"You're such a little tragedy with all your secrets, aren't you?"⠀
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Whitney Dean, Honeyed Fables⠀
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Honeyed Fables by Whitney Dean is an enjoyable romance with a bit of spice and a lot of secrets. I liked the contemporary twist on the classic "character with a secret falls for undercover billionaire" trope. ⠀
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I love Fallon! She is so interesting and creative. Her jewelry and bookstore interests are right up my alley and I feel like she has so much passion and drive. Hayes is a bit overbearing at times but I liked him more as the book progresses. ⠀
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This was a solid contemporary romance that I would recommend to readers who like strong female main characters and dream of meeting their own secret billionaire. ⠀

Whitney Dean is one of my favorite Romantasy authors and it was great to read this contemporary romance!

I of course loved the bookstore setting, just a super easy read and all in all entertaining.

I have a feeling there’s more to come from this story, and possibly some of the side characters.

Thank you to Whitney Dean and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this! Dark romance and extremely interesting heroes? Count me in!!! I am curious to read more from this author!

This is my third book from Whitney and I love her writing style, so this was an easy enjoy for me. It was super cute and such a fun read. Definitely pick this up if you enjoy romance with a side of spice!

Whitney Dean delivers again with a compelling twist on contemporary romance. This story blends emotional depth with humor in a way that keeps you turning the pages. The writing has a moody, atmospheric edge, yet it’s lifted by sharp banter and memorable characters. Fallon is a standout—vibrant, untamed, and full of heart. While it hints at darker themes, it’s not as intense or gritty as I expected, which actually makes it more accessible for readers beyond the usual dark romance niche.

I devoured this book in one sitting and am now sitting here, crushed that it’s over. Whitney Dean just knows how to deliver a spicy, emotional, laugh-out-loud romance!

Fallon is the kind of FMC I want to be, And Hayes?? HOLY EFFING HAYES. That man had me blushing, sweating, and screaming into my pillow! The tension, the banter, the spice — it’s all absolute perfection. I swear, I need a cold shower after some of those scenes 😏🔥.

The side characters?? GIVE ME MORE! The best friend dynamics were so fun and real, I’m begging for a sequel or spin-off.

I won’t lie the insta-attraction happened faster than I usually prefer, it totally worked here because the chemistry between Fallon and Hayes was off the charts.

This book had dual POV, the “he falls first” energy, and the forced proximity moments, that add up to give you an unforgettable read.💛📚✨

I don't know if I have ever related to a contemporary romance than I do with this one. The way that these characters were written, they have so much soul to them that I genuinely thought I was watching it all happen in my head. This is a fast paced, insta love, he falls first type of romance, not really anything that I would gravitate towards but I am so glad that I read this. The way that the two main characters really learn and heal one another is so next level, I don't think I could think of any other book that does what this author has done. Both Fallon and Hayes have secrets that they hold from one another, but the way that they speak their truths has been amazing. And the chemistry between the two is just *chefs kiss*.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the eARC.

Honeyed Fables offers an engaging mix of contemporary billionaire romance and emotional tension, perfect for readers who enjoy morally grey characters and secrets that complicate love. Fallon’s guarded past and Hayes’s hidden identity create a compelling dynamic filled with vulnerability and high stakes. The forced proximity and slow-burning chemistry keep the pages turning.

That said, while the premise is strong and the characters have depth, some plot elements felt a bit familiar or predictable for this genre. The business rivalry backdrop added interesting conflict but sometimes overshadowed the emotional connection I was hoping to see more fully explored. Overall, Honeyed Fables is an enjoyable read with a solid balance of romance and drama, but it didn’t quite reach the level of emotional payoff I was expecting.

I love Whitney Dean and this breakout darker contemporary romance was so good. Her writing is engaging and entertaining with lots of dark emo vibes mixed with funny characters and banter. I adore Fallon, she is such a free spirit. I would say that this is not nearly as dark as I anticipated and probably a larger audience would read this than the typical dark romance crowd.

Honeyed Fables had potential, and I really wanted to like it more than I did — but overall, it just didn’t completely land for me.

Let’s start with Hayes, the male lead. I kept waiting for his arc to mean something, for the hints of growth to actually take root, but every time he said something that almost suggested he was learning or changing, he’d backslide — and not in a way that felt intentional or layered, just... frustrating. He felt shallow, like he was built to appear complex without actually doing the emotional work of becoming someone you could root for. For 70-75% of the book (literally) he was being deceitful, and by the end after a sudden flip, I wasn’t convinced he’d truly changed at all.

Another thing that pulled me out of it: the over-explaining. Every theme, every emotion, every character choice was so thoroughly spelled out that it left little room for personal interpretation or quiet reflection. It’s like the book didn’t trust the reader to get it on their own. I don’t mind a story that takes its time to be clear, but when nothing is left unsaid, it starts to feel more like a lecture than a narrative.

In the end, Honeyed Fables wasn’t a total miss. There were moments and side characters (like Thomas and Andrew) I genuinely enjoyed, but the lack of meaningful growth in the lead and the heavy-handed storytelling kept me from fully connecting. The ending did create a great place for another book to follow, I did enjoy it. I also did love the overall story and plot of the book, I just wish it was smoother.

This is the first non-fantasy book I have read from Whitney! I am a huge fan and am obsessed with her Four Kingdoms series. This book, is entirely different. As it was meant to be. There were times I felt like the story was rushed, but then I remembered that this was meant to be a shorter novel. So if you pick up this book, please keep that in mind!
Overall, it’s a great read. There was loyal and strong friendship between friends, fun banter between the main characters, and a good amount of spicy and desire mixed in. There were secrets and miscommunication between the love interests that added to the anxiety surrounding the plot. I thought that for a shorted novel, it was done incredibly well.

This is a standalone darker contemporary romance that I found in NetGalley and jumped at the chance to read! I found Whitney Dean through her book Rise of the Cinder Fae and when I saw she was wrote a darker contemporary romance I was so excited!

Right from the start I was pulled into the banter between Fallon & Hayes. Their dislike/hate to love was fast, twisty and the secret identity’s with their respective tragic pasts kept me turning the page to see what would happen next.

I was a little thrown at the ending and it made me think it was potentially open to a series or continuation of their story but I could be totally off with that.

If you’re looking for a fast paced romance read with a darker side then this one is for you!

Oh boy, this book… where do I even start? Some parts of it were closer to 4 stars and then other parts were more like a 1 or 2 stars. I rounded to 2.5⭐️

The first chapter starts off really strong. I instantly connect with the author’s writing style. It had a natural, easy flow to it. The kind that truly makes you forget you’re reading. I loved the setting - a cozy bookstore- and I loved the main character, Fallon and her best friend Thomas. I wasn’t as impressed with the MMC, Fitz. The whole man-whore vibe just isn’t my thing. Also his friends, Jace and Andrew’s personalities for the majority of the book kind of fell flat as well. The writing seemed to slow down in chapter 2 and 3 but then picked up again and I was back into the flow of the book. The insta-lust came on a little too quickly for my taste at the beginning but for only 187 pages I guess that is to be expected. One thing I was pretty impressed with was the author’s ability to write the spicy scenes. It was the only time Fitz comes off likable in the story. His dialogue and the way the author describes his mannerisms was so well written. Those scenes were pretty hot. 🥵

Unfortunately there were more things I didn’t like about this story than things I did like. For starters, there were a lot of inconsistencies in the storyline. Lots of inner monologue that constantly contradicted itself. I was absolutely REPULSED by Fitz’s offer to Fallon in his condo. It made me not like his character for the duration of the story… which, by the way was another inconsistency. He would never get back with his ex knowing his friend Jace had been with her after the breakup but then he’s suggesting he share Fallon…..? I’m sorry but that was just weird, came out of left field and gave me major ick after that. Also I think for as big of an ass as Fitz was and as big of a secret he was harboring during the 3rd act breakup, the reconciliation needed more time than it got. It was like the author creates this monster asshole that is completely callous but then Fallon forgives him instantly and the author expects the reader to do the same. Umm no, we are still pissed over that lying SOB!
By the end of the book I was so ready to just be done with it.

Honeyed Fables is definitely not type of story that I pick up. I very much love Whitney Dean so I was definitely hesistant to read this contemporary romance. It had a ton of things I genuinely have had trouble stomaching such as instant love. It was a tad fast paced, but I was definitely hooked. And again why I love Whitney so much. The chemistry between Fallon and Hayes was great, I wish the build up and banter was longer! I genuinely think the overall idea of the heir to a big bookstore chain going undercover to learn the ins and outs of how his indie book store is not something I've seen before and intriguing to me!

I never wish for contemporary books to be longer LOL; BUT I would of loved to have gotten more depth and information about not only the main characters but also the secondary characters. If you know me, secondary characters are my kryptonite and this was no different. I loved Andrew, Jayce, Thomas, and Raquel, I def need more from them! But overall this book was fun and felt more rom com then dark romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Whitney Dean for the ARC! I highly recommend this quick spicy read!

✨Tropes✨
⭐️ Instant Attraction
🌙 Workplace Romance
💫 SPICE
⭐️ Secrets
🌙 Heartbreak
💫 Forced Proximity

Wow, where do I even start? I absolutely loved this book! I think I saw on Whitney.s Instagram that she was scared to leave the fantasy world and write a more contemporary style romance, but let me just say, you wrote this book SO well my girl. I couldn't put it down. I lol'd and highlighted so much. In some places, it felt like I was highlighting every other page.

"I'll tell him. Even if we only cross paths for a moment. If it's the last tick of a watch, only seconds with him, I promise he'll know how dearly I needed him."

Now to get down to what I loved specifically:
Fallon. I think she could be my actual spirit animal. I just loved her so much. I've said it before and I will say it again here: I love a good FMC more than I love a good MMC. When there is a solid female lead, it just makes everything so much more enjoyable, and Fallon is just that. I feel like I could sit down and have a cup of coffee with her and we'd probably laugh until we cried. Her sense of humor was spectacular, but I can also relate so much to the anxiety attacks and dissociation to preserve your mental well-being. I see you, and you are not alone. I also just have to say, EVERY girl deserves a Thomas. He was the real hero in this story: "I'm on my way, don't hang up." An actual Godsend angel.

Exposing my toxicity here- I loved Fitz from the moment he entered the scene lol I never once was mad at him for his scheming and I probably should have been, But idk, he can use me for information any day of the week. Fallon and Fitz together is just pure magic, they complement each other so well and their banter is truly top tier.

I was not expecting this book to make me cry, and I was especially not expecting a mini therapy session (from Ryan of all people), but damnit Whitney, I probably needed that. Where can I send my copay??

I also thought this was a standalone for some reason and the way my jaw hit the damn floor when certain events were happening and then we get hit with "Acknowledgmements" .... I am ashamed how many times I tapped 'back' on my Kindle and then went forward again to make sure my Kindle didn't glitch and skip some chapters. Crap, I really need book two. This book was pretty fast-paced but when I looked back at the end, so much had happened. I can't wait to continue.

Psst Fitz...ask her that question about Andrew again! *wink*

I completely devoured this book. I loved watching the connection between Fallon and Hayes. Their healing and journey between these two left me in a chokehold. My only note was that I wish I had more of their story.

First off, I am kind of confused. This was marketed as a dark romance, yet very much reads like a romcom. It’s as “dark” as a Hallmark movie. I think there is a very big disconnect between the book this is trying to be (based on the description and cover) and the book it actually is.

The romance was a little too insta-lust for me, and I felt like Fitz and Fallon didn’t have any sort of build up or much chemistry. There was kind of an instant transition from them being coworkers/acquaintances to more, and I wish we got more of a lead up.

Overall it was a cute story. I always do enjoy books about bookstore owners. My favorite character was Thomas, I wish we got more of him.

Honeyed Fables is the type of story that I don't usually gravitate towards - insta lovey, fast paced kind of story. But by page 15, I was intrigued. The chemistry between Fallon and Hayes was great, but I do wish that there was more build up for them. The overall premise of the heir to a big bookstore chain going undercover to learn the ins and outs of how a small town, indie book store is ran was unique and not something I've seen written before.

I do wish that the overall story was an additional 100 or so pages longer; I would of loved to have gotten more depth and information about not only the main characters but also the secondary characters. I do wish that I could of learned more about Andrew, Jayce, Thomas, and Raquel -- I think that it would of answered some questions that I found myself asking. Even though I do wish the story was longer, this in no way ruined my experience reading this story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Whitney Dean for the ARC! I highly recommend you check this out if you're looking for a quick but amazing (and spicy!) read.

Thank you to the publisher for an arc copy of this book.

5stars! My only “complaint” is it wasn’t longer… I engulfed this story so fast and was so so sad when I finished it. That is the best feeling.