In this brilliant debut novel, Darcy Ash’s new queer romantasy novel brings a beautiful kingdom to life in this unique and intense story. As Prince Fierre prepares to take the throne, he struggles with a mystery illness, greedy lords, and possibly unrequited love with Aiven, a former farm boy and now his right hand advisor. Inspired by Scotland but totally unlike other fantasy worlds, the political intrigue and personal struggle of this novel really brings the emotional nature of this powerful new release to life. Readers should be advised that one character suffers from an eating disorder which addresses both the physical and mental aspects of an ED in graphic detail (by both the individual and by other people witnessing their ED), and violence, sexual assault, slut shaming, and bullying are also present throughout the book in varying degrees of intensity and detail. The characters are well-written and fascinatingly complex, while the world-building is really the star of this novel for the complex political settings and interesting cultural traditions and backdrop. Intense and immersive, this powerful and unique new novel has a strong emotional storyline that the readers will really get drawn into as it progresses and as Fierre and Aivan grow in the face of their new circumstances.

DNF. The portrayal of the main character’s eating disorder felt shallow. I was so looking forward to seeing ED explored in a male protagonist, but the worldbuilding was so strange, this never quite hit the mark.

This book had an interesting element in the ED rep. Everything else felt basic fantasy! I would recommend it for fans of romantasy and light fantasy where the fantasy is more a setting than a whole element.

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.

In The Two Hungers of Prince Fierre, Prince Fierre is caught between his struggles and the weight of expectations from both his noble court and his growing feelings for his best friend. Set in a Scottish-inspired fantasy world, this gripping tale explores themes of self-love, queer joy, and healing from disordered eating.

🔹 A Royal Struggle – Prince Fierre is haunted by a mystery illness, but his struggles extend beyond health. Surrounded by lords demanding favours, he also has to contend with feelings for his best friend, Aiven—a former farm boy and now his trusted enforcer.

🔹 A Forbidden Love – As Fierre confronts the yearning for Aiven, someone with no noble blood but a heart full of loyalty, he's forced to face his insecurities and desires in a world that prizes nobility over love.

🔹 Healing and Self-Love – Set against a backdrop of glittering aesthetics, this book masterfully blends queer romance with personal growth, showing the struggles of learning to love yourself amidst society’s cruel standards.

Perfect for fans of:

✔️ Queer romance with a happily-ever-after
✔️ Books like A Marvellous Light & A Strange and Stubborn Endurance
✔️ Stories of self-discovery and healing

A compelling and tender exploration of overcoming personal demons while navigating love and identity. Prince Fierre’s journey will have readers turning pages for the triumphant finale they’ve been waiting for.

3.5/5.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

thank you so much to netgalley, rebellion publishing, and darcy ash for approving me for an arc! i genuinely wasn’t expecting to love this book so much, but i was completely hooked once i got past the first few chapters. the relationship between fierre and aiven was so soft and sweet, and their dynamic was gorgeous to read. lower stakes and an easier resolution than one would expect from a romantic political novel about a soon-to-be king, but somehow that didn’t take away from the plot for me. overall, i really enjoyed it!

This book didn't work for me and it wasn't just because of the triggers, I found the way that aspects of things were handled weren't done well. I originally picked it because I loved the cover but I couldn't finish it, DNF at 41%

In The Two Hungers of Prince Fierre by Darcy Ash, the author has created a story that is both complex and healing. The novel is set in a Scottish like fantasy kingdom that sets up the main idea that the king must be the pinnacle of perfection. From there, Darcy Ash writes a story that combines disordered eating with healing and a romance between Fierre and his best friend, Aiven.
Told from both Fierre’s point of view and Aiven’s, the novel had me hooked from the first chapter as we see the vulnerability and awareness of Fierre. The relationship between the two is well built, allowing time for the two to realize their feelings as Fierre also learns the truth of his mystery illness. I appreciated the exploration of disordered eating and the complexity around healing. Those ideas, hunger, also ties well into the world and the title of the novel.
Ultimately, if you like novels that are complex and healing, this story might be for you. It is a beautiful gay romance that also handles ideas of disordered eating with sensitivity and exploring the idea of nobility having to be perfect. I love how the characters react and deal with those issues but most of all, I love how they come together and work to change, to heal both themselves and others.

Loved it, well plotted, great characters and world building
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is a strange one to review. When I started this, I was convinced I'd hate it. The first few chapters were a slog to get through and I was sure that the whole book would be a disappointment. However after the first five or six chapters it began to pick up and I got attached to the characters and the relationship. It still wasn't quite what I was hoping for but I enjoyed this as a whole and think it was a beautiful and well written story.

Truthfully, it just wasn't quite what I expected it to be - I was hoping for a bit more fantasy and a bit less ED. I just couldn't get into the story, I guess first because the ED was so omnipresent and second because the world building quite lacked. The romance was ok but good have been handled even better.

Before reading this book, make sure to read the content warnings, and please take them seriously. There are a lot of really hard to read scenes in this story, so be prepared. 

The story in The Two Hungers of Prince Fierre is quite simple, our main character Fierre is in love with his best friend Aiven, he's also a freshly crowned Prince, sleeps with his lords and has an eating disorder created by his family's traditions. And that's it. There's nothing more to this book. There are mentions on how Fierre wants to be different from his father, he tries to know more about his subjects and make some changes, but it quickly goes back to his hunger. The story is missing something more. There's some intrigue that appears almost at the end, but everything is resolved very quickly and in one case off-screen. 

Fierre is our first narrator, he can be annoying at times, but I mostly felt pity toward him and I could clearly see why he's behaving this way. The second narrator is Aiven, Fierre's best friend and newly appointed right-hand man. He was a little too basic for me, too stereotypical and missing some character. 

I also had a problem with the world building, there's not a lot of it. It feels not completed, like the author created things so they matched the story. 

I'm lacking the knowledge on eds and psychology, so I won't rate how this topic was presented in this book.

Content Warnings: Eating Disorders/Disordered Eating, Purging, Body Dysmorphia, Sexual Acts as Currency (Sexual Favors)

I think the romance between main characters Fierre and Aiven was the real strength of this book. The relationship felt like it grew naturally and genuinely from childhood up until the present. I also thought, overall, Fierre and Aiven were engaging characters.

Unfortunately, I think the lack of worldbuilding was a detriment. For example, while the devastation of disordered eating and body dysmorphia are excellently conveyed via Fierre’s character, it’s weird how accepting everyone is of his behavior given that he’s ONLY a third generation to be held to such standards. Same with the sexual favors aspect, which seems to have come about at the same time. If these had been a longer standing traditions baked into the core of royal duties, it’d make sense – but for people to still be alive who can remember when it WASN’T like this and that not being more well known or addressed just felt like bad storytelling.

This book had a very interesting premise, but my overall impressions from the book were dampened by the fact that the said premise seemed to be clashing with the setting and the inspiration it draws from. For a UK based reader, at the end of the day I find it hard to immerse myself with a version of Scotland that glorifies being thin… if it was exactly the same stuff but set somewhere in the galaxy far, far away I think I would have less of a brain itch about it.

Many thanks to Solaris/Solaris Nova for a complimentary eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

As Prince Fierre ascends the throne, he contends with several problems. He must balance the demands of his court (who wrangle for advancement, titles, and even sexual favours) while he battles with his own disordered eating and body dysmorphia. He elevates his best friend and longtime platonic companion, Aiven, as his right hand which should make things easier...if not for his yearning for a romantic relationship with the serious and reliable Aiven. Aiven, meanwhile, does his best to support his best friend. As everything conspires to tear these two apart, Fierre and Aiven are drawn ever closer together and to a path forward.

First things first, there are content warnings abound for disordered eating and body dysmorphia, purging, dubious consent and sexual assault, and others. I can imagine that parts of this novel can be very difficult to read for people who have experience with these. As sensitively as one can, I think Darcy Ash does a good job to write sensitively, never gratuitously, but this book may not be for everyone, understandably.

This is a slow-burn romance where the growth of the characters and their relationships with one another is the focus. Yes, there is a magical setting, faintly reminiscent of Scotland, but world-building is not central to the book (though Darcy Ash leaves us with just enough tidbits to tantalise us about exactly how this world works). Fierre and Aiven's growing bond is delightful and the pay-off is very satisfying when the pair can come together for their happily ever after. The characterisation is not very deep but there is enough for the reader to fill in the gaps and we learn enough about the main characters' backgrounds, motivations, and psychology to move the story along. Given the focus on Fierre and Aiven's relationship and the focus on Fierre's development, pacing was very tricky to manage. Some of the broader subplots about rulership and the schemes of the various courtiers are underdeveloped by comparison and things sometimes felt like they occurred and were resolved abruptly.

All in all, I think this is a worthwhile read if you appreciate a romance between two good friends who overcome the odds together. Some readers may struggle with the heavier content or the world-building but there is a genuine sweetness and tenderness between the main characters which still shines through.

5/10

Thank you to NetGalley and Solaris Books for providing me with an eARC for this book.

I find this book hard to review because it really wasn’t for me. There were parts of this book I enjoyed: I liked the main characters, I liked elements of the romance, I liked the books approach to healing. However, the execution didn’t land for me.

A lot of my issues with the book come with the ‘fantasy’ parts of this ‘romantasy’ story. Much of the world building felt either lacking or inconsistent. The use of Scottish words throughout didn’t feel like they carried much significance for their use in this world.

Additionally, the subplot of Fierre’s progression towards societal change felt underdeveloped. Whilst this was fine as an underlying subplot, once it was given full focus in the final portion of the book I found it hard to be invested or to believe in the effectiveness of Fierre’s plans.

When it comes to the romance parts of the story I found the book was more successful. The two main characters were charismatic and had plenty of chemistry. Parts of their dynamic didn’t make much sense to me and things definitely felt rushed, but, ultimately I’m always happy to see a good mlm romance in a fantasy setting.

The book deals with some very heavy and triggering issues, primarily Fierre’s eating disorder. Fortunately, this was given a lot of space within the story to be fully explored and is generally well handled. I did have some issues with the linking of this and the world building, as the driving cause behind Fierre’s eating disorder is his status as a royal. This felt limiting and somewhat simplifies Fierre’s illness. Despite this, whilst I cannot speak to the experiences personally, the details of Fierre’s actions and thought processes felt realistic and well written.

As well as this, the book explores sexual violence and the use of sex as both a political tool and a form of self harm. This topic was approached with a lot more nuance and complexity than I expected and far more than I have found in other books. Additionally, all of the sex scenes were well written to conveyed the tone of the range of interactions and dynamics found in the story well.

Whilst writing this review I’ve suddenly found that I have a lot to say and a lot to discuss about this book. I think this is indicative of where a lot of the book’s issues come from, it’s trying to deal with too much. This has resulted in a book with a lot of good ideas, but, many aspects are left feeling underdeveloped.

With his ascension to Prince Regent, Fierre Dannatyne is now the Sky, a living embodiment of godly perfection. With his father’s health fading, Fierre must wade through a morass of savage clan politics, while navigating the rigid expectations of his role as Sky. The only one on his side is Aiven Grian, his best friend and the Star of the Sky. Though Aiven’s promotion has not been popular, he is the one man Fierre can trust implicitly.

Aiven is not sure he is worthy to be the Star of the Sky, but he will do his best if it means he can help Fierre. The weight of the regency is a gruesome one and Fierre struggles to balance all that he must be, both physically and mentally. When the king’s health takes a turn for the worse, Fierre and Aiven travel to a distant island to see him. Far from home, Fierre deals with a growing treachery at court and the ramifications of his own worsening health. With Aiven at his side, Fierre must untangle a web of lies, confront his own demons, and determine what kind of king he wants to be.

The Two Hungers of Prince Fierre is well written and the world building, which is heavily Scottish in flavor, is also generally well developed. But everything about Fierre’s eating disorder was a challenge to process. It’s designed to be that way, of course, and I applaud the author for tackling such a weighty topic and doing so in a unique way. But for anyone with food-related triggers, the book may be a difficult read. It certainly was for me, even though my relationship to food is quite different than Fierre’s. So just be aware of this aspect going forward.

Fierre’s entire sense of self worth is wrapped up with his role as a prince and, by extension, the sexual favors he must grant to the men at court. He knows no other way and he has spent his entire life trying to mold himself into the kind of prince his father demands. But doing so has stripped him of his health and his well-being. Aiven is Fierre’s closest friend and even he is bound by the strict rules of their society. Their romance is sweet and, while not particularly deep or passionate, it does read like a long-time friendship finally blossoming into something more. And Aiven is the only one who cares about Fierre without also demanding something from him. So that offered a layer to their romance I appreciated.

The overall resolution to The Two Hungers of Prince Fierre was disappointing. It felt too easy and and it lacked the tension the rest of the novel possessed. In a way, it seemed somewhat dishonest and minimized the struggles Fierre went through up to that point. Other readers may view this differently, but certain challenges Fierre faced were resolved too neatly. I won’t go into further details to avoid spoilers, but the last quarter of the book was frustrating, especially given Fierre’s skewed relationship with food.

The Two Hungers of Prince Fierre was a good book, but it wasn’t an easy one. There were parts that were difficult to read and there are certain scenes that some will find potentially triggering. Fierre and Aiven are a charming couple and their personal journey will please most readers. The writing was fairly strong and well rounded, but I found the last quarter of the novel disingenuous. That said, I think most readers will find something to appreciate about The Two Hungers of Prince Fierre and how it tackles a challenging topic.

I was not expecting what I read when I started this book, but it that is not a bad thing. I was honestly not expecting it to be so raw and full of emotional depth.

I'm really sad. I wanted to like this book so much, but it just didn't work for me. I have been craving a queer, fantasy and was excited to give The Two Hungers of Prince Fierre a read, hoping that it would be just what I was looking for. Sadly, it was not. I struggled with some of the characters experiences. I can handle some hard-to read situations when they are done well; I just didn't feel like that was the case in this book.

This was a tough read for many reasons. Firstly, I was unaware of how guttural the eating disorder topic would be, how deep it would get. That’s on me, however a lot of things in this book just didn’t make sense to me. Why the supposed ruler was forced to do sexual acts, how the love interest didn’t notice he was starving himself. For a debut this was a very well done story, but I sadly couldn’t completely get on board with it. I was specifically caught off guard by how quickly the ED was ‘fixed.’ Given the entire plot revolved around it, I expected it to be handled better at the end.