I think my book shocked me because the electric chemistry between our main characters whas coming off the page for REAL.. I ATE this book up. Not only was the chemistry unreal, the action was incredible, the writing took a show-not-tell stanse on world-building and to top it all off, I never found myself getting glazed over eyes or feelng bored. I can't wait to see what Holly Rose puts out next!

Sadly this book was a DNF for me. I was so hooked on the blurb, so excited to be an ARC reader. And I really believe that the story has so much potential but I just could not go on with the book after about 30%.
What bothered me:
- the pacing was really odd, incredibly slow at times and then other times just blink here we are
- the backstory was not established too well imo and dropped rather unnatural into conversations or thoughts
- I could not care for the characters and a lot about them did not make sense, including the dragon. So how does the dragon get people into the trove to train the princess? Does she bed the princes that come by to rescue her and then these guys just leave? Like that does not sound like something a guy who thinks himself great enough to fight a dragon would do.
- the way the story was established, how the MCs meet and then deal with each other. Who asks after a few hours "When will you trust me?" Sorry but nobody nowhere at any time would just trust a stranger, be it monk or no monk.

All this just accumulated and the read was such a drag. Im might be willing to give it another try in the future, especially since other reviewers seemed rather happy with the story. But right now I just cant.

1 star because DNF

Thank you to Holly Rose for the ARC of The Knight of the Trove. I enjoyed reading this epic quest as the characters embark on a journey to find specific hidden artifacts that are needed to save the world. The storyline flips what we normally see by having the young princess, Nesrin, be the dragon’s knight and Kas (the MMC) be a kind, soft and unavailable monk. Surprisingly, Nesrin is the grumpy and brooding character…not Kas...Nesrin is the one protecting Kas…who is so soft-hearted, he won’t even ride his elderly donkey.

Tropes-
Banter
Magic spells
Dragons
Slow burn
Forbidden romance
Strong FMC
She protects him
Bookish MMC

Rating: 3🌟
Captivating storyline: 3 🌎
Favorite character: Kas
Favorite side character: Adydorrstea
Spice: 1/5 🌶️
Favorite quote:
"The sight of blood doesn't bother me. The sight of your blood spilled by that monster bothers me"

The writing is more juvenile than I am used to, but that means that it is fast-paced and easy to read.

from the very beginning, I found myself OBSESSED with these characters and the whole “I don’t need a man to save me, I saved myself” theme was perfect. I loved the slow burn tension between the main characters and the forbidden romance between them was executed flawlessly,

4.5/ 5 stars
——————————————————————
What a fun adventure! Nesrin and Kas embark on an adventure together to save the kingdom. If you love dragons, knights, and a little mystery, this book is for you! Nesrin, our strong female fighter falls for the gentle monk (who has some secrets of his own!). The tension was *chefs kiss*, broken by the right amount of humor.

The plot features plenty of twists and unexpected details to stay engaged throughout. I enjoyed the discoveries the pair made, their growth, and their love. Ady, the dragon, comes with her own surprises.

Please read the author’s CWs before proceeding with the book! There are a few scenes with animal death, graphic injury, and graphic people death.

I enjoyed Holly Rose’s writing style. The chemistry built slowly and by the time I got to the end, I wasn’t ready for their story to be over! This book could have gone on another 200 pages and I would have kept happily reading.

I’m taking away a half-star for a lack of CWs and for some plot holes. The CW is vague and doesn’t mention any triggering themes and I wish some of them were. Readers don’t get to understand Kas’s heritage mentioned at the end, about which I was VERY curious. There’s also the mention of missing magpies (messenger birds) in the story but no clarification is given as to why other than a guess that they were being intercepted. Also, no mention of Father Ramdar. I hope these are all addressed in the next books because these felt like important details to the plot that didn’t get answered.

Overall, not at all disappointed and I will read the next one when she’s ready to do another round of ARCs. Loved the romance and adventure of this book.

“…our shadows always follow us, no matter how hard we try to stay in the light.”

“The Knight of the Trove,” by Holly Rose

What I loved:
-The traditional damsel in distress fairytale story with princes going to a castle protected by a dragon to save the princess trapped inside but this princess doesn’t need saving because she isn’t trapped at all.
-The Arabian setting, I’ve noticed a lot of books being written in the setting of a desert and I’m here for it. The perfect imagery and also unique difference when the traditional fairytale isn’t even in the traditional type of place.
-Tension between the love interest because he is a monk and trying not to break his vows despite him never wanting to be a monk at all.
-Strong FMC X Soft MMC
-The trauma in the past of the main characters. These characters were written so well and solid and felt everything they felt.

There was nothing I would’ve changed in the book. 5 out of 5 stars. Can’t wait for the next book in The Knights of Mellora series.

-Dragons
-Arabian
-Strong FMC X Soft MMC
-Monk X Princess
-SA Trauma

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

“Why were there so many different ways to be controlled by your family?”

I'm unsure on this one.
I wanted it to be like, Emily Wilde or similar, with regency flavours, and I think it kinda tries to have that, but also tries to be fantasy with a capital F and also romantasy, and I feel it all got muddled somewhere and just became incohesive.
I stopped reading about 60%. It's not like, BAD.
I just didn't care about any of the characters and they all seem pretty one dimensional.
Maybe it would suit a younger audience? I'd try something else of the authors, but feel tighter editing and plotting of motivations would be of benefit.
It feels like a pale imitator of Toad Words by T Kingfisher.

Nesrin, after being sacrificed to a dragon in her youth, became the Knight of a dragon’s trove. Kas, a vestal monk, has been sent to find a magical artifact, what it contains and where it is located no one knows. This artifact may be the key to stopping a war from raging and destroying many, but can they find the artifact and save the kingdoms, or will it fall into the wrong hands and chaos bring destruction?

At first the book felt slow for me, but then with a whirlwind I felt caught up in the plot and the characters. I loved that Holly Rose broke some stereotypical things we see in fantasy books, especially related to the main characters. Nesrin wasn’t described as fragile but yet incredibly strong or a perfect fighter, in fact she repeatedly makes mistakes in fights that land her in trouble or with injuries. She has trauma and it’s clear that it impacts her actions and reactions, and I really appreciate that reality to a character. Kas, is the definition of a good guy and I love it in every sense!

Even if I didn’t connect to Nesrin, I felt complete buy-in on the plot and the premise of this story. I enjoyed the epic quest, the search for things lost and hidden, the betrayals, and the unfolding of small puzzle pieces all together. All while tying up the book, so that even though additional books are planned, you can have a nice tied up ending for the novel. I’m very excited to read the next in the series!

The only thing I wish I would have gotten more of from this book is more of the action and fighting scenes described in particular near the end of the book. I think there were some opportunities for good tension and stress to be built as fights were described whether had by the main characters or them watching fights unfold by some of the important supporting ones. I also wanted a little more venom from Galter, to really give me that I hate you cause my friend hates you feeling.

Overall this was a great read and I give it 4.5 stars but rounded up to 5!

Thank you to NetGalley and Star Siren Press for the opportunity to read this ARC, it was amazing!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this quick read and it was my first by Holly Rose. Overall, it has a HEA and FMC and MMC who quickly fall in love. The story at times did feel a bit rushed but other times had some good detail and background information. I loved that their roles were reversed and the male was being supported by the female. Additionally, the fresh take on dragons was refreshing and I literally was LOLing at times at what Ady had to say. Overall, if you are looking for a quick, light, cute read- this book is for you!

This review will be published on Goodreads and Amazon!

It started out okay but at about the 30% mark it fell flat. Kinda boring and I wasn't expecting a whole epic story or romance. The characters were meh and I couldn't connect with them in anyway.

I LOVED this book. The pacing was great, and I loved the slow burn, tortured forbidden love story. The storytelling was amazing and there were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming. Highly, highly recommend!

DNF @25%.

This was not a reflection on the author's ability to write, but at roughly this point, something with the story just wasn't working for me, and I wasn't sure what it was. I think it was some of the pacing, or some of the story mechanics -- I'm uncertain. I hope this book has every bit the success it deserves, as it has such an interesting premise.

Overall, I think this book is a solid 4/5!

First of all, I feel like there are not as many books now with a solid green flag character, and I LOVED Kas for that. Even his "big secret" at the end was not anything he actually lied about, and so I truly enjoyed reading something that had a male character that wasn't deceitful for any reason. This book was also filled with a lot of twists and turns and some of them were predictable but some of them were very much shocking when reading it! The Author did a great job with setting all the scenes and really making you feel like you were in the space. I only wish I got a little bit more at the end before the epilogue or what happened with some of the other people post the big ending, but it is set up perfectly for another one if that is the next step! Such a great book and definitely recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

Actual review somewhere around 3.75 stars

This was a quick and easy read. The pacing was good, as was the world building. I loved the personality of Ady. I also liked the not needing to be rescued angle.

Where it loses me a little is despite enjoying them as a couple (and that they weren't instalove!), it felt that they moved a little fast from ignoring their feelings for each other to love. There is one spice scene which tbh, felt a little out of place to me since this generally read as the younger side of YA.

I very much enjoyed The Knight of the Trove. I thought the characters were fresh and really appreciated Nesrin being a Knight. Also loved Kas and all the quests they went on. Overall a fun, quick read. I can't wait for more Holly Rose books to come. I do wish to see more plot development and more tension throughout the series.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I LOVED this twist on classic fantasy tropes! I thought I was burned out on eye-roll inducing "self-saving princess" inversions, but Holly Rose proved that there is still life in this genre of storytelling, and she delivered in excess! Loved this one.

Forget morally grey men, forget brooding shadow daddies, and forget the billionaire Mafia bosses... I want a pacifist, cinnamon roll, bookish monk/prince!

Oh my gosh, you guys!!! This book!!!! THE KNIGHT OF THE TROVE by Holly Rose is sooooo good! I was in love from the get-go!

Far off places ✅️
Daring sword fights ✅️
Magic spells ✅️
A Prince in Disguise ✅️
Dragon battles ✅️
Friends to Lovers ✅️
Grumpy x Sunshine ✅️
Pining ✅️
Bed Chem ✅️

This book has it all! I adored everything about it. I loved the reverse damsel theme, placing Princess Nesrin not as a damsel guarded by a bloodthirsty dragon awaiting a dashing Prince to rescue her but as the fierce and fiery warrior guarding the trove and her own freedom. I loved how relatably grumpy and irritable and antisocial Nesrin was throughout the entire book; just absolutely done with men and their shit! I laughed out loud from the beginning when she was beating up the boys, taking their toys, and sending them on their way to lick their wounds!

And then enters The Bookish Prince of Veytia, a monk of Hivathe, Kasper Oh!

*swoons dramatically* 🤤😍🥰

I mean it when I say forget the morally grey morons; what you really need in your heart is a pacifist, bookish, cinnamon roll determined to achieve his quest to find a sacred artifact to protect the world from devastation. This is a man who won't even ride a mule when he's got a limb-threatening injury for fear of needlessly harming the tough old beast! A man who tries so valiantly to maintain his vows in the face of temptation even though they were vows he never wanted to take.

I'm in love with Kas, is what I'm saying.

And the quest! The world-building! The characters, creatures, magic, and the plot!!! You guys, I don't know what witchcraft Holly Rose was working when she wrote this book, but it needs to be studied. The Knight of The Trove is addictive, fast-paced, and full of conflict, battles, and realism!!! Oh! The realism! I loved that when our daring duo ran into trouble on their quest, they actually struggled to survive. There were touch-and-go moments! They weren't just BAMF fighters able to overcome every obstacle.

Honestly, when this book drops on 8th October 2024, it's going to be big! You NEED to read it! I immediately messaged my friend to get her signed up to read the ARC, too, because I needed someone to gush to about it!

The pining! The tension! The magic! The Grumpy x Sunshine vibes of our leading romantic pairing! So, so, so, so, good!!

It's absolutely a 5-star read! No, it's a 7/5. That's how good it is! All the stars! Infinite stars!

I am in awe of what Holly has created with this masterpiece, and I can't wait to watch it blow up on Booktok.

Thank you to NetGalley, Holly Rose, Victory Editing and Star Siren Press for allowing me the honor to read this book as an eARC. I enjoyed this book right away and I would give it a solid 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars, although if we changed book rating systems to a 10 star system, I would be giving a cool 7.5!

This read like an Elder Scrolls adventure. You had a main story quest that is related to the big conflict and as you set out to go about completing this quest, you have side quests that unravel more story lines. This gives you a very well-rounded protagonist and you feel like you know and understand her and all the onion layers she possesses.

As it is a Romantasy, we get the added bonus of a lush love story that unfolds incredibly well. Not just because they have a nice spicy scene that culminated by the very slow burn, romantic tension, but because the characters of Nesrin (FMC) and Kas (MMC) were very well and easily laid out. Their individual quests were straightforward but their characters unfolded beautifully with each page. This gave you every indication that their temperaments would mix very well and you wouldn’t ever doubt that they would make a Jane and Bingley-type of relationship.

As with any dragon, I fell in love with Ady. She had a distinct voice and gave me Saphira vibes but instead of Rachel Weisz I heard Viola Davis’s voice in my head, right away. She is regal and has the depth of wisdom that highlights her centuries of existence yet she had levity in the appropriate moments, at least the ones where I wanted them.

The actions were easy to follow and the story itself is very nicely packaged. No plot holes to speak of. I would say that it reads more like YA. Some dialogue and language usage were very modernized so it did take me out of the fantasy, knight-and-sword vibe that I was creating in my head.

I really appreciated the diversity and feeling the influence of a variety of cultures that we experienced in this book.

Rating: 4.5/5

Imagine a world where the princess doesn't need rescuing... Instead, she's the one wielding the sword! I dove into this epic fantasy romance curious: Can Nesrin, a fierce knight, outwit her enemies and claim her rightful place?

Initial Thoughts:
I've always been drawn to strong female protagonists, and Nesrin's story promised just that. A princess-turned-knight, battling against oppression? Count me in! My expectations were high, and I'm thrilled to say this book delivered.
Get ready for a tale of magic, mayhem, and forbidden love! I devoured this fantasy romance, mesmerized by Nesrin's transformation from vulnerable princess to fearless warrior. Trust me, You'll love this adventure.

Storyline:
In this captivating high fantasy romance, Nesrin, a former princess turned skilled knight, shatters traditional molds. Rescued by a benevolent dragon, Nesrin has spent years honing her skills to protect herself and her new home.
When Kas, a handsome and troubled monk, arrives with a quest to find the magical golden casket, Nesrin is drawn into a perilous adventure. As they navigate treacherous landscapes, ancient libraries, and hidden temples, their forbidden feelings blossom.
This novel masterfully explores themes of feminism, self-empowerment, and loyalty. Nesrin's transformation from vulnerable princess to fearless warrior is inspiring, while Kas's inner conflict adds depth to the narrative.
The world-building is rich and immersive, with a vividly detailed realm of Mellora, complete with dragons, magical artifacts, and mythical creatures. The author's witty dialogue and clever plot twists keep you guessing until the very end.

Characters:
Nesrin's transformation is inspiring, showcasing her growth into a strong, independent warrior. Kas's troubled past and inner conflict add depth, making their slow-burn romance swoon-worthy. Supporting characters, like the benevolent dragon, enrich the narrative.

Writing Style:
The author's masterful storytelling weaves vivid descriptions, witty dialogue, and clever plot twists into a rich tapestry. With a perfect balance of humor, action, and emotional depth, this novel is a true page-turner.

Themes:
Feminism & Empowerment
Loyalty & Duty
Self-Discovery
Good vs. Evil
Love & Sacrifice
Identity & Belonging
Morality & Gray Areas
Personal Growth

Recommendation:
Fans of fantasy romance, particularly those who enjoy Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo, will devour this captivating tale. Anyone looking for strong female protagonists, slow-burn romance, and action-packed adventures will find this unforgettable.

Final Verdict:
This high fantasy romance is unputdownable! With its breakneck pace, heart-pumping action, and captivating romance, you'll be hooked. The richly detailed world of Mellora and memorable characters make this a must-read.

Rating Breakdown:
Storyline: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing Style: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5

Will I Recommend?: Absolutely!

Thank you for accept my arc request.

This book gave me Camelot meets Laura Croft vibes and I loved it! Knights, dragons, a cop battle at the end, what’s not to love?
This book was on the shorter end which I loved for my “let’s read” days where I just read as many books as I can as I was able to easily breeze through this one.