A review by _onemorechapter_
The Ever King by LJ Andrews

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.25

💭They stole his crown, so he stole their daughter... and my "heart". Welcome to 'The Ever King' by L.J. Andrews, where Vikings, sirens, pirates, and fae collide in a dark fantasy whirlwind of betrayal, vengeance, and forbidden romance. This dual POV story is an unholy cocktail of angst, tension, and slow-burn perfection—and I gulped it down greedily. 
This book had me hooked from the very first chapter. Andrews doesn’t just write; she enchants. Picture this: a gritty, dark world laced with magic, just the right sprinkle of heartbreak and enough angst to keep me flipping pages like my life depended on it. 

Erik Bloodsinger is the morally gray pirate king of my dreams... or nightmares (depending on how you feel about kidnappers with accents). His father’s murder and the Ever Kingdom’s ruin left Erik with nothing but the chains trapping him beneath the waves and an insatiable thirst for vengeance. But when Livia Ferus—the sheltered, compassionate princess of his enemy—accidentally sets him free, Erik decides to use her as the perfect pawn in his deadly game of revenge.  

Let me tell you about Livia: she’s everything you want in a heroine. She’s kind yet fierce, inexperienced yet confident, and her growth throughout the story is nothing short of brilliant. As a child, she showed compassion to a boy declared her enemy by sneaking down to the dungeons and reading to him. That boy grew up to be Erik, and let me tell you—he "remembers". (The Songbird and the Serpent? My heart is *not* okay.)  
Livia’s strength isn’t in brute force but in her unshakable spirit and refusal to be cowed, even when her whole world flips upside down. She may have been kidnapped, but she’s no damsel in distress—she’s vocal, assertive, and very much *her own woman*. The way Livia navigates her nightmares, anxieties, and conflicts made her not only relatable but also incredibly easy to root for.  

Now, Erik. Oh, Erik. He’s the scarred, venom-blooded pirate king with trust issues and a tormented past. Known for his brutality and unforgiving nature, he’s out of options and time as his kingdom crumbles under a mysterious plague. Yet beneath his ruthless exterior lies a man haunted by insecurities and a past he can’t escape. Enter Livia, the one person who can unravel his darkness and expose his vulnerabilities.  

Their chemistry? *Electric.* Every interaction crackles with tension, from the anger-fueled standoffs to the tender moments that sneak up on you (and them). The throne room scene? Someone *please* fetch me a fainting couch. The way Erik calls her *Songbird* and *Love* while battling his own demons? SWOON.  
The romance progression is *chef’s kiss*. Their hate is essentially foreplay, and the inevitable connection they forge is so raw, so unbreakable, it left me grinning like an idiot. Erik and Livia don’t just accept each other’s darkness—they *embrace* it, making them one of the most perfectly matched couples I’ve read in a long time.  

But it’s not just the main couple that shines. The world of "The Ever King" is richly crafted, filled with vibrant side characters like Sewell (absolute fave!), Alex is the ultimate loyal bestie—brave and supportive, but also not afraid to call people out when needed. Tait? Love that man’s sarcastic humor and unexpected tenderness. He’s the guy who sneaks up on you and steals your heart when you’re busy swooning over Erik. Lady Nazra is the queen of intrigue and sharp wit. She’s the type of character who makes you question if she’s helping or plotting your demise (maybe both?). And then we have Celine and Jonas. Let me just say, I don’t think they’re going to end up as a couple—I know it.
It is a cursed land plagued by secrets, and a plot brimming with danger and intrigue. The stakes feel sky-high, and the pacing kept me hooked from start to finish.  

And let’s circle back to Erik for a second. Yes, he’s dangerous. Yes, he kidnapped her. Yes, he’s vengeful. But he’s also funny, charming, and unexpectedly tender. When he remembered the story Livia wrote for him as a child, my heart melted into a puddle. How am I supposed to remember red flags when Erik’s over here stealing not just Livia but also the show?  
What really sets this book apart is the world-building. It’s dark, vivid, and completely immersive—like stepping into a twisted fairytale with stakes so high they gave me anxiety. 
The plot? It’s fast-paced and packed with high-stakes moments, twists I didn’t see coming, and emotional gut punches that left me clinging to my book like a lifeline. The worldbuilding was dark and immersive, and I loved how the themes of loyalty, power, and sacrifice were woven throughout the story.

Now, why not the full 5 stars? A tiny bit of lag in the middle where I felt the plot slowed down just a hair, but the tension and twists totally made up for it by the end. And speaking of the ending—WOW. It left me breathless and desperate for the next installment.

Overall, "The Ever King" delivers everything you want in a dark fantasy romance: a tortured hero, a fierce heroine, a richly layered world, and a love story that grips your soul. Erik Bloodsinger is officially on my morally questionable book boyfriend list (don’t judge me).
Just don’t forget to book therapy after.

Tag me when you read it — I need to fangirl with someone! 

𝐏.𝐒 Erik, if you’re reading this (and let’s pretend you are), I’m free for dinner, a battle, or a dark and dangerous mission anytime. Call me.

🔸𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
🔸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Romantic fantasy, Dark fantasy, Fantasy Fiction
🔸𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒚: 🌶️🌶️
🔸𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: The Ever Seas (Book 1)
🔸𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:If you love dark fantasy with morally complex characters who love to walk the fine line between light and shadow, swoony romance, and an ensemble cast you’ll adore, The Ever King is your next read. Trust me on this one.  
If you’re into enemies-to-lovers, soul bonds, forbidden longing, and a ruthless king who’s actually a softie for one woman, drop everything and pick this up.  
                                                                    
🔸 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:

“𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔, 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅, 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒕.”

"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆. 𝑹𝒖𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒆. 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒚 𝒎𝒆. 𝑨𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖."

”I might've been his destruction, but he was my ruin. I would break into a thousand pieces if it meant Erik was the one to piece them back together with his touch.”

“Hate me, curse me, I cared little, so long as I was the first thought of her day and the last of her night.”

“When I claim that moment of bravery, it will not be sudden. It will be slow. It will be well thought out. I will wait until I have you in my grasp. You may not even realize it has happened. In that moment, I will strike and watch you bleed.”                                                                                                                                                    “She was never theirs anyway. Not really. From the moment the songbird tried to appeal to a serpent, she was mine.”

“Scars paint our stories, they give proof to the battles we’ve survived, the trials we’ve overcome.”

“So, who are you, little bird?” A rush of something dangerous hummed in my bones. “Yours, I suppose. For a little while.”

“You are not weak because of fears, but I will do what I can to help you wade between the fears that are plausible and the ones that are the mind trying to paralyze you.”

“I kissed her until she understood I would crush worlds for her. I would cross the skies and seas chasing her light.”

“My mind lived within me, but I gave it too much control.”

“Erik’s mouth turned up in a half grin, but his words were rife in something soft, something vulnerable. “Hate me all you want, but don’t regret me. Promise me that.”

“Ah, love. You think your peace was won with gentle morals? We all have a darkness within us, and desperation to survive can reveal the cruelest pieces.”

“I found my mantle, Songbird. It’s you.”

“You, Erik Bloodsinger, are the kind of darkness I would follow across the skies and seas.”

“They ruled together. When one bent under the weight of their crown, the other would take it for them both.”

“Do not sell yourself short and think you are not the most formidable of foes. I’ve no doubt you have the power to destroy me.”

“The trouble was, hate was passionate and walked a fine line beside other passions—desire, lust, obsession.”