Clare Sager

This is a dark fantasy romance that pulled me in with its moody atmosphere and emotionally complex characters. Rhiannon is a standout FMC, older, chronically ill, and fiercely determined despite being thrust into an impossible bargain with Drystan, the fae King of Death. I loved how her vulnerability never diminished her strength, and how her illness was thoughtfully woven into the story. The underworld court is brutal and intriguing, full of sharp bargains, deadly trials, and simmering show more intrigue. Drystan is cold, manipulative, and frustrating in all the right ways, making the slow-burn tension deliciously painful. While the pacing lags slightly at first, the story truly shines once the labyrinth begins. The ending wrecked me, in the best way, and I’ll be looking forward to book two. show less

A Kiss of Iron by Clare Sager is the first book in the Shadows of the Tenebris Court. A woman on the verge of losing her home is tasked with coming to court to spy on a member of the Fae delegation. Thus starts a game of danger, deceit and desire. This is a book for adults only as it contains explicit content. Please read content warnings on the author’s website as this contains adult themes, including violence, punishment, bullying and primal play. Tropes include enemies to lovers, court show more intrigue, who did this, fake dating, touch her and die and, my favorite, a shadow daddy.

The Lovely: I liked both the plot/tension and the characters. This story had a unique plot that didn’t rely on common themes, which made this a read where I didn’t know what was coming next. The ending hit me in the feels and I’m anxious to find out what happens in book 2. I also love the characters, all the way from Kat and Bastian to Asher and Ella. Kat was complex - she had past trauma that she pushed down but she was brave and sassy. I appreciated her development as a woman in a “man’s world” over the course of the book.

The Mundane: The world building was ok. The author relied on a lot of common beliefs about the Fae (can’t like, promiscuous). The Sabre-cat riding was a fun and unique part though.

The Dreadful: Nothing. I mean, there are a lot of men in the book I want to punch but that seems on track.

Rating: 5/5 Stars 3/5 Flames

Recommendation: This is a book built upon feminine rage and empowerment. The story started off wild and never slowed down, which was impressive given the book’s length. I realized at the 85 percent mark there was no way everything would be wrapped up by the end and it did end on a bit of a cliffhanger. Book 2 is due to be released at the end of September 2023. On the wait! show less

Slaying the Shifter Prince by Clare Sager is a book in the Mortal Enemies to Monster Lovers series, a set of standalone books by different authors. This book takes place in the world in which some of her other books take place in. Main character Zita has had a singular focus for the 10 years since her sister’s death - gain access to and kill the Prince of Monsters. But, she fails and is imprisoned as the Prince’s “pet”, planning to wait for opportunity to knock again. This is a book show more for adults only as it contains explicit content. Please read content warnings on the author’s website as this contains adult themes, including violence, punishment, bullying and primal play. Tropes include enemies to lovers, banter, and morally gray characters.

The Lovely: I liked the female main character Zita as you could really see how her actions, including how she handled the Prince, were driven by her desire for revenge. And I appreciate that she was a strong female lead but wasn’t the common “female warrior” stereotype.

The Mundane: There wasn’t much in the way of world building. I understand this is set in the same world as some of the author’s other books, but since it’s billed as a standalone, I thought the world would be explained a bit more.

The Dreadful: First, I want to clarify I know the Prince is supposed to be morally gray and that this is a “bully romance.” I don’t have issue with either of those things and I think bully romances can be done well. But, the Prince’s actions and motivations didn’t make sense to me (like, he suddenly stops bullying her and is nice after a certain event) and the bullying came off as something to be laughed at, which I don’t think it was.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Recommendation: Again, I understand what type of romance this is written to be. However, I question the consent in some of the intimate scenes. The Prince did ask her if she wanted to stop but it really seemed like she didn’t think she could say no in those situations, and there was a significant power imbalance between the two which raises the question of consent. That all said, I do think the book should have a trigger warning for dubious consent. Thus, I would only recommend this book if you are comfortable with far darker romance and subjects such as bullying, primal play and dubious consent. If those are fine for you, this book could be quite fun and enjoyable. show less

A great fantasy romance with some detailed sailing descriptions, classic enemies-to-lovers tropes, and a strong conclusion which sets up interesting dynamics for the sequel and honestly wasn't as sappy as it could've been.

Tbh, I have no idea how this ARC arrived in my inbox (I must’ve clicked a link somewhere???) but hey, magic and pirates? I’m down. Good call, past self.

Lady Vice is the most famed pirate on the high seas, but for all her notoriety, she is stuck sailing under a show more controlling captain. When the infamous pirate hunter Knigh Blackwood grants her captain a letter of marque, Vice sees this as an opportunity to finally get her own ship to sail and plunder in the name of her homeland. While pirate and hunter are drawn to each other, prejudice and secrets threaten to turn trust into bitter hate, and Vice's dreams might be sailing further out of reach.

Vice and Knigh's adventure takes place in an age of sail painted with Celtic fae lore. Names, magic, and colloquial expressions add to the setting, and I'm hopeful that this will be further explored as the series progresses.

II was a little disappointed by how much of the fighting/ship boarding seemed to happen off-page, either because of time skips or changes in perspective. If Vice was out there fighting, I did't wanna be stuck in Knigh's head...

Recommend for fans of Miranda Honfleur or Alex Lidell's Tides series.

**Big thanks to the Clare Sager for the ARC* show less