Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of In the Name of Honor by Courtney Collins & Clarke Collins.

Honestly, this book was delightful! My brain couldn’t help but lightly compare it to The Fellowship of the Ring by Tolkien. The descriptions throughout the book fully transported my imagination to vividly see the world and the characters as they went along their journey.

The story is told from multiple points of view, which felt seamlessly done and benefited the reader for a deeper understanding of the story.

If this book was double in size I would have stayed in the world as long as I was allowed to. This book could easily be enjoyed as a standalone but personally, I’m looking forward to the second book in the Vows & Valor series expected Jan. 2026.

Themes present in this story include:
- Change and grow characters
- Inclusive storytelling
- A love story that you get to see gently grow and blossom
- LGBTQ+ representation in an enjoyable capacity
- Magic / Elves / Dragons / Other creative species
- Fighting and war scenes

Overall I think it was a good book.

The writing is a bit immature and there is cliche dialogue in several places. I didn't get as good of a grasp of the world as I would have wanted. I felt confused about the ragging on Kaleela for behind half-elf as there was no discussion on why that's supposedly a bad thing? But even later it was mentioned her existence "breaks the rules of nature?" Are you telling me elves and humans never got it on before the King did.

There was also not much time for the characters to get to know each other and thus let the readers get to know them. You learn everyone's backstory through the narrative, even though you could have done without it. It was also hard to be worried about the King's fate like the characters are when we get a peak into what's up with him every other chapter. Also the who's the overlord question was basically answered in the scene where Kahled saw his face. I left a note on that scene in chapter 15 when I read it saying "bet it's the third high knight". The writing trying to tease that by not explicitly saying who it was until a while later (chapter 41) was a bit useless when it was so obvious.

I say all this but it was still an enjoyable story. I was also happy to have the Kahled/Conrad romance showed on page instead of being hinted at, even though Conrad is dead before the story begins.

In the Name of Honor is an exciting adventure brimming with danger, magic, and intrigue. With goblins, dragons, and a dark overlord looming, the story follows a courageous knight sworn to protect his princess as they embark on a perilous quest to rescue her father. This book is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy, reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings, Dungeons & Dragons, and classic heroic quests. It's a thrilling ride full of adventure, loyalty, and high-stakes battles.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Shadow Spark Publishing for this eARC.

This book was a deeeeelight to read. Completely bingeworthy adventure. I loved the multiple POVs, the battle and bloodshed, the dialogue, the humor, the tiny sprinkle of romance, all of it. The lovable characters made the story so fun and entertaining and the found family trope was done well. The authors included a handful of heavier topics with grace and I do appreciate the inclusivity among all of the written characters.

I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for a fun adventure read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5
It was just kind of fine. The plot was... fine. The characters were... Fine, I guess. The writing... Did a lot of telling and very little showing. You knew exactly how everyone felt all the time because they would just tell you.

Something about that made all the relationships seem overly awkward as a reader looking in. I didn't like hearing about the romantic feelings because I just kind of felt embarrassed for all those involved.

I tolerated the side characters, though Olaf's written dialect was beyond annoying. Ral was the most interesting character, and we got one chapter of info dump, and then basically nothing until the inexplicable, confusing climax of his arc.

The pacing was off. The first half had all the action, the middle 20-25% dragged beyond belief and then everything happened at the end. Several times I considered dropping the book entirely, though I did end up powering through the last 20% mostly out of spite.

Overall, it was just kind of... Fine. 2.5/5 rounded down to 2.

This is an epic fantasy, complete with a quest, tons of fantasy world history, and a love story between a half-elven princes and her guard. I'd have eaten this up in high school! Today it's a little less my jam. I find that nowadays I'm looking for epic prose along with my epic stories. and the language didn't quite match up with the scope of the story. If you like a more traditional take on epic fantasy than a fae lord falling for a teenage human, but with language more in line with a modern romantasy standard, I think this might meet your needs.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Sadly, this was a DNF for me due to technical errors. What I was able to read seemed promising. However, there were issues with the kindle version of this book where the pages seemed scanned and didn't quite work well. A shame really, I have given it 3 stars as I believe that I would have enjoyed it if I was able to continue reading.

I wont be leaving a review on social media until I am able to purchase the book and read it properly.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

This book is AMAZING.
The world and character building honestly stunned me. I fell in love with the world and it’s people so quickly.
The plot hooks you in and makes you want so much more!

In the Name of Honor by Courtney and Clarke Collins is a compelling debut that seamlessly blends high-stakes adventure, complex character dynamics, and a richly imagined world. From the very first page, the story grips readers with its vivid imagery and emotionally charged plot.

Kaleela, the half-elven princess, and Dimitar, her loyal yet conflicted guardsman, are both incredibly well-drawn protagonists. Their growth throughout the story, particularly as they grapple with grief, duty, and impossible choices, makes for an emotionally resonant journey. The tension between Kaleela’s determination to save her father and Dimitar’s sworn duty to protect her adds layers of intrigue and heartache, while their shared trials forge a bond that feels both authentic and deeply earned.

The world-building is lush and immersive, with the Corrupted creatures bringing a palpable sense of dread. The authors excel in weaving themes of revenge, sacrifice, and intergenerational healing into the narrative without overshadowing the fast-paced action. The stakes are high, and the twists and turns keep readers guessing until the very end.

However, the pacing in some sections felt uneven, with certain moments of exposition slightly slowing the momentum. Additionally, while the villains were menacing, a deeper exploration of their motivations could have added more complexity to the narrative.

Overall, In the Name of Honor is a stunning debut that promises much more to come from the Collins duo. Fans of epic fantasy with heart-wrenching heroism and unforgettable characters will be enthralled. I am already looking forward to their next adventure in this world.

My rating: 4.5 stars

As a fantasy, this was a great read! It picks up quickly, the pacing throughout is (fairly) consistent, and the plot is well-written. What really makes this book shine, however, is the characters found within. Despite Dimitar and Kaleela, the love interests, being the two obvious leads, the story is told in such a way that each character feels like it is part of a main cast rather than just simple supporting characters. My personal favorite is Olaf, whose character expertly weaves humor and lightheartedness into this story of an epic war and battle. This story is told through multiple POVs and almost every single main character receives a few chapters told from their perspective which help endear you to them.

My favorite part is how much care and love you can obviously see woven into these characters - from their tragic backstories, to their current growth, to the “found family” trope sprinkled liberally throughout, each character is carefully molded with respect to their identities, including sign language use, gender expression, and LGBTQ+ representation.

For those wanting a relatively easy fantasy read, I would highly recommend this book. It starts to lag in the middle, admittedly, with too much emphasis given on the exposition of some scenes, but it very rapidly picks up about 70% of the way through - and I couldn’t put it down after that. For romance or romantasy readers through, this book is less than 10% romance and mostly relegated to mutual pining and friendship before eventually becoming lovers. This book also concludes very well, and almost every single detail is cleaned up perfectly - so perfectly, that I didn’t realize until I looked at the cover that this was the first book in a series. Regardless, I will definitely be back for part two!


Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Spark Publishing for the chance to read this eARC!

In the Name of Honor is a traditional fantasy style book, with a host of loveable characters sharing their POVs. Included in the cast are all the typical roles you find within these kind of stories: token strong female main character (who is, coincidentally, also stunningly beautiful); humble yet heroic knight; bumbling comic relief best friend… You know the vibe.

The book read as more of a YA story than adult. I often found myself feeling that I would’ve rather been shown something through the writing to infer for myself, rather than just being straight-up told.

I did appreciate the similarities to classic series such as the Lord of the Rings books, however the comparison between the two became a bit too homogenous for me and it began to feel a bit recycled. For example, Kaleela’s “I’m not to be given” moment was a bit too reminiscent of Eowyn’s “I am no man!” for me.

Something I did really like about In the Name of Honor was the inclusivity of the world that was built. People with different gender identities, races, sexualities, disabilities etc were both main and side characters, as opposed to being a throwaway inclusion for diversity’s sake. Ral’s traumatic past, for instance, was handled sensitively, and the character is a standout for me and clearly lots of other reviewers! His character is potentially being set up to take a more central role in the next book and I genuinely do look forward to reading about that.

3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC!

This book was a love letter to Lord of the Rings. It was beautifully written. Collins took me on an incredible journey when I read In the Name of Honor. This book was the perfect distraction when I needed it. The world-building and pacing were absolutely phenomenal. I have nothing but praise for this novel and will be back for more!

Thank you so much to Shadow Spark Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Spark Publishing for this ARC!

As someone who loves the LOTR movies, I was SO excited to hear about this book! It was a "cozier" story in comparison to LOTR but the vibes were similar. The found family, setting, and story kept me engaged most of the time. I felt it got a bit slow in the middle, but picked up again around 75%.

I loved the characters and found the group to be a lot of fun to read about!

The writing was very digestible and I would definitely recommend people new to fantasy to use this as a starting point.

This book cover is beautiful, which first drew me to the book. However, it became very apparent to me how different the two authors' writing styles were. I enjoyed one of their writing styles, and I didn't enjoy the other. So, I ultimately did not love the book as much as the book cover made me believe I would.

"In the Name of Honor" by Courtney and Clarke Collins was such a fun read! It’s got all the classic fantasy feels, but with a modern spin that makes it feel fresh and exciting. The story follows Princess Kaleela, a half-elven royal who is equal parts stubborn, brave, and so easy to root for. After her father, the king, is taken captive, she takes matters into her own hands and sets off on a dangerous rescue mission. Of course, there’s a broody, loyal guardsman along for the ride, Dimitar, whose quiet strength and slowly building feelings for Kaleela had me hooked from the get-go. You know me, I live for a good slow-burn romance!

The world-building here is lush without being overwhelming. The authors weave in details about the Corrupted (spooky, menacing creatures that add just the right amount of tension) and the complexities of Kaleela’s queernorm kingdom. It’s clear a lot of thought went into making this world rich and inclusive, and I loved every second of it. There’s a bit of "The Lord of the Rings" energy here (a compliment I don't give lightly given it's my favourite book ever), with all the adventure and moral quandaries, but it still feels like its own unique story.

The romance is a subtle thread, not the main event, but it’s the kind that simmers beautifully. Kaleela and Dimitar’s dynamic is full of those charged moments where you’re practically shouting at the pages for them to just admit their feelings already. Ugh, so good.

If I have one tiny quibble, it’s that the pacing occasionally stumbles. Some scenes linger a bit too long on exposition, which slowed things down. But honestly, the rich storytelling and emotional depth more than make up for it.

I’d give this one a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars! The spice level is bell pepper 🫑 - the romance is sweet and heartfelt but sticks to longing looks and tender moments. If you love daring quests, nuanced characters, and a sprinkle of romance, you’ll absolutely adore this book.

This will be published on my instagram (kerryreadsbooks_) in early February 2025

The blurb for this book sounded exciting and promising: a great adventure and rescue mission with a romance plot. Although the book is categorized as Adult, I quickly noticed the writing style was very juvenile. The dialogue was oversimplified and did not sound how people in their twenties would speak. There was no flow between events or time to understand the importance of things happening. One line I recall is Dimitar saying he was starting to trust Kaleela, but there were no events or actions that showed that. There was a lot of telling instead of showing or leaving it to the reader to infer. In the beginning the story seemed stuck, and it could've just started with the King getting captured by the Corrupters. The Conan story was unnecessary. Olaf seemed to have a lot to say to Kaleela about how he met Dimitar, but the readers weren't let in on the conversation, and I think that would've been helpful for the readers to learn more about these characters' backstories. I am a reader who likes to read characters that are relatable or have an interesting story so I can attach to them and find important the things they find important, but I didn't get that with these characters. They were shallow. By the time they found out that Kahled had been captured, it seemed like it should be important to care about his rescue but because I had no time to connect with the characters, I found myself not wanting to continue the story because there were no stakes. No reasons or backstory given as to why leaving him in the hands of the Corrupters would mean peril. The Corrupters were also not explained that much at all. Why do they exist? Why are people shocked the are back? How do they work? All things the characters seemed to know, but the reader didn't. I did not finish the book for these reasons.

Thank you to Shadow Spark Publishing for the advanced reader copy of this anticipated release!

This book had all of the details I typically look for in a read: adventure, action, lovable characters and romance. I thoroughly enjoyed how in depth the author went into on each main character, and how different they were presented.

I also have to acknowledge how well written this story was. It was exceptionally well done. There was no cheesyness, bad grammar or poor writing.

The only reason this wasn’t a 5 star read to me is because I would have loved for this story to be more than 1 book so there was more back story to the evil they are fighting and more of a fight. The fight encompasses the last 15% of the book and it felt too quick.

Actual rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This book was an absolute delight. The characters were so fun and brought such a sense of found family and close friendships. The slow build yearn from Dimitar throughout the story was so perfectly paced and just made you feel it in your bones. Even the battle scenes were very well thought out and rather tense. My only complaint was I wished a few plot points were better fleshed out with a few characters. But overall I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book.

This book had a lot in it. I will say it was not for me so much even though it sounded like it was. It was all good! But it lacked something that made it feel great. This books pacing really threw me for a loop in terms of keeping me engaged. The characters felt a little flat as well. It just had so much heart and was doing all the right things... just not in the way I would have hoped.

If you love Lord of the Rings, D&D, knight quests and adventures, and a classic hero tale, this is for you. But if you want something new and interesting, it might not be.

Overall, I did finish and was happy to see a good conclusion~

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Courtney and Clarke Collins deliver a sweeping tale of loyalty, sacrifice, and courage in In the Name of Honor. This riveting blend of epic fantasy and romance will keep readers enthralled from start to finish.

From the first chapter, this epic fantasy draws readers into a beautifully crafted realm of magic, danger, and intrigue. At its center are Kaleela, a half-elven princess struggling with grief and duty, and Dimitar, a steadfast guardsman torn between his loyalty to the king and his growing care for her. Their dynamic is a perfect blend of tension and tenderness, anchoring a story that is as much about human connections as it is about epic battles.

The authors excel at creating a character-driven narrative that explores the complexities of its heroes. Kaleela’s resilience in the face of loss and Dimitar’s internal conflict between duty and desire make them relatable and inspiring. Their partnership evolves naturally, with moments of vulnerability and strength that deepen their bond without detracting from the urgency of their quest.

The Corrupted creatures are chilling antagonists, their vile presence adding an ever-looming sense of danger. The rescue mission that propels the plot is a thrilling ride filled with unexpected twists, vivid battles, and heart-stopping suspense. The stakes are impossibly high, forcing Kaleela and Dimitar to make choices that weigh personal sacrifice against the greater good.

Its emotional depth sets *In the Name of Honor* apart. The story doesn’t just focus on external conflicts but also delves into themes of grief, honor, and the lengths we go to for those we love. The balance between action-packed sequences and quieter, introspective moments keeps the pacing dynamic and engaging.

This book is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy with a strong romantic subplot. It combines the grandeur of a high-stakes adventure with the intimacy of a character-driven story, captivating readers until the end. Highly recommended for those who love stories of bravery, heartbreak, and hope in the face of impossible odds!