The Starlit Prince
by C.F.E. Black · Secrets of the Fae #1 · 2023
She never expected to marry a fae. He never expected what would happen when she did. Hours before Talia is set to win a fortune at the midsummer races, everything falls to pieces at her feet. The only way to save her family from utter ruin is to accept a snap deal with a mysterious fae and become his bride. Determined to get to know the distant, grumpy man she married, Talia puts aside her fears and attempts to uphold her wedding vows. But every step she takes toward Rafael, he withdraws. She soon discovers that he is hiding a dark secret, and the truth leaves her reeling. Can a sin so dark and wicked be forgiven? The Starlit Prince is a standalone fantasy romance with swoony, slow-burn tension, Beauty and the Beast vibes, and the happily ever after you crave. If you enjoyed A Word So Fitly Spoken and The Cruel Prince, you'll love this no-spice fairytale retelling of The Lily and the Bear.
Rating: 2.00/5 from 1 ratings · Heat: 1 · Genres: Fairy Tale Retelling, Romantasy
Reviews
Cat Thompson — 2/5
I wanted to like this book so badly...but it fell so, so flat. This is hard because I know most clean read converts will compare this to ACOTAR, as I did. Here's the problems I had: 1. The main guy is not morally grey. He literally isn't evil at all and has never done anything evil, but that's how he's painted to be. 2. The two main characters falling for each other is so quick and random. They know nothing about each other and he practically forced her hand in marriage, yet they fall for each other immediately. 3. The love they have for each other seems so superficial and some of their interactions are just so dramatic for no reason. 4. Most scenes felt so rushed and it's like the author had an idea of how to further the two main characters' relationship and had to do it as quickly as possible. 5. The magic made NO SENSE to me. The explanation for most of it? None. It seems like there were no rules and just entirely made up without a system in place. 6. The only way the bad guy ever got the upper hand is when the two main characters acted stupidly. So most of the situations they got themselves into could have been resolved if they were...smart. 7. There was absolutely no reason to immediately dive straight into the plot as the author did. We had no opportunity to learn about the main characters, get close to them, learn about them, etc. I hope to like the author's other books, but this one just fell so flat for me.