Thank you, NetGalley, Second Sky, and Kathryn Ann Kingsley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I think the premise of this story could’ve been interesting, especially with the Arthurian legend elements to it, the enemies to lovers trope, one horse (well, dragon) trope, and slow burn. Sadly, it fell a little short for me. I’m a huge lover of romantasy, spunky heroines, morally grey love interests, etc but I couldn’t connect with the main characters and I didn’t feel like they had a ton of chemistry. I think Gwen has a lot of growing up to do, which totally makes sense as a 19 year old. What I do love about her is her compassion and heart, so I hope she never loses that. The plot, the world-building, and the main male character, all fell a bit flat for me. I adored Mae (the cook), Mordred’s dragon, and Eod, the dog! This story has a lot of potential and hopefully all of these elements can be fleshed out a little bit more in subsequent books.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review!


Okay let’s start with the good, this book has a interesting villain who you expect to redeem himself cause he’s the love interest but just keeps justifying wrongs. You get to slowly watch the main character realize that she’s naive which is interesting.

Okay the bad.

-the main character’s tragic backstory is that she’s from “nowhere” Kansas and bored and got cheated on by a dude she dated in high school who went off to college. I am BEGGING the author to have at least GOOGLED Kansas before she wrote the character from Kansas. The details are god off and she doesn’t even give the character a town to be from. It’s clear the author probably hasn’t ever been to Kansas and this shouldn’t have been where she based her main character from with 0 research.

-the main character is extremely flat. We get only surface level info about her which is that she wants a more exciting life and she likes animals. That’s pretty much her entire character. That and she gets panic attacks which are solved pretty fast in this book and then she stops getting them suddenly.

-the main love interest is the villain. He has no redeeming qualities, he’s selfish and only see how other people’s actions affect him. That and he’s literally enslaved a whole type of people and jailed them in a magical crystal. I don’t see how he could ever be a viable love interest cause he’s not redeemable.. every time you think they’ll be some kind of justification for this act… there isn’t. He also straight up slices the main girl with his sword and is still supposed to be a interest??

-the character has like two training sessions to master her powers

- most of the characters are the knights of the round table from King Arthur. The main character straight up fangirls about this during the book. It feels like a Magic The School Bus or enchanted tree house adventure at this point. I wish they were different knights just based off of King Arthur cause I think that would have been more immersive during the story. Every time I read “lancelot” it just immediately took me out of it.

-this story reads like a fanfiction. The character’s monologue is pretty juvenile and it’s very clunky at times. It reads like a kids book to me but has a sex scene in it so def not a kids book.

-the ending is very sudden and it doesn’t make a lot of sense why Mordred does what he does. The whole ending sequence was fast and it felt like the book ended abruptly

Overall, I would say that To Charm a Dark Prince is a really fun read. The plot is fast-paced, ,the romance has some fun enemies to lovers vibes, and the world-building is truly immersive. I am definitely intrigued enough that I will be reading the rest of this series, mainly to see how the rest of the romance plays out.

The romance really drove the plot for me. I enjoyed reading from both POVs, but I was especially amused by Mordred’s. Kingsley definitely nailed what I love about a grumpy/sunshine dynamic.

One thing I always love to see in a book is how much passion an author has for it. It is clear to any reader that Kingsley enjoyed creating these characters, and that love embeds itself into the writing and creates an overall more magical experience.

My only complaint would be the dialogue. There were a few moments where the conversations between the characters felt forced and reflected the “Wattpad” kind of style that appears in a lot of romance these days. None of it was grating enough that I had to put the book down, though, and I’m sure a lot of people would disagree with me on this complaint as well.

As far as tropes go, I recommend this book for fans of: enemies to lovers, dark romance, grumpy/sunshine, and opposites attract.

I received an ARC of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. To Charm a Dark Prince is expected to be out on August 18th, 2023. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Second Sky for this ARC.

3.25/5. Releases 8/18/2023.

For when you're vibing with... campy Arthuriana feels, a very light shade of gray "dark" heroes, interdimensional antics, and talking cats.

Suddenly transported to Avalon, Gwen is kept held captive by Mordred, the Prince in Iron. Though feared by many, Mordred is gentle with her--but with with secrets and her life at stake, Gwen doesn't know if she can give in to their mutual attraction. Which might be a good idea.

I loved Kathryn Ann Kingsley's Tenebris trilogy--but I don't know if I've quite found the right followup in her work yet. She has such a big backlist, however, that I'm willing to try more; and if you're looking for something a little dark that skews somewhat younger (while definitely not being YA) this could be right book for you.

Quick Takes:

--Tonally, for the sake of comparison, Kingsley's Tenebris books are a bit gory, solidly dark (if funny and at points a little campy), and feature everything from tentacles of "my lover is possessed by a million monsters and I'm in love with all of the above and collectively they penetrate all my holes". This book is more "magical girl has magical adventure, Quest for Camelot But with A Lil Sex, and there's some morally gray stuff but it's pretty light".

--What I think that can be compared to is ACOTAR. I definitely got the Sarah J. Maas vibes with this one. Now, that's not a bad thing, necessarily; there's a reason why SJM and her work is so popular. Does it work for me? Not quite. It gives the a work a really young vibe--not so much in content, but in feeling. Gwen is nineteen, yes, but she's honestly a very young nineteen. Another fantasy heroine I've read recently was twenty, and read so much older than Gwen. Yes, you're nineteen, but this is life and death; to me, that would provoke some quick growing up, but that's not for everyone.

All of this makes sense, as the book is comp'd directly to SJM. The other author mentioned is Danielle L. Jensen, whose work I liked a lot more back in the day. I see both comparisons, and the book is definitely heading for a similar sweet spot that doesn't feel quite adult, YA, or new adult to me.

--Part of why I requested this was the mention of Mordred. If you're super into King Arthur and retellings, I wouldn't say this is for purists. I'm not a purist, but it's just very much its own thing. I appreciate the creativity, and it does go a long way towards making Mordred more approachable as a softer love interest.

--The story does feel both rushed and slowed in a way, to me. It's the first in a series and ends on a cliffhanger, which I expected. But you still cover a lot of relationship ground for Gwen and Mordred--a little too much for the length, to me. He doesn't give her much shit and is very quickly entranced with her; she doesn't really put up much of a fight with him. It's fine, I just could use more angst and indecision.

The Sex Stuff:

As per a Kingsley slow burn, there's not much sex in this one. It happens, and it's explicit. It's nothing crazy (I hate to mention this again--the first Tenebris book also had relatively little sex, but what there was.... was hot, and not very tender) but it's good.

So yeah, I appreciate the effort and creativity here, but I do hope that Kingsley will eventually lean back into something a little darker, a little less YA-coded. I'll happily look for that book if it exists! Until then, I do recommend this to those who are looking to scratch that SJM itch--I think you'll be pleased with this.

Thanks to Netgalley and Second Sky for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved the set up of this first novel in a series - Avalon as an alternate dimension and a dark twist on the characters 300 years after their famous legends took place. The writing flowed well and kept my interest. But I was disappointed with a few things; first the main character- she’s a little too rough around the edges and I'm surprised her language was tolerated by other characters. Second, the romance was supposed to be a slow burn, but rather it was like the rest of the fire featured in the novel - dull. And third, the romance didn’t just border on abuse - it was actually abusive. In two scenes the male lead literally beat up his love interest… and she made excuses for it. This really crossed a line for me and sucked all the romance right out of the story. I understand what the author was trying to do, but it felt more abusive than sinisterly sexy. Maybe a rewrite of those sections could save the romance?
Solid start by a new author. With the domestic abuse cleaned up I’ll happily continue on to the next book to see what happens.

Great morally grey MC and I loved the slowburn of the enemies to lovers plot. The story grabbed on to me and didn't let go!

Thank you NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this book!

I really enjoyed this book! It was fun, mysterious and set the tone for the beginning of this series.

I particularly enjoyed at first the talking cat Merlin (my feeling may have changed since), the sword in the stone elements ( I did not think it would be based around that) and the evolution of the language which put Gwyn in some funny situations.

I also loved Mordred and sided a lot with him in this book.

I probably would read the second book, especially if it is available on NetGalley!

Thank you to the author, Kathryn Ann Kingsley, the publisher Second Sky and to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for this honest review.

The best way to get over your boyfriend cheating on you? To follow a cat through a portal that has randomly appeared in your fire-ravaged home. To then find out, the cat not only talks but has brought you to a world you have only read about in books as a child; the mysterious Avalon. Finally, to top it all off, you also have the new ability to turn yourself into a human fireball where you find yourself naked in front of strangers. And, one of the strangers turns out to be the dark, brooding Prince of Iron, Mordred.

Needless to say, I cannot wait for the next book just from the 1st half of this one alone.

This book is a great start to the series and I can't wait to inhale the next one to find out what happens to both Gwen and Mordred, and to figure out who the cat really is. I found the characters easy to connect to and the storyline keeps the reader hooked from the moment Gwen's normal life burns down. The world building is simple and easy to understand and the cliffhanger that this book finishes on is the perfect hook to preface the next book.

Overall, I liked the build-up on the romance side and I feel there is a great opportunity for character development for both Gwen and Mordred as the series continues. This is such a fun, relaxing read and an exciting world to delve into for a few hours. I would definitely recommend this book for others to delve into, when it is published 18th August 2023. If you like magic, the myth of King Arthur and a romance including a dark, brooding metal member of royalty, then this is definitely for you. It is also one I will be looking to purchase for my own bookshelves as I will absolutely be reading it again in the future.

Full review on my Goodreads, ToriJaneReads @ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5664605172

To charm a dark Prince is the first in a new fantasy series that’s a new take on King Arthur and heavily inspired by the myths and legends of that time.

I really enjoyed this first instalment in the iron crystal series. It’s a great new take on king Arthur’s legend and focuses mainly on Mordrad. An anti-hero, morally grey, brooding dark Prince who finds it hard to trust anyone, let alone himself.

When Gwen finds herself unexpectedly in this mystical realm she completely turns Mordrads world upside down. Making him question everything. The banter they have with each other is fun and flirty and adds to the growing tension between them.

There are twists and turns at every corner and the ending had me eager for book two.

Read if you like

🗡️Morally grey MC
🗡️Slow burn romance
🗡️Villain gets the girl
🗡️Twists and turns
🗡️King Arthur legend
🗡️Dark brooding Prince
🗡️Spice 🌶️

Thank you so much to Second Sky and Kathryn Ann Kingsley for the arc copy of the book.

4 stars

No spoilers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Can I start with saying this cover is STUNNING and so on theme with the book!! I was immediately drawn in and the synopsis sounded like so much fun, so a big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in trade for my honest review.

I have enjoyed a couple of Kathryn Ann Kingsley's books and I can truly say, she writes some damn good bad guys as well as some awesome shady characters that toe the line between good and bad. She has mastered the art of writing men that make bad choices for good reasons, which is so fun to read and this book definitely didn't disappoint when it comes to fun.

To Charm a Dark Prince was hilarious! The dialogue between characters and the back and forth between Gwen's conflicting thoughts was so amusing to read and be a part of.

Gwen is not a very strong FMC, but she has her moments of pure stupid bravery that are silly and endearing to readers and surrounding characters alike. My only wish is that the lead up to the main plot line hadn't been so rushed. I know the information is not necessary to the story, but getting to know Gwen a little bit more before she landed in Avalon would have made me more invested in the choices she had to make and her well being overall.

Mordred was a completely unexpected character who almost reminded me of a boy stuck in a man's body. With all of his responsibilities as well as the assumptions of his characters, he's definitely a tough guy. But I loved the unpredictability that came with him and his getting to know Gwen because sometimes he was just downright goofy!

The bad thing about ARC's is that I have to wait even longer for book 2 to come out, but I will definitely be in line to read it ASAP!

I really enjoyed my time with this book! I think the magic system was unique and kept me wanting to read more. And I love that this is an Arthurian legend retelling because every time we learned about a new character who is part of the original legend I squealed! The main thing I disliked was how young Gwen is because it makes some of her immature dialogue even more annoying to me. I know she is meant to be spunky and sassy, and usually I like female characters with big personalities, but because she’s so young I kept thinking it came from a place of immaturity, and it impacted my enjoyment of her character. It also made the majority of the book read as YA, which isn’t my favorite genre. Perhaps it’s because this is the first book in this series, but I feel like I really didn’t connect to the story / characters as much as I did in Kathryn Ann Kingsley’s other works. It was definitely still enjoyable, and I look forward to other books in the series. Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this arc.

I don't even know where to begin, because I have mixed feelings about this book.
I really love the King Arthur retteling, but at the same time I think it missed a little more mistery and action, because we only get real action in the beginning and at the end of the book, the middle of it was a a little meh.
I don't like Gwen, I know she's only 19 and in a new world, but sometimes she's just childish and is always complaining about something.
And who the hell is in a stranger world and don't have a sense of self preservation and spell all of her secrets?? Who the hell drinks alcohol from a stranger world without suspicion?? She's nineteen, is she that gullible?? It's like she doesn't think, I can't with her. The only thing she's has goin on for her is the fact she treats animals better than the humans (even her evil cat) and the banter with Mordred 😍
I didn't connect with her very well. I think she's have to grow a little, but since this is the first book of a series I think it's understandable her character flawss.
On the other hand Mordred is ABSOLUTELY the best! OMG I LOVE his character so much, I like all the Mr grumpy and broody thing going on ,
I also like Galahad, Maeween and the hound Eod, can I have one aswell?? 🥺🥺
The story itself wasn't all bad, but at the same time we get the same thing again and again, like the fact Gwen is being manipulated by all the characters, Gwen insecurities, Gwen attraction for Mordred, Gwen not thinking for herself. Lancelot being stupid just because he can (his character was so pain in my ass, really an asshole. And I didn't really enjoyed his moments with Gwen because it all seemed fake). Mordred not trusting anyone, Mordred putting all of his frustrations on Gwen and the fact that Mordred is really tall. Galahad being a good and loyal servant despite is loneliness,
ALSO I have a really good question: who the heck is the cat? Is he the real Merlin or other important character we only get to know in the second book. Also this stupid cat could be a little nicer, sometimes he's just mean for no reason or whatsoever.
Even though this book wasn't flawless, I REALLY, REALLY want to read the second one, because OMG that end!
And also I want to see Gwen suffer a little in the world of chaos.
Now on a serious note, I think this was a good book for a series introduction, we were told about the past of the characters and what made them what they are, we were told a lof of things that made us see that not everything is right or wrong, depending on one perspective. Can wait to read how the rest of the series is going to pay out.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this arc.

This beauty and the beast-esque Arthurian retelling is a great slow burn, enemies to lovers, dark fantasy I thoroughly enjoyed. Gwen jumps through a portal to another world to escape a raging house fire, becoming a fire elemental being. Gwen must decide if Mordred is truly as evil as those under his reign believe, or if he’s a fair ruler trapped in an impossible situation where no one will be perfectly happy. After dancing around each other’s intense attraction, Gwen chooses a side - will she betray the man she’s falling for, or will she free the magic locked away to bring Avalon back to its former glory?
I loved the banter between Gwen and Mordred! The author did a great job building Mordred’s morally grey qualities and making him a flawed king essentially just doing what he thinks is best. Gwen having trouble processing the burden that’s been placed on her shoulders was realistic and I appreciated the conflict having no right answer. My only complaint was that Gwen felt extremely young and naive at times, I would’ve enjoyed her character more if she was older. The ending was expected, but the way everything went about was surprising and I’m genuinely curious as to see where their relationship goes from here!
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing an eARC for an honest review!

What a fun read!

The book is a dual POV between Gwendolyn and Mordred. Gwen is a human from Earth who teleported to Avalon after being tethered to a cranky cat. Mordred, the Prince in Iron, is universally feared among his lands and has a huge betrayal complex. The two of them dance around their intrigue for each other and their destiny to shape Avalon.

The vibes of the book remind me of a muted or dull-colored Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton's version) with all the absurdity. I've been on a fantasy kick and all of them have had more serious dialogues. At first, it was quite jarring (and a little cringy) how the narration was set in a medieval setting but juxtaposed it with modern language. However, as the book went on, I found it to be one of the quirks of the story.

I also don't typically like retellings, but Kingsley did a great job at creating her own twist. The ending was expected but HOW it happened threw me for a surprise. I'd highly recommend this book for NA readers who like Arthurian retellings, magic, flirty banter, and a cherry-on-top kind of spice. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!

I received this title as an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Kathryn Ann Kingsley for the opportunity to read this treasure!

This was a unique read. It was like an Arthurian, beauty and the beast retelling. It was quite slow and just started to pick up at the end which made me want to continue reading. I think book two is going to be even better. This story isn't particularly spicy but does have some tension and a semi-hot scene. It isn't a fade to black.

As per my reading system, DNFd at 30%. The premise of this book was intriguing and I'm all for these types of slow burn romances. However, the writing itself and dialogues were its downfall. This is clearly an Adult book however the writing and narrative felt extremely YA. The dialogues between characters were cringy in parts. The Gwen doesn't have many redeeming qualities even at 3o% of progress. Merlin as a character feels illogical. The cat gets upset at Gwen but makes 0 effort to explain things to help her. Its stupid. Mordred was the only interesting character but his only interaction with Gwen felt very cringy to read. I even skipped to what should be the scene they get together, and even that didn't feel great to read. It's just overall a poorly written story and I can't bring myself to push on just to see what happens.

DNF for me, I couldn't get into the story or connect with the MC, she was just very whinny and childish. Not my style.

I received an ARC for my honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed the storyline of this book. It was written in third person with dual POV which seemed to change quite often. I loved the world building and characters, though did not care for the instalove/instalust.

I am looking forward to continuing the series and find out what happens to Mordres and Gwen!

I loved Gwen as a character. A great mix of vulnerability and modern woman sass, she ends up in a world which is more suited to a renaissance fair. Soon used as a pawn in everyone's game, she needs to figure out not only what is the right thing to do, but also how to survive in dark new world which is ruled by an even darker Prince. Gwen soon finds out though that things in this new world are not quite as clean cut as good vs evil.

To Charm a Dark Prince in a brilliant example of fantasy romance and if you enjoy this genre, then you will quickly get invested in Gwen and Mordred's story. I won't give any spoilers but judging by how the first book ends, it's one that is set to have more than one twist in it!

Thankfully the next book in the series is due in November 2023 so I don't have too long to wait until the next installment.

This was fun- it felt like a King Arthur retelling, meets cruel prince… add in labyrinth! I thought the characters were each great and I’m excited for the next!!


Thank you NetGalley for approving an arc!