I would like to thank 47North for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.2 Stars

Nym Tallowax is a healer, except she doesn't heal body's physically she heals them magically with a skill called craftlock which has only recently been legalized due to the noble family's ailing son. The Kingdom is on the brink of war, her family seemingly falling apart when the worst happens, she's conscripted to the noble family's castle to try her hand at healing the Queens youngest son Prince Renn.

Nym was determined to fail this test and return home to her family as quickly as possible, but fate has other ideas. Can she heal someone who's broken in ways she's never seen before, can she break through the prince's icy exterior, or will everything and everyone fall apart like so many pieces of shattered glass?

Marvelous! The Shattered King kept me hooked from page one until the last.
Which for me is surprising as not a ton happens in the book, in fact it's mostly revolving around two characters and 90% of the times they are doing the same thing over and over again but yet so much more then that also happens. The writing is so good, it pulls you from one page to the next, and a lot of this has to do with one absolutely wonderful thing: The magic system.

The magic system in this book is like nothing I've ever read before. I do NOT want to give spoilers but I will say it had me hooked from the beginning. It was such a clever idea and the way it's used not only as a magic system itself, but also an amazing way to get to know characters on a deeper level then we would be able to otherwise. See inside them and make connections and ideas happen in ways that it felt new and unpredictable.

I only had one complaint the whole book and that was a single scene where Nym is portrayed as more naive than any women would be given her past (we're later informed on), her experience taking care of her siblings, and the warnings of not one but two people she trusts. It came out of nowhere and never happened again but it left me reeling and I got so mad I had to put the book down for several hours.

The ending was also a little disappointing. Not that it was bad, but I'm not a huge fan of cliffhangers, and this one, as well as the twist, will leave people reeling.

I would highly recommend fans of fantasy and new original magic systems give this one a shot. The romance is simmering but not hot, at least not yet. I will leave you romantic types with a final quote:

"I feared him-what he represented for me, his closeness to me, like we were braiding together so tightly I would never be able to separate from him before the inevitable knife cut our rope."

*Warning this tile contains some scenes with:
Sexual assault/abuse/torture/blood/dismemberment

Charlie N. Holmberg does it again—The Shattered King is an exquisitely written dark romantasy full of court intrigue, unique magic, and slow-burn romance that hits all the right notes. This book might just be my new favorite of hers.

Nym is a compelling protagonist—resilient, practical, and devoted to her family. Her reluctant journey from rural healer to royal ward unfolds with heart and tension. The magic system, especially the concept of lumis—individual and deeply personal magical imprints—is breathtaking in its beauty and originality. Holmberg’s take on healing magic feels fresh, intimate, and emotionally resonant.

Prince Renn is a mystery wrapped in icy layers, and the slow burn between him and Nym is masterfully executed. Their growing connection is tender and hard-earned, with every small moment packed with emotional weight. The court intrigue and haunting secrets behind his illness kept the pages turning, and I loved how the plot didn’t shy away from darker, more twisted revelations.

This book is richly atmospheric, emotionally layered, and deeply romantic in a way that never overpowers the magic or mystery. I am obsessively ready for the next book in this duology. Holmberg’s storytelling just keeps getting better.

“I would shift the seas for you,” he whispered, tracing the shell of my ear. “I would let the gods shatter me every noon and midnight. I would worship you until my last breath.”

4.5 stars. Loved this book, so, so good! I adored the main characters: Renn, a broken 20-year-old Prince, and Nym, a broken 24-year-old healer. Despite his shattered state, Renn is like a ray of sunshine. He's shy, kind, and bookish, and the way he is fussing over Nym is so cute. And he's just simply so relatable.

The slow-burn romance was delicious. The gradual build-up, the tender moments, the longing - ahh, I ate it up and left no crumbs.

The healing magic was unique and creative (didn't expect that at all, tbh), and it was interesting to read about.

The only reason I can't give this book 5 stars is the second revelation about Nym's past (around 74% mark). I won't spoil, but the "aftermath" of that traumatic event is a hard no for me. Just no. Yes, I'm a bad person, I know, but I hated that detail.

But overall, I greatly enjoyed this book. It’s not a standalone but the first in a duology, and I can’t wait for Book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Charlie N. Holmberg and 47North for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"My body for the crown. My blood for the Phoenix."


The kingdom of Cansere is on the brink of war. Young men are conscripted from their homes, and a royal decree from the queen has made healing the only legal form of craftlock. Nym, a healer and beekeeper, is the sole provider for her family of seven now that her younger brother has been sent to the warfront. But when a letter comes from the queen, summoning Nym to the palace to heal Prince Renn, the kingdom’s ailing shut-in, Nym finds herself making the tumultuous journey from her family’s apiary to the capital city. Nym is determined to fail the queen’s mission and return to her younger siblings as soon as she can.

But escaping the castle’s hold isn’t as easy as failing a simple test. Prince Renn is cold and distant, and his illness is nothing like Nym has ever seen before, nothing she could ever imagine treating. In a moment of connection with Prince Renn, Nym manages to remedy the faintest symptom of his ailment―only to discover that no healer before has made such progress. Forced to become the prince’s official healer and a ward of the castle, and with her only hope of returning to her family hinging on the prince’s recovery, Nym must navigate the castle’s cruel and twisted court and uncover the haunting truth behind Prince Renn’s illness―even as she finds herself irrevocably drawn to him.

"I was a broken healer, a woman whose craft would become illegal the second he was whole again. A woman too shattered by men to allow another to break her."


HOLY WOW, I NEED BOOK TWO IMMEDIATELY.

This has become my absolute favorite of Holmberg's. It has everything: captive healer, recalcitrant prince, magical healing, a mystery illness, forced proximity, snobby royal to considerate friend, and BAM! WAR CONFLICT!

It has hints of To Poison a King and even a beauty and the beast-esque let-her-visit-family-even-though-he's-afraid-she-won't-come-back that brings them closer together and made me squeal but don't for a minute think it doesn't stand on its own.

Nym is down-to-earth, having been forced to grow up too soon. She takes care of her younger siblings and has since she was sixteen. I practically laughed maniacally whenever she would lose her temper, pointing out LOGICAL THINGS to the ridiculous demands of the nobility. She did get thrown into the dungeon for her troubles but honestly they needed a little lip. I enjoyed discovering more of her scars as she and the prince got closer. I rejoiced and was filled with happiness when she got to go home to see her family. I sighed dreamily when he confessed and wept with sympathy when she fought against herself. I would die for Nym.

Renn originally wasn't anything more than an unhappy and snobby prince with a hellish helicopter mother. But as he begins to see Nym more as a person rather than a tool, his personal growth is ASTOUNDING (but believable). He's smart, bookish, pretty, teasing, considerate, kind. He respects her boundaries. He isn't afraid to confess his feelings. He does the hard things and feels the good feelings. He shares in her wonder and enjoys being able to provide for her. He appreciates the sacrifices she makes and he tries to support her as much as he can. HE EVEN THROWS HIS MOTHER OUT OF HIS ROOM. The mama's boy! I WAS SO PROUD. YOU GO, RENN!

Outside of just loving the two of them, I was constantly fascinated by the craftlock of this world. Healing craftlock works by dowsing into a person's lumis (a magical manifestation of the body), each person having a different looking lumis with a different fix to their ailments. Nym is unique in that she can see death lines, making her a far more effective healer since she won't accidentally off someone. Renn is unique in that his lumis is (or at least, would have been) a kaleidoscope of color with various blown glass balls and baubles. I can just imagine just how beautiful it would be, even in its shattered state.

While war is an afterthought that's mentioned in the background most of the book, it hits hard in the last quarter and boy do things heat up quickly.

I cannot wait to see more of the other two craftlocks in book two: soulbinding and mindreading.

"I would worship you until my last breath."
"You owe me no promises."
"I would give you every oath, Nym."


Healer-centric fantasy lovers will eat this one up.

Major thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC! I've already pre-ordered this baby since I liked it so much.

In a village in the kingdom of Cansere lives Nym, a healer who has raised her many siblings. Their kingdom at war, their king's youngest son afflicted with terrible illness, and so Nym is conscripted to join a long line of physicians and healers to attempt to fix their ailing prince. The story is of a slowly unfolding romance that reminded me slightly of Beauty and the Beast, though none of the characters were described as beastly in appearance, but more that the two characters had a similar pattern in warming to each other, and even a few minor details like the love of books. Though there are numerous fantasy books that deal with healing magic, this story has a very imaginative version. Nym's own story, which she shares as her trust grows, adds an additional layer of complexity. And, despite their mutual feelings, their different stations in life appears to be something that can only be overcome in childrens' fairy tales. Just when I settled into the idea that this was simply a slow-burn romance that would resolve one way or another before the last page, this tale takes a more dramatic turn toward the end and complication arise that indicate that this is only the beginning and I can't wait to continue this story in what I hope will be its swiftly delivered sequel.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, 47North) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOW!

I just have to say, I’ve read just about all of Charlie’s books and this one, this one is the best! Charlie excels at a lot when writing but the two I’m going to talk about is her magic systems and her romantic elements!

One, her magic systems are always so masterfully created, and within The Shattered King, the healer uses her healing powers by working people people’s Lumis—a representation of their soul. And seeing how Nym, the main character, learns more about herself and her powers through healing of others is a beautiful journey!

The second is the romantic element! Unlike so many authors, Charlie does not rush or force a romance on the reader. She works it slowly within the book, creating a very realistic, heartwarming, and overall loving romance between two characters which the reader can understand and value. She creates beats within the story where the reader understands how a peasant healer and a broken prince can be drawn together.

Overall, if you haven’t read any of Charlie’s books, this one must be your first! I devoured it within four days and couldn’t put it down!

The Shattered King by Charlie N. Holmberg is a beautifully written slow-burn romantic fantasy filled with depth. At its center is Nym, a fiercely loyal and practical young woman burdened with the weight of responsibility. At 24, she’s the oldest of her siblings and their sole provider after their parents’ deaths. With her younger brother Brien being drafted to war, the pressure to keep their family afloat rests solely on her shoulders. She doesn’t have time for dreams or hope—just survival.

When Nym is summoned to the royal castle to try healing the kingdom’s third-born prince, a boy who has lived in near-constant pain and isolation, she expects failure. Everyone else has failed before her. And truthfully, she's trying to fail. Her family needs her, not the crown. But fate has other plans. Out of empathy and kindness, Nym chooses to heal just one small injury for the prince—Renn. And for the first time in two decades, it's something.

In fact, it’s the moment that changes everything.

This is where Holmberg’s strength as a storyteller really shines. The romance between Nym and Renn is a slow unfurling, beautifully subtle but full of tension and longing. The yearning (OH MY GOD- RENN!!). The trust they build over time is what truly makes their relationship resonate. Every small reveal, every step closer, feels earned and natural. This isn’t insta-love. It’s a soft, careful blooming between two people. Their emotional intimacy is delicately handled, and it makes the romantic moments hit even harder.

Nym is a fantastic protagonist. Her motivations are crystal clear, and her love for her siblings never falls to the background even as her world shifts drastically. She’s guarded but not cold, practical but still capable of deep empathy. Renn, too, is incredibly well-crafted. His illness has shaped him, but he is not defined by it. He is kind, intelligent, and deeply respectful of Nym’s boundaries: a trait I appreciated so much in a male lead.

Beyond the romance, the book’s worldbuilding is intriguing. The kingdom of Cansere has outlawed all forms of Craftlock (magic), save for healing—and even that is barely tolerated. The societal tension around magic, the castle politics, and the weight of expectation on the characters give the story a solid foundation without ever becoming overwhelming. The inclusion of family dynamics—both Nym’s and Renn’s—adds another layer of depth. Renn’s siblings surprised me in the best way; their complexities unfold over time, and I ended up loving them more than I thought I would. (Even his older brother).

Pacing-wise, the novel strikes a great balance between character development and plot movement. There’s always something quietly pulling the story forward, and just when you think you know where things are headed… the ending hits. That cliffhanger has me anxiously awaiting the next installment. I need answers, and I need them now!!!

Overall, The Shattered King is a stunning beginning to what I can already tell will be an unforgettable series. With its tender romance, compelling characters, and just the right touch of magic, this book has completely won me over. I highly recommend it to fans of character-driven fantasy and slow-burn romance that aches in all the right ways.