I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

Kingsley does villain romance so well and this was no exception. Steamy, gripping and so much fun. Can't wait to get to the next one!

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book: it was filled with tropes that I have already read a million times and the writing was very basic and repetitive. What a pity.

I was not a big fan of this novel and ended up dnfing it at around 30%. Since I did not finish the novel I will not being reviewing it anywhere else other than here. The writing seemed very immature and the plot needed some work. While some readers might have loved this, it personally was not for me.

Baby's first Arc Read!

Fun enough, nothing ground breaking. Typical Fantasy romance.
I wish I liked this more.

oh yes the general premise of this was great as well as the tropes. very big fan service but it works in this case.

i unfortunately had to dnf this book. I found the writing to be extremely amateur and not my style at all. the pacing annoyed me as well. i was really intrigued by the premise because I love a good arthurian retelling of any kind but this fell flat for me

To Charm a Dark Prince is the first fantasy romance novel in the Iron Crystal Series. It centers on the relationship between Mordred and Gwen in the magical world of Avalon. Mordred, the Prince in Iron, is a feared tyrant that rules Avalon. He is responsible for imprisoning Elementals and trapping their magic, which is used to secure his kingdom. Accidentally into his world arrives Gwen for whom he begins to build an attachment. Their meeting and subsequent relationship had some very funny moments and equally frustrating ones where questionable choices were made or opinions uttered. While their bond grows the questions begins to loom of whether Gwen will decide to betray Mordred on a choice that she eventually has to make.

Its an enemies-to-lovers kind of tale, with enough depth and investment to want to know what happens next! This is a good start to what can be an event better fantasy romance series.

"To Charm a Dark Prince" is a dark and enchanting romance, a tale of love and intrigue that will resonate with fans of the genre. Kingsley's storytelling is lush and immersive, creating a world that feels both alluring and treacherous. The novel's well-drawn characters and complex relationships make for a compelling read.

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Audiobook narration: single reader, but still enjoyable
HEA: yes-ish – cliffhanger but book 2 is out!
spice: 1 mildly open-door spicy scene – VERY SLOW burn
TWs: violence, abuse, murder, torture, kidnapping, house fire (no casualties), manipulation
standalone: yes
final thoughts: the fantasy in this book was so cool and not overwhelming at all – reminded me of a bridge between YA and NA reading (but in a good way). Fun world building, interesting characters, unique magic, brooding MMC, age appropriately unsure 19 year old FMC (does he like me, am I good enough, what do I do – not annoying and crying 100% of the time)

read this book if you love

🏝️ forced proximity
😡 grumpy/sunshine
💓 slowburn
🌀 plot twists
🔮 supernatural creatures- fae, shifters, witches
🪄 magic
💖 paranormal romance
🤜 enemies-to-lovers?
🔎 adventure
❓ mystery
📖 retelling (King Arthur vibes)

ARC notes

Trying to figure out whose point of view you were reading became irritating seeings how you hade to read a bit to figure it out. It would have been nice if it told you in a way like this name at the beginning so you knew where you were. Gwen or Mordred. The further in the book you read the better it is of knowing whose point of you it is.

However, when the night in copper is talking to Mordred, the author first to him as a knight in copper and the knight in bronze what are two different things, so it’s quite confusing when they’re referring to the same person when talking about them.

Now for the good part, Gwen being pulled on both sides. Her feelings for Mordred and the feeling of putting Avalon back to what it was. Just when you thought she was going to choose Mordred she chose to dystrophy the crystal. And you could feel the breaking of her heart when she did so. She had become so close to Mordred and knew he was a better man than what was told about him. She just thought he was doing it in the wrong way.

The book is left on a very big cliff hanger and leaving you wanting to know what happens. Does she get killed? Does she change Mordred? Does she get home to Kansas? Does she get imprisoned by the crystal? So many questions that you want answers to. This book drags you into the story and then you are left wanting more.

I mean… Mordred is nice. If I had to pick a red-flag male lead out of a line up, I'd chose him. However why did it have to be another case of a 'sixteen-hundred-year-old immortal, who is basically a demigod, and a prince' male lead and a ninteen-year-old female lead?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

This is an Arthurian retelling of "Beauty and the Beast," brimming with passion, forbidden love, and even a touch of what some might call Stockholm Syndrome.

Gwen's life takes a harrowing turn, landing her unexpectedly in Avalon. There, she discovers the tyrannical rule of the land's infamous Prince and soon finds herself on the run in this entirely new world. However, her escape is short-lived, as she ultimately gets captured.

The story is characterized by a dark and mysterious atmosphere, occasionally bordering on frustration, but overall, it's a captivating and thrilling read. I found immense enjoyment in it. While the main character can be somewhat vexing at times, the plot and other elements more than compensate for any minor annoyances.

Overall, I liked this book and had an okay time reading it, but to me it wasn't amazing. The story did suck me in rather quickly, but as it went on I got uninterested. It was hard for me to connect to the FMC and she annoyed me. I also was annoyed with everything the MMC did and the actions he took. The writing was easy to follow though.

I love this book so much! Originally posted a good-reads review through the app but better late than never! The world building, character development, and overall plot are all 10/10 as always for Kat. Definitely a little lighter than her past works but I personally enjoy that. Totally recommend for dark romance and fantasy lovers!!

Enemies to Lovers and fantasy in one!?

You bet I loved this book! I can’t wait to continue reading this series. If you’re also a fan of enemies to lovers and fantasy, then you need to read this book.

I’ll be counting down the days until the next book is released.

This is one of those books that I know I’ll be rereading because of how much I enjoyed it.

If you’re not sure if you should read this book, the answer is yes! You should absolutely read this book. You’d be doing yourself a favor.

I’ve read a few King Arthur/sword and the stone retellings and this one had me pleasantly surprised! The FMC is a bit whiny and her internal monologues can get a bit monotonous, but the overall story was compelling and had me savoring after each page!

Typical tropes of Dark God, heroine coming to grasp her own power, enemies to lovers, fae/paranormal romance.

I wish the author did a bit more of a deep dive into the MMC side, but I think it’s safe to assume that’s in the next book of the series. All in all 1.5/5 spice 🌶️, tons of action and magic, and a nice balance of plot development without being overwhelming or distracting. I enjoyed this read and I look forward to the next in the series!

I can’t seem to get enough of this book. It was so amazing. I totally found myself immersed into it since the start. It’s a gripping and quite a seductive fantasy romance tinged with with slow with enemies-to-lovers vibes. Hands down, the best fantasy romance I have read in a while

This book was definitely interesting! I felt as though it was a little wild for my fantasy taste. It was just not really clicking for me. Definitely entertaining .

I enjoyed this book and how refreshingly individual the plot is. The modern twist combined with the cosy fantasy theme worked well together and left me yearning for more information and insight into the world. The tension between our two MC’s was palpable. Overall I really enjoyed this book - and will definitely pick up the sequel when it comes out!