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Solomon's Crown
Two destined rivals fall desperately in love—but the fate of medieval Europe hangs in the balance.
“A pair of thrones between us, and my heart clutched like a rosary within his hands ...”
Twelfth-century Europe. Newly-crowned King Philip of France is determined to restore his nation to its former empire and bring glory to his name. But when his greatest enemy, King Henry of England, threatens to end his reign before it can even begin, Philip is forced to make a precarious alliance with Henry’s volatile son—risking both his throne, and his heart.
Richard, Duke of Aquitaine, never thought he would be King. But when an unexpected tragedy makes him heir to England, he finally has an opportunity to overthrow the father he despises. At first, Philip is a useful tool in his quest for vengeance... until passion and politics collide, and Richard begins to question whether the crown is worth the cost.
When Philip and Richard find themselves staring down an impending war, they must choose between their desire for one another and their grand ambitions. Will their love prevail, if it calls to them from across the battlefield? Teeming with royal intrigue and betrayal, this epic romance reimagines two real-life kings ensnared by an impossible choice: Follow their hearts, or earn their place in history.
“A pair of thrones between us, and my heart clutched like a rosary within his hands ...”
Twelfth-century Europe. Newly-crowned King Philip of France is determined to restore his nation to its former empire and bring glory to his name. But when his greatest enemy, King Henry of England, threatens to end his reign before it can even begin, Philip is forced to make a precarious alliance with Henry’s volatile son—risking both his throne, and his heart.
Richard, Duke of Aquitaine, never thought he would be King. But when an unexpected tragedy makes him heir to England, he finally has an opportunity to overthrow the father he despises. At first, Philip is a useful tool in his quest for vengeance... until passion and politics collide, and Richard begins to question whether the crown is worth the cost.
When Philip and Richard find themselves staring down an impending war, they must choose between their desire for one another and their grand ambitions. Will their love prevail, if it calls to them from across the battlefield? Teeming with royal intrigue and betrayal, this epic romance reimagines two real-life kings ensnared by an impossible choice: Follow their hearts, or earn their place in history.
368 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2023
137 people are currently reading
18127 people want to read
About the author
Natasha Siegel
7 books371 followersNatasha Siegel is a writer of historical fiction. She was born and raised in London, where she grew up in a Danish-Jewish family surrounded by stories.
Her next book, As Many Souls As Stars, releases November 2025 with Bloomsbury UK / William Morrow.
She is represented by Catherine Cho at Paper Literary.
Her next book, As Many Souls As Stars, releases November 2025 with Bloomsbury UK / William Morrow.
She is represented by Catherine Cho at Paper Literary.
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April 21, 2023A romance novel about Richard the Lionheart and Philip II of France, which asks us upfront to accept that the characters "Richard of Aquitaine" and "Philip II" are not the actual Richard and Philip (who, it says upfront, sucked), but other people with the same names and positions and lives.
This means that "Philip" in the book presumably didn't recently rob, forcibly convert, and expel the Jews from France, and "Richard" wasn't loathed for his notoriously cruel and savage rule. ("Richard" also doesn't seem to be betrothed to "Philip"'s sister). I don't know if the book addresses Richard and Philip joining the Third Crusade (unprovoked fanatical religious war) together because I DNF'd; I doubt it mentions that Philip went on to preside over the Albigensian Crusade, a campaign of staggering brutality against some spectacularly harmless people who only wanted to be left alone. What I'm saying is, Richard was a violent psychopath and Philip was a calculating psychopath and they each had the blood of thousands on their hands and I...do not want to read a romance novel about them.
It's not about them. The foreword makes it clear that it's about these two other people of the same name who are all pining and yearning and Captive Princing for one another. But, this invites the question, why are they called Richard of Aquitaine and Philip of France? Why not do the Game of Thrones thing, use the history, rename the country and characters, and avoid all the above?
IMO, the answer is because this book's hook is Richard the Lionheart's gay love affair. (It's a great hook. Absolute props. I bought the book because of it.) Without that, this would be a romance novel about a couple of fictional princes, and there's a fair few of those. With it, it's a historical reimagining with heft.
But I don't think you can have it both ways. Either this is Richard and Philip or it's not. If it is, I hope they both step on medieval Lego for the pair of murderous bastards they were. If you can accept it's not, if you don't know anything about the Angevins (fair), if you're happy with historical fanfic, then it's a slow-burn prince romance with a lot of yearning, and I can well imagine people absolutely loving it on its own terms.
I don't know. It's a thousand years ago. Everyone would be dead anyway. Most people didn't spend a year of lockdown inexplicably and obsessively reading Angevin and Crusade history. /shifty look/ But I got two thirds in with increasing discomfort about all the things we were pretending didn't happen, and the unacknowledged human toll of this game of thrones, and I just couldn't buy into it.
YMMV. DNF at 67%.
This means that "Philip" in the book presumably didn't recently rob, forcibly convert, and expel the Jews from France, and "Richard" wasn't loathed for his notoriously cruel and savage rule. ("Richard" also doesn't seem to be betrothed to "Philip"'s sister). I don't know if the book addresses Richard and Philip joining the Third Crusade (unprovoked fanatical religious war) together because I DNF'd; I doubt it mentions that Philip went on to preside over the Albigensian Crusade, a campaign of staggering brutality against some spectacularly harmless people who only wanted to be left alone. What I'm saying is, Richard was a violent psychopath and Philip was a calculating psychopath and they each had the blood of thousands on their hands and I...do not want to read a romance novel about them.
It's not about them. The foreword makes it clear that it's about these two other people of the same name who are all pining and yearning and Captive Princing for one another. But, this invites the question, why are they called Richard of Aquitaine and Philip of France? Why not do the Game of Thrones thing, use the history, rename the country and characters, and avoid all the above?
IMO, the answer is because this book's hook is Richard the Lionheart's gay love affair. (It's a great hook. Absolute props. I bought the book because of it.) Without that, this would be a romance novel about a couple of fictional princes, and there's a fair few of those. With it, it's a historical reimagining with heft.
But I don't think you can have it both ways. Either this is Richard and Philip or it's not. If it is, I hope they both step on medieval Lego for the pair of murderous bastards they were. If you can accept it's not, if you don't know anything about the Angevins (fair), if you're happy with historical fanfic, then it's a slow-burn prince romance with a lot of yearning, and I can well imagine people absolutely loving it on its own terms.
I don't know. It's a thousand years ago. Everyone would be dead anyway. Most people didn't spend a year of lockdown inexplicably and obsessively reading Angevin and Crusade history. /shifty look/ But I got two thirds in with increasing discomfort about all the things we were pretending didn't happen, and the unacknowledged human toll of this game of thrones, and I just couldn't buy into it.
YMMV. DNF at 67%.
March 15, 2023
Looking for a story like The Song of Achilles but less tragic? Love rivals to lovers? Read Solomon’s Crown!
I didn’t know what to expect when I started Solomon’s Crown. I hoped to at least like the book by debut author Natasha Siegel, but boy, oh boy, this story is far more than likable. I loved it, even adored it! I knew this novel would at least be a four-star read when I started reading. And after closing my ereader, it didn’t surprise me that I pushed the five-star button so easily. Natasha immediately pulled me into the story of King Richard the Lionheart of England and King Philip Augustus of France, and I was in awe of her writing, which is incredibly lush and poetic.
As Natasha says in her author’s note, this book is not historically accurate. Philip and Richard aren’t intended to reflect the real-life Philip and Richard, except for their positions and family ties. Instead, Natasha wrote a story about wars and two men fighting themselves. A story about politics back then. A story about betrayal. A story about love. And even though those two men fought battles within themselves, they also acknowledged their feelings for each other. While I sobbed uncontrollably while reading Achilles’ and Patroclus’ story, Philip and Richard put a constant smile on my face.
Thank you, Random House Publishing Group, for sending me the eARC of Solomon’s Crown! You were so right when you said in your email that I’d probably enjoy this novel. I will always cherish those two men, their kingdoms, and even their terrible wars, and I can’t wait for what Natasha Siegel will write next!
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I didn’t know what to expect when I started Solomon’s Crown. I hoped to at least like the book by debut author Natasha Siegel, but boy, oh boy, this story is far more than likable. I loved it, even adored it! I knew this novel would at least be a four-star read when I started reading. And after closing my ereader, it didn’t surprise me that I pushed the five-star button so easily. Natasha immediately pulled me into the story of King Richard the Lionheart of England and King Philip Augustus of France, and I was in awe of her writing, which is incredibly lush and poetic.
As Natasha says in her author’s note, this book is not historically accurate. Philip and Richard aren’t intended to reflect the real-life Philip and Richard, except for their positions and family ties. Instead, Natasha wrote a story about wars and two men fighting themselves. A story about politics back then. A story about betrayal. A story about love. And even though those two men fought battles within themselves, they also acknowledged their feelings for each other. While I sobbed uncontrollably while reading Achilles’ and Patroclus’ story, Philip and Richard put a constant smile on my face.
Thank you, Random House Publishing Group, for sending me the eARC of Solomon’s Crown! You were so right when you said in your email that I’d probably enjoy this novel. I will always cherish those two men, their kingdoms, and even their terrible wars, and I can’t wait for what Natasha Siegel will write next!
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September 22, 2022
I wrote this book! SOLOMON'S CROWN is a genre-bending medievalist romance that is outspokenly alt-history and joyously queer. It takes inspiration from the events and people of the past, but the characters are entirely fictionalised. If you like the sound of ornate prose, rivals to lovers (and enemies to lovers), political intrigue, and pining across battlefields, I think you might enjoy it. I'm so excited to share it with everyone!
If you want to see content warnings, you can find them here on my website!
If you want to see content warnings, you can find them here on my website!
March 15, 2023
I think my problem, and what will likely be an issue for some readers, is that this takes so many liberties with the historical figures it uses -- and the author is upfront about this, both in the foreword and the author's note at the end, so it's not the liberties themselves I take issue with -- that I don't really know why Siegel didn't just write something original. Maybe it's to capture the historical fiction readers? The history buffs? To start (continue?) the discussion about the nature of these real peoples' relationship ala Patroclus and Achilles? I don't know. But for me, the historical element was both one of the few things I liked but also, I think, one of the reasons I couldn't get on board.
Also because, sadly, for all that the writing was incredibly easy to read, and easy to digest, it wasn't gripping. Little to no emotion was imparted, which didn't help me care about the characters, and while I understand the author wanted something joyful as opposed to gritty and dark, there was also no tension. The stakes should have been huge -- Philip was a King! Richard was heir to the throne and a Prince and Duke in his own right -- but like.. no tension. No angst. No risk. And, as a reader, no reward.
As for the romance, things move pretty quickly and get intense even quicker and I don't really understand how or why these things happened. I found it hard to understand them as individuals, beyond their basic traits, and why I should want them together; but I also think this was impeded by the fact that I heard too much of the author's voice in their characterization, if that makes sense? They didn't read true.
While I'm disappointed this wasn't a win, it wasn't one that I had been anticipating as this was offered to me directly from the publisher. It did sound interesting, or else I never would've signed on, but it's not quite the blow it would've been had this been on my radar before. I'm very thankful to have been offered this and think there is definitely an audience for this -- I can see many people enjoying it and some early readers already have! -- I just wasn't one of them.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Also because, sadly, for all that the writing was incredibly easy to read, and easy to digest, it wasn't gripping. Little to no emotion was imparted, which didn't help me care about the characters, and while I understand the author wanted something joyful as opposed to gritty and dark, there was also no tension. The stakes should have been huge -- Philip was a King! Richard was heir to the throne and a Prince and Duke in his own right -- but like.. no tension. No angst. No risk. And, as a reader, no reward.
As for the romance, things move pretty quickly and get intense even quicker and I don't really understand how or why these things happened. I found it hard to understand them as individuals, beyond their basic traits, and why I should want them together; but I also think this was impeded by the fact that I heard too much of the author's voice in their characterization, if that makes sense? They didn't read true.
While I'm disappointed this wasn't a win, it wasn't one that I had been anticipating as this was offered to me directly from the publisher. It did sound interesting, or else I never would've signed on, but it's not quite the blow it would've been had this been on my radar before. I'm very thankful to have been offered this and think there is definitely an audience for this -- I can see many people enjoying it and some early readers already have! -- I just wasn't one of them.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
June 27, 2023
So I randomly just picked this book up because I liked the cover… AND I fell in love with it!!!!
December 20, 2023
not to be so unserious but the 'S' in solomon's crown looks like shrek (affectionate)
king richard the lionheart and king philip augustus were god awful people and solomon’s crown makes no attempt at redemption. instead, natasha siegal draws from the skeleton of their position and family ties—two kings and two crowns.
in the author’s note at the start, she talks about combing through the history books and finding chronicles of both richard and philip being close enough as to have slept “in the same bed”, about how historians have bravely stepped forward in defense of both kings’ heterosexuality which is. so fucking funny actually. i'm kind of in love with natasha??
to add to the crowns, she asks: what if those two kings destined to be enemies at war ended up holding each other’s hearts?
i went in expecting pain, ready to reel from tragedy, a love doomed from the start. instead i left with page after page tabbed, pausing to scream, tears down my face.
this was the most romantic fucking story i’ve read in a long time.
which is an odd thing to say for a book constantly is on the precipice of war. it looms in the distance, hangs over every single moment. what both young kings have, you know cannot last. not just war in the literal sense, but an internal battle: a kingdom, a legacy, a country, a crown, the tainted family blood in their veins.
all of that, or this—making a choice, finding peace and solitude in one person, being known in a way you never thought possible, ripping up a legacy set in stone and remaking it, walking a path carved apart yet always finding their way once more.
the way it reimagines letters written through pieces of history in the making, the one piece of sacred honesty quietly passing through battlefields and deceit of politics. in a time where philip and richard bear titles as long and heavy as the burdens thrust upon then, simply being distilled down to this:
my philip. my richard.
“i think of you constantly. you are the sky above me and the ground below. you are the rain and the sun and the snow and the grass. you are winter and you are spring. i cannot escape you.”
king richard the lionheart and king philip augustus were god awful people and solomon’s crown makes no attempt at redemption. instead, natasha siegal draws from the skeleton of their position and family ties—two kings and two crowns.
in the author’s note at the start, she talks about combing through the history books and finding chronicles of both richard and philip being close enough as to have slept “in the same bed”, about how historians have bravely stepped forward in defense of both kings’ heterosexuality which is. so fucking funny actually. i'm kind of in love with natasha??
to add to the crowns, she asks: what if those two kings destined to be enemies at war ended up holding each other’s hearts?
i went in expecting pain, ready to reel from tragedy, a love doomed from the start. instead i left with page after page tabbed, pausing to scream, tears down my face.
this was the most romantic fucking story i’ve read in a long time.
which is an odd thing to say for a book constantly is on the precipice of war. it looms in the distance, hangs over every single moment. what both young kings have, you know cannot last. not just war in the literal sense, but an internal battle: a kingdom, a legacy, a country, a crown, the tainted family blood in their veins.
all of that, or this—making a choice, finding peace and solitude in one person, being known in a way you never thought possible, ripping up a legacy set in stone and remaking it, walking a path carved apart yet always finding their way once more.
the way it reimagines letters written through pieces of history in the making, the one piece of sacred honesty quietly passing through battlefields and deceit of politics. in a time where philip and richard bear titles as long and heavy as the burdens thrust upon then, simply being distilled down to this:
my philip. my richard.
January 24, 2023
Solomon's Crown is a book with beautiful writing but a lackluster plot. Though there were moments that I really enjoyed, ultimately I know this book will fade from memory rather quickly.
Richard and Philip's relationship is very sweet. There are so many beautiful lines about power, love, responsibility, and pain as the two characters reflect on their feelings for each other. But underneath the pretty prose, there is no substance to either the romance or the characters themselves. And honestly, many of the comments and internal battles became incredibly repetitive. By the end of the story, I didn't feel like I knew Philip or Richard as characters. Years passed and wars were fought but neither of them really grew as characters. Their relationship was rather boring. There was a hint of tension in places (there are literal wars how was I bored) but they really went from strangers to in love almost instantly. There was no time spent on them falling in love; none of the romantic tension or passion that I love. It was just lust and politics.
The book starts off really slow. I wasn't interested until about 40% when we start to get hints of a romance. But then we skip straight to "I love you" and the book spends the rest of the time on nonsensical political strategy. I will always support a romantic subplot especially if the main plot has interesting politics or scheming. But I genuinely could not follow the logic of the war. This is especially painful when Philip is portrayed as an excellent strategist. The conflicts were almost always solved with "I lied" or "I changed my mind" which was incredibly illogical and unsatisfying.
I think this book suffered from the remaining attachments to the historical inspiration. Having read the author's notes at the beginning and end of the book, I admire the inspiration and the transparency about the liberties Siegal took in writing this reimagining. However, I wish this book had committed to being an original story. The historical ties are so loose that they might as well not be there. Abandoning the inspiration could have forced the added substance that the story is lacking. I also think the historical context contributed to the abrupt ending. As I was reading the last chapters I was afraid that it would turn out to be the start of the series because it felt impossible to wrap up the story in such a short time. I understand that a story tied to real-life events needs to have a rather open ending but it felt unsatisfying. Even a "10-20 years in the future" epilogue would have made it better. This could have become a fantastic fantasy romance akin to A Strange and Stubborn Endurance or A Taste of Gold and Iron, but I admit that is my personal preference.
I have so many mixed feelings about this book. I struggled to get into this book but finished the last half in one sitting. Though I thought the romance was lazy I still enjoyed reading about it. Siegal's writing is beautiful and I highlighted so many lines but the story lacks substance. Philip and Richard were flat but Isabella, Philip's wife, was incredible. I enjoyed most of my time with this book but it is ultimately forgettable.
Note: Though my initial rating was 3.5 stars, after less than 24 hours my enjoyment has already faded and I lowered my rating to 3 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy!
Links to my TikTok | Instagram
Richard and Philip's relationship is very sweet. There are so many beautiful lines about power, love, responsibility, and pain as the two characters reflect on their feelings for each other. But underneath the pretty prose, there is no substance to either the romance or the characters themselves. And honestly, many of the comments and internal battles became incredibly repetitive. By the end of the story, I didn't feel like I knew Philip or Richard as characters. Years passed and wars were fought but neither of them really grew as characters. Their relationship was rather boring. There was a hint of tension in places (there are literal wars how was I bored) but they really went from strangers to in love almost instantly. There was no time spent on them falling in love; none of the romantic tension or passion that I love. It was just lust and politics.
The book starts off really slow. I wasn't interested until about 40% when we start to get hints of a romance. But then we skip straight to "I love you" and the book spends the rest of the time on nonsensical political strategy. I will always support a romantic subplot especially if the main plot has interesting politics or scheming. But I genuinely could not follow the logic of the war. This is especially painful when Philip is portrayed as an excellent strategist. The conflicts were almost always solved with "I lied" or "I changed my mind" which was incredibly illogical and unsatisfying.
I think this book suffered from the remaining attachments to the historical inspiration. Having read the author's notes at the beginning and end of the book, I admire the inspiration and the transparency about the liberties Siegal took in writing this reimagining. However, I wish this book had committed to being an original story. The historical ties are so loose that they might as well not be there. Abandoning the inspiration could have forced the added substance that the story is lacking. I also think the historical context contributed to the abrupt ending. As I was reading the last chapters I was afraid that it would turn out to be the start of the series because it felt impossible to wrap up the story in such a short time. I understand that a story tied to real-life events needs to have a rather open ending but it felt unsatisfying. Even a "10-20 years in the future" epilogue would have made it better. This could have become a fantastic fantasy romance akin to A Strange and Stubborn Endurance or A Taste of Gold and Iron, but I admit that is my personal preference.
I have so many mixed feelings about this book. I struggled to get into this book but finished the last half in one sitting. Though I thought the romance was lazy I still enjoyed reading about it. Siegal's writing is beautiful and I highlighted so many lines but the story lacks substance. Philip and Richard were flat but Isabella, Philip's wife, was incredible. I enjoyed most of my time with this book but it is ultimately forgettable.
Note: Though my initial rating was 3.5 stars, after less than 24 hours my enjoyment has already faded and I lowered my rating to 3 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy!
Links to my TikTok | Instagram
August 26, 2023
This was excellent. Y’all need to pick this up immediately!
February 4, 2025
2025 reread: I rarely reread books, and I think this is the first time I actually re-listened to an audiobook. It's that good for me. I don't know, it's just so beautiful and romantic. Lots of emotions, but all I can say is I loved it even more this time around. (also please listen to the audiobook, it's great!)
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Hands down in my top 3 books of 2023!!!
Why have I never heard about Richard the Lionheart and Philip II Augustus being "very good friends" and sharing a bed?
I saw people hating on this book because it doesn't follow history, and I'm so confused? I really didn't care about that, and also the book literally opens with a foreword preparing the reader for this. The emphasis is on relationships, especially between Philip and Richard, but also Philip and his wife Isabella, and between Richard and his brothers and father. Politics are in the background, but they still mould these relationships a lot, so I would say it's still a significant part of the novel.
I honestly don't care about the real life people these characters were based on (I understand they were terrible people). But the writing is so good and lyrical, and I absolutely loved the romance, I mean two kings (king and a duke) who are supposed to be enemies, but who can't stay away from each other? Also at one point they are enemies and also lovers and I think that's just beautiful. There's so many iconic scenes, and I so appreciate the happy (open) ending.
I can't finish this review without mentioning that the audiobook is a masterpiece, I loved both narrators and I miss listening to it! If you love historic fiction, you should totally go for it!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hands down in my top 3 books of 2023!!!
Why have I never heard about Richard the Lionheart and Philip II Augustus being "very good friends" and sharing a bed?
I saw people hating on this book because it doesn't follow history, and I'm so confused? I really didn't care about that, and also the book literally opens with a foreword preparing the reader for this. The emphasis is on relationships, especially between Philip and Richard, but also Philip and his wife Isabella, and between Richard and his brothers and father. Politics are in the background, but they still mould these relationships a lot, so I would say it's still a significant part of the novel.
I honestly don't care about the real life people these characters were based on (I understand they were terrible people). But the writing is so good and lyrical, and I absolutely loved the romance, I mean two kings (king and a duke) who are supposed to be enemies, but who can't stay away from each other? Also at one point they are enemies and also lovers and I think that's just beautiful. There's so many iconic scenes, and I so appreciate the happy (open) ending.
I can't finish this review without mentioning that the audiobook is a masterpiece, I loved both narrators and I miss listening to it! If you love historic fiction, you should totally go for it!
May 1, 2025
"What am I then? If not dull?" "I do not know, he replied. "A contradiction. An enemy, an ally. A question and an answer.”
“I think of you constantly. You are the sky above me and the ground below, you are the rain and the sun and the snow and the grass. You are winter and you are spring. I cannot escape you.”
I wish I could convince myself that this is the true story of Richard the Lionheart and Philip Augustus. While the author has made it clear that this tale is only inspired by the historical figures and not the accounts recorded in history books, it’s hard not to wish it were real. Yes, this is essentially fan fiction, but isn’t all historical fiction just fan fiction that’s gone mainstream?
Philip’s character in the book is deeply shaped by the weight of the crown. Historically, Philip Augustus was one of the most successful kings of medieval France, known for expanding his kingdom and reclaiming lost cities from England. In this story, the fictional Philip mirrors that drive and ambition, remaining fiercely focused on his kingdom. Yet, he is also portrayed as a man who falls deeply in love with the very person destined to be his rival.
As for Richard the Lionheart, he is one of the most famous kings in history, celebrated as a skilled military commander and remembered for his death in his 40s during the Crusades. The book’s version of Richard captures his charm and leadership, as well as the inner conflict caused by his family dynamics and the looming responsibility of becoming King of England.
“For the rest of our lives, we would be as dusk and dawn; one's ascendancy would cause the other's fall. Perhaps, in that way, we could never truly part.”
One of the most remarkable things in this book is how the author blends the historical aspects of these two kings into her fictional characters. Though much of the story is imaginative, it’s built on the complex real-life relationship between Richard and Philip, which involved political alliances, battles, and even historical rumours of a romantic or sexual connection.
“I was certain of so little, my fear was nothing less than a disease, it had been my entire life. But I loved him, and that was enough. King or no - it no longer mattered. I needed to be nothing but his.”
In this book, Richard and Philip wrestle with the realities of their connection amidst political betrayals and shifting allegiances. Yet, there are tender moments where they carve out private spaces to be men without crowns, vulnerable and honest with one another.
Still, the uncertainty of their relationship is always present throughout the story. Fittingly, the book doesn’t end with a traditional HEA or even an HFN. Instead, it concludes with them choosing love above all else, an ending I like to imagine as an alternate version of history that, in some way, might have been true.
“I think of you constantly. You are the sky above me and the ground below, you are the rain and the sun and the snow and the grass. You are winter and you are spring. I cannot escape you.”
I wish I could convince myself that this is the true story of Richard the Lionheart and Philip Augustus. While the author has made it clear that this tale is only inspired by the historical figures and not the accounts recorded in history books, it’s hard not to wish it were real. Yes, this is essentially fan fiction, but isn’t all historical fiction just fan fiction that’s gone mainstream?
Philip’s character in the book is deeply shaped by the weight of the crown. Historically, Philip Augustus was one of the most successful kings of medieval France, known for expanding his kingdom and reclaiming lost cities from England. In this story, the fictional Philip mirrors that drive and ambition, remaining fiercely focused on his kingdom. Yet, he is also portrayed as a man who falls deeply in love with the very person destined to be his rival.
As for Richard the Lionheart, he is one of the most famous kings in history, celebrated as a skilled military commander and remembered for his death in his 40s during the Crusades. The book’s version of Richard captures his charm and leadership, as well as the inner conflict caused by his family dynamics and the looming responsibility of becoming King of England.
“For the rest of our lives, we would be as dusk and dawn; one's ascendancy would cause the other's fall. Perhaps, in that way, we could never truly part.”
One of the most remarkable things in this book is how the author blends the historical aspects of these two kings into her fictional characters. Though much of the story is imaginative, it’s built on the complex real-life relationship between Richard and Philip, which involved political alliances, battles, and even historical rumours of a romantic or sexual connection.
“I was certain of so little, my fear was nothing less than a disease, it had been my entire life. But I loved him, and that was enough. King or no - it no longer mattered. I needed to be nothing but his.”
In this book, Richard and Philip wrestle with the realities of their connection amidst political betrayals and shifting allegiances. Yet, there are tender moments where they carve out private spaces to be men without crowns, vulnerable and honest with one another.
Still, the uncertainty of their relationship is always present throughout the story. Fittingly, the book doesn’t end with a traditional HEA or even an HFN. Instead, it concludes with them choosing love above all else, an ending I like to imagine as an alternate version of history that, in some way, might have been true.
July 22, 2022
Gorgeous, aching, romantic. I loved every moment of this book -- the dreaminess of the prose, the commentary on ambition, the complicated families and political machinations at play -- but most of all the love story at its center.
October 18, 2023
history hates lovers
December 5, 2022
This was so good, I loved EVERY MINUTE, every PAGE.
It’s Richard I/Philip II fanfic/RPF and I’m so here for it. They’re one of those “were they lovers?” situations. (Historians just love telling us how two kings sleeping in the same bed was a PR move/political statement. Sure, Jan.) And frankly they lived 1000 years ago so it’s damn near impossible to get a definitive answer but who cares? They lived a THOUSAND YEARS AGO. To us, they have always been and will always be characters in a story. This author is just using them to tell her own story. (In the author’s note she admits to playing fast and loose with historical accuracy - in that there is very little of it.)
The family drama between Richard, his father the king, and his brothers was compelling and had me invested. I know a (small) bit about the Angevins and the Plantagenets (Henry II, Richard the Lionheart and King John included) and I thought it was a very believable way for their stories to unfold. (Any historical knowledge is fairly irrelevant to this book, but the history nerd in me was very excited to see the Eleanor of Aquitaine cameo. 😆) I was completely invested. The development of the relationship between Richard and Philip was a delicious slow burn and totally had me all in from the beginning.
I thought this was poignant and beautifully written. The scenes between Philip and Richard are full of unspoken feelings, angst, electricity and sensuality. There are incredible declarations of love and desire. The big question, though, is: will it end like Captive Prince, with two kings in love coming together to rule both kingdoms in peace, or like Song of Achilles, doomed to their fate and parted by death? I was internally screaming through the last 1/3 of the book!
Tropes and story elements:
* rivals/enemies to lovers
* slow burn
* royalty
* family drama
* high stakes political shenanigans
* “it could never work”
* longing
* so much longing
Other pertinent info:
* historical fiction
* romance
* medieval setting
* queer MCs (m/m)
* dual POV
* closed door
cw: a gruesome boar hunt /animal death, other deaths by various medieval means
It’s Richard I/Philip II fanfic/RPF and I’m so here for it. They’re one of those “were they lovers?” situations. (Historians just love telling us how two kings sleeping in the same bed was a PR move/political statement. Sure, Jan.) And frankly they lived 1000 years ago so it’s damn near impossible to get a definitive answer but who cares? They lived a THOUSAND YEARS AGO. To us, they have always been and will always be characters in a story. This author is just using them to tell her own story. (In the author’s note she admits to playing fast and loose with historical accuracy - in that there is very little of it.)
The family drama between Richard, his father the king, and his brothers was compelling and had me invested. I know a (small) bit about the Angevins and the Plantagenets (Henry II, Richard the Lionheart and King John included) and I thought it was a very believable way for their stories to unfold. (Any historical knowledge is fairly irrelevant to this book, but the history nerd in me was very excited to see the Eleanor of Aquitaine cameo. 😆) I was completely invested. The development of the relationship between Richard and Philip was a delicious slow burn and totally had me all in from the beginning.
I thought this was poignant and beautifully written. The scenes between Philip and Richard are full of unspoken feelings, angst, electricity and sensuality. There are incredible declarations of love and desire. The big question, though, is: will it end like Captive Prince, with two kings in love coming together to rule both kingdoms in peace, or like Song of Achilles, doomed to their fate and parted by death? I was internally screaming through the last 1/3 of the book!
Tropes and story elements:
* rivals/enemies to lovers
* slow burn
* royalty
* family drama
* high stakes political shenanigans
* “it could never work”
* longing
* so much longing
Other pertinent info:
* historical fiction
* romance
* medieval setting
* queer MCs (m/m)
* dual POV
* closed door
cw: a gruesome boar hunt /animal death, other deaths by various medieval means
November 13, 2025
I was skeptical of some negative reviews -- I got the impression that "Solomon's Crown" might play with its historical setting with the same verve (though not the same comedy) as Gaby Hutchinson Crouch does with the historical setting of "Cursed Under London." Alas no. One difficulty is that Richard and Philip just don't get enough time together for their mutual passion to be intelligible, so what we get is the unconvincing authorial "Because I say so."
Also ... These are alienating characters, with their machinations, their mutual betrayals, the obsession with hierarchy and legacy. They're not just entangled with a system that depends on power, lordship, and territorial control: they are that system. A writer needs extraordinary empathy for such people, especially when they're so distant historically, and an extraordinary ability to put that empathy into words if she's to make us feel it too; I think that Siegel must feel that empathy, or she wouldn't have written this book, but she's not up to the task of bringing us into Richard and Philip's inner lives. Over and over, Richard says that Philip is everything to him, but what, besides Philip's apparently being pretty, has so enchanted him? As for Philip, he's more alive in his friendship with his wife, Isabella, than he is with respect to Richard.
Back to the business of how much time Philip and Richard (don't) spend together and whether we can believe in their great love. Much as in a genre romance, their relationship really has to be the engine of the story, because frankly nobody reading this is going to give a rat's ass about who sits on the throne of England or how much territory Philip can reclaim. Those matters are of historical import, sure, and I can imagine a work of history that makes them fascinating, but at the remove of a thousand years the stakes don't matter emotionally. What reader is going to lose sleep over whether Richard gets to keep Aquitaine? But almost all the action of the novel concerns the machinations of a bunch of bloodthirsty princelings. Ugh, and also *yawn.*
(Actually, what could easily be made to matter emotionally to a 21st-century reader is the experience of the common people or the soldiery, whose lives are upended and who suffer for the sake of royal pride.)
Anyway, the audiobook had hit 81%, with something like two hours still to go, and I could not bring myself to touch that little Play arrow again. Only the narrators, who are very very good, had kept me going that long. They're responsible for the third star.
PS: someone needs to tell Natasha Siegel, and her copyeditor, the difference between a ship and a boat.
Also ... These are alienating characters, with their machinations, their mutual betrayals, the obsession with hierarchy and legacy. They're not just entangled with a system that depends on power, lordship, and territorial control: they are that system. A writer needs extraordinary empathy for such people, especially when they're so distant historically, and an extraordinary ability to put that empathy into words if she's to make us feel it too; I think that Siegel must feel that empathy, or she wouldn't have written this book, but she's not up to the task of bringing us into Richard and Philip's inner lives. Over and over, Richard says that Philip is everything to him, but what, besides Philip's apparently being pretty, has so enchanted him? As for Philip, he's more alive in his friendship with his wife, Isabella, than he is with respect to Richard.
Back to the business of how much time Philip and Richard (don't) spend together and whether we can believe in their great love. Much as in a genre romance, their relationship really has to be the engine of the story, because frankly nobody reading this is going to give a rat's ass about who sits on the throne of England or how much territory Philip can reclaim. Those matters are of historical import, sure, and I can imagine a work of history that makes them fascinating, but at the remove of a thousand years the stakes don't matter emotionally. What reader is going to lose sleep over whether Richard gets to keep Aquitaine? But almost all the action of the novel concerns the machinations of a bunch of bloodthirsty princelings. Ugh, and also *yawn.*
(Actually, what could easily be made to matter emotionally to a 21st-century reader is the experience of the common people or the soldiery, whose lives are upended and who suffer for the sake of royal pride.)
Anyway, the audiobook had hit 81%, with something like two hours still to go, and I could not bring myself to touch that little Play arrow again. Only the narrators, who are very very good, had kept me going that long. They're responsible for the third star.
PS: someone needs to tell Natasha Siegel, and her copyeditor, the difference between a ship and a boat.
July 30, 2023
gay historical retellings is truly my favorite genre and this will join its ranks.
I absolutely loved this with all of my heart. I am baffled by the fact that this is the author’s debut and I am SO excited to see what they do next.
the writing was gorgeous. there were so many quotes I physically reacted to both from despair and pure joy.
a part of me wishes it ended in more of a tragedy per historical events, but there’s something to be said about keeping it hopeful and open ended.
please read this book. it deserves so much more recognition.
I absolutely loved this with all of my heart. I am baffled by the fact that this is the author’s debut and I am SO excited to see what they do next.
the writing was gorgeous. there were so many quotes I physically reacted to both from despair and pure joy.
a part of me wishes it ended in more of a tragedy per historical events, but there’s something to be said about keeping it hopeful and open ended.
please read this book. it deserves so much more recognition.
July 9, 2023
What a stunning book. Captivated.
March 21, 2023
It absolutely pains me to say this but my most anticipated book of 2023 ended up being a massive disappointment. Allow me to grieve.
My main problem with this book is that Richard and Philip’s relationship was barely even developed. Their attraction to each other came out of nowhere. They didn’t talk, didn’t spend time together, didn’t have any banter, any heart-to-heart moments, nothing! And yet I was supposed to believe they were in love…… They were basically strangers!!! At some point, they say “Does it occur to you that we hardly know each other, not really?” and I laughed because IT’S SO TRUE?!?! Yet, somehow, they’re deeply in love??? It just didn’t make any sense!
The writing was absolutely beautiful, and there were soooo many incredible passages I underlined and adored! However, because their relationship wasn’t developed and they basically just fell in love for no reason, I felt absolutely nothing while reading their romantic moments. 😐 It is really difficult to write gorgeous romantic scenes and make me feel zero emotions, but Natasha Siegel managed to accomplish that, by simply giving me no reasons to even believe these 2 would be in love. 🙃🙃🙃
Anyways. I am incredibly sad and disappointed. I genuinely thought this would become a new all-time favourite, but instead it became a new giant let-down.
(review written on 21/03/2023)
------------
(22/07/2022)
"a queer, alt-history reimagining of two medieval kings who fall into a forbidden affair and must choose between betraying one another for the sake of their legacies, or following their hearts."
➼ in the vein of "The Song of Achilles"
➼ pining across battlefields
➼ bisexual jousting
➼ rivals to lovers
➼ forbidden love
➼ royal intrigue and betrayal
➼ "Everything I feel is you, Philip. You are my fear, and my fury, and my most fervent hope." x
➼ “A pair of thrones between us, and my heart clutched like a rosary within his hands...”
plus, look at the art!!!!!!
TAKE MY MONEY!!!
My main problem with this book is that Richard and Philip’s relationship was barely even developed. Their attraction to each other came out of nowhere. They didn’t talk, didn’t spend time together, didn’t have any banter, any heart-to-heart moments, nothing! And yet I was supposed to believe they were in love…… They were basically strangers!!! At some point, they say “Does it occur to you that we hardly know each other, not really?” and I laughed because IT’S SO TRUE?!?! Yet, somehow, they’re deeply in love??? It just didn’t make any sense!
The writing was absolutely beautiful, and there were soooo many incredible passages I underlined and adored! However, because their relationship wasn’t developed and they basically just fell in love for no reason, I felt absolutely nothing while reading their romantic moments. 😐 It is really difficult to write gorgeous romantic scenes and make me feel zero emotions, but Natasha Siegel managed to accomplish that, by simply giving me no reasons to even believe these 2 would be in love. 🙃🙃🙃
Anyways. I am incredibly sad and disappointed. I genuinely thought this would become a new all-time favourite, but instead it became a new giant let-down.
(review written on 21/03/2023)
------------
(22/07/2022)
"a queer, alt-history reimagining of two medieval kings who fall into a forbidden affair and must choose between betraying one another for the sake of their legacies, or following their hearts."
➼ in the vein of "The Song of Achilles"
➼ pining across battlefields
➼ bisexual jousting
➼ rivals to lovers
➼ forbidden love
➼ royal intrigue and betrayal
➼ "Everything I feel is you, Philip. You are my fear, and my fury, and my most fervent hope." x
➼ “A pair of thrones between us, and my heart clutched like a rosary within his hands...”
plus, look at the art!!!!!!
TAKE MY MONEY!!!
February 8, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I'm rating "Solomon's Crown" three stars, which to me means a good, solid book, though I would say it's closer to 3.5. I very much enjoyed the dual points of view, moving back and forth between Richard the Lionheart and Philip II of France. It's history re-imagined, and the author is quite up-front about that before the book begins. I'm a huge history nerd and was a history major, but did not have a problem with the author re-conceptualizing some of the history involved. Others might, though, and fair enough.
I did very recently see a regional theater production of "The Lion in Winter," and read the play by James Goldman that same morning, and I have seen the Katherine Hepburn-Peter O'Toole movie MANY times. I also recently read the first in Sharon Kay Penman's series on the Plantagenets. Thus, I'll admit it was sometimes difficult to put all those aside while reading "Solomon's Crown," especially focusing as it did mostly on Richard and Philip, and to a lesser degree on Richard's brothers, Geoffrey and John, and not as much on Henry II and Eleanor of Acquitaine. However, Natasha Siegel did an excellent job with the characters at hand, as well as evoking the times and the characters' conflicts, and in the end, I would recommend this book to a wide variety of people.
I'm rating "Solomon's Crown" three stars, which to me means a good, solid book, though I would say it's closer to 3.5. I very much enjoyed the dual points of view, moving back and forth between Richard the Lionheart and Philip II of France. It's history re-imagined, and the author is quite up-front about that before the book begins. I'm a huge history nerd and was a history major, but did not have a problem with the author re-conceptualizing some of the history involved. Others might, though, and fair enough.
I did very recently see a regional theater production of "The Lion in Winter," and read the play by James Goldman that same morning, and I have seen the Katherine Hepburn-Peter O'Toole movie MANY times. I also recently read the first in Sharon Kay Penman's series on the Plantagenets. Thus, I'll admit it was sometimes difficult to put all those aside while reading "Solomon's Crown," especially focusing as it did mostly on Richard and Philip, and to a lesser degree on Richard's brothers, Geoffrey and John, and not as much on Henry II and Eleanor of Acquitaine. However, Natasha Siegel did an excellent job with the characters at hand, as well as evoking the times and the characters' conflicts, and in the end, I would recommend this book to a wide variety of people.
April 2, 2023
❤️ Solomon's Crown - Natasha Siegel ❤️
📚 historical fiction
💘 forbidden romance
🌈 gay awakening
🗡 plotting and war
👑 court intrigues
📚 historical fiction
💘 forbidden romance
🌈 gay awakening
🗡 plotting and war
👑 court intrigues
April 4, 2023
I LOVED this book. I don't think it's going to be everyone's cup of tea, especially if you're a history buff because liberties were taken with the story. The author does include author's notes in the front AND back of the book (this is included in the audiobook as well) where she says she did her own reimagining with the characters, so you can't be surprised when this book doesn't follow exactly to events in history? I would say a lot of what sticks to history is in name only and the events of how certain characters die still seems similar to what is assumed to have happened in real life, but everything else is very, very much fiction.
I knew nothing about the characters on which this story was based and only read the Wikipedia entries about halfway through this book, and I had a great time with this story. But yeah, everyone involved or mentioned in this book sounds to be pretty awful people in real life, so I would recommend skipping learning about the real life people the characters are based on and treat this book like the fiction that it is instead for maximum enjoyment.
Content notes include animal death (boar during a hunt), blackmail, parental deaths, sibling deaths, abuse, marriage with an underage child takes place (but nothing sexual happens for many years), illness, battle scenes, murder, and scene with a childbirth scare.
In this story, we follow Richard, Duke of Aquitaine (more famously known as Richard the Lionheart), and King Philip II of France. They meet as young men, and slowly fall for one another through the years. I thought this was a lovely story and I loved both characters in this book.
I don't know if this is for everyone, but what I loved most is that this book doesn't shy away from a little battle strategy and mentions of war. Not necessarily even between the two, but England and France were never friends, especially not in those days. We don't see a lot of battle scenes, but enough where I realize how much I miss reading fantasy and AU history stories with lots of battle strategies and sword fighting. I MISS IT SO MUCH.
I am confused why early comps for this book compared it to The Song of Achilles and I'm not sure if that's still happening. If you're after The Song of Achilles here, I don't think you'd find it. Sure, it's a kind of historical setting and this has a m/m romance in it, but I don't think it gives TSOA vibes. This is more...Captive Prince without all the problematic bits. You have the heads of rival kingdoms, a slow burn romance, and a lot of political intrigue. This book has its sad moments, but some one-off funny parts as well that helps break up the tension.
On the whole, I think this book was lovely and ends with a very satisfying HFN where you can believe that the characters are very much in love and happy as they are at the end of the book. And I feel very okay with that and love the book. Even though this is a standalone book, I think this book still manages to capture the feel of a slow burn romance just because so much time passes between meetings. You can only travel so fast on horseback across the country, you know?
I think one thing the book was missing (or at least in the e-ARC and audiobooks I had) is a map. We get a family tree with the text, but I'm whatever about the family tree being included honestly. I think the most important thing we needed with this story is a map of all the places mentioned in this book and what the countries looked like back in the day this story is based on, because current maps obviously don't work here and boundaries have shifted in the time since. I spent ages baffled at the significance of Richard having Aquitaine and why his father (King Henry II, otherwise known as Henry Plantagenet) was so pissed Richard had that piece of land before I saw a map and realized how large the land was compared to even England and France at the time. So, yeah, maps would've been nice with this book.
THE weirdest part in this book, and I don't see it mentioned enough, is the beginning chapter where Richard narrates his own birth. Is it necessary? I THINK NOT. First-person POV of your own birth is very weird. Add in the fact that this is part of the prologue, and for the most part I find prologues extraneous, and the whole thing could have been cut out and nothing would be lost. The whole prologue leaves me baffled and should've been on the chopping block during edits. I listened to the final version of this book on audio, and the prologue remains.
This book is mostly centered around Philip and Richard's romance, while Philip is married to his wife Isabella. Is it cheating? The way this story handles Philip and Isabella's relationship is fine to me, but might not be for others. They are a marriage of convenience and it's not like Richard didn't sleep with others while he was away from Philip. Richard is suggested to be bisexual in this book, and Philip is gay and doesn't actually feel sexual attraction towards his wife. But, you know, royalty and duty and heirs is a thing that must happen, and does happen in this book. So, just thought I'd mention that. I actually do love Isabella a lot and this is yet another book where I'm like, WHAT IF THIS BOOK WAS POLYAM and Richard was attracted to Isabella as well as being attracted to Philip? But alas, no such luck.
One thing I am sad about is that there weren't any special editions made of this book by any book boxes or online retailers. The physical paperback of this is so plain. WHERE IS THE FOIL? The French flaps? The paperback is very basic and I was disappointed seeing it in person and the publisher should've done more. I'm still going to buy the book because I loved the story, but I'm also going to be annoyed the publisher did nothing fancy for this book.
I prefer this book on audiobook more than reading it in text, although I will buy a physical copy of this book too. This book is told in first-person and not quite alternating chapters, but they switch out when the story calls for it. And the thing is, I found that reading this book by text, it was hard to tell who's chapter was whose if I put the book down and picked it back up awhile later. The voices for the characters just seemed too similar from the text alone.
The audiobook narration is very well done. It actually has two narrators, Ben Allen as Philip and Steve West as Richard. I've listened to Steve West and had no issues with his narration. I quite love his narration actually. I was under the impression he only used this name while narrating with an American accent but apparently not. But I did find myself having trouble with Ben Allen at first because the sound seemed to go in and out at random times (I listen with headphones if that makes a difference). The volume seems to fix itself in later chapters so it winded up not bothering me as I listened to more of the audiobook, but the quality of the sound was very weird at the beginning. I came to really like his narration by the end of the book and look forward to checking out more of his audiobooks! I feel like I should point this out since this almost NEVER happens, but at the end of the audiobook, they do mention which audiobook narrator voiced which character and I think that's fun. Audiobooks usually leave you guessing who voiced which character and never tell you.
This book is Natasha Siegel's debut novel, and I look forward to any new books she writes in the future! This book was a joy to read and I enjoyed the story and reimagining of the characters in this book, and I can't wait to see what other books she comes out with!
***Thanks to the publisher for giving me a copy of the e-ARC and audiobook for review!!***
I knew nothing about the characters on which this story was based and only read the Wikipedia entries about halfway through this book, and I had a great time with this story. But yeah, everyone involved or mentioned in this book sounds to be pretty awful people in real life, so I would recommend skipping learning about the real life people the characters are based on and treat this book like the fiction that it is instead for maximum enjoyment.
Content notes include animal death (boar during a hunt), blackmail, parental deaths, sibling deaths, abuse, marriage with an underage child takes place (but nothing sexual happens for many years), illness, battle scenes, murder, and scene with a childbirth scare.
In this story, we follow Richard, Duke of Aquitaine (more famously known as Richard the Lionheart), and King Philip II of France. They meet as young men, and slowly fall for one another through the years. I thought this was a lovely story and I loved both characters in this book.
I don't know if this is for everyone, but what I loved most is that this book doesn't shy away from a little battle strategy and mentions of war. Not necessarily even between the two, but England and France were never friends, especially not in those days. We don't see a lot of battle scenes, but enough where I realize how much I miss reading fantasy and AU history stories with lots of battle strategies and sword fighting. I MISS IT SO MUCH.
I am confused why early comps for this book compared it to The Song of Achilles and I'm not sure if that's still happening. If you're after The Song of Achilles here, I don't think you'd find it. Sure, it's a kind of historical setting and this has a m/m romance in it, but I don't think it gives TSOA vibes. This is more...Captive Prince without all the problematic bits. You have the heads of rival kingdoms, a slow burn romance, and a lot of political intrigue. This book has its sad moments, but some one-off funny parts as well that helps break up the tension.
On the whole, I think this book was lovely and ends with a very satisfying HFN where you can believe that the characters are very much in love and happy as they are at the end of the book. And I feel very okay with that and love the book. Even though this is a standalone book, I think this book still manages to capture the feel of a slow burn romance just because so much time passes between meetings. You can only travel so fast on horseback across the country, you know?
I think one thing the book was missing (or at least in the e-ARC and audiobooks I had) is a map. We get a family tree with the text, but I'm whatever about the family tree being included honestly. I think the most important thing we needed with this story is a map of all the places mentioned in this book and what the countries looked like back in the day this story is based on, because current maps obviously don't work here and boundaries have shifted in the time since. I spent ages baffled at the significance of Richard having Aquitaine and why his father (King Henry II, otherwise known as Henry Plantagenet) was so pissed Richard had that piece of land before I saw a map and realized how large the land was compared to even England and France at the time. So, yeah, maps would've been nice with this book.
THE weirdest part in this book, and I don't see it mentioned enough, is the beginning chapter where Richard narrates his own birth. Is it necessary? I THINK NOT. First-person POV of your own birth is very weird. Add in the fact that this is part of the prologue, and for the most part I find prologues extraneous, and the whole thing could have been cut out and nothing would be lost. The whole prologue leaves me baffled and should've been on the chopping block during edits. I listened to the final version of this book on audio, and the prologue remains.
This book is mostly centered around Philip and Richard's romance, while Philip is married to his wife Isabella. Is it cheating? The way this story handles Philip and Isabella's relationship is fine to me, but might not be for others. They are a marriage of convenience and it's not like Richard didn't sleep with others while he was away from Philip. Richard is suggested to be bisexual in this book, and Philip is gay and doesn't actually feel sexual attraction towards his wife. But, you know, royalty and duty and heirs is a thing that must happen, and does happen in this book. So, just thought I'd mention that. I actually do love Isabella a lot and this is yet another book where I'm like, WHAT IF THIS BOOK WAS POLYAM and Richard was attracted to Isabella as well as being attracted to Philip? But alas, no such luck.
One thing I am sad about is that there weren't any special editions made of this book by any book boxes or online retailers. The physical paperback of this is so plain. WHERE IS THE FOIL? The French flaps? The paperback is very basic and I was disappointed seeing it in person and the publisher should've done more. I'm still going to buy the book because I loved the story, but I'm also going to be annoyed the publisher did nothing fancy for this book.
I prefer this book on audiobook more than reading it in text, although I will buy a physical copy of this book too. This book is told in first-person and not quite alternating chapters, but they switch out when the story calls for it. And the thing is, I found that reading this book by text, it was hard to tell who's chapter was whose if I put the book down and picked it back up awhile later. The voices for the characters just seemed too similar from the text alone.
The audiobook narration is very well done. It actually has two narrators, Ben Allen as Philip and Steve West as Richard. I've listened to Steve West and had no issues with his narration. I quite love his narration actually. I was under the impression he only used this name while narrating with an American accent but apparently not. But I did find myself having trouble with Ben Allen at first because the sound seemed to go in and out at random times (I listen with headphones if that makes a difference). The volume seems to fix itself in later chapters so it winded up not bothering me as I listened to more of the audiobook, but the quality of the sound was very weird at the beginning. I came to really like his narration by the end of the book and look forward to checking out more of his audiobooks! I feel like I should point this out since this almost NEVER happens, but at the end of the audiobook, they do mention which audiobook narrator voiced which character and I think that's fun. Audiobooks usually leave you guessing who voiced which character and never tell you.
This book is Natasha Siegel's debut novel, and I look forward to any new books she writes in the future! This book was a joy to read and I enjoyed the story and reimagining of the characters in this book, and I can't wait to see what other books she comes out with!
***Thanks to the publisher for giving me a copy of the e-ARC and audiobook for review!!***
September 23, 2023
Gorgeous prose and a fun historical subject matter.
I love the idea of these two medieval kings being star-crossed lovers. Knowing they existed added a level of reality and depth to the story that was entertaining despite knowing there was very little reality to it beyond the names.
It’s fade to black in the physical relationship as well as the eventual end for these two and I wanted more. I wanted it to be a little darker and knowing the author originally intended that made me want it even more. It didn’t ruin my enjoyment at all and I completely devoured this book in a single sitting.
I love the idea of these two medieval kings being star-crossed lovers. Knowing they existed added a level of reality and depth to the story that was entertaining despite knowing there was very little reality to it beyond the names.
It’s fade to black in the physical relationship as well as the eventual end for these two and I wanted more. I wanted it to be a little darker and knowing the author originally intended that made me want it even more. It didn’t ruin my enjoyment at all and I completely devoured this book in a single sitting.
March 14, 2023
Happy release day~
Thanks for a copy to review, Megan Whalen at Random House, and Netgalley. This book will be out March 14, 2023.
Unfortunately, not all historical MM romance is created equally...
The publicist reached out to me personally so I accepted this ARC, but I don't think it was something I'd have grabbed otherwise and I should have trusted my instincts. I am not into Tudor [and earlier] era England very often, and this was not my cup of tea at all.
Firstly, if you're going to write RPF and change this much, I mean...It becomes original work, really. Not that I'm invested in medieval English and European monarchy drama, or accurate history of any of this, but yeah. Not sure why it was tied to real historical figures in this case, as the book opens with a long disclaimer about the writer "largely" abandoning historical accuracy.
Second, this was just dull. I'm not sure if it's that I wanted historical fantasy going in, or something else to spice it up, but wow. Painful to slog through.
The dialogue in terms of the era seemed well-done, at least. There were some nice tropey romantic moments, like one teaching the other archery in a very hands-on manner. But for the most part, this wasn't really my thing; two stars.
Thanks for a copy to review, Megan Whalen at Random House, and Netgalley. This book will be out March 14, 2023.
Unfortunately, not all historical MM romance is created equally...
The publicist reached out to me personally so I accepted this ARC, but I don't think it was something I'd have grabbed otherwise and I should have trusted my instincts. I am not into Tudor [and earlier] era England very often, and this was not my cup of tea at all.
Firstly, if you're going to write RPF and change this much, I mean...It becomes original work, really. Not that I'm invested in medieval English and European monarchy drama, or accurate history of any of this, but yeah. Not sure why it was tied to real historical figures in this case, as the book opens with a long disclaimer about the writer "largely" abandoning historical accuracy.
Second, this was just dull. I'm not sure if it's that I wanted historical fantasy going in, or something else to spice it up, but wow. Painful to slog through.
The dialogue in terms of the era seemed well-done, at least. There were some nice tropey romantic moments, like one teaching the other archery in a very hands-on manner. But for the most part, this wasn't really my thing; two stars.
January 24, 2025
pack it up boys they yaoified crusader kings
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now for the real review ... it's beautifully written, evocative, and atmospheric. but ... yes, this is essentially richard i of england/phillip ii of france historical RPF, and feels like it (derogatory); it opens with a preface about how this is not meant to be historically accurate and does not claim any historical accuracy. to that, i say: why write about the real people at all?
because i am not a medievalist and know little about this era but the verisimilitude wasn't ... quite there with the characterization of richard and phillip, and it really did feel like yaoi dynamics at some points. i take no issue with historical rpf for real. one of my favourite books of all time is essentially historical rpf (that's pat barker's regeneration for ya!). but from what i gobbled up about these rulers after reading the book, the characters were completely different, and i suppose that's my main issue with this book.
another one: this is a low conflict book, or at least it feels like it, but it is a low conflict book that takes place in between dynastic wars, and one of the characters is known to history most for being a great military commander, and iirc, by the time this book takes place, is already known as "lionheart" for his prowess in battle. (not a medievalist, yall!) i'm not asking for setpiece battles, but that plot was all but glossed over for richard and phillip pining for each other, even when they're on opposite sides of an alliance, so i feel like there should've been a little bit more conflict?
note that this does not take place during the crusades, which i'd been expecting, but it was really great to learn about an era of history i didn't know a lot about!
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now for the real review ... it's beautifully written, evocative, and atmospheric. but ... yes, this is essentially richard i of england/phillip ii of france historical RPF, and feels like it (derogatory); it opens with a preface about how this is not meant to be historically accurate and does not claim any historical accuracy. to that, i say: why write about the real people at all?
because i am not a medievalist and know little about this era but the verisimilitude wasn't ... quite there with the characterization of richard and phillip, and it really did feel like yaoi dynamics at some points. i take no issue with historical rpf for real. one of my favourite books of all time is essentially historical rpf (that's pat barker's regeneration for ya!). but from what i gobbled up about these rulers after reading the book, the characters were completely different, and i suppose that's my main issue with this book.
another one: this is a low conflict book, or at least it feels like it, but it is a low conflict book that takes place in between dynastic wars, and one of the characters is known to history most for being a great military commander, and iirc, by the time this book takes place, is already known as "lionheart" for his prowess in battle. (not a medievalist, yall!) i'm not asking for setpiece battles, but that plot was all but glossed over for richard and phillip pining for each other, even when they're on opposite sides of an alliance, so i feel like there should've been a little bit more conflict?
note that this does not take place during the crusades, which i'd been expecting, but it was really great to learn about an era of history i didn't know a lot about!
September 17, 2023
Even though, the author states at the beginning that Richard and Philip are just a fanfic of the real Richard and Philip, it still felt wrong to romanticize one prince that robbed, forcibly converted, and ran out Jews from France. And Richard who’s rule was known to be cruel and played a big part in the Crusades. And while I don’t know to much about that history I know enough to find this ridiculous and rather insensitive.
Why have it be about historical princes’ at all, when leaving out their history?
Honestly, reading it as it was without the historical notes, I couldn’t focus anyway, luke warm romance that I ended up skimming in the end, and it’s been months since I read it, and nothing about it stood out for me to give a more detailed review then this.
Why have it be about historical princes’ at all, when leaving out their history?
Honestly, reading it as it was without the historical notes, I couldn’t focus anyway, luke warm romance that I ended up skimming in the end, and it’s been months since I read it, and nothing about it stood out for me to give a more detailed review then this.
July 27, 2023
Beautiful. This was beautiful. When I first started it, I wasn’t ready to read it. I couldn’t get into the story. I was frustrated. So, I set the book aside and read other things until I felt ready to return to it. Gosh, I’m so happy I did that. I loved this book. It is very political. Not our current politics, mind, but politics nonetheless. There isn’t spice that isn’t heavily implied, but the love was deep and consuming. Richard and Philip felt the same way. The author did a fantastic job of spreading those feelings all around. The plot was present, the characterization was present, the pacing was solid - this book was everything I could ask a book to be.
April 8, 2023
4 1/2 stars. Thank you Calen for another great recommendation.
This book is a reimagining of historical events. History buffs may be put off by this. Since I do not have a ton of knowledge of this time and place’s history I had no issue with that fact. Honestly, if I had been well versed in the history knowing up front that the story did not attempt to be historically accurate, I think I would’ve enjoyed it just as much.
I really liked both protagonist and enjoyed the way the story switches between both of their points of view. This was a wonderful book overall.
This book is a reimagining of historical events. History buffs may be put off by this. Since I do not have a ton of knowledge of this time and place’s history I had no issue with that fact. Honestly, if I had been well versed in the history knowing up front that the story did not attempt to be historically accurate, I think I would’ve enjoyed it just as much.
I really liked both protagonist and enjoyed the way the story switches between both of their points of view. This was a wonderful book overall.
November 5, 2023
When I was younger, I had been encouraged to eat candied mint as a remedy for my hot-blooded temperament. I had acquired quite the taste for it. There seemed something preordained in the way it now framed Philip from behind.
3.5 stars. 3.75? I really enjoyed the premise behind this rewriting of history, the lushness of the writing, and the characters that the author created. I know next to nothing about the actual historical figures, and I do think that's the best position from which to tackle this book. Even so, this did sometimes hit me with a weird RPF feeling (no shade if you like RPF, I'm not coming for you) that maybe held me back from liking it as much as I could have?
The story follows Richard of Aquitaine and Philip of France from young adulthood to their first meeting to their entanglement through political alliances and wars. Each time they meet, they're more intrigued by each other, but there's the looming knowledge that as the king of France and the future king of England, they're destined to be enemies. And still there's the intense attraction and blossoming romance. I really enjoyed the writing and just the romance of it all. It was sweeping and felt fated and inevitable in a way I really enjoy. But as I read on, I realised that they really hadn't spent a lot of time with each other, or come to actually know each other in a meaningful way that would lead to such an epic romance? And maybe that's part of the appeal, that they fell for each other so quickly, and then spent so much time just thinking about each other, but at times the romance felt a bit substance-less. Not that this is a romance novel; it's more historical fiction with a heavy romance subplot, I think? And I guess my problem is that I wanted it to be more of a romance, ahaha. No surprise! I want everything to be more of a romance. I kept experiencing this twin feeling of really liking what the novel was doing, and wanting a lot more of it. The political back and forths, the betrayals, and machinations, they were all interesting to me, especially as a vehicle to understand these men and their love for one another, but it also wasn't really what I was most invested in. The plot did take some great twists and turns, hurt in all the right ways, and then mended my heart back together. For all its minor faults, it was a satisfying book.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Steve West and Ben Allen, and it was really really good, on both their parts. West in particular put his whole chest into Richard, and the supporting cast. I overall liked this a lot; it's a really good debut. I have hopes that I'll enjoy the author's future books even more.
We had always been inevitable. For the rest of our lives, we would be as dusk and dawn; one’s ascendancy would cause the other’s fall. Perhaps, in that way, we could never truly part.
January 13, 2024
Admittedly, I kept putting this off because I saw KJ Charles's review (she didn't like it). But now that I've read it... I enjoyed it! It was sweet, romantic, and promised exactly what it summarized. Plus, it cheered me up during a really difficult week so I automatically approve. I don't know anything about this historical era, so I don't know what's historically accurate or not (besides the obvious), so it didn't bother me. That said, even I can tell it reads like heavily sanitized historical fanfic.
I do have some issues. Given that it takes place over several years, I wish the book felt more epic and detailed. In the author's note, Siegel said she originally envisioned this to be darker and edgier but as she aged she realized she wanted some happiness and hope in her story, so that explains why it's so... Fluffy. I also don't know what was the attitude towards queerness back then, but I kinda doubt everyone would just let their relationship slide...? I feel like such liberties were taken because it's a historical romance.
So all of those are excused by the author's intent. But I truly felt like that the ending was cut off and bitin. It's a happy for now, but it ends so I was like... WHERE IS THE REST OF THE STORY?? Yes, I know the outcome can be gleaned from a history book or a quick Google search, but I genuinely wished this book was a little longer.
That said, I've been wanting to read this book for a long time and it satisfied me. I'm interested to see what this author publishes next.
I do have some issues. Given that it takes place over several years, I wish the book felt more epic and detailed. In the author's note, Siegel said she originally envisioned this to be darker and edgier but as she aged she realized she wanted some happiness and hope in her story, so that explains why it's so... Fluffy. I also don't know what was the attitude towards queerness back then, but I kinda doubt everyone would just let their relationship slide...? I feel like such liberties were taken because it's a historical romance.
So all of those are excused by the author's intent. But I truly felt like that the ending was cut off and bitin. It's a happy for now, but it ends so I was like... WHERE IS THE REST OF THE STORY?? Yes, I know the outcome can be gleaned from a history book or a quick Google search, but I genuinely wished this book was a little longer.
That said, I've been wanting to read this book for a long time and it satisfied me. I'm interested to see what this author publishes next.
March 15, 2023
I was so scared that this book was going to end on a sad note. I can’t tell you how happy I am that it didn’t. So many “historical” romances, especially mm, end in tragedy. I loved this so much more than I expected to, as I don’t read that many historical books in general. The author did a wonderful job!
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
March 17, 2023
Solomon’s crown really and truly surprised me. Before starting I would say a brief disclaimer is necessary: this book is not concerned with historical accuracy, and Natasha Siegel makes that very clear in her authors note in the beginning of the book. These characters are probably not very accurate to their real life counterparts and the events of the book are certainly ahistorical. For that reason, I can see why this may not be for everyone. That being said, it honestly really worked for me. I was expecting a dark, very intense political, medieval historical fiction with a thread of romance in it; but at the end of the day Solomon’s Crown is a very tender, reflective romance between two men who are very different, but are also the only people who can truly understand the other.
Philip II (Philip Augustus) and Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) we’re real kings of France and England respectively in the 12th century. Their real relationship was tumultuous and bogged in politics as is to be expected of medieval monarchs. The beauty of the story of Solomon’s Crown is that this is essentially alt-history (or fanfiction if we’re being honest) of what would happen if we followed the thread of Philip and Richard’s relationship being a romance and deepened it by making these characters thoughtful and kind and loving.
Once you get past the historical inaccuracy, it is genuinely a really nice love story with some political intrigue and interesting family dynamics. The dynamics between brothers, between father and son, and between mother and son were some of the highlights. It was interesting to think of these medieval noble families as, well, families rather than just dynasties.
I will admit I had my doubts about the stakes and where the book was going toward the last quarter, but it’s important to keep in mind that while this book takes place during a time of war, it is not a military history and it is more concerned with emotions and feelings and love. Love between Richard and Philip, a different kind of love between Philip and Isabella, and Richard’s love for his mother, Eleanor, and his home of Aquitaine. Which brings me to the women of this novel, Isabella, Queen of France and the iconic Eleanor of Aquitaine, duchess in her own right and queen of both France and England by her marriages. Often women are overlooked in gay (male) historicals, so I am glad that these two strong women were given agency and personality and proved to be essential to the heart of the story.
I appreciated that the writing was not overly historical while still retaining a medieval flair so as not to take you out of the story. There were some really beautiful lines and descriptions in there as well. I thought Siegel did a great job of creating and fleshing out these two distinct characters and their inner monologues, thoughts, and emotions.
The romance was not what I was expecting from this book, but it was very pleasantly soft, tender, and romantic. I am so glad we have stories that are willing to throw medieval brutality out the window and just let queer love stories be soft, because Solomon’s Crown was really beautiful. 4.5⭐️
P.S. The author likely won’t read this, but Natasha if you’re reading give us more soft queer alt history romances because I’ll read them. The image of Richard the Lionheart, feared King of England, wearing a flower crown while dancing with his boyfriend may be historically inaccurate but it was very special to me personally <3
Philip II (Philip Augustus) and Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) we’re real kings of France and England respectively in the 12th century. Their real relationship was tumultuous and bogged in politics as is to be expected of medieval monarchs. The beauty of the story of Solomon’s Crown is that this is essentially alt-history (or fanfiction if we’re being honest) of what would happen if we followed the thread of Philip and Richard’s relationship being a romance and deepened it by making these characters thoughtful and kind and loving.
Once you get past the historical inaccuracy, it is genuinely a really nice love story with some political intrigue and interesting family dynamics. The dynamics between brothers, between father and son, and between mother and son were some of the highlights. It was interesting to think of these medieval noble families as, well, families rather than just dynasties.
I will admit I had my doubts about the stakes and where the book was going toward the last quarter, but it’s important to keep in mind that while this book takes place during a time of war, it is not a military history and it is more concerned with emotions and feelings and love. Love between Richard and Philip, a different kind of love between Philip and Isabella, and Richard’s love for his mother, Eleanor, and his home of Aquitaine. Which brings me to the women of this novel, Isabella, Queen of France and the iconic Eleanor of Aquitaine, duchess in her own right and queen of both France and England by her marriages. Often women are overlooked in gay (male) historicals, so I am glad that these two strong women were given agency and personality and proved to be essential to the heart of the story.
I appreciated that the writing was not overly historical while still retaining a medieval flair so as not to take you out of the story. There were some really beautiful lines and descriptions in there as well. I thought Siegel did a great job of creating and fleshing out these two distinct characters and their inner monologues, thoughts, and emotions.
The romance was not what I was expecting from this book, but it was very pleasantly soft, tender, and romantic. I am so glad we have stories that are willing to throw medieval brutality out the window and just let queer love stories be soft, because Solomon’s Crown was really beautiful. 4.5⭐️
P.S. The author likely won’t read this, but Natasha if you’re reading give us more soft queer alt history romances because I’ll read them. The image of Richard the Lionheart, feared King of England, wearing a flower crown while dancing with his boyfriend may be historically inaccurate but it was very special to me personally <3
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