Princess Evelina Evernight was expected to obey—to smile, to submit, and to marry for the good of her kingdom. When she was promised to the heir of a rival realm, she became a living treaty, her freedom exchanged for peace.
But Evelina was done being silent.
Brielle knew how to disappear. Moving through the castle as a servant, she listened where others spoke freely and survived by remaining unnoticed. Yet beneath her quiet presence lay a secret—one that could shatter the fragile balance between kingdoms.
As secrets festered and political tensions rose, two women from opposite worlds found themselves bound by circumstance, choice, and a future neither had intended to claim.
In a kingdom ruled by night, the most powerful forces are the ones that remain in the dark.
Nicole Yvette is a Kentucky-born author, small-town resident, and mom of two toddler girls. She writes whenever she can—early mornings, late nights, and any spare moment in between. When she’s not writing, she’s usually playing guitar or dreaming up her next story. After completing three novels, Nicole is preparing to release her debut (Beautiful and Deadly ~ Estella Croft) in 2026.
Hi! This gets 5 stars all the way! I can't wait for all of you to read it, so without further ado, here's the review!
About Evelina: Honestly, she wasn't what I expected at first. She had a complexity to her role and felt like a gritty character—not in a bad way, but there was a reality to her experiences and pains. She was brought up as someone who could be in danger but was never given the tools or the skills to survive it, having to depend on a male figure of authority. It was very frustrating, and I loved that she rebelled against it.
Also, it was very interesting that she considered someone else perfect for the princess role she was given, and that she didn't think herself feminine enough. However, the person she expected to be perfect because of her affinity for feminine things was the exact opposite of what Evelina thought. It really makes you think about how women are taught to be feminine but not always to be themselves, and how they compare themselves when they don't fit into the narrative others want.
By now, I know I'm a sucker for the female rage trope, so I loved that she didn't resent her role as a princess, but rather the imposition and coldness of her father. She wanted to be considered more than a bride and a trading object; she wanted the respect she earned by being the first daughter of a King. I liked her inner battle with her feelings and that, when the moment came, she acted according to what she needed and wished to accomplish, not what others expected of her.
About Brielle: It was intriguing that Brielle had a desire for truth, and yet her skillset was based on the opposite. I also liked how her abilities were based on her adapting to a role given to her as a responsibility. Honestly, I loved her character! Even though I didn't understand her importance at first, learning about her inner conflict between her actions and what she wanted to do was interesting because of her background and her relationship with Evelina.
About the world-building and plotline: I love how the world-building may seem at first like a classical fairytale style with a contrast between Night and Day, but I loved the poetical style of description given to each culture or kingdom written. I liked that the storyline felt very similar to Stephanie Garber.
It was a nice touch that we get a full sense of where we are when the characters travel, like when a new level or area opens up in a video game. Also, I'm all for the complexity of the political intrigue (I did and didn't expect what transpired in the last third of the book) and how it's intertwined with Evelina's development. We always get huge info-dumps in books and it gets tiring, so I like that we learn right alongside the main characters.
Fair warning! The plot-twists come without a sound and hit you like an unexpected punch. Be prepared to cry for characters you barely knew but loved anyway.
Dynamic between MCs: Dang! Their interactions are so well written. The male lead will get you grinning like you are stupidly in love because of his actions towards Evelina. I've got to say, I never expected how their relationship would turn out. Their love feels too good to be true!
I loved Evelina's brothers. I'm one of those girls who always wished she had brothers, so I loved their interactions and their desire to protect their sister, while trying to respect her through the whole situation during the first third of the book (not going to spoil anything, so I won't say what).
Now, after finishing the reading, I am going to say I love Atlas. He will remain my book crush! I loved his loyalty to Evelina and how he respected her from the very beginning.
Final Thoughts: Ma'am, you are officially one of my favorite authors. You tackle modern problems with so much grace and skill. It makes me think that you will be the next to write something as big as The Hunger Games was when it was released. Thanks for the opportunity to be a beta reader and for making it an amazing experience.
With this, I can say: think of Throne of Glass but with an actual plot, good character depth, and growth. Add a little bit of romance and drama like Stephanie Garber, while catching a glimpse of Victoria Aveyard's style of plot-twists and world-building. So, if any of the descriptions above sound like something you enjoy, then Evernight is the book for you!
Twice now, this author has gotten me out of my normal reading style with her books, and it's always worth it, and I'll always read whatever she writes. She has a truly fun and intriguing writing style. Her characters feel real, fleshed out, and interesting. She doesn't make her main female characters unrealistically perfect, and I like that. They can be funny, annoying, heroic, and BA, and I'm here for it. She knows how to write a truly awesome main female heroine.
Her men... don't get me started... swoon (collapses with hand to heart). I love her main men. They are just fabulous, and for the second book of hers, I just adore the way she writes them. They are strong, smart, attractive, and swoony without being ridiculous.
Now on to the story. This book introduces us to an intriguing world where there's a dark kingdom and another light kingdom. I love the imagery of this world. Evelina is the only daughter of the king, and she finds out early on that she's expected to marry the prince from another nation to bring peace between their countries. Though the story premise is one some may recognize, this particular version is SO well done, filled with layers of mystery and romance, and with a deeper story hidden just beneath the surface. She had me clutching my chest early on, nearly in tears, and also pulling out my hair at times (in the best way). I truly loved this story. I was an early reader, so the author shared chapters at a time, and when I say it was killing me waiting for more, that's an understatement. I would have read this in a day or two easily.
Fun, quick, thrilling, heartwrenching, and also heartwarming. If you enjoy strong, layered characters, fantasy, and romance, this is for you. It's perfect for teens and adults alike.
This story! I find myself at a loss for words to fully extrapolate the pure reading pleasure I experienced while deep in the pages of Evernight by Nicole Yvette. This YA novel was so refreshingly unpredictable that my intention of reading it slowly went out the window by chapter two.
Told from the first-person POV, it wasn’t difficult to bond with Evelina, Princess of Nocturne, and her enigmatic maid, Willa—aka Brielle. I absolutely loved the character development in this story. The way it was so mysteriously woven into the plot structure was seamless and added to that page-turning compulsion. The male characters were equally interesting, more for their positional roles in the story as well as their unexpected actions. Truly, the strong female characters in this male-dominated kingdom proved quite remarkable. I definitely enjoyed the feminine empowerment in the narrative.
At one moment, I found myself smitten by Lysander, then suspicious of him, then doubting him. Pierce, a minor side-character, drew my attention from the start, but a more pressing plot development pushed him to the background. Her side characters were just as charming as the main ones. I loved that puzzling characterization that spilled over from the brothers in the story as well. (Keeping this cryptic to avoid spoilers).
The tug-of-war romance was both cute and filled with tension. An arranged marriage trope/enemies-to-lovers done in a way I hadn’t read before added to the refreshing nature of the story. This was a definite five-star read for me, pulling me into the imaginative world so completely that I found myself thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading it—my favorite type of book.
Nicole Yvette is a new-to-me author, but this will not be the last book I read from her. Thrilling, engaging, thought-provoking, and tender, this story offers a wonderful escape. Though it is categorized as YA, I think any reader with a heart for adventurous, non-magical, clean fantasy will love this one.
I received a complimentary copy from the author but was not required to leave a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Evernight by Nicole Yvette is the first book in the Of Dusk and Dawn series. This is a dual POV book, following Evelina, a princess who is destined for an arranged marriage, and Brielle, a seemingly quiet girl with more than a few secrets.
Princess Evelina's life completely changed the day she finds out she has been promised in marriage to the prince of a rival kingdom in order to resolve their years-long conflict. She has every intention of running away, that is until the prince arrives and he isn't at all what she expected. But falling for the man she planned to run away from isn't the only unexpected thing to happen. After facing a terrible tragedy, Princess Evelina uncovers a scheme that was meant to free her from her betrothal, but things did not go according to plan. She discovers truths about herself and those around her that she never expected, things that change everything she thought she knew. Now she must choose which kingdom she will be loyal to, but is it truly her choice?
I honestly did not expect to like this book as much as I did. There were so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I picked this book up thinking it was going to be a typical enemies to lovers story, but this goes way beyond that. There were political and historical elements that get revealed later in the book that change everything you think you know. As well as a lot of secrets involving the FMCs and their families that add more depth to the story. The characters were well-written and the overall writing was great and kept me engaged throughout the whole book and left me wanting more. I would definitely recommend reading this book!
Nicole Yvette is undoubtedly a girls' girl author, and her writing reflects this in her latest release, Evernight. This young adult fantasy novel, told through two POV is set to release on August 1st. With its clean content, it's an excellent choice for young adult readers who enjoy stories featuring enemies-to-friends (lovers maybe) and female rage/power. The author's portrayal of characters teenaged to young adult was commendable, often prompting reflection on their actions and emotions. However, I felt the spy's narrative lacked depth, particularly when her mission details were revealed. It seemed plausible that honesty would have been a preferable approach in certain situations. The narrative's reliance on secrecy does make one wonder what would have happened if truth had prevailed.
In contrast, the princess's storyline was beautifully crafted, showcasing her intellect, humor, wittiness & bravery. The author's descriptive writing brought the settings, clothing, jewelry and little details were absolute perfection.
The ending was a complete surprise & I am both outraged and hurt for the princess. I’m curious to see who we hate in the next book and I’m hopeful that it’s not the Prince.
Side note- One thing I love is a theme. In Evernight, the princess says things like: ⭐️thank the stars ⭐️ stars I was in trouble ⭐️oh, stars, save me.
The author used a theme of words in her Novel Beautiful & Deadly (pirate YA) also.
I really enjoyed this YA romantasy story! The things that really kept my attention were the mysterious identities/spy/mission aspect of the story, and the wavering loyalties that kept me guessing and wondering whose side I was really on, and would it stay that way? The romance so far has been slow burn/kisses-only, and there is a big focus on friendship and sibling relationships, which I have enjoyed. Be forewarned, the book ends on a massive cliffhanger that will make you desperate to dive right into the next book!
I was given the opportunity to listen to an ALC of the audiobook, and I was so impressed by the narrator Carly Larson. She captured the wide range of emotions so perfectly (there are a lot of different and intense emotions depicted throughout this story), and her male voices were done really well. This is a dual POV, where both POVs are from female characters, with many other characters in the story, and she was able to make them all distinct. I would happily listen to more stories narrated by her!
This book is perfect for readers who like: -Strong FMCs who aren’t afraid to express how they feel or do what they must in difficult situations -MMCs who care, and maybe even deeper than they let show… -Hidden identities and secret political plots -Royalty, guards, training, some combat, arranged marriages, unique fantasy worlds, and libraries
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given willingly.
Evernight completely pulled me in from the very first chapter, and I couldn’t put it down. Nicole Yvette has created a captivating world filled with political intrigue, dangerous secrets, and two unforgettable heroines whose stories kept me turning page after page.
Evelina and Brielle are both such compelling characters in their own ways. One is expected to sacrifice everything for her kingdom, while the other has spent her life surviving in the shadows. Watching their journeys unfold—and seeing how their lives become intertwined—was one of my favorite parts of the book. Every chapter left me wanting “just one more.”
The atmosphere is rich and immersive, with enough mystery and tension to keep you guessing without feeling overwhelming. The characters feel real, the stakes are high, and the story balances emotional moments with twists that make it impossible to stop reading.
If you love fantasy with strong female leads, court politics, hidden secrets, and a story that keeps you invested until the very last page, you need to add Evernight to your TBR immediately. Nicole Yvette has delivered an incredible debut, and I already can’t wait to see what comes next. This is exactly the kind of indie fantasy that deserves so much more attention!
Don’t sleep on this one—it deserves all the hype. 📖✨
This story exceeded my expectations! When it comes to fantasy my brain cannot keep up and it can be overwhelming how much detail is put into place but Nicole hits the nail on the head every time! The way she builds the world and the characters makes it so easy to become absorbed into the story.
I love the way she writes her characters, you become truly invested in their stories. I will say sure the prince sounded nice at first but I definitely became more intrigued once Caspian came into the picture. It’s made me all about the enemies to lovers trope that sometimes I’m not the biggest fan of, but with this story I’m all about it.
I became attached to Evelina’s character and was rooting for her the whole time. She was fiery and determined despite being put down by her god awful father. I do wish I got to know more about Brielle’s personality but I can definitely see how we will hear more about her story in the books to come!
Overall this book was great! I love how Nicole tells stories and will read whatever she comes out with. P.s. also loved the acknowledgements at the end it sounds like your dad is really obsessed with his hair or something. lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
*THERE ARE SOME SLIGHT SPOILERS IN HERE BUT NOTHING DRASTIC*
Evernight by Nicole Yvette
"You would make her marry a man she's never met for your benefit?" "Yet his words echoed in my mind, the full weight taking effect."
This Young Adult romantasy novel follows princess Evelina Evernight. Evelina is a young adult who lives amongst her father (who is VERY misogynistic telling her to stay in and do embroidery) and three brothers who work for her father.
One day, Evelina goes to her father's ceremony - in which she rarely gets invited to - to hear the revelation that one of her family's enemies (Lysander Brightwell) will be getting married to her via. an arranged marriage.
One thing is for sure: she and her brothers aren't happy about it.
I really enjoyed the book and the twist and turns it has (e.g. Brogan's murder, Evelina's attempted murder, her love life choices). It felt a little boring and lackluster towards the beginning however at 20-30%, IT WAS SO NOT BORING!!
AND THE ENDING!!!! SO GOODD BUT SO UNEXPECTED!?!?! CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL AHAHA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I don’t listen to audiobooks often, but this book might’ve sold me! The narrator did a great job bringing life to the story & I was enthralled the entire time!
✨ Dual POV ✨ Lost Kingdom ✨ Secret Identity ✨ Arranged Marriage ✨ No Spice ✨ Slow Burn ✨ Protective MMC
The storyline in Evernight wasn’t at all what I expected, the twists & turns will take you on quite the journey! The 2 POV’s in this story are of the 2 FMC’s (Princess & Spy) which isn’t something I’ve ever read before! They’re both present in each other’s chapters, but everything that’s going on behind the scenes is wild. The MMC’s were great, I’d say most of the time the focus was on Evelina & Brielle!
🌶️ No Spice 🤬 No Language ‼️ On page death
The ending of this book got me! Everything was going good then BAM! Now I have a million questions that won’t be answered until book 2 releases 😩 I’m curious who’s actually honest in the story & who’s being fake…I have theories, but I shall wait patiently for book 2 to see what unfolds next!
**I was gifted a copy of the audiobook, but all thoughts and opinions in this review are my own!
I received an advanced review copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
First of all, that was, indeed, a cruel cliffhanger you left us with author. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful book! It was an interesting way to have two POVs. Not the male and female lead, but two female leads with a connection only one knows about. And it was a smooth read, easy for me to get through.
I will say I'm still suspicious of the Queen. Am I the only one thinking she could be just as manipulative and cold as King Evernight? Evelina's whole thing in Evernight was feeling trapped under her father's control. If she hadn't stepped up to go to Solara, I think she would just be in the same situation in Eldoria under her mother.
And did we also forget about Finneas? Hopefully he's somewhere in Solara Castle to join with Evelina.
One last thing: I will be utterly devastated if there is a super annoying love triangle between Evelina, Lysander and Caspian. Just pick one and stick with him! (Obviously present circumstances willing.)
So, overall! A great book with two fantastic female leads and interesting action and intrigue! I can't wait for the next book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Thank you to the author for a gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Evernight is a YA romantasy that is filled with secrets, political intrigue, and questioning where to place your loyalty. The audiobook is narrated by Carly Larson and I thought she did an amazing job. She portrayed the characters perfectly and it was easy to distinguish which character was which. The emotion felt real, the narration animated and lively, and it was perfectly paced. I really enjoyed this book! I loved the dual POV and the two female main characters. I loved the spin and how different (and alike in other ways) they are. The story was creative and not like anything I’ve read before. It captivated me right from the beginning all the way until the very end when secrets start to be revealed and more questions start to form. I’m excited to find out what happens next. Although it is labeled as YA, I think it’s written very well and doesn’t come off as YA, which makes me love it even more.
If you love YA clean romantasy, dual POV, political intrigue, secrets, secret identity, slow burn, found family, royal court, and feminine rage then this is for you!
A YA romantasy and the first in the Of Dusk and Dawn series. I was intrigued as the story is dual POV but from a Princess and her ladies’ maid. I enjoyed the world building and characters that she has developed and hope to see where she leads us next as this one ended on a cliffhanger.
Princess Everlina Evernight has lived in Nocturne for her whole life and was expected to listen and obey and then when an arranged marriage is sprung upon her to the prince of Solara, she is determined to fight. However when she lays eyes on him, she starts to doubt her choices.
Brielle is known to the Princess as her ladies’ maid but she has many secrets. She has made slinking around in the dark and in the light her day-to-day.
Secrets and lies are being revealed slowly and Everlina has been in the dark for too long. Why and when did Nocturne and Solora become enemies? As we slowly learn more and more the world Nicole has made becomes larger and larger.
I had the privilege of ARC reading Evernight by Nicole Yvette.
I enjoyed Evelina and Brielle’s stories. I thought both were amazing. My favorite probably has to be Evelina’s. I love how fierce and independent she is.
Brielle, oh how I love how she is fierce and willing to do anything for her family.
I really enjoyed Caspian because of how strong and funny he is. I never really liked the prince because I just felt there was something off about him, but I guess we will have to wait and see in Book 2. I’m hoping there is a book 2.
I enjoyed the storyline because it was unique, and it didn’t feel too fast paced. I enjoyed all the characters and how there were kingdoms at war. It makes the story more engaging and enjoyable.
I would have loved to see more moments between Caspian and Evelina. I love their dynamic together.
*first book in a new romantasy series *dual pov but unexpected twist *literally cannot figure out who the love interest is and i LOVE that *multiple plot twists >>> *ARC read :) wow i loved this one. honestly kinda mad im going to have to wait for the next book in the series!! i loved the development of the story and how slowly things started clicking in place but then also kept making me have more questions??? it kept me on the edge of my seat!! i also enjoyed the fact that evelina wasn’t your average fantasy fmc, i just liked the way that she was presented and that she made sense in the context. i think there’s a lot of questions i need answered asap and can’t wait for the next book!!
I really enjoyed this book! I listened to it as an audiobook and the pacing and the characters were great. I even noted down a couple of quotes to remember as they hit well!
“Just like that, I again hand my future decided by a group of men. Spoken at, never to. If my hand if marriage was worth the price of peace between kingdoms, then why was it that my voice was valued at nothing?”
This book needeeed to be longer with some more world building but I’m glad there is a book two coming! 🫶🏼
ARC read! YA dual POV. Great world building, female empowerment, espionage, princess and a spy! I had no trouble falling head first into this book. I absolutely love the FMC princess and the way she steps into her birthright. I will definitely be reading the rest of this series to find out what happens next!
This is an excellent YA romantasy! All the characters are developed really well and the main characters are incredibly likeable. It's not predictable at all and I was continously surprised at the turns in the plot. I can't wait to find out what happens to these characters in the next Dusk and Dawn book.
Finished in 1 day because I could NOT STOP READING!! The characters draw you in. I fell in love with the sassy Evelina. I kept reading becausr every twist and turn keeps you on edge. I am sad it is over and can't wait for the next book.
I received an advanced review copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily
This story explores loyalty, family, and the consequences of questioning everything you’ve ever been told. Nicole crafted an incredible adventure that completely immersed me—I felt like I was right there experiencing it all alongside the characters.
The ending has me eager for more, and I’ll be patiently waiting for the next book to see where this journey goes next!
I had the privilege of receiving the ARC of this book! I loved it so much, I was hooded from the beginning. This is a fast paced romantasy with amazing banter. I loved the royals and the drama between kingdoms and the prince 👀. Such a great read!
It’s kind of boring in the beginning. It’s gotten more interesting. That’s a nice little twist to the book. It’s a good book but not really my type of book! I enjoyed the book! Well then another twist it is. Who will evelina pick?