Fairytale lovers and Romantasy readers, this one is for you!

Apples Dipped in Gold is the second book in Scarlett St. Clair’s Fairy Tale Retelling series. You don’t need to read the first book in the series before diving into this one. I didn’t, and I still enjoyed this story.

Each book within the series follows one of seven princes. Apples Dipped in Gold includes influences from a variety of fairytales from those collected by the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, Andrew Lang and more. St. Clair does an excellent job weaving these tales together into one story.

In the afterword, St. Clair shares that the overall theme of this novel is love at first sight. Be warned insta-love haters! I encourage readers to keep an open-mind. You may find yourself feeling a different type of way by the end of the story. 😉

Like many fairytales, this book does delve into some darker themes and scenarios. I felt this added some weight to the story and even grounded it a bit in reality.

Overall, I liked this one. I plan to read the previous book in the series as well now.

My rating: 4⭐️

4.25/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
2.5/5 🌶️🌶️

Coming back to this world was an absolute delight! I really like seeing Scarlett take these stories and make them new with her voice. For whatever reason I find them to be hilarious. There’s the whimsy and fun that you would expect from a fairy tale but also the darker elements of the originals are still present. The characters definitely take a bigger role in this one over the setting like in the first one of the series.

Samara has a sad beginning and her family was truly awful! I think she was really clever though. I liked her resourceful qualities as well as her naivety. It was a curious combination that actually served the story well.

Lore, oh Lore! Honestly, he won my heart. There were moments where I wanted to shake him as he figured things out but overall I enjoyed the was he saw Samara and how fearless he was in protecting her. We love a protective hero in this household! This man would fight with his last breath to keep her safe. If she would just sit still lol

The Fox! I loved him! I think I laughed most at his witty one liners but loved him most for how helpful he was! I truly would like to have one by my side too

I loved the poetic way that the story is told and even on the perils I was utterly fascinating. I like this series because it’s atmospheric and we don’t lose that classic fairytale feeling. It’s only expanded by St. Clair’s voice. I cannot wait for more from this world!

My god. I absolutely loved this read, I did not think it would get better than the first book and I was sorely mistaken. This book is full of angst, painful love, pining, and ultimately true love prevailing all. I fell in love with the protagonist from the beginning, identifying with her hardships, and longing for a different life. The love story between Lore and Samara is something devestatingly beautiful, slowly burning throughout their journey. Lore's description of his love for Samara akin to a cure is beautiful, and both of their character development was well earned. I found myself highlighting the heck out of countless beautiful quotes and well described scenes. The way this author writes stays true to legends incorperated, and kept aspects of the original works. Scarlett St. Clair has yet to dissapoint me, and I can garuntee I will find myself re-reading this one soon!

I am saving my social media post for my tour date (the release day of this book) but I wil upload it here!

Fairytale retellings are probably my favorite underrated type of books! Scarlett knows how to make these stories her own. We have Samara who lives with her three extremely cruel brothers after being orphaned at a young age. She does everything around the house while they are out hunting and treat her like trash. Years ago, in a way to keep herself safe, a fae gifts her a dagger. They fall in love and she believes he will save her from this life and take her away. But one day his hand ends up being sliced off and he ends up disappearing. Now she believes life is too harsh and she wanders into the woods to find peace. As she is contemplating her existence a charming prince happens upon her and offers to marry her. She tells him he must ask her brothers, which he does, and they say yes in exchange for a large dowry. He returns the next day with the payment and takes her. As their traveling, the carriage gets ambushed, the prince gets unalived and a talking fox ends up saving her. As she is running through the woods she comes across a fae, Prince Lore of Nightshade, that the fox happens to know and he convinces her to go with him on his quest to find the tree with the golden apples to break the curse cast upon him. Little does Samara know that Lore is the same fae she came across years ago and the curse he has is because of her. This was such a fun read. Fox is the best side character! He is witty and such a huge personality. he makes sure to keep Lore in line and to make him understand that Samara has been through a lot. He is also such a comfort to Samara when she feels alone and lost in the world. I absolutely love this series and cannot wait for the rest of the brothers!

Ahhh Scarlett went ahead and did it again. I cannot begin to stress how much I’ve come to love every world that Scarlett builds. Whether it’s ATOD, KBB, When Stars Come Out, or these novellas, I always fall in love. Scarlett helped me fall in love with reading again and anything she writes is dipped in gold honestly. Watching this push and pull romance develop, especially with the Fox’s help, was absolutely fantastic. The way the MMC is always trying to help the FMC despite her anger and hostility towards him is so sad but ultimately when she realized the truth their love blossomed. So happy I got to read this so early on.

We open on the lovely scene of a young maiden named Samara reliving the memory of going full Darth Vader on a hunky Fae by assisting him in removing his hand from his person. We're joined shortly thereafter by her 3 ratchet brothers, a sus prince, a saucy fox, and aforementioned uno handed Fae. She almost loses her life A LOT but ofc we find the meaning of love along the way. And they lived happily ever after. Ameneth.

I absolutely love all the fairytale vibes that Apples Dipped in Gold gives😍 I'm pretty sure I loved it even more that MMOG and Lore is my favorite prince.

For my spicy loves she is spicy just not until 60% mark.

What another fun tale told beautifully by Scarlett! These books are truly so enjoyable and it's fascinating to see her weave together these tales and ideas. Samara and Lore are fantastic characters... its hard not to love them.

this is the second book of the fairy tale retelling series from scarlett st. clair. the first of this series was a 3.5 star read to me but this one was a 4 star read! i loved it!!

this book reminded me of all the think i love about like process fairytales. i loved all the background on samara & where she came from. i think for this being a shorter novel, scarlett jam packed so much into this book! if you are looking for a short fantasy/fairy tale then you should pick this up!! you don’t have to read the first one at all for this to make sense, but i would recommend it!

This was 5 stars!

I love Grimm Fairytales and this retelling did not disappoint. I absolutely loved SSC's twist on this tale and her characters.

There is so much heartache and character growth in this short story, that it makes you really appreciate characters with development. I loved Lore and Samara and their past, but also how they grew together.

My favorite character was Fox only because he was such a mystery. I loved his ending as well, since he's such a wildcard character.

The love interlaced in this story was beautiful and I devoured the story structure as well as its plot.

If you loved Mountains Made of Glass, you'll love this story as well.

I absolutely loved this book! I read this and listened to the audiobook and loved the characters, the plot and development. Another 5 star read for me!

TW: Abuse, Mutilation

Thoughts: I enjoyed Scarlett’s MMOG, but I think so far Lore and Samara are my fav couple from her fairy tale re-imaginings. They are oblivious to the other’s feelings and it is absolutely adorable. Also thought that this book balanced spice and plot in a way that I really enjoyed with one not overpowering the other. Finally, I enjoyed the word play in this book as it perfectly evoked fae lore in my mind.

If you enjoy dark fairytales or want to read something short and spicy then I recommend picking this book up. Take a look at the TW though

I loved how Scarlett managed to create a whimsical story while also including some dark elements. This book really reads like a dark Brothers Grimm fairytale with some spicy scenes added to it (add a little bit of spice🌶️).
Throughout the story I recognised several influences of fairytales I know but at the same time it felt like a brand new story. It's a perfect fall read with a cup of tea and a blanket.

Apples Dipped In Gold is somehow both tender and brutal at the same time. I loved the push and pull tension between the MMC and Samara- slow burn like red hot coals crackling into the early hours of the morning. Thoroughly enjoyed each delicious moment of it. Also the FOX! He can come hang out with me anytime! All for cute animal friends, especially if they are full of mischief!

As a member of the SCC street team, I was so excited to read the second book in the Fairytale Retelling series! I love series where you get a glimpse into other characters from the previous books and you will get that and more from this book. If you are a fan of snow white/cinderella you will definetly enjoy this one!

A short, beautifully written fairytale with a great atmosphere and aesthetic. I loved reading the authors note and seeing all of the different references to classic fairytales. There were several twists and turns in the story that kept me reading and I loved learning more about the characters and the seeing their development. I love this series and can’t wait to see how it continues.

*chef’s kiss* every. single. moment. I have been so excited about Samara and Lore’s story and it was even better than I could have imagined. As a fairytale fanatic, I loved picking out references and pieces while also falling in love with these characters and their journey together. Samara is such a strong character despite the pain of loss and abuse she’s faced. Lore is such a cinnamon roll and I couldn’t help but want to shake him for being a big dumb dude while simulated want f to give the man a hug. And Fox? He really stole the show. Another excellent addition to my Scarlett St. Clair shelf. I can’t wait for the next!

Talk about a story you can absolutely devour and consume! From the moment you start reading you will easily get lost in Samara & Lore’s story - not wanting to ever return to the real world.

The angst, the banter, the ✨swoon✨ - all perfectly executed (as usual with Scarlett’s amazing attention to detail and magical way with story telling).

𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳
➵dark fairytale
➵ forced proximity
➵ romantasy
➵ v!rg!n FMC
➵ fated love
➵ man obsessed
➵ touch her & ☠️
➵ soft for her
➵ he falls first
➵ slow burn

𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 5/5⭐️ | 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 2/5🌶️ | 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 3/5🔥

I gave this a 5/5 stars on good reads. Absolutely devoured it. You can clearly see the research that was put into this book as well as the attention to detail for both the plot and character development. I personally feel it is difficult to make a novella cohesive in such a short amount of pages, but SSC really nailed it. There was a clear flow of the introduction to Samara’s life, with challenges. Then intro to love interest, Lore. Then the journey where truth becomes revealed then a climatic conclusion. Well done and looking forward to another book in SSC’s fairy tale retelling series

When Scarlett writes a book, she puts her whole heart into it. I knew, going into this book, my heart would go through it as well.

This is book two in the Fairy Tale Retelling series. This series follows seven princes, and each prince will have their own book.

This book, follows our wicked Prince Lore of Nightshade, and our sweet and innocent Samara.

Orphaned at a young age, Samara is left under the care of her three brothers. They are… horrible to her. I mean… if you have triggers… be careful going into this book. Because the way she is treated… breaks your heart.

One day when Samara wanders off… to hopefully find peace… a handsome prince offers for her hand in marriage. Her brothers agree in exchange for a large dowery.

On her way to her new kingdom… the Prince of Nightshade ambushes her carriage. Samara believes that the fae prince has snatched her away to punish her for a crime she committed long ago…

What the Prince actually needs help with… is to break his curse… and what Samara doesn’t realize… is the curse he has… is one put on him by Samara herself…

If you love The Cruel Prince, Labyrinth, The Magical Legend Of The Leprechauns, Snow White, A Curse For True Love, Cinderella, fairytales, dark… fairytales, fairytales with spice…you will greedily consume… Apples Dipped In Gold.

Samara reminds me of Cinderella, especially the quote “Have courage, and be kind.”

She has gone through so much, and yet her ability to be kind to others is one of her most admirable qualities. She inspires me to keep my head high and always pick the path of courage and kindness, even when hope feels miles away.

I don’t know how Scarlett does it, because while this book is thoughtful, emotional, and sometimes downright sad. It’s also laugh out loud funny, swoon worthy, scary, whimsical, and epic.

Lore’s nickname for Samara is “Wild One” HELP.
There’s a moment where Samara claims to Lore that she is worthless, and he says “You do not get to determine your worth to me.” And I cried. For a solid minute.

Nobody is perfect in this book, and that’s part of what makes it so enduring. Except for Fox… I love Fox. He’s perfect. Adorable. I love him.

I love this book with my whole heart. This is one of my favorite series of all time. And if you haven’t read the first book, Mountains Made Of Glass, please go read that, and then start Apples Dipped in Gold immediately after.

“You are a gift, you are my dream come true and my greatest wish.”