This was a fun Romantasy read! I did have a bit of a hard time getting into the romance and feeling that romantic tension between them, but it did pick up! I really like the world in this but I do feel like the magic was lacking. There just wasn’t enough of it. I wanted more and I wanted more with the tarot cards.

This is a tough one because I think I’m pretty easy to please. This book was easy to read but I got bored and didn’t want to finish it. Plus I hate cheating… like I never want to continue reading when cheating is involved. There were also a few other senses I didn’t like but the plot had promise…. Just maybe needed a different set of eyes on it.

This book has potential—interesting premises and world building. The prose was fine, good even. It’s another girl-falls-into-an-alternate-reality book where she’s the chosen one to save the realm, but it had a unique twist in the way that each kingdom of the alternate world encompassed a different suit of tarot (in this first book, pentacles). My issues were with the characters and the “romance." They were annoying and misogynistic and just instalove no buildup.

Unfortunately, I just couldn't do it with this one. The book is marketed as adult, but is definitely not.

This was a major miss for me. I feel like the marketing for the book makes it seem like it’s going to be way more exciting than it ended up being. The modern language throughout also ended up making me cringe often.

Unique take on a fantasy setting. I really enjoyed this book the plot was intriguing, the character development was well thought out. The banter and sexual tension between the FMC and MMC was really good and well placed throughout the story. although I would not say this is high heat. What you do get for spice is very good but not on the level of high heat. my biggest critique of this book is that there really wasn't anything to do with tarot throughout out the story. You get a little bit in the beginning and that's it. It's not even very descriptive. She gets one card and that's the only thing that it has to do with Tarot. I would have love to see a more immersive dive into the deck. all in all i found this book highly entertaining and i would recommend it to other readers.

This book was just so easy to get lost in. I completely got lost in the story and I just loved getting to see these new characters come together. I just absolutely love this story and I just didn’t want to put it down. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

ok so hear me out. three stars is a good review. Just like #theempress is a good book. not epic omg have to have more right now but also not eh I'm good. Will I listen to the next in the series? absolutely. this was fun. it was light hearted. it was smutty. I'm not looking for award winning literature. I loved Casts earlier books which brought me here and will bring me back. it's ok to be good.

I enjoyed this book a decent amount. I found the main character Hannah really annoying but I really liked to love interest Kane. I liked some of the side as well but there were some I hated. I felt for Hannah though during a couple of parts.

I think I need to give up on Kristin Cast, I loved the House of night books as a teen and her short stories I really like, but longer newer stuff just doesn't grip me. Marketed as adult but the MC is very immature.

The cover is gorgeous but the rest of the book didn't measure up to what I was hoping for. The shallow characters, the instalust/instalove was not enough for me to put aside the other annoyances I had with this book. The book reads very YA even though it is in fact an adult novel- but that could just be the main character being immature.

It was okay. MC wasn't really likeable, though, and the book felt rushed. If it were spread out by another book or two, I feel the author could've let the MC have a more authentic relationship build?

I have always been intrigued with tarot cards, how they're read, what they mean.. so when I find a book that has them "coming to life" I am absolutely interested in reading them.

While that interest led me to this book, the book didn't keep me interested. It wasn't what I was expecting I suppose. The way that this is written is one of those where it doesn't age well. It isn't something I could read in 10 years and think that it is timeless, that the slang or jokes are still fitting.

Forget your sourdough starter, Hannah's about to bake up some serious trouble!

From the moment Hannah, our delightfully relatable heroine, stumbles into a medieval mirror realm with the immortal plea, "I can't die," I deliriously mumble. "I haven't even grown my own sourdough starter," I was HOOKED. That line alone? Pure gold. It's the perfect blend of modern wit and utter bewilderment, setting the stage for a wild ride.

Imagine: you're just trying to live your life, maybe perfect your sourdough, and BAM! You're thrust into a world of ruthless warriors and hidden secrets, forced to play wife to the enigmatic Kane. And let's be real, who hasn't felt like Hannah – the girl who fades into the background, the one everyone forgets? Her journey is a glorious, empowering transformation, a middle finger to invisibility, and I was cheering her on every step of the way.

And speaking of cheering, let's talk about Kane. This man is a walking enigma, a warrior cloaked in secrets, and the chemistry between him and Hannah? Explosive. The tension crackles, the plot twists keep you guessing, and the spice? 🔥🔥🔥 Let's just say, it elevates the story, adding fuel to the already roaring fire, without sacrificing a single ounce of plot. This isn't just mindless heat; it's a vital ingredient in a deliciously complex story.

The narrative is a masterclass in suspense, keeping you on the edge of your seat, desperate to know what happens next. And that mean girl? Her comeuppance is chef's kiss satisfying.

This book isn't just a good read; it's an experience. It's the perfect blend of fantasy, romance, and pure, unadulterated entertainment. If you're looking for a book that will transport you to another world, make you laugh, make you swoon, and leave you breathless, look no further.

My first full book of 2025? It's set the bar impossibly high. Do yourself a favor and dive in – you won't regret it!

This was an unfortunate DNF @ 43% for me.

The first 10% of this book started out with a bang and I was hooked, which is where the 2 stars comes from. The premise was unique and interesting. And then it all went downhill....fast. Hannah was a character I desperately wanted to root for, I just couldn't find myself liking as time went on. She is stuck in a very woe-is-me lifecycle that continually repeats and, even when presented with new challenges, doesn't even seem capable of stepping out of.

Once she's transported through the portal thanks to the magical tarot card, we're dropped into somewhere non-descript with Kane, our MMC that is, for lack of a better word, a shadowed cardboard cutout. I felt nothing toward him. He was bland, lifeless. He called her Fawn so many times I was convinced he never listened to her name at all. Their romance/attraction felt robotic, stiff, and I didn't believe it at all.

I never really felt immersed in the world. The Tarot references weren't as interesting or important as I had hoped. And I also never truly understood the stakes here. I'm just sad because the premise + beginning were so incredibly promising. I think maybe going in with different expectations could make for a better experience? I'm not sure.

Thank you to Towerfall & Bloom Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

Didn't really liked the writing or the MC that much :// the book was kind of depressing from the start (from the MC's pov), and never did seem to get better?

When i first saw this book, I was very intrigued by the concept of a tarot card based fantasy. I was also very interested in reading something by Kristin Cast as I hadn't read anything by her since the beloved House of Night series. Saying that I REALLY struggled to get into the book, and once I started listening to the audiobook as well (in a tandem read effort to get through the book) I realized it was very..... awkward? The main character was so awkward and uncomfortable. I found myself continually cringing throughout the first five chapters. I ended up DNFing the book lest I fall into a reading slump.

I wanted to wait until after pub to offer feedback. Unfortunately this was a DNF after 25%. I had some pretty major issues with the two main characters that I just couldn't get past. I was really hopeful for this story, but the writing felt very immature overall.

In this unique and fascinating tarot-inspired fantasy series, readers follow Hannah when she leaves her familiar life behind for the high-fantasy world of Towerfall and the Kingdom of Pentacles where intrigue and danger lurk around every corner of the ostentatious castle. When she runs into Kane, who helps her hide and heal, and discovers his agenda, the two must trick the entire court into believing their marriage in this high-stakes and spicy new novel. A fantastic start to this brand-new series, the characters’ tension and chemistry is absolutely perfect and matches the drama and intensity of Towerfall. Brought to life in incredible detail and drawing on the Arcana figures in tarot decks, the magic system in this brilliant new romantasy novel really allows Hannah and Kane’s independent story arcs and character development (both together and individually) to evolve over the course of the novel. With the great world-building and the fantastic characters, the novel is immersive, engaging, and incredibly detailed, while the high stakes and intensity of Kane and Hannah’s plans really pull readers into the story. Brilliantly written, entertaining, and steamy, this is an incredibly strong start to Kristin Cast’s new fantasy series that romantasy fans and magic lovers will definitely enjoy.

DNF @ 40%

This was just so….childish? Maybe it’s just me but this read very juvenile like considering it’s supposed to be an adult fantasy? While the premise sounded amazing and the fmc being thrust into an alternate tarot inspired universe was really interesting at first, for 40% of the book the fmc was complaining over and over again and when she wasn’t it felt like her attraction to the mc was forced. This just wasn’t for me unfortunately, I felt like I had to make myself continue (on audio as well with a narrator I really love) and couldn’t do it anymore.