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Immortal Reveries #1
Until the Stars Fall
He’s found his soulmate. She’s in love with his brother.
Lieke Berg is a hopeless romantic with the worst luck. While her life as a palace servant has kept her safe from growing human-fae violence, she’s spent it pining for the second prince. But when she kills a fae noble in self defence, it’s not the man she loves who saves her from a death sentence, it’s his older brother—the growly, grouchy Prince Connor.
Connor has spent a lifetime trying to avert war. That includes getting his licentious, unruly younger brother to secure a key alliance by marrying a neighbouring fae princess. It also means saving the pretty human servant he loathes from death—by claiming she’s his fiancée.
Their engagement could bring peace—if anyone believes it's real. But as they sell their lie to the masses and fend off feelings of their own, both uncover troubling truths. Connor discovers that Lieke is his mate and Lieke learns if the second prince weds, human rebels will kill one of the royal brothers. Can Lieke sabotage a fae alliance without condemning both her heart and her people, or will Connor save the alliance and seal his fate?
Until the Stars Fall is the first exciting interconnected standalone romantasy in the Immortal Reveries series. If you love fake engagements, court intrigue, and fated mates, dive into Until the Stars Fall!
Lieke Berg is a hopeless romantic with the worst luck. While her life as a palace servant has kept her safe from growing human-fae violence, she’s spent it pining for the second prince. But when she kills a fae noble in self defence, it’s not the man she loves who saves her from a death sentence, it’s his older brother—the growly, grouchy Prince Connor.
Connor has spent a lifetime trying to avert war. That includes getting his licentious, unruly younger brother to secure a key alliance by marrying a neighbouring fae princess. It also means saving the pretty human servant he loathes from death—by claiming she’s his fiancée.
Their engagement could bring peace—if anyone believes it's real. But as they sell their lie to the masses and fend off feelings of their own, both uncover troubling truths. Connor discovers that Lieke is his mate and Lieke learns if the second prince weds, human rebels will kill one of the royal brothers. Can Lieke sabotage a fae alliance without condemning both her heart and her people, or will Connor save the alliance and seal his fate?
Until the Stars Fall is the first exciting interconnected standalone romantasy in the Immortal Reveries series. If you love fake engagements, court intrigue, and fated mates, dive into Until the Stars Fall!
Unknown Binding
Published February 13, 2024
857 people are currently reading
23818 people want to read
About the author
Vanessa Rasanen
11 books894 followersVanessa Rasanen is a former engineer turned fantasy romance author of emotionally charged stories full of love, adventure, and a bit of spice. When she's not writing swoony tension and broody good guys, she and her pilot husband can be found explaining to their four extroverted children why they have to live out in the middle of nowhere. Vanessa is a morning person who lives on coffee, potatoes, and gin (not at the same time) and could watch The Mummy and New Girl on repeat.
To learn more about Vanessa and her books, go to vanessarasanen.com
Bonus chapters and exclusive content are yours when you sign up for her newsletter.
To learn more about Vanessa and her books, go to vanessarasanen.com
Bonus chapters and exclusive content are yours when you sign up for her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 973 reviews
February 14, 2024
I see a lot of rave reviews for this book, and I just don’t get it 🤷♀️
The world was hardly described, the magic system never explained, and the main characters all acted like children. I wanted to slap the FMC and tell her to get it the fuck together several times.
Not to mention super weird pacing and a plot with more holes than Swiss cheese 🧀
Great for you if you liked it. Really, I honestly hope you did. I guess I just personally need a lot more fantasy in my romantasy.
The world was hardly described, the magic system never explained, and the main characters all acted like children. I wanted to slap the FMC and tell her to get it the fuck together several times.
Not to mention super weird pacing and a plot with more holes than Swiss cheese 🧀
Great for you if you liked it. Really, I honestly hope you did. I guess I just personally need a lot more fantasy in my romantasy.
November 17, 2024
✩ 3 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Fated Mates
➼ Fae Royalty
➼ One Horse
➼ Fake Engagement
➼ One Bed
➼ He’s Fae/She’s Human
➼ Grumpy x Sunshine
➼ Dual POV
I never really think of myself as a mood reader, but I must have been in the mood for this. That’s the only explanation I can come up with for actually enjoying this even as the plot and the FMC drove me insane. I’ll be sharing some plot details in this review, so continue reading at your own risk…
Our FMC is a human servant living in the palace with two Fae Princes (of course there are two). She has been desperately in love with the younger prince all her life. They played together as children but after his mother died, he forgot she existed and slept his way through the entire kingdom of fae females. Now, that detail alone is enough to shoot a massive hole in this plot. Sure, they live in a castle, but they do in fact live under the same roof, and the author expects the reader to accept that they haven’t spoken in literal years. I think not.
The FMC tries to orchestrate an encounter between herself and the prince by lurking outside of an event that is only for the fae. The crown prince finds her instead but so does another fae male who attacks her because she’s human. The older prince protects her, but since she broke the rules they decide to send her away to her “family.” She is an orphan at this point and both her parents have been dead for a while, but I’m supposed to believe she has all this family she has never met? They teach her self defense and basically torture her to make her strong and then send her back to the castle a few years later. She thinks they do all this because she was attacked but you’d think she’d at least question the torture or the fact that they send her back, but no, not our FMC. She questions nothing. (They are rebels).
The crown prince is of course the responsible one who has been trying to protect his brother from their angry and abusive father since their mother died. He decides that it’s time for his brother to grow up and when his father decides the younger prince must marry the princess of another kingdom, the crown prince is fully on board. This also bothered me, because the older prince mentioned on several occasion that he wanted to wait for his mate, but he acts like his younger brother is a brat for not accepting an arranged marriage. Seems hypocritical.
The FMC and the younger prince finally bump into each other again and start spending time together. There are rules against human and fae relationships and he is meant to marry the fae princess so they try to keep their relationship secret but they are of course discovered. He gets beaten by his dad and then accepts his fate and they break it off after only a kiss. This is where the FMC gets really annoying because she says stuff like “he’s my best friend” when he literally ignored her for years and they don’t even know each other as adults. She keeps pining over him and acting exceedingly delulu.
Then one night the bad fae guy finds her again and attacks her and she manages to kill him. It’s self defense but she’s brought before the king who decides to make an example of her and have her killed. She expects her prince to stand up for her. He says nothing, but of course, the crown prince with the savior complex decides to save her by saying that she is his fiancé. Now this my friends, makes zero sense. There is literally no way this would get her out of trouble with this particular king. He would absolutely want to have a say in who the future ruler of his kingdom married and again, there are rules preventing humans and fae from dating. The author just expects us to believe that the prince is like, I’ll explain later dad and the king just accepts that? Not a chance. Especially after she literally passes out when he makes this pronouncement. Then basically everyone including the king knows it’s a sham but they decide to go through with it for various reasons, some of which make more sense than others.
At this point in the plot, I started to enjoy it a little more. I maybe just accepted that it was a super cheesy book with a silly plot and just went with it. I will say that most of the characters including the side characters were very likable and well developed. Our FMC got less annoying when she stopped pining for the other prince but she still wasn’t my favorite. I especially enjoyed the relationship between the crown prince and his best friend. They had great banter and camaraderie which felt realistic and warm.
If the mood strikes, maybe I’ll even read book two. I do really wish the author would have workshopped the first 1/3 of this book more. I also think she relied heavily on other similar fae books. She really did not do much world building or explain the magic system at all. It kind of felt like she just assumed she didn’t have to because her readers would just make assumptions based on their existing knowledge from other books. This is honestly likely true, but it still felt a little lazy to me. The characters also kind of alluded to other races beyond human and fae without labeling them which felt a little sly to me. It almost felt like the author wanted to leave that door open so she could decide to add them in later if she felt like it.
Anyway, grudgingly giving this a very generous 3 stars. It’s always the reviews I don’t even want to write that end up being stupidly long. 😅
What to Expect:
➼ Fated Mates
➼ Fae Royalty
➼ One Horse
➼ Fake Engagement
➼ One Bed
➼ He’s Fae/She’s Human
➼ Grumpy x Sunshine
➼ Dual POV
I never really think of myself as a mood reader, but I must have been in the mood for this. That’s the only explanation I can come up with for actually enjoying this even as the plot and the FMC drove me insane. I’ll be sharing some plot details in this review, so continue reading at your own risk…
Our FMC is a human servant living in the palace with two Fae Princes (of course there are two). She has been desperately in love with the younger prince all her life. They played together as children but after his mother died, he forgot she existed and slept his way through the entire kingdom of fae females. Now, that detail alone is enough to shoot a massive hole in this plot. Sure, they live in a castle, but they do in fact live under the same roof, and the author expects the reader to accept that they haven’t spoken in literal years. I think not.
The FMC tries to orchestrate an encounter between herself and the prince by lurking outside of an event that is only for the fae. The crown prince finds her instead but so does another fae male who attacks her because she’s human. The older prince protects her, but since she broke the rules they decide to send her away to her “family.” She is an orphan at this point and both her parents have been dead for a while, but I’m supposed to believe she has all this family she has never met? They teach her self defense and basically torture her to make her strong and then send her back to the castle a few years later. She thinks they do all this because she was attacked but you’d think she’d at least question the torture or the fact that they send her back, but no, not our FMC. She questions nothing. (They are rebels).
The crown prince is of course the responsible one who has been trying to protect his brother from their angry and abusive father since their mother died. He decides that it’s time for his brother to grow up and when his father decides the younger prince must marry the princess of another kingdom, the crown prince is fully on board. This also bothered me, because the older prince mentioned on several occasion that he wanted to wait for his mate, but he acts like his younger brother is a brat for not accepting an arranged marriage. Seems hypocritical.
The FMC and the younger prince finally bump into each other again and start spending time together. There are rules against human and fae relationships and he is meant to marry the fae princess so they try to keep their relationship secret but they are of course discovered. He gets beaten by his dad and then accepts his fate and they break it off after only a kiss. This is where the FMC gets really annoying because she says stuff like “he’s my best friend” when he literally ignored her for years and they don’t even know each other as adults. She keeps pining over him and acting exceedingly delulu.
Then one night the bad fae guy finds her again and attacks her and she manages to kill him. It’s self defense but she’s brought before the king who decides to make an example of her and have her killed. She expects her prince to stand up for her. He says nothing, but of course, the crown prince with the savior complex decides to save her by saying that she is his fiancé. Now this my friends, makes zero sense. There is literally no way this would get her out of trouble with this particular king. He would absolutely want to have a say in who the future ruler of his kingdom married and again, there are rules preventing humans and fae from dating. The author just expects us to believe that the prince is like, I’ll explain later dad and the king just accepts that? Not a chance. Especially after she literally passes out when he makes this pronouncement. Then basically everyone including the king knows it’s a sham but they decide to go through with it for various reasons, some of which make more sense than others.
At this point in the plot, I started to enjoy it a little more. I maybe just accepted that it was a super cheesy book with a silly plot and just went with it. I will say that most of the characters including the side characters were very likable and well developed. Our FMC got less annoying when she stopped pining for the other prince but she still wasn’t my favorite. I especially enjoyed the relationship between the crown prince and his best friend. They had great banter and camaraderie which felt realistic and warm.
If the mood strikes, maybe I’ll even read book two. I do really wish the author would have workshopped the first 1/3 of this book more. I also think she relied heavily on other similar fae books. She really did not do much world building or explain the magic system at all. It kind of felt like she just assumed she didn’t have to because her readers would just make assumptions based on their existing knowledge from other books. This is honestly likely true, but it still felt a little lazy to me. The characters also kind of alluded to other races beyond human and fae without labeling them which felt a little sly to me. It almost felt like the author wanted to leave that door open so she could decide to add them in later if she felt like it.
Anyway, grudgingly giving this a very generous 3 stars. It’s always the reviews I don’t even want to write that end up being stupidly long. 😅
February 12, 2024
This deserves every single star. All of them. I now have a massive book hangover 😭😭😭 but Connor and Lieke are up there with my all time fave relationships. I adore them.
If you haven’t added this book to your TBR or preordered it…you’re missing out on soooo much goodness! Fake engagement…they don’t like each other…he’s a grumpy Captain America and she’s a sassy sunshine…fae…magic…Connor can shift into a wolf hound 🐺…and SO MANY swoonworthy moments. One of my faves? “Own the room, Sapphire. It’s yours to rule.” SAPPHIRE. IN LOVE.
This book is special. And it’s going to do big things. You won’t wanna miss that, believe me! 👀
If you haven’t added this book to your TBR or preordered it…you’re missing out on soooo much goodness! Fake engagement…they don’t like each other…he’s a grumpy Captain America and she’s a sassy sunshine…fae…magic…Connor can shift into a wolf hound 🐺…and SO MANY swoonworthy moments. One of my faves? “Own the room, Sapphire. It’s yours to rule.” SAPPHIRE. IN LOVE.
This book is special. And it’s going to do big things. You won’t wanna miss that, believe me! 👀
April 16, 2024
DNF @45%
This girl is simpin harder than Bella for Edward, only the dude has zero reciprocal feelings.
All these world rules are introduced but we are to believe that a simple human kitchen maid has all the audacity in the world to believe that she somehow deserves to be treated any different than the other human chattel and slaves? Then we are to believe that even though humans are hated, and none are allowed to any event or to be in the presence of their superiors other than in service, and that having sex with a human is forbidden and one of the highest laws but....
Ya know what, don't waste your time. The plot holes are bigger than the garbage truck plowing through them. Plus, the real ick factor of a girl so obsessed with a boy that she convinces herself that his lack interest is somehow untrue. Then she somehow is going to end up with his brother to save her life?!?!?!?! Make it make sense!!
Okay, I'm done.
Hard pass on this travesty that has a very distinct AI feel to how it reads. *shrug*
This girl is simpin harder than Bella for Edward, only the dude has zero reciprocal feelings.
All these world rules are introduced but we are to believe that a simple human kitchen maid has all the audacity in the world to believe that she somehow deserves to be treated any different than the other human chattel and slaves? Then we are to believe that even though humans are hated, and none are allowed to any event or to be in the presence of their superiors other than in service, and that having sex with a human is forbidden and one of the highest laws but....
Ya know what, don't waste your time. The plot holes are bigger than the garbage truck plowing through them. Plus, the real ick factor of a girl so obsessed with a boy that she convinces herself that his lack interest is somehow untrue. Then she somehow is going to end up with his brother to save her life?!?!?!?! Make it make sense!!
Okay, I'm done.
Hard pass on this travesty that has a very distinct AI feel to how it reads. *shrug*
October 17, 2023
Enthralling. Unputdownable. A fated romance that kept me spellbound from the first page to the last.
I am completely in love with Connor.
I am completely in love with Connor.
February 17, 2024
Dnf at like 10%.. this is awful, where are these 5 star reviews coming from? I genuinely don’t get it
February 16, 2024
this has to be joke. this read like a bad satirical snl skit on booktok age of literature. are we supposed to take it serious? the method of drafting and forming a plot has changed drastically in recent years. now, new age authors start off with a massive list of tropes and 'classic' scenes they want to incorporate in their book, instead of a unique idea or plot point. it's all about trends. it's all about fitting in as many popular tropes as possible, without a care for coherence and originality. I'm genuinely reeling. At times it felt like the author got too impatient forming a storyline and couldn't hold off adding a trope even if it meant it didn't fit, was out of the blue. it was hilarious fr. they just kept piling on like there was a queue 😭 ultimately, no character had a single working brain cell. conor, brennan and lieke were so stupid gosh. i had a hard time believing the two princes were ROYALTY. they acted like the next layman. everything was absurd on an astronomical level. when all conor could come up while trying to save lieke's life was that she's his fiancée, i doubled ever. my brother.. you could've said she has information about the rebels, that she's useful, which is true. he had meant to interrogate her, which he kept delaying bc clearly his priorities lied somewhere else.. sigh. this is just one example of a hundred. it was a dumpster fire
May 28, 2024
A miss for me unfortunately...
The main reason I picked this book up was because of the hype surrounding it at the time of its release. The other reason was that it contained some of my favorite tropes and I've been looking for something similar.
| DNF 47%
⤏ What to expect:
∘ New Adult Fantasy Romance
∘ First book in a collection of interconnected standalones
∘ Dual POV
∘ Protective Fae Shifter Prince
∘ Infuriating human FMC
∘ Short chapters
∘ Banter and tension
⤏ Tropes:
∘ Fated Mates
∘ Fake Engagement
∘ Grumpy x sunshine
∘ Love triangle
⤏ Thoughts
Despite the low rating I gave this book, there were a few things I liked.
Firstly, the writing style. The worldbuilding was captivating, there were a few good plot-twists and the plot drew me in from the very beginning. Although, I didn't like the direction the plot took, it still managed to hold my interest.
The mystery surrounding the FMC's family also intrigued me, and there were a few side characters I was fond of.
As stated in my previous update, I wasn't a fan of the FMC, but I pushed forward hoping it would get better. Unfortunately, it didn't. I could not get over this woman's attitude. It just grated on my nerves, making it difficult for me to empathize with her.
The princes were alright, most of the time, and while I wasn't a fan of Connor (the eldest prince) in the beginning, I grew to like him. Same can't be said about his brother, though... He was just a spoiled prince who, until recently, didn't realize what consequences his actions brought and how important his choices moving forward were...
To be completely honest with you, looking at it this way, she and Lieke were a perfect match.
(won't apologize for this statement)
All in all, the book was not what I expected it to be and left me feeling a little disappointed. Maybe my expectations were what influenced my experience, but unfortunately, there's nothing to be done about that.
The main reason I picked this book up was because of the hype surrounding it at the time of its release. The other reason was that it contained some of my favorite tropes and I've been looking for something similar.
| DNF 47%
⤏ What to expect:
∘ New Adult Fantasy Romance
∘ First book in a collection of interconnected standalones
∘ Dual POV
∘ Protective Fae Shifter Prince
∘ Infuriating human FMC
∘ Short chapters
∘ Banter and tension
⤏ Tropes:
∘ Fated Mates
∘ Fake Engagement
∘ Grumpy x sunshine
∘ Love triangle
⤏ Thoughts
Despite the low rating I gave this book, there were a few things I liked.
Firstly, the writing style. The worldbuilding was captivating, there were a few good plot-twists and the plot drew me in from the very beginning. Although, I didn't like the direction the plot took, it still managed to hold my interest.
The mystery surrounding the FMC's family also intrigued me, and there were a few side characters I was fond of.
As stated in my previous update, I wasn't a fan of the FMC, but I pushed forward hoping it would get better. Unfortunately, it didn't. I could not get over this woman's attitude. It just grated on my nerves, making it difficult for me to empathize with her.
The princes were alright, most of the time, and while I wasn't a fan of Connor (the eldest prince) in the beginning, I grew to like him. Same can't be said about his brother, though... He was just a spoiled prince who, until recently, didn't realize what consequences his actions brought and how important his choices moving forward were...
To be completely honest with you, looking at it this way, she and Lieke were a perfect match.
(won't apologize for this statement)
All in all, the book was not what I expected it to be and left me feeling a little disappointed. Maybe my expectations were what influenced my experience, but unfortunately, there's nothing to be done about that.
dnf
February 16, 2024Made it 12%. I wasn’t a fan of this authors previous book On These Black Sands but I saw the potential, so I wanted to give her a second chance. Something just isn’t clicking and it’s rather boring so far. It’s also coming off as very immature. It also doesn’t “stand out” from the typical romantasy. Sometimes cliche and recycled stories work, but honestly—I’m over it. I want something unique and this isn’t it. Maybe I’ll give it another shot? But probably not.
December 10, 2023
Wow, it’s been a minute since I read any fated mates fantasy, and I REALLY missed the trope! Until the Stars Fall is a sweeping romantasy with tons of swoon, relatively simple world building, a strong and snarky FMC and a broody MMC. I really enjoyed this one, thank you SO MUCH to @vanessarasanenauthor for the advanced copy and for the spot on your Street Team!
Orphaned human Lieke has served the fae royal family and lived in the palace her entire life. Relations between humans and fae have been strained for years after a devastating war tore their world apart. Lieke has been in love with Brennan, the younger prince and her best friend, for years, but when he is unexpectedly betrothed to the princess of a neighboring kingdom, she’s devastated. Then, she inadvertently kills another fae in self defense, and she’s sentenced to death. To save her, Crown Prince Connor tells the court that they are engaged. Most of the kingdom will not accept a human marrying fae nobility, so Connor and Lieke must convince everyone of their ruse. Complications arise when they both start to realize that they might not be pretending anymore, regardless of Connor’s devotion to the crown and Lieke’s lingering feelings for Brennan.
One of the things that drew me to this story was that it’s marketed as a retelling of the 1950s classic movie Sabrina. I could see tons of parallels, and it was really cool to see how it translated into fae fantasy. I really liked Lieke; though she was a little oblivious at times, I loved her snarky attitude towards the two males in her life. And watching grumpy, stoic Connor fall for her was a lot of fun. There’s a TON of 😮💨😮💨 steam, lots of chemistry, and while the spice is more NA it’s HOT! My only complaint is that it is a SLOW burn - but it makes sense in the context of the story!!
If you’ve been on the hunt for your next fated mates fantasy story, you have GOT to check out Until the Stars Fall. It’s out in February and you do not want to miss it!
Orphaned human Lieke has served the fae royal family and lived in the palace her entire life. Relations between humans and fae have been strained for years after a devastating war tore their world apart. Lieke has been in love with Brennan, the younger prince and her best friend, for years, but when he is unexpectedly betrothed to the princess of a neighboring kingdom, she’s devastated. Then, she inadvertently kills another fae in self defense, and she’s sentenced to death. To save her, Crown Prince Connor tells the court that they are engaged. Most of the kingdom will not accept a human marrying fae nobility, so Connor and Lieke must convince everyone of their ruse. Complications arise when they both start to realize that they might not be pretending anymore, regardless of Connor’s devotion to the crown and Lieke’s lingering feelings for Brennan.
One of the things that drew me to this story was that it’s marketed as a retelling of the 1950s classic movie Sabrina. I could see tons of parallels, and it was really cool to see how it translated into fae fantasy. I really liked Lieke; though she was a little oblivious at times, I loved her snarky attitude towards the two males in her life. And watching grumpy, stoic Connor fall for her was a lot of fun. There’s a TON of 😮💨😮💨 steam, lots of chemistry, and while the spice is more NA it’s HOT! My only complaint is that it is a SLOW burn - but it makes sense in the context of the story!!
If you’ve been on the hunt for your next fated mates fantasy story, you have GOT to check out Until the Stars Fall. It’s out in February and you do not want to miss it!
March 13, 2025
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Respectfully, I did NOT vibe with this book
All the characters were insufferable and made the most questionable, unhinged decisions. By the end, I was rooting for the demise of all of them. Also, some characters were just forgot about. Raven was supposed to show up at the castle and when she didn’t the fmc was like “oh well” . The marriage between prince 1 (dude that sleeps with everyone) and the princess was such a big part of the first half of the book- then barely mentioned ever again. The king regularly smacked the ever living shit out of prince 2 (Chihuahua boy that can’t do shit but whine) and this was never really a question of concern for anyone- especially the fmc who was buddy buddy with the king later in the book.
Also, the plot??? Half of the things that happened were never fully fleshed out or explained. The fact that humans are treated so poorly was never really addressed or solved during this book. The Fae were all like “idk why these ppl keep attacking us” WHEN THE HUMANS LITERALLY HAVE ZERO RIGHTS AND ARE CONSTANTLY THREATENED BY THE FAE. I am humankind’s #1 hater, but like…. ALSO the fmc kept getting bad mojo from the mage at the end who was so mysterious about the stone and *gasp* nothing happened or was explained.
Anywhoozle
Respectfully, I did NOT vibe with this book
All the characters were insufferable and made the most questionable, unhinged decisions. By the end, I was rooting for the demise of all of them. Also, some characters were just forgot about. Raven was supposed to show up at the castle and when she didn’t the fmc was like “oh well” . The marriage between prince 1 (dude that sleeps with everyone) and the princess was such a big part of the first half of the book- then barely mentioned ever again. The king regularly smacked the ever living shit out of prince 2 (Chihuahua boy that can’t do shit but whine) and this was never really a question of concern for anyone- especially the fmc who was buddy buddy with the king later in the book.
Also, the plot??? Half of the things that happened were never fully fleshed out or explained. The fact that humans are treated so poorly was never really addressed or solved during this book. The Fae were all like “idk why these ppl keep attacking us” WHEN THE HUMANS LITERALLY HAVE ZERO RIGHTS AND ARE CONSTANTLY THREATENED BY THE FAE. I am humankind’s #1 hater, but like…. ALSO the fmc kept getting bad mojo from the mage at the end who was so mysterious about the stone and *gasp* nothing happened or was explained.
Anywhoozle
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2024
Did I read the same book as everybody else? I don't understand how this got such a high rating.
The first half of this book was literally 100% angst. And yes, I know this is a young adult book, but there are plenty of young adult books out there where the FMC knows her worth. She was dumb and whiny and fixated on a male who treated females like objects. I found myself having no respect for her.
When I finally made it to the second half of the book, it was full of anger and borderline abuse.
I am completely disappointed. I had looked forward to reading this book for a long time.
The first half of this book was literally 100% angst. And yes, I know this is a young adult book, but there are plenty of young adult books out there where the FMC knows her worth. She was dumb and whiny and fixated on a male who treated females like objects. I found myself having no respect for her.
When I finally made it to the second half of the book, it was full of anger and borderline abuse.
I am completely disappointed. I had looked forward to reading this book for a long time.
April 15, 2025
meh. This was my second chance read for this author and it didnt work! Im not gonna read anymore of her books unless im feeling generous or she put out something really interesting
January 3, 2025
This was such a fun read and honestly i had the best time with it. The vibes were great and i just enjoyed everything about it. I will say our FMC was down BAD in the first half of the book and thankfully finally came to her senses. Connor is a sweetie pie and deserves all the happiness in the world. He is such a golden retriever type of guy who just wants to help everyone and make everyone happy and i loved him in this book.
I am really excited to see what happens in the next book of this interconnected standalone series!
I am really excited to see what happens in the next book of this interconnected standalone series!
January 23, 2024
4.5 stars.
Until the Stars Fall combines everything I love about a fantasy series into a standalone that is easily a new favorite. It’s phenomenally written with the perfect amount of world building, romance, character development, and plot! I was immersed from the first page. It was so easy to invest myself in these characters and the writing is flawless.
I seriously couldn’t recommend this book more if you are looking for a magical, fast paced fantasy romance read. There was much more history and back story than I expected, but I honestly appreciated the context it added to the story. It allowed me to truly get to know the characters and understand their motivations.
I appreciated the short chapters SO MUCH. For some reason they make it so much easier for me to read a book fast.
Lieke is a feisty human who stands up for herself in a world where humans are oppressed by the fae. Connor is a prince with the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders and omg I felt for him. But he’s also so SWOONY.
The romance, I loved it so much! The tension. The slow slow burn romance that was built up beautifully. The way they slowly become friends before lovers. I’m here for all of it! There was a bit of unnecessary miscommunication but I adore the rest of the book so I got over it.
Until the Stars Fall is an amazing standalone that didn’t feel too fast or not enough information or plot. It releases February 13, please please please preorder this book or read it when it releases because it’s such a beautiful book!
Things to expect:
🐺 Fae Shifter Prince
🥀 Standalone romantasy
👑 Fae royalty
💍 Fake engagement
💕 Fated mates
🔪 Who did this to you
🛏️ Only one bed
🐴 Only one horse
🌶️ Spice: 1.5/5
Thank you Vanessa for the ARC!
Until the Stars Fall combines everything I love about a fantasy series into a standalone that is easily a new favorite. It’s phenomenally written with the perfect amount of world building, romance, character development, and plot! I was immersed from the first page. It was so easy to invest myself in these characters and the writing is flawless.
I seriously couldn’t recommend this book more if you are looking for a magical, fast paced fantasy romance read. There was much more history and back story than I expected, but I honestly appreciated the context it added to the story. It allowed me to truly get to know the characters and understand their motivations.
I appreciated the short chapters SO MUCH. For some reason they make it so much easier for me to read a book fast.
Lieke is a feisty human who stands up for herself in a world where humans are oppressed by the fae. Connor is a prince with the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders and omg I felt for him. But he’s also so SWOONY.
The romance, I loved it so much! The tension. The slow slow burn romance that was built up beautifully. The way they slowly become friends before lovers. I’m here for all of it! There was a bit of unnecessary miscommunication but I adore the rest of the book so I got over it.
Until the Stars Fall is an amazing standalone that didn’t feel too fast or not enough information or plot. It releases February 13, please please please preorder this book or read it when it releases because it’s such a beautiful book!
Things to expect:
🐺 Fae Shifter Prince
🥀 Standalone romantasy
👑 Fae royalty
💍 Fake engagement
💕 Fated mates
🔪 Who did this to you
🛏️ Only one bed
🐴 Only one horse
🌶️ Spice: 1.5/5
Thank you Vanessa for the ARC!
February 14, 2024
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the month and it just feel so flat to me, there was really no world building and I wasn’t even vibing with the romance other, it was an okay book, I’m quite disappointed tbh
dnf
August 27, 2025DNF At 20%
This story is VERY slow-paced. The issue is that it doesn't succeed in building a world that's interesting enough to keep my attention long enough for it to get to the point. I'm 20% in, and one thing has happened to kick off the plot, but then it proceeds to not explain what's happening and fast-forwards the story 3 years. I'm sorry, but No. I don't accept that.
This book very much reads like an imitation of Vela Roth's writing style but with none of the intricate and thought out world building.
This story is VERY slow-paced. The issue is that it doesn't succeed in building a world that's interesting enough to keep my attention long enough for it to get to the point. I'm 20% in, and one thing has happened to kick off the plot, but then it proceeds to not explain what's happening and fast-forwards the story 3 years. I'm sorry, but No. I don't accept that.
This book very much reads like an imitation of Vela Roth's writing style but with none of the intricate and thought out world building.
October 13, 2023
I was so so lucky to be a beta reader for this book & all I have to say is EVERYONE NEEDS THIS BOOK WHEN IT COMES OUT😍😭 I’ll definitely have a review coming for this book… but wow.. Vanessa never EVER disappoints😍🔥 5 billion stars. That’s how much this book deserves.
February 22, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC E-Book in exchange for an honest review.
I wish I had better things to say but overall this was this was just not it & that's pretty disappointing considering the rave it's getting. Until The Stars Fall is a fantasy romance involving Fae and Human kind. Humans are protected by the Fae King but there is growing tension as Fae continue to be murdered & all suspicions is turned toward the humans.
Unfortunately, there are some serious pacing issues in regard to the writing & story telling that made the entire plot fall in and out of place for me. At one point, and I should stress that this ALL happens in one very short chapter , Leike (the FMC) is sent away to train with her distant relatives on how to defend herself. She doesn't live with them and never has, even after she becomes an orphan in the castle but apparently it's safe enough for her to go away and train on a whim at the height of Fae/human aggression. The literal next sentence is supposed to be three years later and you are never given an explanation of what occurred in those three years. Then she is on her way back to the castle and magically knows how to defend herself a little... MOVING ON except no I am not I need ANSWERS!
Second, the chemistry between Leike and the prince (who she is in love with and is supposed to have grown up with her entire life) is just non-existent. You get no background history or moments to hold on to from their upbringing to build that relationship between them so you end up just not feeling that connection. But then she finds out the prince's brother (who again, she has known and grown up with her entire life) happens to be her mate?! Something isn't adding up..
On top of that, you get a very brief history of the last war that occurred between the Fae and Human worlds but you get no other history, world building, or magic system explanations at all to the point you don't even know who and what magic the Fae are supposed to have.
And lastly, not one person in this book is likeable. The MC's are all supposed to be adults taking over the throne and getting married but they all act like they're in high school. The dialogue between these characters was badly written in my opinion.
I wish I could say I enjoyed this more & it has so much potential to be good but the writing and pacing was too choppy for me & things were not adding up to make a cohesive story.
I wish I had better things to say but overall this was this was just not it & that's pretty disappointing considering the rave it's getting. Until The Stars Fall is a fantasy romance involving Fae and Human kind. Humans are protected by the Fae King but there is growing tension as Fae continue to be murdered & all suspicions is turned toward the humans.
Unfortunately, there are some serious pacing issues in regard to the writing & story telling that made the entire plot fall in and out of place for me. At one point, and I should stress that this ALL happens in one very short chapter , Leike (the FMC) is sent away to train with her distant relatives on how to defend herself. She doesn't live with them and never has, even after she becomes an orphan in the castle but apparently it's safe enough for her to go away and train on a whim at the height of Fae/human aggression. The literal next sentence is supposed to be three years later and you are never given an explanation of what occurred in those three years. Then she is on her way back to the castle and magically knows how to defend herself a little... MOVING ON except no I am not I need ANSWERS!
Second, the chemistry between Leike and the prince (who she is in love with and is supposed to have grown up with her entire life) is just non-existent. You get no background history or moments to hold on to from their upbringing to build that relationship between them so you end up just not feeling that connection. But then she finds out the prince's brother (who again, she has known and grown up with her entire life) happens to be her mate?! Something isn't adding up..
On top of that, you get a very brief history of the last war that occurred between the Fae and Human worlds but you get no other history, world building, or magic system explanations at all to the point you don't even know who and what magic the Fae are supposed to have.
And lastly, not one person in this book is likeable. The MC's are all supposed to be adults taking over the throne and getting married but they all act like they're in high school. The dialogue between these characters was badly written in my opinion.
I wish I could say I enjoyed this more & it has so much potential to be good but the writing and pacing was too choppy for me & things were not adding up to make a cohesive story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫
𝑺𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒔 𝒇𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒂𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂
Meet Lieke, our feisty human royal house staff who has been pining for an unrequited love of Brennan since childhood. Brennan is the resident “spare” fae heir and playboy but will he finally take his responsibilities seriously or even start to see Lieke as something more than just a friend? Time will tell…
Connor, the crown prince and army commander, is the epitome of a swoony golden boy - dutiful, temperamental, and compassionate with a bit of a savior complex. He’s also a secret romantic who is waiting to find his mate. Connor is tasked to address the growing threats of rebels, civil unrest, and the kingdoms on the brink of war. Somehow, their fates seem to be star-bound…
Tropes/themes:
💫 Dual POV
💫 Mortal x Fae shifter Prince
💫 Fated mates
💫 Forced proximity
💫 One 🐴
💫 Fake engagement
💫 Slow burn 🌶️
"𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕓𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕕”
"𝕌𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕗𝕒𝕝𝕝, 𝕊𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕖”
"𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕀'𝕕 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕣𝕞."
The world building is gradual and easy to follow and I adore all the main characters and seeing their arcs as the book progresses. I also really enjoyed the dual POV and the shorter chapters.
The execution of the fake engagement trope is *chef’s kiss*. The romance starts as a slow evolution- an ember that stokes a burning fire and I reveled in being consumed by every moment.
💫 Brimming with banter, angst, and swoon, Until the Stars Fall transports you to a dazzling and dangerous world with characters that will capture your heart.
This is the first book in a planned series of interconnected stand-alones and I cannot wait for more!
I received a free e-ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Huge thanks to Vanessa Rasanen for this ARC opportunity!
𝑺𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒔 𝒇𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒂𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂
Meet Lieke, our feisty human royal house staff who has been pining for an unrequited love of Brennan since childhood. Brennan is the resident “spare” fae heir and playboy but will he finally take his responsibilities seriously or even start to see Lieke as something more than just a friend? Time will tell…
Connor, the crown prince and army commander, is the epitome of a swoony golden boy - dutiful, temperamental, and compassionate with a bit of a savior complex. He’s also a secret romantic who is waiting to find his mate. Connor is tasked to address the growing threats of rebels, civil unrest, and the kingdoms on the brink of war. Somehow, their fates seem to be star-bound…
Tropes/themes:
💫 Dual POV
💫 Mortal x Fae shifter Prince
💫 Fated mates
💫 Forced proximity
💫 One 🐴
💫 Fake engagement
💫 Slow burn 🌶️
"𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕓𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕕”
"𝕌𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕗𝕒𝕝𝕝, 𝕊𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕖”
"𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕀'𝕕 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕣𝕞."
The world building is gradual and easy to follow and I adore all the main characters and seeing their arcs as the book progresses. I also really enjoyed the dual POV and the shorter chapters.
The execution of the fake engagement trope is *chef’s kiss*. The romance starts as a slow evolution- an ember that stokes a burning fire and I reveled in being consumed by every moment.
💫 Brimming with banter, angst, and swoon, Until the Stars Fall transports you to a dazzling and dangerous world with characters that will capture your heart.
This is the first book in a planned series of interconnected stand-alones and I cannot wait for more!
I received a free e-ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Huge thanks to Vanessa Rasanen for this ARC opportunity!
February 10, 2025
if you love the romance dynamic in the summer i turned pretty, this book is for you (… unfortunately …. it was not for me…)
this romantasy was heavy on the romance and very light on the fantasy to the point where i felt like valuable plot points were not included or flushed out. the romance didn’t hit for me, especially when the first 40% of the book our fmc is OBSESSED with a boy (to the point where i was like sis.. have some self respect), only to later basically forget he exists in favor of his brother???
if you’re here for the tea, this may be the book for you.
ultimately what fell flat for me was the childish personalities of these characters, who if i’m understanding correctly are not children. there is so much miscommunication i was pulling my hair out and i wanted to slap the fmc in the face on numerous occasions.
while i was frustrated, this was a really bingeable book and i want to reiterate that if you’re newer to fantasy/ prefer strictly romantasy with a touch of spice you may be a fan! just wasn’t for me. 😌✌🏼
this romantasy was heavy on the romance and very light on the fantasy to the point where i felt like valuable plot points were not included or flushed out. the romance didn’t hit for me, especially when the first 40% of the book our fmc is OBSESSED with a boy (to the point where i was like sis.. have some self respect), only to later basically forget he exists in favor of his brother???
if you’re here for the tea, this may be the book for you.
ultimately what fell flat for me was the childish personalities of these characters, who if i’m understanding correctly are not children. there is so much miscommunication i was pulling my hair out and i wanted to slap the fmc in the face on numerous occasions.
while i was frustrated, this was a really bingeable book and i want to reiterate that if you’re newer to fantasy/ prefer strictly romantasy with a touch of spice you may be a fan! just wasn’t for me. 😌✌🏼
February 16, 2024
“Until the stars fall, sapphire, I serve you.”
“Until the stars fall, Connor, I live for you and you alone.”
This book was the perfect combination of everything that makes a fun romantasy read! Lieke is a human servant in a Fae palace in a time where tensions between humans and Fae are high. Lieke is in love with one of the princes she was friends with in childhood. In a twist of fate, she becomes betrothed to this prince’s older brother in a plot to save her life & restore peace to the realm.
I love a morally grey shadow daddy, but I absolutely loved reading a fantasy romance where the male main character is the opposite of this! Connor tries to help everyone around him to a fault and will do anything to protect those he loves. Lieke’s obsession with Brennan was a little childish to me in the beginning, but I enjoyed reading how she develops as the story progresses and comes in to her own strength & self worth. There are also several amazing side characters, including my favorite Matthias who needs his own book for sure.
The short chapters, uncomplicated world building, and standalone story make this the perfect romantasy binge read.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️ 🌶️
Read if you like: only one horse, fake engagement, fated mates, shared dreams, grumpy & sunshine, “tell me to stop,” cinnamon roll MMC, hero with a temper, badass FMC, human & fae, “who did this to you?”
Thank you to the author, Book of Matches Media, and RR Book Tours for providing me a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
“Until the stars fall, Connor, I live for you and you alone.”
This book was the perfect combination of everything that makes a fun romantasy read! Lieke is a human servant in a Fae palace in a time where tensions between humans and Fae are high. Lieke is in love with one of the princes she was friends with in childhood. In a twist of fate, she becomes betrothed to this prince’s older brother in a plot to save her life & restore peace to the realm.
I love a morally grey shadow daddy, but I absolutely loved reading a fantasy romance where the male main character is the opposite of this! Connor tries to help everyone around him to a fault and will do anything to protect those he loves. Lieke’s obsession with Brennan was a little childish to me in the beginning, but I enjoyed reading how she develops as the story progresses and comes in to her own strength & self worth. There are also several amazing side characters, including my favorite Matthias who needs his own book for sure.
The short chapters, uncomplicated world building, and standalone story make this the perfect romantasy binge read.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️ 🌶️
Read if you like: only one horse, fake engagement, fated mates, shared dreams, grumpy & sunshine, “tell me to stop,” cinnamon roll MMC, hero with a temper, badass FMC, human & fae, “who did this to you?”
Thank you to the author, Book of Matches Media, and RR Book Tours for providing me a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
February 26, 2025
You know what? I’m not doing this to myself anymore.
DNF at 70%.
No one is likeable, the plot (and all of its holes) make no sense, and it’s just boring too. I can tell that this is a Sabrina retelling, but that’s the best thing I can say about it? Most of all, I really have to emphasize that no one is likeable, and no one actually has chemistry.
Disappointing for sure
DNF at 70%.
No one is likeable, the plot (and all of its holes) make no sense, and it’s just boring too. I can tell that this is a Sabrina retelling, but that’s the best thing I can say about it? Most of all, I really have to emphasize that no one is likeable, and no one actually has chemistry.
Disappointing for sure
February 17, 2024
*3.25-3.5* i’m conflicted about my feelings for this book…
i enjoyed the beginning and middle parts of the story, but it bothered me that the fmc was pretty much in love with the mc’s brother for half of the book
(adding: this is sorta a sabrina retelling so it’s fine that the fmc was crushing on the younger brother, but just the duration of that crush was too long for my liking)
the slow-burn aspect was good and i liked it better once the mc interacted more, but i just wasn't consumed by the romance.
i’m really happy this was a standalone, though! i need more of them in the romantasy genre.
i enjoyed the beginning and middle parts of the story, but it bothered me that the fmc was pretty much in love with the mc’s brother for half of the book
(adding: this is sorta a sabrina retelling so it’s fine that the fmc was crushing on the younger brother, but just the duration of that crush was too long for my liking)
the slow-burn aspect was good and i liked it better once the mc interacted more, but i just wasn't consumed by the romance.
i’m really happy this was a standalone, though! i need more of them in the romantasy genre.
March 10, 2025
Until the Stars Fall (Immortal Reveries #1) by Vanessa Rasanen
The last time a fae royal took a human bride it started a war.
This time it could prevent one.
Rating: ****
Feels: Anticipation, Amusement, Pleasure, Joy
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Magic, Fae, Fantasy Romance
First published February 13, 2024: 510 pages, Kindle
Such an absolute pleasurable read. The beginning put me in mind of the classic movie Sabrina and just gave me all the wonderful nostalgic vibes in a fantasy setting and I was totally here for it !!! The banter was next level amusing, funny and I can not say enough how much I adored these characters. There were many times during the book were I was giggling and my highlighter was working overtime because I enjoyed so many of the passages. Fake engagements as not normally a huge plus for me but this one totally worked and was just endearing in so many ways. There were some darker moments as with most fantasy but I came away with warmth and endearment at the end.
Favorite Quote: (I had a really hard time picking one ... ) “She’s definitely got me frustrated and irritated, if that’s what you mean.” “So irritated you opted to get engaged to her,” he said, barely containing his laughter.
This book has:
Strong FMC
Morally Gray MMC
Enemies to Lovers
Fake Engagement
One Bed
One Horse
Touch her and die
Found Family
Fae Courts
Fae vrs Humans
Politics
Magic
The last time a fae royal took a human bride it started a war.
This time it could prevent one.
Rating: ****
Feels: Anticipation, Amusement, Pleasure, Joy
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Magic, Fae, Fantasy Romance
First published February 13, 2024: 510 pages, Kindle
Such an absolute pleasurable read. The beginning put me in mind of the classic movie Sabrina and just gave me all the wonderful nostalgic vibes in a fantasy setting and I was totally here for it !!! The banter was next level amusing, funny and I can not say enough how much I adored these characters. There were many times during the book were I was giggling and my highlighter was working overtime because I enjoyed so many of the passages. Fake engagements as not normally a huge plus for me but this one totally worked and was just endearing in so many ways. There were some darker moments as with most fantasy but I came away with warmth and endearment at the end.
Favorite Quote: (I had a really hard time picking one ... ) “She’s definitely got me frustrated and irritated, if that’s what you mean.” “So irritated you opted to get engaged to her,” he said, barely containing his laughter.
This book has:
Strong FMC
Morally Gray MMC
Enemies to Lovers
Fake Engagement
One Bed
One Horse
Touch her and die
Found Family
Fae Courts
Fae vrs Humans
Politics
Magic
February 14, 2024
This features:
⭐BANTER
⭐Who Did this to You?
⭐Cinnamon Roll but Grumpy MMC
⭐Fae-Human Relationship
⭐Fake Engagement
⭐One Horse
⭐Grumpy/Sunshine
⭐Shared Dreams
3.5/5
This is the first in a set of standalone romantasy novels with a shared world. Lieke, a human who works in the palace kitchen, draws unwanted attention from an aggressive fae noble. To protect her, she is sent off to her distant family to learn to protect herself. After she returns home, she is abruptly thrust into the intricate political dynamics between the humans and fae after accidentally killing the same fae noble in self defense. As her punishment looms, the elder prince intervenes, offering her an unexpected lifeline. But she is lost in an semi-unrequited childhood crush on his younger brother, which makes things all the more complicated between the two.
The allure of the book lies in its premise and the undeniable chemistry between the main characters. Conner and Lieke's relationship, characterized by banter and plenty of yearning, is a refreshing departure from typical fantasy romance tropes. These are protagonists who are notably different. Connor is soft and grumpy, but incredibly honorable. Sometimes a bit of a martyr. Lieke is a spitfire and tries to do what she thinks is best in an increasingly difficult situation. They're both adorably foolish for love; they make a lot of terrible choices and often throw caution to the wind without considering all of the consequences. It's charming and so unique. Even if it made me sigh at them, at times, hah! I devoured this book so, so quickly and couldn't put it down.
The premise is interesting, but the story left me with quite a few questions. Why is the prince allowed to marry someone from the kitchen? Why would her mother's last wish be to send Lieke to get training from her family and not just stay there? Most of those are just because of the plot and shouldn't be a problem if a reader is just there to have a good time. I think, ultimately, lots of standalones suffer from not enough complexity and a limitation of the characters (FOR ME). And often, they struggle with some pacing issues. The momentum falters as the plot advances. I also tend to favor antagonists with more depth and ambiguity; these were a little mustache-twirly for my tastes. I ultimately do not know enough about the conflict between humans and fae to choose sides, though. But typically those without power are portrayed as more sympathetic. Again, these are me problems.
Now, let's talk about the King briefly. The book informs us that he was extremely violent with Connor in the past, but that is dropped later in the book. He comes off as a kind fatherly figure later in the story and that really bothered me. His anger and violence against his children was explained away as grief. That's fine, but it's still not okay. I felt that needed a little more exploration.
Despite my criticisms, this was a compelling, easy read. There was delightful banter between Connor and Lieke. Also I just ADORED Matthias. He's a busybody just hoping that Connor finds love and he was so much fun. I hope he gets his own book!
⭐BANTER
⭐Who Did this to You?
⭐Cinnamon Roll but Grumpy MMC
⭐Fae-Human Relationship
⭐Fake Engagement
⭐One Horse
⭐Grumpy/Sunshine
⭐Shared Dreams
3.5/5
This is the first in a set of standalone romantasy novels with a shared world. Lieke, a human who works in the palace kitchen, draws unwanted attention from an aggressive fae noble. To protect her, she is sent off to her distant family to learn to protect herself. After she returns home, she is abruptly thrust into the intricate political dynamics between the humans and fae after accidentally killing the same fae noble in self defense. As her punishment looms, the elder prince intervenes, offering her an unexpected lifeline. But she is lost in an semi-unrequited childhood crush on his younger brother, which makes things all the more complicated between the two.
The allure of the book lies in its premise and the undeniable chemistry between the main characters. Conner and Lieke's relationship, characterized by banter and plenty of yearning, is a refreshing departure from typical fantasy romance tropes. These are protagonists who are notably different. Connor is soft and grumpy, but incredibly honorable. Sometimes a bit of a martyr. Lieke is a spitfire and tries to do what she thinks is best in an increasingly difficult situation. They're both adorably foolish for love; they make a lot of terrible choices and often throw caution to the wind without considering all of the consequences. It's charming and so unique. Even if it made me sigh at them, at times, hah! I devoured this book so, so quickly and couldn't put it down.
The premise is interesting, but the story left me with quite a few questions. Why is the prince allowed to marry someone from the kitchen? Why would her mother's last wish be to send Lieke to get training from her family and not just stay there? Most of those are just because of the plot and shouldn't be a problem if a reader is just there to have a good time. I think, ultimately, lots of standalones suffer from not enough complexity and a limitation of the characters (FOR ME). And often, they struggle with some pacing issues. The momentum falters as the plot advances. I also tend to favor antagonists with more depth and ambiguity; these were a little mustache-twirly for my tastes. I ultimately do not know enough about the conflict between humans and fae to choose sides, though. But typically those without power are portrayed as more sympathetic. Again, these are me problems.
Now, let's talk about the King briefly. The book informs us that he was extremely violent with Connor in the past, but that is dropped later in the book. He comes off as a kind fatherly figure later in the story and that really bothered me. His anger and violence against his children was explained away as grief. That's fine, but it's still not okay. I felt that needed a little more exploration.
Despite my criticisms, this was a compelling, easy read. There was delightful banter between Connor and Lieke. Also I just ADORED Matthias. He's a busybody just hoping that Connor finds love and he was so much fun. I hope he gets his own book!
October 15, 2023
“This is really going to complicate things,” I murmured, my voice cracking nervously. Connor’s eyes sparked. “Then tell me to stop,” he said.
This is one of those reads that has the banter, snark, plot and characters that keep you on your toes while not giving too much angst and make your heart swell 10x because you love them and want them to just live happily ever after!
Connor is that hero that will do anything for others and constantly takes the brunt and responsibility at the expense of his own happiness! He’s a little angry golden retriever that needs all the love and deserves to be happy!
Lieke is a fighter and a biter- you definitely don’t want to be on her bad side! And I love that she gives just as good as she gets!
When their paths collide into a forced proximity, fake betrothal- you can imagine the snark and tension that begins to brew 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
What you can expect:
✨ Hero gets the girl
✨ Fated mates
✨ Enemies to lovers
✨ Banter and snark
✨🌶️🌶️
✨ Slow burn
✨ Rebels vs Royalty
✨ Shifter
This is one of those reads that has the banter, snark, plot and characters that keep you on your toes while not giving too much angst and make your heart swell 10x because you love them and want them to just live happily ever after!
Connor is that hero that will do anything for others and constantly takes the brunt and responsibility at the expense of his own happiness! He’s a little angry golden retriever that needs all the love and deserves to be happy!
Lieke is a fighter and a biter- you definitely don’t want to be on her bad side! And I love that she gives just as good as she gets!
When their paths collide into a forced proximity, fake betrothal- you can imagine the snark and tension that begins to brew 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
What you can expect:
✨ Hero gets the girl
✨ Fated mates
✨ Enemies to lovers
✨ Banter and snark
✨🌶️🌶️
✨ Slow burn
✨ Rebels vs Royalty
✨ Shifter
January 22, 2024
"Forever and beyond"
ARC provided by Victory Editing
This was stunning!! If you loved ACOTAR you will LOVE this!!
Lieke is a human girl living in a Fae castle after her parents died, she works in the kitchen and her best friend is Brennan the Prince, however there is a rebellion coming and she is sent to the gallows to die after she kills a Fae... Everything starts unfolding, the romance is slow burn and *chefs kiss*
ARC provided by Victory Editing
This was stunning!! If you loved ACOTAR you will LOVE this!!
Lieke is a human girl living in a Fae castle after her parents died, she works in the kitchen and her best friend is Brennan the Prince, however there is a rebellion coming and she is sent to the gallows to die after she kills a Fae... Everything starts unfolding, the romance is slow burn and *chefs kiss*
January 26, 2024
Oh my gosh this book was fantastic!!! Thank ya Vanessa Rasanen for letting me read an e-arc of this book! Definitely my favorite book I have read this year! Lieke and Connor forever!!! It had so many of my favorite tropes!! One bed/ one horse, slow burn, fated mates, fake engagement!! The chemistry was amazing. The story was fantastic!! I will be thinking about this book for a while!!!
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