The Empress is a steamy, high-stakes fantasy romance set in a world inspired by tarot cards. It starts as modern-day, and Hannah is dissatisfied with her life. She is overlooked at work, and her boyfriend just broke up with her. As she leaves his apartment, she slips on the ice and hits her head, only to wake up in the dangerous and mysterious realm of Towerfall. Hannah is thrown into peril, nearly killed by the kingdom's inhabitants. Kane steps in, saving her life and forming a dangerous alliance. As they pose as husband and wife, she searches the kingdom of Pentacles for the tarot cards she needs to get back home. As they work together to survive, it becomes clear that Towerfall harbors deep, deadly secrets that threaten the kingdom. If their ruse is discovered, they will both be executed.

I was surprised by how spicy this book turned out to be! The romance between Hannah and Kane heats up as the story progresses, and their attraction is undeniable. I enjoyed the tension created by their fake marriage and how the forced proximity led to some pretty intense scenes. The dynamic between them engages Kane's dark, protective nature, which contrasts nicely with Hannah's determination and outspoken nature. The book also stands out with its tarot-inspired world-building. I found the idea of the Arcana being real entities fascinating, and the use of the tarot theme added a unique layer to the fantasy setting.

Visually, the book's cover is stunning. It captures the magical, seductive nature of the story and immediately draws readers in with its beautiful design. It does not scream smut, which makes it easier to read in public.

It balances action, romance, and a rich, unique fantasy world. Although it was spicier than I expected, I enjoyed the intensity and intrigue that came with the character's relationship and the threats surrounding them. It was a splendid read.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks, Bloom Books

This book is just not for me. The premise was very intriguing and seemed like something I would love. I’m a huge romantasy fan and the concept of a magical world based on tarot sounded original and unlike anything I’ve read before. Unfortunately, the execution is poor.

My first issue is that this book is classified as adult, yet reads as *very* immature. The situations, cliches, and attempts to crack “relatable” and modern jokes did not come off as comical, but as cringeworthy at times. The female main character behaves more like a teenager than a grown adult.

The romance itself is super rushed. It is very much insta love/lust. There is zero build up to the attraction or sexual scenes. I sensed no chemistry between the two main characters and did not see any reason as to why they would like one another.

The female main character’s repeated act of running into dangerous situations without a second thought and ignoring every warning she is given was super frustrating to read about and I could not relate to her at all.

This is my second attempt at this author and I think after this it is safe to conclude that she is just not for me. Romantasy fans who just want to read something fun and mindless might like this—it wasn’t all a miss. There were a few instances where I thought the humor worked, and the concept of the magical world and magic system is intriguing. However, this was not enough to make me enjoy this.