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.

GO READ THIS BOOK! This debut from @rrobinsonwrites easily went to my list of favorites for the year. When you read mostly romantasy (like me), stories can start to run together, but this one stands out & shines brightly. The politics, romance, and character development kept me hooked for the whole ride. The world-building was rich and unique, with a complexity that was interesting to unwind.

Vaasa’s character is beautifully written, and this book at its core is the story of Vaasa learning to love herself and to let others love her. It is a journey of seeing the impact Vaasa’s family trauma has on her to seeing her gain her found family. I adored the Veragi Coven and how they accepted & guided Vaasa.

Vaasa & Reid were absolutely 🔥 together. From the first chapter the tension and banter will have you kicking your feet. It is a perfect blend of wit and steam with a beautiful story of two people learning how to love and support each other. The twists and betrayals had me gasping, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲:
🗡️ “Who did this to you?”
🗡️ Enemies to lovers
🗡️ Stabby, black cat FMC
🗡️ Twisted politics
🗡️ Steamy slow burn
🗡️ Arranged marriage x fake dating
🗡️ High-stakes political intrigue
🗡️ Witches & void magic
🗡️ Found family

“𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵.”

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘝𝘢𝘢𝘴𝘢, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵.
𝘕𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.

𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦. "𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵?" 𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘥, 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘦. "𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥?"

Thank you to the author and Saga Press Books for sending me a copy of this book. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you Saga Press for the gifted physical copy and digital ARC

The Serpent and the Wolf
Rebecca Robinson
Publishing Date: November 19, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This one is out today! And I highly recommend going to grab a copy. This was a great Romantasy. The balance of romance with world building, magic, and plot was really well done.

This book had so many of my absolute favorite things. The romance is arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, slow burn perfection. The magic system was unique and involved witches. There are family dynamics and political intrigue at play. I would also argue there is a dash of found family vibes. Vassa is a badass, strong, independent FMC. Reid is the perfect balance of strength and protectiveness without being all stifling of her own power. And when it all comes together.. 🔥

Fantasy books are often hard to follow and so confusing, but I found this book easy to follow and digest, which I appreciated!

This is part one of a trilogy and I will be anxiously awaiting the second installment!

The Serpent and the Wolf by Rebecca Robinson is everything I love in a romantasy - dark magic, intense political intrigue, and a slow-burn, swoon-worthy, enemies-to-lovers romance that delivers on every level. Robinson's writing style is fantastic, and I highlighted so many powerful and poignant lines as I read that I'm going to do another post spotlighting my faves.

Vaasa Kozár is a standout protagonist. After losing her mother and being betrayed by her cruel brother, she’s forced into a marriage of political convenience with Reid of Mireh, a cold, calculating, and mysterious ruler. Vaasa has no intention of staying trapped in this marriage, but Reid offers her an unexpected deal. If she helps him secure his political power, he’ll give her freedom and help her with her dangerous magic. Their alliance is full of delicious tension, and as they grow closer, the lines between their arrangement and something more begin to blur.

What I loved most about Vaasa is how layered her character is. She’s smart, resourceful, and a skilled fighter, but she’s also grappling with her trauma and the terrifying magic inside her that she doesn't understand or know how to control. Her journey to survive, outmaneuver her brother, and gain her autonomy is so compelling, as is her ability to adapt in many different situations. I also love that she gained several friendships in the midst of all this tension and uncertainty, though the best relationship is the complicated one between her and her husband, Reid.

Reid is equally complex and dynamically developed, and he's been added to my ever-growing list of book boyfriends. lol He’s cold and calculating, but there’s a vulnerability to him that makes him and his relationship with Vaasa even more captivating. A strong leader, he's also kind and sensitive, and I appreciated how fleshed out his character was. And the chemistry between him and Vaasa is undeniable. I adored their slow-burning romance, which is full of tension, amazing banter, and moments of unexpected tenderness. Plus, there are some chef’s kiss romantic sub-tropes sprinkled in including a couple of my faves - “Who did this to you?” and “forced proximity."

The world-building is also richly layered and detailed, especially the magic system and the political dynamics. And I love that we learned more about Vaasa and her parent's secrets. It was such a fascinating story, and I had a feeling there was more to it than Vaasa originally thought. The way it slowly unraveled over the course of the novel, was fabulous, and I was so happy we learned of Reid's connections to it all. The blend of intrigue, fantastic protagonists and secondary characters (love the found family vibes!), and a tension-filled, continually evolving love story kept me hooked, and there are a few twists that I totally didn't expect. I love when that happens!

I can't say enough about this debut novel. I flew through it and was disappointed when it ended because I needed more!!! It's a powerful and engrossing story about survival, trust, identity, and the lengths some will go to for freedom and power, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series when it comes out. I would definitely recommend this one to romantasy readers! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

4.5 ⭐
2.5 🌶️

The Serpent and the Wolf is more of a fantasy romance than a romantasy, as described. I would call the plot to be more fantasy-forward than romance. With the complex magic system and all the political intrigue, I view the romance (a large part of the story) as secondary to everything else. Regardless, that was a good book! Based on the description, I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. So, a wonderfully enjoyable surprise.

Vaasa makes a good FMC, frustrating at times, but still intelligent and brave. She's a heroine in the mold of being thrust into a situation she did not want to be in but she finds she can excel and turn it around. Yes, it's been done before, but it is still a fun trope to read. The magic system is quite intriguing, and I don't believe we (the reader) fully understand its complexity yet. But more will be revealed in the coming book (or books), and I think we will be surprised. The found family for Vaasa in the coven of witches is perfect, and Amalie is a favorite character. There are some fabulous, strong women in Esoti and Kosana. There are a lot of strong, capable women in this book.

Reid is a solid MMC. He's a bit of a cinnamon roll but dangerous at the same time. You can't help but fall for him. Some may like their MMC dark, tortured, and angry, but I enjoy one who is confident and not jaded. He's not too proud to listen and heed Vaasa's advice, which makes their pairing much more fun to read. Of course, we've been left with a cliffhanger (a doozy), but I definitely want to continue with this series. I hope it happens soon.

Thank you, NetGalley and Saga Press, for the eArc. These opinions are mine.

In The Serpent and the Wolf by Rebecca Robinson we have a fantasy novel with a romantic subplot - to me this is not romantasy. That being said, I really liked this book. There is political intrigue, arranged marriage, 'enemies to lovers' - it is positioned as that but really only one person regards the other as the enemy so not sure if that is true enemies to lovers, found family, magic, good world building and characters that I really enjoyed. This is the first book in a series and I will definitely be picking up the next book. 4.5 stars. Thank you to #netgalley and Saga Press for my e-arc.

This was a fun romantasy. I listened to this one on audio and followed along in an e-arc. I loved alternating back and forth between the two, it was a fun reading experience. The audiobook was well done, and the narrator really did a good job of bringing the story to life and created such an immersive experience. I love books with arranged marriage. It is one of my favorite tropes, well arranged marriage and marriage of convenience. This is a slow burn romance, with a found family, and magic! The mix of everything in this book was well done. The slow burn romance was nice, romance wasn’t necessarily the main focus of the book, but a sub-plot and it worked well. Just don’t go into this expecting a lot of romance. The world building was well done and slowly introduced me to the world the book was set in. I tend to get frustrated with world building if not well done, however, this one was great, and I really enjoyed it. This book sucked me in right from the start, after a little bit I was fully engaged and didn’t want to stop listening to this one, so then I switched to the e-arc and finished in two days.

If you’re looking for a witch focused romantasy with a nice romance sub-plot, then you need to check this one out.

Solid new Romantasy!

I was hooked from the start. Arranged marriage? Count me in!

I love that instead of the mmc the author made the FMC the grumpy broody character. A nice change from the usual.

The adventure, politics, and magic system set the book up perfect.

And don’t get me started on the last 10% of the book! The ending. Hoping there is another!

Thank you Saga Press for this eARC.

FIVE STARS! It’s been awhile since I’ve read a romantasy that held me in it’s grasp and would not let go. I loved this book so much and for so many reasons: the political intrigue, the slow-burn romance, the found family, the magic system. It’s all there. I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling it for you, but I will say this- read it. If you’re afraid of fantasy because of the world building, don’t be afraid of this book. It’s pretty straight-forward and easy to follow. You will be hooked.

Holy COW!!!!!!! 6 star read, incredible. Give me 14 of ‘em right now. This book has some of my favorite tropes of all time, and each and every one was done so well.

✨true enemies to lovers (she tries to kill him on their wedding night)
✨slowwwwwwww burn
✨touch her and die
✨"who did this to you?"
✨arranged marriage
✨faking being in love
✨one bed AND one horse
✨"where’s my wife?"
✨banter 😮‍💨

Amazing political intrigue, and world building. It’s one of the best romances I’ve read in a while where it feels so genuine and well paced. I read this book in one sitting. I am so excited for the rest of this trilogy. EVERYONE GO READ THIS RIGHT NOW!!! I cannot believe this is a debut novel.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6863911215

This book reels you right in. I loved it from the start. I loved the drama at the end.i love that they fell in love at the end. I’m so hopeful of a second book coming out. 😬

A gripping romantasy debut with nail-biting stakes and sizzling slow burn!

“The Serpent and the Wolf” follows Vaasa Kozár after her brother marries her off to Reid of Mireh, a ruthless foreign ruler, in hopes he can use her death as a rallying cry to finally invade Reid’s nation. But she is desperate to live and Reid offers her a deal: help him win the votes to rise in power, and he will share his knowledge about the newly awakened dark magic running through her veins. This proposal may be too good to refuse, yet Vaasa and Reid’s undeniable attraction threatens to break the rules of their arrangement.

When I tell you this book consumed me and made itself my new personality, I mean it! From the very first chapter, when Vaasa put her knife to Reid’s throat, I was hooked and just knew I was going to love their relationship dynamic (I was right!). Each subsequent chapter was better than the last, making it impossible to put this one down!

The plot is definitely heavy on politics (the machination and scheming is on a whole other level), but the romantic tension between Reid and Vaasa is palpable. Reid seriously had me giddy as a schoolgirl! Every word that came out of his mouth made me swoon. I adore how gentle he was with Vaasa as she came into her own.

Vaasa is the FMC I want in a fantasy novel. To echo Reid, she is smart, cunning, and wickedly resourceful. I really enjoyed reading from her perspective and watching her character break free from her family’s cruelty to become a witch strong enough to dismantle nations.

Robinson’s fictional world is intricate, her characters compelling, and her plot twists riveting. If you’re a romantasy lover, definitely pick this one up!