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Sea and Stars #1
The Fate of Stars
A devout mermaid. A disgraced princess. A feud as ancient as the gods
Worlds collide when Tallora is kidnapped from her ocean home and forced to be a pet to a tyrannical foreign empire. Her only hope for rescue lies with a sworn enemy--Princess Dauriel, infamous for her stone heart and conflicted past. But when Dauriel's kingdom comes to the cusp of war, could their uneasy alliance be the key to defeating a common foe? Or will their growing feelings for each other lead them to ruin?
From the world of FALLEN GODS comes a tale of ancient magic and cutthroat politics--and finding redemption through love.
Worlds collide when Tallora is kidnapped from her ocean home and forced to be a pet to a tyrannical foreign empire. Her only hope for rescue lies with a sworn enemy--Princess Dauriel, infamous for her stone heart and conflicted past. But when Dauriel's kingdom comes to the cusp of war, could their uneasy alliance be the key to defeating a common foe? Or will their growing feelings for each other lead them to ruin?
From the world of FALLEN GODS comes a tale of ancient magic and cutthroat politics--and finding redemption through love.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2020
351 people are currently reading
13725 people want to read
About the author
S.D. Simper
22 books872 followersSD Simper is a bestselling horror author, award-winner of fantasy romance, and understands that the true secret to writing great villains is living with cats. She and her wife share a home with four cats, a Great Dane, and innumerable bookshelves.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 506 reviews
August 15, 2022
I still have in my mind that I don't enjoy mermaids stories that much but this was an absolute winner. I was so hooked on the story and the main suspension of the book had me on the edge of my seat. Desperately need to listen/read more from this author
March 13, 2021
4.5⭐️ – Tallora had too much fun at a party and, as a result, finds herself alone at sea during a storm. Noticing a boat in peril, she, like the good mermaid she is, tries to help a person who seems about to drown. But her good deed isn’t unpunished and instead of saving a life, she is kidnapped and taken away from her world. Her captor is Princess Dauriel, daughter of wicked Empress Vahla. By bringing this “gift” to her mother, Dauriel hoped to finally get her approval. Alas! Not only does her mother still despise her, but Dauriel is appalled at the way Tallora is treated. As time goes by, an unlikely friendship starts forming between the two women.
I’ve been wanting to read S. D. Simper’s books for a while but never got around to it. I was lucky enough to win a code for the second book in this series (thank you Lois Ridge), so I used a credit to get the first one. If, like me, you’re new to Simper’s books, the Sea and Stars series is set in the same universe as Fallen Gods but stands alone. Again, if you’re like me, you’re going to want to discover the Fallen Gods series too, which is, from what I understand, grittier and more intense than this one. I guess Sea and Stars is a softer introduction to the author’s world.
The Fate of Stars is a dark-but-not-too-dark enemies-to-lovers story (I can’t really call it a romance since the ending isn’t exactly happy), a very slow burn between a bisexual mermaid and a stone butch princess. It’s a tale of redemption, with a Stockholm Syndrome twist.
Dauriel is a good example of morally grey character. She isn’t as bad as she wants the world – that is, her mother – to think, and the reason Tallora ends up falling for her, despite the huge power imbalance, is her ability to show remorse and try to fix her mistakes and their consequences. Tallora, on the other hand, is much more straightforward. I’d say she’s a normal girl, except she’s a mermaid. She likes her life, she loves her fun, she’s witty and smart. What made the transition from hate to love credible was the hilarious and merciless banter between her and Dauriel, with Tallora never backing off. They gradually go from trading insults to gentle teasing, each earning the other’s respect as they go.
I love how Tallora’s perception of Dauriel’s physique changes as she comes to know and appreciate her. When she first sees her, she finds the princess plain but as the story progresses, she begins to view her as beautiful, noticing who she is beyond her looks and facade. Another interesting detail – a significant detail – is that when they first meet – ie when Tallora is kidnapped – Tallora’s body is that of a mermaid. That changes for reasons I can’t explain without spoiling, but it makes Tallora and Dauriel’s lovemaking all the more captivating as it’s the first time Tallora has sex in a human body.
Besides these two and a whole flock of secondary characters, from Dauriel’s awful mother to the courtesans or the foreign diplomats, the most impressive part is the world-building. It’s complex without being overwhelming and shows a world divided between a cruel and callous but progressive empire and an apparently kind kingdom ruled by religious extremism. The world where the story is set is very different from the one we live in – there are mermaids and mentions of dragons but also puppies and horses – yet is also very similar when it comes to power, politics and religious oppression.
As a side note, authors often have favourite words or turns of phrase. In Table for Two by Kate Gavin, the main characters whisper a lot. In this book, they keep stealing each other’s lips or hands. It’s sweet.
I enjoyed Lois Ridge’s narration a lot, the pace is pleasant, her character voices are distinctive – a very important aspect for me, as usual – and fit the characters’ personality. I especially liked Tallora’s voice, all at once light and firm, the strength almost palpable under the surface even when she feels vulnerable.
I just finished listening to the second book, Heart of Silver Flame, and I’m very impatient to review it and get to the third one!
I’ve been wanting to read S. D. Simper’s books for a while but never got around to it. I was lucky enough to win a code for the second book in this series (thank you Lois Ridge), so I used a credit to get the first one. If, like me, you’re new to Simper’s books, the Sea and Stars series is set in the same universe as Fallen Gods but stands alone. Again, if you’re like me, you’re going to want to discover the Fallen Gods series too, which is, from what I understand, grittier and more intense than this one. I guess Sea and Stars is a softer introduction to the author’s world.
The Fate of Stars is a dark-but-not-too-dark enemies-to-lovers story (I can’t really call it a romance since the ending isn’t exactly happy), a very slow burn between a bisexual mermaid and a stone butch princess. It’s a tale of redemption, with a Stockholm Syndrome twist.
Dauriel is a good example of morally grey character. She isn’t as bad as she wants the world – that is, her mother – to think, and the reason Tallora ends up falling for her, despite the huge power imbalance, is her ability to show remorse and try to fix her mistakes and their consequences. Tallora, on the other hand, is much more straightforward. I’d say she’s a normal girl, except she’s a mermaid. She likes her life, she loves her fun, she’s witty and smart. What made the transition from hate to love credible was the hilarious and merciless banter between her and Dauriel, with Tallora never backing off. They gradually go from trading insults to gentle teasing, each earning the other’s respect as they go.
I love how Tallora’s perception of Dauriel’s physique changes as she comes to know and appreciate her. When she first sees her, she finds the princess plain but as the story progresses, she begins to view her as beautiful, noticing who she is beyond her looks and facade. Another interesting detail – a significant detail – is that when they first meet – ie when Tallora is kidnapped – Tallora’s body is that of a mermaid. That changes for reasons I can’t explain without spoiling, but it makes Tallora and Dauriel’s lovemaking all the more captivating as it’s the first time Tallora has sex in a human body.
Besides these two and a whole flock of secondary characters, from Dauriel’s awful mother to the courtesans or the foreign diplomats, the most impressive part is the world-building. It’s complex without being overwhelming and shows a world divided between a cruel and callous but progressive empire and an apparently kind kingdom ruled by religious extremism. The world where the story is set is very different from the one we live in – there are mermaids and mentions of dragons but also puppies and horses – yet is also very similar when it comes to power, politics and religious oppression.
As a side note, authors often have favourite words or turns of phrase. In Table for Two by Kate Gavin, the main characters whisper a lot. In this book, they keep stealing each other’s lips or hands. It’s sweet.
I enjoyed Lois Ridge’s narration a lot, the pace is pleasant, her character voices are distinctive – a very important aspect for me, as usual – and fit the characters’ personality. I especially liked Tallora’s voice, all at once light and firm, the strength almost palpable under the surface even when she feels vulnerable.
I just finished listening to the second book, Heart of Silver Flame, and I’m very impatient to review it and get to the third one!
July 27, 2020
"The Fate of Stars" is another solid and engaging tale from Simper. If you're familiar with her "Fallen Gods" series, this takes place in the same world, sharing one notable character (General Khastra), but this is in an all together new corner of that world.
I didn't find this as gritty and dark as Simper's other series, but it was no less detailed and complex. One thing that Simper definitely excels at is character driven dramas and I LOVED the characters here.
We have two leads, mermaid and Princess Dauriel. It's a hate-to-love romance and, damn, do they earn it. I so enjoyed watching these characters evolve and taking a ride on their journey.
The last page does leave us open-ended, though it wraps up the big portion of the first story arc. Luckily, Simper already has two other books in the series completed and released to answer any questions.
Definitely enjoyed and recommend. 4.33 stars
I didn't find this as gritty and dark as Simper's other series, but it was no less detailed and complex. One thing that Simper definitely excels at is character driven dramas and I LOVED the characters here.
We have two leads, mermaid and Princess Dauriel. It's a hate-to-love romance and, damn, do they earn it. I so enjoyed watching these characters evolve and taking a ride on their journey.
The last page does leave us open-ended, though it wraps up the big portion of the first story arc. Luckily, Simper already has two other books in the series completed and released to answer any questions.
Definitely enjoyed and recommend. 4.33 stars
March 22, 2021
4.5 stars. Wow, this was so good. The first book I read by SD Simper and certainly not the last as I’m pretty sure I will binge read this series. I just have to continue as the story is clearly not finished. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Lois Ridge, which was excellent.
This book and its characters are so complex and the worldbuilding is excellent. There is the underwater world of Tallora, a mermaid, the empire of Princess Dauriel, Tallora’s captor, and neighboring warring countries. They all worship their own gods, some are shared, some are rivals and while it’s pretty complex, the info is not dumped, but all given very naturally.
The romance in the book is pretty dark. Dauriel kidnaps Tallora to please her mother, Empress Vahla, who’s truly a tiran. Tallora is held captive and tortured and absolutely hates her captor and keeper Dauriel. Dauriel is a morally grey character and with morally grey I mean very dark grey, she’s hard to like, let along love so it seems impossible for her to redeem herself, but Simper makes it work. Slowly a bond between Dauriel and Tallora forms and their romance is oh so bittersweet.
A definite recommend for all that enjoy a good fantasy romance, which is on the dark side. Ok, I’m off listening to the second book in the series now.
This book and its characters are so complex and the worldbuilding is excellent. There is the underwater world of Tallora, a mermaid, the empire of Princess Dauriel, Tallora’s captor, and neighboring warring countries. They all worship their own gods, some are shared, some are rivals and while it’s pretty complex, the info is not dumped, but all given very naturally.
The romance in the book is pretty dark. Dauriel kidnaps Tallora to please her mother, Empress Vahla, who’s truly a tiran. Tallora is held captive and tortured and absolutely hates her captor and keeper Dauriel. Dauriel is a morally grey character and with morally grey I mean very dark grey, she’s hard to like, let along love so it seems impossible for her to redeem herself, but Simper makes it work. Slowly a bond between Dauriel and Tallora forms and their romance is oh so bittersweet.
A definite recommend for all that enjoy a good fantasy romance, which is on the dark side. Ok, I’m off listening to the second book in the series now.
October 12, 2022
I so wanted to love this. I mean a lesbian romance with a MERMAID and there are mythological plot elements. I am a sucker for gods and goddesses appearing in books. So explanation, I read this book in what became a almost all night read along to crack open 2021 because 2020 was sh*t so let’s start 2021 right. It was more off a two star read for me. I couldn’t get over how undeniably terrible Dauriel (the Butch human/possibly witch Princess) was to Tallora (the bisexual mermaid). Not only did Dauriel like literally kidnap Tallora (though I am sure she would have simply considered it a type of fishing) and then became (well let’s be honest continue the trend) of being a massive b*tch to the mermaid.
That aside the writing style didn’t really draw me in. The world despite my adoration of the idea of mythology wasn’t fully built up. I get that it is not an epic fantasy but the fantasy world was purely a vessel to have an adorable mermaid heroine but give me something more. Despite this I will be coming back because I want to know what is happening in the world. I may not agree with Dauriel and Tallora being together as it definitely toes the line too closely to Stockholm syndrome in my opinion but that ending… is their world about to diplomatically implode. I am a sucker for politics in books as a future International Relations major. I don’t care if its US-China relations or ties between fantasy countries and kingdoms I become startlingly invested.
I am so happy this book exists because lesbian romance and MERMAIDS but basically don’t expect to much because you’ll be disappointed but if you going in without expectations you may be happily surprised.
2.5 Stars… Possibly 3 but damn I just don't mesh with Dauriel. So yeah, 2.5 because 5 stars for Tallora + 0 stars for Dauriel / 2 = 2.5.
That aside the writing style didn’t really draw me in. The world despite my adoration of the idea of mythology wasn’t fully built up. I get that it is not an epic fantasy but the fantasy world was purely a vessel to have an adorable mermaid heroine but give me something more. Despite this I will be coming back because I want to know what is happening in the world. I may not agree with Dauriel and Tallora being together as it definitely toes the line too closely to Stockholm syndrome in my opinion but that ending… is their world about to diplomatically implode. I am a sucker for politics in books as a future International Relations major. I don’t care if its US-China relations or ties between fantasy countries and kingdoms I become startlingly invested.
I am so happy this book exists because lesbian romance and MERMAIDS but basically don’t expect to much because you’ll be disappointed but if you going in without expectations you may be happily surprised.
2.5 Stars… Possibly 3 but damn I just don't mesh with Dauriel. So yeah, 2.5 because 5 stars for Tallora + 0 stars for Dauriel / 2 = 2.5.
dnf
August 23, 2020DNF @ 23%
I was so stoked for this, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me. I encourage anyone interested to still give this a try, and check out the reviews of people who loved it! I still love the idea of butch lesbian princess and bisexual mermaid enemies-to-lovers romance.
The writing style just wasn't my thing. It didn't draw me in, I didn't like the choice of words and phrasings in regards to the worldbuilding, and it kept me from getting engaged or invested into the story.
Content warnings include: torture, abduction, sexual harassment, threat of forced prostitution, threat of rape, trans-excluding language, mysogynistic language, slavery; mentions of: homophobia, discrimination based on female character being unable and unwilling to have children.
Before reading:Not only is that cover TO DIE FOR, it's also a sapphic enemies-to-lovers story featuring a mermaid and a disgraced princess? AND it's on KU?!
SIGN ME TF UP!!!!
I was so stoked for this, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me. I encourage anyone interested to still give this a try, and check out the reviews of people who loved it! I still love the idea of butch lesbian princess and bisexual mermaid enemies-to-lovers romance.
The writing style just wasn't my thing. It didn't draw me in, I didn't like the choice of words and phrasings in regards to the worldbuilding, and it kept me from getting engaged or invested into the story.
Content warnings include: torture, abduction, sexual harassment, threat of forced prostitution, threat of rape, trans-excluding language, mysogynistic language, slavery; mentions of: homophobia, discrimination based on female character being unable and unwilling to have children.
Before reading:Not only is that cover TO DIE FOR, it's also a sapphic enemies-to-lovers story featuring a mermaid and a disgraced princess? AND it's on KU?!
SIGN ME TF UP!!!!
June 15, 2023
➥ 4 Stars *:･ﾟ✧
This one was one I read long ago, and never got around to reviewing. I'd even like to reread it some point because I remember really enjoying it. Actually, I originally picked it up because someone said there was a really hot sex scene in the second or third book in this series.
From what I remember, I really enjoyed the plotline and the characters. I felt as though this is what To Kill a Kingdom thought it was, but sapphic. Although I can't remember much, the quote above is pretty telling as to how dreamy Dauriel was.
There had been more violence than I expected, . Still, I enjoyed it, loved the cover (look at it!) and look forward to reading more of this author's work, especially Carmilla and Laura for the QLLC buddy read!
Dauriel still stared at the envoy, smoke filtering from her nostrils with every breath. Tallora dared to touch her and felt her burning within. "Take me away from here," she whispered. Dauriel slowly put one sword away and pulled Tallora to her chest, holding the other sword ready in case they struck.
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
This one was one I read long ago, and never got around to reviewing. I'd even like to reread it some point because I remember really enjoying it. Actually, I originally picked it up because someone said there was a really hot sex scene in the second or third book in this series.
From what I remember, I really enjoyed the plotline and the characters. I felt as though this is what To Kill a Kingdom thought it was, but sapphic. Although I can't remember much, the quote above is pretty telling as to how dreamy Dauriel was.
There had been more violence than I expected, . Still, I enjoyed it, loved the cover (look at it!) and look forward to reading more of this author's work, especially Carmilla and Laura for the QLLC buddy read!
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
September 8, 2021
I DNF’d this book at 40%. Honestly I have no idea how it has such good ratings. No huge spoilers here, just general thoughts.
I am begging YA authors. Please. There are types of romance that aren’t enemies to lovers. You really don’t need to shoehorn in enemies to lovers in every single story. What we have here is closer to torturer and prey. Bully and victim. Even Stockholm syndrome. But what’s that? Oooh, the love interest feels bad about it? Oh okay, that’s resolved then.
We barely see Tullora in her home at all. There was no grounding for the story, it just jumped right into her getting captured. When interacting with the princess, she spews a bunch of childish insults at her and then goes “but she’s kind of attractive” wrf??
And then this convoluted plot about her becoming a prostitute just because she is no longer a mermaid? What is that all about?
The writing reads like a middle schooler wants to try writing edgy fanfic. I hate saying that because I know how much time and effort goes into completing and publishing a book, but this one is a big skip from me.
I am begging YA authors. Please. There are types of romance that aren’t enemies to lovers. You really don’t need to shoehorn in enemies to lovers in every single story. What we have here is closer to torturer and prey. Bully and victim. Even Stockholm syndrome. But what’s that? Oooh, the love interest feels bad about it? Oh okay, that’s resolved then.
We barely see Tullora in her home at all. There was no grounding for the story, it just jumped right into her getting captured. When interacting with the princess, she spews a bunch of childish insults at her and then goes “but she’s kind of attractive” wrf??
And then this convoluted plot about her becoming a prostitute just because she is no longer a mermaid? What is that all about?
The writing reads like a middle schooler wants to try writing edgy fanfic. I hate saying that because I know how much time and effort goes into completing and publishing a book, but this one is a big skip from me.
April 16, 2021
Solid 4 (sea) Stars - started slow for me but finished STRONG
I have to say, it took me awhile to warm up to this book. I was not a Dauriel fan. I could not fathom how these two were going to end up together in a way that would not irritate me thru the entire book. Well, guess what? Hats off to SD Simper cuz they got me to buy in 100%. By the end, my heart was fully invested.
Unlike a lot of genre books with wlw characters this is actually very focused on the relationship building and then the romance with outside influences adding a lot of the drama. I really loved this.
I can't wait to get the next to book.
I have to say, it took me awhile to warm up to this book. I was not a Dauriel fan. I could not fathom how these two were going to end up together in a way that would not irritate me thru the entire book. Well, guess what? Hats off to SD Simper cuz they got me to buy in 100%. By the end, my heart was fully invested.
Unlike a lot of genre books with wlw characters this is actually very focused on the relationship building and then the romance with outside influences adding a lot of the drama. I really loved this.
I can't wait to get the next to book.
April 10, 2023
A beautifully epic tale with such intrigue and complexity.
Similar almost to 'Aurora's Angel' we are introduced to a magical world with mermaids, goddesses and lots of political territories like that of 'Game Of Thrones'.
Yet it never felt too overwhelming to understand.
The story of Tallora the mermaid being captured by the Princess Dauriel who seeks her mother's approval starts off this emotional rollercoaster and surprising romance!
I really wasn't expecting to care for the captor of our mermaid friend, but through the twists and turns in the novel and finding out about the Princess and her past, and her family, I came to understand and forgive her as did our mermaid friend.
I already have the second book cued up on my Kindle, and would highly recommend the books to others who love lesbian fantasy adventure with slight political elements. Currently free on kindle unlimited.
Similar almost to 'Aurora's Angel' we are introduced to a magical world with mermaids, goddesses and lots of political territories like that of 'Game Of Thrones'.
Yet it never felt too overwhelming to understand.
The story of Tallora the mermaid being captured by the Princess Dauriel who seeks her mother's approval starts off this emotional rollercoaster and surprising romance!
I really wasn't expecting to care for the captor of our mermaid friend, but through the twists and turns in the novel and finding out about the Princess and her past, and her family, I came to understand and forgive her as did our mermaid friend.
I already have the second book cued up on my Kindle, and would highly recommend the books to others who love lesbian fantasy adventure with slight political elements. Currently free on kindle unlimited.
May 24, 2020
“I would rather die a thousand deaths than have never met you.” ★★★★★
(How beautiful is this special edition alternate cover?!)
I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on myself regarding this review. I’ve spent weeks hyping up The Fate of Stars almost daily on social media, hosted a giveaway for a special edition copy of it, and even conducted a Zoom interview with the author, SD Simper, to talk about it. After all that, I began to wonder if I could even come up with anything worthwhile to say that I haven’t already said. As it turns out, I needn’t have worried.
The Fate of Stars by SD Simper is the first book in her sapphic mermaid trilogy, Sea & Stars. So, what happens when a bisexual mermaid and stone butch princess whose paths were never supposed to cross meet and fall in love? Read this book and find out! The Fate of Stars is everything I could’ve ever wanted in a f/f fantasy novel. Magic, mermaids, and enemies to lovers? Sign me the fuck up, honestly. I could write an essay length review of the banter alone, but I’ll spare you (for now).
On a more serious note, I loved this book and story. One thing that really stood out to me was that the author handled the inherent power imbalance in the relationship with such nuance, and even had the characters explicitly discuss it between themselves! I’ve never seen that in a book like this, and it was much appreciated.
The other two books in the Sea & Stars trilogy, Heart of Silver Flame (Book 2) and Death’s Abyss (Book 3) are available for pre-order, and will be out in June & July, respectively.
The Fate of Stars At a Glance:
Genre: High Fantasy, Lesbian Romance
Themes/Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Swords & Sorcery, Butch/Femme, Taming the Beast/Thawing the Ice Queen
LGBT Rep? Yep! The main character, Tallora, is a bisexual mermaid. Her eventual love interest is a stone butch lesbian.
Own Voices? Yes!
Content Warnings (CWs): References to suicide, infertility (and trauma surrounding it), emotionally abusive parents, a few instances of graphic violence, threats of sexual assault (but no actual assault)
Let's be friends!
Bookstagram | Twitter | Book Blog
Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I was a beta reader for the entire Sea & Stars trilogy, but I’d honestly be raving about The Fate of Stars just as much if I hadn’t been.
(How beautiful is this special edition alternate cover?!)
I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on myself regarding this review. I’ve spent weeks hyping up The Fate of Stars almost daily on social media, hosted a giveaway for a special edition copy of it, and even conducted a Zoom interview with the author, SD Simper, to talk about it. After all that, I began to wonder if I could even come up with anything worthwhile to say that I haven’t already said. As it turns out, I needn’t have worried.
The Fate of Stars by SD Simper is the first book in her sapphic mermaid trilogy, Sea & Stars. So, what happens when a bisexual mermaid and stone butch princess whose paths were never supposed to cross meet and fall in love? Read this book and find out! The Fate of Stars is everything I could’ve ever wanted in a f/f fantasy novel. Magic, mermaids, and enemies to lovers? Sign me the fuck up, honestly. I could write an essay length review of the banter alone, but I’ll spare you (for now).
On a more serious note, I loved this book and story. One thing that really stood out to me was that the author handled the inherent power imbalance in the relationship with such nuance, and even had the characters explicitly discuss it between themselves! I’ve never seen that in a book like this, and it was much appreciated.
The other two books in the Sea & Stars trilogy, Heart of Silver Flame (Book 2) and Death’s Abyss (Book 3) are available for pre-order, and will be out in June & July, respectively.
The Fate of Stars At a Glance:
Genre: High Fantasy, Lesbian Romance
Themes/Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Swords & Sorcery, Butch/Femme, Taming the Beast/Thawing the Ice Queen
LGBT Rep? Yep! The main character, Tallora, is a bisexual mermaid. Her eventual love interest is a stone butch lesbian.
Own Voices? Yes!
Content Warnings (CWs): References to suicide, infertility (and trauma surrounding it), emotionally abusive parents, a few instances of graphic violence, threats of sexual assault (but no actual assault)
Let's be friends!
Bookstagram | Twitter | Book Blog
Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I was a beta reader for the entire Sea & Stars trilogy, but I’d honestly be raving about The Fate of Stars just as much if I hadn’t been.
May 5, 2021
Oh my god, this is the enemies-to-lovers book I've been looking for all my life. I don't even know what to say. This book has it all. A well written enemies-to-lovers arc, gay mermaids, good banter, the one bed trope. I'm literally obsessed! I don't see this book often when people recommend sapphic books, so I'm taking it upon myself to recommend it as much as I possibly can. Please go read this book! I guarantee you won't regret it. (Lastly, this book does cover some serious subject matter, such as sexual assault and overdose, so you may want to look up trigger warnings beforehand.)
May 9, 2025
I knew this book would be great with the top tier concept of an enemies-to-lovers romance between a butch princess and a mermaid.
The butch representation actually meant so much to me. It hit home the way the author described Dauriel’s hesitance with accepting her identity, the way her mother viewed her as a disappointment and continuously pushed her to wear dresses and heels anyway. And when Dauriel said she saves the dresses because she loves to look at them and to imagine someone else wearing them instead <3 Yeah this author gets it.
Stone butch rep too, with the characters communicating that boundary, and Tallora loving Dauriel even more for it. I've never seen stone butch representation anywhere in the lesbian romances I've encountered so far. I’ve always hoped for it, so seeing this positive representation almost brought me to tears.
The scene where Tallora cuts Dauriel's hair, encouraging her butchness and admiring her new confidence that comes with it. Fucking amazing. Such a romantic scene. Absolutely needed this type of dynamic. Awkward butch with her more forward love interest.
I enjoyed the world building in regards to the different kingdoms and their gods. Two lesbians being the main goddesses is amazing. I love how they paralleled Dauriel and Tallora’s relationship. Dauriel being the moon and Tallora being the stars. That symbolism is beautiful.
I do wish the enemies period of their enemies-to-lovers arc had lasted longer. I love the tension with anger-infused banter. I love the buildup as the characters gradually begin to trust each other, but still deny it to themselves. However, I did love how both Tallora and Dauriel learned something from each other, coming out of this situation with their views on the world changed.
Beware of the trigger warnings, with an emphasis on threats of sexual assault, instances of homophobia, and a torture scene. Tallora deals with a lot of fear in her situation as a captive in the castle, so it’s definitely important to keep that in mind.
Overall, I loved this. It was refreshing to read an actual enemies-to-lovers story in a sapphic romance. I feel like sometimes that term gets watered down to the point where people claim a book is enemies-to-lovers when in actuality, it’s mild-dislike-to-lovers at best. Or it’s only a one-sided hate situation. I’ll definitely read more from this author because it's great reading about complex and messy situations for female characters.
The butch representation actually meant so much to me. It hit home the way the author described Dauriel’s hesitance with accepting her identity, the way her mother viewed her as a disappointment and continuously pushed her to wear dresses and heels anyway. And when Dauriel said she saves the dresses because she loves to look at them and to imagine someone else wearing them instead <3 Yeah this author gets it.
Stone butch rep too, with the characters communicating that boundary, and Tallora loving Dauriel even more for it. I've never seen stone butch representation anywhere in the lesbian romances I've encountered so far. I’ve always hoped for it, so seeing this positive representation almost brought me to tears.
The scene where Tallora cuts Dauriel's hair, encouraging her butchness and admiring her new confidence that comes with it. Fucking amazing. Such a romantic scene. Absolutely needed this type of dynamic. Awkward butch with her more forward love interest.
I enjoyed the world building in regards to the different kingdoms and their gods. Two lesbians being the main goddesses is amazing. I love how they paralleled Dauriel and Tallora’s relationship. Dauriel being the moon and Tallora being the stars. That symbolism is beautiful.
I do wish the enemies period of their enemies-to-lovers arc had lasted longer. I love the tension with anger-infused banter. I love the buildup as the characters gradually begin to trust each other, but still deny it to themselves. However, I did love how both Tallora and Dauriel learned something from each other, coming out of this situation with their views on the world changed.
Beware of the trigger warnings, with an emphasis on threats of sexual assault, instances of homophobia, and a torture scene. Tallora deals with a lot of fear in her situation as a captive in the castle, so it’s definitely important to keep that in mind.
Overall, I loved this. It was refreshing to read an actual enemies-to-lovers story in a sapphic romance. I feel like sometimes that term gets watered down to the point where people claim a book is enemies-to-lovers when in actuality, it’s mild-dislike-to-lovers at best. Or it’s only a one-sided hate situation. I’ll definitely read more from this author because it's great reading about complex and messy situations for female characters.
August 23, 2021
I'm having a hard time deciding what to rate this so it might change (if it does it'll go up to 4)...
The romance was just a bit too quick for me, especially with how they started and the hate yous. This really needs some more editing and their banter seemed very forced/awkward at times. I did appreciate that "can a prisoner truly consent" by one of the characters and it's talked about between both parties. I really should have expected the romance to be quick because of the page count but I forgot it was shorter while reading.
I enjoyed the goddesses/gods roles here. I actually read the first of the Fallen Gods series but didn't realize that while I was reading this. Maybe it helped since I had parts of the world already in my head...?
I'm not sure if I'm going to read the next in this series. I actually think it was the perfect ending before the epilogue. I've noticed that this author is rather hit and miss for me.
(I've marked this under my 'dubcon-noncon' shelf because of all the talk and attempts of sexual assault but all sex here is consensual.)
The romance was just a bit too quick for me, especially with how they started and the hate yous. This really needs some more editing and their banter seemed very forced/awkward at times. I did appreciate that "can a prisoner truly consent" by one of the characters and it's talked about between both parties. I really should have expected the romance to be quick because of the page count but I forgot it was shorter while reading.
I enjoyed the goddesses/gods roles here. I actually read the first of the Fallen Gods series but didn't realize that while I was reading this. Maybe it helped since I had parts of the world already in my head...?
I'm not sure if I'm going to read the next in this series. I actually think it was the perfect ending before the epilogue. I've noticed that this author is rather hit and miss for me.
(I've marked this under my 'dubcon-noncon' shelf because of all the talk and attempts of sexual assault but all sex here is consensual.)
July 28, 2021
Was this the fate of the stars, to be subsumed by the moon's light?
3.5 stars. This was so so much fun; a good start to what promises to be an engaging fantasy series!
We've got cross-species romance, we've got enemies to lovers, we've got captor/captive; and I only knew one of those things going into this. Captor/captive can be hard to make work, for me at least. The kidnapping happens in the very beginning and I honestly assumed Dauriel was going to take Tallora back to her home where we'd meet her much nicer sister, with whom the romance would be. But God, did Dauriel ever grow on me. The more we learnt about her, the more I melted. And she did learn and change in meaningful ways; without that, it would have been impossible for me to believe in this romance. But god, did I ever; I swooned so hard. Grumpy butch princess rights!!! There was one particular part of her backstory that made me feel for her so hard: I do think the relationship could have been a little more slow-burn, and that would have made the journey from point A to B even more impactful (because Tallora started out by hating Dauriel; rightfully so). But still, I enjoyed their relationship so much. I love that they both changed, but never lost the core of who they were, especially Tallora.
I really loved what we learned so far of this fantasy world. I adore fantasy where the pantheons/gods aren't nebulous concepts; they have physical forms and sometimes interact with mortals. I like that they play such an active role, whether in an intercession kind of way, or the way citizens in some kingdoms all had godly blood. All the myths and creation stories were really interesting. I'm really looking forward to knowing more. I liked this writing; it was really expressive and lush. Though I have to admit, some words/phrases were repeated a bit too much, to the point of becoming grating, and sometimes I felt like we were playing the synonym game. But overall, I really liked it. The setting, atmosphere, and secondary characters were all wonderful. I-is Khastra single? 👉🏿👈🏿
Looking forward to continuing the series soon!
Content warnings: .
May 13, 2025
NOW THIS IS ROMANTASY!
Overall rating: 4.25/5
Omg what's going on... I hated this genre but I've been reading decent ones recently.... This one takes the cake so far in 2025. I wasn't expecting much from this story but it pleasantly surprised me.
The magic system and world-building is pretty simple and easy to understand as much of it takes place on land and not the ocean as we see mermaids, celestials, half-demons, and even mentions of giants. However, the author doesn't delve much into it as the races aren't the main plot except for the mermaids (obviously) and celestials. The main conflict seems to come from their Gods (omg Le Gasp! Religion being the problem as per usual lol) as both FMCs follow gods who have different values but are interconnected in different ways. The Gods are pretty involved in this story as we see that their values influence society. Princess Dauriel's (celestial) goddess seems to value justice, freedom, and strength and is pretty strict with her worshipers whereas Tallora's (mermaid) goddess has similar values but also values kindness and mercy. There are mentions of other gods but seems like a lot of them value fertility and a woman's subservience so seeing Princess Dauriel who is less feminine than what's required has everybody and their mother up in arms as they all seem to look down on her for her lifestyle as a adventurer.
Now onto the main plot. Most of the story's conflict comes from the fact that Princess Dauriel kidnaps Tallora from the ocean and presents the mermaid to her mother as a "gift" or "pet" which underlines that Tallora is "property." Now, believe me... I was skeptical about the romance too but I think the author did a PHENOMENAL job at navigating this kidnapper/kidnapped relationship and presented it in a way that wasn't icky or Stockholm syndrome like AT LEAST IMO.
The two women started off hating each other, rightfully so, and then slowly began to know one another.
Tallora is a outspoken sort of character and even while she was captive in enemy territory she never broke. She was resilient and forced Princess Dauriel to see her as her equal and called her out on her bullshit which I LOVED. She was also able to empathize with Dauriel after learning her backstory but even then, Tallora gave her no excuses when it came to how she was being kept captive.
Now, onto Princess Dauriel. We are not supposed to like her at first. She's rude and treats Tallora like trash upon first meeting but after getting to know one another we see just how morally grey she is. Her childhood and family are one of the main causes (it's not a spoiler because from the very first 5 chapters, it's obvious her mother is a CUNT) for her behavior and I love how the more she interacts with Tallora, the more we start to see her change and gain empathy. She's a beautifully developed character and her and Tallora end up making a wonderful match with all the banter they had pre- and post- relationship lol.
The side characters were ok. The only one I liked was General Khastra as her character was sort of ironic and iconic... girly didn't give any fucks and was purely there as a knight for the kingdom. The fact that she was a half-demon and acted more humane than those who descended from the "celestials" was the author's talk on power and greed and I really liked it... it wasn't overly in your face but there as a little inside joke.
Overall I really enjoyed this sapphic romantasy and I can't wait to continue the series... it ends on somewhat of a sad open-ending but considering there are more books I assume those background plots will take center stage in the future ones.
Overall rating: 4.25/5
Omg what's going on... I hated this genre but I've been reading decent ones recently.... This one takes the cake so far in 2025. I wasn't expecting much from this story but it pleasantly surprised me.
The magic system and world-building is pretty simple and easy to understand as much of it takes place on land and not the ocean as we see mermaids, celestials, half-demons, and even mentions of giants. However, the author doesn't delve much into it as the races aren't the main plot except for the mermaids (obviously) and celestials. The main conflict seems to come from their Gods (omg Le Gasp! Religion being the problem as per usual lol) as both FMCs follow gods who have different values but are interconnected in different ways. The Gods are pretty involved in this story as we see that their values influence society. Princess Dauriel's (celestial) goddess seems to value justice, freedom, and strength and is pretty strict with her worshipers whereas Tallora's (mermaid) goddess has similar values but also values kindness and mercy. There are mentions of other gods but seems like a lot of them value fertility and a woman's subservience so seeing Princess Dauriel who is less feminine than what's required has everybody and their mother up in arms as they all seem to look down on her for her lifestyle as a adventurer.
Now onto the main plot. Most of the story's conflict comes from the fact that Princess Dauriel kidnaps Tallora from the ocean and presents the mermaid to her mother as a "gift" or "pet" which underlines that Tallora is "property." Now, believe me... I was skeptical about the romance too but I think the author did a PHENOMENAL job at navigating this kidnapper/kidnapped relationship and presented it in a way that wasn't icky or Stockholm syndrome like AT LEAST IMO.
The two women started off hating each other, rightfully so, and then slowly began to know one another.
Tallora is a outspoken sort of character and even while she was captive in enemy territory she never broke. She was resilient and forced Princess Dauriel to see her as her equal and called her out on her bullshit which I LOVED. She was also able to empathize with Dauriel after learning her backstory but even then, Tallora gave her no excuses when it came to how she was being kept captive.
Now, onto Princess Dauriel. We are not supposed to like her at first. She's rude and treats Tallora like trash upon first meeting but after getting to know one another we see just how morally grey she is. Her childhood and family are one of the main causes (it's not a spoiler because from the very first 5 chapters, it's obvious her mother is a CUNT) for her behavior and I love how the more she interacts with Tallora, the more we start to see her change and gain empathy. She's a beautifully developed character and her and Tallora end up making a wonderful match with all the banter they had pre- and post- relationship lol.
The side characters were ok. The only one I liked was General Khastra as her character was sort of ironic and iconic... girly didn't give any fucks and was purely there as a knight for the kingdom. The fact that she was a half-demon and acted more humane than those who descended from the "celestials" was the author's talk on power and greed and I really liked it... it wasn't overly in your face but there as a little inside joke.
Overall I really enjoyed this sapphic romantasy and I can't wait to continue the series... it ends on somewhat of a sad open-ending but considering there are more books I assume those background plots will take center stage in the future ones.
July 9, 2020
2 stars
This book was ok, it was definitely better than some of the books I’ve read in this genre. That being said I just couldn’t get into it. The characters were kind of dull and the romance was stupid.
This book was ok, it was definitely better than some of the books I’ve read in this genre. That being said I just couldn’t get into it. The characters were kind of dull and the romance was stupid.
November 11, 2022
This was all kinds of weird for me. Captive romances are just not for me and no matter how strong a chemistry the mcs share in such a case, I can't bring myself to get over the fact that it all actually started with one of them holding the other a prisoner for whatever reason.
October 5, 2020
I'm honestly disappointed. From all the reviews and the five stars, I thought I was going to read a dark, addicting tale, with well developed characters, and a beautiful romance.
On top of some tail action, cause, well – I'm a sucker for mermaids.
And you know what? I read worst, so if you can ignore all the flaws in it, go ahead. Read it. I'm terribly sorry we as Sapphic woman have to compromise to read about our own, but I do understand why we'd do it, and if you are willing to do so, this one is better than 'The dark tide' or 'Ice Massacre'.
Now, for the flaws (oh, god, why?!) :
From the very beginning I felt like I'm diving into an amateur's fanfiction, who can write nicely. Sometimes.
It felt as if I'm watching a movie and the actors are terrible. I really tried to suspend my disbelief, but there were so many flaws in the world. The opening dialog between the soon-to-be-lovers-now-enemeis felt so forced. I could actually feel the author's presence, whispering to the characters what to say, when, how. The characters were puppets, reciting a very nonoriginal script, nothing more.
Moreover, the mermaid's behavior wasn’t believable! She accepted her fate so quickly, her thoughts weirdly shallow, even though she thought all the right things, the things you'll expect a prisoner to think – but I felt nothing. She felt nothing. She accepted the human world in a heartbeat, embraced things that were meant to be strange, foreign to her - nudity, for example, was not uncommon under the sea. In fact, only on rare occasions did the merfolk cover themselves, not for shame, or modesty – but for decoration. And to my surprise, later on, the mermaid was ashamed of her body, covering herself with her hands, her nude body suddenly became something intimate to gaze upon.\
Those are the plot and characters flaws that annoyed me the most, but i could find more probably. I just don't wanna:\
Despite all of the above, I wanted to keep on reading. I really did. Where else am I going to find a romance between a mermaid and a princess?
The last straw was the grammar problem. Now, English is NOT my first language, though I've been reading it for at least 9 years. Yet, as I read more complicated books I'm acquainted with new styles of writing. So usually I'm not quick to complain, doubting myself. From the beginning I felt like something was off. Like there were commas in wrong places, long sentences that didn’t make sense and etc. I told myself it was just her writing style, and while it wasn't horrible – it was a bit messy for me.
Until I came upon the following line:
"Despite what Dauriel lacked in experience compared to the general, her speed and precision was remarkable"
Now. I'm well aware of usage of grammatical errors illustrate a character's poor education. But this was the narrator's words. And if I'm mistaken, please, please correct me – and ill take this section (only this) down, but, it should be were, isn't it?
nevertheless, I'm putting this book aside, with great sorrow, and going back to search for a decent Sapphic fantasy/sci-fi, cause this one, is definitely not it.
p.s. if you can recommend something good, please go ahead.
On top of some tail action, cause, well – I'm a sucker for mermaids.
And you know what? I read worst, so if you can ignore all the flaws in it, go ahead. Read it. I'm terribly sorry we as Sapphic woman have to compromise to read about our own, but I do understand why we'd do it, and if you are willing to do so, this one is better than 'The dark tide' or 'Ice Massacre'.
Now, for the flaws (oh, god, why?!) :
From the very beginning I felt like I'm diving into an amateur's fanfiction, who can write nicely. Sometimes.
It felt as if I'm watching a movie and the actors are terrible. I really tried to suspend my disbelief, but there were so many flaws in the world. The opening dialog between the soon-to-be-lovers-now-enemeis felt so forced. I could actually feel the author's presence, whispering to the characters what to say, when, how. The characters were puppets, reciting a very nonoriginal script, nothing more.
Moreover, the mermaid's behavior wasn’t believable! She accepted her fate so quickly, her thoughts weirdly shallow, even though she thought all the right things, the things you'll expect a prisoner to think – but I felt nothing. She felt nothing. She accepted the human world in a heartbeat, embraced things that were meant to be strange, foreign to her - nudity, for example, was not uncommon under the sea. In fact, only on rare occasions did the merfolk cover themselves, not for shame, or modesty – but for decoration. And to my surprise, later on, the mermaid was ashamed of her body, covering herself with her hands, her nude body suddenly became something intimate to gaze upon.\
Those are the plot and characters flaws that annoyed me the most, but i could find more probably. I just don't wanna:\
Despite all of the above, I wanted to keep on reading. I really did. Where else am I going to find a romance between a mermaid and a princess?
The last straw was the grammar problem. Now, English is NOT my first language, though I've been reading it for at least 9 years. Yet, as I read more complicated books I'm acquainted with new styles of writing. So usually I'm not quick to complain, doubting myself. From the beginning I felt like something was off. Like there were commas in wrong places, long sentences that didn’t make sense and etc. I told myself it was just her writing style, and while it wasn't horrible – it was a bit messy for me.
Until I came upon the following line:
"Despite what Dauriel lacked in experience compared to the general, her speed and precision was remarkable"
Now. I'm well aware of usage of grammatical errors illustrate a character's poor education. But this was the narrator's words. And if I'm mistaken, please, please correct me – and ill take this section (only this) down, but, it should be were, isn't it?
nevertheless, I'm putting this book aside, with great sorrow, and going back to search for a decent Sapphic fantasy/sci-fi, cause this one, is definitely not it.
p.s. if you can recommend something good, please go ahead.
March 29, 2023
Rounding up.
This started off really strong and then tapered out for me.
I really liked the start of the book, especially with the enemy banter back and forth between the two love interests. The butch princess was not overly chivalrous which was also a refreshing take. I also appreciated the idea that gods are present in the mortal realm and, for the most part, both humans and gods are used as pawns for one another.
Unfortunately, the story had too many common tropes that it hit after the halfway point. The enemies fall quickly in love and the princess becomes the classic grumpy chivalrous butch. The banter lost some of the bite for me and with it the chemistry. The whole second half felt very much like a fairy tale which I never do well with those.
I also was not a fan that all mermaids have lithe muscular body types with little to no variance and that sex workers were featured but it was admirable to liberate the sex workers. These concepts were justified in the story and expanded on a little, but the statements just felt so limited and rushed.
If you're a fan of fairy tale style writing and books this might be more for you than it was for me. There were some good parts and the story was well written but I just could not get into it.
This started off really strong and then tapered out for me.
I really liked the start of the book, especially with the enemy banter back and forth between the two love interests. The butch princess was not overly chivalrous which was also a refreshing take. I also appreciated the idea that gods are present in the mortal realm and, for the most part, both humans and gods are used as pawns for one another.
Unfortunately, the story had too many common tropes that it hit after the halfway point. The enemies fall quickly in love and the princess becomes the classic grumpy chivalrous butch. The banter lost some of the bite for me and with it the chemistry. The whole second half felt very much like a fairy tale which I never do well with those.
I also was not a fan that all mermaids have lithe muscular body types with little to no variance and that sex workers were featured but it was admirable to liberate the sex workers. These concepts were justified in the story and expanded on a little, but the statements just felt so limited and rushed.
If you're a fan of fairy tale style writing and books this might be more for you than it was for me. There were some good parts and the story was well written but I just could not get into it.
April 22, 2025
5 Stars
It’s the best mermaid story I’ve read so far. The best. And it’s expected because it’s written by SD Simper.
It’s the best mermaid story I’ve read so far. The best. And it’s expected because it’s written by SD Simper.
May 11, 2020
This novel has world building, supporting characters, and main protagonists with personality and character. I can't wait to read the next one.
August 10, 2020
With her Fallen Gods series, Simper automatically became one of my favorite authors. When I read The Sting of Victory (Fallen Gods #1), I was immediately blown away by her talent as an author. Her writing isn't the only thing deserving of high praise; her flair for world-building and character development is so consistent, you can always count on her stories to have depth.
Such is still true with The Fate of Stars (and I'm assuming will continue with the sequels). Considering the magnitude of Fallen Gods, I thought I had to prepare myself for the immensity of Sea and Stars, which is why I had put off reading this series. I realize, however, that I shouldn't have bothered, as this one is less intense than Fallen Gods—but by no means less intricate.
Simper didn't shy away from tackling difficult issues in this story (i.e. mommy issues, self-harm, prostitution), yet they were handled without leaving you confronting with dread. I admire how she doesn't always write easy-to-read books, yet she leaves you satisfied and craving more from the world she has built at the same time. It's like everywhere I look in this world, there's always an untold story hidden behind the individual life of its morally gray characters.
Speaking of morally gray characters, Empress Vahla isn't one of them. She's a downright bitch lol! Every time she makes an appearance, I wanna punch something. And that something is her face 🤣 The other characters were okay, except those who were also present/mentioned in Fallen Gods—they endear to me the most.
I enjoyed Tallora and Dauriel's back-and-forth and they made me LOL quite a number of times. As for their romance, I wish there were more uncovering of deeper feelings that happened before their confession, but I'm okay with their chemistry overall.
I noticed a minor oversight in chapter 7 where Leah and Mithal spoke Tallora's name when they shouldn't have known it yet. Even so, this book was impeccably written, and I will surely read the rest of the works in the series.
Such is still true with The Fate of Stars (and I'm assuming will continue with the sequels). Considering the magnitude of Fallen Gods, I thought I had to prepare myself for the immensity of Sea and Stars, which is why I had put off reading this series. I realize, however, that I shouldn't have bothered, as this one is less intense than Fallen Gods—but by no means less intricate.
Simper didn't shy away from tackling difficult issues in this story (i.e. mommy issues, self-harm, prostitution), yet they were handled without leaving you confronting with dread. I admire how she doesn't always write easy-to-read books, yet she leaves you satisfied and craving more from the world she has built at the same time. It's like everywhere I look in this world, there's always an untold story hidden behind the individual life of its morally gray characters.
Speaking of morally gray characters, Empress Vahla isn't one of them. She's a downright bitch lol! Every time she makes an appearance, I wanna punch something. And that something is her face 🤣 The other characters were okay, except those who were also present/mentioned in Fallen Gods—they endear to me the most.
I enjoyed Tallora and Dauriel's back-and-forth and they made me LOL quite a number of times. As for their romance, I wish there were more uncovering of deeper feelings that happened before their confession, but I'm okay with their chemistry overall.
I noticed a minor oversight in chapter 7 where Leah and Mithal spoke Tallora's name when they shouldn't have known it yet. Even so, this book was impeccably written, and I will surely read the rest of the works in the series.
July 21, 2020
Wow. I... I don't know where to start...
I am notoriously bad at reviews, so I'll try not to ramble, but wow! This is an incredible story, and one of those that I'll be thinking about for a long time! I haven't read any mermaid and Princess stories before, and I'm not sure what I expected, but it blew every preconceived notion I thought I had out of the water (no pun intended!) It's dark, heartbreaking, and hauntingly beautiful all at once. Both characters were absolutely amazing (I usually dislike one or the other but I loved both!) and especially Dauriel. Her tale of her 'sickness' was powerful, and her 'musculature' was divine, lol. Her vulnerabilities made me love her even more, and the way she went after the Moratham envoy... Sooo good!
I already feel like I'm rambling. This story was incredible, and I'll be reading book 2 straight away! Very well-written, intriguing, exciting, romantic, and sexy, with emotional undertones. I loved everything about it, and can't wait to read more by this author.
I am notoriously bad at reviews, so I'll try not to ramble, but wow! This is an incredible story, and one of those that I'll be thinking about for a long time! I haven't read any mermaid and Princess stories before, and I'm not sure what I expected, but it blew every preconceived notion I thought I had out of the water (no pun intended!) It's dark, heartbreaking, and hauntingly beautiful all at once. Both characters were absolutely amazing (I usually dislike one or the other but I loved both!) and especially Dauriel. Her tale of her 'sickness' was powerful, and her 'musculature' was divine, lol. Her vulnerabilities made me love her even more, and the way she went after the Moratham envoy... Sooo good!
I already feel like I'm rambling. This story was incredible, and I'll be reading book 2 straight away! Very well-written, intriguing, exciting, romantic, and sexy, with emotional undertones. I loved everything about it, and can't wait to read more by this author.
February 15, 2022
The world-building was inconsistent, the romance was WAY too fast. Dauriel literally kidnapped Tallora and it was forgiven so easily and quickly... Tallora barely had time to be mad about it before she was falling in love!
It read like a fanfiction honestly?? The whole enemies to lovers thing did not work at all in this context. It should've been a much slower romance with a lot more buildup. I did finish it though. Weird ending. I did appreciate Khastra bringing up the power imbalance between them and berating Dauriel for being stupid, but that's the only time I appreciated any of the characters.
Not much else to say, it's a quick cheesy read but it wasn't totally unenjoyable.
It read like a fanfiction honestly?? The whole enemies to lovers thing did not work at all in this context. It should've been a much slower romance with a lot more buildup. I did finish it though. Weird ending. I did appreciate Khastra bringing up the power imbalance between them and berating Dauriel for being stupid, but that's the only time I appreciated any of the characters.
Not much else to say, it's a quick cheesy read but it wasn't totally unenjoyable.
October 13, 2024
3.5⭐️ I wanted to love this, to get lost in a complex world and great love story. But for me, everything fell a little short. The pace was confusing, moving slowly where perhaps it wasn’t needed and then leaping forward in a way that made it difficult to believe character growth and the change in Tallora and Dauriel’s relationship from enemies to lovers. At this stage in the series, the world feels somewhat under developed. However, the book was still enjoyable, the characters complex enough to be invested in, and Tallora and Dauriel’s connection absorbing. Despite the shortcomings, I’m certainly keen to start book #2 and see where the story will take our star crossed lovers!
February 3, 2022
Wanted to love this one, but nothing made sense. The world building wasn’t there, the characters were boring and I was told there would be spice, but there was like two scenes in the last 10 percent of the book. Not sure I find myself interested in reading the second one
August 7, 2021
Was this a masterpiece? No, absolutely not. But was it well paced, with likable characters, and generally enjoyable despite the author’s overuse of the word countenance? Yes.
September 12, 2021
This was a true enemies to lovers. I hated the princess so much at the beginning I was questioning finishing the book because I couldn’t phantom any ending doing the prisoner justice, but I’m so happy I was wrong. I have tears that won’t stop coming because of that ending. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to read the other books without knowing if they have a happy ending.
March 10, 2024
This was so good i’m thinking of giving it a 5 star rating. But I did not at all enjoy the other parts! I think it’s mostly just me because my best friend read this and the rest of the trilogy and she loves it all!
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