This book had me hooked from the jump and kept me on my toes throughout.

I love,love,loved the historical setting, and even though the author has said that it was inspired by The Last of Us, and I completely see the vision, I absolutely had all of the scenery and cast of characters from Reign playing in my brain as I read it. To be fair, I was obsessed with the show and this filled a void left by its cancellation.

Aside from all of that, this was such a fun ride and I loved Erin Cotter’s writing style so much. I am very excited to read By Any Other Name soon!

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster Young Readers and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was so much fun to read! The character dynamics were written really well, I think the team-up between the three of them was my favourite part of the book. The romance was really sweet, very banter-y and angsty. Also the representation was so >>>> there's a bi MC with a bi love interest and a sapphic love interest!

TWs - blood/gore, war, murder

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

This was so close to being a new favorite! The first half flew, I was having the time of my life, I thoroughly enjoyed the build up for Henry and Jac's relationship...Margot was bugging me but redeemed herself. I was rooting for a throuple and the ending was ambiguous enough it's safe to say I got one. Overall, a good time, there were just parts that I wish received more development earlier on.

LOVED THIS ONE. BISEXUAL.


Erin cotter is amazing and I have slept on her way too long! Thus was amazing and gay as hell. Give me more please

I will always read queer historical fiction stories. And A Traitorous Heart is a delight. I fell into Jac's story. She so desperately wants to be part of this secret society, but what if they're hiding more than she thinks? A Traitorous Heart is full of meet cutes, hidden relationships, and covert meetings. At the heart of A Traitorous Heart is this question about how do we fight for the future. We can think we have to do something, but what happens if we didn't? If we didn't manipulate our friends? If we didn't hide our love? Cotter balances our pursuit for love with saving the future of our kingdom.

This is definitely for the people that loved the show Reign! Just like the show this book had drama, romance, and dark secrets! It was a fun read!

The story is a retelling of the events leading up to the St Bartholomew's Day massacre in 1572 Paris. I felt like the author did a pretty good job with the historical aspect of this but it wasn’t as immersive as I would’ve hoped. I do think the length of this book is what took me out of the story. I found myself waiting for something big to happen. My favorite aspects of this book was the romance. I thought it was very swoony and fun!

Overall this was a good time.

I absolutely loved this! One of the rare thrillers where I can't guess where it's going. Fantastic character building to match the fast-paced plot. I zoomed through this,

I loved the concept so much that I'm rounding up half a point for that alone, but unfortunately the execution here just didn't do it justice. Not only because it was anachronistic, which is not always a bad thing--I loved Reign and My Lady Jane and the steampunk Three Musketeers movie, and I likewise love books like Lex Croucher's queer Arthurian and Robin Hood remixes, which I don't think anyone could accuse of being wedded to period accuracy with their vaguely alt-medieval fantasy setting--but because the historical choices and the writing choices threw me out of the story way too often (including on a sentence level, eg. "betwixt"). So I guess I'll have to keep hoping another book comes along that fulfills my historical bisexual aristocratic assassin/spy FMC dreams, because this one sadly wasn't it. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 Stars

Erin Cotter is making a serious bid to become one of my favorite authors. I think her debut “By Any Other Name” is a grossly, criminally underrated queer historical adventure, and here she is back with another one, albeit of a completely different flavor, and I enjoyed it so much.

What I’ve loved about both of Erin’s books so far is that you are getting so much mileage for your engagement, so much bang for your buck, so much story just jam packed into about 400 pages

In both cases so far, where you start the story is practically a lifetime away from where it ends up, and I think that’s great. This book was such a pleasant surprise for me in that way, because so much of what was hinted at in the synopsis and so much of what you would suspect has to pass in order for this story to reach its natural conclusion happens a little over halfway through, and then the last third or so is just completely new territory, and it takes a huge turn that you would never suspect going into it, and it just hurtles towards the unknown at a breakneck pace.

It is truly wild how much happens in this story, and yet it doesn’t feel overwhelming, at least for me. I love that there’s something exciting in Erin Cotter’s stories every which way you look. There’s court intrigue, there’s secret societies, there’s bands of assassins, there’s a matchmaking plotline, there’s a Bi4Bi4Bi love triangle dynamic, there’s a foray into the occult. It’s a feast for the senses. There’s a very measured kind of queer chaos in both of Erin’s books so far, and for me that’s what makes them so unforgettable and so exciting to read.

Like I said, I had a great time with this. It’s a unique take on a queer historical story that I think a lot of people would enjoy if they gave it a chance. The multilateral queerness and the romance are also top notch, and literally took my breath away at some points. I definitely recommend this alongside Erin Cotter’s debut novel if you haven’t read it yet!

When it comes to historical fiction, I find that a lot of the YA selections have been alright, but not great. A Traitorous Heart checks off all the boxes for many of my students. It is well-written, suspenseful, includes romance and strong characters, but also includes a rich history and time period they may not be familiar with.

I look forward to using this for First Chapter Friday!

Dnf at 54%. I rlly wanted to make it through this book, but it’s just not for me. I think other people would like it, but personally the plot doesn’t move fast enough or progress much and the romance felt kinda rushed/sudden. I’m trying to train myself to dnf more books instead of forcing myself through them, so even though I really wanted to enjoy this book I’m not, so I’m going to go ahead and put a stop to reading it now. I’m not going to give it a lower star rating, because I think I’m maybe just not the target audience and I don’t want to negatively affect her overall rating! 🥲🥲

A work of queer historical fiction, A Traitorous Heart follows scandal-born Jacqueline “Jac” d’Argenson-Aunis as she navigates the treacherous politics of the French court at a time when it seems that one wrong move could push France into war. As if that weren’t daunting enough, Jac yearns to join the Societas Solis, a secret society of spies that her uncle – the sole family member she has and the man who raised her – is part of. The Societas Solis is shrouded in mystery and secrecy, but Jac knows how to keep secrets, weave compelling lies founded on scraps of truth, and fight and wield weapons. Except that when her uncle finally relents and allows Jac to take a small part in Societas Solis work, her first mission is nothing like what she expected: she is to play royal matchmaker for her best friend and former lover, the princess of France, and the King of Navarre. With countries and hearts on the line, what could go wrong? (Spoiler: a lot.) What starts out as political matchmaking spirals and snowballs: assassins and murders, exhumations, impossible promises, improbable romance, betrayal, madness, and a dash of magic.

A Traitorous Heart brims with complex characters grappling with society’s expectations and their own desires. Jac, Henry, and Margo all have big, unruly emotions and complicated relationships with themselves, others, and their countries. (Jac’s relationship with her uncle stuck out to me in particular for its well thought-out complexity, nuance, and evolution.) These characters are real and messy, making mistakes, getting upset, doubting themselves, pushing themselves. Jac’s journey throughout the book is nothing short of transformative and revelatory: a lonely girl becomes a confident woman learning to put her trust in others and their unconditional love for her, instead of carrying her burdens alone and unacknowledged. Jac’s deep-seated need to prove herself is something that I – and I imagine many people, women in particular – relate to. I loved watching her acknowledge and accept her own self-worth (and be a skilled, accomplished badass who can take care of herself!).

Cotter’s beautiful writing abounds with gorgeous figurative language (including recurring imagery for specific characters that highlights and supports their arcs and relationship dynamics), laugh-out-loud witticisms, and heart-rending moments. The romance is only one part of the plot and doesn’t overwhelm the narrative. Rather, it compliments the non-romantic plot threads, adding to the story’s existing stakes and tension. On top of her deft storytelling, compelling characters, and nuanced plot, Cotter also does a small thing that I personally love when authors do: there is a line in the book which includes, and contextualizes, the title of A Traitorous Heart. It’s in the latter half of the book but well worth the wait!

A Traitorous Heart is a captivating, well-written take on historical fiction that I didn’t want to put down (while simultaneously not wanting it to end…). More than that, it is exactly the kind of book I wish I’d had growing up, and I’m grateful that it exists for people of all ages now. I simply adore it! Read it and discover Cotter’s brilliance! (And while you’re at it, grab her debut novel, By Any Other Name, too!)

Many heartfelt thanks to the author and the publisher for the eARC!

I definitely wanted more action! I loved the opening scene and was a little sad that the next 200 pages didn't continue with that action. However! Overall I had a great time - bisexuals, mystery, intrigue. The introduction of magic felt a bit late in the game but i also liked that it was part of the story. The characters are well defined and I could definitely see there being a sequel.

This book will find a great audience in fans of shows like CW’s Reign or Prime’s My Lady Jane. This is a historical fiction retelling of the events leading up to the St Bartholomew’s Day massacre in 1572 Paris. Many liberties are taken with the historical accuracy, and slight fantastical elements are introduced as well. Like these shows, our characters are given a younger more modern makeover. But with more queerness. There is a lot of melodrama, romance, and poor decision making.

This is on the longer side at 450 pages, and I think it could have been trimmed down. I found myself getting bored around the 350 mark because we took so long to reach the climax. If anything could have justified the length, it would have been a slow burn romance. Unfortunately, we got the opposite. There was simply no need for Jac and Henry to almost instantly fall in love. They kiss at like page 100. I wish their romance had been dragged out more to help balance the romance to plot ratio. However, I will say the romance was the highlight of this book as Jac and Henry were very adorable. A part of me does mourn the fact that this was not a poly romance as I thought it had the perfect setup for one. It’s a shame that it didn’t officially happen, even though at the end it kind of felt like it did? I don’t know if Cotter was forced to keep it monogamous or what, but it is strange how Jac, Margot, and Henry’s dynamic concluded.

I wish there was more actual spy work occurring. I love some great court intrigue and I found this book lacking despite the entire plot surrounding an alliance amongst growing political and religious tensions. This leaned more into a murder mystery set up, which is fine. But it didn’t really fulfill the spy plot line I was hoping for. I wanted to see Jac’s intelligence more than her fighting prowess. I also didn’t really care much for the mystical elementals of this book.

A small thing that irritated me was the constant use of betwixt instead of between. I understand it was used to give a more old age feel to the prose, but it just felt out a place considering no other major language changes were made. Especially since this takes place in France, they’re technically speaking French. I don’t know why we’re using old English.

Overall this was entertaining and had a cute romance. But I did feel like it was lacking in many parts and I wish that the focus had been placed on developing other aspects of the story.

Erin Cotter writes this amazing historical books that make me want to step into the world. This one is no different!

A Traitorous Heart has too many descriptions to be worth the read. And 4/5 of the descriptions are unneeded. They don't advance the character development or plot and instead put the reader to sleep.

Also, I do not think this book should be compared to The Three Musketeers in any way, shape, or form. It's historical fiction: yes. There's a secret society: yes. But those things do not make this comparable to TTM. I kept looking for cool fights or traitors or SOMETHING and those things did not come to fruition.

This book's one saving grace is the romance. It was sweet and swoony and a lot of fun. But a cute romance does not a good book make. I was extremely bored 90% of the time.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this. I love a good historical novel, and being queer it's always nice to see rep in stories. I thought that the romances were good, the characters were interesting and the plot was super compelling. If romance, adventure and scandals are what you're after then you're definitely going to enjoy this. I cannot wait to get our physical copies in at the branch because I can already think of a few patrons who will really enjoy this book!

A lady in waiting who dreams about becoming a spy for her uncle finds herself caught in between her former lover, the princess, and the princess's betrothed, a new foreign king who is determined to win her heart. It is Paris, 1572, and Jacqueline "Jac" d’Argenson-Aunis is a lady-in-waiting to the French princess, Marguerite "Margot" de Valois, her best friend and former lover. Jac is hiding secrets, she has magic and is determnined to become a full member of the Societas Solis, a secret society of spies.... just like her uncle and guardian Viscount Gabriel d’Argenson-Aunis. Yet when Jac finds out that her uncle plans to have her married off and that a foreign prince has arrived in court to be married to Margot... the Societas Solis makes Jac's first mission be that she has to help the extremely handsome and charming prince and convince Margot to marry him. The only problem? The more time Jac spends with the foreign prince Henry the more they are falling for one another..yet will her secrets catch up to her and destroy her? This was such a fantastic read, I loved the romance, the LGBTQ rep, and of course the drama. Jac and Henry are both bisexual characters and Margot is a lesbian. The friendship between Margot and Jaq was so sweet and the romance between Jaq and Henry was absolutely adorable to read, he is such a dreamy golden retriever energy love interest to Jaq's strong FMC lead energy, This book was just such a fun read and I would love for there to be a sequel because I just want to read more about these characters. The story was just a fun read and definitely has Three mustketeer vibes and perfectly toes the line of historical vibes and adventure with romance and scandal. I would highly recommend this read!

Release Date: January 7,2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I'm a huge fan of historical fiction that falls within the times of true kings and queens, and when you throw in some light fantasy and LGBTQIA characters, you can guarantee I will be SEATED. I really enjoyed how this book managed to weave all the threads it had going on together and didn't really leave any loose ends. The relationships between Jac and Margot and Jac and Henry (and even the platonic one between Henry and Margot) were well done and felt realistic (even if the "slow" burn was a little fast for my liking). It should be obvious that you should definitely not be looking to this book if you're looking for true historical accuracy (I mean... there's magic. And so many main characters are unabashedly queer), but the pieces of actual history woven into the plot were always fun to find. Overall, this was a great way to start off my reading year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Did you ever want a lesbian and two disaster bisexuals to come together to save their kingdoms from evil magic? Well… ‘A Traitorous Heart’ is the book for you. I loved this book. It is at times hilarious, cunning, suspenseful, and romantical. I had such a fun time reading.

I am having a hard time deciding how to write this review because I want to say so much, but I also don’t want to spoil the story. I loved so much the relationship dynamics and the lessons that the characters learn and how they grow together and create their own version of what love looks like between them. However, to really say what and why I love it I would give way too much away.

Magic doesn’t come into play until over halfway through and I want to say why I loved that part of the book, but it would spoil way too much.

What I am going to say is this: if you like spy’s, conspiracies, secret societies, kings, queens, and princesses you will love this book. If you love enemies to lovers you will love this book. If you love girl boss mc’s who don’t take no for an answer and do what they want, when they want, you will love this book.

“A Traitorous Heart” will entertain and bring you on an adventure full of betrayals, love, and complicated families. I enjoyed every word.