Wonderful reading from Zara Storm. This author has crafted what feels both epic and accessible at the same time. Enjoyable for a wide range of readers and a book that hits all the resonant notes.

Welcome Zara Storm to the fantastic world of romantasy! She is going to be one of my new favorite authors if The Court That Bleeds Gold is any indication.

A beautiful story for beauty and the beast ACOTAR readers. A flawed MMC, and a FMC that comes from the human world to discover a fae world that is not as evil as made out to be.

The world building in this takes on an element of its own. It’s so easy to visualize the stunning locations within the realm.

This unique story is the most perfect blend of plot and romance, with brilliant characters. Enemies to lovers, with betrayal and hidden secrets.

Yes I swooned 😍🥰 when he gave her his own nickname.

I loved everything about this book, other than the fact that I now must wait for book 2.

Thank you for this advance review copy for free in return for my honest review.

A Dark Fantasy. A Brute of A King. A Fae Prince. The Lie of Spinning Gold.


This romance retelling of Rumpelstiltskin fuses with Beauty and the Beast. Folklore retellings, in my experience, are the best ones. There are so many unique ways to spin those original tales, and this one did not disappoint.

The story focuses on Eleanor, a human alchemist who is attempting to create gold by metallurgy. It is a kind of magical science, and she feels as though she is just on the cuff of making a huge breakthrough. She makes her living by selling her wares at the fae market, where she is able to obtain faerie metals that is vital to her gold transfusion.

It is unique how this version of Belle (Beauty and the Beast) gets captured. In fact, she becomes his servant because she owes him for bailing out a friend, this world's version of Gaston. A deeply dumb character, he has poached from the human king himself.

Eleanor is the kind of main lead that I adore, the beauty and the brains. She has such a passion for her craft, and that talent is very needed in this world. Ruskin, our Rumple, belongs to the Seelie Court.

He is a frowned upon ruler due to his half-Unseelie origins. I loved that he was not as scary as the original character was designed to be, a true villain in his own right. This Ruskin cares so deeply for the people that hate him, defending them, and caring for them in a way that is not returned.

The enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, hate/love dynamic so corny and so cute. Reading the banter. having just read the latest book in The Cruel Prince series, I got very similar vibes to this novel. It was definitely one I would recommend to fellow readers. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!

I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A Court that Bleeds Gold is a Rumpelstiltskin retelling (this is a retelling that I rarely see, so I enjoyed this fresh take). When one of her very persistent admirers gets taken in for a crime, she volunteers as tribute (kinda) to save him (although he was the reason she was there in the first place, but whatever), using her (tentatively developed) ability to make gold to try and be excused of all crimes. Eleanor, trapped in the castle makes a deal with Ruskin to escape. Ruskin is a brutal fae prince who makes deals with humans in return for a price.

I loved this book. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. The plot and character development were amazing and kept me interested. I think the story progression was great and the character development as well. The progression of Eleanor and Ruskin's relationship was beautifully done and was a proper enemies-to-lovers depiction. I loved the depiction of grief and the process of grieving for Eleanor and even just the way that she processes her grief for her father (though still alive). The world-building in this book is also beautifully done and I appreciated the author's attention to detail. It definitely contributed to my inability to put this book down. I was so disappointed to find out that the second book isn't out yet, especially with that plot twist!

I can’t believe this was a debut novel! I think it was a great first book to a series, and I am very excited to read the second book coming out in June. Published April 3rd, The Court that Bleeds Gold is a fast paced, dark fantasy novel that I think rivals ACOTAR. I loved how the MC is competent, and especially how she doesn't immediately lose all her senses the second she sees a hot fae man. This book ended with a cliff hanger that made me bummed I couldn’t get the next ARC to find out what happens next, but I am very excited to continue with this story!

"Desperate to escape marrying a brutal king, I make a deal with a Fae Prince" offers a refreshing twist on the classic fairy tale narrative, blending elements of fantasy, romance, and suspense into an engaging story. The protagonist's plight is gripping from the start, as she navigates the treacherous world of both human and fae royalty in a bid for freedom.

One of the highlights of the book is its framing, which draws readers into the protagonist's dilemma and sets the stage for the unfolding drama. The dialogue between the main characters is another strong point, injecting wit and emotion into their interactions and deepening the reader's investment in their journey.

However, while the story is enjoyable overall, it falls short of reaching its full potential. The pacing occasionally feels uneven, and certain plot points may leave readers wanting more depth or exploration. Additionally, while the main characters are compelling, some of the supporting cast could benefit from further development to fully flesh out the world and its inhabitants.

Despite these drawbacks, "Desperate to escape marrying a brutal king, I make a deal with a Fae Prince" remains a worthwhile read for fans of fairy tale retellings and fantasy romance. Its inventive premise and well-crafted dialogue make it an engaging choice for those seeking a blend of magic, intrigue, and romance in their literary escapades.

LOVED this debut novel. If you're a fan of ACOTAR, beauty and the beast and Rumplestiltskin, RUN, don't walk, RUN to this book. The world building, character development, plot, and romance were *chefs kiss*!
I was kept at the edge of my seat wondering what's going to happen next and I love that in a book. I can't wait to read the rest of the series because this book was truly incredible

I liked the Rumplestilkskin-like setup. I liked some of the interactions, but honestly by 60% I was bored and ready for it to be over. I kept reading just so I could know if it pulled off something I really liked in the end. But this book was too long with pacing that didn't work for me.

Other things that kind of irritated me:
1. The Low Fae - This was a choice on the part of the author, and maybe it'll get addressed in the future, but even with a "morally grey" MMC, I have trouble accepting someone allowing a whole class of beings to be made less than
2. I saw the twist with Fiona coming a mile away. It was entirely too convenient. This isn't a bad thing, but I kept waiting for it to happen, and I wondered why the FMC wasn't more suspcious just because she was (apparently) human.
3. I'll admit, there are time when a "big misunderstanding" can work for me, but it's not often. And it didn't here. I'm especially not a fan of not talking about it with someone you purport to love.
4. I didn't realize this was book 1 in a series, so the cliff-hanger was a little annoying, but that is the least of my issues.

I liked this, the story was original and the worldbuilding was very good. I think the love story was lacking there wasn’t any relationship development between I hate you to I love you.

I had high hopes after seeing all the positive reviews but unfortunately the writing and lack of original plot was too hard for me to get through. This book was the epitome of telling the reader what’s happening, instead of showing the reader. I also should have realized that any beauty and the beast romantasy retelling would be too similar to others that have come before it but I was hoping for some unique world building or at least good characters and chemistry. Unfortunately, I was disappointed on all of those parts. This book obviously was a hit for many people, just not for me!

I absolutely loved this and I need the second one right away! The plot of the book was well done and the characters were amazing.

"The Court that Bleeds Gold" by Zara Storm is an amazing debut in the romantasy genre that had me completely enthralled. Storm crafts a tale that's both familiar and refreshingly unique. From the moment Eleanor is thrust into the world of faerie, I was hooked. The blend of metallurgy and magic adds an intriguing twist to the story, and Eleanor's journey from reluctant pawn to a force to be reckoned with kept me turning the pages. While I wished for more detailed character descriptions, the chemistry between the main characters crackles with intensity, and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way.

Overall, "The Court that Bleeds Gold" is a gripping read that perfectly balances fantasy and romance. I'm already counting down the days until the next installment! Huge thanks to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoy this book about Ella the gold weaver and Ruskins! The book was easy to read and has an amazing plot/world building. I really connected with the characters and I really love an MMC who’s grumpy but has a heart of gold 😉

This was a great debut book, a little bit rushed to be honest if it had more pages and the story were told with more depth I’ll give it a 4 stars. It has an amazing concept but like I said it needed more. It was very linear.

Ps: I would still read the second one

I really enjoyed the premise of the book as it was a very neat take on beauty and the beast and rumplestilskin. I thought the science aspect of it was interesting and enjoyed this new point of view. The spicy scenes were also excellent. This book was a solid 4 star however because I thought that the side characters were not fleshed out and developed enough. I also found the FMC's decision making and thought process questionable. I did find the book overall enjoyable and the writing was good. You should give it a try.

What a great debut! I adored reading this book! The Court that Bleeds Gold is the first book in a new dark fantasy romance trilogy. It features enemies to lovers, a wicked Faerie court full of trickery and bargains, a morally grey half-seelie/half-unseelie MMC, a feisty MFC with a talent for metallurgy magic (very cool), and a story with shades of "Rumpelstiltskin" and "Beauty and the Beast" to pour over.

“𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝑰 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝑭𝒂𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆…”

This story has a great pace and even though we are familiar with the dangers of fairie bargains, the author Zara makes them feel fresh and new with her setting of a Fae court where truths (names) are dangerous. These courts are definitely filled with cruel fairies who like to play vicious games! Also, be on the lookout for clever references to characters in both fairy tales, as well.

There’s a good balance between the romance which is slow smoldering and the plot which kept me guessing. I needed to know why the MMC Ruskin Blackcoat (Rumpelstiltskin) agreed to Eleanor’s bargain and what secrets is he hiding from her? The whole setting is dark, atmospheric and deadly. The chemistry and dynamics between these two are so compelling.

If you’re a fan of fairy tale inspired romantasy reads, slow-burn romance with spice and plot twists - then you should definitely check this debut author.

I’m on a fantasy kick and this hit the spot! This was fresh and new with hits of why we love our fantasy books! Can’t wait for the second book

The Court that Bleeds Gold by Zara Storm is one part Rumpelstiltskin retelling, one part enemies-to-lovers and one part dark Romantasy, with a sprinkling of gold of course.

Eleanor makes a deal with a dark fae prince to escape a forced marriage to a gluttonous king and finds herself deep in fae territory without an ally in sight. Her captor, Ruskin, is interested in Eleanor's unique skill... she's able to turn ordinary metals to gold. Although it's not gold, he seeks, it's the exact opposite as it turns out...

Eleanor is pretty brilliant, and her quick wit and sense of humor is everything. Her banter with Ruskin is entertaining and strengthens the storyline. I'm interested in seeing the characters and their relationship, develop a bit more in the sequel. That ending is quite the cliffhanger, Zara, I hope you're deep into the next one already!

Thank you, NetGalley and Relay Publishing, for an ARC copy of a The Court That Bleeds Gold by Zara Storm in exchange for an honest review. I'm patiently awaiting Gold Weaver #2!

An amazing story! This was my first Rumpelstiltskin retelling and it did not disappoint!! I loved it so much! I loved how smart and sassy Eleanor is! And Ruskin is dark and mysterious! As a whole, the book was very well written and fast paced!

In this Beauty and the Beast-esque story, Eleanor calls on a dangerous fae to save her from a marriage to a terrible king. Though she is ‘just a peasant’, the king is set on keeping her hostage as his wife because she has this special new skill, spinning gold.

In making a deal with this devil called Ruskin to get away from the king, she is swept away to fairy, where she promises to help Ruskin with an impossible task. However the court is more likely to kill her than she is to complete her task in her lifetime. As the court intrigue heats up, so does her relationship with the mysterious Ruskin.

(While I wouldn’t classify this as dark romance, it is spicy, about 3 chilis peppers! Fyi to all the girlies who are sensitive to that! )

This book was a 3.5 for me! It will be a part of a trilogy, so I hope the author is setting up the characters for more growth. Sometimes they felt a bit flimsy. It wasn’t that I disliked them, rather I wanted more. Maybe there were some sub-plots that could have been added?

Overall I do suggest the book, especially since I suspect the sequel will reveal things that are long overdue and force characters to take action!