun read! It took me a second to get into because of the hate to love aspect. But once we got to know the true Tait, I was a goner. LJ has done such a good job building this world. I feel like there are endless stories in here! I loved seeing the characters from the other books as well and getting glimpses into their lives. I loved the hints about who is next. I really enjoyed the new characters introduced as well. But most of all I enjoyed Tait letting the world know who he really was which was a man DOWN BAD for his woman :) I definitely recommend this book and this series if you like adventure and morally gray men who fall fast and hard for their ladies (even though they try to fight it LOL).

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

[Athena 💗]

If you would have told me in the beginning that I would be giving this book 3⭐️ I would not have believed you. The Broken Crown has easily been one of my most anticipated books for almost 2 years now.

Some of my favorite things about LJ Andrew’s writing is how vivid of a picture she is able to create with just her words. The atmosphere is lush and filled with the most interesting creatures. The characters are so well developed that you almost forget they aren’t real and the banter is so lively you forget you’re reading. I feel like the book does start out with these qualities but then they slowly start to slip away as you move through the story.

The opening scene is very reminiscent to the beginning of the first book. I could see where some readers would think it’s recycled but for me I actually really loved that scene. Having the interaction between young Tait and Mira with their personalities towards one another shine through took their love story in a different direction than Erik and Livie’s. I was all in. 🙌🏼

Right off the bat Mira almost seemed like a completely different character. In the other books she is painted as this tough warrior that is constantly frazzling Tait but in this one she came off more like a needy doormat. Don’t get me wrong, I like when an MMC breaks the FMCs heart a little. The ballroom scene where he turns her down for a dance. Oh, I ate that shit up! But instead of finding the right balance that would offer us a window of her vulnerability, the author pushed a little too far in that direction making Mira go from a fearless flirt to… just kinda a pathetic simp. 😕

The writing also didn’t feel quite as magnetic as I remember the other books to be. The fact that it took me 4 days to get through speaks volumes as to how much my mind would wander out of boredom. It got to a point where I even considered rereading the first book to see if maybe I had just placed it on a pedestal or I simply aged out.

The island was fun. I liked how Tait still had pushback towards Mira and it wasn’t insta love the second they get there. Some of the storyline starts to become a little muddled but overall I was still very much enjoying the ride and making excuses for the rest.

When they finally make it back to the Ever Seas is around the time my interest started to fizzle out. By that point the storyline wasn’t making a whole lot of sense. The writing felt more and more generic. Mira’s reaction towards Erik helping Tait felt awkward and weird. Erik calling Livie “Songbird” started to get cringe AF. Ari’s theatrical personality felt over the top and Tait’s proclamations of love really started to give, man written by a woman if ya know what I mean. Sometimes (most times) LESS is more. Andrew’s portrayed this perfectly with the mute MMC from that one book, Souls and Bones or something. Tait went from top tier book boyfriend material to flowery real quick.

The ending was what officially lost me and when I finally had to come to terms with the fact that this book just was not as well written as some of her others. The storyline and setup for the next book was basically a copy and paste of the last book. 😑

Here’s the thing though, will I continue on with the series? Hell yes I will. It is my love for these characters that carried me through this book and made it enjoyable while it was. I still love Mira and Tait even though in no way did this story do them justice. And OF COURSE I am all in for book nerd Sander and his equally book nerd love interest. In my mind Sander has a pair of slutty little glasses and ain’t nobody convincing me otherwise. I think LJ’s exact words were, “expect Sander to be a geek in the streets but a freak in the sheets”. 🤓 Plus, I also remember seeing the writing start to slip in The Mist Thief but then her viking book came out and was pure 🔥🔥🔥🔥 so I am just going to believe that this was a one off and that the next book will come back hitting harder than ever.

As always, a great big thank you to the publishers at Berkley Publishing Group and to the incredibly talented, L.J. Andrews for gifting me an ARC of The Broken Crown. Overall I enjoyed the experience and look forward to continuing on with the Ever Seas series.

You can find this book on shelves October 6!

[Meg (fantasybook.adventurer)]

✨The Stolen Crown✨

There’s not been a single book by LJ that I haven’t absolutely adored and TSC remains consistent with this opinion. We continue on an interconnected standalone journey with our delightful found family from TEK and dating all the way back to the beginnings, the Broken Kingdoms.

TSC follows characters we’ve known and loved for so long as they finally get their story: Mira and Tait. As Tait’s escort, he must ensure Mira’s safety from one kingdom to the next, but when a mysterious storm sweeps them and their crew off course, the tenuous tension between Tait and Mira blows in as tumultuous as the storm that lost them at sea.

Mira is sunshine and compassion. She is full of empathy and light despite her fears. While Tait faces deeply dark traumas, it is Mira who shows him that perhaps healing isn’t such a dangerous thing. We get deadly islands, cultish pirates and sea witches, so much banter and yearning, a relationship built on loving and fighting for each other’s worth, and the found family that is next to none.

I loved the darkness and depth alongside the gentle love within these pages. Tait has my whole heart and I loved getting to see him find safety in Mira. And I’m so super stoked for what’s coming next! I will always read a book by LJ!

Tropes you may find in TSC are forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine, found family, banter, medium spice, tension & yearning, Vikings, unique magics, she saves him, touch him/her and ☠️, burn the world for her, soft only for her, and a HEA.

Thank you, LJ, Berkeley Ace, and Netgalley for this gifted arc. I am sold for LJ.

[Dayna | daynas.bookshelf]

everyone hop aboard because THE EVER SEAS IS SOOO BACK 🏴‍☠️

if you’ve been here for any amount of time, you hopefully know that The Ever Seas is one of my favorite series of all time. the perfect mix of pirate adventure, fae magic, sweeping romance, and stunning fantasy worldbuilding all in one.

The Stolen Crown (book four) follows Tait and Mira, the epitome of grumpy and sunshine, who are forced to work together for survival when a shipwreck casts them away to the Far Seas. *insert insatiable pining and the most delicious push and pull i’ve ever read* As they explore the mysterious island and attempt to escape back to the Ever, they encounter secrets and enemies that may change the kingdom forever. *screams into pillow*

GUYS this might be my new favorite LJ Andrews book. i know i say that every time i read one BUT I MEAN IT THIS TIME☝🏼 tait and mira have such fun banter (rage baiting as flirting is my new favorite thing) and their romance was sooo swoon worthy 😭 when the grumpy violent self-isolating man finally gives in and confesses his love for the sunshine archer girl PLEASEEEEE i love them so much. they’re also the epitome of mutual “touch them and you’ll d*e and slow d*ath” while also being soft for each other and i love that for them.

how LJ Andrews manages to write 5 star after 5 star book i have no idea, but please queen never change 😭 these books ever everything to me and these characters feel like people i really know and love. PLEASE read The Ever Seas if you’ve ever taken a book rec from me & while you’re at it read The Broken Kingdoms too!!

[Aileen Codesal]

Forever grateful to Netgalley and Berkley Pub for the ARC & to LJ Andrews for crafting this magnificent world of the Ever Seas.

I’m still reeling from the journey that Mira and Tait take in “The Stolen Crown” because holy smokes, I didn’t see it coming and that made it even better for me! We’ve all been wringing our hands in anticipation over Mira and Tait because that tension between them has been getting hotter and hotter and it finally hits the boiling point and I’ll let y’all know right now THE WAIT WAS WORTH IT. I’m a slow burn romance lover and this is one of the best I’ve ever read.

Mira is a sunshine girly with a love for parties and her family/friends but on the inside she feels like she can’t live up to her family’s legacy. Tait, on the other hand, is grumpy personified. He cannot stand touch and prefers to live in the shadow of the Ever King. Both Mira and Tait have been dancing along the fine line of flirting and killing each other for the past few books and when a deadly storm forces them to work together, more truths unwind and a reckoning is summoned.

The romance is all sorts of delicious and I ate it UP. But the darker themes and secrets unearthed also brought me to tears. LJ Andrews has always been incredible at handling hard topics with care but she was even more sensitive and caring with this book and I appreciated it even more.

If I could rate this book infinity stars, I would. I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to read it before its release because I know we’ve all been waiting a long time for it! But I am now chomping at the bits for the next book because it features one of my fave characters and that’s all I’ll say about that.

[Leanna Streeter]

I was so happy to be back in the Ever Seas world! Tait and Mira had incredible chemistry, and I loved their dynamic and banter. Beneath all the adventure, danger, and romance, this story also explored trauma and PTSD with so much care. Tait’s struggles weren’t magically erased by love, and I appreciated the patience and understanding Mira showed him as their relationship developed. It made every step toward intimacy feel meaningful and earned.

The action kept the story moving, but it was the relationships that made this book special for me for not only the romance, but the friendships and family bonds too. I loved seeing familiar characters again, and Tait and Mira completely stole my heart. Another wonderful addition to a world I never want to leave!

[Kaycee]

This series and LJ Andrews continue to be one of my favorite series and interconnected universe.

I love Tait and Mira. They were perfect. The relationship between them and getting to see inside Tait's mind was exactly what I needed. This is the first book that I would say you will get a bigger impact if you read the Broken Kingdoms series first (in its entirety) because a lot of characters from books 7-9 pop up in small roles and bigger ones. If you haven't read Mira's parents two books, it's definitely worth your time, and book 9 where we get a view into Erik and Tait's youth and the end of the war. There are references to the Broken Kingdoms villain, and other points that have a much bigger impact on the reader if you've read it (I did not feel this way about the first three books in this series). I loved this connection. I loved seeing Ari in this book, and I will forever love to see Erik from the perspective of the other earth fae. It was one of my favorite micro-moments from The Mist Thief.

We get little cameos from all of our favorite Ever Seas characters, but the book really focuses most of its time on Mira and Tait. I absolutely LOVE Tait and Mira's relationship. I love him and his obsession with her and the spicy things he says and does. They spend a lot of time isolated together in this book, and that had to happen for Tait to have time to work through his trauma, but the second half of the book felt a little rushed and I didn't feel the connection to the plot like I have in the other books in the series. I enjoyed the book and had a good time reading it. It pained me to not give this book 5 stars. I am a diehard LJ fan, and depending on how the next book develops I could end up changing my rating, because sometimes we need one thing to happen for something great to happen. I am INCREDIBLY excited for the next book. I've been WAITING for this character's book in this series and love the set up at the end. I think it will be different and will maybe develop more of the storyline I felt was missing from this book.

[Kie]

patiently waiting for this since book 2… 🙈

[The Bookish Allie]

I cannot wait to jump back into the Ever Seas! I know that LJ will do this baddie justice. LETS RAGE!

[Jessie]

4.5⭐️

I loved being back in the Ever Seas! Mira and Tait (aka Hearttalker😂) had such a great story. Tait, much to his dismay, is tasked with protecting Mira and making sure she arrives in the Ever Kingdom safely. However, a terrible storm shipwrecks them on a strange island that seems to want to keep them there. They then meet a mysterious people who seem friendly enough but also have reasons for wanting them to remain on their island. They manage to escape only for Tait to be captured. The whole crew must work together to rescue him from this dangerous people!

This was such a fun adventure full of amazing banter, forced proximity, and the cutest grumpy/sunshine duo! Tait’s past is full of abuse and trauma that makes him despise all touch but Mira’s touch feels different and “safe”. 🥹 It was honestly so sweet watching Mira help Tait overcome his past demons and fall in love.

“You are the reason behind every smile on my face.” He kissed the side of my throat. “You are the freedom from the burden on my shoulders.” His mouth hovered over my lips. “You are the sunrise I seek in the storms of my soul.”

I mean, wow. I just love them so much! And as per usual, LJ has set up the next book perfectly! I literally can’t wait!!

[ilana]

4.5 🌟

This was a hoot! The last third (as usual when it comes to romantasy for me) was so exhilarating, I couldn’t put it down. I’m obsessed with all of the battle scenes and every time they use their powers I so badly wish I had them too. Mira and Tait are actually so good together and part of me is shocked because I didn’t know what to expect going into it. They end up shipwrecked and stuck on a magical isle alone with no one but each other to survive. Fun thing is, they claim to not even enjoy the other’s presence (what a lie). Such a fun time, I loved seeing the characters from the past books and meeting a new character in this one *wink wink*

“For your revenge.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review 👑

[Bekah]

What a perfect ending! Thank you Berkley and LJ for the ARC!

I absolutely adored Tait throughout the entire Ever Seas series so having his book finally just made me love him more. This man went through so much and seeing him work through to the other side was just so special and inspiring. Mira, so fierce and strong, I loved seeing her come along side Tait and never push. It was so beautiful. The yearning between Tait and Mira was the best. I guess getting caught in a storm and being marooned on an island will do that to ya. This definitely took forced proximity to a whole new level. Overall this was a fantastic read. As you can see I read it in a day 😇 if you love pirates, fae, ingesting magic, and forced proximity then I highly recommend this one!

[Chelsea Pena]

LJ does it again, my goodness Tait and Moras journey was dark twisted and beautiful all at the same time.

Ari was my favorite of the original men in the broken kingdoms series so I was super excited that we got a story with his daughter Mira. And we go more of Ari and Saga too. I love how both series are still connected.

And the ending … umm I can’t wait for the next book!

[Cailin]

LJ truly outdid herself with this one! If you know me, you know that The Ever Seas is my favorite series, particularly for Erik and Livia's story. I have gone on to devour everything LJ has written, and The Stolen Crown was no different and well worth the wait! This book will make you laugh and cry so much!

Mira is the sunshine princess of the glamour fae, always up for a good time, whether it's adventures with her friends or dancing the night away at a revel. Tait is the grumpy cousin of the Ever King, her best friend's husband, assigned to be her escort on the seas. Despite her secret attraction for him, Mira can't understand why Tait seems to regard her with such hatred, unaware of his own desire for her.

When they are lost at sea and separated from the rest of their crew, Mira and Tait slowly begin to open up to each other about their dark secrets and desires, for both each other and bloodshed, as they try to survive and get back to the Ever.

Slowly their disagreements turn to playful banter and teasing, with Mira easily being one of the funniest characters I have read. Much like her father, Mira has a goofy charm and wit to her. I found myself audibly laughing at her remarks.

Pieces of Tait's past and the brutality he suffered under his father have been revealed in past books in The Broken Kingdoms, When Fate is Cruel, and The Ever King, but here we truly learn just how evil Harald really was. I did not think he could get worse. Tait opening up to Mira about how his father and Davorin 😡 sold his body to be used by other lords as they chose was such an intense moment of vulnerability and LJ took such care in how she wrote this part of the story and how Mira responded. Suddenly Mira understood Tait's aversion to touch, but she gave him so much time and grace to explore what he was comfortable with, push his boundaries, and find his comfort in her.

I can't talk about The Ever Seas without talking about Erik and Livia. Reading about Erik and Livia outside of their own perspectives is always so fun for me. Erik is forever putting on a surly front, but you can see how much he cares for people beyond just Livia. I loved when all the girls (Livia, Mira, Celine, and Skadi) all got together to catch up and gossip. Pure girlhood! Their friendship is so real, and in so many ways resembles my own love and friendships with the important woman in my life! I also loved when Erik and Tait has a moment alone to speak plainly about what Harald had done to both of them and their relationship with each other. Neither may be the most affectionate, but it was clear how much they love and would kill for each other.

As always, one of my favorite things about LJ's stories is her world building. She is always expanding her universe and introducing us to new peoples and folk. The introduction of Eeva, and thus the Veri Ikuinen, is particularly fascinating! I really excited to learn more about them in what I'm assuming will be Eeva and Sander's story next! I just know that these two book nerds are going to have an epic tale!

All in all, this book was absolutely wonderful and everything LJ writes is absolute gold!!! In all her stories, she strives to tell such important stories and give voices to people who need it, whether it's anxiety, PTSD, body dysmorphia, or something else, she crafts such real stories through the world of fantasy.

The spice is spicing in this book. I will leave it at that.😏

[Simul Paul]

Anyone knows the tentative release date of this book?

[Rebekah Nixon]

✨ A R C • R E V I E W ✨

The Ever Seas was the first book series I read after a 15 year reading hiatus.

For most of you, getting back into reading was ACOTAR or Fourth Wing. But for me, it was always going to be pirates. It was always going to be the thing that dragged me back into the world of books. 🏴‍☠️

I have never anticipated a book more than this one. After finishing The Mist Thief, I was fucking ravenous for The Stolen Crown. I needed Tait’s story like I needed air.

And then came the wait.

Two years and a few setbacks later, I finally got it. And somehow, I also got onto the LJ Andrews ARC Team, which is genuinely one of my favourite places to be. 🥹

I loved this book. I mean, I didn’t doubt I would. I haven’t met an LJ book I didn’t love.

Tait and Mira’s story was beautiful, even with the emotional damage that is Tait’s history. Oh, my poor Heartwalker. What I wouldn’t give to jump through the pages and give you a hug… From a distance, obviously. Don’t worry, I will not be touching you. 😂

I’m so glad you have your Vicious Princess there to protect your heart. ❤️‍🔥

Tropes;

🏴‍☠️ Grumpy/Sunshine
🌊 Forced Proximity
🏴‍☠️ He hates touch, she loves a snuggle
🌊 Inappropriate use of a ring (but not really 😉)
🏴‍☠️ Love language: head-shaped gifts
🌊 Only smiles for her
🏴‍☠️ Pirates vs Vikings

Favourite Quote;

“Behind all that stunning determination, there is fear in your eyes. We have strengths, you and I. They will serve us well and already have. You know the land; I know the sea. Just like you saved me on land”……“I will always save you on the sea.”

Thank you so much to @acebookspub & @berkleypub for this ARC and the opportunity to read and review one of my Roman Empire series. 🏴‍☠️❤️

[Athena of Velaris]

Mira and Tait have had my heart since the second book in Livia's duet! Watching the will-they-won't-they pull has been irresistible since the very beginning. To me, most of this series has been fantasies with heavy romance plots, while The Stolen Crown reverses that: this is a romance that happens to be set in a fantasy world and could work (mostly) without the fantasy trappings. While that wasn't quite what I expected, I didn't mind the change because the romance was strong enough to stand on its own. Watching the characters develop through their love of each other was perfect, as was the scenes of growth (or relapse). I liked that previous couples darted in and out of the storyline, and wouldn't recommend reading this as a standalone, though that is technically possible. My one concern is that the plot could have been stronger, but generally, the romance was enough to make up for it.

Read if you like...
🌟They hate how much they like each other
🌊Forced proximity because we're stranded on an island together
⚔️Learning to feel comfortable with touch
🌊Her family becomes his family
🌟Good anxiety and mental health representation
🌊Friends who go to the ends of the earth for each other
⚔️Consent king (and queen)
🌊I guess pointing at birds is flirting now?
🌟Touch her and die (and goodness does he prove it)
🌊Good dialogue and banter
⚔️He calls her Vicious even though everyone else thinks she's sweet
🌊Grumpy/sunshine but her positivity rubs off on him

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

[Stephanie]

This was such a healing journey for Tait. After having read books 1-3 plus her prequel When Fate is Cruel it was loving finally having his POV.

Tait has gone through so much and seeing him finally talk about it was so emotional.

Much like with Erik, Tait has been wrongly lumped into the same category of villain as his father by certain characters and seeing the growth from everyone was such a satisfying thing to see.

Naturally the found family in this is beautiful and I loved that the gang got back together.

I do think readers would benefit from reading The Broken Kingdom series since it is heavily mentioned in this book, more so than the other 3 books in the Ever Seas series. I haven’t finished that series yet only on book 4 or 5 of 9 so I for sure had some gaps in the specifics that I felt I couldn’t appreciate fully as I would have if I had the full background.
Everything is explained well, but, I just would have liked to know from reading it first hand.

The book is 10/10 and I loved the ending. Iykyk

Thank you to the publisher for my eARC. All opinions are my own.

********updated


I need time to put into words finally reading more about Tait.

10/10

Thank you to the publisher for my eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Bryanna]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

This entire series has been PERFECT and this book is no exception!!!!

I’ve been obsessed with Tait since book 1 and when I found out he was getting his own book, I was so giddy!!!! Tait Heartwalker may be a “surly ass”, but my god do I love him.

Reading about his past and the things he went through with his father as a child made my heart break into a million pieces for him. It made me want to cuddle him and protect him from the world (even if he’d hate that) there’s just something about a grumpy, stoic man that I love in my books and Tait may take the top spot after this book!!!! 😮‍💨

Mira is so funny and I love her!! The way she pokes at Tait and makes comments that get him flustered (he’ll never admit that they rile him up) is hilarious and I can’t even count the amount of times I was giggling at the things she said!!! She may enjoy a fancy ball, a pretty dress, and nice decorations, but make no mistake, she can be quite dangerous in the right circumstances 🙂‍↕️

Tait and Mira’s story was one that broke my heart and put it back together so gently, I couldn’t help but read it with tears in my eyes. The way they went from bickering frenemies to gentle lovers was so beautiful 😭

I can NOT wait for the next book in the series and I will be very impatiently waiting for it!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much to Ace for the ARC!!! ily bestie 🫶🏻

[Lydia Wilson]

Thank you NetGalley and LJ Andrews for this arc!

I am so happy we finally have Tait and Miras story! I am a big fan of Grumpy Sunshine tropes and this was wonderful. I loved learning more about Tait and wow I didn’t expect all that his story involved. Mira is such a love able character. Their journey to learn more about each other was so interesting. I never really knew exactly where the plot was going and it took such an interesting turn! There were some moments in the middle that were a little slower to get through. But even though the plot was slow moving a lot of what was happening and things mentioned were important. I am a big fan of LJ Andrews writing. She does a great job of giving information but never confusing. It is easy to read. Very much character driven stories which is not a bad thing but definitely have to be in the mood for.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

[Cheyanne Hanson]

Once again, I am so impressed. It feels like I’ve been so long since I’ve been in this world, but the immersion sucked me right back in so easily. I love these characters so much, and each story just gets better and better. The shipwrecked vibe was so fun and then we went in a direction I didn’t expect which was so interesting to me. I loved that we got to see and hear from old favorites and I genuinely had a blast reading this. It felt like meeting friends I haven’t seen for years and being able to pick up where we left off. The world still feels full and interesting, and I love that even after all these years she can still expand the world. Thank you NetGalley for the early review copy, I absolutely loved this!

[Stephanie Chiocchi]

Thank you to LJ Andrews and Berkeley Publishing for this eARC!

I love the world of the Ever Seas and The Stolen Crown is a perfect addition to this world and merry band of characters. Seeing all of them get their happily ever afters just makes my heart happy.

The relationship between Tait “Hearttalker” and Mira was an absolute joy to follow. I love how they end up thrown together under horrible circumstances that continually get worse.

Plus we got to see my favorite character once again (Sewell)!!! I also absolutely love Mira’s parents and how fiercely they love her. Plus even more from our main MCs of the Ever Seas (someone give Bloodsinger a break, he’s overrrrrr it)

And that epilogue? What a perfect set up for our next match made in heaven!