3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

Based on the cover, author, hype on TikTok- I was so excited for this! It hooked me in so easily.

The main problem that I had with it is that for such a long book, it didn't give me a lot. For as long as they were in the tower, I feel like I didn't really get to learn about or know these characters. It was one of those books where at one point, when they start getting intimate again, I sighed and skimmed as quickly as I could. The ending felt a bit hurried too, and it would've been nice to have time for the twists and turns to really do something.

I did think that elements of the story were refreshing in comparison to what I typically expect of modern fantasies. I liked the Vestalin/Fellian lore a lot, and the way that the Fellians live is pretty intriguing.

If she writes a shorter sequel about another couple in the universe, sign me up so fast.

Thank you to Net Galley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for the ARC copy!

Thank you #netgalley for this ARC of #BoundtotheShadowPrince #rubydixon

Very Spicy!

This was definitely not my favorite Ruby Dixon and I did think about DNFing multiple times. Its very repetitive, could definitely be shortened. The MCs were stuck in a tower and I very much felt like I was stuck in the tower with them. There is a ton of smut, non human male smut! More smut than needed, I think, but if you are looking for a bunch of smut, this is it!

That being said it is very on brand for what to expect for her writing style. If you are a fan of Ice Planet Barbarians, but are looking for that kind of story with a change of scenery? This is for you! This is a very medieval, other planet, monster/alien romance and if you have read IPB then you will get what you're expecting with this book!

I think Dixon truly did have a great story here, it just lacked in how it was put together. I found it quite boring to read at times, and think the pacing was off. The last 10% of the book had so much happen that could’ve been stretched out way longer, and we could’ve maybe had less time in the tower. I get that we needed the tower though to get to know our characters, so I’m kind of torn on this one.

Thank you NetGalley, Ruby Dixon, and Wattpad WEBTOON book group for the chance to read this arc.

This book should be entitled 'How Do You Solve a Problem Like Candra' <begin song 'Maria' from The Sound of Music>. Lead female character Candromeda Vestalin is a spare Princess living the carefree life of a royal unneeded, when she's suddenly called into action after the death of a sister. Her character is as absurd as the name suggests and I mean that in a good way. You can tell author Ruby Dixon laid it on thick with this one. From the beginning of this considerably long romantasy (536pgs), Candra is unlikable, immature and insufferable by design. The plot has a typical princess in the tower trope except with a twist this one includes an enemy inside with her. It lives up to expectations. The cadence of the story is pure fairytale fantasy with a magical dagger and romantic tension. Most of Ruby Dixon's books are intended to be funny but if you need to identify with/love a character to like the book, then this one won't be for you.

There is little to no action. Instead it's almost all internal dialogue and the writing is simple. Still, I enjoyed reading it. I love nothing more than a morally grey love interest. Nemeth reminds me of a Gargoyle and I couldn't get enough. Despite the slow pace through the middle I still loved it. If you're a romantasy and chonky book fan, pick this up!

Lots of trigger warnings so please be mindful!
This was a wild ride, at times really hard to get into. But if you stick with it, the tropes are placed very nicely and there were some twists I did not see coming.

I’ve got to say that when I read the description of this book I was very intrigued, then I saw who the author was and got a little concerned based on her previous work, I was unsure if I’d like this book. But in all honesty, I found this book to be well written and the plot line to be easy to follow. I found the tower plot line to be very interesting and I honestly would have loved to read about them being in there all 7 years instead of just the 2. But I found the romance in this book to be very spicy, but I wish there were more scenes and as happy as I am for the main characters, I believe that books go downhill when the pregnancy trope has been introduced. However, this one didn’t give me the ick in that the storyline wasn’t affected too much with the fact that she was pregnant. I will say that I did not see the plot twist towards the end coming and I was pleasantly surprised. Although, I do feel like the ending was wrapped up almost too quickly to be believable. But, overall I did enjoy reading this book and the world building, storyline, and character development were well executed.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGallery for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I did not finish this because the file received was not formatted in a way I could read. There was not separation of paragraphs and the font was super squished together which for an ebook made it hard to separate out sentences.

I’ve read other books by Ruby Dixon immensely and I’ll give this one a try again once published but none of their other books were formatted this way so I’m unsure if this is a new style the writer is going for an issue with formatting the file on NetGalley.

Bound to the Shadow Prince
Ruby Dixon
To keep the gods happy Prince Nemeth of Darkfell and Princess Candra of Lios made a great sacrifice. They must live in a locked tower for seven years. It seemed like forever living in total darkness with only one other person, an enemy. Candra had no friends, no lovers, no one beside her except an enemy. Imprisoned with her is an enemy of her people a Fellian. The Fellians are vicious warriors with fangs, claws and wings; they are sworn enemies of Candra’s people. His name is Nemeth; he is frightening, vicious, and disturbingly irresistible. The gods will be angry if they do not live there for seven years, hence dooming their people. Candra finds herself drawn to him; she should kill him and take his supplies, but she needs him and craves his company and desires his touch. As they are forced to live together Candra discovers the true man behind the enemy. The time comes when they are forced to return to the civilization that is no longer familiar to them. A world that threatens their existence and the love they found while in captivity.
I found this tale interesting but it lack something. I believe it needed more characterization. Candra’s character felt flap, one-dimensional. This tale was s…l…o…w moving. This is a long book. I can handle long but not when it is long and slow.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book for review purposes.

Ruby Dixon, author of the ICE PLANET BARBARIAN series, releases a new stand alone book, BOUND TO THE SHADOW PRINCE, where she built an entirely new world. A member from each of the Royal families from the Kingdoms of Lios and Darkfell must spend seven years alone in the tower to appease a Goddess for improper actions by their ancestors. Failure to abide by the command will bring catastrophic storms and famine upon both people. Princess Candromeda of the Kingdom of Lios is unexpectedly ordered by her brother in law the King to take the place of her younger sister in the tower with only days to learn all that is necessary. Suffering from a blood disease that requires daily injections and woefully unprepared to care for herself without servants, vain and promiscuous Candra is bricked into the tower with only studious and quiet Fellian Prince Nemeth for company. This enemies to lovers story with a monster/princess vibe is set in a fantasy land with two kingdoms at war. What is to become of the lovers when their interment is over when each country hold the other in such disdain? This book is longer that the author's previous releases at over 500 pages. Although I enjoyed the interesting new setting including the intricate rules and plot twists toward the end, I did not like Candro and felt the book dragged through the middle.

I really liked the premise of the book. 2 royal children from opposite kingdoms must stay in a tower for almost a decade to save both their kingdoms and then they fall in love. The falling in love bit happens fairly early on so it's not the main plotline in my opinion.

While I was in love with idea of this book, a large part of the writing seemed unnecessary and there to fill pages. If the author intends to make it a series (which could honestly go either way), then I understand the need for more detail, but even so it seems to be a lot of detail.

TLDR: The book is good but the writing is long.

Really liked this book! It's a longer read then what I've read previously from her, but it honestly could have been longer. I wish it had been split into two books, or a series. It is a 'build up' kind of story, it starts out a little slow, which opens the door to the rest of the story. The only problem with it being one book is that she's so detailed, and creates such a big world with complex characters, that I need more answers still! I loved the story, it developed beautifully. But even when it ended I still have so many questions, because so much happened. Fingers crossed she takes pity on us and does another one, because I need more of this world.

This book gave me Beauty and the Beast vibes. I honestly had a really hard time getting into it, but I do like Ruby Dixon’s writing style and look forward to reading more by her. This follows a girl who is kind of an underdog and has medical issues and I felt myself rooting for her and siding with her the entire time.

Bound to the Shadow Prince is a YA Romantasy read for fans of SJM, JLA and Rebecca Yarros!

The tension and the angst are well executed, plus the couple have the chemistry ✨️ The plot itself is very interesting which made me to binge read everything in one sitting.

It's my first read of Ruby and I'm not disappointed by it! Looking forward to check out more of her works!

I have entered my monster romance era, and this is officially my first monster romance – an AMAZING 5-star read. ❤️ I don't know if it's the combination of tropes or the way Ruby Dixon's writing hooked me, but this book had it all. What better storyline than having a human and a fellian (duh, the name of the race aka the monster) being forced to spend 7 years in a tower together to be spared from the wrath of the Goddess. 🕯️🗡️

You have Candra, who has "cursed blood" and takes medicine daily to survive, obligated to go to the tower to save her people – she doesn't want to, but alas, she has to; there's no other choice. Meanwhile, you have Nemeth, a Fellian trapped with a sickly human, having to survive in the same tower as her for 7 long years.

Did I mention they cannot step outside the tower either?! Screams in forced proximity. 😱

Anyway, as someone who has never read a monster romance, I highly recommend it – it wasn't that heavy for me, and I think it won't be for you too. But now that I've stepped into this world, I WILL CONTINUE hehe. 📚💖

Tropes:
🕯️Forced Proximity
🕯️Monster Romance
🕯️Slow Burn
🕯️Witty Banter
🕯️Dirty Mouth MMC x Flirty FMC
🕯️He falls first

I know I love a book… when I want to keep it a secret. The whole time I was reading this book, it felt like something I wanted to hide and protect because I loved it so much.

This is an epic fantasy romance, with incredible world building, intense and fascinating stakes, and spiiiiiiice.

This book is spellbinding and seductive and so romantic I could puke.

This story follows Princess Candra Vestalin from the Kingdom of Lios. There is a blood curse on her family line, and Candra has this curse. The taint in her blood, the family curse, means she’s useless as a bride because she is barren.

Candra is a bit of a spoiled princess. Because of her curse, she doesn’t have really any responsibilities in the kingdom besides surviving. Because of this, she spends her free time being a bit of a brat. Causing trouble at court, being scandalous, spreading gossip, and being doted on hand and foot.

Every 30 years, the Golden Moon Goddess appears in the sky, and remains there for 7 years. To appease the prickly goddess over some things that happened in the past…. When the Golden Moon rises, a Royal Offering of bloodlines from both the Kingdom of Lios, and the Kingdom of Darkfell, must both be given to the Tower Of Balance. Where they spend 7 years in the tower. Alone. To step foot outside the tower before the 7 years is up… is to anger the goddess once more, and cause complete destruction to the kingdoms.

Lios and Darkfell are at war… I won’t go into the details, but the history of these kingdoms, the gods and goddesses, and the current war raging on are fascinating and the way it plays out in this book is gripping. It’s so interesting and layered. 

Candra’s sister was actually supposed to go into the tower. But unfortunately a terrible accident at sea takes her life… and so Candra is forced to replace her… even though it’s dangerous to keep her alive with her blood curse… and no one else to help her survive. Eventually... she meets the Royal Offering sent from Darkfell… her shadowed companion… Prince Nemeth - of the First House of Darkfell.

This book feels like a guilty pleasure. It feels too good, too intriguing, too spicy, and too loving to be true.

Ruby Dixon is the master at suspense, high stakes, and spice.

There’s a chase. You guys. I love a chase oh my gosh. Is it my favorite trope? Possibly.

When I found out this book has knotting. I blacked out. The only reason I came to… was for the sole purpose of continuing this story. I was not *wink wink* expecting it. And it did. Not. Disappoint.

This book is long. It really is an epic fantasy romance. And for me it could have been double the length and I still would have felt like there wasn’t enough. I wanted this story to keep going. I wanted to stay in this world.

You won’t be able to put this book down.

I honestly think this is a great intro to fantasy romance if you’re ok with spice. Because even though it’s so detailed and layered, it’s incredibly easy to follow.

This story almost plays out like a mystery/thriller. There were moments I was scared. And totally shocking twists and realizations play out that have you screaming.

Seeing Candra grow up and come into her own was really nice. seeing her have to take are of herself, mature, and make smart choices was so fun to witness. This is character growth at its finest.

This is really and emotional and layered story dealing with trauma, loss, and being thrust into a life by everyone else’s choices and actions BUT your own. And then taking charge of your own path.

This epic fantasy romance has my heart. Ruby Dixon’s books always make me feel strong, confident, and inspired. After finishing this book I was mystified. This is a love story that will make you feel enchanted and take your breath away. The passion, intrigue, and high stakes will stay with me for a long time to come.

I read this book in about 24 hours and I couldn't put it down! Was it the best book I ever read? No, but it was one of the most entertaining books I've read this year. I've read a handful of Ruby Dixon's other books, but I will say, this one had me hooked from the beginning. It had enemies to lovers, secrets on secrets, and of course spice! I can't wait to read more!

Ruby Dixon weaves the fates of enemies together in this spicy retelling of Maid Maleen. The royal bloodlines of two kingdoms must sacrifice one to a tower on a remote island for seven years to appease a ruthless Goddess. For the survival of both kingdoms, they must stay in the tower for the entire time. This story was fast paced and the chemistry between the main characters was palpable! If you’re looking for a great tale stacked with romance this is your next read!

I actually liked this better than ice planet barbarians. I thought the characters were more fleshed out and I just really liked the premise of the whole thing! The universe she has built is really intriguing and I hope she does more stories in this world! Obviously super spicy, as usual for her books.

Thank you to both NetGalley & the publisher for sending me an eARC of "Bound to the Shadow Price" by Ruby Dixon, in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 total stars, rounded down.
This was quite the experience! I absolutely loved that this story originated on WattPad, and was then fleshed out.

What intrigued me the most was the forced proximity / enemies-to-lovers trope - and I was not disappointed. There was plenty of tension between the characters (romantic and otherwise) - making for an immensely long slow-burn. LONG to the point of dragging at some points, hence the 3.5-star review from me.

I LOVED the IPB series by this author - and the way it's written is very similar. I still liked IPB more though.

3 stars for Bound to the Shadow Prince!

I enjoyed that this book was a standalone and I felt I got a well rounded, fully thought out story arc with a satisfying ending. I found the beginning did drag a little bit but once I got to the first 25% of the book I was hooked and I finished the rest of the book within 24 hours. I liked the main characters and Candra was a nice change of pace from the super capable, hyper independent heroines that most fantasy books have. She wasn't a damsel by any means but I just really liked that she seemed like a normal person thrust into a impossible situation suddenly . This was a enjoyable read and while it didn't necessarily blow me away I enjoyed my time in this world and would absolutely recommend it to friends!