As soon as I started it I knew i was going to enjoy this book. Lore is pretty cool gal - smuggler, spy, necromancer - and her uneasy alliance with Gabe and Bastian takes us on a fab adventure. There is something of a love triangle, plenty of betrayal, loads of action and dark magic and the right balance of humour and tension. The three main characters, their sharp edges and their banter made this book stand out for me. It was a great start to a duology and set things up nicely for The Hemlock Queen next year.

3.5 ⭐️
Three star reads for me are books I enjoyed, I would recommend people to read if it’s already on the TBR list or in a genre they like. They are not something I would reread.
I am giving this book 3.5 stars because of this, and also because I would like to read what happens in the second book.

“Are you so accustomed to being used that you don’t realise it’s happening, as long as it’s done kindly?”- Bastian

I have to say the premise of this book was something that intrigued me. The magic/mortem was something I’ve never read about before and I found it interesting to read and learn about. I liked the idea of the church/religious side of the book.

I enjoyed reading about Lore, her story of being a necromancer and her growth throughout the book. I loved her personality and how she became more confident she became in herself. The same for Gabe and Bastian and how you end up having switched opinions of them throughout the book! I loved both of their dynamics with Lore and how they change over time.

This book had twists most of which I predicted, one or two where I didn’t know but also wasn’t surprised when it happened.

However, this book took me quite a few days to read and get into. The beginning 3/4 chapters were quite confusing and hard to read, the several name drops in the first three pages were confusing as nothing had happened to really need this and I had no clue who any of them were.

I think the author had a great story for the book but somehow missed the mark with the writing it wasn’t gripping in the way I hoped it would be. I personally don’t enjoy love triangles but I understand how it was needed for this book. I think people who may be triggered by the religious aspect of the book, should be made aware of it before reading.

Overall I liked this book, I would like to read the next book to see what happens and if the author's writing has improved.

A pinch of delicious dark vibe, a bit of romance all wrapped up with a bit of mystery to keep you guessing.
The story follows our main female character, Lore, and her life as a poison runner so she could make ends meet. But when one of the deliveries goes absolutely and utterly wrong, she uncovers her biggest secret that can get her killed. When captured she expects that faith, but instead she ends in the most unexpected place she could end—as a guest at the court of the Sainted King himself, tangled in politic schemes and mysteries.
Alone in a place that you can't trust anyone and no one is what they appear to be, she ends up tangling things up even more when she tries to solve the riddles that are her guard Gabriel—a former duke with a dark past turned monk and the future heir Bastian giving the impression of a shallow and arrogant yet behind that mask she sees someone entirely different.
The magic system in the book is intriguing and as I said, I love how the dark vibe is exquisitely woven inside it—as Mortem is a magic born from death and is something illicit except for the so-called Presque Mort (mix between warriors and monks working for the Sainted King).
I loved Lore as a character because although she is tough and street type of smart and can't express her feelings to save her life😂 she is also caring, brave, loving and a seeker for justice in her own unique way.
Gabriel, on the other hand, is more comfortable sticking to the rules and what he knows, seeking and needing a solid thing to hold on to after the turmoil in his past. To be honest, exactly for that reason, his character had the least growth of the three of them—desperately holding on to beliefs and people that he made his solid ground. But I think after the events in the book that gives a solid foundation for his character and in the second book to find himself anew.
And I'm not sure how the author pulled it off, but how in the world she made him hotter BECAUSE of his eye patch and gave him his unique vibe that I loved.
Aaand we get to my favorite character, Bastian—the son of king August himself.
He has so many layers, and you learn a new thing or see a new side of his true self at every turn in the story. I swear every time his character comes into the scene he sucks up all the attention with unmatched gravitas, and it's safe to say his character got the most growth that made the book even bigger page turner that it is!
Wonderful I can't put it down kind of read and after that ending I definitely will pick up The Hemlock Queen when it comes out.

Thank you to Little Brown Book for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion and as requested in the mail (that they should be posted no sooner than two weeks before the publication date) the review will be live on all social media on January 10th

I absolutely loved the magic system in this book, and combined with the courtly politics it was a recipe for a proper 5 star read. Hannah Whitten has a real gift for storytelling and I am obsessed!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Foxglove King exceeded my expectations as one of my most anticipated reads this year. From the outset, the narrative envelops readers in a captivating and darkly beautiful world, extending seamlessly from the compelling cover to the final pages. My immersive experience was further enriched by transitioning between the advanced copy and the exquisitely narrated audiobook.

Hannah Whitten, though not universally appealing, remains an auto-buy author for me. Her writing style and the vibrant energy infused into her novels are undeniable draws. Fearlessly delving into romantic fantasy for adults, Whitten crafts novels that are both cataclysmic and ethereal, maintaining a delicate balance between darkness and light. The meticulously constructed magic system feels thoughtful and believable.

The characters, notably Lore and Bastian embodying counterparts of darkness and light, engage in a love triangle with Gabriel, adding a layer of complexity. Whitten handles this romantic tension skillfully, making it a captivating element rather than a detractor. The novel confronts weighty themes such as elitism and religious fervor, deftly exploring the hypocrisy that often accompanies them. From disparities in medical treatment across classes to the misuse of religion for purported greater good, the narrative mirrors real-world issues. Whitten's ability to infuse humor amidst these heavy themes showcases her adept balancing act. The characters contribute with lively banter, ensuring the novel remains engaging throughout.

***This is an honest review of an ARC copy, received via Netgalley. ***

At first I thought this was going to be too slow for me. While the first malf of this may be slower in pace it kept my interest throughout.
I liked that you're not spoon fed everything at each step was refreshing and the twists in the story, while not mind blowing, were enough to keep me hooked.
I did like the characters but I do feel like they fell a little flat at times.
I'd be very interested in seeing where this story leads.

I had a really good time reading this novel. The plot is involving politics and I loved that. It is well-paced and with some interesting reveals. The universe is intriguing and well-written. The characters are quite interesting as well, even if some are a bit stereotypical at the beginning — but it did not bother me very much. However, I did not necessarily care for the love triangle thing that went on, even more when it’s clear that a character seems better than the other. Aside from that, I loved this novel.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

i was drawn to this bok for its nod to the sun king and his court, i remained for an intriguing story and a very original magic system. i really like the theme of this book and the approach to various aspect of the religion its impact on the followers. i already have a team, and i'm scared because the hints of the love triangle are not going in a very definitive way. but it's a retelling of the sun king, so i have to be on his team, right?

'The Foxglove King' is a grower not a shower. When I first started this I wasn't particularly impressed. Whitten hides the true extent of Lore's origins and powers (our main character) so I found myself getting frustrated with how many questions I was asking.

But by the end I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the French inspired fantasy world. It had great world building. I don't think that I've personally read a French inspired fantasy that includes the catacombs to this degree and some of my favourite parts of the novel were when the characters were down there.

I loved the characterisation of our three main characters - in particular, Bastian. All three were complicated and interesting in their own ways. The prose was beautiful and, after that first stretch of 70 or so pages, easy to read.

I will say that I found it to be quite tropey. This is not necessarily a bad thing as I know it's what a. lot of book readers like nowadays. For me, this was an aspect I didn't like.

3.5 STARS. Twisty and full of betrayal - excited to read the next one.

I really enjoyed this book!

I really enjoyed the relationships between Lore, Gabe and Bastian. Also the many shocking reveals that kept me completely hooked throughout. That ending was brilliant and I could not have predicted it! I love surprises and this definitely delivered.

I was so torn between Lore and Gabe & Lore and Bastian! I love both of their relationships but If I had to choose I would route for Lore and Bastian! The magic system is unique and a joy to learn more about, I can see that the next book will delve more into this and I can't wait.

Besides the magic expanding I honestly can't even guess what the next book will entail and I'm very excited to find out. I will definitely be reading book 2!

Full of politics, danger and scheming, this was an interesting read that had me trying to unravel mysteries left right and centre. We follow Lore as she tries to meet the demands placed on her by those with the power to take away her life as she knows it… or even just her life. She builds complicated relationships with Gabriel and The Sun Prince, these two being complete opposites in terms of their roles and personalities. Lore is out of her comfort zone and determined to find out what’s going on before it’s too late, and with so many different powerful people trying to steer her path, it’s not straightforward but it definitely is dangerous. It was fun sneaking around with Lore and finding out more about her past and her life outside of court, as well as seeing how she reacted to her new surroundings in the palace. Opportunity for betrayals are rife and it’s impossible not to feel the anticipation of something going awry as the story progresses. It’s certainly unique and keeps you reading.

Thanks to Little Brown Book group and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It hurts me to say this but this book absolutely didn't work for me. It took me a staggering 21 days to finish this (I would expect a book this length last me for maxium a week in comparison) - the main reason being that there was nothing in me that wanted to pick this up .. ever.

I could not get into this at all. I found the world building tedious and the characters extremely unlikeable; even till the very end I couldn't connect with any of them which lead me not to care about the story whatsover. Every time I picked this up in the evening it put me straight to sleep. I found the prose meandering and wordy and hard to follow at times, same with the world building and explanation of the magic system; especially towards the end it just felt like the author had enough and proceeded with some mad info dump. I saw the ending coming from a mile away and was not surprised at all, if anything I was simply just bored and I couldn't wait till this was finally over.

This absolutely did not work for me, although it might do for some - I will definetely not picking up the sequel for this.

>> Review also posted on Goodreads

🌟BOOK REVIEW🌟

🪻The Foxglove King 🪻 by @hwhittenwrites

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I enjoyed this story a lot, the premise was great and hannah is a creative story teller. This is my first dip into the gothic fantasy genre and my first time reading a story by this author and I wasn't disappointed. The story is brimming with court politics, magic and sexual tension.

❤️‍🔥I loved the concepts for the magic system in this story as it was something unique. A lot of the magical systems are samey within the fantasy world so it's refreshing when something a bit different pops up. As always I am a sucker for slow burn and this story did not fail to deliver in that regard and the Romance was great. I did feel this story would fall more into the YA category but that is by no means a negative.

The love triangle gives celeana, Dorian and Chaol vibes so if you enjoyed Throne of Glass this will likely be an excellent series to add to your TBR.

#thefoxgloveking
#hannahwhitten
#orbitpublishing
#gothicfantasy #fantasyromance

https://www.instagram.com/the_bookish_cave_of_wonders/

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me this arc to review.

I went into this story not knowing much about it, except that it involved death magic. Watching Lore navigate a tricky court scene and try to work out who to trust was fascinating. The way she oscillated between hope and suspicion as to whether other characters were being honest in their desire for friendship, or just using her for some nefarious reason, was very human.

I was intrigued by what was happening from the start and I really enjoyed the interactions between Lore, Bastian and Gabe (I must admit I have a soft spot for the joking Prince hiding a serious, caring soul, so I loved Bastian from his first appearance).

I can’t wait for the next book and honestly would love for the relationship between all three MCs to be taken to the next level (if you know what I mean 😏).

I really enjoyed this and devoured it within a day! This didnt quite feel like romantasy at first but bordered on that at points.

Lore is a great multi layered FMC, she’s cunning but naive. She works as a spy and is recruited to work for the church and the king spying on the heir to the throne trying to find out where the heir’s allegiances lie. There is also the conundrum of the villages where people are mysteriously all dying. Lore is blackmailed into this task and finds companionship with Gabe who is part of the church, he seems like a potential friend after many betrayals.

I liked the magic system in this and how it explained and integrated Lore’s necromancy into the plot. There’s so many twists and this book really instills the fear of being different and how dark religion can be.

Absolutely loved Hannah's writing style, she created the perfect level of intrigue and mystery that kept me wanting to read on and on. I really enjoyed the dark magic throughout the book intertwined with romance. Cant wait for the sequel!

My students will adore this! A new addition to the romantasy genre full of Gothic vibes and spooky atmosphere. A fabulous read that will keep you guessing all the way through.

This was fun! I enjoyed it, which is saying something because I'm not generally a fan of fantasy romance these days.

Gothic fantasy seems to be one of my new favourite genres of all time! The setting and vibes of this book are so unique and special, I wanted to dive into this world! It surprised me that I liked the book this much since the politic impact was quite heavy but it was just super interesting. I loved the magic system and going back and forth wether to trust a character or not. Great read!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for this honest review.

Drenched in atmosphere, The Foxglove King is a dazzling fantasy, focusing heavily on the wicked politics of a court reminiscent of that of the sun king’s Versailles. Lore, a young woman with little to her name and a talent for death magic, is thrust into the politics with little time to prepare herself and finds herself trapped in a wicked dance, but with whom? Who can she trust, and are her allies truly what they make themselves out to be, or should she rather look to her enemies? It’s a dangerous game, one that might even cost her her life.

An enchanting read, with a prose that is both sharp and biting, I imagine this will become quite popular. I do, however, have one complaint: I would much prefer for the love triangle to become a polyamory. I feel like the story could greatly benefit from that and also turn an overused trope into something more exciting and not as often seen in the genre.