This started very interesting but the dialogue lost me. Hopefully the next time I pick it up it will hit the spot but it was hard to get into the characters with the elaborate explanations of absolutely everything.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn't influence my review. This was a great read, and some tropes include: mythology romance, fantasy, hate to love, forbidden romance, and enemies to lovers. The plot was good, however I wish it was just FMC POV.

I really wanted to love this book but it just fell flat. I didn't like that the 'world building' was just a couple of pages listing different people, it felt really lazy. The story was a bit erratic - nothing made sense, it didn't flow well, and it felt like this should've been read after another book.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

This book gets all of the stars!! 10/10 would recommend. This book has all of my favorite things, a strong kickass MC, challenges, just the right amount of romance and a bit of mythology. I was hooked by the first sentence and it only got better.

I would like to thank NetGalley and @Hazel St. Lewis for the opportunity to read this amazing book. She will forever be a auto buy author for me.

Disclaimer: All reviews provided are my genuine thoughts and opinions. I would also like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to be an ARC reader.

3.5 🌟

Courting War by Hazel St. Lewis is a good casual read. I felt it had a kind of "300" aesthetic, and I appreciated the badass female main character (FMC). It was enlightening to get a glimpse into what living with learning disabilities is like. While the overall pacing of the storyline is engaging, some aspects were harder for me to connect with. For example, the world-building incorporates an almost Greek gods-inspired setting yet includes modern elements like electricity, which felt a bit inconsistent. Additionally, I found the romance within the narrative developed too quickly, making it challenging for me to become emotionally invested in the connection between the characters.

Overall, I think this was a good read, especially if you're not seeking something with super high stakes, and I can only anticipate the author improving in her subsequent works.

I have been left feeling unfulfilled. Such an interesting premise and captivating blurb, overall fell short when it came to its execution. The romance felt lacklustre and surface level, the plot had a multitude of holes and confusing reasonings. The only part I somewhat enjoyed was the ending, but even then it was not worth the read.

Wow, I really loved it!🤍
From the beginning to the end it is very addictive, many things happen that you simply do not want to stop, the plot, the characters, the protagonists, the games, it was very good!!❤️‍🔥

{ •Theodra is the goddess of war, she hates men, and will always want to make them suffer, until her mother punishes her by being mortal and participating in games called The Sacrifice, the games are played in pairs and she is Prince Kellyn's partner, they have to work together to survive and reach the end of the game, but mutual hatred, sexual tension, secrets and mainly the forbidden love between gods and mortals could put them to the test...}

Theo and Kell, Love them!!🖤, I don't always read books where she is immortal and he is mortal, so it made me happy to read something like that and that obviously had a happy ending, just the way I like it!!🛐

It's a quick read to read, the whole plot is very entertaining, the games were very good (and cruel, using their weaknesses).
I really liked the secondary characters (Humans), although sometimes they made me desperate haha😆, I want to read more about them👀 (in the next books) and definitely the other secondary characters (Goddesses) I want to get to know them more!!👀🖤 I loved them and I want to know their stories, because this is not over yet!👀

In conclusion I highly recommend it!❤️‍🔥This book is standalone but it is part of a series, the protagonists have a happy ending but the story is left open to continue, I am excited!✨

~Forbidden Love
~Knife to throat
~Forced proximity
~Dyslexia and color blindness rep
~Morally grey FMC
~Gods / Goddesses
~Urban fantasy

Thanks Netgalley for the Arc✨

This was an ok read, the idea was fun but I found it to be written in a style that I couldn’t get on with personally. I did like that the main character, usually portrayed as a male, was female in this which added a nice dimension to it. The trials were interesting and I liked the multiple pov’s.

I was utterly captivated by this spellbinding fantasy romance that weaves a complex tale of forbidden love, divine bargains, and redemption. Theodra's transformation from a vengeful goddess to a deeply nuanced character was fascinating, and her dynamic with the enigmatic Prince Kellyn, fraught with tension and an undercurrent of inevitable fate, kept me on edge. Their journey through The Sacrifice, a deadly tournament, was not just a test of survival but of the heart. The themes of consequence and the high stakes of their growing bond under the shadow of a pact with Death made for a riveting read. With its rich character arcs and emotional depth, this book was an experience I recommend.

Theo, Goddess of War, is forced to participate in the deadly games known as The Sacrifice as a mortal as punishment for neglecting her godly duties. She’s paired with Prince Kellyn, one of her faithful subjects even though he doesn’t know her true nature. The two must set aside their differences and work together if they are to survive…

I loved both Theo’s and Kellyn’s characters.

Theo comes off as fierce, unlikable, and closed off due to her past trauma, but we see her process the repercussions of abandoning her subjects as well slowly start to trust Kellyn.

Kellyn is just amazing. He’s so incredibly devoted to the Goddess of War even though she abandoned men, and he has no idea it’s Theo. Kellyn also has major self esteem issues due to his dyslexia and color blindness. St. Lewis also has dyslexia, and it’s clear she poured so much of her own experiences to make Kellyn’s struggles both realistic and relatable.

The tournament itself was WILD. There’s so much mythological lore that went into this, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

And lastly, for the fellow audiobook lovers, Ashley Rose Kaplan & Christian Leatherman do a fantastic job of narrating Theo & Kellyn, so I highly recommend the audiobook.

*Thank you NetGalley, Hazel St. Lewis for gifting me this e-arc*

Okay, now I didn't get to finish and this was just published today so HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY!! lol. I will say from what I have read, it was pretty good. I most definitely need a physical copy only because this book feels like it's needs to be in my hands in order for me to fully understand the world. Now, the world building is kind of heavy, there is whole 2 or so pages in the beginning that is called "Glossary of the Gods" that right there is very detailed and honestly helped me, but it was soo much that my brain had to look away for a minute lol. The storyline though, the plot! Man, I can't wait to read it again and fall in love. BUT beware of the content warnings!!! They mean series business. If you're interested in a new adult romantasy with tropes of enemies to lovers, immortals(God's), forced proximity, and forbidden love. Then please pick this up!! It's also a standalone within a bigger series!

*Thank you again to NetGalley, Hazel St. Lewis for gifting me this e-arc*

Outstanding DEBUT!

I was enamored with this steamy enemies to lovers deadly trails book! Hazel St. Lewis took this trope and made it her own! She did a fantastic job setting up this intriguing world with a well written plot, and lovable characters. I was utterly hooked from the beginning. The way she sets up the scene for the trails makes you feel like you are there.

She sprinkles her characters with everyday struggles, (dyslexia, color blindness, self-confidence/worth and emotionally and physically abusive parents), and shows their growth in overcoming. I loved how the morally grey immortal character is a badass FMC! Theodra’s character arc was a treat to witness, she goes from being cold/unfeeling to having all the feelings especially love. Kellyn was a delightfully swoony worthy MMC with a heart of gold and ensnares our Goddess.

Man, that ending had my chest pounding and clenching. I love their HEA and how well they fit each other! I will definitely be on the lookout for more of her books.

The moment I read the premise, i had to get my hands on this book. It really started out interesting but the writing style was a little bit too young adult for me. Even so I could have enjoyed this a bit more if the trials weren't so underwhelming. I expected something like Hunger Games, instead I got spelling bees and no contest between the contestants.

Regardless, it's a nice quick read and has an interesting plot so if you prefer YA style adult fantasy, this is for you.

I had really high hopes after reading the blurb of Courting War and I was really excited to be granted an e-ARC copy. Courting War is a standalone fantasy novel set in a bigger world and there will be more books to come in the series. I really liked the premise – the god, War, is a woman, omnipotent yet emotionally scared and the MMC is a human, seemingly strong and unbeatable, yet plagued with insecurities, the biggest one being he suffers from dyslexia and having no one to turn to for help. I loved how the book showed and dealt with it, it offers a representation not often seen in fantasy books. The pace was nice, the characters were ok, I just felt they were a bit flat. they lacked something to make the story truly great. Still, I would recommend it and would gladly continue the series to see what the author has in store next.

3.8/5⭐️ .5/5🌶️

Courting War is a mythological love story between the Goddess of War and a human man competing in the Sacrifice games for the Gods. I really enjoyed the story! At times it seems a bit repetitive but the characters made up for it. I feel like this book almost could’ve been a duology and had some more details. I look forward to the other books coming for the rest of the characters! Thank you netgalley for the ARC

This book was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the trials a lot and really liked the riddles that were involved in them. I do wish the romantic and sexual tension was more prevalent. I just had a hard time believing the romance for some reason. It just seemed kind of abrupt to me. I did enjoy the characters and how they interacted with each other. Overall, I liked it and I'm curious to see where the rest of the series goes.

I love the premise of the book and the way it had mythology incorporated throughout. I enjoyed the explanation and was able to easily follow along. The only thing was the book at times would be slightly slower otherwise it had a great storyline

3.5 stars rounded up
Courting War was such a fun read!
I loved the Greek Mythology mixed with deadly trials and a forbidden romance between an immortal and mortal.
Think Hunger Games but the game makers are Gods and they play with humans for entertainment during the Sacrifice.

I liked that the author included the glossary on the Gods especially since there are so many with their own set of character arcs but the world-building was tricky. It's a little slow in the beginning but once it picked up I couldn't put it down. The lyrical prose was beautiful but sometimes felt juvenile which made it hard to connect to the story and characters at times. I think given the plot I was expecting more grit and violence. But this story is very plot and character-driven, each character had something to offer and everything felt important. It's a standalone within a larger series and I look forward to reading the other installments.

It's 's dual POV between the prince and the goddess of war.
I enjoyed reading Theodora's character development, she's a villain. At the start you can feel how consumed she is with revenge for the trauma inflicted on her and then slowly you see how lonely and heartbroken she has been and how much she just wants to be loved.

I liked Kellyn, I thought he was a perfect match for Theo's snarkiness. He has a learning disability and all he's known is shame from his parents. To prevent others from learning of it he acts as an arrogant brute but he's kind and loyal and would risk his life before any of his friends.

There were a couple of twists I didn't see coming and that ending was perfect. Friendships and love survived the trials in the end.

I highly recommend picking this fantasy romance book up if you like mythology, deadly trials, enemies to lovers, and a morally grey protagonist.

Thank you Netgalley, Hazel St. Lewis, and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book, unfortunately I realized pretty quickly that this book just wasn’t for me. I did not enjoy the writing style, it’s all tell instead of show. I find it difficult to connect to the story and characters with this type of third person narration.

This story did sound very promising though, I’m a huge fan of Greek mythology which is why I requested it and who doesn’t love a deadly tournament! (And forbidden love)

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC!

When reading the blurb for this book, I was excited, but honestly I could not get into the story and I struggled to finish this book. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the overall story.