A lyrical—and languidly paced—novel that will appeal to romantic fantasy fans who enjoy unhurried reads.
Joyce’s debut novel blends fantasy and romance in a story about a princess, powerless among the powerful, trying to find purpose—and connection—in her life.
Although Adeline is an “Honorary Princess” in the Court of Gilded Iron—her mother is the queen and her stepfather is the king—she, like her mother, is Elarin: a “magicless soul,” a human in a world of powerful fae with almost godlike abilities. Always the outsider, Adeline’s life has been a “perpetual struggle to belong.” Her only solace, other than spending time in the royal library with her face buried in a book about dragons (which she loves), comes at night, where—in dreams—she encounters a shadow being, a mysterious entity that brings her peace, comfort, and unconditional love. When Adeline learns that envoys from the Court of Eternal Darkness—the most powerful and feared court in the realm—will be visiting the Court of Gilded Iron with their legendary dragons, the 30-year-old is shocked to discover the potential alliance between the two families revolves around her! Adeline’s stepfather directs her to accompany the Court of Eternal Darkness’ ambassador back to Shadowmere Isle, the court’s ancestral and storied homeland. Complications arise when the ambassador is revealed to be Cyris, the King of Eternal Darkness’s most feared warrior, a killer with an almost mythical reputation. The “monster,” however, is not quite as he seems—and neither is his behemoth of a dragon, Voidfire. But before Adeline can leave with Cyris and his other dragon riders, she must outsmart those in her own family who conspire against her.
Joyce’s writing is undeniably lyrical and adept, very much comparable to iconic fantasy writers like Patricia A. McKillip and Cecilia Dart-Thornton. Many lines flow like poetry, immersing readers in the dreamlike world: “Fae merchants peddled fruits plucked from dream-glades, their skins glistening like dew-wet gems” and “He materialized like a secret slipping from the dark, his voice brushing my ear in a breath laced with starlit night.” This focus on atmospherics and imagery sometimes verges on overwriting, which affects momentum. With so much going on—conspiratorial plots, magic-powered assaults, romantic dream sequences, etc.—the storyline should read much faster than it does. In numerous scenes, for example, the author goes into great (and unnecessary) detail describing every member of Cyris’ band during dialogue sequences. Here’s just one character: “Laziel leaned against the window, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the moonlit courtyard below,” “Laziel was seated near the hearth, his eyes, black with threads of silver,” “Laziel leaned against the far wall, his boots crossed at the ankles, a faint grin tugging at his mouth,” “Laziel lingered by the window,” etc. Lastly, there’s a dearth of significant action (for a sizable novel, very little happens). The novel is presumably the beginning of a series but serves more as a prelude to the action and adventure to come.
A lyrical—and languidly paced—novel that will appeal to romantic fantasy fans who enjoy unhurried reads.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.
On the orders of her mother, a woman goes to dragon-riding school.
Even though her mother is a general in Navarre’s army, 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail was raised by her father to follow his path as a scribe. After his death, though, Violet's mother shocks her by forcing her to enter the elite and deadly dragon rider academy at Basgiath War College. Most students die at the War College: during training sessions, at the hands of their classmates, or by the very dragons they hope to one day be paired with. From Day One, Violet is targeted by her classmates, some because they hate her mother, others because they think she’s too physically frail to succeed. She must survive a daily gauntlet of physical challenges and the deadly attacks of classmates, which she does with the help of secret knowledge handed down by her two older siblings, who'd been students there before her. Violet is at the mercy of the plot rather than being in charge of it, hurtling through one obstacle after another. As a result, the story is action-packed and fast-paced, but Violet is a strange mix of pure competence and total passivity, always managing to come out on the winning side. The book is categorized as romantasy, with Violet pulled between the comforting love she feels from her childhood best friend, Dain Aetos, and the incendiary attraction she feels for family enemy Xaden Riorson. However, the way Dain constantly undermines Violet's abilities and his lack of character development make this an unconvincing storyline. The plots and subplots aren’t well-integrated, with the first half purely focused on Violet’s training, followed by a brief detour for romance, and then a final focus on outside threats.
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374042
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.
A single mom winds up fake dating an incredibly wealthy man in her hometown.
Dolly Brick is back in her hometown of Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to help her dad and disabled brother manage their house and family business. As a 39-year-old single mother with multiple jobs—which now include working at the Brick Fish House—Dolly is always busy. When her mom left their family years ago, Dolly took over caring for her siblings and father and never really stopped. When she runs into Stewart Whitfield after making a shrimp delivery to his family’s mansion, she doesn’t think they could be more different. She’s had to figure out how to do everything by herself, and he can’t even change a tire. That’s why Stewart’s proposal that she pretend to be his girlfriend feels so unbelievable—but it comes with a hefty check that she desperately needs for home repairs. So she becomes the fake girlfriend of Stewart Whitfield (as in, the Whitfields her town is named after; his real fiancée just dumped him and it’s a bad time for him to be single) and experiences what it’s like to walk into fancy buildings through the front door instead of the service entrance. More than the boats and helicopter and expensive dinners, though, Dolly is impressed by what a kind man Stewart is—and how it feels to let someone else take care of her for a change. Soon, their relationship starts to feel more real than fake. Monaghan creates an impossibly winning story with a charming, lovable heroine. Dolly is capable, hardworking, and will do anything for the people she loves. She and Stewart both possess real flaws, and while their relationship begins with one of the most beloved rom-com tropes, their challenges feel like realistic adult obstacles rather than easily solved miscommunications. It’s also refreshing that, even though Dolly must learn to allow other people to help her, she never views her caretaking responsibilities as burdens. She deeply loves her family, and that love carries through the entire story.
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9780593853979
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
PERSPECTIVES
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