Genres: NA Fantasy, New Adult, Fantasy Romance | Release Date: 19 August 2024 | Standalone | Pages: 304 | Indie Author | Review
“I was going to die. That fate was certain.”
M. A. Frick
Overview:
A huge thank you goes to M. A. Frick for letting me read an e-ARC of The Petulant Princess! This fantasy romance is a dazzling tale of hard choices, found family and a forbidden love. All good things when it comes to this genre, right?! So let’s give you an overview before I go any further…
When the King of Wynterborne died, he left behind just two possible successors, his children. One, a young child by the name of Elspeth. The second? Adastrus, who was meant to be his sister’s guardian, but craved power above all else. Fearing for Elspeth’s safety, Sainte Nytestorm managed to hide her in a different kingdom, far from her brother’s reach. Little did she know, when her twenty-first birthday approached she would once again have to go on a journey with Sainte. Only this time? He’s taking her back to Wynterborne. Because if they’re to make sure Adastrus never wears the crown, Elspeth must challenge her brother in the Trials of the Gods. Can Elspeth gain the favour of the gods, when she’s done nothing but despise them? What evil is lurking within the Prince Regent’s mind, ready to hurt her? And if Elspeth is successful, does this mean she can’t ever act on her love for Sainte?
Happiness Boost:
Ah glitterbugs, The Petulant Princess has been such a wild read. And of course I mean that in the best way! The life Elspeth has had in the lead up to the Trials of the Gods has not been an easy one, but does that mean she wants to be a princess? Of course not! I actually love how Melissa crafts a story around a reluctant princess, one who would much rather scramble in the darkness for food than think about living a life of luxury. Because let’s be honest, even with going up against Adastrus, most of us would think it would be worth it, right? Elspeth doesn’t agree. And I love how hard she tries to find every possible way out of it before she has to concede the Trials are inevitable.
The relationship between Sainte and Elspeth has many, many layers. And in every single one, it’s clear to see how much love they have for each other. Does that mean they’re above being sneaky, to manipulate the other for the greater good? Not at all. But I like that! I love how their tug of war escalates, as well as how their feelings for each other become too big to contain. And can I just say… The lengths Sainte went to for Elspeth? That’s more than top tier book boyfriend material. That is legendary.
In this fantasy romance, Melissa doesn’t hold back on cracking our hearts open as easily as if they were walnuts. The pure terror I had for some of these characters, the love and anguish, the hate?! The Petulant Princess hits every single emotion known to a reader, and I won’t lie, it’s been an eye opening experience! I won’t give away spoilers, but I *will* tell you that you may need to check the trigger warnings for this one, dear glitterbugs. I promise you it’s a wonderful read, but an event which happens to a secondary character might be hard for some of you.
Downside:
I don’t have a downside; it was a big rollercoaster of a ride, but I enjoyed every minute of it!
Final Thoughts:
The Petulant Princess by indie author M. A. Frick is a standalone fantasy romance full of devastating betrayals, hard choices and forbidden love. If you want a read which will just somehow get better and better, the further along you go? A story which will make you laugh when you come across certain characters, and want to scream when you see how truly evil others can be? This is the book for you! Love what you’ve heard from my review? Just click on the link below to grab yourself a copy! Happy reading, glitterbugs!
You can order The Petulant Princess via this link: Amazon
