I want to preface this that Ruby Dixon has been such a comfort author for me and I generally use her books as palate cleansers between more emotional and heavier reads. I started the Rubyverse with Ice Planet Barbarians, blacked out, and have read most of her backlist since. This book is a monster romance so automatically, I was ready to dive in!

What I liked about the book was a more in depth and heavier plot than some of her previous books and better world building than previous books. The MC’s were enjoyable and the MMC was your typical Ruby Dixon swoonworthy character. I didn’t prefer the FMC as much as I have other FMC’s this author has written, but I didn’t hate her either. The FMC is a bit of a mess but it makes for good entertainment and she’s not predictable.

This book had the expected steam and spice, and I loved the forced proximity and forbidden romance. There were little Easter eggs dropped throughout the story that came together in the end to make the story “click”. The first half of the book read pretty slow and the last half read faster paced and was a bit more of a page turner.

Now the qualms I have with this book are a couple unresolved plots—I would’ve expected for the length of this book they would have been wrapped up or resolved. It’s not a huge issue but I’m not the biggest fan of plots just disappearing without resolution.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Book Group for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

First, she's waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long. As someone who is here for the forced proximity monster romance, everything after leaving the tower was something I had to power through. The bigger plot felt super clunky in comparison. I was only here for the soft monster MMC and the spice, friends.

Bound to the Shadow Prince was not what I was expecting! I was pleased that the story line had a lot more substance to it than I anticipated and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the main characters. Candra was not likeable in the beginning, she was a product of her upbringing - self centered and just plain whiny. I'm happy she developed into a character with some substance. Nemeth is strong (mentally and physically) and just the right amount of grumpy. He is also devoted and true which is why I liked him.

Fans of Beauty of the Beast and A Court of Thorns and Roses will enjoy this new fantasy from Ruby Dixon. This spicy romance follows a human princess and a winged Fellian warrior from warring nations who are locked in a tower together for seven years as an offering to the Golden Moon Goddess. A spicy and entertaining read for fantasy lovers!

Bound to the Shadow Prince is a monster romance, in this story, Princess Candra finds herself imprisoned in a tower for seven years and her only company is a winged Felian, Nemeth. The tension between them is palpable, Candra was torn between wanting to kill him for supplies and explicitly wanting him for more. This story includes a lot of angst which I liked, and the plot was unique. I personally liked this book because it was easy to read and there were a lot of moments where I was engaged in their romance but there were also moments where I was lost and felt the need to go back and reread certain chapters because I couldn't keep up with what was happening. That's the only thing that I would change in this book but if you're a fan of fated mates, strong heroines, and spiciness then this book is for you!

I wanted this book to be more engaging. Instead, it was just confusing with all the lore. I felt like I was walking into a sequel. I was excited for the smut scenes, even though those aren't typically my things. This book exemplifies why: it was all mean without being hot. I am not saying this is a bad book, it was just not my cup of tea.

Initially, I was drawn in by the intriguing premise. However, I found myself struggling with the sluggish pacing. Rather than being captivated by the storyline, I often found my attention drifting towards mundane daily tasks, a testament to the lack of engaging elements within the plot.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the book was the absence of a compelling plot. Instead, it felt as though the story relied solely on the trope of enemies-turned-lovers without offering any substantial development or depth to their relationship. I wished for more meaningful interactions between the characters, characterized by witty banter and genuine moments of connection, which were regrettably absent from the narrative.

Furthermore, the overall pacing of the book felt rushed and slow if that’s even possible. This book was challenging to get through.

Despite receiving an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback, I cannot in good conscience recommend this book.

*Thank you to NetGalleys for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Bound to the Shadow Prince follows Candra, a princess of Lios who unexpectedly has to take her dead sisters place as a sacrifice, meaning: living in the Godess' dark tower with a Fellian for seven years. Not only is Candra, as a spoiled and impatient princess, absolutely not prepared, she is also scared to live with the enemy in close quarters. An enemy that is more monster than human.

I was very excited to read this one. The author, Ruby Dixon, is the same author that wrote the Ice Planet Barbarians series. So I was expecting a silly little wholesome and ridiculous but very cute and short story. Wrong. This was more serious, more fantastical and sooooooo long. Too long, actually, it would've been better if the book was 100-200 pages shorter. Also, I just read 'new book by Ruby Dixon' and was so excited I didn't stop to read that is was actually a monster romance lol. This is not my cup of tea AT ALL. Every mention of knees that bend the wrong way was a jump scare. Nevertheless, it was an interesting read. From what I read from this author, I didn't think this would be as intricate of a story as it is. There's actually a bigger plot than the two MCs falling in love and being all cute, it's just that that part felt rather short compared to all the time they spent in the tower. That part went really really slow for me. I read about people not liking Candras character, but I think it fits her spoiled princess image. The plot twist I didn't see coming, I was pleasantly surprised. I just felt like the ending could've been longer and the middle could've been cut shorter. It doesn't look like this is the beginning of a series. there were no indications that there would be more stories in this new world at least. But if there are, I might read them because it was pretty original.

3.75 stars

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Bound to the Shadow Prince
Author: Ruby Dixon
Monster smut? lol

Thank you Netgalley and Wattpad Publishing for this ARC! I really enjoyed this one! I am on like book 13 of Ruby’s IPB series so this was a change! I loved the medieval, princess locked in the tower vibes. The storyline kept me engaged, there were some slow parts, and I think it could have been way shorter but I still really enjoyed the balance between the romance and the actual plot. Of course when Candra is sent to a tower to be locked in alone for seven years, the big Felian Shadow monster named Nemeth is also locked in there too… they just had to fall in love right? I love how Ruby always makes these big scary monsters into lovable cinnamon rolls.. I truly love her writing and I’m looking forward to exploring more of her works outside of IPB! Also the spice is ridiculously good in all her books… 🌶️. This one publishes July 2, 2024!

Another score for Ruby Dixon! But who can resist a shadow prince?

Bound to the Shadow Prince features a heavy dose of forced proximity alongside a steamy enemies to lovers plotline within a rich fantasy world filled with wartime conflict and angry gods watching it all happen. When our two main characters fall in love against all odds it is an electric journey to the end where trust if tested above all else.

Definitely another great read for Ruby Dixon fans.

I received this book as an Arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I really loved this story. Ive never read a Ruby Dixon novel before and was pleasantly surprised. The unique characters and imaginative setting made the book stand out, with steamy scenes that kept the pages turning. While I loved the creativity and the dynamic between the characters, I hoped for a bit more depth in their development, especially when it comes to their backstories. This story hit a little bit of everything I love from a book.

Side note, in the beginning I loved Balon being a dumb little himbo. Very Ken coded.

This story is a must-read for fans of monster romance looking for a mix of heart, heat, and fantasy.

IMAGINE being locked in a windowless tower for 7 YEARS with your mortal enemy 😏 in total darkness! Can you say CLAUSTROPHOBIA!?!

Candromeda
💖 Princess of Lios
💖 notorious flirt & lady of the sheets
💖 chronically ill girlie (aren’t we all)
💖 unexpected sacrifice to the Goddess

Nemeth
💙 Prince of Darkfell
💙 shy scholar/warrior
💙 dirtiest mouth in all the land
💙 has wings!

Candra was never meant to be a sacrifice. She is a carefree Princess with a flirtatious streak & and chronic illness. Basically an everyday modern girlie 💕 after her sister says ‘bye-bye’ to the mortal realm Candra is placed in a dark tower to survive on her own. Started from the top now we…down here. Let’s just say our girl went through it in that tower 🗼

Thank the Goddess for Prince Nemeth or Candra’s stay in the tower would be truly boring 👑 The spice is very on brand for Dixon. Initially shy mmc becomes insatiable and a real beast in bed. Think Ice Barbarians but he is grey and has WINGS 🪽 I really enjoy the sexually open fmc in this story. Candra loves to tease & flirt with Nemeth and let’s just say she is not a meek flower. The initial shy mmc/femme fatale fmc were GIVING EVERYTHING! Lots and lots of smut in this one 🌶️🌶️ but the friendly banter and amazing fantasy plot makes the storyline interesting 4/5 🌶️

I just couldn’t put this book down. Candra & Nemeth are in the tower for YEARS and a large portion of the book is just them coexisting in a tower. No side characters no other story lines but the book was still so interesting. The plot twist ACTUALLY had me gasping!!

The story stayed with me days after I finished it. That alone deserves 5 ⭐️ would definitely recommend to all romantasy girls!!!

enemies-friends-lovers
sick bed 🛌
virgin mmc
size difference
knotting

I’ve read Ice Planet Barbarians and I loved it and this book did not disappoint either!!!
One thing that I always look forward to when reading books is the world building. This book had great world building. This book moves at a fast pace and sometimes that ruins the story but not in this book. I really enjoyed it and wish that there was another book:)

Listen, I LOVE Ruby Dixon. I made the public library I work at order all the Ice Planet Barbarians books, and her romantic fantasy is just as good, usually. But this one just didn't quite hit the mark for me. The overall idea and plot is interesting and good, and the writing is great (it always is with Ruby Dixon), but this just felt a little...messy. I went in to it expecting a little bit of Rapunzel, a little bit of Beauty and the Beast. Everything just moves a little too fast, in terms of the romance, but the spice was good. I love an inexperienced MMC. I didn't really understand the logistics of the tower, and this book is loooong. But it's Ruby Dixon, and so I did eat it up with a spoon.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
This was my first Ruby Dixon novel, and soon after beginning I looked into her and discovered she's the queen of monster romance. Diving in I wasn't sure what to expect as an avid fantasy reader I thought I was prepared...woops.
Candra moves into the tower in place of her now deceased younger sister to play the role of sacrificial royal for an unhappy goddess, while there she discovers how incredibly spoiled she has been as a princess. When she begins to depend on the Fellian "monster" locked in the tower with her, they soon fall in love.
But as we know, not all is well in love and war. Candra and Nemeth are put to the test time after time throughout the novel. With a few twists and turns to keep you guessing, this was a fast paced read that kept me turning the pages.

***Spoilers***
The unplanned pregnancy trope is really not my favourite, and I found predictable from the emphasis on the blood curse and tea with the herb. But for those who like those turns of events, I'm sure it would've made the story that much more appealing.

Steamy!! Spicy!! A Monster Romance that is a must to read! I loved it. I couldn't stop reading this book. It was so smutty and good! Right up there with Ruby Dixons Barbarian series! I can't wait to read more from her. One the the Queens of Monster Smut!!
I just reviewed Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon. #BoundtotheShadowPrince #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

I was not sure what to expect when I started this book. I have never read "creature" romances before but I was surprised with how much I enjoyed this one. I will be looking more into this genre to see what it has to offer!

I absolutely love Ruby Dixon’s style of writing. I also really loved the plot line of the books and I genuinely felt the anxieties of the main character when it came to her living situation and struggles with it. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this book was just missing something for me that the others I’ve read had. The miscommunication trope also was used very heavily and it seemed to be the main reason for their relationship issues the entire book with not a lot of variation from that.

This book, like all of Ruby Dixon's books, was fantastic. I enjoyed reading every part of this story. The characters and world are detailed enough to start another long series. I loved how she was able to span such a long period of time and the way she introduced twists as they came. I was so connected to this book that after finishing, I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens in the world afterward.

The romance, as always, was phenomenal. There is a push-pull relationship and forced proximity. Candra and Nemeth play off of each other really well. I like how they are able to share stories from their different backgrounds to find similarities and differences.

Love love love; will read again.

WOW.
This was a masterpiece of intrigue, passion, and growth. Candra was such a selfish woman at the beginning of the book, but had fair reasons to be the way she was. Her court was awful and chronic illness took most of her choices away from her. Nemeth had his reasons to be who he was as well.
This is the slowest burn I’ve seen from Ruby Dixon, and it fit the overarching plot so well. The forced proximity and enemies to lovers tropes fit in organically. It was high stakes and packed with difficult choices that both characters had to make. I LOVE being surprised by plot twists, and there were several that caught me off guard.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Spice: 4.5/5

SOME TRIGGERS ARE SPOILERS

Triggers: starvation, severe illness, murder, genocide, war, poison, SA (MC, limited description, groping), SA (off page, side character), slavery, pregnancy, captivity, murder of child (off page), gore, violence, pet death