**Disclaimer: I received a free eARC of this graphic novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.

Suitor Armor, Volume 1 by Purpah is a fanstasy graphic novel with some romance elements.  I think it would be appropriate for an upper YA and adult audience.  The book is set to be published on November 12th, 2024.  I rated it 4 stars on Goodreads.


Here's the summary from GoodReads:

Secrets hide behind every corner of the castle walls in the first volume of an exciting Webtoon romantasy graphic novel that follows the budding romance between a lady-in-waiting and an enchanted suit of armor.
While humans and fairies are at war beyond the castle walls, Lucia’s life is dedicated to helping prepare Lady Kirsi for her upcoming wedding to King Reimund.
Lucia’s time at court takes a dazzling turn when she accompanies Lady Kirsi to a royal tournament that calls together all of the kingdom's brave knights for a competition of strength and wit. A magically animated suit of armor, brought to life by Norrix the court mage's complicated enchantment spell, enters the ring and challenges the winning knight. Lucia is immediately attracted to the armor's dark, mysterious charm and lovingly names him Modeus. Bonded by their mutual status as outcasts within the kingdom, the two begin to develop an unlikely yet thrilling connection and sparks (both metaphorical and magical) fly.
The truth is, Lucia is hiding a dangerous secret about her own identity. She is the enemy: a fairy. She fears being exposed to the whole human kingdom, but she desperately desires to learn more about herself—especially with the arrival of a winged visitor who has infiltrated the castle walls for reasons still unknown...
Complete with original behind-the-scenes content and a bonus storyline exclusive to the book, this first volume includes episodes 1–17 of the greatly successful Webtoon webcomic Suitor Armor and sets the stage for a grand adventure in magic, romance, mystery, fantasy creatures, friendship, self-discovery, and more!

This graphic novel was so, so fun.  I had never heard about the WebToon comic, so I knew very little about it going in, and honestly I was delighted by what I read.  The overall premise/concept was very unique and very fun.  It also really suited the romance reader in me, because I was really enjoying what was being hinted towards in that particular department.  It'll definitely be a slow burn, but the Lore Olympus books have very much set me up to appreciate that as a concept.

The fantasy and magic elements of the story were very cool.  I liked the use of magic to make a sentient suit of armor, and I liked the sort of Medieval vibes of the setting.  I have always enjoyed the combination of magic and that particular time period.  It reminds me of the Tamora Pierce books, which was absolutely formative for me.  I found the overall world really intriguing, and I really want to know more and figure out just what's going on in the world. 

Lucia was a really interesting main character, and I liked seeing her navigate the world and her particular role in it.  It's obvious that she's got more going on than what is shown on the surface, and that layer of internal mystery made me want to read more.  I wanted to see more of her interacting with her friend and the other characters.

I had so, so much fun reading this, and I highly recommend that you check this one out.

What an adorable book! I need the second volume yesterday. I can’t wait to see how the story progresses. I wish it was longer.
It’s witty, hilarious and a great commentary on everyday issues

This comic has fulfilled all of my Cozy Fantasy needs in one convenient package. Do you want some secret identity court intrigue? Do you want training in magic and mayhem? Do you want romance with an unexpected love interest? It’s got it all in spades and more to come (both on Webtoon and in future volumes). I loved the bits of behind the scenes content and the bonus chapter in this volume, and, of course, the art is incredible. I’ve already subscribed online so I can continue the series!

i thought this was so cute and a really great fantasy story! excited to see where the story goes! loved the historical aspect!

I loved this from webtoons. And love it now! Recommend to all my fantasy lovers. Reminds me of full metal alchemist w the suit of armor

Looooove!! This is such a delightful graphic novel. It has magic, secrets, knights, love, fairies, beautiful artwork, compelling story, humor - I loved everything about it. Lucia is such an awesome character, I can’t wait to see more of her story in volume 2!

I followed this series on Webtoon, so I was excited to see that this is being published! This is a charming, lore-rich story of fae and humanity at odds in a way you would never have expected. If you're looking for instant romance, this may not be for you, as it's a very slow burn.

Summary:

Lucia’s life changed forever during the human and fairy war. She was brought into the kingdom by the King himself, set to serve his daughter as maid and best friend. It’s been a happy life, for the most part.

The latest royal tournament signals the encroaching wedding. Lady Kirsi, the woman Lucia serves, is bound to wed King Reimund. That should be enough excitement, but the latest knight has caught Lucia’s eye.

Review:

How did I not hear about Suitor Armor sooner? I’ve only read the first volume of this series, and I am 100% hooked. I need more, and I need it now (thankfully, it is originally a webcomic, so I can dive right in).

Suitor Armor, Volume 1 is a brilliant introduction to a fanciful new world of fairies and medieval politics. There’s also magic and romance, so it pretty much has a bit of everything, as far as I’m concerned.

Lucia is such an endearing lead character. While she may have a huge secret, she has a big, open heart. For example, at least at first, she’s the only person to treat our dark knight differently.

I can’t wait to see where this story goes. It’s so sweet and compelling, even with the very real undertones of danger and corruption.

Highlights:
Originally a webcomic
Fantasy Romance
Faries & Court Politics
Magic & Knights

This graphic novel was such a joy to read! It was the perfect introduction into this world and story and characters and definitely caught my attention and now has me eagerly awaiting the next volume!

We follow Lucia who is the lady-in-waiting for the princess and her life as a hidden fairy within this kingdom who hates them. We see her journey of discovering herself and helping others discover themselves too. It was so sweet! I loved the blooming relationship between Lucia and the metal knight. I'm excited to see where that story goes.

The art was great, I loved it and it was super easy to follow along with the story even during action scenes. I highly recommend this if you enjoy graphic novels especially within the fantasy and romance genre!

4/5⭐️

Really cute comic! I loved the characters and I think it left off on a good cliffhanger for the second volume. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more and will be requesting a copy of this for my work.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.
I loved the graphic novel, really enjoyed the art style and the story line so far is cozy mystery vibes which I love. Can’t wait for the next volumes to further explore the characters and storyline.

This was a really cute graphic novel, and I honestly can not wait to see where the following volumes go as we get deeper into the story.

The art is crisp and that makes everything easy to read. The story exciting and makes you want to read the next volume.

4 stars

With beautiful, colorful full-page detail, Suitor Armor introduces us to Lucia, a girl with a dangerous secret, falling for what seems like a suit of armor that is magicked into a warrior. Lucia has to hid her identify, but she becomes fascinated for the identify of her crush, Modeus. In the kingdom, fairies and magic are under strict control or else are the enemy. While conflict brews in the kingdom, Lucia and Modeus slowly get to know each other and support each other. I really enjoy all the characters, especially Lucia as the open-minded, level-headed protagonist. I am a bit confused/curious on what/who exactly Modeus (the magicked suit of armor) and am excited to hopefully find out in the next installment!

It's a perfect fantasy romance for those craving a sweet read. I love monster romances and this scratches that itch. I can't wait to see Modeus develop more as a character! This transitioned super well from the webcomic and felt like a fleshed-out story. I will recommend this to my graphic novel book club.

Romantasy can get weird sometimes. You probably wouldn’t cast an empty suit of armor as your male interest, but this graphic novel proves that a hunk of cold metal can result in a heart-warming love story.

This is an updated take on the classic fairytale. There is mystery and intrigue along with some well-crafted LGBTQ+ characters. The romance plot is sweet, while the art is equally stunning. I Iook forward to seeing the next chapter of this story.

Check it our for yourself when it comes out November 12th!

Pairs well with a cup of mead, polishing silver, and a flower crown.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! The art style is so cute, and I adored all the characters' designs. The plot felt very fairytale-esque, and the rather magical illustrations really helped you feel like you were seeing a fairytale play out. This book is a nice quick and fun read, and very whimsical! My only big problem was the ending, it felt rather abrupt and left me wanting more. But, I suppose I'll have to read the next one.

I would recommend this book if you're looking for an easy-to-follow fantasy story with an adorable art style but don't expect a complicated, in-depth storyline.

A delightfully fun dynamic of the sunshine x gloomy relationship portrayed through our main character as a bright and colorful fairy who's hiding her identity and a dark and intimidating suit of armor who looks dangerous but is very kind and sweet. This book serves as enough of a taste to a series that I anticipate will dive into a lot of interesting dynamics about self discovery and hiding parts of yourself both physically and metaphorically. It's a light read so far with some stakes but nothing too dark and intense off the bat.

Thank you NetGalley , Ten Speed Graphic, Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for sending this book for review consideration in exchange for an honest review

I wasn't really sure I'd enjoy the concept of this romance. Thought it may be too odd/goofy for me.
Boy was I wrong, it's adorable, art is great, story is wonderful. I need the second installment right now!

I loved the setting of this graphic novel. Anything medieval with knights and magic automatically grabs my interest.

The concept for this story is really cute. Girl who is secretly a fairy and has to hide her identity, starts to catch feelings for a magical, sentient suit of armour. It feels weird to write that down, but just trust me, its cute.

While the art and premise were both great, I did feel like the story fell a little flat for me. There were no real 'villains', and I didnt feel like there was any kind of conflict pushing the story forward. Almost every character seemed to be sweet and morally correct and the whole thing was just cozy vibes. (Which may in fact be exactly what you're looking for, in which case, this is the book for you.)

Thank you NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.