"Confounding Oaths" was an intriguing read that definitely kept me on my toes. I was not sure where our narrator (the illustrious Puck) was taking us but I knew it would be an adventure. 

Overall, I enjoyed this regency fairy tale of a story. The characters absolutely made this novel. Hall creates such fun dynamic characters and it was a joy to watch each of them grow and deal with things and challenges in their own way. 

We meet Mr. Caeser (the younger) escorting his sisters to a ball where ruckus ensues and he chooses to defend his sisters honor. When he is threatened the chivalrous Captain James steps in to defend him, the resulting storylines branch out following each character with care. If you love whimsy and being just a little confused or kept guessing about where a story is going you should definitely pick this up. 

I would recommend you pick this book up if you love cameos from other books, great characters and all the adventure you could wish for!.  Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It’s impossible for me to not love Alexis Hall’s writing, even when it’s outside of my general interests. This book is both historical and fantasy, neither of which I read often. I tend to read less of these genres because I find them difficult to follow. Unsurprisingly, that was true for me in reading this book, but I know that’s about me and not about the author.
As with Hall’s other books, this one is poetically written with characters that captivate. This books is sure to be a success!

This is a difficult book for me to review. I absolutely love Alexis Hall’s work, but I’m struggling with this series. Mostly this is a me-problem: I’m not keen on fantasy books, especially when they involve magic and fairies. I’m also not entirely sure that the narrator-thing works. Yes, it’s often funny, but after a while all the asides get a little exhausting. I do feel that the connection with the main characters was somewhat better than in first book in the series. Nevertheless, I don’t think I ever felt invested in the characters or the romance.

The plot itself worked better for me than in book #1. Again, there were two different plot lines, but this time they happened simultaneously so they had a better arc. For me the first 40% of the book was a little slow (but that is probably more of a me-problem), but once the plot picked up pace, I enjoyed it more.

For me this was a 3-star read, but I can see why other people would love the book.

This book is a really fantastic sequel/follow up to Mortal Follies. It focuses on different characters, highlighting some really interesting aspects of Hall’s fantasy-romance world. The characters are really interesting and fit the story very well. The plot is well-paced and fun to read. This book has a really satisfying conclusion, but didn’t feel predictable or boring. This book also had a better handle on the narrator and style than Mortal Follies did. I felt that the first book struggled to implement this effectively, but it was really well-done in this book.

The best way I can think to describe this book is that it’s like a Jane Austen novel with a gay love story, meddling gods, mischievous fairies and a sprinkling of cultists and witches. It’s definitely unique. I’ve gone back-and-forth a lot about this rating and I’m still trying to decide exactly how I feel about this book. There were so many things that I really enjoyed about it. Regency Era romances are my thing. Fairies? Sign me up! A gay love story with an unheroic but honorable man and a dashing soldier? Swoon!

At the beginning of this book, I really enjoyed the narrator. They are clever, not entirely reliable and obviously magical. I enjoyed their observations of all the things that were going on as the book went on. I started to feel like the narrator actually got in the way of the story. His witty remarks and expositions started to feel like interruptions and I felt further removed from the story. I liked the familial aspect and the push and pull of sibling relationships that are explored in this book. Our two main characters, Mr. John Caesar and Captain James are both very likeable and interesting. Unfortunately, I found their chemistry to be lacking and, in fact, their romance felt like a side plot entirely. The plot around rescuing Mary from her ill-fated wish was full of adventure and intrigue. The reason this leans more towards three stars than four is that I started to get bored in the last half of the book. I found myself skimming over pages and mildly following along, but I wasn’t truly invested in what was happening. I really wanted to like this, but it fell a little flat.

I was attracted to this book first because of the gorgeous cover, and the content of the story did not disappoint. Curses in a historical era (1815) and gay/LGBT representation made for a fun story that I recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC copy gifted in exchange for my honest review.

"Confounding Oaths" by Alexis Hall. A big thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is a mix of Regency romance with a touch of fairy tale magic, bringing to mind the charm of both Jane Austen and Bridgerton. Some how it all works. Admittedly, I'm not big into regency stories but this was a fun readm

Following the adventures of John Caesar, who's set on helping his sister Mary through the marriage market, the story quickly becomes an crazy mix of fey bargains and sacrificial magic. Teaming up with Captain Orestes James, John navigates a world full of humor, charm, and unexpected romance. Their dynamic is sweetly developed, making their relationship something you find yourself invested in.

One of the highlights of the book is its inclusivity and diversity, which felt refreshing and genuine. The characters are easy to love, and Hall's witty, engaging writing style made it a joy to read. The low-stakes drama and the charmingly funny narrative had me smiling and chuckling throughout.

Miss Bickle was amazing- i wanted more of her. The setting, reminiscent of a fairy tale with Regency-era elegance, was both unique and mesmerizing.

If you're a fan of historical romance, cozy fantasy, or simply love a good story with inclusive and diverse characters, "Confounding Oaths" is a must-read. It takes the beloved elements of classic romance and adds a sprinkle of fairy tale magic, making it an easy and enjoyable read

I read this during Pride month and absolutely loved it. While I explicitly focus on Queer and LGBTQIA+ books during Pride month, don't forget to read queer all year.

Well, here we have it folks, my second “meh” for this series. I had some issues with the first installment of this series, and they were all present in this one as well, with the added frustration of how much the narrator started to grate on me by the second half of the book! This is a somewhat dark story about young ladies getting involved with the Faerie Courts narrated by the mischievous, funny, and totally unbiased Robin Goodfellow. Oh and there was also a romance in there but don’t worry there isn’t too much page space dedicated to that bit… I was engaged for the first half, but past that point I started to be less and less amused by Robin’s antics, I found the fairy machinations more confusing than I think they needed to me, the romance was dull, there were some scenes where the narrative split to follow two groups and that got old fast. Frankly, I was bored. I think this book tried to do too much and the result is that it just wasn’t as good as this authors other works, which I generally love.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for providing me with a copy of the ebook in exchange for this honest review!!

Firstly, a huge thank you to the publisher, the author, Alexis Hall, and NetGalley for the digital ARC copy of Confounding Oaths which I had the privilege of reading. I will also be posting my review to Goodreads and Amazon. I thought this was such a cute and sweet novel that reminded me of Jane Austen and other Regency Era romance favorites. Both this and the stunning cover are why I initially requested a copy, but was pleasantly surprised by how much I found myself enjoying the writing style and character development in a way that added so much to the story. The humor was also on point! Miss Bickle is the cutest <3 I want more from her story! I would love a Miss Bickle novella, perhaps?!

John, our main character, is determined to help his sister, Mary, successfully navigate the marriage market, despite their nontraditional background and other challenges they face along the way. The siblings’ parents share in this wish for Mary, and John knows that hooking Mary up will make room for him to go back to living a life of leisure. But Mary is a little boy-crazy and finds herself in a predicament, to say the least!
To save Mary, John teams up with Captain Orestes James, a hero of Wellington’s armies. Together, they face the dangers of fey bargains and sacrificial magic, adding on a little to the genre in terms of layers of fantasy. Though John is familiar with casual relationships with soldiers, he finds himself unexpectedly drawn to the captain.

I liked the diversity of the characters as well and the inclusion of more different types of relationships, and the narrator’s voice and tone is just so funny and charming. The low stakes were fun and sweet, and left me smiling and “awww-ing” out loud. I would recommend this to anyone who likes historical romance, cozy romance, fae fiction, cozy fantasy, LGBT tales, family stories, Jane Austen, Bridgerton, etc. Confounding Oaths took one of my favorite genres and added a little spice!

I gave this one a couple chapters, but it's just not for me. I found the style of the narration a little purple/saccharine for my tastes and the anachronisms (although clearly intentional) were not my favorite. "Avidreaderdom" was unfortunately an eye-roller for me.

Maybe if I was in the mood for a more whimsical read!

Grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-copy of this book!

Regrettably, this book did not resonate with me. Despite not having read “Mortal Follies,” I wasn’t lost, though the world-building was almost nonexistent in this sequel. If immersive settings are your thing, I’d suggest starting with “Mortal Follies.” Otherwise, you might manage just fine starting here.

The humor missed the mark for me. The narrator’s style felt overly gimmicky, and the satirical tone didn’t evoke any laughs. Moreover, Mr. John Caesar, the protagonist, was exceptionally bland. Even the narrator hinted at his dullness. His sisters, Mary and Anne, were far more engaging characters with interesting narratives, but John… he was a drag.

Humor seems to be the key attraction here, so if you haven’t read “Mortal Follies” and are contemplating this one, read the first few chapters to see if the humor aligns with your taste.

Ultimately, I struggled to get into this book. The writing style and point of view were odd, leaving me puzzled about the story’s direction. I had to set it aside as I couldn’t connect with the characters or the plot, which was disappointing since I was looking forward to a queer historical romance with magical elements.

I just adore Puck's narration. I loved it in Mortal Follies, so when I saw Confounding Oaths was available to read early, I jumped at the chance. I love a good comedy of manners, something that Alexis Hall excels at. Confounding Oaths was just as funny and just as compelling as Mortal Follies, and I desperately hope we will be getting future installments in this series.

Confounding Oaths follows John Caesar, a side character introduced in Mortal Follies. At the beginning of Confounding Oaths, John finds himself in a bit of hot water, and is rescued by a man called Captain James. What follows is an adventure chock full of silly shenanigans and excellent romantic chemistry between the leads. The book isn't just comedy and romance, however, and it doesn't shy away from some darker themes and attitudes that were common during the Regency period, specifically racism and homophobia. I thought these themes were handled well and added a layer of complexity to the novel that took it from good fun, to excellent.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Ballantine for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

may i just say THE COVER? how whimsical and stunning kudos to the artist

confounding oaths i would say leans more fantasy than romance. the narration makes for a very unique stylization and i have yet to come to a conclusion on my feelings. at times i liked it, at times i didn't? very niche but those who will love it will consume it wholeheartedly! i do wish the romance had more depth and emotion as i felt very disconnected from the story. the aesthetics within this book were amazing and as with any historical fiction i love to discover the setting as if i’m indiana jones ε(´｡•᎑•`)っ

thank you alexis hall and netgalley for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. I really enjoyed this book. I love Alexis Hall and this one is just another one that is fun to read. I liked this one more than Mortal Follies though I can't quite explain why. I love the continuation of Robin Goodfellow as the narrator. I'm truly intrigued at the threads of another story that have been hinted at in this book. Captain Orestes James is one of my new favorite characters and I love him. I will be suggesting this book to all of my reader friends and purchasing it for myself. I can't wait for the next.

I had hoped that my bad first impression of the narrator and story would be proved wrong the further into the book I read. Alas, I was wrong. The narrator remained annoying and tedious throughout the whole story. The characters themselves were alright and maybe if the book had been written from the POV of the main characters I might have enjoyed the story more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Loved Mortal Follies so was very excited for this and it was very fun! I don’t think it is as good as Nortal Follies but I still really enjoyed it. It has so much of everything and is just a wild fun cozy fantasy times - would have liked more love story and romance but will be adding to our library!

This one gets a 4.5 out of 5.

I really enjoyed this book. It's not as good as Mortal Follies, but it is pretty damn good. The whole concept of these books is part of what I love about them so much. They're written as stories being told to us by the being sometimes known as Robin Goodfellow, who has a very distinct voice that and sense of humor that I find hilarious. It's just as funny in this book as the last.

(I have to take a small digression here to talk about how talented Alexis Hall is. I've read several books from them so far and have enjoyed them all, but I admire especially the fact that they can write different genres and time periods with such skill. I know that other authors can do this too, but a book like this, written in such a distinctive style, using language common to the age, and keeping to historical accuracy as much as any book about old gods and fae roaming England in 1815 can... I read a lot of books, and I consider this sort of writing to be a true accomplishment, especially when you can do something so stylized AND make great characters and a compelling story? Amazing)

The setting is Regency England, but with fairies and old gods still roaming the land and exerting influence on various groups of people as much as the Christian God does (sometimes even more depending on the people). With this setting and narrator I think I'd enjoy just about any story.

This book focuses on John Caesar, my least favorite side character from the first book (whose main job was to be nonsensically suspicious after the point where it was all that sensible to be so, and then to try to convince his friend to abandon the woman she loved to her horrible fate; he does at least acknowledge in this book that he was incorrect). He punches a military officer for insulting his sister at a party and is then rescued by Captain James from getting a beating by that officer's hired muscle. This incident, along with the events inside the ball itself, kick off a whole series of adventures.

The story was just as action packed and compelling as the last one. It had the same mix of eclectic characters, mortal danger, dangerous magic, awful rich people, horrible English social rules, and adventure as the last. There's a lot going on, but the author juggles it all in a way where I didn't think anything was lost and the various storylines were all given their due.

John and his sisters are half Black (his mother was the daughter of an Earl and married an abolitionist freedman), and while most people aren't going to say it to their face, they're all keenly aware of how they're just barely accepted by "polite" society. The book wrestles with questions of what it means to be beautiful, what "wanting the best" for your family really means or should mean (especially in a society so bound to convention and rules as Regency England), and whether one should tie oneself into knots to try to be part of a society that may not ever fully accept you.

I thought all the returning characters were just as much fun as the first time, and I thought the new characters introduced (in particular the Irregulars, Captain James's enlisted men companions and friends) are a lot of fun. Maelys and Lady Georgiana return for a few appearances (including one that seems to be setting them up for a bit of a journey in the next book if there is one), i'd actually have liked to see more of them, honestly, and of course... Miss Bickle is there.

Allow me to say that I love Miss Bickle. In particular, the whole subplot with her running a club for fans of the anonymous lady author of Sense and Sensibility, including her own set of terminology for they write is delightful. But she's also an important part of several plot incidents. I only wish she'd been in the book more, and I really hope that there's a third book that focuses on her finally getting the sweeping, epic love story she's been after this whole time.

The reason that this didn't rate as highly for me is that, while I recognize that John grew as a person, and I sympathize with him and the struggles he faces within his society in basically every aspect of his life and who he wants to be (as a gentleman, as a son, as a sibling, as a lover), I just don't find his story as compelling as, specifically, his sister's. I liked his romance with Captain James, who is also Black and also treated like he doesn't belong by his "social betters". His story arc was satisfying, just not as interesting as some of the others in the book.

Anyway, I don't want to say too much, as I don't want to spoil anything (I think a book like this benefits from going in without knowing where all the twists and turns are) but suffice to say I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend it. Though you could probably read it as a standalone, it would help to read Mortal Follies first.

This second book in the world of 1800s England with Robin Goodfellow as narrator was even more fun than the first, Mortal Follies. I love the dynamic of the Caesar family and the social commentary threaded through the plot about race and class. Because I love A Midsummer Night's Dream, I enjoyed all the allusions to that play and the world of Faerie. The M-M love story is perhaps secondary to the adventure plot of Miss Caesar's predicament, but it is lovely all the same. This book sucked me in and was a really fun read!
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy a humorous fantasy adventure.

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a really fun historical, cozy fantasy. You’ve got fairy shenanigans, girls being turned to glass, Jane Austen fanfic, cult-y soldiers making sacrifices to gods, a motley crew of Irregulars and of course a love story. Wish we got a little more of the love story, but I really liked following this group of characters- hope they pop up again in the next book!