The Veiled Kingdom

Let me process my review first bcz...this book was ... Something else

The ultimate slow burn dark romance. The plot is heavily based around the characters and their deception. The enemies to lovers element had me weak from the start. Although world building could use a little work, I still adore this book. A nice quick read that leaves you not only desperate for more but also with more questions than you had at the start

Yes. I loved it. 4.5

uhhh what the heck did i just read...?

A fun read and I can see why people like it. Not really my type of Romantasy. The degrading smut talk/slut shaming is not for me. There was really no romance in this book, just lust-driven toxic power dynamic and the overuse of the pet name “little traitor”. My review is not based on the smut because to each their own – my review is mostly based on the fact that the book needed more world building, we are given almost nothing. It's mentioned that they are fae twice (25% in!) and we hardly know the powers that they can yield. If you want a well-thought out fantasy book don't read. If you want an easy, enemies-to-hookup buddies (I refuse to use the word lovers here) smutty read, go for it!

2.75

I'm telling you I had to force myself to not devour this book in basically a day, it was hard. I adored adored adored this.

From chapter one we are engrossed in this story built with action and oh so many lies. Daughter of the king and son of the rebellion leader, hate to love, SO much sexual tension, lies galore, and who did this to you moments RAH. The story begins with Nyra living in the streets after escaping her fathers hold on her, you soon learn that she has simply been held captive in her home to hide her from the public for a reason I cannot divulge. She founds herself getting rescued by Dacre, a dark haired, dirty mouthed also the rebellion leaders son aka hates the king like aaalottt.

What ensues after is forbidden romance with smut that will make ya feel like you need to go to confession but budding genuine feelings rooted in the need to protect each other. I cannot wait to see where the reallllll romance goes in the next books. I hate (aka really love) books with deception because the entire time I'm itching for the secret to get out and let me tell ya, this did not disappoint. The hate to semi like but definitely have the hots for each other was perfection, the pacing also perfect, and the plot utter perfection.

The cliffhanger, July?? JULY! I have to wait til July I can't. Wow. This part is for me so don't mind this. Wow that was a jerk move, he better BEG for her forgiveness.

Run, don’t walk, to read this book. And then agonize over the wait for book 2 with me!

A Veiled Kingdom was a fantastic read. I read it in a single sitting on a sunday afternoon, completely enthralled by the story and extremely invested in finding out what happens next after each twist and turn. It was written so well, and I truly loved reading it.

Nyra is such a great FMC! She is strong and resilient without being a trained fighter – I would call her more of a scrappy and sly FMC. She has a huge secret to hide, and a huge shame weighing her down, but still she perseveres and survives. Her dual hatred and attraction to Dacre is melt-worthy!

Dacre is such a good MMC. He is handsome, cruel, sharp, rude, and as much as he doesn’t want to be, attracted to Nyra so much. He hates that he is, but once again, the dual hatred and attraction is melt-worthy.

I loved the interactions of these 2, it was so tense, electric, and left me pining for more each time they separated. I also enjoyed the side characters, and have an inkling about one of them – but will keep that to myself to not spoil anything!

The plot was great, I feel fully invested in learning what happens next. Nyra has been through so much, and she continues to stand back up and keep moving forward. The rebels are ready to fight and take the kingdom away from the cruel king, and they just need the final weapon: the lost princess.

I was so shook by the ending of The Veiled Kingdom, I could not believe that is how we end. What a cliffhanger!!! Still so good, so heartbreaking, so raw and real, and I am so excited for book 2.

Overall, The Veiled Kingdom by Holly Renee was truly a fantastic book. I loved it so much, and would definitely recommend it to everyone who loves romantasy, fae, rebellions, enemies to lovers, hidden power, secret identity, and more.