Rating: 4.25⭐️

This book sweeps you into the magical world of Astra and Marlak, where you can't help but root for Astra, and hope that she finds her way to true love and happiness. When Marlak enters Astra's life, her life as an elite guard and every time that she knew about her kingdom goes away. With secrets to hide Astra and Marlak have difficulty trusting each other, but they also share some beautiful moments together! What makes this book so special is that it really focuses on character development, and the two main characters uncovering the truth together. After finishing this book I can't wait for the release of the next book in the series. I really enjoyed reading this book, and you will too if you love enemies to lovers in a magical fantasy world!

Just got done reading the ARC for this book and just wow! There are a lot of fae romantasy books out there and this one blew me away. I was hooked from chapter one the characters just draw you in the strong FMC and grumpy MMC have an amazing chemistry together. This book is a slow burn, forced proximity enemies to lovers romance with plenty of funny banter and spice.
A Cursed Son has a unique story that keeps you interested and wanting to know what happens next Leitao does an great job creating an emersive world. I will anxiously be awaiting the next book in the series!!

Thank you NetGalley and Day Leitao for giving me the chance to read this book early!

From the premise alone, it sounds like something right up my alley. Enemies to lovers, fated mates, arranged marriages, forced proximity. And I really wanted to like this book, but sadly, it just fell short.

Our FMC, Astra, is a body-double for a princess - who's trained to pretend and assassinate. Or so she says. Meanwhile, our MMC and love interest, Marlak, is a fae who looks human - an exiled disgraced prince who allegedly murdered his whole family and stole the Crystal Court treasure. What's connecting them, then? Their sexy dreams of each other.

***The following sections onward may contain spoilers***
First of all, Astra is an unreliable narrator who overestimates her abilities. She's been trained her whole life to act as if she's someone else, to play a role, yet she frequently lets her words slip and is not a good liar. Many plot-convenient things allowed her to find out some important secrets that are barely explained. Her identity - a darksoul - must have been mentioned a million times, yet I can't tell you a single thing about it. I understand wanting to keep some things under wraps for the big reveal, but what's the point of blindsiding the readers like that? In addition, she's way too passive for me to be invested in her character at all; every secret she learns about Marlak is only possible because he allows her. Astra's supposed to make him trust her so he would reveal his secrets, but she always treats him badly and distrusts him at every turn. One more thing that bothers me is that 'women aren't supposed to learn how to use a sword' for no reason at all. Sure, a princess may not carry a sword, but an assassin pretending to be her will find it useful, no?

Now, Marlak. Where do I even begin? I barely understand his motivations and what's driving him. He's supposedly exiled and seems like the biggest traitor of the Crystal Court, yet he has supporters, other fae that considers *him* the king, instead of his brother. Why? It's never explained. Also, he's fae, but he looks human and he can lie. Why? How come? Also never explained. I understand that this will be a series and I will learn more in future books, but I should have some grasp of the world after one book; now, having finished this, I barely have any. But I sympathize better with him than Astra; it must be a pain having to deal with her always doubting him at every turn, trusting his words more than his actions. The guy literally saved Astra several times, and she still doubts him all the time.

Lastly, I love the terms of endearment like "wife" and "husband," but they're way too overused in this book that I'm kinda over them now.

I loved everything about this book! I loved the writing style, the characters, the way how naration moved me through time via dreams.

Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope and this is perfectly executed. I love how the tension between the two main characters builds-up with every page.

I was so captivated by the story that I finished the book in less than 24 hours.

I need the next book immediately!!!!

This was a very interesting and addictive book that really draws you in. I read this in on sitting and I could not put it down.
The thing I loved the most was how well the flashbacks/dream scenes were written. It made me feel as though I was experiencing it in real life. Overall, it was a beautifully written book with a good plot and even better spice:)

First things first, the beginning of the book was like trying to dance with two left feet. Awkward. I tried to like the FMC, but I just couldn't.

I really wanted to like this book. Romantasy is right up my alley and enemies to lovers.... Swoon. But alas, it was just not meant to be. The side characters felt a bit like the supporting act desperately waiting for their moment in the spotlight.

Maybe it's just a warm-up, a teaser for the grand show that's about to unfold in the sequels? But from what I read, IDK if I will finish this book and read the sequels.

It’s thrilling and captivating! It contains well-developed primary and secondary characters, a plot that progresses the story while keeping the reader engaged and super hot chemistry! I can’t wait to read more from the author.

I got my ARC from NetGalley and I just want to say thank you Day Leitao for give me a chance to read the book early.

This book was amazing.. had great plot great spice and we love morally grey men who fall first and harder for the FmLi this was all around an amazing book and I can’t wait to buy it when it comes out!!!

Ooh this book is glorious! ✨ It took me a minute to get hooked but then I didn’t want to do anything else with my weekend but live in this book. I read every chance I got. Clever turns, a multi-layered sarcastic protagonist, fae secrets, cherry cake, magical dreams and duplicitous layers. Well done Day Leitao — Looking forward to more!

Thank you for this arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

I'm so glad I found this book! Once I started, I couldn't stop reading and finished it in two days. The world-building was very interesting and managed to pull me in without revealing too much, so there's still a lot to uncover in the following book(s?).
I really liked the characters. Marlak wasn't the "standard" romantasy villain but had a unique appearance and backstory. Astra wasn't the "damsel in distress" but an elite guard with an intriguing magical power. The relationship and tension between them was very well-written and their shared dreams added some extra spice and confusion, which was great. The ending made me feel all types of emotions and I liked that it ended with such a cliffhanger, because now I'm even more interested in the series. I can't wait to see how it'll continue and I hope that there'll be more world-building and insights into Astra's power and where she comes from.

Read this book if you like:
– unique world-building
– fae and magical powers
– soulmates
– slow burn and spicy dreams

Also, there's a dark unicorn named Cherry Cake...I mean who wouldn't want that?

disclaimer: i received an e-ARC copy of this book, but all opinions are mine
thank you for the opportunity to read!!

general
i really enjoyed this, i had an assignment due and it was almost late because i refused to put this book down until i finished it. i was in the mood to read a romantasy and got exactly that, it knows what it is and it delivered!!

" If beauty swayed me, I'd be on my knees for you."

DEAD!!! i have died and been resurrected so i could keep reading

the good
-i giggled during half the book, OMG, giddy, kicking my feet hihihihi
-the way the main character is revealed was well done
-no but fr i have so many highlights just being so giddy hihi
-it was a good length/page-to-plot ratio
-the ending destroyed me (good) and now Leitao and i have unfinished business, you better be writing love (but also take your time but also please i need it now)
-some of it was predictable (like romantasies most are if that's all you read oops) but it still managed to slip some surprises past me oooh!!
-the world-building ends on a strong note, obviously it's a serie so i imagine we'll get to learn more but it was interesting...
-GIDDY I SWEAR AH i already have my dream man but if i didn't i'd want a dream man y'know??

the less
-the first 20-25% I was not fond of the writing as much, there were some things in the writing style that would pull me out of the story as i was reading (reminder: i read an arc, it may or may not be the same at publication time), HOWEVER after that it significantly improved and i didn't put the book down again
-i wish we got to see more of the relationship between the three "sisters" :)

conclusion

if it wasn't for that first little bit i might have ranked it higher than ★★★★, i may edit this review once the book is published if i have the chance to re-read it hihi
i can't wait for the next one, my fault for starting another serie, it was worth it

I inhaled this book!

A Cursed Son starts is a fun well paced romantsy with a lot of secrets and even more tension. I’m a sucker for a good soul bond and this book delivers it in a fun way. This is a slow burn enemies to lovers where our MMC is desperate to protect her and she’s desperate to keep her secrets.

I found the world building to be a little lacking in this book. I would have liked to learn more about the courts and the humans and why the Tiurians are so hated,

I’d recommend with book to anyone looking for a good slow burn enemies to lovers that’s an easy quick read.

I really wanted to love this book but I could hardly get through it. There was nothing wrong with the writing at all. The book wasnt for me.

3.5⭐️

I received this as a NetGalley Arc.
The book was entertaining and an interesting story line, different than other Romantasy books. I really liked the storyline between the FMC and MMC. The book did end on a cliffhanger, and I look forward to reading the next one. There were some areas where I would have loved to see a bit more tension building between them but it was an enjoyable read overall.

I need to read the second book like now 🙈

I enjoyed this story for the most part. Astra is a character that sometimes I loved and other times I just wanted to give her a shake with her inability to stand up for herself but I did enjoy the character development as the story wejt on and she began to come into her own. I also feel like we definitely could of got to the good stuff with her and Malek a lot sooner if they'd both just stopped being so evasive.  It did start off good with that whole enemies to lovers tension, but started to get a bit tedious towards the end with the same arguments. When the truth finally came out and the story got even more interesting, the book ended with that twist at the end. I'm looking forward to the next book to see how their story continues and to see how they make their way back to each other and what other secrets will be uncovered as I feel there are still plenty to find. I also hope that Astra won't go back to just doing as she's told and holds on the defiance she's started to show.

The above review has been posted on goodreads, I will post the review on amazon as well once I'm able to after the release date. This was an enjoyable first book and I look forward to the rest of the series.

Stop reading this review and go get this book!

Oh my goodness- this book sucked me in right from the start. Elemental magic, a BA FMC and, Grumpy but sweet MMC. Sign me up! But seriously I know those things sound like any other romantasy, but this book was so different from anything I’ve read. I loved loved loved the sloooooow burn and the spicy dreams vs the hard reality.

The main character banter (heck even internal banter) was so well done and literally made me laugh out loud at times.

I need the second book now ☹️🥰🙂