I feel that if I had been either younger or less far along in my foray into historical fantasy, I would have enjoyed this more. There was less depth to the story, the characters and even the contextual details. I read it without being particularly engaged with the material. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

The Kiss of the Nightingale by Adi Denner is a captivating historical romance that weaves together passion, mystery, and a touch of intrigue. Set in a richly detailed time period, the story follows the complex relationship between two characters from different social worlds. The plot is engaging, and while it follows some familiar romantic tropes, the emotional depth of the characters brings a fresh layer to the genre.

Adi Denner’s writing shines in capturing the atmosphere of the setting, and the pacing of the story keeps you hooked from start to finish. The characters are well-developed, with their own flaws and desires, making their journey towards love both relatable and compelling. The chemistry between the protagonists is palpable, and though it doesn’t always escalate to dramatic moments, the subtle, slow-burn romance works well within the context of the story.

The book does a wonderful job of balancing historical detail with personal stakes, and while some plot points feel predictable, it’s the emotional connection and character development that ultimately make this novel stand out. It’s an immersive read that will appeal to fans of historical romance who enjoy a story with both heart and tension.

In summary, The Kiss of the Nightingale is a highly enjoyable and well-crafted historical romance. The balance of romance, intrigue, and historical elements makes it a strong entry in the genre, offering a satisfying escape into a beautifully imagined world. While it’s not completely groundbreaking, it’s definitely a memorable and engaging read that will leave you with a sense of fulfillment.

This is a world similar to old Paris, with one big difference… if you are rich you can inherit a magical gem that grants you the power to excel in that gems talent, these stones become known as Talents, passed from parent to child for generation—unless it is stolen.
Cleo’s father falls into the river and is washed away… along with his Talent that should have been passed to Cleo. With her parents both dead and the knowledge that his Talent (that of dressmaker) has been lost, people stop coming to their shop. Cleo and Ana sink into poverty and when Ana becomes sick, there is no money to pay for a doctor. What can she do? One thing, she thinks, I will steal one thing to get Ana some food.
Of course, if she had managed it, that might have been the end of the story, but it’s not. Caught in the act by none other than a master thief come manipulator, Cleo must pledge herself to serve and to steal Talents. In exchange, she is gifted a ruby whose talent is singing and Cleo falls happily into the world of the gifted.
Her first task… to steal the diamond Talent from Vicomte Nuriel Lenoir, it should be easy, her sister’s health is her motivation. Only of course (of course!) Nuriel is handsome and rakish and utterly different to everyone else. How could she not fall in love with such a man?
The storyline is great, the plot is a little what we are used to… but aren’t all stories?
My only, umm, little moan is that I picked up this copy on NetGalley and they didn’t say what genre it was, tut tut. I never would have picked it up if I knew a certain scene was going to be in the middle. If I was the author, I would trim it out and then change the genre to what it should be, YA romantic fantasy. I would also drop the ebook price to something much more reasonable and then maybe they might get sales, just a thought.
I did actually love this story (minus one scene which I skipped over). It is pure escapism and I loved being curled up on the sofa all weekend with it.
Oh, I almost forgot to say… no wonder the opera scenes felt so realistic, the author is a professional opera singer! Great authenticity.

The Kiss of The Nightingale is such a beautifully written story, with wonderfully well constructed characters. I found it really easy to get into the story and just fall into ,it’s definitely a worthy read and one I couldn’t put down

Thank you to Netgalley for the copy. Loved everything about the book and can't wait for the author's next books!

I really liked the premise of the magic system in this book! It was well built and executed well.

I enjoyed The Kiss of the Nightingale but wasn’t wowed. The story felt a little bit dragged out and thinking back very little happened over the span of almost 400 pages.

I did like the sisterly bond but we didn’t get to see this much!

I loved this book. The story was beautifully crafted and the characters strong. It is set in Paris and is about magic and love. I found I couldn't put the book down and every time I picked it up, I felt the beauty of the story. When her sister becomes unwell Cleodora has to do something drastic to help. The family are poor and there seemed no hope. The magic does not overwhelm the book but love does. A book I will not forget and will delight in telling people about.
A lot of the book centers around opera singing and I was not suprised to read the author is a trained opera singer and probably the reason she has been able to invite us in this world.

This was an enjoyable read with an overall rather moderately paced plot that turned super fast towards the ending, and an intriguing set of characters. Despite not being the target audience, I felt engaged by the story and I just know that I would have loved The Kiss of the Nightingale as a teen.

I think that the cast of characters were the book’s strongest suit. Cleo is so relatable in her clumsiness and the way she feels so out of place in the society she is placed in by Dahlia, the story‘s eventual villain. I saw that twist coming quite early on, but I understand why Cleo turned a blind eye to the clues. I did feel like Cleo‘s relationships to her was underdeveloped - all the attraction was not simply there and not made plausible, which was one of the most blatant giveaways of Dahlia’s secrets for me.

Cleo’s little sister would also have profited from more overall character development.

Her relationship to the Vicomte, on the other hand, was filled with funny, slow-burn and emotional moments and I thought their romance was very well-written.

What bothered me was that the pacing was quite a bit off especially towards the ending. I was expecting a cliff-hanger when suddenly everything happened at once and the book ended in a rushed, badly written action scene. I‘m still not quite sure that I understand how all of that played out. On the other hand, I‘m very glad that this is a standalone because I don’t think the plot could have been dragged out over another book, despite that seemingly being the common practice nowadays.

I would recommend this book to any fans of the Selection series, and those that enjoy the setting and atmosphere of the more recently hyped Belladonna series!

3.5/5 stars.

The Kiss of The Nightingale is beautifully written and richly described. The characters are all created with such creativity and the whole story just comes together really well. The fantasy element is enjoyable and you just fall into the storyline, I thought the talents elements were a creative aspect. The Kiss of the Nightingale is a really good read

One thing I love is a good fantasy I love a book that can make me forget what's going on in the world and go into an imaginative world where the impossible happens and you meet characters and creatures you would never meet for real and this book had ot all

The Kiss of the Nightingale, is set in a world where Talents - precious gems handed down through families and imbued with magically enhanced skills - are everything.

When her father dies without passing on his tailoring Talent, Cleodora's dreams are crushed, and along with them, any hope of keeping her family business open and her sister healthy. The mysterious Lady Sibille offers her a second chance at securing her future, but it comes at a cost Cleodora will have to question if she's willing to pay.

The Kiss of the Nightingale raises interesting questions about talent, inheritance and following your dreams.

This was a beautifully descriptive, atmospheric & mysterious read. A great plot and brilliant characters.

I would say this is a perfect read for the younger YA audience.

Set in an enchanting alternative Paris, The Kiss of the Nightingale introduces us to Cleodora, an orphan struggling to keep her life together while raising her sickly sister. In this world, Talents—magical abilities tied to precious gems—define status and power. The aristocracy jealously guards the most powerful Talents, while the lower classes are left scrambling for survival. Cleodora’s dreams were dashed with her father’s death, taking his Tailoring Talent with him—until a mysterious offer promises to change her fate.

Cleodora’s journey unfolds with charm and intrigue as she’s drawn into an arrangement with the alluring Lady Dahlia, who gifts her a Singing Talent. However, this deal isn’t without a catch: she must steal an Elite Talent from the noble Lenoir family. This mission places her in the opulent, magical world of Lutèce’s high society, and brings her face to face with the infuriating yet captivating Vicomte Lenoir. Their chemistry brings a delightful push-and-pull dynamic, as Cleodora navigates the thin line between deception and desire.

The novel’s atmosphere is richly detailed, blending historical glamour with a fantastical edge. While the romance and intrigue pull you in, the story’s exploration of class divides and the power dynamics of Talents add an emotional weight. Cleodora’s conflict—between Dahlia, who empowered her, and the Vicomte, who could free her—gives the plot a compelling tension that keeps you turning the pages.

The Kiss of the Nightingale is perfect for fans of romantasy who enjoy historical settings with a twist. With its lush world-building, dynamic characters, and a story brimming with magic and seduction, this book is a delightful escape into a world where love, power, and fate collide.

This started really well, tailors shop making divine clothes for wealthy, lush world building and an interesting fmc.
The magic system is great I loved the concept but could of done with more, especially in regards to our 'villian'.
Pacing slacked right off in the middle and I found myself bored and plodding through the pages, with very little to get excited about. The side characters helped through this, there's a few that stand out and I think another pov would of improved this massively.
The relationships were fine I found one more believable than the other.
The world building and descriptive writing was lovely, but pace and lack of action or furthering of anything interesting held this back and made it flat for me.
Interesting concept though and I'll keep the author on my radar.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dialogue Books for the arc, all thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers and author for an ARC of The Kiss Of The Nightingale.

I lovely read with beautiful descriptions, this book had me gripped from early on.
Highly recommend.

Some of the best world building I have read I loved the magical systems and general feel of the book. Over all I couldn’t wait to pick it up again. I would highly recommend it

A beautiful and atmospheric YA read full of glamour, mystery and an interesting magic system. I did find the pacing quite slow and that did dull my enjoyment a bit however the world-building was lush and there were certain aspects that kept me entertained enough to keep me reading. I didn't love Cleo but it was interesting to see this world through her eyes. I do wish we could've have some different POVs though. A good read overall.

The kiss of the nightingale is a tale filled with drama, intrigue, glamour, and desire.

At first, I was intrigued by the idea of having 'talents' passed down through generations and how these impacted upon status and lifestyles. However, after the initial introduction and Cleodora meeting Dahlia to 'inherit' hers, for me the book stalled.

It felt as though most of the middle part of the book was just filler, with no substance and added nothing to the story. The romance also confused me as there seemed to be no build up and the relationships just developed from zero to 100 in the turn of a page.

I did, however start to enjoy this story from around the 60% mark and felt the twists and conclusion was nicely done.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me access to this book via Netgalley.

I struggled a little to get into this. I think the premise is really cool, and the characters intriguing, but it just didn't hit me like I thought it would. I definitely think this would suit a younger YA audience looking to explore / be introduced to romantasy.

The concept and the magic system was something I really enjoyed. It felt like a mix of Bridgerton and Peaky Blinders with all the socialising, courting and dodgy activities that our FMC Cleo was partaking in throughout this book. I loved the idea of the Talents/Gems. Transferring your skill and passion into a gem which can then be transferred and passed on to your family or loved ones was unique and interesting to learn about as the story progressed.

This book started off great. Once we met Dahlia it started to drag and I felt it lost some of its excitement, but it picked up again towards the end.

I think the characters are what brought the rating down for me. Cleo felt pretty basic throughout the story, and I started finding her more interesting towards the end once she found her backbone. I understand why she was hesitant throughout the whole book, but it just made the story drag for me and I felt as though it took a while for the story to progress. The love triangle was interesting, but it felt a bit lack luster at points. Cleo had a female and male love interest throughout the book. She definitely fell hard for the female love interest, but it came across as desperate most of the time which made it a little uncomfortable to read sometimes. The relationship Cleo had with the male love interest felt a little more natural, but it was moving too slow and I wish they had more moments together to further their relationship. Also, the way he reacted towards the end felt like an overreaction. It gave the impression that the author was looking for any excuse to use as a third act breakup. There were some characters I really liked that I wish we saw more of, and one character's plot twist did take me by surprise!

I enjoyed some parts of the book. I just wish the pace was a little quicker, or Cleo was just doing more in the middle of the book.