I had no idea I was interested in a fae story set in the 1920's in the US, but here we are! The Prince of Prohibition is unlike any other fantasy book I've read, and I'm so grateful I was able to listen to it on audio.

The story occurs in three main sections, and I honestly enjoyed the beginning and ending - the pacing felt wrong for me in the middle section of the book. However, throughout the whole story, it's really interesting to watch Marilyn Marks weave magic into our world. That was done with excellence.

If you're going to read this book, I highly recommend the audiobook. I thought the narrator really brought the characters to life in a way that kept me engaged throughout the entirety of the book. I'm grateful to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for granting me access to an audio ARC of The Prince of Prohibition.

The Prince of Prohibition is a fantasy series set in the roaring 20's. It's described as Gatsbyesque, but the only similarity between this story and The Great Gatsby was the time period.

Trying not to give spoilers away, but there were a lot of unanswered questions/things not explained, more than I would expect in book 1 of a series. Addie has always been the town pariah/crazy person but still doesn't want to leave the comfort and security of her familiar environment. Her brother moves them both up to NYC, where she finds herself absorbed into a fae crime ring. As she gets to know the fae community, she starts to learn more about herself, and her strange childhood. It ended with a cliffhanger, and I can't wait for the next book!

I LOVED the audio narration. The narrator did a great job with the accents, and I especially love a protagonist with a Southern accent.

I was obsessed with this story as it played out. It was intriguing and had high fantasy meets rural fantasy with a 1920s twist to everything. It was magical and mysterious. My only complaint is chapter 47 was missing in the audio i received and I had to make some assumptions to what happened in that chapter.

The title and synopsis were what caught my attention at first and after receiving an advance audiobook, the story itself pulled me right in.. It’s well written and the narrator does a fantastic job of voicing all the different characters and bringing this to life.

The story is engaging and I kept at it, finishing it in a few days (I know some people have the ability to listen to a book at higher speeds but for me, I can’t really concentrate if it’s faster than 1).

I enjoyed my listening of The Prince of Prohibition and am looking forward to the next title.

** The cliffhanger here is brutal, fyi.



Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the DRC

I really enjoyed being sucked into this flapper era fantasy. I loved all the characters and how everything played out (little cliffy). There are so many fantastical details and description that you can't help but feel apart of the adventure. This book has a bit of everything. Blessings, curses, violence, romance, humans, fae and an epic car chase. The narration was wonderful with great voices and pace. This book is out now. Add this to your Tbr if you loved The Great Gatsby and adult fantasy-romance.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of The Prince of Prohibition in exchange of my honest opinion.

Prince of Prohibition brings an interesting story with a a lot of potential that could have been great if it was a standalone book.

The story is about Adeline, a girl that grew up in the South in the 1920s. The prohibition was at full steam, and, in her small town, she was ostracized because she could see and hear a specific person that other’s couldn’t. When her father died, her brother that just came back from the war, took her to New York to start over. Barely did she knew she was running straight into the mysterious person of her lucid dreams.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book with all the schemes for people to drink alcohol. The atmosphere of the book was great and conveyed the mix of glamour and underground life that happened at that time.

Even tough Adeline was already over 20, her sheltered life made her be a bit wide eye innocent when she came to New York, and I think the author did a good job in creating her character arc with her being a bit naive at the beginning of the book, to own her destiny and take charge when she needed at a later point.

The friendship relationships in this book was also well done. I really enjoyed the side characters and they managed to bring a touch of humor to more tense situations. Similarly, the romantics interest was really great and it was the main point that made me stick with the story. I love a guy that is head over heels for the girl.

My only criticism is that the fae mythology was a bit convoluted at points and the author made this aspects of her world building too big and with a lot of moving parts that it ended up extending the book to be a series, when I think it would be great if it was just a standalone.

I’ll tell you what, this book completely captivated me from the very first chapter. As a reader, you are completely thrown into an urban fantasy world set it 1926 and the world building just CAPTURES you!

I absolutely fell in love with Adeline! I found her to be relatable and totally badass! For being the only human around, she always seemed to be the one coming to everyone else’s rescue which I LOVE.

Jack is one of those truly morally gray characters. Most of the time I honestly didn’t know how to feel about him. Could he be trusted? Does he have nefarious motives?

Adeline’s quiet childhood/past makes her found family feel all the sweeter. I love her friendship with Lillian and slow growing understanding with Violet.

The audiobook is a masterpiece.

The year is 1926, Adeline (Addie) is capable, better yet cursed, of seeing things other humans can’t. She’s followed by darkness and dreams of dancing with the devil. After she has to move from her small town to the big Apple, she meets Jack Warren and her life changes in every way imaginable. She can lean back on everything she believed was true in Georgia or fight her way through Jack’s extravagant world.

There’s lots of secrets, a few plot twists, some really intriguing character development and a rather captivating world Marilyn Marks has built in this novel. Thanks for letting me read an arc! I believe there are 2 more expected books to complete this trilogy and I am very excited to see where it goes. A few parts of this first book stretched on longer than I was interested in and I hope the next books keep a better pace throughout. There is spice and I think it worked perfectly in the book.

3.75 Stars
Fae + Roaring 20s?!

The author did a great job of weaving the mystical world of fae into the busy streets of New York City. I would have preferred the secondary characters to be more developed. However, this didn't hinder my overall enjoyment of the story. It was a delightful fusion of light fantasy and romance.

*** Thank you to NetGalley, Marilyn Marks, and Dreamscape Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

This story is fun and sexy! The audiobook narrator did an amazing job. The main character has a thick southern accent and it made it so fun. I love the roaring 20's, and when you add magic and Fae I am hooked. Who would of thought that fantasy themes would go so well in the world of prohibition and speakeasies. So fun. I cannot wait for the next book!

A roaring 20s based, urban fantasy? Yes please! I really enjoyed the setting (1920s New York), the plot (girl thrust info fae-world), and the characters (MMC and friends are mobsters (think sexy-version Al Capone)). It has a ton of popular tropes (fated mates, enemies to lovers, chosen one) but I think that they were handled in a unique way. There was a lot of chemistry and banter between the FMC and MMC but we also got to see some good friendships form for the RMC outside of the romantic relationship. I enjoyed all the twists and cant wait for book 2 after that ending.

For some, the beginning might feel slow (before she moved to NYC). But I appreciated the extensive background and setting up of the story. I think it provided depth and made this story more interesting than the run-of-the-mill fantasy romances that are everywhere right now.

The narration of the audiobook version is really well done. I appreciated the subtle accents and varying voices for the different characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing an eARC of this audiobook.

Honestly, even though this had a lot of tropes I don't really like, this was extremely readable, and I breezed through the audiobook in just a couple of days.

It did feel like I'd read this book before, as it's pretty similar to a lot of other fae stories these days. Special human girl whose life gets entangled with the lives of the fae, complete with soulmate trope. However, the setting in this story is pretty awesome, and I really enjoyed seeing how the author connected the fae with Prohibition Era New York.

I actually wasn't a huge fan of the relationship between the two main characters. It was kinda icky given the age difference and even more icky with the information we learn in the epilogue. But despite the epilogue confirming one of my absolutly least favorite tropes, I'll probably continue with the next book because the writing was engaging enough that I'm curious where the story will go.

Content: language and many bedroom scenes, which aren't my thing, but they were moderately easy to skip over

Narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo

Genre: fantasy romance
New York, 1926

Addie Colton exchanged her own life to a mysterious Woman in White for her brother’s life during the Great War, but when he comes home, he’s deaf and a shell of himself with PTSD. Struggling to keep their farm, Tommy moves them from rural Georgia to New York City where he’s landed a new job with the FBI. For Addie, that means leaving behind the magical creatures she’s seen on the boundaries of her home. Imagine her surprise, though, when she comes face to face with the man she’s always thought of as the devil in her dreams in the form of Jack Warren, millionaire bootlegger and gangster. But Addie isn’t just swept up into the fast-paced party scene of the Prohibition Era, she’s pulled into a much darker world where fae and other creatures are real, and she’s about to play a pivotal role in the survival of humanity.

I liked a lot of the components from the vibrant worldbuilding to the characters to the fantasy and magic and the faerie history. From the glitter of the world of the Roaring 20s rich to the hundreds-year-old fae, there’s a bold and fun energy about Prince of Prohibition. Addie is young and naive, but her perspective as a first-person narrator was an excellent choice by Marks. That naivety that might drive me bonkers in another romance, worked well with a fresh-faced girl moving to the city for the first time, and allows Marks to give us worldbuilding through Addie’s eyes.

The romantic arc was fascinating - we know very early on that Jack and Addie are fated mates, but Jack allows Addie her initial resistance and the romance itself is a slow burn as they work together to fulfill magical quests. Jack believes in Addie, even when she doesn’t yet believe in herself, and works to build her confidence. The burn part of the slow burn is open door, and the passion is believable.

That all said, the book is long. It’s over 19 hours on audiobook and 554 in ebook, so it feels more like an epic fantasy romance than a historical romance arc. Brenda Scott Wlazlo brings a southern twang to the narration that really suits Addie’s personality.

A million thank yous to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and to the author for the audiobook arc of this book. I just finished it, and am staring at this screen in awe and shock, trying frantically to piece my thoughts together. I’m gonna need a moment!

This book was EVERYTHING. If you’ve been looking to fill the void that Rhysand left, after reading ACOTAR, but haven’t been able to find anything that scratched that specific itch: THIS IS IT. This is everything you’ve been looking for. And the audiobook itself was amazing. The narrator did a spectacular job of bringing all of the characters to life, and giving them unique vocal traits that made them distinguishable.

Without spoilers, or giving too much away, the book was both fae, and historical fiction. Powerful characters, and witty banter. Romance, and pain. So much pain!! I’ve already said it, but I’ll say it again, this book was everything. And it was an honor to get the chance to read it.

Now, I need to go take a walk, I feel like I’m foaming at the mouth.

“That’s your new favorite dress.” I squinted. “I like my old dresses.” He shook his head, a heated stare roaming from my crown to my feet. “No. That’s your new favorite dress.”

This is the one, y’all. This book right here?? It’s THE one. And this narrator does such an OUTSTANDING job on this audiobook. Like I couldn’t stop thinking about this book. It’s been days and I STILL can’t stop thinking about this book. 🥲🤣

💫 TROPES & THEMES 💫
✔️ dark fantasy set in 1920s NYC
✔️ fated MATESSSSSS
✔️ enemies to lovers 🥵
✔️ a banished fae prince
✔️ bootlegging, speakeasies and flappers!!
✔️ hidden powers
✔️ literally everything you’ve ever wanted

This book has so much to it, so many beautiful sentences and scenes, layers and easy to follow world building.

We follow Addie our FMC who has lived in a tiny town in Georgia with her dad and brother on a farm. She is somehow always been able to see the fair folk (devil-folk as her family calls them) and her family is very much anti fae. So they reach her to salt the ground, sing songs and rub iron to ward them off.

A lotta stuff happens while she’s in Georgia and growing up - her brother goes off to a war, comes back a changed, traumatized man. She starts seeing a golden eyed devil who eventually comes to see her every new moon in her dreams. Her father passes away a little after her 20th birthday and her brother and she cannot handle the cost of the farm. Her brother, Tommy, gets a job offer in NYC with all expenses paid so he takes it and Addie has no choice but to tag along.

Once in NYC, Addie is immediately overwhelmed and completely out of her comfort zone. Granted, she was always the oddball in Georgia - but now she’s starting to think she’s truly nuts with the constant overstimulation of NYC and seeing the fair folk around.

She meets Lilian, their neighbor across the hall and receptionist to Mr Jack Warren who not only owns the building they are living in, but the giant hotel and other shady businesses. Lilian takes her under her sparkly wing and helps to get her dolled up and to the big parties Mr. Warren likes to Throw that are legendary.

Eventually she meets Jack, and well what do ya know, he’s the got dang golden eyed devil she’s always seen… but he’s got a glamor on him. Turns out, he’s fae. They are all Fae. Addie is like “wtaf” and I’m like “YESSSSSS HERE WE GO” and then our story just launched off and continues to get better and better.

Marilyn’s story writing skills are some of the most masterful writings I have ever had the privilege to read. She not only sucked you into her world and in the minds of her characters, but you FEEL like you’re there experiencing everything with them too. Her descriptions are so vivid, and her phrases are so beautiful - it will literally probably make you cry like a lil betch (but it’s ok bc same) and the audiobook reader?? She captured Addie’s voice perfectly!! She even sang the songs that were in the book - they sounded the same melody as Marilyn’s sister who performed it! I was absolutely captivated by her narration.

Not only is it packed with STEAMY banter and the BEST 🌶️ tension - it’s action packed too. We’ve got a heist, a got dang wyvern, creepy librarians, history that’ll shock you, work building, monumental scenes that will stick in your brain forever…. Truly, I can’t even form decent enough thoughts to capture even half of how much I loved this story.

ACOTAR meets the Great Gatsby and tbh a lil sprinkle of The Bargainer series - idk why he just gave me a lil Des vibe.

But y’all gotta read this book. You just have to. Thank me later. Prepare to add another book boyfriend to your list, but this one is going up to top 5 easily. 😍

Rating: 4/5
I received an audiobook ARC for my honest opinion

This book was like nothing I have read before. It is an urban fantasy with Fae, and other mythical creatures in it. I loved the 1920 vibes but having the Fae and other mythical creatures really help it to become a good YA fantasy. The cover is what drew me in to investigate this book and then the synopsis just pushed it right over, making me request it.

This book is about a 20-year-old woman who spent her whole life on a farm in Georgia. She spent her whole life seeing other creatures not from our realm. No one else could see them and she had to hide the fact that she could or others from the town would believe that she is crazy. She has an older brother that she is close to and when he gets a job with the FBI in New York he must take it and they move up there. She meets a lot of different people, one is very handsome, very wealthy but the only downside is that criminal bootlegger. His name is Jack Warren. They have chemistry but the knowledge that he is a criminal stops Adeline from wanting more with him…but how long can that last?

I thought the author did a great job with world building. I loved that it was set in the 20’s, I just adore how the women dressed back then. I loved that the author really brought to life the feeling of being back in that time with all the attention to detail. I thought the pace of the book was good, it did get a little slow in the middle but if you get over that hump it does pick up and goes by fast from there on out. I was a little confused on what the plot will become, but the more the books go on you will see some great twists and turns with the plot and see the goal at the end. I cannot wait to read the next book because I am dying to know what is next to happen. You will get action, drama, romance, and some great characters when you read this book.

I thought the characters were well done, I liked that they had some kind of development and seeing Adelines development was the best. At first, I did not like her at all but the more I got to know her and see how she acted and why I found characters to be great. However, I loved Violet and Lillian the most. Violet because of her no-nonsense attitude and Lillian because she is so nice. The other side characters fit right in and really helped to balance everyone in the book. I can see how Jack is similar to Rhysand but not too much where it’s a copy of him just in a different setting. You will get the feeling of found family, a band of misfits and fated mates in this book. There is some spice, but I would rate it at level 2 out of 5.

Be ready for a cliffhanger in this book, and if you like it, like me, then you will want the next book right away.

The audio was done great, I really liked that Brenda Wlazlo helped to bring the characters to life for me. She really made sure that the readers could feel what the characters were feeling. I enjoyed the southern charm that she brought to the Adeline character, and the Welsh characters as well.

I want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to review this book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
🌶️🌶️

Review of "The Prince of Prohibition" by Marilyn Marks

*Disclaimer: I received this audiobook as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Alright, let's dive into "The Prince of Prohibition." It's a tale that sits in the realm of 'just okay' for me. While it didn't sweep me off my feet, it also didn’t leave me utterly disappointed. My biggest gripe was its evident struggle to carve out its unique identity. It felt like it was attempting to emulate the vibe of ACOTAR, but it missed the mark, especially in the audio format. There's something oddly disconcerting about characters breaking into song in an audiobook, especially when you're trying to zip through the narrative.

The story found its footing in the latter half, picking up speed and surprising me with a decently crafted ending. That ending, I have to admit, planted a seed of curiosity for the next book. However, I’d seriously contemplate switching to a physical or digital copy for the sequel. The audiobook experience didn’t quite deliver the depth I craved.

There was a sluggish segment that tested my patience, making me wonder if I should stick around. Yet, the compelling finale managed to salvage the experience, leaving me intrigued about what comes next.

If you're in the market for a light romance read, "The Prince of Prohibition" might fit the bill. It’s got its moments, but it's not a knockout. My recommendation? Consider the print or digital version to truly immerse yourself in the story. While it didn’t entirely win me over, I’m cautiously curious about the next instalment. I would rate the audio version a three star, but my hope for one day reading this in physical format make me give it four stars.

"The Prince of Prohibition" by Marilyn Marks promises to be an enthralling and seductive adult fantasy-romance, seamlessly blending the enchantment of ACOTAR with the glamour and excess of The Great Gatsby. This unique combination sets the stage for a tale filled with intrigue, dark magic, and a world where flappers and fae coexist.

The book's 1920s backdrop offers an enticing era, and the contrast between the glittering façade and the concealed truths beneath adds an extra layer of intrigue. Adeline's character appears to be at the center of this web of mystique, with a curse, dreams, and visions that hint at something ominous and otherworldly.

Jack Warren's introduction as a millionaire bootlegger and infamous gangster instantly creates an aura of danger and allure. The way Adeline is drawn into his world, despite her better judgment, sets the stage for a passionate and forbidden romance. The choice Addie must make between her family's warnings and Jack's seductive pull is a classic trope that promises tension and suspense.

The revelation that Jack is more than he seems, something not entirely human or devilish, adds an exciting supernatural element to the story. This twist, along with the lush and vividly described setting of 1920s New York, is sure to captivate readers who appreciate fantasy romance.

"The Prince of Prohibition" appears to offer a captivating blend of historical fiction, dark fantasy, and romance. It's a story that holds the promise of danger, desire, and the allure of the unknown, making it an intriguing addition to the fantasy-romance genre.

This was a difficult book for me to get into. The premise sounds like everything I want in a romance but the characters were just so difficult for me to like. I found the main character to be too naive at the start and it made for a hard time. I wish I had loved this more because it’s truly everything I wanted in a historical fae romance but it just didn’t sit with me well.

4.5/5 stars
2/5 spice

A 1920s era fantasy with Fae and gangsters... this was quite the adventure.

Tropes:
1920s Prohibition era
Secret society
Magical system
Irish folklore
Hidden magic
Soulmates/fated mates
Sheltered/Virgin FMC
Possessive MMC
Welsh endearments
Slow burn
Single POV
Cliffhanger

Overall, this book is amazing. Did it get slow or drag out in the middle? Yes, but once you get past the middle, it's a roller coaster of events. I'm really excited to read the next book. There is an obvious parallel between the Knights of Templar and religious zealots in modern day times. It made the book more relatable to see those parallels because you could imagine this magical world more clearly. The historical accuracy was there but wasn't necessary when most of the story took place within the Fae "world" but when we did see them in the world of humans the descriptions of each place and atmosphere was done very well. I definitely went back and forth between trusting the Fae and not. Jack played a great morally grey MMC. There is no clear Good vs. Evil in this story... everyone has done something for survival purposes or what they considered "for the greater good." But obviously, we're rooting for the morally grey hero and especially Addie coming into her own strength. She does have character growth, and in the end, she's not shying away from doing what she needs to do to survive.

I listened to the audiobook while reading the ebook in tandem. Whenever there are words that I can't pronounce, I really enjoy hearing the narrator pronounce it for me. A lot of Welsh and Irish words throughout the book but hearing Jack call Addie "annwyl" was the best 👌🏽 Their relationship had me on tenterhooks from the beginning. The slow burn was soooo worth it, though.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I read the book in tandem via Kindle Unlimited.

Trigger/Content warnings:
Violence, death, war/PTSD, racism, death of parent, injury details, sexual content, explicit language