The Serpent and the Wolf is a debut romantasy novel by Rebecca Robinson. Vaasa Kozár is our main character; at first, I didn’t care for her. As the novel progresses, we learn more about Vaasa, her family, and her world. Married off to an enemy lord, Vaasa seeks to escape. All she wants in life is freedom–from her new husband, from her brother, and most of all, from the curse that killed her mother.

It starts off slow, and I considered marking this one as DNF at several points. However, I’m glad I finished it, as the second half is way better than the first half.

The novel is clearly part of a series, ending on a big cliffhanger to set up the next book. If, like me, you’re not sure you want to start another series that hasn’t been finished yet, and you don’t like stories with open endings, you may want to skip this one until the rest of the books are done.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 out of 5)

Thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press for an advance copy in exchange for sharing my opinions. All opinions in this review are my own.

Well written, really loved the world building and character development! Just simply a really good book!

Review: This magical tale was intriguing to watch unfold. I enjoyed the character development, and was able to connect early on with the main characters. I struggled some with so many names, some very hard to remember and separate who was who. Overall though, the story came together nicely and I was very happy with the outcome. It is a very slow burn, but so worth it! She does leave our MMC and FMC on a cliffhanger, so there’s sure to be a sequel!
Summary: Vaasa lost her mother young, and has spent her life with a mysterious shadow illness that she’s been to;d will claim her life young. Her brother has inherited the family throne and she struggles to maintain normalcy and keep her sickness at bay. So when her brother trades her off to marry a high leader of another country, she is determined to escape and keep some freedom. Holding her new husband at knifepoint on their wedding night, she does just that. But her freedom is short-lived when he finds her and reclaims his wife. Full of stubbornness and grit, Vaasa is determined to serve her 3 year deal with him in exchange for her freedom. Her ruthless brother has other plans though, coming to see her and her new husband as a threat to his kingdom. In a foreign land where she can’t be sure who to trust, Vaasa slowly makes friendships and begins to see her husband may not be as cruel and rigid as rumor had her believe. Can she make a life here? Can she let her guard down? And how will she defeat the looming threat of her brother? But more than all those questions, the biggest is how will she learn to maintain this shadow sickness, that may not be a sickness at all, but a gift and connection to a powerful ancient coven?

Thank you to NetGalley, author Rebecca Robinson, and Saga Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I’m excited to see where this story goes next!

I think this is a good book but I couldn’t get into it and I don’t think it’s the book for me. It just started so quickly and I didn’t feel any attachment to the characters

3.75 rounding up! I almost didn’t read more than the first few chapters because the writing was weird. After you get past the first few chapters it’s better. I loved the characters but there was a lot of them and it became hard to keep track of who belonged to which group. I enjoyed the slow burn, but felt the MMC lacked a bit of depth. Crazy ending. Overall, a good romantasy rec!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

A Fantasy Romance Masterpiece - 5 Stars!

I'm thrilled to have received an e-ARC of "The Serpent and the Wolf" by Rebecca Robinson, courtesy of Netgalley, the publisher, and the author herself. This book is a shining example of why I adore fantasy romance novels!

Vaasa, the female main character, is expertly crafted, showcasing a complexity that drew me in from the start. Her reluctance to marry Reid is palpable, and I found myself invested in her journey.

Reid, oh Reid! He's the epitome of a perfect book boyfriend. He is patient, understanding, and respectful. His character embodies the ideal balance of masculinity and empathy, empowering Vaasa throughout the story. The banter between them is witty and engaging, never once feeling forced or cringeworthy. (BTW the slow burn BURNS!)

The plot is masterfully woven, with a well-developed political aspect that adds depth to the narrative. I found myself equally invested in the romance and the politics, which is no easy feat!

The ending left me heartbroken and eagerly anticipating the next installment. Be prepared for a massive cliffhanger!

I highly recommend "The Serpent and the Wolf" to anyone seeking a mature fantasy romance. This book has restored my faith in the genre, and I'm excited to see what Rebecca Robinson has in store for us next!


Rating: 5/5 stars

Vaasa has been honed and trained to be a dangerous weapon. She's been sent to enemy territory to marry in order to form an alliance. Reid is her husband to be, and is everything she hates. Forced to act like they actually like each other, Reid and Vassa enter into a dance of companionship, bargains, and magic.

This was so good. I could not put it down. The magic system was pretty cool, and the characters were diverse and complex. I did not expect the twist at the end, and it's like Pandora's box exploded and now all I have are questions about what comes next!

This review may contain spoilers.

4.5

Wow. I am truly at a loss for words because this book took me completely by surprise. The opening scene plunges you straight into the action (literally), and I was hooked from the very first chapter. The female main character embarks on a journey that feels refreshingly unique. Initially believing she is cursed and destined to die, she ultimately discovers that what she thought was her lifelong curse is actually her greatest source of strength.

I adored so many aspects of this book: the sharp banter, intricate politics, heartfelt friendships, the captivating coven of witches, and the richly imagined world. But above all, what I loved most was the swoon-worthy male main character. His cleverness as a leader, his thoughtfulness in private moments, and his unwavering love and loyalty for his wife give his character incredible depth that goes beyond the words on the page. He absolutely deserves a spot at the top of fantasy reader's book boyfriend lists!

This will be a book that I read again, and I'll be anxiously awaiting the release of the next one in the series!

I finished The Serpent And The Wolf last weekend and I’m still thinking about this book. Thank you to Saga Press for my review copy, my opinions are my own.

This book is amazing with female rage, political marriage, magic, slow burn romance, manipulation, FMC that knows WAY more, and a MMC who falls in love first. I highly recommend the book for romance lovers looking for a slow burn romance with a bit of fantasy.

Vassa and Reid are explosive together, and their banter is fantastic. There’s elements of found family and support that Vassa didn’t grow up with, which is a lovely addition, and Vassa’s insecurities come into play with the family dynamics. Masterfully done.

Rating: 4.5, rounding up to a 5 stars.

This book is everything I want in a romantasy. I am obsessedwith our MMC, Reid - the Wolf of Mireh. From chapter one, this man was down bad for our FMC, Vaasa, the eldest daughter of Asterya. And while it may have taken some time for Vaasa to warm up to him, this man is easily in my top 5 MMCs after just the first chapter.

Examples just from chapter one (minor spoilers):
"I suspect you could stop my heart in any color"
"These knots are well down" You'll have to teach me so we can switch places next time"

This story had such a unique setup as well. Vaasa is married off to Reid by her brother after the death of both of her parents that were in quick succession of one another. Eventually Vaasa and Reid make a bargain that Vaasa will help make sure that he is voted into being the head of the republic of Icruria, in which Vaasa will have a legal divorce and will be free to leave and live her life after that. Due to this, there is a lot of politics and scheming involved in this book - which I enjoyed.

However, Vaasa has this unknown power that she is initially terrified of, and Reid brings her to a coven of witches who helps teach her to control it. The sisterhood that forms as Vaasa learns to trust not only the coven but herself, literally brought tears to my eyes.

The relationship between Vaasa and Reid is a true slow burn. I wouldn't say it's a true enemies to lovers, as Reid falls for her at first sight, but Vaasa...dislikes him for a while. I will say that I enjoyed that Vaasa was attracted to Reid as a person before any real physical attractions began. She admired him as a son, as a leader, before admiring his abs for instance. There are also only two real spicy seasons in this book, and because there were so few I really felt that they had impact to demonstrate the trust that Vaasa now has in Reid.

Knocking off half a star due to:
- I wanted to see more of the "Wolf" in the wolf of Mireh. I felt like we got to see some real badass moments from Vaasa, and I wanted more of that side from Reid
- Towards the end, some of the writing felt a bit clunky, especially as we were alternating POVs. There was a random sentence that was from like a narrator's perspective instead of one of the characters, it felt out of place.
- I want our strong FMCs to remain strong FMCs, and in a few pages it felt like so much build up was undone. This is more so of a complaint of FMCs in romantasies in general, so it's not specific to this book, but I really want to see an empowered Vaasa in book two again.

Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

So I tend to struggle to write reviews if I’m being honest, so what I’m going to do here is literally cut and paste the notes I made in my notes app while reading as my review and then add some post reading updates:

Notes-

Loved Vassa from the first scene- gave me Lila Bard vibes and I’m here for it.

Writing is fluid

The tension is delicious

I hope there’s a map

I need more of Vassas history. 77 pgs in and the dynamic btw her and her brother is still unclear. More background on how she grew up; examples of how she was raised and her relationship with her father etc. I have a lot of questions

I love love love the friendship with the witches 🥰🥰 Melisina, Amalie, Mariana, Romana, and Suma- the makings of a found family?

Freaking love Amalie 🤩 “Your strength is my strength” Everyone needs an Amalie in their life! “One witch is a problem, but a coven is a nightmare”

This is a slow slow slowwwww burn. The build and everything that comes with it- the confusing feelings, the vulnerability, the tug of war between the wanting, but also wanting to protect yourself is believable and relatable

Post read add: You get little crumbs throughout about Vassa, her history, her relationship with her brother, father, and mother. I don’t mind crumbs at all! In fact; that’s the way it should be imo as opposed to info dumping. However, when I’m a decent chunk of the way through and I still have a lot of questions and there’s a bunch of holes in the mc’s characterization and world building; I start to get nervous because when I’m reading a new to me author- that trust isn’t there that those things are going to get satisfactorily addressed. It really sucks to get to the end of a book and have a bunch of untethered threads. Even if there’s a sequel; I have to have enough backstory, history, world building in the first installment to feel like I know the MC’s and the world they’re living in.

I’m happy to report that by the end the nerves were unfounded though! I got Vassa’s history that I wanted with hopefully more to come in the sequel and the world building here was an absolute strength. World building is one of my favorite things about fantasy and it’s one of the things I’m often disappointed in. I want all the things- geography, history, a well developed political system, distinct cultures, social norms, religious/spiritual values, magic system etc and it makes me so soooo happy when those things are well done!

I really really loved this one and can’t wait for the sequel! Where were the special editions? Where were the sub boxes on this one?? Because I would have wanted them! Just sayin

Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for providing an eArc for review consideration! All thoughts are my own.

I enjoyed this book very much. I thought the character building and world building were very good and the plot flowed very well.

I can’t wait for the next book in the series because I have to know what happens next!

This book completely blew me away. If you love stories packed with political intrigue, fierce partnerships, and a slow-burn romance that will have you clutching your heart, The Serpent and the Wolf is your next obsession.

From the moment we meet Vaasa I was hooked. She’s the kind of heroine who owns her female rage—stabby, determined, and impossible to root against. I adored her dynamic with Reid, the layered ruler who challenges her every step of the way. Their friendship and chemistry felt earned, and the tension? Delicious. Reid’s “Where’s my wife?” moment and unwavering support made their partnership shine.

Beyond the romance, this book delivers everything I love about romantasy:

✨ Found family and fierce loyalty.

✨ Women’s witch covens that exude strength and sisterhood.

✨ Deceptions and betrayals that kept me on edge.

✨ Libraries brimming with secrets.

✨ Magic that feels dangerous and alive.

Vaasa’s journey from survival to love is unforgettable, and the slow-burn romance is perfectly paced amid the high-stakes political plot. The royalty, dark magic, and just the right amount of stabbing come together beautifully, making this a debut that feels bold, immersive, and unputdownable.

If you’re a fan of stories where female rage is celebrated, partnerships are tested, and twists that keep you guessing, this book delivers it all.

Thank you author Rebecca Robinson & Saga Press for the paperback & audiobook to read.

Ready for all the intense slow burn feelings of a story you can not put down, because this is absolutely it. It is magical and has every element you want in a fantasy book. It's an incredible debut book and you would have no clue this is her first story. I can't wait for more!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy, apologies it’s late but…life.

This book starts out with a huge bang, promising revenge, mystery, high stakes political games. Then we taper off a bit to slow and cube some while Vassa come to terms with who she is and what must be done. Reid is smolty! Just yummy, a huge softy for his wife but a no nonsense man. Things pick up the last 25% and even got me a bit teary eyed UNTIL THE END WHERE I SEE NO DATE FOR BOOK 2!!! Where is book 2??!!

Thank NetGalley and Saga Press for this arc,

I had a time reading The Serpent and the Wolf from the first scene to the last I was hooked. Finally a romantasy that is not just romance and the plot is forgotten. I loved the world building, the political intrigue, the witches and the magic and most of all this was a self discovery journey for Vassa. Vassa learning to love herself and more about her family and magic. The found family, banter and slowburn is done so well. Can’t wait for book 2 because the ending totally gagged me

The start of what seems to be a promising fantasy trilogy! The plot is fast paced and tantalizing enough to make you continuously want more. Vaasa has married Reid of Mireh, a political attempt to trigger war by her awful brother. But her brother underestimates her and she enters Mireh with wide open eyes. When Reid offers her a deal - to learn about the mysterious magic that has flowed through her veins since her mothers death in exchange for helping him win votes to place him in charge of his country. It seems clean and cut, however, the attraction between Reid and Vaasa is too strong to deny.

So fun, just bitter because there are two more books that I now have to wait for!

I had fun with this one!!! It felt like a great introduction to this world and these characters!

I love when a book just throws you into the world and the action, and this book definitely does that because we start the story on their wedding night!! It was such a clever way to introduce us to our main characters and really gives you a feel for who they are.

This world was cool, but sometimes confusing. There is a lot of political intrigue and moving pieces but I think overall it came together well. I thought the romance was good, I love the whole vibe of when a character is obviously into the other and the love interest is just oblivious.

I'll definitely be waiting and reading book 2!!!

This book is one of my top five reads of 2024, and I will be thinking about it until I get to open the pages of the next book. I felt so deeply immersed in this world in a way I didn't know I needed. It intensely raised the bar for any fantasy book I read in the future, and I read a lot of fantasy.

If you're interested in a unique magic system, deep love, political intrigue, and forced proximity and slow burn, this is absolutely for you. Vaasa and Reid, along with the supporting characters, were so well crafted that I felt like I was in their world with them. Vaasa is one of the first main female characters that I've read in a while where she wasn't just tough for the sake of it, and all of her decisions, worries, and insecurities led to her growth in a way that made so much sense.

The supporting cast of characters were strong, and the twists near the end kept me on my toes.

The writing was beautiful and cinematic, in a way that I felt like I was watching a movie in my head, especially for the last 30% of the book. Once I made it to 70%, I couldn't stop reading. Definitely a six-star read for me, and I look forward to (hopefully) the continuation of Vaasa and Reid's story.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn’t influence my review. This was a wonderful read, and the tropes delivered! I love when an MMC is cocky!
Tropes:
💍Arranged marriage
⚔️Enemies to lovers
❤️‍🔥Slow burn romance
🔪Assassin FMC
🥷Hidden identity