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.

*ARC Review*
*4.5 stars

This book had me hooked! Although it was easy to predict what would happen, I still could not stop reading. You get so invested in the whole journey and have to see it through, to the point where I'd find myself itching to have a read! Thoroughly enjoyed this

I dnfed this; it was too slow for me really. The magic system was really interesting and unique though, which was great. I just don't think the execution of the rest of the story was what I expected.

The description of this book sounded really interesting and the start really grabbed my attention. I felt though that the characters were definitely better written than the plot. I’m afraid the middle section slowed down too much and I started to skim read. I’m glad I persevered though as the final third was really gripping. Overall an enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of this book.

Cleodora is the narrator of this truly magical and inventive story. It is a story of Talents, magical jewels that transfer gifts between generations, via a blood ceremony.
Anaella is the younger sister of Chloe, her mother transferred her Talent for design to her before her death, Chloe was not so lucky, their father died before she could be gifted his precious gem. Now times are hard in their dress shop, customers go elsewhere for their rich clothes, both girls are broke and Ana is in poor health.
In desperation, Chloe breaks into a rich mansion to steal something to sell to pay for medicines for her sister. She is caught, but offered an opportunity to have all her dreams come true, a fresh start for them both, but this offer comes with a heavy price to be paid.
What would you do? Accept a happier and richer lifestyle, or would your conscience and reason prevail about the cost of such a deal?
If it’s too good to be true, then stay well clear!
I loved this story with its two romantic themes, the story twists and turns in a most unusual and satisfying way. Love the characters, Lirone and Nuriel, they are likeable, frustrating, yet very supportive when it counts. I do love a happy ending, this book ticks all the boxes.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Dialogue Books for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. Five star rating, it’s perfect.
I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK on publication.

The Kiss of the Nightingale is a mesmerising journey into a world where talents shape destinies. Adi's vivid writing transports you from the gritty corners of Cleodora's dress shop to the luxurious balls of Lutèce’s opera. The intricate love triangle between Cleodora, Dahlia, and Vicomte Lenoir adds depth and tension, keeping emotions high throughout. Though the pacing dips slightly, the rich, sensual world and high-stakes drama make it a captivating read. It’s a standalone novel that lingers long after the final page.