magic, witches, intricate world, and two stabby main characters? what else could you ask for?!

this book was amazing! the world building was incredible, the slow burn romance was fulfilling, and the story was such an addictive read!

the ending left me GASPING and already excited for book two, even though this one has yet to be published.

Woah!
The cover was what initially called my attention but I quickly realized I was going to love this read! This is for someone who loves JLA or SJM or any fantasy romance. The FMC, Vaasa is absolutly one of my favorites.

The BANTER IS EVERYTHING! With amazing character development, plot, world building and a strong willed FMC - this is easily one of my favorite reads of 2024.

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did! I highly recommend this for anyone who loves books from authors such as jla and sjm.

I absolutely loved the fmc, Vaasa and her take no crap attitude! From her first night with her new husband, Vaasa quickly became one of my favorite female characters EVER!

Reid was so unexpected and took everything in stride... Except when it comes to his wife. When it comes to her, I love his tear the world apart attitude.

I'm not going to give spoilers, but if you are looking for your next favorite fantasy read with great banter, and an fmc who isn't the damsel in distress type, I highly, HIGHLY recommend The Serpent and The Wolf. I can't wait to see where book 2 takes us.

Read this book! I am a big reader of all things fantasy and this book was magical. It had everything I am looking for in this genre. It is a very strong start to a new series. It ended on a great cliff hanger and I cannot wait for the next book. The writing is strong and the book has some great twists. I found myself really rooting for Vaasa and Reid. I am excited to see where this series goes!

Immediately loved the MMC as soon as he was introduced. The banter was exactly what I had been looking for in a fantasy. The bonds the characters created had me both laughing and crying. Getting to see the fmc experience friendship for the first time was so heartwarming. I am a sucker for well written female friendships with depth. I can’t express enough how much I loved the character development in this book and watching the two main characters grow not only together but individually. I didn’t realize that this was the first book in a series so the ending was definitely a shock for me. I can without a doubt see myself picking up the next book when it is time.

Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

There's so much to love about this book! It has enemies-to-lovers romance, strong female characters, a cool magic system, and a found-family dynamic. I struggled a bit with the start of the book (it felt rushed and info-dumpy to me), but once I got past that, I really enjoyed the story. Overall, I think "The Serpent and the Wolf" is a great addition to the new-adult romantasy genre.

I can see the first chapter being perfect for readers who like to jump straight into the action. It follows the main couple and the chaos that unfolds on their wedding night. I like how the opening chapter establishes the characters' personalities and motives. It sets the scene for the ultimate enemies-to-lovers arc! It took me a while to connect with the characters (this book is more plot-driven than character-driven in the first few chapters), but the opening hook was more than enough to keep me reading.

And speaking of characters...

Can we take a moment to talk about Reid? I feel like sooo many MMCs are either hairy mountain men (no judgment if that's your thing), musclemania cardboard cutouts, or Rhysand 2.0. That isn't the case here. The MMC, Reid, rose to his position by popular vote. He's a natural leader, and he's committed to serving his people. Reid is also crazy about the FMC, Vaasa, but he understands that she's had a difficult upbringing and doesn't want to trap her in a life of political scheming. Personally, I think his decision to respect her wishes and offer her a chance at freedom is wayyy hotter than other romances I've read where the MMCs bark orders and saunter around expecting them to be obeyed (I'm looking at you, Hooked).

I also really like the found-family dynamic in this book. Vaasa has a troubled relationship with her brother and isn't close to anyone in her native kingdom. I love that she finds friendship among the local coven of witches and starts training with the soldiers stationed near Reid's villa. Vaasa is my favorite kind of character: smart, strong, and loyal to those she cares about. I can't wait to see what the rest of this series has in store for her.

Overall, I'm rating this book a solid 4 stars!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley; all opinions are my own.

Serpent and the Wolf is a compelling tale that intertwines themes of loyalty, betrayal, and survival in a dark, mythical setting. The characters are richly developed, particularly the fierce yet conflicted protagonist who navigates treacherous alliances. The plot is full of unexpected twists, keeping readers on edge until the very end. With its vivid world-building and intense narrative, this book is a gripping read for fans of fantasy and adventure. I can't wait for book two to see how the story continues to unfold!!!

From the gripping start, the story offers a thrilling mix of adventure, romance, and fantasy. Vassa is a brilliant, grumpy character with a heart of gold, while Reid, reminiscent of Khal Drogo, balances toughness with a sweet, family-oriented side.

It’s a solid foundation for a promising series with rich world-building and engaging side characters. Highly recommended for Romantasy fans—preorder this gem! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5/5! I really enjoyed this and the characters.

admittedly i read this while waiting for a concert and got lost in some of the politics. overall had a lot of fun with this and it ends on a wild cliffhanger that I enjoyed. I am sick of the fantasy trope of the two love interests becoming utter enemies right before the 2nd book so I am so glad this didn't end with that, but was still enemies to lovers!

definitely recommend :)

Thank you to Saga Press for allowing me to read the ARC of The Serpent and the Wolf by Rebecca Robinson.
If you love slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romantasy books, this book is a must read. Vaasa, the FMC is a strong, fierce, intelligent character that doesn’t trust anyone. Throughout the books she learns more about her magic, and in turn herself. Reid, the MMC, knows just how to push Vaasa’s buttons and the banter between the two is top notch. This will be at the top of my book recommendations come November when it is published. I cannot wait for the next book in this series, it has me on the end of my seat.

I love books where the female lead owns the MMC. Ugh. So satisfying to see the FMC basically telling the MMC how to rule and he does it all because he trusts her judgement and sees her as his equal. I LOVE THIS. I love how we really see the FMC grow as a person throughout this novel. But that ending was cruel. Book 2 asap pls??!!?!? OK in all seriousness, this was a fun read. there was no toxic, immature behavior from the MMC. There is communication and mutual respect and I love that.

Wait, my one complaint was that I feel like I don't know much about the MMC. A lot of time he just felt like the FMC's emotional support teddy bear. Also, this sounds silly but he grins way too much. I think the issue is that the most I took away from him is that he grins and that he respects her. Like even the info about him, we learn through other characters. Like his dad. I want more depth to him.

[I received an ARC copy of this book in return for a honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Saga Press!]

The Serpent and the Wolf was pitched to me as a political romantasy with the romance component similar to Raven Kennedy. Now because I’ve never read Kennedy, but have heard immense praise for her writing, I decide to take a chance and BOY am I glad I did!

TLDR: 3.5/5

Robinson does an incredible job of making you fall in love with our main female character Vassa and our main male character Reid very quickly (like I’m talking first chapter) by immediately dropping us into the situation at hand — Vaasa has been forced into a marriage by her evil brother after the death of the her parents recently. Robinson allows her characters to shine through the page throughout the novel! I truly love how we get to see Vaasa journey and her sheer incredible intelligence for scheming especially in a political setting.

Admittedly the beginning of the book it’s a little slow, mainly to a massive information drop but for readers who are looking for a creative magic system and higher level of world building I think you’ll truly thrive!

I’d highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed When the Moon Hatched for its similar in vibes!

Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me the chance to read this book early in exchange for honest opinion!

Book Review:

4.5 Stars

Whoa, Mrs. Robinson! You’ve made quite an entrance! We love to see it!

The Serpent and the Wolf is a debut Romantasy novel, and fingers crossed, the start of a series filled with kingdoms, magic, and unforgettable characters at its core.

And what’s a Romantasy without the tropes we all adore? This book delivers:

🐍 Enemies to Lovers
🐍 Slow Burn
🐍 A strong female lead with a sharp mind
🐍 A strong male lead who’s a cinnamon roll at heart
🐍 Grumpy/Sunshine dynamic (with the female lead as the grump)
🐍 Arranged Marriage/Fake Dating
🐍 “My wife” moments
🐍 Found Family
🐍 Powers/Magic
🐍 Political Intrigue

The story kicks off with a bang and hooks you right from the start! We dive into the chaos of their first night after the wedding, and what follows is a thrilling mix of adventure, fantasy, and romance! Vassa, the main character, is brilliant, calculating, and a bit grumpy, but she has a heart of gold. Reid, the love interest, may look tough on the outside, but inside, he’s a total cinnamon roll with a strong bond to his family—quite the opposite of Vassa. Honestly, when I first started reading, all I could picture was Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones as Reid! And really, who doesn’t love Jason Momoa?

This book lays a solid foundation for a promising series with likable main characters, rich world-building, fantastical elements, and side characters who absolutely need their own stories in the future!

I highly recommend it! If you’re a Romantasy fan like me, be sure to preorder this gem! Thanks again to NetGalley for the ARC!

A new fantasy romance book and I'm interested to see where it heads in the second book. This book has so much political intrigue and that was probably one of my favorite aspects of it. The fmc Vaasa is married off by her brother who sees her as a threat to him inheriting the throne to prevent this he marries her off to the mmc Reid who is known as a ruthless leader. I really enjoyed their first meeting after the wedding when she tied him up on the bed and left him without help, that was so fun and really showed how much the fmc did not like him. They meet again when she has to take her place as his wife and we then get lots of action, politics, worldbuilding and chemistry between the mcs. I found the fmc's serpent powers/darkness interesting and would like to know more about what it can do. There is angst and some steam in this but I really liked that it didn't happen immediately and took time to develop. Overall this was an interesting read and I'm here for the second book. Thank you Saga Press for this arc for an honest review.

Read for:
- Fantasy romance
- Political intrigue
- Slow burn
- Action and adventure

Rebecca Robinson crafted an entirely original story in a heavily-saturated Romantasy genre. Everything about this book was a breath of fresh air. I went into this basically blind since there are minimal ARC reviews for this, and I'm so glad I did. I loved that Rebecca strayed away from a lot of overdone tropes - there's still plenty of action, romance, dense worldbuilding, and tension, but this book did not suffer from repetitive overused tropes and stands out for that reason. The writing is more mature than a lot of books in this genre, and it's definitely more politics-heavy. I loved the romance and world created here. Vaasa & Reid were a dream on their own and together - without spoiling anything, I loved their relationship, and that cliff-hanger ending has me reeling for book 2!

All in all, I loved this and I can definitely see this blowing up!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

I so very thoroughly enjoyed this book! It has been a while since I’ve read something this great. The writing is excellent, the pacing is excellent, the banter and relationships are heartwarming and bring you into the story so well I could not put it down. Lots of political intrigue, double crossing, huge revelations, angst, and of course love.
I seriously cannot wait to see where this series goes, but I know this first book is going to be a huge hit.

Arranged marriage, enemy to lovers, found family, witch magic, political turmoil, this fantasy story has it all and I absolutely loved it! I was hooked from the start and sacrificed sleep for the night to finish it. This is one of favorite reads of the year. This ends with a cliffhanger and I cannot wait for the next book. This book has earned a trophy spot on my bookshelf and the sequel will be an immediate add-to-cart moment when released.

This debut romantasy is absolutely riveting and reminded me of how I felt when I first discovered Sarah J. Maas's work. The plot is captivating, and the characters are so well-developed that I couldn't put it down. From the first page to the last, it kept me hooked. I’m predicting it’s going to be one of the next big series. I can’t wait for book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book and what an ending! Vassa's journey overcoming her fear was amazing to watch and I appreciated how strong and intelligent she was. Her relationship with the coven members was touching and I really enjoyed their interactions. Reid was great the entire book, but I'll be looking forward to more from his perspective (hopefully) in the next book, as I think there's still so much we don't know about him. I'm already eagerly awaiting book 2!!

I received an early copy of this and was beyond thrilled to read it. The enemies to lovers plot line was more one sided dislike to love. I did love the world building and found the magic to be incredibly interesting. The fmc has lots of character growth which I appreciated. The mmc, Reid, is strong, capable, and caring. He never once hated Vaasa, the fmc. A solid start to a new fantasy especially if you love witches, a black cat fmc, a mmc who would burn the world for the fmc, and a unique setting.