thank you netgalley for the arc!

this story follows our main character, bristol. she lives in small town with her family trying to make ends meet along with her sisters. she one day gets some mysterious letters from an "aunt" and goes on to say her father may be alive. bristol makes a bargain with a fae king, and is desperate to find her answers.

i received an audio arc of this novel, and this is probably the only reason i was able to finish it. the story is not bad, but it was not really that special to me. the audio is over 18 hours, and i think that was one of the few reasons it dragged for me. while it is a romantasy, there is also a lot of world building and plot. i most likely will not continue with the series, but i would check it out if you are looking for a fun time.
74 likes

*I received an early audiobook copy from Macmillan Audio. All opinions are my own*

The mystery of what Bristol's parents were involved in pulled me in immediately. Unfortunately, it was kind of a mixed bag from there.

The romance was iffy for me, and most of the time I was not into it. I just prefer a slow burn and this is not that. Plus, Tyghan is hiding so much from Bristol. And it never seems to bother him.

I did find the world and the story engaging. Although the flow of time being different between worlds made things weird enough to occasionally pull me out of the story. This also complicated the romance for me.

The audiobook was solid. I liked the narration; it was an easy listen.

So I'm not totally sure where I land on this one. I'll probably pick up the next book to see how things shake out.

I was very excited to read/listen to this but the narration fell kinda flat for me and I had a hard time getting into the book because of this.
I also don’t care for the ~insta love~ situation.

HOWEVER I do think the world building in this book was pretty good and I generally respect romantasy books with a complex world over more simplified books.

I think I may try re-reading the physical book and see if I enjoy the story more.

This is not a romantasy for beginners. It's occasionally dense and there is a lot of world building. I'm still dabbling and so sometimes I was a bit overwhelmed with everything that was happening. Also, I was worried for a bit that there wouldn't be any romance and that this would be a straight fantasy because that didn't become obvious to me until around chapter 17 or 18.

All of that being said, it has all of the things that I love. A tough FMC with an interesting character arc, a standoffish, but protective MMC, some light enemies-to-lovers vibes, and fun magical elements.

Also, Brittany Pressley narrating! She is one of the best and elevates everything she works on. This was no exception.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy!

First of all, Brittany Pressley is an amazing narrator! She really made The Courting of Bristol Keats jump off the page.

Mary E. Pearson built up a beautiful premise in the first installment of this eventual duology. Bristol and her sisters are barely making it after the death of their parents. When a previously unknown "aunt" shows up, promising to give Bristol more info on her father, she is drawn into a completely new world. Full of secrets, fae, and romance, this is a promising, if at times unevenly paced beginning. I really enjoyed Bristol as a character and I think readers of Holly Black will find a lot to enjoy in this story.

I really struggled with The Courting of Bristol Keats and dnf'd it a bit more than halfway. The beginning was enticing, but overall I didn't enjoy the characters, the romance (the characters did not fit and I thought it awkward the background that involved her father's friend.) The story seemed to slug on a bit focusing back on the romance when I just wanted to get to the gist of the plot.

I've previously enjoyed Mary E. Pearson's books, but this fell flat for me. I found it to be a very predictable portal fantasy story involiving fae and magical worlds. While I typically enjoy that type of story, this felt juvenile. I thought it was YA at first just because story line felt more YA than adult.

This book drew my in immediately, with it being a mix of ACOTAR and Cruel Prince. The "slow burn" romance, I found to be a bit more akin to insta-love, but I enjoyed their story nonetheless. Its complex enough that I had to slow down a bit while reading, and I thik that was in part due to the timing of the book. It feels as though a lot is happening off the page, with time passing quickly. There were also a lot of different POVs that Im not sure all needed to be there. With some editing and refining I feel like this book could have been amazing-- the pacing was just off for me.

{Book Review} The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary Pearson

If you’ve been here awhile (ok, a long while) you’ll know I’ve been reading and living Mary Pearson’s books since The Kiss of Deception. I was so excited to read her adult fantasy debut and it absolutely delivered. Thank you @flatiron_books for the review copy!

Starting in a contemporary world where a fantasy world exists as well in another world, I loved this unique world. One of my favorite elements in any book is a strong sister bond and Bristol’s relationship with her sisters was incredible.

The plot and reveals of what was actually going on was really interesting and honestly unlike a lot of other fantasy books I’ve read which was such a great surprise and breath of fresh air. I am eagerly anticipating the next book to see what happens next because the ending was 😱.

If you’re looking for a unique way of creating a fantasy world with interesting and surprising twists, this book is for you!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book was so much fun. It may not be a 5-star read, but I loved it anyway and can't wait for book 2.

If you loved The Cruel Prince series but wished it had more romance/spice, this may be the book for you.

I received the audiobook version of this title. I made it to 50% before pausing on it. I've been paused on it for about a month and have tried to resume a couple times but been lost. There was nothing wrong with the audio production of this, but I do think this is a book that will ultimately need to be an eyeball read in order to best follow along with the story. If I am able to finish via an eyeball read, will update this review.

Bristol is just trying to get by day by day. Money was tights and a rich aunt that Bristol or her sister knows about sent a letter about giving them something from their father that was valuable. Bristol being desperate and wanting to just get the art and sell it for the money so her sister and herself could not struggle so much, went to see this aunt.

Little did Bristol know it was a trap and that taking the art was a mistake. Because now she owed the fae.

Bristol was enrolled in a school to train for battles. She wasn’t learning like everyone else was and was falling behind. But soon her and everyone would find out why. Her father put a magical tick on her to suck up her magic.

Bristol’s father put the tick there to help them run and stay hidden. He even faked his own death.

This is an enemies to lovers book and it keeps you wanting more.

I absolutely love fairy tale retellings and this twist on Beauty and the Beast was excellently done. I loved the world building and the plot wove together beautifully. Brittany Pressley's narration was very well done. Excellent romance with a complex family story also woven in. I can't wait for the next one! Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I really liked Bristol’s dn her relationship with her sisters and the mystery that was around her family background. I think the romance was well done and I enjoyed everything but how smart Bristol was to put everything together but the relationship between her dad and her lover or about just asking about him

DNF @ 28%. Going into this I had no idea that it was romantasy, I’ve out grown this genre and I can’t stand all the basic tropes that have been done a billion times before. I would say if you are a fan of romantasy and want that from your story go ahead and read it.

The Courting of Bristol Keats:⁣
⁣
Thank you @macmillan.audio for my gifted copy!⁣
⁣
This book had great potential. I was moving and grooving through the book and realized “omg, I’m only 30% in. I thought I was surely deeper into this.” In a nutshell, the middle dragged without any real purpose or character development. I wasn’t a huge fan of the actual characters, so zero connection on seeing if they could survive or prevail. It was fun while it lasted, but I needed more. (Queue me being Ariel)⁣
⁣
What I did love is of course was Brittany Pressley. One of my favorite narrators, she really got me through the book with her reading. I could probably listen all day (which in some instances I did) to her.⁣
⁣
Overall, it’s a miss for me. But this Owlcrate version is absolutely stunning. ⁣
⁣
QOTD: Any weekend plans?

This book had me so invested.

We start off with Bristol trying to support her sisters, who have run into a string of bad luck lately. The cards are stacked against them, and things are looking pretty bleak.

Well, their luck is about to change. The curious invitations and secret meetings lead to one hell of an adventure. Bristol has to make sacrifices and difficult decisions while growing and learning about a very secretive past.

The tropes are next level. Enemies to lovers, found family, troubled past and the father's best friend with a twist is chefs kiss!! I am in no way ready to be finished thinking about this book, and I need the next one to know what happens.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for providing me with this arc.

This was so fun. This was literally everything I wanted from acotar and didnt get. I literally kept singing "theres something there that wasnt there before" in the early scenes. The pacing was so good. I love the characters, they are all so perfectly flawed. I love that it wasnt just a romantasy but there is also friendships blooming and mystery and there is the perfect amount of banter and spice. I would definitely recommend this to any romantasy or fantasy reader.
AND LOL at the ending. Love how it ended, it really was a happy ending ;) Cant wait for the next one!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

While the book's first quarter was challenging due to the large number of characters introduced with minimal descriptions, I appreciated the journey of gradually immersing myself in the world-building. By the halfway point, I started to enjoy the romance woven into the story.

Bristol is a relatable and somewhat frustrating character, which adds to her complexity. However, to strengthen the narrative, I felt that her relationships with those around her—family, friends, and especially her love interest—could have been more developed.

I really liked the alternate reality aspect of Faerie, although I was left with several unanswered questions by the end, which was a bit disappointing. Despite this, I am intrigued enough to read the next book when it becomes available. Overall, while I enjoyed this book, there is potential for even greater depth and clarity in future installments.

Mary E. Pearson’s The Courting of Bristol Keats is an enchanting blend of romantic fantasy, fae lore, and family drama—an exciting and promising series starter.

The story follows Bristol Keats, who, after losing her parents, learns that her life is intertwined with dangerous fae creatures and hidden family secrets. Her journey to rescue her father pulls her into a world of gods, magic, and intrigue, forcing her into a precarious alliance with Tyghan, a powerful fae leader.

This slow-burn romantasy shines with Pearson’s immersive worldbuilding and well-drawn characters. The novel brims with fae politics, betrayal, and dark magic, where romance and tension collide in just the right way. Pearson skillfully balances Bristol’s personal struggles with the larger magical plot, making both the emotional stakes and fantasy elements feel just as gripping.

Readers who love fairy lore, slow-building romance, and intricate storytelling will get hooked on how Pearson brings this world to life. With strong hints of future twists, this first installment is the kind of read that leaves you excited—and clamoring—for what comes next.