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The Pactbound Angel
This book is a highly addictive friends-to-lovers romantasy with laugh-out-loud humor, a quest years in the making, and blistering hot romance.
Travel. Find a husband. Live happily ever after.
Celestial-blooded Lady Nathalia Swordhand wants nothing more than a quiet, content life, and she believes in order to do that, she needs to have a successful marriage. But what do you do when you find all the men around you… lacking?
You go out and get what you want.
Trained as a protector, she decides to join caravans as a guard while keeping an eye out for the one meant for her. A year goes by, then two. Then four. But it’s not in Nathalia to admit defeat. Failure is not an option. The mischief hags who cursed her as a child and stole her most beloved ability made sure of that.
On the road, an unexpected run-in with her sister Raewyn prompts them to go to the traveling fey carnival that is open nearby, the same carnival they went to once before as children, where they meet a strangely captivating pactmaker named Ramiren.
When the mischief hags show their faces again, opportunity knocks. Joined by Raewyn, Ramiren, a newly-cursed tinkerer named Georgina and her automaton M.A.L.C.O.L.M., Nathalia decides it’s time for payback.
But what about a husband?
Well, maybe the pactmaker can help with that.
The Pactbound Angel contains depictions of violence/adult situations and is therefore recommended for adult readers. For a full list of tropes and TWs, please visit the author's website.
Travel. Find a husband. Live happily ever after.
Celestial-blooded Lady Nathalia Swordhand wants nothing more than a quiet, content life, and she believes in order to do that, she needs to have a successful marriage. But what do you do when you find all the men around you… lacking?
You go out and get what you want.
Trained as a protector, she decides to join caravans as a guard while keeping an eye out for the one meant for her. A year goes by, then two. Then four. But it’s not in Nathalia to admit defeat. Failure is not an option. The mischief hags who cursed her as a child and stole her most beloved ability made sure of that.
On the road, an unexpected run-in with her sister Raewyn prompts them to go to the traveling fey carnival that is open nearby, the same carnival they went to once before as children, where they meet a strangely captivating pactmaker named Ramiren.
When the mischief hags show their faces again, opportunity knocks. Joined by Raewyn, Ramiren, a newly-cursed tinkerer named Georgina and her automaton M.A.L.C.O.L.M., Nathalia decides it’s time for payback.
But what about a husband?
Well, maybe the pactmaker can help with that.
The Pactbound Angel contains depictions of violence/adult situations and is therefore recommended for adult readers. For a full list of tropes and TWs, please visit the author's website.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 8, 2025
18 people are currently reading
2053 people want to read
About the author
S.J. Brown
2 books15 followersFind tropes, trigger warnings, info and more at the author's sarahjbrownauthor website.
Sarah spent her early years hating to read and write, until she discovered the fantasy genre.
She is now a writer by night, staring blurry-eyed at her computer at 3am quite often. She received her M.A. in Creative Writing at Eastern Illinois University. In her spare time (ha!), she gardens quite badly, plays with her two dogs Chewie and Leia, and watches movies with her husband Josh.
She writes epic fantasy (under Sarah J. Brown) and romantasy (under S.J. Brown).
Sarah spent her early years hating to read and write, until she discovered the fantasy genre.
She is now a writer by night, staring blurry-eyed at her computer at 3am quite often. She received her M.A. in Creative Writing at Eastern Illinois University. In her spare time (ha!), she gardens quite badly, plays with her two dogs Chewie and Leia, and watches movies with her husband Josh.
She writes epic fantasy (under Sarah J. Brown) and romantasy (under S.J. Brown).
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 30, 2025
starts weak but really picks up
September 8, 2025
ARC REVIEW: in the spirit of full transparency and providing an honest review i will say that i had a difficult time getting into this book, HOWEVER, i am so glad i continued reading because it got SO GOOD! nathalia is on a mission to find her person, a love story that could rival the one her parents share. the path she must take isn’t always an easy one. will she find what she’s looking for? highly recommend you read to find out more!
September 8, 2025
This is my first ARC read in a hot minute, and it turns out it was a romantasy, so let's begin with the beginning, shall we?
POV: First person
POV Character(s): Nathalia Swordhand
Verb Tense: Past
Trigger Warnings: Depictions of battles, violence, injuries, death
Content Warnings: explicit sexual content, "sex teacher" trope
Spice: Fairly high spice, several explicit scenes
I'll start this off by saying my review is not taking into account the format for this book, but I'll have a little more information on that below. Now, I admit the first thing I saw was the cover and I was hooked by the mirror images of the castle and wanted to see what the story was about. So I grabbed a copy to read and have just finished it on release day (yay!) and am here to share my review.
Let's start with the premise. Lady Nathalia Stormhand is a Celestial, meaning she's descended from an angel, and she's lived her life with the idea that protecting her virtue is the most important thing she can do. To that end, she dedicated herself to becoming a Protector, a follower of Horyn, who will one day devote herself in service to her future husband and to protecting him. She's decided to travel after having finished her training, and now she finds herself on the road with yet another caravan, heading to another city and ruminating on how hard it is to find a husband and how unglamorous the traveler lifestyle is.
When her caravan runs into one carrying her sister, Raewyn, Nathalia is pleasantly surprised until Raewyn tells her the fey carnival is in the town they're heading to and she intends to go for a visit. Nathalia is shocked at this admission as this fey carnival is the same one they snuck out to see as children and were horribly attacked by a hag that stole their most precious gifts from them. Raewyn won't be deterred, however, so Nathalia has no choice but to join her priestess sister in this mission of folly.
So the story starts off in this vein of two sisters who have lost different gifts and are going back to the scene of the crime, and it's quite a fun setup, especially as we get lots of Nathalia's thoughts throughout and learn about this world full of angels, demons, Celestials, broodlings (demon descendants), and oh-so-many fey. The world's fascinating enough with all these different species and races intermingling, but the story follows Nathalia as she develops a merry band of misfits, all of whom have had something stolen from them by the hags, and takes them on a journey into Feyland where she'll hopefully be able to retrieve her stolen gift and help the others do the same.
Of course, that means we should examine the merry band of misfits. First, there's Raewyn, a priestess who believes Nathalia should really just go get laid, and she's a feisty, flirty woman who likes to send barbed sarcastic comments at her companions and complains loudly when she's uncomfortable. Then there's Georgina, a gnome whose companion automaton M.A.L.C.O.L.M. serves as a protector, but she's always in a grumpy mood due to having lost her tools and being unable to work on M.A.L. while they travel. M.A.L., on the other hand, is a delight. His voice box is broken, and so he only screams as they travel, which is rather hilarious. And he has the most unhinged responses in the book.
Last, but not least, there's Ramiren, a broodling pact maker who has horns and seems to have a dodgy past we don't fully get the details of when he runs into Nathalia and her sister at the carnival.
This motley crew are launched into a plot to head into Feyland, which is more or less a mirror of their world, where they'll tackle the chore of tracking down the three hags who have stolen gifts from unsuspecting children and try to retrieve their own gifts.
So some thoughts on this book. It's the first in a duology, so we don't have a full arc completed here, but we do have enough of an ending to not leave me on a cliffhanger, which is great. We also have a fun romp through a fey world with weird and wonderful creatures and a lot of fighting to find the gifts each member has lost.
I liked the characters, especially the band of merry misfits Nathalia pulls together to travel with her. The automaton was a hoot and kept some levity in the mix. The fighting between Raewyn and Georgina definitely was comical at times. I was kind of expecting the story to end differently than it did, so I'm glad I was wrong and the ending did enough to not only surprise but delight me in a way.
The book reads well enough. It certainly has the vibes of being written by a new(er) author with some typos, but that's true of most trad books these days, too.
I will add the copy I received was a PDF, and so I couldn't be sure of some typos simply because the formatting was wonky. So I'm not docking stars for typos because I can't be sure there are as many as might have appeared due to wonky formatting. I'm hopeful the actual ePub versions will be cleaner copies for readers.
I did like the story and enjoyed the characters and plot. I enjoyed the fighting, the banter, and the slow-burn nature of Nathalia's relationship with Ramiren. I'm intrigued enough I'd be happy to read the sequel, too. So overall, a lovely start to a duology.
POV: First person
POV Character(s): Nathalia Swordhand
Verb Tense: Past
Trigger Warnings: Depictions of battles, violence, injuries, death
Content Warnings: explicit sexual content, "sex teacher" trope
Spice: Fairly high spice, several explicit scenes
I'll start this off by saying my review is not taking into account the format for this book, but I'll have a little more information on that below. Now, I admit the first thing I saw was the cover and I was hooked by the mirror images of the castle and wanted to see what the story was about. So I grabbed a copy to read and have just finished it on release day (yay!) and am here to share my review.
Let's start with the premise. Lady Nathalia Stormhand is a Celestial, meaning she's descended from an angel, and she's lived her life with the idea that protecting her virtue is the most important thing she can do. To that end, she dedicated herself to becoming a Protector, a follower of Horyn, who will one day devote herself in service to her future husband and to protecting him. She's decided to travel after having finished her training, and now she finds herself on the road with yet another caravan, heading to another city and ruminating on how hard it is to find a husband and how unglamorous the traveler lifestyle is.
When her caravan runs into one carrying her sister, Raewyn, Nathalia is pleasantly surprised until Raewyn tells her the fey carnival is in the town they're heading to and she intends to go for a visit. Nathalia is shocked at this admission as this fey carnival is the same one they snuck out to see as children and were horribly attacked by a hag that stole their most precious gifts from them. Raewyn won't be deterred, however, so Nathalia has no choice but to join her priestess sister in this mission of folly.
So the story starts off in this vein of two sisters who have lost different gifts and are going back to the scene of the crime, and it's quite a fun setup, especially as we get lots of Nathalia's thoughts throughout and learn about this world full of angels, demons, Celestials, broodlings (demon descendants), and oh-so-many fey. The world's fascinating enough with all these different species and races intermingling, but the story follows Nathalia as she develops a merry band of misfits, all of whom have had something stolen from them by the hags, and takes them on a journey into Feyland where she'll hopefully be able to retrieve her stolen gift and help the others do the same.
Of course, that means we should examine the merry band of misfits. First, there's Raewyn, a priestess who believes Nathalia should really just go get laid, and she's a feisty, flirty woman who likes to send barbed sarcastic comments at her companions and complains loudly when she's uncomfortable. Then there's Georgina, a gnome whose companion automaton M.A.L.C.O.L.M. serves as a protector, but she's always in a grumpy mood due to having lost her tools and being unable to work on M.A.L. while they travel. M.A.L., on the other hand, is a delight. His voice box is broken, and so he only screams as they travel, which is rather hilarious. And he has the most unhinged responses in the book.
Last, but not least, there's Ramiren, a broodling pact maker who has horns and seems to have a dodgy past we don't fully get the details of when he runs into Nathalia and her sister at the carnival.
This motley crew are launched into a plot to head into Feyland, which is more or less a mirror of their world, where they'll tackle the chore of tracking down the three hags who have stolen gifts from unsuspecting children and try to retrieve their own gifts.
So some thoughts on this book. It's the first in a duology, so we don't have a full arc completed here, but we do have enough of an ending to not leave me on a cliffhanger, which is great. We also have a fun romp through a fey world with weird and wonderful creatures and a lot of fighting to find the gifts each member has lost.
I liked the characters, especially the band of merry misfits Nathalia pulls together to travel with her. The automaton was a hoot and kept some levity in the mix. The fighting between Raewyn and Georgina definitely was comical at times. I was kind of expecting the story to end differently than it did, so I'm glad I was wrong and the ending did enough to not only surprise but delight me in a way.
The book reads well enough. It certainly has the vibes of being written by a new(er) author with some typos, but that's true of most trad books these days, too.
I will add the copy I received was a PDF, and so I couldn't be sure of some typos simply because the formatting was wonky. So I'm not docking stars for typos because I can't be sure there are as many as might have appeared due to wonky formatting. I'm hopeful the actual ePub versions will be cleaner copies for readers.
I did like the story and enjoyed the characters and plot. I enjoyed the fighting, the banter, and the slow-burn nature of Nathalia's relationship with Ramiren. I'm intrigued enough I'd be happy to read the sequel, too. So overall, a lovely start to a duology.
September 4, 2025
✨Arc Review✨
Thank you to the author S.J Brown for sending me this amazing digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
-All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Pactbound Angel is the kind of book that quietly wraps its magic around you until you’re completely and blissfully ensnared. From the very first chapter, S.J. Brown creates a world that feels both whimsical and grounded — where curses are born from mischief, hope is carried by stubborn heroines, and even the most unlikely companions can change the course of destiny.
At the heart of the story is Nathalia Swordhand, a celestial-blooded guard who’s spent years shielding others while hiding her own wounds — both magical and emotional. Her power has been fractured by a cruel curse laid upon her in childhood, and yet her determination never wavers. Nathalia is the kind of heroine we don’t see enough of in romantasy: capable, complex, and full of quiet longing for connection. When her path crosses with Ramiren, a mysterious pactmaker with secrets and smirks in equal measure, sparks fly — not just in the romantic sense, but in the way they challenge and shift each other’s worldviews.
The journey that follows is equal parts magical quest and emotional reckoning. With her sister Raewyn by her side, a cursed tinkerer named Georgina, and a delightfully sassy automaton (M.A.L.C.O.L.M. is a gem), Nathalia finds herself chasing down the curse that’s haunted her for years — and discovering the power of true partnership along the way.
S.J. Brown’s writing is clever, lyrical, and brimming with personality. The humor lands exactly where it should, and the emotional moments carry genuine weight. What makes this book so special is how it balances the fantastical with the intimate. The action is there, yes — but it’s the relationships that shine. The found-family energy is strong, the slow-burn tension is delicious, and the magic system is refreshingly unique.
If I had to critique anything, it would only be that I wanted more time in this world. Some storylines unfold a bit quickly — especially the romance, which I would’ve happily spent another hundred pages watching blossom. But that’s the best kind of complaint: when you don’t want the story to end.
In short, The Pactbound Angel is heartfelt, adventurous, and achingly romantic. It’s for readers who love flawed heroines with unbreakable spirits, morally intriguing love interests, and fantasy stories with depth, charm, and a dash of delightful chaos. This is the start of something truly special, and I cannot wait to see where book two takes us.
- Reading this book took me longer than usual—not because it wasn’t gripping, but because it came to me as a PDF file, not a traditional ebook. That meant reading on my computer screen in between work tasks, which isn’t always the easiest way to stay immersed. But honestly? It was still worth every second. The story kept pulling me back, even when real life got noisy. The writing is that strong. The pacing is that tight.
Thank you to the author S.J Brown for sending me this amazing digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
-All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Pactbound Angel is the kind of book that quietly wraps its magic around you until you’re completely and blissfully ensnared. From the very first chapter, S.J. Brown creates a world that feels both whimsical and grounded — where curses are born from mischief, hope is carried by stubborn heroines, and even the most unlikely companions can change the course of destiny.
At the heart of the story is Nathalia Swordhand, a celestial-blooded guard who’s spent years shielding others while hiding her own wounds — both magical and emotional. Her power has been fractured by a cruel curse laid upon her in childhood, and yet her determination never wavers. Nathalia is the kind of heroine we don’t see enough of in romantasy: capable, complex, and full of quiet longing for connection. When her path crosses with Ramiren, a mysterious pactmaker with secrets and smirks in equal measure, sparks fly — not just in the romantic sense, but in the way they challenge and shift each other’s worldviews.
The journey that follows is equal parts magical quest and emotional reckoning. With her sister Raewyn by her side, a cursed tinkerer named Georgina, and a delightfully sassy automaton (M.A.L.C.O.L.M. is a gem), Nathalia finds herself chasing down the curse that’s haunted her for years — and discovering the power of true partnership along the way.
S.J. Brown’s writing is clever, lyrical, and brimming with personality. The humor lands exactly where it should, and the emotional moments carry genuine weight. What makes this book so special is how it balances the fantastical with the intimate. The action is there, yes — but it’s the relationships that shine. The found-family energy is strong, the slow-burn tension is delicious, and the magic system is refreshingly unique.
If I had to critique anything, it would only be that I wanted more time in this world. Some storylines unfold a bit quickly — especially the romance, which I would’ve happily spent another hundred pages watching blossom. But that’s the best kind of complaint: when you don’t want the story to end.
In short, The Pactbound Angel is heartfelt, adventurous, and achingly romantic. It’s for readers who love flawed heroines with unbreakable spirits, morally intriguing love interests, and fantasy stories with depth, charm, and a dash of delightful chaos. This is the start of something truly special, and I cannot wait to see where book two takes us.
- Reading this book took me longer than usual—not because it wasn’t gripping, but because it came to me as a PDF file, not a traditional ebook. That meant reading on my computer screen in between work tasks, which isn’t always the easiest way to stay immersed. But honestly? It was still worth every second. The story kept pulling me back, even when real life got noisy. The writing is that strong. The pacing is that tight.
August 25, 2025
The Pactbound Angel by S.J. Brown is the kind of book that you read in one or two sittings. It was that good! This book is the first in the series, taking you on a fun, high stakes journey as the main characters find their way to love and a happy ending. The Pactbound Angel had the perfect mix of reliable main characters and quirky cast members, mystery, epic journey in a fantasy realm, spicy AND consensual romance, and moments of comic relief.
My favorite part of the novel was the romantic relationship between the two main characters. There was a strong balance between emotional intimacy and spicy connection, that was built on a relationship focused on respect and fairness. I also enjoyed that the romance was supported by a male main character who could effectively communicate well and a strong female character that wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable even though she is a trained warrior.
I will be continuing the series and following author S.J. Brown on the rest of her author journey. Full disclosure: I supported S.J. Brown as an Arc reader for this novel but have genuinely enjoyed reading this novel, and getting to know her characters. I’m happy to have supported in her process towards publication.
My favorite part of the novel was the romantic relationship between the two main characters. There was a strong balance between emotional intimacy and spicy connection, that was built on a relationship focused on respect and fairness. I also enjoyed that the romance was supported by a male main character who could effectively communicate well and a strong female character that wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable even though she is a trained warrior.
I will be continuing the series and following author S.J. Brown on the rest of her author journey. Full disclosure: I supported S.J. Brown as an Arc reader for this novel but have genuinely enjoyed reading this novel, and getting to know her characters. I’m happy to have supported in her process towards publication.
September 13, 2025
Book 1 of The Soul Mirror Duet
A plot with an exciting quest, full of humor, steamy romance, and an unlikely crew of misfits? Sign me up!
It's been a while since I got into a romantasy and really immersed myself in a world that is both entertaining and addictive. I'm impressed by the new author S.J. Brown. She created a wonderful world and characters. Both the main characters and the side characters are fantastic and add so much humor to the story. I really had the best time reading and being transported to a different magical place full of angels, demons, fae, and so much more. I loved the fun twist with the "steamy lessons" while they are on this action-packed journey together.
The story is told from our FMC Nathalia Swordhand aka Nat's POV. She is simply a BA with her amazing fighting skills and bravery.
Ramiren the MMC is a sexy consent king and I was melting into a puddle during his bedroom lessons. They have amazing chemistry and friendly banter.
Tropes:
Fated Mates
Friends-to-lovers
Bedroom lessons
Teacher/Student
Paranormal
Spicy
Angels/Demons
First-person POV
Check TW
Pick a comfy spot and carve out some time to read because you won't want to put this book down once you start on this fantastic quest.
I'm eager for the next book in this duet!
A plot with an exciting quest, full of humor, steamy romance, and an unlikely crew of misfits? Sign me up!
It's been a while since I got into a romantasy and really immersed myself in a world that is both entertaining and addictive. I'm impressed by the new author S.J. Brown. She created a wonderful world and characters. Both the main characters and the side characters are fantastic and add so much humor to the story. I really had the best time reading and being transported to a different magical place full of angels, demons, fae, and so much more. I loved the fun twist with the "steamy lessons" while they are on this action-packed journey together.
The story is told from our FMC Nathalia Swordhand aka Nat's POV. She is simply a BA with her amazing fighting skills and bravery.
Ramiren the MMC is a sexy consent king and I was melting into a puddle during his bedroom lessons. They have amazing chemistry and friendly banter.
Tropes:
Fated Mates
Friends-to-lovers
Bedroom lessons
Teacher/Student
Paranormal
Spicy
Angels/Demons
First-person POV
Check TW
Pick a comfy spot and carve out some time to read because you won't want to put this book down once you start on this fantastic quest.
I'm eager for the next book in this duet!
September 11, 2025
Two sister's got cursed as children by a hag at a Fey Carnival.
Reawyn the younger sister, is forced to wear a mask because of her scars, and even though she is beautiful she hide behind her mask.
Nathalia become the protecter but the curse has her as well, and she struggles to believe enough in herself.
One day under a ambush of bandits, Nathalia find her sister again. Together again they, Reawyn is heading towards the next town, The Fey Carnival is her reason why she wants to go. Nathalia don't like it and decide to go with Reawyn to protect her.
There they find ran into Ramiren, Reawyn want Nathalia to have fun, and even though Nathalia don't want to, Ramiren soon become the missing piece in Nathalia's life.
Along with new found friends, the two sisters finally got near the hag, and a long journey is now ahead of them. Will Nathalia be able to protect Reawyn this time, and will Nathalia find the husband she dream to find and live happily ever after.
Or will the two sister's be cursed for ever.
Reawyn the younger sister, is forced to wear a mask because of her scars, and even though she is beautiful she hide behind her mask.
Nathalia become the protecter but the curse has her as well, and she struggles to believe enough in herself.
One day under a ambush of bandits, Nathalia find her sister again. Together again they, Reawyn is heading towards the next town, The Fey Carnival is her reason why she wants to go. Nathalia don't like it and decide to go with Reawyn to protect her.
There they find ran into Ramiren, Reawyn want Nathalia to have fun, and even though Nathalia don't want to, Ramiren soon become the missing piece in Nathalia's life.
Along with new found friends, the two sisters finally got near the hag, and a long journey is now ahead of them. Will Nathalia be able to protect Reawyn this time, and will Nathalia find the husband she dream to find and live happily ever after.
Or will the two sister's be cursed for ever.
September 12, 2025
Arc Review
This book was 3 stars from what I have read but I do want to make it clear that I did DNF this book after reading a 1/3 of the book.
The writing style made it difficult for me to really jump into this book. I personally found the characters a bit boring, Raewyn was probably the most exiting character and she was a side character.
The main reason I didn’t particularly enjoy this book is because the FMC and MMC are so boring. I loved that they were portrayed as Mature Main characters and I was really excited to see that but i felt like they had no personality. They were agreeable to everything and everyone mostly. There was no banter, just polite conversation.
I will say the only redeeming quality for this book is that at least the MMC is very open and clear about consent, how to express, its importance. This was the reason I gave the book 3 stars instead of 2. This was the saving grace for me but although I tried to keep pushing through this book, I couldn’t.
This book was 3 stars from what I have read but I do want to make it clear that I did DNF this book after reading a 1/3 of the book.
The writing style made it difficult for me to really jump into this book. I personally found the characters a bit boring, Raewyn was probably the most exiting character and she was a side character.
The main reason I didn’t particularly enjoy this book is because the FMC and MMC are so boring. I loved that they were portrayed as Mature Main characters and I was really excited to see that but i felt like they had no personality. They were agreeable to everything and everyone mostly. There was no banter, just polite conversation.
I will say the only redeeming quality for this book is that at least the MMC is very open and clear about consent, how to express, its importance. This was the reason I gave the book 3 stars instead of 2. This was the saving grace for me but although I tried to keep pushing through this book, I couldn’t.
December 21, 2025
Loved it!
S. J. Brown has a true talent for painting vivid worlds filled with fantastical creatures, creating settings you wouldn’t necessarily dream of yourself. I love her character ARCs the growth her FMC goes through in this book is very satisfying and I am sure it will continue in the next.
What I wouldn’t give to get into the MMCs head, though so much is conveyed through a masterful expression of secretive thoughts in body language, dialogue, and action. I need these two to see all we do between them.
If you love a good slow burn, a consent king, the idea of lessons (and oh my the last one will have you melted onto the floor) and a great deal of witty banter and fun side characters, this is your book. There are adventures to be had, lands to explore, and battles to be fought! If you are still reading this, go buy the book, you won’t be disappointed! Don’t add it to your TBR, get it, it’s gorgeous, and read it now! You can thank me later. ;-)
S. J. Brown has a true talent for painting vivid worlds filled with fantastical creatures, creating settings you wouldn’t necessarily dream of yourself. I love her character ARCs the growth her FMC goes through in this book is very satisfying and I am sure it will continue in the next.
What I wouldn’t give to get into the MMCs head, though so much is conveyed through a masterful expression of secretive thoughts in body language, dialogue, and action. I need these two to see all we do between them.
If you love a good slow burn, a consent king, the idea of lessons (and oh my the last one will have you melted onto the floor) and a great deal of witty banter and fun side characters, this is your book. There are adventures to be had, lands to explore, and battles to be fought! If you are still reading this, go buy the book, you won’t be disappointed! Don’t add it to your TBR, get it, it’s gorgeous, and read it now! You can thank me later. ;-)
September 7, 2025
ARC Review!
Thank you to the author for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this book!
This book follows Nathalia and a group of unlikely friends on a quest to end curses that have plagued the people of the land. This was not the typical fantasy read, filled with high fae and strong male leads, and instead introduced a highly addictive land filled with all types of mystical creatures.
I thoroughly enjoyed the growing friendship between the main characters, and the budding romance between the main female and male characters. The storyline of the pact was very intriguing, and not at all what I had expected when starting this book. I also enjoyed the main male character being outright with communication, mostly, which also differs from most romances, in general.
I’m excited for the next book in the series, and will definitely be continuing the story! That epilogue!
Thank you to the author for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this book!
This book follows Nathalia and a group of unlikely friends on a quest to end curses that have plagued the people of the land. This was not the typical fantasy read, filled with high fae and strong male leads, and instead introduced a highly addictive land filled with all types of mystical creatures.
I thoroughly enjoyed the growing friendship between the main characters, and the budding romance between the main female and male characters. The storyline of the pact was very intriguing, and not at all what I had expected when starting this book. I also enjoyed the main male character being outright with communication, mostly, which also differs from most romances, in general.
I’m excited for the next book in the series, and will definitely be continuing the story! That epilogue!
September 8, 2025
What a great fantasy book.
It has adventure, they are on a quest to find the michief hags who stole from them. You follow them on the road and see what adventures happen on the way.
It has spicy scenes, and they were quite uniquely done, they were uplifting instead of dark and went very well with the story. If you like spice you will be satisfied with how it evolves.
All the quest characters had their own uniqueness and were enjoyable to know their personalities came thru well. I really bonded with the characters.
Looking forward to the next book with anticipation. It's great to find a new author to read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It has adventure, they are on a quest to find the michief hags who stole from them. You follow them on the road and see what adventures happen on the way.
It has spicy scenes, and they were quite uniquely done, they were uplifting instead of dark and went very well with the story. If you like spice you will be satisfied with how it evolves.
All the quest characters had their own uniqueness and were enjoyable to know their personalities came thru well. I really bonded with the characters.
Looking forward to the next book with anticipation. It's great to find a new author to read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 12, 2025
I received an ARC of this book and read it over the last few days. Initially it was a little difficult to get into (as are all fantasy style novels, world building is absolutely a MUST even if it’s not the most exciting) but this book very quickly picked up in pace and became almost impossible to put down. I woke up and read getting ready for work, I read while my kids were at soccer practice, I read while cooking dinner, heck I read while grocery shopping🤣
Clever, interesting writing, characters that are easy to attach to, a world and magic system that captures your attention. Easily a 4.5 ⭐️ read. The only reason it’s not a 5⭐️ read is because I’m a sucker for a happily ever after😅 all in all, I really enjoyed this book. I need the next one expeditiously.
Clever, interesting writing, characters that are easy to attach to, a world and magic system that captures your attention. Easily a 4.5 ⭐️ read. The only reason it’s not a 5⭐️ read is because I’m a sucker for a happily ever after😅 all in all, I really enjoyed this book. I need the next one expeditiously.
September 16, 2025
I received an advance copy of The Pactbound Angel by S.J. Brown in exchange for an honest review.
This mystical fantasy weaves together themes of gratitude, contracts, and the high cost of bargains. At its heart is Nathalia, who, as a child, loses something so precious that her life becomes muted and unremarkable. Her journey is one of reclaiming what was lost, facing her demons, and ultimately finding her voice.
Brown’s storytelling invites readers to reflect on resilience, sacrifice, and the transformative power of choice.
What price would you be willing to pay to recover the light that once illuminated your world?
October 3, 2025
5 ⭐️ If you’re looking to get sucked into an entirely new world of pure fantasy, this is your book! Loved getting to explore such a unique universe & fell in love with all of its quirky characters. I received an advance copy for free at my request after seeing the blurb for it. I am so glad I requested to read this book! All my reviews are made voluntarily & are my honest thoughts/opinions. The Pactbound Angel is definitely for those who enjoy a story where a group of mismatched characters come together for a common goal which involves a quest into the unknown. Has mystery, intrigue, danger, action, love, & so much more. Recommend to anyone wanting to get lost.
August 23, 2025
I actually read this book back in June when I met the author on Goodreads and volunteered to be apart of her arc team. Overall I was very impressed with the storyline when I read this story. If you are looking for a good adventure story with some spice then this is the book for you!
we are introduced to a young woman named Nathalia who has devided to stake put on her own. The main reason beibg is that none of the men nearby meet up to her standards. On this journey she meets a man who sparks a passion in her that has never been there before.
we are introduced to a young woman named Nathalia who has devided to stake put on her own. The main reason beibg is that none of the men nearby meet up to her standards. On this journey she meets a man who sparks a passion in her that has never been there before.
September 17, 2025
A really good read!! I enjoyed this book a lot, love a romantasy! I really enjoyed the pace of this book, I found it easy to get sucked into and hard to put down. I also liked that the main characters were more mature than some main characters can be, it was a nice fresh breathe. I also found Nathalia to be well developed and interesting, I appreciated that she wasn't just a 2D character with black and white values and characteristics. Can't wait for the second book!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 17, 2025
I received this book as an ARC. S.J. Brown tells the story of a strong willed and complex celestial guard named Nathalia. Being cursed as a child doesn’t stop her from being the lead female who is strong willed. I wish more females were portrayed like her.
When she crosses the path of Ramiren, their journey and chemistry turns into something exciting and spellbinding.
This book was humorous, emotional and full of magic. While it took some time to get into the first few chapters, I’m very glad that I continued reading and was captured by the beauty of this romantasy novel.
When she crosses the path of Ramiren, their journey and chemistry turns into something exciting and spellbinding.
This book was humorous, emotional and full of magic. While it took some time to get into the first few chapters, I’m very glad that I continued reading and was captured by the beauty of this romantasy novel.
February 13, 2026
This book has been an amazing journey, Nathalia and Ramiren, Their lessons ... Phuck 🥵🥵 the quest that they go on with her sister Raewyn , Georgina and her robot Malcom ( he always had me laughing) was so interesting to read, I enjoyed it all, there was never a dull moment apart from when Nathalia made a terrible decision, how ever when you find out why it makes sense I cant wait to read the next book!
September 7, 2025
The story follows Nathalia (‘celestial’) and her companions through illusions, legends, and battles with dark forces. It’s a mix of personal storytelling and fantasy adventure—sometimes a little slow at first, but it builds into emotionally charged and action-filled moments.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 10, 2025
This is a really good
Romance
friends-to-lovers
teacher/student
fated mates
devil/angel
age gap
mature FMC
Consent King
mature MMC
secrets
quest
It was such an interesting experience with this book I absolutely loved it has great characters , great plot and amazing character development and world building, I also loved the banter between the characters just over all great read
Romance
friends-to-lovers
teacher/student
fated mates
devil/angel
age gap
mature FMC
Consent King
mature MMC
secrets
quest
It was such an interesting experience with this book I absolutely loved it has great characters , great plot and amazing character development and world building, I also loved the banter between the characters just over all great read
September 11, 2025
I love when a book manages to create spice and tension all in one go. This book left me screaming at characters and begging for more at the same time. If you like books with just the right amount of spice, some deals, tough heroines, goofy sidekicks and lots of adventure this is a book to read for sure.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 13, 2025
This book does give a bit of a background, starts of a bit slow not quite the writing style I’m used to which is good as it gets you used to other authors! It is a Romantasy so it is fantastic based I loved the background of the carnival, it gives redemption arcs for later in the story. Loved the family feel between the sisters as well
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2025
I really wanted to like this, but the writing was clunky and the pacing dragged. The characters didn’t feel real to me, and Nathalia’s obsession with finding a husband got frustrating fast. I gave up halfway through.
September 12, 2025
The Pactbound Angel by S. J. Brown is an incredible friends to lovers romance. The story is entertaining, interesting, romantic, and more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 12, 2025
This was an amazing story that I think will be a huge hit! The characters had depth and intrigue that kept me turning pages well into the night. I will definitely be recommending this one to all my book girlies!! Well done!!!
December 17, 2025
This story surprised me in the best way. Nathalia is strong, stubborn, and deeply relatable, and the world around her feels alive and magical without being overwhelming.
September 9, 2025
Omg I LOVED this book. I don't always find indie books to be well written or well edited, but this one was high quality in my mind! It was so compulsively readable... I finished it in 2 days.
I loved the two main love interests, and the other characters that formed their rag-tag band. They all had distinct and interesting personalities. The automaton was fun and cute and brought some humour to it all.
I thought there was a perfect balance between the romance, spice, and the main plot. The world was interesting and the world building was mixed in well with the story, not a ton of boring infodumping.
There's still lots of unknowns, and I can't wait for the next book, but we're not left on a total shocking cliffhanger either, which I really appreciate!
I would have said that I wasn't interested in a couple of the tropes, but they were well done and fit the story perfectly.
All in all, I'm so glad I read this book, and I totally recommend it if you're looking for something well written, with a great plot, spicy romance, and overall fun, engaging time.
(I am grateful to have received a free arc of this book. This review is my own genuine reaction and thoughts on it.)
I loved the two main love interests, and the other characters that formed their rag-tag band. They all had distinct and interesting personalities. The automaton was fun and cute and brought some humour to it all.
I thought there was a perfect balance between the romance, spice, and the main plot. The world was interesting and the world building was mixed in well with the story, not a ton of boring infodumping.
There's still lots of unknowns, and I can't wait for the next book, but we're not left on a total shocking cliffhanger either, which I really appreciate!
I would have said that I wasn't interested in a couple of the tropes, but they were well done and fit the story perfectly.
All in all, I'm so glad I read this book, and I totally recommend it if you're looking for something well written, with a great plot, spicy romance, and overall fun, engaging time.
(I am grateful to have received a free arc of this book. This review is my own genuine reaction and thoughts on it.)
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