I recieved an ARC late but this is my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book and had a hard time putting it down. It is written in Dual POV so it's nice to see both of their thoughts, even as frustrating as some of their decisions may be. There is some spice, not a lot, but maybe there will be some more in the second book.

Imogen is your average, college, human girl except she can see other worldly creatures like vampires and fae. She had to learn to keep that a secret though because people started to think she was crazy.

Tarian is the Unseelie prince, but will probably never take the throne from his iron grip mother. After hearing of a prophecy about a girl who will be his downfall, he sends people to find her. That girl, is Imogen. Who has escaped them multiple times. Taking matter into his own hands, he goes to the mortal world to get her but as soon as he touches Imogen, somethings happens and now he can no longer kill her. The bond has started to be put into place. 

Tarian and Imogen are now living in the Unseelie Court. There she makes a friend with Sarah, a servant, and Ves, Tarian's cousin. I love Sarah so much.

There are so many twists and turns, I enjoyed every bit of it. The Beltane competition event was very interesting and fun. I'm curious to lesrn more about Ves and the Seelie Court's king, Solas.

There were some parts that were easily guessed or didn't quite make sense. For example, Tarian seemed to have broken the glamor very easily. Or I can't believe he didn't tell Imogen about the stong hold his mother has on him before she trusted him with her secret.

This book reminded me a little of Beauty and the Beast (she was taken captive to his castle but tries to escape multiple times, she tries to fight the feeling of falling with her captor. He is a grumpy MMC starting off), and A Court Of Thorns and Roses (Human girl taken into the Fae world where everything is trying to kill her. They are mated but there are some miscommunication. There's an event that reminds me of a tamer version of Under the Mountain trials.)

Overall I loved this book and I can't wait to read "Queen of Ever" in 2024!

As a first time NetGalley reviewer and new Bookstagrammer, THANK YOU to Xpresso Book Tours, Lorelei Jackson, Hailey Jade and NetGalley for approving my first ARC request and allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. And I do have some thoughts....

Overall, I did enjoy this book. The story was engaging enough, the characters were fairly well developed, and the politics of the Seelie and Unseelie courts were alluded to sufficiently enough that I understood where the conflicts lie. Our story begins with our female lead, Imogen, a sensitive and scarred librarian in the human realm with an interest in the otherworldly. Her reality gets turned upside down when she meets Tarian, a powerful fae prince who will stop at nothing to thwart a prophecy that foretells his ultimate undoing.

From chapter one, the action in this book began at a breakneck pace. The female main character is pretty much in peril from the first page and stays that way for much of the book. Though she isn't exactly helpless, she seems oblivious to the fact that she is in an unfamiliar world with danger lurking around every corner. Unfortunately, I didn't find the worldbuilding to be particularly thorough so it was hard for me to envision the characters, scenery, etc. - which is pretty important to me as a reader. Some of the creatures in the fae world are simply referenced by their made-up names, with ZERO description of what they look like - so as a reader, I was like, ok - what is this thing? And then the author moves on to the next portion of the action, leaving me feeling a bit confused. One creature, the "ashray" was given zero description, another was described only as having "one eye" - I really can't get my bearings as a reader on what we're dealing with if I don't have a lush and fully fleshed out description of the characters' environment. ESPECIALLY in a completely fictional realm.

Our male main character, Tarian, has the typical "shadow daddy" MMC tropes - snarky, brooding, powerful, misunderstood. He's been raised to rule since birth and is hellbent on figuring out how to prevent the prophecy of his court's downfall from coming to fruition. Then he meets Imogen and his whole world is turned upside down - cue the miscommunication and enemies to lovers plot line! While I did enjoy the tension between the main characters, some of their dialogue was a bit cheesy there wasn't really much to substantiate a romantic connection between them other than the "mate bond" - which, as in most fae-based novels, is fated, undeniable, unbreakable, etc. I always enjoy a MMC who would burn the world down for his partner but when there isn't much emotional connection to really support it, it just....doesn't hit as hard.

As I progressed through the book, I found a LOT of editorial mistakes that honestly distracted me from being immersed in the book. There were misspellings, missed words (ex: "litany curses" instead of "litany of curses," "naval" being repeatedly used for "navel," etc.) and otherwise just shoddy editing. I tried not to let it get to me because as the book progressed, I was interested enough in the story - even if I really sort of knew where it was going. (As an aside, it annoyed me that the dialogue wasn't enclosed in double quotation marks, but instead with ' - which made it sort of hard to see.)

The author mixed some of the heavier dark fantasy themes with light banter that at times made me laugh out loud; the idea that the fae world exists alongside our modern-day world made for some entertaining references. The book ended on a cliffhanger and to be honest, I will probably at least pick up the sequel to see what happens - but who knows if I will finish it. I enjoyed this book enough and read it fairly quickly (within a few days) but I was not blown away by it.

Thanks again for the opportunity to provide my honest feedback on this novel!!

When a book is good I can’t put it down and finish it super fast. „Prince of never“ had exactly this effect on me.

I first thought it will be a human falls in love with a fae story, but it’s so much more. I especially like the idea of having a choice no matter what fate tells you.

My only problem was the miscommunication trope that was used quite a bit. Personally I don’t like the trope at all, so that’s why the rating is at 4.5⭐️

Be aware there’s a big cliffhanger at the end!

Prince of Never is a fantasy novel that delves into the classic enemies-to-lovers trope, blending elements of romance, adventure, and the supernatural. The story revolves around Tarian, a fae prince with a destiny to fulfil and Imogen, a seemingly ordinary human librarian, who becomes an unexpected obstacle in his path to the crown.

The characters are well-developed, and their evolving relationship is a central focus of the narrative. The tension and chemistry between Tarian and Imogen make for an engaging read, especially for those who enjoy a classic enemies-to-lovers trope.

However, I found the plot somewhat predictable. While the book offers a fresh take on the age-old story of love overcoming obstacles, it doesn't break new ground within the fantasy romance genre.

Despite its predictable elements, the novel ends on a note that leaves you curious about what's to come. I'm intrigued to see how the relationship between Tarian and Imogen develops and how they confront the challenges they face in the sequels.

This book reminded me of The Kingdom of the Wicked series by Kerri Maniscalco. It had the same sort of trope where an unknowingly girl got sucked into a Fae world where she was met with a prince of darkness and a prophecy. And although the story has been told many times, it still always holds up for more variations of it. But this was was not able to achieve that. The book felt rushed, and the romance sped up. It was hard to discern who was on what side, and what each side even stood for. There seemed to be too many yet not enough characters. And then with these characters came undeveloped plot points. All in all, the story was a bit of a mess, and although it has premise to get better, it’s not a book that I would recommend to others.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy in return for an honest review! So let’s start with the pros: our fmc, Imogen, has a backbone, we have a broody fae prince who has feared decay magic of some kind, the writing style is good, there’s good steam, and the pacing is very quick. I am excited to read the sequel!

Now for some cons: the best friend is a bit of a caricature of a gay man, complete with YASSS QUEEN, a love of giving her mani/pedis, and flamboyant sass. My next con was the repetitive scenes of Imogen running away. It’s easily half the book, and every time we have angry angsty Tarian dragging her back. Which leads me to my biggest qualm, their relationship development. There is good steam and we sees peeks of Tarian as someone worth rooting for, but mostly he’s a self-admitted jerk and coward. Now given his dark history with his Queen mother one would expect some self-preservation tactics like this, but what doesn’t add up is Imogen’s acceptance of the bond in spite of his attitude. I’m not against captive romances or I wouldn’t have picked this up, but I do need something to change my mind about the captor in order to root for them, and with him as he currently is I don’t really feel that.

I have hopes that in the next one his character development continues and we see him stand up to his mother/the queen, and soften a little towards potential allies and friends.

I love a good enemies to lovers book. This book happened to have the Holy Trinity when it comes to Fae books : Fated bonds , enemies to lovers, and Fae / human . It was a good read. I’m had to get used to the way the author told the story , but that came fairly quick. Thank you so much for giving me the pleasure of reading this .

So it started off decently enough? Interesting premise, enemies to lovers, human vs. fae etc.

I love an enemies to lovers trope, but there is literally no basis for the lovers connection in this book. I think i can count on one hand how many meaningful moments there were between the MMC and MFC.

In general, I didn't enjoy the authors' writing style. It felt like telling rather than showing throughout the whole book, and the dialogue with any character felt immature. The romance was cheesy and cringy.

Thank you to netgalley for an ARC.

This fantasy, full of magical, royals and prophesy, is an exciting and interesting read. The two main characters are very likeable and the side characters add great dynamics to the story. I can’t wait to find out how the seemingly unavoidable prophesy plays out in the rest of the series.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of Prince of NEver.
I am patiently waiting for the next. This was a definite enemies to lovers to enemies book. Fated bonds.

First off, I would like to say a huge thank you to Xpresso Book Tours, Lorelei Jackson, Hailey Jade and Netgalley for letting me have the opportunity to review this ebook and to give my honest review.

Prince of Never follows a librarian called Imogen who works at a university delivering lectures and seminars. Twelve years, Imogen was attacked by a vampire and recalls being bitten. Unfortunately for Imogen, nobody believes her and believes that she is losing her mind. Despite being called crazy, Imogen knows that the things she is seeing are real. Why is she the only person who can see them?

Meanwhile, in the Unseelie Court, there lives an Unseelie Prince called Tarian, who is heir to the throne of the Unseelie Court and is due to marry. However, prophecies and orcales plagued Tarians' minds. He learns that a particular person is going to be the downfall of the Unseelie Court.

Who do you think the prophecy is about?

I really enjoyed this book. The tension, politics, and the suspense made it so exciting to read. I was especially hooked at the first few couple of chapters where I was unable to put this book down.

It was also really refreshing to see Dual POV throughout the entire book to see what both of them were thinking. It was super interesting to see a male point of view as a mated couple. In many fantasy books, you often do not get to see the males' thoughts and feelings about a mate bond.

I did, however, feel that the prophecy was not clear enough throughout the book. I often felt I was guessing at the prophecy before it was revealed halfway through. It would have been nice to see the prophecy at the start or much earlier through the story. Furthermore, I would have liked to see more communication between Tarian and Imogen and to develop more of a friendship before they both accepted the bond. For me, I felt like it was too soon for them to both accept it as I did not feel they knew each other well enough.

Overall, I really enjoyed this ebook and found it very interesting and can not wait to read Queen of Ever. If you're looking for
✅️Enemies to Lovers
✅️Fated Males
✅️Fae (Unseelie and Seelie)
✅️ Morally Grey Male Prince
Then this book is for you.

If you like: ACOTAR (book 1), prophesies, grumpy MMCs, magic, and fae realms.

Imogen is a human living a pretty normal life. Except, she can see creatures/otherworldly beings that no one else can. She was attacked by a vampire as a child, but doctors have been essentially telling her that she’s crazy ever since. They can’t see her scar from that night.

Tarian is the prince of the Unseelie Court. A fae in line to the throne. But a prophecy from the past foretold that Imogen would be his downfall. After a few fumbled attempts by his people, Tarian goes to the human world himself to kill Imogen. Only, as soon as he touches her, something prevents him from harming her. He takes her back to his realm and the story takes off.

This is a delightfully funny book written with dual POV. The first 3/4 was captivating, and then things slowed down for me a bit once the enemies started loving.

I loved Imogen’s palace friend Sarah, the Beltane section, and Ethan. This story gave me that same feeling as when I read the first half of ACOTAR’s first book: human brought into the fae world, palace surrounded by dangerous woods, Beltane (but expanded in this book), etc.

I absolutely will be waiting on book 2!

I received my ebook copy from Netgalley. Thank you to all involved!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars
This started out a little slow for me but by the half way point I was devouring it up and finished it in one night! I loved the plot and the story was a perfect fae romance. I am looking forward to the next one! Thank you so much to the author and net galley for approving my arc request!

If you dream about being kidnapped by a fae prince and taken to a magic fae world then this book is for you! Imogen is living her normal human life until a fae prince breaks into her apartment and magics her away to his realm. His plan was to kill her because of what a prophecy told him but the second he touched her, everything changed.
This story has fated mates and slow burn romance. The FMC is a strong willed human and the MMC is a dark and moody fae prince.
This is the first book of a series and I cannot wait to read the next book!

if you like fantasy fae story, ennemy to lovers characters this book is fo you! Great universe nothing new if you are used to High fantasy, however nice gripping storyline, steamy scenes and nice cliffhanger that you wish to read the next one!

I devoured this book and then shamelessly slid into the author's DM's and begged for the second one. I make no apologies. I loved everything about this book. I can't wait for the second one. In the meantime, I'll just re-read this one to help me pass the time.

This story started out slow but kept me wanting to know where the story was going to lead. When Imogen is “kidnapped” and taken to the fae world the storyline picks up. There is little hints left that made the story and plot predictable for me, but unique enough that it was enjoyable. The enemies to lovers aspect I felt was a bit overdone going from one extreme to the next with a drop of the hat. However, I will probably read book 2.

Enemies to lovers
Fated mates
Magic
Cliffhanger ending

PRINCE OF NEVER by Lorelei Johnson and Hailey Jade

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Firstly, I need book two now please and thank you 🥲.

This book was exciting! The story unfolds with world building and character development. Twists and turns in the story keep you thinking ‘just one more chapter’.

A dark brooding Prince and a Stubborn but courageous FMC… who could ask for more!

The start is a little slow, BUT then the story begins to trap you and next minute you’ve finished the book and you’re left wanting more!

Publication Date: OUT NOW!!

In all honesty, I found the first 60% of this book a little boring and frustrating. Our FMC is taken from her home and thrust into this new fairy world where she is kept prisoner/servant to the crown unseelie prince. The bulk of this half was spent with her doing servant work (cooking, cleaning, pouring/spilling wine, and stoking the fireplaces). She also tries to escape so many times I lost count.

The second half is a bit more interesting as the mate bond is fulfilled and our MMC starts to accept his feelings toward the FMC. We also have some twists and turns, which include the King of the Seelie faes. I have an inkling where this is going to go (major ACOTAR vibes), but we will see.

I have mixed feelings about both Imogen and Tarian. I liked Imogen in the beginning, but she never really lived up to who I thought she was. She was a librarian, so I thought maybe she would be interested in reading or cleaning the library, but no. We never saw that side of her again. Tarian went from hating Imogen to suddenly being in love with her.

I know it’s a mating bond so there is instant love, but I didn’t see the chemistry between this couple. It’s like they would
be fighting and then just want to make out with the other person…it wasn’t quite believable.

I’m not sure if I will be readying the next one in the series, but I have an idea of where this story where go.

*AnARC was provided by NetGalley and the Publishing company in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun read for me, as someone who is a sucker for pretty much anything in this genre. I have a personal hangup with the miscommunication trope, so that made it way less fun for me to read; it's always hard for me when the main tension comes from a misunderstanding that could be cleared up with a quick chat.

Other than that, this was a fun read, and I'll suggest it for my friends that love the fated mate trope as much as I do!