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Starian Cycle #3
The Prince's Vow
Adrien de Guillory may be the heir to the throne of Staria, but no one in court believes that the submissive, meek-minded prince will ever be king. What they don’t know is that Adrien is hardly the meek, shy creature he pretends to be and that he has his own plans for the future. To see those plans through, Adrien embarks on a journey to Mislia, the land of his mother’s ancestors, to seek an answer to controlling his magic of foresight.
The one thing Adrien’s visions don’t predict is Isiodore de Mortain, his father’s confidante and the subject of Adrien’s long-standing, deeply embarrassing infatuation. Isiodore intercepts Adrien on his way to Mislia. But it’s too late to turn back—the two of them are now stranded on foreign soil, forced to rely on each other in order to get home in one piece. With Isiodore set on keeping Adrien safe and Adrien determined to become the most troublesome prince in Starian history, a storm is brewing over Mislia...one that will surely sweep both of them out into uncharted waters.
The one thing Adrien’s visions don’t predict is Isiodore de Mortain, his father’s confidante and the subject of Adrien’s long-standing, deeply embarrassing infatuation. Isiodore intercepts Adrien on his way to Mislia. But it’s too late to turn back—the two of them are now stranded on foreign soil, forced to rely on each other in order to get home in one piece. With Isiodore set on keeping Adrien safe and Adrien determined to become the most troublesome prince in Starian history, a storm is brewing over Mislia...one that will surely sweep both of them out into uncharted waters.
214 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2021
27 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Iris Foxglove
27 books186 followersIris Foxglove is the shared pen name of Avon Gale (she/her) and Fae Loxley (he/him). Avon and Fae met in fandom in 2019, and began writing fanfiction together in 2020 during lockdown. They eventually decided to collaborate on original fantasy fiction, and haven't looked back since.
They write queer fantasy with an emphasis on biological imperative, natural power exchange dynamics, complex worldbuilding and unforgettable characters.
You can follow Iris on twitter @irisfoxglove, or sign up for Iris' newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hrhA6z
Iris also has a brand-new Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/irisfoxglove
Iris' Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
You can also follow the authors individually on Twitter and Facebook:
Avon Gale
Twitter: https://twitter.com/avongalewrites
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/2p8hz4fv
Fae Loxley
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fae_loxley
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/mrxt2fnn
They write queer fantasy with an emphasis on biological imperative, natural power exchange dynamics, complex worldbuilding and unforgettable characters.
You can follow Iris on twitter @irisfoxglove, or sign up for Iris' newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hrhA6z
Iris also has a brand-new Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/irisfoxglove
Iris' Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
You can also follow the authors individually on Twitter and Facebook:
Avon Gale
Twitter: https://twitter.com/avongalewrites
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/2p8hz4fv
Fae Loxley
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fae_loxley
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/mrxt2fnn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 20, 2021
I received an ARC of this story. This review contains light spoilers for plot and character development.
The Prince’s Vow takes us to Mislia, a country that’s so far been referred to more like a magical boogeyman around the land of Staria. Crown Prince Adrien is determined to uncover more about his Mislian heritage, why the visions he sees in water most often come true. At the last minute, he’s joined by Isiodore, the Starian spymaster sent by the King to collect Adrien from his impulsive decisions.
After Adrien and Isiodore’s boat is ransacked by the sea, they wash up on Mislia’s coast. They’re discovered by the Archivist, Summer, who’s a part of a 13-seat council led by the Mislian Archmage. The ruling magical hierarchy is none too happy to have Starians on their shores, and the “invaders” are forced into an impromptu trial for their fates. Thankfully, Summer intervenes by binding Adrien and Izzy to serve her and her demon wife, Tanis, for a year and a day, and together the improvised family unit schemes to get Adrien and Izzy safely back to Staria.
As a fan of this series, I was excited to finally see Mislia up close. The worldbuilding is truly excellent—there’s no history lecture on how Mislia came to be, but rather we see how their society reacts and functions with an Adrien-and-Isiodore-shaped wrench thrown in.
And the characters! The dialogue!! Summer and Tanis’ banter is adorably frank. Summer is a key member of the Mislian council but is so fucking over it and just wants to live quietly by the sea with her demon wife—truly relatable. I know this book is supposed to be about Adrien and Izzy but Summer and Tanis steal the show in every scene they show up (and I’m far from upset about that).
While The Duke’s Demon focused heavily on a demon bound to a person, the tradition is further expanded in Prince’s Vow—in Mislia we learn that demons manifest in a variety of forms and can have compounded histories, either serving their hosts as powerful minions, as we see with the Archmage’s demon, or lovers or friendly familiars, as with Tanis and Flick respectively. (Sidenote: this reader found it impossible to not fall in love with Tanis and Flick; do not resist, it will only hurt you in the end.)
By the end of The Prince’s Vow, Adrien accepts the fact that not only is he the rightful heir to the Starian throne, submissive nature aside, he is capable of actually doing it. His presence in unfamiliar territory frees him from the confined negligence of the Starian court, and he proves himself a natural, compassionate leader when faced with danger to himself or Izzy or his newfound acquaintances. Then we have Izzy’s transition from “I must protect the Prince with my life or the King will have my head” to “I am now sworn to the Prince in life and love and the King will most certainly have my head but worth it”. The moment Izzy decides “fuck it” and devotes himself to Adrien was gratifying and well-earned.
Also there is a GENTLEMAN PIRATE. I repeat. A GENTLEMAN PIRATE.
The Prince’s Vow takes us to Mislia, a country that’s so far been referred to more like a magical boogeyman around the land of Staria. Crown Prince Adrien is determined to uncover more about his Mislian heritage, why the visions he sees in water most often come true. At the last minute, he’s joined by Isiodore, the Starian spymaster sent by the King to collect Adrien from his impulsive decisions.
After Adrien and Isiodore’s boat is ransacked by the sea, they wash up on Mislia’s coast. They’re discovered by the Archivist, Summer, who’s a part of a 13-seat council led by the Mislian Archmage. The ruling magical hierarchy is none too happy to have Starians on their shores, and the “invaders” are forced into an impromptu trial for their fates. Thankfully, Summer intervenes by binding Adrien and Izzy to serve her and her demon wife, Tanis, for a year and a day, and together the improvised family unit schemes to get Adrien and Izzy safely back to Staria.
As a fan of this series, I was excited to finally see Mislia up close. The worldbuilding is truly excellent—there’s no history lecture on how Mislia came to be, but rather we see how their society reacts and functions with an Adrien-and-Isiodore-shaped wrench thrown in.
And the characters! The dialogue!! Summer and Tanis’ banter is adorably frank. Summer is a key member of the Mislian council but is so fucking over it and just wants to live quietly by the sea with her demon wife—truly relatable. I know this book is supposed to be about Adrien and Izzy but Summer and Tanis steal the show in every scene they show up (and I’m far from upset about that).
While The Duke’s Demon focused heavily on a demon bound to a person, the tradition is further expanded in Prince’s Vow—in Mislia we learn that demons manifest in a variety of forms and can have compounded histories, either serving their hosts as powerful minions, as we see with the Archmage’s demon, or lovers or friendly familiars, as with Tanis and Flick respectively. (Sidenote: this reader found it impossible to not fall in love with Tanis and Flick; do not resist, it will only hurt you in the end.)
By the end of The Prince’s Vow, Adrien accepts the fact that not only is he the rightful heir to the Starian throne, submissive nature aside, he is capable of actually doing it. His presence in unfamiliar territory frees him from the confined negligence of the Starian court, and he proves himself a natural, compassionate leader when faced with danger to himself or Izzy or his newfound acquaintances. Then we have Izzy’s transition from “I must protect the Prince with my life or the King will have my head” to “I am now sworn to the Prince in life and love and the King will most certainly have my head but worth it”. The moment Izzy decides “fuck it” and devotes himself to Adrien was gratifying and well-earned.
Also there is a GENTLEMAN PIRATE. I repeat. A GENTLEMAN PIRATE.
June 22, 2021
I really liked this one. It’s a bit different than the first 2, I think, but I enjoyed the characters and the pairing in this one, as well as how the story opens the door for some really interesting things in future books. The story takes place outside of Staria and we get to see the crown prince and the king’s good friend/advisor travel to Mislia.
Content notes for mentions of a miscarriage, blackmail, torture, enslavement, mentions of the murder of magic users, mentions of suicide, and deaths.
I think the relationship in this book is quite interesting? Especially the age difference. We don’t really know how old the characters are, but we can make a guess that there’s a sizable age gap here. So, we have the king of Staria (Emile) who is childhood friends with his advisor, Isiodore de Mortain, Arthur (Sabre from book 1’s father and who died before the series began), and a fourth friend we learn more about in this book. For those keeping track at home, Isiodore was very much in love with Arthur, looked out for Arthur’s son by taking Sabre’s First Night, and now this book has Isiodore falling for the king’s son. Let’s just say, Isiodore is…close to everyone. There was also a time he had sex with Sabre’s husband Laurent as well way back when.
The king’s son is Adrien de Guillory and who we’ve met before as Sabre’s best friend. Any other book, any other series, I think the relationship would have squeaked me out a bit considering Adrien and Isiodore’s connections (and it actually has in a contemporary series I’ve read where this sort of thing has come up before) but here, it works for me. I can’t explain it, but I am surprisingly okay with this relationship.
Adrien is quite at odds with his father, the king. The king has all but ignored his submissive son since the death of his wife and holds his heart close. Which means that Adrien is kind of left on his own, especially when the word around the crown is that the king should remarry and sire a dominant to take over the throne one day. Adrien is quite resigned to the fact that he will one day be set aside to a home in the countryside and will never be king.
But one thing Adrien has tried to keep hidden for a long time is his penchant for seeing the future in water. Like, he can see glimpses of the future in rain, puddles, tea, etc. He can see everyone’s future except his own. The visions are coming more frequently and bleeding into his dreams now as well. He seeks answers from his mother’s people, the Mislians. However, it is a dangerous journey by boat across the waters and it doesn’t help that the king fears Mislians and wishes to put them all to death. So, it’s safe to say Mislians would not be welcome to a Starian prince on their shores. But Adrien is out of time and needs answers and he decides to make the journey by whatever means necessary. Sneaking off into the night alone gets only slightly foiled however when Isiodore manages to catch up with Adrien and winds up traveling with him to Mislia.
I wouldn’t say I’m the biggest fan of…traveling by ship stories? This book thankfully spares us most of that arduous journey and keeps us right in the action. Although I will say that I’m not sure how great the distance is between Staria and Mislia because the journey seems to take no time at all at the start of the book, and the journey back is said to have taken weeks. What is the truth? I did read an ARC of this book, so it’s possible some of these details may be changed by publication.
A thing I am also confused of is whether Adrien really does learn to deal with the problems he went to Mislia for? The whole thing felt a bit vague to me since a lot of other stuff was going on and maybe I missed it, but maybe that is an answer we’ll get from future books.
There were times too where I wondered if the events in the last book, The Duke’s Demon, happened because it seemed that Adrien was almost unaware of demons and such but he had clearly met Devon, Sebastien, and Sariel? Although by the end, Adrien does bring up meeting them so I will say even though it felt like a bit of a disconnect at the beginning, the whole thing feels a bit more resolved in a way for me by then.
There’s a lot happening when Adrien and Isiodore arrive in Mislia and there are many great characters like the Archivist Summer and her demon wife Tanis. I love them a lot and I truly do hope we see them again (I think that we will)!! And there was Hektor and his fox demon Flick. THEY ARE THE CUTEST.
Out of all the new characters, I think we can all agree the Archmage and his demon are very terrifying and I would not be pressed if the Emile had him killed off at some point.
Adrien and Isiodore (who Adrien very cutely calls Izzy) are so adorable together! Adrien is a submissive and Isiodore is very dominant. Their relationship rightly feels like a slow burn since there is an age gap between them and because Isiodore is just starting to develop his feelings for Adrien. They have epic movie moments between them that I LOVE. I feel like Adrien and Isiodore have the most dramatic cinematic-ish moments together of all the books and couples so far, and I find that both endearing and swoony. Yes, they do have sex scenes together to the point where their hosts find a magic way to soundproof their rooms(!!!), but nothing beats that one rain scene! When you read it, I think you will know which rain scene I mean because it does rain a fair bit in Mislia.
***SOME SPOILERS***
I think the ending feels only a bit abrupt because I want to see more of a 1-on-1 with Adrien and
***END OF SPOILERS***
Overall, I think the ending does end on a good note, but does leave the door open for a lot in the next book. The excerpt for book 4 is super intriguing, and I’m really excited to get a book where I can see some faves and their POVs again!
***Thanks to the authors for providing an ARC to read and review through Patreon!***
Content notes for mentions of a miscarriage, blackmail, torture, enslavement, mentions of the murder of magic users, mentions of suicide, and deaths.
I think the relationship in this book is quite interesting? Especially the age difference. We don’t really know how old the characters are, but we can make a guess that there’s a sizable age gap here. So, we have the king of Staria (Emile) who is childhood friends with his advisor, Isiodore de Mortain, Arthur (Sabre from book 1’s father and who died before the series began), and a fourth friend we learn more about in this book. For those keeping track at home, Isiodore was very much in love with Arthur, looked out for Arthur’s son by taking Sabre’s First Night, and now this book has Isiodore falling for the king’s son. Let’s just say, Isiodore is…close to everyone. There was also a time he had sex with Sabre’s husband Laurent as well way back when.
The king’s son is Adrien de Guillory and who we’ve met before as Sabre’s best friend. Any other book, any other series, I think the relationship would have squeaked me out a bit considering Adrien and Isiodore’s connections (and it actually has in a contemporary series I’ve read where this sort of thing has come up before) but here, it works for me. I can’t explain it, but I am surprisingly okay with this relationship.
Adrien is quite at odds with his father, the king. The king has all but ignored his submissive son since the death of his wife and holds his heart close. Which means that Adrien is kind of left on his own, especially when the word around the crown is that the king should remarry and sire a dominant to take over the throne one day. Adrien is quite resigned to the fact that he will one day be set aside to a home in the countryside and will never be king.
But one thing Adrien has tried to keep hidden for a long time is his penchant for seeing the future in water. Like, he can see glimpses of the future in rain, puddles, tea, etc. He can see everyone’s future except his own. The visions are coming more frequently and bleeding into his dreams now as well. He seeks answers from his mother’s people, the Mislians. However, it is a dangerous journey by boat across the waters and it doesn’t help that the king fears Mislians and wishes to put them all to death. So, it’s safe to say Mislians would not be welcome to a Starian prince on their shores. But Adrien is out of time and needs answers and he decides to make the journey by whatever means necessary. Sneaking off into the night alone gets only slightly foiled however when Isiodore manages to catch up with Adrien and winds up traveling with him to Mislia.
I wouldn’t say I’m the biggest fan of…traveling by ship stories? This book thankfully spares us most of that arduous journey and keeps us right in the action. Although I will say that I’m not sure how great the distance is between Staria and Mislia because the journey seems to take no time at all at the start of the book, and the journey back is said to have taken weeks. What is the truth? I did read an ARC of this book, so it’s possible some of these details may be changed by publication.
A thing I am also confused of is whether Adrien really does learn to deal with the problems he went to Mislia for? The whole thing felt a bit vague to me since a lot of other stuff was going on and maybe I missed it, but maybe that is an answer we’ll get from future books.
There were times too where I wondered if the events in the last book, The Duke’s Demon, happened because it seemed that Adrien was almost unaware of demons and such but he had clearly met Devon, Sebastien, and Sariel? Although by the end, Adrien does bring up meeting them so I will say even though it felt like a bit of a disconnect at the beginning, the whole thing feels a bit more resolved in a way for me by then.
There’s a lot happening when Adrien and Isiodore arrive in Mislia and there are many great characters like the Archivist Summer and her demon wife Tanis. I love them a lot and I truly do hope we see them again (I think that we will)!! And there was Hektor and his fox demon Flick. THEY ARE THE CUTEST.
Out of all the new characters, I think we can all agree the Archmage and his demon are very terrifying and I would not be pressed if the Emile had him killed off at some point.
Adrien and Isiodore (who Adrien very cutely calls Izzy) are so adorable together! Adrien is a submissive and Isiodore is very dominant. Their relationship rightly feels like a slow burn since there is an age gap between them and because Isiodore is just starting to develop his feelings for Adrien. They have epic movie moments between them that I LOVE. I feel like Adrien and Isiodore have the most dramatic cinematic-ish moments together of all the books and couples so far, and I find that both endearing and swoony. Yes, they do have sex scenes together to the point where their hosts find a magic way to soundproof their rooms(!!!), but nothing beats that one rain scene! When you read it, I think you will know which rain scene I mean because it does rain a fair bit in Mislia.
***SOME SPOILERS***
I think the ending feels only a bit abrupt because I want to see more of a 1-on-1 with Adrien and
***END OF SPOILERS***
Overall, I think the ending does end on a good note, but does leave the door open for a lot in the next book. The excerpt for book 4 is super intriguing, and I’m really excited to get a book where I can see some faves and their POVs again!
***Thanks to the authors for providing an ARC to read and review through Patreon!***
February 22, 2022
4.5 stars
I love this series! Danger and betrayal; Magic and hope. It was exciting. I loved seeing Adrien flourish and grow.
I love this series! Danger and betrayal; Magic and hope. It was exciting. I loved seeing Adrien flourish and grow.
June 24, 2021
An absolutely lovely continuation in the series! Both leads are wonderful, and I love seeing the way their relationship evolved! The scenes between them hit a lot of things I really love, so that helped. Adrien's confidence, Izzy's loyalty, Summer and Tanis being absolutely wonderful in every way... I just had a lot of fun with these characters and the world we got to see more of.
"The Duke's Demon" was even more fantastical than "The Traitor's Mercy", and "The Prince's Vow" is even more focused on magic, which is even more fun. In a way, it reminds me a little of Tamora Pierce's "Circle of Magic" books, at least in the sense of location and emphasis on Adrien's teaching. I love the way the magic system is designed, and how what he found was just as valuable as the training, and helping him find some peace (or inspiration anyway).
Overall, a very enjoyable book. Looking forward to "The Exile's Gift"!
"The Duke's Demon" was even more fantastical than "The Traitor's Mercy", and "The Prince's Vow" is even more focused on magic, which is even more fun. In a way, it reminds me a little of Tamora Pierce's "Circle of Magic" books, at least in the sense of location and emphasis on Adrien's teaching. I love the way the magic system is designed, and how what he found was just as valuable as the training, and helping him find some peace (or inspiration anyway).
Overall, a very enjoyable book. Looking forward to "The Exile's Gift"!
December 5, 2021
I liked so many things about this book, not least the characters, who are complicated and compelling. Adrien has layers beyond the immediately obvious, and that made him interesting in all the best ways.
The connection between Adrien & Isiodore, which offers chemistry on multiple levels, is also awesome, as is the world building, which offers just the right level of detail to ground you in all the ways Mislia is fascinating and complex without drowning you in excessive information. Tl;dr: check this book out, you'll be glad you did!
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The connection between Adrien & Isiodore, which offers chemistry on multiple levels, is also awesome, as is the world building, which offers just the right level of detail to ground you in all the ways Mislia is fascinating and complex without drowning you in excessive information. Tl;dr: check this book out, you'll be glad you did!
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 9, 2022
I'm really enjoying this series. I had heard the term biological BDSM before but didn't understand what it meant. This people of this world do not simply have naturally dominant or submissive personalities. They are forced to their knees (not necessarily sexually) by a dominants tone of voice. They need to submit or command in order to be a happy and fulfilled (again not necessarily sexually).
This world is also made up of demons cohabitating a body and mind with its host, witches, mages, and magic. Add in unjust societies and inequitable treatment of citizens and I'm hooked.
This world is also made up of demons cohabitating a body and mind with its host, witches, mages, and magic. Add in unjust societies and inequitable treatment of citizens and I'm hooked.
dnf
January 23, 2022Pausing at 52%
just not making it anywhere for a while...so i gotta pause.
notes to self:
• fake relationship was mentioned, allegedly happening, but is very weak. sad.
• very rapid caving of izzy to adrian. was hoping for more tension, not immediate fuck
• mislia could have some interesting dynamics, but those werent explored much to this point in the book. disappointing.
just not making it anywhere for a while...so i gotta pause.
notes to self:
• fake relationship was mentioned, allegedly happening, but is very weak. sad.
• very rapid caving of izzy to adrian. was hoping for more tension, not immediate fuck
• mislia could have some interesting dynamics, but those werent explored much to this point in the book. disappointing.
October 10, 2021
I loved this! There was more about magic in this book compared to first two, especially since the prince has magic in where he can see the future through water.
Loved both main characters and their romance. There's a significant age difference, but I'm not sure by how much since technically their ages are never mentioned. But Isiadore grew up with Prince Adrien's father soo definitely at least 15 years difference between Isiadore and Prince Adrien 🤴 , the relationship works well though.
The book I'm really looking forward to is book 5 where King Emile (Adrien's father) is one of the main characters.
I liked this book a lot, however not as much as book 2. Also, I feel like the ending was a bit abrupt..however this is a series, so I imagine that the questions I have ..about Hektor, Summer, Hektor's brother will be answered in future books. Loving this series so far.
Loved both main characters and their romance. There's a significant age difference, but I'm not sure by how much since technically their ages are never mentioned. But Isiadore grew up with Prince Adrien's father soo definitely at least 15 years difference between Isiadore and Prince Adrien 🤴 , the relationship works well though.
The book I'm really looking forward to is book 5 where King Emile (Adrien's father) is one of the main characters.
I liked this book a lot, however not as much as book 2. Also, I feel like the ending was a bit abrupt..however this is a series, so I imagine that the questions I have ..about Hektor, Summer, Hektor's brother will be answered in future books. Loving this series so far.
June 22, 2021
I received an ARC from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving this review.
I'm so enjoying this series. In this one we get to visit Mislia, the country of mages. The Starian crown prince is in peril, but luckily he has his father's best friend and advisor, Isiodore de Mortain, there to help him. They fall in love while they find a way to get home, and as they do, Adrien finds the confidence to want to be king. Isiodore helps him, but also finds something for himself in a lifetime of serving Adrien's family.
This was the most romantic of the three so far. I love a good May/December romance, and this did not disappoint. It was such an entertaining book, I read it twice in a row. I saw another review say it was the most "fantastical" and I'd agree with that. The high fantasy and worldbuilding in this one was really immersive and I enjoyed it.
Also I love the secondary characters in this one, especially Hektor and Flick. From the excerpt it seems like we'll see more of them in the next book and I'm looking forward to that, too. All in all this series is one of my favorite finds and I hope more people discover this author.
I'm so enjoying this series. In this one we get to visit Mislia, the country of mages. The Starian crown prince is in peril, but luckily he has his father's best friend and advisor, Isiodore de Mortain, there to help him. They fall in love while they find a way to get home, and as they do, Adrien finds the confidence to want to be king. Isiodore helps him, but also finds something for himself in a lifetime of serving Adrien's family.
This was the most romantic of the three so far. I love a good May/December romance, and this did not disappoint. It was such an entertaining book, I read it twice in a row. I saw another review say it was the most "fantastical" and I'd agree with that. The high fantasy and worldbuilding in this one was really immersive and I enjoyed it.
Also I love the secondary characters in this one, especially Hektor and Flick. From the excerpt it seems like we'll see more of them in the next book and I'm looking forward to that, too. All in all this series is one of my favorite finds and I hope more people discover this author.
November 14, 2021
Everything said in my reviews of previous books stand true with this one too.
Honestly, I’m so excited about this author! This is the exact type of writing I want to see in the m/m genre. I’ll continue to read the rest of this series and the next series that comes out will be an auto buy for me.
The characters in these stories are just so GOOD! This author is amazing at writing different characters, I can’t wait to read the next book.
Honestly, I’m so excited about this author! This is the exact type of writing I want to see in the m/m genre. I’ll continue to read the rest of this series and the next series that comes out will be an auto buy for me.
The characters in these stories are just so GOOD! This author is amazing at writing different characters, I can’t wait to read the next book.
August 31, 2025
Didn’t like this one nearly as much as the previous two, but I am doing this for Charon and Yves
June 29, 2021
The entire series is absolutely deliciously awesome! Mislia is such an interesting change of pace and I wanted Adrien and Isiadore to have more time together. Just wanted this book to be longer in fact, hahaha 😅
December 9, 2021
Finally some of the magical questions I've had were answered!
In this book we follow Adrien and Isiodore to Mislia. I've been shipping them since book 1 so I was so happy to see them get their own story!
Summer and her demon wife Tanis were amazing. I didn't trust them at first but they really did only want to help.
Hektor and his demon Flick were my absolute favorites though. Hektor was so meek most of the book but he came through for Adrien and Izzy when it counted.
I received a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
In this book we follow Adrien and Isiodore to Mislia. I've been shipping them since book 1 so I was so happy to see them get their own story!
Summer and her demon wife Tanis were amazing. I didn't trust them at first but they really did only want to help.
Hektor and his demon Flick were my absolute favorites though. Hektor was so meek most of the book but he came through for Adrien and Izzy when it counted.
I received a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
July 4, 2022
Book three of The Starian Cycle. Prince Adrien travels to Mislia to learn more about his heritage and is followed by his father’s right-hand advisor. I was very excited about the premise (who doesn’t love Dad’s Best Friend, c’mon), but the balance of romance and non-romance in this book left too little page space for much relationship or character development. Isiodore, in particular, never developed beyond the generic “older protector” character. The politics and magic of Mislia were interesting but fairly cliche. I was also frustrated that the last 20% or so of the book felt more like a setup for the next book than a conclusion of this one.
I plan to continue with the series but I don’t expect the rest of it to live up to the high of The Duke’s Demon.
I plan to continue with the series but I don’t expect the rest of it to live up to the high of The Duke’s Demon.
June 23, 2021
This series just gets better and better! I'm sort of surprised it's not more popular to be honest, especially with fans of m/m/ I know contemporary is more widely-read than fantasy, but if you like tropes and great writing, this book in particular should appeal.
June 13, 2021
I absolutely adore this series. This one felt slightly shorter and more high paced than book 2 but I still loved it just as much.
July 2, 2021
🥲🥲🥲 I had high hopes so this hurts.
I'm going to start with the good, I liked the writing and the worldbuilding got bigger and better and my understanding of this world got bigger and better. But, the romance, it was lacking and that hurts because Isiodore, I though he would rock my world and put my panties on fire, I HAD HOPES PEOPLE... It didn't happen, not even close. 😭😭
At the beginning I thought it would, but then the love happened fast and the other tropes became more important than the love. And I know this world has kink but seriously, you are fucking your friend's, (aka the king btw) son and you just accept it real fast? I mean that internal struggle didn't feel like a struggle at all, it was more like:
Isiodore: This shouldn't happen, I should stop it.
Adrien: *breathes*
Isiodore: Fuck it! I CAN'T HELP IT!
That was it. 💅🏻💅🏻 So yeah, that was too insta, the kink was weak and again the other parts took a more important role in the story.
I came here for the love and the kink, didn't got it but I loved the rest. 🤷🏻♀️💅🏻❤❤
I'm going to start with the good, I liked the writing and the worldbuilding got bigger and better and my understanding of this world got bigger and better. But, the romance, it was lacking and that hurts because Isiodore, I though he would rock my world and put my panties on fire, I HAD HOPES PEOPLE... It didn't happen, not even close. 😭😭
At the beginning I thought it would, but then the love happened fast and the other tropes became more important than the love. And I know this world has kink but seriously, you are fucking your friend's, (aka the king btw) son and you just accept it real fast? I mean that internal struggle didn't feel like a struggle at all, it was more like:
Isiodore: This shouldn't happen, I should stop it.
Adrien: *breathes*
Isiodore: Fuck it! I CAN'T HELP IT!
That was it. 💅🏻💅🏻 So yeah, that was too insta, the kink was weak and again the other parts took a more important role in the story.
I came here for the love and the kink, didn't got it but I loved the rest. 🤷🏻♀️💅🏻❤❤
July 31, 2025
I read book 4 and loved Hektor so much that I went back to finish this book after my original DNF. Unrated because of how firmly I wasn’t into the first half, but the second half was much more enjoyable! IMO, book 1 being as intense as it is sets your expectations up poorly for the rest of the series, which is much more lowkey. I was more excited for what I thought this book was going to be than what it actually was.
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April 28, 2021Adrien and Isiodore's story, coming June 22!
Pre-order here: https://tinyurl.com/4j2r2unp
Pre-order here: https://tinyurl.com/4j2r2unp
December 20, 2021
Adrien de Guillory is the crown prince of Staria but no one thinks he will become king. He presents submissive and meek, characteristics that do not make a good king. He sees visions in water and decides to find out how best to control these visions of the future. To do that he will need to travel to Mislia, his mother’s ancestral land. He did not foresee that Isiodore de Martain would follow him. They wind up stranded in Mislia which turns out to be much more dangerous than either one thought.
Adrien was not at all what others thought of him. He can be strong, decisive, and determined. Isiodore was often the subject of his dreams when he was younger. Stuck together, Adrien is finding Isiodore is much better than his dreams. The two form a bond that will help them escape Mislia while at the same time helping some of the residents. This was an exciting story that took a few unexpected turns. It is revealed that Mislia has very little to recommend it at this point in time. It did however, bring these two together. There was a great deal of pleasure watching Isiodore fall for Adrien, all while having to perform forced duties that were contrary to his nature. The Prince’s Vow reveals more of this world and answers some questions from this and past books. This is an amazing series and not to be missed.
Adrien was not at all what others thought of him. He can be strong, decisive, and determined. Isiodore was often the subject of his dreams when he was younger. Stuck together, Adrien is finding Isiodore is much better than his dreams. The two form a bond that will help them escape Mislia while at the same time helping some of the residents. This was an exciting story that took a few unexpected turns. It is revealed that Mislia has very little to recommend it at this point in time. It did however, bring these two together. There was a great deal of pleasure watching Isiodore fall for Adrien, all while having to perform forced duties that were contrary to his nature. The Prince’s Vow reveals more of this world and answers some questions from this and past books. This is an amazing series and not to be missed.
January 8, 2022
Story: 4 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
As much as I enjoyed seeing Isiodore having to go through hoops to keep Adrien safe and still not being able to say no to him, and their power exchange scenes were DELICIOUS, I felt that in all the Mislia-drama, their story was missing a bit of romance and maybe some pining. Especially since those 2 characters made very brief appearances in the first book but not a lot was revealed about their characters, feelings etc. I mean we had no idea Adrian was pining for years for Isiodore.
Anyways.... narration wise again Kris Antham delivered different voices and was on-point with his accent when it came to Mislian characters, even though some times what was said wasn't particularly clear. Feelings were coming through no problem but again the atmosphere just wasn't there.
For example in the Inquisitor scene or the Hunt scene, the fear and terror, the darkness just weren't there. I think that in the narrators fervor to get the characters and voices just right he misses on feeling the story.
But of course just to listen to Isiodore getting all exasperated and defeated by and from Adrien this will be certainly getting a re-listen!
Narration: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
As much as I enjoyed seeing Isiodore having to go through hoops to keep Adrien safe and still not being able to say no to him, and their power exchange scenes were DELICIOUS, I felt that in all the Mislia-drama, their story was missing a bit of romance and maybe some pining. Especially since those 2 characters made very brief appearances in the first book but not a lot was revealed about their characters, feelings etc. I mean we had no idea Adrian was pining for years for Isiodore.
Anyways.... narration wise again Kris Antham delivered different voices and was on-point with his accent when it came to Mislian characters, even though some times what was said wasn't particularly clear. Feelings were coming through no problem but again the atmosphere just wasn't there.
For example in the Inquisitor scene or the Hunt scene, the fear and terror, the darkness just weren't there. I think that in the narrators fervor to get the characters and voices just right he misses on feeling the story.
But of course just to listen to Isiodore getting all exasperated and defeated by and from Adrien this will be certainly getting a re-listen!
January 5, 2022
”I will protect you with my life and only you, and you will let me, or I will never redden your backside with my hand again.”
Brief summary
Adrien is the heir to the trone and he wants to travel to get away from it all and to discover his magical powers, he is stopped by Isiodore. But things happen and they end up traveling together and falling in love with each other.
I quite enjoyed this book, just not as much as I wanted to. I guess I just wanted a bit more than what the book gave me, but it was still a fun read.
This book had a lot of world building, which I really enjoyed because I really like the world this series is set in, but I thought that it took away from the romance a little. I just wanted a little more romance because I felt like the world building overshadowed the romance at times.
Adrien is a submissive and he wasn’t allowed to explore that side of himself before now and I loved reading about his exploration and the kink in this book was lovely. I do wish there was a little more of it as there just wasn’t enough for my taste. But I really liked what was in the book.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
Brief summary
Adrien is the heir to the trone and he wants to travel to get away from it all and to discover his magical powers, he is stopped by Isiodore. But things happen and they end up traveling together and falling in love with each other.
I quite enjoyed this book, just not as much as I wanted to. I guess I just wanted a bit more than what the book gave me, but it was still a fun read.
This book had a lot of world building, which I really enjoyed because I really like the world this series is set in, but I thought that it took away from the romance a little. I just wanted a little more romance because I felt like the world building overshadowed the romance at times.
Adrien is a submissive and he wasn’t allowed to explore that side of himself before now and I loved reading about his exploration and the kink in this book was lovely. I do wish there was a little more of it as there just wasn’t enough for my taste. But I really liked what was in the book.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
December 29, 2021
This one started a little slow for me, but I learned from the first in the series that good things come to those who wait. It didn't take long, and the MCs (Prince Adrien and his father's advisor, Isiodore) are soon steeped in adventure, danger, passion, and romance. I loved Adrien's determination to seek answers to controlling his visions by whatever means necessary. In this case, travelling to his mother's lands in Mislia, which turns out to be more dangerous than he expected. Then there is Isiodore, tasked with bringing Adrien home. He may be in for more than he bargained for, too. I loved these MCs, but especially watching Adrien grow as he strives to be more than the weak submissive everyone thinks he is. I love the way this series keeps expanding and developing the world and characters. I advise reading the series in order, as each book builds upon the background, people, and events in prior books.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
November 22, 2021
Oh yes!!! This was everything I ever wanted for those two and frankly I could read a whole other book about them because I reached the end and I was dismayed that it ended!!
Prince Adrien in an attempt to learn how to interpret and control his visions, flees towards the only place that that is possible. Mislia, a country filled with Mages bound with demons. Adrien's father sends his trusted left hand, advisor and best friend to bring his son back and Isiodore is almost too late to reach him. What is too late to do is change Adrien's mind about turning the "seaworthy" boat back to Staria.
So their journey begins. Towards finding truths, Adrien finding himself and them finding love.
Can't wait to start the other 2 books in the series because I can't fathom leaving Mislia in the dire straits that it is.
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Prince Adrien in an attempt to learn how to interpret and control his visions, flees towards the only place that that is possible. Mislia, a country filled with Mages bound with demons. Adrien's father sends his trusted left hand, advisor and best friend to bring his son back and Isiodore is almost too late to reach him. What is too late to do is change Adrien's mind about turning the "seaworthy" boat back to Staria.
So their journey begins. Towards finding truths, Adrien finding himself and them finding love.
Can't wait to start the other 2 books in the series because I can't fathom leaving Mislia in the dire straits that it is.
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
April 2, 2023
Because I am powering through this series, I can recall previous books very clearly (after all, I only finished them this week!) Book 2 had the good world building and characterizations of book 1, but added a really beautiful lyrical tone. Book 3 was back to the more prosaic wording of book 1.
I love a good tale, and the world building continues to be interesting and involving. But Book 2 was so well written, it raised my expectations. Book 3 (this book) is back to the basic, good enough sentence structure, and then in the last third of the book, the language just became so much gruffer and more modern (I swear like a sailor, so it's not that I'm clutching my pearls, but the word f**k just kept being used in jarring ways for me, too modern and too harsh and too sudden, just appearing and then not leaving...) Perhaps book 2 had a different editor?
Anyways, I'm already on to book 4. So this is a good series, really enjoyable, happy to spend time with, please go ahead and buy it... . But it could have been a great series...
I love a good tale, and the world building continues to be interesting and involving. But Book 2 was so well written, it raised my expectations. Book 3 (this book) is back to the basic, good enough sentence structure, and then in the last third of the book, the language just became so much gruffer and more modern (I swear like a sailor, so it's not that I'm clutching my pearls, but the word f**k just kept being used in jarring ways for me, too modern and too harsh and too sudden, just appearing and then not leaving...) Perhaps book 2 had a different editor?
Anyways, I'm already on to book 4. So this is a good series, really enjoyable, happy to spend time with, please go ahead and buy it... . But it could have been a great series...
December 12, 2021
Terrific mm series getting even better
The two main characters in this book of this series by Iris Foxglove are ones that we have seen in the previous books. This is a big part of why I am enjoying this series so much because there is a terrific overall story that threads through all of these books. This story takes Prince Adrien and his father’s friend Isiodore to Mislia where they meet some good people and some bad people. Various adventures happen and all of that makes this sound quite boring, which couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s marvelous, magic and a terrific read. On to the next one.
The two main characters in this book of this series by Iris Foxglove are ones that we have seen in the previous books. This is a big part of why I am enjoying this series so much because there is a terrific overall story that threads through all of these books. This story takes Prince Adrien and his father’s friend Isiodore to Mislia where they meet some good people and some bad people. Various adventures happen and all of that makes this sound quite boring, which couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s marvelous, magic and a terrific read. On to the next one.
December 30, 2021
It's been clear in the first two books that there needed to be some big changes in how this world was ruled and those changes are starting in this book. Prince Adrien has everyone fooled as he's been biding his time until he can go off and find out about his powers. The king sends Isiodore to bring him back, but when that initially proves impossible these two are forced to work together to survive. Adrien learns about himself, Isiodore learns surprising things about Adrien and what he feels for him. We as readers learn more about the various ruling houses of this world and hints of changes to come. Cannot wait to see how things play out in the final two books.
December 30, 2021
I absolutely loved this book!
An excellent addition to the Starian Cycle series and an absolutely fabulous introduction to a whole new country! The world building for Mislia
is superb and meeting new characters is wonderful.I instantly loved both Adrien de Guillory and Isidore de Mortain
I really,really want to say so much more about this,but,I'll be good as I don't want to give spoilers for this absolute delight.
I received an ARC copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
An excellent addition to the Starian Cycle series and an absolutely fabulous introduction to a whole new country! The world building for Mislia
is superb and meeting new characters is wonderful.I instantly loved both Adrien de Guillory and Isidore de Mortain
I really,really want to say so much more about this,but,I'll be good as I don't want to give spoilers for this absolute delight.
I received an ARC copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
June 23, 2021
Three books in and this is one enticing series. Since the story lines are so fact paced, the books seem a lot shorter than they really are.
Adrien de Guillory and Isiodore de Mortain, become stranded together and are now in a position to rely on one another.
Being stranded with your secret infatuation outside Staria? Why not. Falling in love on their own terms.
**I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.**
Adrien de Guillory and Isiodore de Mortain, become stranded together and are now in a position to rely on one another.
Being stranded with your secret infatuation outside Staria? Why not. Falling in love on their own terms.
**I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.**
November 22, 2021
The primary and secondary characters make this book shine, and I loved learning more about the wider world of this universe. This author is fantastic about leading the reader to create assumptions about characters and then completely upending them once we see things from their perspectives. This book is a solid middle-series story that furthers the overarching plot while never experiencing the dreaded "saggy middle."
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