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A Delicate Betrayal
Beloved. Betrothed. Betrayed.
When Aenwyn’s magic unleashes a reign of dragons upon the land, she agrees to marry King Everard to atone for the devastation she’s caused.
Queendom proves to be as dissatisfying as their loveless marriage. But soon fate answers her pleas for adventure with a vision of dragon’s fire and a distractingly handsome knight intent on blocking her path.
Sir Darius Graeme can’t let her flee the castle. But nothing will stop Aenwyn from claiming the dragon's heart—and perhaps even the knight’s as well.
Embrace the fate of the gods and buy A Delicate Betrayal now!
**A Delicate Betrayal is the first in a new epic romantic fantasy series with a witchy Viking queen who will either save her kingdom or doom it; a loyal, protective knight duty-bound to serve the crown; and a quest to see who can slay the dragon first. If you enjoy books with dark magic, forbidden love, enemies-to-lovers romance, and epic world-building, then you’ll love this story! A Delicate Betrayal ends on a cliffhanger and is a prequel to the rest of the series.
When Aenwyn’s magic unleashes a reign of dragons upon the land, she agrees to marry King Everard to atone for the devastation she’s caused.
Queendom proves to be as dissatisfying as their loveless marriage. But soon fate answers her pleas for adventure with a vision of dragon’s fire and a distractingly handsome knight intent on blocking her path.
Sir Darius Graeme can’t let her flee the castle. But nothing will stop Aenwyn from claiming the dragon's heart—and perhaps even the knight’s as well.
Embrace the fate of the gods and buy A Delicate Betrayal now!
**A Delicate Betrayal is the first in a new epic romantic fantasy series with a witchy Viking queen who will either save her kingdom or doom it; a loyal, protective knight duty-bound to serve the crown; and a quest to see who can slay the dragon first. If you enjoy books with dark magic, forbidden love, enemies-to-lovers romance, and epic world-building, then you’ll love this story! A Delicate Betrayal ends on a cliffhanger and is a prequel to the rest of the series.
ebook
Published December 7, 2022
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532 people want to read
About the author
Jessaca Willis
31 books258 followersJESSACA is a fantasy writer with an inclination toward the dark, epic, and romance sub-genres. She draws inspiration from books like the Nevernight Chronicles & ACOTAR, videogames like Dark Souls III, and television shows like Game of Thrones and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
She is a self-proclaimed nerd who loves cosplay, video games, and comics, and if you live in the PNW, you just might see her at one of the local comic conventions in one of her favorite RWBY cosplays!
She is a self-proclaimed nerd who loves cosplay, video games, and comics, and if you live in the PNW, you just might see her at one of the local comic conventions in one of her favorite RWBY cosplays!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
December 5, 2022
Rating: 3.75 ✨
Spice: 0.75-1 🌶
So this book, wow. Let me start by saying thank you to the author and Booksprout for the eARC opportunity. As always, this review will be completely honest.
Listen, the ending! The 2-4 final chapters had me putting my kindle down every 4-5 minutes and screaming, "what is going on??" and I mean it in the best way. I will admit that I liked the book from the first few chapters, but I also felt it dragged a bit towards the middle. But in the last 10 chapters, it completely picked up and had me trying to figure out what was going to happen next. Did I see some things coming? Yes. Was it caught completely by surprise by other revelations? 100%.
Aenwyn was such a strong character from the start. Such a force to be reckoned with. And even if those around her tried to dim and tame her fire, and at some points she lost herself for a bit, that fire would blaze again and we would see the Red Fury she is. I loved seeing her development throughout the book and I want to see more of her. Because she did not reach her full potential yet and I really hope we get to see it.
Darius, I liked him as a character. I liked him with Aenwyn, I loved how he was with her, the loyalty and love he showed to her. I wish we got to learn more of him as a character though. I loved his banter with Aenwyn, his struggles with what he felt was his "duty," but I wish we got more of him as an individual because I feel like his character wasn't fully developed. With that being said, it makes me excited for "The Cursed Kingdoms of Grimtol" series that will follow this book, which I guess was a prequel for it.
There were also side characters that I liked, others I was ready to fight, but overall, this book was a fun and quick read! If you love books that involve dragons, this book is for you. If you love books involving Queen/Knight forbidden love, this book is for you. If you love books with a warrior heroine and interesting magical elements, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU! ♥️
A Delicate Betrayal releases on December 7th, 2022! I completely recommend it and hope you enjoy this read as much as I did. ☼
Spice: 0.75-1 🌶
So this book, wow. Let me start by saying thank you to the author and Booksprout for the eARC opportunity. As always, this review will be completely honest.
Listen, the ending! The 2-4 final chapters had me putting my kindle down every 4-5 minutes and screaming, "what is going on??" and I mean it in the best way. I will admit that I liked the book from the first few chapters, but I also felt it dragged a bit towards the middle. But in the last 10 chapters, it completely picked up and had me trying to figure out what was going to happen next. Did I see some things coming? Yes. Was it caught completely by surprise by other revelations? 100%.
Aenwyn was such a strong character from the start. Such a force to be reckoned with. And even if those around her tried to dim and tame her fire, and at some points she lost herself for a bit, that fire would blaze again and we would see the Red Fury she is. I loved seeing her development throughout the book and I want to see more of her. Because she did not reach her full potential yet and I really hope we get to see it.
Darius, I liked him as a character. I liked him with Aenwyn, I loved how he was with her, the loyalty and love he showed to her. I wish we got to learn more of him as a character though. I loved his banter with Aenwyn, his struggles with what he felt was his "duty," but I wish we got more of him as an individual because I feel like his character wasn't fully developed. With that being said, it makes me excited for "The Cursed Kingdoms of Grimtol" series that will follow this book, which I guess was a prequel for it.
There were also side characters that I liked, others I was ready to fight, but overall, this book was a fun and quick read! If you love books that involve dragons, this book is for you. If you love books involving Queen/Knight forbidden love, this book is for you. If you love books with a warrior heroine and interesting magical elements, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU! ♥️
A Delicate Betrayal releases on December 7th, 2022! I completely recommend it and hope you enjoy this read as much as I did. ☼
December 5, 2022
For the broken, the beaten, and the betrayed.
If you're looking for a romantic fantasy novel where everything works out in the end, this isn't the book for you.
If, however, you are looking to relate to a character who has dedicated her entire existence to helping others and is left feeling hollow because of it, if you're interested in seeing her rediscover herself as she abandons the responsibilities of queendom behind her to embark on a quest to slay a dragon and protect the realm, and you can accept that even beautiful souls can have a villain era—this is the book for you.
There will be triumphs. There will be tears. But most of all, there will be revenge.
Please enjoy this story about a woman who would give everything for her family—for the entire world—when no one would do the same for her...
If you're looking for a romantic fantasy novel where everything works out in the end, this isn't the book for you.
If, however, you are looking to relate to a character who has dedicated her entire existence to helping others and is left feeling hollow because of it, if you're interested in seeing her rediscover herself as she abandons the responsibilities of queendom behind her to embark on a quest to slay a dragon and protect the realm, and you can accept that even beautiful souls can have a villain era—this is the book for you.
There will be triumphs. There will be tears. But most of all, there will be revenge.
Please enjoy this story about a woman who would give everything for her family—for the entire world—when no one would do the same for her...
December 22, 2022
I want to preface this review by saying thank you to the author for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own ☺️
3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up)
This is a wonderfully atmospheric, magic-focused fantasy novel! I loved the writing style because it really made me feel like I could easily imagine the surroundings of our characters. I loved that the plot revolved around a quest and that we get to go on a journey as our MCs really come into themselves and discover what core ethics and values they hold. As a prequel novel, I feel that this makes for a solid backstory where (I hope) we won’t have much guesswork when it comes to our characters going forward.
Aenwyn has such a unique story and I loved her character ARC in this novel. I did expect more of a romantic relationship for her, but I did enjoy the hint of a relationship that we did get from this story. Aenwyn is such a strong individual and she really does set an example of challenging that which is simply expected of her just because someone said so.
I think something felt a little off with some of the pacing of the story for me. It was a good pace for the entirety of the journey until we got to the end when it seemed a lot more condensed. The ending also had me reeling, but I’m not sure if it was just written that well or came out of nowhere.
While this book was not what I expected, I think that it sets up the following series very well. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys adult fantasy with a dash of romance.
3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up)
This is a wonderfully atmospheric, magic-focused fantasy novel! I loved the writing style because it really made me feel like I could easily imagine the surroundings of our characters. I loved that the plot revolved around a quest and that we get to go on a journey as our MCs really come into themselves and discover what core ethics and values they hold. As a prequel novel, I feel that this makes for a solid backstory where (I hope) we won’t have much guesswork when it comes to our characters going forward.
Aenwyn has such a unique story and I loved her character ARC in this novel. I did expect more of a romantic relationship for her, but I did enjoy the hint of a relationship that we did get from this story. Aenwyn is such a strong individual and she really does set an example of challenging that which is simply expected of her just because someone said so.
I think something felt a little off with some of the pacing of the story for me. It was a good pace for the entirety of the journey until we got to the end when it seemed a lot more condensed. The ending also had me reeling, but I’m not sure if it was just written that well or came out of nowhere.
While this book was not what I expected, I think that it sets up the following series very well. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys adult fantasy with a dash of romance.
December 21, 2022
Another really good novel from Jessaca Willis.
The world was really well-constructed. We might have got just a glimpse, but there was a clear promise for more. I enjoyed learning about different countries with their distinct cultures and the web of relations, made complicated not only by your usual historical entanglements, but also magic and prophesies.
The magic system was also intriguing. Only fragments of a bigger magical puzzle were uncovered, which was just enough to whet my appetite for further installments in the series.
I enjoyed the exploration of intercultural relations, especially in terms of prejudice. As I function between cultures myself, I'm always curious about migration experiences of book characters.
The characters themselves were very flawed but interesting individually, even if I despised the female lead . I liked them as fictional characters, even if I didn't like them as people.
Related to the characters comes the only thing I didn't like in the book and that was the romance. It felt flat to me, with no chemistry between the two leads. I just didn't see how the connection was forged between them.
The writing style was mostly fine and flowed smoothly, but at times it crossed into the territory of purple prose, where some descriptions were overwritten. However, while I don't particularly vibe with this kind of over-the-top writing, I'm sure it will be right up-the-alley of Jay Kristoff's fans. Some metaphors reminded me of The Nevernight Chronicle in their style.
And that explosive finale… The last 20% of the novel was pure fireworks and made me really look forward to the next novel.
I received an e-ARC from the author and I'm reviewing this work voluntarily.
The world was really well-constructed. We might have got just a glimpse, but there was a clear promise for more. I enjoyed learning about different countries with their distinct cultures and the web of relations, made complicated not only by your usual historical entanglements, but also magic and prophesies.
The magic system was also intriguing. Only fragments of a bigger magical puzzle were uncovered, which was just enough to whet my appetite for further installments in the series.
I enjoyed the exploration of intercultural relations, especially in terms of prejudice. As I function between cultures myself, I'm always curious about migration experiences of book characters.
The characters themselves were very flawed but interesting individually, even if I despised the female lead . I liked them as fictional characters, even if I didn't like them as people.
Related to the characters comes the only thing I didn't like in the book and that was the romance. It felt flat to me, with no chemistry between the two leads. I just didn't see how the connection was forged between them.
The writing style was mostly fine and flowed smoothly, but at times it crossed into the territory of purple prose, where some descriptions were overwritten. However, while I don't particularly vibe with this kind of over-the-top writing, I'm sure it will be right up-the-alley of Jay Kristoff's fans. Some metaphors reminded me of The Nevernight Chronicle in their style.
And that explosive finale… The last 20% of the novel was pure fireworks and made me really look forward to the next novel.
I received an e-ARC from the author and I'm reviewing this work voluntarily.
December 17, 2022
“Call it whatever you want, but for me, fate sounds— it sounds powerless. I’d rather have a choice in my future, and know that I made decisions to get from where I was to where I am.”
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My Rating : 4.5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
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Thank you @bookofmatchesmedia & @author_jessaca_willis for the gifted review copy!
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OMG OMG OMG WHAT DID I JUST READ ?? 😭😭😭
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A Queen hell bent on a quest to redeem her past... A knight honour-bound to follow her yet falls in love.... and they have an adventure of their lifetime filled with magic, adventure and some well timed dragon talks ! Aenwyn was such a flawed yet strong character, and the way she developed was so heartwarming and heartbreaking to watch! Darius was obviously a cinnamon roll knight, duty bound to the wrong person, and has a mission of his own to finish. I wasn't sold on them together at first, But that ending proved me so wrong and the way he just went after her *chef's kiss*
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Coming to the story and pacing, This book was such a roller coaster that I'm not surprised I finished it in a single day !! The pacing was great and the story had so many twists that I'm still reeling from the implications of what's to come ! The writing was so addictive and immersive, and for a while I was there with the characters! And can we talk about the ending that was a cliffhanger fest and my heart needs two days to recover Omg... It's a prequel, so I have SO MANY QUESTIONS already, but I'm really looking forward to how the story progresses and I really wish we get the happy ending we readers deserve!! I can honestly say this though. This book stole my heart and the characters need my hug, so @author_jessaca_willis can you please write the next book soon so I can be put out of my misery? M'KAY byee..
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Honestly.. PICK THIS UP !!!
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My Rating : 4.5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
.
Thank you @bookofmatchesmedia & @author_jessaca_willis for the gifted review copy!
.
OMG OMG OMG WHAT DID I JUST READ ?? 😭😭😭
.
A Queen hell bent on a quest to redeem her past... A knight honour-bound to follow her yet falls in love.... and they have an adventure of their lifetime filled with magic, adventure and some well timed dragon talks ! Aenwyn was such a flawed yet strong character, and the way she developed was so heartwarming and heartbreaking to watch! Darius was obviously a cinnamon roll knight, duty bound to the wrong person, and has a mission of his own to finish. I wasn't sold on them together at first, But that ending proved me so wrong and the way he just went after her *chef's kiss*
.
Coming to the story and pacing, This book was such a roller coaster that I'm not surprised I finished it in a single day !! The pacing was great and the story had so many twists that I'm still reeling from the implications of what's to come ! The writing was so addictive and immersive, and for a while I was there with the characters! And can we talk about the ending that was a cliffhanger fest and my heart needs two days to recover Omg... It's a prequel, so I have SO MANY QUESTIONS already, but I'm really looking forward to how the story progresses and I really wish we get the happy ending we readers deserve!! I can honestly say this though. This book stole my heart and the characters need my hug, so @author_jessaca_willis can you please write the next book soon so I can be put out of my misery? M'KAY byee..
.
Honestly.. PICK THIS UP !!!
July 27, 2025
A Crown of Deceit and Ruin Prequel
Read "A Crown of Deceit and Ruin" first. I did, and that made this one so much... Well more. All the little secrets, minor characters and their ties to those in main roles, and world building were like little nods that made me feel more connected to both stories.
History is often told by the victor, and while in "A Crown of Deceit and Ruin," Aenwyn is painted as a horrific monster, here her truth is told. Her beginning is tragic, but may not be over. "Betrayal is a heavy price for uncovering truths."
All Aenwyn ever wanted was to destroy the dragon she accidentally unleashed upon the world of Grimtol. Willing and subservient to those who she thought were aligned to her task. The story is full of secrets and hidden truths that slowly build. A journey full of magic, knights, and mysterious forces. Accumulating to an ending where Aenwyn's fury is unleashed.
The story slowly builds as Aenwyn settles into a different way of life. Princess of Skogar initially, married off to the King of Caelora in the name of peace. In a loveless relationship and lonely in a foreign kingdom, she has to find her resolve and reaffirm her goals. Then it is a whirlwind of action and heated banter as Darius the loyal knight chases her across the continent to bring her back to the king. A king who would rather take credit then actually have a wild savage, although his wife, actually save the kingdom.
The main point of view is from Queen Aenwyn, but sometimes switches to Darius. So the reader is given more of the narrative than individual characters may have. Their cares, thoughts, motivations, given priority when it is needed for the story... but even they don't have the full picture so there was some mystery to unravel.
The writing has a depth and care to the characters and the world around them that is exciting, thoughtful, and full of emotion. I often smiled as I read, noticing a piece of the story I recognized, having a bigger impact with the previous knowledge.
I very much loved the story. It gave me a bigger perspective on another story I also very much loved.
Read "A Crown of Deceit and Ruin" first. I did, and that made this one so much... Well more. All the little secrets, minor characters and their ties to those in main roles, and world building were like little nods that made me feel more connected to both stories.
History is often told by the victor, and while in "A Crown of Deceit and Ruin," Aenwyn is painted as a horrific monster, here her truth is told. Her beginning is tragic, but may not be over. "Betrayal is a heavy price for uncovering truths."
All Aenwyn ever wanted was to destroy the dragon she accidentally unleashed upon the world of Grimtol. Willing and subservient to those who she thought were aligned to her task. The story is full of secrets and hidden truths that slowly build. A journey full of magic, knights, and mysterious forces. Accumulating to an ending where Aenwyn's fury is unleashed.
The story slowly builds as Aenwyn settles into a different way of life. Princess of Skogar initially, married off to the King of Caelora in the name of peace. In a loveless relationship and lonely in a foreign kingdom, she has to find her resolve and reaffirm her goals. Then it is a whirlwind of action and heated banter as Darius the loyal knight chases her across the continent to bring her back to the king. A king who would rather take credit then actually have a wild savage, although his wife, actually save the kingdom.
The main point of view is from Queen Aenwyn, but sometimes switches to Darius. So the reader is given more of the narrative than individual characters may have. Their cares, thoughts, motivations, given priority when it is needed for the story... but even they don't have the full picture so there was some mystery to unravel.
The writing has a depth and care to the characters and the world around them that is exciting, thoughtful, and full of emotion. I often smiled as I read, noticing a piece of the story I recognized, having a bigger impact with the previous knowledge.
I very much loved the story. It gave me a bigger perspective on another story I also very much loved.
December 7, 2022
‘Aenwyn wasn’t one to disobey fate.’
While on her quest to save Caelora, readers listen in on a discussion about the cost of having wishes bestowed. When people request ‘for the world to provide for them, to bend around them, to bow down to them’ there is a ‘price for having your every whim granted’.
How many of us think about the consequences of our normal actions, let alone when we can get something we want that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to. Pretty cool way for the author to slip in a moral dilemma for readers to ponder. You know, just in case we stumble upon Aladdin’s lamp or something.
With power comes responsibility and many a ruler forget the second side of the coin:
‘Information was power and King Everard liked to hoard it the way the sea hoarded sand.’
It’s difficult to marry into a family and/culture that is dissimilar than one’s own. Especially when one is not accepted personally for reasons that might possibly be justified. Navigating unfamiliar court etiquette, dressing in a strange style of clothing, giving up home comforts, supressing all personality, etc. But to feel like this at one’s own wedding is pretty harsh:
‘She felt their ire like a hot iron poker pressed against the freckled flesh of her face.’
Kudos to the author for having Aenwyn describe her body size and the pride she felt about her curves. It’s not merely the incorporating strange fashion based on foreign climate, it’s the entire mindset that supports it. An example from IRL history… Just imagine the culture shock that Catherine of Aragon experienced after leaving her mother’s court in Spain for her marriage into the Tudor family in England. Her former clothes for humidity were washable; her current velvets to stave off the damp were not. She used to bathe daily in Spain; she was considered a heathen for washing more than her hands and face in England. She was called La Infanta as Queen Isabella’s daughter in Spain; she was merely a brood mare for the king in England.
Aenwyn went through no less a traumatic experience than did Catherine. The restrictive court clothing was clearly indicative of the constraints placed on females in her new home. This was in complete contrast to the freedom she had in her homeland. I highly doubt that I’d have the inner strength to endure that…
This book is rich with a variety of heavy topics, but I’ll end my review here. Buy and read it yourself to see what calls out to you.
I’m ready to find out what happens to ‘the broken, the beaten, and the betrayed’ in “A Reign of Ashes”.
While on her quest to save Caelora, readers listen in on a discussion about the cost of having wishes bestowed. When people request ‘for the world to provide for them, to bend around them, to bow down to them’ there is a ‘price for having your every whim granted’.
How many of us think about the consequences of our normal actions, let alone when we can get something we want that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to. Pretty cool way for the author to slip in a moral dilemma for readers to ponder. You know, just in case we stumble upon Aladdin’s lamp or something.
With power comes responsibility and many a ruler forget the second side of the coin:
‘Information was power and King Everard liked to hoard it the way the sea hoarded sand.’
It’s difficult to marry into a family and/culture that is dissimilar than one’s own. Especially when one is not accepted personally for reasons that might possibly be justified. Navigating unfamiliar court etiquette, dressing in a strange style of clothing, giving up home comforts, supressing all personality, etc. But to feel like this at one’s own wedding is pretty harsh:
‘She felt their ire like a hot iron poker pressed against the freckled flesh of her face.’
Kudos to the author for having Aenwyn describe her body size and the pride she felt about her curves. It’s not merely the incorporating strange fashion based on foreign climate, it’s the entire mindset that supports it. An example from IRL history… Just imagine the culture shock that Catherine of Aragon experienced after leaving her mother’s court in Spain for her marriage into the Tudor family in England. Her former clothes for humidity were washable; her current velvets to stave off the damp were not. She used to bathe daily in Spain; she was considered a heathen for washing more than her hands and face in England. She was called La Infanta as Queen Isabella’s daughter in Spain; she was merely a brood mare for the king in England.
Aenwyn went through no less a traumatic experience than did Catherine. The restrictive court clothing was clearly indicative of the constraints placed on females in her new home. This was in complete contrast to the freedom she had in her homeland. I highly doubt that I’d have the inner strength to endure that…
This book is rich with a variety of heavy topics, but I’ll end my review here. Buy and read it yourself to see what calls out to you.
I’m ready to find out what happens to ‘the broken, the beaten, and the betrayed’ in “A Reign of Ashes”.
February 5, 2025
I will start this review with a little bit of a spoiler. But this, I think, is an important one. This book does not, I repeat, DOES NOT have a happy ending. I went in fully expecting a fantasy romance, and while two people did fall in love, there IS NOT a happy ending for them. So, is it romance at all?
I have mixed feelings about the rest of the book. On the one hand, I liked the characters and appreciated that Aenwyn was capable and take-charge about her fate/duty (maybe even a little femme-dommy). Darius remained fairly flat, honestly, until the end. But I appreciate that he's loyal and not any sort of alpha a-hole. On the other hand, I found the patriarchal worldbuilding and social (mis)treatment of women boring and unimaginative. Plus, the story took a long time to really get going, and I was confused about the role the dragons were meant to have played.
All in all, an OK read. It's not topping my favorites list, but I'm not sad to have read it.
I have mixed feelings about the rest of the book. On the one hand, I liked the characters and appreciated that Aenwyn was capable and take-charge about her fate/duty (maybe even a little femme-dommy). Darius remained fairly flat, honestly, until the end. But I appreciate that he's loyal and not any sort of alpha a-hole. On the other hand, I found the patriarchal worldbuilding and social (mis)treatment of women boring and unimaginative. Plus, the story took a long time to really get going, and I was confused about the role the dragons were meant to have played.
All in all, an OK read. It's not topping my favorites list, but I'm not sad to have read it.
January 24, 2023
I really enjoyed this and although the first half felt a bit slower than the second, it was such a good read. The second half though was just amazing, I couldn’t stop turning pages or go to bed without finishing in the end. I loved Aenwyn she was a wonder strong character, I do love a strong lead. Darius was also interesting, strong, loyal, they had great chemistry but no spoilers here. The world building was well done, so well developed and created thoughtfully.I can highly recommend this to lovers of Fantasy
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.
December 7, 2022
I've been a fan of Jessaca's writing for awhile now, but A Delicate Betrayal has become my new favourite.
The world of Grimtol is so diverse and well developed with a lot left to discover in The Cursed Kingdoms of Grimtol series. There's dragons and viking magic, romance, and morally grey characters. The characters have so much depth, they jump off the page.
This book is so good, I did not see the ending coming at all. I'll probably still be processing it all until book 2.
Thank you Jessaca for the arc, so I could read this early.
The world of Grimtol is so diverse and well developed with a lot left to discover in The Cursed Kingdoms of Grimtol series. There's dragons and viking magic, romance, and morally grey characters. The characters have so much depth, they jump off the page.
This book is so good, I did not see the ending coming at all. I'll probably still be processing it all until book 2.
Thank you Jessaca for the arc, so I could read this early.
January 15, 2023
An amazing Romantasy read!! I’ve truly enjoyed A Delicate Betrayal. I love the characters, world building and creative way the author has added magic into her world. The FMC is strong, fierce, and magical. I loved reading the POV of Darius, just something different that mad the book that much more amazing.
I am definitely going to read the next one in the series and have ordered the physical copy of this book straight from the author! Highly recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I am definitely going to read the next one in the series and have ordered the physical copy of this book straight from the author! Highly recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 22, 2022
◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦
⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
Aenwyn from the very beginning showed she's a strong character and nothing actually is gonna break her spirit, not even when her king of a husband tried to put her into her place. I kind of wished she had like very dark thoughts toward him because I found him repulsive and all I could think of is, on a slow and very bad death for him.
Darius was a bit hard to figure out. In the beginning, there were just a few moments with him and I had the impression he was very blind on his following towards his kind and has 0 backbone, but the more you get to know him, you see that he does have the knight integrity and that was a good thing. I actually ended up liking him in the end.
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
I want so much more of this world-building. It's complex, beautiful, and scary at the same time. Their type of bugs and such were creepy as hell and they legit made me get goosebumps and feel them crawling on me, but even so, I want to get to know their world even more in the next book.
⮞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝/𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ⮜
I really liked the story it features some magical elements related to higher spirits (nothing religious type of sort), and some spiritual stuff, and is also about a Viking woman. Even before moving to Norway I loved reading stories about Vikings and such so this hits right at home. The sort of insta-love between Darius and Aenwyn wasn't really my fave, I felt their relationship went a bit too quickly for my preference, but at the end of the story, I understood why everything between them developed quicker. I also couldn't actually feel their feelings, I felt the moments they shared felt a bit flat, and I couldn't actually connect emotionally with any of them throughout the story sadly. For more than half of the book the pace was pretty slow and not many things actually happened, which I guess adds to the development of the story, but afterward, things just started rolling and the events they went on were just an up and down after the other and kept me entertained. The ending was unexpected, to say the least lol, I haven't seen that coming, and also the confusion that the ending created just added so much more to my curiosity about the next book.
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞/TW ⮜
The story does a couple of TW such as Infertility, psychological domestic abuse with a narcissistic spouse, family trauma, loss of a parent, infidelity, and childbirth. The romance in the book isn't extremely detailed, I'd say round 1.5 pepper detailed.
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⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
Aenwyn from the very beginning showed she's a strong character and nothing actually is gonna break her spirit, not even when her king of a husband tried to put her into her place. I kind of wished she had like very dark thoughts toward him because I found him repulsive and all I could think of is, on a slow and very bad death for him.
Darius was a bit hard to figure out. In the beginning, there were just a few moments with him and I had the impression he was very blind on his following towards his kind and has 0 backbone, but the more you get to know him, you see that he does have the knight integrity and that was a good thing. I actually ended up liking him in the end.
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
I want so much more of this world-building. It's complex, beautiful, and scary at the same time. Their type of bugs and such were creepy as hell and they legit made me get goosebumps and feel them crawling on me, but even so, I want to get to know their world even more in the next book.
⮞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝/𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ⮜
I really liked the story it features some magical elements related to higher spirits (nothing religious type of sort), and some spiritual stuff, and is also about a Viking woman. Even before moving to Norway I loved reading stories about Vikings and such so this hits right at home. The sort of insta-love between Darius and Aenwyn wasn't really my fave, I felt their relationship went a bit too quickly for my preference, but at the end of the story, I understood why everything between them developed quicker. I also couldn't actually feel their feelings, I felt the moments they shared felt a bit flat, and I couldn't actually connect emotionally with any of them throughout the story sadly. For more than half of the book the pace was pretty slow and not many things actually happened, which I guess adds to the development of the story, but afterward, things just started rolling and the events they went on were just an up and down after the other and kept me entertained. The ending was unexpected, to say the least lol, I haven't seen that coming, and also the confusion that the ending created just added so much more to my curiosity about the next book.
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞/TW ⮜
The story does a couple of TW such as Infertility, psychological domestic abuse with a narcissistic spouse, family trauma, loss of a parent, infidelity, and childbirth. The romance in the book isn't extremely detailed, I'd say round 1.5 pepper detailed.
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December 12, 2022
Thank you Book of Matches Media for an e-arc of this book, all opinions are my own.
I am a fan of Viking stories, so coming across this one I knew I had to get my hands on it! It has a pretty good adventure with a quest to slay a dragon, and there is a lot that goes on over the course of this book.
I want to start out by stating that there is a lot of talk about infertility in this book, and at multiple points characters bargain away their ability to have children in order to have three wishes. In the authors note she states that some of the inspiration behind this comes from her own fertility and miscarriage issues, and it is not something I knew to expect when going into this. Those parts were a little difficult for me to read, especially when the characters bargained their fertility away, as I am a person dealing with infertility and only wish there was a way to get around it.
The beginning of this book is a little slow, but the author does a great job of setting up what is happening and what the book was going to be about. Aenwyn is not a character that idles long though, and quickly goes on her quest. There are a few time jumps in the book, but the author is pretty clear about stating them and how much time has passed. Some of the initial adventure is a bit slow, especially since Aenwyn isn't really a participating character during it, but the second half of the book really picks up and there is a lot revealed in the last 20% of the book.
I liked the chemistry between Aenwyn and Darius, and they have some good banter between them too. I was most definitely rooting for them to get together while also relishing the slow burn, and I love that he never gave up on her, even after she was gone for months. I am so happy this is a duo POV because it feels like we get so much more out of the book, and we get to see insight into events we might have missed from a single POV.
I would have loved to explore more of Aenwyn's past and her magic, but I understand this is a prequel to a larger series so I am sure there will be time to explore more. I also want to know more about the dragons and their purpose, and just how the events came to transpire. There is so much space for the author to write a whole series, and I am interested in seeing what she does with it!
And uh......(spoiler)
So, overall, I enjoyed reading this book and the second half is definitely a wild ride. There are a few things I am not 100% clear on, but I know there is time for answers in the series that comes after this. The story feels unique, the characters have some good chemistry, and you've got a good mixture of Vikings and dragons as well! Despite the heavy talk on infertility, and the fact that it was used as a plot device, this book was everything I had hoped for and I enjoyed the experience of reading it.
Content warnings: animal death (for sacrifice), sexual content, sleep paralysis, kidnapping, infertility, loss of a loved one, birthing sequence / trauma
I am a fan of Viking stories, so coming across this one I knew I had to get my hands on it! It has a pretty good adventure with a quest to slay a dragon, and there is a lot that goes on over the course of this book.
I want to start out by stating that there is a lot of talk about infertility in this book, and at multiple points characters bargain away their ability to have children in order to have three wishes. In the authors note she states that some of the inspiration behind this comes from her own fertility and miscarriage issues, and it is not something I knew to expect when going into this. Those parts were a little difficult for me to read, especially when the characters bargained their fertility away, as I am a person dealing with infertility and only wish there was a way to get around it.
The beginning of this book is a little slow, but the author does a great job of setting up what is happening and what the book was going to be about. Aenwyn is not a character that idles long though, and quickly goes on her quest. There are a few time jumps in the book, but the author is pretty clear about stating them and how much time has passed. Some of the initial adventure is a bit slow, especially since Aenwyn isn't really a participating character during it, but the second half of the book really picks up and there is a lot revealed in the last 20% of the book.
I liked the chemistry between Aenwyn and Darius, and they have some good banter between them too. I was most definitely rooting for them to get together while also relishing the slow burn, and I love that he never gave up on her, even after she was gone for months. I am so happy this is a duo POV because it feels like we get so much more out of the book, and we get to see insight into events we might have missed from a single POV.
I would have loved to explore more of Aenwyn's past and her magic, but I understand this is a prequel to a larger series so I am sure there will be time to explore more. I also want to know more about the dragons and their purpose, and just how the events came to transpire. There is so much space for the author to write a whole series, and I am interested in seeing what she does with it!
And uh......(spoiler)
So, overall, I enjoyed reading this book and the second half is definitely a wild ride. There are a few things I am not 100% clear on, but I know there is time for answers in the series that comes after this. The story feels unique, the characters have some good chemistry, and you've got a good mixture of Vikings and dragons as well! Despite the heavy talk on infertility, and the fact that it was used as a plot device, this book was everything I had hoped for and I enjoyed the experience of reading it.
Content warnings: animal death (for sacrifice), sexual content, sleep paralysis, kidnapping, infertility, loss of a loved one, birthing sequence / trauma
December 9, 2022
A Delicate Betrayal
Fantasy, NA
Jessaca Willis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book started off slow for me. Straight away there's references to things that happened before that had me questioning if this was a second book in a series or not.
There was also a time jump of a year in the 2nd chapter but I didn't realise until it actually said "in the year since...".
Sometimes there were a lot of descriptions/inner thoughts between dialogue so when characters were having a conversation, there would be paragraphs before the other character replied and it just threw me off.
I loved the dual POVs and I'm glad that Darius' POV was included because he is a great character. I enjoyed the banter between Darius and Aenwyn and watching their relationship grow. Aenwyn's character growth was great to see and I liked that she finally stood up for herself.
There were a few characters that were only mentioned briefly early on so I hope they come into play more in the 2nd book.
The pacing in the first 35% of the book was slower than the rest and I did find myself skimming paragraphs. After that though things really picked up, it felt like the plot finally had a direction and it was full steam ahead.
I liked the magic Aenwyn had and I'd like to see the different types of magic explored more.
There were plot twists that I didn't see coming and the ending was kind of a sad cliff hanger so I look forward to reading the next book and hopefully getting some answers.
*Thank you to @author_jessaca_willis for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Fantasy, NA
Jessaca Willis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book started off slow for me. Straight away there's references to things that happened before that had me questioning if this was a second book in a series or not.
There was also a time jump of a year in the 2nd chapter but I didn't realise until it actually said "in the year since...".
Sometimes there were a lot of descriptions/inner thoughts between dialogue so when characters were having a conversation, there would be paragraphs before the other character replied and it just threw me off.
I loved the dual POVs and I'm glad that Darius' POV was included because he is a great character. I enjoyed the banter between Darius and Aenwyn and watching their relationship grow. Aenwyn's character growth was great to see and I liked that she finally stood up for herself.
There were a few characters that were only mentioned briefly early on so I hope they come into play more in the 2nd book.
The pacing in the first 35% of the book was slower than the rest and I did find myself skimming paragraphs. After that though things really picked up, it felt like the plot finally had a direction and it was full steam ahead.
I liked the magic Aenwyn had and I'd like to see the different types of magic explored more.
There were plot twists that I didn't see coming and the ending was kind of a sad cliff hanger so I look forward to reading the next book and hopefully getting some answers.
*Thank you to @author_jessaca_willis for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review*
January 5, 2023
Thank you to Jessaca Willis and Book of Matches Media for providing me with a digital copy of this book. This is my honest review.
-
In A Delicate Betrayal, Jessaca Willis introduces a world full of complex characters and intriguing dynamics that I can’t wait to learn more about! Political intrigue, lore, a gorgeous plus size lead, and a slow burn, forbidden love. This book has it all! 🙌🏽
-
While it takes a while to find it’s stride, the second half of this book takes off at light speed. There are so many twists and turns! The last few chapters had me in absolute shambles 😂
-
I loved Aenwyn as a lead. She’s smart and brash and strong and so, so genuine. Badass warrior queens will always have my heart! She is so willing to sacrifice everything for the people she loves. Sometimes to her own detriment. 😭 And Darius with his unyielding loyalty and strength?! Instant swoon 🫠 He’ll swing at someone and kiss your forehead lovingly all in the same breath. I’m so here for it.
-
The world Jessaca built here is fascinating! I want to know more about everything. The Animali, the Skogar, the Ashen, the magic, THE DRAGONS. There’s still so much left to explore! I wish we had seen a bit more of it here, but I understand that this book was a foundation of sorts. Hopefully we’ll get more answers and a deeper dive in book 1!
-
A Delicate Betrayal was a stunning precursor to what is sure to be a thrilling romantic fantasy series 🔥 It is the prequel to the upcoming Cursed Kingdoms of Grimtol series. It is available for purchase in ebook, paperback, and hardcover format.
-
In A Delicate Betrayal, Jessaca Willis introduces a world full of complex characters and intriguing dynamics that I can’t wait to learn more about! Political intrigue, lore, a gorgeous plus size lead, and a slow burn, forbidden love. This book has it all! 🙌🏽
-
While it takes a while to find it’s stride, the second half of this book takes off at light speed. There are so many twists and turns! The last few chapters had me in absolute shambles 😂
-
I loved Aenwyn as a lead. She’s smart and brash and strong and so, so genuine. Badass warrior queens will always have my heart! She is so willing to sacrifice everything for the people she loves. Sometimes to her own detriment. 😭 And Darius with his unyielding loyalty and strength?! Instant swoon 🫠 He’ll swing at someone and kiss your forehead lovingly all in the same breath. I’m so here for it.
-
The world Jessaca built here is fascinating! I want to know more about everything. The Animali, the Skogar, the Ashen, the magic, THE DRAGONS. There’s still so much left to explore! I wish we had seen a bit more of it here, but I understand that this book was a foundation of sorts. Hopefully we’ll get more answers and a deeper dive in book 1!
-
A Delicate Betrayal was a stunning precursor to what is sure to be a thrilling romantic fantasy series 🔥 It is the prequel to the upcoming Cursed Kingdoms of Grimtol series. It is available for purchase in ebook, paperback, and hardcover format.
January 20, 2023
3,5 ⭐
This is the first book from Jessaca that I've read and I was very happy being on her ARC Team. Unfortunately, I was in a reading slump and I only managed to read it now, many days after the official release day.
A delicate betrayal is a prequel of "The Cursed Kingdoms of Grimtol" series and is essentially a villain origin story. It's an epic fantasy romance with the following tropes: marriage of convenience, forbidden love, plus-size rep, magic and dragons. There are also many trigger warnings that people should keep in mind; miscarriage, infertility, toxicity, violence, psychological domestic abuse involving a narcissistic and tyrannical spouse, infidelity, family trauma, loss of a parent, childbirth.
Generally, I liked Jessaca's writing. The book is about Aenwyn, a girl with magic, who had to marry King Everard to save the kingdom, and Ser Darius Graeme, King's most trusted Guard, a Knight who had to protect his Queen. The story was interesting and it had good plot twists, but I found the language a bit difficult to read since English is not my native language. For my taste it was very slow at the beginning, but I liked it from the middle onwards, where the most of action takes place. The book ends on a cliffhanger and I want to know what comes next. However, I have to admit that I didn't much like the ending... cruel fate.
The FMC, Aenwyn, was pretty relatable character; she was also interesting, nice, likeable, fierce, badass and a bit complicated. The MMC, Darius, was a handsome and attractive Knight, who was very strong and strict, yet nice, cute and sweet. He really loved Aenwyn when he got the chance to learn more about her and I just loved him! On the other hand, King Everard was THE worst! I really hated him and everything he stood for. I wanted him dead SO many times!
Overall, I think it was a good story with almost no smut, even though I found it difficult to read at first. Can't wait to read the next book!
This is the first book from Jessaca that I've read and I was very happy being on her ARC Team. Unfortunately, I was in a reading slump and I only managed to read it now, many days after the official release day.
A delicate betrayal is a prequel of "The Cursed Kingdoms of Grimtol" series and is essentially a villain origin story. It's an epic fantasy romance with the following tropes: marriage of convenience, forbidden love, plus-size rep, magic and dragons. There are also many trigger warnings that people should keep in mind; miscarriage, infertility, toxicity, violence, psychological domestic abuse involving a narcissistic and tyrannical spouse, infidelity, family trauma, loss of a parent, childbirth.
Generally, I liked Jessaca's writing. The book is about Aenwyn, a girl with magic, who had to marry King Everard to save the kingdom, and Ser Darius Graeme, King's most trusted Guard, a Knight who had to protect his Queen. The story was interesting and it had good plot twists, but I found the language a bit difficult to read since English is not my native language. For my taste it was very slow at the beginning, but I liked it from the middle onwards, where the most of action takes place. The book ends on a cliffhanger and I want to know what comes next. However, I have to admit that I didn't much like the ending... cruel fate.
The FMC, Aenwyn, was pretty relatable character; she was also interesting, nice, likeable, fierce, badass and a bit complicated. The MMC, Darius, was a handsome and attractive Knight, who was very strong and strict, yet nice, cute and sweet. He really loved Aenwyn when he got the chance to learn more about her and I just loved him! On the other hand, King Everard was THE worst! I really hated him and everything he stood for. I wanted him dead SO many times!
Overall, I think it was a good story with almost no smut, even though I found it difficult to read at first. Can't wait to read the next book!
January 5, 2023
A Delicate Betrayal follows Aenwyn as she is married to the young narcissistic and abusive king of a rival kingdom to make up for the dragon she hatched as a child slaughtering his parents and in hopes of bringing more benefits and safety to the people of Skogar. Aenwyn is a viking witch and one night she has a vision that the dragon is coming back to lay waste to the kingdom once again so she flees the oppressive walls of the castle in the hopes of slaying the dragon. However, she is followed by one of the king's guards, The very one he set to spy on her, the very handsome and infuriating Ser Darius Graeme.
Trigger / Content Warnings: Infertility, psychological domestic abuse with a narcissistic spouse, family trauma, loss of a parent, infidelity, childbirth. This book ends on a cliffhanger (it is essentially a villain origin story).
I was immediately drawn into the story and world that Willis weaves for us in the pages of A Delicate Betrayal.
Queen Aenwyn is strong willed, compassionate, and beautiful. It was hard to see her go from someone so strong in just the start of our story to someone who's light was dimmed by the narcissistic abuse of her Husband the King, but seeing her defy him first in small ways and then in leaving on her adventure to then her truly becoming more herself the more she was away from him and with Darius was wonderful. Her character growth was great and honestly so was Darius' growth.
The romance between Darius and Aenwyn was wonderfully done and the spicy scene of them finally being together was ;D
I also want to say that this is a fantastic example of plus size rep done right. Aenwyn loved her body and was proud of it, and Darius loved her body too *insert sly winky face here*
I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THAT ENDING, WHAT?!
I am so curious as to where the author will go next with this story! I'd say definitely check it out!
and a huge thank you to BOMM and the author for an advanced copy <3
Trigger / Content Warnings: Infertility, psychological domestic abuse with a narcissistic spouse, family trauma, loss of a parent, infidelity, childbirth. This book ends on a cliffhanger (it is essentially a villain origin story).
I was immediately drawn into the story and world that Willis weaves for us in the pages of A Delicate Betrayal.
Queen Aenwyn is strong willed, compassionate, and beautiful. It was hard to see her go from someone so strong in just the start of our story to someone who's light was dimmed by the narcissistic abuse of her Husband the King, but seeing her defy him first in small ways and then in leaving on her adventure to then her truly becoming more herself the more she was away from him and with Darius was wonderful. Her character growth was great and honestly so was Darius' growth.
The romance between Darius and Aenwyn was wonderfully done and the spicy scene of them finally being together was ;D
I also want to say that this is a fantastic example of plus size rep done right. Aenwyn loved her body and was proud of it, and Darius loved her body too *insert sly winky face here*
I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THAT ENDING, WHAT?!
I am so curious as to where the author will go next with this story! I'd say definitely check it out!
and a huge thank you to BOMM and the author for an advanced copy <3
December 8, 2022
Allow at least two days for this complicated PG15 quest to save the continent of Grimtol from the blue dragon, but do NOT read in public as chortles will ensue. I had an ARC via Bookfunnel and this is my voluntary review.
January 14, 2023
Awesome starter read, can't wait to read next in the series
July 14, 2025
3.5⭐️
Slow start but got better. I have an arc of A Crown of Deceit and Ruin but found there was a book 1. I’m glad I read this to get background.
Slow start but got better. I have an arc of A Crown of Deceit and Ruin but found there was a book 1. I’m glad I read this to get background.
February 17, 2023
DNF @ 30%
Just couldn’t connect to the plot, world or characters enough to feel invested.
Just couldn’t connect to the plot, world or characters enough to feel invested.
November 4, 2022
Y'all aren't ready for this. This book is currently (as of today) in super drafting alpha readers only mode, and it's still so amazing. I'm thinking about it weeks after I've finished. BRB while I go binge more Jessaca Willis books while waiting impatiently to hold this one in my goblin hands
December 27, 2022
Best Romantasy Read of 2022
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2022
Disclaimer: I received this as an arc and these are my own opinions
I ….absolutely loved this book! I received it as an arc and IMMEDIATELY began binging it. I haven’t finished a book this fast in SO LONG. I absolutely adored Aewyen. She was so well written, she was fierce and absolutely a memorable fmc. I absolutely loved her. And the fact that SHE IS THE BARBARIAN?? I LOVE FEMALE BARBARIANS!! And Darius is so so WELL WRITTEN. A lot of times in Romantasy, “alpha” males are glorified but here- Darius is so soft and kind and he is THE EPITOME OF FICTIONAL MAN WRITTEN BY WOMEN. Him and Aeweyn’s love story and how it progressed was so natural and THEIR SMUT SCENE? OMGGGGG I CAN’T. But also the world was so AMAZING. Skogar and Calleoria and all the places- are so well fleshed out. They are all distinct and the DETAIL IS IMPECCABLE. The side characters too are amazing!!! Hissa!!!
Overall a 10/10!!
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2022
Disclaimer: I received this as an arc and these are my own opinions
I ….absolutely loved this book! I received it as an arc and IMMEDIATELY began binging it. I haven’t finished a book this fast in SO LONG. I absolutely adored Aewyen. She was so well written, she was fierce and absolutely a memorable fmc. I absolutely loved her. And the fact that SHE IS THE BARBARIAN?? I LOVE FEMALE BARBARIANS!! And Darius is so so WELL WRITTEN. A lot of times in Romantasy, “alpha” males are glorified but here- Darius is so soft and kind and he is THE EPITOME OF FICTIONAL MAN WRITTEN BY WOMEN. Him and Aeweyn’s love story and how it progressed was so natural and THEIR SMUT SCENE? OMGGGGG I CAN’T. But also the world was so AMAZING. Skogar and Calleoria and all the places- are so well fleshed out. They are all distinct and the DETAIL IS IMPECCABLE. The side characters too are amazing!!! Hissa!!!
Overall a 10/10!!
December 18, 2022
A Delicate Betrayal is the latest story from Jessaca Willis, a prequel to an epic romance fantasy (that will be sapphic, nice to see that representation.) It’s interesting to note that this story bloomed out from a shorter planned project, because the final product is so much better as a full-length novel.
We follow two main POV characters, Aenwyn and Darius, together on a quest to kill a dragon that’s killed thousands across several kingdoms. Aenwyn feels responsible for the dragon’s existence and thus wants to be the one to end its life.
She is trapped in a loveless marriage to a king who only wants an heir from her. Darius is one of her husband’s knights, sworn to protect her, and there’s some good chemistry there between the two of them which might spark into flames.
This story is not without a couple flaws. There’s heavy discussion of infertility and characters manipulating their fertility + that of family member’s which could be considered a trigger warning for some. Also, as this is a prequel, there are many unanswered questions, but I feel there were some parts that were simply not explained when they should have been. That is why I feel this is a 4* read.
Prequels are here to intrigue us into the main story, and I am definitely looking forward to the series to come! I received an ARC copy of this book and all opinions are my own.
We follow two main POV characters, Aenwyn and Darius, together on a quest to kill a dragon that’s killed thousands across several kingdoms. Aenwyn feels responsible for the dragon’s existence and thus wants to be the one to end its life.
She is trapped in a loveless marriage to a king who only wants an heir from her. Darius is one of her husband’s knights, sworn to protect her, and there’s some good chemistry there between the two of them which might spark into flames.
This story is not without a couple flaws. There’s heavy discussion of infertility and characters manipulating their fertility + that of family member’s which could be considered a trigger warning for some. Also, as this is a prequel, there are many unanswered questions, but I feel there were some parts that were simply not explained when they should have been. That is why I feel this is a 4* read.
Prequels are here to intrigue us into the main story, and I am definitely looking forward to the series to come! I received an ARC copy of this book and all opinions are my own.
November 13, 2023
Holy cow there's a lot to process after finishing this book. The warning was given, but holy cow that's one crazy cliffhanger! If you're the kind that needs the next book asap, you might want to wait for it to release. My mind is already playing a 1000 what ifs ... But dang. This book lives up to all it promises and more!
I received an ARC copy of this book from the author
I received an ARC copy of this book from the author
January 23, 2023
(review in english below)
Un roman dont je n’attendais rien qu’une romantasy classique, mais qui m’a fait valdinguer de tous les côtés tant c’était génial !
Je vais essayer de ne pas être trop brouillon, mais franchement, plein de pensées me viennent quand je repense à cette lecture de début d’année. J’ai beaucoup beaucoup BEAUCOUP aimé cette lecture.
L’autrice nous plonge dans un univers de fantasy où les royaumes sont envahis par les dragons, suite à une erreur magique grave d’Aenwyn. La jeune femme se sent extrêmement coupable et son cœur se serre à mesure qu’elle voit son monde dévasté. Alors qu’elle a l’occasion d’expier ses fautes dans un mariage arrangé avec le Roi Everard, finalement, Aenwyn voit une autre chance de rédemption, à travers une aventure périeuse. Ni une ni deux, la reine s’enfuit pour sa quête et va finalement être accompagné d’un chevalier, Darius, dont le serment est de la ramener au royaume saine et sauve… Bref une quête qui, sur le papier, me semblait classique avec un voyage, des dragons, du danger et des émotions fortes.
Eh bien, quelle surprise ça a été de m’être laissée autant entraîner par ce roman !! Ce n’est pas une simple quête pour ramener le cœur d’un dragon, ce n’est pas une simple quête de rédemption. C’est une aventure humaine dans laquelle Aenwyn et Darius vont se dépasser, évoluer, déconstruire leurs croyances et réapprendre ce qu’ils voient du monde qu’ils explorent. C’est un grand et long voyage rempli d’enjeux personnels quant à la culpabilité de la jeune femme, d’enjeux plus gros liés à l’avenir des royaumes.
L’autrice ne laisse aucun répit au lecteur pendant sa lecture. Le récit a un bon rythme, c’est haletant. Le roman est rempli de rebondissements et de révélations bien amenés. Vraiment, en arrivant sur les derniers chapitres, je ne savais plus où donner de la tête. Je ne m’attendais pas à tout ça et c’était d’agréables surprises.
J’ai beaucoup apprécié le personnage d’Aenwyn, qui a, pour moi, énormément de potentiel d’évolution dans cette saga. Moi qui apprécie peu les personnages féminins en général, j’ai été charmée par la détermination de la jeune femme, l’amour qu’elle porte pour ses royaumes, la hargne qu’elle a d’affronter les dangers, mais aussi par sa sensibilité, sa culpabilité, sa remise en question. Darius est aussi un personnage qui m’a bien plu, notamment par sa loyauté et sa bienveillance. J’ai bien apprécié voir son dilemme face à son devoir (son serment fait au roi de ramener la reine) et à l’affection qui se développe pour Aenwyn. Néanmoins, on voit moins les personnages secondaires, le côté magique, j’aurais voulu en savoir plus, mais je m’attends à découvrir plus de cet univers dans le prochain tome !
-----------------
ENGLISH REVIEW
A book from which I expected nothing but a classic romantasy, but which made me collapse from all sides as it was great!
I'll try not to be too messy, but honestly, a lot of thoughts come to mind when I think back to this beginning of the year reading. I enjoyed it very much.
The author plunges us into a fantasy world where the kingdoms are invaded by dragons, following a serious magical error by Aenwyn. The young woman feels extremely guilty and her heart sinks as she sees her world devastated. As she gets the chance to atone for her wrongdoings in an arranged marriage with King Everard, Aenwyn finally sees another chance at redemption, through a perilous adventure. Neither one nor two, the queen flees for her quest and will finally be accompanied by a knight, Darius, whose oath is to bring her back to the kingdom safe and sound... In short, a quest which, on paper, seemed classic to me, with a journey, dragons, danger and strong emotions.
Well, what a surprise it was to have let myself be so carried away by this story!! This is not a simple quest to bring back the heart of a dragon, this is not a simple quest for redemption. It’s a human adventure in which Aenwyn and Darius will surpass themselves, evolve, deconstruct their beliefs and relearn what they see of the world they explore. It’s a great and long journey filled with personal stakes as to the guilt of the young woman, with bigger stakes related to the future of the kingdoms.
The author gives the reader no respite while reading. The story has a good pace, it's breathtaking. It’s full of twists and revelations. Really, arriving on the last chapters, I didn’t know where to turn. I didn’t expect all this and it was pleasant surprises.
I really liked the character of Aenwyn, who has, for me, a lot of potential for development in this series. I who don't appreciate female characters in general, I was charmed by the determination of the young woman, the love she has for her kingdoms, the aggressiveness she has to face the dangers, but also by her sensitivity, her guilt, her questioning. Darius is also a character that I really liked, especially for his loyalty and benevolence. I enjoyed seeing his dilemma with his duty (his oath to the king to bring back the queen) and the affection that develops for Aenwyn. Nevertheless, we see less secondary characters, the magical side, I would have liked to know more, but I expect to discover more of this universe in the next book!
Un roman dont je n’attendais rien qu’une romantasy classique, mais qui m’a fait valdinguer de tous les côtés tant c’était génial !
Je vais essayer de ne pas être trop brouillon, mais franchement, plein de pensées me viennent quand je repense à cette lecture de début d’année. J’ai beaucoup beaucoup BEAUCOUP aimé cette lecture.
L’autrice nous plonge dans un univers de fantasy où les royaumes sont envahis par les dragons, suite à une erreur magique grave d’Aenwyn. La jeune femme se sent extrêmement coupable et son cœur se serre à mesure qu’elle voit son monde dévasté. Alors qu’elle a l’occasion d’expier ses fautes dans un mariage arrangé avec le Roi Everard, finalement, Aenwyn voit une autre chance de rédemption, à travers une aventure périeuse. Ni une ni deux, la reine s’enfuit pour sa quête et va finalement être accompagné d’un chevalier, Darius, dont le serment est de la ramener au royaume saine et sauve… Bref une quête qui, sur le papier, me semblait classique avec un voyage, des dragons, du danger et des émotions fortes.
Eh bien, quelle surprise ça a été de m’être laissée autant entraîner par ce roman !! Ce n’est pas une simple quête pour ramener le cœur d’un dragon, ce n’est pas une simple quête de rédemption. C’est une aventure humaine dans laquelle Aenwyn et Darius vont se dépasser, évoluer, déconstruire leurs croyances et réapprendre ce qu’ils voient du monde qu’ils explorent. C’est un grand et long voyage rempli d’enjeux personnels quant à la culpabilité de la jeune femme, d’enjeux plus gros liés à l’avenir des royaumes.
L’autrice ne laisse aucun répit au lecteur pendant sa lecture. Le récit a un bon rythme, c’est haletant. Le roman est rempli de rebondissements et de révélations bien amenés. Vraiment, en arrivant sur les derniers chapitres, je ne savais plus où donner de la tête. Je ne m’attendais pas à tout ça et c’était d’agréables surprises.
J’ai beaucoup apprécié le personnage d’Aenwyn, qui a, pour moi, énormément de potentiel d’évolution dans cette saga. Moi qui apprécie peu les personnages féminins en général, j’ai été charmée par la détermination de la jeune femme, l’amour qu’elle porte pour ses royaumes, la hargne qu’elle a d’affronter les dangers, mais aussi par sa sensibilité, sa culpabilité, sa remise en question. Darius est aussi un personnage qui m’a bien plu, notamment par sa loyauté et sa bienveillance. J’ai bien apprécié voir son dilemme face à son devoir (son serment fait au roi de ramener la reine) et à l’affection qui se développe pour Aenwyn. Néanmoins, on voit moins les personnages secondaires, le côté magique, j’aurais voulu en savoir plus, mais je m’attends à découvrir plus de cet univers dans le prochain tome !
-----------------
ENGLISH REVIEW
A book from which I expected nothing but a classic romantasy, but which made me collapse from all sides as it was great!
I'll try not to be too messy, but honestly, a lot of thoughts come to mind when I think back to this beginning of the year reading. I enjoyed it very much.
The author plunges us into a fantasy world where the kingdoms are invaded by dragons, following a serious magical error by Aenwyn. The young woman feels extremely guilty and her heart sinks as she sees her world devastated. As she gets the chance to atone for her wrongdoings in an arranged marriage with King Everard, Aenwyn finally sees another chance at redemption, through a perilous adventure. Neither one nor two, the queen flees for her quest and will finally be accompanied by a knight, Darius, whose oath is to bring her back to the kingdom safe and sound... In short, a quest which, on paper, seemed classic to me, with a journey, dragons, danger and strong emotions.
Well, what a surprise it was to have let myself be so carried away by this story!! This is not a simple quest to bring back the heart of a dragon, this is not a simple quest for redemption. It’s a human adventure in which Aenwyn and Darius will surpass themselves, evolve, deconstruct their beliefs and relearn what they see of the world they explore. It’s a great and long journey filled with personal stakes as to the guilt of the young woman, with bigger stakes related to the future of the kingdoms.
The author gives the reader no respite while reading. The story has a good pace, it's breathtaking. It’s full of twists and revelations. Really, arriving on the last chapters, I didn’t know where to turn. I didn’t expect all this and it was pleasant surprises.
I really liked the character of Aenwyn, who has, for me, a lot of potential for development in this series. I who don't appreciate female characters in general, I was charmed by the determination of the young woman, the love she has for her kingdoms, the aggressiveness she has to face the dangers, but also by her sensitivity, her guilt, her questioning. Darius is also a character that I really liked, especially for his loyalty and benevolence. I enjoyed seeing his dilemma with his duty (his oath to the king to bring back the queen) and the affection that develops for Aenwyn. Nevertheless, we see less secondary characters, the magical side, I would have liked to know more, but I expect to discover more of this universe in the next book!
July 5, 2025
‘Aenwyn wasn’t one to disobey fate.’
While on her quest to save Caelora, readers listen in on a discussion about the cost of having wishes bestowed. When people request ‘for the world to provide for them, to bend around them, to bow down to them’ there is a ‘price for having your every whim granted’.
How many of us think about the consequences of our normal actions, let alone when we can get something we want that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to. Pretty cool way for the author to slip in a moral dilemma for readers to ponder. You know, just in case we stumble upon Aladdin’s lamp or something.
With power comes responsibility and many a ruler forget the second side of the coin:
‘Information was power and King Everard liked to hoard it the way the sea hoarded sand.’
It’s difficult to marry into a family and/culture that is dissimilar to one’s own. Especially when one is not accepted personally for reasons that might possibly be justified. Navigating unfamiliar court etiquette, dressing in a strange style of clothing, giving up home comforts, suppressing all personality, etc. But to feel like this at one’s own wedding is pretty harsh:
‘She felt their ire like a hot iron poker pressed against the freckled flesh of her face.’
Kudos to the author for having Aenwyn describe her body size and the pride she felt about her curves. It’s not merely the incorporating strange fashion based on foreign climate, it’s the entire mindset that supports it. An example from IRL history… Just imagine the culture shock that Catherine of Aragon experienced after leaving her mother’s court in Spain for her marriage into the Tudor family in England. Her former clothes for humidity were washable; her current velvets to stave off the damp were not. She used to bathe daily in Spain; she was considered a heathen for washing more than her hands and face in England. She was called La Infanta as Queen Isabella’s daughter in Spain; she was merely a brood mare for the king in England.
Aenwyn went through no less a traumatic experience than did Catherine. The restrictive court clothing was clearly indicative of the constraints placed on females in her new home. This was in complete contrast to the freedom she had in her homeland. I highly doubt that I’d have the inner strength to endure that…
This book is rich with a variety of heavy topics, but I’ll end my review here. Buy and read it yourself to see what calls out to you.
I’m ready to find out what happens to ‘the broken, the beaten, and the betrayed’ in “A Reign of Ashes”.
While on her quest to save Caelora, readers listen in on a discussion about the cost of having wishes bestowed. When people request ‘for the world to provide for them, to bend around them, to bow down to them’ there is a ‘price for having your every whim granted’.
How many of us think about the consequences of our normal actions, let alone when we can get something we want that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to. Pretty cool way for the author to slip in a moral dilemma for readers to ponder. You know, just in case we stumble upon Aladdin’s lamp or something.
With power comes responsibility and many a ruler forget the second side of the coin:
‘Information was power and King Everard liked to hoard it the way the sea hoarded sand.’
It’s difficult to marry into a family and/culture that is dissimilar to one’s own. Especially when one is not accepted personally for reasons that might possibly be justified. Navigating unfamiliar court etiquette, dressing in a strange style of clothing, giving up home comforts, suppressing all personality, etc. But to feel like this at one’s own wedding is pretty harsh:
‘She felt their ire like a hot iron poker pressed against the freckled flesh of her face.’
Kudos to the author for having Aenwyn describe her body size and the pride she felt about her curves. It’s not merely the incorporating strange fashion based on foreign climate, it’s the entire mindset that supports it. An example from IRL history… Just imagine the culture shock that Catherine of Aragon experienced after leaving her mother’s court in Spain for her marriage into the Tudor family in England. Her former clothes for humidity were washable; her current velvets to stave off the damp were not. She used to bathe daily in Spain; she was considered a heathen for washing more than her hands and face in England. She was called La Infanta as Queen Isabella’s daughter in Spain; she was merely a brood mare for the king in England.
Aenwyn went through no less a traumatic experience than did Catherine. The restrictive court clothing was clearly indicative of the constraints placed on females in her new home. This was in complete contrast to the freedom she had in her homeland. I highly doubt that I’d have the inner strength to endure that…
This book is rich with a variety of heavy topics, but I’ll end my review here. Buy and read it yourself to see what calls out to you.
I’m ready to find out what happens to ‘the broken, the beaten, and the betrayed’ in “A Reign of Ashes”.
December 29, 2022
3.5ish
Wow.
The beginning starts off kind of ominously - one wrong move and there could be a war. 😯 it's one hell of an entrance. Then there's a time jump.
There's actually a few time jumps in this book. I found this a bit annoying, but I was glad for the dual POV, so we got to at least see SOMETHING, even if it was only a little bit.
Part way through the beginning, I was a bit bored. It's a bunch of small things thrown together to make a bigger picture, and while needed, it didn't hold my attention very well.
The magic system isn't really explained in depth, and the days/nights vary in length, which I guess made for an interesting trip.
I thought it was honorable yet heart breaking, how Aenwyn stayed and sacrificed her happiness in a loveless marriage. She found someone who showed an actual interest in her for her, who didn't shy away from her because of her heritage, and felt it wrong to be with them. Until she found her worth. I love that and feel it resonates with a lot of women out there.
Same with Aenwyn being comfortable in her body; she worked hard for those curves! It's great to see body positive messages in books.
Darius wasn't as fleshed out as I'd like, but he was still a good character. Despite his "loyalty" to the King, he was also loyal to his friends and to Aenwyn. I'd really like to see more from him and his past in the upcoming books. We are given a little nibble, but with the other stuff happening, we never got to dive deeper.
But that s*x scene? I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm not sure their relationship was really to that point. They had almost no romantic chemistry throughout this book.
There are other side characters that I absolutely can not wait to see more of. There are diverse cultures throughout the lands, and it is interesting to see how this is handled; intercultural relations, prejudice, wars, etc.
The ending! While the beginning started off slow, once you got to about 70-ish percent, there is a ton of "wtf is happening here!?" moments - in the best way. Some things are predictable, others were a complete surprise.
This ending is what has me waiting for the next book in The Cursed Kingdoms of Grimtol series.
Seriously, mind the cliff. 🤯
Tropes:
👑 Magic Queen
🗡 Loyal/Protective Knight
💕 Forbidden Love
💍 Marriage of Convenience
🐉 Dragon
💃🏻 Plus-Size Rep
⚠️ Animal Abuse (animal sacrifice)
⚠️ Infertility
⚠️ Child Birth
⚠️ Psychological Domestic Abuse
⚠️ Loss of a Parent
⚠️ Family Trauma
⚠️ Infidelity
Wow.
The beginning starts off kind of ominously - one wrong move and there could be a war. 😯 it's one hell of an entrance. Then there's a time jump.
There's actually a few time jumps in this book. I found this a bit annoying, but I was glad for the dual POV, so we got to at least see SOMETHING, even if it was only a little bit.
Part way through the beginning, I was a bit bored. It's a bunch of small things thrown together to make a bigger picture, and while needed, it didn't hold my attention very well.
The magic system isn't really explained in depth, and the days/nights vary in length, which I guess made for an interesting trip.
I thought it was honorable yet heart breaking, how Aenwyn stayed and sacrificed her happiness in a loveless marriage. She found someone who showed an actual interest in her for her, who didn't shy away from her because of her heritage, and felt it wrong to be with them. Until she found her worth. I love that and feel it resonates with a lot of women out there.
Same with Aenwyn being comfortable in her body; she worked hard for those curves! It's great to see body positive messages in books.
Darius wasn't as fleshed out as I'd like, but he was still a good character. Despite his "loyalty" to the King, he was also loyal to his friends and to Aenwyn. I'd really like to see more from him and his past in the upcoming books. We are given a little nibble, but with the other stuff happening, we never got to dive deeper.
But that s*x scene? I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm not sure their relationship was really to that point. They had almost no romantic chemistry throughout this book.
There are other side characters that I absolutely can not wait to see more of. There are diverse cultures throughout the lands, and it is interesting to see how this is handled; intercultural relations, prejudice, wars, etc.
The ending! While the beginning started off slow, once you got to about 70-ish percent, there is a ton of "wtf is happening here!?" moments - in the best way. Some things are predictable, others were a complete surprise.
This ending is what has me waiting for the next book in The Cursed Kingdoms of Grimtol series.
Seriously, mind the cliff. 🤯
Tropes:
👑 Magic Queen
🗡 Loyal/Protective Knight
💕 Forbidden Love
💍 Marriage of Convenience
🐉 Dragon
💃🏻 Plus-Size Rep
⚠️ Animal Abuse (animal sacrifice)
⚠️ Infertility
⚠️ Child Birth
⚠️ Psychological Domestic Abuse
⚠️ Loss of a Parent
⚠️ Family Trauma
⚠️ Infidelity
June 28, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ —- 🌶️
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬:
𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘹 𝘒𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵
𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦
𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘈𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤
𝘈𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘦 (𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵)
𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴
𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯
𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘴
𝘛𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋!𝘦
𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨/𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘴
𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘭
𝘚𝘛𝘙𝘖𝘕𝘎 𝘉𝘢𝘥𝘥@𝘴𝘴 𝘍𝘔𝘊
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
First of all thank you so much Jessaca for sending me a copy of this novel. I genuinely really enjoyed it, and am excited to continue within the world of Grimtol! Despite being sent this novel my opinions are fully my own and this has not influenced my review in any way.
Before we get into the review, there are a few themes in this book I wanted to mention down here that may be hard topics for some people so please be advised before continuing. This novel does have animal sacrifice in relation to magic, infertility, some levels of an abuse of power dynamic (not our love interest), and does have a darker ending. If you are wanting a light romantasy this isn’t the book for you.
Now onto my review! I LOVED this novel. I will try to avoid saying anything that can give too much away! I fell in love with Aenwyn she is such a strong female character who is put in a difficult place of trying to protect her people and being her authentic self. I enjoyed seeing her grow and face the realities that have been hidden from her with such grace and just such a badass attitude. I actually really enjoyed the way Aenwyn and Darius got together and it makes me happy that Darius truly adores her for her. He doesn’t mold her or fix her.
I do enjoy heavier and darker themes myself so all of the twists, the betrayals, the ending, everything god it was a gut punch. But I completely understood and related to a lot of elements of this story. It is beautiful to see Jessaca tell this magical story full of so much love and life but so so so much heartbreak. Thank you for breaking my heart and giving me more of the Grimtol universe to heal me. I am so honored and thankful I can continue this series!
𝙒𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙄 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙: Yes!
𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙄 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨: YES!!! I am currently reading A Crown of Deceit & Ruin which takes place in the same world as A Delicate Betrayal. This novel is set to release in July 2025.
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬:
𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘹 𝘒𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵
𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦
𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘈𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤
𝘈𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘦 (𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵)
𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴
𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯
𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘴
𝘛𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋!𝘦
𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨/𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘴
𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘭
𝘚𝘛𝘙𝘖𝘕𝘎 𝘉𝘢𝘥𝘥@𝘴𝘴 𝘍𝘔𝘊
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
First of all thank you so much Jessaca for sending me a copy of this novel. I genuinely really enjoyed it, and am excited to continue within the world of Grimtol! Despite being sent this novel my opinions are fully my own and this has not influenced my review in any way.
Before we get into the review, there are a few themes in this book I wanted to mention down here that may be hard topics for some people so please be advised before continuing. This novel does have animal sacrifice in relation to magic, infertility, some levels of an abuse of power dynamic (not our love interest), and does have a darker ending. If you are wanting a light romantasy this isn’t the book for you.
Now onto my review! I LOVED this novel. I will try to avoid saying anything that can give too much away! I fell in love with Aenwyn she is such a strong female character who is put in a difficult place of trying to protect her people and being her authentic self. I enjoyed seeing her grow and face the realities that have been hidden from her with such grace and just such a badass attitude. I actually really enjoyed the way Aenwyn and Darius got together and it makes me happy that Darius truly adores her for her. He doesn’t mold her or fix her.
I do enjoy heavier and darker themes myself so all of the twists, the betrayals, the ending, everything god it was a gut punch. But I completely understood and related to a lot of elements of this story. It is beautiful to see Jessaca tell this magical story full of so much love and life but so so so much heartbreak. Thank you for breaking my heart and giving me more of the Grimtol universe to heal me. I am so honored and thankful I can continue this series!
𝙒𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙄 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙: Yes!
𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙄 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨: YES!!! I am currently reading A Crown of Deceit & Ruin which takes place in the same world as A Delicate Betrayal. This novel is set to release in July 2025.
December 16, 2022
Dragons, quests, royalty, knights, magic and adventure… oh my! A Delicate Betrayal offers up a wonderful feeling of nostalgia in reading a lot like a traditional fantasy novel. It’s the first time I’ve read anything from this author and I thoroughly enjoyed the easygoing yet descriptive prose that made it easy for me to fall into this book.
The tale starts with our main character, Queen Aenwyn, marrying King Everard in an arranged marriage intended to unite their lands, as well as to follow her perceived fate and atone for her sins in the shape of slaying the dragon she feels responsible in order to stop its mass destruction. It doesn’t take long for a somewhat epic quest to unfold as a disgruntled knight of King Everard’s pursues her.
While there wasn’t really a point where the book felt like it dragged for me, it was one of the rare ones that REALLY picked up at the end, and what an ending it was. I feel like the whole book was set up just for the dark and quite shocking conclusion of it all but the payoff was huge, and I think it works spectacularly as a prequel type set up. Shout out to the amount of interesting world building too, I can’t wait to hopefully explore more of Grimtol and it’s intriguing inhabitants as the series unfolds. The only reason I didn’t 5* it was because of the length of time it took for the book to reeeeally take off.
I also wanted to thank the author for posting such a personal author’s note too, it’s always nice to have an great insight as to where they’re writing from and it makes the book just that little more special.
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for providing me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts are unbiased and of course my own. :)
The tale starts with our main character, Queen Aenwyn, marrying King Everard in an arranged marriage intended to unite their lands, as well as to follow her perceived fate and atone for her sins in the shape of slaying the dragon she feels responsible in order to stop its mass destruction. It doesn’t take long for a somewhat epic quest to unfold as a disgruntled knight of King Everard’s pursues her.
While there wasn’t really a point where the book felt like it dragged for me, it was one of the rare ones that REALLY picked up at the end, and what an ending it was. I feel like the whole book was set up just for the dark and quite shocking conclusion of it all but the payoff was huge, and I think it works spectacularly as a prequel type set up. Shout out to the amount of interesting world building too, I can’t wait to hopefully explore more of Grimtol and it’s intriguing inhabitants as the series unfolds. The only reason I didn’t 5* it was because of the length of time it took for the book to reeeeally take off.
I also wanted to thank the author for posting such a personal author’s note too, it’s always nice to have an great insight as to where they’re writing from and it makes the book just that little more special.
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for providing me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts are unbiased and of course my own. :)
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