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.

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 is an engaging blend of romance and fantasy. Robinson’s debut novel starts off a little slow, but definitely gains momentum as the story takes shape. The world building, character depth, action, and slow-burn romance kept me turning the page. If you’re into romantasy but prefer more action to romance then this is a good one! An enjoyable read even with the imperfect pacing.

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.