Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 360 pages
Author: Hazel St. Lewis
Publisher: Hidden Siren
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The number one rule in never make a deal with Death…even if Death is your sister.

Theodra, Goddess of War, knows not to break this rule. But like all arrogant gods, she does just that. Unable to hold back, she destroys a ship full of traffickers, unaware there are girls on board. When one of them dies, Theo trades with Death for a soul she will someday love. A soul for a soul. A good deal, in her esteemed opinion, since she is incapable of falling in love.

Unfortunately, Theo might have been mistaken.

Thirteen years later, as a punishment for killing too many wicked men, she is sentenced to play as a mortal in a deadly tournament called The Sacrifice. The games are played in pairs, and her partner is the sinfully handsome Prince Kellyn. Even though they despise one another and can barely work together, sexual tension burns between them. But if their hatred turns to love, it will cost Kellyn his life, for Death is always waiting to collect.

Courting War is a new adult fantasy romance novel and is a standalone book within a larger series. Featured tropes enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity (only-one-bed), forbidden love, and immortals.

Thank you Book of Matches Media and Hazel St. Lewis for an ALC.

A GOOD STANDALONE.

Audiobook notes: I loved the narrators! There’s two for the dual POV and that’s my favorite way to listen to romance books. Both narrators did an amazing job, definitely recommend that route if you want to read this book!

This was a solid debut and I enjoyed the mythology aspects that were woven into the story. A bunch of villainous gods who just have fun meddling with human lives. It’s a bit dark and a bit gritty and those are some of my favorite fantasy vibes. I liked the soft enemies to lovers and thought for a standalone the romance was paced well. It’s a good slow burn that grew on me the longer I got to know Theo and Kellyn.

Some of the world building aspects were a bit confusing to me. The competition and scoring, exactly how and why the gods were meddling and a few other things. This is a standalone in a bigger world so hopefully in the next book things will be further expanded and explained.

I’m not mad one bit I picked this up and I would love to try book two as well. There’s many fantasy romance aspects that I love seeing that are in here and those moments were written very well.

Overall audience notes:

• Fantasy Romance
• Language: strong
• Romance: 1-2 open door; some innuendo throughout
• Violence: high
• Trigger/Content Warnings: dyslexia rep, suicide ideation, grief depiction, loss of life, torture

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