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The Dark Forest #1
Hearts of Tar
From award-winning Lisa Kumar comes a fae fantasy romance of a dark fae lord and the human woman who stumbles into his forest.
She entered his woods. Now she can never leave. When twenty-year-old Miri Summerland follows her younger sister into the Dark Woods, she thinks death is to be their fate. Instead, their lives are shaped into something so much more gloriously worse at the hands of the handsome but otherworldly fae leader, Eerin. He and his people have blackness flowing through their veins, but she wonders just how truly dark they are.
Compelled by magic and the Change, she embarks on an intimate relationship with the human-hating leader that leaves her awash in lust and confusion. When she finds out she carries his child, she prays that she's not merely imagining the softening of his heart.
Will something more come out of their mutual need, or will they lose their lives and people to a desire that should've never existed?
This book contains adult situations that some people may find triggering. Hearts of Tar is suitable for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Elise Kova, and Kathryn Ann Kingsley.
She entered his woods. Now she can never leave. When twenty-year-old Miri Summerland follows her younger sister into the Dark Woods, she thinks death is to be their fate. Instead, their lives are shaped into something so much more gloriously worse at the hands of the handsome but otherworldly fae leader, Eerin. He and his people have blackness flowing through their veins, but she wonders just how truly dark they are.
Compelled by magic and the Change, she embarks on an intimate relationship with the human-hating leader that leaves her awash in lust and confusion. When she finds out she carries his child, she prays that she's not merely imagining the softening of his heart.
Will something more come out of their mutual need, or will they lose their lives and people to a desire that should've never existed?
This book contains adult situations that some people may find triggering. Hearts of Tar is suitable for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Elise Kova, and Kathryn Ann Kingsley.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2021
166 people are currently reading
556 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Kumar
33 books74 followersI'm a mother and romance writer who grew up in small-town Indiana. I studied psychology in college and worked off and on in the mental health field over the years. I now reside in Southern California. When not spinning tales of romance and fantasy, I can often be found with my nose buried in a book. I also love going for walks with my youngest son and taking Zumba classes. One of my stories, Bound to the Elvin King, won Ind'Tale's 2015 RONE award for best Sci-Fi/Fantasy.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 16, 2021
I would definitely recommend this book to people seeking enemies to lovers and a unique depiction of fae.
● The fae here have unique qualities that I'm hoping we'll see even more of in book two.
● The worldbuilding is very good: you get a clear image of where they are living and the surrounding area.
● The conclusion is satisfactory. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger but I'm still excited to see where the story goes next.
● I liked how strong the bond was between the sisters. In some books, one sister somehow manages to completely forget about the other - that definitely wasn't the case here.
● There are some ✨ steamy ✨ scenes, but they don't overshadow the plot.
Although I really enjoyed reading this, it did take me awhile to get into it. I think my main problem was with the male lead, Eerin. I know he's meant to start of unlikeable, but I absolutely detested the guy. He infuriated me as much as he infuriated Miri. While his behaviour is explained, I still felt it was over the top. We're over halfway into the book before he become likeable (in my eyes anyway). The banter we get then is worth it!
There are also some... problematic parts. I'm not entirely sure what to think of them. One particular scene is crucial to the plot, but the consent is... questionable. I could accept it, and the related character doesn't even raise an issue with it, but my feelings were still very mixed. Eerin gets defensive at one point and says "I'm not a rapist!", and I just thought... wow, boy, you should not need to clarify that. (He wasn't being accused). The only other issue I have was with the whole idea of 'gifting virginity', but I think that is meant to reflect the time period it is set in.
But honestly, if Hearts of Tar had received one more round of proofreading I probably would have rated it five stars. I'm a stickler for proofreading, and there are quite a few little mistakes throughout. At one stage Miri is accidentally referred to by a different name and twice the narrative switches to first-person for a single sentence. The story is definitely worth ignoring these errors for, but it is still a pity.
I'm very thankful to have received an ARC of Hearts of Tar in exchange for an honest review.
● The fae here have unique qualities that I'm hoping we'll see even more of in book two.
● The worldbuilding is very good: you get a clear image of where they are living and the surrounding area.
● The conclusion is satisfactory. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger but I'm still excited to see where the story goes next.
● I liked how strong the bond was between the sisters. In some books, one sister somehow manages to completely forget about the other - that definitely wasn't the case here.
● There are some ✨ steamy ✨ scenes, but they don't overshadow the plot.
Although I really enjoyed reading this, it did take me awhile to get into it. I think my main problem was with the male lead, Eerin. I know he's meant to start of unlikeable, but I absolutely detested the guy. He infuriated me as much as he infuriated Miri. While his behaviour is explained, I still felt it was over the top. We're over halfway into the book before he become likeable (in my eyes anyway). The banter we get then is worth it!
There are also some... problematic parts. I'm not entirely sure what to think of them. One particular scene is crucial to the plot, but the consent is... questionable. I could accept it, and the related character doesn't even raise an issue with it, but my feelings were still very mixed. Eerin gets defensive at one point and says "I'm not a rapist!", and I just thought... wow, boy, you should not need to clarify that. (He wasn't being accused). The only other issue I have was with the whole idea of 'gifting virginity', but I think that is meant to reflect the time period it is set in.
But honestly, if Hearts of Tar had received one more round of proofreading I probably would have rated it five stars. I'm a stickler for proofreading, and there are quite a few little mistakes throughout. At one stage Miri is accidentally referred to by a different name and twice the narrative switches to first-person for a single sentence. The story is definitely worth ignoring these errors for, but it is still a pity.
I'm very thankful to have received an ARC of Hearts of Tar in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2022
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This story was right up my alley. I loved the world building for the Fae.
The beginning of the story, before the love interest is introduced feels a little slow, but once more characters are introduced the story really picks up. I found it easy to read and the characters are likable. I hope to get to read subsequent novels and learn more about the different types of fae in this world.
That being said we don't get a ton of context clues as to the knowable eras this could be compared to, my confusion was where she explained her town was full of merchants, not a real modern term, but then they took her blood pressure and used a listening device to check her heart.
This story was right up my alley. I loved the world building for the Fae.
The beginning of the story, before the love interest is introduced feels a little slow, but once more characters are introduced the story really picks up. I found it easy to read and the characters are likable. I hope to get to read subsequent novels and learn more about the different types of fae in this world.
That being said we don't get a ton of context clues as to the knowable eras this could be compared to, my confusion was where she explained her town was full of merchants, not a real modern term, but then they took her blood pressure and used a listening device to check her heart.
April 2, 2023
Have you ever read a book where you aren't really into it in the beginning but you are too stubborn to DNF the book so you keep reading it in the hopes it gets better but it just doesn't? Unfortunately, that was this book for me and I probably should have just DNF'ed this one. I randomly picked this book to read because a fantasy romance book that happened to have a surprise pregnancy aspect to it seemed right up my alley. Now I didn't go into reading this book thinking it would be my new favorite but I thought it would a decent read but I just really didn't like it. I really hate to be too negative in book reviews and try to find some positive in everything I read but I struggled with this one. I think the writing wasn't the greatest (but honestly I'm not the greatest judge of good writing) and there were somethings in the book I struggled to get passed. The major thing that really put me off from the book was how the characters are first intimate with each other. It was basically a he must bed her or she will die situation which maybe in a smutty fanfic would work for me but in this case it was kind of weird. And the author struggled so hard to make it seem like it was consensual but the female main character didn't even remember losing her virginity to the fae leader at first and it was kept from her originally. I just really didn't like that so I think that kind of tainted the rest of my reading experience. Like I said before, I hate writing negative reviews so I'm sure this book is perfect for someone but for me, it was not a pleasant reading experience.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2022
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
You'll love this book if you like romantic fantasy with growly alpha heroes who will kill anyone who touches/looks at their lover wrong and independent and intelligent heroines! I definitely did. It was a fun novel that was a quick read because it was so easy to get immersed in the story and world. The fantasy world was quite creative and was a unique take on the fae and forbidden forests. The descriptions were very vivid, and it was easy to understand and envision the world the author created. I would have liked to know more details about the kinds of magic the fae used, but since the story was focused on Miri getting used to her changing life and she did not have magic in the beginning, the lack of details about the magic system made sense. I hope the next book goes into more detail as Miri’s magic develops. This book did not end on a cliffhanger, but there were some unsolved storylines to be resolved in future books, but it also worked as a standalone story. The characters really made this story; Miri was confident and loyal to her loved ones, I loved her relationship with her little sister Eve, I wish we had seen more of Eve, and it was nice to read about how easily most of the fae accepted Miri n Eve into their world after her change. Miri and Eerin’s relationship followed the enemies to lovers trope, and Eerin was a typical alpha male with a hatred for humans. The end battle proved that Eerin’s hatred was justified, but I wish the author had shared more details about the previous war that killed Eerin’s family and left him with such prejudice. Fingers crossed for details in a future book. Eerin had excellent character growth as he slowly accepted his love for Miri, and it was fun to read his continual denial that he was growing to care for her while actively seeking and protecting her. Miri and Eerin had a lot of chemistry, and I thought the sex scenes were steamy but not too overly explicit, and their chemistry was furtherer developed by their banter. There was an instant of dubious consent, but both Eerin and Miri were under the influence of magic, not completely opposed to having sex, and neither regretted what they did afterward nor felt taken advantage of. The situation may be triggering for some readers, but it was a crucial scene that made sense with the plot. After some initial discomfort on my part while reading, the character's understanding reactions later made it easier to accept. I can’t wait for the sequel!
You'll love this book if you like romantic fantasy with growly alpha heroes who will kill anyone who touches/looks at their lover wrong and independent and intelligent heroines! I definitely did. It was a fun novel that was a quick read because it was so easy to get immersed in the story and world. The fantasy world was quite creative and was a unique take on the fae and forbidden forests. The descriptions were very vivid, and it was easy to understand and envision the world the author created. I would have liked to know more details about the kinds of magic the fae used, but since the story was focused on Miri getting used to her changing life and she did not have magic in the beginning, the lack of details about the magic system made sense. I hope the next book goes into more detail as Miri’s magic develops. This book did not end on a cliffhanger, but there were some unsolved storylines to be resolved in future books, but it also worked as a standalone story. The characters really made this story; Miri was confident and loyal to her loved ones, I loved her relationship with her little sister Eve, I wish we had seen more of Eve, and it was nice to read about how easily most of the fae accepted Miri n Eve into their world after her change. Miri and Eerin’s relationship followed the enemies to lovers trope, and Eerin was a typical alpha male with a hatred for humans. The end battle proved that Eerin’s hatred was justified, but I wish the author had shared more details about the previous war that killed Eerin’s family and left him with such prejudice. Fingers crossed for details in a future book. Eerin had excellent character growth as he slowly accepted his love for Miri, and it was fun to read his continual denial that he was growing to care for her while actively seeking and protecting her. Miri and Eerin had a lot of chemistry, and I thought the sex scenes were steamy but not too overly explicit, and their chemistry was furtherer developed by their banter. There was an instant of dubious consent, but both Eerin and Miri were under the influence of magic, not completely opposed to having sex, and neither regretted what they did afterward nor felt taken advantage of. The situation may be triggering for some readers, but it was a crucial scene that made sense with the plot. After some initial discomfort on my part while reading, the character's understanding reactions later made it easier to accept. I can’t wait for the sequel!
July 27, 2023
Note to self.
Most of the book was rather anti-climactic. The world building was under developed and even the backstory was lacking. There was some event that caused Eerin to hate humans, something about a past liver, perhaps. But none of it was ever really discussed or explained. The story jumped right in to Eve running in to the woods when she shouldn’t have, and Miri questioned if Eerin had lured her in because she was behaving weird. That was never discussed.
also. When was this set? There was no description of hair or clothes to set the time period or social status. But there was 13 years between the two girls which is super weird in most time periods, and missing mother. I can’t remember why she wasn’t there so it wasn’t enough of an emotional connection to retain.
The entire book just seemed like it was missing integration. When Miri’s old suitor shows up, it’s the first we’ve heard of him. Suddenly he’s a bad guy. We don’t know how he escaped his cell fully and I don’t know why he was so desperate to get Miri out of the forest if he didn’t like her Change, and wasn’t planning on marrying her as he originally said he was.
It seems like this was the first draft, write as you go story, with no editing or planning involved. No one really took a minute to read through it all and explain how moments connected, or explain the passage of time. The characters use different frames of reference for how much time has passed and they did t seem to add up.
Most of the book was rather anti-climactic. The world building was under developed and even the backstory was lacking. There was some event that caused Eerin to hate humans, something about a past liver, perhaps. But none of it was ever really discussed or explained. The story jumped right in to Eve running in to the woods when she shouldn’t have, and Miri questioned if Eerin had lured her in because she was behaving weird. That was never discussed.
also. When was this set? There was no description of hair or clothes to set the time period or social status. But there was 13 years between the two girls which is super weird in most time periods, and missing mother. I can’t remember why she wasn’t there so it wasn’t enough of an emotional connection to retain.
The entire book just seemed like it was missing integration. When Miri’s old suitor shows up, it’s the first we’ve heard of him. Suddenly he’s a bad guy. We don’t know how he escaped his cell fully and I don’t know why he was so desperate to get Miri out of the forest if he didn’t like her Change, and wasn’t planning on marrying her as he originally said he was.
It seems like this was the first draft, write as you go story, with no editing or planning involved. No one really took a minute to read through it all and explain how moments connected, or explain the passage of time. The characters use different frames of reference for how much time has passed and they did t seem to add up.
April 18, 2023
3.5 stars. Some spoilers, but it doesn't ruin the book:
I didn't hate this...but I didn't love it either. It was a good enemies to lovers story, I liked the new take on fae, but it felt like each character was a carbon copy of each other. I wanted a little more depth to the characters and for each of them to have a bit more of their own personality.
There were some parts left out as well, like what happened to make him hate humans? We never really get the story from him, just bit and pieces here and there from other fae basically telling him to get over it. Or his plot to woo her, sleep with her to scratch the itch, and then leave her, that just kind of fizzled out. I'm not saying it needed to be a major turning point in their relationship, but having it as a bit more to the story would have been nice. It didn't kill the book, but it would have been nice to have those parts tied up a bit more.
It was cute, in a hallmarky-fae kind of way, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite so far. I would read more from this author, as this was my first book by her, but I hope that her other books have a bit more to each character.
I didn't hate this...but I didn't love it either. It was a good enemies to lovers story, I liked the new take on fae, but it felt like each character was a carbon copy of each other. I wanted a little more depth to the characters and for each of them to have a bit more of their own personality.
There were some parts left out as well, like what happened to make him hate humans? We never really get the story from him, just bit and pieces here and there from other fae basically telling him to get over it. Or his plot to woo her, sleep with her to scratch the itch, and then leave her, that just kind of fizzled out. I'm not saying it needed to be a major turning point in their relationship, but having it as a bit more to the story would have been nice. It didn't kill the book, but it would have been nice to have those parts tied up a bit more.
It was cute, in a hallmarky-fae kind of way, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite so far. I would read more from this author, as this was my first book by her, but I hope that her other books have a bit more to each character.
March 18, 2023
Possible spoilers?
I think for me one of my main issues with getting into this book was the 3rd person narration & just the way it was written was just hard for me to stay interested. Im used to 1st person with dual pov most of the time & thats truly my favorite so this not being written like that did make it harder. This book was the first time I almost dnf a book & also the first time I’ve taken this long to finish a book. Overall I think the book was good & interesting I’ve never read a faerie book similar to this before. I didn’t realize going into it that this was going to be a series & that there isn’t another book out yet so I was a little sad when I got to the end & didn’t get the answers to some questions. That’s my fault though so I’ll definitely have to read the next book! I liked that the taelin were connected to the woods & it gave me avatar vibes with it & was definitely something I haven’t read yet so I liked that.
I think for me one of my main issues with getting into this book was the 3rd person narration & just the way it was written was just hard for me to stay interested. Im used to 1st person with dual pov most of the time & thats truly my favorite so this not being written like that did make it harder. This book was the first time I almost dnf a book & also the first time I’ve taken this long to finish a book. Overall I think the book was good & interesting I’ve never read a faerie book similar to this before. I didn’t realize going into it that this was going to be a series & that there isn’t another book out yet so I was a little sad when I got to the end & didn’t get the answers to some questions. That’s my fault though so I’ll definitely have to read the next book! I liked that the taelin were connected to the woods & it gave me avatar vibes with it & was definitely something I haven’t read yet so I liked that.
August 9, 2021
I feel that I should write this review in fairness, because this is not my kind of book. If you like romance or supernatural, then you may like this book. It was recommended to me by a friend, but I prefer books with more substance and less fluff; I also prefer any romance to take a backseat to plot and character development. I also do not find Eerin’s jealousy and possessiveness to be endearing or normal in any way.
April 23, 2023
Le pondría 3.5 ⭐️ porque hacía años que no me leía un libro de fantasía y me ha gustado pero es bastante mejorable. Un libro sencillo pero al q se le podría haber sacado más partido. Me gustó el inicio y el final de la historia pero desde el Cambio hasta poco antes de la batalle… meh. No pasa nada interesante pero es q tampoco ves como se enamoran o como avanza su relación 🤷🏻♀️en general me ha gustado pero por Dios esa portada necesita una mejora🫣
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2023
There are some things that happen in this book that are kinda questionable? I also didn’t like how the writing would switch from first person to third 😭 it kinda confused me at times.
There are funny moments in this book and i love the concept of the dark/light fae.
Overall, it was a decent book. Kinda wish there was a second that explored the light fae and the humans more. Also a bit more world building 🙏🏻
There are funny moments in this book and i love the concept of the dark/light fae.
Overall, it was a decent book. Kinda wish there was a second that explored the light fae and the humans more. Also a bit more world building 🙏🏻
November 29, 2022
Nice hook!
Stumbled upon this book via booktok and me loving a twist on fae love the darkness. I got a real Geralt of Rivea vibe (show) from the main character but his lady fair is a fighter and stands up for what's right. Then we have that mighty plot twist that I can't wait to see resolved! Looking forward to the next book.
Stumbled upon this book via booktok and me loving a twist on fae love the darkness. I got a real Geralt of Rivea vibe (show) from the main character but his lady fair is a fighter and stands up for what's right. Then we have that mighty plot twist that I can't wait to see resolved! Looking forward to the next book.
January 23, 2023
I could not put this book down once I started it. I was completely entranced with the story. I loved every single moment of it. It had me begging for more at the end and wishing it never ended 😭❤️ 10/10 would recommend to anyone who love enemies to lovers, fated mates-ish?, pregnancy trope, and inheriting powers
January 23, 2023
It's an in-between book
It was okay I felt the writing was a little boring I'm not sure how to describe it except it seemed abit novice. I enjoyed the story as a whole it was a concept I hadnt read before in terms of the trees ect. A good filler if you need a break in-between series
It was okay I felt the writing was a little boring I'm not sure how to describe it except it seemed abit novice. I enjoyed the story as a whole it was a concept I hadnt read before in terms of the trees ect. A good filler if you need a break in-between series
January 26, 2023
So happy this had characters with true chemistry, it did take about a third of the book to get there but in that time it showed character development. The ending may not be what most would want but, remember, this is the first in a series of a group of people needing to rebuild.
I recommend this for people who don't mind pregnancy tropes.
I recommend this for people who don't mind pregnancy tropes.
April 13, 2023
It normally takes me a while to get into a fantasy book, especially a Fae fantasy. I was really impressed with the books storyline and the characters. The love story was also very wholesome, even if it began with questionable actions. Was a great cute read.
January 18, 2023
We didn’t see how their baby looked. Also I couldn’t imagine what they were dressed in at all times, such poor descriptions
January 26, 2023
I cant review it completely bc I dnf’ed like 35% of the way through. Didnt like the protagonist or any of the characters tbh.
April 11, 2023
I finished but so bored. Nothing about the characters were relatable or engaging. Started off interesting at least.
April 14, 2023
Not bad. I enjoyed it but it wasn’t anything spectacular either.
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April 17, 202475%
June 1, 2023
Great book!
March 10, 2023
One of my ALL TIME FAV READS 📚 😍 This fae fantasy book quickly became a comfort read, that I've returned to many times!
It's got everything I could want,
Enemies to Lovers with a Dark Fae Lord
Growly possesive fae alphahole, who would kill for her
Found Family
Suprise Pregnancy (not usually a fan of but done so well in this book!)
Fated mates/entities drawing them together
Great Spice and the most delicious banter
Everytime I pick this book up, I don't put it down until I've read the whole thing. Great world building, and an excellent dark fantasy if you're wanting to just "test the waters" of this genre. Not too dark, not too light, but just right!
It's got everything I could want,
Enemies to Lovers with a Dark Fae Lord
Growly possesive fae alphahole, who would kill for her
Found Family
Suprise Pregnancy (not usually a fan of but done so well in this book!)
Fated mates/entities drawing them together
Great Spice and the most delicious banter
Everytime I pick this book up, I don't put it down until I've read the whole thing. Great world building, and an excellent dark fantasy if you're wanting to just "test the waters" of this genre. Not too dark, not too light, but just right!
October 27, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! I enjoyed all of the characters as well as the story being told. This book made me laugh out loud at times in a good way. I love how begrudgingly drawn to Miri (the female lead) Eerin (the male lead, is) I enjoyed seeing them get to know each other and leave behind some of their preconceived notions that they had of each other upon meeting. I am excited to see where the story goes from here in the next book!
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