Just wow! This book was so creative and unique. I was literally stuck in every moment with Iris and that ending… I need to know what happens next. The narrator was great and brought depth and dimension to the story through her voice.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️ An urban fantasy with art and alchemy elements.
It was a little slow for me to get into but I thoroughly enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter and the art piece descriptions sprinkled out as part of our fmc’s job.

A magical prism necklace that allows Iris to essentially astral project to a man she’s never met before, but yet once she actually meets him, they can’t touch without feeling pain! Not to mention he also has a matching prism of his own. While there’s definitely some spicy scenes, the romance did not take away from the plot and there was lots of magical elements throughout. Even from the beginning I was thinking “forget the finance, go for the mans that lives out in the mountains with his horse”. Hoyt, was that man! We get all the tension of a love triangle but tbh that fiancé had me so bored, I forgot his name most the time. Loved the support bestie the whole way through. But then that twist ending with a cliffhanger?! Diabolical. I can’t wait for book two and this is our reminder to not mess with magical artifacts we know nothing about lol.

3.75 stars- My favorite part of this book was the banter. The author did an incredible job developing their relationship and investing me into it. I've never read anything with a similar plot. I thought the premise with the crystals was incredibly interesting and I'm disappointed I can't finish the story, as of now, the author doesn't have a date for the next book. I tend to dislike reading incomplete series, but, this was worth the exception. I really loved Hoyt, he is absolutely everything. He's a hard working man who genuinely cares about Iris and wants her. He was kind and patient with her and didn't force her into anything she wasn't ready for. This is my first book by this author, I can only imagine book two will be so much better and I can't wait!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book, I didn't want to stop listening to it while I worked. The whole story kept me on the edge of my seat making me want to know what was happening next. Several twists and turns that I didn't expect but it made the book more interesting not knowing where the author would take it next. The ending surprised me a bit and I can't wait to read the second book!

Such an enchanting book! I was slow to be intrigued but two chapters in, I was hooked. This is just the first book and sets up the rest of the series beautifully. We learn a bit but are left to have so many questions!
The story centers around an amulet that causes its wearer to start experiencing paranormal event. The main character has been with her sweetheart since high school but her life gets turned upside down as soon as the amulet starts to glow.

Wow this book was great. Different than what I expected but I loved it. I got to listen to the audio before it’s released and hearing the story was amazing.

I was definitely hooked into this book three chapters in. Following Iris story with a gift from her mother who passed away when she was younger was so many things. There is magic, romance, adventure, thriller, mystery. It was perfectly written and now I wanna know what happens next.

4 solid stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ overall this was really good and exciting. I felt like Iris was a whole fresh new kind of FMC, she was super smart, older, relatable, and very likable. Of course I loved Hoyt and his rugged Montana lifestyle and there were horses, which I love! The romance and hurdles were relatable with them and the long distance and navigating that part of the story. I was intrigued by the art history and educational information associated with it and how it was intertwined in the story, something new that I’ve not encountered.

Holy shit with the mystery/plot twist and the cliffhanger!!!! I have so many questions and theories and I just need the next book to find out what’s going to happen!!! I need answers on the prism and its power and Iris’s power to do the things she can!! (Don’t want to give anything away, the wait to the end is worth it!!!!)

Possible spoiler, read at your own risk!!!



Now the part I didn’t like, the emotional cheating between Hoyt and Iris while Iris was still engaged to Aaron, this part I connected with how some of the hallmark movies got about breaking up a couple where there’s no spark, it’s just a mundane relationship. While Hoyt and Iris did not do anything physical, it was set up where I wasn’t ok with her actions.

Spice 1.5/5 🌶️

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook

I was pleasantly surprised. This was a book I didn't expect to like so much.
The story (albeit a bit slow at times) was very exciting. I had no idea where it was going and I liked the mystery of it.

At the end of the book you get a few more answers and it ends with a cliffhanger. I will definitely want to read the next book. I can highly recommend it.

HELLO?? This was a hidden gem at its finest. Why was this so good and caught me completely by surprise how much I loved it.

The plot:
We follow our main character, Iris, who is working as an art professor and engaged to her childhood best friend and sweetheart, living a seemingly normal yet slightly dull life. At a young age, she loses her mother, and her father abandons her quickly after her mother's death. On her 30th birthday, she receives a gift (which ends up being a diamond neclace) from her father but after reading the note attatched realizes that her father is just passing it along under her mother's instruction to ensure that Iris receives the gift on her 30th birthday and not a day before. From the first chapter, we are introduced to the mystery of this peculiar necklace and the magic it contains.
As the story continues, we learn that this strange necklace is somehow tied to a man that Iris has never met before but is undeniably drawn to.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed the art history aspect all throughout this book. I felt like it gave it a little something to stand out from other romance/fantasy/paranormal novels and added dimension to a genre that can at times feel repetitive. I loved the mystery surrounding the necklace! Where did it come from? Why are Iris and Hoyt connected? Why did Hoyts father get so mad when him and his brother put the necklaces on? It gave me that "I don't need sleep i need answers" feeling, and I ATE IT UP.

The romance is part paranormal, part cowboy, which is very different, but these two elements were done in a way that they worked together flawlessly. There is a steady build of tension between Hoyt and Iris that was perfectly paced, giving you time to connect with each of the characters on their own and then root for them as a couple.
I searched frantically trying to find the 2nd book and was so disappointed when I realized it isn't released until March 2026 😭 I need the next book now!!

Huge thanks to Leblon publishing and NetGalley for my Advanced Reader Copy of Crystal Iris! I'm also sharing this review on Audible.

It was an enjoyable fast read, enjoyed the complex and older characters since you don’t get that often with and there was a lot of plot twist and can’t wait to continue.