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A review by teaand_tomes
The Ever King by LJ Andrews
medium-paced
3.0
Thank you LJ Andrews and Ace Books for the free gift.
I went into The Ever King expecting the sweeping, swoony fantasy romance I’ve seen hyped all over TikTok, and while it had some standout elements like pirate-inspired fae, kingdoms at war across land and sea, and a broody cursed king, it didn’t fully come together for me.
The romance leans heavily into familiar tropes: fated mates, instant attraction, enemies-to-lovers with a vengeance edge. If you're into the “I hate you, but also I want you (and I’ll destroy the world for you)” dynamic, this will likely hit the mark. But for me, it felt more like a checklist than something organically built.
The worldbuilding had promise with underwater kingdoms, magical chains, and court politics, but the emotional development struggled to keep pace. Erik's choices, especially around deception, seemed to exist more for the sake of plot twists than logical character motivation. And frankly, some of his behavior gave me pause. There were moments where he would grab her hair and shove her away that crossed a line from morally gray into uncomfortable territory, especially without narrative consequence.
That said, I did enjoy the pirate-fae aesthetic. It’s a fresh angle I’d love to see explored more deeply. And there’s definitely an audience for the dramatic, high-stakes romantic fantasy this book delivers.
If you love your fantasy romance full of tropes, drama, and sea-swept vengeance, The Ever King might work for you. It just didn’t quite click for me.
I went into The Ever King expecting the sweeping, swoony fantasy romance I’ve seen hyped all over TikTok, and while it had some standout elements like pirate-inspired fae, kingdoms at war across land and sea, and a broody cursed king, it didn’t fully come together for me.
The romance leans heavily into familiar tropes: fated mates, instant attraction, enemies-to-lovers with a vengeance edge. If you're into the “I hate you, but also I want you (and I’ll destroy the world for you)” dynamic, this will likely hit the mark. But for me, it felt more like a checklist than something organically built.
The worldbuilding had promise with underwater kingdoms, magical chains, and court politics, but the emotional development struggled to keep pace. Erik's choices, especially around deception, seemed to exist more for the sake of plot twists than logical character motivation. And frankly, some of his behavior gave me pause. There were moments where he would grab her hair and shove her away that crossed a line from morally gray into uncomfortable territory, especially without narrative consequence.
That said, I did enjoy the pirate-fae aesthetic. It’s a fresh angle I’d love to see explored more deeply. And there’s definitely an audience for the dramatic, high-stakes romantic fantasy this book delivers.
If you love your fantasy romance full of tropes, drama, and sea-swept vengeance, The Ever King might work for you. It just didn’t quite click for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Physical abuse, Torture