2.5 stars ⭐️ a vampire bitten librarian who is the key to the prophecy the prince has been looking for

This was a quick read and fast paced. With that, I couldn’t really relate/empathize with the characters really, none of them even stood out and the MMC, in my opinion, was too much of an asshole in the beginning for me to even warm up to him. That being said I am not a big Stockholm syndrome trope girl and this is what it was kind of giving if you add in the “fated mates” in there too. Also, I feel that the FMC changed a lot when she got to the new lands because she started off as a very shy and panicky girl literally scared of everything to a girl climbing out windows and giving sass to people who clearly hold lots of authority. Regardless it was a fun read and went by quick, there were some plot points I didn’t expect so that was nice to be surprised too!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own

The Prince of Never, book one of the Curse of Fate and Fae series by Lorelei Johnson and Hailey Jade is to be published on September 25, 2023. I want to thank the publishers, Lorelei Johnson, Hailey Jade, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC copy!


My first thought of the Prince of Never is, I absolutely loved the strong main characters, Imogen and Tarian. I enjoyed their enemies to lovers relationship and their banter. I laughed out loud many times. I wasn't expecting the steamy moments between them and from this book, I was pleasantly surprised! Overall, I think all of the main and the supporting characters are well developed and are interesting. It didn't take me long to become invested in them!


I read, I should really say consumed, the Prince of Never very quickly! I read the book in a few short hours. Honestly, I didn't want the book to end, I had to know more! The plot is intriguing! I loved the concept of fated mates and I found the prophecy interesting. I wish there had been more information given about the prophecy involving Imogen and Tarian. I'm hoping the sequel will answer many questions that have been left unanswered regarding the prophecy and Imogen's role to play in it.


While there are two authors, I felt the writing was as one voice and the style was consistent throughout the book. Often with two writers the writing styles can be conflicting, I think Johnson and Jade did well with their collaboration of the Prince of Never. The dual point of views of Imogen and Tarian from chapter to chapter were also done in a manner that was concise and clear to the reader.


The cliffhanger ending took me by surprise. The ending came up suddenly and I was not mentally prepared. I generally do not like cliff-hanger endings in books. It's something most have come to expect from television shows, but with book series, I enjoy when each book has a clear ending and beginning. The ending is my only complaint with the Prince of Never. I can only pray that Johnson and Jade release the sequel, The Queen of Ever quickly so that my suffering in waiting will be over soon.


Definitely don't hesitate to pick up The Prince of Never, you will be hooked from the start. Prepare yourself to enter the realm of the Fae, the Unseelie and Seelie Courts, and to Shadowmire; you won't want to return to the Human realm!

"The Prince of Never" was an exciting read! There were a lot of plot twists that kept the story interesting and insisted on me to turn to the next page. I am looking forward to the next book in this series; it's going to answer a lot of pressing questions that I have revolving around the fate of our heroine.

An easy to read page-turner with some of my favorite tropes! Imogen's story starts out slow in the human realm but escalates quickly once she finds herself stumbling into the fae realm. I was not a huge fan of the beginning of Imogen's story where much of the dialogue and internal dialogue felt a bit immature but I was hooked once the main plot really started to develop! Prince of Never has a great cast of characters. Imogen and Tarian have great potential but I did find that their internal dialogue felt quite repetitive even as the story progressed. Ethan was a fun and mysterious 'side-kick' to the FMC and I also really loved Haddock and all of his rambling! I'm a sucker for the fated mate trope and Imogen and Tarian's chemistry was *chef's kiss*. I can't wait to read more in this series!

If you're a fan of Sarah J. Maas or Jennifer L. Armentrout you should definitely pick up this book!!

Firstly, thank you to the Authors and NetGalley for this ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. This book had everything for me. Enemies to lovers, fated mates, fae, slow burn and a strong female character. For lovers of ACOTAR and From Blood and Ash this one is definitely for you.

We start out with Imogen, who is a librarian with a interest in mythical creatures (go figure lol). But not everything is at it seems. After being attacked years before by what she believes to be a vampire, Imogen questions her safety at every turn. The problem is , no one believes her. When a second attack occurs and her credibility is again called in to question, Imogen is left to question her own sanity.

However, that all changes when she is attacked and swept away to the fae realm by Tarian , the unseelie prince. A prophecy has lead him to seek her out, however what he found isn’t what he expected.

Although this is a slow burn, the tension between the two main characters was greatly depicted and left me wanting to keep reading.

Excellent, simplistic world building that allowed me to see the Fae realm through the authors eyes . A great approach to fated mates that allowed for great character development and allowed us to delve into Tarian’s background.

A quick read, but one I could not put down and demolished in 24 hours. With an ending that has left me excited for the next in the series.

This one ticked a LOT of boxes for me! Story of the Fae that's rooted in mythology? Check. Enemies to lovers? check. Broody male with an attitude problem? Check. FMC that's a LIBRARIAN?? Also check.

Imogen is whisked away from the human world into the realm of the Fae so that she may be destroyed and prevent a prophecy of doom and destruction, and end Tarian's "curse." But of course, things aren't that easy and Tarian can't bring himself to kill her due to the small problem of them being fated mates. Imogen wants to leave, she wants to stay. Tarian wants her safe and far away with their bond broken, but also can't stand being away from her. Wants aside, there's the threat of war from the other court, an evil Queen, and danger lurking around every corner. What's a human girl to do?

Overall, I enjoyed the book and will read the next book in the series when it comes out. It's a very fast and straightforward read, no excessive world building or lore that often bogs down fantasy novels. However, that also means that it's...kind of boring? There wasn't really any plot development or conflict outside of "He hates me/She hates me" for the first 75% of the book, and I don't feel particularly connected to any of the characters--main or otherwise. I wish the book had been maybe 100 pages longer and devoted more time to Tarian and Imogen's character development, or given more lore/backstory/plot. But if you're a fan of the genre and looking for a fast read, this is probably for you!

This book was laugh out loud funny in so many places! I couldn't stop, it just kept me so sucked in to find out what would happen next. Imogen is a strong, sassy, and brave human girl who is kidnapped by the Unseelie prince, Tarian. His plan is to kill her to prevent a prophecy from fulfilling, but the moment he touches her, everything changes. I loved watching everything unfold between the two of them, especially because everyone around them had it figured out long before they did. Funny, spicy, and dramatic, I can not wait to see what happens next!

I ended up really getting sucked in (pun intended) right from the first chapter!

The characters were well written and developed, the fae world was really intriguing, and the fantasy element as a whole was really well done. A very engaging fantasy romance that runs along the lines of ACOTAR, but to be honest, this grabbed me even more from the beginning.

This was such a good read. The writing was really good, easy to read and I really couldn’t put it down. It gives acotar vibes but more heavy on the romance than the family/magic world. A perfect read for those that want a romantasy series. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, the world building was so easy to understand.

Lorelei Johnson and Hailey Jade did a fantastic job of creating the story with such evocative description it plays out as if you’re part of the vivid scenery. The protagonists alternate by chapter from Imogen to Tarian, giving us even more background, intel, and perspective while adding to the highly absorbing storyline. It took me a second to fully appreciate the characters, but I’ve got a thing for Fae stories, and factor in the inexorable bonds, gothic castles, imperious beasts, swoon-worthy talk of dark matter, and dying stars — this gem kept me reading late into the night. That ending tho 😩 I’m gonna need book 2 asap.

I cannot get over how much I enjoyed this absolute masterpiece 👏🏻

Every thing came together so beautifully for me that by the end I was DYING to know what was going to happen and even until the last sentence I was like !!!!!!

This itched my post ACOTAR scratch I didn’t know I had. The character building between Imogen and Tarian was *chefs kiss* and I couldn’t get enough of them and tbh I’m nervous the direction book two will go but also I want to read it RIGHT THIS SECOND because I’m going to heel over if I don’t know how this all plays out immediately 🫠

I first want to thank Lorelei Johnson, Hailey Jade, and NetGalley for this ARC ebook edition.

Imogen is a librarian at a local university. When she was younger, she was attacked by a vampire and bitten. The only problem with this story is... no one believes her. And nobody can see the scars on her throat. For years now, she's struggled with the truth she remembers and the fact it makes everyone else think she's crazy. Is she crazy?

When she's attacked again while walking out to her car after work, she's thrown back to those memories she can't trust. The man who attacks this time doesn't go for her throat, but his long claws on his hand gouge into the hood of her car. Again, though, it seems as if nobody else can see them but her.

The next night, she gets home to find a man in her apartment. His intention of killing her clear. After a brush of their skin, though, he seizes up and though the hatred is still clear in his eyes, he no longer seems to have the ability to cause her harm. Instead he whisks her away to the fae realm where he is the prince of the Unseelie Court. And Imogen? She's the center of a prophecy predicting his downfall.

I really loved this book. I loved the tension. I loved the politics. I loved the constant question of who you could trust and who was using careful half-truths to get what they wanted. There's tension throughout the entire story, making it so the book felt impossible to walk away from.

I will say, I really wish the prophecy would have been included as, perhaps, an epigraph at the beginning of the book. For the first half of the story, we're only really given vague notions of what it was, what it outlined, and how the prince saw it as unavoidable, even when his advisor urged him that some prophecies could be misconstrued. As it stands, we aren't given the prophecy in full until we're at least halfway through the book. And I would have really loved to try to unravel it throughout the whole book on my own.

As things come to light, a lot of my initial hunches about some truths that were being withheld proved to be right, so the plot twist, if you want to call it that, wasn't really much of a shock. However, that didn't take away from the story in the slightest. By the time I finished the last page, I was buzzing with the anxiety and tension of wanting to read more of this story. And I absolutely will as soon as the next book becomes available.

If you like fae realms, fated mates, cursed prophecies, and enemies-to-lovers, I highly recommend this novel. It's well written and will leave you at the edge of your seat long after you close the book at the end.

I absolutely loved this book, thank you for gifting the eARC!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a sucker for fantasy romance, add in reluctantly fated mates that just can't help but be drawn together? *chef kiss*

From the very beginning we're thrown right into the mix, and the drama doesn't stop once. I might've appreciated just a bit more world building, especially if I was a new reader to the fantasy genre, but overall it was pretty easy to follow and keep up with the plot.

One of my favorite scenes was definitely the hunt, I viscerally felt the tension and adrenaline rush between all of the characters. (I didn't include this in my Goodreads review to avoid spoilers!)

I already can't wait to read the next book in the series, that ending has me dreaming up theories and all the possibilities of where Imogen will end up.

PS for the side characters, Sarah and Ethan are some real ones, and I hope we see some more comedic relief from Haddock in the Queen of Ever

My review can also be found here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5844888509

This review is for an ARC provided by NetGalley.

🖤Prince of Never🖤

🖤Description
Imogen is a librarian at her university with an interest in fantasy & the supernatural after a vampire attack that everyone told her she was crazy for believing happened.

Tarian is the prince of the Unseelie fae court. When given his true name as a child, he was also given the prophecy of a woman being the downfall of the Unseelie crown.

As Fate would have it, this woman is Imogen. In order to prevent the prophecy, Tarian goes to the mortal realm to kill Imogen. But as soon as he touches her, their mating bond snaps for him and he cannot hurt her.

🖤My Thoughts
I didn't find much in this story that was unique. The personality of Imogen shifted so dramatically from her introduction to when she meets Tarian, and it makes everything that happens less believable. She is introduced as shy and practically afraid of her own shadow due to a vampire attack. But once in the fae realm, she climbs down poisonous vines and runs off into danger practically every other chapter?

I enjoyed the oracle satyr as a funny side character, and he probably had my favorite dialogue. Otherwise it was just kind of meh. Lots of broody Tarian going "this mate bond is a curse" followed by him being upset that Imogen tries to escape again.

I think if you are looking for a fae romantasy, there are a lot of better options out there. There are some interesting directions that I could see this story going with Imogen's past being revealed!

Summary:
Only one thing stands between Tarian and his crown: a woman prophesised to be his downfall. He'd expected a formidable enemy, but what he found was a human librarian. One who seems to have a penchant for recklessness and a serious lack of self-preservation. One who poses a serious dilemma. How to take his crown when he can't remove the one thing standing in his way?

Title: Prince of Never
Author: Lorelei Johnson & Hailey Jade
@loreleijohnsonauthor @haileyjadeauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
🌶️🌶️ 2/5

Tropes:
Enemies to Lovers
Human/Fae Romance
Fae World
Dual POV
Hidden Identity
Fated Mates


Triggers:
Complicated Family Dynamics
Emotional Abuse (not between MCs)


Whitney’s Thoughts:
Prince of Never is a great fae romance with my favorite trope of fated mates. Imogen is smart and sassy even in the face of unknown danger, and Tarian is a grumpy prince who is still lovable. The secondary characters are funny and add some great comic relief to some of the tension in the book, and the Unseelie Queen makes for a great villain. I can’t wait to read more and find out what Solas is all about and how Imogen and Tarian move forward!

The first book of a fantasy series that promises a lot !

I've always had a weakness for series with Fae and when there are cruel and grumpy princes, it's even better !

What I particularly liked :

- the universe with the creatures, each more dangerous than the other, and the organization with the different courts ...

- the plot around this famous prophecy (I'm almost sure I've guessed what it means =)) but also the secrets of the characters which are revealed throughout the pages (especially those of Imogen !!)

- the secondary characters very endearing (special mention for Ves who I really liked =D)

BUT I must admit that I would have liked the universe to be more developed and that we had more explanations and the main characters frustrated me a lot !!

Imogen was endearing and I felt so bad for her during each ordeal but she also frustrated me a lot because she trusts anyone she met and she doesn't think before acting or speaking (when she publicly insults a certain character or flees without really having a plan ...)

Tarian spends part of the book being in denial about his connection to Imogen (making Imogen pay for it by the way) and then he acts like an idiot (the thing with the name ... seriously COMMUNICATION !!!)

I would read the rest with pleasure because I am curious (and I would really like to see Imogen gain self-confidence <3)

In short, a fantasy book with Fae and romance that I read with pleasure

PS: to the publisher and Netgalley, thank you so much for the ARC =D

I am obsessed!

This book has such a strong start that I was immediately hooked.

The fae world is familiar but not boring and overdone. I really enjoyed how the authors employed typical troops but not in the typical way. Everything felt very fresh and unique, but maintained the favorites that we all know and love: fated mates, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, only one griffin.

I really enjoyed their take on the mating bond. Nothing was innate. Every part of the bond had to be triggered by certain actions and choices. It kept me interested.

Our MMC Imogen turned out to be this incredibly sassy and stubborn person who wasn’t going to kowtow to anyone regardless of reputation, sharp teeth, magical powers, or royalty rank. She was consistent throughout which is making her journey fun to discover as its revealed.

Our FMC Tarian is wonderfully deep. We learn tidbits about his past that so perfectly explain why he is who he is, and the self doubts he has fight past really make his character arc emotional for the reader.

My biggest complaint is the best friends in the human world, Ivy and Ethan. For me, they were too much. Their personalities, their appearances. It was like they had to be so very extra to stand out against the strong characters of Imogen and Tarian, but it made me not enjoy the moments where they were involved.

I did, however, love the character Sarah. I found her to be a much more enjoyable side character and friend to the FMC. I look forward to her continued presence in Imogen’s life.

There is legitimately so much I enjoy about this book, and I am anxiously anticipating the next in the series as well as planning to devour everything by these authors.

Solid 3; while the writing could at times feel pretty flat, the dialogue had a contemporary, easy flowing feel that keeps you reading. I will still be keeping an eye out for the sequel, but it didn't wow me like I hoped it would.

Absolutely unputdownable. I finished this book in one day and I don't regret a single moment. Chores? Don't know them.

The amount of angst here is off the charts and I am living for it. Imogen comes from the modern world, which is completely different than most fae-human books, and tries her hardest to come back home. She is a stellar FMC that is not whiny nor is she unrelatably brave and strong. She is a fair mix between both that is enough to cheer her on when she is about to go bat shit to feeling her sadness when she feels it.

Tarian's moodiness makes even the king of angst, Edward Cullen (in Midnight Sun, might I add) himself, look like the telly tubby's sun. But, he has the reason to be full of anger and weariness. His life kinda sucks.

I enjoyed even the side characters. Ethan of course, what a cutie. But Ves and Sarah as well. I am hoping for a little more cross over of Ves x Ethan shenanigans in the future, but we will see!!

The snark and light humor in between the dark pieces helps a lot with breaking out the drama. But, the tension? The star-crossed lovers meets impossible fate? Chefs kiss.

The book does seem slow, but it has book 1 struggles of laying down the plot and characters with nothing much happening. However, it was excellent and delicious overall.