She can’t kill her husband, but she can make life so miserable that he gives up the crown. The only problem? He has the same plan.
Aoife the Warrior Queen has spent thousands of years as a statue, waiting for someone to break the curse that turned her to stone. All she wants is to return to her throne, to finally be free.
She awakens, horrified to discover the curse was broken with true love’s kiss. Except Lor Wolfgang is not her true love. Now Aoife is bound in marriage to this self-righteous brute, forced to rule by his side.
If only he wasn’t the most insufferable person alive. Aoife hates everything about him: his mouth-breathing, his chewing, his stubbornness, but most of all his belief that he’s always right.
So Aiofe hatches a plan: she’ll make Lor regret ever breaking her curse while also showing him she’s meant to rule alone.
As her schemes force them to spend time together, Aoife sees a softer, more vulnerable side of Lor she didn’t expect. And when the lines of her games become more blurred—and heated—Aoife begins to worry the crown isn’t the only thing she’ll lose if she fails.
This Is Not True Love’s Kiss is a standalone cozy, spicy romantasy with arranged marriage, enemies-to-lovers, and a magical matchmaking castle.
Aoife was definitely a bit frustrating for the first third of the book, and I felt a bit sorry for both Lor and Aoife—Lor knew his place but took heavy responsibility for everything and everyone, while Aoife didn't feel like she had a place at all and felt as though everyone had moved on and forgotten everything she fought for. However, I loved seeing how much they both grew throughout the story, along with their fantastic development both together and as individuals. They are total opposites who help each other thrive, with Lor helping bring back some of the old Fae folk traditions and Aoife finding her rightful place!
ARC Review I’m not going to lie, Aoife annoyed the living daylights out of me for about 90% of the book. I understand that she had an extremely difficult life but her attitude was horrible! It almost made me want to not finish. However, once she finally opened up and started communicating with the people around her, the book got significantly better! I love a HEA. Also, obsessed with Meena!
I was not expecting a double release and it was everything I didn’t know I needed. It truly rounded out the storyline that is a threaded between all the books!
I enjoyed seeing more of our favorite characters, learning more about Lor and a certain character at the end of the the Prince is not charming 👀 I don’t want to give too much away.
As all of Tee’s books, she has me cracking up and this book doesn’t fall short of that either. There is definitely a scene that had me DMing my friend to laugh together 🤭🤣
This Is Not True Love’s Kiss is the final book in the Brothers of Fairwitch Isle series. Ever since Lor was introduced, I was so curious to learn more about him, so I was really excited to finally find out what happened during his time with the Brotherhood. Enemies to lovers is one of my favourite tropes, so I had high hopes for this one, and it didn’t disappoint!
Aoife has woken up to a reality where almost everything she knew is gone or has changed, from the customs and culture around her to her own place in the world. She feels disconnected and left behind and is trying to figure out where she belongs in a world she no longer understands. I will admit that she frustrated me a little at the beginning, especially when Lor seemed to be trying harder to include her in the decisions they were making, but the more I understood where she was coming from, the more her reactions made sense.
Lor, on the other hand, is trying so hard to do what is best for his people and create a community where everyone can come together, but he is still carrying a lot of guilt over what happened with the Brotherhood and is constantly looking for perfection, as if he has something left to prove. I really loved watching them slowly start to see each other differently and move from their initial hate and constant disagreements to understanding and respecting each other. I especially loved seeing them gradually let each other see the vulnerable parts they try so hard to hide behind all that stubbornness. The trust and feelings between them, as well as the tension, build slowly, which made the enemies to lovers romance so satisfying.
One of my favourite parts was seeing both Aoife and Lor recognise their own faults, accept parts of themselves they had been struggling with, and learn from each other. In the end, they realise that they actually want the same things, and I loved seeing them bring more of the Fair Folk customs into the community they are building together.
And of course, Castle does plenty of meddling along the way! I absolutely loved getting Castle’s POV this time and seeing it become even more involved in the story. As I have probably said in every review of this series, one of its biggest strengths is its focus on found family, community and learning that you don’t have to deal with everything alone. Seeing that reflected once again in the now even bigger Wolfgang family and their friends was such a lovely way to end the series. And with that ending I am really hoping this isn’t the last time we visit this world, because I am definitely not ready to say goodbye to Fairwitch Isle just yet!
If you love cosy romantasy with enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, slow burn, a meddling sentient castle, banter, found family, community and a bit of spice, then this book is for you.
Thank you so much Tee for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Another one that has me mad from the very beginning because what do you mean Aoife was woken up TWO YEARS AGO??? Excuse me what? She and Lor have been ruling together/married for TWO YEARS when this book starts?!? WHY? It makes no sense to space these books so far apart. I’m sorry, what kind of idiocy would allow a king and queen to rule completely ineffectively due to their own personal issues for TWO YEARS before people got sick of it and got involved?? How and why would these two “hate” eachother for two whole fekkin years for NO REAL REASON?? Like literally a single conversation would have made it clear that there’s no actual reason to hate each other?
If I pretend this book started like 3 weeks after Aoife was awoken by Lor, then I don’t want to rage and I actually really like it. It was fun, maddening, cute and cozy, and I liked how they eventually got together and didn’t change eachother just supported each other. Loved having castle’s POV, kind of a fun surprise.
I wish we had more inside pov of Lor transitioning back to life in fairwitch isle after being in the brotherhood for a decade. Did he miss Lena? Was it hard to change his routine? He just came back and suddenly it was all as if he had never left at all. Missed opportunity.
Does Margaret leaving her painting and Ambrose going after her mean they’ll end up together? I hope so. Poor Ambrose has been skipped over too many times and it makes my heart hurt. He and Margaret would be amazing together.
The final Wolfgang brother finds his happily ever after in this cozy romantasy that features classic tropes such as marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, and hurt x comfort.
After kissing Aoife the Warrior Queen and awakening her from her two thousand year slumber, Lor must now figure out how to be a good king and husband. Unfortunately, his wife seems to hate him. Even after two years of marriage, Aoife still won’t give him the time of day. That’s when Castle steps in and offers them a deal—if one of them willingly gives up the crown, Castle will allow the other to remain the sole ruler of Fairwitch Isle. Aoife is determined to scare Lor away, while Lor is determined to convince her that they can rule happily together. Each with their plan desperate to succeed, they both agreed to spend more time with one another to further their ambitions. Aoife and Lor soon come to realize that they have a lot more in common than they originally thought and that they will be do anything to protect their people from the dangers posed by the nefarious Brotherhood.
I expected I wouldn’t like this one as much as the others because it features some of my less-liked tropes, but I was happy to announce that Lor and Aoife managed to make me care for them just as much as the other Wolfgang brothers and their wives. Thank you so much Tee Harlowe for the eARC of this one and for having me on your street team!
At the start, I was worried that I wasn’t going to like Aoife and Lor as much as the other couples in this series. They spent almost all of their time bickering with one another and causing avoidable issues just to make the other’s life more challenging. These two truly struggled to open up to one another even after being married for two whole years, which is pretty darn impressive. Luckily, these two eventually begin to spend more time with each other outside their political duties, and their relationship becomes much more palatable.
One of the best parts about Lor and Aoife‘s relationship is the fact that they help each other contend with the trauma of their pasts. Aoife was a slave for thousands of years, so it’s no surprise that she is haunted by horrible memories. The fact that she is forced to live in the home that she used to serve her slavers in is quite triggering for her and it’s so sweet the lengths that Lor is willing to go to remedy this once he realizes this is an issue. Lor worked as an undercover spy that infiltrated the Brotherhood for years. The Brotherhood was a horrible group to be stuck in, and Lor has blood on his hands that he can never erase. He was also mentally tormented by his mentor, which causes him to suffer from severe bouts of self-doubt which in turn leads to him feeling he must be perfect all the time. Feeling as though he must shoulder everyone’s burdens all the time, it’s no wonder he is so tightly strung. When these two finally let their walls down and talk to each other about the demons in their minds, their relationship becomes much healthier and super sweet despite their icy exteriors.
I think my favorite scene in this one is the tutoring scene. I just thought this one was so funny, but also a pivotal turning point for Lor and Aoife‘s romantic relationship. Spending time reading smut with one’s significant other is always a hoot, and Lor and Aoife really decide to have fun with it.
This book was a bit different from the rest when it comes to the narrative style. Not only is it told in dual timelines, but it adds an additional PoV outside the romantic couple. Seeing Lor and Aoife’s relationship over the course of the two years they’ve known each other is very beneficial. It makes it easier to understand all that they have gone through, while keeping the romantic tension progressing forward the whole book. Getting chapters from Castle’s PoV was an unexpected surprise, but one I found to be super cool. Castle has always been such a huge part of this series, and getting to see their meddlesome thoughts directly was quite delightful.
As always, reuniting with all the characters we’ve met throughout this series was quite fun. I was a bit surprised to see characters such as Marsten, Meera, and Elowyn make such important appearances, but it was great. I also really loved seeing the Wolfgang brothers get more page time together as they are always a comedy gem when they are in the same room. The council of wives was also stellar as Niamh, Enid, and Ceri always have great advice to share when a girl needs it.
Getting the Brotherhood plot wrapped up was such a relief. Fairwitch Isle has been dealing with this problem for so long, it is nice to see them finally being able to move on. Things didn’t go quite how I expected them to, but I can’t say things didn’t end up about as good as they could have for the people of Fairwitch.
After reading the epilogue of this one, it comes as no surprise that Harlowe has already penned a bonus novella starring everyone’s favorite portrait girl, Margaret. Margaret has always been such a jovial character that shines light on every situation she enters. I’m happy to see that she is getting her happily ever after. And the crew that she is questing with is also such a strong cast of characters, because how does one hate a bookwyrm, a sassy cat, a heroic suit of armor, and a fae who has had his heart broken two times throughout the course of this series? Seriously, I’m glad Ambrose is finally catching a break.
Overall, “This Is Not True Love’s Kiss” was a great ending to the main “Brothers of Fairwitch Isle” series. I loved seeing the Castle scheme to pair all four Wolfgang brothers with their perfect match. Lor and Aoife certainly had their hard patches, but it was so sweet to see them let their walls down and let each other in. Seeing the major conflicts be resolved was a tad bittersweet, because it means this series is coming to an end. Luckily, some fan favorites are gearing up to go on an adventure in “This Fae Is Not My Cup of Tea,” which I’m ecstatic to get my hands on in just a few short weeks!
The cute conclusion to the Brothers of Fairewitch Isle series. It’s cozy. It’s fun. It’s safe and predictable. It is enjoyable if you want a little fluff in your reading.
While I’m not opposed to a forced proximity trope romance, this felt a little too forced for me. The relationship “fix” in the end felt too quick and parts were redundant at times. The characters do have emotional baggage and weight. And with this type of story you don’t expect this to be addressed too much. However, there were a few times emotional conflict or tension could have been explored.
Overall the story is sweet and safe. Though the exciting conflict resolution expected at the end was also a little anticlimactic. Which was somewhat disappointing, especially for the final book in the main series.
All together, I did enjoy the series. My favorites were This Damsel is not in Distress and This Witch is not wicked. So, I wouldn’t mind reading the spin offs.
Ohhh these two...two angry people who are definitely NOT IN LOVE. If you want to read about an arranged marriage between a warrior FMC and a man who is definitely not in love with her and definitely doesn't do romantic gestures and definitely doesn't listen and really see her SEE HER then pick up this enemies to lovers romantasy by Tee Harlowe ASAP. This is actually book four (and there's a novella!) in the Brothers of Fairwitch Isle series but they are all standalones. If you want my honest opinion I loved them all so much but book one and four were my favorites by juuuust a smidge so oopsie guess that means you better read 'em all!
This was cute but my least favorite of the series. I struggled to like either MC for a long portion of the book and it kind of dragged, and then didn’t have the big plot climax, which I felt I was owed after so much investment in the series. Aoife was fine, Lor was fine, but so much stubbornness and grumpiness was just…a lot. They were both just very immature and lacking in communication skills considering both their ages. The whole plot line of The Brotherhood fizzled out into nothing, which was a letdown after 4 books. The spice was late in the book and all-around blah. It was…okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Let me tell you, I was beyond excited when I discovered there was going to be a dual launch. After the way the previous book ended, there was absolutely no way I could have waited months for this one, and thankfully I didn’t have to.
Lor was the one Wolfgang sibling I never quite knew what to expect from. We only catch glimpses of him throughout the series, and it’s never entirely clear whose side he’s on or what he truly wants.
Lor and Aoife are both incredibly strong-willed, and they couldn’t be more different. Every interaction between them is explosive, and they genuinely cannot see eye to eye. This is true enemies-to-lovers done right, with a wonderfully slow burn and the sweetest payoff.
When neither of them is willing to compromise, the castle gives them an ultimatum: one month to surrender their claim to the crown, or be bound together to rule. The question is… can either of them convince the other to step aside?
Both Lor and Aoife carry enormous trauma that has shaped not only who they are, but also the way they approach leadership. Neither of them has ever truly had the freedom to choose their own path. Aoife spent her life in chains, so any bond now feels like another prison threatening the freedom she fought so hard to reclaim. Lor, on the other hand, was moulded into perfection, taught that his worth exists only in achieving flawless results, and he does so through constant sacrifice. Neither is used to being challenged. They are leaders, not followers, fiercely set in their own ways, with completely different values and priorities.
What neither of them realises, however, is just how perfectly they complement one another. Watching them slowly lower their walls, learn to understand each other’s perspectives, and discover the balance they bring to one another made every frustrating moment worth it. Their relationship never felt rushed; every step towards trust and understanding had to be earned, which made the eventual payoff all the more satisfying.
I also loved how different this book felt from the previous three. The castle itself became even more of a character, fully embracing its sentience and constantly scheming to push Lor and Aoife together. The flashbacks were another highlight, adding so much depth to both of them and showing exactly how their complicated relationship came to be.
I adore this series. Every visit to Fairwitch Isle feels like coming home. It’s comforting, magical, and somehow still manages to surprise me with every new instalment. I absolutely loved this story, and while it wrapped up Lor and Aoife’s journey beautifully, I sincerely hope this isn’t the last time we’ll visit Fairwitch Isle.
***I received this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Tee for trusting me again!***
This book sure was a doozy for me. Tee is wonderful at writing characters that are beautifully flawed and grow into those flaws creating very romantic and kind of realistic dynamics. This relationship though........I almost considered DNFing (truthfully because of Lor, the MMC). The dynamics and traumas of both characters were rough, and I didn't like how certain things played out - cue feminist rage, but I will say Tee brought it together at the end (although I was annoyed for a majority of it).
Aoife former slave turned Rebellion Queen was placed in a curse to be "saved"; the Castle knowing she was the best ruler for the people but while Aoife was under the impression it was her kingdom, that was not the Castle's intention. Cue my first bit of feminist rage - why can't a queen rule by herself? Why must she always have a king on her side?? Women are more than fit for leadership roles. Aoife, unfortunately, learns this after being freed when Lor (traitor turned spy) is the one who frees her and becomes king. They didn't choose each other, the Castle chose them - thus fueling Aoife's trauma of being trapped.
Lor, as we find out, wasn't exactly a traitor but had to make some hard choices and chose to be a part of a rebellion also. He was trapped into the Brotherhood and then abused by the leader of the Brotherhood rebellion to become the next ruler of the rebels. While the intent was to undermine the Brotherhood, his former mentor went about it the wrong way - causing serious trauma for Lor as well. I did not like Lor for basically 90% of the book - he was very controlling, demeaning, disrespectful, and stubborn to the point of harming Aoife. He was incredibly kind and thoughtful for others, but seemed to take his trauma out on Aoife. It took meddling from the Castle and others to get Lor to pull his head out of his butt (process his trauma as well) and for Aoife to finally process and feel her emotions. I loved Aoife, I saw bits of myself in her, and I wanted the best for her - she deserved far more than what she was given.
Overall, I liked the book. Aoife and Enid (from book 2 - This Witch is Not Wicked) are my homegirls, no one better mess with them!
Favorite Quotes “I mean look at him. Go have some hate sex with that man.”
"...I will weather this storm with you, Aoife, my warrior queen.”
What a finale this was for our Fairwitch Isle brothers! We finally get to experience our long lost brother as he leads Fairwitch Isle after decades of leading a rebellion against the evil Brotherhood. But leading isn’t easy when you’re married to the newly awoken Warrior Queen who has been stone for 2,000 years.
We follow three POVs in TINTLK: castle (yay!), Lor, and Aoife. Aoife only remembers her past as a slave and she is hellbent to never be chained down again. So, when she awakens to be married to the king of the isle rather than ruling on her own, she is determined to bend everything to her will and fight for freedom. She is stubborn, rough around the edges, guarded, and difficult to love… At first. But once we learn why her walls are so high, we see that it’s a protection as well as an unfamiliarity to gentleness and love. Where Lor is controlled and scheduled and dead set on achieving perfection after years of torment and abuse that ingrained that he was never enough, Aoife is the fire and fluidity Lor needs in his life. But can they quit fighting long enough to see that their differences are not a weakness and that they could be better leaders together? Well, leave it to Castle and our found family to meddle enough for us to find out!
Tee never fails to give us good vibes, whimsy, giggles along with depth, and a deliciously angsty romance. It’s been such a joy to journey with the Fairwitch brothers and their crew. This was a lovely ending for them. And I can’t wait for this next story! I just KNOW, after that epilogue, it’s going to be a HOOT and I’m so happy this MMC will finally be getting his HEA!
Tropes you may find in TINTLK are marriage of convenience, forced proximity, touch starved MCs, found family, banter, sentient castle, slow burn to medium spice, and a HEA.
Thank you, Tee, for another delightful read. I’m honored to continue to be on your arc team.
Omgoodness, yet another perfect cozy romantasy by Tee Harlowe! I'm honored to be part of her ARC team and to have read all of this series through ARCs. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of them!
In this final book of Brothers of Fairwitch Isle, we get the long-lost brother Lor's story. At the end of the previous book, it leads us into this story so perfectly. He is married to Aoife, who is a warrior queen and was turned to stone 2000 years ago. Since being awoken, she only remembers her past, being a slave, treated badly and refuses to ever be tied down again. So she puts up constant fights, tries to set the king up, so he'll divorce her so she won't be tied down. She was not happy to wake up and find out she was married to the king. She is super stubborn, and very determined to make herself difficult to be around and to love.
Lor, he refuses to fail, he's hellbent on perfection, he was trained to believe he was never good enough, would never be good enough, so he would not fail at this marriage or let Aoife do anything to mess it up.
In Lor's efforts to convince Aoife that he is not out to hurt her, he even sleeps close by to help her feel protected, he starts to develop real feelings for her that he didn't expect, what he says he mean, but Aoife does not realize it, or she won't let herself believe he is doing good w/out malice.
Finally, with the help of Castle (who, by the way, has a good role in this book) and the found family members in the castle, Lor and Aoife realize they can do more for the town of Fairwitch Isle together than they can apart. While working together, undeniable feelings surface and they both finally give in.
With a perfect epilogue, there is a perfect ending to the series.
This is such a neat world that Tee Harlowe has created and I'm SUPER excited to see what is in store for us next!
Tropes: ✨️Marriage of convenience ✨️Forced proximity ✨️Found Family ✨️Banter ✨️Sentient Castle(I love this)
After listening to the audiobook of This Witch Is Not Wicked I had to do an immersive read for this one!
It follows Aoife and Lor, after her curse is broken by Lor’s kiss. Aoife turned herself into stone 2000 years ago. All she knows has changed drastically and she feels that everything that made the Fair Folk themselves has disappeared. Lor has been working against The Brotherhood within it, when he’s sent on a mission to Kiln Mountain to find Fairwitch Isle. As he breaks Aoife’s curse, Castle chooses them both as rulers. Two years later, they are married and just can’t stand each other.
This book is about team work. It’s about how trusting in our partners can make us the better version of ourselves. It’s about letting go of our past, our fears and our traumas in order to live fully and joyfully. It’s about understanding and seeing someone else without judgement. How we don’t have to stop being ourselves to be deserving of the truest love. What did I love most? How they got to know each other while trying to fool Castle. How patient and gentle Lor is with Aoife. How she opens up to love fully. I adored Castle’s POV! How they find common ground for their people and start working together instead of against each other.
The narration is duet style and produced by Infinite Audio. I love how Sara Brodt brings all the emotions to surface. She’s incredibly talented and I loved her as Aoife. It’s my first time listening to Ryan Pierson and I absolutely enjoyed his performance as Lorcan. Both were perfect for their roles and brought me into the story effortlessly. Just fantastic! I’m so happy that I decided to wait to do an immersive read!
Every time I visit this Universe I have a great time. This is one of my favorite series I’ve read this year! I will be recommending it to every fantasy reader that will listen to me. Thank you to Tee Harlowe and her Team for the e-ARC.
I read the final book in Tee Harlowe's series Brothers of Fairwitch Isle, 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞'𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐬𝐬 and I'm sad to say goodbye to Fairwitch Isle, the Castle, Morton, and all the other characters in this series. I absolutely loved it, and I won't give anything away except that communication, understanding, and patience are the key words of this lovestory. As always, the banter is hilarious, the situation is enchanting, and everything ends happily… Well… almost, because apparently, we don't get to say goodbye to everyone! I can't wait to discover Tee's next brewing! 5 ✨
J'ai lu en ARC le dernier tome de la série de Tee Harlowe Brothers of Fairwitch Isle, 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞'𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐬𝐬, et je suis triste de dire adieu à l'île de Fairwitch, au château, à Morton et à tous les autres personnages de cette série. J'ai vraiment adoré, et je ne voudrais rien vous dévoiler d'autre que : communication, compréhension et patience sont les maîtres mots de cette histoire. Comme toujours, les échanges sont hilarants, la situation est enchanteresse, et tout finit bien… Enfin… presque, car apparemment, on ne dit pas au revoir à tout le monde ! J'ai hâte de découvrir la prochaine aventure que Tee nous réserve ! 5 ✨
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞'𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐬𝐬 is a standalone cozy, spicy romantasy about a queen who can’t kill her husband, but she can make life so miserable that he gives up the crown. The only problem? He has the same plan . . . ❤️ Enemies to Lovers ❤️ Plus Sized Warrior FMC ❤️ Arranged Marriage ❤️ Animal Sidekick ❤️ Spice ❤️ Banter
This was a satisfying conclusion (?) to these brothers' stories. (The end hinted that there might be an adventure for another character in this world, and I wouldn't be opposed to more. But I guess we'll have to wait and see.)
The romance in this book was addictive. But I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers; well, as enemies as a cozy fantasy book is wont to have. Their resentment is believable, and their love story feels genuine. Each of their personal struggles made for compelling character arcs both together as a couple and on their own.
The side characters from the whole series really shined in this book, making Fairwitch Isle feel like a living city full of complex people more so than any other book thus far. I loved all of these characters.
My single complaint (and that is probably too strong of a word, mostly I just wish it had been explored more) was the relation to the overarching conflict. It felt a little too convenient. Even cozy fantasy can have some conflict; the first three books had more confrontation with the series' villains than this one, and I kind of felt like it was missing here considering how it ends. (I won't go into specifics because spoilers.)
Still, it's a wonderful series overall. I've enjoyed each book and would recommend all of them to anyone who loves character-driven, cozy fantasy, romance novels (with spice) with witty sidekicks in a quirky magical world.
Thanks again to Tee Harlowe and her team for the chance to ARC read not just this book but the whole Fairwitch Isle series! It has been a delight all the way through.
I loved this book! This is the fourth book in the Brothers of Fairwitch Isle series, and it may just be my favorite! It was so much fun returning to the magical world Tee Harlowe has created and catching up with some of my favorite characters.
Set two years after This Prince Is Not Charming, this book follows Aoife and Lor, and we also get a new perspective from Castle. I loved learning more about Castle and its history with Aoife and the Wolfgang family. I also enjoyed discovering more about Lor and the time he spent with the Brotherhood.
Aoife, our warrior queen FMC, is strong, stubborn, and doing everything she can to help the Fair Folk. She and Lor clash almost immediately after their “true love’s kiss,” and while I was initially frustrated with Aoife, learning more about her past and the trauma she’s carrying made her actions understandable. The banter between them created such spicy tension, and I couldn’t get enough of it! They’re both incredibly stubborn, but I loved watching them slowly open up to one another, share their traumatic pasts, and gradually fall in love.
This story was the perfect blend of spicy romance and cozy romantasy, and that ending was absolutely perfect!
If you love a strong FMC, a sentient magical castle, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, and a spicy, cozy romantasy, be sure to add this one to your TBR!
Thank you Tee Harlowe and team for the eARC! ❤️ All opinions are my own.
Thanks you so much @teeharlowe for the gifted eARC. The Fairwitch Isle series has been such a blast to read . I've been lucky enough to have been an ARC reader for all 4 books 📚. If your looking for Cosy romantasy series with banter, spice, and curvy FMCs these are for you.
This book looks at predujice, peronsal battles, anxieties and trust.
Aoife is a powerhouse FMC. Returned from her curse after thousands of years. She's adjusting to modern life and having to rely on others.
I really the the emotional depth given to the MMCs in Tee's books. Lor is moody and aloof on the surface but is overcoming a controlling relationship. I lived learning more about his time with the brotherhood.
The situationship between Aoife and Lor allows for great banter x chemistry and yearning , whilst using the miscommunication trope.
The supporting characters aka the rag tag crew in this book are probably my favourite of the series. whilst the books are standalone , I would recommend reading them in order for development of the characters and to avoid spoilers ! I could read a whole series on Meera and Marsten alone.
Tropes - Cosy fantasy - Meddling friends - Friends to lovers - Forced marriage - Miscommunication
Highiglights - Castles POV was such a blast. -Meera! Honestly I wish I had a whole book of just her.
Books 3 and 4 are available now exclusively through Tee Harlow's website ,check her bio for details.
The Brothers of Fairwitch Isle is such a cozy romantasy world to return to, and this was definitely another fun addition to the series.
Saying their arranged marriage starts off rocky would definitely be an understatement. These two spend the first half of the book letting their fears and past experiences do the talking for them, and I definitely wanted to lock them in a room until they had one open conversation (this may or may not actually happen in the story). At the same time, their individual histories make their walls feel believable. So, while the lack of communication was frustrating, I understood why they struggled. This is definitely not an insta-love story. Watching them slowly lower those walls and actually start to let each other in made the romance feel all the sweeter (and then we get some spice).
One of my favorite parts was seeing Lor genuinely make an effort to learn about Fair Folk culture and traditions for Aoife. Those sweet moments balanced out their bickering, and their banter kept me smiling throughout. It was so fun to get Castle's POV in this installment, and as always, the found family vibes on Fairwitch Isle remain one of my favorite parts of this series.
I also thought the resolution to the Brotherhood storyline wrapped things up nicely. If you're looking for a cozy, low-stakes fairytale romantasy with arranged marriage, lovable characters, and a magical matchmaking castle, this series is absolutely worth picking up.
This is the final, but also standalone, book in the Brothers of Fairwitch Isle series. The other books are not needed to enjoy this book but do bring more background information you may have missed.
In this book our POV is Lorcan Wolfgang, Aoife, and Castle (!?). Lor awoke Aoife (a Fair Folk), who was turned into stone, with a kiss. Castle decided they should be king and queen, so they wed. Since then they have not gotten along at all. Aoife was once a slave to the Fairwitch (god deity). Before turning into stone, she assumed she would rule alone.
Lor's struggle with being perfect and Aoife's need to not be chained both bring trauma to light. Lor's anxieties feel real and Aoife's history shines a light on how marriage and even ruling a kingdom can be seen as constrictive. The banter and writing was wonderfully Tee. If you've read the other books in this series you know what to expect from Tee. The romances are always challenging and ripe with realistic emotions. I was kicking my feet and laughing out loud while also feeling seen with the mental health representation. This all made for a great wrap-up to the series and a great read on it's own.
Tropes include, he falls first, forced proximity, slow burn, and found family. This book has spice.
This book was an early copy and all opinions are my own. Thank you to Tee for the chance to read this ahead of time.
this book gets a good solid 4.5 stars from me.....
We have our warrior from long ago that meets our new prince/king.. Lets say things don't go as expected... BUT when does it ever go as expected.
So we have our Queen, we have our King.... and then we have Castle.... and they all have a POV!!! We get a castle POV! insert internal screams of joy!
Ok, so this story has some flash backs to 2 years prior. We learn more about the brotherhood and the rebellion....... We learn our royals don't like each other but need to work together. As the story progresses, we have a lot of great side characters (which I love). We have our falling in love and learning how to work with each other. That's the only spoiler your getting because you know Tee loves to end her books on a HEA so of course they work it out but not before trouble occurs... Because they both think they are right. What could go wrong? insert evil laugh.......
So if you have enjoyed the other books, you have to get this book and have fun devouring it. It's a fun ride and ends on a great note. Only thing is I wish I knew if what happens at the end is found or not and what adventures await this.... Maybe a spinoff?????
Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this book early. I highly enjoyed it and sad that this journey is over
The last book is Aoife & Lor, an enemies-to-lovers Fair Folk/Human pairing. In this book you also have Castle's POV, which was pretty cool. The King & Queen have been married for two years after Lor woke Aoife up with "true love's kiss" from the end of book 3, however they actually can't stand each other. They are both very stubborn and can't be in the same room without arguing over everything. The two of them have been through a lot of different traumas in their pasts and can't give up what little control they have. Aoife is isolated by choice, but that doesn't mean, the others haven't tried to include her. Lor tries to do everything perfect because he cannot stand to fail anyone. The Brotherhood is upping their magic to take over Fairwitch Isle and the Fair Folk's magic, so there's a race against time to stop them. Will it bring Aoife & Lor closer, or will they destroy each other first?
I enjoyed the tension, conflict, trauma and mental health representations, Castle's POV, and the comedic relief with the friends and advisors. I liked the Fair Folk background lore also. I liked the way their story was written and the pace. Overall, I loved all four books in the series and I'd recommend the entire series.
Another beautiful story from Fairwitch has come to an end... And oh, what a glorious end it was!
This Is Not True Love's Kiss turned out exactly as I hoped it would: a true love's kiss. The journey to the HEA was a long, arduous one, filled with obstacles, but it was worth it. It was worth seeing these two characters accept not just each other, but themselves. The baggage they both carried was heavy, and at times it felt like it would never leave their backs, like it would weigh them down forever. And still, it didn't. They both found their way forward, and found it together.
My favorite character from this installment? The sentient Castle. We finally got Castle's POV, and it was such a joy. I loved seeing Castle's train of thought, its need to understand and help its inhabitants, and the love it carried. If there's anyone truly responsible for bringing Aiofe and Lor together, it's Castle.
Lor and Aiofe found their happily ever after, and so did we. The Wolfgang brothers are truly at peace, and with them, Fairwitch Isle.
Thank you, Tee, for gifting us another story to swoon over. You never cease to amaze me! And thank you for sharing an early copy with me; it's an honor and a pleasure.
-Enemies to Lovers -Arranged Marriage -Plus Size FMC -Warrior FMC -Sentient Castle
Thank you Tee Harlowe for the eARC!!
This was a great conclusion to the Fairwitch Isle series!
I have always loved the characters in this series, and this one is no exception.
We don’t have as much backstory about Aoife and Lor as the others, but I really enjoyed getting to know them. Aoife was woken up from stone by true loves kiss/Lor after thousands of years and is now trying to adjust to this new life. Her people have already mourned and adjusted to life in Fairwitch. While she knows deep down Lor means well, she is closed off and pushes him away at every turn. Lor has proved himself a rebel of the brotherhood and is doing his best to run fairwitch. He and Aoife cannot see eye to eye on what the kingdom needs.
The castle decides to give them a month to decide if one of them will step down while the other rules or figure their stuff out. It is all part of their grand plan to get them together. Aoife is determined to prove she is best for the kingdom while Lor wants to show her they can do it together.
Castle being a meddling matchmaker was, as usual, amazing 🤣 I also liked how everyone else was trying to get them together too.
I enjoyed their back and forth and was truly rooting for them! I loved the banter and dynamics with our MCs as well as all the side characters. Lor was down bad and I adored the small and larger gestures towards Aoife. While Lor was able to crack through her walls, she showed him that he needs to live and let others help him. He doesn’t have to do everything himself.
I will say I wanted more from the brotherhood plot, but the ending was a little open so maybe we will get more?
Shouting from the rooftops how amazing this was! The cliffhanger from the last book had me so excited to see what would happen between Lor and Aoife. Boy did they have a tempestuous relationship 😆 Aoife, the Fair Folk Warrior Queen, was deeply independent and unwilling to be “chained” to anyone or anything based on her history of servitude to Fairwitch (who doesn’t sound very fair tbh). Lor was riddled with anxiety about taking care of absolutely everything and was so honor bound to “do the right thing” which ended up being kind of a sore spot for Aoife. They argued more than anything else and the tension was just crackling around them at all times. When they finally started working together and getting to known one another their relationship grew stronger than ever. The spice was incredibly hot, but the romantic gestures Lor made had me absolutely MELTING. Castle was so great and I loved having their POV. The side characters were hilarious as always, but Barty and Tal stole the show repeatedly. This was absolutely incredible and I’m hoping the stuff with Margaret at the will lead to another story😉
Thank you so much to the author and her team for having me as an ARC reader 😍
This book was so fun to read!! Lor and Aoife are my two new favourite idiots. They spend ¾ of the book arguing/fighting with each other, all because they are the most stubborn characters ever. Okay, and maybe they also have a good dose of past trauma. I really loved the bickering/fighting between these two, but I also loved how they dealt with their trauma, and opened to each other. This is a really beautiful love story, and I devoured the book!!
On top of that, we have updates on the previous MC of the tree first books, and that's just amazing. All the side characters are amazing as well, Meera and Fergus being my favourite in this book!
I wanted to add a list of my favourite quotes, but it turned out I was so invested in this book to mark the quotes I liked, so you will only have one (because apparently I remember to highlight this one), but it's a good recap of the whole book: 🩷 “Why aren’t you two arguing? Unless you’re both imposters.”
One of my favorite things about how Tee writes romantasy series is that she levels up the stakes for each book—and knows how to throw the perfect twists in to later books in the series to keep them feeling fresh and familiar at the same time.
For this book, the level up was the third POV, and I ATE it up.
I loved learning so much more about characters who have been floating around in the background in previous books in mentions and small moments.
The peak inside Castle's...walls? mind? Whatever you would call it, I adored it.
Lovely little meddling, masterminding, magical Castle.
The tension in this book is tangible—and I spent half of the book wondering if this truly WOULD be a HEA (I ASSUMED it would be...it is a romance after all...but the will they/won't they was so well done).
I have enjoyed every minute I have spent in Fairwitch Isle with this series. I love that with each book we get to know more characters but also get to hang out with the characters we fell in love with in the previous books. I adored getting Castle’s POV in this book. And thank you Tee Harlowe for giving us male leads with a little grey in their beards!!!
As with all the other books in the series, this one delivers with the cozy, delightful elements balanced with a great storyline with character rich character development. I loved the journeys that both MCs took in this one to uncover each others’ backgrounds to understand why they are who they are and help each other grow to be the better versions of themselves.
Overall a beautifully done series and a great story to wrap it up, although I do hope we get to see some of these characters again sometime. Fairwitch Isle still stands as the fictional place where I would most like to live and also the place I am most likely to survive in.
FINALLY!! It was SO satisfying to get more of his story and see what was going to happen with him and the fmc.
It was so heartbreaking at times and probably the most sad book to date. And this was a Slooooow burn. Like I was yelling, KISS ALREADY!!! 😅
The paralels to slaves, oppression and people being oblivious to the horrible and horrific things done to them and it not being available in history was very good. Done in a way that was informative but serious at the same time.
I very much liked that they worked to heal themselves with help from others. That community and friends are important abd that to accept help is a good thing and can do so much for your health.
I loved it, every bit of this book is amazing! I really hope hope hope for another story! Hopefully about what happened last in the end because : I HAVE TO KNOW!!!!
Thank you again for giving me ARCs of your bpoks, I truly love and enjoy every minute of reading them!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Easy 5 stars to this conclusion of this series. This is Lor and Aoife’s story. It picks up where the last left off. I don’t want to spoil anything. Just read it. If you love arranged marriages, banter, spice, sentient castle, found family and an amazing cast of unforgettable characters, read this book. I absolutely love all of the relationships in this series. Tee Harlowe is one of my absolute favorite cozy fantasy romance authors. She writes characters that are flawed but relatable. I truly loved spending every moment in this series with these characters. I am sad to see it end but I can’t wait to see what comes next. It is so easy for me to recommend this one. It’s a standalone in the interconnected series and can be read on its own. But the entire series is 5 stars so do yourself a favor and start it. I’m so jealous of anyone reading these for the first time. Thank you to the author for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.