This was a fun adult fantasy read, full of fae creatures, magic, mysterious backstories, and a touch of spice. I enjoyed the call to action, the setting, and the “fish out of water” feel of a mortal finding herself in Elfame. It was definitely reminiscent of The Cruel Prince, but a tad more “grown up.”

There were a lot of characters introduced (which I typically love), but I’m hoping we see some more depth/development from the supporting cast in book 2. As a side note, the audiobook narrator did an exceptional job with the various voices and accents!

Overall, a solid start to the duology.

🗝️ Book Review 🗝️

The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson
🗝️
This was my ideal romantasy: moody, dark, dramatic, and atmospheric. I have no notes; it was absolutely perfect. If you loved “The Cruel Prince” for the fae realm, royal politics, revenge plot, and swoony romance filled with a slow burn, forbidden, enemies to lovers side plot that is exploding with hate filled chemistry, you need to read this IMMEDIATELY! The plot is fast paced and filled with twists and betrayals, the prose is dreamy, the characters are complex, and it all combines to create something completely addicting. The multiple points of view was genius, and Brittany Pressley does an absolutely perfect job with the audio! She brings each character to life with their own accents and inflections, and her attention to detail was amazing! This book was epic, and was one of my very favorite reads of the year. Drop everything and read it immediately!!
🗝️
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ♾️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
🗝️
Read if you like:
▫️fae, Elfhame, and bargains
▫️demigods and magic
▫️warring kingdoms
▫️enemies to lovers
▫️forbidden love
▫️multi POV
🗝️
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Mary E. Pearson for the ALC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I enjoyed this book. It is giving heavy Cruel Prince vibes. The world and character-building were solid and the pacing was perfect! If you enjoyed The Cruel Prince then you will eat this up! Brittany Pressley did the character acting justice on many levels. She brought atmosphere and emotion to each scene and every character. I finished this book in one day...it was that good to me.

THE ENDING....PLEASE DO NOT DELAY WITH BOOK 2!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Mary E. Pearson for the ability to enjoy this ALC of The Courting of Bristol Keats and for allowing me to leave an honest review without coercion.

I listened to the audiobook, and I enjoyed it. The narration was excellent and I thought the story was good. I would recommend everyone to great it, it was a great event that Bristol had to go go. The story kept ne engaged and interested to to find out what happened next.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook!

First off, this author sure knows how to make perfectly paced slow burn romance! It wasn’t too fast, but also wasn’t Geezus just get to it before I pull my hair out slow! Just absolutely right in the middle perfect.


I love fantasy books about Fae, and this one absolutely did not disappoint. The characters were diverse, the plot was plotting, and it kept me engaged and interested through the entire book, whereas a lot of books it’s kind of a toss up on whether I’ll only like certain chapters, or half of the book or none… this time I loved the entire thing.
The world building was amazing, too. She didn’t go overboard on the details and make it boring.
Overall if you’re a fan of Romantasy (or Mary E. Pearson’s other books) you should pick this up and give it a try.

Audio: I can be pretty picky on my narrators! However I would definitely listen to another book with this narrator. Seemed to be the perfect voice to do the job.

Thank you Macmillan Audio & Flatiron books for my advance audio copy in return for a honest review. Receiving this ARC does not affect my opinion of the narrator or story.

The world of Elfhame was so different than most fantasy books I have read. This multidimensional world is full of a variety of creatures and fae which I loved. The world building was well written and easy to follow.

The relationship between Bristol and Tyghan wasn’t what I would call “enemies to lovers”, it was more like dislike to lovers. The banter between the two did have me giggle a few times. The pace of their relationship was perfect! Slow burn, but not so slow that you are screaming with frustration “Kiss already!”

The main plot of the story kept me engaged and wanting to keep going to find out how it was all going to play out. And the tick! I mean, what is that??! There are several twists and turns and the dynamics with the other characters kept things interesting. There were points where I just did not know who Bristol should trust because each person had their own agenda. The ending, well, was very abrupt which is the only thing I did not like.

In all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be reading the next book in this series!

Audio:

I truly enjoyed the narrator. With the large number of characters, the narrator did an amazing job! Her ability to change voices allowed no confusion on which character was speaking.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating

This is a journey into Mary E. Pearson’s first go at an adult themed duology. She did a phenomenal job! I cannot wait for the second book to come out and until then, will have to live with the wait.

✨Romantasy
✨Reluctant allies to lovers
✨Secret identities
✨Fae
✨Magic
✨Found family
✨Fae and Gods
✨Slow burn
✨Morally gray characters
✨Multi POV

This story sucked me in pretty quick. I feel like the pace was just right for me. I did enjoy the world and character building. It was detailed but not overly and I wasn’t confused by any characters. I really enjoyed the FMC and her character coming to life. I’d say it’s an open door romance.

This was my first book from the author. She is on my TBR list and I have heard great things. I’m glad this is where I started and I look forward to reading her other books. This is definitely worth a read!

Audio Review: Brittany Pressley did a great job. I don’t have any complaints and would listen to more of the books she narrates.

Thank you to Mary, Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC!

Bristol Keats and her sisters have spent their last years struggling after the death of their parents. Suddenly a formerly unknown family member contacts Bristol promising a much needed inheritance. Bristol decides to meet with her and in the process she learns everything she thought she knew about her life and world was a lie. Her father may be alive, kidnapped by fae and taken into their world. She must join up with fae king Tyghan who also wants to find her father. But their ultimate goal of what should happen if he is found may not align.

I had a really good time with this book. I loved how the world was set up. Bristol was a great lead and her chemistry with Tyghan was great. The plot moved very quickly and there were a bunch of twists and turns. I know this is going to be a duology. I'm excited to get the final part of the story. Brittany Pressley's narration was great. I really enjoyed this as an audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!!!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the early audiobook copy of The Courting of Bristol Keats. This was my first book by Mary E. Pearson, and it definitely won’t be my last! Pearson has created a fascinating, immersive world, perfect for romantasy lovers looking for an epic blend of intrigue and romance.

The story follows Bristol and Tyghan, and it's filled with tropes that romantasy fans will adore—enemies to lovers, reluctant allies, forbidden romance, and a morally grey male main character. I loved the pacing of this book; it kept me engaged throughout. Although there are many characters introduced, which took a little time to keep track of, the found family dynamic added depth and warmth to the story. The fae world and the layered plot Pearson has crafted feel both unique and familiar, offering that classic fantasy atmosphere with refreshing twists.

Bristol’s journey into a world of gods, fae, and dark secrets is full of surprises and hidden magic, making for an intriguing slow-burn romance and a captivating setup for the series. With royal court intrigue, past betrayals, and plenty of tension, The Courting of Bristol Keats is an absolute must-read for fans of adult fantasy romance.

If you love worlds where danger, romance, and magic blend seamlessly, this is one to pick up! I'll certainly be continuing this series in the future to see how things wrap up!

This quickly became one of my favorite reads of the year. The story grabbed me right away, and every time I thought I was figuring out what was going on, I was proven wrong. The narrator, Brittany Pressley, was excellent, and I will absolutely look for more books she has voiced moving forward. She injected heaps of emotion into the dialog, and read in a clear and concise way. Overall the story is catching, leaves you questioning throughout, and moves at a comfortable pace. Looking forward to what comes next!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Mary Pearson for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved The Dance of Thieves duology by Mary A Pearson, so I was extremely excited about this. I'd like a prequel based on the story of her parents, that sounds like an amazing adventure!

I'm thankful to NetGalley for having listened to the audiobook arc. The narrator did a phenomenal job, even including accents when appropriate. I did however end up confused more than normal - I'm not sure if there would have been less confusion reading vs listening to the audiobook, but normally I can still track along just fine even listening to high fantasy. There were unexpected and inconsistent POV changes that really threw me off.

I love it when a human is thrown into foreign lands and has to figure out how to navigate the rules and relationships. I'm always a fan of fae, magic, and mystery. I enjoyed the determination of Bristol and watching the relationship develop between her and Tyghan - I kept waiting for the disaster of her finding out the relationship between him and her father.

Unfortunately, there was more that bothered me than I'd like. There were a lot of cool concepts but I think there was just a bit too much going on. This gave slight The Cruel Prince vibes but was not executed as well, with more magic, a larger cast, more sub-plots, and more confusion. It was also incredibly long for a story that didn't end, but instead is part of a series.
I still had a decent time but fell short of loving it for me.

Spoiler Struggles:
- A large portion of the book I kept thinking how ridiculous it was that she was only chosen because of her "navigating pizza delivery skills". Obviously, we find out more later, but it was so much later it kept bothering me for a long time.
- The continued reference back to de Vinci's paintings coming from Elphame was incredibly random to me and just distracted me from the overall story.
- I was confused about how it went from - we've gathered these talented folks to try finding us a door, but also we put you through school to teach you history, magic and combat and turn you into an "elite team"
- I didn't experience enough time with the sisters or the "elite team" to get true sisterhood or found family vibes
- The "tick" made me want to hurl. I liked the concept but was so grossed out I lost focus and kept thinking of the massive twitching tick for the rest of the story.
- Once she found the door, I still didn't understand why she was the only one who could close the door when there was way more powerful fae there.
- This sounds like a really lame struggle, but I don't think the cover aligns with the story very well. I think snake was mentioned once, and somehow one made the cover? I don't recall any fancy keys or a seaside view?

This book was a fantasy about a girl who believes her parents have both died. She and her sisters are facing rough times and a mysterious group of people seem a little too eager to help them out. Having no other options, however, she accepts their help and ends up owing a favor to the king of a fae kingdom. Her task is to help him protect his kingdom while also searching for her father, who might not be dead after all. Bristol enters the kingdom along with a group of recruits who train together and try to build (and demonstrate for the nobility) skills that might help the kingdom survive. Along the way, she falls in love with their king.

I found this book to be totally fine. It's the beginning of a series, so I didn't find much resolution upon finishing the book. And this book was fairly long to have such little payoff. Honestly, I am still curious about the characters, but wouldn't go out of my way to find book 2.

The biggest struggle with this audiobook was that I didn't enjoy listening to the narrator. She read the book too slowly for my taste. When I turned up the speed, it was better, but I just didn't really connect to the narrator as much as would be necessary to get into the story. Maybe if I had read book one, I'd be more fired up about wanting to know what happens next.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I was lucky enough to receive an early audiobook. This was my first book by Pearson but definitely won't be the last! I think the author did a great job building out the world and fleshing out the characters. I loved that the author didn't just dump a ton of information on the reader but instead slowly introduced us to the world. I think the narrator did a great job with this book. I was never bored while listening to her narrate and loved the different voices she did for the characters.. There are a lot of characters which made it hard to follow who was who at some points but that's no fault to the narrator. I think this is a book that's nice to have the ebook/physical copy to go along with the audiobook. I will definitely be buying the ebook so I can re-read some parts! Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the adventure and can't wait for book two!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this early!

Yes!! This was spectacular and the only downside is the wait I now have for the second book in the duology. I knew that the blurb sounded interesting, but it didn't even come close to how outstanding this storyline truly was. I was pulled into the story from the beginning and stayed immersed the entire time. The characters were well written and easy to connect to and the world building was done effortlessly and never felt clunky time consuming. It felt natural and easy.

When Bristol finds that her world isn't what she always believed it to be, she's more than a little shook up. As if that isn't enough, to also find out that your parents aren't exactly who you thought they were for all these years is an even larger shock. And being thrown into another world with fae and other creatures where you are unsure who you can trust and what the traditions are is stressful in and of itself. I was glued to this book to see what would happen next and what twist was coming around the next corner.

I'm truly a little tough on fantasy books. World building is a challenge, and I hate it when I feel bogged down with it. This author didn't do that. She has a knack for writing fantasy and this book was such an easy one to read. I never had to battle through a chapter or page to get to the next one. That's rare for me. Simply wonderful!!

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I was also fortunate enough to gain an early copy of the audio. Wowza! I know it sounds like I'm gushing just to gush but truly, the narration was really spot on for this story. It lent itself to the enjoyability of the story. I have zero complaints and only praise. 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook. I have provided reviews of both voluntarily and they are entirely my own opinions.

тιтℓє: The Courting of Bristol Keats
αυтнσя(ѕ): Mary E. Pearson
ηαяяαтσя(ѕ): Brittany Pressley
ℓєηgтн: 17h 21m
ѕσυя¢є: NetGalley
яєℓєαѕє ∂αтє: November 12, 2024
яαтιηg: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ѕєяιєѕ: The Courting of Bristol Keats, #1

му тнσυgнтѕ:
THIS IS GOING TO BE A DUOLOGY, Y’ALL.
And this one is a thiccc romantasy!

So Bristol and her sisters lose their parents and they’re just trying to get by.
Then one day a letter arrives from an aunt they knew nothing about and it seems their dad isn’t dead. Or is he?
Bristol seeks out this aunt and finds herself in a new world that’s full of magic and deceit.

Tyghan is a fae king and the Lord of Monsters.
He needs Bristol to journey to Elphame and train to help him out in exchange for sending money to her sisters back home.
He was a tough character at first, but his struggles were raw and real and really rounded out his personality.

This one was a bit difficult to follow at times. We get multiple POVs from characters who aren’t major players and that threw me for a loop.
But it was also interesting.

I’m completely and utterly OBSESSED.
The plot was thrilling and sexy and nonstop.
The development is thorough and twisty and unique.
Secrets and lies and betrayals abound!
I NEED THE NEXT BOOK STAT!

ηαяяαтιση:
Brittany Pressley has a wonderful narrative voice.
She honestly saved quite a few slower scenes for me.
BUT I would’ve preferred a male voice for the male characters.
It just didn’t flow as smoothly having a female voice relay male thoughts.
Regardless, her performance had me crying at times.
SO GOOD.

𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣. I received an arc + alc of this book.

A brooding hero with a tortured soul, a smart, strong heroine whose entire reality is uprooted, a mysterious past, intrigue, secrets, danger, romance...this book has it all!

The Courting of Bristol Keats has a lot of promise and my curiosity is definitely piqued for what comes next in this series.

While the world the author created was intriguing, the world building and the mythology were a bit shallow in their development. While this may have been due to the length of the book (it comes in at 560 pages), I hope that we will get a clearer understanding of both in book 2.

I appreciated the lack of info dump. The mysteries that were resolved were done so organically and although some lead to even more questions, it simply left me that much more anxious to read the next book.

I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook after I finished reading the book and it was absolutely fantastic! Brittany Pressley does a masterful job of bringing this story to life and giving unique voices to such a vast cast of characters.

* Fair warning for longtime fans of Mary E. Pearson's YA books...do not expect the same level of spice. This book includes open door scenes as well as language.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Where to start with this one... hmmm. I liked it. It was a welcome walk back into the world of the fae. I liked the mystery angle of both the Keats parents going missing/presumed dead under really suspicious circumstances. I liked the dynamic of the 3 sisters. The start of the novel was captivating and I was sucked in. I liked plot twist concerning Tyghan. There were so many subplots woven together in this one... that it left my head spinning a little. Bristol is charismatic and charming. I think I want to be her... maybe for next Halloween. All I need is a pet ferret. hmmm.

If you need a high stakes romp through the fae lands... this novel is it!

Loved the narrator. Really got into the story.

Thank you to MacMillian Audio, Flatiron Books, and Mary Pearson for this advanced listening copy (ALC).

Let’s be honest; some part of every romantasy reader wants to be whisked off to a fae realm and go on an epic quest. 🤣 This is exactly what happened to Bristol Keats at the start of this adult debut by Pearson.

✨ What did you love the most?
This gave me so many Cruel Prince vibes, so naturally, I absolutely loved that part 😏😅 The magic system is explained very well, and the fae realm is vividly described.

🎧How was the audio version?
Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators, so I was extremely excited to get the audiobook for this advanced copy experience. My only criticism of the audiobook (and this is more about the writing than the narration) is that it was very confusing when the POV randomly switched over. I had to pause for a few minutes, go back, and reorient myself to figure out who was speaking.

🔥Steam level: open door

✨How was the romance?
If you like the dynamics of a human girl falling in love with a fae prince, you will love the romance in this story. It's a slow burn, enemies to lovers, and all-around delicious. Getting both POVs also really helps with this relationship building.

✨Do you recommend this book?
While this book is a thick one and a long audiobook, it was an exciting read. From the quests to the magic to the big reveals, I enjoyed this new series opener. And don't even get me started on that cliffhanger… 🤭

A slow burn enemies to lovers fantasy with a morally grey MMC? Yes, please!

Bristol Keats and her sisters struggle to stay make ends meet after losing both their parents. A mysterious aunt wants to give Bristol valuable art to help out, but accepting this gift comes with a price. Bristol finds out that her father may actually be alive and she is thrown into a world with magic, demi-gods, and creatures.

Tyghan is the acting fae king after his brother was kidnapped by a ruthless enemy. He must see if Bristol is the missing link he needs to save his kingdom, but he doesn't want to force her hand. Tyghan is attracted to Bristol, but he has never recovered from being betrayed by his best friend, whose connection to Bristol is closer than she could possibly imagine.

Narrator Brittany Pressley kept me listening during slower parts of the book. Pressley's voice changes, tone, and applicable accents helped bring the characters to life. However, it was sometimes difficult to keep track to changing view points while listening to the audiobook.

Spice level 2.

Special thanks to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced copy.

I want to start off by saying that I really enjoyed this book. However, it could have been a 5 star for me if it weren’t for a few issues that I had.

Things I loved:
- The world building is so interesting, and I would love to know more about the portals between worlds.
- The varying POVs and timelines were very intriguing to me and I loved that it painted this picture that the reader begins to put together before Bristol.
- The characters; especially the relationship between Bristol and her sisters and their parents. I loved all of their personalities and relationships.
- The love stories scattered throughout the whole book were so lovely.
- The narrator did a FANTASTIC job and made the story really come to life.

Things that didn’t work for me:
- THAT ENDING?! It was genuinely so abrupt and cut short. I felt like at that point she should have written at least a few more chapters. It’s building and building and then to end the way it did was the most insane thing I’ve ever read.
- There are a LOT of characters, several who have multiple names, so it could be hard to follow. Especially when changing between different times and POVs.
- I think the chapters could have benefited from listing the time and POV at the beginning.

Overall, I think this has so much potential, and I’m excited to see where it goes from here. I think that if you’re a fan of Sarah J. Maas and the Fourth Wing series, you’ll enjoy this.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.