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The Knight Who Would Not Die
Not yet published
Expected 9 Feb 27Some Love is Worth Dying For.
Sir roderick Thrornhill is dead. Or, he should be. But when he wakes up in a cupboard after a dueling mishap, he realizes two things-he keeps dying, and he must find a way to break this curse...before he fades away.
Isolde Nettles has a problem.
She knew brewing a curse was risky business, but now she's stuck with the handsome and charming consequences. Can she find a way to undo his curse? Or is her knight in shinning armor eternally doomed?
Sir roderick Thrornhill is dead. Or, he should be. But when he wakes up in a cupboard after a dueling mishap, he realizes two things-he keeps dying, and he must find a way to break this curse...before he fades away.
Isolde Nettles has a problem.
She knew brewing a curse was risky business, but now she's stuck with the handsome and charming consequences. Can she find a way to undo his curse? Or is her knight in shinning armor eternally doomed?
311 pages, ebook
Expected publication February 9, 2027
About the author
Layla Kara
4 books57 followersI write dark fantasy about fallen angels, broken gods, and the quiet violence of love, faith, and survival. I’ve been drawn to gothic worlds since I was a child.
I was born in Azerbaijan and later immigrated to the United States. I live here now with my two sons, husband, mother, and three dogs.
When I’m not writing, I work in construction, read an unreasonable amount of dark fantasy and horror, and obsess over myth, folklore, and the places where monsters and saints blur into one.
My debut novel, Forbidden Sanctuary, is the first book in The Fallen Grace Chronicles, coming out March 15, 2026.
I was born in Azerbaijan and later immigrated to the United States. I live here now with my two sons, husband, mother, and three dogs.
When I’m not writing, I work in construction, read an unreasonable amount of dark fantasy and horror, and obsess over myth, folklore, and the places where monsters and saints blur into one.
My debut novel, Forbidden Sanctuary, is the first book in The Fallen Grace Chronicles, coming out March 15, 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
June 26, 2026
ARC Review
This was one of the most entertaining books I’ve read! I absolutely loved Sir Roderick. His character was hilarious. His vanity knows no bounds! The ghost was also great. The coward that ended up being a hero. And the witch that tried so hard to do the right thing but it just always seemed to end badly for her. Theres nothing better to me than seeing all the struggles that the characters go through, worrying that it might just end in tragedy for them, and then getting to see it all come together in a happy ending.
Well done Layla Kara! Really enjoyed it!
This was one of the most entertaining books I’ve read! I absolutely loved Sir Roderick. His character was hilarious. His vanity knows no bounds! The ghost was also great. The coward that ended up being a hero. And the witch that tried so hard to do the right thing but it just always seemed to end badly for her. Theres nothing better to me than seeing all the struggles that the characters go through, worrying that it might just end in tragedy for them, and then getting to see it all come together in a happy ending.
Well done Layla Kara! Really enjoyed it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Knight Who Would Not Die
Layla Kara
3 stars
Thank you for the opportunity to ARC review this book!
This book was a bit of a miss for me. That being said, I do see this book being enjoyable to a lot of fantasy readers, particularly those who enjoy a good medieval romance with a knight in shining (maybe a little muddy?) armour! It’s entertaining, lighthearted, and easy to read! If you like silly knights, morally questionable witches, and nosey ghosts, I imagine you’ll enjoy this book!
My favorite aspect of this book is the character of Roderick. He’s easy going, oblivious, and funny but also feels like a full character in the middle of the story (despite… well you’ll know if you read!). It was fun to read the number of times that he dies as well as how the brave knight happens to die! I could always count on Roderick to make me laugh! I also loved the beginning of the story! Where it started was intriguing and instantly captured my attention. The story starts in a box with dubious circumstances and strong uncertainty on whether or not this is an exactable place. I thoroughly appreciate the set up of the story and how the reader is instantly thrown in!
Unfortunately, I think I went into this book with too high expectations. The premise is really fun and I was stoked to be able to ARC read this book. I genuinely enjoyed the first part of the story, but the last two thirds of the story dragged a bit. The romance in my opinion wasn’t set up in the best way. While time passes and there is time for the relationship between the characters to grow, the reader is shown very little and I wish we saw more.
The last third of the story was the hardest to read and to understand. The resolution to the main problem was not what I was expecting nor did it make sense to me. It almost made the whole story feel like a mute point. It left me unsatisfied with the book despite the strong start.
While I generally found that the writing brought me into the story, I had issues with certain references, turns of phrase, and specific words used that completely took me out of the story. The setting is medieval and reads like it should be medieval but there were points in the book where I was thrown from the story because of something a character said, or an object referenced didn’t fit the medieval times. This was especially prevalent in the latter half of the story and made me unable to really get into the story.
Overall, this story has promise. While it's not the one for me, I highly recommend giving it a shot if only so you know the joys of Sir Roderick!
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Layla Kara
3 stars
Thank you for the opportunity to ARC review this book!
This book was a bit of a miss for me. That being said, I do see this book being enjoyable to a lot of fantasy readers, particularly those who enjoy a good medieval romance with a knight in shining (maybe a little muddy?) armour! It’s entertaining, lighthearted, and easy to read! If you like silly knights, morally questionable witches, and nosey ghosts, I imagine you’ll enjoy this book!
My favorite aspect of this book is the character of Roderick. He’s easy going, oblivious, and funny but also feels like a full character in the middle of the story (despite… well you’ll know if you read!). It was fun to read the number of times that he dies as well as how the brave knight happens to die! I could always count on Roderick to make me laugh! I also loved the beginning of the story! Where it started was intriguing and instantly captured my attention. The story starts in a box with dubious circumstances and strong uncertainty on whether or not this is an exactable place. I thoroughly appreciate the set up of the story and how the reader is instantly thrown in!
Unfortunately, I think I went into this book with too high expectations. The premise is really fun and I was stoked to be able to ARC read this book. I genuinely enjoyed the first part of the story, but the last two thirds of the story dragged a bit. The romance in my opinion wasn’t set up in the best way. While time passes and there is time for the relationship between the characters to grow, the reader is shown very little and I wish we saw more.
The last third of the story was the hardest to read and to understand. The resolution to the main problem was not what I was expecting nor did it make sense to me. It almost made the whole story feel like a mute point. It left me unsatisfied with the book despite the strong start.
While I generally found that the writing brought me into the story, I had issues with certain references, turns of phrase, and specific words used that completely took me out of the story. The setting is medieval and reads like it should be medieval but there were points in the book where I was thrown from the story because of something a character said, or an object referenced didn’t fit the medieval times. This was especially prevalent in the latter half of the story and made me unable to really get into the story.
Overall, this story has promise. While it's not the one for me, I highly recommend giving it a shot if only so you know the joys of Sir Roderick!
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
August 28, 2026
Thank you to BookSirens, Layla Kara, and Pale Sigil Press LLC for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Content Warnings: Death, Ghosts, Violence, Sex Scene/Sexual Undertones, Gaslighting, and Mind Control
"The Knight Who Would Not Die" by Layla Kara is a decent read. I thought it had a great beginning, and I was very excited to get into the story. However, the middle slogged a lot. The ending was decent, though it lacked the punch I thought it could have had.
Sir Roderick Thornehill wakes up one evening to find himself deceased and buried six feet underground. That is the start of "The Knight Who Would Not Die." Roderick ends up having the day from Hell, dying over and over again. Each time, he wakes up about an hour or so later, completely alive once more. In order to break his curse, it will take all of his charm, wit, and talent with a sword--along with the help of a rather sarcastic ghost and the town witch. The three of them soon get caught up in a mystery involving their town, their pasts, and the one person who yearns to own all of it.
Author Layla Kara's writing is very witty. There is a delicious sort of dry humor to the way she writes. For me, though, she tends to use the same words and phrases too often. During the latter portion of "The Knight Who Would Not Die," the term 'puppet strings' or similar is used so often that I had to stop reading at one point. The sarcastic, dry dialog is generally well written, though, again, perhaps too overdone for my personal tastes.
Without giving too much away, part of the book's main plot is a love story between two of the characters. I think romance stories are great, if done well. The romance in "The Knight Who Would Not Die" was not done well. It was far, far too quick. It felt as though the characters had just met when suddenly they were in love with one another. Again, without spoiling anything, the insta-romance made the last chapter or two feel tacked-on.
This review seems so negative, and I apologize for that. There were plenty of parts that I did enjoy! When the dark humor hit, it really hit; I found myself laughing out loud more than once while reading "The Knight Who Would Not Die." Kara's descriptions, especially of characters, were fantastic. The plot just needed a little more time to cook and explore those characters beyond what they looked like. If given another one hundred pages to really flesh out the characters and the overall plot, I think "The Knight Who Would Not Die" could have been a favorite. As it stands, it was a fun read but nothing to really right home about.
Content Warnings: Death, Ghosts, Violence, Sex Scene/Sexual Undertones, Gaslighting, and Mind Control
"The Knight Who Would Not Die" by Layla Kara is a decent read. I thought it had a great beginning, and I was very excited to get into the story. However, the middle slogged a lot. The ending was decent, though it lacked the punch I thought it could have had.
Sir Roderick Thornehill wakes up one evening to find himself deceased and buried six feet underground. That is the start of "The Knight Who Would Not Die." Roderick ends up having the day from Hell, dying over and over again. Each time, he wakes up about an hour or so later, completely alive once more. In order to break his curse, it will take all of his charm, wit, and talent with a sword--along with the help of a rather sarcastic ghost and the town witch. The three of them soon get caught up in a mystery involving their town, their pasts, and the one person who yearns to own all of it.
Author Layla Kara's writing is very witty. There is a delicious sort of dry humor to the way she writes. For me, though, she tends to use the same words and phrases too often. During the latter portion of "The Knight Who Would Not Die," the term 'puppet strings' or similar is used so often that I had to stop reading at one point. The sarcastic, dry dialog is generally well written, though, again, perhaps too overdone for my personal tastes.
Without giving too much away, part of the book's main plot is a love story between two of the characters. I think romance stories are great, if done well. The romance in "The Knight Who Would Not Die" was not done well. It was far, far too quick. It felt as though the characters had just met when suddenly they were in love with one another. Again, without spoiling anything, the insta-romance made the last chapter or two feel tacked-on.
This review seems so negative, and I apologize for that. There were plenty of parts that I did enjoy! When the dark humor hit, it really hit; I found myself laughing out loud more than once while reading "The Knight Who Would Not Die." Kara's descriptions, especially of characters, were fantastic. The plot just needed a little more time to cook and explore those characters beyond what they looked like. If given another one hundred pages to really flesh out the characters and the overall plot, I think "The Knight Who Would Not Die" could have been a favorite. As it stands, it was a fun read but nothing to really right home about.
Review of advance copy
Thank you to Layla Kara for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
The Knight Who Would Not Die is an epic, emotionally charged fantasy that blends haunting immortality, sweeping adventure, and a deeply human core beneath its mythic surface. From the very first chapter, Layla Kara draws you into a world where death is no longer an ending—and survival comes at a cost.
The premise alone is compelling, but it’s the execution that truly shines. There’s a quiet weight to the storytelling, a sense of history and consequence that lingers in every scene. The world feels lived-in and steeped in legend, where every battle and every decision carries echoes of something far greater than the present moment.
At the heart of the story is its knight—a character defined not just by strength, but by endurance, loss, and the strange burden of continuing on when everything else fades. Watching their journey unfold was both gripping and deeply emotional. The exploration of immortality adds a layer of melancholy to the narrative that makes even the smallest moments feel significant.
The supporting characters add warmth and tension in equal measure, grounding the story and giving it emotional stakes that go beyond the battlefield. Relationships are forged in hardship, tested by truth, and shaped by the ever-present shadow of time, making every connection feel fragile and meaningful.
One of the most striking aspects of the book is its atmosphere. It balances grand, sweeping fantasy with quieter, reflective moments that explore identity, memory, and what it truly means to endure. The pacing allows both action and emotion to breathe, creating a story that feels both epic and intimate.
By the end, I was left thinking not just about what happened, but about what it means to keep going when the world expects you to end. The Knight Who Would Not Die is a haunting, beautiful exploration of resilience, sacrifice, and the cost of living forever.
"Some legends are not written in how a knight dies—but in how they refuse to."
If you enjoy character-driven epic fantasy with immortality themes, emotional depth, rich world-building, and a reflective, mythic tone, this is a story well worth your time.
✨ Tropes & Themes
⚔️ Immortal Knight
🖤 Melancholic Fantasy
🛡️ Epic Quest
💔 Longevity & Loss
✨ Mythic Storytelling
🗝️ Legacy & Memory
🌙 Dark Undertones
🤝 Found Loyalty
🔥 High-Stakes Battles
📖 Character-Driven Epic Fantasy
The Knight Who Would Not Die is an epic, emotionally charged fantasy that blends haunting immortality, sweeping adventure, and a deeply human core beneath its mythic surface. From the very first chapter, Layla Kara draws you into a world where death is no longer an ending—and survival comes at a cost.
The premise alone is compelling, but it’s the execution that truly shines. There’s a quiet weight to the storytelling, a sense of history and consequence that lingers in every scene. The world feels lived-in and steeped in legend, where every battle and every decision carries echoes of something far greater than the present moment.
At the heart of the story is its knight—a character defined not just by strength, but by endurance, loss, and the strange burden of continuing on when everything else fades. Watching their journey unfold was both gripping and deeply emotional. The exploration of immortality adds a layer of melancholy to the narrative that makes even the smallest moments feel significant.
The supporting characters add warmth and tension in equal measure, grounding the story and giving it emotional stakes that go beyond the battlefield. Relationships are forged in hardship, tested by truth, and shaped by the ever-present shadow of time, making every connection feel fragile and meaningful.
One of the most striking aspects of the book is its atmosphere. It balances grand, sweeping fantasy with quieter, reflective moments that explore identity, memory, and what it truly means to endure. The pacing allows both action and emotion to breathe, creating a story that feels both epic and intimate.
By the end, I was left thinking not just about what happened, but about what it means to keep going when the world expects you to end. The Knight Who Would Not Die is a haunting, beautiful exploration of resilience, sacrifice, and the cost of living forever.
"Some legends are not written in how a knight dies—but in how they refuse to."
If you enjoy character-driven epic fantasy with immortality themes, emotional depth, rich world-building, and a reflective, mythic tone, this is a story well worth your time.
✨ Tropes & Themes
⚔️ Immortal Knight
🖤 Melancholic Fantasy
🛡️ Epic Quest
💔 Longevity & Loss
✨ Mythic Storytelling
🗝️ Legacy & Memory
🌙 Dark Undertones
🤝 Found Loyalty
🔥 High-Stakes Battles
📖 Character-Driven Epic Fantasy
Review of advance copy
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story begins with Sir Roderick, our knight in linen 😂. A truly dramatic and vain gentleman, a charming rake. Our male lead.
A little superficial but honestly not a bad man who finds himself in the grave. Meet sidekick and storm the not so cute town.
Isolde, our female lead is a “witch” with SOME knowledge but an unlucky one, who after some lonely time learn how to care and trust someone thought this someone suffers from a recurring case of death.
A beautiful story, recommended for anyone who wants to enjoy some misadventures, lovely characters and love story. I definitely will read this book again, it made me sigh forlornly and sometimes yearn. I just love him what can I do? 🤭
The descriptions of the book are detailed but not excessive, some dry humor and beautiful detail. I paced myself reading it as I didn’t want to finish it.
Some of my favorite lines:
“Must you always attend my resurrections?”
“He did not care about the death so much as he cared about time cut short.”
I am immune (note he is referring to women’s wiles)
“Villains have no imagination”
“Don't let it be a tragedy. I hate tragedies”.
GENRES
Paranormal Romance, Humor, Fantasy, Dark Romantic Comedy. A little gothic
My rate: 4,5 stars seeing as I didn’t love the smut. The story (and their relationship) was already awesome so for me I think it was better without it.
Mind you I’m not a native English speaker so excuse any mistake.
The story begins with Sir Roderick, our knight in linen 😂. A truly dramatic and vain gentleman, a charming rake. Our male lead.
A little superficial but honestly not a bad man who finds himself in the grave. Meet sidekick and storm the not so cute town.
Isolde, our female lead is a “witch” with SOME knowledge but an unlucky one, who after some lonely time learn how to care and trust someone thought this someone suffers from a recurring case of death.
A beautiful story, recommended for anyone who wants to enjoy some misadventures, lovely characters and love story. I definitely will read this book again, it made me sigh forlornly and sometimes yearn. I just love him what can I do? 🤭
The descriptions of the book are detailed but not excessive, some dry humor and beautiful detail. I paced myself reading it as I didn’t want to finish it.
Some of my favorite lines:
“Must you always attend my resurrections?”
“He did not care about the death so much as he cared about time cut short.”
I am immune (note he is referring to women’s wiles)
“Villains have no imagination”
“Don't let it be a tragedy. I hate tragedies”.
GENRES
Paranormal Romance, Humor, Fantasy, Dark Romantic Comedy. A little gothic
My rate: 4,5 stars seeing as I didn’t love the smut. The story (and their relationship) was already awesome so for me I think it was better without it.
Mind you I’m not a native English speaker so excuse any mistake.
Review of advance copy
“The Knight Who Would Not Die” - Layla Kara
Summary: Sir Roderick Thornehill, a vain knight with many debts and also very dead. Struck down in a duel, a blade to the ribs. But then he wakes up. Isolde Nettles may have made a mistake when cursing the man, because every time he dies, he wakes up hours later. Stuck together, she tries to save the doomed knight before he fades away completely.
⚔️
Thoughts:
I want to note, this is an ARC so I am reviewing the title before it's completely polished. Even still, this was a lot of fun.
Roderick is a knight with many IOUs to his name, and a big dusty castle he shares with the memories of his family. The audience sees this character develop slowly and understand him more under the fancy clothes.
Isolde is a witch who makes a bad deal, and faces the consequences when the knight reaches her door. Over time she softens to him and desperately tries to help him, before it's too late.
This is a romance, gothic comedy story. To me the love between the characters felt instant; although in the story, time passes, but to me I feel we don't see a lot of it. This was a fun read though and would recommend people check it out.
I believe there are still spots on BookSirens. And I think this book comes out next year in February. I wish the author all the best.
This is an ARC provided by BookSirens and the author, Layla Kara, so thank you to both of them. I'm leaving this review voluntarily!
Summary: Sir Roderick Thornehill, a vain knight with many debts and also very dead. Struck down in a duel, a blade to the ribs. But then he wakes up. Isolde Nettles may have made a mistake when cursing the man, because every time he dies, he wakes up hours later. Stuck together, she tries to save the doomed knight before he fades away completely.
⚔️
Thoughts:
I want to note, this is an ARC so I am reviewing the title before it's completely polished. Even still, this was a lot of fun.
Roderick is a knight with many IOUs to his name, and a big dusty castle he shares with the memories of his family. The audience sees this character develop slowly and understand him more under the fancy clothes.
Isolde is a witch who makes a bad deal, and faces the consequences when the knight reaches her door. Over time she softens to him and desperately tries to help him, before it's too late.
This is a romance, gothic comedy story. To me the love between the characters felt instant; although in the story, time passes, but to me I feel we don't see a lot of it. This was a fun read though and would recommend people check it out.
I believe there are still spots on BookSirens. And I think this book comes out next year in February. I wish the author all the best.
This is an ARC provided by BookSirens and the author, Layla Kara, so thank you to both of them. I'm leaving this review voluntarily!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I adored this book. Every page was full of witty banter, dripping with sarcasm, and enriched with characters that were vibrant and fantastical.
From the moment Sir Roderick rang the bell, I knew I was going to love him. The poor, vain oaf cursed to die over and over again in spectacular and hilarious fashion. Right on his heals was Edwyn whose sarcasm and wit was unmatched with well timed jabs and mockery. Then came the apothecary aka witch Isolde. I wasn't sure how to take her at first, but the more I learned about her because she was a rude, sneaky charlatan. As the story went on though, I could see she was guarded for a reason. Even though her intentions with accidentally cursing Roderick were misplaced, her heart was in the right place.
I loved how the relationship between Roderick and Isolde grew from disdain and tolerance to true love and sacrifice. The arc was beautiful. And Vanetta? Well watching her get her come uppance was highly satisfying.
The ending though was a tear jerker. I cried in sadness and in joy. The author is quite talented and has a real way with weaving words. It was a wonderful, unique story, and I would love to see more of Roderick and Isolde or even an expansion of their world in more books. Well done!
I adored this book. Every page was full of witty banter, dripping with sarcasm, and enriched with characters that were vibrant and fantastical.
From the moment Sir Roderick rang the bell, I knew I was going to love him. The poor, vain oaf cursed to die over and over again in spectacular and hilarious fashion. Right on his heals was Edwyn whose sarcasm and wit was unmatched with well timed jabs and mockery. Then came the apothecary aka witch Isolde. I wasn't sure how to take her at first, but the more I learned about her because she was a rude, sneaky charlatan. As the story went on though, I could see she was guarded for a reason. Even though her intentions with accidentally cursing Roderick were misplaced, her heart was in the right place.
I loved how the relationship between Roderick and Isolde grew from disdain and tolerance to true love and sacrifice. The arc was beautiful. And Vanetta? Well watching her get her come uppance was highly satisfying.
The ending though was a tear jerker. I cried in sadness and in joy. The author is quite talented and has a real way with weaving words. It was a wonderful, unique story, and I would love to see more of Roderick and Isolde or even an expansion of their world in more books. Well done!
Review of advance copy
This was such a fun premise - a man who keeps dying and coming back to life, trying to be saved by the woman who cursed him. Add in an annoying ghost, a deceptively evil villain, a cozy cabin, witches, and curses, and what more could you really ask for?
Although I felt the book had a slow-ish start, it was very engaging and entertaining, with the perfect amount of humor. Roderick was fairly ridiculous, and Isolde somewhat tortured, but both in very loveable ways. Roderick's vanity paired very well with Isolde's take-no-shit attitude. I loved the plot with Roderick's curse and Isolde's race to cure it, all punctuated by Edwyn's snarky remarks.
My only knock against the book was that I didn't feel the chemistry between Roderick an Isolde - their relationship didn't really build, it just was. I would have loved more of a build-up, but it was such a fun book that their relationship didn't need to be the main focus.
I was a little nervous because the book had the ending tagged as "HEA, bittersweet," and I'm really an HEA girl, but don't let that dissuade you! I thought the ending was so perfect and much more sweet than bitter.
Thanks to Layla and Book Sirens for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Although I felt the book had a slow-ish start, it was very engaging and entertaining, with the perfect amount of humor. Roderick was fairly ridiculous, and Isolde somewhat tortured, but both in very loveable ways. Roderick's vanity paired very well with Isolde's take-no-shit attitude. I loved the plot with Roderick's curse and Isolde's race to cure it, all punctuated by Edwyn's snarky remarks.
My only knock against the book was that I didn't feel the chemistry between Roderick an Isolde - their relationship didn't really build, it just was. I would have loved more of a build-up, but it was such a fun book that their relationship didn't need to be the main focus.
I was a little nervous because the book had the ending tagged as "HEA, bittersweet," and I'm really an HEA girl, but don't let that dissuade you! I thought the ending was so perfect and much more sweet than bitter.
Thanks to Layla and Book Sirens for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy
⭐ Rating: 3.5/5
🌶️ Spice: 🌶️🌶️
📖 Advanced Reader Copy
Thank you to Layla and BookSirens for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
💭 My Thoughts
This was a pleasant, entertaining read with an engaging blend of romance, ghosts, witches, and medieval fantasy. I especially enjoyed following Sir Roderick's journey. He was an easy character to root for, and I found myself invested in seeing how his story would unfold.
The pacing stayed fairly steady throughout, making for an enjoyable reading experience. Around the halfway point, however, I felt like I had a good sense of where the story was headed and found myself hoping for a surprising twist to raise the stakes and keep me guessing.
Even so, I enjoyed the overall story and thought it delivered a fun fantasy romance with memorable supernatural elements.
I'd recommend this to readers who enjoy lighter fantasy romances featuring ghosts, witches, curses, and a knight who somehow keeps finding new ways to die.
🌶️ Spice: 🌶️🌶️
📖 Advanced Reader Copy
Thank you to Layla and BookSirens for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
💭 My Thoughts
This was a pleasant, entertaining read with an engaging blend of romance, ghosts, witches, and medieval fantasy. I especially enjoyed following Sir Roderick's journey. He was an easy character to root for, and I found myself invested in seeing how his story would unfold.
The pacing stayed fairly steady throughout, making for an enjoyable reading experience. Around the halfway point, however, I felt like I had a good sense of where the story was headed and found myself hoping for a surprising twist to raise the stakes and keep me guessing.
Even so, I enjoyed the overall story and thought it delivered a fun fantasy romance with memorable supernatural elements.
I'd recommend this to readers who enjoy lighter fantasy romances featuring ghosts, witches, curses, and a knight who somehow keeps finding new ways to die.
Review of advance copy
What happens when a vain and shallow knight, a grumpy and sarcastic ghost, and an introverted work obsessed witch drowning in debt go on a quest to cure a curse?
I can’t not put into words how much fun I had reading this story!! I was laughing out loud OFTEN while reading this. I knew I was in for a treat when even the trigger warning page was theatrically whimsical with its warnings!!
The way that it was written was so clever and painted such a wonderful picture of the world, and I can tell the author put a tremendous amount of effort into researching for the tiniest details.
Roderick, Isolde and Edwyn were all such faceted characters and made such a wonderful trio with their banter! The story had great pacing and felt like a fresh and interesting plot that had me hooked the entire time.
Honestly in my top ten reads of all time and I can’t wait to grab a physical copy! Thank you so much to the Author for letting me be an ARC reader in exchange for an honest review.
I can’t not put into words how much fun I had reading this story!! I was laughing out loud OFTEN while reading this. I knew I was in for a treat when even the trigger warning page was theatrically whimsical with its warnings!!
The way that it was written was so clever and painted such a wonderful picture of the world, and I can tell the author put a tremendous amount of effort into researching for the tiniest details.
Roderick, Isolde and Edwyn were all such faceted characters and made such a wonderful trio with their banter! The story had great pacing and felt like a fresh and interesting plot that had me hooked the entire time.
Honestly in my top ten reads of all time and I can’t wait to grab a physical copy! Thank you so much to the Author for letting me be an ARC reader in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2026
ADVANCE READRT COPY REVEIW:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book caught me by surprise. Roderick was arrogant at first and although I felt bad for him, he was irritating. His development over time took me by surprise and I ended up loving him once Isolde was introduced. You really cannot help but feel sorry for the poor guy. The last few chapters had me clutching my pearls and sitting up to read through them I was so invested in how the story was going to progress and ended up loving it. I will say I could have done without the last chapter because it fell into one of my least favorite tropes but overall this was a good medieval easy read and I recommend anyone who wants a good laugh and a good enemies to lovers concept to read this book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book caught me by surprise. Roderick was arrogant at first and although I felt bad for him, he was irritating. His development over time took me by surprise and I ended up loving him once Isolde was introduced. You really cannot help but feel sorry for the poor guy. The last few chapters had me clutching my pearls and sitting up to read through them I was so invested in how the story was going to progress and ended up loving it. I will say I could have done without the last chapter because it fell into one of my least favorite tropes but overall this was a good medieval easy read and I recommend anyone who wants a good laugh and a good enemies to lovers concept to read this book!
Review of advance copy
This book was funny, charming and entertaining. Roderick the Reckless awakens in a coffin and is helped out of his grave. In the cemetery he is joined by a sarcastic ghost named Edwyn who decides to accompany him, believing Roderick will die and rise again. Edwyn is right; Roderick has a series of embarrassing mishaps where he dies-temporarily- only to wake up again. He enlists the help of an apothecary who is rumored to be a witch, Isolde, and the three embark on the journey to find a cure for Roderick. What ensues is a combination of hilarious, harsh and sweet revelations of who is behind Roderick’s condition and how to overcome the power behind it. I would like to thank Book Sirens for an ARC copy of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
This book started so funny! I was laughing so much! I did not expect thr Knights reaction to waking up after dying. It was SO good! Eventually the book takes a bit of a turn and gets more serious. I cried at a couple of points, and loved every second! The characters had such deep personalities and back stories for a small book, and the author packed so much into it! Highly recommend, and I would love to read more about this little place and its characters! I want to know more about the main baddies background and how they came to be who they are etc (trying not to give anything away there lol)! Oo and also Isolde's parents/Mother's story fully!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a really fun read - both humorous and thought-provoking. I really enjoyed Layla Kara's writing style - it felt polished and skilled, without being overly done. In other words, she wrote it in a way that didn't drone on about unnecessary things but focused more on interactions and the overall plot. These characters were a blast, and I loved the dynamic between them all. Roderick and all of his antics were hilarious. Isolde was a fabulous female companion character, despite her unfortunate attempts at magic that didn't ever quite go as planned. And our resident ghost, Edwyn, was so much fun. This is my first read by Layla, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I enjoyed this read. It was funny, quirky and kept my attention throughout. I thought the relationships between the characters was well drawn. I thought the interactions and dialogue between the characters were well written and engaging. The description of the scenes was excellent. The jokes were funny (with maybe one too many turnip jokes!) Overall it's a good read with an interesting storyline and I would recommend it. As an advanced read I left some suggestions for the author that I felt would improve the book further and on reflection I feel the book deserves 4 stars for it's originality and the fact I wanted to keep reading and was very engaged in the story.
September 15, 2026
ARC Reader
The book centers around Sir Roderick. A knight, who upon our first meeting of him has ended up dead and has come back to life in a coffin. He is joined by two unlikely companions along his journey-- Sir Edwyn and Isolde.
As the title states, the knight would just not die.
The book is quirky and has twists and turns as Roderick makes his journey to try to reverse his 'curse' and continue to live to see another day instead of just continuing to die.
I would rate this book a 4.5 out of 5. It was an interesting concept, but it felt like at times it just didn't connect and flow as it should.
It however was a humorous and enjoyable read.
The book centers around Sir Roderick. A knight, who upon our first meeting of him has ended up dead and has come back to life in a coffin. He is joined by two unlikely companions along his journey-- Sir Edwyn and Isolde.
As the title states, the knight would just not die.
The book is quirky and has twists and turns as Roderick makes his journey to try to reverse his 'curse' and continue to live to see another day instead of just continuing to die.
I would rate this book a 4.5 out of 5. It was an interesting concept, but it felt like at times it just didn't connect and flow as it should.
It however was a humorous and enjoyable read.
Review of advance copy
This was fun! I finished this book in a day 😊 the writing is great and love how I felt completely transported into the world.
4 - 4.5 ⭐️
Her being a virgin wasnt my fav maybe if I was warned beforehand I would have mentally prepared myself better… not sure tbh since I usually steer away from those.
I think since most of the povs is Roderick you dont really see when Isolde was falling for him. It felt pretty abrupt and one sided but also maybe because the book is short.
I also wanted more of Edwyn 😩
4 - 4.5 ⭐️
Her being a virgin wasnt my fav maybe if I was warned beforehand I would have mentally prepared myself better… not sure tbh since I usually steer away from those.
I think since most of the povs is Roderick you dont really see when Isolde was falling for him. It felt pretty abrupt and one sided but also maybe because the book is short.
I also wanted more of Edwyn 😩
Review of advance copy
"Charged with high fraud, dark sorcery, and the unlicensed distribution of glitter."
Highlights: Laugh-out-loud banter and hilarious cast.
I cackled loudly on so many occasions reading this one… It's just the perfect mixture of fairy tale, medieval and chivalry shenanigans. It's an entertaining read with hearty characters who live up to their archetypes wonderfully (fabulously even, yes looking at you ser Roderick) and at times gave Shrek and A Knight's Tale vibe 😆
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Highlights: Laugh-out-loud banter and hilarious cast.
I cackled loudly on so many occasions reading this one… It's just the perfect mixture of fairy tale, medieval and chivalry shenanigans. It's an entertaining read with hearty characters who live up to their archetypes wonderfully (fabulously even, yes looking at you ser Roderick) and at times gave Shrek and A Knight's Tale vibe 😆
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Thank you to Layla Kara and BookSirens for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not a big medieval-fantasy-romcom type reader but I really enjoyed this. Sir Roderick was hilarious and what millennials would say "is really feeling himself". It started off as a slow burn for me but I stuck with it and really enjoyed his story unfold. Caught myself laughing and feeling the love butterflies :) I loved Sir Roderick and Isolde so much and how they were working together to find a cure for his curse. Funny and entertaining. Definitely recommend!
I'm not a big medieval-fantasy-romcom type reader but I really enjoyed this. Sir Roderick was hilarious and what millennials would say "is really feeling himself". It started off as a slow burn for me but I stuck with it and really enjoyed his story unfold. Caught myself laughing and feeling the love butterflies :) I loved Sir Roderick and Isolde so much and how they were working together to find a cure for his curse. Funny and entertaining. Definitely recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Layla has a profound tone in her writing and always stays consistent. This read as a sarcastic comedy from the beginning and began to slowly unravel more intense dark humor as the story progressed. The side characters all had depth that contributed to the main characters story arc. I was invested in the villain so much so that I was physically upset. It was a great read and I'm excited to see what comes to life from this story.
Review of advance copy
I really enjoyed getting to read this paranormal romance, it had that overall feel that I was looking for and enjoyed about the description. I thought it uses the time-period perfectly and how everything was used during this. The plot was what I was looking for and enjoyed the way Sir Roderick Thornehill was written. I'm glad I was able to read this and am excited to read more from Layla Kara.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 1, 2026
This book was a pleasant surprise for me—I didn't expect it to be this good and enjoyable.
I love Sir Roderick; it was so much fun reading about his shenanigans, and his interactions with Isolde were perfect! Personally, I think it was a great choice, and I highly recommend it. I hope to read more by Layla Kara in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I love Sir Roderick; it was so much fun reading about his shenanigans, and his interactions with Isolde were perfect! Personally, I think it was a great choice, and I highly recommend it. I hope to read more by Layla Kara in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The first page draws you in immediately. Layla builds such an immersive world and it's one you do not want to leave. The characters have depth and humour to them and you feel every event and emotion as sharply as they do. I was full blown cackling with laughter and fell deeply in love with the characters
Review of advance copy
A little funny, a little sad, with a happy ending you hope for.
Life looks a little different for our MMC as we start the book with him buried and a hazy recollection of what happened. Follow along as he tries to get some semblance of normalcy back with some laughs and some tears a long the way.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Life looks a little different for our MMC as we start the book with him buried and a hazy recollection of what happened. Follow along as he tries to get some semblance of normalcy back with some laughs and some tears a long the way.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
I really enjoyed this quirky romance. He is a knight but is cursed and keeps dying. She is a witch and is trying to help break his curse. Can she help him or is she making it worse? Great characters, intriguing storyline, very well written with good pacing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Review of advance copy
I thought this was a fun read. I liked it because it's different but in a good way. The storyline is great, and I definitely didn't see the plot twist. It is fantastic.
This book has love, loyalty, viciousness, greed, magic, and friendship.
This is my personal opinion.
Happy Reading.
This book has love, loyalty, viciousness, greed, magic, and friendship.
This is my personal opinion.
Happy Reading.
July 22, 2026
This wasnt bad but it was not for me unfortunately. I true loved other books by Layla but I couldn’t get hooked in to this story
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoyed this book. I found the whole idea of it amazing, It's completely different to anything else I've read and I will definitely be recommending it
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
I LOVEDDDD this book. The main characters were so charismatic and had me hooked from the first chapter. I’ve always been a sucker for cocky MMCs and Roderick was exactly that. He was so well written that I actually got sad when he wasn’t his usual boisterous self (which I imagine is hard to be when you’re dying) but when I realized why, it made me gush. Isolde was an amazing character as well. I came into the book thinking she cursed him for one reason but I was pleasantly surprised to know I was completely wrong. This was a fun read and I can’t wait for it to be released. I received an ARC copy for free from BookSirens but I will be buying this upon release. It was so good that I just had to leave a review. (P.S: that last chapter? Phew!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
I received an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of this book had me hooked immediately. A knight who is cursed to repeatedly meet his death? Count me in. However, the execution was kind of unsatisfactory. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book and I liked the characters a lot. My complaint is that the chemistry between the main characters wasn't portrayed well and everything between the two of them was moving a little too quick for my liking. I do wish it had been dragged out a bit. Great book though.
Thank you to BookSirens for the ARC!
The premise of this book had me hooked immediately. A knight who is cursed to repeatedly meet his death? Count me in. However, the execution was kind of unsatisfactory. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book and I liked the characters a lot. My complaint is that the chemistry between the main characters wasn't portrayed well and everything between the two of them was moving a little too quick for my liking. I do wish it had been dragged out a bit. Great book though.
Thank you to BookSirens for the ARC!
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