I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a chance at reading this book.

Was this originally a Phantom of the Opera alternate universe story? Because there was a lot of Phantom of the Opera nods.

You have a poor girl who works in a tailor shop (excuse me, lives, because she can't sew) and takes care of her ill sister. This is a world where apparently people are gifted 'talents'. The talents can be passed down through family trees by use of blood and trinkets. Our female lead didn't get her father's sewing talent - her ill sister did. Ill sister has ideas for dresses and what not she wants to make but can't because she is ill. Our female lead gets desperate after trying to sell her jewelry and tries to rob a rich house of someone with a talent, but ends up getting caught. Turns out the woman our female lead tried to rob from is actually a sham. You see, the woman was an opera singer and this night was her final night - woman is retiring. The people who caught our female lead agave her the talent by use of dirty magic and the singing talent is actually a stolen talent from someone else. The person who stole the talent is a female who makes an enterprise by stealing talents of others. She offers the opera singer's singing voice (making the female lead now gifted and with talent she will be able to care for here sister) in exchange for doing things for her - stealing talents. Our female lead agrees, and so begins the meat of the story.

While this story is interesting, there isn't anything there. The world building is lame, because if the female villain (or stealer of these talents) can just steal talents here and there, what prevents others for doing so if it's that easy. On top of that, there isn't much discussion about others with talents or the backstory about talents and how it is of use in the world. If everyone had a talent that was influential or used as a way of getting things, I feel like society would be rather corrupt. The author does mention that talents are hard to secure / come by because the gems are not being mined anymore (?? this wasn't really well explained, again, poor world building).

There is a 'lame / dull / I guess it's there romance going on between a man who the female villain wants her to steal the talent of - mind you, this is the ONLY person she is attempting to steal the talent of (you'd think that she'd be stealing more talents and etc). He is a brilliant mathematician and that's his talent. Girl spends most of the time getting aroused by him and failing to steal the talent while he verbally rips her a new one for being a 'fake'. When they finally start getting into the groove of a relationship, it's almost the end of the book and he didn't really show up that much or do anything of merit.

Which brings me back to the Phantom of the Opera thing. Of course there is ~ drama ~ at the opera house and of course you have a diva and her leading man causing problems for the female lead. There is also some weird Madame Giry person who is training the female to sing, and she is always on edge when the male lead is around. Oh, and the guy hangs out in a box on the side of the theatre (which would probably be Box 5 if we go by Phantom / opera house box locations). Female lead becomes the prima donna causing the female lead to butt heads with her. There is also a 'thrown in for conflict' "I'm gonna marry the male lead because we're rich, so he's mine - back off" thing going on... I can go on.

I think there could have been a story here, but it's just really boring and poorly developed.

I have to be honest- the reason I requested this book at first was due to the gorgeous cover. I also liked the setting in historic Paris. I am a huge history nerd and I really love and enjoy books with an historical setting. Paris also happens to be one of my favorite cities.

Overall it was a good and relatively quick read. It’s not a favorite of mine but i did enjoy the story and the fantasy world linked to these gems that the author created. I liked the suspense and mystery as well but found myself at times putting it down for other stories.

This was a quick, fast-paced read that has action, romance, and betrayal. A fun, enjoyable read. The worldbuilding is amazing. You can tell much thought was put into the magic system. It allowed me to become fully absorbed in the world and focus on the wonderful characters. The idea of Talents as a form of magic worked well for me, and created a subtle type of magic that I liked.
The music and fashion aspects were very strong and you can tell the author has either researched or has much experience with the subjects covered.

I've always wanted to read an enjoyable bisexual love triangle fantasy romance, et voilà! Here it is!

The plot is fun. Cleo, impoverished and magicless, is hired by the seductive Dahlia Sibille, head of the city's criminal syndicate. Dahlia gives Cleo a magical gem that allows her to sing beautifully, become the hottest new opera singer in town, and support her sick sister, and in exchange Cleo will steal other magical gems from the wealthy. Her first target is the gem of Vicomte Nuriel Lenoir, and yup, you guessed it, he's young and VERY handsome.

I loved the setting and the opera scenes. Véronique fulfills the The Bitch character in here, which is never my favorite trope (unless she becomes mentor, bff, or gf later in the book; The Bitch needs to be secretly gooey on the inside for me to like her), but also understandable seeing as Cleo is stealing Véronique's job. And I'll also allow soprano prima donna catfights because those are common in real life.

I do think Nuriel as the male love interest was better developed. There was courtship (even if it was initially part of Cleo's robbery plans), sweet moments, sharing of dreams. Dahlia as the female love interest was more just a hot scary mafia queen. Not that I'm judging Cleo for being into that -- aren't we all to some degree? made me think of A Mirror Mended: "There's nothing especially base about desiring a tall, dangerous woman with terrible vibes (whom amongst us, etc.)" -- but the love triangle seemed to be Manipulative Villainess vs Bad Boy with a Heart of Gold, and you know the latter is going to win out. As he should, because he's a better person.

3.5 stars -- I was drawn to this one by the gorgeous cover and I love that the author herself is an opera singer, bringing a level of richness and expertise to that part of the plot.

In this version of Paris, there are magical gems that provide the owner enhanced talents -- in a variety of skills from the arts to diplomacy. Families hold on to these talents and pass them down through generations -- and because no new talent gems have been discovered for years, they have become even more valuable.

Cleo is at rock bottom after her father dies suddenly, leaving her talentless and with a failing shop to manage and a very ill younger sister in need of treatment. She makes a deal with a devil so to speak -- she will be given a singing talent and everything she needs to take care of her sister -- if she joins a network of spies and thieves who are stealing Talents from society's elites. But the closer she gets to her given target the worse she feels about what she needs to do. And becoming a star opera singer, even with a talent, is much harder than it looks.

I wanted so badly to love this one based on the premise. I was hoping for dazzling and dark Paris but it didn't have the sparkle I was looking for. I had a hard time connecting with the main character, Cleo, who was very naive for a young woman who had to grow up so quickly. I only really felt invested in the final 20%, when more of the character motivations really became clear and I felt connected to them and the outcome of their plan.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this but unfortunately this one is a DNF for me. I was intrigued but the story but I couldn't really get into it.

I Absolutely loved this book. The magic system was very unique and the writing was amazing! I have not read a book like this one before. I would highly recommend reading this book.

The Kiss of the Nightingale is an excellent read that manages to balance its themes beautifully, merging magic and the mundane in an expert dance, all while keeping the pacing moving.

Cleodora’s humanity is on full display when she adopts a double life between the glamor of the Opera world and the shadows of the Illicit market. She is multidimensional throughout and her feelings of obligation toward her ill sister stand in stark contrast with the mob dame Dahlia’s allure and the life that she offers. I find myself wanting her to choose either side at different points in the book.

The worldbuilding here is masterful. You can tell much thought was put into the magic system and how it would have affected France in an alternate historical setting. It allowed me to become fully absorbed in the world and focus on the wonderful characters. The idea of Talents as a form of magic worked well for me, and created a subtle type of magic that I liked.
The music and fashion aspects were very strong and you can tell the author has either researched or has much experience with the subjects covered. It reads like a work of passion.

I immensely enjoyed this book and would love to read anything else by this Author!

I saw this book promoted by the author on TikTok and felt like it’s one I would like. This story flows so well and has moments that steal your breath. You see so many details and feel for the characters. The plot was definitely interesting and not something I’ve read before. The thought of these talents and what not having one is and how having one makes you feel complete made my heart hurt for the FMC. There are things you don’t see coming but you will enjoy the journey.

The Kiss of the Nightingale takes place in a city where there are gems that determine peoples talents. These gems are passed down through generations using blood magic. Those that are lucky enough to inherit these talents are considered elites, but those without these gems are considered talentless. Cleodora was always meant to inherit her fathers tailoring talent, but when he dies unexpectedly, his talent gem is lost with him. With a sick sister to support Cleo is desperate to find a way out of their situation. When Dahlia offers Cleo a singing talent gem, she is eager to accept. But, in exchange for accepting this gem Cleo now must work for Dahlia who expects her to steal the talent gem from Vicomte Lenoir. Cleo thinks this will be an easy task, but as time passes, she finds herself drawn to Vicomte Lenoir and begins to question her task.

This was an interesting read and I enjoyed reading about the different talents. Cleo has an adjustment period learning to use her new talent and works hard to learn her new skill all the while clinging to her past and the lost tailoring talent she would have gained from her father. While working as the new lead performer at the Opera house Cleo makes new friends as well as some enemies. Cleo has a sense of dedication to her sister that she was willing to make sacrifices and a dangerous exchange to help her. Cleo comes to rely on the people around her, but soon finds that Dahlia is not all she claims, she has people working for her everywhere and is not someone you want to disappoint or there may be consequences.

This was a quick, fast-paced read that has action, romance, and betrayal. A fun, enjoyable read.

*This review will be posted to other sites on September 17, two weeks before publication date*

4.5/5

The Kiss of the Nightingale has immaculate vibes, taking place in an alternate historical version of France full of drama and intrigue. The magic system in TKotN is very different from what I'm used to, with magic being stored in gems, granted to whoever is currently in possession of said gems. I loved how the magical aspects of the story intertwined with the conflicts and plot of the MC.

The MCs story, her worries and sacrifices, kept me thoroughly entertained. Of course, she wasn't always the best character - the most moral one - however her internal conflicts and determination to do what she thought was right came across very well.

While there definitely was a romance aspect, I wouldn't quite categorize this book as solely romantasy, as I felt that the romance wasn't necessarily a major part of the story when compared to other aspects.

I greatly enjoyed this book and would love to read more books by this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Adi Denner for the opportunity to read the ARC for this book.

The Kiss of the Nightingale is such a unique story when it comes to the world building and magic system. It takes place in what feels like France in the turn of the century. We follow the story of a young girl trying to find her place in the world after a twisted turn of events leaves her worse off than before. Trying to take care of her family she makes a deal that changes her outlook on life and brings her into the path of a man who, for lack of better phrases, likes imperfect things.

This is a Romantasy full of drama and personal challenges. There is some spice, but it is tastefully handled and not graphic.

I highly recommend this book if you like Phantom of the Opera (musical/movie). I kept getting those vibes from the story with a magic twist. I look forward to reading more books by Adi Denner.

These are my honest thoughts and feeling regarding this book.