Thank you to Saga Press for the copy of this book.

The Serpent and the Wolf has a lot of political intrigue and an interesting setting. I thought Reid was a pretty good MMC and I liked his whole persona, it was giving that gruff manly man, want to take care of his woman vibe, he was actually a big softie teddy bear. Vaasa… not so much. It’s like a grumpy/sunshine but you have no idea why the grump is so mean, it kinda goes overboard. I didn’t really like her as much and struggled with her arc.

I thought this would be a slam dunk, but the writing was very repetitive with the names (Vaasa this, Vaasa that) and the magical system left me wanting. Ultimately I wasn’t too invested in the plot or characters.

Vassa has been married of as a political bride to a man who is described as brutal and uncaring. All while she struggles with a dark power bubbling up inside her.

This book was ok. The first several chapters were so hard to get into. After that it got a little better, but the story remained choppy for me.

I like the overall concept and I hope the writer can mature the plot and characters to make for a good series.

Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for this ARC.

Vaasa is sent to marry Reid, the foreman of an enemy territory as part of a political scheme to invade his country. All she has to do is die. All she wants is to get rid of the curse that killed her mother and now plagues her.

This was a fantastic debut! I really enjoyed the storyline with this one. Vaasa is a girl just trying to figure it all out. One who wants freedom and to be left to her own devices. To live a small life after being raised to scheme and plot. Her journey from trying to escape, to taking on the roles put before her was great. I also really liked Reid. He was completely different than what Vaasa expected. He falls first, and he falls hard . . . never really the enemy they make him out to be. The magic system is unique and I really hope we get more of that history, and how it all works, in book two.

Overall I really enjoyed this. I did find the writing to be a bit choppy at times, making me reread a bit to make sure I didn't miss anything. The action ramps up in the last 20% or so, and the set up for book two is amazing. I cannot wait to see what comes next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Robinson, and S&S/Saga Press for my free ebook ARC copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

I have fallen for romantasy like many other readers have and that is because of Fourth Wing, ACOTAR and The Serpent and the Wings of Night. So, I was ready for another fun ride with a strong heroine, slow burn and high-stakes adventure.

I want to preface the rest of this review with an appreciation of the author's writing, world-building, and thoroughness in this book. Robinson has taken a genre with a foundation of tropes and added her own twists to them.

I will not spoil anything here but I will say that I found this book hard to get into and was really bogged down by the politics of the storyline throughout. I understand that first books in a series have a lot of explaining to do and I did really like the last 25% of the story because we finally had action, romance, and magic with a fast-paced conclusion that leads to the next in the series. I just wish it hadn't taken so long to connect with the characters/world as it did.

I do think that Vaasa the FMC was complex and a fresh change of pace from the stereotypical FMCs that we usually get (doesn't know how pretty she is, doesn't know how strong she is, etc). I also appreciated that Reid the MMC was a sensitive person from the start and never had all the machismo we often see in MMCs. The magic that Vaasa needed to learn was a very intriguing part of the story as well.

Overall, I thought the storyline of the faked marriage, battles over kingdoms, secret covens and magic had a lot of potential and perhaps the second book in the series will hit more because of everything established in this book. It just took a little too long for me to care about those than I would have liked.

Will definitely check out book two.

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

It took one chapter for me to preorder this book. Just one.
And really, that should tell you all you need to know.

The magic and politics are so unique and intricate and Vassa, our fmc, is a force to be reckoned with. She pulls the strings of the powerful men around her like a puppet master, all while healing herself from years of manipulation. I’ll admit there were times I wanted to grab her and yell at her for her own self sabotaging ways - but once you learn her story you can’t help but be so proud of her strength and overall journey.

“To conquer you would surely leave me dead, Wild One”

And then there’s Reid. He’s the patience to her fire, the sense of calm to her explosive magic, and he had me grinning whenever he was on the page. And I just LOVE a good “Where is my wife?” moment and Reid delivers 🙌🏼

And with that ending, it’s clear this story is just getting started. There’s so much more history and secrets to uncover and this is set up to be an epic journey.

Tropes include:
•Enemies to lovers
•Arranged marriage
•Slow burn
•High stakes politics
•Unique magic
•Secrets / betrayals

I was in love with this book from page one. This book is definitely the definition of slow burn. Big thanks to netgalley and Saga Press for this arc Vassa being thrown into a marriage she didn’t want tries to escape on her wedding night so she can go research a way to get rid of the dark magic she’s inherited from her mother when she died just three weeks prior. After her new husband finds her he proposes a deal to help her in exchange for her help ascending him in power. Full of excitement, witches, dark magic this book was something I couldn’t put down. Highly recommend 5⭐️

I received a finished copy from the publisher. I will read the physical copy. Due to health issues, I won’t be reading this book before it is released.

Thank you NetGalley for the Opportunity to read this book early.
I first hear of this book from someone giving a partial review and knew it sounded right in my interest zone and I was not disappointed I devoured this book and can not wait for the next one. Following Vaasa and her personal growth as she learns to work through her past embrace this part of her that she has been taught to hate was just such a wonderful experience. I loved that this Marriage of Convivence had a Female grump and male sunshine and all the banter and laughs I needed to keep me rooting for them the whole time. I found that I loved the side Characters even if we didn't get a whole lot of time with them or their stories I feel like we will in future books and there was enough there to make me care for all of them and root for the down fall of others. All in all this book was great and I think everyone should read it if you are looking for a fun slow burn Fantasy Romance with politics and scheming and personal growth along with just enough swooning and fun to go with it.

The Serpent and the Wolf by Rebecca Robinson was a total surprise—in a good way! I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical going into it. The Romantasy genre has just exploded lately, and it’s tough to find one that truly stands out. But this debut was refreshing and made me excited to keep up with the series.

If you’re looking for romance at the forefront, this one’s more about the fantasy, with a beautifully written slow-burn romance woven in. Vassa and Reid have such a great enemies-to-lovers dynamic, and the pacing of their relationship was so satisfying—it’s the kind of slow burn you’ll find yourself rooting for every step of the way.

The only downside was that it started slow. The main conflict wasn’t immediately clear, and the political aspects and hierarchy felt a murky at first. But once the plot picked up, the world building fell into place, leading to an ending that was incredibly satisfying (and left me needing the next book ASAP!).

So, if you’re looking for a solid fantasy with just the right touch of romance, give The Serpent and the Wolf a shot!

I want to start by saying that the premise of this book truly due me in. I love all the elements this book had to offer; enemies to lovers, political unrest, training scenes, etc., yet I'm sad to say I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. The two MCs were written as enemies and they truly played that part well. But I didn't really by the lovers aspect. I didn't feel any chemistry between the two MCs and it just felt forced. The world building was easy to understand and so was the magic. I found myself nodding off a lot, especially during the political scenes. While it was easy to understand, it just didn't hold my attention. I think the writing style was fine but I just couldn't pull myself into the story. Overall, I feel like the story just wasn't for me but I do think it will find its readers! I think if you enjoy enemies to lovers, magic, and political unrest, give this book a try and see if you like it.

I wish to keep it short as I find it hard to review this book. I highly anticipated it but I am unsure if I knew what I was getting into. I enjoyed the characters at the start but find the politics and the attempt at world building and training was too much, a lot of telling and not showing for me. I had a hard time getting into the book after the first chapters really hooked me. Towards the end my interest renewed but overall it felt too political and dry. I truly had a hard time following locations and a lot of terms and how the magic system worked that it pulled me out of the story.

Thank you netgalley and Saga press for the free arc.

Dnf 75%

I won't lie...this story did not hold me.
I didn't like the main female lead. I hated her behavior.

I couldn't get into the romance. The romance wasn't well written. I think it did great with rhe enemies part, but the lovers' part was weak. I didn't see why they would get together. Their relationship didn't have any chemistry.

The pacing felt off also.

4,75/5

wow, okay so that was fantastic!

thank you to NetGalley for sending me the advanced reader copy of this upcoming release in exchange for an honest review!

our powerful heroine protagonist Vaasa has lost everyone around her that loves her, and is left with a cruel brother who will stop at nothing to kill her to obtain the crown. Vaasa is thrust into a marriage of political convenience with the merciless, cold Reid of Mireh to ensure her brother the crown, but the arrangement exposes familial and generational secrets and twists that force Vaasa into a world of magic, love, and self-discovery.

The Serpent & The Wolf intertwines a beautiful light/shadow based magic system, witch covens, and intense political intrigue, while following a slow-burn, steamy, enemies-to-lovers romance subplot, complete with fantastic banter and very strong romantic, platonic, and political dynamic. there are sprinkles of well-loved sub-tropes like "who did this to you?" scenes and "marriage of convenience", but they really worked in the context of the work as a whole, and didn't feel out of place!

this is an exceptionally high-stakes, macabre fantasy, that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last page, and keeps you hooked for the next installment. the female protagonist is powerful and strong, but is given the space to struggle, explore her trauma, and establish friendships without being forced into a "girlboss fantasy mc" box. loved the explorations of family, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and self-identity!

I am hard to please with love interests, and men in fantasy novels especially, but Reid is one of the best fantasy men I've read, and his characterization is consistent and intricate. his characterization, and their dynamic, subvert most fantasy enemies-to-lovers stereotypes and trends, offering more depth and softness that we tend to see in this genre. we have sapphic and achillean ensemble cast and supporting characters, which are introduced naturally and break away from the adult fantasy habit of tokenizing queer supporting characters! really refreshing to see!

this was a fantastic fantasy debut, and I would strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys the concept of a high-stakes, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers "romantasy" and witchy adult fantasy book, but who often feels that these type books fall flat, because this one absolutely does not! this book was one of the best executions of these tropes that I have seen. I found myself comparing it and its character dynamics to those in Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, which is the greatest compliment I could bestow upon a book, fantasy or otherwise!

(please check trigger warnings, and keep in mind that this is an adult fantasy!)

This book really took me by surprise. I finished it in a day and a half. The plot was different from other romantasies I’ve read and kept me engaged the entire time. The main characters, side characters, the magic system? I could not put this down.

The pacing was perfect and I thought the whole book was very well written. I loved the two main characters and even from the beginning I couldn’t wait to see how their romance unfolded. The slow burn was perfect. The little moments of prolonged eye contact and subtle touches that they share leading up to their romance is chef’s kiss.

I tried to guess what would happen throughout the story and was wrong both times. The author did a great job with the story structure and plot twists. And the cliffhanger made me absolutely ravenous for the next book in this series.

All in all, I am a big fan. This was my first time reading this author and it won’t be my last. Lately I’ve been feeling burnt out by the romantasy genre because everything I’ve been reading up until this point has all seemed to blend together and lack originality, HOWEVER, that is not the case for this book.

This book revived me. If you’re looking for the next great romantasy to sink your teeth into, look no further. Highly, highly recommend!

This book is definitely going to be a hit in the romantasy world! If you love authors like Carissa Broadbent, Raven Kennedy, Danielle L. Jensen, and Sarah J. Maas, you’re going to find this story right up your alley. It centers on Vaasa, a princess from a really harsh and controlling kingdom who’s been sold into marriage to a man she doesn’t know. But don’t let her title fool you—Vaasa is no damsel in distress. She’s been raised to be sly, dangerous, and cold, basically a weapon in her own right. A big part of her journey is learning how to love and trust.

And then there’s Reid, the Wolf of Mireh, her new husband. Their relationship kicks off with a dramatic twist: love at first death threat! He’s got those big Cassian vibes—serious when it matters but also super funny, especially with Vaasa.

The book is packed with political intrigue, magic, and a fascinating new world to explore. Robinson’s world-building is impressive, but what really won me over was the relationship between Vaasa and Reid. She’s spent her life believing that relationships are a weakness, and she has to figure out how to let people in and embrace her darker side.

I loved their dynamic! There are so many twists and turns that kept me guessing, which is always a sign of a great book.

This book pulled me in from the first page, held my attention the entire time AND had an ending that left me begging for more. What a solid fantasy debut knockout. 🤩 I think this is being marketed as a romantasy, and don’t get me wrong - there is a tension-filled, slow-burn romance here. However, the spice is fairly low, and the political intrigue is high. I went into this one not knowing how witchy it was going to be, and came out completely enraptured by the coven found-family vibes. The main characters both rival some of my favorite main characters. Her growth & fiestiness. His “kill the world for her” attitude. Simply put: I absolutely loved this debut and am salivating for book two. If you like a fantasy with high political intrigue and a dash of witchy with slow burn romance - RUN to get this when it’s released!

“Dismissing your emotions doesn’t make them disappear, it only gives them reason to rise later without your consent.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Thank you saga press for the gifted eARC!

Ummm I need book two immediately bc that ending?? 😩 I have some mixed feelings about this book, but the ending was so addicting and I think I’ll enjoy book 2 more!

The world building was incredibly thought out! We learn so much about the politics, economy, and magic of this world. I definitely felt like I had a good understanding will reading this thanks to the world building 😌

The plot was really hard to get into at first. The beginning felt like a weird spot to start and I was so confused with what was happening. It took a while for me to understand what this book was building up to. Once we got to about 50% I started to fly through the book and the last 25% really hooked me!!

Vaasa starts off this book with so much rage for the life she didn’t choose and fear for the inevitable end to her life. So many things have been forced upon to her and all she wants is her freedom. At times, I got incredibly frustrated with her bc she can be so rude, but I think it makes sense with the life she’s had. I think her growth towards the end of the book was so emotional and well done 🥹

“Some people had called her father a snake. He had called Vaasa his chameleon.”

Reid is the foreman of mireh and is hoping to be elected as headman of icruria. This man is so caring and incredibly protective 🤭 I loved getting to know him and seeing more of his back!

I really enjoyed the romance! There was soooo much tension and banter, which is always my fav 😌 again, Vaasa annoyed me a bit bc a lot of their issues could’ve been fixed with her communicating a bit 😭 but Reid was literally perfection and so adorable with her! I loved seeing her slowly realize how much her means to her and the lengths they would go to for each other 💛

“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.”

I am always a sucker for an enemies to lovers romantasy! This book did start off really slow for me and I have to force myself to keep reading. However I did enjoy how easy the world building was to understand and am definitely invested in this story! I’m not a big fan of a lot of political commentary so some of those scenes really dragged on for me.

A new arranged marriage hidden magic fantasy full of court intrigue.

The intrigue got to be too much for me, but I think high fantasy lovers will definitely enjoy it.

I also didn’t love the romance. It was meant to be slow burn, but I think it didn’t have enough tension and build, which meant it fell flat.

I’ve read so many amazing 2025 fantasies and I think this one suffered by comparison

- A great debut by this author and a perfect start to a new series. This book has tons of political intrigue that fuels the romance between Vaasa and Reid. It is filled with kingdoms, magic and plenty of action. I would highly recommend this book even with the cliffhanger it leaves off in. Vaasa wasn’t happy being pawned off in this marriage to Reid, but she isn’t a damsel in distress. On their wedding night, she ties up Reid to the bed and threatens him not to look for her. She escapes and tries to find out as much information as she can about the magic that is inside her. Reid eventually finds her, and they make a deal, she will stay with him for three years and he will take her to be trained by witches that have her same magic. Then their adventure, romance and political intrigue all start to unfold. This is a really enjoyable and intriguing read. Thank you, Netgalley and S&S/Saga Press for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. (