Estrid, a powerful young witch and the runaway daughter of a tyrant king, lives in hiding to escape her father’s brutal reign. Her solitary life is disrupted when she encounters a wounded Fae in the Dark Forest, a striking and dangerous being with secrets of his own. As their fates intertwine, Estrid’s carefully guarded freedom is at risk, and the arrival of the Fae could unravel everything she’s fought to protect—her kingdom, her identity, and her future.

I’m torn on how I feel about this one. There’s a lot of potential, but it didn’t fully meet my expectations.

Let’s start with Estrid. I liked her, but I wish she had more depth. At times, she came across as too passive and caught up in her own “woe is me” mentality. We’re told frequently how much she despises her father, yet it didn’t always feel like that anger and determination were reflected in her actions. I wanted her to be stronger and more decisive, especially considering the weight of what’s going on around her.

The writing itself was solid, but there was A LOT of telling rather than showing, which slowed down the pacing and made it harder to truly immerse myself in the story. The plot has a lot of promise, but the execution felt a bit flat. There were plenty of events happening, but they didn’t always feel like they were driving the story forward. As a result, while there was constant action, it often felt like not much was actually happening in terms of character growth or plot development. It was essentially everything happening all at once.

I also think the world-building, plot, and character development could have been more fleshed out. The premise has a lot of intrigue, especially with the Fae character and Estrid’s relationship to her father, but I felt like the depth was missing. With stronger development, I think the stakes and emotional impact could have been much higher, and I’d have connected with the characters on a deeper level. The plot felt a bit predictable and didn’t offer much in terms of originality. While I personally prefer stories with a more unique twist, I recognize that many readers enjoy familiar tropes and plotlines. And that’s totally valid, everyone has their own preferences.

There was an element of insta-love (or insta-attraction) that didn’t sit well with me. I prefer seeing relationships develop naturally over time, not necessarily in a slow-burn way, but in a way that feels more authentic and earned. The sudden intensity of their connection felt rushed, and I would have liked to see more depth and gradual evolution in their bond.

That said, as a debut, it’s a decent start and I do think it has potential. So I give it a 3. With more refinement and focus on character depth and pacing, I think the series could really come into its own. I’m still curious to see where the story goes, so I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this author as they develop. There’s potential here, and I hope to see it fully realized in the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Cat Sirota for the ARC.