"Fool Me Once" by Ariana Nash is a riveting exploration of love, trust, and second chances. Nash's narrative is skillfully crafted, drawing readers into a web of emotions and intrigue. The characters are complex, and the story unfolds with unexpected twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. Nash's writing is both evocative and poignant, delivering a tale that resonates with authenticity. "Fool Me Once" is a compelling romance novel that navigates the complexities of relationships, making it a must-read for those seeking a blend of passion and profound storytelling.

I really wasn't sure to expect of this book going into it. However, what I will say is that despite an awkward start, in which I was sure I definitely couldn't root for the two MCs together, I came to really enjoy this book and their developing relationship. There were a lot of twists and turns and while the idea of the world is a bit hard to understand (in that, how could a world like this, where just love, justice, pain and war exist as the main factions) I did enjoy the differences between the factions. I will also say, while this is advertised as just m/m, I really wouldn't be adverse to the main couple becoming a poly relationship!

This was an engaging read, with some plot points dropping it down to a 4.5. However, as I am now really looking forward to the sequel, it's bumped up to 5 star.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

I had no expectations going into this book, as it was my first book by this author. It was also my first MM fantasy romance so I was very excited about that! This book had me hooked, I pretty much read it straight through in one sitting. If you're looking for an enemies to lovers (to enemies, to lovers, to enemies... you get my drift) with action, mystery and romance then I would definitely recommend this book. Definitely search trigger warnings as it IS a dark romance with abuse and references to incest (not between the two MCs). I will definitely be eagerly awaiting the second and final book in the series to see what's in store next for Lark and Arin.

Fool Me Once by Ariana Nash is a dark MM fantasy that immerses readers in a world of intrigue, betrayal, and seduction. The story follows a jester who entertains the rulers of the Court of Love, but who also knows their deepest secrets and desires. When he discovers a plot that could bring down the court, he must decide whether to use his knowledge to save himself or to take down the rulers.

The characters in Fool Me Once are morally ambiguous and complex, making the reader question who to trust and who to root for. The jester is a captivating protagonist, whose cleverness and quick thinking keep the story moving forward. The romance between the jester and the prince is steamy and intense, adding an emotional depth to the story.

The world-building in Fool Me Once is rich and intricate, with a well-crafted political system and a vibrant cast of characters. The courtly spice and dark themes are not for the faint of heart, but they make for a compelling read.

Overall, Fool Me Once is an engaging and thrilling read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. It is a well-written and imaginative tale that will appeal to fans of dark fantasy and MM romance.

Fool Me Once is a spicy enemies to lovers dark romance that honestly was surprisingly emotional. This was a total binge read for me, and I'm really looking forward to more from this author.

Fool Me Once by Ariana Nash is an enemies to lovers dark romance that really delivers on the lovers end of that trope.
What I loved
-Complex main character that actually makes bad calls and deals with consequences
-excellently employed mid point twist
- High amount of spicy/sexy content
What Didn't work for me as well
-Repetitive language and phrase usage
-inconsistent emotional motivation on the part of the main character
Who I would recommend the book for
Fool Me Once by Ariana Nash is a good fit for readers getting deeper into dark romance who have liked works such as A Knife and a Blade by Adelaide Blake.

This entire book was pretty wild, and the constant thrill of betrayal certainly kept things very high-stakes. I never knew who I could trust; even the main romance threw me for a loop more than once…

Lark was a really peculiar protagonist. Over the span of the entire book I went from being amused by him, to hating him, to pitying him, to finally really loving him. The rollercoaster of emotions evoked by each plot twist ensured that I was always engaged, constantly vying for new pieces of information that would make sense of Lark and his true self hidden deep beneath his carefully curated persona. Lark initially reads as an antihero—cocky to a fault, and uncaring towards the feelings of others—though this flimsy image slowly begins to crumble as he begins to rediscover his true self through Arin and the Court of Love.

The last third of Fool Me Once really blew me away. I was sure the plotline involving Razak’s crowns didn’t interest me in comparison to Arin’s story, but once everything came together for a truly explosive climax, I was proven wrong yet again. The vast scope of dramatic events unfolding all at once had me flipping pages like a madwoman, desperate to find out who would make it out alive, and at what cost. The setting of this grand finale was also gorgeous; I adored picturing the vast sand dunes of the Court of War, with a castle like Egyptian architecture or a museum exhibit. The romance trajectory also left me really curious… I haven’t seen other reviewers mention it yet, but I suspect we might have a future throuple between Lark, Arin and Draven.

As I mentioned before, Fool Me Once is a really dark book. If you think you might need to look at the trigger warnings, I’d definitely suggest doing so! I’m a big fan of darker fantasy, and still found myself taken aback by some of the scenes that played out after the first third of the book (either because I’d never read anything like them in general, or not in as much detail as here). Nash did an amazing job ensuring tensions ran high throughout this entire book; that climax and ending sequence was phenomenal. I seriously can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel when it releases!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I would say this book is a 3.5 stars rounded up! There were parts I really enjoyed, parts that dragged for me, and themes in the book I didn’t love, but overall this was a solid book! Halfway through the book was when it really picked up for me and I was intrigued. I thought the beginning of it could have been a little more fast paced. The beginning of the book really dragged on for me, making the book seem longer than it was at first.

I really didn’t expect the twist halfway through the book! It took a turn I wasn’t expecting. The second half was where the plot of the book picked up, and that I enjoyed way more than the main characters hooking up.

It was a very spicy book so if you’re looking for that, then this is the book for you! It was written well in my opinion too. It showed a lot, but wasn’t written poorly. Maybe a little too much for my taste, but I didn’t hate it.

The author repeated a lot of phrases many times, like “we were just two strangers” or “we were just two men” for example. I think she was just trying to emphasize its importance, but it could have been cut out and the story would have been better for it so it wasn’t as repetitive.

I wouldn’t classify this as enemies to lovers. In the technical sense they were enemies, but they didn’t act like enemies most of the time, even if they sometimes felt hatred toward each other. It didn’t have the feel of enemies to me, just that we were told they were enemies. There was a lot of back and forth and betrayal of things like “oh he loves me, oh actually he doesn’t” or “I know he is lying to me” to “I can’t believe he lied to me.” It makes sense for the characters why that kept happening, but I could have cut some of that out as well.

I loved Draven! I wish we had more of him than we got because he was such a good character! Had a wit to him that I really enjoyed. He was such an integral part to the story that I didn’t expect from what we saw of him in the beginning, but I am so glad it was added in. I honestly wouldn’t mind the three of them getting together, though I don’t think that is where the book is heading.

I felt so bad for Lark when he was with Razak. He didn’t deserve the vile and horrible things that he did to him. I didn’t like that aspect of the story and really wish that wasn’t in there. I just wish Razak wasn’t what he was to Lark, but there needed to be a villain I suppose. I think it could have been handled differently, but the book is warned to have very dark themes.

I can’t wait to see what happens next and will be reading the next book!

I will be posting my review on my Goodreads account on March 15, 2023, which is linked to my account!

4 stars

Published: 3/3/23
**ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
#FoolMeOnce #NetGalley

Basics
Genre: fantasy, romance, MM romance, LGBT+
Setting: 4-court Kingdom, in the Court of Love
Themes: ruin, revenge

Characters
Lark: 23yo bi/pan jester of the Court of Love who trades in secrets
Arin: Prince of Love who has hidden away in his room for 4 years
Razak: prince of the Court of Pain

Pros
+LGBT rep: bi/pan MC
+ I stayed up til 3AM reading this in one sitting.
+ court dynamics of a crumbling kingdom
+ murderer afoot
+ Lark's past is so dark and layered that it adds depth to his character and provides plenty of motivation for his current machinations
+ Arin's cold/hot duality has me by the throat (and Lark, obvs)
+ interesting battle between how things have always been done (secrets, leverage, justice, etc) versus Razak's bulldozer style (go in, do the thing, get out)
+ the villain is deliciously horrible but also extremy good at finding weak spots in people and systems

Cons
- NOT a fan of one of the MCs marrying/having sex with another person while Lark and Arin clearly still both love/hate/want to be with one another... it is made clear that it isn't cheating but I don't like this interjection of the third love interest when I know they aren't end game (they better not be)... it really annoys me that the focus isn't just between the two of them
- the back and forth of love him/hate him and trust him/betray him happened so often it watered down the reveals

Comp Recs
+ Silk & Steel - Ariana Nash
+ A Knife and a Blade - Adelaide Blake

TW: violence, death, cutting, murder, incest, torture, hanging til death, attempted suicide, poisoning, rape & sexual assault (off page), knife play, drug use