4.5 stars!!!! I have absolutely loved reading through the Five Crowns of Okrith series and this fourth installment did not disappoint.

This book follows the perspective of Neelo Emberspear, the Heir of the Southern Court. This is the first book I have honestly read with a non-binary neurodivergent main character and it was incredible! A.K. Mulford creates such relatable and lovable characters that draw you in to their stories. This book was a fantasy adventure with quests and sassy banter but also included such beautiful topics such as self-love and growth in confidence. The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars was that the pace was a bit slower than the other books but overall it was a great addition and I will continue to read anything A.K. Mulford publishes.

Thank you to Harper Voyager and AK Mulford for providing me with an arc to read and review.

This is book 4 in the Five Crowns of Okrith series and it follows Neelo, a nonbinary heir to the Southern Court and Talhan, the Golden Eagle and betrothed to Neelo. I absolutely love this series and have loved it since book 1 but I think this was my favorite so far. I adored how well Neelo’s gender was handled and talked about as something that is just a fact about them and isn’t the only part of them. I also really loved how neurodiverse this book was for both Neelo and Talhan as we can assume Talhan has dyslexia and Neelo is on the autism spectrum and has ADHD.

Neelo is trying to save their court and their mother from ruin but when they have to deal with their Betrothed Talhan that they don’t really want to be there. They end up going on crazy adventures together in hopes they can protect their kingdom and maybe end up falling in love together.

One of my favorite parts of this book was how the spice was handled due to Neelo being nonbinary. The scenes describe enough that you do learn what their sex assigned at birth was but also the scenes are done in a way that felt very gender neutral. Neelo and Talhan also explored different acts that seemed to help Neelo feel confident in themselves during the spicy moments.

This book touches on how you can love family but be unable to protect them from hardship. Neelo and their mother’s relationship is a big focus of the book and you see how Neelo wants so badly to save their mother from herself but their mother refuses to listen to them. Neelo is very impacted by this relationship so the change we see in them from the beginning to the end after they finally feel comfortable in their own body and personality.

I highly recommend this series if you love Sarah J Maas’s vibes but want more diversity as this series has everything from plus sized rep to neurodiverse characters to BIPOC characters to LGBTQ+ characters. Book one is the High Mountain Court which for me gave me the same vibes as ACOTAR but not super similar.

“The Evergreen Heir: A Novel (The Five Crowns of Okrith, 4)” by A.K. Mulford. Harper Voyager. June 13th, 2023. 416 pages. $30.00.
A bookworm to the core, Neelo Emberspear (they/them) would never leave the library if they could manage it. Even through Neelo doesn’t want to take the throne, their mother’s failing health means they may not be able to for long. They also desperately want to escape their arranged marriage to the very handsome fae warrior Talhan Catullus (he/him). When their mother, in a drug-addled state- manages to light the castle on fire, Neelo realizes that their duty cannot be escaped any longer. In between fighting to save their mother’s life so she stays on the throne, and researching the drug that is taking over their kingdom, Tal and Neelo bond over books. Can Neelo and Tal find love, and save their kingdom, before the court is reduced to ash because of the witch uprisings?
First, yes, this book is the fourth in a series. That said, you could read it as a standalone, and out of order. I think the entire series is wonderful, and I’d personally recommend reading them in order, but you don’t have to. Each book pertains to a certain court (There are five, The High Mountain Court, The Northern Court, The Eastern Court, The Western Court, and the Southern Court). Neelo is the heir to the Southern Court. The series follows a group of royals, as they fight against a violet witch uprising across the kingdoms.
This book begins with us finding that Neelo is uncomfortable around people, and out in the world in general. They are extremely introverted, which you can gather from previous books, and have a hard time peopling. They also have anxiety, which I related to so very much. That said, they cannot escape their future role, and this story is us following them on the journey to accepting that, themselves, and the love that others have for them.
As a bookworm who would love to spend all my time in my own library, reading everything I could get my hands on, I really loved every single scene with Neelo and books. Not only was there a library, but there were favorite books, and hidden books, and all kinds of fun things that I just adored. Oh, did I mention the cat? If you love books, you’ll appreciate so many aspects of this story and Neelo!
As an introvert, I also understood the anxiety Neelo had when it came to crowds and having to deal with large amounts of people, or suddenly being the main focus. It is wonderful to see such diversity in traits in a novel and seeing so many different types of people represented. Neelo also didn’t have to be “fixed” by the end of the novel, which made it that much better.
As to the pacing of this novel – it starts out slower, because we are learning about the characters themselves, and their past. I love Tal, and I do wish we had had a bit more time with him as a character in focus. That said, their journey together was well done, and certainly a slow burn. The overall plot is contained within this novel – the “brew” or drug that everyone smokes is being tainted by someone or something, and Neelo is determined to find out who. That will lead us to some bigger overall truths that affect the plot across the series (And wow, I wasn’t expecting that!).
We can see our reoccurring characters, with I think hints at future possible events, and meet new side characters. Rish, the brown witch who has helped raise Neelo, is amazing, and I loved her. She is supportive, caring, and funny to boot. The world building continues, as we learn more about the magic system and how it works, traditions and mannerisms of the Southern Court, and history throughout.
The romance itself really shows off the beauty of friends to lovers. Neelo and Talhan have known each other their whole lives. Talhan easily accepts the idea of their arranged marriage (which occurs in a previous book) but Neelo is worried that no one will ever actually be able to love them for who they are. In finding that acceptance and love of themselves, Neelo sees the truth in front of them, that there are people who truly love them, and will fight for them. It builds a strong relationship, and one that I enjoyed greatly.
The plot itself had several twists and turns that I was not expecting, especially in the overall story line. I love that I was taken by surprise a few times. It is not something that often happens, when you read as much as I do.
Things to love about this book: LGBTQ+ representation, neurodivergent main character, fated mates trope, friends to lovers, and an excellent magic system. It is slow-burn which is a positive for some. I don’t mind it; I just may have been getting rather antsy waiting for the romance to really start! There is also excellent spice!
Content warnings: Addiction is a big thing in this story, and towards a “brew” or drug that is smoked/inhaled. There is also mis-gendering (but I want to mention that this is handled as well as can be, I think, and shows what nonbinary people deal with).
A.K. Mulford became a TikTok sensation with the Okrith series, which she originally self-published. She is a bestselling author of fantasy, who gave up rehabilitating monkeys for writing novels (much to Booktok’s delight). She/they writes diverse stories giving representation to many of the LGBTQ+ world, full of fantasy and love. She lives in Australia with her husband and two kids. You can find her on TikTok at @akmulfordauthor and on Instagram at @akmulford. If you love her books, you can also get the Okrith Novellas FREE at www.akmulford.com/newsletter by signing up!

Received an ARC from NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review!

A.K. Mulford does it again! I seriously love this series, this world, and these characters. Non-binary rep! Slow burn! Forced Proximity! Grumpy/Sunshine! Friends to lovers! I don’t normally enjoy friends to lovers, but A.K. Mulford expertly crafted this storyline and, man, that slow burn was CHEFS KISS! Can’t wait to add it to my shelf!

I can't even begin to describe how much I loved The Evergreen Heir.

This book is pitched as a queer fantasy romance that is gonna scratch the itch of your favourite tropes (grumpy/sunshine, arranged marriage, mystery in the palace, you can't actually want me etc.) And it absolutely nails the tropes.

But it was so much more for me. Neelo is our Non-Binary MC (and honestly I have never seen a NB MC in a fantasy romance before) and to say I needed them and their representation is an understatement. I have never felt more ...seen in a book than I did while reading Neelo's journey. Neelo is also neurodivergent. And while my neurodivergence is slightly different than Neelo's, it was again incredibly powerful and relatable to read about how they react and cope with certain situations.

And then to be introduced to a love interest, who understands them, who is awed by them, and loves them for who they actually are, every part of them...is so beautiful and hopeful. Because don't we all deserve someone like that in our lives? Yes, we do. It wasn't rhetorical.


The mystery of the violet witches continues. And that ending shook me! I need book 5 now!!
I am also going to need some novellas of our favourite witches.

This world is so expansive I feel like AK could keep this series going forever.

Also how can I go live in this world? Please and thank you.

4.5 stars.

This book, while continuing along the main story arc (and dropped some major bombs!) felt secondary to the amazing journey of self discovery, exploration of grief, finding the courage to love and be loved, overcoming and facing childhood trauma and being comfortable in one's own skin was front and centre.

If you've made it this far in the series you know that Neelo is a non binary introverted bookworm. You may have wondered how an author would handle spicy scenes with a character like this. Many other books I've read treat the character as ambivalent. Not AK.

While it's not explicitly stated, you can deduce what Neelo's body parts are and I appreciate so much how the romance and physical interactions were handled as how they changed based on who Neelo felt they were that day.

Talhan is who every person should strive to be, whether male or female. I would have loved to see just a little bit more of his self discovery.. and maybe we'll catch a chapter or two from that book in the finale?

I can't wait to add this one to my bookshelves.

I thoroughly loved reading, The Evergreen Heir, by AK Mulford! The Five Crowns of Okrith series follows a group of friends and royals as they combat evil, find themselves, and find love.

The Evergreen Heir, follows Neelo (they/them) and Talhan’s (he/him) journey in the Southern Court. Neelo is the Heir of Saxbridge and is trying to save their mother, the Queen from her addiction to brew. Neelo feels unworthy and incapable of taking over the crown and, The Evergreen Heir, follows their journey as they make tough decisions to protect themselves and the people of Saxbridge from Baba Monroe.

The violet witches have returned with one focus, the smallest seed becoming royalty. The violet witches will stop at nothing to destroy Saxbridge and Okrith from the inside out and Baba Monroe is the immortal witch that Okrith didn’t know existed.

Talhan and Neelo have been friends since childhood but now Talhan wants more and he isn’t leaving the South. Neelo is used to being alone with their books, cat, and friendly, yet over-bearing witch, Rish. The Evergreen Heir has an ENBY, neurodivergent MC that loves books and dislikes attention. It is the perfect story to understand some of the daily struggles of mis-gendering that nonbinary individuals go through. As Neelo grows and adapts to life with Talhan, we see them believe in themselves, their bravery, their kindness, and their ability to love themselves in a way that honors the fullness of who they are.

It’s a beautiful work of art and I am grateful to Netgalley, Harper Voyager, and of course AK for the ability to receive this ARC and leave an honest review. I can’t wait for book 5!

Nonbinary MC
Neurodivergent MC
Fated Mates
Friends to Lovers
Magic System
Interconnected series
Slow burn

CW: addiction, mis-gendering

This is it…finally we get Nello’s story. Neelo is my first non-binary main character I have read about. I really hope that more authors will be more inclusive to the LGTBQIA+ community and include more diverse MAIN characters. I love Neelo’s character. They have fascinated me since book one, which after owning these books as they release I recently in the last week have binged all of A.K. Mulford’s books and novellas. We still get more of the fated mates aspect that we see in the other books as well as continuous world building that I have come to expect from Mulford. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next!

This was my favorite of the Five Crowns of Okrith series so far!

The story itself had a slower pace than the other three, but it was the perfect flow to match the plot.

While bigger issues are brewing throughout the book, the banter & tension between the two main characters is ✨perfection✨ and I fell in love with the dynamics of their relationship. They seriously have the most wholesome (and at the same time steamiest) romance I’ve read in a long time.

If you love epic fantasy series with diverse characters & romance, this is the series for you!! 💚

Another epic story by A.K. Mulford! Neelo Emberspear is challenged with a difficult mother and a seemingly unwanted engagement. We follow along as fae warrior Talhan Catullus tries to help Neelo prepare to take the crown of the Southern Kingdom. Many obstacles stand in Neelo's way - including the decision to continue with their engagement to Talhan or to rule alone. We also see the ongoing fight against the Purple Witches progress as they continue to find new ways to infiltrate and control the people of Okrith. Our favorite fae from previous stories find their way into this narrative to give us another thrilling adventure!

Neelo is the epitome of an introverted neurospicy bookworm! They have been one of my favorite side characters this whole series, and I was so happy to get their story this time.

Neelo is the Heir of Saxbridge, next in line for the Southern Court. They would rather be reading than dealing with people, least of all their smoke obsessed mother. Except one person. Talhan Catullus, the Golden Eagle, is everything Neelo thinks they aren't. But when the violet witch plot threatens the courts, Neelo and Talhan aim to stop it. Together.

Another incredible entry in the series. I can't wait for the next one!

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

#TheEvergreenHeir #NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-Arc copy of this novel. Excellent fantasy novel. I have had several customers recommend this author to me.

Fantastic read! I fell in love with Neelo and loved them learning to let people into their heart! I love this whole series, I love the normalization of the LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent community and romances! I can NOT wait to see how this amazing crew comes together to overcome the big bad, I also am sad for the series to come to an end.

Thank you A.K. for writing this amazing epic fantasy series!
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was lucky to receive an ARC of the evergreen heir. I have loved this entire series and have been waiting impatiently for Neelo’s story to be released.

This is the first time I have read a book from the perspective of a person whose pronouns are they/them. I am so grateful that this is becoming more widely accepted in media. This book is so special to me for that reason.

Neelo is a nonbinary, neurodivergent bookworm. As a queer autistic person myself I related so strongly to Neelo’s character and felt overwhelmingly represented in a way I never have before in any book.

That being said, this is not a book about struggling with gender identity or being neurodivergent. It is a book about an introvert who struggles to express their feelings and desires, who meets the perfect person to bring them out of their shell and embrace life. This is really important to me because being nonbinary or autistic is part of life for many people, and there should be stories told about us that don’t centre around those facts but are secondary to the main plot.

Just like the other books in the series, The Evergreen Heir has amazing world building and a fascinating magic system. It is full of my favourite tropes, like found family and forced proximity. It has just the right amount of spice to be really hot but not detract from the plot.

The plot twists at the end had me gasping out loud. I couldn’t put this down. I can’t wait for the next one!

Epic Fantasy. Romantasy. Witches. Found family. Fated mates. Touch them and die. Fae. Neurodivergent. Anxiety. Bookworm. Nonbinary Main Character.

"Neelo knew many people were more comfortable with the mystery, pretending that nothing existed behind their clothes at all. The real beauty was in being seen and known and accepted exactly as they were. And they knew that's who they sat across from; the person who didn't need the mystery to still only and perfectly see them."

5/5 stars! This is the fourth book in "The Five Crowns of Okrith" series by author A.K. Mulford. I really enjoyed the earlier stories in his series and love the strong character development. This is one of the few series that claims to be on teir with TOG that I agree with. There is intense world-building, angst, depth, and action. A simply "couldn't-put-it-down" kind of read.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Thank you AK Mulford, Harper Voyager and NetGalley for letting me read this arc. I have loved this series from the beginning and this fourth book is no exception. It is the first time I read about a non binary character so at first I did get a little confused while reading but then I got used to it and the story flowed from there. I really enjoyed Neelo’s story and Talhan is just the sweetest most supportive man. This series just keeps getting better. Can’t wait for the next one.

I received an advance readers copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you NetGalley for this free copy.

I really wanted to like this book but I just could not get into it and had to DNF. The main reason being was the syntax. I understand that the MC is non-binary but it makes for a difficult read because the syntax was really confusing. I'm really disappointed because I loved the other books in the series.

I want to say this might be the first time I’ve read a third-person omniscient non-binary character. There were one or two places that I think the grammar just was t working in general, so the sentence felt off, but otherwise this was a good story. I liked that the MC was a bookworm, and tended to push people away. I haven’t read the book before this one in the series, but I don’t think it’s an absolute requirement to read this one. They seem to work as semi standalone books and I’m thinking after this one you’ll need to read in order. The pacing at the beginning was a little slow, but I liked the character development and relationships between all the characters. I do love that all of the original crew are who these books are mostly based around. I’ll for sure recommend this to those that like NA, witches, Fae, adventure, queer and trans representation, fated mates, and the list goes on!

This book centers around Neelo, a nonbinary and neurodivergent bookworm. As a fan of the previous books in the series, I was immediately drawn to Neelo and eager to read their story. I am also nonbinary, neurodivergent, and somewhere on the ace spectrum, so I saw myself in Neelo.

Throughout the book, I was fascinated by Neelo's character development. At the start, Neelo was a timid bookworm who had no desire to rule their kingdom. However, as the story progressed, Neelo showed a deep concern for their people and became a strong and dependable leader. I was proud to see Neelo stand up for themselves and assert their authority.

The relationship between Neelo and Talhan was one of the highlights of the book. Their friendship provided a strong foundation for their romantic relationship, and I found myself rooting for them throughout the story. Talhan's efforts to show Neelo that they deserved love were heartwarming, and I adored this couple.

The overarching plot of the series was just as compelling as in the previous books. Each kingdom had its own unique issues, which added depth to the story. I appreciated the unexpected twists in the plot, and I enjoyed seeing the other characters play their roles in the story.