I did not love this one as much as I was expecting to. I found the characters to be not that enjoyable and the plot was extremely predictable. Still there were small moments and components that made me like it more.

Thank-you to NetGalley, Putnam books, and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Something Wicked has all of the Moulin Rouge vibes one would want in a book! Cate is a Gifted courtesan who lives and works with other Gifted courtesans, each with their own special abilities, while Callum is next in line for the throne in their province of Scota. An Uprising has been building in momentum and they cross paths as they try to navigate changes and challenges to their personal lives.

This book had all of the spiciness that one would expect when talking about courtesans!🔥🔥🔥🔥 One of the things I appreciated most was how the level of spice, tension, and intimacy built as the book progressed. I also loved the unique world building and spin on a fantasy courtesan novel. I was roped in from the start! If you are into romantasy with some yummy spice, this book is definitely for you!!! 🥰🥰🥰💚💚💚✨✨✨🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

You cannot help but root for Cate and Callum and both have reasons to be wary of the other. I appreciated Cate's loyalty to blood relations and to her found family. Callum's vision for the world was one I'd hope for if I were set in this world. I always appreciate a decent pacing for developing feelings, and while it was still short in the time span of the book, there was continued hesitancy as their feelings deepened and I always love that!

This book didn't quite hit 5 stars for me for a couple of reasons. At times, it felt like the plot could have delved deeper to provide even more context. And maybe that will happen in later installments, as this is the first book in s series, but I was definitely left with some wanting. I would also add that I felt like the ending was *slightly* rushed. I wasn't expecting part of it so early in the story, but again, I'm willing to wait for future installments to see where it goes.

On an editorial note (and hopefully this is something still being worked on), but there were a lot of hyphens in words that should not be hyphenated. There was also a spacing issue with the pictures that were put in the book with most of the pictures coming in between the text at the end of each chapter. Again-I don't know if this is just the version I got, but hoping to see that cleared up by the time I receive my ordered copy in December. 😊

This book was not for me. The cover? STUNNING. The premise? Ensnaring. The execution? Meh. I wanted so badly to like this book and kept reading out of desperation that it would get better. One of my pet peeves in writing is being told what to think instead of being shown. Don't tell me what I should be experiencing, show me, make me feel it with action, not words.

From the very beginning, I had a hard time connecting with the characters. There was never enough information or emotion to feel like I understood who Cate was at her core, and her and Callum don't even meet until almost halfway through the book. The world building and magic system left me with more questions than answers, which was incredibly frustrating. That being said, if you just want to read some well written smut, this is the book for you. The scenes are plentiful and...intense. I think I would've liked this book more if my expectations had been different. Take out the political intrigue and just tell me this is about the spice and I probably would've rated this a lot higher.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the free ARC.

Honestly, I was so excited for this book when I saw that it was a Moulin Rouge x Lady Macbeth retelling… But man, did it fall short for me. I love Fallon Ballard’s romcoms and was so ready for the banter and slow burn to translate into her first foray into romantasy, however, there is some work that needs to be done in this world.

What works for this book? The cover is stunning. I mean, whoever the artist is deserves a raise, it’s that good. Part of the reason you want to pick up this novel is because the cover hooks you in.

What isn’t working for this book? The magic system, the world building, and the character development.

The magic system sounded promising. The gifted individuals all having wildly different gifts keeps it interesting, however, we have no idea how it works… If gifted people aren’t able to have children by law, why are non-gifted parents having so many gifted children? What are the rules and history of this system? We never get the answers on how it works, it ends up as a free for all, where you are just on the journey of who has gifts and who doesn’t for the entire novel. Couple that with a really weak step mother-type villain? I was not engaged in this part of the story.

The world building is non-existent. I wanted to picture the world, the atmosphere, and everything that came with it. But in all fairness, I have no idea what this world looks like. I don’t know what time period we are really in. I leaned into the Moulin Rouge time period concept, however, that was never fully stated. The monarchy and the uprising don’t really make sense. We are coming into this story when the uprising is basically over, so they are trying to layout a new government. But it’s shoddy and rushed, so it’s not believable and you have no idea what got the characters to where we are today. We enter the story to, the Uprising won and the monarchy is accepting their fate of death… So whoever can rule next can win? Honestly, I’m not sure. But this part of the novel really bothered me. Couple that with the King just wandering around with no protection, knowing whoever is allowed to rule next has to kill him… It didn’t make sense? He might as well have stood in front of a firing squad.

Finishing out with the character development, if you like instalove, you will like this novel. Instalust? I don’t. I don’t believe the characters draw to each other and there wasn’t enough yearning or build up. Now granted, I knew that was possible given the premise of the book and what Cate’s gift is, but I wanted more. It just felt like sex lessons without the chemistry. However, if you are here for the spicy? Ballard delivers. This is a VERY spicy novel. The one other thing I didn’t understand were the random diary entries dropped in the chapters with no context. I found a few of them super jarring and had no idea we had changed to a diary entry. I am unsure if this is because the proof copy hasn’t fully been edited in that regard, but some of them were very abrupt.

Ending on the positives, if you want a fun, not too in depth romantasy where you can suspend questions about world building and keeping up with the intricacies there… this is a good starter novel for that. If you want a ton of spice without a ton of fantasy, this is also for you. If you want a beautiful cover for your bookshelf? Say less. And if you want a different take on a courtesan being the main POV in a book where they are not degraded and looked down on… also, a book for you. I wanted to love it. I just didn’t. It fell too flat for me. However, I will continue to keep an eye out for Ballard’s releases and I always commend an author for trying something new… Especially an entirely new genre.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to review this ARC for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book's opening and closing chapters could have been deleted, I'll start with that. I think I went into this expecting a different plot, and so I was ultimately let down.

*spoilers*

I should have known from the synopsis that this was going to be on the strange side for books I have read, but this takes the cake. She works in a brothel, which is fine, but her first encounter with YOUR HIGHNESS was instant love. I think if sparks and fireworks went off in the background of this scene, I wouldn't have been surprised. Also, the plot seemed to be very surface-level to me, not much depth, and even the characters felt a little bland to me. Every time we saw Dom, I got excited since she was the only one with any type of personality! But she's dead... RIP.

Other than that, we didn't get much detail on the physical world and the people either, which I was disappointed about too. I also think the actual romance between Cal and Cate was boring. Their dialogue was dry and bland, and lustful. I think when they told each other 'I Love You', I laughed for a solid 5 minutes because I couldn't believe all of the events within the last (3 or 4? days) that led to saying this.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this to someone with the way it was sent in the ARC. I would change the first chapter with Cate to the first chapter with Cal, and I would move up the spicy ending scene so it ends a bit more impactful. Overall 2.3/5 stars!

I tried to start this book on a few occasions and just couldn’t get into it. The romantic plot did not grab me
Enough to compel me to keep reading. However this book is good for people who love silly romances, moulin rouge, bi representation FMC, and royals. Fallon did a wonderful job w this book, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Moulin Rouge meets Macbeth??? Ms. Ballard, I fear this is exactly my niche.

What a steamy, sexy, WILD ride. I fell in love with Cate from the first page, and while Callum took a bit longer, I grew to love him too. (Even fantastical bigotry isn’t cute, despite having a basis for it. I’m glad he’s working to unlearn it and fight for equal places at the table.) The villain was expertly crafted, and the Uprising’s scheming delightfully nuanced. The world of Avon is a vibrant one, from La Puissance to the castle, and I can’t wait to discover more of it.

Moulin Rouge meets Macbeth? Yes please. I loved everything about this spicy romance aside from one slight hiccup with the MMC that was more of a smack to the face in the beginning regardless of him changing his tune. I also love a build up of tension before the romance and this felt insta love BUT so many readers will still love that in this case.

📖 Entrancing Concept, Mixed Execution: I love Romantasy but not this one ⭐⭐⭐

As someone who adores everything Falon Ballard writes, I was beyond excited to dive into *Something Wicked*. The promise of a romantasy with echoes of *Macbethand *Moulin Rouge!certainly piqued my interest, but I don't think this subgenre is really a good fit for her writing style - it just felt off.

1. Conceptual Allure: A Tempting Premise 🏰
The idea of a seductive mix of political intrigue, dark magic, and romance in turmoil made for an enticing premise. Courtesans, forbidden murders, and a kingdom in chaos—this combination held tremendous potential, yet somehow the execution didn’t entirely interest me at all.

2. A Challenge in World-Building: Lost in Avon 🌍
The fantastical world of Avon could have truly shone with more depth and definition. Unfortunately, I found myself struggling to fully immerse in the intricacies of its politics and society. It left me wanting more context to ground the unfolding drama.

3. Romance and Intrigue: A Balancing Act 🎭
While Lady Caterine and Callum’s dynamic was intriguing, the “insta-love” element felt a tad rushed, detracting from the potential richness of their relationship. I tend to appreciate a slow-burn connection, and the rapid emotional intensity here felt somewhat unearned.

4. Spice and Substance: Weighing the Balance 🔥
The novel’s spicy scenes were engaging, but they sometimes overshadowed the plot progression. The story seemed to hinge heavily on physical attraction, which might have benefited from deeper character exploration beyond chemistry.

5. Glimmers of Potential: Looking Ahead 🌟
Despite the challenges, Ballard’s talent for creating compelling narratives and candid characters remains apparent. Perhaps with more room for development, this storyline could flourish into a captivating series, blending the right amount of drama, suspense, and allure.

Final Thoughts
While *Something Wickedmay not have reached the heights of Ballard’s other works for me, it’s clear the passion and creativity behind the story were immense. For fans of romantasy with a unique flair, this book still offers an intriguing read. Ultimately, my love for Falon Ballard's writing style and innovative ideas keeps me optimistic about her future ventures in any genre she chooses. 📚

I will still read anything Falon Ballard writes but just not romantasy or urban fantasy

Not gonna lie—the cover totally pulled me in 😍 It’s so eye-catchingly beautiful, I had to know what was inside. Luckily, the story delivered too. I went in without knowing much, and it turned out to be a dark, romantic story full of political drama, magic, and tension.

The first book in the Idle Reputation series. The plot centers around Callum, son of a dethroned king, who’s trying to win a presidential election in a country transitioning from monarchy to democracy. The catch? He might have to kill his own father to do it. Enter Caterine, a gifted courtesan who can manipulate emotions. Their alliance quickly turns into something deeper—and more dangerous—as they uncover dark forces at work.

I really liked the setup and the dynamic between the leads. Some parts dragged a bit, but the mix of politics, magic, and romance kept me in. The world feels fresh without being too complicated.

Tropes:
* 💔 Enemies to lovers
* 🔥 Forbidden romance
* 👑 Political drama
* 💫 Magical powers
* 😏 Slow burn

This book has a lot going on in a good way. The world is rich without being overwhelming, and the magic system is intriguing. I loved the morally gray vibes, and the chemistry between Callum and Caterine was really well done—tense and slow-burning but not over-the-top. The pacing was a bit uneven in places, but the story always pulled me back in.

"Something Wicked" by Falon Ballard instantly caught my attention. The cover is GORGEOUS. However, while the story starts strong and has intense romantic chemistry between Callum and Cate, the worldbuilding was a bit confusing. It’s a fast-paced, spicy read that I finished in one sitting. For a debut romantasy, the author did well overall and I’m looking forward to the next book.

This fell so flat for me, which I am so sad to say! I love all of Fallon's romance books, and this new venture just felt so blah. The new world in the book was barely a blimp in the story and none of the characters were hashed out strongly. I will always give her books a shot, and maybe others will like this!

When their country is in a state of unrest, Cate and Callum must team up to kill Callum's father so he can be in the running to lead their people out of a state of unrest. How will they do this? By utilizing Cate's ability to emotionally manipulate those she is intimate with.

While this book is definitely unique in its plot, it felt extremely unserious to me and the absurdity of Cate's powers really took me out of the story. I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did, and I definitely think it will find its audience - that audience was just not me sadly.

This is my first Falon Ballard book and I had a lot of fun! It was spicy and all around just a good time.

So let me start by saying I love Fallon. I love her writing and always have a good time when reading her stories. I’m a big romantasy reader so I was thrilled to hear she was writing one. And the cover is just gorgeous. So soon as it became available I requested an arc because I was that excited. I did not read the synopsis and I’m mad at myself because if I did I would’ve beeh less likely to have requested it…but it’s Fallon so how bad could it be……while I did not enjoy this book as much as her others I didn’t think it was awful. I definitely think a lot of people will enjoy it but it was just too much spice. I also felt no connection to the world or the characters. The politics and rebellion felt lack luster and I sadly just couldn’t ever get into it. While I admire her for trying something different, I just wasn’t a big fan.

Something Wicked was a lovely fish and spicy take on MacBeth, one of my favorite plays. I enjoyed the characters, the through lines, and the immersive setting and world building.

Honestly. Idk about this book. It was semi intriguing but maybe I just wasn’t into it. I don’t know.

So apparently what my TBR was missing was this masterpiece of a book where emotional manipulation is literal and political assassinations come with a side of enemies-to-lovers tension. Who knew?

In ‘Something Wicked’ we get tension brewing, heart melting, feet kicking romance that will sweep you off the floor. One of the sexiest books I’ve read this year and make no mistake that it will have you turning red.

The world is lush, the vibes are Immaculate. The slow-burn? Steamy and sharp enough to cut glass. It’s all high drama, rich atmosphere, and a plot that twirls like a dancer in a red corset with a dagger strapped to her thigh. TRUST, when I say this a MUST read. Yes, I do give this a 4 star mostly because it wasn’t what I was expecting and for some reason I assumed it was YA which is my fault when it’s not. But absolutely worth it still.

And id you love:
- Morally gray romance
- Magical courtesans with terrifying emotional power
- “I hate you but also can’t stop touching you” energy
- Murder but make it Moulin Rouge

Then you need to pick this up IMMEDIATELY👏👏

It’s a charming enough read if you’re looking for something light with a paranormal twist. Just don’t expect anything too groundbreaking.
The chemistry between the characters was there, and Ballard’s writing style is engaging, but the pacing felt off. Some parts dragged while others moved too quickly, making it hard to stay fully invested in the story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was such a fun read! The book felt fresh and different, and I really enjoyed the unique magic system. It was fascinating how everyone’s powers varied so much—it made the world feel rich and full of possibilities.

The pacing was fast, which I appreciated. The author did a great job of relaying information quickly while keeping everything relevant and engaging. I also loved that the MMC was a redhead with curly hair—such a refreshing change from the usual tall, dark, and handsome book boyfriends we often see.

The chemistry between the FMC and MMC was absolutely electrifying. There was a lot of spice, but it was well-balanced. Often, books with heavy spice can feel overwhelming, and I find myself skimming. But in this case, there was enough meaningful content and character development in between the spicy scenes that it never felt excessive.

What stood out the most for me was the book’s positive and empowering portrayal of sex work. The use of Catherine’s power—and the idea of healing through sex—was incredibly powerful and creative. It added depth and meaning to the story in a way I didn’t expect.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I’m so glad I got the chance to read it!