This was a very intriguing twist on Cinderella but with FAE! I actually quite enjoyed this and cant wait to see what happens next!

A Court Bright and Broken had me hooked! The book is an easy read with dual POVs and ends on a cliffhanger with the story well and truly far from done, which I love. The FMC Raewyn, a human, is not your typical save the world type that's found in other popular Romantasy books and although stubborn in her independence, has more of a damsel in distress vibe as the story progresses. The MMC Stellon, a Fae prince, presents as the obvious choice of a love interest and to save her but his ‘sweetness’ has underlying tones of manipulation and his selfish motives make things worse for her, typical. The two of them together just scream for a third character to form a neat little love triangle to break the tension of Stellon’s desperation. Luckily we may be granted this in the next book with Stellon’s broody brother Pharis taking a major role in the final scenes of this first installment, offering to save Raewyn from the inevitable trouble she landed in. There are teasing moments of spice but we are never left fully satisfied so if you are after a hot steamy read you’ll be left wanting, ooof. If you are a fan of forced proximity and slow burn romances this one is worth a read and has plenty of room to flow into future boo

"A Court Bright and Broken" is a fantasy romance with Cinderella vibes, anchored loosely in the fairytale with some common themes.

The story follows Raevyn, a human girl who is unknowingly saved from a group of thieves by the Fae Prince, Stellon. She's initially skeptical of him, if not downright repulsed once she learns his identity, but ends up accepting his invitation to attend a ball. She goes under a glamour, and I didn't like how Stellon didn't know she was the one under the glamour. It threw the vibes off a bit and it was slightly grating to watch it play out.

The romance was endearing but very insta-lovey. Stellon was just too light and fluffy for me, although he does make some questionable choices that I was not a fan of. The bottom line is that this was described as enemies-to-lovers when they never really are. It would have been fine if the description wasn't misleading, but as a result I felt like the romance just didn't deliver what I thought it would. So, the character I thought was the most compelling was Pharis (Stellon's brother) because he was more antagonistic and dark/mysterious. At the beginning I had hoped he would become the main love interest. Raevyn was fierce, independent, and staunchly stood by her morals, so I wished that her love interest had been the one that had a little more fire to him.

I did ultimately enjoy the plot-- it was just the romance that threw me off a little. It is heavy on tropes, and to me it felt too copy-and-paste. That said though, I actually think this will appeal to many readers because the tropes are done well for the most part.

Thank you so much to Oxford South Press and NetGalley for this ARC! 📚

First of all, I would like to give my thanks to Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the arc. I appreciate it a lot.

I just wish I had liked this book better. Ultimately, it comes down to the book not aligning with what I'm normally interested in. on the surface, with the blurb and genre, it should have been my cup of tea. However, upon further reading, I found more and more things that I just did not particularly enjoy.

Before I get to that, I would like to affirm that I did like this author’s writing style. It’s not so simple that you’d think the book was written by a Wattpad author, but it’s also complex enough without being too flowery and unreadable.

Unfortunately, that’s about it. I didn't like that Raewynn and Stellon’s relationship started out as a deception. I also hated that Stellon didn’t recognize Raewynn in her false glamour. It made me feel like his interest in her was false. Aside from that, I was shocked that Raewynn made a deal with the witch doctor without knowing exactly what she would have to do in return. i would have preferred it if she was properly tricked—that would imply that she was at least incompetent, but no. She just didn’t care enough to find out. Furthermore, I was appalled that despite Raewynn making a deal to save her family out of desperation, she didn’t think of her family even once when she was sequestered with Stellon for days.

In terms of Stellon and Raewynn’s romantic relationship, All I could think about was how shallow and vain it all was. There was no depth, no substance to it. They just decided one day that they liked each other. What was most disappointing was Stellon. He started out okay, and I could find myself liking him, but then his blasé outlook on his father essentially sexually assaulting drugged women in his harem was horrifying to see. I just couldn’t see him as a hero anymore.

As I've said before, I do like this author’s writing style. So while I might not continue with this series, I would love to read her other works—with different settings, characters, and plots.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I can't say this story was exceptional or that it blew my socks off, BUT not all books need to do that! It was adorable and sweet and I smiled a lot at the romance. This is definitely a Cinderella twist of sorts (with fae!!) and the premise is really fun. I simply love anything to do with the fair folk when it's done well. Raewyn is a great heroine to root for (albeit her struggles aren't that uncommon for most fantasy heroines I've read), and Prince Stellon is what I'd call a cinnamon roll.! It was cute and silly, calling a fae "Sam", haha. I adored him and his love for drawing and I think he's refreshing in a market where most male leads are "broodier" and crueler. That said... I have to confess I was quite fascinated with the rather antagonistic Pharis because I'm just a sucker for any kind of push-pull/conflict, lol.

The prose is clean, and the pacing of the story engaging and fast, such so that I kept reading and reading. Definitely a fun treat for readers when it comes out on February 14th (Valentine's day, I believe?) and personally it serves as an excellent palate cleanser in between darker reads. I'm looking forward to the sequel and will be keeping my eye on it when it's out.

Such an intriguing story! I could not put it down, and cannot wait for the next one. The plot and character development were absolutely wonderful.

This was kind of a Cinderella retelling., but with a wicked witch of the village. With high fae and humans. Great book, would highly recommend this book.

I love, love, love this story! From the very first chapter, I was hooked. It’s not often that I get so drawn in so quickly, but the opening POV from Stellon, the male main character, really set the stage for something special. The shift in perspective was refreshing and unique, and I couldn’t wait to dive into the world of faes and the blend of elven and human Cinderella vibes.

Raewyn, the female main character, was so relatable to me, and watching her and Stellon’s love story unfold had me feeling all sorts of giddy throughout most of the book. It’s the perfect slow burn romance that leaves you craving more.

I would have loved to dive deeper into the different kinds of elven magic, so I’m hoping we get more of that in book two! Similarly, Stellon’s brother and sister deserve more development, and I’m eagerly anticipating how their stories will unfold.

A surprise twist? A shadow daddy! I won’t give anything away, but I am beyond eager to uncover more about him in the next book.

I honestly didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did, but here we are with a solid 5-star rating. I can’t wait for book two — I have a feeling it’s going to be at least 6 stars! The bonus scene had me internally screaming with joy. This book is on my list of favorite reads for 2025.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of this title!

2⭐️

This book was just…okay. The Cinderella retelling element was interesting but I just didn’t find myself that invested in the romance or the plot. The romance was definitely insta-love with no real slow burn, and I just couldn’t find myself caring about any of the characters. The world was reminiscent of every other romantasy, and there wasn’t really anything unique or interesting about it. I’m also confused on if this is supposed to be a love triangle or not?

Also the names used in this book are seriously cringy, like King Pontus? Seriously? And Pharis? They just don’t seem like royal names to me, and just made me cringe every time I had to read them.

Overall, this book was okay, but I won’t be continuing the series.

Thank you NetGalley, Oxford South Press and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

This book is a Cinderella retelling with Fae, witches and a kingdom ruled by a horrible leader. I really enjoyed the first half of the book. Unfortunately the second half is what lead to my lower rating. There was a lot of buildup in the beginning. The characters met in a fun way, the world was built in detail, I liked their back and forth banter.

But then the pace changed and it wasn't a smooth transition. After the first few chapters and setting up the plot, everything became a little wonky and too rushed. While I started liking the MMC, I was disgusted by his personality in the latter half of the book. He became flat, one dimensional and seemed to lack all common sense and personality, removing anything I liked about him in the beginning.

The ending of the book was action packed with a lot of fun elements leading into what will be the second book, but because of how much I ended up disliking the characters in the second half of the book, I won't be continuing with the series.

This Book, while not groundbreaking, is an enjoyable and easy read. I'd give it 3.5 stars.

I particularly enjoyed the beginning of the romance and the intriguing way the two main characters first encountered each other. However, my interest in the love story waned slightly as their attraction seemed a bit too immediate. This ultimately led me to rate it 3.5 stars.

The ending, however, was incredible! Filled with drama and action, it left me excited for the second book in the series.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys an easy and quick read!

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed this story, it is a unique spin on a Cinderella like fairytale but with a Fae Princes. The world itself is easy to understand and I liked the magical elements of Fae kingdom. The FMC is likable..she is selfless, kind, and fierce in her own quiet way. The story mainly focuses on the two main characters throughout the entire book and I would have liked to see more side characters development and involvement. However, the ending left enough suspense that I am interested to see how this story evolves in book 2. I would rate this a solid 3.5 stars ⭐️

Ever wonder how Cinderella would have navigated a world of fae and fantasy? This story combines a magical ball, fae royalty, and an impoverished girl willing to do anything to save her family.

After meeting a disguised crown prince in a market, Raewyn is invited to a magical ball. Despite the intrigue, she abhors the fae who have taken everything from her family and left them in poverty. However, when faced with the choice to attend the ball and do an unknown favor for the village witch, or let her family starve, she reluctantly agrees. A spiral of love and betrayals follow in what makes for an entertaining quick read..

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Patrick, and Oxford South Press for this ARC!

A Court Bright and Broken is a fast-paced Fae romance that follows Crown Prince of the Fae Stellon and Raewyn, a poor human girl just trying to make ends meet for her disabled father and two young sisters. Unbeknownst to Raewyn, she ends up being the unlikely saviour to Stellon when their paths meet and he finds himself at the mercy of a band of thieves. Utterly mesmerised by her brave beauty and compelled to repay her in some way for saving his life, Stellon expresses his thanks to Raewyn in a way truly fitting for a prince…with an invitation to a royal ball.

In this interesting take on Cinderella, Raewyn gets caught up in a twisted game of deception in order to keep her family safe. I loved her character and how she was determined to do anything in her power to keep her family safe and healthy. Stellon was the ultimate cinnamon roll although as we neared the end of the book I couldn’t help feeling like all is not as it seems with him?
Then we meet his younger brother Pharis who is the dark and scowly to Stellons light and chirpy. He is so intriguing to me despite spending the whole book being a dick and while he has a reputation as a man whore, I bet there’s so much more to him underneath the surface.

I’m usually not an insta-love kind of gal and I do love a bit more angst and slow-burn which is where this book loses a star for me but I did really enjoy I and it was super fast paced and I couldn’t put it down! The ending was drama filled and the cliffhanger has me so excited to read the next one and find out what happens next!

This book was wonderfully entertaining, and I really enjoyed how immersive the writing felt! There were a lot of fun tropes, and the tension was perfect between characters. The side characters were also really fun and really contributed to the overall plot. I loved the unique twist we had in this story and highly recommend everyone try this book. I am excited to see what happens in the second book!

Thank you for selecting me to receive an ARC for this. book!

I had not heard of Amy Patrick before but I loved the description of the book when browsing on here. I only ever read fantasy and I absolutely loved this book!

I did not want to put it down, certain things in this have got me very excited to find out what happens in the seconds book!

A Court of Bright and Broken is the newest romantasy novel to capture my interest and leave me wanting more.

This story has great characters, an intriguing plot, and world-building. Now, I'll be 100% honest, the beginning of the book was a little slow for me and it took me a while to really get into the story. But let me tell you, I am so glad I stuck with this book. Once it started going, I was hooked! A Court of Bright and Broken had a little bit of everything from hints of Cinderella to forbidden love, secrets, and betrayals. I was glued to the pages and could not wait to see how the story would unravel.

A Court of Bright and Broken is the first book in the Age of Fae Romantasy series and after that cliffhanger ending, I can't wait to get my hands on the next book.

Thank you to netgalley for this arc. This is book one in a series so the ending of the book is bit of a cliffhanger and leaves you wanting to read more and to know what happens to our main characters.

The writing was really good and easy to follow and engaging. I finished the book in less than two days not because I was that invested in the book but because I wanted to keep reading the author’s writing which is the aspect I loved the most about this book.

I also absolutely loved the Cinderella element weaves into the book. Another thing I loved was the FMC, she was independent and stuck to her values even in the face of consequences and the seduction of luxury and safety.

Aspects I didn’t like tho were the MMC and his whole personality and the choices he makes, another thing I didn’t like was how underdeveloped the relationship between the two MCs felt and I think that could be remedied in book 2 so I’m not that adamant about it.

Overall it was a fast and easy read but nothing remarkable or unique.

more of a 3.5 but had to round down for the sake of the star rating system

I love a lot of tropes within fantasy and romance books but none quite as much as fairytale retellings! The vibe from this one was a Cinderella retelling, had all of the same themes that you can imagine (chance encounter, intrigue, love at first sight, forced proximity etc). A very lighthearted and easy one to read.

I think the thing that had me rolling my eyes when I started this one was the stereotypical opening of the FMC needing to find money/food/medicine for her starving family that she is having to look after! Her mother is dead but her father is still alive (barely) and she has two younger sisters that she has to support.
If that wasn’t enough she travels to markets that she shouldn’t be at (because they’re for a rougher sort) trying to sell her prized possession that she doesn’t want to get rid of BUT HAS TO. And guess what? Just happens to peak the interest of a royal fae prince. That was all in the first 30 pages maybe?

There’s just something about this as the backstory and set up for a lot of fantasy books that irritate me to no end, and it’s because they’re clear ACOTAR copy and pastes. It really can’t be that hard to give the characters different and unique backstories, especially when they’re then destined to fall in love with a member of the royal family who just so happens to be fae!

It was an ok book like I said, very quick and easy to read with obviously fantasy elements and some romance too (not that there is anything explicit, its all tension and innuendo) but it does rely HEAVILY on tropes.

This story dives into the growing relationship between a fae prince and a peasant girl, set in a kingdom ruled by a power-hungry king who harbors an intense hatred for humans. The plot takes a dramatic turn when a chance encounter between the two strangers sparks an unexpected connection. This connection grants the human access to the fae ball—a perilous event filled with fae who wouldn’t hesitate to harm a human. Faced with impossible choices, she must either enter the ball under false pretenses or watch her family succumb to starvation.

As someone newer to the fantasy genre, I went into this book with high hopes, wanting to fall in love with its world and characters. While I enjoyed the premise and raced through the book in just two days, I found myself wanting a bit more. The ending left unanswered questions, but it lacked that heart-pounding, cliffhanger moment that leaves you desperately counting the days until the sequel.

That being said, the story kept me engaged throughout. The chemistry between the prince and the peasant girl felt intriguing, and the stakes were high enough to keep me turning the pages. Despite my mixed feelings about the ending, I’m keeping this author on my radar and will definitely be picking up the second book in the series.

If you’re exploring fantasy for the first time, this is a solid choice for dipping your toes into the genre without getting overwhelmed by complex worlds or unpronounceable names. Overall, I’d rate this book a 3.5 out of 5. It may not have been a perfect fit for me, but it’s clear the author has something special, and I’m curious to see where this story goes next!