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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Before I begin I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance listening copy. All opinions are my own for this honest review. Of note, as Macmillan Audio kindly reminded me, this review is based on a pre-release version of the audiobook, therefore I have not taken into account any issues with the audio in its current state.
Style: Dual POV, Dual Narration.
Length: 11.5 hrs
As this is a ALC, we'll start with Narration! I thought both Chloe Campbell and Shane East delivered beautifully emotive performances that elevated this romantic fantasy into something "dreamlike". I almost hate to call it "romantasy" or "fantasy romance" because it felt more Fairytale-esque. The British narration brought what I would call a fairytale quality that worked perfectly with the novel’s tone; filled with quiet ache of longing, loneliness, and the fragile hope of connection. Their voices, while not extensively varied between side characters, were consistent and easy to follow, and both matched their characters exceptionally well.
Chloe portrayed Oneira’s solitude and inner ache in a delicately fragile way while maintaining her fierce independence. Shane, on the other hand, brought a weary yearning to Stearanos that lingered throughout, especially in the ending epilogue (which I think actually broke a little part of me, if I'm being honest).
Not usually something I mention in my reviews, but I think the soft musical bookends were a really beautiful touch and enhanced the dreamlike "fairytale" atmosphere. I actually found myself wishing that musical motif had returned throughout the book (as led me to an aside where I went on a deep inner tangent about how awesome it would be to have music in more audios like Graphic Audios tend to do, but I digress...)
I found the audio to be relatively smooth and immersive listen. I typically listen at 1.5x speed, and the pacing held beautifully without distortion or tonal loss in both the POVs for both narrators. While this was an ALC and did contain some minor technical inconsistencies (noted but not factored into my review), I have no doubt they’ll all be resolved in the final edit.
This is a deeply atmospheric, very slow-burn romantasy that really requires a lot of patience. It takes its time building the world of dreams, vast and very complex magic system, and exudes quiet sorrow. The first half leans heavily into Oneira’s self imposed loneliness and isolation. There is NO dialogue or interaction for quite a few chapters, yet her loneliness is also her strength. The lack of dialogue, while being told in third person requires the listener (or reader) to sit beside her and feel the weight of what living alone really and truly means. It's not only the lack of interaction, it's the lack of voice, in physical act of using one's voice, but also in the words and ways we interact with others later. I did feel like there was a very abrupt shift when Stearanos enters the picture, they spent a couple of chapters as enemies to lovers, but from 0-60 went from that to instalove with very few interactions. While the romance arc moved rapidly, I did feel like it was still rewarding because the groundwork for their grief, mutual exhaustion, and long-buried desire makes it believable and also gut wrenching.
Story-wise I did love that this couple were older main characters navigating intimacy and the feelings for worthiness (or lack thereof) after years of detachment. Oneira’s realization that she is not done with life or desire despite her age was one of the most moving moments I’ve experienced in a very long time. I loved watching her rediscover her capacity for tenderness and connection after so long in emotional survival mode.
I do feel the need to throw in some Trigger/content warnings because it's definitely there and important to know going in I think. You can expect; functional depression, suicidal ideation, parental abandonment, grief, death, and a whole lost of self loathing.
Overall I really enjoyed the book and I think a lot of women who know what it is to feel that bone-tired exhaustion from the world (and dating scene), but still quietly, silently harbour a hope that magic still exists will be able to relate to this book, and honestly the same for men. It did end on a cliffhanger (because of COURSE it did) and Now (of course) I am dying to know what happens! I don't think the second book has been announced yet, so I'll quitely keep the hope open that we don't have to wait to long!
As mentioned in the beginning, I received an ALC of this audiobook from NetGalley and Macmillian in exchange for an honest review. Having said that, all thoughts are my own.
Style: Dual POV, Dual Narration.
Length: 11.5 hrs
As this is a ALC, we'll start with Narration! I thought both Chloe Campbell and Shane East delivered beautifully emotive performances that elevated this romantic fantasy into something "dreamlike". I almost hate to call it "romantasy" or "fantasy romance" because it felt more Fairytale-esque. The British narration brought what I would call a fairytale quality that worked perfectly with the novel’s tone; filled with quiet ache of longing, loneliness, and the fragile hope of connection. Their voices, while not extensively varied between side characters, were consistent and easy to follow, and both matched their characters exceptionally well.
Chloe portrayed Oneira’s solitude and inner ache in a delicately fragile way while maintaining her fierce independence. Shane, on the other hand, brought a weary yearning to Stearanos that lingered throughout, especially in the ending epilogue (which I think actually broke a little part of me, if I'm being honest).
Not usually something I mention in my reviews, but I think the soft musical bookends were a really beautiful touch and enhanced the dreamlike "fairytale" atmosphere. I actually found myself wishing that musical motif had returned throughout the book (as led me to an aside where I went on a deep inner tangent about how awesome it would be to have music in more audios like Graphic Audios tend to do, but I digress...)
I found the audio to be relatively smooth and immersive listen. I typically listen at 1.5x speed, and the pacing held beautifully without distortion or tonal loss in both the POVs for both narrators. While this was an ALC and did contain some minor technical inconsistencies (noted but not factored into my review), I have no doubt they’ll all be resolved in the final edit.
This is a deeply atmospheric, very slow-burn romantasy that really requires a lot of patience. It takes its time building the world of dreams, vast and very complex magic system, and exudes quiet sorrow. The first half leans heavily into Oneira’s self imposed loneliness and isolation. There is NO dialogue or interaction for quite a few chapters, yet her loneliness is also her strength. The lack of dialogue, while being told in third person requires the listener (or reader) to sit beside her and feel the weight of what living alone really and truly means. It's not only the lack of interaction, it's the lack of voice, in physical act of using one's voice, but also in the words and ways we interact with others later. I did feel like there was a very abrupt shift when Stearanos enters the picture, they spent a couple of chapters as enemies to lovers, but from 0-60 went from that to instalove with very few interactions. While the romance arc moved rapidly, I did feel like it was still rewarding because the groundwork for their grief, mutual exhaustion, and long-buried desire makes it believable and also gut wrenching.
Story-wise I did love that this couple were older main characters navigating intimacy and the feelings for worthiness (or lack thereof) after years of detachment. Oneira’s realization that she is not done with life or desire despite her age was one of the most moving moments I’ve experienced in a very long time. I loved watching her rediscover her capacity for tenderness and connection after so long in emotional survival mode.
I do feel the need to throw in some Trigger/content warnings because it's definitely there and important to know going in I think. You can expect; functional depression, suicidal ideation, parental abandonment, grief, death, and a whole lost of self loathing.
Overall I really enjoyed the book and I think a lot of women who know what it is to feel that bone-tired exhaustion from the world (and dating scene), but still quietly, silently harbour a hope that magic still exists will be able to relate to this book, and honestly the same for men. It did end on a cliffhanger (because of COURSE it did) and Now (of course) I am dying to know what happens! I don't think the second book has been announced yet, so I'll quitely keep the hope open that we don't have to wait to long!
As mentioned in the beginning, I received an ALC of this audiobook from NetGalley and Macmillian in exchange for an honest review. Having said that, all thoughts are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment
Sadly this is the first time I've had to DNF a book in a long time. I was really intrigued by the premise and was super excited to read it but I could not get behind the writing style of this book. I often found myself very confused and had to reread full pages. There are moments where the writing is beautifully descriptive but sadly it can also get too descriptive to the point that my ADHD brain would stop focusing. I love a descriptive book but I felt that the description was misplaced and more focused on random elements than on the important parts of the narrative. After about 50 pages I was still finding myself struggling to be invested in the story.
Lastly, I think the dour disposition of the main character also made it difficult for me to want to follow along with her story. For all of these reasons I had to DNF this book and it gets a 1 star from me.
Thank you NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Bramble for the eARC
Lastly, I think the dour disposition of the main character also made it difficult for me to want to follow along with her story. For all of these reasons I had to DNF this book and it gets a 1 star from me.
Thank you NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Bramble for the eARC
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This felt like a mediocre romantasy that was trying to be cozy - which it maybe succeeded in for the first bit (I enjoyed the parts where she was visiting his library and exchanging notes), but then devolved quite quickly as soon as a male character shows up at the FMC's house. At that point it became jarring insta-lust and weird contemplations of "maybe I should get pregnant to pass the time before I decide to die," etc etc. Not much to redeem it after that point.
Oneira's godly animal companions felt like they were going to be super important (or at least, have a strong, meaningful relationship with her) but then never ended up amounting to more than a way to insert a "wise" comment to the main characters once or twice, which was disappointing. The "evil" characters felt very one-dimensional and cartoonish (they're evil because their three lines of dialogue are either sexism or narcissism - no further fleshing out). It seemed like they were just included to cause trouble for drama's sake. If this book was trying to be cozy, it certainly lost the plot on that by introducing impending war and especially by ending the book with her having to break her retirement/morals to kill the prince and stop the war, followed by her effectively committing/attempting suicide afterward.
Definitely a few eyebrow-raising writing choices that took me out of the fantasy moment. I also can't tell if this book is meant to end on a cliff-hanger or if it is just a dramatically vague ending. I don't know if I am invested enough to read a book two, even if there does end up being one. Certainly not the worst book I've read, but glad it was a free ARC rather than a purchase.
Oneira's godly animal companions felt like they were going to be super important (or at least, have a strong, meaningful relationship with her) but then never ended up amounting to more than a way to insert a "wise" comment to the main characters once or twice, which was disappointing. The "evil" characters felt very one-dimensional and cartoonish (they're evil because their three lines of dialogue are either sexism or narcissism - no further fleshing out). It seemed like they were just included to cause trouble for drama's sake. If this book was trying to be cozy, it certainly lost the plot on that by introducing impending war and especially by ending the book with
Definitely a few eyebrow-raising writing choices that took me out of the fantasy moment. I also can't tell if this book is meant to end on a cliff-hanger or if it is just a dramatically vague ending. I don't know if I am invested enough to read a book two, even if there does end up being one. Certainly not the worst book I've read, but glad it was a free ARC rather than a purchase.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, War
Minor: Violence, Pregnancy
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book. It started out cozy, but it definitely ended up mixing in some high stakes conflict. I loved the animal companions. I am not generally a very emotional reader, but I definitely felt it toward the end of this book. The dream world magic was unique. I listened to the audiobook and the narration by both narrators was perfect. Thanks for the advanced listening copy!
Thank you to the author / publisher / and Netgalley for the early copy. All opinions are my own
Unfortunately this was a DNF 😭
The storyline sounded interesting and the author did a great job at setting up the world that Oneira and Stearanos live in. With vivid and very detailed descriptions it was easy to picture everything as I read.
The problem for me was the pacing was too slow. With so little action and dialogue I struggled to stay engaged. I know this was done with purpose to highlight how Oneira was living, but unfortunately it was hard to for me to remain in the story
If you like slower paced books you may want to try Never The Roses
Unfortunately this was a DNF 😭
The storyline sounded interesting and the author did a great job at setting up the world that Oneira and Stearanos live in. With vivid and very detailed descriptions it was easy to picture everything as I read.
The problem for me was the pacing was too slow. With so little action and dialogue I struggled to stay engaged. I know this was done with purpose to highlight how Oneira was living, but unfortunately it was hard to for me to remain in the story
If you like slower paced books you may want to try Never The Roses
Sometimes you know exactly what you want to read but can't find the book that fits the vibes. This is my book. I've been looking for this story for most of 2025 and here it is. It feels like it was written to specifically cater to this elusive mystery book I just wanted to read.
It's mature, it has emotional depth and believable trauma. It's not written just to satisfy trendy tropes. It's not about a teenager with the unrealistic life experience and skill of someone double their age. It's a slow and winding exploration of grief and love and healing.
I loved this book, it's made it onto my lifetime favourites list. I don't know whether to take the ending to be open to a sequel or just the loose drifting of a deeply emotional close to the tale. I don't know which I'd prefer it to be.
It's mature, it has emotional depth and believable trauma. It's not written just to satisfy trendy tropes. It's not about a teenager with the unrealistic life experience and skill of someone double their age. It's a slow and winding exploration of grief and love and healing.
I loved this book, it's made it onto my lifetime favourites list. I don't know whether to take the ending to be open to a sequel or just the loose drifting of a deeply emotional close to the tale. I don't know which I'd prefer it to be.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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:
Yes
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Oneira has retired from working with her queen and has now become bored. She wants to read something new and remembers that her nemesis, her enemy Stearanos Stormbreaker, has an amazing library, and decides to travel there through Dream to reach his library and decides to take his current read on cultivation of a particular rose.
Stearanos awakens and knows someone was in his home. He realizes his book was taken and leaves a note knowing this thief will return and he’s determined to outwit them and catch them and find out who it is that could get past his wards and keep him asleep.
Thus, starts a game between two of the most powerful sorcerers out there trying to outwit each other and maybe fall in love?
This book is not what I expected. Or it is, but took a moment to get where I wanted it and expected it to get to.
The first I would say 40% is rather slow. It’s a lot of Oneira and her inner thoughts, what she’s doing while retired and meeting her creature/animal companions. And when I say slow, I mean sloooow. It took awhile to get into the actual story I felt like, and once we did at the 40% mark, it got much more interesting.
And once it go interesting, it got interesting and fun! I adored the banter between the two of them. I loved how there’s a clear connection between them, but Oneira being the stubborn one she is refuses to accept it. I thought Stearanos, for being such a grump actually came off as super kind and romantic and I fell in love with him. The romance is devastatingly romantic, and dare I say a tragic forbidden one? Ah it was so good. I love a good slow burn romance with an untraditional ending. It just stirs the emotions and the heart and I loved every moment of it.
There’s also more happening outside of their bubble with a war happening and the two of them trying to prevent it, but the book primarily focused on the two of them and their romance.
There definitely is a world in this book and I wish we could have explored it more and learned about it more because there was a lot of interesting things mentioned and people, and gods/goddesses and I wanted more or to understand it. It’s obviously a fantasy romance versus a romance fantasy. The focus is solely on the romance really. Which I loved, but it would be neat to read more stories from this world. Plus, I loved the magic system and wanted more of that too, or who the creatures were, more detail on them.
Overall, if you get past that hump at the start, it’s a wonderfully romantic story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This was such a beautiful and romantic fantasy that ended up being a lot more cozy than I expected. I loved the playful banter between Oneira and Stearanos, especially in the letters left for one another before they met. If you’re looking for a book that will punch you in the gut at the end, you need to pick this one up. I really hope that we get more to this story and [spoiler] can save [spoiler] and have a happier ending. That being said, the ending was still perfect and really worked well.
Thank you to @brambleromance for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.
Thank you to @brambleromance for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.