“Every generation, a princess is sacrificed to the terrifying Wraith King to keep her kingdom safe — until this time, fate catches her off guard.”

This is definitely not your typical Beauty and the Beast retelling: it’s darker, steamier, and full of rich romantasy vibes.
On one side, we have Sybelle, a fierce, rebellious, and wild FMC who's prepared to do anything but follow the script. On the other, there’s Varius, the Wraith King, terrifying in theory, but in reality? A soft-spoken, emotionally wounded, horned beast whose quiet gentleness (and sexy restraint) had me giggling and kicking my feet more than once.
While the pace of the story is definitely fast ( and occasionally a bit random) the story itself has a nice flow, with well-paced tension, emotionally functional (but still dramatic!) moments. The spicy scenes absolutely deserve five stars on their own, I mean a barbed ......I was blushing and please can we include Dannahla like everywhere ?? I loved it !
What I especially enjoyed was the story structure: little elements introduced early on — the gems, the enchanted castle, the magic, and of course, the rose, slowly become key pieces of the plot. That kind of payoff always hits.

If I had one wish, it would be to explore more of Sybelle’s own backstory, her powers, her fae heritage , but honestly, the book still delivered , and I totally get that not every thread can be fully unraveled in one installment ( even though I hope to see more of them).

Final thoughts:
If you're looking for a cozy but steamy romantasy read, packed with morally grey softness, dark fairytale charm, and some deliciously tropey tension ,Crown of Briars is 100% for you.

First of all thank you so much for the ARC opportunity it was AMAZING.


Secondly, I will say that when I first saw the length of this book I was concerned because some classic retelling stories try to do too much and it ends up dragging on. BUT this was exactly the perfect length for this book. I think the overall story arc and character building is perfect without feeling like it’s dragging on. Due to the fact that it’s a standalone book, I think you need adequate time to introduce all the characters while still making the retelling unique. WHICH THIS BOOK 100% DOES PERFECTLY.

I think a second book would be too much, BUT; I would love to see all of these characters make appearances in other retelling stories (you may have already done this but this one was the first one I read!)

I don’t want to spoil too much.. but adding dragons to this was absolutely necessary.

"Crown of Briars" is the second R. L. Perez arc I've been granted and is also a retelling of a fairy tale. And knowing what I was going into after reading "Crown of Slumber" made this even more fun.

From the dedication, I was intrigued (for all the girlies that were disappointed when the Beast turned back into Adam, you'll love this one!) The magic system for the MMC is a bit predictable (ahem, shadow daddy) but the FMC's magic? FASCINATING. I loved how her story unfolds and the history that gets uncovered.

The slow burn is done really well through banter and the eventual breaking down of each other's defenses.

This was a solid 4 star read!

I enjoy a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and this one had some good twists on the standard tale.

A sentient castle, a generational curse, unique magic systems - I was hooked.

I really wanted to know more about the blue shadows. This is part of a series, but the books are standalone and can be read in any order, so I don't think there will be an answer in the next book.

ARC Review of Crown of Briars by R.L. Perez
* * * * *
Beauty and the Beast takes a twist in the world of fae, witches, magic, shadows and dragons, with a little extra spice!

Princess Sybelle always knew what her destiny would be, having grown up being nothing more than a tool for her father to take down the terrifying Wraith King. A monster of unseelie that controls the deadly shadows that loom around their Earthen kingdom.
Entering the realm of darkness should be terrify, even with all the training she has done to take down the wicked ruler once and for all.
However, nothing is as it seemed.
There is more the the story of King Varius and his people, as well as the history of his people, his curse...and her own kingdom.
Secrets keep them apart, but working together, they will uncover the thruth of the curse and save those they care about.

The second book of the series that has me wanting to grab the first!
Filled with deadly action, epic drama, traitors, friends, dragon besties, super awesome gemstone abilities...and of course - my favourite - sizzling chemistry with funny banter and kinky shadow play. Loved the connection between Varius and Sybelle. Both are prepared to risk their lives for their people and kingdoms, but still wish to fight for the right reasons.
Thankful for the map that is in the beginning of the read so you are aware of the lands, the kingdoms, and what to expect on upcoming reads.

Arranged marriage to a winged, cursed, shadow-wielding fae king? Say less — I was so in.

This was such a fun and addictive read! A dark Beauty and the Beast retelling with an Unseelie fae “shadow daddy” MMC? Yes, please.

The story follows Sybelle, the first daughter of the Earthen Court, who’s forced into an arranged marriage with the feared King of the Shadow Court. But it’s not just a political alliance — she’s secretly tasked with uncovering and stopping the shadow magic that’s been attacking her homeland. Only… nothing is as it seems once she crosses into the Shadow Court.

I was hooked from the start. The worldbuilding was rich and immersive, and I loved how the tension between the two courts was slowly revealed through the politics, the culture clashes, and the subtle danger that lingered throughout. Sybelle was such a strong and intelligent character — even though her own family treated her like a pawn, she never lost her sense of self.

And Varius? The moment he entered the scene, I was intrigued. The mystery surrounding the curse, the secrets of his court, and his slow-burn romance with Sybelle had me completely invested. I especially loved how their relationship was built on mutual respect and communication — even when they couldn’t be fully honest, the trust was there, and it made their eventual connection feel earned and real. Plus, him being utterly gone for her? Delicious.

If you’re a fan of ACOTAR, shadow fae, slow burns, and arranged marriages that turn into actual love? You need to read this.

Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC!

Tropes you’ll love:
• Shadow daddy MMC
• Feisty, clever FMC
• Dragons (!!)
• Slow burn romance
• Protective MMC with a soft spot only for her

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️.5

I love this unique retelling of Beauty & the Beast. It has a very unique storyline, magic system, and creatures. I love how the love story was different and not your typical love story. She saw the beauty in the beast behind the mask of what he tried to hide. Definately will be getting the physical of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5 rounded up)

Crown of Briars is a romantasy with a dark, dreamy twist. It's a Beauty and the Beast retelling that honestly? It delivers on being a fun, tropey, slow-burn. We’ve got cursed royalty, dragon familiars, a sentient castle, and an arranged marriage. I was intrigued right from the pitch, and while there were definitely a few pacing hiccups along the way, I found myself rooting for this moody, magical story.

Sybelle is a strong heroine with grit, strategy, and a kill-first-ask-later approach that I loved. She walks into the Shadow Court knowing full well she might die and fully planning to take her new husband with her. But as secrets unravel and tensions simmer, so does a surprising (and sweet) romance between two people raised to hate each other. Varius, the cursed Wraith King, is monstrous in appearance and cursed to grow even more so, but he’s written with a quiet, unexpected vulnerability. He never pushes, never forces, and treats Sybelle with more care than anyone in her life ever has. Watching them go from outright revulsion to cautious, complicated trust was the emotional heart of this book.

The world has plenty of cool elements, especially Sybelle’s crystal magic and the magical politics of the Unseelie court, but it sometimes felt like the details stayed surface-level. I wanted more depth, more consequence, more urgency behind the stakes. Some side characters stood out (Azura the dragon was a personal fave), but many came and went without leaving much impact. And while the emotional build between the leads was solid, the eventual “I choose you” moment felt just a little too fast for a relationship rooted in such deep mistrust.

Still, there was some tension, and even when the plot didn’t fully grip me, I was enjoying the vibe. It’s not a breakneck, high-stakes fantasy romance; it’s softer, slower, cozier. So if you’re going in expecting A Court of Mist and Fury levels of angst or action, you might come away underwhelmed. But if you want a moody fairytale with real enemies-to-lovers payoff, some beastly tenderness, and a touch of cozy danger, you’re in the right place.

This was the beauty and the beast retelling I didn’t know I needed. It wasn’t perfect, but it was satisfying. I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.

Reviews have been posted as of July 31st! On Instagram, Fable, and Goodreads!


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was EVERYTHING.
The world itself was beautifully done, I genuinely felt like I was apart of it.
Sybelle and Varius are a duo meant to be remembered.
First of all, we LOVE a big bad shadow daddy MMC who gets a little shy and flustered from time to time. It was genuinely the most precious thing and had me kicking my feet everytime. 🥰
Now, Sybelle. We’ve got a strong willed half-fae who overcame and grew so much and I love her for being able to see past her past beliefs and start thinking more open mindedly.
❤️

The side characters in this were some of my absolute favorites. And don’t even get me started on how much I LOVED Azure and Sybelle’s friendship.

Plus, the plot twistttttt 🫠👀
All in all, this book was absolutely incredible from beginning to end! Absolutely recommend this read!

In this retelling of Beauty and the Beast, the beast must wed a human to try to break the curse & protect the realm from his deadly shadows. Princess Sybelle has spent her entire life preparing for this moment, knowing she was going to have to marry the monster who has been terrorizing her people. She is going into the marriage with a plan though - armed with her dragon familiar, who can sniff out powerful enchantments, and her bag of gemstones that allow her to wield magic, she plans to uncover the source of the Wraith King's shadow magic. Then, she plans to kill him. There is only one problem...once she is wed to him, she begins to see him for who he really is. He isn't the enemy after all. When she realizes he is trapped by a powerful curse, she wants to do everything in her power to break it, even if it means endangering her own life in the process,

This book is part of the Crowns Of Fae series. Each book can be read as a standalone though, since each one focuses on a different fairytale. I thoroughly enjoyed this. There was non-stop action, and it was a unique twist on the popular fairytale. There were witches, fae, sealies, oh and did i mention a dragon??? There were some very steamy romantic scenes, as well as the palace being under siege. So if you love fairytale retellings as much as I do, this needs to be at the top of your TBR pile!


This book contains adult themes. Before reading, readers are encouraged to check the content warning at rlperez.com/content.

Had a lot of potential but did not meet my expectations. I usually do not like smut, and I had to skip a lot of parts of it because it was really cringe and made my skin crawl. These parts downgraded the value of the story. The synopsis was really good but the entire book was focused on sex and made it unreadable.

First off, I LOVE me a Beauty and the Beast retelling.
I like how the FMC has a resolute demeanor. She isn't taking anyone's bull. The circumstances she finds herself in aren't great, but she makes the most of it. Giving her a companion (I refuse to use the word pet) was a nice touch.

There were some things that didn't hit for me. I feel that you get more backstory on Sybelle than you do Varius himself, instead of the overall curse, which I can understand, but would have liked more detail about him. There was also the almost instant switch from loathe to love, and at least one power/character trait never really got explained that I can recall.

This Beauty and the Beast retelling had me hooked from page one. Sybille is the kind of fierce, no-nonsense heroine I love—smart, strong, and absolutely done with everyone’s crap.

And the beast? Yeah…a new shadow daddy just claimed a spot on my list 😮‍💨 The things he does with those shadows? Whew.

We’ve got:
🖤 Enchanted castle chaos
💍 Arranged marriage
💀 Enemies to lovers
💘 He falls first
🫶 Found family
🧚‍♂️ Fae magic & curses
🔥 Slow burn + banter that bites

If you’re a sucker for fairytale retellings, shadowy men with secrets, and a romance that simmers while the world burns, you need to add this one to your TBR.

I will most definitely be going back and reading the authors first book in this standalone series!

Thank you NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 stars provided. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this Beauty and the Beast retelling. This book comes out on 04 August and I encourage you to read it.

Unlike most Beauty and the Beast retelling, our FMC, Sybelle, is to marry the Wraith King in a treaty between their kingdoms for peace. However, with the help of her dragon she plans to find the source of the Wraith King’s magic and kill him. But all isn’t as it seems and Sybelle soon finds herself questioning everything she’s been taught. Throw in a sentient castle, unique magic, curses and you have a great story. Did I mention the Wraith King wields shadows?

I loved all the characters in this book, and was nice to see a strong FMC and a flawed MMC. The growth between these two and those around them was nice to see. This is a slow burn but the spice is next level 🥵

Make sure to read this one when it comes out, you’ll be sure to love it 🖤

A dark and steamy retelling of Beauty and The Beast that will have you curled up on the couch unable to put the book down. What started off as a slow narrative, quickly picked up the pace as we were introduced to enchanted castles, talking dragons, shapeshifting fae, curses and more.

Sybelle, Princess of the Earthern Court, is destined to marry the Wraith King. His deadly shadows are encroaching on her kingdom and she has no choice. She must kill him. Meanwhile, in the Shadow Court, time is running out. He must claim his human bride and break the curse placed upon his people. Who will prevail victorious?

My favourite takeaways:
* I absolutely loved the enchanted house and its passion for matchmaking ✨
* I did not see that twist coming and I was constantly trying to guess ulterior motives for the characters!
* The spicy mind-to-mind conversations 🌶️
* The loving, respectful relationship between Sybelle and her dragon, Azure

My not-so-favourite takeaways:
* Sybelle’s character was initially quite soft and not representative of a trained assassin. In the first few chapters, I was screaming at her to show some sass. As the book goes on, she definitely grows into her own! 🗡
* The relationship is not true enemies-to-lovers
* As a standalone, CoB struggled to really explore side characters and get to grips with the complexity of the courts - I wish this was a series📚


I am thrilled to have read such an enchanting retelling of Beauty and The Beast. From dancing in my yellow ballgown as a child, to blushing at the pages of Crown of Briars, this tale will always be a favourite of mine. Thank you NetGalley, R.L. Perez and Willow Haven Press for sharing this book with me.

Another banger sent from NetGalley!!

A dragon.. yes! Broody shadow king.. girl absolutely!! A man that actually trusts the fmc.. freaking finally!

I loved this retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I found this book to portray its plot much better than ACOTAR did (and that's a tough comparison).

Our FMC didn't take any of the MMC's bs and the MMC fell for our FMC SO FREAKING HARD. I am so excited to dive into her other retellings because I know I will be instantly hooked! Thank you again to the publishers for this ARC.

irst, thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc!

This was such a fun read! I love Beauty and the Beast and this book is so similar! The author did an amazing job of keeping the baseline of the story but making it her own. Thoroughly enjoyed it from the beginning to end! The spice was also the perfect amount! I definitely recommend this book!!

All I have too say is wow! The magic system was PERFECT! who thought gem stones would perfect twine within the story line!

Im not 100% into the re-telling with a twist, but i'm definitely glad I was able to read this ARC. I loved all the classic enchanted castle and world of Fae, it was really refreshing and I devoured it all!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me this beautiful story and to the Author or Publisher for making this story come to life! It was definitely an enjoyable read!

This Beauty and the Beast–inspired tale absolutely delivers—and in many ways, outshines the first book in the series. Crown of Briars stays rooted in the spirit of the original fairytale, with its enchanted castle, cursed prince, and themes of love blooming beyond appearances. But it also builds something wholly its own.

Sybelle is a standout FMC: headstrong and unbothered by the weight of others’ judgments. Like Belle, she’s independent and clever. I loved that she laughs in the face of prejudice. That energy made the story feel refreshing, even when it played with familiar tropes.

The romance strikes a solid balance—sweet, spicy, and just enough tension to keep the pages turning. And while a few moments dipped into cliché or cringe territory, the plot’s twists more than made up for it. I especially appreciated how Azure was woven into the story—even if I’m still not 100% sure where this sits in the timeline. Is this pre- or post-Aurelia’s reign in Valora? A little clarity there would’ve helped.

Overall, Crown of Briars is a compelling addition to the series—rooted in classic fairytale charm, but with a bold new voice. I’d definitely recommend it to fans of fantasy romance and fairytales alike.

3.5 ⭐️

“Crown of Briars” is part of a fantasy series that retells classics. Bonus points for the fact that, despite being part of a series, each book works as a standalone, hence you can read about your favorite classic in any order.

In this one, specifically, we have a beauty and the best retelling. It’s an easy and captivating romantsy read. It relies on the enemies-to-lovers trope that is highly well achieved. The slow pace allows our characters to develop feelings for one another in a very organic way. It has interesting plot twists in the fantasy realm that keep us interested throughout the book. Personally, I felt there was too much focus on the romance, which some repetition due to the dual POV. Some of the scenes could have been faster, as they did not add that much to the overall narrative.