The Sweetest Fiend

Played by the Piper #1

by Raven Kennedy

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Plated Prisoner series comes the first book in an alluring and addictive romantasy duology set in a world of fae and dark magic, loosely inspired by the legend of the Pied Piper.

It’s time to pay the Piper.

Our world cracked open like an egg. Power burst out, and with it, nine monstrous Banes ready to destroy everything. The powerful Core fae finally slayed them all, but each Bane left a Plague to punish us.

But that’s not the only thing they left behind.

I’m half Bane, half fae, and wholly hated. Survival means enduring every vicious glare and cursed outbreak. Until one day, a Plague descends upon my city that means certain death.

Then he comes. The Pied Piper.

He rids my city of the Plague, but it comes at a cost. One hundred and thirty people are taken as payment. Including me.

I don’t know what he’s going to do to us, but I know I have to get home. My family’s lives depend on it. But the Piper won’t let me go, and something wicked stirs between us. The sweet scent in my veins beckons him, while the seductive lure of his magic sinks under my skin.

I have to escape before it’s too late. Because if I don’t, it’s not just my heart at risk…

But the entire world.

Note: Pied Piper reimagined. This dark fantasy is full of romance and secrets, with mature themes and explicit scenes only suitable for adults. This is book one of a duology.

Tropes:
• Forced Proximity
• Captive Romance
• "Who hurt you?"
• Only one bed... and horse...and tent!
• So. much. banter!

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Fae, Audiobook, Enemies To Lovers

496 pages, Hardcover

First published September 22, 2026

About the author

RAVEN KENNEDY is an international bestseller, whose love for books pushed her into creating her own worlds. The Plated Prisoner Series, a dark fantasy romance, has sold in over twenty countries. It became a New York Times, USA Today, Sunday Times, and Spiegel bestseller, hit #1 in the Amazon store, and has sold over six million copies worldwide.

Her newest book, The Sweetest Fiend, is the first of a duology and will be released in September 2026. You can connect with Raven on her social media, and visit her website for more info.

Reviews

[SK · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You infuriate me, Piper."
"You enrapture me, blight."

Well, this was for sure looking like a five star read until the third act. Like what was that. I have so many thoughts about how wrong that landed. I see the vision, I didn't see the logic of it👁👄👁

But before that, I do want to say, I had an AMAZING time with it. Imo it has a lot of potential and I think it's the kind of lore, world building that needs more than a duology. With the kind of things I read with the plagues? I would have stretched it to a trilogy at least. 🤷‍♀️ Because certain scenes are so fucking gory, so entertaining to read? It was fucking cinematic in a way.

Raven Kennedy's writing in the first half in particular is brilliant and cinematic. Every sensation she wrote was felt. The ick of the plagues had me shuddering, recoiling and I loved it. I did want them dragged out a little just cause I was having so much fun lol. The lore and the magic system is unique, and I'm very appreciative of that. It stands out in that sense.

The middle is more slow and I had a blast with the banter. The chemistry between the main characters is amazing. Though keep in mind, we're just reading Esti's pov. There is no dual/multi pov in this book and fair I guess. But this is just my opinion, not a criticism that had there been multi povs? Some scenes would have given me chills. Especially when it came to the Pied Piper.

Coming to the Pied Piper, damnn. What a hottie. He's a smart ass, possessive, a little crazy, completely biased and has a tragic past with scars that run deeper than the physical. A bit cocky but the mouth on that man is absolutely sin. I adored his chemistry with Esti. She is such truly so likable. When the book said 'The Sweetest Fiend,' I didn't actually expect her to be the sweetest fiend. My heart ached for her and the quiet strength in her. I wanted to protect her but mostly I wanted her to have a power so fierce that no one ever makes her feel helpless.

I do think the romance throughout the middle was going at a decent pace. The attraction is instant, the angst should have burned slow. The third act fumbled in that arena. I liked the acts of service the Pied Piper was showing Esti, and in my opinion, it shouldn't have escalated fast in the end. But yeah that's part of the reason why the ending didn't land right. The Latching of magic is fine, it's fascinating. But their relationship needed another 70-100 pages of work.

Which brings me to the ending and cliffhanger. I see how it would work for others. But to me, it just read hypocritical. Without spoiling much, faults were made on BOTH ends. So why we make one character out to be the villain is kinda meh. I see the vision, I see what the author wanted to do. But the relationship had not found a solid ground on either end. And trust is supposed to work on both ends. So why we hold just one person accountable? I have an idea where it will head to, but dual pov at least would have cleared up a lot of air and found a more emotional conflict for the reader. The heart ache didn't come for me, it needed more flair considering their histories.

Anyhoo.. Good time. Not as good as Plated Prisoner series but fun. Worth a shot imo.


~•~•~
Sooo excited to start this. I'm seeing nothing but glowing reviews for this. Fingers crossed 🤭

[Kaila.Books · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

All hail the rat master and his sexy little flute


I absolutely f ckinf loved this gritty world and the plagues of Egypt x pied piper cross over.

[Laura Jane ♡ (semi ia) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 🌟 well, this is not where i was expecting to be 🧍🏼‍♀️

look, i will say the first 45% of the book was a solid 4 stars for me but unfortunately i felt veryyyyy differently about the rest. the best way to explain it, is that the set up was really good but then the execution, as it went on, did not work well for me at all. i am surprised and sad by this turn of events 😭🥲

as i mentioned, at first i was having so much fun because i eating it up the banter between the fmc, esti, and the piper. it had me giggling and kicking my feet, as well as cackling out loud to myself. however something shifted in their dynamic & i felt like things escalated quite quickly from there, which came off quite lusty to me. it also made their development start to feel forced & underdeveloped. the shift between these two once they were in proximity felt quite jarring to me, making it hard for me to believe their romance development. i genuinely felt so thrown off when she declared that she had ‘deafening, blinding, overwhelming feelings’ for him. i was like oh okay since when cause i thought you hated him? 🫣
i went from hehehaha eating it up, to feeling so completely disconnected from everything. a lot of their development felt very told and not shown as well which didn’t help.

esti is a nice enough fmc and i did really find her characteristics super cool, especially the freckles and stars.
the piper intrigued me a lot at first, but he didn’t really deliver for me in the end.
for example the jealously didn’t really hit for me because it just felt too quick. i also felt like his personality did a 180 at one point.

the plot was super interesting to me at first, and i definitely liked it. however, romance aside, i felt like there was something missing here too from the 50% mark. i am not exactly sure i can pin point it, but i just started to feel a bit disjointed and my interest completely wavered. which is a shame because i had so many questions at the beginning.

ultimately i feel really disappointed because the start of this book was so UPPP for me but the jarring romance & my complete lack of connection as the book progressed, made this just continuously drop lower and lower. the fall from grace was not what i was anticipating 😫
i really don’t wana sound too negative because i don’t think it’s a bad book. it just didn’t land for me. i definitely had a lot of fun with earlier parts of this & i can see if you’re really vibing with the romance this would be a huge hit. but this kinda ended up being my downfall.
i don’t know, i kinda feel like i’m missing something with this one & i wish i wasn’t, especially because the start was so good for me and i never expected to feel this way. it took a real nose dive 🥲🥲
i’m sorry to my pals who loved this!!!! i thought i would, the good start aside, because i absolutely adore raven’s plated prisoner series!

first 45% - 4🌟
the rest - 2ish 🌟
ultimately i went with 2.5 because at 70% i was like damn, i could happily DNF this and that kinda tells you a lot 😫 like the difference of how i felt at the start vs the middle-end is so vastly different.
as for the ending, it didn’t wow me but at that point i unfortunately think nothing would have.

if you saw me having the time of my
life at 45%, well…. maybe i jinxed myself. because yeah, what a switch up.

one point i wana make that’s kinda spoilery but i’m pretty sure its a trope…

their bond? it felt so suddenly and so so forced. i was like wut??? 😭 so suddenly they are latched, aka mates and that’s that i guess. because it was fun banter - then just no development, straight into being latched and wanting to be with each other? kk.


________
if i love this as much as plated prisoner then life is UP & if the piper is anything like slade, well then thanks in advance raven 😏

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐🎧

I fear the morally questionable Pied Piper has dragged me out of my reading slump.

The Sweetest Fiend had me SAT. Forced proximity, aggressive caretaking, a filthy mouth and Varrik going from captor to “Death can’t have you.” Modern medicine could never.

Did the plot occasionally require a welfare check? Yes.

The romance? Alive. Thriving. Paying taxes.

What worked for me
(aka: the Piper provided)

Old fairytale. New trauma

This is exactly what I want from a fairytale reimagining. I could see the Pied Piper bones immediately - Hamelyn, the rats, the pipe, the multicoloured cloak, the desperate city and the terrible price - but Raven Kennedy built an entirely different fantasy world around them.

The Plagues were especially effective. Flies stripping people to bone, poisoned water, rats flooding the streets, a permanently wounded sky - it gave Brekon a genuinely bleak atmosphere without burying me beneath lore. I learned the world mostly by watching Esti survive inside it.

And then came my favourite inversion: fiends are treated as monsters and blamed for the Plagues, only for their blood to potentially be the thing that can stop them.

Nothing like generations of prejudice discovering they've been bullying the emergency medical supplies.

Forced proximity, thank you for your service

The romance was easily my favourite part because the progression actually felt like progression.

Varrik and Esti start with genuine hostility and an enormous power imbalance. He steals her. She fights him. He calls her “blight.” She develops a running list of his offences and eventually takes a needle to his belongings. Romance.

But the forced proximity keeps changing form - one horse, one tent, one bedroll, wound care, his room, the Latch - and every stage pushes their relationship somewhere new. Attraction grows through observation, banter, jealousy, caretaking and vulnerability rather than the magical bond doing all the work.

I loved knowing Varrik wanted her before the Latch chose her. He was already terrorising Conrad over her recovery.

Sir had an Esti problem before magic made it official.

For a man this possessive, Varrik becomes surprisingly serious about choice. He asks. He waits. Esti chooses. By their second kiss, his permission feels like knocking on a door - and she’s the one who opens it.

That distinction mattered when their entire relationship began with him literally taking away her control.

Varrik’s type is Esti....and more Esti

This man noticing everything about her absolutely fed me.

Esti has spent her life hiding the features that mark her as a fiend. Her horns. Her sparkling freckles. Her hair. Even her emotion-changing nails get dismissed as paper dye.

Unfortunately for Esti, Varrik has eyes and misses nothing.

He remembers the colour of her nails. Learns what the colours mean. Notices when her breathing changes. Touches the horns nobody touches. Removes the powder covering her freckles because “I like seeing you.” He has a veillet made that doesn't hide her horns but frames them with silver rings like crowns.

And when she sees those silver-crowned horns in the mirror:
“I’ve never looked so beautiful.”
“I’ve never looked so utterly fiend.”
The world taught Esti to tone herself down. Varrik’s preference is full volume.

He isn't attracted to her despite everything the world has taught her to hide. He's fascinated by it. His attraction feels like ongoing research with increasingly inappropriate fieldwork.

And “Blight” somehow going from hostile nickname to something that felt like a caress? Unfortunately, I am the target audience.

Caretaking with a side of menace

Varrik’s caretaker era starts long before he’s willing to admit he has one.

His denial apparently involves extremely hands-on wound care. One minute Esti is just his irritating little blight; the next he’s furious about her untreated pain, personally tending her injuries and ready to make thirteen lashes everyone’s problem.

Then he growls:
“Death can’t have you.”
Sir. Denial is a river in Egypt. This is devotion.

I loved that Varrik’s protectiveness never comes at the expense of Esti’s competence. She saves herself. She saves him. Eventually, they help save everyone else.

Nobody gets demoted to damsel. We love to see it.

Romantic suffering: Now a Group Activity

Conrad, Frid and the rest of Varrik’s orbit were such a fun addition because they knew this man was down catastrophic before he’d even received the memo.

The teasing, jealousy and general refusal to take his Esti-related suffering seriously were hilarious but I also loved what they revealed about him. Varrik feels different around people who already know and love him - less Piper, more man.

Turns out found family is also excellent for bullying a Govern through his first crush.

Where it lost me
(aka: meanwhile, the plot)

Varrik gave me obsession before he gave me Varrik

I got Varrik’s obsession in HD while the man behind the Piper stayed frustratingly out of focus.

The prologue gave me a broken man. The romance gave me a devoted one. I kept waiting for the bridge between them.

We get glimpses, especially when his Defender side cracks through, but thirty missing years is a LOT of character development to leave off-page. I finished knowing exactly how Varrik loves but not enough about how he became Varrik.

Too much pining. Not enough piping.

The slow opening didn’t bother me. Esti needed a life worth missing before Varrik could rudely Pied Piper her out of it.

My pacing issue arrived later, when these two had reached mutual yearning: painfully obvious edition, and proceeded to marinate in it. Meanwhile, the plot had several unanswered questions and was presumably tapping its watch.

Eventually the romance stopped edging the reader and delivered. Spectacularly. Hydration recommended.

Then I checked the remaining page count.

Oh.

There were still mysteries in this house.

All that growth just to choose violence

The final stretch circles back to everything I had been waiting on: Hamelyn, Esti's mother, the origin of her strange magic and the possibility that the history we've been told about Banes isn't remotely complete.

Then Marryn sprouts antlers.

At 97%.

Ma'am.

And somehow THAT isn't even the cruelest part.

The entire romance is a slow evolution from taking to asking, force to choice, possession to reciprocity.

Then the ending takes every inch of that growth and weaponises it against Esti.

The man who learned to ask takes again. The woman who finally chose him loses her choice again.

That’s the betrayal.

Then Raven resurrects the three words we've been carrying since Esti first read his stars:

Defender. Thief. LIAR.

We’d spent the whole book sanding the warning edges off those words.

Defender became obvious. Thief became almost affectionate - he stole her heart. Liar became something I assumed we'd eventually understand.

Then:
“And stars, unlike him, never lie.”
RUDE.

It’s an effective cliffhanger because I desperately need to know what both Varrik and Esti have been withholding. Unfortunately, several of my answers appear to have been kidnapped along with Esti.

Book Two, please report to the principal’s office.

Final Thoughts

For all my complaints about the plot occasionally standing in the corner while Varrik and Esti stared at each other, I had such a good time with this.

Esti was easy to root for: kind without being spineless, funny without becoming comic relief and stubbornly capable even when the world treated her like something monstrous. Varrik was exactly my preferred flavour of morally grey - possessive, ruthless and deeply questionable but increasingly forced to confront the difference between protecting someone and controlling them.

Most importantly, the romance earned my investment. The magical bond didn't replace relationship development; it complicated it. Attraction wasn't trust. Wanting wasn't permission. And when Esti eventually chose Varrik, I believed her.

Then he shattered that trust and left me staring into the middle distance.

So Book Two is less a choice and more a summons.

And the audio? Sean Masters and Isabelle Turner in duet narration were dangerous. Isabelle gave Esti exactly the right amount of bite, while Sean's Varrik could go from threatening Piper to vulnerable caretaker to saying things that had me lowering the volume like the people around me could somehow hear my thoughts.

“Death can’t have you” was already good.

Sean Masters growling it was a separate rating category.

Final Verdict

4.25 ⭐️ — A genuinely addictive Pied Piper reimagining with excellent forced proximity, earned chemistry and a morally grey romance that occasionally left the plot buffering.

My reading slump died so my trust issues could live.

Tropes and Vibes:
• Pied Piper reimagining
• Enemies-to-lovers energy
• Captor × captive
• Forced proximity SUPREMACY
• One horse / one tent / one bedroll
• Morally grey, possessive MMC
• Caretaking disguised as irritation
• Magical life-force bond
• Touch her and suffer
• Monster girl × man obsessed with everything she hides
• Found family + professional instigators
• Duet narration excellence
• Betrayal cliffhanger / Book Two immediately required

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Pre-read:

The Pied Piper took a half-monster, half-fae woman as payment for saving her city and things are already getting suspiciously ✨wicked✨.

The Brothers Grimm gave us a cautionary tale.

Romantasy said, “Okay, but what if he’s hot?” 👀🎧✨️

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️ This book will ruin your sleep schedule. Seriously, I could not put it down!

The beginning is VERY action-packed, and I loved the post-apocalyptic setting (you rarely see that in Romantasy!). The middle portion has less plot movement and focuses more on the romance, but the chemistry and banter between Esti and the Piper definitely made up for it🙌

Esti is such a refreshing FMC. I often get tired of reading about the same copy and paste heroines: skilled fighters, lost princesses, etc. Esti is simply a girl trying to survive and protect the people she loves. Despite her softer demeanor, I loved seeing the Piper bring out her snarkier, more stubborn side. Poor girl could NOT catch a break, but through it all, she remained the “sweetest” fiend!😉

To say I’m obsessed with the Piper is a huge understatement. He’s everything I love in an MMC: mysterious, powerful, possessive, and a little unhinged at times. There’s an immediate attraction between him and Esti, but thankfully, there wasn’t as much insta-lust as I expected. The spice felt like a satisfying payoff and didn’t occur too soon in the story.

My main complaint is that I REALLY think this book should have been told from both Esti’s and the Piper’s perspectives. The Piper is emotionally guarded and hides behind a prickly exterior, so it was sometimes difficult to get a clear sense of his feelings for Esti. There were several scenes and interactions I would have loved to read from his perspective. Additionally, the whole “latching” concept (the book’s version of mating bonds) felt very forced, so I didn’t care for that aspect.

As for the ending, I completely agree with fellow reviewers who said it came across as hypocritical. I’m not sure yet whether I think it was a smart move; that will depend on how the second book handles it and where the story goes from here.

Overall, this was such an addictive read that you could easily finish in one sitting!

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

4! SO ADDICTIVE. Very interesting, great world building and intriguing plot. I had a few qualms with the romance/chemistry but overall.. not bad, not bad at all. This was my intro to Raven Kennedy's writing. So I'm currently running to get the Plated Prisoner series to see what the hype is all about.

Full review to follow!




A catastrophe caused a massive rift in Earth. From that, nine monsters known as Banes came crawling out, which were eventually killed by the Core Fae, leaving a deadly Plague behind. In the world that follows, there is disease and other beings that carry the Bane's legacies.

Esti is a Fiend, a half Fae and half Bane. She's a truth reader, able to read whom ever she meets from the first glance. She's hated and feared for her ability. When the Plague reaches her city, the Pied Piper is the only one who can save them but in return he takes 130 people with him, one of whom is Esti.

The Piper is NOT what he appears to be. Is he actually a villain or a savior? No matter what, Esti does not trust him.


This did NOT disappoint.

[Gabriela · Rating 4 out of 5]

“May the stars and the songs always lure you in.”

It’s been hard for me to gather my feelings on this one and I’m in a bit of a review slump. I just can’t seem to separate my feelings on this from how much I loved Raven’s Plated Prisoner series. And I don’t think that comparing one to another is truly fair, but I’m trying to be honest, and PP is god tier for me. One of those that I would possibly barter something valuable like a toe or a kidney to erase my memory and read for the first time again.

But I still really liked, and even loved some moments in this story. The other thing I can’t help but think about is that Gild (first of PP) was one of those books that caught my attention, but I didn’t love it until I saw it in the context of the rest of the series. And I know I’m not the only one to feel this way. So there’s a chance that The Sweetest Fiend could be similar, but that’s hard to accept when it’s only slated to be a duology. Kay, now I’m going to try hard to shut up about PP (maybe).

This has a catchy opening. Earth cracking open, lava spewing and killing just about everyone in its path, a glimpse into the origin of the Piper. Then years later Esti, a fae/bane (demon) hybrid called a fiend, is oppressed by poverty and prejudice since the fae blame banes for the plagues that ravage their world. Enter the Piper, who comes and takes Esti and 129 others in exchange for curing a couple of plagues.

I have to give Raven credit for world building. This follows the premise of the folktale almost to a tee, and the world feels vivid and dangerous, with plagues that range from disgusting to terrifying and life threatening. I think what initially threw me off is that the first half feels somewhat lighthearted, and I kept wanting more depth. Esti and the Piper have this strange draw to each other, but also a funny circular banter and antagonism that belies the severity of a plague ridden world.

Then halfway through the story changes tone and becomes more serious, the relationship becomes more real and intense, and I could see how some liked the first part better. Personally in the first half I wanted more momentum, more of the dark PP vibes, and maybe a hint of the type of MMC we know Raven can deliver. I was suddenly a satisfied customer, especially since in a duology there’s no waiting 3 books for the romance to happen. But I can also see where this might seem rushed.

Then there’s the slow descent toward the ending. Like watching a glass of red wine fall in slow motion and shatter, wine spilling everywhere, and you know there’s nothing you can do about it. The pieces of the story were finally lining up, Esti and the Piper seemed like they were communicating, the romance was hot. I had a vague idea of where the story was going. I’m not saying it was exactly predictable, but there were clues. The kind where I thought maybe…and then shook my head and watched it all play out anyway toward the inevitable cliffhanger.

Sorry, this is incredibly vague, but I'm avoiding spoilers and I’m blaming the slump. I’ve written pieces of this review at least 4 different times and keep getting busy. So I’ll just end by saying that I enjoyed this, and I’m reserving full judgment until I read the last book. No fractional stars here, this gets a solid 4 from me.

4⭐️’s kindle & audio

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pre-read: it’s TIME to pay the piper. Honestly, whenever Raven Kennedy comes out with a new book I will pay whatever she wants. And if the piper is even remotely like Slade, I volunteer as tribute. For the greater good, obviously 😏

[dak · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰.”

hot mysterious man who controls rats with a flute kidnaps girl who can read your stars. oh and there are plagues… everywhere. that is all 🪈🎶🦠✨💅🐀🩸

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is why people don’t take romantasy seriously.

And before anyone gets mad at me for saying that, I’m on your side. Romantasy girls are constantly on the defense and this is me begging you all to demand better.

Like, I’m sorry, I fear for next year when a Romantasy author “reimagines” Humpty Dumpty and turns him into a 400 year old fae that our 19 year old half fae has to put together to save her starving family.

Now, I LOVE the Pied Piper story. I only read this because I, in equal measure, feared and was curious about how someone would turn that particular story into a romantasy.

I should have just stayed curious, honestly.

The actual Pied Piper part of this story is about 2 chapters. Prior to that, it’s honestly more Exodus 10 plagues of Egypt than it is Pied Piper.

The beauty of the original Pied Piper of Hamelin is how simple the story is, but how many questions it asks about humanity and greed and innocence and inclusion and judgment.

This fuck ass story did none of that.

Raven Kennedy used the “aesthetic” of the Pied Piper, (I.e. the vaguely 19th century German town, the rats (for all of 3 pages), and a character with a musical pipe) and said here’s my Pied Piper reimagining.

Bitch, where? That’s not a reimagining or a retelling; that’s just taking the base layer of a story and using it to hamfist your romantasy tropes into it. After the 30%, this book is just a fae romantasy. It loses all of its Pied Piper-ness.

Because, sorry, at the end of the day, this was written by an unimaginative author who wants to write fae smut but isn’t creative enough to come up with a foundational plot on her own. She “retells” old legend and folklore, but does nothing to mesh the themes of those stories with contemporary fantasy elements.

I have no qualms with retelling a piece of folklore and turning it into a fantasy romance. But when you “retell” something without keeping the meat of it, you turn it into an empty shell.

…and where do I even begin with the writing. Holy actual fuuuuuck.

We used the word “clout”… in a 19th century fantasy book…

We capitalized common nouns like “flies” and “plagues.” Do these words have exact names? No. But they’re capitalized anyways because shut up and who cares.

Phrases like “despair fisted my heart” “anxiety pierced my stomach” “happiness filled my throat” “tears pricked my eyes” “pain lashed my ankles” “boredom sat on my face” were ALL over this book. Rampant. Every page, sometimes three or more times.

This is horrific writing. I mean way beyond bad.

Alas, the writing part of this review will take me years, so I have to move on. Now to the plot…

You’re explicitly told the entire history and magical lore of the world from a 25 year old girl who has lived her entire life in a smallish German-esque city village. HOW DOES SHE KNOW THAT PLAGUES ARE HAPPENING ALL OVER THE NATION?

She, herself, says that once she broke up with her boyfriend (the classic first love interest in the book only used as a plot device later to make the mmc jealous) that she stopped knowing what was happening in the town.

But before then, we get pages and pages of history and world building that she says she got from “the poets and troubadours”

Who’s writing poetry and traveling in a plague??? A plague, by the main character’s description, that is so horrific, you can’t leave your house without flies devouring both livestock and humans in “minutes—even seconds.” How would she know what is happening or what had happened?

Shit like this annoys me because it’s always done in contemporary romantasy, but it makes no sense. In Lord of the Rings, Frodo has no idea about anything because he’s isolated. He gets his world info (and then as the audience, we do as well) from older characters, ones who have been to war or were alive during the referenced conflict.

Our FMC also acts like a 15 year old when it comes to the aforementioned ex boyfriend. When they get kidnapped together—nay, even before then WHEN THEIR ENTIRE VILLAGE IS STARVING FROM A PLAGUE—the only thing she can think of is how mad she is that he left her for another girl.

They’re kidnapped—KIDNAPPED, and her entire inner monologue is just like “ugh, I bet he wishes his new girlfriend was here instead of me”

This book is not serious in any way. Here’s a quote to illustrate that, if nothing else:

“I will grab your pipe and stab it through your eye.” “You wouldn’t know the first thing about handling my pipe.”

hello darkness, my old friend

Romantasy books like this are what spoil the entire subgenre and give license for people to make fun of it. This book could have been great had the author taken a writing class or workshopped it with an actual, intelligent editor who could have intertwined Exodus with The Pied Piper and created a romantic fantasy filled with nuance and subtext and theme and yearning and actual, logical magical lore.

Instead we got clippings from the titans of Greek Mythology, the plagues of Exodus, the setting of The Pied Piper, and literally everything else from every other Romantasy book on the market.

What a shame.

Anyway, I eagerly await the Romantasy reimagining of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

[Luce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me reading the Sweetest Fiend:



If I could rate this book infinity stars, I would. ✨

Was I worried that Raven Kennedy wouldn’t be able to live up to the perfection that was The Plated Prisoner series, one of my favourite romantasy series? Absolutely. But honestly, within the first few chapters, I knew this was going to be a 5-star read.

This book gave me the exact same feeling I had when I was reading Gleam (book 3 of the PP series). IYKYK. There was just something about the story, the characters… I was HOOKED.

The world-building was phenomenal. It was woven into the story so seamlessly that I never once felt overwhelmed with information.

Now the characters, where do I even begin?

Esti was such a strong FMC to lead this book, and I was rooting for her the entire time.

And… the Pied Piper. *smirks*

That is all.

It is only fair that you meet that man yourself because this was me every single time he spoke:



Honestly, I don’t want to spoil anything because I absolutely loved going into this book with no idea what to expect and I would genuinely recommend doing the same.

The ONLY thing I will add is the banter. 11/10. No notes.

The push and pull between these characters was top-tier Raven Kennedy. The tension, the little moments, I ATE it all up. And even the side characters brought that extra comedic relief you need.

Overall, I loved this book. I need book 2 IMMEDIATELY.

And if you’re a Plated Prisoner fan… just read it. You’re welcome.

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

”𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒗𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒕,” 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒍𝒚.
𝑴𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘 𝒊𝒏. “𝑹𝒆𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕?”
“𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚.”
“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”

i keep going back & forth on what i wanted to rate this book. the beginning was SO STRONG, i loved how stoic and intimidating Varrik was, i also loved the world building and how unique it all was. the tone was dark, with the different plagues and the struggle to survive.

all my issues started in the second half of the book, where everything went off the rails for the romance. Esti had always been mistrusting of Varrik, which was understandable but there wasn’t a smooth transition from “enemies to lovers” with them. it was a strange mix of lusty infatuation, although you could argue the romance itself was more of a slow burn? idk. it was actually quite jarring, especially since Varrik’s personality switched all over the place a million times.

i was getting 2nd hand embarrassment from how intense he was & all his corny innuendos, i liked him a lot more when he was broody & silent. Esti had been mistreated all her life for what she is, so her impulsivity and anger made sense to me. i just felt that she suddenly became more whiny as the book went on.

the plot had so much potential, but after a while we get random domestic moments with the characters.. instead of the urgency that they started the book with. i hope we get more of Conrad though, his personality was like a shining beacon when things got dull. the cliffhanger did make me curious to read the next one, but even then the decisions felt drastic there too.

➷ many thanks to NetGalley, the author, Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc, all opinions are my own.

[Taskin⋆彡⭒ (s-ia) · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

4.25/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
⋆⊱༻ཐི༏ཋྀ༺⊰⋆
I was skeptical at first because, duh, a Romantasy about the Pied Piper sounds kind of comical. But I absolutely devoured this book and couldn’t have stopped reading if I tried.

It opens with a ton of action, and I loved the post-apocalyptic setting, which you almost never see in Romantasy. The middle has less plot and more romance, but the banter and chemistry between Esti and the Piper carried it. The plot itself is amazing and so unique that I couldn’t predict a single thing.
Some parts are a bit gory for some readers, and I wasn’t expecting that in the first chapter, but I enjoyed it anyway. The gory scenes were dark and totally gripping, and the whole book played out like a movie in my head. The Plagues were the best part: flies stripping people down to bone, poisoned water, rats swarming the streets, a sky that looks permanently wounded. Brekon felt properly bleak, and I never felt buried in lore.

The banter is so damn good, and he’s such a flirt, omg. The man is a green flag through and through. I also loved that Esti didn’t give in and kept trying to leave, unlike a lot of fantasy FMCs. She has a fiery personality and the sweetest heart.

My biggest issue is that we only get Esti’s POV. I really wanted the Piper’s side too. The ending also felt very rushed, and then there’s a huge betrayal and a cliffhanger I definitely didn’t see coming.

I, just like many readers feel like this would've been better as trilogy. But overall i really enjoyed this one

[DianaRose · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

3.25 stars — not the best romantasy retelling i’ve ever read but also not the worst; as i get older and have been exposed to more books than one can imagine, it’s harder to become impressed by new books in such an oversaturated genre. but i still love my romantasy books!

this is my second book by raven kennedy, and while i didn't like her plated prisoner series, (granted i really only read the first book in the series) i wanted to give her a second chance (not like i really had a choice, as my fairyloot romantasy subscription included this edition for september...)

the sweetest fiend takes place in a world overridden by plagues, and the pied piper will rid the cities of this plague, but at a steep cost: he takes fiends as payment.

this was the first time i've ever heard of or read a pied piper retelling, and for me, it was a basic romantasy, nothing really wowed me.

i also listened to the audiobook and it’s dual narration, which i always love!

[Tahls · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me in a freaking CHOKEHOLD. Utterly obsessed. I couldn't put it down.

The ending was actually so insane and I tried to sit with it all and gather my thoughts but I’m still just… reeling. Like WHAT DO YOU MEAN???

The writing, the story, the characters, everything about this was totally captivating. With addictive storytelling, unrelenting anticipation, nail-biting pacing and delectable chemistry, I was on the edge of my seat.

I fell in love with Esti immediately and oh boy did Sir Pied Piper grow on me. 😏 The suspense and building TENSION, the fiery back and forth between them, ughhh my god, it was delicious. I was kicking my feet, giggling and grinning from ear to ear.

The storyline and world building were endlessly fascinating and there was honestly never a dull moment. I truly just ate this up from start to finish. And there’s so much more I want to share but I don’t want to spoil anything!

I still just can’t get over the ending, it was so unexpected. I had other theories but I really did not see that coming. I’m gagged!! I need the next book STAT. ⏱️

[Sue Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars! will be back with a review but ate this UP!

Raven Kennedy... you are so sick for this.

I've said this before, but it's been really special watching her writing evolve from series to series. I've mostly read her longer works, and this genuinely feels like some of her strongest writing yet.

The prologue had me hooked immediately. It delivers so much lore and world-building without ever feeling overwhelming, and somehow it even had me a little emotional? It set the tone perfectly and made me immediately invested. I cared about this world before the story had even really started, which is honestly hard to do.

I also loved how the beginning was paced. It never felt rushed, but there also wasn't a single point where I was waiting for something to happen. Every chapter gave you a little more of the world, a little more of the characters, and just enough answers to keep you turning the page.

And the back and forth??
Esti and the Piper are both so unbelievably stubborn that every interaction feels like neither of them is willing to blink first. The banter was so much fun, the tension kept building, and watching two equally determined people slowly become something more was one of my favorite parts of the book. We love a rat man and a girl who sparkles tbh.

Also... only Raven Kennedy could take The Pied Piper and somehow make me want him?? A man running around playing a recorder, commanding rats, making pipe jokes should not work.
...and yet here we are.

There was one line pretty early on that immediately made me stop and think, "...Raven, don't you dare." If you've read her books before, you know exactly what I mean. She loves planting little breadcrumbs that don't seem important until they emotionally hurt your feelings later.
Turns out my instincts were right.
Now I need book two.

If I had one critique, I do wish the romance had just a little more room to breathe. Since I've mostly read Raven's longer series, I'm used to those relationships taking longer to unfold. But knowing this is a duology—and especially after that ending—it actually makes complete sense why the relationship develops the way it does.

One thing I'll always appreciate about Raven is that no one else is coming up with ideas like this. She doesn't just retell a fairytale—she completely reinvents it. Her writing can be beautiful one page, hilarious the next, and then have you anxious five pages later.

If you want a romantasy with banter, unique world-building, a fresh magic system, a morally questionable rat man you somehow end up rooting for... and an ending that's going to make you immediately ask when book two comes out...

...I'd absolutely recommend this one.

[Rachel Louise ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars ⭐️

"You infuriate me, Piper."
"You enrapture me, blight."

some absolutely gorgeous quotes & storytelling in this but oh the way I am so disappointed at how this panned out 🥹 the first 100 pages I absolutely DEVOURED - I thought oh my god this is so easily going to be a new five star read for me.. the way we're thrown into the story, the darkness to the plot with what's happening with the plagues, and then the mystery side of things was all so intriguing. I also loved the introduction to the Pied Piper, with his character being so unique at first, then the banter between him & our fmc Esti. for a solid 40%, I really loved this and where it was going.

and then came the repetitiveness 🥲 I feel like there wasn't enough substance to the fmc, aside from her physical traits & her constant escape attempts. it had me hooked at first, and I really felt for her but it started to feel really dragged out for me with the same thing happening over and over again. we lost a lot of that delicious tension between her & the piper, so by the time we got to them being together, it felt a bit underwhelming. HOWEVER, I did love the Piper's character (especially his filthy mouth omgggg) and that didn't ever get lost within the plot for me.

maybe part of my disappointment is also down to me guessing the end plot twist at the beginning, so it didn't hit as much as I was hoping it would as for a lot of the plot I couldn't fully be convinced by their love, as I was preemptively guessing when that twist would happen. I also think that perhaps their relationship together hadn't fully formed enough for this to land the way it was supposed to? like, we're in the last 10 pages of book 1 in a fantasy series, of course there's no HEA.

overall, I'd still recommend this if you want a unique, easy to read romantasy (that's heavy on the romance side). It's definitely the kind of book that you can just binge, switch your brain off & finish within a day because it's very heavily character driven/dialogue based. there are some really nice elements to it, just a little disappointed by the repetitiveness/rushed ending!

pre-read
gave in to the fomo with this one after seeing so many good reviews! so excited to read it with bestie Taskin 🖤✨

sounds like it's going to be a very unique romantasy? will be so refreshing to read something different 👀

[Karly Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

The absolute HIGH I felt finishing this book. ALL THE STARS FOR MY FIRST RAVEN KENNEDY BOOK.

🗓️ ARC Review. Pub Date: September 22, 2026 🗓️
🎁 ARC gifted to me by Avon Books

🖤 Dark fantasy romance
🖤 1st person POV
🖤 Captor x captive
🖤 Dark magic
🖤 Plague-ridden world
🖤 Loosely inspired by the Pied Piper
🖤 ALL THE BANTER & FLIRTING

Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️

This dark fantasy romance was UNPUTDOWNABLE (I binged it in 2 days). Addictive. Absolutely fantastic. I have never read a Raven Kennedy book before this, but I still went in with very high expectations since SO many of my friends love her work. Her writing definitely lived up to the hype! This gave me the same adrenaline and giddiness as reading The Twisted Sisters' series.

I went into this book somewhat blindly, and I'm glad I did because this was just a rollercoaster of a reading experience. Now, do I recommend every reader going in blindly? NO. I beg readers to read the trigger warnings–especially if they don't typically read dark romantasy/romance—because this features a lot of dark themes that will make some readers uncomfortable. ESPECIALLY because the main romance is a captor x captive dynamic. I know this will not be every reader's cup of tea, but it was mine.

This world is dark as hell. Raven Kennedy paints a gruesome and dark stage for this tale, which I was very much in the mood for given that we're about to be in the first week of fall. The grittiness of this world and the setting definitely heightened my emotions going into this story.

I really enjoy the magic system and how the different beings came to be. It felt like a fresh and unique spin on different types of fae.

I LOVE our FMC. She's resilient and has endured so much. I love the bond she shares with her aunt and mother, which I definitely understand being the type of person who is willing to risk everything and anything for their family. I feel like I went to hell and back alongside this character.

Ohhhhhh rat man. The way I was kicking my feet and giggling my butt off because of this man and their banter. It's been a hot second since I've read of an MMC this flirty, and I GOBBLED HIM UP. If someone told me I'd be charmed by a man who hypnotizes rats with a pipe, I'd laugh in your face. And here I am, charmed like one of those rats.

Could I be nit picky about this book? Yes, especially because I felt like the beginning started off slower than I would have liked. BUT the way I inhaled the second half of this book completely made up for any negative feelings I had about the beginning. Ultimately, I feel like I have to rate this 5 stars because I was literally buzzing after finishing this book.

That ending had my jaw on the floor, but I know it's going to divide readers (I tend to be in the camp that likes divisive endings/cliffhangers 😂). Gimme book 2 now, PLEASE.

[✩ Yaz ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“You infuriate me, Piper.”
“You enrapture me, blight.”

Once again! Raven Kennedy delivers a unique loose reimagining in The Sweetest Fiend that lures you into its sinful melody and unfolds a decadent slowburn.

Set in a world marked by a devastating tragedy when terror ruptured from the earth and left its blight upon cities and their people, Esti is one of the many victims forced to carry the burden and shame of that terror—as she is a "Fiend", half-Fae and half-Bane, the living reminder that the monstrous Banes have not only left deadly plagues but also a tainted offspring.

Among the many cities tormented by plagues for years, Esti's city is faced with an even greater threat that is poised to bring nothing but further rot and ruin.

That is until a Pied Piper emerges and lulls the devastated city with his piercing music, and he ensnares its people, including Esti, within the eerie notes of his melody.

The question remains: is the Pied Piper meant to be an omen of salvation or damnation?

Reading through the perspective of a heroine forced to navigate a world that views her as an abomination and expects her to endure being treated as lesser, it just fills my heart with so much sorrow for Esti.

But even with fractured trust and living among a community that relentlessly rejects her and other Fiends, she remains remarkably resilient in the face of it all.

Raven excels at crafting unique lore and atmospheric world-building, the rot and ruin felt quite tangible to me. I can feel the dread and despair pound within every page.

As for the romance... it's a decadent yet scalding slowburn with tension stretched so taut it could have snapped and struck me.

Neither Esti nor the reader have any choice but surrender to the Piper's sinful allure and dangerous charm.

This is the first installment in a duology and I will be waiting with bated breath for the second one!

Thank you to HarperCollins/Avon Books for offering me an eARC in exchange for a review. Always grateful for such opportunity!

[Taylor K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sooo when does book 2 come out?? Could not put this down!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Avon/Harper Collins for the ARC. I’m calling it, everyone is going to eat this up. This was refreshing. The magic system in this book is so unique and actually interesting which (in my opinion) is lacking in newer romantasy books. The world-building is a lot at times, but it’s not too dense and the lore is sprinkled throughout. It’s a lot more romance-forward than I was expecting, but I ended up having a lot of fun with it. I will NEVER see the Pied Piper the same again and I’m not mad about it at all. I enjoyed the ensemble of characters especially Aunt Lenna. I think it was adequately paced even if it is somehow equal parts insta-love and slow burn. The story itself is also great even though it ends on a brutal cliffhanger. The only thing that kept it from being 5 stars is the language used between the two main characters. It felt too modern and out of place which took me out of the story several times. Also, the one-liners were ridiculous. BUT DON’T WORRY, I CAN LOOK PAST IT. CAN’T WAIT FOR BOOK #2.

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

✩ 4.75 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ One Horse/One Tent
➼ Captor x Captive
➼ Enemies-to-Lovers
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Fiends & Fae
➼ He Falls First
➼ Who Did this to you?
➼ Dark Romantasy
➼ Pied Piper Retelling
➼ Duet Narration by Isabelle Turner & Sean Masters
➼ Dual First Person POV?

Adding the Pied Piper to my book boyfriend list wasn’t on my 2026 bingo card, but here we are. 😁

I’ve read SO many great Romantasy books lately and this one was one of my absolute favs! I’ve seen people complaining about lots of things from the characters to the ending, but I loved it all! Sometimes a book is just your jam and this one was mine. I can kind of understand people being annoyed by parts of the ending, but I’ve read enough fantasy that I was expecting some strife. Things can’t end perfectly in book one of a series or we wouldn’t need a book two. I loved the MMC and thought the tension between these characters was so good. 🤌🏻 I’m also really excited that this is a duology after Ms. Kennedy drug out the Plated Prisoner series so much that I still haven’t convinced myself to finish it. 😅 Such a unique and engaging story! Definitely a must-read!

Can’t wait to read book two!

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: Really excited about this one! I’m going to use my Spotify minutes to listen to it since the Libby wait time is like 17 weeks! 😅

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

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[Radica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raven Kennedy, off course you did it again♥️

[Luce · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for an audiobook rec, this is it. The audiobook is incredible. Especially loved the piper music element to it.

Raven has created such a cool fantasy with a piper and plagues and poison and rats 🐀 GIVE US MORE. This book had me hooked from the get go and the ending has just left me wanting so much more of this series 😍

[har. · Rating 3 out of 5]

⤿ 🪈 ⌗ started: october 25, finished: november 7

3 stars 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
⤿ arc review, spoiler free.

“You’ve rewritten it,” he says quietly. My brows draw in. “Rewritten what?” “Beauty.”

⋆.˚ ★— thank you to avon and harper voyager, harperaudio adult & netgalley for the e-arc & alc in exchange for a honest review
⤿ release date: september 22, 2026

──★ ˙🧚🏻‍♀️ !! tropes
.ᐟ forced proximity
.ᐟ captive romance
.ᐟ enemies to lovers
.ᐟ only one bed / horse / tent
.ᐟ snarky banter
.ᐟ slow burn
.ᐟ dark pied piper retelling

summary:⋆˚࿔

when the world cracked open, nine monstrous banes came out with it, and even though the core fae eventually killed them all, each one left a plague behind as punishment. esti is half bane, half fae, and hated by pretty much everyone for it. when a deadly plague hits her city, the pied piper shows up to get rid of it, but his help comes at a price: one hundred and thirty people taken as payment, esti included. she has to get back home because her family is depending on her, but the piper isn't letting her go, and the pull between them is getting harder to ignore. if she doesn't escape soon, her heart won't be the only thing at stake. it'll be the whole world.

thoughts:⋆˚࿔

um so i have mixed feelings on this one 😭 i originally gave it 3.75 stars, but the more i sat with it, the more i realised it was really a 3 for me.

let me start with the good, because there was a lot of it!! the first part of this book had me completely locked in. the world was built out so well, everything about the plot clicked, and i genuinely didn't want to put it down. the plagues were the highlight for me. they were creepy and so different from anything i've read before, and i was SO invested in learning more about them and the banes behind them.

then esti and the piper's dynamic took over, and i'm not going to lie, their back and forth was so entertaining. every time they argued i was grinning 😭 the tension between them was there from the very first scene.

but this is also where things started to fall apart for me. the pacing slowed down WAY too much. i know this is a romance heavy fantasy and i went in expecting that, but the plagues were the whole point of the story for me!! that's what pulled me in, and i wanted to understand them so badly, so when the plot took a backseat to the romance for so long, i kept waiting for it to pick back up. that's honestly what made me drop my rating.

also, small thing, but this is only told from esti's pov. totally fine, and not really a criticism, but i would've LOVED a chapter or two in the piper's head. he's such a mystery and i'm so curious about what goes on in there.

and then... the twist. because of course there's a twist 😭 i went back and forth on how i felt about it, but honestly it confirmed my mixed feelings. instead of leaving me desperate for book two, it kind of drained me. it undoes so much of what esti and the piper had built.

──★ ˙🧚🏻‍♀️ !! characters

esti: ⋆˚࿔

i loved esti. her determination to get back and help her mother is at the heart of everything she does, and i admired how she held onto that no matter what was thrown at her. she's been hated her whole life for something she can't control, and she still keeps fighting for the people she loves. my love for her stayed with me the whole way through.

yes, she has a lot of the usual romantasy heroine traits (stubborn, sassy, a little reckless 😭), but what made her stand out for me were the softer moments where she let her guard down. those scenes made her feel so real. i was also SO intrigued by her magic! it was fun to see on the page, but i kept waiting for it to matter more to the plot, and it never really did, which was a bit of a letdown.

the pied piper/varik: ⋆˚࿔

mr sexy pipe himself 😩 i'll admit it, i loved him. but i also wanted MORE from him. when he first showed up with his pipe and his rats, i was so excited because he felt dark and unpredictable. as the book went on, though, he settled into the familiar powerful, tortured, secretly-soft-for-her love interest we've seen a hundred times. and deep down, he's a good guy.

the book touches on how messed up it is that he can control people, and i really wish it had explored that more! give me a piper who's actually morally grey, or even just a little more mischievous and tricksy. that would've made him unforgettable instead of just swoony.

[èvieane]

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ᯓ ✿ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍pre-reading ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⪼
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ○ started ┆08-November-2026┆

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⤿ finally back from my trip and hopefully out of my small reading slump as well 🥲 been hearing only good things about this one so there is still hope for me

[My Dark Romantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excuse me @ravenkennedybooks the banter! The Banter! I highlighted so many great lines and innuendos.

Our FMC is feisty and is not happy that she’s been “collected” by the Piper. Our MMC is broody and mysterious. There’s unique magic plus all the Romantasy vibes we love.

I don’t want to give away too much but just know that I’m FUMING at the ending. 😤

The special editions are amazing so definitely don’t skip on preorders if one of them catches your eye.

The Sweetest Fiend is out September 22 2026
Thank you to @avonbooks and @netgalley for my advanced reader copy! I devoured it and can’t wait for everyone to get their hands, ears and eyes on this new duology Played by the Piper from the author of The Played Prisoner Series.

[abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

queen raven never misses!!! i knew i would love this after devouring the plated prisoner series.

the sweetest fiend was a complete breath of fresh air!!

this book was so fast paced i nearly read the whole thing in one sitting. i was completely immersed from page one and that’s because of how captivating raven’s writing is.

i absolutely loved esti from the beginning and was rooting for her the entire time.

the pied piper? SIR. he is so cheeky and flirty and i was obsessed with the banter between him and esti, he had me laughing so much!

”you’re irritating.”
“i’ll get you a salve.” looooool.

i also love that we got to see a more vulnerable side to him too.

”i’m glad i found you.”
“i’m glad you found me too.” 🥹


the ending had me GAGGED i was not expecting that at all and i am now desperate for book 2.


thank you so much to penguin michael joseph for an early review copy!!




also just to note that i’ve seen a couple of reviews complain that it didn’t feel like enemies to lovers, that’s because raven didn’t market it as that!! enemies to lovers isn’t a trope for this book. not every romantasy has to be enemies to lovers to be done well, pls🙄🙄🙄

[Morgan Ruffner · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Will definitely pick up book 2 when it comes out 👏🏼 their 🌶️ time wasn’t my favvvv (but it didn’t come until around the 90% mark so if you want slow burn, enemies to lovers, this is it)! overall still super intrigued to see where this series is going to go!

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will start by saying that this book is definitely for someone and I do think people will enjoy it.... but that person is not me.

If you like Romantasy where the romance is heavier than the plot, this is for you. If I read this 2-3 years ago, I could've felt differently but this entire book was one big eye rolling ick for me 🫣

Simply, I do not think this author's writing style is for me. The plot was intriguing at times with the plagues, but it felt very all over the place especially in the beginning. The enemies to lovers didn't feel like enemies at all because of how obsessed the mmc was at 30%ish and I just think I should probably never read a fated mates book again at this point.

Like I said, this will be for some Romantasy readers.. but the Romantasy readers that enjoy a 10-25% romance ratio, will most likely strongly dislike this.

[Nikii · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be a 5⭐ read, but it turned out to be such a disappointment.

There were some parts I liked, but for the most part, I wanted to DNF it. The plot was so intriguing, though, which is why I kept going. I expected way more world-building, so the lack of it was pretty underwhelming.

And don’t even ask me about the romance.

The dialogues were so cringe and Wattpad-coded—Y/N x CEO, but make it romantasy edition. 😭 But seriously, the romance was so underdeveloped that I felt absolutely no chemistry between them. And the insta-lust? Ugh, I hate it so much.

Tbh, the romance here was incredibly disappointing.

I love when my MMCs are possessive, but this man had known her for less than a week and was already like, “You belong to me now.” I’m sorry, sir, WHAT? When did these feelings develop? You guys literally just met, brother. 😭 And what was with those corny dialogues? I’ve read far better dialogue on Wattpad.

There was no tension. No build-up. They just started confessing how much they wanted each other out of nowhere. 😍🙏🏻

The first 50% was actually good. I was enjoying it, but then the downfall started. After that, I was basically forcing myself to finish.

Esti, the FMC, also seemed way too childish for a 25-year-old woman. I actually liked her at first, but then she became so whiny.

One moment, her inner monologue is going on about how much she despises Varrik, the MMC, and two seconds later, she’s like, “He’s so gorgeous,” followed by horny thoughts. Girl… WHAT? 😭

And honestly, both of their personalities seemed to completely flip at some point. I genuinely started wondering if I was reading about the same characters.

The plot was honestly going so well at first. But after the first half, it basically vanished into thin air, and the entire focus shifted to the romance—which was executed so poorly. Their chemistry felt forced, and I became so disconnected from both the plot and the characters.

The writing could have been much better, too. The descriptions felt very lacking, and I really wanted more world-building.

This year might genuinely not be my year because every anticipated read I pick up keeps disappointing me 😭

Safety 🥀
No OW
No OM ( just some jealousy scene )
No cheating
Cliffhanger ending