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Calatini Tales #0.5
The Spellbinding Courtship
Welcome to Calatini, an enchanting Regency-inspired kingdom filled with faegifts, witches, and heartwarming romance.
Miss Selena Midor is lonely, close to destitute, and trapped far away from home with her cruel uncle. She's grown accustomed to outwitting him to keep herself safe, but when she overhears her uncle's evil scheme with a witch, Selena must make a choice no lady of quality should have to make. She must find a man to deflower her, and quickly.
Aragon, eldest son of the Duke of Childes, is caught in the rain without even a spelled cloak to protect him. So he stumbles into a brothel... and finds Selena. Though tempted, Aragon is too honorable to accept Selena's desperate overtures. He can't take from her what she should give to the gentleman she loves.
Selena is astonished when Aragon instead offers to bring her home for his family to present at court. She accepts his rescue but longs to be more than his charity case. Yet Aragon refuses to act on their attraction, and soon he isn't the only eligible bachelor spellbound by Selena. Should she wait for Aragon or choose another?
Fans of Juliet Marillier, Naomi Novik's Uprooted, and Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series will be enthralled by the Calatini Tales series of Regency-inspired historical fantasy romance novels.
The enchanting Calatini Tales includes...
The Spellbinding Courtship (Book 0.5)
The Enchanted Bird (Book 1)
The Nightmara Affair (Book 2)
The Secret Soulbond (Book 3)
Miss Selena Midor is lonely, close to destitute, and trapped far away from home with her cruel uncle. She's grown accustomed to outwitting him to keep herself safe, but when she overhears her uncle's evil scheme with a witch, Selena must make a choice no lady of quality should have to make. She must find a man to deflower her, and quickly.
Aragon, eldest son of the Duke of Childes, is caught in the rain without even a spelled cloak to protect him. So he stumbles into a brothel... and finds Selena. Though tempted, Aragon is too honorable to accept Selena's desperate overtures. He can't take from her what she should give to the gentleman she loves.
Selena is astonished when Aragon instead offers to bring her home for his family to present at court. She accepts his rescue but longs to be more than his charity case. Yet Aragon refuses to act on their attraction, and soon he isn't the only eligible bachelor spellbound by Selena. Should she wait for Aragon or choose another?
Fans of Juliet Marillier, Naomi Novik's Uprooted, and Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series will be enthralled by the Calatini Tales series of Regency-inspired historical fantasy romance novels.
The enchanting Calatini Tales includes...
The Spellbinding Courtship (Book 0.5)
The Enchanted Bird (Book 1)
The Nightmara Affair (Book 2)
The Secret Soulbond (Book 3)
250 pages, ebook
First published August 31, 2021
130 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Dotterer
10 books23 followersA lifelong creator of her own bedtime stories, Katherine Dotterer writes cozy tales of fantasy romance inspired by Regency England. Born and raised in Maryland, she still lives there in an almost cottage surrounded by trees. When not writing, she enjoys reading anything she can find, singing in local choruses, hiking in nearby parks, watching the wildlife outside her windows, and cuddling her cats. Visit her at KatherineDotterer.com to learn about her book releases, read her many book extras, and sign up for her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 29, 2022
I really wanted to like this, because I’m always searching for more fantasy of manners, but unfortunately the constant “easter egg” hyperlinks made this almost unreadable and I had to give up after a few chapters. At least once a page the story is interrupted with a highlighted word that links to the author’s website, where there are fact files, recipes, and excerpts from in-world books. That’s a lovely idea, and something I’d spend plenty of time looking through - *for a book I already liked*. Linking it in the text makes it IMPOSSIBLE to focus on the story enough to actually follow the narrative, so you never actually discover if you’re enjoying it or just waiting for the next link, especially at such a high frequency and for such mundane things as explaining trolls or fish pie. It’s distracting, and it doesn’t fill me with confidence that the worldbuilding is properly explained in the book if the author is just linking throwaway words to a wiki. PLEASE consider removing all the hyperlinks and just adding a link to the website at the beginning and end of the book. I love reading ephemera and appendices, but not at the expense of actually being allowed to read the story.
May 5, 2022
I liked the idea of this book, a fantasy regency romance mash up. The initial plot had me wary, but after getting through the first chapter or two , I was more invested in the story. Not only were the hero and heroine likable, but the secondary characters as well all had potential… but…
Unfortunately, around the 40% mark I started feeling deja vu. The inner thoughts of our H and h became incredibly repetitive. Some of the dialogue felt like it was being spoken by someone living in modern times interpretation of what a person from the regency era would sound like. The plot seemed to drag from there, and I had a hard time finishing the book.
I liked the idea of the Easter Eggs hidden within the text, but they did take away from feeling immersed in that world. A good map at the beginning and maybe an appendix at the end could have solved that problem.
I still believe in the potential for this series to thrive, and am optimistic the next book on the series has worked out some of its growing pains.
Unfortunately, around the 40% mark I started feeling deja vu. The inner thoughts of our H and h became incredibly repetitive. Some of the dialogue felt like it was being spoken by someone living in modern times interpretation of what a person from the regency era would sound like. The plot seemed to drag from there, and I had a hard time finishing the book.
I liked the idea of the Easter Eggs hidden within the text, but they did take away from feeling immersed in that world. A good map at the beginning and maybe an appendix at the end could have solved that problem.
I still believe in the potential for this series to thrive, and am optimistic the next book on the series has worked out some of its growing pains.
July 18, 2023
This is a cozy, regency fantasy which was a quick read for me. It’s perfect for when you want a light read and has all the elements for a fun read; a slow burn romance between a feisty heroine and an honourable hero, a dash of magic and danger to keep the reader engaged, and an evil villain.
The really unique thing that sets this book apart is being able to click on certain words which link to a wiki the author created. This helps explain certain items and concepts in the book.
The closed bedroom door love scenes don’t occur until the end of the book.
Good if you’re looking for something a bit different than the usual historical romance and would be perfect for a beach/holiday read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The really unique thing that sets this book apart is being able to click on certain words which link to a wiki the author created. This helps explain certain items and concepts in the book.
The closed bedroom door love scenes don’t occur until the end of the book.
Good if you’re looking for something a bit different than the usual historical romance and would be perfect for a beach/holiday read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 1, 2022
It took me some time to feel interested in the storyline. I feel like the interesting parts of this book happened behind the scenes, not necessarily with the main characters. There was an uncanny amount of repetition from start to finish, and it became a little irritating. The character reactions also seemed a bit dull, and I think that is due to a lack of description in those areas. It was a very simple, heartwarming story with an older speaking style, which I actually enjoyed. It had the potential to challenge the Bridgerton series, but it just missed the mark. Also, the intimacy was highly lacking, as it was fade-to-black and there weren't really any breaks to digest what was just read, and the main characters do not really have a great conversation about it. The topic of rape is mentioned throughout the book, and I do not feel like the topic was done justice because it seemed a little too light and not concerning when it was mentioned.
June 19, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I'll admit I picked this one up not because I saw it first, but because I saw the THIRD book first - and I can't read books out of order. I just can't LOL. So I did a little nosey-nose and saw the author has all this series so far listed as ARCs. Ergo, here we are, and I do plan on reading onwards.
The prequel story covers the eldest son of the family which is funny, because the actual first book is about one of the other sons rather than the eldest, an interesting choice.
Aragon (not to be mistaken for Aragorn of LOTR fame) is heir to a dukedom, a duchy, sits on the King's council, and is actually the King's cousin.
Selena has lost her immediate family besides her uncle, and her uncle is trying to sell her to the highest bidder, which is how she ends up in a brother, with Aragon, and how she eventually becomes the woman Aragon's mother launches into polite society.
It's a winding road to get there including witches, balls, will-they-won't-they, and a lot of hemming and hawing, though we do get a HEA at the end.
Individually, I liked Aragon and Selena both. I also enjoyed the secondary, supporting characters, and hope to see more of them as the series progresses. Our hero and heroine both learn through experience and go through a growth when it comes to their personalities, but it's the love story that's slightly, er, well.
Aragon doesn't want to take advantage of Selena and deprive her of the chance to meet other suitors - so he keeps pulling back. Selena thinks he's just not that into her because he's pulling back - so she pulls back. The he thinks she's not into him and pulls back more, and you can see the magic circle we're stuck in.
At no point though does it occur to either one of them to open their mouths - at one point, Selena also decides to just try and seduce him, because if she seduces him then he'll realize she doesn't want other suitors and only him ...
It goes round a few times before they both are like hey, we're in love! Which, incidentally, everyone around them already knows by this point.
I feel like this story might have benefited a bit more from less of their back-and-forth and more of the devious uncle and the black witch after Selena, because we never do really learn more about WHY her uncle hates her so much (a flimsy, his big brother married the woman he wanted to court, is a little bit too little, imo), and barely scratch the surfaces of the deviousness. Some of that stuff is hastily dealt with, and I feel could have benefited from more.
But I do give it four out of five stars because I generally like the setting, the family we're introduced to, and the upcoming plotlines seem like they'll be worth the read, so here we are!
I'll admit I picked this one up not because I saw it first, but because I saw the THIRD book first - and I can't read books out of order. I just can't LOL. So I did a little nosey-nose and saw the author has all this series so far listed as ARCs. Ergo, here we are, and I do plan on reading onwards.
The prequel story covers the eldest son of the family which is funny, because the actual first book is about one of the other sons rather than the eldest, an interesting choice.
Aragon (not to be mistaken for Aragorn of LOTR fame) is heir to a dukedom, a duchy, sits on the King's council, and is actually the King's cousin.
Selena has lost her immediate family besides her uncle, and her uncle is trying to sell her to the highest bidder, which is how she ends up in a brother, with Aragon, and how she eventually becomes the woman Aragon's mother launches into polite society.
It's a winding road to get there including witches, balls, will-they-won't-they, and a lot of hemming and hawing, though we do get a HEA at the end.
Individually, I liked Aragon and Selena both. I also enjoyed the secondary, supporting characters, and hope to see more of them as the series progresses. Our hero and heroine both learn through experience and go through a growth when it comes to their personalities, but it's the love story that's slightly, er, well.
Aragon doesn't want to take advantage of Selena and deprive her of the chance to meet other suitors - so he keeps pulling back. Selena thinks he's just not that into her because he's pulling back - so she pulls back. The he thinks she's not into him and pulls back more, and you can see the magic circle we're stuck in.
At no point though does it occur to either one of them to open their mouths - at one point, Selena also decides to just try and seduce him, because if she seduces him then he'll realize she doesn't want other suitors and only him ...
It goes round a few times before they both are like hey, we're in love! Which, incidentally, everyone around them already knows by this point.
I feel like this story might have benefited a bit more from less of their back-and-forth and more of the devious uncle and the black witch after Selena, because we never do really learn more about WHY her uncle hates her so much (a flimsy, his big brother married the woman he wanted to court, is a little bit too little, imo), and barely scratch the surfaces of the deviousness. Some of that stuff is hastily dealt with, and I feel could have benefited from more.
But I do give it four out of five stars because I generally like the setting, the family we're introduced to, and the upcoming plotlines seem like they'll be worth the read, so here we are!
June 9, 2023
Thank you to the author and BookSirens for an ARC of this book. I received a copy for free and was invited to share my honest opinion.
What I liked:
- Development of the characters. I particularly liked Aragon’s character development because he could have been pretty one-dimensional and a bit sanctimonious and the author managed to avoid this.
- Society events like balls and music evenings felt very familiar to a regency fan
- The build up of tension between Selena and Aragon and their developing relationship. I enjoyed how this was done.
- Little cameos from other characters who have their own stories told in other books. I immediately sought out the next one in the series so I can follow Hawke’s story.
What I didn’t:
- There’s a serious amount of overuse of ‘twas and ‘twould to make it sound old fashioned - (and even ‘twere at one point, which I’m fairly sure isn’t a word) I felt it didn’t fit with the tone of the rest of the book and stood out awkwardly every time.
- I am not a fan of the links inserted in the book to explain concepts that aren’t explained. If specific things really need to be explained as an aside, either insert footnotes in the text (a technique which I though worked well in Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries) or just give the context as part of the story. The links were just weird.
- Awkward explanations of throwaway comments involving magical creatures. There are inserted like idioms eg “like a fish out of water” but have to be explained in case the reader is not familiar with the mythical animal, for instance when Aragon says he and his brothers were “as ravenous as manticores”.
“When he and his brothers were boys, Father had often called them manticores. Rare yet invincible magical creatures, manticores were renowned for eating half their weight every day.” It just feels a bit unnatural and disrupts the flow of the story.
- I felt that Selena would have had more of a moral crisis about deciding to lose her virginity and despoil herself before marriage, given the societal expectations suggested by the regency-inspired context. She’s obviously determined and resolute but it’s a very quick decision that she doesn’t seem to agonise over.
Overall I did enjoy this book and the world the author has created here, enough that I’ve already found the next book in the series so I can keep reading. I think she does characters really well. I would say that this series is probably more for fantasy fans than regency, though - unless you enjoy both!
What I liked:
- Development of the characters. I particularly liked Aragon’s character development because he could have been pretty one-dimensional and a bit sanctimonious and the author managed to avoid this.
- Society events like balls and music evenings felt very familiar to a regency fan
- The build up of tension between Selena and Aragon and their developing relationship. I enjoyed how this was done.
- Little cameos from other characters who have their own stories told in other books. I immediately sought out the next one in the series so I can follow Hawke’s story.
What I didn’t:
- There’s a serious amount of overuse of ‘twas and ‘twould to make it sound old fashioned - (and even ‘twere at one point, which I’m fairly sure isn’t a word) I felt it didn’t fit with the tone of the rest of the book and stood out awkwardly every time.
- I am not a fan of the links inserted in the book to explain concepts that aren’t explained. If specific things really need to be explained as an aside, either insert footnotes in the text (a technique which I though worked well in Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries) or just give the context as part of the story. The links were just weird.
- Awkward explanations of throwaway comments involving magical creatures. There are inserted like idioms eg “like a fish out of water” but have to be explained in case the reader is not familiar with the mythical animal, for instance when Aragon says he and his brothers were “as ravenous as manticores”.
“When he and his brothers were boys, Father had often called them manticores. Rare yet invincible magical creatures, manticores were renowned for eating half their weight every day.” It just feels a bit unnatural and disrupts the flow of the story.
- I felt that Selena would have had more of a moral crisis about deciding to lose her virginity and despoil herself before marriage, given the societal expectations suggested by the regency-inspired context. She’s obviously determined and resolute but it’s a very quick decision that she doesn’t seem to agonise over.
Overall I did enjoy this book and the world the author has created here, enough that I’ve already found the next book in the series so I can keep reading. I think she does characters really well. I would say that this series is probably more for fantasy fans than regency, though - unless you enjoy both!
May 25, 2024
A decent light read.
It’s not bad, and with a decent editor could be really good. But it definitely needs someone to work on it to get there. But first a tip for the author. Forget the word tingle and any variation of it (I think it was used about every other page). Stop with the filler fluff. We don’t need endless descriptions of them doing absolutely nothing. Or constant repetition of Selena thinking you have to fall in love within moments of meeting. Add more action or overcoming adversity, challenge, SOMETHING. It’s ok to have some description of day to day activities but when nothing is going on and it doesn’t do anything but fill up space, it’s too much. Also the writing jumps back and forth from being very formal sounding to way to casual modern. And there seems to be no consistency with it as it happens mid conversation.
Characterwise I really like Aragon. His actions and thoughts were probably the most realistic of the two. Well other than his immediate hold nothing back attempts to help Selena. But this is a fantasy so I can overlook that since the rest was good. Selena however I found to be a self absorbed brat. She was way too obsessed with instant love and seemed to have no real emotion.
I did like the book but it definitely needs the help of an editor. There were a few typos but mostly it was just the repetitive parts. The tingling (I was starting to wonder if they had nerve damage), the need for insta love, the repetition of thoughts and actions. I didn’t feel emotionally involved in the book because it didn’t really seem like the characters had any emotions. Selena in particular, she didn’t really have any fear of her uncle and what he’d do. Nor did she really seem concerned. I mean the words were there but the actions and behaviors were not. So it felt a bit flat. At first I found the romance very sweet but then Selena ruined that with her obnoxious attempts to MAKE Aragon feel something for her.
In all I did enjoy the book, I just don’t feel it lived up to its potential. I am however looking forward to the next.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It’s not bad, and with a decent editor could be really good. But it definitely needs someone to work on it to get there. But first a tip for the author. Forget the word tingle and any variation of it (I think it was used about every other page). Stop with the filler fluff. We don’t need endless descriptions of them doing absolutely nothing. Or constant repetition of Selena thinking you have to fall in love within moments of meeting. Add more action or overcoming adversity, challenge, SOMETHING. It’s ok to have some description of day to day activities but when nothing is going on and it doesn’t do anything but fill up space, it’s too much. Also the writing jumps back and forth from being very formal sounding to way to casual modern. And there seems to be no consistency with it as it happens mid conversation.
Characterwise I really like Aragon. His actions and thoughts were probably the most realistic of the two. Well other than his immediate hold nothing back attempts to help Selena. But this is a fantasy so I can overlook that since the rest was good. Selena however I found to be a self absorbed brat. She was way too obsessed with instant love and seemed to have no real emotion.
I did like the book but it definitely needs the help of an editor. There were a few typos but mostly it was just the repetitive parts. The tingling (I was starting to wonder if they had nerve damage), the need for insta love, the repetition of thoughts and actions. I didn’t feel emotionally involved in the book because it didn’t really seem like the characters had any emotions. Selena in particular, she didn’t really have any fear of her uncle and what he’d do. Nor did she really seem concerned. I mean the words were there but the actions and behaviors were not. So it felt a bit flat. At first I found the romance very sweet but then Selena ruined that with her obnoxious attempts to MAKE Aragon feel something for her.
In all I did enjoy the book, I just don’t feel it lived up to its potential. I am however looking forward to the next.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 27, 2023
'The Spellbinding Courtship' by Katherine Dotterer is the first story in the Calatini Tales series, a Regency Fantasy series. This first book tells the story of Selena and Aragon. Aragon rescues Selena from a brothel where she is attempting to give away her virginity to save herself from being auctioned off by a black witch.
Regency fantasy does work, and I was interested in trying this series mainly because of the synopsis of book 3, just like another reviewer mentioned. There's obviously something about that book 3 synopsis that is attracting us new readers! But when reviews of that book mentioned that the main characters had appeared in earlier books, I wanted to start at the beginning. The blurb also mentions that this book is for fans of Juliet Marillier, Naomi Novik and Julia Quinn. As I love all three (and Juliet Marillier is probably my favourite author of all time), I was interested in trying this series out.
The fantasy and regency mashup setting is a good one for creating an ongoing series, with the couples changing between books. The genre-blended world provides a really open setting with lots of scope for all sorts of interesting combinations of fantasy and regency romance tropes. But with potential for such an open series like that, each individual story ultimately succeeds or fails based on its main couple.
In this particular story, I found Selena in particular to be a bit naive and bland. Aragon wasn't much better. All the near-kisses and backing away got a bit repetitive. And since this whole plot was around Aragon protecting Selena from repeated kidnap and rape attempts, it wasn't my favourite plotline for a regency-based story (or, indeed any story).
All in all, I think the Calatini setting is a good set up, and I liked the blend of fantasy and regency, but this individual story didn't do it for me. I'm going to read at least another book in the series though, as all the other blurbs appeal to me more personally.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from BookSirens, but this is my voluntary and honest review.
Regency fantasy does work, and I was interested in trying this series mainly because of the synopsis of book 3, just like another reviewer mentioned. There's obviously something about that book 3 synopsis that is attracting us new readers! But when reviews of that book mentioned that the main characters had appeared in earlier books, I wanted to start at the beginning. The blurb also mentions that this book is for fans of Juliet Marillier, Naomi Novik and Julia Quinn. As I love all three (and Juliet Marillier is probably my favourite author of all time), I was interested in trying this series out.
The fantasy and regency mashup setting is a good one for creating an ongoing series, with the couples changing between books. The genre-blended world provides a really open setting with lots of scope for all sorts of interesting combinations of fantasy and regency romance tropes. But with potential for such an open series like that, each individual story ultimately succeeds or fails based on its main couple.
In this particular story, I found Selena in particular to be a bit naive and bland. Aragon wasn't much better. All the near-kisses and backing away got a bit repetitive. And since this whole plot was around Aragon protecting Selena from repeated kidnap and rape attempts, it wasn't my favourite plotline for a regency-based story (or, indeed any story).
All in all, I think the Calatini setting is a good set up, and I liked the blend of fantasy and regency, but this individual story didn't do it for me. I'm going to read at least another book in the series though, as all the other blurbs appeal to me more personally.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from BookSirens, but this is my voluntary and honest review.
February 12, 2024
I wasn't enthralled but I did enjoy this book. As a reader I sometimes get so involved in the story that I want to yell at the characters because they're being ridiculous. They go around imagining all sorts of things that just aren't true and would be so much happier if they would just openly communicate with each other. Unfortunately, that would dramatically reduce the length of many books and detract from the stories. But sometimes it's overdone and in this book I feel that's the case. And when the same thoughts are repeated several times I wonder if the author is aiming for a certain word count. The meaning or purpose is lost. Also, the MC Aragon, was simply too good. Nobody is that good. We all have some less than desirable traits that make us less than perfect and all too human. This book would have been better if Aragon was less self-sacrificing and a little more realistic. And if the inner dialog was less and less repetitious for both characters. Overall, it was good but could have been better.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 4, 2025
This book is a delightful combination of two of my favorite romance subgenres - fantasy and historical regency romance - and I truly wish I'd keep on discovering more books like this. It's also my first time to read a work by Katherine Dotterer. Knowing now that this book is the prequel to a series of standalones tells me that I know where to find more fantasy historical romances in the future.
What I'd enjoyed about this book was the unique way the main characters' paths had crossed, and how the rest of their story unfolded from there on. From their fortuitous meeting in a brothel - of all places, imagine that! - to Aragon's much-appreciated offer of assistance and protection to Selena, to their eventual bonding that, had they only openly communicated their feelings to one another from the start, would have solidified early on. Their slow-burn romance and the suspense owing to the threat to Selena's life made this story quite a page-turner for me.
This first taste of the Calatini Tales by Katherine Dotterer definitely makes me want to continue on with the rest of the series. I've already got books 1 and 2 lined up in my TBR!
What I'd enjoyed about this book was the unique way the main characters' paths had crossed, and how the rest of their story unfolded from there on. From their fortuitous meeting in a brothel - of all places, imagine that! - to Aragon's much-appreciated offer of assistance and protection to Selena, to their eventual bonding that, had they only openly communicated their feelings to one another from the start, would have solidified early on. Their slow-burn romance and the suspense owing to the threat to Selena's life made this story quite a page-turner for me.
This first taste of the Calatini Tales by Katherine Dotterer definitely makes me want to continue on with the rest of the series. I've already got books 1 and 2 lined up in my TBR!
September 11, 2022
Another lovely, sweet story molded from a time long bygone. Truly a fantasy romance inspired by Regency England.
The story was delightful with the budding romance between Selena and Aragon a primary focus. The plot of the uncle and the other suitors gave it an interesting twist. The story felt a little drawn out at times since they were awfully slow in realizing their feelings for each other, but overall I enjoyed the book. I loved that Aragon was so very chivalrous although I find it very extraordinary and a bit outlandish. However, the world was beautifully developed and well written.
For anyone who loves a sweet, chivalrous story with a bit of magic woven in, this one’s for you! I’d give it 3.5 ⭐️ stars ✨
Thank you, Katherine Dotterer, for this advance review copy for which I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story was delightful with the budding romance between Selena and Aragon a primary focus. The plot of the uncle and the other suitors gave it an interesting twist. The story felt a little drawn out at times since they were awfully slow in realizing their feelings for each other, but overall I enjoyed the book. I loved that Aragon was so very chivalrous although I find it very extraordinary and a bit outlandish. However, the world was beautifully developed and well written.
For anyone who loves a sweet, chivalrous story with a bit of magic woven in, this one’s for you! I’d give it 3.5 ⭐️ stars ✨
Thank you, Katherine Dotterer, for this advance review copy for which I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 16, 2024
"The Spellbinding Courtship" is the first regency inspired romance I've read, and I thoroughly enjoyed the combination of fantasy and magic. Life in Calatini weaves together traditional fantasy creatures and settings with a fresh perspective, and I appreciate that magic is nuanced: convenient and often beneficial, but with the potential for grave misuse that drives the antagonist. The romance between Selena and Aragon is sweet, sincere and honorable. While I enjoyed the emphasis on the romantic elements of the story, I did also feel toward the end of the book that the protagonists' misunderstanding between each other carried on longer than necessary. However, this was for me of minor impact and did not change my five-star rating.
April 30, 2022
I will rate four stars what I think was the promising start for a new series.
The Spellbinding Courtship is a light fantasy romance following the story of an orphan girl trying to escape the vile plot of her uncle and finding love in the process of that.
If you are looking for a light uncomplicated read that is well-written, you can definitely try this novel. I liked the world that was introduced in it. There were bits of magic and I hope that as readers we will have more of it in the rest of the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Spellbinding Courtship is a light fantasy romance following the story of an orphan girl trying to escape the vile plot of her uncle and finding love in the process of that.
If you are looking for a light uncomplicated read that is well-written, you can definitely try this novel. I liked the world that was introduced in it. There were bits of magic and I hope that as readers we will have more of it in the rest of the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 4, 2023
I loved the magical and enchanting world Katherine Dotter created. The regency era enhanced the magical fantasy in such an enchanting way captivating me, I couldn't put the book down. Selena is such a strong, brave and determined young woman whose been delt with a bad hand, until Aragon rescues her. Aragon is a loyal, honorable, devoted, chivalrous gentleman in this story, its awe chilling brilliant. Aragon and Selena's story is so sweet and romantic, and so full of love. I love the extra details to click onto regarding the history, myths and creatures, especially the magical elements of the story. I loved this series.
September 13, 2025
It must be tiresome to always be cognizant of social etiquette and what was considered to be proper. This behavior made it difficult for one to share their feelings with another. I can’t imagine how difficult that would be in this day and age.
I enjoyed seeing how brave the MFC was throughout the story. My heart was literally pumping a little faster as Selena overheard the conversation between her uncle and the black magic witch. That’s how I knew that this was gonna be a good book. I appreciated how kind, protective, and brave the author wrote for the MMC. Loved the HEA. I’m so glad this is a series. I plan to read them all.
I enjoyed seeing how brave the MFC was throughout the story. My heart was literally pumping a little faster as Selena overheard the conversation between her uncle and the black magic witch. That’s how I knew that this was gonna be a good book. I appreciated how kind, protective, and brave the author wrote for the MMC. Loved the HEA. I’m so glad this is a series. I plan to read them all.
March 30, 2022
This author has really captured the feeling and atmosphere of a classic Regency Romance - Selena Midor seems to have the sense, determination and spine of Georgette Heyer's Mary Challoner, with a similar storyline. The magical elements are made part of the story rather than token additions, much like what Shereem Vedam does in her The Cauldron Effect books or her The Rue Alliance series or Patricia Wrede does in her Mairelon series or her Cecilia and Kate books. I found this story to be spellbinding in all the best ways that a paranormal historical romance should be.
March 14, 2024
Is it love at first sight?
Escaping the nefarious scheming of her uncle and his black witch, Selena seeks refuge in a house of ill repute, where she meets Aragon, a ducal heir. Instead of robbing her of her innocence, Aragon decides to help her escape her predicament and enlists his parents’ help to present Selena to court as an additional protection against her uncle. Unbeknownst to each other, they soon develop a fierce attraction.
A delightful start of a fascinating series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Escaping the nefarious scheming of her uncle and his black witch, Selena seeks refuge in a house of ill repute, where she meets Aragon, a ducal heir. Instead of robbing her of her innocence, Aragon decides to help her escape her predicament and enlists his parents’ help to present Selena to court as an additional protection against her uncle. Unbeknownst to each other, they soon develop a fierce attraction.
A delightful start of a fascinating series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 3, 2022
Got an advance review copy (for free!), really enjoyed the book, and wanted to let the author know with this here voluntary review.
Four and a half stars rounding up. Fairytale-esque vibes from this one. No surprise I enjoyed it then since I've always been a lover of fairytales.
If you're as fond of them as I am, you might want to give this a try. I got sucked in right from the first page and REALLY enjoyed the chapters from Selena's POV. Hope she appears in another work by this author!
Four and a half stars rounding up. Fairytale-esque vibes from this one. No surprise I enjoyed it then since I've always been a lover of fairytales.
If you're as fond of them as I am, you might want to give this a try. I got sucked in right from the first page and REALLY enjoyed the chapters from Selena's POV. Hope she appears in another work by this author!
September 2, 2023
This is the first book I have read by this author and right away I was intrigued. She combines two of my favorite genres, historical and paranormal romancd, into one. Selena is a fascinating, smart, as well as strong lead female character and Aragon certainly is a fitting counterpart for her. I loved the world building, the characters and the story. Would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to read an interesting book
June 6, 2024
I wanted to like this more than I did because I liked the world building and the bits of lore hyperlinked to longer articles but there were some things about it that just didn't capture a regency vibe for me, like all the twases and twoulds. Kept taking me out of the story. I liked that the FMC was an artist and that the MMC encouraged her art. And it wasn't a bad read either. I'm sure there will be plenty that like it more than I did. It just didn't vibe as well with me.
October 4, 2025
Escape.
With such a dire situation that Selena is in, it was nice to see a really nice guy like Aragon step up to help. I liked the historical setting with mythical creatures and magic part of every day life. The romantic attraction along with cautious hesitation on both sides made for a slow burn. I always love a feel good HEA in the end!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
With such a dire situation that Selena is in, it was nice to see a really nice guy like Aragon step up to help. I liked the historical setting with mythical creatures and magic part of every day life. The romantic attraction along with cautious hesitation on both sides made for a slow burn. I always love a feel good HEA in the end!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 10, 2022
Selena is a gutsy, admirable young lady determined to thwart her uncle's evil plans for her. When she meets Aragon his protective nature is engaged and soon everyone except the two of them know that love is in the air. As they muddle through their feelings they must contend with danger, black magic and an evil menace.
January 18, 2023
Review
Started with "Enchanted Bird" but realized needed to read others first. Ended up enthralled and have read the whple series. It is a wonderful fantasy country, with characters that develops pleasingly. "Elementball" was a cute addition! Korea & Devon, When & Hawk, Selena & Aragon and all the other characters gave depth and feeling to the stories. Loved it all!!
Started with "Enchanted Bird" but realized needed to read others first. Ended up enthralled and have read the whple series. It is a wonderful fantasy country, with characters that develops pleasingly. "Elementball" was a cute addition! Korea & Devon, When & Hawk, Selena & Aragon and all the other characters gave depth and feeling to the stories. Loved it all!!
May 26, 2024
written for very young people?
Very formulaic with so called misunderstandings that are not believable throughout. Why throw in a witch when perfectly good criminals would do as well, probably because it is fashionable. I wouldn’t recommend but two stars because there are few mis-spellings.
Very formulaic with so called misunderstandings that are not believable throughout. Why throw in a witch when perfectly good criminals would do as well, probably because it is fashionable. I wouldn’t recommend but two stars because there are few mis-spellings.
April 29, 2022
What a sad and traumatizing beginning! This puts a new twist on human trafficking, an all-too common tragedy IRL.
But then all the talk about kissing made up for it. And then actual kissing. Then more kissing…
But then all the talk about kissing made up for it. And then actual kissing. Then more kissing…
June 8, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.This is a cute story about falling in love in unusual circumstances. I couldn't put it down. She tried so hard. Loved it.. Would highly recommend.
July 27, 2025
There were not any steamy scenes. He wanted her to choose him so he kept getting jealous of other men but never told her he wanted to court her. She wants him and keeps throwing herself at him and he refuses.
October 6, 2025
I read this for an ARC review- I loved this story ! it was so cute and the chivalry was just 😍🫶❤️ I like the twist with the parents while courting and teasing them on purpose but I was honestly hoping it was that !
January 24, 2022
I read it
What an interesting book. I can't believe it was written. It was like a romance book crossed with rubbish with a dash of historical romance and fae compliance.
What an interesting book. I can't believe it was written. It was like a romance book crossed with rubbish with a dash of historical romance and fae compliance.
May 5, 2023
Overall it was pretty interesting and a good start to the series.
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