Such a delightfully fun yet heartfelt story from the Queen of Monster Romance herself! Horns, wings, claws, and fangs for the warrior/scholar MMC and a spoiled yet hilariously silly princess FMC all mix together to form an opposites attract romance that will have you flipping through pages faster than a Fellian can fade into shadows.

What I loved most about this love story was how much both main characters went through substantial character evolutions. Nemeth might have started off as gruff, grumpy, and obviously anti-human but his forced proximity to Candra helped to show him that even his well-read self still has much to learn about humans and love. Candra definitely came across as self-centered and frivolous at the beginning, but as the story unfolds—so does her ability to better understand the plight of her people as well as how wrong she is about the shared history of the human/Fellian peoples.

Does this book have spice?
ABSOLUTELY. Plenty of it!

Can you tell that this book started out as a serial?
Yes! There are times the story seems a bit longer than it needed to be—but it definitely adds layers to the overall plot!

Should you read it?
If you love an enemies to lovers, forced proximity, opposites attract monster romance—unequivocally yes!

Thank you so much for this ARC.
This is my first read by Ruby Dixon.

In order to appease the Gods, a member of each royal family, must be sent as a sacrifice to the tower for 7 years. Once they enter, they cannot cross the threshold again or they'll activate the curse. Unpredictable weather that will decimate the lands and send the kingdoms into poverty.

The Fellians reside in Darkfell, hidden beneath a mountain. They are creatures of the shadows with massive wings and horns. Nemeth is the prince and is sent to the tower.

Candra is a flirtatious princess from Lios, the human lands. Candra has bad blood, literally. Needed to be administered potion daily to ward off the effects. Her sister Meryliese, dies in a shipwreck while traveling to the tower as sacrifice. Forcing Candra to take her place.

Will Candra survive the tower with her blood sickness and the enemy?

*forced proximity
*Enemies to lovers
*plot twists
*chosen mates

I was absolutely obsessed with this book in the first half. I literally couldn't put it down. I was avoiding work and responsibilities because all I could think about was this book. The tension and yearning between Candra and Nemeth was *chef's kiss* However, I think the pacing gets off around 40% - 50% of the way through the book. I would have enjoyed this better as two separate books because the two halves do feel really different. Without too many spoilers, there is something that happens to Candra halfway through the book that is a trope I don't really care for (see my storygraph review for spoilers). After this happened, my interest started to wane. Overall, a very well-done smutty book, but a little too long for my liking. The second half did not grip me as much as the first.

Rating: 3.5, rounded up to 4 for NetGalley

I was so happy to receive this ARC! This was my first Ruby Dixon book and it was fun. A spoiled princess and a scholar beast. They are enemies. They get locked in a tower together as a sacrifice to the gods to ensure the good of the land. They have to stay locked up in that tower for 7 years, never being able to step food outside, otherwise the gods will read havoc on the lands. A war starts, and things turn to hell. There were a lot of twists in the book, but each one very different than the other. Of course there’s a HEA, but it takes a lot for them to get there.

Overall, 3.5 stars. I did like the story, I thought that Candra and Nemeth were compelling characters and I enjoyed seeing Candra grow beyond her “sickly”, spoiled princess character. They go through a lot of struggles and really have to change and adapt to overcome them. There were a fair amount of twists that I wasn’t expecting and that was very enjoyable! However, I do think that the book could’ve been shorter. Ruby had a LOT going on in the book and the world building was very well done. And it could be that this book was so much longer because it absolutely reads as a single book and not a series. With IPB, she has a lot of time to world build however she wants. In this book, it all has to happen here. Overall, I liked the story and characters, but felt like the book could have been shorter.

Tropes: forced proximity, enemies to friends to lovers, virgin MMC, touch her and die, monster/human

As a big fan of Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians, I eagerly dived into Bound to the Shadow Prince. It's always exciting to see an author explore new worlds and characters, and Dixon did not disappoint in delivering a fresh experience with this book.
Princess Candromeda of Lios is a fierce, unapologetically outspoken heroine. Her certainty and candidness were refreshing, and the curse in her blood added a tantalizing twist to the plot. However, Candromeda felt somewhat one-dimensional at first. It wasn't until I was about 30% through the book that I started to connect with her. Initially, she came across as rather annoying, and it took a while for her character to grow on me.
On the other hand, Prince Nemeth of Darkfell is the epitome of a brooding, dark, and complex character. His many layers make him incredibly compelling and easy to love. Reading about him was an absolute delight.
Dixon's world-building is top-notch. The setting is vivid and immersive, making it easy to understand the stakes and dynamics of this fantastical realm. The descriptions are lush without being overwhelming, allowing readers to feel fully entrenched in the story's environment.
The enemies-to-lovers trope, particularly when combined with the forced proximity of living in a dark tower for seven years, is a personal favorite. The sexual tension and constant anticipation kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to see how the relationship between Candromeda and Nemeth would unfold. True to Ruby Dixon's style, the spicy scenes are sexy and well-crafted, delivering exactly what her fans expect.
Despite these strengths, the book has its flaws, which is why I ultimately rated it three stars. The pacing was uneven, with the beginning dragging on for far too long. A more concise introduction would have kept the momentum going. Conversely, certain key moments lacked the detail and depth they deserved, leaving me craving more information and emotional payoff.
Moreover, while the story was engaging and the characters had undeniable sparkle, something was missing. Candromeda's occasional annoyance and the lack of depth in her development detracted from the overall experience. Additionally, the "all-knowing knife" plot device was frustratingly underutilized. She wields this powerful artifact briefly at the beginning, and then it seems to disappear from significance. Really, Candromeda? Use the knife!
In conclusion, Bound by the Shadow Prince is a good book with an intriguing plot and strong character dynamics, especially between Candromeda and Nemeth. However, with better pacing and more thorough character development, it could have been a great one.
Fans of Ruby Dixon will find much to enjoy, but may also be left wishing for just a bit more.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! Ruby Dixon did it again! What happens when one person from two enemy cities are forced to live together in a locked tower for 7 years? An enemies to lovers romance of course! I thought Nemeth and Candra were cute as a couple. However, I found Candra shallow and whiny at times. Overall, I really enjoyed Bound to the Shadow Prince.

3.5

The book is better than I expected. Definitely better than book 1 in Ice Planet Barbarian. I was a little skeptical but happy I kept going. Love that it's equal part plot and equal part spicy romance. I had fun guessing the plot twist.

Ruby Dixon never fails. Like the new cover better than all the others. Hot and entertaining. I don't love it as much as IPB, but i can never pass on a good enemies to lovers. Especially when there is forced proximity. loved the character interaction and the entire premise of the book. Pacing was a little off, probably could have skipped the last 100 pages or so, but good. very good.

I’ve read Ice Planet Barbarians and so I was excited to see her newest book. The formatting that NetGalley provided was a bit odd but it was doable. The story itself is lovely, a great mix of plot and spice. It’s a larger book but didn’t feel it as I read through it! Overall a great read!

4.5 Stars

Well after Ice Planet Barbarians, I didn't know where Ruby could take me, but it was a slow-burn fantasy romance full of adventure and GREY GARGOYLE LIKE MEN.

What starts out as a book of HOW AM I GOING TO ENDURE BEING IN PRINCESS CANDRA'S HEAD THIS WHOLE BOOK BECAUSE SHE IS SPOILED turned into OMG I LOVE HER AND NEMETH AND WILL PROTECT THEM AT ALL COSTS. Because......Ruby Dixon.

Set in a (impeccably built) fantasy world, Bound to the Shadow Prince tells the story of two warring kingdoms forced to each send a member of their royal family to live out seven years in a tower together, cut off from the outside world, for if they leave the tower before the seven years are up, they curse their homelands to plague and ruin. NO BIG DEAL.

We start before Princess Candra is even chosen to enter the tower, and then we experience what that tower life is like for her. It is transformative or many reasons, least of which is learning to rely on herself and her enemy for survival. Nemeth is set up to better endure the seven years, but finds himself drawn to the princess that is so full of life and selfless abandon. They make a great team and of course, that close proximity allows for them to get....physical. Knot and all (iykyk).

But one year, their supplies don't show u0p and WAIT ARE WE ONLY HALF WAY THROUGH THIS BOOK? Yes, ye we are, because the whole second half is about the aftermath of their love, their kingdoms' poor decisions and how they re find a way to survive in a very different world.

It was fantastic and absolutely unique. I loved every second and found myself slowing down as I read so I could savor the story. I highly recommend and cannot wait to see if we ever get more stories in this world!

This is my first time of reading a book by Ruby Dixon and I've to say that I was shunned. I get why readers and my friends love her books because OH MY GODS!!! IT WAS SOO GOOD AND ADDICTING. I love the story, the characters, secrets, lies, deception, hate to love romance, and the scorching smut!! I melted, swooned, laughed, raged! I definitely will recommend this incredible book to my friends and shout out in my socials!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for letting me to read this amazing book!

“Bound to the Shadow Prince” is a thrilling and steamy romance that captivates from start to finish. Princess Candra, locked in a tower to protect her kingdom, finds unexpected company in Nemeth, a fearsome warrior from a rival race. Despite his terrifying appearance, Nemeth’s magnetic presence becomes irresistible. As they spend time together, Candra discovers the man behind the warrior’s facade. When they face an unexpected challenge, they must navigate a changed world that tests their newfound love. Fans of “Ice Planet Barbarians,” “Bride,” and “The Fake Mate” will love this one. Ruby Dixon weaves a compelling tale of love, danger, and resilience that will keep readers hooked until the very last page.

Read if you like:
❤️‍🔥 Romantasy
❤️‍🔥 Forced Proximity
❤️‍🔥 Enemies to Lovers
❤️‍🔥 Slow Burn

I, too, fell for the charms of Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians, and I've dabbled in some of her other worlds.

This was a surprise in many ways, a longer book, a meatier story, and a plot hole or two.

Candra is locked in a tower for seven years with Nemeth, her family's enemy. The journey from enemies to lovers is fraught with distrust and discovery as these two surprisingly don't go insane (there are no windows AT ALL), and don't get sick from food that gets delivered once a year. Scurvy, anyone?

Also, why have an all-knowing knife if you're not going to use it?

I love Ruby Dixon's series and the smut is on point as always, but this just fell flat for me.

I have tried repeatedly to get through this book but unfortunately, I just can’t. I’m not sure if it was the storyline itself or the style of writing, but overall it just wasn’t for me. I would definitely be willing to try something else by the author but for me this one is a no go.

Giving this book a solid 4 the formatting was a little off so it was challenging to read on my kindle. Overall the story flowed well in some areas, and a little off in others. The spice scenes were done in true Ruby fashion and were perfect!

Ruby Dixon sure knows how to craft an intricate spicy romantasy featuring star-crossed lovers (a broody Gargoyle Prince x spare to a royal sacrificial offering), forced proximity (7 years locked in a castle in the dark), and a highly immersive wold full of secrets, court politics, royal intrigue, stunning plot twists, and morally grey characters. Loved the chronic illness rep that took the form of a magical blood curse. I do think the avalanche that was the ending was a bit rushed considering just how high the stakes were and the gravity of the moral dilemmas the characters faced. While I feel like the book did redeem itself at the end, I wished there was far *more* rumination at the ending than what I got. Nonetheless, I had so much fun reading this and really enjoyed reading this.

DNF'd at 11% (~60 pages)

I really tried to get into this book, I normally absolutely devour every Ruby Dixon book I read, but it just couldn't hold my attention for more than a few pages at a time. It has a really slow start and I just couldn't find myself caring about either of the main characters, and I just couldn't get myself to keep going knowing they are going to be trapped in this tower for potentially years on end and if its really going to end up as a character driven storyline I just knew I would struggle to keep going.

I will absolutely pick up more by Ruby Dixon, but this one just wasn't for me.

I really, really enjoyed this book! It's a nice mash-up of monster romance and epic romantasy. The plot was absolutely captivating throughout, and I was completely unable to guess what would happen next or how the story would unfold. It felt very unique and intriguing.

The writing was very good, and the spice was amazing without being overdone. This book was quite long, but it held my attention with the interesting world-building and setting. I think this is a great read if you are looking for a standalone romantasy with a non-human MMC and lots of spice!

If you are a fan of Dixons work you will definitely enjoy this book. This had fun tropes like forbidden romance, forced proximity and enemies to friends to lovers. I really enjoyed the friendship that Candra and Nemeth formed before starting a romantic relationship. Nemeth is definitely a cinnamon roll male who loves taking care of Candra. However, there were times he did frustrate me. I think the story itself was really good and easy to get through. The romance/spice was great but that’s to be expected with any of Dixon’s books. It was an overall good experience.