What do you think?
Rate this book
Heart of the Raven Prince
The night her kingdom falls, Fawn disappears—burying her crown and her name to survive. But hiding becomes impossible when she catches the attention of Caden, the Raven Prince…the winged harbinger of death leading the fae army that destroyed her world.
Dragged into a realm steeped in eternal night, Fawn quickly learns the truth is far more twisted than the stories. The monsters aren’t just fae—they’re something darker. And the queen who commands them is a demonic vampire with a ruthless grip on everything. Including Caden.
Bound by a shared enemy, Fawn strikes a dangerous bargain with the prince she should hate: help her destroy the queen, and she’ll be the one to end him when it’s over.
But as tension ignites into something far more dangerous, lines blur, loyalties fracture, and desire becomes just as deadly as the trials closing in around them.
Because in a world of bloodshed, betrayal, and fate, falling for your enemy might be the most lethal choice of all.
Dragged into a realm steeped in eternal night, Fawn quickly learns the truth is far more twisted than the stories. The monsters aren’t just fae—they’re something darker. And the queen who commands them is a demonic vampire with a ruthless grip on everything. Including Caden.
Bound by a shared enemy, Fawn strikes a dangerous bargain with the prince she should hate: help her destroy the queen, and she’ll be the one to end him when it’s over.
But as tension ignites into something far more dangerous, lines blur, loyalties fracture, and desire becomes just as deadly as the trials closing in around them.
Because in a world of bloodshed, betrayal, and fate, falling for your enemy might be the most lethal choice of all.
504 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 6, 2026
About the author
Parker A. Garner
5 books97 followersParker A. Garner is a Tennessee-based author of emotionally raw, dark, and gritty fantasy romance. Her stories don't shy away from darkness, exploring the brutal realities of love, power, survival, and the choices people make when pushed to their limits, while weaving hopeful themes through even the darkest narratives. A lifelong storyteller, Parker has been writing for as long as she can remember. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and their many beloved pets and finds inspiration in the people and places she encounters while traveling.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
I got this book as a ARC audiobook.
It was fantastic. The FMC was determined, strong headed, and resilient. The MMC was as morally grey in all the words but when he falls for the FMC he falls hard.
The story follows the POVs of both character’s, it as action, mystery, fae, vampires, gods and goddess and a true enemies to lovers. It is a slow enemies to lovers story.
The FMC will go to any lengths to free her people from slavery and help them get home.
I can’t wait for the next book!! Thank you so much!!!
It was fantastic. The FMC was determined, strong headed, and resilient. The MMC was as morally grey in all the words but when he falls for the FMC he falls hard.
The story follows the POVs of both character’s, it as action, mystery, fae, vampires, gods and goddess and a true enemies to lovers. It is a slow enemies to lovers story.
The FMC will go to any lengths to free her people from slavery and help them get home.
I can’t wait for the next book!! Thank you so much!!!
October 7, 2026
THIS BOOK WAS FANTASTIC! The FMC is strong-willed, determined, and incredibly resilient, while the MMC is morally grey in EVERY possible way but when he finally falls for her, he falls HARD. Their true enemies-to-lovers romance is a deliciously slow burn, with both POVs, action, mystery, fae, vampires, gods, goddesses, and SO much more. The FMC will stop at NOTHING to free her people from slavery and get them home, making her journey impossible not to root for. I was completely hooked and NEED the next book immediately! Thank you for this incredible ride!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I finished this book and my reward is emotional damage and an urgent need for book two. Love that for me. Fawn had me from the beginning. She’s stubborn, sharp, unapologetically angry and her brain to mouth filter is basically nonexistent which honestly, made me love her even more. She’s carrying so much anger and grief after losing her kingdom but she never becomes just a ‘revenge FMC.’ There’s a softness underneath all that fire, then there’s Caden. The Raven Prince. The vampire. The man I fully expected to be standing there looking suspicious while I judged him from across the page.
Yeah… about that.
Caden completely surprised me. There are things about him that I obviously cannot explain without committing serious spoiler crimes, but this author had me questioning basically every assumption I made about him. His dynamic with Fawn was probably my favorite part because these two have REASONS not to trust each other. Watching that tension slowly shift was delicious. I spent a ridiculous amount of time thinking “Girl, how are you EVER going to get over this?” and then Parker proceeded to make me eat my words. The world building was another huge win for me. I loved the way the author played with the fae, humans and vampire lore instead of giving us the same fantasy ingredients in a different bowl. There’s a lot happening beneath the surface but I never felt like I was drowning in information. The mythology unfolds naturally and every little piece made me more curious about what else is hiding underneath it all.
And the villains?
Ma’am. 🚨
I would like to formally complain.
These people are TERRIBLE. Like, beautifully terrible. The kind of villains who make you want to throw your Kindle across the room and then immediately pick it back up because WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO NEXT?! I hate them. I respect the commitment. I would also like them removed from my personal space. I really enjoyed seeing Fawn and Caden grow throughout the book, especially because neither of them magically becomes a different person overnight. Their relationship develops through all the messy distrust, secrets, grudges and complicated feelings. And yes, there is yearning.
The ending however, was a personal attack.
That cliffhanger had me sitting there like, EXCUSE ME??? WE’RE STOPPING HERE?!
Naturally, I need book two immediately. How long am I supposed to wait for this to happen???
I went in expecting to enjoy this but I ended up genuinely invested in the world, the characters, the secrets and whatever Parker has planned next. If you like fantasy romance with fae, vampires, revenge, enemies to lovers tension, morally questionable decisions, nasty villains and a FMC who will absolutely say the thing everyone else is thinking… put this one on your TBR.
Thank you so much to The NerdFam and Parker A. Garner for allowing me to read this eARC before its release. Heart of the Raven Prince releases October 6, 2026.
Yeah… about that.
Caden completely surprised me. There are things about him that I obviously cannot explain without committing serious spoiler crimes, but this author had me questioning basically every assumption I made about him. His dynamic with Fawn was probably my favorite part because these two have REASONS not to trust each other. Watching that tension slowly shift was delicious. I spent a ridiculous amount of time thinking “Girl, how are you EVER going to get over this?” and then Parker proceeded to make me eat my words. The world building was another huge win for me. I loved the way the author played with the fae, humans and vampire lore instead of giving us the same fantasy ingredients in a different bowl. There’s a lot happening beneath the surface but I never felt like I was drowning in information. The mythology unfolds naturally and every little piece made me more curious about what else is hiding underneath it all.
And the villains?
Ma’am. 🚨
I would like to formally complain.
These people are TERRIBLE. Like, beautifully terrible. The kind of villains who make you want to throw your Kindle across the room and then immediately pick it back up because WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO NEXT?! I hate them. I respect the commitment. I would also like them removed from my personal space. I really enjoyed seeing Fawn and Caden grow throughout the book, especially because neither of them magically becomes a different person overnight. Their relationship develops through all the messy distrust, secrets, grudges and complicated feelings. And yes, there is yearning.
The ending however, was a personal attack.
That cliffhanger had me sitting there like, EXCUSE ME??? WE’RE STOPPING HERE?!
Naturally, I need book two immediately. How long am I supposed to wait for this to happen???
I went in expecting to enjoy this but I ended up genuinely invested in the world, the characters, the secrets and whatever Parker has planned next. If you like fantasy romance with fae, vampires, revenge, enemies to lovers tension, morally questionable decisions, nasty villains and a FMC who will absolutely say the thing everyone else is thinking… put this one on your TBR.
Thank you so much to The NerdFam and Parker A. Garner for allowing me to read this eARC before its release. Heart of the Raven Prince releases October 6, 2026.
October 21, 2026
This book can easily become a whole obsession!
Heart of the Raven Prince by Parker A. Garner is a dark romantasy with fae, vampires, betrayals and bargains.
Fawn loses her kingdom and her family and ends up in the fae realm with what's left of her people. Here she faces hardship from not only her fae captors, but her own people as well. She makes a bargain with the Raven Prince, Caden, to help her take down the Queen and end his life in the end.
What an amazing journey this book is! I went in pretty blind, so I was constantly surprised by what was going on, and never saw any of the twists and turns. Fawn is tenacious and loves her kingdom, but when feelings start developing for the one person she shouldn't, I love how it all unfolds. I will say the berry incident was definitely one of my favorites, I had to reread just to enjoy it again!
Caden has so much more depth to him than you realize, and his story is of course a tragic one. And as per usual, I'm just a sucker for forbidden romance!
If you like your romantasy with fae, vampires, deadly trials, and a delicious slow burn, put this one on your list. I look forward to the next in the series!
Thank you to the author for this advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.
Heart of the Raven Prince by Parker A. Garner is a dark romantasy with fae, vampires, betrayals and bargains.
Fawn loses her kingdom and her family and ends up in the fae realm with what's left of her people. Here she faces hardship from not only her fae captors, but her own people as well. She makes a bargain with the Raven Prince, Caden, to help her take down the Queen and end his life in the end.
What an amazing journey this book is! I went in pretty blind, so I was constantly surprised by what was going on, and never saw any of the twists and turns. Fawn is tenacious and loves her kingdom, but when feelings start developing for the one person she shouldn't, I love how it all unfolds. I will say the berry incident was definitely one of my favorites, I had to reread just to enjoy it again!
Caden has so much more depth to him than you realize, and his story is of course a tragic one. And as per usual, I'm just a sucker for forbidden romance!
If you like your romantasy with fae, vampires, deadly trials, and a delicious slow burn, put this one on your list. I look forward to the next in the series!
Thank you to the author for this advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy
This book had me on my toes the ENTIRE time! And that ENDING?? Left me just staring at the WALL! I love both main characters so much. Fawn is angry, stubborn, impulsive and has absolutely NO filter but I loved that about her. Even after everything she goes through, she never loses that part of herself. Caden the Raven Prince, the Vampire, completely surprised me. There are things about him that I cannot explain without committing spoiler crimes, but it had me questioning every assumption I made about him. His dynamic with Fawn was my favourite part, these two have every reason to hate and distrust each other, and watching that slowly change was SO good. Overall, it was the perfect combo of fantasy, romance, revenge, secrets and characters making questionable decisions, which is everything I love. I finished this book and my reward is emotional damage and an urgent need for book two because I NEED to know what happens now!
September 14, 2026
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review from The Nerd Fam.
Fawn’s kingdom falls, forcing her to disappear and bury her crown and identity just to survive. But hiding becomes impossible when she catches the attention of Caden, the Raven Prince—the winged harbinger of death who helped destroy her world.
When Fawn is dragged into a realm trapped in eternal night, she quickly discovers that this world is far more complicated than she ever imagined. The truth behind the fae, the monsters, and the ruthless vampire queen is much darker than the stories she grew up believing. And escaping this realm isn’t going to be nearly as easy as Fawn thought.
I really liked the setup of Fawn and Caden being enemies who are forced to work together. Caden wants to use Fawn to help defeat the vampire queen, while Fawn agrees to help him on the condition that she gets to be the one to end him afterward. Naturally, things become complicated as their tension starts turning into something neither of them expected.
Fawn also clearly isn’t like the other humans, and I enjoyed seeing that mystery unfold. She has a serious talent for finding trouble, and watching her get thrown into increasingly dangerous situations kept me interested. Her trials to determine whether she can withstand the queen’s influence added another layer of tension to the story.
That said, I struggled with the pacing. There were parts that felt really drawn out, while the final 30% felt like it suddenly sped up. So much happened toward the end that it felt rushed compared to the slower pacing earlier in the book. And then, of course, it ends on a major cliffhanger!
I also found that the story didn’t flow as smoothly for me as other books in a similar fantasy/romantasy vein. There were plenty of elements I enjoyed—the dark fae world, enemies-to-lovers tension, mysterious characters, dangerous trials, and the vampire queen—but the execution didn’t completely pull me in the way I had hoped.
Overall, this was an interesting start to what seems like it could become a much larger story. I’m definitely curious about where Fawn and Caden’s story goes next, especially after that ending, but I wanted a smoother pace and flow throughout the book.
3.5 stars!
Fawn’s kingdom falls, forcing her to disappear and bury her crown and identity just to survive. But hiding becomes impossible when she catches the attention of Caden, the Raven Prince—the winged harbinger of death who helped destroy her world.
When Fawn is dragged into a realm trapped in eternal night, she quickly discovers that this world is far more complicated than she ever imagined. The truth behind the fae, the monsters, and the ruthless vampire queen is much darker than the stories she grew up believing. And escaping this realm isn’t going to be nearly as easy as Fawn thought.
I really liked the setup of Fawn and Caden being enemies who are forced to work together. Caden wants to use Fawn to help defeat the vampire queen, while Fawn agrees to help him on the condition that she gets to be the one to end him afterward. Naturally, things become complicated as their tension starts turning into something neither of them expected.
Fawn also clearly isn’t like the other humans, and I enjoyed seeing that mystery unfold. She has a serious talent for finding trouble, and watching her get thrown into increasingly dangerous situations kept me interested. Her trials to determine whether she can withstand the queen’s influence added another layer of tension to the story.
That said, I struggled with the pacing. There were parts that felt really drawn out, while the final 30% felt like it suddenly sped up. So much happened toward the end that it felt rushed compared to the slower pacing earlier in the book. And then, of course, it ends on a major cliffhanger!
I also found that the story didn’t flow as smoothly for me as other books in a similar fantasy/romantasy vein. There were plenty of elements I enjoyed—the dark fae world, enemies-to-lovers tension, mysterious characters, dangerous trials, and the vampire queen—but the execution didn’t completely pull me in the way I had hoped.
Overall, this was an interesting start to what seems like it could become a much larger story. I’m definitely curious about where Fawn and Caden’s story goes next, especially after that ending, but I wanted a smoother pace and flow throughout the book.
3.5 stars!
October 21, 2026
I went in partially blind, only knowing fae, vampires, and deadly trials.
This was SO MUCH MORE than I anticipated and boy, am I not mad about it!
Remember the first time you read ACOTAR a few years ago? After finishing this book, that’s how I feel — NEEDING book 2, confused and distraught by so many characters, slightly lost but ready for more because you KNOW it will be good?
Yea. That’s how I feel right now. Not comparing the books or the authors by any means, just that feeling.
It is a hard feeling to come by in the romantasy genre! And this book DELIVERED.
Fawn has hew moments but is still badass in the meantime. She is strong-minded and definitely has the audacity of a queen.
Caden? Ugh I love a dark, morally grey character that you’re made to hate but he has a sad history so you just can’t hate him and then bam you love him 🥹
The Raven Queen? She makes me want to bang my head on the wall, as does Caden’s “brother”. And Fawn’s brother? WTF WAS THAT?!
There was so much happening but it was easy to follow due to it being in such a short span of time. I immediately fell in love with the FMC and MMC, and got sucked into the world! Having the audio helped immensely because I loved the accent on the characters, it definitely brings you into it more!
Overall
4.5 ⭐️
🫑 just a yummy slow burn 👹
Thank you so much to the author and The Nerd Fam for an advanced copy and an ALC!
This was SO MUCH MORE than I anticipated and boy, am I not mad about it!
Remember the first time you read ACOTAR a few years ago? After finishing this book, that’s how I feel — NEEDING book 2, confused and distraught by so many characters, slightly lost but ready for more because you KNOW it will be good?
Yea. That’s how I feel right now. Not comparing the books or the authors by any means, just that feeling.
It is a hard feeling to come by in the romantasy genre! And this book DELIVERED.
Fawn has hew moments but is still badass in the meantime. She is strong-minded and definitely has the audacity of a queen.
Caden? Ugh I love a dark, morally grey character that you’re made to hate but he has a sad history so you just can’t hate him and then bam you love him 🥹
The Raven Queen? She makes me want to bang my head on the wall, as does Caden’s “brother”. And Fawn’s brother? WTF WAS THAT?!
There was so much happening but it was easy to follow due to it being in such a short span of time. I immediately fell in love with the FMC and MMC, and got sucked into the world! Having the audio helped immensely because I loved the accent on the characters, it definitely brings you into it more!
Overall
4.5 ⭐️
🫑 just a yummy slow burn 👹
Thank you so much to the author and The Nerd Fam for an advanced copy and an ALC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5⭐️ rounded up!
Vampires, fae, humans, monsters, magic, kidnapping & torture.. honestly what's not to love?!
Heart of the Raven Prince by is such a brilliant story to get lost in and I had such a fun time reading it! The writing flowed really nicely and the world-building is so well detailed, it felt like I was right with the characters every step of the way. I was honestly hooked from the very first page and the ending left me freaking tf out!! I can't wait to see what happens next🤩
My fav thing was (obviously) our MCs, I just loved them both so much. Especially how Fawn was stubborn & fierce enough to stand up to her enemies, no matter what it might cost. Also how she doesn’t take any shit from Caden hehe and speaking of Caden?? Your honour I am obsessed and I will love him forever🥺 His story made me so emosh, I think he deserves alllll the happiness! I swear the tension & hatred between them both was like its own perfect form of torture and I was constantly on the edge of my seat, just waiting for it all to kick off😈
I need book two more than anything, so for now, I'll just be here waiting superrr impatiently👀
Huge thanks to the publisher & netgalley for my eARC🫶
Vampires, fae, humans, monsters, magic, kidnapping & torture.. honestly what's not to love?!
Heart of the Raven Prince by is such a brilliant story to get lost in and I had such a fun time reading it! The writing flowed really nicely and the world-building is so well detailed, it felt like I was right with the characters every step of the way. I was honestly hooked from the very first page and the ending left me freaking tf out!! I can't wait to see what happens next🤩
My fav thing was (obviously) our MCs, I just loved them both so much. Especially how Fawn was stubborn & fierce enough to stand up to her enemies, no matter what it might cost. Also how she doesn’t take any shit from Caden hehe and speaking of Caden?? Your honour I am obsessed and I will love him forever🥺 His story made me so emosh, I think he deserves alllll the happiness! I swear the tension & hatred between them both was like its own perfect form of torture and I was constantly on the edge of my seat, just waiting for it all to kick off😈
I need book two more than anything, so for now, I'll just be here waiting superrr impatiently👀
Huge thanks to the publisher & netgalley for my eARC🫶
October 7, 2026
Thank you to the NerdFam and the author for the ALC and ARC
They say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”… I say yes, do it! This book is proof that judging a book by its cover pays off!
Give me an FMC I can cheer for because she only wants what’s best for her people. Then give me an MMC I can hate half the time and love the other half. Add in brutal trials, a history that is both maddening and heartbreaking, and a truly diabolical villain, and you’ve got a story I could not put down!
The story was so well done, and I loved the dual POV. No matter whose perspective I was reading, I was completely captivated. I felt like I was being teased and fed just enough information to keep me turning the pages and then I was left hanging off the cliff, desperately needing to know what happens next.
If you love fantasy filled with trials, secrets, complicated characters, and villains you hate, add this one to your TBR!
They say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”… I say yes, do it! This book is proof that judging a book by its cover pays off!
Give me an FMC I can cheer for because she only wants what’s best for her people. Then give me an MMC I can hate half the time and love the other half. Add in brutal trials, a history that is both maddening and heartbreaking, and a truly diabolical villain, and you’ve got a story I could not put down!
The story was so well done, and I loved the dual POV. No matter whose perspective I was reading, I was completely captivated. I felt like I was being teased and fed just enough information to keep me turning the pages and then I was left hanging off the cliff, desperately needing to know what happens next.
If you love fantasy filled with trials, secrets, complicated characters, and villains you hate, add this one to your TBR!
October 30, 2026
This one was dark. And I think a lot of people will really love it. I thought I was going to be fine with it, but I think at the time of life and reading that I'm in now, I need my dark fantasies to also not be grim. I need some deep relationships and hope to play a role. And that's ok. A lot of people aren't like me, and I think this will do very well!
The writing was excellent. I'm once again begging folks to read indie authors. There are so many good ones out there! If you like a dark fantasy and don't need some of the touchy feely elements, you will rate this 5 stars. This one's for you!
The writing was excellent. I'm once again begging folks to read indie authors. There are so many good ones out there! If you like a dark fantasy and don't need some of the touchy feely elements, you will rate this 5 stars. This one's for you!
October 22, 2026
Vampire? Morally grey MMC? Badass FMC? SIGN ME UP! This book was really good! The yearning Caden has for Fawn is absolutely incredible! The whole craving her blood subject is one of my favourites (I wish there was more of that honestly). Fawn’s willingness to go above and beyond to save her people was really incredible. Their tension is so high, especially by the end of the book. I really can’t wait for the next one!
October 1, 2026
Thank you to the Nerd Fam for letting me be on the review team for this book!
I got the audio version and the dual narration was great! This book definitely pulled me in with our fearless FMC and our brooding MMC. I loved all the yearning we had in this book and that slow burn 😍.
The action definitely picked up in the later half of this book and that ending left me wanting more!
I got the audio version and the dual narration was great! This book definitely pulled me in with our fearless FMC and our brooding MMC. I loved all the yearning we had in this book and that slow burn 😍.
The action definitely picked up in the later half of this book and that ending left me wanting more!
Review of advance copy received from Author
**𝓝𝓞 𝓢𝓟𝓞𝓘𝓛𝓔𝓡𝓢**
⚜️𝔻𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 𝕠𝕗- Heart of the Raven Prince by Parker A. Garner
𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰, 𝐢𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬 𝐢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.
⚜️ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤-
* 🗣 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
* 📚 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 / 5
* 🌡️ 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲= SLOW BURN 🌶️🫑 / 5 -𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑠
* Which books have I also given this same rating? (𝑠𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑦𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛)
5⭐️ Fourth Wing / Bound by Inked Flame / Anathama / The Lies of Lena / Of Silver and Curses
5⭐️ Bitten / The Female / Quicksilver / Bride / Lights Out / A Bargain so Bloody
4⭐️ ACOTAR / Spellcaster / One Dark Window / From Blood and Ash / Phantasma / Butcher & Blackbird
3⭐️ We Who Will Die / The Wolf King / Daughter of No Worlds / The Ex Hex
⚜️𝕂𝕖𝕪 𝕀𝕟𝕗𝕠:
* Genre- Dark Fantasy
* 🎧 12 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 58 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀- (I listened comfortably at 1.7x speed)
* 📖 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀- 504
* 𝗣𝗢𝗩- Dual POV / dual narration BY Arya Jacobs & Devon Ryder
* 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲- 6th October 2026
* 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 or 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 driven? A Mix, but definitely plot-forward
* 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 & 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗻𝗼- The Raven’s Prey Saga #1
* 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 on 𝗞𝗨? Not confirmed at the time of review
* 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗲- Well paced for the story.
* 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? ✅ YES, I think so
* 𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?❌
* ℳℴℴ𝒹𝓈; Adventurous, Romantic, Steamy, Emotional, Dark, Tense, Twisty, Angsty, Foreboding, Trauma-heavy, Mysterious, Magical, Adrenaline fuelled high stakes.
* 𝒟𝒾𝒹 𝒾 ℯ𝓃𝒿ℴ𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈? ✅
* 𝒲𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓃ℯ𝓍𝓉 𝒷ℴℴ𝓀 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓈ℯ𝓇𝒾ℯ𝓈? ✅
* 𝒲ℴ𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓉ℎ𝒾𝓃𝑔 ℯ𝓁𝓈ℯ 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝓊𝓉ℎℴ𝓇? ✅ Yes. This was a fantastic introduction to Parker A. Garner’s writing.
* 𝖂𝖍𝖔 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖎 𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖔? Fantasy readers who want the fantasy plot to actually matter. If you enjoy genuinely dangerous enemies-to-lovers, a fierce FMC, morally grey characters, vampires, fae, trials, political intrigue, nasty villains, magic, revenge, forced alliances, slow-burn yearning and romance that develops alongside the main story rather than swallowing it whole, put this on your TBR. I’d especially recommend the audiobook or an immersive read-and-listen.
⚜️𝕊ℙ𝔼ℂ𝕀𝔼𝕊 𝕀ℕ 𝕊𝕋𝕆ℝ𝕐:
💋 Humans
⚰️ Vampires
🧝♀️ Fae
✝️ Gods / Goddesses
🧟♂️ Monsters / other supernatural creatures
⚜️𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕤:
🔥 Slow Burn
🥵 Dirty Talk
🗡 Enemies to Lovers - he killed her parents!
💀 Forbidden Romance
🌡 Yearning, Angst, Tension
🙏 He Falls First
☠️ Touch her and…
⚜️𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊
😈 Secrets & Betrayals
🔮 Prophecies and Mysteries
🏆 Trials
👑 Royal Intrigue
☯️ Religion/Deities
🕯️ Dark Magic
🧩 Forced Proximity
💈 Banter
☠️ Touch her and…
🏹 Bad Ass FMC
🧨 Sassy FMC
🥊 Revenge
🪽 Winged MMC
🩸 Vampire/Fae Court
⚔️ Genuine Enemies to Lovers
🤝 Forced Alliance
✨ TᕼᗴᗰᗴՏ ✨
Power • Freedom • Oppression • Revenge • Survival • Grief • Duty • Sacrifice • Autonomy • Slavery • Morality • Redemption • Loyalty • Trust • Leadership • Protecting your people • Prejudice • Choice • The difference between being a monster and being made into one
📝Cliff Notes Review-
THIS is how I like my romantasy: fantasy first, romance simmering dangerously underneath it. Fawn and Caden’s true enemies-to-reluctant-allies relationship is a proper slow burn while the immortal queen, trials, political intrigue, vampires, fae, gods, secrets and genuinely dangerous stakes drive the actual story. The worldbuilding flowed naturally without huge info dumps, the audiobook was phenomenal and that ending has absolutely guaranteed I’ll be there for book two.
⚜️𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒓, 𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑵 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕?⚜️(𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡- 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑜𝑟 𝐴𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑜?)
I’d absolutely recommend the audiobook. There’s a lot happening, but it never felt difficult to follow, and having those voices attached to Fawn and Caden made the emotional moments, confrontations and tension even more immediate.
⚜️𝔸𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕠 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨:
Bloomin’ brilliant. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Arya Jacobs and Devon Ryder were extremely well cast as Fawn and Caden. Neither performance felt like somebody simply reading fantasy dialogue from a page; they gave the characters enough personality and emotional weight that I became completely absorbed in their perspectives.
I listened at 1.7x and everything remained beautifully clear and crisp. That’s something I pay particular attention to because increasing speed can absolutely murder a performance if the narration isn’t suited to it. Here, the emotion survived intact. Tense scenes still felt tense, emotional moments still carried weight and, importantly, the pauses still existed long enough to create drama rather than disappearing into one continuous stream of words.
The narration definitely enhanced my experience rather than simply accompanying it. For a big fantasy with different species, politics, danger, emotional confrontations and dual perspectives, that’s exactly what I want. If you’re debating whether to read or listen, the audio gets a huge recommendation from me.
😥 𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕟𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤?
This is actually quite a difficult section because I really enjoyed this book. There isn’t one enormous problem sitting in the middle of it ruining everything. My reservations are more about pieces of the world I desperately wanted to understand better.
The biggest thing missing for me was more concrete lore around the relationships between humans, vampires and fae. We understand that humans occupy a horribly vulnerable position in this realm and are used as a food source, but I wanted to understand the social rules surrounding that arrangement more clearly. Were the human feeders selected randomly? Were particular humans assigned to members of the elite? Was feeding regulated? Were humans being used sexually as well as for blood considered normal, forbidden, expected or simply dependent on whoever controlled them? Those details would have made the darker social structure feel even more complete.
I had similar questions around romantic partnerships. Do fated mates exist in this world? Can everyone freely choose partners? Do the royal or elite families arrange relationships? Does the queen control pairings? Are long-term relationships even culturally important, or is everyone largely free to sleep with and love whoever they choose?
That missing information became particularly noticeable during one romantic/sexual situation. I won’t spoil who or what happens, but because I already strongly suspected where the central romance was going, part of me desperately wanted someone to have that wait…this feels wrong because I want THEM moment.
My jealousy-trope-loving little goblin was sitting there going:
EXCUSE ME. PUT THAT PERSON DOWN. 😂
But strangely, I also appreciated that it didn’t happen.
If these characters aren’t established fated mates and have only recently met, why would either automatically stop having a life because the reader knows they’re probably endgame? That’s actually much more natural and believable. People don’t receive a little notification saying “Congratulations! Your romantic lead has entered the narrative. Please cease all other activities immediately.”
So I disliked it emotionally…
…while simultaneously thinking it was probably the more realistic writing choice.
Annoying. 😂
I’m now VERY interested to see whether it becomes relevant later, particularly because if Parker A. Garner decides to weaponise jealousy in book two, I will suddenly become considerably more forgiving about the entire thing.
🌍 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘:
One of my favourite things about this book was how effortless the worldbuilding felt. This is a BIG fantasy. We have humans, fae, vampires, gods and goddesses, different realms, magic, royal politics, war, slavery, an immortal ruler, trials, history and supernatural rules. But I never felt buried underneath information.
The world unfolded around the characters while the plot continued moving. I learnt what I needed as it became relevant rather than receiving huge chunks of history and terminology before being allowed to continue with the story. That’s probably one reason the immersive read worked so well for me: I could simply sink into it.
There was no repetitive slog and no giant dull patch where I suddenly became conscious of how long the book was. The main plot surrounding the immortal queen is strong enough to carry the story by itself, but there are also multiple smaller threads running alongside it, meaning I constantly had something else to wonder about.
The trials were particularly addictive because they let Fawn’s personality shine while naturally raising the stakes. She doesn’t simply stand around waiting for somebody stronger to save her. She walks directly towards danger with the self-preservation instincts of someone who apparently misplaced them several chapters ago. 😂
I also loved that the romance remains a subplot rather than swallowing the fantasy. There is tension, attraction, yearning and some wonderfully filthy dialogue, but the world does not stop turning because Fawn and Caden fancy each other.
That’s why the slow burn worked so well for me.
I’m not sitting there wondering why these supposed enemies are declaring eternal love 140 pages after meeting. Their relationship is developing underneath everything else, almost sneaking up on them while considerably larger problems demand their attention.
And considering where things seem to be heading?
I suspect book two is going to be considerably hotter.
🧝♂️ ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤:
Fawn absolutely worked for me.
She’s a queen trying desperately to do right by her people, and what I loved most is that her bravery isn’t presented as elegant perfection. Sometimes I genuinely couldn’t decide whether she was incredibly courageous or simply catastrophically lacking in common sense.
Apparently Caden couldn’t either. 😂
But that’s what makes her entertaining.
She doesn’t sit somewhere safe sending other people into danger. If doing something reckless might protect her people, she’s already halfway through doing it before anyone has finished explaining why it’s an appalling idea. Her decisions come from responsibility rather than a desire to prove she’s the toughest person in the room.
She also has a wonderfully entertaining inner monologue and absolutely no problem confronting people who attempt to claim, control or belittle her. I loved those moments because they reinforce who she is as a ruler. Her kingdom may have fallen, but her sense of responsibility to those people hasn’t.
Then we have Caden, who turned out to be considerably more complicated than the terrifying Raven Prince introduction suggests. I loved getting his POV because it lets us understand the conflict underneath the exterior without immediately removing all of his mystery. He’s morally grey, carrying an enormous amount of baggage and absolutely not somebody Fawn has any sensible reason to trust initially.
Which is precisely why their relationship works.
These two aren’t enemies because somebody accidentally insulted somebody at a party.
There are actual reasons for the hatred.
Watching that shift into reluctant cooperation and then into something neither really wants to acknowledge gives the romance room to breathe. Caden also begins seeing Fawn’s ridiculous courage for exactly what it is. He might question whether she’s brave or simply insane, but underneath the frustration is unmistakable admiration.
The side characters are still relatively lightly sketched, but I liked what we saw of them enough that I already want considerably more. And apparently the author decided I was getting too comfortable because that death genuinely caught me off guard.
RUDE.
I’m now extremely suspicious about becoming attached to anybody in book two. 😂
🪧𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
The cover hadn’t particularly excited me. Honestly, I’m still not a fan of it. It doesn’t grab my attention and, having finished the story, I don’t think it captures what made this book exciting either. If I saw that cover without knowing anything else, I’m not convinced it would make me stop scrolling.
Which is a shame because what’s underneath it is bloody good.
The main fantasy plot surrounding an immortal queen controlling the realm immediately gave the story proper stakes, but it was all of the threads running underneath that kept me entertained: Fawn’s fallen kingdom, Caden’s history, humans being oppressed and used as a food source, vampires, fae, gods, magic, the trials, political power, hidden motives, genuinely horrible villains and the growing question of exactly what Fawn and Caden are becoming to each other.
Fawn and Caden’s relationship never needed to carry the entire book because the fantasy story was already strong. That gave their romance permission to simmer. They could distrust each other, argue, cooperate reluctantly, notice things they absolutely shouldn’t be noticing, yearn, exchange some extremely entertaining dialogue and occasionally reach that delicious “fuck it” point without suddenly forgetting that they have an immortal monster of a queen and an entire realm to worry about.
That’s a TRUE slow burn to me.
My only real hunger was for more lore. I want the social rules. I want to understand feeding arrangements. I want to understand relationships and mating. I want to know whether fated mates exist. I want to understand how partners are chosen and what is culturally acceptable between humans, vampires and fae.
And yes, part of that curiosity is entirely selfish because I WANT TO KNOW WHETHER I AM GETTING JEALOUS CADEN.
There. I said it. 😂
The other-person situation gave me such conflicting feelings because the romance reader in me wanted somebody to slam the brakes on immediately, while the sensible part of my brain was saying, They barely know each other. Why exactly would either of them magically know they’re endgame?
I hate when logic wins.
Still, there’s another book coming. I have hope. 😈
⚜️𝔻𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 𝕠𝕗- Heart of the Raven Prince by Parker A. Garner
𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰, 𝐢𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬 𝐢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.
⚜️ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤-
* 🗣 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
* 📚 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 / 5
* 🌡️ 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲= SLOW BURN 🌶️🫑 / 5 -𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑠
* Which books have I also given this same rating? (𝑠𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑦𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛)
5⭐️ Fourth Wing / Bound by Inked Flame / Anathama / The Lies of Lena / Of Silver and Curses
5⭐️ Bitten / The Female / Quicksilver / Bride / Lights Out / A Bargain so Bloody
4⭐️ ACOTAR / Spellcaster / One Dark Window / From Blood and Ash / Phantasma / Butcher & Blackbird
3⭐️ We Who Will Die / The Wolf King / Daughter of No Worlds / The Ex Hex
⚜️𝕂𝕖𝕪 𝕀𝕟𝕗𝕠:
* Genre- Dark Fantasy
* 🎧 12 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 58 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀- (I listened comfortably at 1.7x speed)
* 📖 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀- 504
* 𝗣𝗢𝗩- Dual POV / dual narration BY Arya Jacobs & Devon Ryder
* 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲- 6th October 2026
* 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 or 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 driven? A Mix, but definitely plot-forward
* 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 & 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗻𝗼- The Raven’s Prey Saga #1
* 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 on 𝗞𝗨? Not confirmed at the time of review
* 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗲- Well paced for the story.
* 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? ✅ YES, I think so
* 𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?❌
* ℳℴℴ𝒹𝓈; Adventurous, Romantic, Steamy, Emotional, Dark, Tense, Twisty, Angsty, Foreboding, Trauma-heavy, Mysterious, Magical, Adrenaline fuelled high stakes.
* 𝒟𝒾𝒹 𝒾 ℯ𝓃𝒿ℴ𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈? ✅
* 𝒲𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓃ℯ𝓍𝓉 𝒷ℴℴ𝓀 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓈ℯ𝓇𝒾ℯ𝓈? ✅
* 𝒲ℴ𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓉ℎ𝒾𝓃𝑔 ℯ𝓁𝓈ℯ 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝓊𝓉ℎℴ𝓇? ✅ Yes. This was a fantastic introduction to Parker A. Garner’s writing.
* 𝖂𝖍𝖔 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖎 𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖔? Fantasy readers who want the fantasy plot to actually matter. If you enjoy genuinely dangerous enemies-to-lovers, a fierce FMC, morally grey characters, vampires, fae, trials, political intrigue, nasty villains, magic, revenge, forced alliances, slow-burn yearning and romance that develops alongside the main story rather than swallowing it whole, put this on your TBR. I’d especially recommend the audiobook or an immersive read-and-listen.
⚜️𝕊ℙ𝔼ℂ𝕀𝔼𝕊 𝕀ℕ 𝕊𝕋𝕆ℝ𝕐:
💋 Humans
⚰️ Vampires
🧝♀️ Fae
✝️ Gods / Goddesses
🧟♂️ Monsters / other supernatural creatures
⚜️𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕤:
🔥 Slow Burn
🥵 Dirty Talk
🗡 Enemies to Lovers - he killed her parents!
💀 Forbidden Romance
🌡 Yearning, Angst, Tension
🙏 He Falls First
☠️ Touch her and…
⚜️𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊
😈 Secrets & Betrayals
🔮 Prophecies and Mysteries
🏆 Trials
👑 Royal Intrigue
☯️ Religion/Deities
🕯️ Dark Magic
🧩 Forced Proximity
💈 Banter
☠️ Touch her and…
🏹 Bad Ass FMC
🧨 Sassy FMC
🥊 Revenge
🪽 Winged MMC
🩸 Vampire/Fae Court
⚔️ Genuine Enemies to Lovers
🤝 Forced Alliance
✨ TᕼᗴᗰᗴՏ ✨
Power • Freedom • Oppression • Revenge • Survival • Grief • Duty • Sacrifice • Autonomy • Slavery • Morality • Redemption • Loyalty • Trust • Leadership • Protecting your people • Prejudice • Choice • The difference between being a monster and being made into one
📝Cliff Notes Review-
THIS is how I like my romantasy: fantasy first, romance simmering dangerously underneath it. Fawn and Caden’s true enemies-to-reluctant-allies relationship is a proper slow burn while the immortal queen, trials, political intrigue, vampires, fae, gods, secrets and genuinely dangerous stakes drive the actual story. The worldbuilding flowed naturally without huge info dumps, the audiobook was phenomenal and that ending has absolutely guaranteed I’ll be there for book two.
⚜️𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒓, 𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑵 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕?⚜️(𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡- 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑜𝑟 𝐴𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑜?)
I’d absolutely recommend the audiobook. There’s a lot happening, but it never felt difficult to follow, and having those voices attached to Fawn and Caden made the emotional moments, confrontations and tension even more immediate.
⚜️𝔸𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕠 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨:
Bloomin’ brilliant. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Arya Jacobs and Devon Ryder were extremely well cast as Fawn and Caden. Neither performance felt like somebody simply reading fantasy dialogue from a page; they gave the characters enough personality and emotional weight that I became completely absorbed in their perspectives.
I listened at 1.7x and everything remained beautifully clear and crisp. That’s something I pay particular attention to because increasing speed can absolutely murder a performance if the narration isn’t suited to it. Here, the emotion survived intact. Tense scenes still felt tense, emotional moments still carried weight and, importantly, the pauses still existed long enough to create drama rather than disappearing into one continuous stream of words.
The narration definitely enhanced my experience rather than simply accompanying it. For a big fantasy with different species, politics, danger, emotional confrontations and dual perspectives, that’s exactly what I want. If you’re debating whether to read or listen, the audio gets a huge recommendation from me.
😥 𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕟𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤?
This is actually quite a difficult section because I really enjoyed this book. There isn’t one enormous problem sitting in the middle of it ruining everything. My reservations are more about pieces of the world I desperately wanted to understand better.
The biggest thing missing for me was more concrete lore around the relationships between humans, vampires and fae. We understand that humans occupy a horribly vulnerable position in this realm and are used as a food source, but I wanted to understand the social rules surrounding that arrangement more clearly. Were the human feeders selected randomly? Were particular humans assigned to members of the elite? Was feeding regulated? Were humans being used sexually as well as for blood considered normal, forbidden, expected or simply dependent on whoever controlled them? Those details would have made the darker social structure feel even more complete.
I had similar questions around romantic partnerships. Do fated mates exist in this world? Can everyone freely choose partners? Do the royal or elite families arrange relationships? Does the queen control pairings? Are long-term relationships even culturally important, or is everyone largely free to sleep with and love whoever they choose?
That missing information became particularly noticeable during one romantic/sexual situation. I won’t spoil who or what happens, but because I already strongly suspected where the central romance was going, part of me desperately wanted someone to have that wait…this feels wrong because I want THEM moment.
My jealousy-trope-loving little goblin was sitting there going:
EXCUSE ME. PUT THAT PERSON DOWN. 😂
But strangely, I also appreciated that it didn’t happen.
If these characters aren’t established fated mates and have only recently met, why would either automatically stop having a life because the reader knows they’re probably endgame? That’s actually much more natural and believable. People don’t receive a little notification saying “Congratulations! Your romantic lead has entered the narrative. Please cease all other activities immediately.”
So I disliked it emotionally…
…while simultaneously thinking it was probably the more realistic writing choice.
Annoying. 😂
I’m now VERY interested to see whether it becomes relevant later, particularly because if Parker A. Garner decides to weaponise jealousy in book two, I will suddenly become considerably more forgiving about the entire thing.
🌍 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘:
One of my favourite things about this book was how effortless the worldbuilding felt. This is a BIG fantasy. We have humans, fae, vampires, gods and goddesses, different realms, magic, royal politics, war, slavery, an immortal ruler, trials, history and supernatural rules. But I never felt buried underneath information.
The world unfolded around the characters while the plot continued moving. I learnt what I needed as it became relevant rather than receiving huge chunks of history and terminology before being allowed to continue with the story. That’s probably one reason the immersive read worked so well for me: I could simply sink into it.
There was no repetitive slog and no giant dull patch where I suddenly became conscious of how long the book was. The main plot surrounding the immortal queen is strong enough to carry the story by itself, but there are also multiple smaller threads running alongside it, meaning I constantly had something else to wonder about.
The trials were particularly addictive because they let Fawn’s personality shine while naturally raising the stakes. She doesn’t simply stand around waiting for somebody stronger to save her. She walks directly towards danger with the self-preservation instincts of someone who apparently misplaced them several chapters ago. 😂
I also loved that the romance remains a subplot rather than swallowing the fantasy. There is tension, attraction, yearning and some wonderfully filthy dialogue, but the world does not stop turning because Fawn and Caden fancy each other.
That’s why the slow burn worked so well for me.
I’m not sitting there wondering why these supposed enemies are declaring eternal love 140 pages after meeting. Their relationship is developing underneath everything else, almost sneaking up on them while considerably larger problems demand their attention.
And considering where things seem to be heading?
I suspect book two is going to be considerably hotter.
🧝♂️ ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤:
Fawn absolutely worked for me.
She’s a queen trying desperately to do right by her people, and what I loved most is that her bravery isn’t presented as elegant perfection. Sometimes I genuinely couldn’t decide whether she was incredibly courageous or simply catastrophically lacking in common sense.
Apparently Caden couldn’t either. 😂
But that’s what makes her entertaining.
She doesn’t sit somewhere safe sending other people into danger. If doing something reckless might protect her people, she’s already halfway through doing it before anyone has finished explaining why it’s an appalling idea. Her decisions come from responsibility rather than a desire to prove she’s the toughest person in the room.
She also has a wonderfully entertaining inner monologue and absolutely no problem confronting people who attempt to claim, control or belittle her. I loved those moments because they reinforce who she is as a ruler. Her kingdom may have fallen, but her sense of responsibility to those people hasn’t.
Then we have Caden, who turned out to be considerably more complicated than the terrifying Raven Prince introduction suggests. I loved getting his POV because it lets us understand the conflict underneath the exterior without immediately removing all of his mystery. He’s morally grey, carrying an enormous amount of baggage and absolutely not somebody Fawn has any sensible reason to trust initially.
Which is precisely why their relationship works.
These two aren’t enemies because somebody accidentally insulted somebody at a party.
There are actual reasons for the hatred.
Watching that shift into reluctant cooperation and then into something neither really wants to acknowledge gives the romance room to breathe. Caden also begins seeing Fawn’s ridiculous courage for exactly what it is. He might question whether she’s brave or simply insane, but underneath the frustration is unmistakable admiration.
The side characters are still relatively lightly sketched, but I liked what we saw of them enough that I already want considerably more. And apparently the author decided I was getting too comfortable because that death genuinely caught me off guard.
RUDE.
I’m now extremely suspicious about becoming attached to anybody in book two. 😂
🪧𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
The cover hadn’t particularly excited me. Honestly, I’m still not a fan of it. It doesn’t grab my attention and, having finished the story, I don’t think it captures what made this book exciting either. If I saw that cover without knowing anything else, I’m not convinced it would make me stop scrolling.
Which is a shame because what’s underneath it is bloody good.
The main fantasy plot surrounding an immortal queen controlling the realm immediately gave the story proper stakes, but it was all of the threads running underneath that kept me entertained: Fawn’s fallen kingdom, Caden’s history, humans being oppressed and used as a food source, vampires, fae, gods, magic, the trials, political power, hidden motives, genuinely horrible villains and the growing question of exactly what Fawn and Caden are becoming to each other.
Fawn and Caden’s relationship never needed to carry the entire book because the fantasy story was already strong. That gave their romance permission to simmer. They could distrust each other, argue, cooperate reluctantly, notice things they absolutely shouldn’t be noticing, yearn, exchange some extremely entertaining dialogue and occasionally reach that delicious “fuck it” point without suddenly forgetting that they have an immortal monster of a queen and an entire realm to worry about.
That’s a TRUE slow burn to me.
My only real hunger was for more lore. I want the social rules. I want to understand feeding arrangements. I want to understand relationships and mating. I want to know whether fated mates exist. I want to understand how partners are chosen and what is culturally acceptable between humans, vampires and fae.
And yes, part of that curiosity is entirely selfish because I WANT TO KNOW WHETHER I AM GETTING JEALOUS CADEN.
There. I said it. 😂
The other-person situation gave me such conflicting feelings because the romance reader in me wanted somebody to slam the brakes on immediately, while the sensible part of my brain was saying, They barely know each other. Why exactly would either of them magically know they’re endgame?
I hate when logic wins.
Still, there’s another book coming. I have hope. 😈
September 20, 2026
I fear I have found another book that is going to make waiting for the sequel unbearable...
I went into Heart of the Raven Prince knowing very little about the story, but knowing Parker A Garner’s previous work I should’ve prepared for emotional damage… I obviously went in unprepared and got out with a broken heart, will I ever learn?? Safe to say, Heart of the Raven Prince completely consumed me.
Our FMC is Fawn, a princess whose kingdom is overtaken by an army, forcing her to hide her identity among the survivors. She is feisty, stubborn, swears like a sailor, and has absolutely no interest in keeping her mouth shut when someone tells her to. Even when she probably should. Especially when she probably should. And I LOVED HER. Fawn is the kind of heroine who will walk directly into danger and make questionable decisions, but somehow you can’t help but root for her. And walking into army’s war camp Fawn then manages to attract the attention of Caden, the infamous Raven Prince. Chosen of the evil fae queen. The man whose army helped destroy Fawn’s kingdom. Naturally, these two are going to get along wonderfully... 🤡
Except this is where things get VERY interesting, because Caden is not quite the monster Fawn believes him to be…
The relationship between these two is chef’s kiss. They have every possible reason to hate and distrust each other, and I loved that the book actually lets them sit in that tension instead of rushing them into romance. Their relationship slowly evolves from enemies, to reluctant allies, to something much more complicated, with secrets and betrayals and enough yearning to keep me staring at the pages for days.
And Caden? Parker, you knew exactly what you were doing with this man. There is something about a morally complicated fantasy man who is carrying more than he lets on that just gets me every single time. Add wings, a dark fae realm, and the fact that he is the Raven Prince? Yeah. I never stood a chance…
I also really enjoyed the world-building. The way the fae, humans, and vampires tie into the story made this feel like more than just another fantasy romance with pretty magic and a broody man. It had everything you want in a Romantasy; The romance, the danger, the secrets, the revenge, the morally questionable decisions… this book had me in its grip, and I was more than happy to let it keep me there.
And then Parker decided the best way to finish this book was to emotionally drop-kick me off a cliff…
THAT ENDING. EXCUSE ME??? I need book two like yesterday, thank you very much.
Heart of the Raven Prince is dark, twisty, romantic and packed with secrets, morally questionable decisions, dangerous magic, vampires, fae, revenge and two people who really should not be falling for each other. It completely sucked me in, and by the end I was emotionally attached to these characters, suspicious of basically everyone and staring at the final pages like Parker has personally betrayed me for emotionally ruining me AGAIN.
I went into Heart of the Raven Prince knowing very little about the story, but knowing Parker A Garner’s previous work I should’ve prepared for emotional damage… I obviously went in unprepared and got out with a broken heart, will I ever learn?? Safe to say, Heart of the Raven Prince completely consumed me.
Our FMC is Fawn, a princess whose kingdom is overtaken by an army, forcing her to hide her identity among the survivors. She is feisty, stubborn, swears like a sailor, and has absolutely no interest in keeping her mouth shut when someone tells her to. Even when she probably should. Especially when she probably should. And I LOVED HER. Fawn is the kind of heroine who will walk directly into danger and make questionable decisions, but somehow you can’t help but root for her. And walking into army’s war camp Fawn then manages to attract the attention of Caden, the infamous Raven Prince. Chosen of the evil fae queen. The man whose army helped destroy Fawn’s kingdom. Naturally, these two are going to get along wonderfully... 🤡
Except this is where things get VERY interesting, because Caden is not quite the monster Fawn believes him to be…
The relationship between these two is chef’s kiss. They have every possible reason to hate and distrust each other, and I loved that the book actually lets them sit in that tension instead of rushing them into romance. Their relationship slowly evolves from enemies, to reluctant allies, to something much more complicated, with secrets and betrayals and enough yearning to keep me staring at the pages for days.
And Caden? Parker, you knew exactly what you were doing with this man. There is something about a morally complicated fantasy man who is carrying more than he lets on that just gets me every single time. Add wings, a dark fae realm, and the fact that he is the Raven Prince? Yeah. I never stood a chance…
I also really enjoyed the world-building. The way the fae, humans, and vampires tie into the story made this feel like more than just another fantasy romance with pretty magic and a broody man. It had everything you want in a Romantasy; The romance, the danger, the secrets, the revenge, the morally questionable decisions… this book had me in its grip, and I was more than happy to let it keep me there.
And then Parker decided the best way to finish this book was to emotionally drop-kick me off a cliff…
THAT ENDING. EXCUSE ME??? I need book two like yesterday, thank you very much.
Heart of the Raven Prince is dark, twisty, romantic and packed with secrets, morally questionable decisions, dangerous magic, vampires, fae, revenge and two people who really should not be falling for each other. It completely sucked me in, and by the end I was emotionally attached to these characters, suspicious of basically everyone and staring at the final pages like Parker has personally betrayed me for emotionally ruining me AGAIN.
November 2, 2026
I received a complimentary audiobook and ebook through The Nerd Fam. All opinions are my own.
Okay, I devoured The Heart of the Raven Prince in two days, and now I'm sitting here wishing book two was already available. Because THAT ENDING.
First, Fawn. I really liked her: proud, feral, stubborn, and absolutely determined to defend her people. Does she always make the smartest decisions? No. Did I sometimes wish she'd stop for five minutes and actually think? Yes.
But honestly, I understood her. She's surrounded by people who have given her very little reason to trust them, and she's trying to survive, protect her people, and reunite with her brother. She's incredibly strong-willed, and I really appreciated her moral convictions.
Then there's Caden. What I loved about their enemies-to-lovers dynamic is that they're ACTUAL enemies. There are very real reasons for the hatred and distrust between them, and the story doesn't conveniently forget those just because feelings start developing.
Having Caden's POV made this especially interesting. As a reader, I kept wanting Fawn to trust him because I understood things she didn't. But SHE doesn't have that information! And that's precisely why her reactions made sense to me. I really enjoyed watching their relationship evolve as they slowly started understanding each other.
I also loved the lore and worldbuilding. The fae, vampires, different magics, legends, gods, Fomora... There's clearly a lot more happening than we initially understand, and I thought the different elements were introduced really well.
The romance is a proper slow burn. Would I have liked a little more spice? Absolutely. But the emotional development worked for me, and I liked that their relationship wasn't rushed.
I alternated between the audiobook and the ebook, sometimes following along with both, and really enjoyed the duet narration. It worked so well for the story!
And finally, the cliffhanger. I won't spoil anything, but let's just say I'm NOT delighted about having to wait for book two. There are so many things I want to see resolved, and I need to know what happens next.
Five stars. Dark, addictive, great characters, an interesting world, and a slow-burn romance that actually feels earned. Definitely recommend, although you might want to wait until book two is available if cliffhangers drive you crazy!
Okay, I devoured The Heart of the Raven Prince in two days, and now I'm sitting here wishing book two was already available. Because THAT ENDING.
First, Fawn. I really liked her: proud, feral, stubborn, and absolutely determined to defend her people. Does she always make the smartest decisions? No. Did I sometimes wish she'd stop for five minutes and actually think? Yes.
But honestly, I understood her. She's surrounded by people who have given her very little reason to trust them, and she's trying to survive, protect her people, and reunite with her brother. She's incredibly strong-willed, and I really appreciated her moral convictions.
Then there's Caden. What I loved about their enemies-to-lovers dynamic is that they're ACTUAL enemies. There are very real reasons for the hatred and distrust between them, and the story doesn't conveniently forget those just because feelings start developing.
Having Caden's POV made this especially interesting. As a reader, I kept wanting Fawn to trust him because I understood things she didn't. But SHE doesn't have that information! And that's precisely why her reactions made sense to me. I really enjoyed watching their relationship evolve as they slowly started understanding each other.
I also loved the lore and worldbuilding. The fae, vampires, different magics, legends, gods, Fomora... There's clearly a lot more happening than we initially understand, and I thought the different elements were introduced really well.
The romance is a proper slow burn. Would I have liked a little more spice? Absolutely. But the emotional development worked for me, and I liked that their relationship wasn't rushed.
I alternated between the audiobook and the ebook, sometimes following along with both, and really enjoyed the duet narration. It worked so well for the story!
And finally, the cliffhanger. I won't spoil anything, but let's just say I'm NOT delighted about having to wait for book two. There are so many things I want to see resolved, and I need to know what happens next.
Five stars. Dark, addictive, great characters, an interesting world, and a slow-burn romance that actually feels earned. Definitely recommend, although you might want to wait until book two is available if cliffhangers drive you crazy!
Review of advance copy
**NO MAJOR SPOILERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS REVIEW**
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted audiobook. #heartoftheravenprince #thenerdfam
Well that was unexpected. I honestly do not know what I thought going into this book but I did not anticipate to be so solely sucked into this world that I needed to space out my time within it so I did not make it my entire personality. I could already feel myself attaching to Fawn and just admiring the absolute heck out of her. Our girl is strong, brave and utterly fearless. She goes through so much and yet she just keeps fighting. I hope that fire in her is never doused. I also loved that we got to be in our leading boys head, he was such a broody winged boi but with such hope and admiration. I freaking loved him and his backstory was tragic. I hope that he gets the chance to make things right.
I also thought the lore in this book was well down. There were little tidbits here and there, about the culture, about the customs,and about its history. But there was no sense of info dumping. The writing was definitely easy to understand sink into. But there were some dark moments of abuse, torture, etc, so definitely check your triggers! I probably could have read this more quickly, but I am glad I took my time to absorb and think about the events, the characters and the world.
I also liked the utilization of some of the common romantasy elements through the story, such as some political intrigue, some forbidden romance, some trials to get our blood pumping, and a villain to point all our anger at. I just wish the pacing had been a bit better, some parts and conversations felt a little too drawn out versus just getting to the point. Also, maybe this is just because I was on audio, but I thought the chemistry/tension between the two main characters were more....one sided in a way? Maybe that goes with the 'he falls first' thing but. . . there is no doubt that sparks flew the moment they met, but having sassy quips is different than true cultivated tension and yearing.
But overall, it was a good read and I am pissed that I have to wait longer for the second. Oh well! Remember to grab your copy in October!
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted audiobook. #heartoftheravenprince #thenerdfam
Well that was unexpected. I honestly do not know what I thought going into this book but I did not anticipate to be so solely sucked into this world that I needed to space out my time within it so I did not make it my entire personality. I could already feel myself attaching to Fawn and just admiring the absolute heck out of her. Our girl is strong, brave and utterly fearless. She goes through so much and yet she just keeps fighting. I hope that fire in her is never doused. I also loved that we got to be in our leading boys head, he was such a broody winged boi but with such hope and admiration. I freaking loved him and his backstory was tragic. I hope that he gets the chance to make things right.
I also thought the lore in this book was well down. There were little tidbits here and there, about the culture, about the customs,and about its history. But there was no sense of info dumping. The writing was definitely easy to understand sink into. But there were some dark moments of abuse, torture, etc, so definitely check your triggers! I probably could have read this more quickly, but I am glad I took my time to absorb and think about the events, the characters and the world.
I also liked the utilization of some of the common romantasy elements through the story, such as some political intrigue, some forbidden romance, some trials to get our blood pumping, and a villain to point all our anger at. I just wish the pacing had been a bit better, some parts and conversations felt a little too drawn out versus just getting to the point. Also, maybe this is just because I was on audio, but I thought the chemistry/tension between the two main characters were more....one sided in a way? Maybe that goes with the 'he falls first' thing but. . . there is no doubt that sparks flew the moment they met, but having sassy quips is different than true cultivated tension and yearing.
But overall, it was a good read and I am pissed that I have to wait longer for the second. Oh well! Remember to grab your copy in October!
September 24, 2026
She is just trying to survive in a world where she is the prey, only not everything is as it seems and she must work with the prince who’s her enemy to save herself and her people!
You follow the FMC Fawn, who is the princess of a mortal kingdom on an island, that gets overtaken by the Raven Prince, and most of her kingdom perishes. To protect her brother, who also made it out alive, she draws attention to herself and helps get him a spot staying on the island while the remaining humans get brought through a rift to the fae realm to be their slaves, hiding her own identity as the princess in the process. Only nothing is that easy and she has a hard time following rules or keeping her mouth shut that lands her in the direct path of the queen and both princes’ which is even more dangerous than she realized as they are not just fae but something much darker. The prince who first took her offers her a deal for her freedom that she cannot refuse, even if it means working with the enemy to save herself and all the rest of the mortal realm.
I enjoyed the sassy FMC in this book and how even when it’s again her best interests, she still try’s to stick up for herself and work to save her brother and her people. I also liked the dual POV and getting to see inside the princes brain as all of the different chaotic scenes were happening. There was plenty of tension between them and it was clear he wanted her for more than who she was from the start and the more time they were together the harder it was to resist between them. There was so much danger around each corner, especially with what they were plotting and the secret that they unlocked about the FMC that I couldn’t put it down! With a cliffhanger ending I can’t wait to find out what happens next! My rating 4.5/5!
Thanks to the author for the gifted copy, all opinions given are my own!
You follow the FMC Fawn, who is the princess of a mortal kingdom on an island, that gets overtaken by the Raven Prince, and most of her kingdom perishes. To protect her brother, who also made it out alive, she draws attention to herself and helps get him a spot staying on the island while the remaining humans get brought through a rift to the fae realm to be their slaves, hiding her own identity as the princess in the process. Only nothing is that easy and she has a hard time following rules or keeping her mouth shut that lands her in the direct path of the queen and both princes’ which is even more dangerous than she realized as they are not just fae but something much darker. The prince who first took her offers her a deal for her freedom that she cannot refuse, even if it means working with the enemy to save herself and all the rest of the mortal realm.
I enjoyed the sassy FMC in this book and how even when it’s again her best interests, she still try’s to stick up for herself and work to save her brother and her people. I also liked the dual POV and getting to see inside the princes brain as all of the different chaotic scenes were happening. There was plenty of tension between them and it was clear he wanted her for more than who she was from the start and the more time they were together the harder it was to resist between them. There was so much danger around each corner, especially with what they were plotting and the secret that they unlocked about the FMC that I couldn’t put it down! With a cliffhanger ending I can’t wait to find out what happens next! My rating 4.5/5!
Thanks to the author for the gifted copy, all opinions given are my own!
September 25, 2026
A fae turned vampire?! I’m ALL in for that kind of story!
Best of both worlds, in my opinion.
I fell in love with the misunderstood MMC, Caden. Everyone believed he was a ruthless killer who was out for literal blood, but then we discover he was betrayed by someone he thought he loved and that betrayal changed his life forever.
I loved that Caden had two very different sides to him. Around the Queen and his brother, he was the strong, fierce vampire everyone feared. But around humans, we got to see a completely different side of him. He was actually kind and decent and nowhere near as terrifying as the stories made him out to be. I loved getting to see those different layers of his character.
Then we have our FMC, Fawn. First of all, her name is just TOO cute for this book, I loved it. I really loved watching her character develop throughout the story. She was determined to fight for her people and do whatever it took to get them back to their land. Then of course, the unexpected happens… she falls for the enemy.
In my books, this is a YES. Give me all the enemy to lovers tension! I was so ready for this transition.
Okay, but can we talk about the slow burn?! Because WOW. We had a VERY slow burn here and I was just sitting there like, Can you two please just jump each other’s bones already?! 🤣 But I guess I’ll have to be patient and wait for that to happen maybe in the next book.
I also love a story with trials and challenges, and this one definitely had a few! I really enjoyed that part of the story, especially seeing Caden become Fawn’s biggest cheerleader. The way he called her magnificent had me melting.
Ahhh THAT ENDING.
This book ends on a huge cliffhanger and that final part about her family?! AHHH! I need to know what happens next. I’m officially invested and need book two ASAP!
Thank you to nerd fam for gifting me an ALC copy of this book!
Best of both worlds, in my opinion.
I fell in love with the misunderstood MMC, Caden. Everyone believed he was a ruthless killer who was out for literal blood, but then we discover he was betrayed by someone he thought he loved and that betrayal changed his life forever.
I loved that Caden had two very different sides to him. Around the Queen and his brother, he was the strong, fierce vampire everyone feared. But around humans, we got to see a completely different side of him. He was actually kind and decent and nowhere near as terrifying as the stories made him out to be. I loved getting to see those different layers of his character.
Then we have our FMC, Fawn. First of all, her name is just TOO cute for this book, I loved it. I really loved watching her character develop throughout the story. She was determined to fight for her people and do whatever it took to get them back to their land. Then of course, the unexpected happens… she falls for the enemy.
In my books, this is a YES. Give me all the enemy to lovers tension! I was so ready for this transition.
Okay, but can we talk about the slow burn?! Because WOW. We had a VERY slow burn here and I was just sitting there like, Can you two please just jump each other’s bones already?! 🤣 But I guess I’ll have to be patient and wait for that to happen maybe in the next book.
I also love a story with trials and challenges, and this one definitely had a few! I really enjoyed that part of the story, especially seeing Caden become Fawn’s biggest cheerleader. The way he called her magnificent had me melting.
Ahhh THAT ENDING.
This book ends on a huge cliffhanger and that final part about her family?! AHHH! I need to know what happens next. I’m officially invested and need book two ASAP!
Thank you to nerd fam for gifting me an ALC copy of this book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.75✨️
Finishing the final pages of Heart of the Raven Prince left me sitting in stunned silence: 🤯😲😭💔.
Seriously, what is it with indie fantasy authors completely wrecking my heart with their cliffhangers lately?!
Because this introduces a brand-new, multi-layered realm, the story takes its time in the beginning laying out the foundational lore and political landscape. But once the pieces fall into place, the electric dynamic between the leads takes over.
Fawn is an absolute force of a protagonist—a baby queen in hiding who is feisty, fiery, and brilliantly stabby. No matter what horrors are thrown at her, she never stops fighting for herself or for the honor of her fallen court. Opposite her is Caden, the Raven Prince: a lethal, winged harbinger forced into the role of a reluctant pawn, harboring far more depth and torment than meets the eye.
The dual perspective is used to perfection here. Getting inside Caden’s head gives you a painful, beautiful insight into his true motives, making you want to reach into the pages to smooth over the misunderstandings, yet you never fault Fawn for keeping her guard—and her daggers—up.
Parker A. Garner crafts an atmospheric world where nothing is as it appears. The villainy is bone-chillingly cruel, the tension between enemies-to-lovers is deliciously agonizing, and even the flawed humanity of secondary characters feels grounded and real. I found myself rushing through all my daily responsibilities just to pick this back up and immerse myself in eternal night.
If you are a fan of dark fae romantasy, tortured princes, forced proximity, and "he falls first" slow burns, do not hesitate to add this to your reading list.
(Thank you to the author, Parker A. Garner, and to The Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC. All thoughts and visceral reactions are entirely my own.)
Finishing the final pages of Heart of the Raven Prince left me sitting in stunned silence: 🤯😲😭💔.
Seriously, what is it with indie fantasy authors completely wrecking my heart with their cliffhangers lately?!
Because this introduces a brand-new, multi-layered realm, the story takes its time in the beginning laying out the foundational lore and political landscape. But once the pieces fall into place, the electric dynamic between the leads takes over.
Fawn is an absolute force of a protagonist—a baby queen in hiding who is feisty, fiery, and brilliantly stabby. No matter what horrors are thrown at her, she never stops fighting for herself or for the honor of her fallen court. Opposite her is Caden, the Raven Prince: a lethal, winged harbinger forced into the role of a reluctant pawn, harboring far more depth and torment than meets the eye.
The dual perspective is used to perfection here. Getting inside Caden’s head gives you a painful, beautiful insight into his true motives, making you want to reach into the pages to smooth over the misunderstandings, yet you never fault Fawn for keeping her guard—and her daggers—up.
Parker A. Garner crafts an atmospheric world where nothing is as it appears. The villainy is bone-chillingly cruel, the tension between enemies-to-lovers is deliciously agonizing, and even the flawed humanity of secondary characters feels grounded and real. I found myself rushing through all my daily responsibilities just to pick this back up and immerse myself in eternal night.
If you are a fan of dark fae romantasy, tortured princes, forced proximity, and "he falls first" slow burns, do not hesitate to add this to your reading list.
(Thank you to the author, Parker A. Garner, and to The Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC. All thoughts and visceral reactions are entirely my own.)
Review of advance copy
She lost her kingdom in a single night. She never expected to lose her heart to the prince of her captors.
The story starts off in the human kingdom of the FMC where her parents have just been murdered by an invading army of fae. The FMC and her brother happened to be in other parts of the castle grounds, in commoner’s clothing, so they initially go unnoticed. However, the FMC is strong willed, a princess who is used to being heard, and has a hard time biting her tongue as her people are being killed around her. She tries to hold on to her anonymity, but catches the attention of the captain and is then taken to the fae prince – the MMC. Her brother remains with the rest of the people, not yet outed for being the prince. The MMC takes the FMC to his realm – and everything is different here. The humans are treated like slaves and placed into workforce jobs. Additionally, this new realm is ran by vampires and fae. So the humans are also the “disposable food source.” As the story progresses, there is tension and yearning growing between the MMC and FMC. They are drawn together continuously and the MMC gives off the “touch her and die” vibes constantly. The queen in this realm, the Raven Queen, is ruthless though and doesn’t like that her son is drawn to the human FMC. She places the FMC in three trials to test her “strength” and put a wedge between the MMC and FMC. The last trial puts the FMC in a situation where she meets the goddess Neeve and is given a glimmer of hope. The ending of the story had me rooting for the two to get their happily ever after…BUT where one problem was solved, the very last sentence of the book created a huge hook and now I can’t wait for book 2 so I can see how things play out.
I was gifted an ALC of Heart of the Raven Prince and thought the narration was perfect. The pacing and tone of the narrators’ voices were right on par with how I envisioned the characters to be. The possessiveness, the yearning and fighting the pull to one another, the sorrow and determination to get back home was all nicely executed. Definitely an audiobook, and overall book, I recommend if you are looking for your next fantasy read. Thank you to TheNerdFam @thenerdfam and author Parker A. Garner for allowing me to be a part of the ALC/ARC team!
The story starts off in the human kingdom of the FMC where her parents have just been murdered by an invading army of fae. The FMC and her brother happened to be in other parts of the castle grounds, in commoner’s clothing, so they initially go unnoticed. However, the FMC is strong willed, a princess who is used to being heard, and has a hard time biting her tongue as her people are being killed around her. She tries to hold on to her anonymity, but catches the attention of the captain and is then taken to the fae prince – the MMC. Her brother remains with the rest of the people, not yet outed for being the prince. The MMC takes the FMC to his realm – and everything is different here. The humans are treated like slaves and placed into workforce jobs. Additionally, this new realm is ran by vampires and fae. So the humans are also the “disposable food source.” As the story progresses, there is tension and yearning growing between the MMC and FMC. They are drawn together continuously and the MMC gives off the “touch her and die” vibes constantly. The queen in this realm, the Raven Queen, is ruthless though and doesn’t like that her son is drawn to the human FMC. She places the FMC in three trials to test her “strength” and put a wedge between the MMC and FMC. The last trial puts the FMC in a situation where she meets the goddess Neeve and is given a glimmer of hope. The ending of the story had me rooting for the two to get their happily ever after…BUT where one problem was solved, the very last sentence of the book created a huge hook and now I can’t wait for book 2 so I can see how things play out.
I was gifted an ALC of Heart of the Raven Prince and thought the narration was perfect. The pacing and tone of the narrators’ voices were right on par with how I envisioned the characters to be. The possessiveness, the yearning and fighting the pull to one another, the sorrow and determination to get back home was all nicely executed. Definitely an audiobook, and overall book, I recommend if you are looking for your next fantasy read. Thank you to TheNerdFam @thenerdfam and author Parker A. Garner for allowing me to be a part of the ALC/ARC team!
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted books! Got an ARC and ALC, and did an immersion read!
This was such an enjoyable read! I found it really easy to fall into this story and completely immerse myself in the world. The mix of fae, vampires, gods and goddesses, mystery, action, and romance kept me turning the pages.
I really enjoyed Fawn as an FMC. She’s stubborn, determined, resilient, and willing to do whatever it takes to protect and free her people. Then there’s Caden, the Raven Prince, morally gray MMC, and someone Fawn has every reason to hate. Their dynamic was definitely one of my favorite parts of the book.
This is a true enemies-to-lovers slow burn. There’s distrust, anger, secrets, banter, tension, and plenty of complicated feelings along the way. I especially liked that their relationship had time to develop rather than suddenly jumping from enemies to romance.
The world-building was also really interesting. I enjoyed learning more about the different realms, the fae and vampire lore, and slowly discovering that there is much more happening than Fawn originally realizes. There are plenty of mysteries surrounding both Fawn and Caden that kept me invested.
There were a few moments where the pacing slowed for me, but overall this was an easy, immersive fantasy romance that I genuinely enjoyed.
And THAT ENDING?! You cannot leave me there! I’m definitely interested to see what happens in book two.
This was such an enjoyable read! I found it really easy to fall into this story and completely immerse myself in the world. The mix of fae, vampires, gods and goddesses, mystery, action, and romance kept me turning the pages.
I really enjoyed Fawn as an FMC. She’s stubborn, determined, resilient, and willing to do whatever it takes to protect and free her people. Then there’s Caden, the Raven Prince, morally gray MMC, and someone Fawn has every reason to hate. Their dynamic was definitely one of my favorite parts of the book.
This is a true enemies-to-lovers slow burn. There’s distrust, anger, secrets, banter, tension, and plenty of complicated feelings along the way. I especially liked that their relationship had time to develop rather than suddenly jumping from enemies to romance.
The world-building was also really interesting. I enjoyed learning more about the different realms, the fae and vampire lore, and slowly discovering that there is much more happening than Fawn originally realizes. There are plenty of mysteries surrounding both Fawn and Caden that kept me invested.
There were a few moments where the pacing slowed for me, but overall this was an easy, immersive fantasy romance that I genuinely enjoyed.
And THAT ENDING?! You cannot leave me there! I’m definitely interested to see what happens in book two.
October 6, 2026
Heart of the Raven Prince was a great read that had a really strong start and had me hooked instantly. I was also switching between the ARC and the ALC while reading just so I could stay invested in the story, and I’m so glad I did because it helped me stay in the world of Fawn and Caden.
I really enjoyed reading about Fawn and Caden and how their lives unfolded. Their character development was really well done, and I loved seeing how they grew as the story progressed.
The setting and scenery were vivid and immersive. At some points, it genuinely felt like I was in the story with them, especially when I was listening to the audiobook. Everything felt like it was intentionally placed, which is something I love because it shows how much thought the author put into planning where they wanted the story to go.
The action and suspense were well used and came in at the right moments. They weren't just thrown into the mix for the sake of it. They emphasised the right moments without either being overly used, which kept the story interesting without taking away from everything else happening.
The story wasn't rushed, but it also never felt like it was dragging. All the different pieces felt like they belonged and came together really well.
5⭐️ from me!
Congratulations to the author and all those involved with this amazing book on the release day! Thank you for letting me be part of the ARC/ALC team for this one!
I really enjoyed reading about Fawn and Caden and how their lives unfolded. Their character development was really well done, and I loved seeing how they grew as the story progressed.
The setting and scenery were vivid and immersive. At some points, it genuinely felt like I was in the story with them, especially when I was listening to the audiobook. Everything felt like it was intentionally placed, which is something I love because it shows how much thought the author put into planning where they wanted the story to go.
The action and suspense were well used and came in at the right moments. They weren't just thrown into the mix for the sake of it. They emphasised the right moments without either being overly used, which kept the story interesting without taking away from everything else happening.
The story wasn't rushed, but it also never felt like it was dragging. All the different pieces felt like they belonged and came together really well.
5⭐️ from me!
Congratulations to the author and all those involved with this amazing book on the release day! Thank you for letting me be part of the ARC/ALC team for this one!
October 19, 2026
This absolutely didn’t take me a week to read, but I just got distracted by adulting and it was the WORST 😭
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the ARC of this book, I had an absolute blast!
A fallen kingdom, a fiercely stubborn FMC, a morally questionable prince and enough betrayal to give everyone trust issues? This is exactly the kind of chaos my romantasy loving heart gravitates towards.
Fawn is the sort of heroine I love seeing in fantasy. She’s angry, determined and absolutely not interested in making life easy for the people who destroyed her world. And then there’s Caden, the Raven Prince. A winged harbinger of death who is supposed to be the enemy, but apparently has a few secrets of his own. Because naturally, the most dangerous man in the room has to be the complicated one!
What makes this premise particularly intriguing is that their relationship isn’t simply about attraction. There’s genuine history, resentment and a shared enemy standing between them.
Throw in dark fae lore, vampires, dangerous political games and a queen who is absolutely HORRIFIC and there’s plenty to get invested in beyond the romance.
That ending?! I am simply UNWELL. Where is book 2?!
Dark romantasy, enemies to lovers, morally grey characters and a whole lot of questionable decisions. Very much my kind of fictional chaos 🖤🖤
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the ARC of this book, I had an absolute blast!
A fallen kingdom, a fiercely stubborn FMC, a morally questionable prince and enough betrayal to give everyone trust issues? This is exactly the kind of chaos my romantasy loving heart gravitates towards.
Fawn is the sort of heroine I love seeing in fantasy. She’s angry, determined and absolutely not interested in making life easy for the people who destroyed her world. And then there’s Caden, the Raven Prince. A winged harbinger of death who is supposed to be the enemy, but apparently has a few secrets of his own. Because naturally, the most dangerous man in the room has to be the complicated one!
What makes this premise particularly intriguing is that their relationship isn’t simply about attraction. There’s genuine history, resentment and a shared enemy standing between them.
Throw in dark fae lore, vampires, dangerous political games and a queen who is absolutely HORRIFIC and there’s plenty to get invested in beyond the romance.
That ending?! I am simply UNWELL. Where is book 2?!
Dark romantasy, enemies to lovers, morally grey characters and a whole lot of questionable decisions. Very much my kind of fictional chaos 🖤🖤
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted books.
Heart of the Raven Prince is a romantasy filled with political intrigue, betrayals, fate, and hidden secrets. I received both the ebook and audiobook and did a tandem read which immersed me even further within this creative Fae-Vampire world. The narrators do an amazing job bringing the characters to life and immersed in the world. The emotion feels real, the narration is animated and lively, and the pacing in my opinion is perfect. I really enjoyed the creative spin on Fae and vampires. The characters were written well and I loved when they came to the realization that maybe not everything is as it seems. I loved the journey and experiencing secrets and truths being revealed. I was not expecting the ending and I wish I would have gotten my reaction on camera. My mouth for sure dropped. Overall, this was a great read and I’m excited for what’s next.
If you love dark fantasy romance, slow burn, true enemies to lovers, forced proximity, morally gray winged MMC, stabby hunter FMC, hidden identity, touch her and bye, and death pact then I recommend checking this out.
Heart of the Raven Prince is a romantasy filled with political intrigue, betrayals, fate, and hidden secrets. I received both the ebook and audiobook and did a tandem read which immersed me even further within this creative Fae-Vampire world. The narrators do an amazing job bringing the characters to life and immersed in the world. The emotion feels real, the narration is animated and lively, and the pacing in my opinion is perfect. I really enjoyed the creative spin on Fae and vampires. The characters were written well and I loved when they came to the realization that maybe not everything is as it seems. I loved the journey and experiencing secrets and truths being revealed. I was not expecting the ending and I wish I would have gotten my reaction on camera. My mouth for sure dropped. Overall, this was a great read and I’m excited for what’s next.
If you love dark fantasy romance, slow burn, true enemies to lovers, forced proximity, morally gray winged MMC, stabby hunter FMC, hidden identity, touch her and bye, and death pact then I recommend checking this out.
Review of advance copy received from Author
•ARC REVIEW•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️/5
Heart of the Raven Prince by Parker A. Garner
“I am not weak. I am magnificent.”
I think I actually have no words to say right now.
There are books that make you cry, and books that make you laugh. This book made me want to rip the hair out of my head and start fires.
This is a SLOOOOOOWWWW BURN. Truly slow.
The world building had me struggling to create a good enough graphic on Canva to translate the vibe here. There’s so many questions I need answered in book 2, there’s so much tension literally everywhere. Between Fawn and Caden, between Arawyn and Caden, and Fawn and Arawyn. I literally cannot wait to find out where this is going. This feels like the beginning of a god tier romantasy series.
The FMC, Fawn, is TRULY a strong FMC. She’s stubborn, intelligent, and prideful. She has more tricks up her sleeve than anybody knows what to do with.
Our MMC, Caden. Ugh. I love him. He’s such a tortured soul and that’s all I will say to avoid spoilers.
The cliffhanger- absolutely diabolical.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️/5
Heart of the Raven Prince by Parker A. Garner
“I am not weak. I am magnificent.”
I think I actually have no words to say right now.
There are books that make you cry, and books that make you laugh. This book made me want to rip the hair out of my head and start fires.
This is a SLOOOOOOWWWW BURN. Truly slow.
The world building had me struggling to create a good enough graphic on Canva to translate the vibe here. There’s so many questions I need answered in book 2, there’s so much tension literally everywhere. Between Fawn and Caden, between Arawyn and Caden, and Fawn and Arawyn. I literally cannot wait to find out where this is going. This feels like the beginning of a god tier romantasy series.
The FMC, Fawn, is TRULY a strong FMC. She’s stubborn, intelligent, and prideful. She has more tricks up her sleeve than anybody knows what to do with.
Our MMC, Caden. Ugh. I love him. He’s such a tortured soul and that’s all I will say to avoid spoilers.
The cliffhanger- absolutely diabolical.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Advanced reader copy from the author.
This was such an enjoyable story. There is such a mix of characters with the humans, vampires, fae and goddesses. The magic system was a unique one.
The fmc is a badass who doesn’t know when to stop or shut up. She is willing to do whatever she needs to help her people. The mmc actually seems like a decent guy even with all the bad he has done.
This is a true enemies to lovers slow burn story. The fmc has every reason to hate the mmc. Despite all that she has complicated feelings towards him but distrust as well.
The world building in this story is a good one. It goes a good amount of the book. Around 70% you start getting some more action and it picks up. Even though it’s not a ton of action through most of the book it’s still a very enjoyable story that keeps you turning the pages.
This is a good fantasy story that is different than anything I’ve read. I’m mad book 1 is just now being released because after that ending I need book 2 like now.
This was such an enjoyable story. There is such a mix of characters with the humans, vampires, fae and goddesses. The magic system was a unique one.
The fmc is a badass who doesn’t know when to stop or shut up. She is willing to do whatever she needs to help her people. The mmc actually seems like a decent guy even with all the bad he has done.
This is a true enemies to lovers slow burn story. The fmc has every reason to hate the mmc. Despite all that she has complicated feelings towards him but distrust as well.
The world building in this story is a good one. It goes a good amount of the book. Around 70% you start getting some more action and it picks up. Even though it’s not a ton of action through most of the book it’s still a very enjoyable story that keeps you turning the pages.
This is a good fantasy story that is different than anything I’ve read. I’m mad book 1 is just now being released because after that ending I need book 2 like now.
October 22, 2026
When you have to rant at an author at the end of the book, you know it can only be a 5-star read.
What I really adore about Parker's writing is that, while you can tell it is her "pen" that wrote the story, her books and tales are so different from one another.
While the Fates Entwined series is set in a world of gods and elemental magic, book 1 of The Raven's Prey Saga is in a world that straddles both fantasy and the paranormal. Page after page, the lore of this series unfolds in ways that are both expected and surprising.
With little Easter eggs sprinkled around that made my millennial heart skip a beat and possibly ruined one of my favourite movies just a little bit, Parker weaves you into the story with a little nostalgia that goes a long way. Fear not; while these little titbits made me happy, they are not required to pull you into this story. Parker does that just fine with her world building, charachter evolution and the magic of her writing.
Am I mad that I am hanging off another of Parker's cliffs? Yes but also...so happy to be here.
What I really adore about Parker's writing is that, while you can tell it is her "pen" that wrote the story, her books and tales are so different from one another.
While the Fates Entwined series is set in a world of gods and elemental magic, book 1 of The Raven's Prey Saga is in a world that straddles both fantasy and the paranormal. Page after page, the lore of this series unfolds in ways that are both expected and surprising.
With little Easter eggs sprinkled around that made my millennial heart skip a beat and possibly ruined one of my favourite movies just a little bit, Parker weaves you into the story with a little nostalgia that goes a long way. Fear not; while these little titbits made me happy, they are not required to pull you into this story. Parker does that just fine with her world building, charachter evolution and the magic of her writing.
Am I mad that I am hanging off another of Parker's cliffs? Yes but also...so happy to be here.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.25 stars rounded up!
Look no further if you want a dark Romantasy read for fall. A morally gray, tortured, winged MMC with a stabby FMC who will do anything for her people? Yes, please! Fae, Vampires and Trails.. OH MY!
The dual POV definitely helped with the world building, but I do feel like it dampened the impact of the enemies to lovers and slow burn. Seeing so much of Caden’s POV so early in the story took away some of the mystery and tension for me. With that said, his chapters were some of my fave! So I feel conflicted that, perhaps I’ll change my mind after the next book because I will absolutely be continuing this series.
Did I mention the author illustrated the cover?! How cool is that?!
Also, do not sleep on this audiobook, y’all! The dual narration was fantastic, and I am convinced Devon Ryder is the next BIG thing. He is so talented!! I am already looking forward to hearing his voice again soon.
Thank you to Nerd Fam and Parker A. Garner for the ALC/ARC copies.
Look no further if you want a dark Romantasy read for fall. A morally gray, tortured, winged MMC with a stabby FMC who will do anything for her people? Yes, please! Fae, Vampires and Trails.. OH MY!
The dual POV definitely helped with the world building, but I do feel like it dampened the impact of the enemies to lovers and slow burn. Seeing so much of Caden’s POV so early in the story took away some of the mystery and tension for me. With that said, his chapters were some of my fave! So I feel conflicted that, perhaps I’ll change my mind after the next book because I will absolutely be continuing this series.
Did I mention the author illustrated the cover?! How cool is that?!
Also, do not sleep on this audiobook, y’all! The dual narration was fantastic, and I am convinced Devon Ryder is the next BIG thing. He is so talented!! I am already looking forward to hearing his voice again soon.
Thank you to Nerd Fam and Parker A. Garner for the ALC/ARC copies.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have conflicting feelings on this read.
On one hand, so much felt so insanely familiar to other popular romantasy and fantasy books. I know tropes and such can be super similar, but I'm talking straight plot points and situations.
The FMC infuriated me for half the story. For someone who was "so well trained" by her father, she literally did the opposite of all of his "lessons". I know she's angry, and rightfully so, but she just kept making dumb decision after dumb decision and I did not blame the MMC when he called her an idiot.
But on the other hand, I did completely eat this story up. Devoured it quickly. I loved the MMC. Personally he deserves more than the FMC at this moment. I really need her to step her game up. He is perfection and I will take no criticism.
So in end, did I enjoy the book? Yes. Do I have some complaints? Yes. Will I read the next book? Most likely.
On one hand, so much felt so insanely familiar to other popular romantasy and fantasy books. I know tropes and such can be super similar, but I'm talking straight plot points and situations.
The FMC infuriated me for half the story. For someone who was "so well trained" by her father, she literally did the opposite of all of his "lessons". I know she's angry, and rightfully so, but she just kept making dumb decision after dumb decision and I did not blame the MMC when he called her an idiot.
But on the other hand, I did completely eat this story up. Devoured it quickly. I loved the MMC. Personally he deserves more than the FMC at this moment. I really need her to step her game up. He is perfection and I will take no criticism.
So in end, did I enjoy the book? Yes. Do I have some complaints? Yes. Will I read the next book? Most likely.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this was a fantastic read! I actually listened to it and the narrators are amazing. Perfect for the book! Fawn lost what mattered the most to her, her family and her kingdom to the fae. Fawn is headstrong determined to get back to her brother and kingdom, her captors don’t even know she’s the princess 👸🏻. Through all of this she catches the eye of the MMC Caden! I’m actually obsessed with him. He’s a vampire 🧛 anyways he takes her to his realm. When she gets there she notices they have humans there who are treated like slaves while surrounded by faes and vampires. The females also wear indicators that let them know who to feed on! The queen is Caden’s mom and she’s a real B!t*h! There is want and desire between Fawn and Caden 🔥 the ending had me shooketh. I need the second book asap!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews