I had hoped that my bad first impression of the narrator and story would be proved wrong the further into the book I read. Alas, I was wrong. The narrator remained annoying and tedious throughout the whole story. The characters themselves were alright and maybe if the book had been written from the POV of the main characters I might have enjoyed the story more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Loved Mortal Follies so was very excited for this and it was very fun! I don’t think it is as good as Nortal Follies but I still really enjoyed it. It has so much of everything and is just a wild fun cozy fantasy times - would have liked more love story and romance but will be adding to our library!

This one gets a 4.5 out of 5.

I really enjoyed this book. It's not as good as Mortal Follies, but it is pretty damn good. The whole concept of these books is part of what I love about them so much. They're written as stories being told to us by the being sometimes known as Robin Goodfellow, who has a very distinct voice that and sense of humor that I find hilarious. It's just as funny in this book as the last.

(I have to take a small digression here to talk about how talented Alexis Hall is. I've read several books from them so far and have enjoyed them all, but I admire especially the fact that they can write different genres and time periods with such skill. I know that other authors can do this too, but a book like this, written in such a distinctive style, using language common to the age, and keeping to historical accuracy as much as any book about old gods and fae roaming England in 1815 can... I read a lot of books, and I consider this sort of writing to be a true accomplishment, especially when you can do something so stylized AND make great characters and a compelling story? Amazing)

The setting is Regency England, but with fairies and old gods still roaming the land and exerting influence on various groups of people as much as the Christian God does (sometimes even more depending on the people). With this setting and narrator I think I'd enjoy just about any story.

This book focuses on John Caesar, my least favorite side character from the first book (whose main job was to be nonsensically suspicious after the point where it was all that sensible to be so, and then to try to convince his friend to abandon the woman she loved to her horrible fate; he does at least acknowledge in this book that he was incorrect). He punches a military officer for insulting his sister at a party and is then rescued by Captain James from getting a beating by that officer's hired muscle. This incident, along with the events inside the ball itself, kick off a whole series of adventures.

The story was just as action packed and compelling as the last one. It had the same mix of eclectic characters, mortal danger, dangerous magic, awful rich people, horrible English social rules, and adventure as the last. There's a lot going on, but the author juggles it all in a way where I didn't think anything was lost and the various storylines were all given their due.

John and his sisters are half Black (his mother was the daughter of an Earl and married an abolitionist freedman), and while most people aren't going to say it to their face, they're all keenly aware of how they're just barely accepted by "polite" society. The book wrestles with questions of what it means to be beautiful, what "wanting the best" for your family really means or should mean (especially in a society so bound to convention and rules as Regency England), and whether one should tie oneself into knots to try to be part of a society that may not ever fully accept you.

I thought all the returning characters were just as much fun as the first time, and I thought the new characters introduced (in particular the Irregulars, Captain James's enlisted men companions and friends) are a lot of fun. Maelys and Lady Georgiana return for a few appearances (including one that seems to be setting them up for a bit of a journey in the next book if there is one), i'd actually have liked to see more of them, honestly, and of course... Miss Bickle is there.

Allow me to say that I love Miss Bickle. In particular, the whole subplot with her running a club for fans of the anonymous lady author of Sense and Sensibility, including her own set of terminology for they write is delightful. But she's also an important part of several plot incidents. I only wish she'd been in the book more, and I really hope that there's a third book that focuses on her finally getting the sweeping, epic love story she's been after this whole time.

The reason that this didn't rate as highly for me is that, while I recognize that John grew as a person, and I sympathize with him and the struggles he faces within his society in basically every aspect of his life and who he wants to be (as a gentleman, as a son, as a sibling, as a lover), I just don't find his story as compelling as, specifically, his sister's. I liked his romance with Captain James, who is also Black and also treated like he doesn't belong by his "social betters". His story arc was satisfying, just not as interesting as some of the others in the book.

Anyway, I don't want to say too much, as I don't want to spoil anything (I think a book like this benefits from going in without knowing where all the twists and turns are) but suffice to say I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend it. Though you could probably read it as a standalone, it would help to read Mortal Follies first.

This second book in the world of 1800s England with Robin Goodfellow as narrator was even more fun than the first, Mortal Follies. I love the dynamic of the Caesar family and the social commentary threaded through the plot about race and class. Because I love A Midsummer Night's Dream, I enjoyed all the allusions to that play and the world of Faerie. The M-M love story is perhaps secondary to the adventure plot of Miss Caesar's predicament, but it is lovely all the same. This book sucked me in and was a really fun read!
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy a humorous fantasy adventure.

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a really fun historical, cozy fantasy. You’ve got fairy shenanigans, girls being turned to glass, Jane Austen fanfic, cult-y soldiers making sacrifices to gods, a motley crew of Irregulars and of course a love story. Wish we got a little more of the love story, but I really liked following this group of characters- hope they pop up again in the next book!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-copy of this book!

Unfortunately, this book was very much not for me. I never read Mortal Follies and, while I wasn't necessarily ever confused, I can say that there is little to no world building in this volume. So, if that is important to you, I would advise reading Moral Follies first, otherwise, you should be fine just jumping into this installment. Also, the humor just did not work for me. The narrator was quite gimmicky and most of the humor seemed to lean more toward satire, but I just never found it funny.
Lastly, Mr. John Caesar was so incredibly dull. Even the narrator thought he was dull. I don't know why he was chosen to be the lead. I actually found both of his sisters, Mary and Anne, interesting. I liked them both as characters and their stories, but John... ugh... what a bore.
I feel like the humor is the main draw of this book. So, if you haven't read Mortal Follies and are considering giving this a read, I recommend just reading the first couple chapters to see if you vibe with the humor.

Confounding Oaths is a lovely book about family, identity, and the things we do for the people we love.

The Positives:
1. The cast of characters is incredibly diverse, which is quite refreshing for a regency era story. None of the characters felt tokenized to me, which is always a nice surprise.
2. I thought the narrator was hilarious, snarky, and overall a unique extra element to the plot. He could be a bit unreliable at times, which I thought added depth to the story. I do think some people will find the narrator to be a negative since he is a bit unusual, but for me personally I thought it was great.
3. I enjoyed how the story incorporated fantasy elements such as the fae into regency England. It didn’t feel overly whimsical, leaning more magical realism and less high fantasy. I found this added to the world rather than distracting from it.
4. The main romance of the book was pretty nice. I enjoyed how the characters had to learn how to be themselves within the relationship, rather than changing themselves for each other. It felt very sweet and cautious.

The Negative:
1. I do think at times it felt like the racism and homophobia of the plot was a bit romanticized. I think the author showcased some heavy elements within the plot, including blatant hate crimes. However, it tended to feel like these were only happening to get the reader to the next point in the romance plot rather than because the discrimination plot mattered itself. The book ended in a “and they all learned to love themselves” kind of way, which just felt a bit simplified to me.

Who I Think Should Read This:
Anyone who enjoys diverse regency stories, fans of Bridgerton, people who like snarky and unreliable narrators, and people looking for a low fantasy story.

4.75/5 stars

This book is a sequel to Mortal Follies. It has the same narrator and framing mechanism as the first one and if you didn’t like it then, you probably won’t like it now. I didn’t like it then but was willing to give it a second try. I liked this book more but still would have liked it more without the framing mechanism. However, I liked the characters a lot more in this one and Mr. Caesar, his parents and his two teen sisters are fun to read about. Mr. Caesar care deeply around the people around him and that is nice to see. The romance is very secondary and why I rounded down on 3.5 stars as it is hard to see it develop in the book. This is framed a Cinderella retelling with the fae being horrible and “cursing” Mary, Caesar’s sister. There are some very nicely done messages on race and class throughout, but some are a little direct if you prefer your books to let the reader figure things out for themselves more. All in all, a delightful read and others seem to find Robin less annoying and subtracting from the story so readers who liked the first one are likely to like this one too.

This book was everything I could have asked for in a follow up story. Robin, our narrator and storyteller, does such a great job observing those of the ton and selecting the best group to follow for maximum story effect.

The younger Mr. Caesar’s story was by far my favorite of the two. Now..with that being said I plea to the author to have Miss Lizzie Bickles have her own story!

There was love, murder, deception, magic, a lot of glass, and even more enchanting stories from my favorite character Lizzie!

For fans of the Bridgerton books who wish it had queer and poc rep!

I haven’t read Mortal Follies but i liked Boyfriend and Husband Material so I was looking forward to Hall’s foray into the fantasy genre and it definitely lived up to my expectations. Robin’s narration was entertaining and witty, but i did find that his constant asides slowed down the plot at some points. I enjoyed the banter between the characters and the progression of John and Orestes’ relationship. I actually didn’t mind that the romance took a backseat to the rest of the plot—it felt more like a fantasy-first story about family, class, and societal expectations. Overall, a fun light read and I would probably read the sequel centered around Ms. Bickle because she was my favorite character.

Thank you Del Rey/Random House, NetGalley, and Alexis Hall for this eARC!

First off, let's just admire this cover. Absolutely stunning. I'd frame that on a wall, if I could.

Second, Miss Bickle is lovely. Worth the read for just that, if we're being honest.

This book is every bit ridiculous and whimsical as one might except from Alexis Hall. If you've come for that, you certainly won't be disappointed. Fans of the first book in this series are likely to enjoy this second installment as well. The characters are so flawed and charming, they often feel real as you're reading them come alive on the page.

The book isn't without flaws, but what it lacks in some areas, Confounding Oaths greatly makes up for in others. The pacing drags a tad, but the plot is engaging! I'm a great sucker for any humorous romp through something fantastical, and have found myself satisfied beyond a doubt.

This charming novel takes a delightful detour from the typical Regency romance formula. Sure, there are debutantes and dashing heroes, but throw in scheming fairies, exasperated siblings, and a healthy dose of self-awareness, and you've got a recipe for a truly entertaining read.

We meet John Caesar, a nobleman with a taste for the finer things in life, determined to secure his sister Mary a good match. Mary, on the other hand, longs for genuine connection over social climbing. A misplaced wish lands her in hot water, forcing John to seek help from a most unexpected source: Captain Orestes James, a war hero with a ragtag band of soldiers.

Theirs is a classic enemies-to-lovers situation, with John's aristocratic background clashing with Orestes' military gruffness. But the witty banter and undeniable chemistry simmering beneath the surface make their journey towards love all the more captivating.

The novel doesn't shy away from the societal constraints of the era. John grapples with his desires and the limitations placed upon him. The presence of the fantastical adds another layer to the story, with the fairy elements woven seamlessly into the Regency world.

What shines is the humor. The author has a knack for creating laugh-out-loud moments, whether it's through John's exasperated narration or the captain's blunt pronouncements. The secondary characters, from Mary's outspoken best friend to Orestes' motley crew, add their own unique flavor to the narrative.

This book is perfect for those who enjoy a bit of magic with their romance. It's a lighthearted read, but with enough depth to keep you invested in the characters and their struggles. If you're looking for an escape filled with wit, heart, and a touch of the extraordinary, then this delightful novel is definitely worth diving into.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely love this book. While I have my qualms, I've got to give it a full five stars out of sheer enjoyment. I'd give anything for it to be twice as long, and I'd love to follow the captain and the gentleman on their adventures until the end of days. I shed a few tears at the end at the side of the Thames.

Below are my thoughts shared in real time during the reading process, and will contain spoilers.
🩷After being disappointed to the point of disgust by the insultingly dull snoozefest that was the protagonist of the first novel, I'm excited to jump into this one! I loved every other character from novel one, so getting that single mind-numbingly bland protagonist out of the way is like a dream come true. 😍
🩷Miss Bickle remains my truest love.
🩷Immediately this book is improved by the fact that our protagonist is declared boring by the narrator, rather than simply BEING boring while we're expected to believe there is anything valuable, much less loveable, about his character somehow. I'll try not to let my loathing of Mortal Folly's MC color everything I say, but it will be difficult.
🩷I'm gonna do it anyway. Miss Mitchelmore's character is exactly where she belongs in this book so far (a little over 10% in): Minimal. One of a number of guests at a family dinner. Yet still as bland as a mouthful of dust and twice as irritating.
🩷One of the things that makes this so enjoyable is that our protagonist cares very deeply for many people, and shows it with his actions and his sense or duty. It's difficult not to compare this directly to the first book, but it's such a refreshing departure that makes this protagonist so much more loveable. I care about him because he shows his care for others, even when he himself is in danger. I mean, I guess Mitchelmore technically did that too, but she saved her care for the final third of the book and really only seemed to give a shit about the woman she had feelings for, while we see it from literally page one with Caesar about literally anyone he feels a responsibility for.
🩷So much of Alexis Hall's strength lies in their characters, and I just love how much of that we get to see in this sequel. You just fall a little in love with everyone. And because you're just a little invested in everyone, it makes reading the story so much fun, super engaging, always hungry for more.
🩷My one great criticism so far is that John Caesar is in training to be a lawyer, and did absolutely nothing lawyery when he was literally brought to court in defense of a man. Even if he doesn't love his career of choice, it's weird that it wasn't even really alluded to in that early chapter. I almost convinced myself that maybe I had completely misread about his schooling, but when it was mentioned again about midway through the book, I felt vindicated. Why was a man studying for the bar not even trying to act in that capacity when called upon? He's not even the one to resolve the problem.
🩷Actually, I'm glad I brought this up, because another situation happens at a later time where again, lawyering would be handy, but John Caesar falls back on Karenisms instead. Super fun and delightful to watch, but it just feels so weird that he's meant to be aspiring to lawyerhood and doesn't do a damn lawyery thing when the opportunities arise.
🩷Second biggest grievance: A sixteen-year-old is given the opportunity to be courted by a fairy, and she says NO outright. Most unrealistic part of this book.
🩷I know the author must surely have plans for Miss Bickle, but it feels like a damn shame nothing sparked between her and Barryson. It really felt perfect. A missed opportunity, a tragedy of our modern era that it never came to pass.
🩷I've spent both books eager to one day read Miss Bickle's story, but now I just want more of John and Orestes infinitely 😭

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.

I’ve read a few of Alexis Hall’s books, and this is a departure from the ones I have. Firstly, it’s during the Napoleonic Era instead of present day. Secondly, this story has fantasy elements (sister makes a wish with a fairy and it doesn't’ quite go as she…well…wished). Lastly, it is wholly narrated by a fairy storyteller (not the wish-granted previously mentioned). This last point was perhaps my favorite part of the book. I enjoyed the narration style and found the narrator entertaining and amusing.

One thing that seems consistent with Hall’s books is at least one character who self-sabotages and that definitely true with John Caesar. In some of Hall’s books this type of character is kind of awful and hard to like, thankfully that isn’t the case here.

There are many interesting characters throughout the book, but the best, in my opinion, was Miss Bickle. She was straightforward and funny in the way where she’s obviously not trying to be, and quite possibly on the spectrum. She was alway a delight when she was part of the story.

Overall, this was a fun read with light fantasy, adventure, and romance elements with a nice helping of LGBT representation.

Regrettably this was such a let down for me.
I love the narrator as Puck and storyline from the first book. But the problems not being those of the main character made me lose interest. If the sister had been the main character of this book too I might have liked it more.
If there intends to be another book in which Miss Bickle is the main character I would absolutely love it!

Thank you so much for the ARC and I look forward to more from Alexis and Penguin Random House

Confounding Oaths is the second book in a series, which I did not realize before requesting this ARC and diving in. As I would recommend reading Mortal Follies first, I don't think it was necessary as I had no problem following the characters or plot. I may have missed a few references and such by not reading Mortal Follies first, but I will rectify that soon enough.

The beautiful cover is honestly what drew my attention to this book. I believe the whimsy of the cover is a perfect match for its contents. This book is full of silly shenanigans and adventure. The romance within the book was not the central plot, but it was quite enjoyable. There were quite a few parts that made me laugh and a few parts that made me think.

Overall, I think I will rate this book at a 3.75 stars. This was a pretty good read but I'm not sure it is one I would reread.

** Thank you to Random House for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review **

rating: 2/5 ⭐️'s

Honestly, I had a very hard time getting into this book. I found its writing style / POV very bizarre and was so confused about where this book was going. I ended up having to drop this book after a while because I just didn't feel connected to the characters or the story, which is unfortunate, but I was so excited for a queer historical romance with some magic involved.

I think there's a good audience for this, but it just didn't end up being me :(

Happy reading though to everyone!

This book was a little hard for me to get in to and I was overall very meh about it. I feel like there is definitely an audience for this, it just wasn’t me and that’s okay! It’s fun and the idea of it is good, it just didn’t keep me very interested.

I love Alexis Hall, but this book wasn’t for me. Part of it was me not having the brain power to translate the way of speaking in the book to something I can actually understand, but if you like full immersion into the world of the book, then I would recommend. I would just let Boyfriend Material and other Alexis Hall romcom readers know that this is a different kind of book. Not bad, just different and one that I wasn’t a fan of.

Confounding Oaths by Alexis Hall was everything I was hoping it to be. I might be biased because I absolutely love Alexis Hall and his writing and this one delivered. It's fun, a little (or a lot) over the top and it doesn't take itself too seriously yet touches on things that do matter. I loved it. The writing kept me entertained. The characters were truly unique and just all over the place. I love the worlds that Hall builds and I think this one is just as entertaining as all his other work. Thank you to Del Rey for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced e-ARC. It definitely made me smile and giggle while reading it.