3.75/5

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloom Books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I recommend this book for anyone who's looking for a light, cozy, funny romantasy.

I give this book a 3.75/5 because I did enjoy the descriptive writing style and the premise had potential. It was a mix of contemporary and mainly a cozy historical romantasy. I thought the setting was good, I definitely could picture it because of the descriptions of what era it should portray.

I unfortunately could relate to the FMC's inner thoughts and feelings of adulting and finding yourself lol but the romance was too insta-lovey for me and I had issues with the pacing of the FMC's relationships with the other characters.

Because of these cons, I think the book could've benefited in being longer so it can have time to world build and give the characters proper backgrounds cos I honestly don't feel anything for the rest of the characters. And the ending was too predictable. But I think this book was meant to be a cozy light romantasy so I'm just hoping for too much lol

"He's a ruthless, battle-scarred warrior with a dark past, and she's stuck pretending to be his wife to save a fantasy kingdom.

From New York Times bestselling author Kristin Cast comes a new tarot-inspired fantasy series. Scarlett St. Clair meets Outlander in the seductive and spellbinding world of Towerfall, starting with The Empress, a high-heat, fake marriage romantasy with a swoon-worthy, morally-gray love interest.

The Arcana aren't just figures in a tarot deck - they're real. Terrifyingly real. That's what I learned when I found a tarot card in the snow and was yanked from my world and into Towerfall. The first thing the people of this harsh, cruel realm did was try to kill me, and they probably would have succeeded if Kane hadn't taken me to his hideout in the woods and nursed me back to health.

I don't know if I can trust him. He's too hot to be good news, he's definitely hiding secrets, and I've already seen him kill two people to protect me. If I hadn't just been helplessly dumped into his world, the blood on his sword and his dark, brooding mood would have me running in the opposite direction.

But right now, convincing the Kingdom of Pentacles that Kane and I are married is my best chance of getting into the palace, and back to my own world.

Because there's something wrong with Towerfall. Something deeply, deadly wrong. And if anyone finds out Kane and I aren't really husband and wife?

Well, then both of us are dead."

A book a recently read did a bait and switch with being tarot themed. Thankfully this isn't the case here.

I loved this story! I thought it was a really clever juxtaposition of a mythical tarot universe and real-world Chicago. Hannah is having a really bad day, she performs poorly during a pitch at work, discovers that her boyfriend is having an affair, and gets transported to a fantastical realm after picking up an enchanted tarot card. We've all been there, huh? She meets the enigmatic Kane who tells her that she has been brought to cure the blight of the Kingdom of Pentacles, which they are able to do by impersonating the ambassadors from the Kingdom of Cups. Hannah struggles to return to her own life, but when she does, it doesn't necessarily feel like home anymore. There are some steamy romance scenes between Kane and Hannah, plenty of intrigue, a healthy female friendship with her boss's doppelganger, and forbidden magick. Hannah is a likable protagonist, she really feels like someone you could know, and you will be rooting for her to find her inner power and save the day. Fans of fantasy and romance will love this story!

Kristin Cast's The Empress takes readers into the mystical world of Towerfall, where tarot cards come to life and survival relies on deception and alliances. While the concept of blending fantasy, romance, and tarot-inspired magic is intriguing, the execution falls short. The tarot elements are a unique highlight, but the world-building feels shallow, serving the plot more than creating a fully realized universe. The protagonists, Hannah and Kane, share a fake marriage that adds some tension and humor, but their character arcs don't quite hit the mark—Hannah's modern attitude often clashes with the medieval setting, and Kane's brooding persona remains one-dimensional. Despite its lack of emotional depth, The Empress offers fast-paced action, flirtatious banter, and a bit of spice, making it a light, entertaining read for fans of romantasy.

I get a Alice in Wonderland vibe from this fantasy / romance story, with an emphasis on the romance. The story revolves around a young woman who is pulled into an alternate world by a tarot card. She will fight for survival with help from a man scarred by life by determined to save his world, Towerfall. The pacing is tension filled, can they escape their destiny? Only the cards can tell.

Hannah is a marketing exec that has not yet figured out who she is as a woman and as a person. A chance encounter leaves her with a tarot card that takes her to another realm and a smoking hot warrior. In this world she begins to learn about herself and what’s really important. I have loved Kristen Cast ever since the House of Night series and this book does not disappoint! I loved Hannah’s story and her growth throughout the book. I found myself rooting for her and upset with her for some of her choices. The spice was also great! I wish there was a little more Kane backstory but loved this book.

This was a cute story, however it was very “light” there wasn’t too much going on… but what did happen was told very well. It was a very original story and fantasy world. Kane was a perfect broody hero and I was obsessed with him from the get go. Hannah had such growth, I hated her for at least half of the book. I did end up really liking her character once she stopped being a square trying to fit into a circle. This was definitely a slow burn but I think it was done so well, the tension and back and forth was great. I loved the tarot aspect, and the side characters were so good. As her first solo book I think it was a success and can’t wait to see her writing continue to grow as a solo author. I hope we get to have Alderic and Marion’s story!

Hannah’s life in the fashion and publishing world is anything but glamorous. She’s ambitious yet stuck, longing for a break from the monotony. When a tarot reading goes sideways, she’s thrown into a parallel medieval realm—the Kingdom of Pentacles—where danger lurks around every corner, and magic isn’t just something out of fairytales. Accused of witchcraft and rescued by the brooding, mysterious Kane, Hannah finds herself tangled in a mission that may be her only way back home.

This book hooked me from the start with its blend of modern and fantastical elements. Hannah’s snarky, relatable inner monologue reminded me of Bridget Jones, and her pop culture references brought a fun, light-hearted touch to the otherwise intense world she was thrust into. Kane, on the other hand, is everything you’d want in a dark and broody hero—he’s protective, guarded, and exudes quiet strength. Their dynamic is full of tension, humor, and just the right amount of spice.

What I loved most about The Empress was the balance of high stakes and light moments. The world-building is lush and immersive, and while there’s plenty of action and intrigue, it never felt overwhelming. The romance builds naturally, with forced proximity and fake marriage tropes adding extra layers of complexity to their relationship.

If you’re a fan of romantasy with a modern twist, this is definitely worth picking up. It’s got everything—time travel, hidden witches, court politics, and a grumpy-sunshine dynamic that kept me invested. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Hannah in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom for this ARC!

The Empress was life changing for me. Not only is Kane the hottest MMC ever, but Hannah is the most relatable FMC ever. The tension between them was so hot. 🥵 I cannot wait to get more of their story! You will enjoy The Empress if you love slow burn, magickal tales, and amazing one liners.

This was an interesting tale.  Hannah was having a terrible time at work, where she was supposed to deliver a pitch to a new company. She struggled with her word choices so, Stephanie took over the pitch and made it work. So, not only did she fail, but someone else took over the pitch and while she was in a self-loathing era she went to her boyfriend's house in the hopes that he could help her forget. Only when she arrived was he entertaining another woman and breaking it off with her. She left in tears while a stranger gave her his monogrammed handkerchief. She fell, then awoke in an unfamiliar place. Trying to escape, she ended up in a tavern where people tried to kill her, mistaking her for a witch, until Kane rescued her. Only then does she realize that she is no longer in her world, and not even in her time period. This does have the outlander type of vibes! Ultimately, Kane saves Hannah and takes care of her because he believes the Empress sent her to help save the kingdom and Hannah accepts the help because she wants to get back home. Slowly they start working together and the banter between the two is very comical, and I loved it! The way the author interwoven the story's elements, including the tarot cards, also really pleased me. That was an interesting take that I was not expecting, but was unique. I love the way she builds off the characters and the mission and stuff like that, however; the pace was rather slow, and I did have to take several breaks because I would lose interest in the book. Overall, I did like the book but the pace was rather slow for my liking! Thank you Sourcebooks fire and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this one!

The concept of this book is interesting. I love the idea of a modern person falling into a romantasy setting. That being said, I was disappointed with the execution. I felt like the world building and magic system needed to be developed more. I was confused about the use of modern American slang in a different realm and time period. The characters also felt a little two-dimensional. Overall I would say it was a book that was entertaining to read, even if it didn’t wow me. I would recommend this book for fans of the author and anyone looking for a quick romantasy who isn’t too picky about content.

Thank you NetGalley and sourcebooks bloom books for the arc. I was hoping for a more heavier read but it was still an overall good story. If you are looking for a light magical read that touches on the tarot cards definitely pick this book up. Kristin Cast pulls this story together in her own unique style. I love this author and have yet to be disappointed.

This book's premise was interesting, and I think it had a lot of potential buttttt it fell way flat. There was little to no world building and the romance felt rushed. The FMC was probably one of the most pathetic I have ever read. She was extremely desperate for male validation and emotionally irrational. The MMC would tell her she needs to watch the way she speaks and speak in the century she fell into aka the medieval ages and instead she just continues to speak in her normal modern cadence. This book less than a three star but the smut was good, and I enjoyed the MMC he was the only one who was well written. Everything else felt like a wattpad book come to publishing. I am not sure how the series will continue but I do not think I will continue to read.

This was okay. It was a quick read, but I feel like what I was expecting the book to be about from the description was really not what we got. The tarot card aspect was why I was so interested in this book, but it was a much more minor part of the story than it seems. The character interactions and romantic aspects were all good, but nothing to write home about. I think that if the pacing was a bit more slowed, and the story was able to breathe a bit and feel less rushed, the book would be a lot better. It wasn't necessarily bad as is, but I just thought it was okay.

This was a super quick and easy read & generally ok. However, I think I was oversold on the description, as I felt like the tarot card/deck did not really come into play near as much as expected. I was expecting more interaction with actual embodiments of card characters (one of my favorite series is arcana chronicles by Kresley Cole so I think that's why I am bias/why I was thinking that would happen). The MFC & MMC relationship was nice. Cute banter, decent (but lower) spice, but nothing that I will remember in the coming weeks/months. It definitely has a YA feel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC opportunity.

I liked the world of Towerfall, the descriptions really painted a beautiful picture. The story was very engaging and Kane sounds absolutely dreamy. My only issue was the over use of “good girl”.. I love it when a MMC calls the FMC good girl, but it felt repetitive through certain sections of the book. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the advanced reader copy of The Empress by Kristin Cast. If you are a fan of Kerri Maniscalco’s Princes of Sin series you’ll enjoy this new release! It’s got twists and turns in a re-imagined world where nobility are cards on the Tarot deck. At times it felt almost too rushed to get to the point but overall it was a well plotted and paced book. Kane and Hannah are compliments to each other and Hannah’s character development was crucial to her likeability for me. Overall a good addition to the genre!

In this tarot-inspired romantasy, Kristin Cast takes our downtrodden and people pleasing modern protagonist to another world with a handsome knight and medieval villages. If you are someone who enjoys Cast's writing, or if you grew up reading the House of Night novels, I can see you enjoying this more grown up and spicy novel. It wasn't my favorite, as the pacing felt rather rushed, but the concept for the world is fun and interesting. This will more than likely be a standard hit with romantasy readers wanting a quick jaunt.

I really wanted to like this book but I felt it fell short. I liked Hannah and Kane and their romance worked really well, but there were too many parts while reading that took me out of the story. I do feel that there will be people that enjoy this story, but this one was just not for me. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one I really appreciate it!

I loved the premise of this book and it had the potential to be amazing however a lot of it didn’t work for me. But the main issue I had was I really disliked both main characters. I couldn’t get behind them or the romance. Plot also felt under developed and I really wish they would’ve spent more time worldbuilding. There was so much potential in this book however just didn’t work for me. Thank you Netgalley & Bloom for a copy of this E-ARC.