If you want to read a book that will rip your heart out with an ending like that then this is the book for you. I thought the book was okay. Some of the problems could have been fixed within a chapter or two but of course for the sake of the story it was held on too. The other thing I thought was weird was how she fell in love with her brothers best friend.

I don't know what I was expecting this to give, but it was not really what I wanted it to be. It reads like romantasy that wants really badly to be fantasy romance if that makes any sense. The plot took a while to be unique in any way, but once it did I felt like the bones were strong and I'm really interested in Bristol's mother. I don't have a ton to say other than I feel like this book is objectively entertaining, but it has a lot of my fantasy pet peeves which limited my enjoyment.

I am absolutely distraught that I didn’t like this book. I’ve always been a fan of Pearsons work but this book was so awful I can’t even defend it. The characters were plain and devoid of life and were pretty unmemorable, the romance was even worse. It felt barely thought though and there wasn’t enough on page action for me to actually feel the characters connection. The world, like the characters, was plain and boring, there was really nothing about it that set it apart from other books magical faelands. To this day I still don’t know what the plot was. The book dragged on and on without much action or plot and a lot of the interactions and events felt so pointless. This book felt like a first draft, with just the general ideas of how she author wanted to book to go. It had so much potential but I was massively let down.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

This book was a little challenging to get through. I thought the descriptions of the characters were confusing the povs were also very confusing. We have random one paragraph points of view from animals like a horse like??? Also, the way the point of view changes in the middle of someone else’s pov was so confusing and it felt like it took me out of the book. Overall, I do like the premise of the book I just think it wasn’t executed that well. The mmc and fmc I didn’t see or feel their connection it randomly went to them loving each other when they had minor interactions. I also felt focused on some stuff then skipped over other parts like “me and the king talked every night for 2 weeks” but didn’t give us snippets of the conversations to endear us to the characters and their developing relationship which, like I stated, made it feel like it came out of nowhere. The book didn’t pick up till the 50% mark and that is when I started not dreading reading it and around 70% when I started enjoying it. I think I would read the second book just because I’m curious where it goes, but when it comes out and I have another 50 books on my tbr it will be placed last.

Mary E Pearson is one of my favorite authors, so I was so so excited to learn that she was making an ADULT fantasy romance (as I don’t read YA anymore). And this book ate down. Don’t listen to all the other haters that DIDNT do their research prior to starting this book, and got upset that it was more sexual and had sexual content on page.

A lovely (if slightly uneven) romantasy that's like drinking a cup of hot chocolate on a snowy day. Leans into many tropes of the genre, which on the one hand I enjoyed — I read romantasy because I enjoy said tropes! — but, as with other reviewers, there were moments I wished Pearson had put a little bit more of a new spin on it. That said, the writing is beautiful, and I'm really excited to bump up Dance of Thieves to the top of my TBR :)

Right away, this read lures readers into a story filled with fae, deception, hidden doors, and magic, and it will sweep you off your feet into a journey that will have you on the edge of your seat.

After the tragic passing of her parents, Bristol receives word from a mysterious aunt claiming to know her father. Intrigued and desperate to help her sisters, she goes to meet this relative and finds herself entangled in a much larger web of mysteries, lies, and truths than she ever expected.

This story was a very layered, complex narrative following multiple points of view with different perspectives, engaging readers to sink themselves deeper into the pages of this book. The spanning plot with its intricacies and meticulous thoughtfulness, completely blew me away. I loved how storylines tied together while others took off in unexpected ways. The romance was a complete slow burn (*swoons*) but grew to be another multi-dimensional part of the story.

I can't wait to see what’s going to happen next!

3.5/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I'm not an avid fantasy reader but this book kept my attention. I loved learning about the fae realm and I like the main character Bristol Keats. I will leave a more detailed review when I read the second book coming out in this duology.

I REALLY wanted to fall head over heels for this. For those of you who know Pearson's writing- she is so good! I loved her Dance with Thieves duology and was expecting something as fast paced and swooney. However, this book with the most random povs (still some a mystery) and uncertainty around the plot made this book hard to digest. I think we got a really good foundation for book two where I am hoping most of my world building questions will be answered. The characters overall were somewhat believable- it felt very much like The Cruel Prince in that it was set in modern times.

If you aren't knit picky like me, you will likely enjoy this!

Contains multiple open door scenes and language.

Thank you to netgallley for an advanced copy of this book.

Review will be shared on Instagram at @readingkelsey by 11/24/2024

There has not been a Mary E. Pearson book that I have not enjoyed! This one definitely did not disappoint and I am excited to see what she comes out with next!

I loved this book. I can't wait for the next one to come out. This has great world building along with wonderful characters. I can't wait to see what happens next with Bristol and Tyghan. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading books with fae and magic, that also has a good mystery with it.

I had a good time with this. There were several hooks in the beginning that kept me turning the page, and there are several things set up for book two that will have me running back to turn some more.

I enjoyed the magic and the romance. I wish some of Bristol’s friendships with the other recruits had been developed a little more. They all felt a little interchangeable.

It also didn’t seem to have a strong story arc of its own — it kept building and building until the last page. I suspect it was one book that got split into two, and where they decided to split it was slightly odd.

But I’m very much looking forward to continuing on!

Thanks to Flatiron for providing an advanced digital copy through NetGalley for me to review!

A heartfelt thank you to Flatiron Books and the author for the gifted of the e-book! Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

I listened to the audio as I read the book and was thoroughly captivated by the audio version of this book! The writing was engaging, pulling me in from the very first page to the last. The characters were complex, each with their own rich backstory that intertwined beautifully with others. The ending was a pleasant surprise—not exactly a cliffhanger, but an unexpected twist that left me pondering long after finishing.

The narrator truly elevated the experience, skillfully bringing each character to life with unique voices that added depth to the story. If you love a blend of fantasy, romance, and intrigue, this book is one you simply cannot miss.

I am eagerly looking forward to Bristol’s next adventure in book 2! This book is available now.

Romantasy • Fae • Fantasy Series
Pub Date • 12 November 2024

🗝️ Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @flatiron_books for the free digital book and ALC. 🎧

As a testament of sorts, I did finish ahead of my buddy read schedule. Enjoyable but I left this book wanting more.

Bristol Keats is a 22 year old human who, following the suspicious deaths her parents, ends up entering a bargain with some fae and lands herself in their world, Elfame.

There’s a lot going on in this book. There are Bristol’s two sisters, her aunt, the townsfolk and mayor, the different fae clans and villains, the inner circle of the king, the knights, and healers who are all named and given speaking roles. Then the “recruits” who are vying to be selected for a special fae task. Can’t forget the King and love interest Tyghan, not to mention Bristol’s maybe not-dead father... All this to say there are a lot of characters and events happening - and in the end, the side plots did not add much, other than padding a lengthy book.

The ending also knocked this down a peg for me because it ends literally in the middle of a sex scene with no plot lines resolved. In an almost 600 page book I expect to have some resolution.

🎧 Regarding the audiobook, Brittany Pressley did a great job managing multiple POVs and brought each character a unique voice. This made tracking the many characters more enjoyable. She kept me invested through the slower middle section. The bonus interview with the author and narrator at the end was the cherry on top.

The Courting of Bristol Keats
Mary E. Pearson’s The Courting of Bristol Keats offers an imaginative world of Fae with less than likable lead characters.
The Courting of Bristol Keats delivers a present day enemies to lovers tale with exquisite world building and all the makings of a fantastic romantasy. There’s a broody King, a sassy leading lady, magic, romance, and intrigue. Unfortunately, the book falls a little short on piecing together a cohesive plot, while the protagonists lacked the type of character growth that would make me want to continue the series.
The story begins with Bristol Keats receiving a mysterious letter, from an unknown ailing aunt, who wants to bestow valuable art upon Bristol and her sisters. While the sisters are skeptical, Bristol begrudgingly obliges. They’ve fallen on hard times following the death of their parents and this could be exactly what they need to survive.
Upon Bristol’s arrival at the planned meeting place, she uncovers some shocking truths. Not only have major parts of her secretive life been a lie, but her father may still be alive and living in the fae world of Elphame. As such, Bristol strikes a bargain with King Tyghan of Elphame to close a magical door in exchange for help locating her father.
Bristol travels to Elphame and is immediately thrust into the intrigue, unrest, and politics of a kingdom at war. A world where the manifestation of latent powers of recruits from the human world—like Bristol—are the key to the kingdom’s survival. Old wounds, Family secrets, an unexpected romance, and magic (because of course) fuel Bristol’s journey to the truth. Along the way, she learns how to unlock her magic potential, while getting to the heart of her parent’s mysterious pasts.
Pearson does an excellent job in the beginning of the book laying out the fae realm and its inhabitants. She dives into the different species of fae, their characteristics, and powers in an enjoyable way. The differences in how time passes in the fae world and human world made for an interesting plot point as well.
One of my favorite world building tidbits came from learning that many of the great human artists such as Leonardo da Vinci studied art in the fae realm. And speaking of art, this book itself is absolutely stunning! Even if you never crack the cover of this book, it makes for a beautiful edition to your shelf if you’re a sucker for a sprayed edge…It pains me that I enjoyed the artwork more than the book itself.
The Courting of Bristol Keats feels like a YA book with a sprinkle of (underwhelming) spice thrown in to help it make the leap to an adult audience. Unfortunately, the jump fell flat. The characters and plot feel extremely underdeveloped. Not to mention, there are so many characters added to the story who do nothing to progress the plot. The supporting cast felt more like a burden as I constantly forgot who was who. While I enjoyed Bristol’s sassy retorts, her relationship with Tyghan felt like watching the annoying couple in highschool who were constantly fighting, breaking up, and getting back together. There was nothing about this story that made me want to root for them.
Holy plot holes Batman! This story is full of them. Bristol lives in a Hallmark movie-worthy small town that is apparently overrun with fae…Who somehow don’t know about each other even though they have the power to see through glamorous? Without offering any spoilers, I actually laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of why Bristol’s powers hadn’t manifested. Seems like something these intelligent and capable fae would have checked on all recruits from the beginning. I also find it unbelievable that nobody slipped to Bristol the truth about her parents' pasts well before she discovered it herself.
As a card carrying member of the smut lover’s club, the romance did not deliver. There was so much buildup in the first 60 percent of this book, only for the spicy scenes to bore me. They left too much to the imagination and I’m not sure if this is due to Pearson having primarily written YA novels beforehand, or if the characters were just so unlikable I couldn’t get into the “action.” Either way, I give it one chili pepper. The cliffhanger at the end of the book leaves us with a love scene and not one resolution to any of the larger plot points.
Overall, The Courting of Bristol Keats has some well done elements that could make for an interesting sequel. I don’t think I’d be interested in returning to Elphame, but some YA romantasy readers may find this right up their alley!

I'm brand new to this author but have heard nothing but rave reviews of her books through the years. I was super impressed with the world building and character building in her first adult romantasy. I'm a huge fan of romantasy and this gave me EVERYTHING I'm looking for!

Bristol, an ordinary girl, finds herself swept into a world of fae who enlist her help to rescue their kidnapped king. As she hones her hidden magical abilities, she becomes enamored with the fae prince. However, she soon discovers that he has been deceitful about his connection to her parents, who also had fae lineage. Unfortunately, this book ended up not being up my alley. The writing is decent, and there are numerous avenues for the plot to explore. Unfortunately, it feels like those paths were left untaken throughout the lengthy narrative which didn't work for me. Personally, I lean towards stories with a more concise plot and a satisfying conclusion. But overall, it was a pretty decent read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

When I read the synopsis, I thought for sure I was going to love this book. I've read The Remnant Chronicles and the Dance of Thieves duology by Pearson, both of which I loved. However, this book was tough for me to get into. I picked it up and put it down at least a dozen times. For me, it was because of the multiple POVs. This made connecting to the characters very hard, and I found I didn't care about anything happening. I got halfway through the book and tried to convince myself that it would get better, and I would love it, but I DNF'd at 60%. Maybe I will pick it up again because the premise is promising, and I am a fan of Pearson's other works.

I’ve read most of Mary E. Pearson’s books, and I was thrilled to get an early copy of The Courting of Bristol Keats. It has such an interesting premise, and, based on how much I loved her previous books, I knew I’d enjoy this one. Pearson is such a great storyteller, and I love her rich and immersive writing style. 

Bristol is a fantastic protagonist. Struggling to make ends meet after the loss of her parents, Bristol makes a bargain with the fae and leaves her sisters in the human realm.  Bristol gets much more than she bargained for as she learns of her family’s connection to the fae world and the enigmatic male she made the bargain with.  She’s a dynamically developed character – strong and smart and definitely one to give King Tyghan a run for his money. 

Bristol and Tyghan have a slow-building, swoon-worthy romance filled with excellent banter and sparring and a few twists that challenge their relationship. I’m really curious to see what will happen with these two, especially considering his past with Bristol’s father. 

The world-building is great, too, with vivid imagery and no info dumps, and I love how the author wove such a unique world into the story. It’s a well-paced read, and I was so happy to see that it’s going to be a duology! I can’t wait to get the next book.

This is peak high fantasy. I absolutely adored this immersive story of a complicated family and a fae world. It had so many of the things I'm looking for in fantasy romance, including enemies to lovers, training sequences, and major plot twists! I had an excellent time reading this and can't wait to recommend it to others.