I think the story has a lot of potential. The premise is intriguing, and the story has some great moments of suspense, mystery, and friendship. I like Jasmine's voice and her inner dialogue, and her relationship with Asher has some great moments. The story has a nice cast of supporting characters. Esther is intriguing, and Qien gave me Snape vibes. And I especially liked Lydia and Pina and what they added to the story.

My main issue with this book is that, to me, it still reads a lot like an early draft. A great draft, but one that could incredibly benefit from more work and editing.

There is a lot of missing information in the book- We hardly know anything about the characters and the world they are a part of. And it felt like such a missed opportunity because I really do want to learn more about this world!

The concept of the keepers and the Starvein, and the Xolani, and the delicious tension of being stuck saving your rival's life, and being thrown into the position Jasmine found herself in, has so much potential, but right now it doesn't have enough depth.
We have no information about the world outside. Why do they even need magic? who are they fighting against? How does the class system work- what do you do if you are not a Starvein or a keeper?

The keeper's job description is unclear. I get why they need to be bodyguards and advisors, but why do they need to also cook? can't the Starveins cook for themselves? All the scenes about Jasmine's inability to cook felt unnecessary and didn't add much to the plot or her character.

The magic system is incredibly confusing, and the characters seem incredibly uninformed about their own world. Someone who came from a family of Starveins like Asher should know a lot more about magic and how it works. We also don't know why Asher chose to be a keeper. Isn't being a Starvein (even a weak one), better in their world? did he even have a choice?

I get the need to keep some mystery, but it doesn't really make sense that no one is in charge and these poor untrained kids have to figure it all out on their own without proper guidance.

I want to see more of this academy and what they are doing and learning.

I would also love to have more information about Jasmine's parents and upbringing, and her ancestors.

Overall there is not enough tension and suspense in the story-
The "enemies to lovers" doesn't really work, because they were never really rivals, and they move to friends and to lovers fairly quickly and without any real conflict. Even with the bed sharing and the forced closeness, the tension and the longing weren't high enough for me.
-big revelations are discovered too easily.
-even the plot twist at the end isn't really a plot twist, since we never liked or trusted that character and it would have worked a lot better if she was a real mentor to them and someone they actually trusted.

The book relies almost entirely on dialogues, which are often too long, and don't read like real conversations.

The book is in third person, but there are also many italicized paragraphs in first person that show Jasmine's thoughts. And while I love seeing characters' direct thoughts, especially when it's snarky comments, in most cases these paragraphs would have worked so much better in third person. It wouldn't "break" the writing style like it does now, and I think it would be less confusing to read. Especially in the audio version when you can't tell if it's a thought or a dialogue. Another option could have been to make the entire book in first person, since other than two scenes the book is entirely from Jasmine's point of view.

There was certainly something in this book that captured my attention and made me curious and intrigued enough to finish it, and I'm sure a lot of people would enjoy the sweet romance, the magic, and the mystery!

Jasmine is a Keeper in training. A Keeper’s sole purpose is to protect their charge at all cost. And there is only one way out of being a charge….death. Jasmine is ready for this life, she would rather this than her previous one. But when she is assigned to be the charge of her previous sparring partner, Asher, she has second guesses on whether she is ready for this commitment.
As Jasmine and Asher are now forced to be together they start to realize that there is an unbreakable bond that may strengthen over time. They also must learn to trust each other's gifts to find out who their true enemies are. When the assassins come will Asher and Jasmine be ready, or will they die in the ultimate fight for their lives?
Overall rating 4 /5
This was such a fun world to be immersed into. The gradual build up of tension between Jasmine and Asher was intriguing. I would love to see more of the world outside of the Keeper’s training facility in the next installment and maybe a little more spice.

*Thank you to A.N. Skye, Netgalley and Aethon Books l Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

This was an easy to read book that had a slow burning romance and was ideally suited for the young adult market. I liked the characters Asher and Jasmine and their rival to lover cosy romance. The book itself had the bones of a great story though for me it could have done with more world building and a bit punchier plot pace. Overall, I did enjoy the book.

I thought it was enjoyable and structure to be good series. I did however, feel that the enemies to lovers aspect is lacking.
I hope the editor will do a great job of correcting the many errors and repeated phrases, so I do think that will help with the finished product.

I powered through this book in 2 days, though it probably had something to do with the more intense books I read before this one. It's a mildly interesting romantasy with an interesting mystery at the heart of it. It's good for a quick holiday read or as a lighter palette cleanser after a heavy, intense book. It's set up for a sequel, but it failed to interest me enough to want to read the next installment.

“Keeper of scarlet petals” is a fast paced NA romantasy that gives off vampire academy vibes.

It had all the makings of a good book with tropes I love like bodyguard and charge romance, mystery, suspense with a bunch of assassination attempts that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Although the magic system was a little confusing at times, I had fun reading this book!

This book just wasn’t for me. It had so much potential, and I thought that the concept was super cool but the delivery fell short for me. I really wanted to like it, but the pacing felt stilted and the characters felt immature and flat. The action sequences were super fun and really the only reason I finished the book to be honest.

Thank you #NetGalley , #KeeperoftheScarletPetals, Aethon Books, and A.N Skye for the pre-release copy. I did purchase the audio to tandem read with the kindle copy. Book now out and available with KU. I did round up on the stars but this is definitely a solid book. I was settling in for a very young YA book but pleasantly surprised me as not exactly. It’s listed under “New Adult.” The book is nothing like it, but I kept getting of Vampire Academy vibes. As in the Keeper is a YA with very adult responsibilities and all the adult’s were missing for most of the book. I didn’t completely guess the ending but wasn’t exactly surprised either. I would recommend but also just great another series I’ll need to add to my list of ever growing.

This book is so intriguing! I absolutely loved the mystery and suspense with this one.
The characters were easy to root for, and I enjoyed their banter. Even the side characters were enjoyable

Jasmine was a strong FMC, so capable and determined, truly a force to be reckoned with.

The ending left off with a big surprise and I can’t wait for more

A great mix of romance and fantasy. A book that I really hope is the first part of a series. The characters are well presented, as is the background of the fictional place. A really easy book to get into. And to get hooked on!

Jasmine (Jas) comes from a very poor life in the slums, and through hard work and determination she has been given an opportunity to become a Keeper - an elite protector of the Starvien. The story is an incredibly slow build, with several pacing issues throughout the first half of the book. With the threat of someone attempting to kill Asher, a fellow (former) Keeper, magic, fights and bubbling romance there was so much potential for this book. Sadly, it fell rather flat for me and I struggled to make it through the first half of the book. The layers of the plot were revealed in a very slow fashion and there were long stretches of such mundane activities as Asher teaching Jas how to cook eggs... these two elements coupled for such a slow read. Honestly, I found myself skimming over these larger sections.

Overall, while the story development isn't for me, it is worth a read, and I'm very glad others have loved it. It simply isn't for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read Keeper of the Scarlet Petals.

Jasmine came from the slums and is given the opportunity to train at the Sanctuary to become a Keeper. Keepers are there to protect the Starvien, who have the ability to wield magic. Usually, it takes 8 years to become a Starvien, but due to a shortage of Keepers, she was assigned to a young noble, the only surviving member of his family. Unfortunately, someone is trying to kill them, and they don't know who they can trust.

I was drawn to this book because of the story, and it didn't disappoint. It was action-packed and very fast-paced. I loved the banter between the characters and how their relationships evolved. This book felt like a YA with a little spice mixed in. I will say, the romance felt sudden and rushed.

Overall, I think this story has a lot of potential, and I'm really excited to see where it goes.

Keeper of Scarlet Petals (received as an ARC)
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Keeper of Scarlet Petals was an enjoyable, light fantasy read with easy world building and a mysterious plot line. Jasmine, who is a Keeper in her first year of training, is tasked with protecting a first-year Starvein (magic) student when his family is murdered, for fear of an assasin coming after him as well. When the attacks begin, Jasmine and her charge must survive until they find the one who is behind it all. While the plot pacing was a little slow, I did have fun trying to figure out the mystery element to this book. The ending is a surprise, and the epilogue uncovers things even further. The characters were enjoyable, and I liked the connection between Jasmine and her charge, Asher. He was so sweet and caring, and he was a genuine, safe space for Jasmine. And, who doesn't love a good he falls first trope! Overall, I enjoyed this book. However, I do believe this story had so much unrealized potential within the plot.

⚠️Warning⚠️
Language, low spice, and violence/fighting

Thank you Netgalley and Aethon Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Really liked this book. I was looking for a fantasy book with a bit of romance in it but without evolving in an erotic novel, which is usually what happens lately in romance fantasy novels, just sex scenes over and over. Not in this case. Decent fantasy book with some romance and a little bit of mistery. There was almost no description of surroundings (they were in an academy which we do know nothing about) and we can count with one hand the characters of the book, which is a shame.
I hope to read the 2nd part.

This wasn't really doing it for me. It was a bit slow starting out, and I think it has the potential to be a really great read, but I wasn't loving the set up right now.

Keeper Of Scarlet Petals is a romantasy that reads more YA. I enjoyed Asher and Jasmine's relationship and the magic. The book was a little slow paced for me, and I would have liked more world building. Although I did really enjoy how the book ended.

Read this book if you like:
* friends to lovers
* academia
* magic
* assassin
* fun sidekicks (Lydia is the best!)

Stars: 3/5

Thank you to A.N. Skye, Aethon Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had such a good time reading this!! It was fast paced, full of action and intrigue, and had such a cute romance! The banter between all of the characters was great and had me laughing out loud several times. The epilogue definitely got me with that reveal and cliffhanger, and now I am impatiently waiting for book 2! 😆

To be a Keeper is to dedicate one's entire self to their charge. Servant, advisor, shield, whatever a charge may need, the Keeper will provide.
Jasmine is a first year Keeper-in-training. Raised in the gutters and determinednever to return, she works hard to become the top fighter in her class. But fighting is only one of the tenants of a Keeper, and she will need to master them all if she ever hopes to graduate.
When Jasmine is pulled from training to take on a charge, she is less than thrilled. Especially when the boy she is assigned to protect has a way of getting under her skin. Jasmine is determined to prove that she has what it takes to be a Keeper, but with assassins targeting them and no idea who they can trust, she may not even survive her first year of training.

If you are looking for a fun, fast-paced fantasy with a rivals-to-lovers romance, lots of action, cool magic 😉, and a strong FMC, then this needs to be at the top of your list!

This plot was the perfect with a mix of adventure, found friends and a brilliant slow burn romance!! I was completely hooked and finished it in one sitting, it was a very easy read with very loveable characters, I absolutely loved how strong Jasmine and Asher were and I completely fell in love with Lydia and how unfiltered she was!

The romance is definitely more YA, but I definitely enjoyed it. The banter between characters was a lot of fun. It falls in the realm of bodyguard trope, but the girl is the one in the bodyguard role and who doesn’t love a badass female. They also learn to work together and help each other along. I cannot wait to read more

I really enjoyed this book. While some aspects definitely seemed immature it was a lot of fun and This was a very enjoyable, fast read!

I really wanted to like this book but the plot was very slow paced. To many questions and not enough things answered in a timely manner. It’s suppose to be a romance book, but I felt Asher and jas had 0 chemistry on paper. I’ll give it a 2 stars because the writing is good.