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She Who Would be King

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Cateline is the twenty-one-year-old daughter of a nobleman in fourteenth-century France. It's a time when children aren't seen as those to be loved and cherished, but instead are used as pawns and bargaining chips on the chessboard of control and privilege.
She is married off to a prince in the country of Sursha, a Gaelic-speaking island nation near Ireland. Fergus, her betrothed, is next in line to take over once beloved King Carthac dies. Or is he?
Fallon, the youngest royal child and only girl, has been raised as one of the king's sons her entire life, for reasons she has never fully understood. A natural fighter, she was raised to be a warrior and head the Crown's Elite Guard assigned to protect her boorish brother Fergus.
Forced to fill in for her brother in an unexpected way, an instant attraction between Fallon and Cateline forms. In a game of thrones filled with deception and betrayal, even the most secret love can mean death.
89,000 words

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2023

45 people are currently reading
489 people want to read

About the author

Kim Pritekel

74 books152 followers
Kim Pritekel is a published author living in Denver, Colorado. She is also a very popular online author of many novels, novellas and short stories. She is the Royal Academy of Bards 2005 Hall of Fame Author.
Her love of writing began at age 9, and she wrote her first novel at age 12, wishing to follow in the footsteps of childhood idol, S.E. Hinton. She was published for the first time at age 24 with her novel, First.
Kim has followed her dreams right into the film industry, writing screenplays for production companies in Los Angeles, as well as for her own production company, Asp Films with business partner, Kelly Neal. Their first feature film, Self Portrait – written, directed and co-produced by Kim – premiered in Denver in June of 2013.
She enjoys spending time with her family, friends and her beloved cats. She is always adding to her ever-growing collection of swords and historic memorabilia. She is a huge fan of music, including musical theater. The "musical" love of her life is Sarah Brightman, who she tosses a mention of in every book she can.
Kim is a writing machine, so come back often to see what she's working on next!

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5 stars
218 (57%)
4 stars
108 (28%)
3 stars
43 (11%)
2 stars
8 (2%)
1 star
3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for XR.
1,980 reviews107 followers
March 2, 2023
What a sweet magical tale! I love stories that surprise me and this book certainly did just that. I kept thinking I knew what was going to happen but I got it wrong every time. Cateline and Fallon were truly meant to be.
Profile Image for JulesGP.
651 reviews231 followers
April 8, 2024
I’m a first time reader of this author and I had a great time with this book. It’s 1365, France, and Cateline’s father, Baron Aubert, has betrothed her to Prince Fergus of the Gaels. It’s not happy news but there’s always the hope that he will be a good husband and she will be happy. Instead, Fergus is cruel and hateful towards her. Thankfully, his father, King Carthac, and his brother, Fallon, are righteous men. They keep her safe and have long-sighted plans for the kingdom which include Cateline. The book is a tale of twists and turns. Some political intrigue too. The story has an Arthurian feel to it which always pulls me in. My favorite thing about the book is how we slowly learn about Cateline and Fallon, their forced roles and who they are as individuals and leaders. As the story moves on, their chemistry heats up and secrets are revealed. The ending is complete but there is a Book 2 which seems to segue into the next generation’s story. I’m reading Daughter of Ankou next. And yes, She Who Would Be King is Queer on so many levels.
Profile Image for MaxDisaster.
677 reviews90 followers
June 20, 2025
4,5 stars
The best descriptor would probably be "alternative history". Namely it tries to seem like a historical romance at first glance, but I doubt someone in Europe back then would make the comparison "the Samurai of the west". So when the author did it it was like a cold shower and I had to recalibrate my expectations from "historical accuracy" to "historical stage settings".
Was well written though. I had fun.
Might not revisit this story, but if I will I'm sure I'd enjoy it.
Profile Image for Lady Olenna.
864 reviews67 followers
July 10, 2024
4.5 Stars

Beautiful. I haven’t encountered a book that dealt with women’s abuse as in your face as the one, so I was very very excited reading that part word per word, basking in the glory of the abuser’s suffering. Although I’ve read another book with a similar theme of the next in line being a woman having to step up as the heir and the bride, this one proves superior to the other book. It’s all in the details.
Profile Image for Dani.
402 reviews15 followers
June 18, 2023
I loved this book! It had me so hooked. I read it from cover to cover, in one sitting. The main characters, Cateline and Fallon, are easy to love and connect with. I really felt for Cateline and the isolation she has dealt with all her life and now she is married to a man who does like her, let alone want her. Then there is Fallon, she just wants someone who can love her for the woman under her disguise. I was sad when the end came, but I loved the ending. I highly recommend to anyone who loves castles, big secrets, a hidden love, and some magics. I also highly recommend the author. If you've not experienced any of her books, you are truly missing out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Wendy.
829 reviews11 followers
April 25, 2024
Really enjoyed this book, as it's a genre that I have always liked. Even though familiar, this story still has elements that surprised me. I like the two main characters and their love story arc. I like the medieval setting with a dash of magic. Not sure how many books will be in this series, but I am definitely reading book #2 soon.
Profile Image for Autumn.
14 reviews5 followers
January 23, 2023
I’m ashamed to admit that I thought I had this whole story figured out before I even started reading it based on the title alone. After just the first chapter, I realized my arrogance as the tangled web that is She Who Would be King was laid out before me. The complex plot kept me engaged throughout and made for a quick read.

The characters are certainly another engaging aspect of the story and are super well-written. The character who I found myself relating to and whose perspective I enjoyed reading from the most was Fallon, a woman who presents as a man to help her royal family govern and protect the country of Sursha. What I really appreciated about her character was how she remained connected to her identity as a woman and the unique abilities that come with that, despite the role she filled. Her love interest, Cateline, is put through her fair share of role-filling as well, which makes watching their relationship grow that much more special. You can’t help but love them as well as all the smaller characters you meet along the way.

I will say, one thing that caught me a little off guard was how Fallon and Cateline’s relationship was portrayed as straight for the first couple chapters. I went in knowing that Fallon was a woman from the back of the book summary, but Cateline didn’t know that, and we start off reading from her perspective. Personally, I enjoyed the dramatic irony of it, but if there’s anything I’d want another reader to know, it’d be that!

I also really enjoyed the setting that Pritekel paints for us. It kind of made me want to travel back to 14th century Europe! Beautiful scenery and the perfect backdrop for Fallon and Cateline's love story. If you’re someone who needs a book to be super historically accurate, I’m probably not the best person to ask since I don’t know much about this time period, but there wasn’t anything that seemed out of place to me!

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. The plot is thick. The characters are so, so lovable. The setting is great. I would absolutely recommend this book, and you can count on finding more of Pritekel’s books on my shelves in the future!
258 reviews6 followers
February 15, 2023
This book starts in the 14th century France. Cateline is the 17 yr old daughter of a nobleman. Per her father, she is to be married to the Prince of Sursha, Fergus. Fergus is a rude, boorish man. To me, he is very unlikable. Fallon, is the younger son. But he is actually a female. Basically raised her whole life as a man. Fallon is head of the Royal Elite Guard. I really enjoyed this book. It is the first book I have read by Kim. It will not be my last. If you enjoy a historical, romance novel, you will love this one. It is a well researched book. The times and the ways of the Gaelic people are well told. There are numerous characters in the book. All well fleshed out. I adore Fallon and Cateline. But there is the King, soliders, servants, townsfolk. And 3 adorable kids. There is just so much in this book. I really didn't want it to end. Kim has a great way of writing that quickly pulled me in. And didn't let go. There are several twists and turns I did not see coming. This is definitely a book I will reread and savor again. I highly recommend.
Profile Image for Bib.
312 reviews
March 2, 2023
I found the MC’s name, Fallon, familiar. After some research, I realized it is the same name from Pritekel’s free fiction, Passion Fool. Other than the name, and similar historical backdrop, two stories are rather different. I always enjoy a story with a woman disguised as man, and Pritekel’s works. Sex scenes are hot. I hope everyone enjoys this book as much as I do.
Profile Image for Dide.
1,489 reviews54 followers
May 23, 2023
Entertaining read. Yes, some parts to the story failed to explain itself but with the backdrop of a medieval fantasy story, i believe this story gave an enjoyable storyline.

A French princess is bethrothed to a cold Scandinavian prince. Feelings of inadequacies and abandonment accompanies her marriage except for a soldier's friendship which transmuted her existence into a company of happiness.
Profile Image for Shelby.
53 reviews4 followers
December 30, 2024
DNF @ 25%

i have never actually decided to DNF a book before, usually i just lose interest and figure i’ll come back later, but good lord this book.

my main issue is this book SORELY needs an editor. there are weird little grammar issues, confusing and clunky sentences, and straight up incorrect word usage.

some examples i noted:

- the use of the phrase “she blew out a breath” was insanely repetitive; at one point it was used 3 times in 2 pages

- “At Cateline’s nod, his grip on her tightened and, with as little ease as lifting her off her horse, he lifted her up to sit on the edge of the high bed.”

saying “with as little ease” implies the lifting was not easy, which i’m pretty sure is not what the author intended. i think they meant either “with as much ease” or “with as little effort” but conflated the two. editor?? hello??

- saying a character was “ringing her hands” when it should be “wringing”

aside from the weird grammar issues, the characters are flat and kinda boring, and the book feels really rushed. we basically start at the inciting incident of the book without any background or getting to know our MC.

finally, the straw that broke the camel’s back is the fatphobia. the obvious antagonist of the book is described as having a “jiggling stomach” and “sausage fingers” and you’re obviously meant to find him disgusting. cool!!!

anyway this was kinda disappointing.
4 reviews1 follower
January 23, 2023
What happens when you mix a 14th century sixteen-year old spoiled daughter of a French Nobleman with a sadistic, boorish Gaelic prince and his younger, good looking, well-muscled brother? Not a menage-a-Trois, that’s for sure! The younger brother, Fallon, has been raised as one of the king's sons her entire life, for reasons she has never understood. A natural fighter, Fallon, was raised to be a warrior and to head the Crown's Elite Guard assigned to protect the presumed heir and, by extension, his lovely bride. In one of the most unique twists in this novel, we learn that as Fallon grew into adulthood, his father King Carthac ordered his talented – and loyal - armorer/leather worker to fit his “son” not only with leather Cuirass (a piece of armor consisting of breastplate and backplate fastened together) which sculpted him into a broad chested man, but also two different types of phalluses. First betrothed, then married to the Gaelic Prince, Cateline is both frustrated and relieved when the Prince refuses to do his wedding night “duty”. She is later shocked to hear that the King has ordered the younger son to consummate the marriage. Trained since birth in the duty and obligations of royalty, Cateline accepts this bizarre twist; at least she likes the younger brother! Surprisingly, she finds she enjoys the well described encounter.
This historic novel tells the story of two “spare” royal siblings, both of the wrong sex to be deemed heirs. While the young French woman accepts that she is being “sold” to cement her father’s relationship with a mercenary tribe, little did she know that across the ocean, the Gaelic King had decided to ignore his daughter’s gender and turn her into the strong warrior his kingdom needs. Once the story really gets underway, it is a fun, and at times, arousing read. I’ve only awarded it 4 stars, first because I seldom give any book 5, but also because the first two chapters are a little clunky with the apparently well researched descriptions of French castles and customs of the time not well blended into the story. However, by the time the Gaelic party sent to escort the bride-to-be to the Gaelic island kingdom arrives back on the home island of Sursha, the pace of the story picks up and the descriptions never slow down the narrative. [Full disclosure, I was given an advance copy of this novel to read and review.]
Profile Image for Misha.
1,702 reviews68 followers
March 1, 2024
This was interesting. A lot of plotting happening, some interestingly modern views towards gender and identity, and a smattering of modern anachronisms. There's a lot going on here, with some magical realism, political machinations, easy-to-hate bad guys, and a cross-dressing princess. Overall, it was enjoyable and a quick read, but not particularly complex.
Profile Image for zSpirall.
26 reviews1 follower
April 6, 2023
I really wanted to love this book.

First off I want to say I love this author, I love their books. I waited and bought the book the minute it was released and I started reading it and it was started off really good ... And then the middle was were it kind of started it to go off the rails. The end was just a loss of focus and added parts into the book that came out of nowhere. They started adding stuff to characters that was not established in the beginning. There was things added that again came out of nowhere.
the main protagonist of this is questionable at best with lazy motivation. The father was all over the place, He's the king he could do as he likes but still did nothing while seemingly having good intentions.
Still I wanted to love this book, I can appreciate what it was trying to do but I just can't get over the fact that magic came out of nowhere and it confused me as kind of lazy exposition. I read a better fanfiction that was exactly like this one so maybe I judge it a bit more harshly. But I left at 89% read cause it just lost me at so many points. I do recommend reading it if you can get past the weird inclusion of thing never established in the entirety of the book till it was just there, or explained ever again afterwards. If it was kept more realistic and simple and not try to have so many twist and turns, I think it could have been a much better story.
Profile Image for Kaila.
760 reviews13 followers
March 6, 2023
4.5/5 stars

This book just tickled a part of my brain and now I can’t stop thinking about it. Genuinely as soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it all over again. It was such a sweet and charming historical fantasy novel, with a romance at the centre that I can’t stop thinking about.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great historical fantasy romance, or for people who are fans of the women dressed as a man trope.
Profile Image for Alex Lfr.
253 reviews5 followers
April 30, 2023
Entertaining, sexy, different and exciting!
87 reviews3 followers
September 7, 2023


Expectations. Such a loaded word. You could also almost call it an evil word. Kinda like the word normal. When talking about the weather, the temperature for this time of year using the word normal is just fine. When talking about people and their beliefs or their behavior the word normal becomes a horrible word. Why am I getting all philosophical? Several months ago I emailed Ms. Pritekel to ask if she had any intentions of putting some of her earliest books in E-book format. You see, The Storm is my most favorite book of hers. I pretty much love all her writing but this novel 'She Who Would Be King' was one she had said was based off of a story originally posted as an online story. Websites that posted uber and fan fiction for the lesbian persuasion. But.... she changed a bunch of details that made me like the online story 'Passion's Fool' almost as much as I loved 'The Storm'. These changes plus the anticipation of reading this novel just didn't make me like this story as much as I was hoping I would. I'm really disappointed. I'd give the book 'Storm' 5 stars, the online story 'Passion's Fool' 4 stars and this one only 3 stars. Her writing is superb there's no question about that. I just couldn't get lost in the story with this one. If you've never read either of the stories I mentioned before you may really love this book, but for me it's a disappointment. I do recommend it and I will give it some time and come back to it and see if I feel the same way after reading it a second time. I do still hope that Ms. Pritekel will re-release 'Storm' in the E-Book format.

105 reviews2 followers
February 26, 2023
What an unexpectedly delightful read.

This isn’t a genre that I usually delve into but I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed with this book - I am never with Kim’s writing.

Cateline is married off to a man who will become King one day. Fallon is his younger sister who lives as a man. They become drawn to each other and cannot fight the attraction between them.

Kim’s historical fiction is the only historical fiction I read as I feel like I’m given enough info to understand the time period but not to overload me with details. She sets the time period perfectly in this and it was easy to picture where the story was taking place.

The characters were well described and extremely likeable and I found myself cheering for them throughout the entire book. Despite everything that seemed to be against them and everything they go through, The love they share for each other is so genuine and heartfelt.

I really loved this book and highly recommend it. I can’t wait for more books from Kim!
Profile Image for Vervada.
680 reviews
January 22, 2026
3.5 stars

This was a pretty good book, but I'm afraid I didn't enjoy it as much as I was expecting to. My favourite genres being fantasy and sci-fi I'm pretty used to different degrees of suspension of disbelief, but this book demanded too much of it for me personally. It's true that I hold historical books to a higher standard so this might just be a me problem. I did enjoy Kim Pritekel's contemporary romance novel Control much better. Otherwise, the characters were nice and a few reveals were pretty surprising.

An okay read.
233 reviews5 followers
February 17, 2023
Fantastic.🌻

Wow what a book.My eyes are falling out I could not put this book down.The writing is so extraordinary.From the first page you are drawn to great warm main characters.It was very intriguing wondering how it was going to work out so much so I am sleepless in Scotland reading to the early morning .Hate spoilers so will just say as always with this author you get a story you will want to read more than once.Highly recommend.🌻
Profile Image for Louise Ball.
50 reviews
March 27, 2023
Great Read

This was quite an adventure and I’m sad to see it end. I couldn’t put the book down and I binge read it over two days.

I totally fell in love with the cast of characters except for Fergus, who was horrid. Cataliene & Fallon are such beautiful souls that just draws you in and you just hope that they find their way to each other no matter the obstacles.

If you love a good romance and a warrior with a heart of gold, this is the book to pick up.
5 reviews
June 12, 2023
Surprisingly engaging story. I know it sounds cliché, but I couldn't put it down once I started, and finished it in a day. The book was really engaging with many unexpected twists, and an overall very enjoyable read. Gifted it to my boss on Kindle so she and her wife can enjoy as much as I did. Huzzah!
3 reviews
December 10, 2024
Such a smooth tale….

I read a lot of books, all kinds, and many different authors.
I can find something in every book I read that I really liked. This story has a little bit of everything and I really liked the whole story… Bought the next in the series ..
You should buy the book and enjoy the story…..
3 reviews
December 28, 2024
incredible!

First, I just have to start of by saying Fergus is ick. He is barely in the book but every time he is. Ick.

Now that I got that off my chest. I loved this book. Truly a delight to read. Fallon and Caitline falling in loveeedd. Dreamy, I mean, come on now. Who wouldn’t want a Fallon? Kind, warrior, charming, generous, muscles! Yes please.
Profile Image for Lynda.
8 reviews
June 26, 2023
The sex scene between the two main characters ruined my mood. I expected it to be saved for later, especially not out of forceful reasons. Would have given more ratings if that scene did not ruin my mood to the point I stopped reading it anymore
Profile Image for CW.
28 reviews
October 29, 2023
This was a decent read. I enjoyed the story and characters, even if it could have been fleshed out a bit more.
There were a few writing errors and inconsistencies, but it wasn’t too bad. Also wasn’t a fan of all the focus on children, but that’s more of a personal preference.
Profile Image for Andrea (looseleftlesbian).
400 reviews18 followers
June 1, 2024
HEA

I didn’t think it would be such a feel good, family ending but I loved this story. I wasn’t sure how to take the woman acting as man, because I’ve never read a book like that before, but it wasn’t bad. This is definitely a reread in the future
Profile Image for Jovi.
126 reviews3 followers
February 20, 2023
Good read

This is one of my favorite genres, so of course I loved it. The story moved right along and kept me interested from start to finish. Give it a try!
8 reviews
February 25, 2023
very good story

I read this book in two days. It took me back to the time when I would read an actual book. The story was very good and surprising.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

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