I love Alexis Hall, but this wasn't one of my favorites by this author. I didn't realize it was the second book in a series when I first requested the ARC, but I don't think that made much of a difference. Ultimately, the writing was good and the story cute enough, but it felt too much like a classic faerie romp and lacked the creativity I found in everything else I've read by Hall. I also found the narrator / frame story distracting and kind of annoying. Definitely read other works by this author, but perhaps skip this one.

While I loved the story the writing just wasn’t for me. I know so many others are gonna love and adore this but I did not. The writing just made it so hard for me to get through. Overall I did enjoy this though

The nobleman Mr. Caesar finds love on his quest to save his sister from the tricky magical fey.

This book is very charming, told with a Regency air, and full of fantasy and magic. The romance between Mr. John Caesar and Captain James was passionate and sweet, but often pushed back to make room for the plot. I have not read Mortal Follies, so I was surprised to find a third party narrator. It was mostly enjoyable, however they were a bit much at times. I also think being out of Mr. Caesar’s head had made the romance less emotional, if you get my meaning. That being said, the scenes we did get were still swoon-worthy.

All in all, this makes for a good fantasy novel! Fans of Mortal Follies are sure to love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC.

**Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-ARC!**

I quite enjoyed "Mortal Follies" so I was excited to see more of Mr Caesar in this second book. I was not disappointed! The narration style is funny, bold and adds a great touch to the story. Sure, it means we are less directly in the heads of Mr Caesar (or any of the other characters), but since the narrator can more or less pluck the emotions out of the mortals, it didn't bother me.
The plot is grander and quicker in "Confounding oaths" than in "Mortal Follies", quite a lot of things happen, in multiple direction. A few characters annoyed the heck out of me, as intended, other were lovely and fun. The worldbuilding is really nice in a fairy tale with bite way, which is delightful.
As for the romance, it is quite in the back, since there is a lot going on and the characters don't necessarily have the time to focus on this side. The growing feeling aren't that much on page, though it can still be felt rather well. The question around power, privilege and status was quite well done too, and same goes for the fact that Captain James is a soldier and bound to go to war.
I would say first a foremost a book about Mr Caesar dealing with his sister's curse and his own trouble, not a romance, even if the romantic part is still strong. You shouldn't expect a romance served upon a background fantasy intrigue but the other way around.
There were a few moment that were a tad long or overexplained, or with the narrator being a bit too much, but it didn't hinder my enjoyment too much.
I'll definitly read more books in this universe!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc this book was great it’s a cosy fantasy romance. Alexis halls writing is brilliant as always I’d recommend any book by them

In this high stakes game of the London Marriage Mart, John tries to help his sister Mary make the match of her dreams. When she runs afoul of an evil godmother, their plans are put in jeopardy. Along the way, John secures the help of Captain Orestes James as they navigate these treacherous waters. Will they find love or ruin? Fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue and Bridgerton won't want to miss this tale.

Thanks netgalley for the chance to read this! Fun take on historical fantasy, that continues a world you've already dipped your toes into. Honestly cozy fantasy is what comes to mind when thinking of this series/ world