I loved this book. It’s beautiful and complex (in the best possible way). I’m absolutely dying for book two even though book one isn’t even out yet. It’s about resilience, survival, and strength, and a fantastic debut.

This is not a standalone…

First, I want to thank NetGalley and Del Rey for granting me this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book sounded so incredibly fun that I just had to ran to NetGalley once I found out this was on there. Quickly, I got accepted and couldn’t wait to read it.

The book starts off quite slow, which wasn’t really my thing. I also felt like certain areas were prolonged without them needing to be. At times, that took me out of the reading flow. Around 35/40%, I started to get more invested into the story. The pace quickened and the general area to which the story was headed became clearer. From 50 to 70%, I had a hard time putting the book down. There was quite a lot of action and tension. From 70% onward, the book felt a bit rushed but also slow at the same time.

The ending is open, but with about 50 more pages this could have been a standalone. I think I would’ve preferred if it was. Going into the story, I presumed it was a standalone because I didn’t see anywhere that this would be more than one book. If this was communicated more clearly, I would’ve gone into the book with a different view.

Overall, the story had quite some potential but didn’t really align with what I love and expected before going into it. Because of that, I will rate the book 3 stars.

“Your story is not a kind one… But though you’ve suffered your own fire, child, you won’t always smell of smoke. And yes, it may have burned you, but scars are powerful things, because they show your resilience.”

Where do I even begin…

When I requested this book on NetGalley, I had heard next to nothing about it. What I knew was that it had an absolutely gorgeous cover, it was a debut, and the premise intrigued me. Little did I know that submitting that request and getting the chance to read this book early would alter my brain chemistry forever.

It has been some time since a book has had me literally itching to read every available second that I have (the last like this was Immortal Dark). I was jumping on this story every minute that I could. I just couldn’t stop wanting to read this book.

“I am broken.” “You are art.”

Vasalie is such a strong, resilient, and intricate character whose pain, struggles, and desire for freedom are so beautifully written that I felt every strain of tension, every wince of pain, every longing thought. She is fiercely loyal and will got to the mat for those she has come to care for. Her determination and sense of justice is to be admired, and her love for her craft is genuine. I love her and will be thinking about her as a character for years to come.

“He is a harmony, a song. A melody made flesh.”

Copelan was fun, if a little naive in a way. The chemistry between him and Vasalie was palpable, and the friendship that blossomed from their polarity was balanced with how their opposite natures ended up complimenting each other so well. I am excited to see where his character arc goes from here.

“We all have our comforts, Minnow. I wonder if you might be mine.”

Anton is an intriguing character who had me second guessing who he was and what his angle was for almost every chapter he was in. He is like Vasalie in that he is fiercely loyal to his friends, and he is a true protector. His innovative personality shone through, along with his rakish charm. Anton is not all you expect him to be.

“My protector is gone, revealed to be a monster. But I remind myself that I am not a damsel. I’m no princess bound within a tower.”

Illian is a villain worthy of the title. He is in all ways despicable and vile. He is manipulative and cunning. Illian knows how to play the game and how to play the people around him, and so it is truly terrifying in so many ways. His obsession with Vasalie was giving me Frollo vibes (but make him young and hot). Ordinarily this kind of villain would have a redemption arc and have us falling for him. Not Illian though. Be prepared to stay hating him until the last page.

“You can choose to be his victim, Vasalie. Or, when you walk from these halls, you can deny him the permanence of such a gift.”

A Dance of Lies is a uniquely crafted jewel of a debut romantic fantasy. Every chapter had my heart racing at the dangers that lurked at every turn for Vasalie and her friends. One wrong move could cost them everything and the high stakes nature of that was executed beautifully. The world building was organic, intricate, and fleshed out in a way that I could vividly imagine each nation, culture, costume, persona involved. There is also such an incredible ensemble of a cast with amazing characters you will root for and loathsome characters you will fight against. Each character is so uniquely themselves and brings something different to Vasalie’s healing (or harming) journey.

The plot was addictive and the twists just kept coming, there were times I thought I had predicted something correctly, only to have it either be completely wrong or I missed a crucial piece of the puzzle. The writing style was so easy to read, flowing elegantly and eloquently. A Dance of Lies is filled with evocative language that was able to place me so immersed in the story that it felt like I was watching Vasalie’s choreography, Anton’s careless manner, and Illian’s schemes unfold before my very eyes. It is a character study in determination, resilience, morality, and a will to not just survive but live.

This is an absolutely breathtaking story and one that is going to be staying with me for a very, very long time. I dare say that this is going to be my favourite romantic fantasy of 2025 (and possibly even from the 2020s). There’s only one other book (which comes out October) that might claim the title of “Favourite Book of 2025” but currently, A Dance of Lies firmly holds that title out of the 37 books I’ve read so far this year.

“But I am not a thing to be taken or turned against anyone. I am my own, and I deserve justice as much as he.”

What you can expect to find in A Dance of Lies:

* A strong yet vulnerable FMC who is in her mid-20s
* A charismatic MMC who stole my heart
* A villain (or two…) you’ll love to hate
* Political intrigue - a very dangerous game of politics is afoot. It is a very political at the forefront romantic fantasy
* Beautifully written story
* Dancing, choreography, and art
* Queer normative world
* Slow burn romance (no spice exactly in Book 1)
* Found family
* Chronic illness representation
* Book 1 of a duology
* Prophecies
* Gods, fates, and a little bit of magic
* And so much more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me with an eARC of A Dance of Lies, and to Brittney Arena for bringing a new favourite book into the world.

Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

A dancer is wrongly imprisoned for a murder she didn't commit and is offered an exemption by her King if she goes undercover at an international court gathering between 7 neighbouring kingdoms to spy for him. I was told this was a standalone but after reading it there are too many lose ends that I think it will send up a series. This story is full of political intrigue, plot twists, and loveable characters.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It had the right amount of everything. The romance was subtle but fun. The plot was well thought out and unravelled well. The ending twists kept me guessing until the very end. I genuinely didn't know which 'side' was going to win. I really hope that there is a follow up book at least as I would hate for the story to end like it did.

On the basis of another book- 4.5 stars

Thank you so much to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. The following review is my honest opinion.

THIS BOOK HAD ME ON MY TOES FROM START TO FINISH! THE TENSION BETWEEN THE MAIN CHARACTERS AND THE POLITICAL INTRIGUE WAS IMMACULATE!

This adult romantasy is about Vasalie, an outstanding dancer for King Illian’s court. She respects and trusts King Illian for everything he has done for her. Until one day when he frames her for murder and imprisons her for two long years.
After not being able to move for such a long time, she inevitably suffers chronic repercussions. However, King Illian decides that he wants Vasalie to be a dancer and his spy at the six-week royal Gathering. In return he will give her her freedom back.
At the royal Gathering we, as readers, are confronted with a lot of interesting political intrigue, tension between the FMC and two other characters and very beautiful descriptions of the unique settings.

Where should I start? This book was right up my alley and I really enjoyed this story from start to finish. Brittney Arena has a very descriptive and beautiful writing style, which helped me picture all the scenes in my head. I feel like this story was so different from other fantasy books and it also had some really unique tension-filled romantic scenes. We also got a lot of unexpected moments plot-wise, which kept me on my toes throughout the book. I can’t wait for book two!!!

I would recommend this book to everyone, who enjoys a strong FMC, slow burn romance, great banter and beautiful world-building. Also go into it blind, like I did, it really enhanced my reading experience.

Thank you so much Netgalley and the publisher for accepting my request to read and review one of my more anticipated reads of 2025!

This book had me on the edge of my seat from the get-go, the court politics were diiiirrrrttyyyy. I loved how deep we got into people schemes and motives and I did not expect where it all went in the end. I obviously cant say much on this but I looooved it.

I loved where certain 'relationships' also went (this would also be spoilers) but wow

I think Brittney Arena was brilliant with keeping tabs on all the different characters and who likes who and who hates who and what motivations would be and how peoples histories connected. Genius.

If you like your fantasy to focus more on court politics and intrigue this is 100% the one for you.

I will say my biggest complaint is I felt the protagonist Vasalie was quite weak for how she readily agreed to do things that Illian asked her to. I feel she was too much of a pushover for a lot of this book and that she is largely at fault for how things played out. I did want to shake her and yell.

Overall, super addicting book and I do have to know what happens next.

*4.5 stars*

This was so delightful and soothing to read. While it's on the slower side and the romance is a very small, slowburn side plot I felt like it had such a sensual, beautiful feel to it. The way it was written you felt like you were right there watching these enchanting dances.

I was so invested in our main character. I loved how real she felt with her own challenges but yet she grew and faced them. I was constantly trying to figure out which guy I was rooting for because the romance takes a while to develop. But I love how it it did have a natural growth. However, I wish we got a *touch* more romantic moments with them.

This had a lot of court politics, espionage, beautiful dancing and intense sensual moments. I will say it did feel a touch long toward the end and I'm still a little confused as to what happened exactly. I need to go back and reread it because I think I started to go too fast cause I was panicking. I was hoping it'd be a standalone but I am definitely wanting more. Overall, I really loved this. The writing felt so soothing to me that even on a busy day, I felt comfort reading this cause it has a slow, enchanting feel to it!! I LOVED the dance scenes so much!

* I went back and forth between the Kindle and audio both of which are fantastic. It made me feel so immersed in the story. I especially liked the audio!*

A truly spectacular high-stakes debut with a fully-developed dynamic of tense kingdom politics and a compelling main character who must outwit the forces conniving against her or lose both her life and her love. The ending twist had me frothing at the mouth for the sequel in this duology.

This book - wow! I loved it, it was so well written, it had a great blend of politics, intrigue, characters and world building.
Vasalie shows us over and over again how much a person can endure if their will is strong enough. She fights to strengthen her body when she returns to dancing after her imprisonment, she resists the orders given by Illian at the Gathering, she advocates for herself when the men in her life try to control her choices, and she is determined not to let those who wronged her get away with it. She's such an incredible character and I loved her strength and resilience.
We had some excellent side characters to fall in love with in Laurent and Gustav and some that I wasn't sure about in Copelan and Anton. There were also some that I hated instantly, like Illian and Estienne and General Stova. And there were so many more characters that I'm watching, thinking they may become a more integral part of the story as it continues.
The plot kept me guessing, with political motivation and character development, as well as the endurance of Vasalie and what else she could shoulder and carry on with. Parts of it had a bit of a trials feel, with Vasalie having to dance at different occasions throughout the Gathering, that she had to prepare for. As the story continued, the twists got twistier and my heart was in my throat on multiple occasions.
I'm so happy I got the chance to read A Dance of Lies early, I had a feeling it was going to be a top read for me and it absolutely was. I loved the uniqueness of the story and the setting, I loved having a FMC who was a bit softer but still tough, who was battling with her health and just trying to get through each day, who wasn't a hyper capable machine.
I can't wait for book 2, I need to know what's going to happen next!

Thank you so much to Del Ray and Netgalley for this ARC

Political Intrigue ~ Fates & Prophecies ~ Slow Burn ~ Chronic Pain representation ~

I really enjoyed this book for me. I LOVE LOVE LOVE a story where the MMC isn’t on page 1. Until about 30% thought his one I didn’t know who the MMC love interest was going to be. I enjoyed the political intrigue and court politics, and Vasalie never quite knowing who to trust. It kept me on my toes.

Then ending caught my off guard.. and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely pick up book 2.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the technicalities of putting on a show/dancing… so I tended to rush through the paragraphs detailing all the intricacies in the shows. I do however know that that is one of the beautiful aspects of this book, that just wasn’t my personal favorite.

Unfortunately I just couldn’t push through this one.
I just didn’t enjoy the worldbuilding and was finding myself skimming the pages so decided to just dnf.

DNF. Unfortunately this didn’t work for me. The premise of this book really interested but I just struggled to enjoy it.

I didn’t really like the world building, so that made me struggle to want to pick it up. I do think plenty of readers will love this book though.

3.5
I went into the book blind, and I was pretty pleasantly surprised. It did have a slow start, but about 30% of the way in, it picked up.
The setting of this book is one of my favorite things about it. I love festivals, so having the book be centered around one upped my enjoyment. The characters were fine, but the romance felt lacking. I hope it's explored more as the series goes on.
I thought Vas was an interesting character, but she got on my nerves sometimes. I also can't stand the nickname Minnow, which kinda made me dislike Anton.
"Your little moans spoke volumes as to your level of enjoyment, Minnow."
I almost want to give this book a lower rating, just from this line alone, but I moved past it.
Thank you, Del Ray and NetGalley, for the eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena is a fantasy romance following a broken dancer who is forced into becoming a spy by the king that betrayed her. This was a wild ride where there was no predicting where we were going to end up and with a cliffhanger like that ending—I need book two yesterday!

Probably my favorite part of this story was the host of unique characters the author introduced. It created this beautiful element to the story and seeing if each one was friend or foe made the already exciting plot that more tantalizing. The story itself was intense, emotional, and suspenseful. Once I started it, there was no putting it down until I turned the last page.

Overall, I gave this read four stars because I found the story to be a standout in the genre, it kept me on my toes and remained unexpected to the final page, and because I can't wait to find out what happens next! Will definitely be keeping an eye on this author's future projects and absolutely recommend this title.

“A Dance of Lies” is a dream and nightmare that I never wanted to wake up from. I was entranced by this book and never wanted to put it down. Vasalie is bound to the king, who both convicted her and offered her freedom. She must act as his spy and enter as a dancer in the Gathering. She’ll face many moral dilemmas as she’s caught between two kings and her friends’ lives are at stake. I wanted to savor every word of the ornate depictions in the beautiful world-building and writing. This story and romance was totally unpredictable which made it so much fun to get wrapped up in the story. I will never stop thinking of this story and I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the sequel!

For those who love:
🪩 Slow Burn Romance
🪩 Political Intrigue
🪩 Spy
🪩 Bargains & Betrayal
🪩 Chronic Pain Rep
🪩 Dancers & Kings
🪩 Fates & Prophecies

TS: Domestic Abuse

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this amazing ARC.

4.5 stars - I need the next book IMMEDIATELY

A Dance of Lies follows Vasalie, a dancer who is being released from 2 years in prison after being falsely accused of murder. She is forced to earn her freedom by working as the King's spy & assassin.

This book was a little difficult for me to get into, but once I got past the 25% mark I was hooked! I really enjoyed the direction the story went in, and I can't wait to see how everything is expanded upon in the second book! I especially loved the writing style & I ended up highlighting so many quotes.

The characters in this story are what really stood out to me. Vasalie's journey working through guilt & grief while managing chronic pain made her feel like such a real character. Her actions, while not always "correct", always felt justified.

Thank you SO much to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC! This was right up my alley!!

4.5⭐

Wow this was such a strong debut and a breath of fresh air in the romantasy genre.

I loved the descriptive imagery in this. The settings were so beautifully described and I felt I was right there with Vas.

The court politics and intrigue. Trying to figure out who to trust, and piece the puzzle pieces together along with Vasalie was a lot of fun. The spying and espionage had me on the edge of my seat!!

This gave me major Bridge Kingdom & Plated Prisoner vibes in the best way. Iykyk.

I thought the representation of trauma and chronic illness was done really well. It felt so real and authentic. And it stayed throughout the story. Her healing wasn't linear, and I loved that.

And the romance!!! It was SO refreshing that I wasn't sure who the MMC/love interest was going to be. This was imo a slow burn! And a very good one at that. It had emotional depth over lust which is my preference.

The ending had me gobsmacked. A few twists/reveals that I didn't see coming. And the ending has me UNWELL for the next book.

I feel like for me this book was good, but missing something. I think it felt a little rushed in some places but dragged in others, and the ending was pretty predictable. I don't buy the main character and her main love interest's relationship, and also just wasn't super invested in the characters in the story.

DNF @ 25%

The premises of this book were interesting, especially with disability rep, but after few chapters I struggled with the story. The worldbuilding was surface-level, the characters flat and the writing style didn't convey any emotion, only apathy. After what she went through, I expected Vasalie to be more fierce, strong, rebellious. Alas, we get none of this. It's a pity because I was looking forward to read this book.
I hope other readers will enjoy it more than me.

2.5 stars! i liked it but maybe it’s high time i accept that i’m just not a pure romantasy reader.

my main issue i think was that i’m all for an enemies to lovers arc and it’s my favorite trope in the world for romance subplots but mc gave me the ick with how much she was pining over someone who didn’t even want her??

i appreciate what the author was trying to do with the representation though!