ARC Review: The Ever Queen by L.J. Andrews

Title: The Ever Queen
Author: L.J. Andrews
Series: The Ever Seas #2
Genre: New Adult/ Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Ace
Publication Date: January 26, 2024
Edition: Digital
Source: NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Bookshop | Kobo | Powell's | 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis:

   The Songbird
Captive. Challenger. Queen.
   Enemies took her from the man who holds her heart. They might see her as weak, as a pawn in wicked games, but they’re no match for the first Ever Queen.
Let them think they’ve won.
Her heart belongs to a beautiful monster, and she will never stop fighting until she’s back in his arms. When she is, she'll gladly listen to their enemies screams as her serpent devours them whole.
   The Serpent
Captor. Villain. King.
   His enemies stole the woman who claimed his soul. They betrayed him out of greed and desire for the crown, but they won't die for that betrayal. No.
They’ll die for touching her.
His heart belongs to a stunning little bird. He will never stop searching for her light across the skies.
Not until the blood of his enemies spills at her feet, and his queen wears their bones around her neck.

 

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This series has honestly surprised me. 

I assumed I'd enjoy it, but I enjoyed it a great deal more than I thought I would. It helped that the characters are easy to root for, as is the romance. 

The Erik is not a good guy, but he is fully devoted to the Livia from the start, he tired so hard to be a villain towards her, but was already smitten from when they met as children (or littles as this book calls them). I also really appreciate that these characters do act like adults. I think the characters are in their early/mid-20s, but that thankfully don't act like teenagers. Which is sometimes how characters in that age group are written. They are a little rash, but considering the circumstance it's understandable. 

 

But on to the second book. I very much enjoyed this book. I appreciated that it didn't take an unreasonable amount of time to get her back, I don't see her getting rescued as a spoiler, and that she was a terror to her captors. She did not make it easy for them. This is one of the first romance books I've read in a long time that really left me feeling for the couple. They were both desperate to get back to each other. Livia wasn't an "agreeable" captive she made them regret taking  her and what they put her through. 

 

The 'new' antagonist was not somebody I was expecting. He wasn't very notable in the first book, he was kind of just there compared to the other characters. But I suppose that made the rug-pull a little more jarring since he didn't come across as a notable character. Learning his motives, and how selfish and petty he is made him sound really pathetic. That's likely the point, and to add insult to injury he thought he could easily get between Livia and Erik. These two people who are so deeply devoted to each other, after they'd only been apart for a few weeks made him even more pathetic.

  

The ones who took her had her hidden away on a disappearing isle controlled by elves (elven), which was a nice addition to the world-building. I'd like the next book to delve more into the elves and why they kept themselves hidden for as long as they did to the point the fae thought they were myths. The fae live long-lives, so I'd like to know the why, and the how, they kept both clans of elven a secret for so long. 

 

I am thoroughly invested in these characters and the world. I can't wait to read more books in this series.