With this one,I was expecting fantasy with a sprinkling of hijinx and high stakes and that’s exactly what I got. I love the bandit medieval vibe that was going on, which was my favorite part of the story. The world setting was really fun and gave me a mix between Robin Hood and King Artur. However, I do think the world building could have been a bit better as I feel like we were kind of thrown into the story head first and had to figure everything out as we read, which isn’t bad just felt a bit rushed. As well as some of the plot points and twists did feel predictable. I do think that this was a me problem and not a writing problem as I’m particularly picky and the author’s writing was great. I never felt bored, in fact, I was engaged throughout the entire book (even during the parts I didn’t like that much) which is attributed to a great writer.

I think if you want a light, fast paced fantasy novel this is the one for you. You won’t be able to put it down and you’ll have fun the whole way through.

👑 Royalty
💎 Hidden Identity / Undercover
👑 Heist
💎 Enemies to Lovers
👑 Arranged Marriage
💎 Bandits

This book is an absolute whirlwind of a story! You have a fast paced adventure, with the slowest of slow burn romances. Hidden identities and scheming royalty where you never quite know who is ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Plus the plot twists, while you can definitely guess the twists and turns they still made for an interesting read!

If the Crown Fits follows Lara, the Masked Bandit who is undercover as a Princess, and her fiancé the Prince of a rival kingdom, Cai. The tension between these two completely hooked me, they are just so witty and stubborn!

This was without a doubt an engaging read! I would have loved for some parts, especially the end, to have a little more detail. Quite a few of the twists were revealed quickly and then brushed over, which didn’t have quite as much impact. Even with this I was hooked, the twists were interesting and the characters lovable. I’m so intrigued to see what happens next in this trilogy!

Overall 3.5 ⭐️

This was a fun and quick read, however I feel it lacked a certain depth in world building and dialogue which left me feeling like the story itself was pretty one dimensional. I guessed most of the twists (except the last one did surprise me). I didn’t feel it was a true enemies to lovers and the relationship between the FMC and MMC didn’t have a lot of depth.

This had so much potential and I would be interested in reading the next book if the series is continued! Loved Cai and Lara and hoping if there is a sequel, there will be more depth added.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for approving me for this ARC!

This was so SO good!! I wasn't quite sure what was going to happen and the story kept me on my toes until then very end! This is certainly one I will be picking up again!

Between the varied cast of characters, some I loathed, some I loved, and the writing style that drew me in from the first page and kept me glued until then very last word I have to give this one 5 stars!

I can’t wait to see where the next instalment will take me!

This was an amazing read that seamlessly blends romance and fantasy that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

The plot is really interesting and I was completely engrossed into the world, it’s a fairly short read but still really good. The characters are well crafted and some are relatable which makes it easier to connect with them. I really liked Lara, she’s funny, mischievous, strong and so much more. I also really liked Cai, he was sweet and funny as well.

The world is impressive, it immerses you into a realm filled with intrigue and adventure, and really shows how differently the royals and the people in poverty live, you can understand why Lara and other people have so much hostility against royals. The authors descriptive writing style paints a clear picture of the settings and the dynamics between characters which really makes the whole reading experience better.

However, there are moments in the story where the plot feels somewhat predictable, which slightly detracts from the overall impact. I guessed the plot twist at the end of the book quite early on, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the book.

Overall, this was a captivating fantasy, if you love enemies to lovers, slow burn and found family, then you’ll love this! I’m so excited for the next 2 books to come out

If the Crown Fits is a fast paced, un-put-downable book! This book had me hooked from the first chapter.

I really enjoyed this book - the character development was great and so was the storyline. I did find the ending to be a little rushed and abruptly finished - but then found out this is the first installment of a trilogy. I am so keen to read the next installment. It kind of gave me Robin Hood kind of vibes. Very interesting.

Spice rating is low, but there was a bit of a slow burn to it. In this book we follow both Lara (Bandit) and Cai (Prince) - it is dual POV.

Lara has grown up a Bandit, but gets herself in to a bind when she is hired to steal from the royal family of Everness. She is then blackmailed into stealing from Prince Cai, who is Prince of an enemy kingdom. Obviously everything doesn't go to plan and Lara and Prince Cai end up siding together to bring down the riyal family of Everness.

As I said, this was fast paced and a really enjoyable read. I am sad I have to wait so long for the next book in this series.

“We find the stories in the broken pieces that we pick up.”

“If the Crown Fits,” by Leané Giliomee

I loved this book so much! I loved the entire plot of a bandit/thief having to pretend to be the princess and betrothed to the prince in order to steal something that the other prince wants was so good. The FMC was strong but also had to fight her attraction to the prince, the prince she courted was so good, perfect amount of strength and protective. What really sealed the deal for me about how good the book was the ending! I loved it so much. 5 out of 5 stars, can’t wait for book 2.

-Hidden Identity
-Bandit/Thief
-Arranged Marriage/Courting

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

“I had learned that the truth wasn’t a fine line after all, but a pile of shattered glass instead.”

This was a DNF for me

I really dislike First Person Narrative, but I HATE Dual Perspective First Person Narrative, and you guessed it, this alternating perspective written in first person.


The blurb sounded amazing, but I just couldn't get into the story because the writing style was completely off-putting to me.

This face paced book is the perfect read for anyone who desires an adventure based romantasy with thieves, bandits, royals and secrets. Where a masked bandit with a well known reputation finds herself entangled with a prince with hidden agendas. Before she knows it she’d thrown into a political feud between kingdoms, spanning back generations. It should have been a simple theft, but the deeper she finds herself falling, who can she really trust?

Main Tropes:
-Betrayal
-Forced Proximity
-Feuding Kingdoms
-Enemies-to-Lovers
-Arranged Engagement
-No spice (lots of tension)

This fairy tale story follows Lena, a masked bandit tasked with a simple theft. Or is should have been, until she suddenly she finds herself mixed up with the Kingdoms prince and his feud with the neighbouring Kingdom. What he wants is simple, decieve their Prince and steal an heirloom. It should be simple enough for someone with her past. But with her own life on the line, and no clue who to trust, it won’t be as simple as she thinks.

With magical forests, an arranged engagement and a life full of lies and deceit - will Lena be able to follow orders or will her heart take the lead? And most importantly, will she put her trust in the right person?

This book was filled with forced proximity, betrayal and royal feuds- the perfect combination for a romantic fairytale adventure.

Action-packed fastpaced YA romantasy with betrayal, twist and lot's of secrets.
Esay, funny and captivating! And oh the tension!

I Would have liked a bit more worldbuilding, but defently a interesting fantasy read!
3 fantastic stars

Post on IG (one_fairy_tale_at:_the_time) on 5.nov 2024

If The Crown Fits is a slow burn, enemies to lovers Fantasy Romance. But it's more than that... it's a journey of deception, learning to trust, learning family secrets, and a journey of survival for Lara.

As soon as the book starts, we are thrown into the action, and it doesn't slow down. For me, I just wanted to keep reading and find out what was going to happen next.

The book was well thought out and plotted, and the characters were well developed. You couldn't help but cheer for our 2 MCs. I just wanted a bit more, a bit more of the world building, a bit more of the journey in a bit of depth. And the ending... don't do that to me... but I have since discovered that there will be a book 2, I need answers, and I need to know what happens next... soon 😂

For those who love a good fantasy book, give this a read

I enjoyed this but wasn’t in love with the book.
I am not a massive fantasy book reader so it may have just been that I wasn’t in the mood for this but I didn’t find it a page turned but didn’t dislike the experience of reading the book.

This is an action-packed fantasy novel that pulls the reader in and then flies along to what I thought was a rather abrupt end (although I’ve since realised this is intended to be the first of a trilogy). There’s so much going on in swift succession and the world-building is decent; I just wish the plot had a chance to take a breath once in a while. It would have been good not only to explore the relationship between Lara and Cai in more depth, but also to show a little more of Lara’s background. Nonetheless there’s plenty of potential in both writing and characterisation, and lots of intriguing ways the subsequent books could develop.

An easy and enjoyable read overall, definitely a lighter hearted plot.

At times I felt there were more underlying adult themes that was subjective for sure! Almost like watching a Pixar film... where the adult gets the 'nod' but it goes straight over a kids head.

From around 40% I think I had worked out the plot twist, and I can safely say, I'm intrigued for a follow up novel with Lara, Cai & even Rhen (who was my supporting favourite)!

Definitely worth a read I'd you enjoyed Six of Crows or Dance of Theives.

Lara is trying to make a break and get away when her luck runs out. Cai is making an alliance that should benefit both countries but is leary of the reasons. Thrown together without knowing who the other is creates an unique adventure as they learn about each other. The world building it descriptive and I love the back and forth between the characters. There a quite a few hidden twists that the reader unravels as the plot progresses. I am curious to see if the necklace and mystery around it plays into the next story as well as the dagger gifted in the beginning of the story.

I really liked this fantasy romance. Lara and Cai's banter was great and I loved watching their romance grow. The plot was fast paced and am looking forward to the next installment!

I enjoyed this book. The main character was likeable and strong. The book had a good pace and I never got bored. The ending was wrapped up too quickly. I would have liked more of a backstory and conclusion.

The two main characters had a good chemistry.

Okay, so this book? *Chef’s kiss* for anyone who's obsessed with enemies-to-lovers and badass female leads. Right off the bat, Lara is the kind of main character you root for. She’s a thief with rules—don’t get caught, don’t trust anyone, and *definitely* don’t let anyone get too close. But of course, she steals from the wrong people (aka the royal family of Everness) and gets caught. Classic. And instead of facing a gruesome end, she’s forced to work with the arrogant, spoiled prince regent, which just sets up all the delicious tension and scheming in the plot.

The forced proximity trope is on full display, especially when Lara has to pose as the betrothed of a prince from an enemy kingdom. Enemies to lovers? Check. And let’s not forget the one bed situation (which, let’s be honest, we all live for). There's plenty of banter, tension, and that simmering attraction that keeps you on edge throughout. The pacing? Perfect. Giliomee knows how to hook you with twists that have you flipping pages late into the night.

Plus, the whole found family dynamic really hit. Lara’s not just fighting for herself—she’s driven to protect the people she loves, which adds depth to her character and she makes some morally questionable choices, but you get why, and honestly? Sometimes you gotta root for a little chaos.. And the way she navigates this political mess while trying not to catch feelings for the prince… swoon. He’s frustratingly charming, and it’s so fun watching Lara’s walls start to crack.

If you love books like *Throne of Glass* or *The Cruel Prince*, you’re gonna eat this up. The slow burn romance, the fake relationship drama, and all those secrets and betrayals keep you hooked. The ending leaves you wanting more, so yeah, I’m 100% ready for book two.

If The Crown Fits is a fast-paced romp through a kingdom in crisis where a young female bandit is forced to pose as a princess to steal an unknown item from the prince of a neighbouring kingdom while pretending to be his fiancée.

The writing has an enjoyably simple young adult feel and the story is fairly short for this genre, though some sections feel rushed without suitable explanation and the world-building is limited. However, overall the concept was good and I wanted to read more about Lana and Cai. I did find the ending a bit disappointing - I was hoping for something more epic but I hadn't realised this was the first book in a series so while there isn't exactly a cliffhanger, there are plenty of unresolved elements which will hopefully be picked up in the next book - I can't wait to find out more.

While there are some romantic elements this is the slowest of very slow burns and for large chunks of the book, the focus is on other parts of the plot.

Thanks to NetGalley, Joffe and Leané Giliomee for the ARC, this is my honest opinion.

The story follows Lara, a quick-witted bandit who finds herself caught in a precarious situation after daring to steal from the highly oppressive royal family. The stakes are immediately established as Lara is thrust into a world that blurs the lines between loyalty, survival, and the pursuit of freedom.
Giliomee's world-building is superb, painting a vivid picture of Everness and its socio-political landscape. Through Lara's perspective, we witness a realm that once thrived on magic but is now dominated by a ruthless prince regent and his decadent court. The author weaves a narrative rich in historical echoes and societal constraints, creating a backdrop that enhances Lara’s personal struggle.
The romantic elements of the story are equally engaging. Lara's begrudging alliance with the charming, yet infuriating prince of an enemy kingdom serves as a classic trope that Giliomee breathes fresh life into. Their evolving relationship is laced with banter, tension, and the inevitable complications that arise from secrets and deception.
Giliomee skillfully crafts secondary characters who bring depth to the story. The depiction of the prince regent as both a source of conflict and a mirror to Lara’s struggles adds complexity to the plot. Additionally, Lara’s interactions with her loved ones and the obligations she bears for their safety further enhance her character’s motivations.
Overall, this was a delightful escapade that brilliantly entwines themes of bravery, love, and the fight against tyranny. Leané Giliomee’s deft storytelling and richly imagined world make this a memorable read for fans of young adult fantasy. It is a tale that reminds us, in a land where magic is a mere whisper, that true strength resides within the heart, ready to defy the crown.