Thank you NetGalley and R.L. Perez for this ARC!

What a read this was, it is the best beauty and the beast retelling I have ever read, hands down. It was intriguing and held you from beginning to end. You felt yourself fully immersed into the story and just couldn't put the book down. I hadn't heard much about this before NetGalley but thank you for putting it on my radar! If you like ACOTAR or similar vibes, youll love this. You will fly through this book!

As a Beauty and The Beast retelling, this book has it all. Similar to the original story but different enough to be an amazing book in its own right. Magic, an enchanted castle, a dark and dangerous forest and a dragon. Add in the slow burn romance that runs from 'I'm going to kill you' to 'I will die for you' and it is perfectly done. The plot twist i did not see coming which is always the mark of a well written book in my opinion. I adored this book and raced through it in a matter of hours.

I received this book as an arc and l'm extremely thankful to have gotten to read it.
This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling for adults with fae and witches and a dragon and spice.
I absolutely ate this up. The first few chapters didn't quite have me hooked but once I got to around 20 percent I finished the book in one sitting. I just had to know what happened and if they would break the curse.
I love a fairytale retelling and this did NOT disappoint. It totally lived up to every expectation I had.
I recommend this to romantasy lovers and those who also love fairytale retellings like myself. I will be reading the other books in this series as well.

Posted to Goodreads and Instagram so far. Will post to Amazon as well

Firstly, a very big thank you to Netgalley and Willow Haven Press for granting me a copy of Crown of Briars to read and review.



Crown of Briars is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, for adults. There are a couple of trigger warnings, so please check these before reading.



The book focuses on Sybelle, a princess of the Earthern Court who, since before she was born, was promised as a bride to the King of the Shadow Court, or the Wraith King as she has come to know him as. Sybelle's whole life has been one of training. To become to the perfect bride, and the one who will bring about the Wraith Kings demise, so that she can save her kingdom and its people. With the help of her dragon, Azure, (yes there is a dragon, thank the gods) she must balance these two roles to remain outside of suspicion.



Varius, the King of the Shadow Court is a ruler in conflict. Centuries before, a curse was placed upon his land that which has led to an unrelenting battle to survive the deadly Necro Shadows, and remain in their 'beast' forms, until the curse can be broken. Unlike the kings who ruled before him, Varius wishes to be a goodly and ethical leader, but he is conflicted. In order to keep his people safe, he must sacrifice his bride to the Necro Shadows, which goes against all he believes in.



There are prejudices on the sides of both courts and Sybelle and Varius most overcome these and work together to save the kingdoms they love, but with both parties harbouring hidden personal agendas, will they succeed, or will the curse claim everything and everyone they know.



This is the best re-telling of Beauty and the Beast, I have read, and I would even go so far as to say, I prefer this to the original story. There is prejudice, betrayal, love, secrets, and even some spice. This is a book for those of us who read the original Beauty and the Beast and fell in love with the beast, not the prince. For those who are still attracted to strong, dominant males.



This book is very well written, the pace is perfection, there are twists and turns a plenty, the characters, even though they are fae, are believable and I want them in my friend group, at once. I honestly did not want to put this down and resented having to do grown-up life things. I will definitely be reading the rest of R.L. Perez's books and am heading over to follow on all of their socials, as soon as I hit the submit button.



Please give this book a try, you honestly won't regret it.

This is one of the best Beauty and the Beast re-tellings I have ever read! It’s brilliant.

There’s so much depth to the story, the characters and the magic were just fantastic, add in a dragon and you’ve got yourself a masterpiece.

I thoroughly enjoyed this books, it’s spicy, dark and turbulent, giving enough drama, romance and intrigue to keep you invested in the story and desperate to know what happens.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7774538350

Thank you for allowing me to read this book, I will be reading the first now as well!

Well written twist on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. As a child of the 90s, Belle was always a favorite Disney princess - Perez did an amazing job of creating the same love for Sybelle. There was none of the typical “bratty, spoiled princess” characteristics of the FMC here. Strong willed, intelligent and fiercely loyal, Sybelle is an easy character to find yourself rooting for.
Varius, even in his dark, moody beast form is an overgrown teddybear. A bear that will still rip your throat out.
The retelling kept me guessing, while also getting to relive a favorite story.
Will be checking out the authors other works.

This has taken one of my favorite stories and made it beyond amazing! I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down at all. There is so much to love of this story! The characters will make you feel like you are there and you will feel their feelings with so much emotion. The spicy scenes were amazing! It has a happy ending and I wish there was more to this story! I would love to see where they are a few years later.

Rating: 3.5 stars

This Beauty & the Beast retelling definitely delivered the enchanted castle with a mysterious curse and a growling beast vibe. I enjoyed the different aspects of the plot that made the storyline unique: fae, dragon companion, and fmc had very unique gemstone magic. I appreciated all of the little twists and additions to the storyline that kept it entertaining.

Let's talk about the spice. The author grabbed the spice by the horns - literally (if you know, you know). I loved the chemistry between the fmc and mmc. The scene at the revel was TENSION FILLED and the improper use of his shadows (yeah you already know how they were used) was extremely satisfying and entertaining. I also appreciated that we really only got a few spicy scenes - when it becomes repetitive it can take away from my reading experience, so I feel that the spice wasn't overly done.

I do wish that the characterization of Sybelle (fmc) was a little more consistent. She was "trained" her whole life to marry the king, infiltrate his court, and execute a plan to eventually kill him to stop the deadly shadows. I didn't find her characterization to really show traits necessary to carry out her duty. I also wish there had been more reluctance or loathing between the fmc and mmc - although I do understand in a standalone novel there are page constraints to work with. I feel their relationship could have been a bit more developed. While they learned a few things about each other, I didn't feel they really got to know one another well before becoming attracted to each other. I think their physical attraction was their primary connection.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read for me, and I would definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy a spicy fairytale retelling.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Loved reading the mesmerizing and spellbinding paranormal story. When Princess Sybelle, half fae and half human, marries the Wraith King, she tries to figure out how to end the curse. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written full of mystery and intrigue, and a must read riveting romance story.

Just finished Crown of Briars by R.L. Perez — giving it a solid 4⭐️!

It’s a dark Beauty and the Beast retelling, but with way more edge. The Wraith King is broody and terrifying (in a hot way), and Sybelle is fierce and totally capable of holding her own. The enemies-to-lovers build-up? So satisfying.

The magic system was cool (gemstones + curses = yes), and honestly, I loved that it’s a standalone. No cliffhangers, no dragging out the drama — just a full, complete story that actually sticks the landing.

The middle slowed down a bit, and I wish some of the side characters had more depth, but overall? Dark, swoony, and totally addictive.

This book completely swept me away🥲

Crown of Briars delivers everything I love personally in a romantasy: a high-stakes enemies-to-lovers romance, rich yet accessible world-building, and characters that stay with you long after the final page 🫶🏽

The FMC and MMC relationship starts off cold and tense, but the shift from enemies to lovers is done soooo well. Every scene between them had me hooked — the tension, the banter, the growing trust. It wasn’t rushed, and when the romance finally hit, it really hit, iykyk😛.

The world-building is so seamless — layered without being overwhelming, with magic, court intrigue, and a dragon !! 🐉 all woven into the plot effortlessly. I found myself stealing moments throughout the day just to get back to this story, even on my date night 🫣. It hooked me from page one and never let go!!

This was my first book in the Crowns of the Fae series, and now I’m immediately diving into the others. Though it can be read as a standalone, I’m fully invested in this world now.

If you love dark fae magic, powerful heroines, and slow-burn romance with a beautifully written payoff, Crown of Briars is a must-read. A Beauty and the Beast retelling with fresh, high-stakes energy and a dangerously alluring love interest? Say less😌

Title: “Beauty, Beasts & Blood Bargains - I Couldn’t Put It Down!”

Kept me up till 4am? Absolutely. This book devoured me.

I'm a sucker for a good retelling, and Crown of Briars delivers a fresh, dark, and utterly addictive twist on Beauty and the Beast - fae-style. We’ve got:

✔️ Arranged marriage

✔️ Enemies to lovers

✔️ Slow burn that sizzles

✔️ Shadowy fae courts

✔️ Blood bargains, curses, and secrets

✔️ A DRAGON (yes, please)

✔️ A castle with attitude

✔️ Political intrigue

✔️ That sweet, sweet 🌶🌶🌶 tension


Varius, the brooding Wraith King and ruler of the shadow court, had me hooked from the start - all danger, mystery, and those dark haunted eyes. Sybelle, our Earthen Court princess, is strong, stubborn, and smart -exactly the kind of heroine I love to root for. Their chemistry? Electric. Their banter? Sharp. Their growth together? Chef's kiss.

The dual POV gave great emotional depth, and the worldbuilding was immersive without ever dragging. I felt like I was right there, unraveling ancient contracts and secrets with them. And that ending? Beautifully bittersweet and full of heart.

I flew through this story. If you’re into morally grey fae, enchanted castles, dragon besties, and magic layered with romance and danger -this one’s for you.

Highly recommend for fans of: 💀 Romantasy with actual romance 🖤 Fae lore with teeth 🔥 Smart, sexy, emotional storytelling

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (and a bonus star for Varius, the dark darling of my bookshelf)

This book really sucked me in and had me captivated! We follow the arranged marriage of Sybelle and the Wraith King. I really enjoyed all of the characters (even the castle) and how they played a part in the story. Sybelle was so intelligent and I loved it! The plot and romance were really good, too! My one complaint is that I felt like at one point I was shocked at how far the romance had progressed, almost as if I had missed a couple of chapters. I would definitely recommend this to readers who like a non human MMC, arranged marriage, and enemies to lovers! Thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all I want to say thank you to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC copy of this book! This in no way influenced my review!

I absolutely loved this book! It is a Beauty and the Beast retelling but it's such a fresh take on it that it feels like a completely different story within itself!

The FMC is such a badass and the MMC is just excellent. I love the use of the gemstone magic as I've not come across this in any books I've read yet! This was also a true enemies to lovers, slow burn romance but that had so much of a fun, fast paced, mystery fantasy story embroiled in it that it kept me engaged the whole way through! The perfect mix of romance and fantasy!

There were fae, dragons, witches, gemstone magic and spice... Literally what more could you want?!

This was okay, nothing crazy but not bad by any means. I could have used more world development. The characters were interesting but the romance felt a bit forced and didn’t complete keep my attention.

I really enjoyed this book — it’s an easy, engaging read that blends fantasy and monster romance in a fun and interesting way. The FMC is strong-willed and determined, and I appreciated how she faced fear with quiet courage. Her stone-based magic was a unique and creative element that stood out to me. The MMC was stern but respectful, and their dynamic felt natural and well-balanced. I also enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers arc between the main characters — it added tension and depth that developed nicely over the course of the story. The unseelie forms were imaginative and visually striking, adding a lot to the atmosphere of the story.

There were a few moments that felt familiar if you’ve read other books in this genre, but the author brought a distinct voice and world that kept it feeling fresh. I was curious to learn more about the FMC’s dragon and would have loved to see that explored further. The pacing slowed down a bit in the middle, but overall, the story kept me interested throughout.

This is a great pick if you’re in the mood for a light fantasy read with an original magic system, a touch of romance, and strong character moments. I’d definitely recommend it to fans of romantasy looking for something enjoyable and easy to get into.

When I finished the book I had to sit down and put my thoughts in order for a bit.

The book is a Beauty and the Beast retelling with a dark twist, mixing magic, fae, secrets, curses—and an excessive number of times the word "stones" is used.

While the concept was genuinely intriguing, the execution fell short for me. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Sybelle and Various felt unearned, as their “enemy” status seemed more told than shown. They are enemies only because they are told they should be since they are different creatures.

I also struggled to believe Sybelle’s reputation as a highly trained assassin, since her actions never really supported that.

Overall, it had a lot of potential, but I wish it had delivered more on what it promised.

As a standalone romantasy story, I thought this was really good!

I am a sucker for enemies to lovers and forced proximity. Maybe I’m just shallow and don’t need chapters and chapters of dialogue. I thought the author progressed through the story at a good pace to keep me engaged and not wanting to put it down. But still adding enough detail that I could picture the setting. There was other relationships and friendships outside the main couple that I appreciated.

The main couple’s relationship progressed quickly and a little cliche but this is a fairy tale retelling! We know how Beauty and the Beast ends. I want to kick and giggle and I did lol. I knew there would be a twist and was trying to guess who it would be about. Safe to say I guessed wrong and was surprised at the ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Willow Haven Press for the ARC

3.5/3.75 ⭐️

“To all the readers who were disappointed when the beast transformed into a human.”

What to expect:
Arranged marriage
Monster romance
Shadow daddy
Enemies to lovers
Spice
Beauty and the beast retelling
Enchanted Sentient castle
“Your mine” and “My wife”


Beauty and the Beast has always been, and will always be, my favorite fairytale. So of course, I couldn’t pass up the chance to read this retelling—especially after enjoying the first book in the Crowns of the Fae series. The great thing about this series is that the books are interconnected standalones, each focusing on a different retelling, so you can read them in any order.

I really enjoyed how elements of the original tale were cleverly woven into this version. Sybelle’s use of gemstones to access her magic was a unique and intriguing twist! The writing was easy to follow, which made it easier to immerse myself in the world, and the pacing kept things moving without feeling rushed.

I found the FMC, MMC, and even the side characters likeable, and I especially loved the dual POV—it added depth and helped me connect with both leads.

Thank you NetGalley, R. L Perez and the publishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.