Genre: Romance

To Charm a Dark Prince by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

To Charm a Dark Prince

Posted on August 23, 2023 by Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading in Reviews / 3 Comments

Don’t you just love this cover? Yeah! The cover of To Charm a Dark Prince caught my eye, providing another addition to my review list. I can’t say I am sorry, though, as it turned far better than expected.

 

To Charm a Dark Prince by Kathryn Ann KingsleyTitle: To Charm a Dark Prince
Author(s): Kathryn Ann Kingsley
Series: The Iron Crystal #1
Also in this series: To Bind a Dark Heart
Published by Hachette UK - Second Sky on August 18, 2023
Pages: 305
Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Format: eArc
Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
Series Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Heat Level: One FlameOne FlameHalf a Flame

To save a kingdom, she must charm a monster.
Transported to the magical realm of Avalon, Gwen finds herself in the hands of its dark and beautiful ruler— Mordred, the Prince in Iron .
The prince holds total power in Avalon, trapping his rivals in an enchanted crystal prison. But he shows a strange gentleness to Gwen.
Seeing no other way to escape, Gwen strikes a deal with Mordred’s enemy. If she can break the crystal, she will be free to go home.
Gwen joins Mordred’s court with a plan to steal his heart and destroy his prize.
Desire sparks between them at once. But Mordred is a dangerous host. As they draw closer, his passion and anger burn brighter.
Gwen would be foolish to trust him.
And even more foolish to betray his trust…
A gripping dark fairy tale and a seductive fantasy romance, with slow-burning attraction, enemies-to-lovers banter and an alluring villain. The Iron Crystal series will enchant fans of Sarah J. Maas, Elisa Kova and Danielle L. Jensen.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

 

In To Charm a Dark Prince, Kingsley transports readers to the Avalon. In this version of Avalon, King Arthur is dead and Mordred, the Prince in Iron, rules. The people of Avalon fear Mordred, but not in a good way. He imprisoned Elementals, hence entrapping magic. He had good reason to do so, as the Elementals became reckless, thus creating chaos. However, this action led to Avalon becoming a desolate and depressing city.

He faced opposition from many angles, one of which came from Gwendolyn, a nineteen-year-old from modern day Kansas. The manner in which Gwen got caught in this whole scenario was quite hilarious. I will not go into many details, but I will say this much. It involved a cat and fire.

It was interesting getting to know Mordred. The story portrays him as controlling, a tyrant, and brutal. However, it seemed he had a bit of a soft spot for Gwen, which may lead to his downfall. Also, there were times throughout the story when I kept wondering if Mordred was really the villain. Sticking to his convictions and not being easily swayed was his most admirable trait. Some readers may find Gwen’s behaviour annoying. However, given the sheltered life she lived, it came as no surprise. She shows some growth as the story progressed, but there is room for improvement.

Mordred and Gwen’s interactions reeked of sexual tension and humour. It was quite interesting, given the circumstances. Mordred doesn’t trust her, and with good reason. 

The world Kingsley created fascinated me and fed my desire for everything Arthurian. The story started out slow, and it took sometime for it to pick up. This was mainly because of the author introducing readers to the new Avalon, and providing information as it relates to the reasons for Mordred’s actions.

To Charm a Dark Prince delivered a fun start to The Iron Crystal series. I am curious to learn if Gwen will succeed in her mission to bring down Mordred, or will they join forces? So many questions, especially with that explosive ending. 



Story Evaluation
Plot
4
Characters
3
World Building
4.5
Writing Style
4.5
Pacing
3
Cover
5
Enjoyment
4
Ending
3
Overall: One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star

 

 

 

About Kathryn Ann Kingsley

As a USA Today bestselling author and award-winning designer, Kat has always been a storyteller. She delights in spinning stories of the sweetest nightmares to delight her readers with her unique twist of fantasy, horror, and romance. With ten years in script-writing for performances on both the stage and for tourism, she has always been writing in one form or another. Also on her list of skills are artistic direction, scenic painting and props, special effects, and electronics. A graduate of Boston University with a BFA in Theatre Design, she has a passion for unique, creative, and unconventional experiences. In her spare time, she builds animatronics and takes trapeze classes.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading

Tags:

Divider