Mary Pearson has done it again. I loved every single thing about this book. The world, the characters, the story, the pacing. I loved everything. I don't want to say too much as I don't want to give anything away, but this book was utter perfection to me and I'm so sad I have to wait a long time for book 2! Don't sleep on this one!

Wow, this book is awesome! The audiobook is phenomenal! It's long but well worth the length. I cannot wait for the second book. Definitely became a favorite book for me.

A lush portal fantasy, filled with magic, scheming fae, romance, gods and mythological monsters. This was such a fun read, with compelling and immersive characters, plot and world building. Mary E. Pearson's foray into adult fantasy definitely did not disappoint.
I found the characters likeable and complex - there is quite a bit of moral ambiguity in the relationships of characters, and I found that a fun element to explore. The romance was enjoyable and believable and just enough. The world of Elphame felt lush - and hope we continue to see more in later books.
I did however have a couple cons - I wish there was further explanation of the magic system - while we do see training on magic, I felt like I was missing an over-arching bigger picture of how magic works and is granted. I did also find the ending a bit lackluster. There is a setup for the series to continue nicely, but it seemed as if this first book left with too many things unresolved.

With that said, I will absolutely be reading the next book in this series!


Thank you to NetGalley for both the audio and eBook ARCS.

Overall it was an enjoyable read with a very strange ending. At first I had trouble keeping up with the information given due to the audiobook format, but as the story progressed I started to piece together the world building and I started to enjoy it. I felt as though having the POV’s from multiple side characters didn’t really make sense and I didn’t really care for it, but I haven’t seen it done in many books so I guess it was kinda cool? I don’t think it added to the plot that much but it still worked. Now the ending was very weird with how poorly timed everything seemed to be, and it was extremely abrupt. It felt like the author just decided to stop writing in order to keep more stuff for the second book? I did enjoy the romance as it reminded me of Cruel Prince, so a good book for fans of that series!

Brief summary:

Bristol is pulled into a strange world in search of answers about her parents, where she faces monsters, fae, heroes, and villains.

My thoughts:

The audiobook was really hard to follow. I think this would have been a lot more enjoyable as a physical read. It was tough to keep up with which chapters were in which POV most of the time. The narrator did a good job with the voices but unfortunately it was still a bit tough to follow.

The story overall was fine. A typical romantasy with fae, nothing that really stood out to me.

Thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

That ending?!?!! What was that ending?!? Besides that this was my top fantasy read of the year. I loved the world and all the narrators. I’m so excited to continue this story but idk how I’m gonna wait so long!

Atmospheric and engaging, this new adult book from Mary E. Pearson welcomes readers into the land of Fae. A tale- dark and twisting- of a girl, a fae king, and the secrets they are keeping. After spending a lifetime on the run, Bristol Keats is trying to keep her family in one place after the deaths of both of their parents. When an opportunity appears to secure their futures, in the form of an offer from a hitherto unknown great aunt, Bristol takes a chance and gets way more than she bargained for. Who are her parents really? Who were they running from? Are they actually dead? Bristol goes to fairyland to try and get answers and along the way learns more than she ever wanted to about fairies, family, and their secrets. Pearson is a master of world and character building- and this book is no different. The first few chapters are slow, but after that I devoured the rest. For fans of ACOTAR, who prefer something with more adult writing and less fecal matter.

Thank you to @macmillanaudio for the ALC! This book blew me away. I was absolutely hooked and couldn’t get enough. What a rich world full of interesting and well-developed lore, intriguing plot lines and endearing characters.

This book isn’t even officially out yet and I cannot WAIT for the next book in the duology. Running to read Mary E. Pearson’s backlog now. If you love romantasy this is a must-read. This deserves all of the hype that Fourth Wing and ACOTAR get because it’s brilliant, I said what I said.

Fantastic! I had a great time listening to this audiobook! I enjoyed the narrator and her voices for each character. I thought she did a great job articulating the right emotions when voicing the characters. The pacing was well done - I did not speed up or slow down! I found the story very engaging and it had many jaw dropping moments for me. All the characters felt true to themselves. This is my first Mary E. Pearson book and am very exciting to see where she takes the rest of the story! Plus that ending?! What an ending.

Side comment: This was giving adult cruel prince vibes. And what made this book stand out a little more to me was that it did NOT feel “tropey”. By that I mean I did not feel like the book was written to fit certain tropes.

I enjoyed this a lot. I loved the way Bristol was written but it was a shame almost every person in her life lies to her. Tyghan is the worst liar of them all but somehow I still rooted for the relationship. I enjoyed how the ending was written because there is definitely more to figure out but it wasn't a huge cliffhanger. Besides Tyghan being a liar and Bristol maybe being too forgiving of everyone my main other complaint is there were so many obvious questions Bristol could have asked when the truth was starting to come out. I listened to this on audio and I did think the narrators was great and did well with multiple POVs. I am impatiently waiting for the next book.

I was so happy to listen to this! I was so intrigued and emotionally invested in the story and relationships. I loved the ending, it was so unique to the normal endings you typically get in fantasy books. The only “critique” is I was hoping for a little more action. But I get that’s not where the book was going and that’s okay! I’m very interested to see where Bristol, fam, and friends go from here.

As a fan of Mary E. Pearson's YA Fantasy Romance Trilogy, I was looking forward to trying her new romantasy. I had fun listening to this audiobook, it was well narrated and easy to follow. I continued to be engaged through the whole 17hrs.

As for the characters and story I enjoyed both. I found Bristol to be an interesting heroine. I know she is only in her only 20's but she read older to me and I found her relatable and the bonds she built with both her family, the MMC and the friends she met along the way. Tyghan was also a good love interest and I enjoyed his grumpy presence.

As for the story I thought it had interesting world building, but also wasn't overwhelming. I'm really glad this is a trilogy because I think Pearson has done a good job setting up the framework for two books and for the story not to feel overwhelming. I am looking forward to recommending closer to the release date.

First of all, I definitely need the next book in this series now! Secondly, this book elicited strong emotions from me. The FMC is one of three sisters who have lost their parents. With both their parents dead, Bristol tries to keep her and her sisters afloat by doing odd jobs. When her "aunt" calls and offers a deal, Bristol has a hard time refusing it. Only, she was not aware that it came with strings attached. Bristol is immersed into a whole new world of Fae and their war. I think I enjoyed this book so much because so many people have lied to Bristol and her anger is understandable. Definitely a great fantasy read, but you will want the next book immediately.

Right, so: That's an ending...if by 'ending' I mean as much as anyone could take before needing the small accomplishment of finishing a book in the middle of a scene so that we can 'anxiously' await the next? Wait. No. I don't ever ever ever mean that.

Brittany Pressley’s narration of *The Courting of Bristol Keats* is a captivating performance that breathes life into Mary E. Pearson’s rich and enchanting world. Pressley skillfully captures the emotional depth and complexity of Bristol Keats, making her journey through a land of fae, gods, and dark secrets feel vivid and immersive. Her voice effortlessly transitions between characters, giving each one a distinct personality and adding layers to the already intriguing story. The way she conveys Bristol's determination and vulnerability makes it easy to connect with the protagonist, pulling listeners into her perilous quest.

While Pressley’s narration enhances the overall experience, there are moments where the pacing feels slightly off, particularly during scenes of high tension or fast-paced action. However, this is a minor issue in an otherwise stellar performance. The combination of Pearson’s compelling narrative and Pressley’s emotive delivery makes this audiobook a thoroughly enjoyable listen, perfect for fans of romantic fantasy who appreciate a narrator who can bring a story’s characters and world to life with nuance and flair.
#TheCourtingOfBristolKeats #NetGalley

The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson is a thrilling fantasy story of dark secrets and a hidden world. Bristol Keats has spent her life always on the move, with her parents and two sisters, until recently when she came back home after her parents died. She is trying to provide for her sisters but times are tough and she’s getting desperate. She answers a letter from a mysterious aunt who wishes to meet her and quickly learns of a Fae world that she didn’t know existed. In order to help her family and find out the truth about her father, she makes a bargain to help the Fae leader in exchange for his help searching for her father. Readers follow Bristol into this new magical world full of secrets, dangers, and so much more.

Early reviews of this book have a few critiques that I also agree with. The first is that the FMC and MMC go from hating each other to all of a sudden deciding they are in love. The transition was lacking and could benefit from being developed more (it’s almost as if multiple chapters or scenes were cut in editing). Second, I would have liked more world-building earlier on in the book. We get it as the story progresses but I think I would have grasped the fae world a bit better had I learned more earlier on. Lastly, the book ends pretty abruptly. I was surprised when it ended and expected a little more resolution (however the last chuck of the book sets up the plot for the next book).

That being said, I really enjoyed this book! I thought the plot was unique and interesting. The characters had personality and developed as the story progressed. There were a lot of characters to keep track of but I didn’t have a problem doing so. Also I appreciated how the flaws and struggles of the characters were portrayed and not just glossed over. I found myself not wanting to stop reading so I could continue with the story and see what happened next. I would definitely read the next book in this series!

The narrator, Brittany Pressley, did a fantastic job narrating this book. She was able to portray all of the characters with various accents and personalities skillfully.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me an advanced copy of the audiobook. My honest review is based upon this and not the final version. The Courting of Bristol Keats is expected to be published on November 12, 2024.

The first edition of the physical copy will have sprayed edges and there are rumors of other SE prints coming as well!

Unfortunately I am not enjoying this and I am not going to spend my time on it anymore. The Courting of Bristol Keats felt like every other fae book I’ve read; especially The Cruel Prince. I feel like I’ve read this exact story multiple times before and it was not unique enough to keep me interested in reading. While I wanted to enjoy this, because I do like Pearson’s other work, the world building was lackluster and I found the characters to be bland.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A ridiculously fun read with a ridiculously bad ending. This book is full of magical world building that, on reflection, was rather 2 dimensional. I had a great time listening to this on audio, the narrator was excellent, and the main characters felt pretty well fleshed out, but everyone outside of that core group was a bit flat and I still can’t picture any of them nor tell you anything about their different fae races. I enjoyed watching the romance build between the FMC and the MMC, but the ending hit me like a ton of bricks… in that the story, after 16 hours, just stopped very abruptly and I sat stunned, feeling like it ended mid-scene. Through all of the story, I would have said I’d be back for a book 2… but for that ending, I’m not sure I care to come back in any hurry.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the early audio copy of this book to review, I enjoyed it right up until the end.

I absolutely devoured this book. I listen to audiobooks while I clean, drive, feed my animals, etc. I have a hard time listening to audiobooks unless I'm also doing something physically, otherwise my mind wanders. While I was cleaning my house yesterday I put on this audiobook. And I cleaned until 2 o'clock in the morning,because I didn't want to "put the book down."
I usually enjoy Mary E. Pearson's writing, so I've been looking forward to reading this title. But I was not expecting to absolutely ADORE everything about it.
I like paranormal romance/fantasy, I think sometimes people call it like uevak fantasy or something. But only very specific kinds, series like Richelle Mead's Georgina Kincaid and Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson. Series that are split between our world (in our current time period) and the faeworld just usually don't do it for me. But this book made it work, seamlessly.
I really loved the entire cast of characters. Most of the story is told from Bristol and Tyghan's perspective, but there are a few other perspectives here and there. There have been times in other books that I struggled when that was the case, but Pearson did an excellent job of weaving them into the story.
The narrator, Brittany Pressley, was perfect. I've listened to other books she narrated, so I was excited to see her listed for this one.
My only issue with this book? The last time I checked to see how much longer I had left there was like 3.5 hours left. And then I swear to god, 5 minutes later it just ended! Ok, ok, fine, that's all on me, I GUESS. Maybe Mary shouldn't write books that keep me so enraptured I don't realize 3.5 hours has passed and my kitchen is spotless.
Thank you a million times over to Flatiron Books and Netgalley, who provided me with an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
And now, the wait for the sequel begins.

Fans of romantasy are going to love this! You have a female protagonist who loves her family and will do anything to protect them. She finds herself in the fae world and undergoes training, discovers her own abilities, and has a steamy romance with the king. Highly recommend for all romantasy readers!

My one complaint is that it ended rather abruptly and the love was a little too instant for me. But all in all I can't wait for this to come out and will be anxiously awaiting the second installment.