I had quite high expectations for this but unfortunately I struggled with this book.

I found it quite confusing at the beginning with multiple POVs but you didn't know who's POV it was in the chapter title. Lots of characters were introduced at once and I found it hard to differentiate and remember them as the story progressed.

With the story I found it quite slow and I also kind of forgot why Bristol went to the Fae lands until about half way through.

Overall I think it was good but I just struggled with a few things.

Ever since this book was announced I was looking forward to it. Mary E. Pearson is easily one of my favorite authors in the entire world and although I love her YA books, I'm not a YA anymore. I was therefore really curious about her first adult fantasy. So, when I saw the book on Netgalley I requested a copy and luckily Tor Bramble granted me one. On top of that, the Dutch store So Many Pages had the book available a few weeks ago already and I had to order my physical copy too.

This book did absolutely not disappoint. Yes, the start of the book is slow and overwhelming. There are a lot of characters, we end up in a strange world with a lot of new words and it takes some time to understand what has happened in the past and what is going on now. It's not the kind of book you pick up and just understand. It takes a little time. However, I can assure you that it's so totally and completely worth it!

What I've always loved about Pearson's books is how emotional they are. Her characters feel, they feel deeply, and when we read their story we feel with them and for them. Since there is so much build up, those intense emotions are not there right away. However, today I was reading the last 100 pages of the book and I was glad I decided to read them in one sitting. Those pages were intense, those emotions were intense and I can't wait to get more of this!

I also love both main characters and their journeys. They're both confronted with themselves. They're both facing impossible choices and I was also quite surprised with how they dealt with issues and choices. Yes, they are a lot of lies standing between these characters. Yes, we all know that this story is far from over. But there are talking, they are communicating, they are sharing their feelings and emotions, they are trying.

I'm in love and I can't wait for more.

Bristol Keats is the ordinary middle child. Her parents used to travel all over the country with her and her two sisters. The family only settled down recently and then tragedy struck, first her mother died, then her father. To keep her family afloat, Bristol strikes a bargain with one of the fae kings. She follows the fae into their realm and becomes one of only a few new recruits training for one specific purpose, closing a magical portal, but she seems to be the one recruit with the least chances of making the cut.

The two main characters both have trust issues. Bristol who hasn't been able to form roots, whose family history is a web of lies and secrets, who doesn't trust easily; and Tyghan, who is equally reluctant to trust, he was betrayed by his best friend and forced to ascend to the throne because his brother was abducted. By day the two of them can't stand each other, by night things look different. There's attraction, but they have trust issues. Their animosity by day turns into long talks and exchanging of views on life at night. And we know where it is headed.

For an avid reader of SFF this book didn't have many new ideas. I liked the world-building and tolerated the epic aspect of the story (I'm allergic to epic fantasy, so not a fault of the author), I didn't like that the book ends in the middle of a scene. I liked the relationship the three sisters had with each other.

3.5/5 stars

I really thought I was gonna love this as I'm a big fan of a lot of the tropes (fae, slow-burn enemies to lovers), however this just wasn't good.

My main issue was that I found it really boring. I just thought the plot wasn't developing in an interesting way and the progression from one plot point to the next felt very choppy and didn't flow well. Also, there's training and trials involved in this story and a lot of that happens off page, which I think would've been really interesting to see. Even worse than that, the relationship develops off page, in a fantasy ROMANCE?? That's a pretty important thing to see develop. Finally, there were just SO MANY characters! I couldn't keep track of everybody, nor did I care to because none were really developed properly.

This is very ranty, sorry, I just really wanted to love it, but it didn't work for me.

Overall I had a good time with this book and something about it kept me gripped and wanting to read more. However, the flaws in it were impossible for me to ignore too.

The positives were the rich world building which I enjoyed jumping into and throughout the first 50%, and the characters were fun to get to know too. The overall premise whilst familiar, was still unique enough to feel relatively fresh too.

But on the more negative side, the POV jumping from one paragraph to the next was confusing. The secrets hidden from the FMC was so heavily alluded to in the other character’s POVs that you got the gist of them long before the FMC found anything out, so the reveals fell flat and because of this the book just drifted to an end rather than packing a punch. The timeline (whilst deliberately confusing) seemed off in places too and there were also inconsistencies with characters, for example Bristol saying her and her sisters were never apart but we know she’d been travelling in her own for at least a year before we met her.

Thank you netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. From the title and cover I was expecting quite a different vibe than what we actually got. Maybe it's just me but I didn't pick up from the synopsis that this is an urban fantasy, the title gave me the impression it was going to be more sort of 19th or 20th century gothic.
I found the inclusion of gods a bit confusing and unnecessary and overall the book just wasn't to my taste.

I had a really good time reading this book. The plot was interesting and a good level of world building. Would recommend if you are looking for a new adult fantasy!

3.5

Romantasy | Fae Romance

The story was more interesting than what I expected. I found it difficult to keep track of some things for most part of the book and I would have loved more descriptions of side characters, monsters and places to make it easier to imagine, but overall it was a nice read. The way it’s written is beautiful and that ending... - let's just say that I can’t wait for the sequel!

Thank you to netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Courting of Bristol Keats has immersive world building, dark family secrets, lies and miscommunication, and a clever romantic plot line that I couldn't get enough of.

When Bristol Keats accepts a gift that ties her to faerie, her entire world is thrown upside down and she is forced into a battle between heroes and monsters where lines quickly become blurred and no one is as they seem. To save her family, she may have to betray her heart.

I did enjoy this book but I must admit some bits I did struggle with. I found it hard when the pov changed as no title or any indication of who’s pov you were reading just had to figure it out. The first half did feel a bit long and dragged out which again made it harder to get into. That being said I did love the character of Bristol Keats very strong and motivated by protecting her family. The book is highly detailed and focuses more on the fantasy than romance which I did like.

Mary E. Pearson is a fantastic fantasy author and I was so excited to receive an arc of her first adult book!
The Courting of Bristol Keats is filled with adventure and mystery. It’s a classic story of a mortal in the fae realm, with some familiar fae elements, and the world building is amazing. I liked this depiction of Elphame more than other books.
The romance is good but isn’t the main plot point which made the fantasy aspects of the rest of the book all that more intriguing.
However some parts were a bit of a slog to get through, and there were so many characters and connections/secrets to remember, it made it difficult to follow sometimes. Also a very abrupt ending with lots of loose ends?!
I’d still recommend this to fantasy and fae lovers as I did enjoy it and am already excited for the next book.

(3.5/5⭐️) 📚 Thank you NetGalley and Mary E. Pearson for providing me with an ARC of this book!

The rundown:
What I loved:
- Bristol as a character. She is a family person through and through. Determined. Speaks her mind. I love characters who aren’t afraid to ask questions and push buttons even if it’s a Fae King/God.
- Relationship dynamics.
- The plot as a whole! Thoroughly enjoyed the book’s concept and premise of the story. It’s unique despite being similar to other fae books like Cruel Prince.

What I disliked:
- Lots of random changing perspectives without any sort of introduction or title as to who it is until you’re a few pages in.
- Too many characters. Hard to keep track who is who and who there are to everyone else.
- Perhaps too detailed in the ways I didn’t want. I wanted a bit more world building and character descriptions but felt like details were focused on the plot which felt a bit drawn out

The beginning was super immersive but feel like after 50% through it felt a bit drawn out. It also felt like there wasn’t much of a conclusion, though I know it’s a duology so I suppose more questions will be answered. Would have preferred if it was a standalone but don’t hold me to that as I have no idea what’s in store in the next book. However, the ending doesn’t really sit right with me and felt like it ended half way through something. Definitely a different type of cliffhanger than I’m used to.

Overall, I still enjoyed the book! Do I wish it was shorter/more condense and perhaps a standalone? Yes. Will a read the second book? Yes. I will also give this a reread when the fairyloot book comes because the kindle ARC formatting was awful which I think ruined my reading experience a tad bit.

3.75 star

Thank you NetGalley and panmacmillan for the ARC.

-> tropes: enemies to lovers • fae romantasy • found family • morally gray mmc • slowburn • forbidden romance • secret identities

I like reading about fae so of course I was excited to pick up this book! It took me a few chapters to really get immersed in the story, but the world building and the twists and turns really kept me engaged. The fae world that the author created was very interesting, with different creatures and types of magic!! It also had great balance between the intriguing plot and the angsty romance.
I loved the fmc Bristol, she’s so strong and loyal and relatable. And the rest of the characters were awesome, forming a wonderful familial bond that literally melted my heart <3
Sadly the story felt too long and dragged a little. I think the book could have been shorter. While the end was awkwardly abrupt, I'm looking forward to the next book!!

“𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙖 𝙜𝙞𝙛𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙛𝙖𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙤𝙬𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣—𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙩𝙨.”

The Courting of Bristol Keats is Mary E. Pearson's highly anticipated debut adult fantasy novel, set to release on November 12th. The story follows Bristol Keats, a young woman who is determined to care for her sisters in their quaint town of Bowskeep following the tragic loss of their parents. Things got interesting when she started getting these mysterious letters from an unknown aunt. They reveal some shocking family truths that made her think her father might still be alive, held captive in a dangerous realm she never knew existed. Bristol's quest to save him leads her to make a risky bargain to an arrogant fae, who has his own motives and a dark connection to her family. Their encounters are charged with an intoxicating tension, as Bristol is drawn to him against her better judgment. She must confront not only the fae court’s deceptions but also the long-buried secrets of her own family.

Honestly, the book started with so much promise. The world-building is incredibly rich, and the mysteries surrounding Bristol's family are so intriguing. I was really drawn in at first, but as much as I wanted to stay invested, I found myself struggling to stay engaged as the story went on. The pacing slowed significantly in the middle, and the momentum that got me excited initially started to wane.

I think some readers might enjoy the slower pace, as it allows them to really dive into the world and characters, but for me, it felt overly drawn out. I also think I would’ve connected more if it had been written in first POV. As we've discussed by another ARC reader, the way it’s written gave away key details early on, so by the time the FMC finally pieced things together, the impact of the revelation felt anticlimactic. There was a lot of potential for suspense and surprise, but knowing so much ahead of time had me just waiting for her to catch up, which ended up making those moments less thrilling. I kept thinking that if we were experiencing the story through her direct thoughts and feelings, we’d be more immersed in her journey. It would have been powerful to unravel the mysteries at her pace, letting each discovery hit with the same shock or excitement she felt. I think that shift could have brought more emotional depth and made the whole story more engaging, especially in those pivotal moments.

That said, there’s a lot to appreciate in Pearson’s writing, especially if you enjoy detailed world-building and character depth. I think many of you might enjoy it more than I did, so I’d definitely recommend checking it out when it’s released. Plus, this is just the first book in the series, and the next one might turn things around for me, like with other Romantasy series.

Would I continue to read it? Yes, since I’m already invested in the story and want to see how it ends.

Overall, it’s definitely worth giving a try.

Thanks to author, PanMacmillan and Netgalley for granting early access to this book. Please note that this review is based solely on my personal thoughts & opinions.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.

First off, I enjoyed how the reader’s are in the same space as Bristol Keats where we don’t understand anything going on despite getting peeks from Tyghan point of view. Then we are learning at the same time as Bristol is learning and the rules of the new world.

The book gives similar vibes to The Cruel Prince but in a more fun and enjoyable way.

One thing I have the problem with is the jumping PoV. It isn’t made clear right away which PoV it is until after a paragraph or two. Also I love short chapters but it didn’t work here as the PoV change after a chapter. So I feel like barely learn anything before we jump into a whole new scene and storyline.

Immaculate.
This book was a rich, epic fantasy. Yes, there were elements we’ve read before, but the author spun them into something spectacular.
The world building was intense, crafting complicated and beautiful settings for the reader to visualise.
I honestly loved this book so much! The fantasy and character development was first and foremost, with found family and other relationships developing and exploring. There’s an enemies to lovers trope, but the romance didn’t consume the book, it felt truly like a fantasy with an element of romance and I loved that.

3.5 stars

This is the sort of book I took pleasure in reading at a slow pace, over a couple of weeks time, really taking time to immerse myself in the story and the characters. No rushing, no skipping, just savouring the fae world and enjoying the gift of reading.

That being said, at times it was just a little too slow. But there were many wonderful moments between Bristol and Tygan to counteract the slow pace.

I loved the mystery surrounding Bristol's parents, and the romance was absolutely top notch. It really lived up to the title of the book, and was just so intimate, with enjoyable banter and thoughtful conversations.

My least favourite thing were the unclear and unexpected perspective changes, which were confusing, and frankly ruined what could have been an even more amazing mystery, revealing information at wrong points in the story.

The ending was satisfying in terms of the romance, but it left me feeling a little disappointed plot wise.

Occasionally engaging but often disjointed, a new fae romantasy which doesn’t quite deliver.

Bristol Keats is not having an easy time. Her parents have died young and she’s returned home to help her sisters make ends meet. When she’s offered a mysterious painting from an aunt she’s never heard of, she’s desperate enough to meet.
Tyghan’s court is desperate, a new ruler of Elphame is going to be elected but they’re running out of time to stop the evil king wanting to take over. They need someone able to find and close doors. They need Bristol Keats.
Bristol makes a deal she never thought possible in a world she just might be made for, but nothing is as it seems and no one is telling her the full story.

I really wanted to read this but it just didn’t deliver. The author is apparently well known for YA and this reads like YA with a tad more spice. (And by spice I mean sex scenes by someone uncomfortable writing sex scenes - or at least that’s how it read to me).

I think the unfortunate thing about this book is that it’s entering a genre with a saturated market and the stuff that’s already out there does it a lot better. If you’re not an avid romantasy reader you may enjoy this foray but I would still struggle to get over some of the plot problems.

The enemies to lovers made no sense. There wasn’t a build up or any character development or chemistry. Romance aside there was just a lot of characters and it was quite hard to keep up.

The plot was really confusing and I kept wondering where it was going. Though I do want to talk to someone about the ending …

Though the term #shadowdaddy makes me feel violently ill, I don’t think Tyghan is up there with Rhysand or Xaden, though I would be very grateful if someone would help me pronounce his name.

Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for my #arc

3.75/5

The Courting of Bristol Keats has an amazing concept and world, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to its potential for me. The world-building is definitely one of the highlights—it’s rich, detailed, and had me hooked from the start. But the sheer number of characters introduced throughout the book became a bit overwhelming. There were so many people to keep track of, and I often found myself confused about who was who, which made the story harder to follow at times.

The pacing also felt off. The main relationship between Bristol and Tyghan seemed to develop way too quickly and felt a little forced. A lot of important scenes felt like they were skipped over, so I never got the chance to really sit with their connection or feel the depth of their relationship. Instead, it felt rushed, and I had a hard time fully investing in them as a couple. Also, despite being marketed as an enemies-to-lovers story, their dynamic felt more like a “dislike-to-lovers” arc—there wasn’t enough tension or animosity to make the eventual romance feel earned.

Another thing that bothered me was the multiple POVs. The story jumped around a lot, which made it difficult to really connect with any one character. It often felt like the narrative was all over the place, and it was hard to stay engaged when the focus kept shifting so frequently.

As for the ending, I was hoping for a bit more closure, especially since this is part of a duology. It didn’t really feel like a satisfying setup for the next book—it just kind of ended abruptly, leaving me with more questions than answers.

That being said, I still really liked Bristol and Tyghan as characters. Even though their relationship felt a bit rushed, I loved their dynamic and chemistry, and I’m curious to see where the story goes next. While the book had its issues, I’m still invested in the world and the characters, and I’m hoping the next installment will give me more of what I was hoping for.

The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson is the first book in the series of the same name.
 
We follow Bristol whose parents disappeared, and she needs to make ends meet with her sisters. She is particularly interested in art and that is also how she gets in trouble and accidentally struck a bargain with Tyghan who is no other than the fae king. All of this has to do with her family and her world is completely turned upside down. This concept was so cool and reminded me a bit of a more adult version of The Cruel Prince.
 
My favorite part was when Bristol entered the faerie world of Elphame and she unlocks even more secrets and outgrows herself. I like seeing characters who push their comfort zones and Bristol totally did that.
 
The cover is absolutely stunning and draws you in and totally matches this story. It’s whimsical, magical and with a portion of forbidden romance and I really enjoyed it.
 
The Courting of Bristol Keats is an amazing start to a new fantasy series and I’m already looking forward to the next installment. 4,5 stars.
 
(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.)