2.75 stars
This book was a fairly quick and easy read, and I was very much enjoying it at the beginning but steadily lost interest as it went on. In summary, Vaasa, infected with some sort of magic she doesn't understand and fears, is married off to Reid, a foreman and soon to be headman of a rival country. She is uninterested in political power and this initially makes her seem to be Reid's enemy though they quickly progress to reluctant allies and then lovers. The main plot is heavily political, primarily involving the intentions of Vaasa's brother Dominik. I thought I had seen this marketed as more of a romantasy, which is honestly something I don't often read and am still trying to figure out what that genre means and consists of. Many books I've read and loved that are sometimes considered romantasy but I would more consider fantasy with a strong romance subplot include Five Broken Blades, One Dark Window, Emily Wilde, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Daughter of the Pirate King, etc. For the start of the book I thought this was going to be more solidly romantasy and primarily motivated by the romance plot, which I was actually quite enjoying, but it turned out to be more of a fantasy romance, where the main plot was the political situation, and the romance was more of a subplot. This was actually surprisingly unfortunate for me, even though I typically love a romance subplot, because I was uninterested and a little confused by the main plot. I don't know if I was too dumb to understand the political landscape or if I just didn't care since elements of the writing, world-building, and character development weren't grabbing me, but I did not find the main political plot compelling. Other books with strong political plots that I have enjoyed in contrast include The Cruel Prince, The Mirror Visitor series, and the aforementioned Five Broken Blades and One Dark Window. This book felt both too exposition heavy and yet also lacking in clarity of world-building and character motivations. I didn't feel I knew most of the characters very well or could distinguish them from each other or understood their decisions. Vaasa as a main character felt flat to me. I quite liked Reid as a male love interest, but other than that I felt little about most characters. There's an attempt at showing Vaasa's character development throughout the book that involves things I'd typically like, but felt too telling rather than showing to me and wasn't convincing. Additionally, the writing style was sometimes trying to be fairly flowery, but it didn't feel natural to me and it wasn't consistent. I have enjoyed flowery writing from Leigh Bardugo, the aforementioned Daughter of the Moon Goddess and One Dark Window, Roshani Chokshi, and Carnivale of Curiosities, but in this book it didn't work for me. Lastly, as I've mentioned the world-building didn't really work for me. For example, I didn't really understand what the Veragi magic was or how it worked or what it did; the descriptions of Vaasa's magic were typically fairly vague, which might work for folks who like the writing style more and the general vibes, but just frustrated me. In some ways, this book reminded me of The Shadows Between Us, which was another book I was disappointed by. I absolutely think that there are people who will love this book, and I have seen positive reviews and reception. I didn't hate the book; I just thought it was somewhere between fine and disappointing.

For a debut, I didn’t connect well with the story and DNF’d about 40% through. The writing was meh, characters lacked depth, and the magical aspect was lacking.

I am eager to see the improvements down the line, but this one wasn’t for me!

Fans of ACOTAR and One Dark Window will fall in love with the Serpent and the Wolf. It's definitely a slower burn, but Rebecca Robinson wrote it in such a magical way where I was never feeling bored. It's obviously how crucial this book is when foreshadowing what is to come. I think this will be an incredible series and I cannot wait to read Book 2.

This was an interesting romantasy debut with a lot of potential to become a well liked series. In this book, we meet Vaasa, an orphaned princess who is married off by her ruthless brother to the potential leader of a rival kingdom, in hopes that her expected death would provide the leverage he needs to openly declare war. Vaasa, fully aware of the predicament she's in, does everything she can to escape the clutches of both men, as well as the deadly magic flowing through her veins.

The story picks up after we truly meet the MMC Reid, who is vying for leadership of his nation, but turns out to be nothing like the ruthless, unfeeling, monster that Vaasa thought she had been married off too. Thus starts their slow burn in an arranged marriage, forced proximity situation, where one partner must grapple with their own past traumas and unwillingness to trust others. I enjoyed Reid and felt like he was super patient with Vaasa. I just wish I saw more of him, maybe even gotten into his head, to be able to fully understand him as a while person. Vaasa, on the other hand, is the kind of character that will continually frustrate you, lololol. While I fully understood her misgivings, I couldn't help but root for her to make some different choices in the face of new opportunities for a different life than she was used to.

There's also lots of political machinations happening throughout this novel, and I really enjoyed that aspect. We have two kingdoms attempting to forge bonds based on deception and scheming, and there are various hidden parties pulling the strings on both sides. The magic system was also interesting, and I'm excited to see where it goes in the next installment, especially based on the ending of this book.

Read this book if you enjoy slow-burn romance, bloodline magic, political intrigue, secrets being revealed, and a world that has the potential to expand much further than its initial explanation.

Thanks to the publisher for gifting me a free copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for letting me read The Serpent and the Wolf by Rebecca Robinson! Such a strong start to a series! Perfect for ppl wanting enemies to lovers tension with political intrigue in a fantasy setting! Eagerly awaiting the next installment!

Vaasa Kozár, cursed with dark magic and targeted by her brother, is forced into a political marriage with Reid of Mireh, a ruthless foreign ruler. Her brother plans to use her death as a rallying cry for war, but Vaasa is determined to survive. Reid offers her a deal: help him gain power, and he’ll grant her freedom while teaching her to control the magic threatening her life. As their alliance deepens and sparks fly, Vaasa must navigate betrayal, deadly schemes, and the unexpected pull of her heart.

This was nothing how I expected! In many ways, I found that refreshing. I didn't expect witches, and I was obsessed with how attentive Reid was towards Vaasa. I absolutely loved the slow burn and tension in this book it was palpable at times. Anything with high stakes I'm immediately hooked into the plot.

What I didn't anticipate was the demons/demonic magic which I don't like reading at all. I wish the synopsis had that in it so I knew before reading it. But I was able to push through those parts. The ending I didn't expect what so ever.

I think a lot of people will enjoy this one for the found family, slow burn, witches, and high stakes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press Books for this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Saga Press, and Ms. Robinson for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Serpent and the Wolf. An honest review was requested but not required.

This was a pleasant surprise. I would say the marketing on it is slightly off: it's not truly romantasy as much as solid fantasy with some romantic elements. It's definitely strongest on the politics, intrigue and plot. The romance (or romantic elements, if you will) exists but it takes a backseat to Vaasa's - and other characters' - machinations.

Vaasa is by far the strongest character, a devious, complex woman with a lot of issues and buried pain to unpack. Not to mention the magic. Reid, on the other hand, is made out to be very complex but seemed pretty straightforward to me. I kept expecting twists out of Reid that never really materialized. The beginning was also a little confusing, as the cold open with Vaasa and Reid on their wedding night could have used a bit more context. Nonetheless, by about a third of the way in things had picked up nicely and the complexity of the politics and plot in general was fascinating. While Reid didn't get extensive characterization (especially compared to Vaasa) in this book, I have a feeling things will pick up in the next one.

Looking forward to picking up book #2 as this one ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. Recommended to all the fantasy and romantasy fans who need a plot (and prefer it to be an intricate capital-P plot) in their romantasy.

This slow burn fantasy romance was just what I needed to break up my epic fantasy reads. I loved Vaasa’s character arc. There were parts early on that made me tear up. Reid’s strength and caring matched well with Vaasa’s fierceness and brokenness.

Other things you may enjoy:
•witches and covens
•arranged marriage
•banter
•he falls first
•political intrigue
•enemies to lovers

4.5 stars!
Wow! I’m not a big fantasy reader but the beautiful cover and description peaked my curiosity. I’m so glad that I read it! This was such an amazing debut novel. A huge congratulations to Rebecca. I love a fierce FMC and when the MMC falls first. Ugh I just love that he kept calling her “my wife”. There was so much tension! This was by far one of the best spicy slow burns I’ve read this year. The banter between the two main characters was amazing. If you’re not a big fantasy reader, this would be a great book to start with. The world building was good, but not confusing at all! Highly recommend picking this one up!

3 - ⭐⭐⭐

"Pretend you love me, Wild One. And make it convincing."

The Serpent and the Wolf is the first novel in the adult fantasy romance series by the same name. The novel is written in third person POV and primarily follows Vaasa, a princess afflicted with a dark shadow magic after the death of her mother. Believing her days are numbered, her ruthless brother marries her off in a political alliance to the brutal leader of Mireh...but Vaasa is no simpering female. Honed as a blade by her father she refused to give in. Except...her new husband offers her a deal she never anticipated. Play the loving wife to help further his political agenda and gain her freedom. This deal is too good to be true but with her brother's dark machinations taking form she is willing to gamble, especially as attraction sparks. Though, in this political game, can love be real?

This book has such a fascinating premise! I just wished for a bit more oomph.

Vaasa is a fiercely independent character. She is easily able to stand on her own and she isn't going to let anyone walk all over her. I admired her confidence in politics and going toe to toe against her husband; at the same time her struggle with her magic is present. She fears what she doesn’t understand and I liked seeing her confront it - though I don't feel I really understand her magic.

Reid plays that confident male that works so well for Vaasa. He doesn't feel threatened by her strength and I liked seeing him work with her. He is a typical male protagonist at times - I just wish I got a better understanding of her strengths. He was lauded as this brutal and ruthless leader but I didn't feel I got to see that part of him.

In terms of spice, this is about 2 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. It is a slow burn romance with spice not occurring until about the 80% mark. The romance for me was hard. I wanted to enjoy it and there were fun quips here and there but I felt there wasn't actually much development between them. They worked well together in terms of planning, they worked well faking things, but I never felt like they were falling for it. It felt more told. The spice itself is well written but I just didn't have the chemistry at the time to feel it rewarding, which was a shame.

“You don’t hate me, and I certainly don’t hate you.”
“I almost killed you on our wedding night.”
“As I told you, you underestimate how much I enjoyed that.”

The story itself is a bit chaotic but had such an excellent start! You really got to see the characters and that drew me in. Now there is one clear-ish storyline involving Vaasa's brother's political machinations that are unknown but the rest was Vaasa just existing to bide her time and revealing tidbits and Reid trying to run his government (which I cannot really describe what he did other than try to talk to people). I struggled to follow and I almost DNF's at 60% because I just didn't know where we were going. Now, the final 20% have a very interesting twist that has me curious but I am unsure if I will continue because of the effort it took to get to the end. I feel if you're more focused on political machinations this may be your jam but I tend to need more character relationships and this wasn't as well developed at the political side.

Thank you Saga Press for this arc!

Thank you saga press and the authors for an advanced copy of this book.

Overall, I thought this book was enjoyable. The marriage of convenience was pulled of in an interesting way. I love a strong female character.

I do wish that that MMC was a little more fleshed out. With the way it ended, I'm assuming we will get more of his story in the next book. The slow burn aspect was nice, but also felt a little rushed at the same time. I just felt like I needed more time with the characters in order to really be invested in them.

I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for an action packed, fast paced, romantasy.

𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒐𝒍𝒇 is a debut novel by Rebecca Robinson and what a debut novel it is!!! I was sucked in right away.

🐍 Arranged Marriage
🗡 Curse
🐍 One Horse
🗡 Hidden Magic
🐍Touch Her and ☠️
🗡 Slow Burn

Vaasa is a spitfire, but at the same time she is terrified of her own power. Her father raised her as a weapon.

Reid!!!!! The way he calls Vaasa "𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝑶𝒏𝒆" just does something to me! I absolutely adored him and the lengths he would go for Vaasa.

That plot twists, still has me reeling! Highly recommend this one.

Thank you Saga Press and netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review

Many thanks to Saga Press & Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

Overall, I enjoyed this book but it did have some issues. It started off very rough but by the end of the novel, I felt like the author really found herself with her writing and this world she created. The strong points of this book for me were the romance, the characters, the magic system, and dialogue (there were many lines I highlighted throughout this book). It took a while, but the main character Vaasa really grew on me and I definitely loved her male counterpart Reid from the moment we first met him. There are many characters introduced, and I appreciate how the author took the time to fully develop each one and build our emotional connection to their place in the story. The weak points for me, were the politics ( I really didn’t find myself concerned with the issues and it just felt very bland) and just the general pacing, some parts were rushed through and some parts dragged on. The opening was also a struggle to get through with things being overly explained and the inner monologue was difficult to read. I’m excited to see what will come next as that ending was so intense and had me on the edge of my seat!

I inhaled this book like my rescue inhaler lol. I love when a book hooks me from the very first page, and Vassa starts a rope, a knife, and a mission, and I could not get enough. There is a ton of political intrigue, and Vassa should have been a leader with how smart she is over her brother but alas the patriarchy. The banter is the best. Be prepared to chuckle. Reid is a consent king who would do anything for Vassa. We stan a man who loves and supports his wife. “You are my wife, and everything begins and ends with that.” I am so excited to watch this become the next biggest romantasy hit. It literally has everything you would enjoy from the top titles in romantasy/fantasy romance. However, Rebecca, you are evil for leaving me at the ending!! How could you?! Y’all, brace yourself for an epic cliffhanger.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Saga Press for an ARC! I am now in desperate need for book two.

The Serpent and the Wolf by Rebecca Robinson was so much more than what I was expecting, especially in a debut romantasy.

If Nesta’s internal struggle and personal growth resonated with you, I beg you - RUN, don’t walk to pick this up. We have political intrigue, self-discovery, dark magic, found family, and a slow burn that will make your toes curl. 

We follow along with Vassa, an heiress to a kingdom that is known for it’s cruelty and destruction. She is desperate to avoid getting on the wrong side of her cold-hearted brother, and Emperor of their nation, when her mother suddenly dies and she finds herself married off to an enemy leader. On top of that, she finds herself cursed with dark magic that will kill her if she can’t learn to control it or get rid of the curse, just like her mother. It’s then when she meets the charismatic Reid of Mireh who offers her a deal - agree to help him get elected as Headman by serving as his Consort, and he’ll help her learn to control her magic and grant her the freedom that’s always been out of reach.

You should try this out if you like:
Arranged marriage/marriage of convenience
Political intrigue
Mysterious magic system
Found family
Slow burn
“Who did this to you?”
“My Wife”

1.5/5 🌶️, two brief open door scenes

If you loved the political strife of Carissa Broadbent books, the emotional character development of SJM, and the fantastical world-building of Thea Guanzon, then you’ll definitely like this book. It has more of a romantic subplot, rather than it being the focal point of the story, but this is the first book in a Trilogy so this may shift as the series progresses. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thank you to Saga Press and Netgalley for the early copy for review! Releases November 19th!

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. It’s such an enjoyable read and really impressive for a debut. The Serpent and The Wolf is filled with incredible world building, politics, and magic. I loved the way that Vassa’s character was developed throughout the book. She’s a complex character with plenty of female rage. She has experienced plenty of family drama which impacts so many facets of her personality. Reid’s character and the relationship between him and Vassa were also incredible. I loved the tension between them and how they slowly moved from enemies to lovers. Despite being very untrusting, it was sweet seeing Vassa start loving herself and others again as her relationship with Reid progressed. I also adored the way the Veragi Coven helped guide Vassa to grow and trust others. The ending was shocking and I’m so excited to read the next book in this series!

Thank you to Saga Press for the ARC!

Romantasy at its finest 🤌🏻✨

I believe this is pitched as enemies to lovers but I’d say it’s more reluctant allies to lovers.

Vaasa is as sharp as a blade, and I loved that about her. She’s had to survive a life in which those around her only ever used her as a pawn. Her life has been about treading a knife’s edge to maintain a delicate balance of being useful without being seen as a threat.

The book wastes no time diving right in. The pacing is quick, kicking us off with a little seduction and a daring escape. But I will say Vaasa isn’t the only one I loved from the start.

Reid is probably one of the greenest flags I’ve read in a while. He’s also the reason I don’t consider this a true enemies-to-lovers book. Because he never hated Vaasa. He never threatened her nor was he a threat to her safety. He is just a genuinely good person who does all he can for his people and cares for Vaasa even through her reluctance to see him as anything more than a means to an end.

The world-building is interesting without being too overwhelming, which I enjoy because I loathe info-dumping. It gives me enough to care but not so much that I’m drowning and bored.

Last, but certainly not least, I love the found family trope in this one. Vaasa has felt alone all her life because her family never showed love how a family should. But with Reid and her fellow witches, she finally learns what it’s like not to be alone, not to have to put up your guard all the time and protect yourself from other people.

This book is essentially everything I could want from a Romantasy book. I enjoyed it a lot and can’t wait until the next one.

I absolutely LOVED this debut from Rebecca Robinson. It has so many pieces that fit together to make a great start to a trilogy. We have an arranged marriage, political intrigue, hidden magic, found family, and more. If you’re looking at a book with female rage, I highly recommend.

Vassa is a princess who thinks she’s cursed and sets out to save herself. She’s been raised to be a weapon. Shortly after the death of her parents, is forced into an arranged marriage. Reid is the leader of a rival nation- and Vassa’s new husband. Vassa has heard rumors about “The Wolf”, but Reid is so much more. Yes, their slow burn romance is amazing. And Reid was everything you hope for, respectful, understanding, spouse. He knew how amazing she was and didn’t mind telling her and everyone else. “𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵.”

While I loved the romance in this book, it really shone in other aspects. The political machinations were so well done and I was definitely surprised at who was pulling strings behind the scenes. And the magic of this works was so fascinating and I loved the strength of the women gathering together. Vassa not only gains a husband, but she gains friends and family. Her growth throughout the story was wonderful. I cannot wait to read more in this series, especially after the way it ended.

Thank you to Saga Press for my arc.

Now this is how you bring a debut fantasy/romantasy! It was great! It had the enemies to lovers, some spice, political jargon, and… what I always love in my fantasy is action!

In the beginning it did take me a little bit to get into it. This is a slow burn where our FMC and MMC hated one another but are put together in an arranged marriage. As the book gradually progresses, of course they fall for each other. It is a marketed as a romantasy, but it wasn’t too heavy on the romance. I feel like this one is well round with romance, world-building, and a great storyline. I feel as though this book was a great build up to begin this trilogy! The twist mixed with the magic, witches and other monsters with added twists had me!

I did listen along with the physical book and I have to say the audiobook was amazing! There was one point I audibly gasps listening the twist! I loved hearing Reid’s voice too! The action scenes when they get a little stabby were so good! I am excited to continue on this series for sure!

Romantasy • Fantasy • Witches
Pub Date • 19 November 2024

🎉 Happy publication day! Thank you to @booksparks and @sagapressbooks for the free book.

For those who love a good marriage of convenience, with a cat and mouse dynamic (but make it serpent and wolf dynamic), look no further. Introducing your next bingeable romantasy novel:

Vaasalissa is meant to be a pawn in her brother’s rise to power. Served up on a platter Trojan horse style, she’s sent into enemy territory under guise of an arranged marriage. Honed like a knife, having mastered no less than 7 languages, political scheming, and even some hand-to-hand combat skills, Vaasa is just looking for her nearest exit strategy.

Her new husband (and foreign ruler) Reid needs her though, or maybe it’s just want. He is not so intimidated by the metaphorical snake in the grass.

Slow burning with a couple of spicy scenes, the pacing starts fast from the jump, slowing a bit through the middle focusing more on self-healing, friendships, and internal political machinations. The last quarter is adrenaline pumping action.

I took a not-so-small amount of glee in the various twists and turns, most of which I did not see coming.

There’s a bit of a cliff hanger in the final pages but enough of the first book plot was resolved to keep me happy. I was pleased with this romantasy debut and looking forward to the next installment from Rebecca Robinson.