ARC Book Review: Shield of Sparrows (Shield of Sparrows #1) by Devney Perry

Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 528 pages
Author: Devney Perry
Publisher: Red Tower
Release Date: May 6th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Fear the monsters we make.

A swoon-worthy, spicy romantic fantasy filled with legends and monsters. The Witcher meets “Cinderella.” A princess is chosen to fulfill the terms of an ancient treaty and finds herself traveling with an infamous monster slayer.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Red Tower for the gifted copy.

WHO KNEW?

First off, I had no idea this book would show up on my doorstep but DANG I am happy that I got to read this early. The first physical book I’ve read in a hot minute and I enjoyed it. I’ve read a few DP contemporaries but dare I say fantasy might be her calling??

This was a SLOW BURN. OH HOW I HAVE MISSED SLOW BURNS. Gosh bring them back, I’m begging. Give me all the little moments, the actual get to know you moments, the moments without awkward lust. I was in love with how this was handled. There was actual time for connection and it has made me even more excited for book two.

The plot and world building was crafted well. It didn’t feel super info-dumpy and it was easy to get a handle on and understand. I like the magic system and the way it kept expanding as the book went on.

I had a few minor pacing quips but those last 50 pages or so the anxiety KICKED in. I love the chaos of those last moments in a fantasy book. I could flip a page and not guess who was going to make it out and who was going to land where by the end. This was beautifully written and GIMME BOOK TWOOOOOO.

Overall audience notes:

  • Romantasy
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2-3 open door
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: blood/gore depiction, loss of life and loved ones

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Book Review: Blitz (Treasure State Wildcats #2) by Devney Perry

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 356 pages
Author: Devney Perry
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: March 7th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

forbidden, small town, sports romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Devney Perry.

A coach. A student. The rules were concrete. We broke them anyway.

The night I met Toren Greely was the night I learned how to lie. He was a Treasure State football coach. I was the star of the volleyball team. Coaches and students were forbidden. My future was on the line, so I told myself it was only one night.

That was the first lie. They got easier to tell after that. The lines blurred. The boundaries shifted. Our relationship became a game of its own.

A chaste smile. A knowing glance. A veiled touch or a hushed kiss. We hid in plain sight. We were invincible. Or so we thought. Neither of us saw the blitz coming until it was too late.

Game over. The night I left Toren Greely was the night I learned how to lose.

I LIKED IT.

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this forbidden romance, but honestly, it didn’t bug me all that much. I liked the set-up and just kind of rolled with the fantasy of this plot. I was here for vibes, and I liked the vibes.

The FMC was a bit dumb though. I didn’t like her POV as much with how repetitive she was and kind of unobservant of her situation. I think multiple things could have been handled differently, but I did love that she was a volleyball player and eventually found her passion and dreams.

I adored Toren. He was a sweet and I could not get enough of this age gap. There is something in Perry’s writing that pulls me in and I find myself flipping pages as fast as I can. I enjoyed the plot and had a good time reading this.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Sports Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3-4 open door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: inappropriate coach/student relationship, underage drinking

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Book Review: Coach (Treasure State Wildcats #1) by Devney Perry

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 341 pages
Author: Devney Perry
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 6th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

single dad, sports romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Devney Perry.

Football star. Single dad. And once, a long time ago, mine.

I’ve spent the better part of a decade forgetting Ford Ellis. If he had just stayed away from Montana, I might have erased the memory of his striking blue eyes and rugged smile forever. Avoiding him was easy when the only place I saw his face was on ESPN—and a remote control could fix that problem.

Except my boss just hired Ford as the new head coach for the Treasure State Wildcats. Not only will I be stuck watching him on the sidelines this season, but avoiding him will be impossible now that we’re working together.

Maybe I haven’t forgotten Ford. Maybe I still dream about what we might have been. Maybe he hasn’t forgotten me either.

Except those maybes won’t change the fact that we were never meant to be. Maybe he was mine once. But as of today, the only thing I’ll be calling Ford Ellis is Coach.

LOVED.

Took a swing at another Devney Perry book and this was a HIT. I was in a chokehold over Ford. I loooved how much he was IN. He wanted all of Millie and continually made a point of showing that in word and deed. We are here for a man like that. Swooned in a puddle 100x over.

I also really loved Millie. She finally got the chance to clear the air, reconnect and find her happily ever after. I absolutely loved that she was an assistant AD. Ford as a single Dad was immaculate. And the football content was everything you want in a sports romance.

The burn is pretty quick and I do wish there was a bit more something. Some more angsty buildup? I don’t know, there’s just this last little thing niggling me that was missing. The ending was too dang good though and I am can’t wait for book two.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 4+ open; high explicit
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: divorce, cheating ex (who also is a neglectful parent)

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