To start the my review here is one of my favorite quotes: "Run, Gwen. Run as far and as hard as you can. Because when I catch you… You will belong to me.”

"To Bind a Dark Heart" by Kathryn Ann Kingsley is a captivating sequel in The Iron Crystal series that weaves a tale of magic, passion, and conflict with finesse. Kingsley's narrative picks up the pace from where the first book left off, plunging readers back into the enchanting yet tumultuous world of Avalon.

The protagonist, Gwen, emerges as a beacon of resilience and determination. Her journey is fraught with peril as she navigates the consequences of shattering the Iron Crystal and inadvertently igniting a war of elementals. The character development is robust, with Gwen's internal struggles and growth mirroring the external chaos that she must confront.

Mordred, the Prince in Iron, is a complex antihero whose pursuit of Gwen is relentless and fraught with a tumultuous mix of desire and vengeance. The chemistry between the two is palpable, making their romance a central pillar of the story that is both thrilling and heart-wrenching.

Kingsley's world-building is rich and immersive, with the newly freed magic of Avalon serving as a double-edged sword that brings wonder as well as danger. The elementals are a fascinating addition, their chaotic nature adding a layer of unpredictability to the unfolding events.

The narrative is well-paced, with action sequences that are vivid and engaging. However, the book is not without its flaws. At times, the plot seems to tread familiar ground, and certain twists can be anticipated. Nonetheless, these moments do not detract significantly from the overall enjoyment of the story.

In summary, "To Bind a Dark Heart" is a solid four-star read that will satisfy fans of fantasy romance. It delivers a blend of action, emotion, and magic that is sure to keep readers hooked until the last page. Kingsley has crafted a sequel that stands strong on its own merits while setting the stage for what promises to be an explosive conclusion to the series.

I’m a SUCKER for dark romantasy so this itches the scratch that I yearned for! Morally gray is my favorite color and Mordred is perfection!

Second book in this series - a fun freaking ride. Kathryn Ann Kingsley has a twisted mind but I love her writing. It's always dark, yet humorous, steamy, and enemies-to-lovers.

- high tension high stakes
- enemies-to-lovers
- opposites attract
- slowburn with loads of angst and tension
- DARK romantasy
- morally grey MMC

One thing I might say that is negative is... that Kingsley stretches out the stories too long at times. Overall though, I love the dark vibes of this series, the morally gray mmc and quirky fmc, and spicy times are great. I'm in it for the journey.

Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a really great second instalment of this series. This book explores much more of the conflict going on in Gwen’s head - what her heart wants vs what she thinks is right. There were definitely points in this book where I felt like shouting, because it got frustrating (in an enjoyable way). The romance is a slow-burn and there is so much tension, it really does get you glued to the plot. I am really looking forward to the next book. Whilst I didn’t find this as good as the first, it was still really easy to get into.

This has been a long time coming. I actually had to reread book one, which just sorta slowed everything down.

I was disappointed in this book. After Maze of Shadows, this series of hers just isn’t as strong for me. The insta-love continued to bother me. The main character felt very young still, and honestly, a lot of nothing happened. I don’t know.

I like the author’s writing. I love the ideas, but I just found the characters fell flat for me. Grimm or whatnot was evil just because he felt like it. Mordred continued the same as the last book except for his crazy uncharacteristic love for the FMC.

I like Kathrynn Ann Kingsley and I will undoubtedly read more of her work, but this was not my favorite. It I hadn’t received an arc of this I think I would have very easily set it down and not continued.

2.75/5 stars

This series is an interesting take on Arthurian legend, however for me this second instalment was a bit slow paced so it made it harder to feel really immersed in the story.

I feel similarly about this book as I did the first. It for sure has its moments and it was a lot of fun to read. Again, there was some repetition and little character development, but I still enjoyed Mordred very much. I still found Gwen to be annoying and wished she would just stop overthinking and keeping secrets. But the plot with Grinn added a great grumpy character and it was interesting to see how the battle panned out. The pacing was strange and everything felt like it happened too fast, there was little time to really invest in the plot.

📖: To Bind A Dark Heart
🖋️: Kathryn Ann Kingsley
⭐️: 5 of 5
💬: “Let’s go break the news to your angry friend, and then we can settle in for dinner, eh? I’m starving.”

“Run, Gwen. Run as far and as hard as you can. Because when I catch you? You will belong to me.”

We pick up right where book one ends. Mordred allows Gwen to escape after her betrayal.

“Remember that what hurts you, hurts me. I wanted that thing out of you as fast as I could.”

Set off on an adventure with her cat to survive Mordred’s wrath. Gwen discovers her cat’s true identity and how it leads to more danger.

From hidden identities, secrets, and betrayal.

Did Gwen make the correct choice of returning the magic to Avalon or will it all backfire? Who can Gwen trust?

“But I am a man of my word, Gwendolyn Wright—I have found you, and now you are mine.”

Wow! It just gets better and better! I felt like I was in a race to finish the book to see what happens next. I was a little surprised to find out who the cat was but the clues were there.

We finally got some more spice!!🔥 Ugh, the slow burn in the last book was so hard.

One of the betrayals which results in losing a character. I was a little sad. I loved them but completely understood that it was their time. Not everything can be forgiven.

The break between Gwen and the prince was nice. I felt like we got to know them a little more without them always being together.

I can’t get enough of EOD, he’s my favorite too! I can’t wait to see what happens next. These cliffhangers are getting to me lol

Thank you Second Sky for allowing me to join this tour and read the books from the series. As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.

Kathryn Ann Kingsley has done it again! This is the second book in her Iron Crystal series, and with the first book ending on a cliff hanger I couldn't wait to read the second to find out what happened next. I was not disappointed, Gwen is the very likable FMC and her sense of humour and the banter throughout this book makes her very relatable. Mordred is the morally grey MMC who despite the grey, you can't help but fall in love with, and there is a wonderful cast of side characters supporting them along the way. Once again Kathryn has left us on a cliff hanger and I can't wait to read the next installment....can Grimm be defeated, and will Mordred forgive Gwen for her betrayals? Loved it, 5 stars. Highly recommend this book to fellow romantasy lovers.

I was provided with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Gwen is on the run, hiding from Mordred’s wrath after she shattered the Iron Crystal and freed the elementals. Light and color and beauty have returned to Avalon, but so have elemental egos and tempers. Gwen is in the company of a nasty demon who wants to be rid of her and doesn’t much care if she dies in the process, and everyone she meets either fears her, wants to kill her, or thinks they can use her for their own ends. And if Mordred learns exactly what her connection is to Grinn, the demon Ash King, she fears her life will be forfeit – that whatever Mordred might feel for her won’t be enough for him to let her live.

In this story, we see more than just Gwen and Mordred’s points of view. That added a new layer to things. For instance, Grinn. You don’t really expect a whole lot from him, as he’s a demon. But he did make me chuckle a couple of times when he grudgingly accepted some form of help or comfort from Gwen. We also see the thought processes of Lancelot, now freed from Mordred’s control, and the other Knights who are still bound to the Iron Prince. And the wizard who apparently had his head full of so many things about what was and what is that he couldn’t remember a thing about himself was at times both maddening and almost whimsical.

One of the most heartbreaking parts of the story for me was the introduction of the Gossamer Lady, Galahad’s true love. The Gossamer Lady, an elemental, is now released from the Crystal. But Galahad is just as bound to Mordred as ever he was. They can see each other, and they can spend time together in small amounts, but they are by no means free to be together. Add in the fact that Lancelot is raising an army of elementals with the intent of ending Mordred’s reign permanently, and it’s possible that Galahad, his true love, or the both of them won’t survive until the end of the book. How do you read that without being emotionally wrecked?!

I said in my review of To Charm a Dark Prince that Gwen was a bit of a vanilla heroine. And so she remains here. I mean, I can’t fathom being in her shoes – far from home, away from everything familiar, now aware that the grumpy old cat in the barn is really a demon, and facing danger at every turn. That’s vomit-inducing, and maybe I’d just go with the flow, too. But she doesn’t seem to grow much here. She lets others dictate what she does and when for the most part, whether she likes it or not. She seldom takes a stand for herself.

When Gwen and Mordred are reunited (because you know they will be), sparks fly in short order. As with the first book, there’s a bit of on-page spice. Not my usual jam, but not so much of it that it makes me not want to keep reading the story.

And once battle actually ensued, then I had a hard time putting the book down! The story once again ended with a cliffhanger that leaves you anxious to get your hands on the next in the series, because how will they get out of this?! I’m ready to read the third in the series and see what happens next.

I loved this book. It's the perfect mix of slow burn fantasy with plenty of action to keep you interested.

To Bind a Dark Heart

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

To Bind a Dark Heart
Kathryn Ann Kingsley

“Run as far and as hard as you can. Because when I catch you? You belong to me” 🥵

I said in my review of book one that I loved Mordred and I do. I really do. This was definitely better than book one. The ending tho…

Kills me to leave me hanging. I’ll be waiting. 😬

…. already signed up for the email list. 😬😆

I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book but I still found the book to be enjoyable.

Loads of tension, angst, high stakes - all favourite things of mine. Though I'm not sure I'll continue on this series if it has another book.

I honestly couldn’t wait to dive into this after reading book one.
I’m a sucker for Arthurian retellings and I was so keen to return to Avalon and experience the land post- iron crystal breaking!

I will admit that I absolutely loved the first and it is my favorite between the two books. This one was full of more of their world, journey, history. I found it to be a bit slower than the first book but I still enjoyed it. I absolutely love the characters that are Gwen and Mordred.

Thank you Second Sky and NetGalley for an e-arc and for an honest review. This follow-up right after the first book there is now more POV than just Gwen and new people to love and hate. I really enjoy this and gives us more to the story, but the relationship between the two main needs to me fix love them in the first book, need to talk to each other not hide stuff. Will like to see more of them together not just spicy parts, but can't wait to see what else happens in the next book.

adored this second instalment in the iron crystal series and devoured it in a few hours. This second instalment is jammed packed with action and a few twisty twists ☺️ ooh and don’t forget that spice 🔥

Mordred is the man in iron, the bad guy whose to blame for the destruction of Avalon and trapping the elementals in a crystal. But he did it for the right reasons.

We see a slightly softer side of him in this one and I’m all here for it and his love for Gwen is 😍🙌

Gwen is a woman torn between love and death and her life is in the palm of a demon who hates Avalon with all his heart and seeks it ruination.

It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and I’m DYING to know what happens next!!!!!

If like me you have an obsession with the legend of King Arthur, then get on and read this amazing series.

Thank you to second sky and Kathryn for an arc of the book 🥰

this was an enjoyable book. I was able to arc read the first book earlier this year and I absolutely loved it and was so excited for the next book in the series but this book did not meet the expectations I had. It was such a struggle to get into the story and by the time I found myself getting pulled into the story we were at the 60% mark. It wasn't a bad book but there were some aspects that had me uninterested in some characters and the plot.

This book moved a lot slower for me than the first but there were a lot more characters introduced and more characters development, plus more world building. There was more history of Avalon explain, and poor Gwen kept getting trick when all she wants is to go be with Mordred

Continuation to Book 1 of the series, it starts off with Mordred and Gwendolyn separated, and Mordred betrayed. I love how Mordred communicates with her even when they were apart and obviously things become more clear to Gwendolyn as to why Mordred chose to seal the elementals in the crystal before.

I found Book 1 more fast paced compared to this and struggled to finish it. I always enjoy reading KAK’s characters and so Mordred was really interesting.

Even better than the first one!

I really enjoyed book 1, but this one took the story to a whole new level. I loved the exile and the adventure Gwen found herself dragged into with the worst travel companion possible. Her relationship with Mordred and the tension between them was truly amazing. I loved that they want one another but don't at the same time because their union could destroy the world. It makes everything all the more exciting and enthralling. And the spice was definitely on point with that as well. I just couldn't stop reading. The secondary characters stole my heart as well and I liked how everyone had to choose sides even if there are secrets and lies everywhere you turn so it's hard to know what's true. It was an addictive read that kept me on my toes and I can't wait to read the new book in the series!

I recommend this dar, adult fantasy romance series!

"To see her rid from this world...would be what destroyed him in the end."

TW: violence, sexually explicit scenes, war, death, abuse, assault, blood, murder