This had everything I’ve come to expect from an India Holton novel: wit, charm, and the kind of deeply earnest romanticism that sets her books apart from the rest.

This was so whimsical with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor that made me laugh out loud multiple times. The “fake hating” reversal in the fake dating trope was so fun, and I loved how tender Caleb and Amelia’s friendship was!!

If a slowburn, friends to lovers, regency romcom with magical realism sounds entertaining to you (and literally how could it not??) then this is a must read!

What a fun read! From the lush world building to the dramatic stakes, this is the kind of story that really snatches your attention and doesn’t let go. This book had the kind of lyrical, fairytale prose that lovers of The Isle in the Silver Sea are sure to eat up!

The Trident and the Pearl, in my opinion, will really speak to readers who like Greek and Norse mythology. The mythos of the gods in this book definitely felt like nods to those cultures, and the way godhood works in this story will really appeal to lovers of mythology.

I do wish we learned via flashback a little more about the FMC’s husband Lieve. I feel like her grief portrayed really well, but knowing more about her husband’s personality beyond being perfect and dead would’ve gone a longer way for me to connect with what she was going through.

3 things to be aware of: 1️⃣ Some of you will get tear-your-hair-out frustrated with the FMC, Coralys. This is valid. She makes some INSANE decisions, but in her defense, she is put in insane situations. #supportwomenswrongs 2️⃣ While we do have a swoony, kind MMC, this is hands-down a plot-driven story. I suspect the romance will be more prominent in the second half of this duology. If you want your Romantasy books to be mostly romance, do keep in mind that this is romantic but more focused on other elements. 3️⃣ As fore mentioned, this is a DUOLOGY. Expect a diabolical cliff hanger.

🎧 For Audiobook Listeners 🎧 Elle Potter’s narration was, as per usual, amazing! Her voice really lends itself to the sweeping legend-feeling this book has. I listened at 1.25x speed and it was perf.