Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️🌶️🌶️
(ARC)
I'm not going to lie; I'm not the biggest full fantasy girl so I didn't really know what to expect from this one and I will say that I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed the world that this book took place in and I found myself truly interested in the story even though at some parts it was kind of predictable. I think the standout of this book to me is the found family aspect and the cast of side characters. I'm really excited to read more about them and their stories as well. I loved the relationship between Daemon and Alix and the spice was pretty hot. I will definitely be tuning into the rest of this series.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
(ARC)
I'm not going to lie; I'm not the biggest full fantasy girl so I didn't really know what to expect from this one and I will say that I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed the world that this book took place in and I found myself truly interested in the story even though at some parts it was kind of predictable. I think the standout of this book to me is the found family aspect and the cast of side characters. I'm really excited to read more about them and their stories as well. I loved the relationship between Daemon and Alix and the spice was pretty hot. I will definitely be tuning into the rest of this series.
This book was such a fun take on Beauty and the Beast!! Once I started it I didn’t want to put it down. I loved the characters. I also loved the way it was able to be modern and use modern references while also giving that fantasy feel. I really appreciate the arc! And can’t wait to see what stories come next. Especially for a certain couple side characters 👀
What a fun and interesting story that was a mix of contemporary and fantasy. I loved Alix and Daemon and how they couldn’t stay away from each other. Steamy and suspenseful with a happily ever after. Loved it!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the first book in the Enchanted Legacies series, a portal fantasy romance of interconnected standalones. I received an advance review copy and my thoughts are my own. Thank you to the author for my eArc.
Tropes and themes include:
✨ Fairytale reimagining (Beauty & the Beast)
✨ Found family
✨ 30yo FMC trying to get her life together
✨ He’s soft only for her
✨ Humans and fae
✨ Touch her and die (or lose a limb)
✨ He falls first
✨ Bodyguard romance
✨ HEA
✨ He’d burn the kingdom down for her
✨ Curses
Rating: 4/5 Stars 3/5 Flames
Nickname: Peaches
The Lovely: I’m pretty sure the author sprinkled something into this book because I couldn’t put it down. From the hilarious quips from the FMC to the sizzling tension and the mysterious storyline, I was constantly intrigued and sucked in to what was happening.
The Mundane: I wished we could have seen more interactions between the main characters, that weren’t just spice, especially later in the book. It didn’t feel like to me they really connected emotionally - or at least we as the reader didn’t have the opportunity to see/feel it.
Recommendation: Beauty and the Beast was one of my favorite two fairytale growing up and to this day, reimaginings of that story are always my favorite. I enjoyed the nods to Anastasia as well. I cannot wait to read more from this series as books are released and I have some hopes as to who the next FMC might be.
adventurous
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!
Book: A Thorn in Every Heart by Kate King
What do you get when you mix Beauty and the Beast and Anastasia together? A very spicy fairytale mashup!!! Safe to say, I ate this up!! This fairytale world comes with a twist and a curse. A must read if you love modern fairytale retelling with addictive spice and gorgeous bookish art!
“𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦, 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺. 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘐’𝘮 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴.”
I'm a sucker for the found family trope, and this was exactly that!! Loved the different characters and developing friendships. But most of all, I absolutely loved Alix and Daemon!! I enjoyed the tension, the passion, and the back and forth while they're slowly falling in love with what they can't have. The way Daemon protects the ones he loves is perfectly hot
“𝘏𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺. 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘜𝘴.”
I'm in love with the beautiful chapter art!! Every chapter starts with new artwork. It's absolutely gorgeous. It gives you a little teaser of what you're in for within the next chapter your reading. Beware the prying eyes around you, some of these are deliciously spicy
“𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘹. 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳. 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦, 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦. 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.”
I want to thank the author for sending me an eARC to read and review 🖤 loved it thoroughly!!
A beautifully written Beauty & the Beast retelling!
⭐️3/5 stars ⭐️
This is my first Kate King story, and I’m currently looking for more! I was originally drawn to this book because of the personal connections I have with the setting, but it quickly became so much more.
I absolutely loved the characters. They were funny, not annoying in the slightest, and just so well written overall. There were definitely some points where I wanted to throttle Daemon and Alix, but that’s just part of the story, I guess. I also can’t write this review without calling out the fact that this is a romantasy with a FMC in her 30s and I am LIVING for it. The relatability, the added “realism”, it’s just perfect. I wish we had more adult romantasies with actual adult characters like A Thorn in Every Heart.
The plot was fantastic! I felt like it dragged near the middle, but it quickly ramped up, and I couldn’t put it down. Everything wrapped up nicely and it was great. The found family was sweet on both Daemon and Alix’s side. I can’t wait to see how the rest of Daemon’s found family finds their HEAs!!! I need them now.
I think my biggest complaint is there seemed to be… conflicting plot points? There was a huge plot device relating to the idea of fated mates, but I felt like there was a “back-and-forth” over whether or not the idea of fate was important to the plot or not.
Overall, though, I adored this book - I will definitely be buying a physical copy (those spredges!).
Thank you to Kate King’s team for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC of this book.
⭐️3/5 stars ⭐️
This is my first Kate King story, and I’m currently looking for more! I was originally drawn to this book because of the personal connections I have with the setting, but it quickly became so much more.
I absolutely loved the characters. They were funny, not annoying in the slightest, and just so well written overall. There were definitely some points where I wanted to throttle Daemon and Alix, but that’s just part of the story, I guess. I also can’t write this review without calling out the fact that this is a romantasy with a FMC in her 30s and I am LIVING for it. The relatability, the added “realism”, it’s just perfect. I wish we had more adult romantasies with actual adult characters like A Thorn in Every Heart.
The plot was fantastic! I felt like it dragged near the middle, but it quickly ramped up, and I couldn’t put it down. Everything wrapped up nicely and it was great. The found family was sweet on both Daemon and Alix’s side. I can’t wait to see how the rest of Daemon’s found family finds their HEAs!!! I need them now.
I think my biggest complaint is there seemed to be… conflicting plot points? There was a huge plot device relating to the idea of fated mates, but I felt like there was a “back-and-forth” over whether or not the idea of fate was important to the plot or not.
Overall, though, I adored this book - I will definitely be buying a physical copy (those spredges!).
Thank you to Kate King’s team for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC of this book.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
5 ⭐️ | 3🌶️
what to expect:
🌹 Beauty & The Beast meets Anastasia retelling
🌹 Bodyguard romance
🌹 Found family
🌹 Touch her and ☠️
🌹 30yr old FMC
🌹 HEA, Standalone
A big thank you to Kate King for sending me an eARC to read and review. This was my first book of hers and won’t be my last.
We meet our FMC Alix, an almost 30 year old who walks in on her husband and best friend having an affair. She runs off to her grandmother’s to get away and meets our MMC Daemon and they have a steamy one night stand. He mistakes her for her grandmother, Belle, and kidnaps her, bringing her to a world that Alix recognizes as the supposedly fictional kingdom from her Nana’s published books. She’s then tasked with helping the fae break the curse on their kingdom by marrying King Thorne.
Alix is not down to be a pawn, but she does agree to help. She does her best to fill the shoes of Belle, and angst ensues. The King is a narcissist and it doesn’t make sense how her sweet Nana could love him. Daemon is the reluctant bodyguard who has to be with her at all times, and oopsy they fall for each other.
I was locked in the entire time because I really wanted to know the “truth” of the curse. Whew, what a journey!
The banter between Alix and Daemon was *chef’s kiss* and I ate this book up. I brought it along with me on a work cruise and I never wanted to step away! My all time favorite movie is Anastasia, and Dimitri/Anya’s tension will forever stick with me.
There’s lots of fun pop culture references, touch her and 💀 moments, SPICE and found family amongst Alix and Daemon’s friends and family. At times I almost forgot I was meant to be reading a spicy retelling of Beauty and the Beast/Anastasia, I think anybody can pick this up and enjoy it 😊 not to mention the ART for each chapter, such a treat.
Favorite quotes:
"In my head, I’m a slut. But in reality, I just read a lot of spicy books."
"You’re in my head every f*cking second reminding me exactly why I shouldn’t be looking at you. It’s infuriating. You’re infuriating."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Murder
Minor: Kidnapping
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Kate King delivers an absolute masterpiece with A Thorn in Every Heart, a dark(ish) and intoxicating fantasy romance that had me hooked from the very first page. This Beauty and the Beast-inspired retelling is packed with everything I crave in the genre—spice, drama, high-stakes, jealousy, and a romance that burns through the pages.
Alix is a phenomenal heroine—strong, determined, and unwilling to be a pawn in anyone’s game. I loved watching her navigate the dangerous, high-stakes world that King creates, full of courtly deception and power struggles. And Daemon? He is the perfect love interest—brooding, possessive, and utterly captivating. Their chemistry crackles with tension, and the slow-burn romance is everything.
The storytelling is immersive, the world-building is lush, and the plot is layered with twists and emotional depth. Fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses will feel right at home with this book—it’s easily my favorite fantasy romance since ACOTAR. If you love a story where passion collides with danger and love is as deadly as it is beautiful, then A Thorn in Every Heart is a must-read. I devoured this book, and I already can’t wait for more from Kate King!
🌶️🌶️🌶️
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Full review to follow *arc Review
I loved it!
I loved it!
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The moment I saw the smallest blurb about this book, I knew I NEEDED to read it. So many of my favorite things all in one book!
We all know the story about Belle and the Beast but this was a delightful spin on the classic! Toss in a dash of Anastasia, clever Easter eggs and all kinds of classic fairytale references and I devoured this!!
I really enjoyed both Alix and Daemon, but I really loved the side characters too! There was a lovely bit of found family and camaraderie between everyone! Specific to Alix and Daemon, I liked that we got to see them mature over the course of our story and finally get their ducks in a row there at the end! As for our villain he was cold and gave off BDE from the start BUT there were enough others with plenty my of motivation that I wasn’t sure where to look! I think I even have highlights with my thoughts trying to figure out where we were going and who would ultimately be the bad guy.
Coming back to our crew of friends, I’m very excited to see who is up next. There were a few lingering looks and possessive moments between some folks throughout, but that last glimpse of troublemaking and “tugging of pigtails” between two at the end is who I’m SERIOUSLY crossing my fingers for!!
Massive thank you to the author, Kate King, for blessing me with an eARC of this! Can’t wait for everyone to get lost in the world of Ellender!