4.5 stars rounded up!

I really enjoyed this one. I loved the writing style and the dynamic here. This was a reread for me as I had already read the indie published version and it was just as good as I remembered it!

This is a true villain gets the girl. Erik was such a wonderful character that had so many aspects to him and I can't wait to read more about him. I loved him and Livia's story so much. I also loved that things weren't exactly as either of them thought. There is some spice but this book is a true slow burn. I can't wait to read book 2!

I am so excited that more people are going to get to experience this amazing story and this amazing world that LJ has created!

The Ever King by LJ Andrews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶

What I loved:
🌊 Fae pirates? Hell yeah!
🌊 Livia. She is such a strong and badass FMC.
🌊 The world building, setting, and the Ever Kingdom. Can I please live there?

I didn't know I needed fae pirates in my life, but The Ever King jumpstarted me into my pirate era. This summer I'll be living my best pirate life and nobody can stop me! Give me all the pirate books!

In all seriousness, I didn't know what to expect from this, but I was utterly blown away. The world building was incredible. The characters were well developed and dynamic. I loved learning about the Ever Kingdom! I had no idea I so desperately needed fae pirates in my life.

Erik absolutely stole my heart. His past, present, and traumas held me captive. I loved how he was with Livia. Their dynamic was so fun and funny. Their chemistry and sexual tension were so good, too! Their romance was perfectly paced. And Erik declaring her his queen was swoon-worthy and epic. Erik presents as this cold-hearted badass because that's how the Ever Kings had to be, but in reality, he's thoughtful and kind.

Honestly, I can't believe how fully I fell in love with all the characters. It's not often that the characters are characterized so well and given the time to develop and have personalities, but Andrews did that.

I also loved the ending twists. I didn't see it coming until it was happening. My only reason for this not being a full 5-star is the ending. The ending was a bit lackluster and then ended while it was still unresolved. I get it was trying to be a cliffhanger, but it came off more abrupt than a cliffhanger should. I expected more action, tension, and maybe a small resolution, then leave it for a cliffhanger.

Overall, I was stunned by how fun and incredibly well-written this book was. I was addicted to this story and could not stop reading. I love this world and these characters so much. I can't wait to dive into the next book! I haven't read the next book yet, but I already know this duology is an instant classic for me, and I'll absolutely be rereading and recommending left and right. I am currently adding all the pirate books to my TBR because of The Ever King. It's a pirate life for me!

This was easily one of my top reads of the year!

The world building was top notch. Even though there was a whole series that occurred beforehand you could easily understand everything and even get to know the characters from previous books without reading their stories.


the writing, the plot, the enemies to lovers, I couldn’t get enough of it. I ate up everything.

I can’t wait to dive right into the next book

Overall

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5

Amazing. I absolutely loved this book so much. Great start to a series. Love the morally grey MMC and strong independent FMC. The spice is so good and the adventure?!

Definitely in the minority here I think, but this wasn’t anything earth shattering for me. I actually didn’t realize this is a spin off from another series, and I think that really impacted my reading experience.

I needed more from the world building and found myself feeling confused from the very start. People and places are mentioned with little to no context, and I couldn’t keep up, which again may be due to me not having read the prior series.

This is one that also feels heavier on the romance than I like, which isn’t something I seek out. I love romantasy, but I need a strong plot to carry the book for me and having a lot of romance generally isn’t enough.

I can see why so many love this, but won’t be memorable for me.

This spin off series that is still connected with the broken kingdoms series is amazing. Pirates, Vikings, fae, witches , curses and more. Erik Bloodsinger has my heart . I loved this story and excited to read more in book 2 of the duology especially after that ending

I absolutely LOVED this book. I read the Broken Kingdom series first and feel that this was helpful for full emotional impact but you can definitely read The Ever King before reading the Broken Kingdoms. Erik Bloodsinger, or the Serpent, and Livia Ferus, or the Songbird, are true enemies to lovers (I mean he kidnaps her! you can't get more enemies than that!) and this book is absolutely a slow burn, but it is so worth it. I ended up loving the pirate aspect, even though I feel like I've been on a viking kick recently. Erik is definitely one of my new TOP MMCs and of course he's one of the morally grey "touch her and die" ones. I was really fascinated by the magic system in this book, especially Erik's blood which has different properties depending on whether he sings. Livia and Erik seem like they would be polar opposites but they work together so well and I can't wait to see how their story continues in the Ever Queen! The inclusion of Sewell's backstory at the end of this version was absolutely devastating but adds even more meaning to some of the events in the Ever King, just be mentally prepared and have tissues on hand.

4.25/5 ⭐ FAE PIRATES. A summer coded fantasy. Forbidden love. World building. Are you kidding me? I had so much fun reading this. King Erik might be one of my new favorite MMCs of all time. If you love a man who is OBSSESED, this will work for you. If you want a unique take on a fae world, this will work for you. I cannot wait to continue this series.

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group, Ace, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book will be featured on my TikTok @alireadsanywhere in my "Booked & Busy Summer Reading Series" and a full review promoting it closer to the release date.

The Ever King by LJ Andrews is like getting smacked in the face with angst, sword fights, and smolder—all wrapped up in a fantasy world that looks like it came out of a dream but feels like a nightmare if you’re emotionally fragile (which I clearly am).

We’ve got a broody, cursed king with trauma issues, a fierce heroine who does not have time for his nonsense (but also totally has time for it, especially when he’s shirtless), and enough slow-burn tension to cook an entire feast over. There’s betrayal, political scheming, forbidden magic, and a love story that hurts so good you’ll question your life choices. Basically, it’s everything you want in a romantasy, plus a few stabby moments just to keep you humble.

LJ Andrews continues to give us morally gray men, heroines who bite back, and a plot that yells “trust no one” every few chapters. Is my trust broken? Yes. Do I want the next book immediately? Also yes.

If you're a fan of crowns, curses, and kissing-that-leads-to-problems, The Ever King should be next on your list.

A dark fantasy, star crossed lovers romance with pirates, sirens, an immersive sea realm with song magic, a scarred king, and a rivalry between the earth and sea fae.

As a child, Earth princess Livia befriended a captive sea prince, when she would sneak out at night to read him stories from outside his cell. 10 years later, he comes to reclaim a mantle that was stolen from him, in hopes of healing his dying land, but is drawn to Livia instead. He decides to take her back to the sea realm as captive.

I knew I was going to love this - a fantasy with pirates and sea magic is a no brainer for me - but I was captivated by this world and these characters. I want stories for every single character we met in this book and I can’t wait to learn more about them. Livia was a great main character. I loved getting to see her embrace her darker side, manage her anxious mind, and be the one to see Erik for who he truly was. Erik was a great MMC as well - a villain with a scarred past and a secretly big heart.


I can’t wait to learn about these characters and this world in the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Serpent and the Songbird are both haunting me in the best way possible because I cannot stop thinking about them! I absolutely loved The Ever King. It had everything—great world building, unique magic system, romance and tension, action, mystery, and hot pirate faes.

Erik is the ruthless Ever King, bloodthirsty for revenge but underneath the rough exterior is a poet. Everything Erik Bloodsinger said made me so giddy. His inner conflict, inability to resist Livia, and the undeniable draw he feels towards her had me swooning. He is one of my top favorite morally gray characters. Hands down. 😮‍💨

Livia is the innocent and gentle Songbird and I loved her character growth and development. She is not one to be underestimated and I loved seeing her vicious side.

Definitely not a book you should sit on—read immediately!

This took me forever to read. The Ever King sounded right up my alley—pirate fae? That premise had me instantly intrigued, and I was so sure it would be my kind of book. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into it.

The world had potential, but I struggled to connect with the characters. The love interest, in particular, felt flat and underdeveloped, which made it hard to feel invested in the romance or stakes. I kept waiting for the plot to grab me, but it never quite did. It felt like all the ingredients were there, but they didn’t come together in a satisfying way.

I really wanted to love this, and I can see how others might enjoy it—it just didn’t work for me.

From the moment I picked up The Ever King, I was hooked and that hasn’t changed one bit. Now re-releasing through traditional publishing on August 5th, this story is every bit as gripping, seductive, and intense as I remembered.

Erik is the kind of villain who doesn’t just brood in the shadows, he owns them. Scarred, brutal, and unflinchingly merciless, he’s a king forged by vengeance and pain. He’ll gut a man in front of a crowd without blinking... yet somehow, with Livia, we get glimpses of something softer.

And Livia? She’s no delicate flower. She may be the stolen daughter of his enemy, but she never cowers. She meets Erik’s darkness head-on, again and again, proving she’s strong enough to stand beside a monster and love him anyway. Their chemistry is unreal—tense, electric, and sizzling with slow-burn heat that builds until it combusts.

This world is fierce and fast-moving, blending pirates, fae, sirens, and Viking lore into one deliciously dark fantasy setting. The plot keeps you on edge, and the cliffhanger ending? Let's just say you'll want book 2 within arm’s reach.

If you love villain romances, morally gray kings, high-stakes fantasy, and heroines who don’t back down—The Ever King absolutely delivers. Still a 5-star read in my eyes, and I can't wait to experience it all over again with this stunning new edition.

⚔️Enemies to Lovers
⚔️Forced Proximity
⚔️Slow Burn
⚔️Touch Her & Die
⚔️Pirates, Sirens & Fae
⚔️ 3/5 Spice

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Random House, and LJ Andrews for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Romantasy with pirates, star crossed lovers, & political intrigue with such a unique world of fae & other mythical beings. The world building isn’t convoluted it’s easy to comprehend but does not lack in creating a cool world in any way. 👏🏼 This was very bingeable and fast paced a good read especially for the summer ☀️
This is a very loose enemies to lovers in the sense that they’re very much into each other like the whole time. Which is why I will say I wish there was just a tad more tension that you get from a true enemies to lovers but that’s just my preference.
Our MMC is VERY morally grey 🤭 he can get a little dark and rough. Definitely got spicy and as I said he does get a little rough so check those triggers!

Thank you Penguin Random House for the opportunity! 🫶

I’m already a highlighter whore, but when it comes to LJ’s books I literally cannot highlight enough. I want to highlight entire pages and conversations so I can revisit them again and again 😂 this series is just filled to the brim with the wittiest and most swoon worthy quotes.

The connection between the broken kingdoms and the ever seas is brilliantly done. I read the ever seas before the broken kingdoms… and then reread the ever seas because I wanted to see all that I missed or didn’t quite understand the first time. Honestly I can see the benefit of doing it either way! I don’t regret reading the ever seas first!

Erik Bloodsinger will forever be my number one book boyfriend. I’ll take no criticism and I will not be changing him. The obsession I have with this fictional man is unhinged, surprising, and probably not healthy ☠️ I say surprising because…

1. This was my first dark romance series
2. I somewhat reluctantly picked up this series because I felt very *meh* about pirates

Now I would like to make both pirates and dark romance my entire personality please and thank you.

Okay but that’s enough about me, just read the dang series! You’ll be getting…

☠️ enemies to lovers
☠️ found family
☠️ pirates, vikings, and fae (oh my)
☠️ touch her and die (literally)
☠️ unique magic system

“She was never theirs anyway. Not really. From the moment the songbird tried to appeal to a serpent, she was mine.”

Wow I couldn’t put this one down and finished it in less than a day. Absolutely loved the magical world that author L.J. Andrews created. The enemies to lovers, slow burn was incredible. LJ Andrews continues to create such deep connections between characters - they show the utmost love, loyalty, and devotion to each other and I fall in love with every single character. I love seeing the characters from The Broken Kingdoms and how their story has continued through their children… and seeing them continue to fight for their homes and what’s right is so amazing. These are characters and stories that will quickly become favorites and never leave you.

I am incredibly grateful that The Ever Queen releases soon as I NEED more of Livia and Erik’s story.

✨𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀✨

The Ever King by @authorljandrews

🥇🄶🄾🄻🄳🄼🄴🄳🄰🄻🥇

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
⚕️I will accept NO criticism of this book and I anticipate of this series.
⚕️Where do I get an ERIK BLOODSINGER?!
⚕️Or, can I just be Livia? She is a true QUEEN!
⚕️This book sucked me in right away and I will say I was a bit nervous when I read it was dark fantasy romance.
⚕️This book just hit! The world-building, the characters, the story line-it was all perfection!
⚕️It was impossible to choose my favorite quote from this book.
⚕️The friendships in this story had me in a puddle.
⚕️ The “touch her and die” vibes, whewww! 😰
⚕️ This book made me realize how much I love a “morally gray” MMC.
⚕️ And of course, I always love a dual POV.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Absolutely love this book! It’s the first LJ Andrews book I had ever read and started my obsession with her. I can’t wait for more stories!

The Ever King by LJ Andrews completely blew me away. I can honestly say that I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I do now, and I deeply regret not picking it up sooner. As a self-proclaimed ocean lover, I have no idea what held me back from reading a pirate romance, especially one with the depth and magic that this one offered.

Update 6/16/25

I so excited to be a part of the release of The Ever King! We got a sneak peak of the bonus content that will be in the hardbacks and if you love Sewell, you will be so excited for this content. It was heart breaking but you get his backstory.


Updated 11/22/24

Erik Bloodslinger is the ultimate book boyfriend that I cannot get out of my head.

Updated: 4/19/24
I finished my re-read and listen to the audio book. This was the Cursed Book Club's pick for April. Still 5 ⭐ if I can give more, I would total would. I love the banter and relationship between Erik and Livia. The way they express their feelings in words in this book had me highlighting everything like a fool. So many good quotes. Highly recommend.

11/1/23
This was soooo good!

Sea Fae vs. Earth Fae. Wars, misunderstandings, betrayal, bonds, slow burn, forced proximity and a Princess who's center around it all.

This book will keep you on your toes with all the twists and turns. There were moments I was like... What? WHAT?!?

Must read!
2.5🌶️