**I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I received the audio e-arc of this book and I wanted to love it so badly!!

I was so confused for the first 20-30% of this book. I didn't quite understand why things were setting up the way they were. I also don't think I was meshing with the writing style much.

I feel that people who love whimsical books, fairytale retellings and little to no spice then you would absolutely love this book.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for my ALC. All thoughts are my own. The narrator was phenomenal and did such a great job with each character's voice and essence. I had no problems with the audio file or any audio issues.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book. I really liked it at first and then I lost my enthusiasm. I thought the beginning was paced well with all the world building, even though I had a lot of characters to keep track of. It also seemed like the author assumed the reader was familiar with fae and their worlds from other fantasy books.
I was patiently waiting out the slow build to get to some intense battle scenes but there really weren't' any. Maybe one. I was disappointed there wasn't more action. I also didn't love the ending. I felt like Bristol's feelings at the end were so torn and betrayed and shattered I was mad (spoilers) she hopped back in bed with Tyghan. It wasn't a cliffhanger and I know there's a second book coming but it felt like the ending should have been different.
Overall I'll probably rank it around a 3 or 3.5/5 stars.

Im always intrigued with a story when the plot is mixed with the real world and fae. I think it's a great way for a reader that is used to contemporary to jump into fantasy. For me however, I mainly read fantasy/romantasy so I think it's time that I realize that plots like this seem to end up being something I've read countless times and its nothing new. that doesn't take away that this book had great characters with depth and the world building was interesting.

I would recommend this to someone just starting to get into fantasy. Especially the audiobook. It has a great narrator with amazing range that got me to appreciate the story.

I was given the ALC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to both NetGalley and Mary E Pearson for the chance to read and review this book before it’s released!


My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5


The Keats sisters have been trying to survive the death of their parents, working menial jobs and living paycheck to paycheck when one day, Bristol Keats discovers that their father is not dead, but spirited away into Elfhame, the land of the Fae. Bristol is given the opportunity to support her sisters through a piece of valuable art in exchange for her help to locate and close a mysterious portal to another dimension that is loosing horrors on the people of Elfhame.

Bristol reluctantly agrees with the primary goal of finding her father, and sets off into Elfhame with the prickly and mysterious (and wickedly handsome) leader of the Fae, Tyghan. This is a slow burn, enemies to lovers type of romance.

Bristol discovers that not only is her family hoarding secrets, but her own life is shrouded in a mystery that she must discover on her own as she learns to make her way within the Fae world of magic and intrigue.

This is a good introduction to this series and I look forward to the next book!

Want to start off by saying I listened to this audiobook and 100% adore Brittany Pressley. She can do no wrong, and honestly there are some books that she saved for me with her narration alone.

Ever since losing both of her parents, Bristol and her sisters are struggling to make meets end. She is propositioned and essentially tricked into making a deal with people who claim to be associated with her "aunt". Upon meeting them she quickly discovers that nobody is who they seem to be, even her father.
Desperate to find and saver her father, Bristol enters the land of gods, fae, and monsters. Little does she know the person she made a deal with is the same person who drove her parents away.

Many twists in this one. The writing style is unique, and I enjoyed that. I am not a big reader of Fantasy; however, the story line was good at keeping my attention for the most part. Definitely a long story and at time repetitive.
The cliff hanger was definitely intense.

Thank you, Mary Pearson, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been trying to listen to this for a couple weeks now and I’m about 30% in. I was really excited for this release but honestly I think I am going to DNF. It might just be that the audio isn’t working for me so I’m planning on getting a physical copy and trying it out that way. There is a lot going on in this book so you have to really pay attention when you’re listening. I’ve had to rewind a lot, which is totally a me problem but if you’re like me be warned! The story has been interesting but it doesn’t feel like anything new to me and I think that’s why I’m dragging my feet to pick it up.

I really enjoyed this book and the audio! It’s a modern day fantasy which crosses real life places, events, and people with a mythical world. I really enjoyed the Celtic mythology women into the story. I did wish there was a bit more focus on main characters and their arcs rather than so many supporting characters. The ending of the book leaves it wide open for the next book in the series. Over all, this book was a fun read and I’d love to read the second when it’s written.

This is amazing! I was absolutely hooked with the puzzle of who is what and who belongs to who. I was skeptical of this book but I am so glad that I gave it a try. It is written so well and keeps you guessing.

Book art would be great for this book!

Overall: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Plotline: 3.5/5
World-Building: 3.5/5
Writing: 4/5
Tropes: MF; Portal; Fae; Enemies to Lovers; Secret Identity

Themes: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Spice Factor: 1.5
Enjoyment Factor: 4/5

Audiobook: 4/5
Review: This had a very slow start, and the story itself doesn't get started until about halfway through the book, but once it got going, I was fully invested. The plot line was a bit all over the place, and the constant changing of the POVS was jarring and hard to follow within an audiobook. I did love all the characters, which is what kept me listening in the beginning, as they are written very well!

This is Mary Pearson’s adult fantasy debut, and while I don’t think it was as good as her Dance of Thieves duology, I still really enjoyed it! This will be a great read for those who liked The Cruel Prince and A Court of Thorns and Roses, and I really liked the audiobook narrator’s performance. Some of the world building and politics were a little confusing at the beginning, and there are A LOT of characters to remember and keep up with, but the further along I got in the story, the more I understood. I liked watching Bristol and Tyghan go from detesting each other to becoming friends to becoming much more, and I’m eager to see what happens in the next part of this story. But I will say, the ending was…strange. It was a weird way to end the book, and I think it would have been better for there to at least be an epilogue that brings you back to the overall story instead of just focusing on the main character’s relationship.😅

Content Notes: If you don’t like to read spice (like me), there are three open door scenes you’ll want to skip in chapters 68, 87, and 110. Profanity was used often, including frequent f-words, that I felt were a little unnecessary. Also, there are witches and spells in this book. Most of the spells are fairly innocent (setting something on fire, turning something invisible, etc.) so I was not personally bothered by it, but if you prefer to read books that don’t include that, you may want to skip.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for sending me an advanced audio copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions above are my own.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

This was a wild ride. We start off following Bristol as she tries to support her sisters after the death of her father. She receives a letter from an aunt who offers her a chance to make money, which she desperately needs, so she goes and, well, things begin to happen real fast from there with gods, fae, monsters, magic, mayem...

There's a lot going on in this book. Like, A LOT a lot. Starting off, the world building was fantastic. I never felt lost in what was happening and where because of how well done and detailed everything was. The magic was interesting, and the monsters we saw were horrifying. I loved the characters and the relationships everyone has with one another. Everything is so complicated and intricate and I enjoyed seeing the realistic friendships and relationships everyone has with one another. The plot was strong and kept me going at a relatively fast pace to the point where I hated putting the book down because I needed to know what was going to happen next.

My only complaint is the ending. It felt as if the book ended in the middle of a chapter and it was a huge let down for me. It's almost like the book is part of a duology because otherwise the book would be a behemoth. It left me feeling cheated out of an ending.

However, the romance between Bristol and Tyghan was amazing and I loved the two of them. I honestly just wanted more.

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

This was on and off for me. While I enjoyed some characters, there were times where it felt like too many were being introduced to keep straight. At times it read like a young adults novel, which pulled me out of the story a bit. There were some plot holes throughout - including a bit about time - but I'm still not sure if this was intended too be fixed in a later story. The ending felt super abrupt.

Thank you Net Galley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a review.

Bristol Keats is the middle of three sisters. They lost both of their parents and are just trying to get by. Suspiciously, they have a rich ‘aunt’ that has been trying to contact them and could solve their financial problems if only Bristol meets with her. Once their worlds collide, Bristol discovers the fae realm and that their lives, and their parents, are not as normal as they were led to believe.

—

The world building leans on the assumption that readers have read books similar to this. (ACOTAR x The Cruel Prince vibes). Though the descriptions of the monsters are intriguing, the world and the characters are a bit bland. The magic system did not really make sense either. I’m not sure if this is because the MC is still figuring out the world so we are too or if it’s because this is the first book in the series and we will find more out later on.

It was also hard to figure out what time period this was supposed to be set in. The current time period is pretty clear that it’s the early 2000’s-2010’s but the title suggests it would be set in the 1800’s. I can be convinced that at least the fae realm is set in the 19th century but the way they speak and act does not reflect that. Also, there was no courting. At least not from the MMC. So overall, the title felt misleading.

I thought the sibling interactions felt genuine, however, after the first few chapters, her sisters basically become irrelevant which was disappointing. The focus shifts to her new friends in the fae realm and though that was fun to watch, I wanted more of their worlds colliding rather than shifting. <spoiler>I also did not understand why Bristol became enrolled in school? That took up a lot of the book and left little room for any action.</spoiler>

I liked the mystery aspect of it— the story behind her parents and why she’s in the predicament she’s in but the ending was weird. It wasn’t a cliffhanger per se; it just sort of ended? So I’m not sure what to expect from the next book.

As far as the romance, I wasn’t convinced. I just felt no sparks between them and the spice felt out of place. Even with the dual POV, I didn’t see when or how they would have fallen in love. <spoiler>I was not happy to find out that Tyghan ‘loved her from the moment they met’. And though it was pretty evident that her father and Tyghan were best friends, I was hoping this was not going to be true especially when they started having relations. Tyghan also BOASTS about having sex with his daughter which gave me a major ick.</spoiler>

For a 500 page book, though it was a quick, easy read, nothing happened. There is one memorable action scene about 60% in, but otherwise, it just felt like a really drawn out introduction to Bristol’s new life.

I think this has a lot of potential but it was trying to hit too many topics that it lost its main focus. I’m not itching to reach for the next book, but it was still a fun time. I can see how this would satisfy a lot of romantasy readers and could be a good series overall.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of the audiobook through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Narrator 5 ⭐️: Brittany Pressley did a fantastic job narrating and made for an easy listen. She did really well with voice changes and it was easy to follow which character she was voicing.

Overall I would give the book a 3.5 ⭐️. It had great potential with good characters and a good plot. I found myself going back and forth thinking this would be a 5 star read but then other parts I found would drag on a bit. I’m still unsure how I feel about the ending as it was kind of abrupt.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If I had to describe The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E Pearson, I would say it’s like a grown up version of Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince minus the bullying, but with all the court intrigue, and examination of love, loss, and family.

I’m not going to lie, I requested this ARC, yes because the story sounded intriguing, but mostly because Brittany Pressley narrated the audiobook. I will listen to anything that woman narrates, and this did not let me down. Pressley flawlessly created believable and recognizably different voices for each character, and made this sixteen and a half hour audiobook a treat to listen to.

I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve read an adult fantasy where the protagonist discovers there’s a magic world beyond the world we all know, and honestly, it’s a story I usually enjoy. I like learning about the world as our main character does- it makes what would usually be annoying exposition a little more bearable. And the world we learn about in this novel is a rich, well-built world with every scene brimming with an evocative atmosphere.

It was also nice to explore this world through the eyes of Bristol Keats. She was an engaging and relatable protagonist, whose journey from emotional isolation to finding love and acceptance feels authentic and heartfelt. Her quest to find herself and self-worth is well balanced with her search for her father, and I felt sympathetic for her even when she made rash choices.

As I mentioned previously, the book is long. I am hesitant to criticize any of the plot points, scenes, or characters I believe could have been cut because this book is clearly the first in a series, so I am unsure of what will be important later. But while there were a few moments where I thought, “Why do we care about this?”, the pacing balanced moments of introspection with the unfolding romance pretty well.

In summary, The Courting of Bristol Keats is a captivating and heartfelt novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy fantasy, and will not get lost in world building and an abundance of characters.

I received the ARC audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This one was fun. I loved Dance of Thieves, so I figured I’d enjoy this one as well. The writing was easy to listen to and enjoyable; the narrator did a great job with the different inflections and characters. The characters had a lot of different motivators and had me screaming in frustration at points because I just wanted them to see each others’ point of view. Lies, deceit, and treachery are prevalent in this book, you never know who to trust.

My only complaint is the ending. I literally said “You’re joking, that’s not the end” when I finished the audiobook. It’s not a cliffhanger per se, but it isn’t what I expected.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I have to stop getting series ARCs unless it’s a series I’m already invested in 😂

A huge thank you to Flatiron Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for sending me an E-ARC and audiobook of A Courting Of Bristol Keats in exchange for review

4.5 stars

I’m MAD and the reason is that how am I supposed to wait for book 2 in this series when the first one isn’t even released yet?

This gave me the same feeling I got when I read ACOTAR but honestly I liked it more. Mainly because I’m left with so much mystery, it was so interesting. And Bristol was so relatable. Generally in a fantasy book world I’m not a fan of things being modern/urban but the glimpse we get of that is so brief and really funny. Oh this girl? Yeah…. She delivers pizzas… but she can totally solve all the problems magical Fae can’t even figure out. It wasn’t exactly enemies to lovers but close enough for me to love it (fav trope).

There’s just so many secrets and bamboozling that occur I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was incredibly fast paced for how long of a book it is and I appreciate there was no lull.

And let me just say, the narrator for this (Brittany Pressley) ATE. Oh my god.
She did voices, she did accents(good and believable ones), this woman is engaging and kept me focused even with my ADHD brain.

We have a large cast of characters and they were all fantastic. I seriously don’t know how I am going to wait for more. Thank you SO much for both of these versions! I will be pushing this book on everyone I know upon release. ♥️

Imagine the cruel prince series aspect of a mortal girl in the fae lands, but with gods and monsters, plus on a mission to find her father with more magic and twists. The ending is kind of brutal for the readers 😭

➤Plot

We follow our main character, Bristol Keats, on one of her daily routines of trying to just get enough to get by for her family. Her parents have both passed away and making enough money falls upon Bristol and her older sister. However, things don't go as planned and the money she was suppose to get today to pay the bills - fall flat and no longer an options for her. For a while now her family has been getting letters from someone who claims to be their aunt, an aunt her parents never talked about, asking to meet with her and give her expensive art. Being down on her luck and wanting to just make sure her family is safe, she finally gives in and goes to see this aunt. Only to discover that life was never what she expected it to be and she is taken to a world of fae.

The strongest part of this book is definitely the fae world and the complicated rules in it. Pearson does a great job with the fae politics where it's easy to understand to understand how any situation is a double edged sword if not played right. Although there was many times where I was confused and wasn't sure what was going on in the story (perhaps if I had a physical copy I would understand better), the politics was never a place where I couldn't keep up. It was my favorite part of the book and learning about the fae world.

➤Characters

For the most part you will be following two characters: Bristol Keats, the mortal who has adventured into the fae world to try to find her father and make sure her family has enough money back home.

And Tyghan, the fae leader. A broody man who doesn't trust many people, putting the role as king before the role as Tyghan.

It's not surprised that this is enemies to lovers. Honestly, I really liked the beginning of their relationship where they were so hot and cold with each other. I was excited for a slow burn! But... Sadly it is not a slow burn. Truthfully when they do fall for each other, I was on the side-lines like "uh... why? I thought we were still hating each other." lol, I really thought the slow-burn was going to go on longer.

So if you wanted a slow burn enemies to lovers, maybe not this one. But then again, I may like the extra crispy slow-burn that takes ages, so it may still be for you!

➤Enjoyment

I sadly can't say I enjoyed it as much as I would of liked to. I thought the world building the brilliant! I could get lost in the fae world if I could and try to learn everything about it. However, this is a romance book too and the majority focuses on the romance of Bristol and Tyghan, which sadly I couldn't get behind on. Wasn't my cup of tea!

Also I don't think the book should of ended where it did. I finished this book in bed and I was like "alright, one more chapter for the book to wrap up!", so imagine my surprise when there was NOTHING after and I was like "huh, what happened to the ending?"

When you read, you will know.

I will not be continuing the series because I know when a romance isn't for me but respect to everyone else who enjoys it! I hope plenty of people pick this book up and it becomes their obsession for a while!

This book was…not good. It’s being marketed as an adult fantasy, I guess because there are a couple sex scenes, but truly this reads like the first or second draft of a very young YA book.

The premise of the story could have been cool, but the execution was poorly done.

There are tons of characters, introduced constantly throughout the book, and it’s impossible to tell them apart because everyone has the exact same personality.

The dialogue was awkward at best, and the romance was a very boring insta-love.

There are plot holes galore. Things happen with seemingly no rhyme or reason. The information you are given is not consistent throughout.

For example, there is a comment that says in Faerie, time is not the same as in the mortal world. Six months in Faerie was compared to 23 years in the mortal world. So tell me why, when she makes contact with her sisters back in the mortal world after being gone for a week in Faerie, they act like she’s only been gone for a few days instead of what supposedly should be seven years?

You’re not really brought along for any of the action of the book, things happen within a paragraph, and you are looking at it from the outside in. You’re not experiencing anything, the author just tells you outright what happens.

If I had received the e-book arc instead of the audiobook, it would’ve been a DNF..