This was an enjoyable, slow burn, standalone fantasy story. The pacing was a little all over the place, but the world building and character development more than made up for it!
Valentine and Kit were wonderful characters, whereas I kinda just wanted to bop Adelaide and Silas on their heads 😂
Definitely worth a read for good character development!

The premise was fascinating, and I enjoyed the concept of someone being stolen by fairies and a former soldier having to save them. Then after a promising start, the pacing took a nosedive and the book ended up falling flat for me

When your only real criticism of a novel is that it should've been longer, you know you've read a good book.

Kit Arton-Price has returned from the Great War a changed man -- mind and body. We meet him and his fiancee Adelaide Price at their engagement ball.

Kit has his misgivings about the match, but recognises the sense of it in that resigned, gently impoverished way of the declining aristocracy of the early twentieth century (think Downton Abbey vibes). He's inheriting the declining family estate and his cousin, Addie, will be inheriting all the money.

Enter two gatecrashing (oddly alluring) strangers who seem intent on seeking some type of assistance from the pair and the cool, weird, lesbian Aunt-Of-My-Dreams with a dire warning that she's only able to express in riddles.

My, my...who could these gorgeous, tricksy visitors be?

I cannot tell you how much traditional fae protrayal in novels thrills me. "Dance with the Fae" gave perfect Holly Black meets Susanna Clarke vibes and I especially appreciated the charming little touches of lore scattered throughout.

Hobbes treads the line perfectly of drawing Kit -- a victim of the horror of war -- as a figure that inspires empathy rather than frustration in his initial persistent self-doubt and uncertainty: in short, he is bisexual disaster babygirl.

The antagonism between the main pairing is likewise deliciously painted. He wants to shake her until he rattles her teeth, yet...is also desperately horny for her? Yes, please. Immaculate chemistry that I look for in all my reads.

I *keep* using art metaphors but what I really should be leaning into is food metaphors because this prose was delicious. I wanted to lick the page, drink it down like the mimosa scented fae protagonist.

The presentation of this character as genderfluid was really sensitively conveyed. I applaud Hobbes for the inclusion and the respect and earnestness with which she has dealt with queer issues in this novel.

As previously mentioned, the only flaw I found here was that the climax and resolution felt ever-so-slightly hurried and I would've loved to stay a little longer in the world that the author had built.

You should read this book.

TW/CW: Mention of sexual assault, sex trafficking, slavery, war, violence, infidelity, mild sensuality

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and One More Chapter and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Dance With the Fae is the story of Kit, a veteran of WWI, who comes home from the war to marry his sweetheart, Adelaide. Two of the guests at their party claim to be from far away, although neither Kit nor Adelaide realize just ~how~far. What they discover is a world of magic parallel to ours and a new way to live their lives.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the incorporation of the post-war world into the fae world, and I really enjoyed the bisexual inclusion. It was pretty well written and easy to read quickly.

I did think that the pacing was a bit off – it took Kit over 1/3 of the book to get where he was going and the ‘final battle’ sequence seemed very rushed. Also, the end scene was a little more than the book needed and really kind of made the book a little too long.

All in all, though, I enjoyed this book.

A unique blend of world war I history and fantasy with an added LGBTQ element I was pleasantly surprised at. Kit is an interesting character, scarred and haunted by memories of the trenches he almost uses his escape in the Fae realm as a way to get away from his memories and the obligations of his station. The juxtaposition between the read world and the lush Fae world was one of the highlights of the story.

I will say, this is a slow building plot, taking its time to develop Kit as someone deeply affected by war. He's compelling and interesting and when he enters the Fae realm he really comes into his own. I was less impressed by Adelaide, who I found selfish and spoiled. She's also nowhere near as well developed as Kit.

A really intriguing story that perfectly balanced two opposing worlds with a deeply troubled and intriguing character in Kit.

I loved the two worlds and the differences between them, post-war England the fae realm. But sadly the characters were a little flat for me to care enough. I would like some depth to them. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to review a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dance with the Fae- Elizabeth J. Hobbs
Release date: 03/06/2025
3.75 stars rounded to 4.

✨️Devious and mischievous fae of old fairy-tales
✨️Magic
✨️Magical lands
✨️Adventure
✨️World War I references
✨️Forbidden romance
✨️Morally ambiguous characters

This novel follows Kit Arton-Price who is on a quest to discover the reason behind the sudden "sleep sickness" which has overcome his fiance Adelaide.

What I liked about this novel was the older representation of fae in fantasy. In this novel, the fae are tricksters and Devious, much like old fairy-tales growing up. It reminded me of being a smaller girl, mot stepping in mushroom or fairy rings, so as not to upset the fair folk.

I also enjoyed the character growth that Kit displayed. After surviving the Great War, Kit is plagued by his memories from the trenches and a forbidden romance. Seeing Kit acknowledge his struggles with this and grow from these was impressive.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishing for allowing me to read this arc.

Dance with the Fae combines post-World War I historical fiction with fae fantasy, creating a story rich in atmosphere and vivid detail. The world-building, particularly within the fae realm, is beautifully crafted, with lush descriptions that bring the setting to life. The contrast between the stark realities of post-war England and the dangerous, magical fae world is one of the book’s strengths.

While the premise is intriguing and the descriptive writing is strong, I ultimately didn’t connect with the characters, which made it difficult to fully engage with the story. The pacing felt uneven, with a slower start that eventually gave way to more dynamic scenes in the fae realm, though these moments didn’t entirely make up for my lack of investment in the characters.

That said, the book’s imaginative setting and vivid descriptions will likely appeal to readers who love richly detailed fantasy worlds. It offers a unique blend of history and magic that adds an interesting twist to the genre.

📚Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth J. Hobbes📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Spice Rating: Fade to black

✨Tropes✨
⚔️LGBTQIA+ Rep
⚔️Healing from Trauma
⚔️Fae x Humans
⚔️One Bed

✨Initial Thoughts✨
Historical Fiction ☑️ Fantasy ☑️ Strong LGBTQIA+ representation ☑️
This was such a fun and unique read. It takes place just after WWI and our MMC Kit is still reeling from his time during the war. Kit not only has battle scars, but he also has guilt over loving and losing a fellow soldier, Andrew. He is supposed to marry his childhood friend Adelaide, who he does care about, just not romantically. When Adelaide meets and dances with a handsome stranger, Mr. Wilde, at their engagement party, she is more than just captivated. And when Adelaide enters a mysterious sleeping illness, it’s up to Kit to try to save her. He and Missy Dove, the woman who was with Mr. Wilde during the party, go into the land of the Fae to rescue Addie.

This story has such a wonderful message of self acceptance, healing from multiple forms of trauma, and forgiveness. I love that it’s also a standalone and therefore did not end on a cliffhanger. The story was nicely written and the ending was perfect.

✨Pros✨
* The immersive world the author weaves.
* The combination of historical fiction and fantasy. It felt like Downton Abbey meets Fae and I loved it.
* Really great LGBTQIA+ representation.
* Valentine/Valentin. They were the only reason I could like Kit. Seeing him through their POV was a breath of fresh air for his character. They’re also a really lovable character in her own right.

✨Cons✨
* I spent a lot of time not liking Kit’s personality. He is so confrontational at the best of times that it was hard to like him fully. I understand where the anger and mistrust is coming from and I think the author wrote Kit very realistically considering the trauma he went through. That doesn’t mean I necessarily like him any better during the first 2/3 of the story. Kit does grow and I did like him at the end.


Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.

I tried so hard to get into this book. The premise was great and I like different aspects but overall this was not the fantasy book for me. There just wasn't that engagement with the characters. I just don't develop a bond with them and therefore had no desire to see them rescued and things resolved. I might try this again at a later time as I just might not have been in the mood for it.

I had very high hopes for this book as the synopsis sounded very intriguing, however, this unfortunately fell quite flat for me.

The world building felt clunky and very choppy, and the plot build-up was achingly slow. All of the action happened in the last 15% of the book, but it was so rushed that it was over before it even really started.

The romance plots also were quite disappointing - I didn't feel the connection or tension between the characters, and I just had trouble overall connecting to the characters in general.

While the premise of the book is a really great idea, I just didn't feel like it was executed in the best or right way.

Dance with the Fae is set just after World War 1 and is a blend of fantasy and historical fiction. The story follows Kit Arton-Price who has recently come back from the war as he uncovers the world of the Fae on the night of his engagement party.

Some have said that the book is slow to start, but I don't see that as a strike against it. It beautifully sets up this fictional world we are in and describes all the relevant details so that I had a great image in my mind as I got further into the book.

The writing was very easy to read and the book left me thinking about it when I wasn't reading. Some of the sentence structure was a little off at times, but nothing too bad.

I would love to have seen more of the intriguing world of the Faedemesne and felt like the end came very quickly. There were a few twists and turns which I didn't expect and I enjoyed being surprised.

Overall a solid book.

"Dance with the Fae" weaves a captivating tale that seamlessly blends historical fiction with the enchanting world of faerie. Set amidst the aftermath of World War I, the novel follows Kit Arton-Price, a war veteran grappling with the physical and emotional scars of his past.

The story takes a dramatic turn when a mysterious illness sweeps through his village, leaving his fiancée, Adelaide, inexplicably asleep. Driven by desperation and a gnawing sense of unease, Kit is drawn into a hidden realm – the ethereal world of the fae.

Hobbe's prose is evocative, painting vivid pictures of both the mundane world of 1919 England and the fantastical realm of the fae. The characters are richly drawn and deeply relatable, with Kit's internal struggles and his burgeoning romance with a captivating faerie providing the emotional core of the narrative.

"Dance with the Fae" is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the enduring power of hope. It's a captivating read that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

My favorite things:

Its unique blend of historical fiction and fantasy: The novel seamlessly intertwines the realities of post-war England with the magic and intrigue of the faerie world.
Its compelling characters: Kit's journey of self-discovery and his complex relationship with the faerie world are both poignant and captivating.
Its atmospheric prose: The author masterfully evokes the mood of both the human and faerie worlds, creating a truly immersive reading experience.
Its exploration of themes of love, loss, and the enduring power of hope: The novel offers a poignant reflection on the human condition and the importance of finding beauty and meaning in the face of adversity.
Overall: "Dance with the Fae" is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, fantasy, and readers who enjoy stories that delve into the depths of the human soul.

Dance with the Fae
by Elisabeth J. Hobbes


Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Romance, Sci Fi & Fantasy

Well, I really liked the sound of this, anything Fae catches my eye ;) I found it very slow to start though, struggled a bit to get in to it, and wanted to smack Adelaide a few times she was so shallow. Then suddenly everything clicked and I was carried along on a mysterious whirlwind of a story, that felt as it it could be so very real. Or maybe thats just my wishful thinking.
There's the horrific tragedies of the Great War, which Kit knows only too well but which everyone wants to gloss over as being In The Past. I so felt for him, and others like him. His losses, hi heartbreak, and the future mapped out for him by tradition and convention. Adelaide grew on me eventually and of course the Fae side of the story – perfect.
I love that it all works out in the end, the mystery of it, the weaving of human life stories and Fae. I know its a story I'll reread, it was fabulous.

Stars: Five, a marvellous read, I loved it.

ARC supplied by netgalley and publishers

This synopsis caught my attention because it's so rare to read any kind of fae story where the human man enters the fae realm. I want more of that idea. Unfortunately that is where my intrigue ended with this story. I didn't enjoy the setting, the writing, or the characters. I had to dnf it at 15% which is a shame because I didn't even get into the thick of the story. The writing felt overly formal to the point I kept thinking I was reading a regency era story but it's not. I wasn't connecting with the main characters and was even tiresome of the fmc. I was mildly intrigued by the fae, the one character I met who I suspect is fae. I got the vibe this might be a bad or trickster fae story but I'll never know because on top of everything else I have spent 3 weeks trying to read this story every day and only reached 15%. The writing isn't bad by any means it's just not writing I enjoy reading.

Combine historical fiction about post-First World War trauma with fae fantasy and LGBTQ representation, and you’ll never go wrong. Dance with the Fae turned out to be so much more than I expected. It’s a captivating story—both tender and melancholic. I truly loved this book.

The protagonist of Dance with the Fae is Kit, a young hero of the Great War. Upon returning home, he must contend not only with the haunting memories of the trenches but also with the heavy societal expectations placed upon him. As the eldest son, Kit is expected to inherit the family estate and marry his childhood friend Adelaide, who comes with a generous dowry. However, at their engagement party, Kit and Adelaide meet the enigmatic duo—Mr. Silas Wilde and Miss Alexandra Dove. It quickly becomes clear that this encounter will lead to unforeseen consequences—and a journey into the fae realm.

Some readers might find the pacing in this book a bit uneven, especially at the start. However, the slower beginning didn’t bother me at all. I was deeply impressed by Kit’s portrayal: a man who survived the war, only to return home and feel even more isolated, with no one who shares his experiences or with whom he can truly talk. Honestly, I could have read about this alone and never gotten bored. Once the story shifts to the fae world, things pick up considerably—the action becomes more dynamic, and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked.

This novel also excels at capturing the social realities of post-war England. On the one hand, it’s clear that returning to the pre-war world was impossible, and certain attitudes were no longer sustainable. On the other hand, England remained a deeply intolerant country, still rooted in conservative social structures. The fae world, dangerous and unpredictable, acts as a magnifying lens that amplifies the harshness and injustice of the human world. The fae realm also provides an excellent backdrop for the book’s LGBTQ representation, which is handled convincingly.

I’m aware of a few flaws in the book. Aside from the slower pacing, I sometimes felt that the behavior of certain secondary characters was a bit too overtly designed to provoke specific reactions from the reader, making it difficult to fully root for Kit’s relationship with them. Additionally, the resolution of the main “quest,” while satisfying, came surprisingly quickly and without much of a struggle.

That said, I still consider this book an ideal read for me. It strikes a perfect balance between history and fantasy, and should appeal to anyone interested in historical fiction and the First World War (especially if you’re looking for something a bit sweeter than the usual tales of trench warfare). On the other hand, fans of fae stories will definitely want to give this one a try. I highly recommend it.

I've been back and forth with my opinions on this book. I think it finished too neatly, for certain. The premise was excellent but the writing, at times, took me out of it. It didn't feel fully polished. Many of the characters' actions and words were predictable or theatrical

This was really well done, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed about the genre. The characters were everything that I was hoping for and enjoyed from this type of book. I thought this worked well as a way to tell the world and was engaged with what was happening. I enjoyed the way Elisabeth J. Hobbes wrote this and hope to read more from Elisabeth J. Hobbes.

This story was definitely different to read! It was good, but very different. I would highly suggest this book to anyone who wants something different than the norm fantasy.

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up to 4

I really enjoyed this book. I read it all in one day as I was enticed and I haven’t read a book like this before I loved the historical element to it. That being said it did take until about halfway through for anything to really happen but once we got to that point, the plot was fantastic. I really had a really good time with it and I do like a slow paced book
I liked the writing style in this, it was able to keep me wanting to carry on and I really enjoyed the descriptions in this book. The world building as well was really good. I liked Kit, I really enjoyed his character.

The reason for the rating is it did take me a while to get into it, I do enjoy slow pace books but I just needed a bit more at the beginning.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book