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Let it Reign
1456. Queen Amelia has barely survived her first year of marriage to the wicked King Alaric.
When she accepted his marriage proposal arranged by their fathers, she believed it her sole opportunity to fulfill her birthright as ruler of Dathoviel and protect her brother from the throne he feared. But she can no longer sit back and watch helplessly as her husband destroys her land and starves her people. She must find the strength to fight back.
However, King Alaric will not be relinquishing his crown without a fight. He has sought this power his entire life, done things -terrible things- to ensure it rests upon his head. And he has no problem committing a few more sins to keep it there.Amelia knows she must save her people and defeat her monstrous husband, but how do you fight wicked without becoming a wicked monster yourself?
Supported by her true love, Lady Caroline and their loyal companions, Amelia fights to save her kingdom, avenge a murder… and prove she was born to reign without a king.
When she accepted his marriage proposal arranged by their fathers, she believed it her sole opportunity to fulfill her birthright as ruler of Dathoviel and protect her brother from the throne he feared. But she can no longer sit back and watch helplessly as her husband destroys her land and starves her people. She must find the strength to fight back.
However, King Alaric will not be relinquishing his crown without a fight. He has sought this power his entire life, done things -terrible things- to ensure it rests upon his head. And he has no problem committing a few more sins to keep it there.Amelia knows she must save her people and defeat her monstrous husband, but how do you fight wicked without becoming a wicked monster yourself?
Supported by her true love, Lady Caroline and their loyal companions, Amelia fights to save her kingdom, avenge a murder… and prove she was born to reign without a king.
452 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 29, 2021
6 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Cathrine Swift
18 books49 followersCathrine Swift is an author, designer, and book doula.
Passionate about writing steamy romantic fiction embedded with responsible representation and diversity, Cathrine aims to help fill the world with books bursting with characters of all religions, races, sexual orientations, and identities.
As so many authors do, Cathrine began writing at a young age, her first book, naturally turned out to be about dragons and princesses. (The second was science fiction.) At age eight, she won a short story contest, and is still milking that glory-- as you can see.
She has dedicated her adult life to learning, practicing her craft, and uncovering her true voice through heartbreak, hardship, and human interaction.
Recognizing how writers and creatives have changed her life, Cathrine strives to utilize her growing talent to do the same-- hopefully leaving the world a better place than she found it.
One way she does this is through building an epic community of writers and authors who elevate one another. She also offers book doula services, helping indie authors through their debut's and offering marketing support.
When she isn't writing, she is homeschooling her daughter, daydreaming about getting back to NYC, decluttering a closet, catching up on the latest Marvel offering, or reading fan-fiction and drinking a matcha latte.
Her favourite trope is enemies to lovers and if you ever want to talk Star Trek, Star Wars, or Doctor Who, she's your girl.
Passionate about writing steamy romantic fiction embedded with responsible representation and diversity, Cathrine aims to help fill the world with books bursting with characters of all religions, races, sexual orientations, and identities.
As so many authors do, Cathrine began writing at a young age, her first book, naturally turned out to be about dragons and princesses. (The second was science fiction.) At age eight, she won a short story contest, and is still milking that glory-- as you can see.
She has dedicated her adult life to learning, practicing her craft, and uncovering her true voice through heartbreak, hardship, and human interaction.
Recognizing how writers and creatives have changed her life, Cathrine strives to utilize her growing talent to do the same-- hopefully leaving the world a better place than she found it.
One way she does this is through building an epic community of writers and authors who elevate one another. She also offers book doula services, helping indie authors through their debut's and offering marketing support.
When she isn't writing, she is homeschooling her daughter, daydreaming about getting back to NYC, decluttering a closet, catching up on the latest Marvel offering, or reading fan-fiction and drinking a matcha latte.
Her favourite trope is enemies to lovers and if you ever want to talk Star Trek, Star Wars, or Doctor Who, she's your girl.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 27, 2021
I wasn't sure what exactly to expect when reading this book, but I was not disappointed. My biggest praise is how diverse this book was. There were queer and straight relationships, POC characters, religious diversity, and cultural diversity.
The religious diversity was one of my favorite parts of the book. The two of the main characters, Amelia and Caroline, had very different views on religion. However, they did not feud over their beliefs and it was obvious that they both respected and validated each other's beliefs.
Normally, stories put so much focus on the fact that characters are queer instead of normalizing it. This is very overbearing. However, with Let it Reign, the same-sex attraction characters have is done in one of the most respectful and purposeful ways I've ever seen in a book. One of my favorite parts of the book is a scene about sexuality and "older" values forced upon others by society.
This story has a great cast of characters and touches on a lot of different topics through them. One of the things that really stuck out to me was the point of view of a character who has sexual trauma.
There are two ways I often see survivors written: cold-hearted bitches that are resentful at the world or ticking time bombs of tears unable to move heal from their trauma.
Let it Reign is different because it was the first to show me a third way: the trauma happened but it does not make up their entire personality. They know they're safe and have a family who supports them. They have a fulfilled life, but that doesn't mean that they don't have their bad days now and again.
Now it could just be me who is interpreting it like that, but I hope that I'm interpreting it correctly.
Somewhat on the topic of diversity, this book has multiple points of view within the castle. This means the queen, king, the mistress, the jester, villagers, military, and servants. In the beginning, it was nice for world-building, setting up the plot, and getting to know the characters. After the first ten to fifteen chapters when things began to get moving, it hurt my brain a little to switch so often to so many different people. There was just so much going on and not all of the scenes felt needed.
Because there were so many POVs, there were a lot of different relationships going on. I believe that only one character perhaps didn't have a romance going on. Which is great, I'm not complaining about that. It's just that a lot of the relationships didn't seem to have a lot of chemistry. Besides the main lovers, the rest seemed rushed into with implied attraction.
Another small criticism I had was that the book started very slow. I can't hold that against the book much because the world and character building were great. I believe there is at least one or two more books are being written in this world, so I can't really complain since it'll be useful later.
I was also able to predict everything that happened in this book, with I'm just going to chalk up to reading this genre and similar since I was 13, so I can guess pretty well. Nonetheless, I was still able to enjoy this book a great deal.
My final and smallest bit of criticism to avoid spoilers is that while Alaric proved to be a worthy villain, I never felt as if the main cast had much to lose.
And that is why I rated this book 4 daggers (stars) out of 5
The religious diversity was one of my favorite parts of the book. The two of the main characters, Amelia and Caroline, had very different views on religion. However, they did not feud over their beliefs and it was obvious that they both respected and validated each other's beliefs.
Normally, stories put so much focus on the fact that characters are queer instead of normalizing it. This is very overbearing. However, with Let it Reign, the same-sex attraction characters have is done in one of the most respectful and purposeful ways I've ever seen in a book. One of my favorite parts of the book is a scene about sexuality and "older" values forced upon others by society.
This story has a great cast of characters and touches on a lot of different topics through them. One of the things that really stuck out to me was the point of view of a character who has sexual trauma.
There are two ways I often see survivors written: cold-hearted bitches that are resentful at the world or ticking time bombs of tears unable to move heal from their trauma.
Let it Reign is different because it was the first to show me a third way: the trauma happened but it does not make up their entire personality. They know they're safe and have a family who supports them. They have a fulfilled life, but that doesn't mean that they don't have their bad days now and again.
Now it could just be me who is interpreting it like that, but I hope that I'm interpreting it correctly.
Somewhat on the topic of diversity, this book has multiple points of view within the castle. This means the queen, king, the mistress, the jester, villagers, military, and servants. In the beginning, it was nice for world-building, setting up the plot, and getting to know the characters. After the first ten to fifteen chapters when things began to get moving, it hurt my brain a little to switch so often to so many different people. There was just so much going on and not all of the scenes felt needed.
Because there were so many POVs, there were a lot of different relationships going on. I believe that only one character perhaps didn't have a romance going on. Which is great, I'm not complaining about that. It's just that a lot of the relationships didn't seem to have a lot of chemistry. Besides the main lovers, the rest seemed rushed into with implied attraction.
Another small criticism I had was that the book started very slow. I can't hold that against the book much because the world and character building were great. I believe there is at least one or two more books are being written in this world, so I can't really complain since it'll be useful later.
I was also able to predict everything that happened in this book, with I'm just going to chalk up to reading this genre and similar since I was 13, so I can guess pretty well. Nonetheless, I was still able to enjoy this book a great deal.
My final and smallest bit of criticism to avoid spoilers is that while Alaric proved to be a worthy villain, I never felt as if the main cast had much to lose.
And that is why I rated this book 4 daggers (stars) out of 5
June 20, 2021
3.5 - I was selected to be a part of the ARC Team for this book and I really enjoyed it! It gave me some From Blood and Ash vibes and some Game of Thrones vibes as well. Olive was probably my favourite character! I thought this book had some really important messages and good representation. I really enjoyed the ending and I'm looking forward to reading what happens next! :) <3
December 29, 2021
Loyal and dutiful to her nation, Queen Amelia is trapped in a loveless marriage with King Alaric. Recognising the harm being done to her people, Amelia - with the support of her friends, advisers, and Lady Caroline - moves through a step-by-step chess game towards setting things right, not only for the general population but for the sake of her own heart.
Let it Reign is an f/f medieval fantasy that will appeal to fans of Game of Thrones and The Priory of the Orange Tree. I loved the chemistry between Amelia and Caroline, and I found it very rewarding to see how the gradually-laid plans and loyalties Amelia builds amongst the people of her castle and kingdom created a strong network of support around her for the finale. Like the contemporaries of its genre, this is a book with a huge cast of characters, and I found there were too many PoV characters for my personal tastes. However, I enjoyed Amelia and Caroline's story.
Let it Reign is an f/f medieval fantasy that will appeal to fans of Game of Thrones and The Priory of the Orange Tree. I loved the chemistry between Amelia and Caroline, and I found it very rewarding to see how the gradually-laid plans and loyalties Amelia builds amongst the people of her castle and kingdom created a strong network of support around her for the finale. Like the contemporaries of its genre, this is a book with a huge cast of characters, and I found there were too many PoV characters for my personal tastes. However, I enjoyed Amelia and Caroline's story.
June 25, 2021
Let It Reign is the story modern society has been waiting for. Fresh with action, emotion, diversity, and deep values; it is a wonderful exploration of the strength and importance of love, humanity, and community.
It follows the epic story of a medieval queen, Amelia, and her attempts to dethrone her cruel husband's reign; all while protecting her younger brother from the throne, caring for her beloved kingdom, and sorting out her feelings for her lady love, Caroline.
Let It Reign is thought provoking, emotional, spicy, and heart warming. This story is one I would read again and again, and would be proud to let my future daughters read one day, when they're old enough ;)
It follows the epic story of a medieval queen, Amelia, and her attempts to dethrone her cruel husband's reign; all while protecting her younger brother from the throne, caring for her beloved kingdom, and sorting out her feelings for her lady love, Caroline.
Let It Reign is thought provoking, emotional, spicy, and heart warming. This story is one I would read again and again, and would be proud to let my future daughters read one day, when they're old enough ;)
June 28, 2021
I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Let it Reign and I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I love a court drama so it’s safe to say that this book was right up my alley. I loved the action, the romance, and the diversity in this book! If you’re looking for royalty, intrigue, and sapphic representation this it the book for you :)
June 29, 2021
A wonderful story!
This book was so much fun to read. The plot was amazing, the characters were all so diverse and interesting, and the romance was swoon worthy. I loved this world and everything about the story, and will definitely be rereading it in the future!
This book was so much fun to read. The plot was amazing, the characters were all so diverse and interesting, and the romance was swoon worthy. I loved this world and everything about the story, and will definitely be rereading it in the future!
June 28, 2021
First of all, thank you Cathrine for letting me be a part of your ARC team! I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I finished the book in about a week, as it touches on quite a lot of interesting subjects and I didn't feel like it was something I could read as one of my "fast reads". I'm breaking this review down from my "fast review" into a more detailed one, so feel free to read as much or as little of it to figure out if this book might be your next favorite read :D
👑Let It Reign at a Glance👑
✨Sapphic historical-low-fantasy romance (wow, that's a mouthful).
✨Lesbian MCs
✨Love at first sight
✨Arranged marriage
✨Multiple POVs
✨Multiple romances
✨Super smutty
✨Wholesome and healthy relationships
✨Feminism and genre roles discussions
✨Canadian Indie author - debut novel
"She burned with desire for action and change, craving more than the limitations of her genre."
Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, racism, blood, violence, loss, death. (These are only the ones I noticed).
👑Want to know a bit more? Here's what to expect:
✨This is the story of Amelia, a queen that couldn't rule without a King, so had an arranged marriage with... An assh*le.
✨But this is also the story of Caroline, a brave young woman that's trying to figure out her place in the world and her feelings for said queen.
✨But also, this is the story of Eloise, a brave warrior with a single focus: ensuring her father's survival and making sure said queen releases him of his duty as a guard.
✨But also! This is the story of Alaric (and his lover, Leah), said queen's husband and morally black character. *coff coff as$hole*
✨But also... You get my point! haha😊
"We can be good people and regret having done terrible things."
👑What I loved about this story:
✨This is a multiple POVs story that takes you deep into each character's struggles, shows you the connections between all of them, and takes you on a journey across faraway lands. I loved the multiple POVs even if by times they might have felt like a lot. There are perspectives from all around the castle, from royalty to villagers and servants, and I loved the differences and interactions between all of them.
✨The diversity of the cast, their sexualities, religions, and cultures. The main ship is a sapphic relationship, and there's plenty more love to go around in this book. I loved that diversity, which was perfectly portrayed in all the different points of view.
✨The topics discussed throughout the story. and the book talks a lot about free love, which was expressed in the most endearing way.
✨It made me cry. Books that make me cry, for me, earn extra points, haha. This being said, I was a little disappointed that I cried pretty early on, but didn't get the same feel for the ending, I was expecting to cry again, and I didn't, haha.
✨The writing style. I found the writing to be almost flawless. I didn't felt too lost in lengthy descriptions, and the dialogue was always natural and relatable. I loved the way characters interacted and how wholesome they were and didn't find any fault in the writing itself (which is not always the case with debut novels, so I was pleasantly surprised!)
👑What didn't fill MY cup of tea:
✨I think this book is perfect for historical fiction lovers, which I am not. Even though it's a fantasy, set in a world that is not our own, there is no "magic" or "creatures" apart from humans, which is why I think it reads a lot like historical fiction. This is by no means a bad thing, I'm just not a big fan of the genre myself, so I struggled a little at times to stay engaged without a magical subplot.
✨There's a lot of relationships in this book (dare to say no one ends up single I think😂) and a lot of smut too. If that's your jam, jump in, you'll have a lot of fun! But once again, this is not something that fills my own cup that much. I often get "annoyed" when all of the characters in a book end up with someone, and in my very personal opinion, it seemed a little forced. But hey, I'm a moody b*tch that loves drama and is single af so I like to see some single happy characters that don't need someone to "complete them". So I guess it's only a matter of not finding MYSELF represented in the book in that sense.
✨All those relationships seemed to be "insta love", and I'd liked to see some of them develop a bit more, find more struggles along the way.
I think that's all I've got to say for now! Hope I didn't forget anything, and more than happy to reply to questions if anyone's got them! :)
P.S: Cathrine is the most amazing and caring soul, and I'd loved meeting her through reading her book, and I highly recommend following her on social media as she's a supporting, loving, caring, and funny girl! :)
I finished the book in about a week, as it touches on quite a lot of interesting subjects and I didn't feel like it was something I could read as one of my "fast reads". I'm breaking this review down from my "fast review" into a more detailed one, so feel free to read as much or as little of it to figure out if this book might be your next favorite read :D
👑Let It Reign at a Glance👑
✨Sapphic historical-low-fantasy romance (wow, that's a mouthful).
✨Lesbian MCs
✨Love at first sight
✨Arranged marriage
✨Multiple POVs
✨Multiple romances
✨Super smutty
✨Wholesome and healthy relationships
✨Feminism and genre roles discussions
✨Canadian Indie author - debut novel
"She burned with desire for action and change, craving more than the limitations of her genre."
Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, racism, blood, violence, loss, death. (These are only the ones I noticed).
👑Want to know a bit more? Here's what to expect:
✨This is the story of Amelia, a queen that couldn't rule without a King, so had an arranged marriage with... An assh*le.
✨But this is also the story of Caroline, a brave young woman that's trying to figure out her place in the world and her feelings for said queen.
✨But also, this is the story of Eloise, a brave warrior with a single focus: ensuring her father's survival and making sure said queen releases him of his duty as a guard.
✨But also! This is the story of Alaric (and his lover, Leah), said queen's husband and morally black character. *coff coff as$hole*
✨But also... You get my point! haha😊
"We can be good people and regret having done terrible things."
👑What I loved about this story:
✨This is a multiple POVs story that takes you deep into each character's struggles, shows you the connections between all of them, and takes you on a journey across faraway lands. I loved the multiple POVs even if by times they might have felt like a lot. There are perspectives from all around the castle, from royalty to villagers and servants, and I loved the differences and interactions between all of them.
✨The diversity of the cast, their sexualities, religions, and cultures. The main ship is a sapphic relationship, and there's plenty more love to go around in this book. I loved that diversity, which was perfectly portrayed in all the different points of view.
✨The topics discussed throughout the story. and the book talks a lot about free love, which was expressed in the most endearing way.
✨It made me cry. Books that make me cry, for me, earn extra points, haha. This being said, I was a little disappointed that I cried pretty early on, but didn't get the same feel for the ending, I was expecting to cry again, and I didn't, haha.
✨The writing style. I found the writing to be almost flawless. I didn't felt too lost in lengthy descriptions, and the dialogue was always natural and relatable. I loved the way characters interacted and how wholesome they were and didn't find any fault in the writing itself (which is not always the case with debut novels, so I was pleasantly surprised!)
👑What didn't fill MY cup of tea:
✨I think this book is perfect for historical fiction lovers, which I am not. Even though it's a fantasy, set in a world that is not our own, there is no "magic" or "creatures" apart from humans, which is why I think it reads a lot like historical fiction. This is by no means a bad thing, I'm just not a big fan of the genre myself, so I struggled a little at times to stay engaged without a magical subplot.
✨There's a lot of relationships in this book (dare to say no one ends up single I think😂) and a lot of smut too. If that's your jam, jump in, you'll have a lot of fun! But once again, this is not something that fills my own cup that much. I often get "annoyed" when all of the characters in a book end up with someone, and in my very personal opinion, it seemed a little forced. But hey, I'm a moody b*tch that loves drama and is single af so I like to see some single happy characters that don't need someone to "complete them". So I guess it's only a matter of not finding MYSELF represented in the book in that sense.
✨All those relationships seemed to be "insta love", and I'd liked to see some of them develop a bit more, find more struggles along the way.
I think that's all I've got to say for now! Hope I didn't forget anything, and more than happy to reply to questions if anyone's got them! :)
P.S: Cathrine is the most amazing and caring soul, and I'd loved meeting her through reading her book, and I highly recommend following her on social media as she's a supporting, loving, caring, and funny girl! :)
August 24, 2021
Every once in a while you come across a story where the characters and events stay with you for a long time, and this is definitely one of them. Let it Reign was a breath of fresh air full of diverse characters and powerful women. In many ways, this book felt so real and alive (despite the fact that it's fiction) through the various realistic conversations between characters, the intensity in the settings and the delicate intricacies of the relationships of all kinds explored. Cathrine was not afraid to show up and pour her heart into the pages of Let it Reign, and it resulted in a beautiful story full of passion and perseverance. The multi-POV added an additional layer of depth, which facilitated a deeper understanding of each character, as well as their intentions and motivations, while still magically maintaining an air of mystery and suspense. I can't wait to see what the sequel has in store for us!
May 9, 2023
Short review: A complexly plotted, LGBTQ+ medieval fantasy that is perfect for anyone who likes Game of Thrones or Kiera Cass.
Long review: I had a feeling that I was going to like this book based on "gay fantasy," but it was even better than I expected! Here are the things that I really liked.
- a variety of complex characters who each have their own storyline
- a fantasy novel but without magic, which was a nice change. It was more like historical castle life, and all the intrigue comes from the dynamics within the court and between the characters rather than from magic. Which means...
- character development!
- I love when religion shows up in books because it's such a part of life for a lot of people. Amelia believes in God and we see her praying at various times throughout the book. Other characters don't believe in God. And nobody is ever shown to be right or wrong about their beliefs. It's just part of who they are. I loved this!
- The emphasis on love being the most important thing and using love to fight homophobia and hate. Amelia and her female love interest meet some homophobia, but a lot of characters are accepting of them, and other characters are soooort of accepting, which is realistic for what coming out is like in real life. It isn't EASY for them, but they also aren't just met with WALL OF HATE, and I appreciated this balance in the story. There are some painful conversations they have to have, but not including those wouldn't be true to the actual experience that many LGBTQ+ people have, and I think the author struck a good balance here.
- Time passes in the story...several months! I always like when a book takes place over a longer period of time than just a couple of days because it allows more opportunity for realistic character growth.
- The writing was easy to read and not too flowery, but also read like a good traditional fantasy novel.
And my favorite part... the relationship between Amelia and her love interest! I will put this bit in spoilers in case you wish to be surprised by who she falls in love with.
One of my favorite quotes:
“I respect the relationship you have with God,” Caroline said gently. “I never intend to make you feel negatively by stating my distaste for the whole idea. At their cores, all religions send a similar message. Be kind and love others. I don’t need to attend mass to understand all we need to know about life.”
Amelia nodded in understanding. “Some find comfort in a pew, others in the forest, or the water. I believe if we live with kindness and love, we are closer to God than any man or woman sitting weekly in a confession box.”
I did feel that the book was longer than it needed to be and sometimes I got confused with so many characters, especially with all the subplots going on. I generally feel that no book needs to be longer than 400 pages, and this one is about 440. However, this was my only complaint.
I will definitely be reading the next book in the series, although I'm happy that there was no cliffhanger and everything wrapped up very nicely.
Long review: I had a feeling that I was going to like this book based on "gay fantasy," but it was even better than I expected! Here are the things that I really liked.
- a variety of complex characters who each have their own storyline
- a fantasy novel but without magic, which was a nice change. It was more like historical castle life, and all the intrigue comes from the dynamics within the court and between the characters rather than from magic. Which means...
- character development!
- I love when religion shows up in books because it's such a part of life for a lot of people. Amelia believes in God and we see her praying at various times throughout the book. Other characters don't believe in God. And nobody is ever shown to be right or wrong about their beliefs. It's just part of who they are. I loved this!
- The emphasis on love being the most important thing and using love to fight homophobia and hate. Amelia and her female love interest meet some homophobia, but a lot of characters are accepting of them, and other characters are soooort of accepting, which is realistic for what coming out is like in real life. It isn't EASY for them, but they also aren't just met with WALL OF HATE, and I appreciated this balance in the story. There are some painful conversations they have to have, but not including those wouldn't be true to the actual experience that many LGBTQ+ people have, and I think the author struck a good balance here.
- Time passes in the story...several months! I always like when a book takes place over a longer period of time than just a couple of days because it allows more opportunity for realistic character growth.
- The writing was easy to read and not too flowery, but also read like a good traditional fantasy novel.
And my favorite part... the relationship between Amelia and her love interest! I will put this bit in spoilers in case you wish to be surprised by who she falls in love with.
One of my favorite quotes:
“I respect the relationship you have with God,” Caroline said gently. “I never intend to make you feel negatively by stating my distaste for the whole idea. At their cores, all religions send a similar message. Be kind and love others. I don’t need to attend mass to understand all we need to know about life.”
Amelia nodded in understanding. “Some find comfort in a pew, others in the forest, or the water. I believe if we live with kindness and love, we are closer to God than any man or woman sitting weekly in a confession box.”
I did feel that the book was longer than it needed to be and sometimes I got confused with so many characters, especially with all the subplots going on. I generally feel that no book needs to be longer than 400 pages, and this one is about 440. However, this was my only complaint.
I will definitely be reading the next book in the series, although I'm happy that there was no cliffhanger and everything wrapped up very nicely.
December 21, 2021
For a first published book Cathrine Swift has knocked out an amazing story. Historical fiction that represents many different groups relationships between straight and same sex, differing views on religion, gender roles, POC. Cathrine shakes up what you expect in a historical battle for power.
October 11, 2021
I was really impressed with this author’s debut novel! In particular, I thought she did an excellent job developing the characters. She not only gave each a distinct voice but maintained the integrity of their individual personalities throughout the novel. If you like a well-constructive narrative with diverse characters, then you will really enjoy this work!
May 28, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this☺️ There was great representation and the plot was really interesting❤️ I really loved the scenes that took place in the village and getting more of a glimpse into their lives. It wasn’t difficult to read which is refreshing for a fantasy!! I’m looking forward to the sequel🥳
June 17, 2023
Fantastic first novel for this upcoming new author. This book reminds me of old school fantasy fiction with huge detailed worlds and exciting active storytelling. Except with queer characters and couples that actually like each other's company. I love the women in this book who take action and don't accept the world they were born into. I would (and have) highly recommend this book.
September 16, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Strong queer female representation? Perfect! And it’s actually well done too. The author is also just lovely. Fair warning: it is a long read and took me a while to get through it but it was all worth it!
January 7, 2026
I finished this book only cause I am a completion-ist, but goodness was it bad. I love queer books and there just aren’t enough out there - but I don’t think this author has ever spoken with someone who is part of the LGBTQ+ community.
December 21, 2023
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK! It’s hard for me to read a book that’s in third person but it was way with this one. AND THE TWIST?! Immaculate 😳
August 14, 2024
I really wanted to like this story, it had great diversity but it was just too predictable.
October 2, 2024
I found this in the queer romance section and so far, I'm 50 pages in an the love interest has finally shown up. It's boring af and I've had to endure three sets of straight couples just to get here. I was told this was super diverse, but so far, it's been bog standard tropes and nonsensical dialogue. The handmaiden has a bumpkin accent (royal handmaidens were nobles) Villagers are both afraid of the queen, yet yell at her as if she couldn't just kill them all. A girl literally says "she saved us from the evil king" as if that wouldn't immediately result in the death of her entire family. I'll keep going, but I suspect this is going to be a dnf
Edit: yup definitely a DNF. If you want a book with better writing and more believable character motivation with lots of diversity, go for Priory of the Orange Tree and Day of Fallen Night
Edit: yup definitely a DNF. If you want a book with better writing and more believable character motivation with lots of diversity, go for Priory of the Orange Tree and Day of Fallen Night
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