kalie reid – GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 432 pages
Author: Kalie Reid
Publisher: Little Brown
Release Date: November 4th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

An enchanting enemies-to-lovers fantasy about an exiled saint and the devout iconographer sent to paint him, for fans of Divine Rivals and A Study in Drowning.

The Abbey has controlled the minds of its patrons for a millennium through memory magic, stolen from exiled saints. At fifteen, Jude was exiled from the Abbey to the bleak moors in the countryside, to maintain their control over his bourgeoning magic. Almost a decade later, he wants to live a normal life free from the Abbey’s oppressive gaze. When they send Maeve, a stubbornly devout iconographer, to paint an updated icon of him, Jude makes it his mission to get rid of her as soon as possible. That is until he discovers she holds the same tainted magic of the saints as he does, and that the icons she paints may be the key to destroying the Abbey’s power.

As Jude and Maeve draw closer, the two of them face a choice—they can take on the full power of the Abbey and risk their lives for freedom or escape back to exile and make the most of their fading memories. But this institution has eyes everywhere, and the only thing the Abbey loves more than a saint is a martyr.

NOT E2L.

I’m feeling sassy over this book because I’m really tired of “enemies to lovers” books only lasts about 100 pages. I want to FEEL the animosity. I want heated banter where clearly there’s a vibe but they still can’t stand each other. GIVE IT TO ME. This did not do so.

This just didn’t feel like anything new. I’ve read something along these lines multiple times and I kept waiting for a reveal to surprise me or for the story to hold my attention. I also hate epilogues that are just one long open door scene.

Oh well, on to the next.

Overall audience notes: