Such an intriguing story! I could not put it down, and cannot wait for the next one. The plot and character development were absolutely wonderful.

This was kind of a Cinderella retelling., but with a wicked witch of the village. With high fae and humans. Great book, would highly recommend this book.

I love, love, love this story! From the very first chapter, I was hooked. It’s not often that I get so drawn in so quickly, but the opening POV from Stellon, the male main character, really set the stage for something special. The shift in perspective was refreshing and unique, and I couldn’t wait to dive into the world of faes and the blend of elven and human Cinderella vibes.

Raewyn, the female main character, was so relatable to me, and watching her and Stellon’s love story unfold had me feeling all sorts of giddy throughout most of the book. It’s the perfect slow burn romance that leaves you craving more.

I would have loved to dive deeper into the different kinds of elven magic, so I’m hoping we get more of that in book two! Similarly, Stellon’s brother and sister deserve more development, and I’m eagerly anticipating how their stories will unfold.

A surprise twist? A shadow daddy! I won’t give anything away, but I am beyond eager to uncover more about him in the next book.

I honestly didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did, but here we are with a solid 5-star rating. I can’t wait for book two — I have a feeling it’s going to be at least 6 stars! The bonus scene had me internally screaming with joy. This book is on my list of favorite reads for 2025.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of this title!

2⭐️

This book was just…okay. The Cinderella retelling element was interesting but I just didn’t find myself that invested in the romance or the plot. The romance was definitely insta-love with no real slow burn, and I just couldn’t find myself caring about any of the characters. The world was reminiscent of every other romantasy, and there wasn’t really anything unique or interesting about it. I’m also confused on if this is supposed to be a love triangle or not?

Also the names used in this book are seriously cringy, like King Pontus? Seriously? And Pharis? They just don’t seem like royal names to me, and just made me cringe every time I had to read them.

Overall, this book was okay, but I won’t be continuing the series.

Thank you NetGalley, Oxford South Press and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

This book is a Cinderella retelling with Fae, witches and a kingdom ruled by a horrible leader. I really enjoyed the first half of the book. Unfortunately the second half is what lead to my lower rating. There was a lot of buildup in the beginning. The characters met in a fun way, the world was built in detail, I liked their back and forth banter.

But then the pace changed and it wasn't a smooth transition. After the first few chapters and setting up the plot, everything became a little wonky and too rushed. While I started liking the MMC, I was disgusted by his personality in the latter half of the book. He became flat, one dimensional and seemed to lack all common sense and personality, removing anything I liked about him in the beginning.

The ending of the book was action packed with a lot of fun elements leading into what will be the second book, but because of how much I ended up disliking the characters in the second half of the book, I won't be continuing with the series.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed this story, it is a unique spin on a Cinderella like fairytale but with a Fae Princes. The world itself is easy to understand and I liked the magical elements of Fae kingdom. The FMC is likable..she is selfless, kind, and fierce in her own quiet way. The story mainly focuses on the two main characters throughout the entire book and I would have liked to see more side characters development and involvement. However, the ending left enough suspense that I am interested to see how this story evolves in book 2. I would rate this a solid 3.5 stars ⭐️

Ever wonder how Cinderella would have navigated a world of fae and fantasy? This story combines a magical ball, fae royalty, and an impoverished girl willing to do anything to save her family.

After meeting a disguised crown prince in a market, Raewyn is invited to a magical ball. Despite the intrigue, she abhors the fae who have taken everything from her family and left them in poverty. However, when faced with the choice to attend the ball and do an unknown favor for the village witch, or let her family starve, she reluctantly agrees. A spiral of love and betrayals follow in what makes for an entertaining quick read..

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Patrick, and Oxford South Press for this ARC!

A Court Bright and Broken is a fast-paced Fae romance that follows Crown Prince of the Fae Stellon and Raewyn, a poor human girl just trying to make ends meet for her disabled father and two young sisters. Unbeknownst to Raewyn, she ends up being the unlikely saviour to Stellon when their paths meet and he finds himself at the mercy of a band of thieves. Utterly mesmerised by her brave beauty and compelled to repay her in some way for saving his life, Stellon expresses his thanks to Raewyn in a way truly fitting for a prince…with an invitation to a royal ball.

In this interesting take on Cinderella, Raewyn gets caught up in a twisted game of deception in order to keep her family safe. I loved her character and how she was determined to do anything in her power to keep her family safe and healthy. Stellon was the ultimate cinnamon roll although as we neared the end of the book I couldn’t help feeling like all is not as it seems with him?
Then we meet his younger brother Pharis who is the dark and scowly to Stellons light and chirpy. He is so intriguing to me despite spending the whole book being a dick and while he has a reputation as a man whore, I bet there’s so much more to him underneath the surface.

I’m usually not an insta-love kind of gal and I do love a bit more angst and slow-burn which is where this book loses a star for me but I did really enjoy I and it was super fast paced and I couldn’t put it down! The ending was drama filled and the cliffhanger has me so excited to read the next one and find out what happens next!

This book was wonderfully entertaining, and I really enjoyed how immersive the writing felt! There were a lot of fun tropes, and the tension was perfect between characters. The side characters were also really fun and really contributed to the overall plot. I loved the unique twist we had in this story and highly recommend everyone try this book. I am excited to see what happens in the second book!

Thank you for selecting me to receive an ARC for this. book!

I had not heard of Amy Patrick before but I loved the description of the book when browsing on here. I only ever read fantasy and I absolutely loved this book!

I did not want to put it down, certain things in this have got me very excited to find out what happens in the seconds book!

A Court of Bright and Broken is the newest romantasy novel to capture my interest and leave me wanting more.

This story has great characters, an intriguing plot, and world-building. Now, I'll be 100% honest, the beginning of the book was a little slow for me and it took me a while to really get into the story. But let me tell you, I am so glad I stuck with this book. Once it started going, I was hooked! A Court of Bright and Broken had a little bit of everything from hints of Cinderella to forbidden love, secrets, and betrayals. I was glued to the pages and could not wait to see how the story would unravel.

A Court of Bright and Broken is the first book in the Age of Fae Romantasy series and after that cliffhanger ending, I can't wait to get my hands on the next book.

Thank you to netgalley for this arc. This is book one in a series so the ending of the book is bit of a cliffhanger and leaves you wanting to read more and to know what happens to our main characters.

The writing was really good and easy to follow and engaging. I finished the book in less than two days not because I was that invested in the book but because I wanted to keep reading the author’s writing which is the aspect I loved the most about this book.

I also absolutely loved the Cinderella element weaves into the book. Another thing I loved was the FMC, she was independent and stuck to her values even in the face of consequences and the seduction of luxury and safety.

Aspects I didn’t like tho were the MMC and his whole personality and the choices he makes, another thing I didn’t like was how underdeveloped the relationship between the two MCs felt and I think that could be remedied in book 2 so I’m not that adamant about it.

Overall it was a fast and easy read but nothing remarkable or unique.

more of a 3.5 but had to round down for the sake of the star rating system

I love a lot of tropes within fantasy and romance books but none quite as much as fairytale retellings! The vibe from this one was a Cinderella retelling, had all of the same themes that you can imagine (chance encounter, intrigue, love at first sight, forced proximity etc). A very lighthearted and easy one to read.

I think the thing that had me rolling my eyes when I started this one was the stereotypical opening of the FMC needing to find money/food/medicine for her starving family that she is having to look after! Her mother is dead but her father is still alive (barely) and she has two younger sisters that she has to support.
If that wasn’t enough she travels to markets that she shouldn’t be at (because they’re for a rougher sort) trying to sell her prized possession that she doesn’t want to get rid of BUT HAS TO. And guess what? Just happens to peak the interest of a royal fae prince. That was all in the first 30 pages maybe?

There’s just something about this as the backstory and set up for a lot of fantasy books that irritate me to no end, and it’s because they’re clear ACOTAR copy and pastes. It really can’t be that hard to give the characters different and unique backstories, especially when they’re then destined to fall in love with a member of the royal family who just so happens to be fae!

It was an ok book like I said, very quick and easy to read with obviously fantasy elements and some romance too (not that there is anything explicit, its all tension and innuendo) but it does rely HEAVILY on tropes.

This story dives into the growing relationship between a fae prince and a peasant girl, set in a kingdom ruled by a power-hungry king who harbors an intense hatred for humans. The plot takes a dramatic turn when a chance encounter between the two strangers sparks an unexpected connection. This connection grants the human access to the fae ball—a perilous event filled with fae who wouldn’t hesitate to harm a human. Faced with impossible choices, she must either enter the ball under false pretenses or watch her family succumb to starvation.

As someone newer to the fantasy genre, I went into this book with high hopes, wanting to fall in love with its world and characters. While I enjoyed the premise and raced through the book in just two days, I found myself wanting a bit more. The ending left unanswered questions, but it lacked that heart-pounding, cliffhanger moment that leaves you desperately counting the days until the sequel.

That being said, the story kept me engaged throughout. The chemistry between the prince and the peasant girl felt intriguing, and the stakes were high enough to keep me turning the pages. Despite my mixed feelings about the ending, I’m keeping this author on my radar and will definitely be picking up the second book in the series.

If you’re exploring fantasy for the first time, this is a solid choice for dipping your toes into the genre without getting overwhelmed by complex worlds or unpronounceable names. Overall, I’d rate this book a 3.5 out of 5. It may not have been a perfect fit for me, but it’s clear the author has something special, and I’m curious to see where this story goes next!

Raewyn, a human girl, meets Stellon, the fae Crown Prince at the markets when trying to sell her mother's locket to feed her little sisters and father. Stellon invites her to the upcoming ball, and she enlists the help of an earth witch to attend. At the ball, things go wrong and Stellon must hide and protect Raewyn from his family.
This was a quick easy fantasy read, with simple world building and a well paced plot. The fae magic in this story was unique but easy to follow.
Raewyn's character only thought of saving her family, to her own detriment, and she was roped in to a twisted plot by the earth witch in order to feed them and support her father's health treatments. Stellon was the classic spoiled prince who doesn't really know what happens in his kingdom and is shocked to hear about Raewyn's life.
There is a Cinderella aspect in Raewyn's attendance of the ball and the way the earth wife dresses her and sends her off.
This book was listed as enemies to lovers - I didn't really feel like that fit the story. Raewyn and Stellon are from different worlds and might fit the star crossed lovers trope, but they weren't really enemies at any point.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and will look for the next one when it is released.

A Court Bright and Broken has the classic elements of fae-variety Romantasy and is loosely based on Cinderella, featuring duel POVs from the girl herself and the prince she finds resistible (at first, of course). I was originally drawn to this book because its outline is a winner, and its cover conveyed bright storybook vibes while hinting at darkness.

I personally found a disconnect between the writing style and content: the book does not shy away from the heavier world-building elements of slavery and poverty, as well as being open about sexual desire, but the prose felt aligned to a much younger audience. Because of this, I ultimately chose to DNF. Readers with different stylistic taste may be satisfied by the many types of scenes a reader could wish for in the abstract.

Thank you Oxford South Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A Court Bright and Broken is an engaging Romantasy novel that blends romance with subtle fantasy elements, drawing comparisons to books like A Court of Thorns and Roses and Throne of Glass.

The Character-building is one of the book’s strongest points, with a focus on developing the Raewyns', Stellon's and Pharis's characters and personalities from the very first chapter. However it was disappointing there was less of a focus of on the side characters with would have further developed the story. Additionally, the world building whilst subtle introduced the reader to a magical Fae realm full of danger, political intrigue, and secrets that keep you hooked from the start.

The plot centers on a young woman who, desperate to save her family, infiltrates the Fae royal court. There, she catches the attention of two princes, one possessive and protective, the other dark and mysterious. The enemies-to-lovers relationship between the protagonist and the princes is well done, with plenty of tension and chemistry, though the slow-burn romance can feel a bit predictable at times.
The main character is easy to root for, especially as she navigates difficult decisions to protect her family. While the two princes start off feeling like typical romance tropes—one a bit too controlling and the other brooding—they both evolve as the story goes on, keeping things interesting.

The pacing of the book is excellent, with enough suspense to keep you turning the pages. Although the overall storyline doesn’t break new ground in terms of plot, it uses pre-existing tropes in a subtle yet engaging manner. if you enjoy romantic fantasy with a lot of tension and some royal intrigue, A Court Bright and Broken is an enjoyable read.

This slow burn, enemies to lovers Cinderella-esque retelling was exciting and tension inducing. Bargains, two possessive princes, and great banter alongside a female main character with strength, grit, and resilience. I really enjoyed this book and the balance between court politics/intrigue and romance. The banter was well done and often left me wanting more of their interactions, but in all the right ways. The cliffhanger? Really sets you up to pick up the next in series. This is my first book of Amy Patrick, but certainly will not be my last. If you love romantasy, pick this up!

Thank you NetGalley and Oxford South Press for an e-arc of this book!

This book was enjoyable! It read more YA that I had anticipated based on the synopsis that was provided. The twist on Cinderella was done well, I enjoyed the sibling aspect between the two brothers Stellon and Pharis and their sister, it was nice not to have a huge rivalry between the three. Raewyn was a quick-witted FMC, I enjoyed her!

I feel as though the world could have been a little more fleshed out with the Elven/Fae and human divide, but it was quick paced. Very dialogue heavy but not done badly at all! I have never read anything by this author, but she did a wonderful job, and I looking forward to reading book 2. This coming out on Valentines Day will be a fun quick read for a fairytale retelling lover.

Absolutely devoured this, I can't wait for the next book I am bouncing off the walls.
Amy did a fantastic job setting up the story, making her characters lovable and enjoyable.