The very first para says a lot about the book and here it made me very interested in unraveling the story further. The anticipation of war was thrilling as it all started with 'a war ending and the king being imprisoned in his own realm’ and ‘it will all start again’. The plot is solid with lots of action and a slow-burn romance in the way.

Livia and Erik are so different from each other yet they are bonded in mysterious ways. Their kid-self’s were so cute and innocent which gave hope for the future. The story is about Earth Fae and Sea Fae and how one revenge turns everything upside down for Livia. It all happened so fast and then the journey began.

The cliffhanger is really killing and now I want the next book, I completely DEVOURED the book. Livia won my heart for her kindness and Erik made space because of his darkness which hides so much of his good real shelf. The relationship growth is ALLURING. The story growth is SOUL SUCKING.

As a reader, I got so many aspects in this book like Fae, pirates, different worlds, different traditions, war, romance between enemies, secrets, magic, and everything that makes it all entertaining and leaves a need to know the next step, the next plot line. I am HOOKED.

Oh my my.. The bonus chapters this trad book has is such an insightful piece of the puzzle. Again it’s perfect and now I know more about The Sea Seeker. It was tragic yet captivating. Must must read.

I previously read TEK when it was still an indie book, well before the release of the sequel The Ever Queen and I’m blessed to be part of LJ’s street team.

🏴‍☠️"There is no world where she does not own me."
I absolutely loved this dang book. Great world building with a freaking epic love between Erik and Livia.
Neither of them knew it was coming, and by all accounts, they started out as enemies. The enemies to lovers was done perfectly. The character development for both of them was *chefs kiss* This story has pirates, fae, sirens, tidecallers and so much more. You get to learn about multiple forms of magic and capabilities that were intriguing. The ending left me absolutely dying for more.
I have so many beautiful quotes from Erik to Livia saved. I'm absolutely obsessed with them and the way that wholy love each other and all of their quirks and darknesses. Lots of secrets and betrayals are found out, especially towards the end and it's done so well that you're left wanting more.

4.5/5 ⭐️, 2.5/5 🌶️, 0/5 💧

🏴‍☠️ Enemies to Lovers
🏴‍☠️ Dual POV
🏴‍☠️ Morally Grey
🏴‍☠️ Pirates & Fae
🏴‍☠️ Political Intrigue

This was my first pirates/fae romantasy. World building was easy and manageable. There’s a lot of magic that exists that hasn’t been explored, which allows for endless possibilities while reading. Some of politics within realms was a lot to keep track of, but it wasn’t too overwhelming - just gives you the sense of rereading it to keep everyone straight.

Good pacing and flow, writing made it easy to feel immersed in the story. A lot happened in the very end of the book, making you feel like binging into the next one.

Good fun romantasy - understand why there is a hype around this one! I would recommend it. In fact, I think the fact that I very easily get seasick is one of the reasons why I’m not super obsessed lolol I’m just wary of boats and water and storms and my bias is impacting this particular read in a subconscious level lol.

— 5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“A tale of a serpent who befriended a songbird. A tale where they lived happily ever after, for in the girl's version, the snake never devoured the bird.”

📖 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 480 pages
👤 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: L.J. Andrews
🏢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: Ace, Berkley
📅 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 5 August 2025

What you can expect:
— New-Adult Fantasy Romance
— First-Person X Dual-POV
— Erik And Livia Duet
— Pirates, Sirens and Fae
— Mental Health Rep (Anxiety and PTSD)
— Enemies-to-Lovers
— Villain Gets The Girl
— Morally Grey Tortured Hero
— Kidnapped Virgin Heroine
— Cursed Land
— Reluctant Allies
— Found Family
— Soul Bond
— "Who Did This To You"

𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: descriptive scenes of torture, torture of women and children, family abandonment, sexually explicit content, gore, violence, mutilation, bullying, panic attacks, PTSD, dark themes, murder, anxiety, kidnapping, traumatic brain injury from torture and non-consensual touch.

The Ever King is a New-Adult Fantasy Romance and is the first instalment in The Ever Seas series by author L.J. Andrews. For years Erik Bloodsinger, the scarred king of the Ever Kingdom, has thought of nothing but vengeance against the man who killed his father and trapped him beneath the waves making him a prisoner in his own realm. Until his enemy’s daughter unintentionally breaks the chains on the Ever, and Erik makes her the unwitting pawn in his vicious game of revenge. She’s innocent. He’s vicious. But he will take back what he lost, no matter the price. Unless she steals his heart first.

”I might've been his destruction, but he was my ruin. I would break into a thousand pieces if it meant Erik was the one to piece them back together with his touch.”

Earlier this year I picked up a Fantasy book featuring Pirates and I was truly thrilled and excited. As a huge lover of the Pirates of the Caribbean series in my earlier years I have found myself as somebody in their mid-20s with an itch I have been unable scratch... and unfortunately that book didn't do it for me. When I tell you that The Ever King has scratched every single itch, hope and want that I had anticipated is not a mere over exaggeration. The vibes in this book are immaculate. A tortured and morally grey Hero, a sheltered yet fierce Heroine, a mysterious curse that plagues the land and a forbidden romance filled with angst, tension and longing? SIGN ME UP. The only reason I didn't devour this story within one sitting was due to the hinderance that is adult life. I'm not even kidding when I say that this book had me grinning and squealing at every-given opportunity. The pacing and development moved quickly in this one but honestly... I'm not mad about it. It felt very fitting for the world we are thrust into and the high-stakes that are quickly enforced. The writing style had me enraptured from that prologue and kept me engaged right through to the end. The twists and turns kept me guessing and theorising, and honestly there was a twist at the end that truly never expected. Right idea, wrong character. It almost feels cruel to leave the story on a cliff-hanger such as this one however it's definitely effective as I plan to grab and inhale the contents of The Ever Queen upon its release in January 2024.

”Hate me, curse me, I cared little, so long as I was the first thought of her day and the last of her night.”

The Ever King is filled with two main characters that are now being added to my list of favourites. Livia Ferus had my heart from the very beginning due to the kindness and compassion that she displayed as a child to a boy that was declared as an enemy. As a young-adult we are introduced to a head-strong and protective Livia who is surrounded by a strong and loving support system. The author has introduced a strong cast of side-characters from the very beginning which is a fast and easy way to grip me into the world being presented. Despite coming across as carefree Livia is plagued by nightmares and anxiety. I really appreciated the manner in which the author has explored these parts of Livia as it made her character that much more life-like and easy to resonate with. I, as a reader, find it far easier to connect with a story when I am more emotionally-drawn to its main characters. Something else I really appreciated about Livia was despite being a virgin Heroine, this was in no-way used to make her character appear younger or timid. She remains assertive and vocal with her wants and desires throughout the entirely of this book, and carries a sense of confidence with her approach. Inexperience doesn’t make Livia flounder or blubber with nerves as she instead embraces her sexual wants and strives to have her expectations met. Livia may not display much physical strength to begin with but what she does possess is a strong mind and an unbreaking spirit. She tackles her conflicts head on and refuses to be seen as meek or weak-willed, which is exactly what is needed for her to survive and thrive in The Ever Kingdom. Faced with uncertainty and conflict she never anticipated, it was a joy to watch Livia address these face-on and grow as a character as a result.

Erik Bloodsinger is yet another man that has been added to my book boyfriend's list that morally... probably shouldn't be there. Do I care? Absolutely not. Erik is ruthless and unforgiving by nature, and promises a very painful and torturous death to all who cross him. We are met with a King living in the shadows of those that came before him as he struggles to set himself apart. With his kingdom in ruin due to a mysterious plague that destroys his lands and his people losing faith by the day, Erik is out of time and options. I love every single part of Erik's dark, broken heart and soul. Despite his ruthlessness we begin to see a vulnerability and the insecurities that only Livia can bring to the forefront. I appreciate how reassuring and direct he is when it comes to his intentions for Livia, and it was an added sense of security for her during such formidable times. That throne room scene? Swoon. Livia is a lucky lucky women. The relationship progression between the pair was delicious as they battled their way through the tension and the hate (that's basically foreplay, right?) to forge the unbreakable connection that we leave them with. Erik and Livia recognise and accept one-another's darkness, and I can't even begin to explain how perfectly coupled they are.

Filled with tropes I love and and characters you can't help but connect to and love, The Ever King has found its place as one of my favourite Fantasy books of all time. I cannot wait for the release of the second instalment to The Ever Seas series which will be the end of Erik and Livia's story but not the end to the series. If you're had this book on your TBR then I urge you to finally pick it up.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲.

“They stole his crown, so he stole their daughter.”

When the Songbird’s fate is set… she just does not know it yet.

Bloodsinger will have his vengeance… but will it be what he desires?

A slow burn read that is sure to get your heart rate going.

LJ Andrews supplies us once again with a new world… a world after The Broken Kingdoms. Where the fates still know what is to be. Where the characters need to just follow the web.

A new world where the reader is captivated by the battles, the passion, and the cliffhangers that keep up guessing and wanting more.

The Ever King is one of my all time favorite fantasy reads. I adore Erik and Livia's relationship. They are a perfect balance for each other.

This book is sensational! A spin-off duology from The Broken Kingdom Saga that can be read independently. It is a world of pirates, sirens and fae - set in fantasy kingdom period. A delicious enemies to lovers romance filled with spice one bed trope.

In the beginning, a young enemy king is locked away awaiting his sentence with only the nightly company of a princess trying to form a friendship thru stories, a necklace, and a promise. The prologue was captivating and innocence were so endearing.

Ten years have passed before the main characters meet again but this time a kidnap occurs.
Taken from her kingdom, the princess is forced on a journey in the land of the sea fae.

The journey was incredible to read. The pace was even to fast pace and every scene was a thrill to read. Stories on fae are typically land seasonal fae. It was refreshing to read about sea fae and their world thru Andrews imagination. The bantering was refreshing and the camaraderie between friends, family, and allies is a fan favorite of mine. The amount of emotions I felt in certain scene conveyed my favorite tropes - morally grey villain, enemies to lover, found family, pirates, touch her you die, and true love.

There were so many characters that I really really like. I think it is a unique skill of an author to be able to make not just the main characters interesting but the side characters as well. So many times in this book, I kept thinking " I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS CHARACTER".. like a good 6-7 of them! They need their own book seriously. Even though this book stands on its own very well as the spin-off series of Broken Kingdom, the cameo of a page or two of characters in that series made me intrigued enough to go research that saga too!

Overall I think this is a MUST read book. I cannot believe this is the first time I have heard of LJ Andrews. A great author I am so happy to find. This book does end a cliffhanger but not one that sent me into a depression. The action was just right. I cannot wait till 2024 to find out the finale!

It is one of my top reads of 2023 along side books such as Divine Rivals, Fourth Wing, and the Witch Collector saga ongoing. I have not read a book by L.J. Andrews. This book was my first entry way into her imaginative world and I am thrilled to have found such a gem of a story and author. Thank you to LJ Andrews for an eARC of this amazing book!

SERIOUSLY GO READ THIS BOOK!!


I freaking LOVE the bonus chapter with Sewell 😭 I need mooore

Summary

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Spicy rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5

Fluff rating: 💖1.5/5

💀 Multiple trauma triggers in this book - sensitive readers check before reading

The songbird and The serpent

This was a very well written enemies to lovers, Pirate x Viking, villain gets the girl inspired romantasy and by the ends I was ravenous for it I binged the second half of this book and did not want it to end. Beware the cliff hanger is brutal and I’m devastated I have to wait until next year to find out what happens next.

Erik and Livia are starcrossed lovers drawn to each other from opposite side of the war as children only to be torn apart and taught to hate each other. They’re growth individually and together played out well but a little on the fast side for me. Personally with an enemies to lovers romance I prefer the slower more gradual approach to them finding each other more tolerable to endearing to conflicted feelings to desperate obsession and really that’s my only critique of this book. And honestly by the end you don’t care all that much.

That’s being said, there was so much to like the characters have a lot of depth and believability to them. Celine is my home girl and I love Sewell with my whole heart and he needs protecting at all costs. If anything happens to him in the next book I will riot!There is also really sweet family dynamic at the start with Livia’s family.

There’s lots of actions, found family, Masquerade, mystery, betrayal, plot twists, basically everything you want in a romantasy. The author has a lovely descriptive writing style and sets a scene really well. It felt quite immersive reading this. There’s a well thought out and intricate magic system which I enjoyed and interesting depiction of living with anxiety. the banter between our MCs was top notch!

I would definitely recommend this book!

i stayed up until midnight to finish it and i regret nothing at all. erik and livia's story will have you wanting to read more! the more you learn about their past, the more things start to make sense. the ending also will leave you wanting to grab the next book asap!

p.s. i'm trying to not to add spoilers, cause all i want to do is shout about this book from the rooftops! okay, that's all!

We are soooo back, baby. Finally, a book with tension and yearning. I love fantasy romance, but a lot of trendy books feel stale and formulaic. The Ever King by L.J. Andrews has refreshing world-building and I loved the pirate-inspired plot. The FMC is likable, intelligent, capable of good banter without being "not like the other girls." As a reader in their 30's, I really enjoyed Livia despite her being in her early twenties (I'm assuming). The romance had me kicking my feet and giggling. I highlighted so much. I also felt that the supporting cast was well-written, and I became invested in their stories too. This is a great series for people who are looking for a series like Throne of Glass.

I loved this book. As a romantasy reader, I was thrilled to find one about pirates. The book was romantic and absolutely fun to read. I had an absolute blast reading this! I’m thrilled to see it’s being traditionally published.

SUCH AN AMAZING READ.

I spent nearly all of one day reading this book, it was SO hard to put down.

The characters are so amazingly written, you love to hate most of them (especially The Ever King himself... SWOON.) Erik Bloodsinger is everything you would want in a morally DARK gray MMC. Jealous, posessive, protective. One who only shows his heart to his Songbird.

(Btw, I SO LOVE how the POVs are titled 'The Songbird,' 'The Serpent,' etc. instead of their names. To me this is a constant reminder that they were always part of each others stories.)

The magic system, the word building, the SPICE (again, SWOON), the tension between Livia and Erik? Amazing. Every, single, bit of it.

This was my first LJ Andrews book but it will DEFINITELY not be the last.

This is such a fun concept- it’s fae + pirates!
I really liked the FMC. She’s brave, curious, has a sense of humor, she reps anxiety and panic attacks, and she’s overall so relatable. Erik Bloodsinger is a divinely morally dark gray MMC. Their chemistry is excellent. This book is written in dual POV which gives so much insight into both of them. I also really like the side characters (Sewell!!). Really great world building and character development overall. It took me longer than usual to read this and it felt like it took a bit for me to become fully invested. I’m not sure it was me slumping or what. Also, the cliffhanger here is !!! But I can’t wait to continue the story with the next book, The Ever Queen.

Livia is everything a princess should be and the Ever King is everything she shouldn’t want. When she’s kidnapped by her father’s enemy to make right a generational grudge, the last she expects is to learn that her kidnapper is the same young king she told stories to in her childhood. As the two draw closer to each other—and face the many dangers of the Ever—Livia can’t help but wonder if the man she has always been told to hate is the one person who truly sees her. The Ever King is everything you could want from a pirate romantasy; characters you’ll fall in love with in a world you won’t soon forget.

Read if you like…
⚔️ A brooding MMC who’s mean to everyone but her
🪽A FMC who is gentle without being weak
𓆙 A rambunctious crew of unique pirates
⚔️”Songbird.” / “Serpent.”
🪽 He would give her the world if she asked for it
𓆙 True enemies to lovers
⚔️ He makes a “claim” to protect her
🪽Strong female friendships
𓆙 Realistic depictions of panic attacks
⚔️An MMC who knows how to talk her down from panic attacks
🪽Faeries! And nobles! And pirates! Oh my!
𓆙 Forced proximity for plot reasons
⚔️Healing scenes that turn to hurt comfort
🪽”I hate how much I care about you.”
𓆙 Found family that would go to the ends of the world for each other
⚔️Complex political systems that feel natural
🪽”Hurt her and you die.” (And he proves it!)
𓆙 She wants to share the burdens that he never reveals
⚔️”Your scars are beautiful.”
🪽FMC with healthy parental relationships
𓆙 A relationship built (mostly) on honesty
⚔️He loves it when she’s strong enough to challenge him
🪽He remembers all her hobbies
𓆙 Magic grants people last names
⚔️Emotional rollercoasters (you’ll giggle and cry and throw your book across the room)
🪽Heart-pounding pacing that will have you turning pages
𓆙 Jaw-dropping cliffhanger (get ready to run straight for book two!)

I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did! I’m usually not a huge fan of pirate books but I enjoyed Erik’s character a lot, how it balanced his darkness with his genuine heart. The cliffhanger has me hoping to pick up the second book as soon as possible.

I absolutely loved this book! This was my first LJ Andrew's book but certainly won't be my last.

The story was captivating and well-paced. It held my attention the whole way through and I didn't want to put the book down! The characters were well thought out and had depth and complexity to them, which made their chemistry real and believable. This book is how an Enemies to lovers book should be done! It didn't feel like insta-love at all, and because of this thr banter and how their feeling progressed throughout the book worked so well.

I really enjoyed the unique magical elements in this book and thought the plot was amazing. Overall I have fallen jn love with LJ Andrew's writing style, and she has instantly become an auto buy author for me!

If you love the following things then this is the book for you:
✨️Enemies to lovers
✨️unique magic
✨️Families at war
✨️She falls first he falls harder
✨️Easy to understand worldbuilding

I really enjoyed this book and immediately picked up book two because of the twist and cliffhanger at the end. I honestly did not see it coming and may need to do a second read through to figure out if I missed some hints along the way. The beginning was a little slow for me and there were some places where it felt like nothing was really happening to move the story forward but the characters are so enjoyable that its worth it. I love Erik and his insistence that he is a bad guy when his actions towards Liv and those he cares about say the complete opposite.

🙌🏻 The Ever King is EVERYTHING I love in a good romantasy! Plus it has pirates and seas which was a nice change. I love the edge of dark romance. The back story and how it plays into the main storyline is really sweet and swoony. You get a captive x captor romance with a protective MMC and a very special FMC. I absolutely loved this couple! There is a ball, adventure, political intrigue, magic, and uncovering true identities. Erik Bloodsinger is a top tier book boyfriend. This book is on my top list and I will most definitely read it again. Moving straight on to book two!!

❤️‍🔥 Enemies to Lovers
❤️‍🔥 Touch Her and ☠️
❤️‍🔥 Magic
❤️‍🔥 Stolen Princess
❤️‍🔥 Forced Proximity
❤️‍🔥 Morally Grey
❤️‍🔥 Battles
❤️‍🔥 Revenge
❤️‍🔥 Burn the World

5+⭐️ read
2.5 🌶️ (open door descriptive)

I absolutely DEVOURED this book. It’s giving pirates of the Caribbean but make it spicy. I loved it SO MUCH!!! It got me out of a huge reading slump and I can’t wait to read more books by LJ Andrews! Literally perfection!

"i would follow your darkness across the skies and seas." "i'd cross the skies songbird."

BLEEDING BRILLIANT! this book is EVERYTHING you want in a brilliant story of pirate faes, magic, and the darkness that lies inside of us! thank the GODS I have the second book because this was incredible and I have loved every second of it!