This book was an atmospheric dive into a world that felt both new and familiar, brimming with lush descriptions and an intriguing setup. However, at over 500 pages, it was often too long, and certain sections could have been tightened without losing the story’s impact. Despite its flaws, it still managed to draw me in with its compelling writing and The Cruel Prince-esque vibes.

The story follows Bristol, who is recruited by the fae King Tyghan, Lord of Monsters, to journey to Elphame. Her mission: find a mysterious door, train under his watch, and assist his goals in exchange for money to support her sisters and a chance to uncover the truth about her supposedly dead father. The quest is framed by themes of loss and longing, as both Bristol and Tyghan are haunted by their pasts. Bristol is rootless and guarded, a result of her parents’ secrets, while Tyghan, brooding and manipulative, struggles with betrayal and his inability to trust. Their dynamic is steeped in late-night confessions and contrasts—cold and cruel meets gentle and kind.

The world-building is vibrant and colorful, with an engaging premise that kept me intrigued through much of the book. I also loved the touching bond between Bristol and her sisters, conveyed through heartfelt stories and emotions that grounded the otherwise fantastical plot. Yet, while the story captivates, the romance faltered for me. Initially promising as a slow burn, it shifted into insta-love territory around the 40% mark, with feelings seemingly materializing out of nowhere. Tyghan’s frequent lies and omissions also made it difficult to fully root for him, despite his broody allure.

The ending left much to be desired. Rather than a satisfying cliffhanger, it felt abrupt, like the book had stopped mid-conversation. The lack of resolution made me flip back to see if I’d missed a page. Additionally, the story often felt like it struggled between being adult fantasy and YA. The characters, while intriguing, weren’t fleshed out enough, and the abundance of side characters diluted the impact of the narrative.

Despite its shortcomings, the writing style and vivid setting made this an enjoyable read. While the execution didn’t quite meet my expectations, I’m hopeful the sequel will expand on the world-building and delve deeper into the characters introduced in this installment. For now, it’s a solid introduction to a world with a lot of potential.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Where do I start. This book gave me Cruel Prince x Emily Wildes vibes. If you loved those books and don’t mind a slower paced book I think you’ll really enjoy this one…

Overall I did enjoy it, but it was sadly not above a 3.5 star for me which I’m kinda sad about because it was a highly anticipated release…

I really enjoyed the first 20% and the last 60%. I think it fell flat for me in the middle where I felt like not much happened and was very slow paced… I don’t do well with slow paced books and I think that was my main problem…

I did really enjoy the characters though and loved the relationships that bloomed. The storyline was also very good and I am excited for the next book and will definitely read it, I just hope the pacing picks up a bit which I feel like it should as we had a lot of developments towards the end of this book.

This book had a slower start. I did really enjoy the story. At times I was bored, and I can’t really understand why? The story was entertaining and good, It just couldn’t keep me as interested at all times. I do really want to know what happens next, so I’m excited for the next book.

I think if you are looking for a portal fantasy that takes you into the world of the Fae then this certainly fits the bill . Our heroine is a devoted sister who finds herself suddenly contacted by a mysterious relative but that’s just the start as not only is her aunt a Fae but it turns out that Bristol is half Fae herself ! She apparently has latent powers that need unlocking but can she trust everything she’s been told ?
I found this pleasant enough but it wasn’t startling in originality . Perhaps I’m a bit burned out by stories around the Fae and just wasn’t in the right mood for this story . It’s not a bad book but sadly just didn’t engage me as much as I’d hoped but it certainly wouldn’t put me off from reading something else by this new to me author.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

5 stars
TW: trauma and grief from death of parents, betrayals leading to physical and emotional suffering, injury, death, kidnapping

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy to review. All thoughts are my own.

The Courting of Bristol Keats is my first time reading something by this author, and the poetic prose carried magic woven within. I knew straight away this was going to be something special. I thoroughly enjoyed how this stylistic choice of making wind sigh and trees hesitate and other objects have seemingly human characteristics in how it was worded. It painted a beautifully whimsy air to the overall world and storytelling, and I cannot wait to dive back into more works by this author if they hold similar flair. It also contrasted nicely with the sinister and grim happenings in this book, from the loss of Bristol's parents and the war in Faerie. I liked that the world held magic even at its darkest, desperate, depths.

This is a refreshing take on fae fantasy. Of course, it still has typical tropes and trappings of a human girl stepping into a land of Faerie, but I had such a great time consuming this book. Both main characters Bristol and Tyghan are well developed. I appreciated that even with their story twining together romantically they both continue to tell their own tales. Watching Tyghan step up from knight to king in the place of his captured brother whilst struggling to recover from the nasty betrayal of his best friend was well-paced. Equally, Bristol's desperation to find her father and support her family led her to discover more about herself and find new family and friends to sink into. I appreciated that both characters are somewhat tortured by their present and past and find solace in the other. That it isn't immediate lust and heavy chemistry, but a loneliness and understanding that brings Tyghan and Bristol together.

The romance is well written, from the building tension, confessions, and tasteful intimacy. You can tell this is Pearson's first adult fantasy and yet the handling of the adult content is so well executed. This is my favourite type of romantic storytelling, where passion is equal parts emotion and descriptive, and I wish more adult fantasy intimacy was written as this is.

I also greatly appreciated supporting characters. This story, whilst mostly told from the main protagonists' point of view, has multiple voices and I liked the intrigue it gave to the world and the cast. It made the friendships feel fuller and rewarding, and the betrayals harder to bear. I cannot wait to see how these connections change and grow in the sequel, and look forward to more in general from this world.

My final thought is that The Courting of Bristol Keats was marketed perfectly. I'm grateful that what I signed up for is what I received - and exceeded all expectations. I firmly believe fans of Stephanie Garber and Margaret Rogerson's style of storytelling will thoroughly enjoy this adult fantasy a great deal. If you're looking for a step away from young adult into adult fantasy, then this is a great place to start as it has the best of both worlds and is fabulously written. Or if you're looking for a story that has the perfect blend of family-led actions, with spicy and decent self-discovery, in a fae fantasy world, then this story is also for you. I cannot speak highly enough of how much I enjoyed this read.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc. All thoughts are my own.

What can I say about this book?
This is my first Mary E. Pearson book and it will not be the last. I loved everything about this book, from the world-building to the characters and their development to the story itself.
It kept me guessing, and feeling all the feels along with them.

Please do yourself a favor and pick this up asap!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

DNF 50%

This was one of my most antecipated reads and im so disappointed. I keep trying to figure it out what exactly did not work and I think if it was single pov it would have worked so much better. Especially for the romance, it would be more interesting trying to guess what was going inside his head, and I think some information could have been better as a mystery. But still, I think the romance so far was lacking what i enjoy the most, some pinning and yearning. I could have enjoyed as a slowburn since I did not finish it and it could be just beginning but they were already attracted to eachother, and thats something thats ruining things a little for me lately. As for the plot, i feel like there wasnt enough going on to keep me interested either. So it ended up nor working for me.

That being said, im still going to look foward to any other release by the author.

5 🌟
3 🌶️

The world building, the character development were perfect.
Secrets, betrayals & fae, perfect Romantasy
I couldn’t put it down, absolutely loved it.

Countdown to book 2!! One of my top fantasy reads of the year ❤️

Thank you for the eARC Pan Macmillion and Netgalley

The actual rating is a 3/5.

I have kind of conflicting feelings about this one.
I enjoyed Bristol as our female lead. Her personality was great, and she didn't make stupid choices like many other FMCs in romantasy do. She was brave and intelligent and didn't do anything she wasn't willing to do. My favorite side characters were the other recruits - they were well-developed and a great friend group for Bristol. Tyghan and Eris were also good characters, but the fact that they knew everything about Bristol but didn't tell her was frustrating to read because we knew what the outcome would be.

My biggest issues were the world-building and the pacing at the end. In the first half, I was just vibing having no clue what was going on, but I feel like my understanding of the world should be better at the halfway mark than it was. It was info-dumpy but more like we were never told enough to fully grasp what was going on. However, what held me back from giving this book a full 4 stars was the ending. Maybe I'm just used to indie romantasy with horrible cliffhangers, but the ending did nothing? There was no climax (except from Bristols in the last chapter, hehe) and I expected for an over 550-page book that we would have done more.

I will read the sequel when it comes out because I want to know how it ends, but it won't be an "I need this now"-book.

An interesting story with just enough to keep me interested, but I found it was just not for me. I cannot put my finger on what was missing, just that little something extra that keeps you turning the page. The storyline follows a woman who is thrust into a world she knew nothing about, with the hope of finding the father she thought was dead, a door the Fae want closed and maybe finding a special someone on the way. Magical, exciting and little action will hopefully keep everyone entertained!

With great pacing and plenty of intrigue, this story kept me hooked and on the edge of my seat the whole time! I enjoyed the characters and the world was so interesting.
The ending did throw me for a loop slightly and the cliffhanger was unexpected but I'm definitely interested in reading other stories by the author.

— 3.5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This is my first reading experience with author Mary R. Pearson and I definitely enjoyed myself overall! The world building was extensive and I had a lot of fun trying to mentally visualise every aspect of the story. The writing itself is immersive and had me gripped in its clutches as I eagerly awaited to see what would happen next. I really enjoyed the cast or characters in this story, however at times it felt like there was a lot happening and it started to feel difficult to keep track on who was who and what their purpose was. I initially struggled with the pacing as I found it a bit slower to progress during the introductory period for the characters and setting, however I really started to feel more intrigued once this passed. Overall I had a good time and there was some plot points that left me visibly shocked, so I’m very excited to see what will happen next in the next instalment.

3.75 / 5

For me, this was a book of two halves.

If I’m completely honest, I really struggled in the first 45-50%. The world building was complex and rich, but I was not invested in the characters or the situation enough to absorb the information being given in great detail.

However, there is a major turning point in the story (no spoilers, but something is discovered on the FMC), and at this point I sat up and took notice.

After this, I became very invested in the story and the characters. I enjoyed how well the author wove her storylines together and how reveals with plots and secrets were made at the perfect moment to move the story along.

After some initial hesitation, and yes even a strong consideration of DNF-ing, I am so glad I progressed with this book. I have never read anything by this author before, so the approach of short, vivid chapters was a new one to me and although this took me a while to enjoy, I most certainly will be back for the completion of the duology.

I want to thank NetGalley, Pan Macmillan & Tor Bramble, and Mary E. Pearson for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. The review is my own opinion and I have given this freely.

i enjoyed this a lot, the setting/world building was so interesting and very nicely written. the entire book was really nicely written, loved the different povs so much.

BUT i also felt like it was 560 pages of barel any plot, very tell and little show
also i've got to be honest, even as someone who loooves friend groups in books, i couldn't keep track of who half of these people were... WHOEVER the ones that are more present really stood out to me like eris, dahlia and melizane, i hope to see more of them in the future.

all in all, the story is interesting enough for me to look forward to the next book !!
thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC <3

Having lost both parents, Bristol Keats and her sisters are struggling to make ends meet. When Bristol receives a letter offering help from an aunt she's never met, she agrees to a meeting, and finds out the world is not as she knows it. Discovering her father might be alive, kidnapped by a strange creature and taken to another world, Bristol sets out to rescue him, striking a dangerous bargin with fae king Tyghan along the way.

Well my thoughts and feelings on this one are a bit mixed. When I first picked it up and re-read the blurb I wondered what had made me request it from NetGalley, given I don't normally read romance novels. I found myself very quickly engrossed in the story though, and for the most part found the book hard to put down.

I liked Bristol, her determination and strength, along with her refusal to be cowed, were qualities that I admired and found made her a very likeable protagonist. Unsurprisingly I liked the surly and brooding Tyghan too. What did surprise me though was that I actually enjoyed reading of their romance. I think because for the most part they don't fall into the usual trap of poor communication (except for the major secret at the heart of the book of course).

I will say that when the fae characters and alternate realm were first introduced it seemed like things moved very quickly, with Bristol seeming to accept this new world without any hesitation. It does feel like the story skips over some journeys and fast forwards a bit in places to get to the action. I found this a bit jarring at times, and it felt like it did interupt the flow of the story a little. Aside from that I loved the storyline and found it to be well paced. By about half way through I was well and truly hooked, and finding all possible excuses to keep reading!

Unfortunately for me the ending of this one was a let down. It's clear from a reasonable way out that things aren't going to be resolved in one book, which is fine, however things seemed to literally end in the middle of a scene. It didn't seem like a natural place to pause the narrative, and left me feeling very disatisfied (almost like waking up from a dream right as it's getting to the fun part).

I'm unsure at this point whether I will read the follow on novel or not. Whilst I'd like to know what happens in Elphame, the ending of this first book has put me off a bit.

Thanks to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and Tor Bramble for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I'm having a hard time reviewing this one, because I really wanted to love it, and unfortunately I didn't. If I had to review it in the first half, I would've given it 2 stars: it gets really boring after a few chapters because not much happens, there are too many characters introduced at once that I only remembered the names of by the time they became relevant in the story. I was tempted to dnf and it took me forever to get to the good part.

Now in the second half it got slightly better, things start happening and there's drama, intrigue and conflicts. I liked this part better, but still not enough to rate the book higher than 3.5, given how long it took me to get here. There was a twist that was really good, and some that I saw coming from a mile away, mostly because some of the big reveals are just dropped rather than held back to keep the readers guessing. The ending is anticlimactic and I absolutely hated it. There's no cliffhanger, no tension, no drama, which would make me look forward to the sequel (which I hope is going to be better than this one).

If I had to recommend it based on similar books, I would say the worldbuilding is similar to The Cruel Prince, the court drama reminds me of ACOTAR a little, but otherwise there's nothing to make it stand out among so many other human-among-fae romantasies. For all the hype surrounding it, I really had higher hopes and sadly it didn't deliver.

The Courting of Bristol Keats is a brand new fae Romantasy with an interesting premise.

The book opens with Bristol Keats bargaining with a fae King who promises to help her find her non-dead father. She leaves the human realm and travels with Tyghan’s knights to Danu Nation (one of the 12 kingdoms in Elphame) with only few pages of a book on faeries to guide her.

Bristol’s journey in Elphame is riddled with too many unknowns- from her father’s past to the mysterious fae magic. As she spends time with Tyghan, as a recruit, she has to equip herself with new knowledge that might lead to her father.

But nothing in Elphame goes as planned.

Tyghan kept his distance from her from the beginning because of the bad blood between him and Bristol’s father, which she wasn’t aware of. But circumstances brought them closer and it was clear to everyone around that they were bound to happen.

Her parents’ decision to hide the truth from her and her sister impacts Bristol the most and changed her outlook on the world. She struggled to digest her feelings and wasn’t ready for the change.

Lastly, the book started with two main plot points (imo)- finding her father and the impending Choosing Ceremony. We are given clarity on her father’s whereabouts by the end of the book, but we never got closer to the ceremony. The romance and the recruit training occupied a good portion of the book, stalling the plot.

Since I can’t stand not knowing who might become the next Elphame king, I’ll be continuing this series even though I might forget our side characters by then.

Thanks to Pan MacMillan and Netgalley for the free review copy of the book!

I had seen the special edition of this book and thought it was so pretty that I had to give this book a read.

This book was so much more than what I expected, I truly felt a part of the world, Elphame. And I fell in love with the characters! I think Rose is my favourite side character 🤭.

This is a he falls first, slow burn romance with found family and even family secrets. The family secrets are scandalous! The drama had me on the edge of my seat.

This is definitely the closest book I’ve found to Throne of Glass which makes me so happy! And I honestly cannot wait to read the next book!

3.5 stars rounded down.

That rating might be too generous, because while this had a lot of potential, there were several major issues that held it back. I found the plot interesting when the book actually focused on it, but the story is stretched over too many pages and includes some bizarre choices. I'm just going to list the things that bothered me:
- Why do they bother to train the recruits in magic and combat when closing the portal is the most important thing? Shouldn't they be spending all their time testing them for portal closing ability, or trying to awaken it in them? The start of Bristol's time in Elphame seems almost like a magical school story which just does not fit the situation at all. They're trying to close a zombie portal but there is no sense of urgency.
- The scene where the recruits make a dramatic entrance at a political party by dancing is so fucking stupid and it makes no sense that it impresses people.
- There are so many side characters and none of them have enough distinguishing traits to be memorable, but they keep getting brought up all the time even though most of them never do anything.
- What the fuck was up with the invisible dancing? Never mind the fact that Bristol has no real reason to think Tyghan's the one dancing with her, and not some kind of fae ghost or creepy perv, but apparently dancing is incredibly hot when it's invisible - Tyghan just has to touch Bristol's hands and she starts going on about smouldering cores and such.
- The romance develops too quickly - midway through the book and they are already in love and sleeping together. Just once I would like a real slow burn romance with proper pining in a published book.
- The ending resolves very little and it felt like the book had no climax. no, ending with a sex scene doesnt count
- What does she mean the fae only reach maturity in their seventies. Does that make Tyghan an adolescent?

That might seem like a lot of complaints, but I did actually enjoy most of this. Like I said, the plot is actually good, especially the stuff involving Bristol's parents. While the world wasn't explored that much, what we did see was pretty interesting. I liked the variety of different types of fae we saw, and I'm excited to see what Bristol becomes - I'm hoping the author doesn't chicken out and we get full monstrous Bristol.

I'm definitely going to read the next book, and I do recommend The Courting of Bristol Keats to anyone who likes romantasy or modern fae stories (I actually think it's better than most romantasy I've read but that's not saying much). Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for ARC.

4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the early e-arc of this book. This is the first book in a new series and I liked it so much. I love this authors writing and books and this is didn't disappoint. The characters were amazing and this book was so easy to read too.