
Member Reviews

Dance With the Fae by Elisabeth J. Hobbes
Publish Date February 27th
‘Dance With the Fae’ is the story of Kit, a war survivor, who, after the arrival of two strangers, finds himself on a journey to save his fiancée from a mysterious sleeping illness.
There was so much I enjoyed about this book, but I especially enjoyed the utter uniqueness most of all.
This book is an interesting blend of fairytale, history, mythology, romance, fantasy and mystery. Kit, our protagonist, is full of heart, but he is also flawed in a number of ways, which makes his character likeable and unlike any I have met before.
The fae characters in this story are definitely more reminiscent of fae in the old British and Irish tales then the modern romanticised fae that most readers are currently familiar with.
The storyline itself was easy to follow while remaining engaging.
Overall, I would give this book 4 solid stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book.
Overall this historical fantasy reads closer to a true fairy tale, rather than the typical romantasy fae based stories I've been seeing get popular over the last few years. While I found the premise to be interesting, reminding me of older fae-based romance stories from the early to mid-2000s, those looking for somthing a kin to ACOTAR may not find what they are looking for here.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise of the story, and I do enjoy historic fiction that use fairy tale elements, however I did find the pacing slower than I would have liked for a book this size. However, a man as the MC rather than a woman was a welcome change compared to many popular books. While it is something I enjoyed reading, it is also a book that I believe will be fun for some, is not what others are looking for.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
I love fantasy and faeare one of my favorite fantasy characters.
This book kept my interest from page one to the end.
I read it over the course of a day and a half .
Hoping for a sequel.
Recommend.

This story is an intoxicating blend of romance, mystery, sci-fi, and magic. The blend of historical context and fantasy is beautifully done, pulling you into a world where the line between reality and magic blurs. The eerie “sleeping sickness” mystery keeps the tension high, while the underlying romance between Kit and Adelaide adds emotional depth. It’s a captivating tale of healing, secrets, and the supernatural.

Dance with the Fae is a fantasy romance with a historical, post-war setting. The start of the book establishes a really atmospheric and intriguing story but it is a little slow to get Kit's journey into Faedemesne started. Kit was an interesting, realistic and well-rounded character, but Adelaide was particularly unlikeable. I think this was intentional so that the reader doesn't root for her to be with Kit, but maybe it went a bit too far - I didn't think she had any redeemable qualities, even just as a friend to Kit rather than as a legitimate love interest.
It isn't specified in the blurb or marketing that I've seen so far so it's probably worth mentioning (despite possibly verging into spoiler territory) that the romance in this book is between a bisexual man and a Fae who can take both male and female forms, but who spends the majority of the book in female form. The book isn't afraid of addressing the fact that homosexuality was still a crime at the time this book is set, and showing how this impacts Kit and a few side characters.
It was a really unique Fae tale and had a strong and interesting human MMC at its heart.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

I could not get into this. No matter how hard I tried. It was confusing, and slow. I hate to not finish a book, it’s truly sad for me, because I know how much time goes into writing, but I just couldn’t get through this one.

This book was very hard to follow, I felt like I was constantly missing something, yet somehow it was painfully slow.
It was as if nothing happened before 30%, then again a blank before 60% and again until 95%.
In theory this has all the hallmarks of a book I would like but the execution wasn’t there for me at all.

This story follows more closely to fae in old English tales rather than a modern imagining, and I really enjoyed the fairy tale, whimsical world that was created.
I really enjoyed our main character being a male. He's a character with a lot of depth - this book takes place at a very difficult time for many, but especially the young soldiers who fought.
All these elements are woven together to craft a magical story. Overall for me the story lacked depth so I didnt feel a deep connection to the characters, which is a quality I relish in the books I read. For me, this was a 3.5 stars and I've rounded it up to 4 stars here.
Thank you so much to Harper Collins UK for the ARC via NetGalley and for giving me the opportunity to share my honest thoughts on this book.

Dance with the Fae is not like any fae novel I have experienced before. It felt very realistic and the characters had the same types of reactions I can imagine people would actually have when meeting fae. With that being said, it was so easy to get drawn into the world the author created for readers and I absolutely devoured this story. Kit was such an amazing character and I loved that he didn't sacrifice his morals for anything.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I could put this book down – absolutely loved it.

Good read, though it was not fully my vibe.
- fairy tale retelling vibes with aspects from familiar stories
- historical timeframe
- urban fantasy
- heartwarming, light read

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Elisabeth Hobbes for providing me with an ARC of Dance with the Fae in exchange for my honest review.
Dance with the Fae is a fantasy novel with historical elements and a touch of romance. The story follows Kit Arton-Price, a war hero who returns home with plans to marry his childhood friend, Adelaide. When Adelaide is suddenly taken to the realm of the fae, Kit embarks on a journey to rescue her and bring her back to the human world.
One of the highlights of this book is the fae realm itself. These sections are beautifully described, with an enchanting and magical atmosphere that truly immerses the reader. I also appreciated the inclusion of queer representation, which felt refreshing and thoughtfully incorporated into the narrative.
While the premise is intriguing, the story unfolds at a very slow pace. It doesn't gain momentum until around the halfway point, which made it difficult for me to stay engaged initially. Although Kit is a compelling protagonist, I found it challenging to connect with the other characters, particularly Adelaide. This made it harder to feel fully invested in their fates or relationships.
Ultimately, Dance with the Fae didn’t fully resonate with me. The slow pacing, combined with characters I struggled to connect with, made the story feel less impactful. However, readers who enjoy atmospheric world-building and patient storytelling may find this novel more appealing.

Dance With the Fae is so so good. I couldn't stop reading this book. I rated it 5 stars because I really enjoyed every single second of it.

Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth J. Hobbes, published by Harper Collins UK One More Chapter, is a beautiful piece of art. An historical fiction story that gives all the feels.
Blurb: 1919 May Day
Kit Arton-Price should be celebrating. It's his engagement party and, unlike many young men of his generation, he survived The Great War. Whilst his fiancée, Adelaide, is dancing with one of their guests, the enigmatic Mr Wilde, the scars on Kit's face bear the heavy toll of battle – and the scars on his heart bear a secret he's been forced to carry in silence.
In the morning, Adelaide cannot be woken and the village doctor declares it's the mystifying 'Sleeping Sickness' – an unexplainable epidemic affecting society.
But there is more to this sickness than first appears and it's not long before Kit is lured into a strange new realm. One of magic and danger. The realm of the fae.

A stunningly enchanting, heartwarming and emotional read. Dance with the Fae is unique, I adored Kit, Valentine and Valentin and his heroic efforts to rescue Addie. A five star read.

This is a such a wonderful story full of real history as well as fairytale staples. The whole cast of characters is so unique and well written. I love the world building of Faedemesne in particular as well as Kit’s reaction to it. Kit is such a loyal and protective person and always wants to do what he believe is right, even at a detriment to himself. It’s clear that he doesn’t jive with Addie more than a sisterly bond and has better chemistry with other characters. Great pacing and character development and an enchanting story with great representation. I think I would like Silas more if I saw more of his ‘missing two years’ development. But a wonderful read overall! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.