Demons, elves and banter! Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. It was a bit of a cozy read and had me wondering if it was a beauty and the beast retelling. Then it sped up towards the end and really caught my attention. I don't usually like like reading the first of a series without the rest out, but I'm glad I did. I'm looking forward to the next book.

This was cute. The audiobook was difficult to fall in love with. I thank Netgalley and the publisher for this ALC. I feel like not much happened in the beginning of the book, but even then I felt like I wish I could fast forward pieces that just dragged on. Asmodeus Morningstar is a morally grey cinnamon roll and this book made me fall in love with him as well as with Valerie. I think that was main reason I kept listening to this book. The last 40% was where the action and story plot picked up. The ending had me in tears, the cliffhanger was awesome and the main reason I'd read book 2. I’d still recommend this book, but definitely not for everyone, this definitely felt like a cozy YA romance rather than a NA fantasy romance.

✨Tropes✨
⭐️ Enemies to Lovers
🌙 Banter
💫 ACOTAR Meets Hades and Persephone
⭐️ Fated Mates
🌙 Arranged Marriage
💫 Demon Deals

The chemistry, the slow burn, the banter and sass of our FMC Valeria. And the MMC - a demon prince. Say less! ✨

Story: 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration: 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I devoured this audiobook (dual narration) in two days, because I couldn’t get this story out of my head. The actors do a great job, and I’d even go as far as say Lila Winters is absolutely top tier when it comes to female narration.

The story itself is of a demon prince who finds an intruder in his home, takes pity on her and things develop from there. Add to that fact she’s an elf, the mortal enemy of demons, and there’s a war looming, and you have a (slight) enemies to unlikely allies to friends to lovers scenario. The side characters are incredible — Griffin had me laughing out loud every time he opened his mouth. The story is just a start, as there’s more to come in Book Two, which I’m looking forward to. ✨

Thank you to rbmedia and NetGalley for the Advance copy of this audiobook!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the audiobook ARC of A Fated Vow by Amanda Aggie in exchange for an honest review!

This book completely surprised me in the best way. I went in expecting a fun fantasy romance, and what I got was a deliciously slow-burn enemies to lovers masterpiece between a sassy elf and a broody demon prince.

The first half is slow-paced, but not in a bad way. It gives you time to fall for the world and really enjoy the banter (Asmo and Valeria? I’m obsessed). And then BOOM things pick up and it doesn’t let go.

The narration is top-tier. The voice actors nailed every moment, making the emotions, sarcasm, and tension feel so real.

And don’t get me started on that ending! I’m desperate for book two. If Amanda Aggie sees this: please hurry!!

If you’re into fantasy, slow burn, banter, and characters with sizzling chemistry, A Fated Vow should be on your TBR.

Amanda Aggie’s A Fated Vow is a satisfying fantasy romance that offers an engaging, emotionally charged story while keeping things refreshingly simple. With a clear, easy-to-follow plot and accessible world building, this book is perfect for readers looking to enjoy a romantic fantasy without getting lost in overly complex lore or convoluted twists.

At the heart of the story is a fierce, no-nonsense heroine thrust into a political marriage with a brooding, enigmatic man. Their reluctant alliance simmers with tension, witty banter, and a slow-burning attraction that keeps the pages turning. Aggie writes character dynamics especially well—the emotional push-and-pull feels authentic and keeps you invested.

The plot itself is straightforward but effective, centred on fate, duty, and desire. While seasoned fantasy readers might find the setup familiar, its simplicity works in the book’s favour, allowing the character development and romance to take centre stage.

Though the pacing starts a bit slow and some story elements feel predictable, the strong writing and engaging relationship dynamics more than make up for it. The world, while not overly complex, feels lived-in and well-drawn.

Overall, A Fated Vow is a charming, easy-to-dive-into fantasy romance that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel—but delivers exactly what it promises: tension, heart, and a touch of magic. Perfect for readers who want an enjoyable escape without needing a flowchart to follow the plot.

A Fated Vow by @amandaaggieauthor
4.5 🌟
🗡Fated Mates
🗡Demon/Elf
🗡Forced Proximity
🗡Enemies to Lovers
🗡Slow Burn

I genuinely enjoyed this book and want more!!!! I love the banter, the morally grey MMC and strong feisty FMC. I've loved everything I've read from Amanda and she's not disappointed me. This story is sexy, fun, and a quick, couldn't put down read that any Romantasy girl would enjoy.

Asmo returns to his home and finds an unwelcome guest. Valeria stabs and runs from the prince. Later making a bargain that tethers their lives together.

Thank you @netgalley and @tantoraudio for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook releasing May 20th. Ebook and physical available now.

DNF at 50%

I think lots of people will enjoy this one, but it wasn't for me.

Even though I was excited to dive into a new romantasy audiobook, this one didn't keep my attention. I think part of the reason is because right from the very beginning I felt like I was already behind. I went as far as double checking to ensure this was book one of the series, because I felt like the world building and characters already existed long before this book. I assume this is a spin off series of another series, but I felt like I was missing so much right from the get go.

Beyond that, I felt like either a) not a whole lot actually happened in the half of this book I read, or b) it kept losing my attention to the point I had no idea what was going on. (I think it was a bit of both to be honest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor audio for the ALC.

(not spoiler free)
This was a decently fun and fast read. I enjoyed the concept and I feel it had a lot of potential. However, it is advertised as an enemies to lovers fantasy romance. The “enemies” part lasted basically the first two interactions of the characters, after that they were lusting for each other quite a bit.
There were too many modern notes in this for me. I like my fantasy ✨Fantasy✨. Examples of modern terms in this book: “twerking”, “it’s giving”, “vibes”, and “your Hogwarts letter got lost in the mail”. I did enjoy the nephew as a sort of comfort, friend, and a bit of comedic relief. I did not like the queen after a specific line she delivered about her children.
The narrators were ok.
This just fell a little flat for me. I didn’t feel much character development or world building.

Netgalley was awesome and gave me an ALC (audiobook) for my fair and honest review - so let's go!

4.25 stars (book & alc)

First off, I have had this book on my radar for a while. Even owned the book but never got a chance to get to it, but once I got the audiobook, it jumped to the front of the line. I did not know that this was a spin-off of another one of Amanda's series - Dark Halos. I have not read the first series. Would it have been nice to know the side characters' story? Yes, absolutely. I think that would have made this more enjoyable because there seems to be some backstory I may not have understood about Asmo (MMC). But did I need it to keep reading? No. I was able to keep up throughout the book, but I feel like I would have understood his past better.

For me, this is what I feel is a quick and cozy fantasy. Even if it ends on a cliffhanger, I feel like this was just easy to read, follow and enjoy. There were simple fantasy elements I could understand, there was enough humour to lighten the darker themes that were happening, not disregarding that there was also a lot of turmoil and pain that both our MMC/FMC had to overcome... but I mean, gargoyles and mischievous nephews make everything lighter. Plus, there's a forbidden romance between a demon lord and a runaway elf princess. The scandal!

Asmo (MMC) and Valeria (FMC)
Slow burn, but considering how short this is and that the book does end on a cliffhanger, I don't think this was much of a slow burn. The way they met had me hooked on their story pretty quickly in the book, and despite some events that happened in that meet-cute that would make it less cute, it did still feel a bit insta-love for me.
I liked the side characters too. The nephew was my favourite. Especially when you add: Undead Gargoyles = <3.
Alice & Kai had enough of a presence that I want to know more about their love story (Dark Halos) and the friendship between Asmo and Alice.

This didn't have me kicking my feet, sobbing into my pillows, swooning for their love story or just really hitting anything emotionally deep for me - but it did make me chuckle a lot, so I think that's still a win. The description calls it dark fantasy but it read similar to CN Crawford's Demon Trails which I wouldn't consider really dark?

ALC: I have heard Lila Winters before in Lucy Score novels and I have always thought she was a great narrator. She played Valeria perfectly. Emotional, caring and fun!
This is the first time I have listened to EM Wylde, and he was really good! And I think he could easily become a top narrator for fantasy and romance. The voice he used in this made his character sound younger, but he still sounds mature and fun.

I will continue reading this series, and like I said, I will be reading Kai (Asmo's brother) and Alice (Asmo's Best Friend) fall in love in Dark Halos next!

Asmo and Valeria form a tentative alliance after he finds her trespassing in his once abandoned keep. They strike a bargain, but can she trust this mysterious and deadly man?

Read if you like:
-Hades/Persephanie Retellings
-Elves and Demons
-Hidden Identity
-Bargains

A Fated Vow is the first in a spin off from an earlier series. Since I haven't read those books already, there were some gaps in the worldbuilding and history for me, but a few chapters in, I just embraced the vibes and went along for a ride. This is also not a fantasy for a fantasy purist. There were a handful of modern references, but again, I just embraced the vibes. Because the vibes were a delight. Bargaining with a demon while hiding your identity from him because you faked your own death rather than go through with your arranged marriage might just be my new favorite, extremely specific mircotrope.

This was such a fun read! I loved the dynamic between the main characters and all of the side characters were a treat. This hits that brooding MMC craving most of us have with some action, lots of cool magic, and a touch of destiny. I look forward to the next book!

🗡️🔥💀🧝‍♀️🖕💋✨
I would like to formally thank Amanda Aggie for RUINING my life in the best possible way. I started A Fated Vowthinking, “Oh, what a cute little elf fantasy romance, this should be fun!”
MA’AM.
This wasn’t a book. This was a full spiritual event. This was a verbal uppercut to my sanity with a side of demon daddy trauma therapy and magical smut.

Our heroine?
A fiery elf princess with enough sass to power a small kingdom and enough spite to seduce her mortal enemy out of pure vengeance and curiosity. I want to braid her hair and punch her enemies. She's feral, she's fabulous, and she absolutely does not need saving—unless it’s from her own sharp tongue and zero impulse control.
And the demon lord?
Whew. SIR. You’re telling me I was supposed to read about a centuries-old, grumpy, brooding, morally gray, monster man who has claws, magic, and a bedroom voice that could drop panties from the next realm over… and not immediately lose my soul and my sense of decency?
Impossible. I want him to glare at me across a blood-soaked battlefield and then rearrange my internal organs in a nearby cave.

The Plot?
A princess crashes on an island of demons. Said demons would like her dead. She would also like them dead. Perfect start to a love story. Naturally, they flirt through gritted teeth, insults, murder threats, and dangerously steamy proximity.
There’s a political marriage plot, betrayal, curses, magic, and enough enemies-to-lovers energy to resurrect my long-dead will to live.
Also:
* She calls him a monster.
* He calls her “mine.”
* They fight.
* They kiss.
* They fight while kissing.
* I short-circuited.

The Spice?
Unholy. Blasphemous. Delicious.
This man said “stay still” and I ascended. There is a mirror scene that made me reconsider my entire existence. There’s tension so thick it should be illegal in 37 countries. The slow burn was less of a burn and more of a smoldering inferno that left my brain permanently rewired.
I now measure time in “pre-demon daddy” and “post-demon daddy.”

The Vibes:
* Enemies-to-lovers? ✅
* “Touch her and die” energy? ✅
* Banter that could kill a Victorian child? ✅
* Fantasy worldbuilding so good it makes you want to fight a fae for fun? ✅
* Spice levels that could melt steel beams? ✅✅✅

Final Thoughts:
This book made me laugh, sweat, scream into the void, and text my best friend at 3 a.m. with messages like “HE SAID WHAT?!” and “I NEED TO BE POSSESSED IMMEDIATELY.”
A Fated Vow didn’t just give me a fantasy romance—it gave me a high-stakes, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers soap opera with claws and emotional trauma and I am FOAMING at the mouth for more.
Amanda Aggie, you are now on my personal watchlist. Keep writing these horny, stabby masterpieces or I will riot.
Rating: 17/10.
Would recommend to: anyone with a pulse, unresolved emotional issues, or a monster kink.
🖤🗡️🔥 “Yes, I fear him. But gods help me—I want him anyway.” 🔥🗡️🖤

3.5⭐️ Rounded Up

This was a good book! I was entertained by all the characters and especially love Griffin. Valeria is fun to follow. She’s spunky and willing to take advantage of an opportunity to change her lot in life. I appreciate that she is a stubborn FMC but not trained or super self sufficient due to her up timing. It’s a nice change from the usual badass fantasy FMC that I didn’t know I wanted.
The plot didn’t have any huge surprises for me, but I also wasn’t bored or anything like that. Valeria and Asmo’s relationship turn a little quickly for me, but was not insta-love either.
The narrators did a good job. I like both of their voices and they did pretty well with inflection and portraying emotions.
All in all, this was a solid performance and a good story. I look forward to seeing what comes next in the series!

Sparks? More like fireworks. This slow-burn romance dances on the razor's edge of danger and desire—equal parts chaos and chemistry. The tension? Electric. The love? Wild, unstoppable, and absolutely unbothered by your rules.

This story doesn’t just stir your soul—it grabs it, shakes it, and demands you feel something. Every page drips with fierce, no-nonsense heroines, dangerously irresistible heroes, and a romance that clings to you like a scandalous secret you’re not ready to confess. Deliciously addictive.

I really loved this story. This is the first of Aggie's work that I've read and I had a great time.

I love the world building, the different species, the magic. I'm a sucker for a bad ass but wounded MMC and Asmo is giving that in absolute spades. The plot clicked along pretty steadily and I was gritting my teeth in parts waiting for the fall out of the secret (in a good way though) The tension was TENSE, the smolder was smoldering, and this just hit all my favorite points in a romantasy book.

AND THE CLIFFHANGER really do be hanging, ensuring I will absolutely be scooping up the next book ASAP.

I only docked half a star for a couple places where the writing felt a little bit clunky, enough so that it kinda pulled me out of the story, and because I have very mixed feelings about twerking in a fantasy setting, which might just be a throw back to past installments I haven't read--earth was mentioned but I was a little unclear on those details.

Additionally, I had this on audio and the narration and performance was SOLID. Absolutely no complaints about the narration. It's dual (not duet) but the narrators doing the other characters voices weren't cringe the way they sometimes are, and I'd absolutely grab another audio with these narrators.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tantor audio for providing this audiobook!

This was a fun read! I was expecting this to be a little darker, and maybe the rest of the series will be based on the ending, but it was good. It was cozy almost. I also have not read the Dark Halos trilogy, where a lot of these characters were introduced previously. I think it would have been helpful to have read it, yet the author did a great job of giving enough backstory to get by. The world and magic system were developed throughout the whole book as well so this book could stand on its own.

It was around the 60% mark that I realized that not a whole lot had happened, yet the time did fly by. I was very invested in the characters and loved the tension between Asmo and Valeria. The chemistry was instant and the banter was top notch.

My five star rating is mainly based on vibes, I'll be honest. Some of the storylines in this were kind of predictable, but I was still very interested to see how everything would develop and play out. The writing was very smooth and flowing for me, and this book just scratched an itch for me that I needed at this point in time.

While I wait for book two, I'll have to finally read the Dark Halos trilogy for Alice and Kai's story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to listen to an ALC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

2.5 Stars. I got an advance copy of the upcoming audiobook for this from NetGalley and I liked the narrators, and I thought that their performance was actually pretty good, I think I might’ve liked the audiobook and the performance of it better than I liked the story itself. The idea of the story is great, but I don’t think I’m a huge fan of the writing style and so much of the plot felt rushed and very surface level. Nothing about this book was great, but nothing was terrible either. It was a very OK book. The characters were OK, but the lack of any kind of real character development made them a little boring. And despite things happening throughout the book to advance the plot by the time we got to the end, it still felt like nothing had happened, and then the last few chapters were super rushed, and it just was far from my favorite fantasy read of the year.

A Fated Vow by Amanda Aggie
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️
Demons and elves? Yes please! This was the first Amanda Aggie book I have read and it was such a good read. As someone who wasn’t familiar with the world, it took a little while to get my head around the over arching characters, with cameos from many who I presume played pivotal roles in previous books.
That being said, it was still an enjoyable book for someone new to the universe!

Asmo, the demon prince, was the misunderstood main male character who had been misjudged and mistreated his whole life, come home to find an elf squatting in his home. Valeria, the elf who was being trapped in an arranged marriage by her father, escaped from a shipwreck and wished for her father to believe her dead, had been hiding out in Grimm’s Keep.
Following a deal struck between the two, sparks begin to fly.

Overall, the story mainly focuses on getting to know the characters. In terms of plot, it is somewhat slower than I would have liked, with not a lot happening in this book. That being said, I was left wanting more and can’t wait to read the next book! In the meantime I am going to have to go and check out some of Aggie’s other books.
I was gifted the audiobook arc version of this book by NetGalley. I loved the narrators and felt that they fitted the characters perfectly. This book was a dual POV with a different narrator voicing Asmo and Valeria. I enjoyed both voices, and felt that the tone of voice matched each other perfectly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amanda Aggie for proving me with this arc in exchange for an honest review

I'm getting bored of the same romantasy story again and again. There was nothing about this that was original. Most of the world building (there wasn't much) is told not shown in the first couple chapters and the rest was a slog to get through. I DNF'd at 35% because it wasn't substantial enough to hold my attention anymore.

I think, unfortunately, this book was not for me. I do think fundamentally it had a lot of great things going for it but the story line seems a little generic. I did really think the narrators brought the characters to life very well so that is an aspect I definitely enjoyed.
I do wonder if I am missing out as I haven’t read the prequel series to this but regardless it feels like it leaned a little young adult, not necessarily a bad thing if that’s what was intended but due to the spicy parts, which were admittedly fun, I know that isn’t the case.

I also will say I think the use of trendy or modern terminology in fantasy can be a little off putting. For example, “twerking” gargoyles really took me out of the story for a while.

I do think there is an audience for this though, it is just not me.

Thank you to Tantor audio and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.