What I Loved:

• Captivating Romance: The chemistry between Isadora and Tristan was electric. Their dynamic kept me invested, and I found myself eagerly anticipating every interaction.

• Unforgettable First Encounter: Their meeting was intense, filled with action, danger, and just the right amount of tension. It gave me the same adrenaline rush as The Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young, so if you’re a fan of that book, this one is worth checking out.

• Sharp, Witty Dialogue: The banter between Isadora and Tristan felt natural—flirty, engaging, and never over-the-top. It struck the perfect balance.

• A Page-Turner: Even with a few weak spots, I couldn’t put this book down. It was one of the most entertaining reads I’ve had in a while, and I’ll definitely be adding a copy to my collection.


What Fell Short:

• Shallow Worldbuilding: The magic system was barely explained, which left me with too many unanswered questions. A bit more depth here would have made the story even stronger.

• Too Quick to Love: The transition from enemies to lovers happened a little too fast for my taste. I would’ve loved to see more tension and conflict before their feelings developed.

• Plot Gaps: Some elements—like the poisoned arrows and the mechanics of the marriage magic—felt underdeveloped or inconsistent, which occasionally pulled me out of the story.

• A One-Dimensional Villain: Isadora’s father came across as a bit too much of a stock villain. A more complex, morally gray antagonist would have made the conflict more compelling.

• Missed Emotional Depth: Isadora doesn’t reflect much on what she’s leaving behind, which felt like a missed opportunity for deeper character exploration.


Final Thoughts:


Despite some rough edges, The Enemy’s Daughter had me hooked. The romance, high stakes, and intense character dynamics made it an absolute thrill to read. If you love enemies-to-lovers with plenty of angst, this one is definitely worth picking up!

This was GREAT! It was so fun and romantic and lovely. I really enjoyed this one. Very fun!!! The characters were great and the story was fun.

An excellent YA romantasy debut that centers on themes relevant to all of us today and a romance that gave me butterflies. Unputdownable tension between the main character and love interest.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I’ve had the enormous privilege of reading an early draft of this incredible story, and it blew my mind. This book is responsible for one of the worst book hangovers I’ve ever had, in the best possible way. The characters and world stayed with me long after I finished.

The story is wildly romantic, magical, and feminist. It’s everything I want in a YA fantasy and so much more. A girl discovering her worth as a woman and fighting for her dreams, an intriguing, swoon-worthy love interest who has deep layers to uncover, a world woven with magic so romantic it made my heart yearn to experience it myself. It's so good!

I’m sure I will read this book many more times--and everything else the author will conjure up in the future.

I love when a retelling/"inspired by" book is about a story that isn't retold CONSTANTLY, or even ever. I grew up watching Tristan and Isolde, and I loved it so much more than Romeo and Juliet. So when I saw this book, I knew I had to read it.

Overall, I really enjoyed both our characters. I would definitely say this story was more on the side of "inspired by" rather than a retelling, but I still felt snippets of familiarity between the stories and the characters.

The narrative felt a bit repetitive and whiny at times. But the majority was an enjoyable read that actually left me wanting more after the book was finished.

4.5 rounded up
If you love Tristan and Isolde, Romeo and Juliette, enemies to lovers, or angst, add this to your TBR right now! The Enemy’s Daughter by Melissa Poett is a YA reimagining of the epic love story of Tristan and Isolde set in a post-apocalyptic society. Isadora belongs to a patriarchal clan run by her father, who offers her hand in marriage to anyone who can bring the head of their rival clan’s leader. The rival clan retaliates, and as a healer, when her clansmen are in need of medical attention, Isadora risks her life to go into the battlefield to assist. Here, she runs into our MMC Tristan where they throw knives, fight, and someone gets tied up. When I say I was giddy at this “Meet Cute”! This actually reminded me a lot of The Sky in The Deep by Adrianne Young, so if you like that book, you’ll love this one!

What I love about this story is Poett’s ability to write the tension between these two, especially when they meet one another. These scenes were done so well, and it made me pine for their relationship more than I have for most of the books that I have read. We have pretty adult banter, that doesn’t come off too much or cringe, so I really appreciated that!

I do wish the world and magic system was explained a bit more. We don’t really get an explanation for how this works, which was a bit frustrating for me though. I also wish that we spent more time in the “enemies” stage with these two, but it was still a great relationship that I enjoyed. I had a few issues with the plot progression once Isadora and Tristan met, but none of it was bad enough for me to not recommend this, so I highly encourage you to pick this up!

The rest of this review will go into shortcomings that I found with the plot that go into spoiler territory, so please leave now if you don’t want to be spoiled.

The magic system is very under explained and we are given the explanation from Tristan that he’s never done this before, and so he doesn’t know how it works either. Isadora is shot by a poisoned arrow, and the Kingsland don’t have the antidote? We are told later on in the story that they are the more medically forward people, but she knows more about herbs and remedies because she reads hidden books back home, but none of the nurses here read these books that are not banned? We are also told that they are not aggressive towards her clansman, so then why does one of them have poisoned arrows? What if he shoots one of his own men by accident? What I think should have happened was Isadora gets shot, and they are too far away from home to get her the antidote, and Samuel forgot it that morning because he was rushed because he was frantically trying to stop Tristan from retaliating at his father’s death. This then forces Tristan’s hand to marry Isadora and take half of the poison until they can transfer the two of them back to Kingsland to get the antidote.

The plot point of the marriage magic should also be expanded on. I didn’t like that Tristan doesn’t have an answer for her because he’s never been married, and Isadora just accepts that without asking any of the married people how it works. Even if it is something like blood magic, radiation magic, or whatever, I would have liked some sort of explanation of how it works and how they figured it out.

My last point is the big reveal at the end that her father knows about Kingsland, and has been using Gerald to kill his own men to rile them up to kill the Kingsland men. I feel like this showed the author’s hand too heavily here. We are being led to believe that Tristan and his men are so holier than thou, that they are never killing any of her clansmen. Yet Samuel has poisoned arrows??? What I would do here is admit the brutality of humans. Yes, Tristan has killed her people. Yes, her people have killed his people. They are opposing people in a war over trade and goods. Have Kingsland be the more diplomatic ones, but her father’s pride and ego is too great for them to get through to him. That way, her dad isn’t some comedic villain by having Gerald be the hand in all of this, while also showing the complexity of humans and how far we will go for survival. I also wanted to see more of Isadora talking about her family. She doesn’t have any retrospect of missing her parents or friends. Nor does she address the possibility of not missing them, and how terrible that must feel as well.

All in all, this was one of the most enjoyable reads that I have read this year, and will be adding this one to my shelf when it comes out.
Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Melissa Poett for providing me with this ARC to review!

4.5 stars

Oh. My. GOSH! To say I enjoyed this would be a severe understatement! I ATE THIS BOOK UP. I set my phone down multiple times while reading it just to say to myself “omg I freaking love this book.” I am always on the hunt for a good standalone and YA has a special place in my heart. Not to mention true enemies to lovers is my all time fav. This book was basically written for me. Sometimes a book can seem like it will have everything to make an amazing story but the execution isn’t always there, that is not the case with The Enemy’s Daughter. Melissa Poett delivers an exciting and romantic story that I didn’t want to put down. I am excited to read more of her work.

Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC.

I could not put this book down. Finished it in two days. Super swoony, on the edge of your seat, great world building (actually wanted more!) and fabulous unforgettable characters. It's the perfect romantasy for both young and older readers.

This was such an interesting concept, but I think it would be better without comparison to Tristan and Isolde. It was more inspired by than a retelling. I enjoyed figuring out what the deal with the setting was. The cover was stunning.

Gorgeously written and gripping from the very first page to the last, Melissa Poett’s THE ENEMY’S DAUGHTER is the romance read of the year. (No contest.)

3-3.5 stars! ‘The enemy’s daughter’ takes place in a setting after bombs have been dropped. Five clans working together to survive against ‘kingsland’ whom are their enemies. The FMC Isadora who is training to be a healer leaves her home to head to wear a possible battle is breaking out when she ends up discovering one of the enemies. To save her life he uses his ‘magic’ which gives them a strange connection, Isadora has to figure out its meaning all while her worldview shifts as she has to try to save her family or side with the enemy.

I think I struggled with this book especially at first. I picked it up because in the description it was compared to ‘Curious tides’ a book/series I adore that’s in a fantasy setting but dark academia. This was nothing like that, so I was confused and took me longer to get into it. I also found the first person narration to be a little repetitive / whiny, but it also made sense considering Isadora’s situation. I’m glad I researched ‘The romance of tristan and iseult’ because while you don’t need to know about it, I think the context could be important prior to reading.

Overall while it was too YA at times for me I do think there was a lot of important messaging, especially in today’s current political climate (i’m from US), as in this book are confronted with gender roles and violence. However the book did have me wanting to know what was going to happen next, finished this book pretty quickly once I got into it.

This was a pretty quick read but a bit underwhelming. The world building needed help, as well as the backstory for why these two rival colonies came to be. There's talk about "when the bombs dropped" "the old world" but it's never really explained. Was there a war? A nuclear attack? Who knows. There's also very little development to the romance and I think my biggest issue is that it was forced, in a way. Yes, she agreed, but she knew if she didn't she would die. There's a love connection that can take place between two people, but that isn't explained well either. How did this magic come to be? Without an in depth history it becomes this surface level addition to the story. I thought Isadora and Tristian were cute together, though. I may need a break from YA romantasy because the whole time I wished that they were older. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

3.75/4

For a debut novel this was stunning! But also had a few things that I think could have been improved on that would have blown it out of the water.

The Enemy’s Daughter takes place in a dystopian setting 30 years after a bombing of the Republic wipes out nearly 90% of the countries population. Isolde is the daughter of a clan leader, and a healer by trade. When the leader of the enemy territory is killed, Isolde is promised to the one who killed him as a prize. Until Isolde interacts with Tristian, someone who is supposed to be an enemy and ends up being something more. Now in enemy lands, Isolde is learning that everything she has been taught may not be what it seems and the connection she feels for Tristian might be the answer she needs.

First and foremost - marriage for SURVIVAL? I was holding my breath during that entire exchanged. I loved seeing Isolde and Tristian form and connection and what that meant for them as enemies. I loved Tristian from the get go. You could tell there was something soft about him - especially for Isolde. He was ready to tear his life apart for her the moment they met. The forced proximity in this was so well done - you could tell the tie between these two was more than the secretive magic between them.

What didn’t work for me: the world building. Really the lack there of. I was so confused on how in 3o years the clans had resorted to such primitive behavior - especially after seeing how Kingsland was set up. It made it hard for me to like Isolde as a character because while she was smart and cunning - I hated seeing how looked down upon she was (and a little judgemental). I wanted to learn more about the bombings and the environment that they were residing in. This is answered a bit when the big reveal happens - but honestly that infuriated me even more, but mostly in a political kind of way.

Overall, this was a fast and engaging read and like I said earlier, a stunning debut. Sometimes it’s hard to get invested in standalones that are packed like this one, but this was honestly so enjoyable.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Melissa Poett, and HarperCollins Children’s for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chef's kiss to this stunning YA retelling of Tristan and Isolde, set in a dystopian future! I love the original Celtic legend, and I think the author did an amazing job of honoring it, while creating a fresh story. The writing style and the plot both flowed well and made for a fast-paced read, filled with action and romance. You get real character growth too, especially with Isadora. I really love this book! Also, a huge round of applause for a standalone novel!!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for access to this arc.

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠♡︎ 4🌟
𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌♡︎ 4.5🌟
𝖲𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀♡ 4🌟
𝖯𝗅𝗈𝗍♡︎ 3.5🌟
𝖶𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀♡︎ 4🌟
𝖲𝗉𝗂𝖼𝖾♡︎ 0🌟

Yassssssss! 👏🏾 i found a fun read that was perfect for my reading slump! What got me captivated at first was that this book is a Tristan and Isolde reimagining so I was expecting nothing but the best. The writing style and the immediate meeting of the main characters was one of my favorite parts! The tension was there, the plot wasn’t hard to follow and was pretty self explanatory, the magic system is something unique but not overused within the book.

Even though I was eating this book up, I wish it was going to be a 5🌟 read for me because it definitely had the potential! I wish their relationship progressed a bit slower because in my opinion she fell in love a little too early and I do wish there was more emotional building. This book was described as dystopian but you don’t really get the vibes when reading the book because of the lack of immersing readers into the setting.

If you’re looking for a fun YA Romantasy read then I do recommend this book! Not only because of the book cover but because it’s perfect if you’re in a reading slump and just need something for the vibes.

Thank you HarperCollins Quill🪶 Tree Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

this book lost me when the fmc tried to heal the fascist warlord in the first chapter. then, it just kept going downhill. i understand that the fmc has a love of medicine but did she really have to try out her skills on the FASCIST WARLORD????? “but his death will cause a war 🥺” AND??? that’s one less fascist in the world.

The Enemy's Daughter by Melissa Poett is a captivating debut that mixes dystopian world-building with a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. The novel is set in a war-torn world where ancient feuds and power struggles define every relationship, and it introduces a fascinating blend of magic, politics, and forbidden love. It's an immersive story, full of tension, mystery, and complex characters, making it an enjoyable and gripping read from start to finish.

At the heart of the story are the two main characters, Isadora and Tristan, who couldn't be more different. Isadora is the daughter of the enemy's leader, and her peaceful, healing nature clashes with the brutal, war-driven world around her. On the other hand, Tristan is an assassin from the opposing side, hardened by war and betrayal. Their initial interactions are full of hostility, but as the story unfolds, they’re forced into close quarters, and the dynamic between them shifts in a way that feels natural and captivating. The progression of their relationship from enemies to reluctant allies, and eventually lovers, is one of the strongest points of the book. It's slow-burn, with plenty of tension and moments of vulnerability that make the connection feel authentic.

The world-building is rich, though there are moments where the author hints at larger political and magical systems that aren't fully explained. I would have loved to see a bit more depth in terms of the world’s history and the reasons behind the conflict. That being said, the book's focus is on the personal stakes between Isadora and Tristan, so while the world-building isn't the most fleshed-out, it still provides a solid foundation for the plot.

Magic plays an important role in the story, especially with the healing abilities of Isadora and the more dark, mysterious magic surrounding Tristan. The way magic is intertwined with the characters' personal journeys adds layers to the narrative, making the stakes feel even higher. The mystery behind Tristan’s powers, and the bond that forms between him and Isadora due to these powers, adds an intriguing element to the romance and plot.

The pacing of the novel is a bit uneven at times. While the first half of the book is filled with tension, romance, and intrigue, the second half tends to slow down, especially when it delves into the characters' internal struggles. This could be a turn-off for some readers, but for those who appreciate character-driven stories, it provides more depth to the emotional conflict.

The secondary characters, while not as fully fleshed out as Isadora and Tristan, add an interesting layer to the plot. They serve as both allies and obstacles, creating tension and forcing the protagonists to confront their own values and motivations. However, some of these characters feel a bit underdeveloped, and I wished there had been more focus on their roles in the larger political and magical dynamics.

Overall, The Enemy's Daughter is a compelling read that beautifully combines romance, magic, and conflict. The slow-burn romance between the leads is emotionally satisfying, and the action-packed moments keep the tension high throughout the novel. While there are a few areas that could be expanded upon, particularly in terms of world-building and character development, the book successfully immerses readers in a high-stakes, emotional journey. I highly recommend this to fans of YA dystopian and fantasy, particularly those who enjoy a touch of magic and a slow-burn romance at the center of the story.

Thank you to netgalley and harpercollins books for this advanced review copy

This was a nice fun read about two enemies in a post-apocalyptic society. I felt that the main character was a little whiny, and the world building was a little confusing, but this book was enjoyable to read. The romance felt a bit sudden, but other than that the story was very entertaining.

This was fantastic! Isadora's growth was excellent! A young lady discovering that the system she believed she understood is actually the greatest terrible factor in her life is my favorite book subgenre. It was a nicely done romance. Such an excellent YA fantasy with real characters, a compelling story, and a complex world-building. I adored the writing style; it was delightful and simple to read.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books and Melissa Poett for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up. This was an amazing and quick read, I had such a good time!

I enjoyed Tristan and Isadora. Tristan is so sweet and caring, while Isadora is compassionate and kind. Both of them have curious minds, they are hungry for knowledge and eager to learn more about the world around and beyond.

The forced proximity/forced marriage trope was handled well. Thanks to the intriguing bond magic, the romance was sensual, sweet and respectful. And the tension! So much tension! The relationship between Tristan and Isadora was filled with tension and yearning, it was so delicious.

The pacing was consistently quick, but perhaps a bit too quick for my taste. Things progressed too quickly, I wanted to see more emotional buildup between the characters. I also wanted to learn more about this intimate magic. What happens when the bond is broken? Is it possible to form a new bond after the previous one has been destroyed? Some characters also lacked description, it was hard to envision them.

But overall, it was a great debut book. I would love to read a spin-off about how the world ended.