I was given an ARC of the audiobook for Saint in exchange for an honest review.

Fable and Namesake are one of my absolute favorite duologies so I was very excited to get Saint's story. I listened to the audio of Saint and it lived up to every expectation I had. The narrators were excellent and I think I felt every emotion possible while listening. The world of the Narrows is one I hope Adrienne Young will let us visit again in the future and even knowing what happens to Saint and Isolde from the Fable duology, I still want more of their story. This is one I will read again!

This book was absolute perfection! It's everything I didn't know I needed but am so glad Adrienne Young wrote it! And don't even get me started on the amazing cover....Saint's eyes are stunning!

This book gives us the history of Saint. Even more, we learn more about his friendship with Clove. Even better, we see how his and Isolde's relationship began and evolved. I loved each and every word. I loved the foreshadowing of what you know comes in the other books. I also hate what you know comes in the other books...the heartbreaking stuff that is.

I actually listened to the audiobook and it was superb. I loved the narration and it made me feel as if I was listening to a movie as opposed to a book at times. It was just that entertaining. There's simply nothing about Saint that I didn't enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ALC. I voluntarily chose to listen to and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Adrienne Young never disappoints! Thank you to the Author, NetGalley, & Macmillan Audio for the audioARC copy. Every word was devoured with fervor.

Great Scott!!!! Or...Elias (aka Saint)!!!! How do I love thee!? Let me count the ways.
1. Ships captain
2. loyalty for days!!!
3. Flaws that make him spine-shiveringly alluring
4. No prude
5. Sexy-ass eyes
6. Man of his word, but also a rakehell
7. edge (gotta love a man with swagger)
8. A man who isn't ashamed to make you beg for it
If you are looking for your next book boyfriend, then look no further.

This book is the prequel to "Fable" by the same author (book 0.5 in, The World of the Narrows, series). It's been quite some time and many books ago that I read the first in the series, but I do remember that swooney-eyed feeling and needing more when it came to the introduction of these characters. Any questions or imaginings a deep reader (like myself) fawned over from book 1 has been satisfied and if possible I would like to request a Saint (.75). I just want this world between Saint and Isolde to continue.
This story while it follows the backstory of Saint and his somewhat humbling beginnings, it is also about the start of a rag-tag group of sailors and an epic love that starts it all. The tale is told from two separate POV's (both Saint & Isolde). I love the quirky nature of Isolde and her incredible need to set things in motion to screw over mommy dearest that turns into an unselfish need to give the power back to the people of the Narrows. If I was 20 years younger, I would be planning an ill-conceived career as a borderline pirate/dredger. If only I had the power to sense precious stones/metals like Isolde.
This is a fast-paced read with lots of action and adventure. There is also an element of romance, but while there is definitely a burning and budding steaminess between Saint and Isolde, it is a natural progression of coming together and not a jump into bed. Not saying either is a turn on/off, but for younger readers I'd rate this as rated PG13.
*Will I be buying this book to decorate the selves of my at home library...YES!!!
**Do I recommend for others to begin their journey in the Narrows... YES!! (you can start with FABLE first, but I'd start with SAINT if I were just starting the journey.)
***Adrienne Young, you are a fantasy genius! Please never stop writing!!!!!!!

I officially love everything Adrienne Young writes, particularly the Fable series. The atmosphere is so immersive, the romances sweet and the balance between emotion and action always well-done. The narrators for the audiobook were also excellent, and I felt that they were true to the characters.

My heart has a happy ache after finishing Saint, and I hope we'll get more Fable books someday!

This is the prequel I always wanted, Saint is a character that intrigued me in the Fable series, and his story was brilliant, I absolutely loved him, and now I understand more what happened in the Fable series. The audiobook narrated by Ell Potter and Will Damron was fantastic, I enjoyed their voices and how they gave life to all the characters. Definitely, one you need to hear.

I received this book from the publisher through netgalley.com I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I may be one one the only people who hasn't read Fable...yet. Saint is a prequel to this novel telling the story of her parents Elias aka Saint and Isolde. Isolde is from he unnamed sea and her mother only cares about her success in business no matter what the cost. When Isolde discovers her mother had her father killed she decides she needs to run before she falls to the same fate.

Elias aka Saint is an orphan, his father drowned at sea because Saint didn't follow the signs or respect the sea the way he should. Now he does everything the old way. He has seen the shippers from the unnamed sea flood into his territory and take over but he has plans to put the riches back into the hands of the people of the narrows.

When Saint and Isolde meet there is an instant connection but there is much keeping them apart as well. Through a well told tale of politics, wheeling and dealing and always trying to stay one step ahead of her mother and the other merchants in the narrows Saint and Isolde fight the odds. Saint is devoted to the sea but will the sea all him to split his love between Isolde and her or will she take revenge on him.

Brilliantly told, made me want to run out and grab Fable. I was instantly interested in the world that has been created full of merchants and guilds and the politics that keep certain people in power. Excellent read and the narrators only enhanced the experience.

This prequel to Fable tells the story of Fable's parents Saint and Isolde. An orphan from the Narrows trying to make his way among the licensed traders. And an affluent girl from the Unnamed Sea running from the family name that sees her as nothing more than a commodity. Their fates are intertwined, but the sea is fickle and will eventually take what it's owed.

I feel like it's extremely difficult to write a prequel story when the fate of those involved is already known. I think that readers will always go in with their knowledge instead of an open mind.

Adrienne Young managed to tell Isolde's story so well. I say Isolde because, for me, that's who I felt needed a voice in this series. For so long her character was relegated to a ghost from the past and with this book, Adrienne Young gave Isolde agency over the tragedy that would eventually befall her.

I'm not saying this to discount Saint's own story, but for me, I wanted more done for the woman who loved and was lost. It's her presence that we see influenced so much about how Saint carried on into Fable's own story. For Saint, we do see a life tinged with loss, but we also see the fighter and see how it is that he later rules over the Narrows with a single-mindedness that may not have come about had the sea not exacted its payment the way it did.

When I started the book, I was certain there was no way we would get through everything satisfactorily. That there would have to be another book, but in the end, I feel like Adrienne Young did a great job in the pacing. That there was reason to give Isolde her voice, but no reason to stretch out the heartbreak that is to come by giving us more.

This is one of the rare prequels that, even knowing the outcome, I enjoyed immensely. It continued to expand upon the world created in Fable. It's true that the sea is boundless, much like this series, I hope there's no end.

I like the fact that there are two narrators in this audiobook. It brings a literal idea of giving Isolde a voice and in this case a true voice by Ell Potter. Will Damron voicing Saint is perfection. I feel like both of these narrators brought to their respective characters the cadence in how I would envision Saint and Isolde speaking. But I also felt like it was lost a bit when each would narrate the other during their respective chapters. I wish this was an audiobook where the dialogue is spoken by each of the voice actors. Regardless, it's a wonderful book to listen to and pulls you in easily.

If you've enjoyed the other books in Fable's world, you'll definitely want to pick this up. I would say it also works if you haven't read the other books, but you may miss some of the weight of the story because it truly is guided by the idea that we're looking back in time and already knowing what is to come. But on that note, this entire series has been wonderful and I highly recommend starting with Fable.

This audio is dual narrated which is fabulous since the story has two main characters and each gets their own narrator. I am such a sucker for that kind of audio delivery.

On a side note though, this book was incredibly bittersweet to read. I love seeing the two meet and form an uneasy alliance to falling in love- but I also know how everything ended. Here we have two young characters full of dreams and ambitions, when we first met one as a memory and one as a bitter old man. I do think this could easily be read on its own or first before the Fable series, Saint is a complete story all on its own with enough world building to stand out. That being said, the story felt a little unfinished at the end so I am wondering (aka hoping) that there will be a sequel to this prequel.

This book was quite literally a dream come true, because I have wanted Saint and Isolde's story ever since I read Fable, and Adrienne Young did not disappoint. Full of drama, adventure and set in the gorgeous yet gritty world of the Narrows, Saint is a book one can easily binge in a day. 

The dual POV of Saint and Isolde works perfectly as we get to know the backstories of both and how fate brings them together. The romance is intense but there was that bittersweet aspect to it knowing from the Fable duology, what lies ahead for them both. 

The thrill factor is always high in Adrienne Young's books and I enjoyed the drama, politics and action, all high stakes. Overall an excellent addition to the Fable series.

Would highly recommend this to all YA fantasy readers.

In my opinion, for the best experience, Saint should be read after reading Fable and Namesake.

The audio was very well done and I enjoyed the narrations of both Ell Potter and Will Damron. Not a single dull moment.

What an incredible story! If you enjoyed Fable you’ll love this one as well.
The story is well paced and the characters are charming.
There’s action and romance and adventure. A really good balance!
The narrator did a great job too. (Which is very important with audiobooks!) It definitely added to this audiobook experience.

Absolutely perfect addition to the Fable series. Saint was one character that I definitely wanted a back story for and I was so excited that we finally got one. It was so far beyond my expectations. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would!

This was a wonderful story! I had not read Fable previously, but definitely want to now. While I did not need to read the rest of the books first, as this is a prequel, I think it will be even more interesting to read all of them together and get the context a little bit better.

The narrators were wonderful, and did a great job capturing the differences between the characters and the depth of who they are. The progression of the story felt a little slow at times, but I still was pulled in by it and it never lost my attention, so a little slow is not entirely a bad thing for this one.

I am looking forward to reading Fable now, and finding out what happens after this book. This was a great introduction to the series and the world.

Adrienne Youngs writing is so immersive and picturesque that I could swear she's been to the places and done the things that she writes about. And the way that the audiobook is read makes it feel like the ultimate adventure.
This is a prequel to Fable and Namesake, which you should definitely read first in order to fully enjoy the book, I however did not. I still very much so enjoyed the story and enjoyed the rush of the Narrows, but I don't have the background knowledge of who the characters are to fully enjoy this story. I plan on picking up Fable this weekend and hopping back into the Narrows and then doing a reread of Saint so that I can catch all the little details and quirks I didn't quite get. I did it this way because I find it interesting to see how authors go back and explain the story before the story we know and love. I love prequels and this one is no different.

It was so fun being back in The Narrows. The pacing was a bit slow but I enjoyed this overall. It was great getting to see some of our favorite characters from Fable and sailing on the seas again. I hope we get more books in this world...maybe one from Clove's POV would be awesome!

Ell Potter and Will Damron were great narrators. They really put you into the world and I felt they played each of their roles perfectly. I'd definitely listen to more books narrated by either of them.

Absolutely loved this story and seeing the beginning of the tale! I was hooked from the beginning and I would love to see more of these two!

And that narration was perfect! Loved their voices and the way that they embodied the characters.

As always, Adrienne Young knocks it out of the park with this prequel set in the world of ‘Fable.’

With all her trademark gorgeous imagery and attention to detail, ‘Saint’ sucks you right back into the Narrows and leaves you a little disoriented by the real world when you finally return to it. Ever since ‘Fable’ hit shelves— and especially after ‘Namesake’ made its way into the world— fans have been begging Young for more insight into Fable’s parents and their relationship. With this fast paced, dual POV addition to the series, she absolutely delivers. Saint and Isolde each have unique narrative voices and Young uses this to let us see how their actions and secrets come across to each other, versus their intentions. In the same vein, each narrator in the audiobook— Ell Potter for Isolde and Will Damron for Saint— absolutely kills it with their incredible narration as well as capturing each other’s cadence and accent perfectly.

With a cutthroat pace and a tightly woven finish plot, by only unrealistic wish would be for more softer moments between Saint and Isolde. But softness doesn’t do anyone any good in the world of the Narrows and the Unnamed Sea, so it’s more appropriate as is. Now if you’ll excuse me I’ll be diving immediately back into a ‘Fable’ reread because I am never ready to leave the worlds Young crafts.

I LOVED this book! It was so good to revisit the world of Fable and learn more about her parents past. I enjoyed all of the characters and the story and the narrators were both excellent.

I had trouble reading this book; however, the audio really brought it to life for me. So much in fact, that I retract my original review. This was engaging and gave critical backstory to Fable. I throughly enjoyed this telling.

Started: November 28, 2022 - Finished: December 5, 2022

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Favorite Quotes:

“I wasn't just going to set fire to everything she’d built. I was going to throw her into the flames too”

“I’ve given my life to the sea. She will never betray me.”

“He wasn't just afraid of losing everything he’d worked for. He was the Narrows. And if it died, he would too”

“The feeling that we were only the beginning of a story that would be told long after we were gone.”

“This time when I held her, it felt different. Not like before, when I was trying to keep her from slipping away. Now, she was the shore. A place to come back to. And I didn’t know if it was the sea that had given her to me or if she was a fate of my own making. There was a part of me that didn’t care.”


Review:

I loved this book so much! I loved getting a look into Saint and his story and how he knew Clove and others. I loved seeing Isolde’s story and how she met Saint and it wasn't a surprise that her story cemented my hatred for Holland. I loved seeing how the Narrows got its start in trading more. I loved how we got to see familiar characters and meet new ones. I loved learning more about how things were run. And what it took for them to get licenses and how it could be hard. It was interesting how some would trade gem sages and how Isolde got roped into it with Zola. I loved seeing how Saint became who he is in Fable and Namesake, from where he began. I loved getting a look into how Henrik got started as well. I thought learning how things with Saint and Zola’s rivalry and hatred got started was interesting. I knew this book would have betrayals and secrets and it didnt disappoint in that. So many secrets. I loved that Isolde had left her mother and stole the midnight in an act of defiance and also as revenge for what Holland did to her father. I loved meeting Emilia and Hazel. And loved that Emilia was working with Saint. I still hate Simon so much. And the fact that he was helping trade gem sages pissed me off. I loved learning the superstitions Saint and Clove believed in and why they do it. I loved how Saint grew to love Isolde, even when at first she caused him issues. I loved how he had Isolde steal back gems from Zola. Nash was an interesting character, who at first I kind of hated but grew to like. I thought the whole scene with the council was interesting and how Saint offered his ship in exchange for Isolde’s contract from the Luna. Though it took Saint also meeting with Oliver Durant, who was dealing in trading gem sages, who sometimes ended up dead. I hated when Lander betrayed Saint and caused the problem. I loved how in the end, Saint and Clove had their license and how Isolde dredged for them and how it was to help the Narrows grow and help it gain footing against the Unnamed Sea. I loved this book and seeing how the story began. I was so shocked to learn, finally after wondering, who West’s father was and I couldn't believe it was Henrik. This book had so many great parts and Adrienne has never disappointed me with any of the books I have read so far and I was so excited for Saint’s story and it was so wonderful.

Saint a young, ruthless helmsman of a rickety, dilapidated ship is trying to establish himself as a trader on the cutthroat seas of The Narrows. He is just days away from achieving his goals. Enter Isolde. She is running from the control of her powerful mother. She stumbles across Saint’s path disrupting his carefully laid plans.

This is the prequel to the Fable books and lays the foundation for her story.

I adore these books. They are full of adventure, intrigue, and set on the rough but beautiful sea. They make me miss the ocean. (I’m currently marooned in a landlocked state plotting my own return to the sea.)

The audiobook book has fantastic narration as well.

I haunted the Netgalley website for MONTHS hoping to get a copy of this. So a big thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for giving me one!