I have mixed feelings about this book. I'm still not super sold on the story and the plot or the writing, but I did finish the book in one day and would pick up the second one to see how things play out if I saw it! I am looking forward to future character development and the relationships. This is probably not as much my cup of tea in a romantasy but I'm sure there are others who would eat it up. I genuinely enjoyed some of the plot twists. And a huge congratulations to Rebecca Robinson for her debut!

Do not judge a book by its cover because that's exactly what I did.

I really wanted to like this book. Book social media hyped it up with having it literally everywhere on my feeds. Alas, it just fell flat. The premise of enemies to lovers, a princess being in a political marriage, each person using the other for their own personal gain, all that political intrigue in a fantasy world... I usually eat that up. I'm not quite entirely sure where the book missed the mark... It could honestly be the MCs relationship and dynamic. The whole miscommunication trope is really over played. FMC telling half truths, and if she was just honest, one third of the book would be unnecessary.

The Serpent and the Wolf reminded me of Shadow and Bone with the dark mist and their magic system in a way. For such a pretty cover and social media hype, I wish this story could have delivered. Unfortunately it is a 2 out of 5 (at best), for me.

Thank you Netgalley, and Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free copy for review.

I will be posting on Goodreads and Story graph.

I really enjoyed this one - I've seen a few other people read it early and was so excited to start it - definitely worth picking up

The cover caught my eye. The title caught my eye, it wasn't a "a blank of blank and blank: title. The synopsis caught my eye. I'm not usually one who enjoys political fantasies but because I enjoyed these characters they kept me interested in the story. I loved the arranged marriage couple who has to pretend to be in love. Vassa was a strong and smart fmc and Reid was a besotted Cinnamon roll who took some names. I loved the slow burn of the story but I do wish the romance would have been a little more of a focus. As far as the political structure, don't ask me who is who and who does what. That left my brain pretty easily, I was just going with it. The ending was intense and I was kind of bummed to see this is probably going to be a duology or series. I was really hoping for a great standalone but alas. This ended up being a solid 4 star book that I'll probably continue the series because of how it ended.

Thank you so much S&S/Saga Press and NetGalley for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Everyone, this should be your next romantasy read! Full of poitical intrigue, lush worldbuilding, a unique magic system, a true slow burn romance, and yes some spice, The Serpent and the Wolf was the perfect beginning to a new adult fantasy romance series.

After the death of her parents, our FMC Vassa is forced into an arranged marriage with the (future) ruler of a neighboring kingdom. From page one, the book is all action - something I wasn't necessarily prepared for.

I have to talk about the relationship between Vaasa and Reid. Talk about the perfect slowburn/he falls first. The tension is great, the pacing is great, the progression of their relationship is great. When I hear someone say slowburn, this is exactly what I think of.

What brought this book down from 5 stars to 4 is that some of the politics of this world was a little confusing. Maybe some endnotes with how the power structure operates and who lives/serves who would have been helpful.

Overall, FABULOUS debut novel! Can't wait for book 2!

Rating and review after completing 70% of the book (then DNF).

The Serpent and the Wolf is a very unique fantasy with an arranged marriage, slow-burn, rivals to lovers with high tension, unknown magic system, and a deeply political plot. I was very excited to read this as a romantasy lover with arranged marriage & slow-burn are some of my favorite tropes. Personally for me, I struggled to keep up with the world building that was fueling the political turmoil and with that being such a prominent piece of the plot, I consistently was feeling lost.

For the readers that enjoy a complex world and political tension with more of a romance sub-plot, this would be the perfect read for them!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

4.5 stars!
This was a great new fantasy with a fun take on magic. I loved all of the characters (even the villain because it was perfect). If you love a protective but supportive MMC and an independent FMC, then you will love this book!

The world building, magic and government/military systems were all well described and well written. It contains slow burn, enemies to lovers, political intrigue, and lush world building. This does end on a cliffhanger, but it is worth the wait for the next book!

Vaasa Kozer has spent her life being trained to be a weapon. After her mother dies by a mysterious dark magic, that same magic awakens in Vaasa. Her scheming brother marries her off to the enemy, so Vaasa is left with not knowing who she can trust.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

I loved this so much!! I ended up buying a physical copy and I am so excited to read more from this author!!

Thank you Saga Press Books for allowing me to read and review another hit on your fantastic roster of published books! And thank you for sending me a gorgeous copy of The Serpent and the Wolf. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.

A glimpse inside:
slow burn, arrange marriage
enemies to lovers, but kind of one sided
MMC would burn down the world for her
FMC is a grumpy black cat
"who did this to you?"
political intrigue
magic system

The Serpent and the Wolf is the start of a new adult fantasy trilogy filled with politics, hatred, and heart-pounding tension between Vaasa, a witch who gained her powers unexpectedly when her mother died, and Reid, a foreman wanting to move up in the political scheme and needs Vaasa's help to do it. They are arranged in marriage and Vaasa was having none of it. She ties Reid to their bed and threatens him to leave her alone and to never find her. A few months later, he locates her, as she is trying to study on her newfound magic. He approaches her with a bargain in hand: stay with him for three years to help him achieve his goals of peace and she can leave him for good.

The characters are well-developed, flawed, and complex. Vaasa and Reid are dramatic, conniving, stubborn and passionate. I enjoyed the building stones of their relationship and trust. I'm very excited to see how their relationship will grow in the next two books. I also really liked the magic system and how the magic is passed to other witches. Rebecca Robinson did a fantastic job with explaining the magic system and the variety of political powers in play. I think something that doesn't get mentioned often in the reviews for this book is the friendship between Vaasa and Amalie is precious. I love how Vaasa connected with the other witches and I really, really hope we will get more magic training or more magic use in book two.

I'm currently in my romantasy era and this one definitely fit the bill! From the 1st page this one was non stop action(another personal fave of mine). Vassa is an amazing heroine and Reid is her perfect foil. After an arranged marriage and a shocking wedding night, these star crossed couple agree to remain married for 3 years to benefit them both. While Vassa is learning to control her magic her evil brother is doing everything in his power to make her life miserable. There were many twists the last fourth of the book besides some steamy scenes. And that cliffhanger!!! I'm ready for book 2 now! Thank you SagaPress for the book to read and review!

This book is the set up for a new fantasy trilogy featuring Vaasa, a princess who has been betrothed to Reid of Mireh, a neighboring nation. The story begins right after this arranged marriage between enemies.

Vaasa is a strong female lead character who is learning about her magic, which she believes is a curse. She finds more than she bargains for in Mireh, including friends, teachers, and a husband who may be different than she thought. Reid is a strong leader and is under consideration for headman.

A political game along with a slow burn causes a bit of a lull in the middle in my opinion. The end picked up in preparation for the next installment and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the review copy; all honest opinions are my own.

This was such an intriguing read and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I loved this debut novel! Politics in books don't always work for me but I found that I was interested in the political structure and customs with this world. The magic system was also wholly unique and I loved piecing together how the magic worked and how the magic was passed down through generations. I enjoyed that magic wasn't something that all people possessed but rather was a quality that is only possessed by some.

I genuinely loved how empowered women were a force within this book as well. All too often power lies mainly with men but in this one I found that there was more of a presence of strong women who are also held in high regard by some of the male characters. Vaasa's character development was slow at first but I really enjoyed how the romance came together and through the patience and understanding from her arranged husband Reid. I love that there was instant attraction but they had to learn to compromise and work together and the love story blossomed through those interactions.

I will definitely be picking up with next book in this series as I am excited to see the continuation of this story!

The serpent and the wolf
4.75⭐️3🌶️

Fantasy Romance
Unique ruling system
Political Intrigue
Magical sickness
Political marriage
Grumpy/sunshine
Enemies to lovers
Slow Burn
Found family
Betrayal


I was hooked from the first chapter. Being dropped in a political marriage wedding night gone wrong. It was a great way to start the action of this book from the very beginning.

The characters were well developed and individual. I enjoyed them both so much. Vassa is a strong willed and cunning woman who knows how to get things done. She was born and raised in the game of politics and is adept in navigating her way in the political world she is thrust into. It was really interesting to have a female with shadow powers and seeing her learn about them as an adult. Seeing the magical learning process.

Reid is a great leading man, maybe a little less dynamic, but still solid, considering we don’t see his POV.

I’m really excited about where this series will head. The world-building was good (could be great with a map). The side characters are solid. The magic system is intriguing. I’m really enjoying this debut!

Hopefully a map will be in the next book.


Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press Books for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Heavy on the political intrigue and plot twists, I really enjoyed the time this book spent developing the main character’s backstory, history, and female friendships within their coven of witches. I wish we had gotten a lot more on how the magic system worked, how it related to gods and goddesses, what the pantheon looked like, what magic was used for on a regular basis, how magic differed between different covens. I also would have liked to know more about the politics, as that was some of my favorite parts. We really don’t know anything about the FMC’s birth country or what pressure points might motivate it except for an apparent desire for salt (everyone in this world is desperate for salt). I didn’t particularly enjoy the romance element of this—it felt like it was trying too hard to fit into very trope heavy enemies to lovers beats without the concept of those two actually being enemies making any sense, so it just ended up a lot of childish sniping at one another and petty conflict. But so much of the book didn’t even include Vaasa and Reid in a romantic way, which I appreciated.

4.75 stars

This is such a strong debut by a new author! Romantasy at its finest, with a slow burn, enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, political intrigue, and a unique magic system. Vaasa represents those of us who never thought we could be loved or love in return, as everything we’ve ever loved has been taken from us. She does not love or trust easily, and her background lends itself to this fact. Reid, on the other hand, is so gentle and patient, yet still a strong warrior who they call “the wolf of Mireh.” I only wished they delved into his background more. I also love all the side characters, but it needs a comic relief side character - everyone is so serious. Otherwise, this was nearly perfection. I highly recommend!

The Serpent and the Wolf follows Vaasa as she navigates life in an arranged marriage to an enemy, with cursed magic that killed her mother, and scheming how to avoid being murdered by her brother. In theory, this book has elements I love in a fantasy, but I struggled to connect with the characters and plot, I chose not to DNF due to reading a review about a twist. I did find the ending to be thrilling, which brought my rating from a 2 star to 3 star, but I found the book to be underwhelming overall.

I received an ARC from Saga Press | S&S/Saga Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Serpent and the Wolf is a promising start to an exciting fantasy series with romance and political scheming. I really enjoyed the plot and found the characters quite unique. Reid was especially interesting because he isn't perfect - he makes mistakes and admits that he doesn't always know what he's doing. I liked the dyamic between Reid and Vaasa as they got closer to each other throughout the book. That being said, I wouldn't consider the romance "enemies-to-lovers", since Reid was in love with Vaasa from the first page and Vaasa never really hated Reid either.
The magic system was really interesting but it seemed a little vague and confusing, so I'd like to learn more about it in the sequel. I also liked the worldbuilding, but it was quite modern for a fantasy novel considering the fact that the city has running water and fans.
The ending was really exciting and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. Fans of Throne of Glass and Spice Road will really enjoy the beginning of this trilogy!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Saga Press for the eARC!

I read the synopsis of this book and was instantly interested. Not to mention the cover is gorgeous. Having said that the concept of the story had a lot of promise, but the execution didn’t quite hit the mark for me personally.

The pacing was the biggest issue for me—it was extremely slow, and I found myself waiting far too long for any real action, romance, or anything remotely exciting to happen.

I also wasn’t a fan of the third-person POV. There was an excessive amount of "Vaasa said this, Vaasa said that," which became incredibly repetitive and distracting. It made the writing feel clunky and took me out of the story. I wish the narrative had been more immersive, with a first-person perspective, to give more depth to the characters and their motivations.

Another disappointment was the magic system. It felt like it took a backseat to the political intrigue, and while the politics were interesting, I was hoping for more magical elements to play a bigger role in the story.

That being said, I did appreciate the ending, which was the most exciting part of the book and it was enough for me to give this a 3-star rating. While it wasn’t a memorable read for me, I do think Rebecca Robinson has a lot of potential as a writer. The concept was strong, and with some adjustments to pacing, POV, and a more balanced focus between magic and politics, future books in this series could be much more engaging. I’m curious to see how she develops as an author, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for her future books!

*Huge thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for an advanced ebook copy in return for an honest opinion.

Thank you to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free copy for review. #SagaSaysCrew Thanks, Simon & Schuster Audio, for the ALC!

Rebecca Robinson has written an addicting fantasy series beginning - are we calling this a romantasy? - either way, I couldn’t put it down. As I read more of THE SERPENT AND THE WOLF, I leaned more into the audiobook because Jesse Vilinsky is an exceptional narrator. I felt like I had a full cast audio production from one narrator, and I loved it! I also love it when it ends, and you’re not angry about the cliffhanger; you’re just intrigued and want the same answers as the characters.

It had two of my favorite tropes: arranged marriage and who did this to you? They were done so well! Vaasa and Reid are one of my new favorite couples.

I feel silly calling Vaasa and Reid’s meet-cute a meet-cute because it was anything but cute. I’m not sure Vaasa and Reid know how to be cute. They can be dramatic, teasing, angry, annoyed, stubborn, conniving, funny, sweet, and spicy, but not cute, lol. So their first interaction was exceptionally entertaining and set the book up perfectly for their relationship in chapter one.

Robinson did a great job pacing and setting up a new fantasy world. The information was spread out, and it didn’t feel overwhelming. The surprises were also spread out, and I, for the most part, had never seen them coming.

I had a lot of fun reading and listening to this book. I will definitely reread it—the whole book on audio next time! I know this just came out, but I’m excited about book two!!

Content warnings: war, blood, familial death, kidnapping, torture, grief, gaslighting

THE SERPENT AND THE WOLF was a let down that I potentially saw coming ... Rebecca Robinson is a debut romantasy author, and with the rise of booktok romantasy trends, newcomers onto the scene have a lot to prove. I felt like this book lacked depth. My biggest quarrel was with the female main character and her behavior, which made it hard to root for her. I didn't love how the romance felt either. I couldn't believe the chemistry between the two.