This was honestly so much fun. I did not go into it fully expecting to like it, as I am not one for much spice, but this was so endearing, fun, and full of slow burn passion. I highly recommend!

I thought this book was just alright. It took me like a month to get through. It wasn't bad. I would just lose interest and put it down. I liked both the main characters and the quirky band of side characters. I also enjoyed the premise (female archeologist/archivist in a world of magical artifacts) and the worldbuilding. However, the plot was slow and drawn out, and I sometimes forgot this was supposed to be a romance.

I’ve loved all of Ruby Dixon’s IPB books, but Bull Moon Rising didn’t quite hit the same for me. The vibes felt a bit off—slower pacing, not as much action, and I didn’t feel as hooked as I usually do. That said, it’s still a fun, imaginative read! If you’re a romantasy lover who’s into Minotaur heroes and slow-burn tension, this might be right up your alley. It just didn’t deliver the same punch I’ve come to expect from Ruby. Not a fave, but still worth checking out for the creature romance girlies. 🐂🌕💫

A Minotaur romance and when I say spice dang…it’s giving fantasy romance but the flow of the story is so good.

Ruby Dixon is usually a hitting author for me, but Bull Moon Rising didn't *quite* meet my expectations. I felt like our hero wasn't as fleshed out and was almost an after-thought in our story. I did super enjoy the side characters and they were a breath of fresh air!

Aspeth needs a sponsor to compete to join the artifacts guild, and she finds her sponsor in the form of a minotaur who needs a partner for his upcoming rutting season. She isn't fully honest with him about her identity, knowing that if she is he won't help her. It's a spicy, fantasy grumpy/sunshine romance.

As always, Ruby Dixon has great characters, despite their lack of existence IRL, and imaginative world-building.

This is a fun read. I don't usually opt for these types of romances, but I did enjoy this. It was spicy romance book with some of my favorite tropes from fantasy/contemporary.

✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: Bull Moon Rising (Royal Artifactual Guild Book 1)

To save her family from loss of their hold, Aspeth endeavors to join the Royal Artifactual Guild to recover ancient artifacts. But the odds are against her as she learns the Guild won’t let her train because she’s a woman. Hawk, a Guild instructor and Taurian, is running low on options as the Conquest Moon nears. Thus, a mutually beneficial arrangement is hatched.

Tropes:
👀Dual POV
💍Marriage of convenience
📚Bookish FMC
🐂Minotaur MMC
🫂Forced proximity
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Found family
🐈Sassy cat
🔥Slow burn 🌶️

This book spoke to my love for archaeology and sassy heroines! Aspeth is earnest, quirky, and determined. Her zest for the exploring and discovering was infectious and let’s just say Hawk didn’t stand a chance!

Bull Moon Rising immediately drew me in with its Victorian era elements interwoven with witty banter, magical artifacts, and a steamy Minotaur romance!

So grateful to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, Ace Books, and NetGalley for the review copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I enjoyed this book. This follows Aspeth Hanori as she tries to enter the Royal Artifact Guild. She is knowledgeable about artifacts and thinks she can save her fathers hold. When she arrives with her friend and maid she realizes it's harder than she thought. And her idol, who is master at the guild and a women, isn't as she thought. She ends up married to a Minotaur who will be her chaperone and she will help him through his rutting period which is a period of constant sex.

It was very spicy. I like spice but it was a lot and sometimes a bit much as it's a bull and they talk about rutting and very descriptive, watching others and so on. However, I did enjoy the story and characters. Although I got the earc from Netgalley I also downloaded on audible and found the audio narration fantastic. I am not sure how would I have felt without the narration. There was a lot of misogyny in this world but the way the women handled was good. I think the character arcs were great, the world with the history side friends were interesting and it really ended well. Thank you netgalley!

This is a roaring adventure with an amazing and varied cast of characters. Hunting for magical artifacts beneath the earth, this group of misfits must work together to earn coveted spots in the Guild. With a leader who is far from perfect, a massive understatement, they have their work cut out for them. But thanks to a hardworking and fierce Taurian, and their own dogged determination, they do have a chance. Their training leaves them dirty and exhausted. Their adventures test their skills and show them just how much they can accomplish, together. I loved the characters with all their flaws and their loyalty to each other. Add in a sweet and spicy monster romance, and this story had my full attention. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Bull Moon Rising was not only my first Ruby Dixon, it was my first monster romance.

As a self-proclaimed Historical Romance lover - I have to say, there was so much delightful overlap between this book and my home genre: a spinster fighting against a society that holds her back due to her gender, a ladies maid turned best friend, an old court family nearly brought to ruin by a gambling addiction and a scandal.

My favorite part of any story is the world building—and Bull Moon has that in spades, with the added bonus of the academia undertones I LOVE (think Emily Wilde or Sylvia Cathrall). Dixon’s writing easily sets the scene, telling a story to get lost in: be it a tavern with an insufferable ex or the underground tunnels (which were honestly so effectively described I felt sick and anxious imagining the claustrophobia of an underground dig. *Shudders* but that’s good storytelling.)

Our MMC, Aspeth, is whip-smart and quick-in-crisis, loyal and brave, and an absolute nerd about ancient artifacts that tell the story of Prell, the book’s once-magical setting. She was easy to cheer for in that she was never falsely positive in the face of a plan gone (very, very) awry, but rather she felt the fear or disappointment and made a conscious effort to overcome it “one problem at a time.” We see this trait in her response to the injustice of being denied entry into the guild because she’s a woman (never fear, she’ll marry Hawk and then prove everyone wrong), or the terror of getting trapped on a dig deep underground (arguably a larger problem, but deep breathes and reckless hope abound).

Overall, this was such a fresh take on so many of the tropes readers love:
- Marriage of Convenience
- Forced Proximity
- Forbidden Romance
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Found Family

Thank you to Berkley/Ace for an eARC of this text in exchange for an honest review.

“Have you ever found something you wish you could keep?"
"You.”

4.25/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️

+ magical elements
+ indiana Jones vibes
+ the CUTEST found family
+ minotaur romance !!!!

This book completely took me by surprise!! IN THE BEST WAY 💕 I was originally drawn in by the stunning cover, the beautiful edges, and just the overall vibe of it. I fell in love before I even cracked it open… and now I’m obsessed with what’s inside too!

So here’s the gist:
Prell was once a mighty kingdom full of wizards and magic… until the gods struck it down and it sank beneath the earth. Now, its ruins are scattered in tunnels and caves, hiding magical artifacts that still hold power.

✨ENTER OUR FMC✨
She needs those artifacts LIKE NOW desperately. Her family’s in financial trouble, and she’s willing to risk everything. She secretly enlists in the Guild (the team responsible for retrieving the artifacts) but quickly learns it’s a very sexist organization that doesn’t believe women can handle the job. A big middle finger to that.
Her solution? A marriage of convenience with a minotaur (yes, you read that right) who needs a partner before the upcoming Conquest Moon… when all minotaurs enter a heat that requires... um... assistance. wink wink hehehe 🔥🔥🔥

Sounds like a simple enough deal… but you already know there’s going to be twists, drama, danger, AND ROMANCE.

This was my first minotaur romance and I LOVED it. Ruby Dixon has officially won me over like I’m ready to devour her entire backlist. this story was adventurous, emotional, steamy, and so much fun. it’s definitely not your typical romance, and honestly? That made it all the more refreshing.

My only tiny gripe is that a few of the adventure scenes dragged just a little?? but I was still hooked from beginning to end. The characters, the dynamics, the world building it was all such a treat. Highly recommend!!! Can't wait for the next book!

I have read a few of the Ice Planet Barbarian books and was excited to try a new world from Ruby Dixon. I really enjoyed the characters but it was too much of a fantasy novel for my taste. I knew the MMC was a minotaur, but other minotaur romances I've read have been less true fantasy. I did enjoy the adventures but this book was a lot longer than I thought it would be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for providing a copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

First, I would like to place a disclaimer that I have never actually played Dungeons and Dragons. I've watched videos, read some about the game, and have family members that play, but I haven't partaken in this particular hobby. With that said, if I had to describe this book, it would be like a DnD one-shot.

The stakes are low, the characters are charming, and there is an abundance of sexual tension abound. Sounds exactly like DnD to me! (Please don't come at me if I'm wrong!)

While I enjoyed the majority of this novel, I had two main concerns. The first is Aspeth, the FMC, is incredibly annoying. Between her doubts, insecurities, and altogether naivety, I was ready to throw this book down and never pick it back up. She blundered and bluffed her way like no one else's business, and I admired this aspect of her, but when it came to her inner thoughts... no, just no.

My other concern is wholly preferential, but I was not a fan of this monster romance. I will never yuck someone's yum, (and this does not affect my rating for the book), but this just wasn't for me. The scenes were well-written and that's all I will say.

As far as the story, there were a few plot holes, and I didn't understand a lot of the choices made by the characters, but it was a fun story to read. I was happy to see our two MCs get their happily ever after, I just wish it had extended to the rest of Aspeth's squad. Not to spoil anything, but I was really hoping for a better conclusion to this book. With the way it ended, the author has left this open for some sequels, however I will more than likely not be picking any additional books up.

A fun fantasy world steeped in action and romance. This is a fun read and pushed the limits of what I knew of romantasy. This had me laughing between the dynamics of the group and of Hawke and Aspeth.

Thank you to Ruby Dixon, NetGalley, and Berkley Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Ruby Dixon book. I’ve heard about Ice Planet Barbarians but never read it. I had no idea what to expect in Bull Moon Rising. I did like the story overall. Not sure how I feel about the moon part.

I am belatedly reviewing this, months after it was released. I’ve read multiple Ruby Dixon books from her vast array of KU titles, and I love that she commits to the bit. Ice Planet Barbarians only works because she’s committed to the bit and takes the world she’s created seriously, even as the stories are, on their surface, bonkers. The same happens in the first of her Royal Artifactual Guild books– a world with minotaurs, magical artifacts, lizard-people, and more? She takes it seriously and builds a world I know extends beyond what’s in the text, and it makes the book (mostly) work.

Aspeth and her ladies’ maid-cum-sidekick Gwenna (Mercedes Lackey fans, I hear you shrieking, I did too) have left their keep to venture to the big city, where Aspeth is determined to join the guild, hunting in underground ruins for magical artifacts to sell and enrich her family. Because her secret is that her spendthrift father has blown all his money, sold his artifacts, and is still broke due to his gambling and travel. So Aspeth, imagining herself an explorer and an experienced lady traveler, takes off to apprentice to the guild. And there, her dreams take a hard left turn, when she’s not automatically welcomed with open arms, but instead, laughed at because she’s a woman. When the only yearmates she can get are fellow women and a lizard-person who wears his shell-home on his back, she’s dismayed but determined. Her teacher is Hawk, the aforementioned minotaur, but he’s facing a serious dilemma as well– soon, he (and every other minotaur) will go into rut, and he’s going to either have to contract a sex worker or find a willing partner to bang it out for a month until he’s of sound mind again. Aspeth needs a chaperone, Hawk needs a partner, so they reach an agreement on a marriage of convenience.

Parts of this book were delightful– Aspeth reminded me of some other scifi bluestockings I’ve enjoyed, like Alexia Tarabotti or Emily Wilde, and the world feels ripe for exploration. I loved the Indiana Jones of it all, but I think Dixon needed an editor with a stronger hand, because I feel like the story could have tightened up by about 50 pages, easily. I’m not going to recommend this as an intro to romance, but for those who’ve ventured into monster romance, this is a solid entry in the category. I’m happy to hear there’s a second book coming, but I hope for Gwenna’s sake that the editing is better.

A spicy good time! Ruby Dixon can do no wrong in my eyes! She will forever have a fan in me!!! Not my absolute favorite of her books but I enjoyed it! I will read anything she writes!

3.5 ⭐️ Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book! Initially when I started reading this book, I was all in. About midway through, I started thinking I might DNF this book. I am thoroughly glad I kept reading. The last fourth of this book picked up and took me on a ride. I enjoyed this book, Minotaur knots and all!

This was an extra spicy read with a good storyline and plot to back it up. The protagonists are almost immediately thrown together in a situation where they need each other to get what they want. With one being a Minotaur and the other a somewhat naive daughter of a nobleman, miscommunications and misunderstandings work to spice up the developing relationship. I enjoyed. 3 stars.

Based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by Berkley publishing group - Ace and NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you!