I really, really enjoyed this.

I’ll be the first to admit that I passed it over a few times, but I’m glad I decided to give it a chance. It had everything I love: enemies/rivals to lovers, politics, a fierce FMC. There was a clear beginning, middle and end that held my attention the whole time. My only issues were a few run-on sentences and awkwardly placed descriptions, but nothing to put me off.

I will definitely look into reading more from this author.

First I want to thank NetGalley and HARPER Voyger for this arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

4 ⭐️

What you can expect
Enemies to Lovers⚔️💕
Shadow Powers 🖤
Fire Powers 🔥
Dragons & Their Riders 🐉
Morally Gray Characters 🫣
Prophecy 🧙‍♂️
Fake Engagement 💍

Quote:
Kedeesha,” You're insufferable.”
Malachi:,”and you're mine for the foreseeable future… Be a good girl and act the part.”
What I liked:
Kedeesha: She is our FML. She is a dragon rider, has fire powers, is smart as a whip, and non complaint! I enjoyed how she spoke what needed to be said. Even as she is in her enemies court she speaks freely not afraid of repercussions. Though we also get to see the softer and sweeter side of her throughout the books.

Malachi: Our Shadow MMC. He seemingly doesn't care much for people, but he can't figure out why Kedeesha gets under his skin. He is a strong ruler who will kill anyone who stands in his way.

I enjoyed that the author really emphasize that this is a world of black characters. Black culture is in every page of this book. Examples: protective hairstyle descriptions and grills. Yeah that's right fae with grills!

I loved to see the relationship development between Kedeesha and Malachi. They try so hard to deny their feelings, but also can't keep their hand off each other. I also feel like the small non-physical moments helped to prove that this wasn't just a lust situation. Also how they meet?! They meet in a nightclub that Kedeesha owns. I'll leave it there because I don't want to spoil it.

Why not 5⭐️?

Just a personally thing I don’t enjoy. They drop the f bomb way too many times. I don’t care if it’s once or twice but four times in one paragraph?

Also I don’t mind spice but these two? Could not keep there hands off eachother for five seconds. 😂 I wanted to get back to the main plot.

Overall a good read!

“The enemy of my enemy is my lover"❤️‍🔥
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This book was everything I want in my romantasy reads!👏🏼 The characters have strong personalities and strong relationships. I was hooked from chapter 1. If I’m honest, even before that. I was hooked when I first came across this book on Threads. The author shared some character art and I knew this book was going to be for me!

Our Vicious Oaths is a standalone, but N.E. Davenport has created such an epic world and does a fantastic job detailing this world & the characters, I’m hoping this turns into a series of interconnected standalones!🤞🏼

•What to expect•
💜Found family
🖤Morally grey shadow daddy MMC with a grill🥶✨
💜Stabby fire mommy Princess FMC
🖤Enemies/reluctant allies to lovers
💜Forced proximity
🖤Political court intrigue & scheming
💜Black fae
🖤Stand alone dark romantasy
💜Unique world/magic system
🖤Spice🌶️
💜Dual POV

*there is a trope I do not like in this book, but I won’t add it because it’s a HUGE spoiler & is pretty essential to the plot. BUT the author handled it very well!*

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Voyager for the eARC of this book!

I absolutely loved this book! We have Black fae, royalty, grills and two formidable MCs! Kadeesha will be your new favorite FMC- she is a warrior, striking and bold. Malachi will undoubtedly be added to your book boyfriend roster! He is handsome, lethal and arrogant but can back it up. Despite being enemies the attraction between these two is palpable and I was left kicking and screaming throughout the whole book. If you like spice, this book was made for you! I enjoyed the pacing of the book but was left with a desire to spend more time with these two and their people- hopefully that means a book two is in the works or the Author dives into another story featuring some of the side characters. The Author has created an epic world that I hope she continues to expand on but in the meantime I look forward to checking out their other works.

Immediately 5 stars! One of my TOP reads of the YEAR! This is the book I needed to get out of my reading slump. I was immediately hooked from the 1st chapter and completely invested in the story, This author has such a way with words and it’s absolutely beautiful! This author is now on my auto buy list, CANNOT wait to read more! Highly recommend.

You are not ready for this epic tale of Kadeesha and Malachi!!! This book was AMAZING!!! That doesn’t even describe it well. A true Enemies to Lovers, Touch her and die, and Magic rules story! This was easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ with just the right amount of 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️. I was hooked from the beginning of the book till the end!!! I honestly didn’t want it to end. I loved this book so much! Definitely a must read! Thank you @harpercollins, @nia.davenport @netgalley for trusting me with this ARC read.

This book dropped me straight into the Aether Kingdom and refused to let go until the very last word. If you have plans, this book will cancel them!

This is my first jaunt into romantasy and whewwwww, N.E. Davenport turned me every which way but loose. While it hits all the marks of a high fantasy (magic systems, court politics, ancient powers), the characters are completely relatable -by the end, they'll feel like people you know and love.
There's morally grey realness. There's a red wedding that will leave your jaw on the floor. There's spice that would make Auntie blush. Davenport gives you tension, release, and emotional depth that makes it all hit harder!!!

Let's talk characters real quick-

Kadeesha: Caught in the games of kings, but never a pawn. She's powerful, perceptive, and emotionally sharp. She's no damsel, she's the storm they didn't see coming. Her strength doesn't always roar, but when it does? Whole thrones shake!

Malachi: Layered like grief itself. He's got rage in his bones and revenge on his breath, but he's also just a man trying to survive the wreckage of loss and be the best leader for his people.
Watching him navigate the tug-of-war of what's best and what will satisfy his hunger for revenge, while being unapologetically powerful, is just.... chef's kiss! He's not your standard love interest; he's a force with a heartbeat.

What I absolutely love is that this romantasy is BLACK. I'm talking locs, grills, cognac-in-hand Black. Davenport gives us characters with flavor, culture, and bite.

I don’t know what to say other than to say that everyone needs to read this book immediately. It’s literally perfection! The perfect romantasy book of the season. The way that I was hooked from the beginning until the very end was unbelievable. I could not start reading it at all. It was so freaking good that I am sad that there won’t be any other books for continuation. I grew attached to these characters, especially the side characters. I feel like N.E. Davenport should write a book for these side characters. I am just saying. I read them as well.

Besides writing more books, Our Vicious Oaths is just perfection, and I had to reread it again. Why? Because the enemies-to-lovers trope had me in a chokehold. Even though Kadeesha and Malachi were messing with each other, they were still enemies wanting to overrule no matter what. It’s the endless tension and slow burn that kept me going. Kadeesha and Malachi were meant for each other even though they were enemies for so long. The heart wants. I can’t blame them. Both of them make sense. And I love that Kadeesha never made it easy. Her heart and love were worth fighting for. There is more to her than her statue, which Malachi realizes as he spends more time with her.

Our Vicious Oaths is easily one of the best books I’ve read this year. It’s everything I crave in a romantasy. It's high stakes, has rich worldbuilding, a fierce FMC, a swoony (and I mean swoony) MMC, and delicious spice. I was invested from page one.

N.E. Davenport’s prose is, quite frankly, stunning. I could SEE this world as I read. I could feel the emotions of the characters ...I felt completely transported, but not just to this beautiful world, but to a dimension where fantasy FINALLY reflects who I am. Seeing Black fae characters front and center, not just existing but running the show, meant the world to me. I’ve read so many romantasies where no one looked like me. This book changed that. Davenport strikes that rare balance of building a culturally rich, specific world that still feels accessible and universal. It’s for everyone, but never diluted.

I cannot wait to hold a physical copy in my hands. And the audiobook? I need to know who voices Malachi, because whoever it is, better bring it to match the voice I created in my head, lol.

5 stars all around. Standing ovation. The works. I adored it.

This romantasy was fierce, sexy, and full of political intrigue. Kadeesha and Malachi had sizzling chemistry, and I loved the serpents, the court drama, and the unapologetically Black fae world. Some pacing dips aside, this was a bold, satisfying standalone with high stakes and high heat.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Black fae royalty, court politics, enemies to lovers, dragons and spice! If you haven't pre ordered already please go ahead and do so.

If you are a sucker for a good fae shadow daddy spicy romantasy but have been disappointed in the lack of diversity, specifically black representation, this is the one! Please pick this up when it releases in October!

I came for the for vibes but was instantly sucked in by the plot. Don't get me wrong this is definitely more romance and spice centered in my opinion but the politics and the world had me enthralled as well.

The blood trials by N. E. Davenport is in my top 10 reads ever, so when I saw she had written a romantasy centering black fae I was hyped and practically begging for an arc. It did not disappoint. Fantasy has been my favorite genre since I was a kid. As an adult I've been dabbling into romantasy more and I'm always on the hunt for ones written by black authors.

This is the book I've been craving. This was written for me. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

Rating: ★★★★½

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC copy!

This book was such a thrilling ride! The female main character was absolutely badass, and the rest of the Nkita were just as fierce and unforgettable. I loved that this was a standalone romantasy novel—it packed so much action, emotion, and heat into a single volume without feeling rushed.

The storyline and underlying politics were truly captivating. I was completely hooked by the enemies-to-lovers dynamic, which kept the tension high throughout. While I did wish for a bit more depth in the relationship development, I appreciated that it eventually came together in a satisfying way.

The steamy romance scenes were incredibly detailed (and very well done!). If I'm being honest, I could have done without the grills, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment.

If you’re a fan of strong female leads, enemies-to-lovers tropes, and political intrigue wrapped in a fiery romance, definitely give this one a read!

Niiiiiia.
Ma’am.
Miss Ma’am.
-
Having read Nia’s previous works, I knew she could write an excellent action-packed story. What I didn’t know what how she’d do with the romance….
….
baybeeeeeee. She knocked it out of the park!!
Kadeesah is such a powerhouse heroine that you can’t help to get behind. Her storyline is so familiar to many women — living in a world that’s made by men, for men, at the cost of women. And she’s gonna take her power back and wield it all her own.

Malachi. Mr. Big D*ck Swanging himself…
A king. A killer. A bad a**. And fine as hell.
-
Tbh, I kinda forgot this book was about faefolk until someone would bring up the pointed tips of the ears…just figured they were a society of magic users.

——-
——-
Thank you to Nia for the eARC, and to the publisher for the physical copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Ok ive been thinking on this series and there is a lot to like but also a lot to consider. I enjoyed the story a lot and i love that its a fleshed out stand alone but there were a lot of very cringy parts to it and i can understand why people would def over that. If you can get over those parts tho, its a fun read!

If you want a book with:
✅ Reluctant Alies
✅ Unique World/Magic
✅ Stand Alone Romantasy
✅ Spice
✅ Fae
Then you may love this book!

⚔️🖤 Bookish Thoughts
Six stars. I read this in one sitting.
The worldbuilding was immersive, and I was obsessed with the magic system! Our MCs were powerful, unhinged, and morally gray. And maybe a little bit toxic, but I was into it.

Kadeesha was a baddie from the start. Determined, stubborn, and always ready to throw fire (literally). Her sisterhood with her squadroon warriors was everything! I wish we’d spent more time with them.

Malachi, is my new favorite shadow daddy. Very deadly with his shadows and it was hot! He was arrogant but damn he was smooth! Their tension was next level, and those spice scenes? Yeah. 🔥 🔥🔥🔥 Don’t get me started on their first time meeting!

I’m so sad this is a standalone. It’s strong on its own, but I would live in this world for an entire series. I wanted to know more from the other courts and the magic system!

✨ Favorite Quote:
“If anything happened to you, I’d drown the world in shadows that would devour it and every living soul.”

🖤 What You Can Expect:
Shadow daddy
Stabby Princess FMC
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Political court scheming
Black fae

📅 Pub Date: October 28, 2025
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

3.75⭐️ rounded ⬆️

The main thing to note going into Our Vicious Oaths is that Kadeesha and Malachi are HOT hot 🥵 this is a full throttle, fast-burn standalone romantasy with magic wielding fae, rival courts, kongamato (bonded fiercely deadly dragon-like serpents) and one of the most badass warrior princesses I’ve read about thus far.

The tension is thick and these stubborn MCs are at such odds that I found myself yelling at the choices they were making left and right. I love how Davenport gave us MCs presented as true equals - both of them standing their own morally gray ground in the name of protecting their loved ones over and over again.

Kadeesha’s strong sisterhood with Samira, Leisha and the Nkita stood out for me. I sadly found myself missing the chance to love the Nkita and Malachi’s Cadre as much as I wanted to. I think the pacing of the plot slipped on occasion due to this being a standalone. There was still strong world building found and a good amount of political intrigue, but I was missing the true found family aspect that would’ve been so fun to read. I sensed something between many side characters… maybe we’ll get spin-offs one day? 🤞🏼

Overall this is a solid, sizzling hot, standalone romantasy with an epic finale (forever bowing down to Kadeesha!!) and a satisfying conclusion. Great for in-between long series.

Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, as well as N.E. Davenport for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Oh My God. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishing for the advanced copy of this book.
I don't know what I was expecting, but my expectations were exceeded.
I was confused, I was enthralled, I was disgusted, I was awestruck, and I was locked in.
Highly recommend throwing yourself into Kadeesha and Malachi's story with 0 information regarding the book and just letting yourself figure it out as you go along.
My only complaint is that the POV's get confusing at times and it takes a minute to adjust to whose POV you are reading at that time.

I love finding a good fantasy standalone! I'm so used to series when it comes to fantasy so it's always a nice surprise to find a fantasy standalone that is a complete story perfectly wrapped up in one book.

And this book really does have it all. If I wrote a list of my favorite tropes this has basically all of them lol. Enemies to lovers is always a favorite of mine, but add in fae, a morally gray MMC, and a warrior princess FMC and I'm sold! I also love how N.E. Davenport wrote such strong found families. Don't miss this one when it comes out!

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Absolutely loved this book! Loved the black romantasy, the magic...EVERYTHING. The world build "chef's kiss!" A great mix of fourth wing and Harry Potter🙃can't wait to buy this book for my shelf also can wait to read more from this author

Kadeesha has spent her life with a prophecy hanging over her head that her marriage and the child she bear will lead to a unified fae. As part of that, she has been promised to Rishaud her entire life. The day of their wedding, everything falls apart and she is thrust from princess to political pawn.

Malachi has also had a prophecy hanging over his head his entire life, a prophecy that means the end of his people. In attempts to prove himself, and to get revenge and be a stronger, more aggressive ruler, Malachi decides to kill all those inviting the death of his parents and become the high king of the fae, dragging Kadeesha into the chaos with him.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story; enemies to reluctant allies to lovers with political intrigue, assassination attempts, and interesting magical systems all wrapped up in a spicy affair. The attraction between the mmc and fmc was delightful, as was their spite and vicious words with each other.