Listen enemies to lovers will always deliver. And when I say enemies to lovers I mean TRUE enemies to lovers because this is exactly what this book gave. Like the MC is looking to find her father, and the love intrest is looking to find him for not so good reasons. And she blames her supposed love intrest for his disappearance. Like genuinely you cannot tell me that this does not intrigue you because every page I turned was eye opening, amazing and addictive. I literally could not put the book down. I already loved this authors other work but I think this one genuinely might take the cake for me!

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4

The Courting Of Bristol Keats by Mary E Pearson

Honest review alert!

I hated the first half of the book and loved the second half. Let me explain.

First half:
-Very confusing and messy
-Tons of missing and incomplete information
-So chaotic with introductions to too many characters and creatures at once. We need a guide at the beginning for characters, creatures, kingdoms and leaders, and locations. There is ALOT of information and it’s impossible to keep up.
-Next to no info on magic and abilities. Some of them just have certain magic but it’s never really explain who has what and why.
-There are tons of different POV’s and they aren’t labeled with a name so it’s hard to know whose POV it is right away which takes you out of the story. This happens mid chapter very often.
-Everything is abrupt and random. Random things happen that seem to be filler to make the story longer that have no impact on what is actually going on.
-A silly title for the book honestly. It doesn’t really fit the story and sets up a story expectation that doesn’t really happen. What are they courting her for? She goes willingly and then joins a training program basically.
-Very generic side characters.
-Everything is very telling, and not showing. We are told all these important things are happening, and little side quests, but we never get to see them.
-What is the Sun Court? Why is it called that? What does any of that mean?
-Unbelievable romantic connection. The two MC’s have hardly any page time together. The author TELLS us they have these meet ups, but we don’t actually get to see the scenes, the dialogue, the tension, absolutely nothing. She just tells us they are happening.

Second half:
-The story is dialed in! We’re on track. I know what’s going on now.
-The romance is starting to sizzle. We finally see them having page time and actual interactions. Multiple yummy spicy scenes. Very well done.
-Politics! Secrets! Lies! Betrayal!
-The side characters are getting time to shine and their individual personalities are dialed in.
-Lots of beautiful friendships and found family.
-I was hooked in the last 40% of the book. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. Much more dialogue and actual showing scenes happening between characters instead of just telling us they happened.

I do recommend this book. I think the first half is very messy but if you can stick through the frustration, the second half makes up for it. The first half feels written by a teenager, and the second half feels written by the Mary we know and love. I think this book could do with more editing and sharpening up the first half it the book. There’s so many unnecessary parts, while it’s missing a ton of important detail about the world. I am the type of reader who really needs lots of detail and to sit and imagine the world and feel IN IT as I’m reading, and for the first half of the book, I couldn’t do that.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron books for the arc!
Pub date: 11/12/2024

I was so very excited to read this book. This is one of my favorite authors, and I was thrilled she had a new book. All that changed once I started reading. This book was so confusing I’m still not sure what I read. I didn’t relate to the main character at all. The world building was very murky. I didn’t understand at all even after reading what the deal with her parents was. There were too many characters and povs to keep up with. Even the romance was lacking. We are told too much about feelings without the author putting the emotion into the language and characterization. This was sadly a miss for me.

I gave this 4 stars after I finished it, but as I’m writing this review I realize that was entirely too generous. Bristol is new to the world of Elphame, and so she is a bit confused and understandably short on explanations she doesn’t have. However, the POV’s of other characters didn’t provide an ounce of help in the descriptions and explanations department. I don’t think some of the POV’s were even necessary as I was bored waiting for Bristol and Tyghan’s chapters. I found myself confused for most of the book and other times felt it spent way too long to explain unnecessary plot points. I appreciate that the author wanted to make this unique with how many faerie fantasy books there already are, but I think the world and magic and characters needed to be more established before we got thrown into the action. I actually would’ve liked more time spent at Bristol’s hometown because the atmosphere and vibes were nice. After she went to Elphame is where the book lost me. I knew why she was there, she wanted to find her dad if he is still alive. But why did the other characters seem to want her there? I wouldn’t have minded the lack of explanations and descriptions if I knew the why of it all. As we go through the book, I was hoping another reason would come that didn’t have to do with her dad but it didn’t. The romance was the best part which is why I originally gave it 4 stars but it didn’t wow me enough to overlook my issues with the rest of the book. I liked the monsters and creatures of Elphame and wish we had more of this fantasy aspect versus politics and side characters. Overall, I think this book was too long for the plot and too short for the world building. I can understand why people are loving this though. It’s definitely a unique fae fantasy with tropes everyone loves, it just didn’t hit the way I wanted it to.

Bristol Keats has been tricked into going to the fae world.

Her human life has been moving frequently from town to town with her parents and sisters, poverty, and both of her parents dying within a short amount of time of each other.

Now, it's up to her to save Elphame, however, her parentage makes her, technically, an enemy of the people. (Those who know, anyway). To the others, she's just a useless human.

What I really enjoyed was the fae weren't a bunch a beautiful sparkling beings with wings. Sure, some were, but a lot were grotesque monsters.

There are some good little twists in the story which was great because it would slow down in parts. Sometimes I would have to go back and re read a part because the writing would be a little unclear.

I liked the romance tropes, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, slow burn... I was there for it.

I thought it was going to be a stand alone so the story just stopping... so abruptly threw me off. And I thought it was at a strange place but it was at a sweet moment.

I feel really conflicted on this review because I loved the characters and the plot, but the scene changes were confusing and that was a really weird place for it to end. Honestly it didn't really end? It just stopped. Regardless, I enjoyed it overall and I'll definitely read the next book.

A captivating plot with a fresh and imaginative universe. It keeps you on your toes, questioning the decisions of characters and anticipating the next revelation and its motives. The dynamic between characters is intriguing, though frustrating as we are privy to information before the main character - the anticipation killed me! Despite its length, the pace never lags for long before exploding with new revelations. The romance is a slow burn, but well worth the wait.

My absolute, number one reason to read this book is the creatures. In this world, almost all of the creatures are humanoids to at least some degree. There is the human/mortal world and beyond the veil the leads to various fae kingdoms. Our main girl Bristol gets the shock of her life when she discovers the Fae, and other monsters that creep in the night, are real, her parents are big ol’ liars, and her whole life has been a facade. About here is when we meet the very mysterious Tyghan. (Insert mischievous eyebrow raises because we know where this is headed.) Tyghan and Bristol are oil and water, neither giving any leeway to the other which makes some fantastic banter.

I had a really good time in this story. It’s no secret, I’m here for the creatures. I want to know so much more about absolutely everything. The ending, not satisfying in the least – Pearson did it on PURPOSE! WTF left my mouth several times in those last handful of pages. I have so many questions. I full heartedly recommend picking this one up.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mary E. Pearson, Flatiron books, and Macmillan audio for this eARC and audiobook ARC.

Thank to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the eARC.

When I heard Mary E. Pearson was releasing a new fantasy duology, I was thrilled. I absolutely adored The Remnant Chronicles (still haven't made it to Dance of Thieves yet). It was one of my favorite reads of 2023.

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. Like many other reviewers, I have to say it does not feel like a finished book.

The worldbuilding in the first half is messy. We are constantly introduced to new characters and settings, but we are given very little information to build a complete picture. Everything gets muddied, and all the characters blend together. I spent the first half assuming the mortal setting was England, but I think it was actually set in the US. As for faerieland, we learn very little about how that world works. Who is the current king/queen? What are the names of all the courts? We know that the main character is in the Sun Court, but what does that actually mean? I wanted more from this. Especially when the worldbuilding and ensemble cast were so strong in Mary E. Pearson's other series.

The book had WAY too many characters and POVs. I cannot tell any of the knights apart except for (maybe) Tyghan's sister and her lover. The only recruit I really remember is Julia. (Side Bar: Why is this group of recruits so much more important than all the ones that came before? Shouldn't the more highly trained ones go to the ball?) All the names just blended together. And the POV switches were downright confusing. I highly recommend the publisher adding headers to chapters before publication, so we know going in whose POV the chapter is from. Sometimes, I had to just guess.

I also found this book suffered a lot from telling versus showing. We skipped a lot of major moments such as Bri navigating through the Wilds for the first time or Tyghan going to meet with Jasmine or even Tyghan just getting to know Bri. We were told these things happened, but we didn't get to see them. It felt like when an author skips over a scene in their first draft with a "To be filled in later" and then it was just never filled in. I wanted to see those moments.

This book had a lot of interesting pieces to it, and I really do think there is a great romantasy story in here. But it just needed a little more time for the author to develop the story and work out the kinks. I'm curious to see how much is changed before publication.

I read and listened to this one, and it was absolutely fantastic. So enchanting and captivating… it had me hooked from the very first page!

I absolutely love this author, but this book isn’t it. I was about 40% through, and when the FMC who grew up in the human world, started waxing poetic about laundromats, I couldn’t take it anymore. Apparently, they are the places for new beginnings. So admittedly, I loved the idea behind this story. Her parents are dead/missing, and she gets yanked into this magical world where she is mayyyybe the only person who can find this magical door. Not a lot is explained, and it is rather boring. The romance doesn’t sizzle, either. I spent most of the 40% I read confused. Also, the audiobook is only one narrator - a female - whose voice is rather pleasant, but she also reads for the male chapters. I’m so disappointed… 😔

I absolutely loved this book! Mary e Pearson is my favorite author. And I have been waiting to read this book for so long! And I was not disappointed! The world building is so good! And the romance was the perfect amount. I was not a huge fan of the spice but not for me. But everything else was amazing!

(4.5/5) I am a sucker for a beautifully crafted, faerie world and Mary E. Pearson creates one within The Courting of Bristol Keats. This is the author's adult romantic fantasy debut and book one in an incomplete duology.

What to expect:
🗝️ Adult romantic fantasy
🗝️ 3rd person, multi POV
🗝️ Fae, demigods & magical creatures
🗝️ Mystery, secrets & betrayal
🗝️ Reluctant allies
🗝️ Secret identities
🗝️ Forbidden romance
🗝️ Slow burn with lighter spice (not super detailed/explicit)

I have to admit—two things ultimately convinced me to request this eARC: the gorgeous cover/limited edition stenciled edges and Adalyn Grace's (author of the Belladonna trilogy) glowing review. I'm so glad I was approved for an eARC because I found this book unique, fantastical, and romantic.

Not only does Mary E. Pearson create a beautiful world, but I appreciate the complexity of her characters. Although I found the switching of POVs a bit confusing—the POVs are not clearly stated at the top of each chapter and she sometimes switches perspectives within a chapter—I was able to adjust about 30% in. I hope she takes the time to develop side characters that have had POVs (such as Eris and Melizan) in book 2.

I love that the author chose to pair the forbidden romance with a slow burn so it felt believable. While the anticipated spice scenes weren't overly explicit, I found them tasteful and not distracting from the overall plot. This is a romantic fantasy, so the fantasy is ultimately in the forefront.

This is a long book and I can see it deterring some readers, but I'm the type of reader who regularly reads 500+ page books. I would say three things really lengthen this story, Mary E. Pearson:
👉 Provides a lot of background for context
👉 Loves to give thoughtful details
👉 Builds character personalities and relationships through "micro moments" (e.g., dancing in the forest, training lessons, day-to-day life)

While I found the ending to be a bit abrupt—I wouldn't necessarily call it a cliffhanger—I am looking forward to the next book and plan on completing this duology. I can't wait for more readers to get their hands on this book November 12, 2024.

A sincere thank you to Flatiron Books for an eARC through NetGalley.

Mary E. Pearson crafted such a beautiful and magical world while staying original! I loved how it took elements from popular fantasy books such as the Cruel Prince and Spiderwick chronicles but ultimately was still her story. The romance in this book was tasteful and not overbearing making it feel more like it’s JUST a fantasy book with romance aspects. I absolutely love her previous works and this book did not disappoint me one bit. The characters were complex and well thought out. Bristol was the perfect fantasy FMC and wasn’t your traditional badas* FMC or your girl in distressed waiting for someone to save her. I am so so so excited to buy the physical book when it comes out and to read her next book!!

"The Courting of Bristol Keats" is a long book that took a bit to hook me, but once it did I couldn't stop reading. It is full of high drama, spicy romance, and impossible moral conundrums (everyone is to blame AND everyone is to be pitied). That last aspect was probably my favorite part.

Mary Pearson is an auto-buy author for me after The Remnant Chronicles and Dance of Thieves duology (one of my favorites ever). This adult standalone is right up my alley and I will absolutely be buying a hard copy when it releases in November - especially with its sprayed edges!!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

lInstantly became my favorite romantasy of the year. Mary E. Pearson knows how to write a Romantic Fantasy. It's gripping and adventurous with the angst and tension you want out of a romantic couple. The development of the backstory is very well done and with multiple POVs and you get insight of the history of the world of elfhame and it's easy to follow. There is plotting and political intrigue. So many mysteries and things yet to be done that makes you want to continue reading. This book's world concept of magic is explained as well. There is a wide range of characters some who are obnoxious to some super loveable. The book's ending was very unexpected but it does leave you content until book 2 comes out.


Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to listen to this e-ARC. This is very much my honest opinion

I devoured this in one sitting! This is a fantastic romantasy that satisfied every part of me! The writing was phenomenon, I could clearly see the story in my head as I was reading. I literally could not stop turning pages until I got to the very end.

I tried so hard to love this book. I was (still am) obsessed with Dance of Thieves and Vow of Thieves so i was so excited for this book. Unfortunately, this book almost put me in a reading slump and it’s so disappointing because I already pre-ordered my copy.

This book could have had so much edited out and the detail dump was almost too much (even tho the details were unnecessary) and sometimes I didn’t know whose pov I was reading. The side characters were kind of forgettable which was not good when it was their pov and I didn’t know who they were.

To finish my ranting I don’t think this will stop me from reading the rest of the series cause it had some moments where I was actually intrigued (even though I lost interest after).

I am just one person I am sure someone else will love it .

Probably a bit more than 4 stars?

This is giving adult Cruel Prince and I really enjoyed it! We've got the mix of human and fae and monsters, fish out of water style FMC, magic and weaponry training, mysteries and secrets, and twists and betrayals. It's a bit slow-paced, but ramps up a bit at the end. We also get spicy scenes!

While I really did love the development of the relationship between Bristol and Tyghan, and I loved them both as MCs, we're also cursed with something hanging over the entire relationship. And that is one of my least favorite tropes of lying by omission. Because it ALWAYS blows up. This is literally in the synopsis, so I did realize what I was in for, but ahhhh the ANGST!

I think the world-building and side character development could have used some more page time. And the book just ENDS. Almost mid-scene. There's no wrap up or setting up for the next book. Thankfully I knew there would be a next book! And I need it right now!

I absolutely enjoyed the book and would recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. The audiobook narrator did a great job, and I'd also recommend that format. All opinions are my own.