Decades after the Republic was destroyed, the 5 Clans and the Kingsland are all fighting for control. Isadora, the daughter of the Clans’ leader, is a healer who is willing to risk her life in order to help care for injured soldiers.

When she is shot with a poisoned arrow by his sodliers, Tristan, an enemy assassin, saves Isadora using a rare magic which binds them together. Isadora must navigate enemy territory, mistrust and danger as she tries to make sense of what’s happened, and how she can get back home.

This is a fast paced book that had me hooked from the start and rescued me from a reading slump. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic really worked, and the tension had me completely invested in Tristan and Isadora’s story.

Without giving too much away, the plot takes unexpected turns that I didn’t see coming, and I loved it. It added a whole extra layer of depth and kept twisting and turning right up until the end.

Isadora stands out with her strength, intelligence and no-nonsense nature. I enjoyed being in her head. I did find myself wishing for a little more development from the side characters and Tristan in particular, but given the shorter length and YA setting, I think it does a solid job with the space it has.

The world building here is one of my favorite elements. The setting unfolded in a really compelling way, blending the dystopian elements with magic and myth.

This magic-meets-dystopia style is new to me, and I love it and definitely would love to read more like it! The romance is sweet, and balances the mistrust and very real danger that the characters face.

This is a really enjoyable read that I’d happily recommend, especially to my fellow enemies-to-lovers fans. This is such a fun way to retell the myth of Tristan and Isolde, and I’m literally running to look up more retellings because this has helped me fall in love with their story.

Read this if you love:

Enemies to Lovers

Myth Retellings

Stabby FMCs

Dystopian Fantasy

Politics, tension & romance

YA Fantasy

4.25⭐ LOVED this and it had me hooked the whole time. A dystopian fantasy made for an interesting concept. The plot dives straight in and the fast pace quickly throws you into what seems like a very intriguing post apocalyptic world where one side of civilisation were able to rebuild better than another causing intense conflict.

Immediately warmed to the MMC Tristan and his sacrifice to marry Isadora to save her life without even knowing her. Although they were linked by ‘the connection’ I felt that the feelings for each other developed out of nowhere? I didn’t really understand how it got to that point so quickly but when it did, I found their flirtatiousness through the connection to be so cute. I also found this contrasted with the very seriousness of the war between the Kingsland and the clans.

Isadora as an FMC is a curious yet naive girl who has been led to believe a lie her entire life. Interesting to unravel her realisation of this throughout and then increasingly portray her need for peace as a result.

Liam showing up was the plot twist I did not see coming! Things heated up really quick after that and I just LOVED the tension and anticipation! The escape, getting caught and the punishment?! Could not put it down.

Would have liked a bit more of a slow burn between the characters but overall I found this plot to be different from a lot of my previous reads which was so refreshing!

I absolutely adore this cover and it was the main reason why I requested it but now that I've read it I'm even more glad that I did. It exceeded my expectations so much and if you love romantasy stories set in dystopian worlds with rivals clans, magic and politics this one is for you 🫵🏻

Tristan and Isolde stole my heart with their high stakes romance and the twists and turns of this story kept me hooked. With the added bonus of the rare magical connection they shared really bumped this up to almost a 5 star read for me and it made it to a ⭐⭐⭐⭐.75 stars!

Although it's a young adult book I really wouldn't put this one off if you prefer adult books because this did have a lot of elements of an adult romantasy we all know and love.

Thank you to the publisher and for the arc 🫶🏻

Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy (baby’s first NetGalley approval!). All of the opinions in this review are my own.

I usually prefer shorter fantasy series (a standalone fantasy? We love to see her) and I’m not sure if there’s going to be another book after this one, but I think this particular story would’ve worked better as a duology. It started out feeling like classic high fantasy, but then the dystopian setting was revealed which I thought was such a great twist. I just wish that part had more time to breathe. It could have had an even greater impact if the reveal came later, with a slower build-up.

The romance between Isolde and Tristan also felt a little rushed. The story explains why their connection happens so fast, and it makes sense from Tristan’s side since he’s known her longer. But for Isolde, it felt like her feelings developed in just a few days which made it harder for me to feel invested in their relationship.

That said, there’s still a lot to love here. The plot twists were great, especially the one about Isolde’s father near the end. The writing was also very solid and really enjoyable throughout. For a debut, I thought this was impressive, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from this author..

I was drawn by this beautiful cover but the story wasn’t made for me, I was bummed out when I finished and I did not liked it since I was too excited to read it

Melissa Poett has written a great book! I was in a bit of a reading slump before this and this book has picked me back up. Melissa Poett has created a great balance between fantasy and dystopian.
I loved reading about Isadora’s journey and growth. The romance was fitted in perfectly and wasn’t the only source of plot. I wouldn’t say it’s a true enemy’s to lovers but it does successfully itch a scratch.
Some of the themes in the book are very topical at the moment and have been handled well. There were points I just wanted to scream at people for Isadora. It also cracked the intense and crazy ‘what’s going to happen next’ last 100 or so pages. I was hooked!

A fantasy/sci-fi twist on Tristan and Isolde is so unique! The worldbuilding was immersive, I was hooked from the start, the characters are ones you root for and the romance was gorgeous

Oh how I absolutely adored this book. I am so glad I picked it up. Many books are labelled as "enemies to lovers" but I would say that The Enemy's Daughter is one of the few true enemies-to-lovers books out there. This one is set in a dystopian universe. It truly gave me all the feels and I finished it in just two sittings.

The main characters Isadora and Tristan are both stunningly written, and their passion and chemistry is something many can only dream of. The writing is impeccable and truly embodies the tension and yearning they feel for one another. The lengths that they went to for each other took my breath away and I absolutely loved how fast-paced the story was. I adored the magical theme of the "connection" and there was also the perfect mix of political intrigue, making the story captivating at every page from start to finish.

The romance in this book was truly stunning and it for sure will be one to touch many people's hearts. Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC, it was a phenomenal read and I am sure many people will love it as much as I did!

It’s been thirty-seven years since the fall of the Republic, and the world is in turmoil as the five clans and the Kingsland battle for control. Isadora, the fearless daughter of the leader of one of the clans, has always been willing to risk her life on the battlefield to help her comrades. But when she intervenes to stop an attack from Tristan, a ruthless Kingsland assassin, she is struck by a poisoned arrow and left to die.

Just when all hope seems lost, Tristan does the unthinkable: he offers to save her life using a rare and powerful magic. But in choosing to live, Isadora unknowingly binds herself to Tristan, establishing a magical connection that allows him to access her emotions, her deepest memories, and the very information he needs to destroy the clans.

Set against the backdrop of a fractured world and steeped in magic, The Enemy’s Daughter is a stunning reimagining of the legendary tale of Tristan and Isolde. This gripping debut YA romantasy blends the tension of enemies-to-lovers with a rich dystopian world full of secrets, betrayal, and danger.

The Enemy’s Daughter is an intoxicating read, with a slow-burn romance that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The complex relationship between Isadora and Tristan builds beautifully, drawing you into their tense, yet undeniable connection. The magical elements woven into the story add depth and intrigue, making the book even more compelling. The dystopian world-building is immersive, and the high stakes make every moment feel urgent. If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers stories set in dark, magical worlds, this is a book you'll want to devour. The unexpected twists and the emotionally charged plot make it an unforgettable read!

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

The Enemy’s Daughter 🤍
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5 stars

When I tell you I was hooked from the first chapter … I mean it!

The enemies to lovers trope was fast, addicting and undeniably adorable. I really liked the connection they have and figuring out how the magic worked alongside Isadora. I loved how they were able to share the pain and also the happiness.

In the last few chapters it was though I could feel how heartbreaking it was to learn the truth about her father, and how she might have had to go back to a world where no one listened to women. The writing was beautiful, I felt like I was able to understand all the emotions Tristan and Isadora went through.

I would’ve liked to have abit more context about the old world, about why it was bombed and everything the old world consisted of, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

4 stars
Dysotopian romance. There are 2 clans constantly battling for control over land. The land having been bombed is mostly toxic for them and so they fight for the safe, but limited, parts. Main fmc is a healer and daughter of the leader of one party. She's promised to whomever kills the leader of the other party and she's willing to do her duty despite the many feelings she has inside herself warring with the idea. I found the mfc quite interesting, she's brave but not senselessly and at the risk of everything she knows. Whilst secretly healing soldiers, she gets poisoned by an arrow and saved by the mmc, thus starting the real story full of emotion, heart tugging and heart v head battles.
It's a fun romantic cat and mouse will they won't they seeing as their enemies. A satisfying good read
Solid choice.This review is early thanks to netgalley, despite that this is an unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this book but first I wanna take a minute for the cover art…. It is stunning and it led me to want to read this in the first place. I would sell a limb to get a special edition of this book 🥺

Now where do I start? So the beginning was slightly confusing. The first 50-100 pages or so made me unsure of where the book was going. There were a lot of different names and lack of context of “the old world” which could have been clearer. We were never told about why they were bombed and I would’ve liked a little more backstory and world building.

I also wouldn’t consider this enemies to lovers, I wouldn’t say this was “insta love” but it was definitely faster than I was expecting. Tristan and Isadora were very cute though (I’m a sucker for a healer FMC) and I really liked the connection between them both. I enjoyed how their magic worked through the marriage between them - it clicked in my head at the end of the book when Tristan said “in sickness and in health” which meant that they really shared their pain and happiness in a literal sense. I know that seems obvious now, but it was a nice touch!

The writing was beautiful, after getting past the first 10% or so I flew through this book. Melissa is a great writer. I was nervous that the ending was going to ruin the rating for me, but I am quite pleased with how it ended! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy, I am so glad I had the chance to read this! I definitely recommend picking this up when it’s released💖

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC.

Unfortunately, I DNF'd this book at 56%. The cover is beautiful and I love dystopia novels, but from the first page something felt very jarring about this book to me. The worldbuilding feels underdeveloped, the pacing was entirely too slow for me (up to this point things have just been happening to her/happened off stage, barring her initial action), and the characters and their interactions just annoyed me. I took would not trust my life long enemies after they poison and kidnap me. Just because you're married doesn't mean your allegiance suddenly changes. If the townspeople are allowed to hold a grudge against her then why can't she hold a grudge against him? Not a fan of instalove. Sorry.

DNF @ 31%

Good premise poorly executed.

I can see this novel being popular with Romantasy fans but I found the world-building underdeveloped and romance too fast burn for my personal taste.

I’m unsure what time period this takes place and what the physical environment looks like. Modern technologies are mentioned but 37 years after a nuclear bomb any sense of that is lost and we have a patriarchal social system with politically arranged marriages. I just don’t see how societal regression would have been that quick. Maybe if there was more background about the Republic and why it fell it would have helped. The world history, magic system, character descriptions all too vague.

I absolutely adore this book! I felt like it had elements that aren’t over used in most of the recent releases. I loved the concept of the connection and just everything about the book overall honestly! Very wonderfully written!

The Tristan and Isolde movie was one of my favorite movies to watch as a teen/college student, so I knew I had to check this book out!
This is definitely not a slow burn in terms of them pining for/falling for each other but I'm an instalove fan so that didn't bother me. I enjoyed the post-apocalyptic vibe as I feel like this is something we don't get nearly enough of in books. This was a "clean" YA that I would easily offer to my high school students who are voracious romance and fantasy readers like I am.

A stunning reimagining of Tristan and Isolde set in a dystopian world woven with magic.
A lot of books usually either have a super good beginning or an amazing end. It's pretty rare for me to find one that has both but this defiantly had such a great beginning and all the way through pace that kept me wanting to keep reading like crazy.

This book single-handedly restored my love for YA dystopian romantasy. It made me think of The Selection, The Hunger Games (vibe-wise) and The Host in the BEST way.

Although I do have to say that if you gravitate toward plot-heavy novels, you might be disappointed, as this one is very focused on the romance and the main couple.

To me, it felt very nostalgic to those excellent dystopias with forced proximity and a healthy dose of hate-to-love that we used to have around 2015. The fierce healer who would do anything to prevent a war? The smart enemy trained to fight, yet incredibly tender? The two clans trying to survive in a desolate world? The reading experience reminded me of being 15 and reading under the covers until midnight on a school night.

The conflict was done well and the MMC could have been an Ali Hazelwood’s LI with the level of devotion and longing and patience he had for the FMC. I loved how the magic was used to create a fascinating and riveting blend of tension, angst and intimacy. Every one of their interactions is brimming with wariness and attraction, and I was completely enchanted.

The plot twist was predictable and kind of straight-forward, but, without giving away any spoiler, I liked how it resonated with how men are currently socialised. I would’ve loved for this topic to be more developed, but it made for a satisfying plot twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a really fun, fast paced and easy to get into read. I don't think I've ever read a Tristan and Isolde retelling before so I liked this take on it. I was surprised at how fast things developed emotionally between out two MC's, but I think fans of a fast paced or insta connection tropes will eat this up!

Thank you so much to Harper Fire for my ARC!

3.5/5

Oh this book! Where do I start?
The Enemy's Daughter by Melissa Poett is such a good story. I loved every single second of it and I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic.