Thank you to Netgalley and Forever publishing for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This was a total 5 stars for me and is likely the favorite of the series for me! I would 100% re-read this one, even just for the nostalgia and when I’m missing the characters <3

I loved how the world opened up for us and we got to see more of Ouranos besides Aphelion and the prison - the world building has been so fun here! Not only do we learn more about the world but we also learn a lot more about the magic and the rules around the magic. We also got an insider’s look into the Aurora, as the title would suggest, which allowed danger and intrigue. These are the parts that are so fun for me to read!

We got to see more of Nadir and the other characters in the Aurora, and to see how and maybe why the relationships develop between them. The intrigue, the spice, the danger was all really enticing and a lot of fun to read. These parts were both frustrating and alluring, I couldn’t put this book down!

I felt like the pacing and the writing of this book was just right, we slowed down at the parts that were needed and it was fast-enough paced to be un-put-down-able!

Overall, the first two books of this series have been so fun and would recommend them to any romantasy lover!

Okay, so I dove into Rule of the Aurora King with high hopes, especially after the first book. I wanted to love it. The world-building is still fascinating, and the mythology woven throughout is genuinely captivating. However, I found myself a bit…irritated at times. The main characters, for me, didn't click as strongly this time. There were moments when their decisions and interactions felt a little grating. And, honestly, the intensity of the intimate scenes was a bit much, even for me, and I'm usually not one to shy away from that kind of content. It just felt…excessive in the context of the story. It's a shame, because there's a lot of potential here, and I'm still curious to see where the series goes, but this installment left me feeling lukewarm.

🤴 BOOK / REVIEW 🔮

There was no possible way I could wait any longer to read the 2nd book in @nishajtwrites #bookseries - #ruleoftheauroraking was so freaking good.

It takes a special author to build the perfect level of detail while maintaining a sense of mystery and foreboding. Tuli does this expertly, which makes these books like CRACK!! Thanks to @entangled_publishing, I got access to the first 2 ARCs in this series, so I dove head first.

I was incredibly invested in this book, and I don't normally love #2 in a series. I thought the pacing and the change in scenery / setting were perfect. There is a lot of tension between Lor and Nadir in this ... but it's a slowwwwwww burn. It's spicy, but it's not the most scandalous I've read.

My favorite part of this story? The flashbacks featuring Serce and Wolf. This was such a unique and desperately needed aspect of this book. So many puzzle pieces clicked into place, but there is a LOT of story left.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 - I just book 3 and 4 on hold at @northlandlibrary 😃.

This book was everything I hoped book one would be and more. The romance finally started to build in a way that felt earned, and the slow burn between Lor and Nadir had me fully locked in. I loved seeing their dynamic deepen as secrets started to come out and the stakes got higher.

The pacing was a little slower than the first, but the emotional intensity made up for it. I enjoyed getting a better sense of the world and the lore, especially as Lor starts to uncover more of her past. Nadir grew on me in a big way, though I could have done without him constantly calling her “inmate.” Not quite a pet name I’m into.

There were a few moments where the language felt too modern or the scenes felt a bit repetitive, but it didn’t take away from how invested I was. If you liked the tension in book one, this one absolutely delivers.

I hopped right into this after being both intrigued and disappointed by the first book. I'm so happy to say this one is significantly better than book 1! This one finally brought the romance and the slow burn I was looking for! It also kept me on the edge of my seat turning pages as fast as possible.

My two biggest complaints are around the repetition of some things that did affect the pacing at times and the out of place modern language used. While it did pull me out of the story at different points, it isn't enough to take off more than a star!

If you loved book one you'll love this one even more.

I absolutely love the writing and voice of this author which is why I read the second book in this series. The magic, setting, and characters are all enjoyable, but there was something that still didn’t click with me in the pacing and tension structure. I will definitely read more of this author, though!

Lor begins to learn more about her past and also fights attraction to Nadir. The slow burn in this series is torturous in all the best ways. I've been putting off reading book 3 until I can get my hands on book 4 from the library because I know I'm going to need to slam them both back to back. Really enjoying this series!

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Okay I am totally in my fantasy era and I’m loving this series so much! The first was stellar (see my reel about that killer first line for reference 😂) and this was a great follow up.

Loved getting to know Nadir better in this one (except his constant use of ‘inmate’ is not a pet name I recognize) and the character development was on point. This was definitely slower paced for me plot wise, but still kept it interesting. Now, on to Fate of the Sun King!

"Rule of the Aurora King" is an addictive continuation of a gripping fantasy series, where the slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance takes center stage. The chemistry between the characters is electric, filled with tension, bickering, and emotional conflict that will leave you craving more. As the protagonists slowly come to understand each other, their deepening connection is both heart-wrenching and steamy, making it one of the best enemies-to-lovers dynamics out there. The pacing is slightly slower than the first book, but it builds toward something much bigger, with layers of backstory and world-building that will pay off in the upcoming installments.

The characters are beautifully flawed, and their development is one of the standout features of the book. The author delivers emotionally charged reunions and character growth that will tug at your heartstrings. The world-building is expansive, providing insight into not just the protagonists' pasts, but also the broader political and magical conflicts surrounding them. While some of the backstory might feel a bit tedious at times, it's essential for setting up future plotlines and offering a richer context to the story.

This book also dives deeper into the lore and the quest for an ancient artifact tied to Lor's past, with a healthy dose of spice and angst that fans of the series will love. Despite the slow-burn pacing, the increasing intensity of the emotional and romantic stakes makes it a thrilling read. With an intriguing mix of tropes like forced proximity, possessive characters, and multiple POVs, this book keeps you hooked from start to finish. If you haven't started this series yet, don't wait—it's absolutely worth diving into.

Not my favorite and WAY too spicy. I barely read any of this book because of all the page skipping I had to do.

If you don't like to read spicy scenes in books (like myself) then I recommend you skip/skim the following chapters:

🌶️ Closed Door Modifications: Chapters 11, 13, 16, 20, 22, 24, 28, 33, 40 & 44

Thank you so much to Forever Pub for this advanced copy on NetGalley! 🤍

"Rule of the Aurora King" was an amazing sequel to an already amazing first book. It has an engaging plot, well-developed characters, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance between Lor and Nadir which I absolutely loved. Their growing relationship was some of the biggest highlights of the book with the spicy scenes and witty banter and overall understanding of each other. Overall, I considered the whole thing a fun, fast-paced fantasy read with a strong focus on character development and I cannot wait to read the next one!

After the first book's Gladiator-esque trope, I was worried Tuli wouldn't be able to follow up, but boy was I wrong! Following the same characters I can't help but invest in, she delivers a stunning follow-up! I am absolutely hooked in the same way I was with Fourth Wing and ACOTAR and I can't believe more people aren't talking about this series. Book 3 is in my hand and I can't WAIT!

This was an excellent, fulfilling follow-up to the first book, with excellent continued development of Lor and solid development of Nadir and the other characters. The slow burn enemies-to-lovers build up of Nadir and Lor was handled well, and I'm anxious to see how that relationship continues to develop in the next book. Tuli has done a fantastic job of raising the stakes with each new development without going over the top and while keeping a consistent pacing.

“I hate that he makes me feel anything but pure, unfiltered loathing.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you forever publishing for the gifted eARC!

The tension is tensioning in this one 😮‍💨 if you love a slow burn enemies to lovers romance with a morally grey mmc and a fmc with all the feminine rage, look no further bc this is it!

“Oh, to have the confidence of a male born to privilege.”

I definitely enjoyed the world building more here! We learn so much about this world, the different courts, and the magic system. Can I live in the Aurora plz? (sans evil king ofc) 😌

I don’t have much to add about Lor’s character yet, other than the feminine rage is GIVING 🤌 she’s so slay fr

“But I am not his conquest. I am not his to claim. I’m not part of their royal line. I have my own family. And I am my own fucking castle.”

I can finally talk about Nadir and this man 😩😩 literally screaming at Lor to just bang already bc he’s a whole snack! Okay but fr, I love him! He’s so caring and genuinely wants to do the right thing, even though his motivations and actions may be questionable. And he’s down bad for lor (same tho) ✋

“You’re going to ruin me too, Inmate. Lucky for you, we’ll go down in the blaze together.”

The romance is slowwww and I was screaming in frustration while eating it up 😌 I love slow burn with my whole heart guys 😩 The tension, the possessiveness, the and banter were absolute perfection. And who doesn’t love the enemies to lovers trope?

“You’re mine. No one touches you without my permission.”

Okay back to the plot! I definitely enjoyed it more this time! It didn’t feel as predictable as book one, but it was a bit slower. It felt like we were more focused on Lor and Nadir forming a relationship but I didn’t mind! And the added pov from Serce added so much to this story!

I absolutely love this series and this book.......WOW!!!! I read book 1 awhile ago and then got side tracked so I went back and reread it and blew through them both!!!

Definitely a great read for fans of ACOTAR, anything with trials, enemies to lovers, slow burn, lots of tension and angst!!!! As much as I loved book one for the high action and danger of the trials I think I loved this one twice as much......I just love the chemistry between Lor and Nadir. He hates her, she loathes him but yet they are drawn to each other. The dual pov was good.....reading about how much she hates him one chapter and then to read him internally struggling to reset her yet want her but to give her time to come to him is sooooo good.

I am diving into book 3 as soon as this is done because book 4 and the end of the saga comes out the end of this month and I am here for it!!!!

The series is absolutely stunning. I was obsessed with the first book. With this book it’s hard to not fall in love, and also at the same time not be frustrated lol I found myself caught in so many different emotions and I’m excited where this book will go! Stop playing with my emotions lol

I love a good enemies to lovers, but this fell flat for me unfortunately. There was definitely character growth though.

Ahh!! I'm now officially obsessed with this series. I need book 3! If you love romance laced with fantasy and a strong heroine, you can't go wrong with Tuli's series.

Rating / Recommend
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 🌶🌶🌶 / Yes

My Thoughts
Loved this book! Nadir and Lor are great together🔥. The banter in this book is so good. The tension between characters is perfect. I just feel like Lor deserves the whole world and I hope she gets it by book 4.

If you like enemies to lovers, fae, spice, with a side of adventure. This book is for you.

Some personal cons:
Nadir gets on my nerves at times but somehow I still like him?
I really don’t care for nickname Inmate
Lor not believing in herself at times makes me mad.

Spice note: if you prefer no spice this is not for you. If you prefer plot with a side of spice this is good. Although I personally think I could do without the spice and I’d still enjoy it.

A great book 2 and can't wait to continue reading!

I loved Lor's growth in this book and she is becoming such a strong female lead. I also like the way this book doesn't just skip over past trauma. Nadir is hit or miss for me. I do like how he cares for Lor, but the whole "she's mine" and "Inmate" thing is tiresome.

Can't wait to dive into book 3!

4.5 stars