A Slow-Burn Fae Romance with Intriguing Secrets

Court of Blood and Bindings is a seductive blend of enemies-to-lovers tension and morally grey characters, set in a lush but enigmatic fae world. If you’re a fan of broody fae males, forbidden magic, and lingering midnight encounters, this one might be right up your alley.

The story introduces Emelin, a strong-willed heroine whose forbidden magic lands her in the clutches of the Silent Death—a deadly fae assassin whose reputation precedes him. From the moment he spares her life and carries her off to the Crimson Court, the tension between them is palpable. Their connection unfolds slowly, simmering beneath layers of mistrust, secrets, and those smoldering glances that Sullivan does so well.

The romance was hands-down the highlight for me. I loved how the communication barrier forced Emelin and her captor to rely on written notes, adding a layer of vulnerability and charm to their growing bond. Their banter was sharp and witty, with sparks flying even as danger loomed.

While the magic system was intriguing, I found the world-building a bit dense and hard to grasp at times. The Crimson Court, with its political intrigue and treacherous fae, had so much potential, but I wanted more clarity and depth to fully immerse myself in this world. The pacing also felt slow, with some moments dragging and making it harder to stay focused on the plot.

Despite these issues, the romance carried the story for me. The chemistry between Emelin and the Silent Death made up for some of the slower moments, and I enjoyed watching their dynamic evolve.

If you’re in the mood for a fae romance with a morally grey hero, sizzling tension, and a touch of danger, Court of Blood and Bindings is worth a try. Just be prepared for a slower pace and a world that requires some patience to navigate. It left me intrigued enough to consider diving into the next installment.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This new adult romantic fantasy had a unique magic system and an intriguing plot line that pulled me into the story and hooked me from the start. Im interested in seeing where this series goes!

Tropes:
Wound tending
Snarky banter
Witty characters
Fake relationships
Enemies to lovers
Romantic tension
Colorful magic
Sign language

Thank you to NetGalley and author, Lisette Marshall, for allowing me to read this book. When scrolling through NetGalley, I was drawn to the title, and then after reading the description…I knew I wanted to read it!

I was immediately drawn into the unique magic world that is based on colors…yes, you read that right. Lisette’s masterful storytelling centers around a colorful magic, unlike any books I have read to date.

The story centers around Emelin and the Silent Death (aka Creon), their unlikely partnership, serious romantic tension, and the need to save the world by destroying an untouchable queen. To top it off, Creon is mute, his voice taken over a century ago by the vicious Queen…leaving his only way to communicate by writing or by allowing himself to learn to sign with his hands (something he has refused to do before Emelin).

The book ends on a cliffhanger…and thankfully the next few books are available on KU, with the author currently working on book 5!

Rating: 5 🌟

Favorite character: Creon (of course)

Favorite side character: The Mountain ⛰️

Intriguing storyline: 5 🌎

Spice level 3/5 🌶️

Language level 1/5 👄

Quotes:

I hadn’t been forgotten at all. Quite the opposite–I had been remembered.

I'd rather be your equal in danger than your toy in safety.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This book really surprised me, it had a super unique magic system and interesting world, but the best part was our MMC is mute! They learn to talk to each other in sign language and he was my favorite part of the book, so complex and mysterious. Creon and Emelin connected right from the beginning, there was aggressive banter, threats of violence, and of course all the sexual tension!

Court of Blood and Bindings is a strong start to the Fae Isles series. The unique magic system, where characters derive power from colors, immediately caught my attention and added an intriguing layer to the story.

The book is told from Emelin’s POV, which gives a clear view of her journey and her dynamic with Creon. Emelin is a strong, determined FMC, and Creon is the broody, misunderstood fae male. Their chemistry is undeniable, and I appreciated their growth as individuals and as a pair. Their use of sign language as a primary form of communication was a unique and thoughtful touch.

The pacing was mostly well-done, with a few slower parts that didn’t take away from the overall experience. Every detail and plot point felt purposeful, and the story ends with a major cliffhanger that sets up the next book perfectly. This was an enjoyable fantasy romance, and I’m looking forward to continuing the series.

It took me a couple of chapters to get into this one I can’t lie. It’s an easy romantasy read (you know my style by now 🤣). The deadly fae prince spares the life of a mere mortal girl, or so she thinks she’s mortal, she hates him, he is brooding. They discover a mutual hatred of the fae queen. They plot and scheme and would you believe it they do the do 🌶️🤣.
I actually ended up enjoying it quite a lot to be fair.
I want to know what happens next for Emelin and Creon, so I will be reading the next instalment in the Fae Isles!
I’m an easily pleased romantasy book lover, I don’t read literary masterpieces and I’m not ashamed to admit it!

If you’re a fan of high-stakes fantasy romance with a fiery enemies-to-lovers twist, Court of Blood and Bindings is a must-read. The story introduces Emelin, a determined and resilient heroine, who is thrown into the dangerous world of the Fae Isles after being captured by Creon, a mysterious and morally ambiguous fae known as the Silent Death. Their partnership—reluctant yet charged with tension—unfolds against a backdrop of forbidden magic, political intrigue, and personal redemption.

Lisette Marshall masterfully balances action, romance, and emotional depth. The chemistry between Emelin and Creon is electrifying, evolving from wary mistrust to undeniable attraction. While the romance is tantalizingly slow-burn, it’s layered with poignant moments that make the characters feel authentic. Creon’s dark past adds complexity, while Emelin’s growth as she confronts both external and internal struggles is empowering.

The worldbuilding is lush and intricate, vividly painting the Crimson Court’s treacherous allure and the dangers of its magical realm. The use of color-based magic and political dynamics within the fae hierarchy creates an immersive setting. Packed with twists and a cliffhanger ending, the story will keep you hooked and eager for the next installment.

This book was definitely a slow burn, but once it got going it was pretty entertaining.

The magic system in this book is really cool and unique. Using colors as the base of magic (red for destroy, yellow for change, and blue for healing).

The lack of communication between Creon and Emelin for the first half of this book was pretty infuriating, and I had to take a break for a bit because they were driving me insane. Random outbursts, constant avoidance, and built up tension was hard to push through for a while.

However, when they finally started communicating with each other it was quite enjoyable, they even had me chuckling a few times (the sarcastic humor in this book is great). Also the spicy scenes were well worth the wait

The minor characters in this book are also pretty interesting and I’d be interested in seeing them develop more. And the world building seems pretty interesting (even though I’ve only touched upon a fraction of it).

The plot twists at the end really took me by surprise and I thoroughly enjoyed the end of this book. Throughout the first half I wasn’t sure I cared to finish this series, but with the way it ended I might have to pick up the next book to find out what happens next.

I absolutely LOVED this! Better late to the party than never with this series but it’s amazing.

It has forced proximity, enemies to lovers , touch her and die trope with magic, fae and a bit of smut to go with it. All my boxes were checked.

Wow! I absolutely loved this read! I was drawn in almost immediately. I will be impatiently waiting for the next book….

I enjoyed this book, it wasnt outstanding, but it was an easy read with a really cool magic system based on colours which I had not seen before. I also enjoyed the fact that the MMC, Creon, is mute. I found I was still able to connect with him just from his facial expressions and the words he would quickly scribble down for Emelin (before learning how to sign). He is wonderfully complex and very morally grey and I would have adored a Creon POV chapter. He also gives off serious "bat boy" vibes.

The banter between Creon and Emelin was also pretty good but I sometimes got lost during some of their conversations, not understanding if it was supposed to be serious sometimes or if it was just humour that fell flat. However, the more they get to know each other the better their banter became. It was a bit hard to decipher at first.

There is also a lot of "Touch her and di3" vibes, which I am always here for.

Overall I liked it, the plot was gripping enough to keep me wanting more so I'll most likely continue with the series.

I'd recommend this book if you like:
-Unique colour magic system
-Forced Proximity
-Interesting plot which unravels slowly
-Slow-burn romance
-One bed trope

The premise was great but the storyline drags after a while. The start had plenty of action with interesting characters but then it's slow and the dialogue is lacking

I expected to like this, but I ended up really loving it! The magic system is pretty unique, albeit not super complex. I loved the romance and how it developed (the spice was a nice addition, too.) By the end I was rooting hard for them, and I can't wait to see what happens next. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

The premise of this is really interesting and was what piqued my interest and has one of my favorite tropes - including hidden identity/hidden magic.

Emelin lives in a village with her parents and is forced to hide her magic. One day when she wakes up, she’s sees that her entire village is aflame and everyone is gone. Silent Death is this mysterious fae male who comes and rescues her away and from here at about 15% I DNF.

My issue was mostly with the pacing and style so these are personal preferences that might work for others.

I don’t generally like POVs where the MC self-asks internal questions and Emelin does a lot of that. It’s a style that I find that makes it too easy for the reader to grasp the MC’s feelings, instead of an approach that conjures the reader to feel what the MC feels. Also bc I’m surrounded by young children I get asked enough questions as it is throughout the day 🫠

I also found it a little irksome that Emelin would very quickly switch her feelings in just one scene - esp the early bringing scene where she faces Silent Death. In one moment she’s scared and in another she’s raging against him and then back to asking a million internal questions. All of these combined up to this point unfortunately couldn’t hold my attention, but this may work well for others who might enjoy what looks to be an easiest fantasy read who haven’t delved into this genre much.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I personally had quite a hard time connecting with the characters for the majority of the book, but towards the end, I was really into it and now I can't wait to read the next volumes as well (and I am so happy to see that they are actually already out). It reminded me at times of Daughter of no worlds, a great series, but also one I had trouble connecting to the characters at first.

However, the book still has very interesting ideas, from the magic system (quite unique) to the world building, I found this book to be really well written and I will recommend it to many people, despite the slow start I had. I like how the MMC is mute, but this is not keeping him from being feared and respected.

There are many things happening in this book, and I don't want to spoil anything, so just go read it already!

"𝕀'𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕗𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕖. 𝕀'𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕗 𝕀 𝕕𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕘𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕥 𝕠𝕦𝕥. 𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕣𝕖 𝕒 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀'𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖 𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕞𝕖"

This is probably the most underrated series I’ve ever had the pleasure of accidentally finding on KU 2 years ago. This series has EVERYTHING that would make an romantasy girlie happy. I’m talking complex magic, HOT morally grey hero, murderous tendencies, a feisty FMC, side characters that just are *chef’s kiss* and lots and lots of banter. There’s also spice because a good enemies to lovers romance needs an awesome slow burn and fake dating/forced proximity opportunities 😏

Creon Hytherion is my #2 book boyfriend and genuinely I will not be taking any critique on Creon or Emelin because I’m just so in love with both of these characters. They’re perfectly imperfect. Period.

Book 4 came out in 2024 and the cover for book 5 was just released! The cliffhanger at the end of this book was crazy and the one in book 3 is even crazier!!! If I persuade you to read any book, it’s this one! ❤️❤️❤️

Court of Blood and Bindings was a really fun book, with a good premise, good characters, and a world that I want to see more of. I felt like I was flying through the book and was pleasantly surprised around every turn. There was sign language/ Mute MMC representation that felt very wholesome and sweet, The forced proximity relationship had miscommunication but it was understandable as you went into the book farther.
My least favorite part of the book is the title. While I do think it works I think the Court of - & - title is outdated and far too much of a saturated market now and it gets lost.
I love the premise of the magic being used by color and my artistic mind loved how color theory was a basis for how to control the magic and it felt like a very interesting idea I want to see more of

"Uncaged, undone, he was power and beautiful and death, and he was mine."

A Court of Blood and Bindings captivated me from the get-go. It initially peaked my interest because it felt a bit like if Amarantha won in A Court of Thorns and Roses and created her own realm. However, as the plot and characters developed, I ended up loving ( and craving more of!) the story for itself.

As someone with a background in art and art history, the magic system was particularly interesting to me. Drawing different types of magic from colors is ingenious and so unique. Its unlike anything I've read before. The world is well fleshed out, yet it's not overwhelming to read, like many fantasy novels out there.

Emelin and Creon have become two of my favorite characters. Their banter. Their fight. Their tension. Their passion. Swoon! Its so good!

Creon is everything you want in a romantasy MMC: broody, lethal, tortured but with a heart of gold who would burn the world for the woman he loves. This time, theres an added level of interest/strain because he is literally silent. His voice was lost (stolen?!), so he and Em have to figure out their own way of communicating.

Em's story ripped my heart out. She wants so badly to belong and be loved and yet is rejected by the people who are supposed to love her above all else. Finding acceptance with the man everyone considers a monster and then learning to love and accept herself brought me to tears. Yet, she remains devoted, feisty, brave and loving despite all of the rejection she's been through during her short life.

Together, their story takes you on a journey that you don't want to stop!

This just fell flat for me. I thought the magic system was unique and interesting, and I really liked the labyrinth. I would've liked a little more world building outside of this, but this is a series, so maybe that comes in a bit more down the line.

The FMC was so annoying in the first half, and far more tolerable in the second half. I liked the MMC, but I really struggled to get past his name. For a book with colour magic, the name Creon is way too close to crayon and my brain just wouldn't accept it as anything else 🤣

There were some really repetitive aspects as well, which is part of what made the FMC so annoying. Sometimes it felt like you were just dealing with her having the same thought over and over.

The second half of the book was better than the first, but I'm undecided if I'll continue the series.