Truly enjoyed this book! Felt it was an easy read but was able to keep my attention the whole time. It features magic, post apocalyptic world, enemies to lovers, retelling, and hidden truths. This is definitely one of those books I will continue to think of for awhile

This was a beautifully written retelling that I couldn’t put down.

I loved this dystopian setting. It perfectly bordered the line of conceptually real and fantastical at the same time. This really gave a modern feel to what I loved about the dystopian heyday of the 2010s.

War between the five clans and the Kingsland was inevitable, but when they killed the Kingsland’s leader, the worst broke out. Isadora attempts to use her ability as a healer on the frontlines instead of back at home. She is shot by a poisoned arrow by the Kingsland guards and Tristan, an assassin she just thwarted offers her a way to save her life. The Kingsland has a secret magic, but the two of them must be bound by marriage for it to work. With death imminent, Isadora sees no other choice but to accept.

The magic to save her connects Isadora and Tristan on a very intimate level, giving them the ability to share memories with one another. They begin to learn exactly WHY the five clans and the Kingsland are enemies. As the bond between them grows stronger, they must try to find a way to make peace between their people, or their love is doomed.

I enjoyed this from start to finish. I loved the characters and the way this romance blossomed.

Wow, this book was amazing. It truly took dystopian books back to the core of the genre—a cautionary tale about our current world by taking an aspect of our current world and escalating it so it’s obvious it’s completely wrong that it scares you into awareness.

I was immediately pulled into this book, but I thought it would just be like some of the more empty dystopian books that have come out lately. I am so glad I pushed aside the initial elements of the story that worried me—I really hate when there’s blatant sexism just as a plot point in books—so I was so pleasantly surprised when this eventually got into the deeper meaning of the story.

And of course, I absolutely loved the romance in this book. It really was a true enemies to lovers, which many books claim but never really live up to. This one lived up to the trope, and the transition from enemies to forced allies to questioning to lovers was done so well, no notes or complaints. ALSO. The mind connection. This is another of my favorite little additions to books (probably my overall favorite), and all the elements of it were so interesting and really made it the cherry on top to the enemies to lovers arc.

The world building of this book was so interesting, and although it is subtle, the author worked it into the book beautifully, dropping hints throughout the book about how the world as we know it ended. I would absolutely read another book set in this world, especially if it touched more on how exactly the mind connection developed (they theorize about it at one point in the book, but it’s a brief mention). I highly recommend this book, especially if you are hunting for dystopian weird some real depth to it.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books, Quill Tree Books, and NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This retelling of Tristan and Isolde is set in a post-apocalyptic society where one set of survivors is trying to reestablish life as they knew it while another reverts to life before technology existed. While these two factions are seemingly at war with each other, the children of the leaders meet and form a tenuous relationship. The tension between Tristan and Isadora is palpable and delicious. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat, and I couldn't wait to find out what happened at the end.

The Enemy's Daughter is a beautifully written enemies-to-lovers romantasy inspired by the tale of Tristan and Isolde. The story begins 30+ years after a horrific war completely destroyed the world. Now, two settlements compete for resources and knowledge in order to ensure their people's survival. While the five clans continue to fight amongst themselves, they have finally come together to kill the infamous cruel leader of the Kingsland. While the Kingsland leader may be dead, the people of Kingsland will be demanding revenge. Tristan, a Kingsland assassin, is hellbent on finding the clansman who killed their leader and bringing him to justice. Isadora, a powerful clan healer and the daughter of the clans' leader, risks her life to help those on the frontline. When Tristan and Isadora's paths collide, both will have to face some unsettling truths. When Tristan chooses to use his unique magic to save Isadora, they are bonded both physically and mentally. With both determined to save their own people, they must fight both their mutual attraction and their magical connection.

The Enemy's Daughter is definitely one of my favorite books of 2025. Melissa Poett creates a uniquely stunning dystopian world. I loved how the reader is immediately thrust into the action. The history of the world, the people, and the magic system is explained side-by-side the action. Melissa Poett successfully avoids information dumping and, in so doing, allows for a beautiful flow to her story telling. The characters are well-developed. Both Tristan and Isadora face unique challenges and must overcome personal obstacles. The dialogue is excellent - lots of fun and witty banter. Their first meeting is absolutely epic. I loved both Tristan and Isadora. I will definitely be recommending The Enemy's Daughter to all of my fellow romantasy lovers. This book is an easy 5 stars and a must-read for 2025!

Thank you Netgallery and harperCollins
For the arc! All thoughts and opinions are my own! My honest review!

-a world being rebuilt from the ruins of destruction, a fight between factions - five clans and the Kingsland - results in the death of the latter's leader, heightening tensions and issuing a power struggle. The daughter of one of the faction leaders, Isadora, goes to tend to injured soldiers when she stops an attack from a young man from the Kingsland. She must decide whether to turn him in or let him go. For at her heart she is a healer. Before her choice can be realized soldiers from Kingsland subdue her with poison. A poison meant to kill until Tristan surprises them all by calling upon a magical bond of his people to save Isadora's life— and bind her life to his. What follows is a journey into a world Isadora knows little of, is fascinated much by, and questions the answers she thought she once knew. This new world houses a boy whose heartbeat she can't help but match with her own, resetting them on a much unexpected path.

I really enjoyed this story! I absolutely loved Tristan and Isadora. I will say that I do not consider them to be enemies-to-lovers, but rather forbidden lovers. This did not ruin my enjoyment at all though! Isadora and Tristan were such a compelling duo. I really liked Isadora character! she's compassionate, she wants to grow
—but she also knows how to throw a knife when she needs to.

The romance is beautifully written! I absolutely loved how the Magical bond between Isadora and Tristan played out! How far they will go for each other!! This book really kept me on my feet and wanted to keep going!

I can really see a lot of people liking this one. It's very enemies to lovers. Great message about coming together with your enemies. Overall this was a bit too insta love for me. I prefer slow burn romance.

While I had never read anything by this author before, the Author's Note at the beginning gave me a lot of hope about this book! A true enemies-to-lovers story? A tale about the effects of war and how men use soldiers and women in their games? It sounded very intriguing. Almost immediately, I realized the promises in the author's note would not be delivered.

First of all, the enemies-to-lovers trope promises animosity between the MCs at some point. The MMC never has any ill will towards the FMC. Yes, she perceives that he does, but honestly, the FMC is an idiot. I couldn't take any of her "observations" seriously. Yes, their PEOPLE were enemies. But the MMC and FMC? Not enemies. Authors need to stop promising that trope if they can't deliver. That's what makes the trope so tired.

The war was also ridiculous. The FMC comes from a sexist clan. She's there for maybe 20 pages before she's captured, so why should I care that her sexist clan is being attacked by the MMC's people? I have no emotional attachment to her people and they seem like they suck.

My biggest issue with this book is how it is marketed as a fantasy, but is really a post-apocalyptic sci-fi. There's a "magical" element, but also a character mentions that their magic could be an effect of nuclear bombs. The mis-marking of the genre doesn't particularly bother me, but I went in expecting a fantasy story, and there were too many modern references! Cars, bathtubs, electricity, the clothing, etc. Everything was modern and I like my fantasy stories to be set in other worlds--not a facsimile of my own.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Absolutely incredible! I could not catch my breath, could not stop reading, I absolutely adored this book! The main characters were interesting and lovable, the plot was fast-paced, and the world was unique and interesting. Also, the romance was SO swoony. I am such a fan of this power couple! The Enemy's Daughter is perfect for fans of Powerless, Red Queen, and Legend.

The best Tristan and Isolde retelling that I have come across! I adored how Melissa Poett has taken one of my favorite legends and put it in a dystopian romantasy setting. The chemistry between the characters was impeccable and the stakes were so high for the entirety of the story, making it nearly impossible to put down!

2.5/5

I don’t think this is a retelling more so an ‘inspired by’ story. And overall it was okay. Though it read quickly and easily, it had a hard time keeping my attention.

After a massive bombing leaving 90% of the world gone, the story centers around two warring clans who are fighting for better resources, better un-tainted land, and general survival. Isadora is from a more primitive clan while Tristan is from a more advanced clan and their upbringing muddles the true history and goals of each clan.

I think I expected more ‘enemies to lovers’ considering the title but because of their ‘necessary’ marriage, it read more like ‘insta-love’ and honestly felt a bit forced. The ‘forced proximity’ also felt like just checking off trope boxes.

Having Isadora be the sole narrator coupled with the lack of world building/history, was a major downfall in this book. We don’t see enough of what is going on with Tristan especially with his interaction between clans. Isadora’s questioning him after his missions was very ‘telling not showing’ which is a major no for me. Also where did Tristan’s magic come from? What was the point of it except to bring the MC’s together? The supporting characters felt more fleshed out than the main characters and they brought life to the story.

The last 20% was the most action-packed and got me through to the end. I think this book definitely touched on important topics especially in terms of propaganda, leadership and governing/treating people fairly, but it was drowned out by a lackluster MC pairing. Great potential, overall underwhelming. I can see why people would enjoy this book, but unfortunately it is not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this eArc.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Side Note:
It is blurbed to be in the realm of Rebecca Ross, Curious Tides, and Belladonna, and except for the fact that there are ‘clans’ in parallel to RR’s A River Enchanted, I don’t see how this story correlates to any of those listed. Which is disappointing considering I love RR and Curious Tides. The only link I can think of to Belladonna is the use of poison and Isadora’s endeavor to be a healer so she knows a lot about different herbs….I haven’t read Hurricane Wars, but it seems these are very loosely comparable.

<spoiler>
The memory sharing turned sort of mind communicating is so dumb! It was written clumsily and also was a work around to a very popular ‘mind speaking’ pair. I think the memory sharing was really unique and worked well for them especially when trying to show a new perspective (literally) which is so clever but turning it into mind speaking gave me the ick.</spoiler>

This is a thrilling dystopia with a believable romance, strong world building and just a hint of magic. I was gripped right from the outset and disappointed when I reached the end. I would absolutely recommend it!

Thank you to the publisher for sending a copy for review

I'm not too familiar with the tale of Tristan and Isolde, but the premise hooked me and I was not disappointed. The enemies-to-lovers development was lovely and I enjoyed reading the connection they shared, initial motives around the connection, how they navigated the connection together. Scenes involving the intimacy shared between their souls and those descriptions were vivid to read. Other characters added some context of the world while other characters could be flat, but the main enjoyment came from reading Isadora and Tristan.

Thank you for the complimentary ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

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.