Their Tangled Fates: Tangled and True Duology Book 1

by Briella Brezzo

The past has decided their future. The truth will seal their fate.

Eloise Detura has spent her life preparing to follow her father into the Order of Incanters, defending humanity from the threat of fae invasion. A path of her own? Never an option. But in a twist of fate, she's swept away by Caeo Evers, an alluring failure getting by on his good looks.

Caeo’s only ever been good at one thing—drawing the eye of everyone he meets. He’s attending the Academy because it’s his best chance at a future. But the night he meets Ellie, he falls hard for the self-conscious, lonely girl who’s resistant to his charms.

Despite the forces tearing them apart, they keep finding one another. Until an ancient rift resurfaces, tangling them in a simmering war. Their fates entwine with four others whose choices will upend humans and fae alike.

As curses bind and betrayals rise, bonds will be tested. Some will find love. Others will unravel. And history will be forever tied to their tattered hearts.

Book One of the Tangled and True Duology—a multi-POV romantasy of scars and self-discovery, told through mystery, heartache, and spice.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Fae

483 pages, Paperback

Published April 23, 2026

Reviews

[Madi Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself setting this book down to break the non-existent fourth wall in my bedroom multiple times while reading this. Maybe I’m clueless, but WOW—was that ever twisty!

I won’t lie, before it clicked, I thought this story was addled with plot holes and bad writing… I am pleased to say that I was SO wrong. I am impressed (and obsessed) with how Brezzo could make the reader feel the same emotions as the characters—without the reader even knowing it!

I was immediately hooked by the unique setting and magic system in this story and these elements only got better as it went on.

My only grievance? I have to wait to read the next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and Briella Brezzo for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[Couby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy provided by author.

This book was such an amazing read that had me hooked from the beginning and never let me go.

This novel has one of the best magic systems I’ve seen in a while. The concept of incantation was well explained and easy to understand and it’s contrasted with fae magic. I really appreciated how magic doesn’t just exist because it’s fantasy and somehow solves all the problems. There are consequences to using these different types of magic that makes our characters reluctant to rely on them too much.

The characters were so well written. Eloise (Ellie) is our FMC and Caeo is our MMC. It was so refreshing that the two of them have their own beliefs and motivations that drive them so that their whole character arc doesn’t revolve around each other. They are their own people separate from each other.
Ellie grew up with high expectations thrusted upon her and her future decided for her. At first, I thought she’d be the typical sheltered FMC who is innocent and can’t be reasoned with. Like… we’d probably spend five chapters just to convince her of something she refuses to accept because it doesn’t align with her beliefs. But surprisingly, she’s so reasonable?? and logical?? She was not one of those FMC where I had to scream at them to open their eyes and use their head to see what’s literally in front of them. So that was refreshing!
Besides the two main characters, we have an array of amazingly written side characters as well. Everyone has their own personality, their own motivations, and I was genuinely rooting for every one of them. I don’t think there was a single character that I disliked.

Now, for the mystery and suspense. I love how the author plants hints in the book early on and at first, you don’t even notice them; like they’re just one-off comments or words you don’t think twice about. But then as you continue reading, the hints start to connect and your brain realizes that something is off but you’re not sure what. And then BOOM, everything just happens all at once and you’re like I KNEW IT something was off, I just wasn’t sure what! (or maybe that’s just me ahahaha). But of course, she doesn’t actually give you everything at once because then it wouldn’t really be a mystery anymore would it? To be honest, after the big reveal, I had to take a break from the book for a good two days because my brain was still reeling from the shock of everything. If this isn’t writing at its peak, I don’t know what is. A little side note on the writing— I love how witty the author is. In this universe, fae can’t lie, but they can twist the truth. She did a fantastic job at twisting their words or having them say things in roundabout ways that even I, as the reader, was tricked. The humour was also delightful and refreshing.

As for the romance portion, to be honest, I was slightly skeptical when I realized there would be a love triangle because I’m not the biggest fan of them. But it WORKS in this novel due to the circumstances. And I found I didn’t even hate the second love interest (another example of how well-written all the characters are). There is spice in this novel but I found it to be tastefully done and not overdone like in some romantasy novels.

Overall, “Their Tangled Fates” was a fantastic read that pulls you in from the start and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. It had a unique magic system, amazing world-building, and incredible characters. I cannot wait for the second book of this duology to see what fate has in store for the characters!

4.5/5 ⭐️

[April More · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart hurts. What a ride. What would you do if your best friend was cursed to forget their mate? Would you sacrifice your happiness to help break their curse? Well, this was a 5 star read. I could not put it down. The cliffhanger has me needing book 2.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right away, I was drawn in by the prologue. Their Tangled Fates has some great plot twists, some you will see coming and others that you won't. It will feel like something is off in part 1, but once you figure it out, you will be screaming at the characters to notice. Once Part 2 started, I was fully invested. I finished the rest of the book in one sitting. I have to know what is going to happen next! I'm so glad we don't have to wait long for book 2 to release.

I enjoyed the multiple POVs, and the switches between them felt very natural and good for the pacing of the story.

I would recommend this book to lovers of forbidden love and situations that aren't what they seem.

Thank you to the author for an advanced copy for review consideration.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 stars

Review of advance copy received from author

What to expect
✨ Mulitple POVs
✨ Fae
✨ Self discovery
✨ Mystery’s
✨ Heartbreak
✨ Curses
✨ Book 1 of a Duology

This was a fantastic book. The plot was amazing and had me guessing. Full of twist and turns.

Our FMC Eloise has her whole future planned out for her, doesn’t matter if it not what’s she wants.

Eloise attends the Academy she has been training for and meets our charming MMC Caeo who draws the eye of everyone he meets.

We have forces trying to keep them apart. They get pulled into the middle of a war between humans and fae.

There are a lot of side characters I loved in this book. And I was rooting for them as well as the main characters.

I sat and read this book in one day. I couldn’t put it down I had to keep reading to find out what happens.

Can’t wait to see what the Author does with book two!

Highly recommend!

[Zehra · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.65/5 stars

very entertaining but would be way better if it had 20% less drama and 50% more plot

[ReccosbyRucha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
The concept of lovers who forget themselves when kept apart is really intriguing. While this is more insta‑love and I would’ve enjoyed seeing their feelings unfold a bit more before the separation, especially with the added layer of the curse, but the story remained engaging throughout.
It starts with great academy vibes and then moves at a fast pace that kept me hooked. The plot unfolds with multiple revelations that made me want to keep reading. Caeo was a standout character for me, and I’m honestly heartbroken for him.
Since this is a duology, I am eagerly waiting for book 2.
Thank you Booksprout for sharing this ARC copy for an honest review.

[Laura Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

THEIR TANGLED FATES BY BRIELLA BREZZO.
BOOK 1.
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
Absolutely brilliant.
Absolutely magical.
Absolutely amazing
Absolutely in love with this cover.
I'm sooo excited for book 2. Bring it on

[jessie_is_always_reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Victory Editing for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this. It had so many elements from other books i love, all shoved into one. This felt unique while still being easy to follow.

✨magic
✨magic school- sorted “houses”-ish, same concept
✨fae/human
✨queer
✨love triangle(s)
✨royalty
✨multiple realms/wars between

⚠️drug use, coercion/severe mind control, drugging, violence, open door spice

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
🌶️🌶️🌶️
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⚠️Copy/paste from my Notes app- possible spoilers ahead ⚠️




✨mind control magic, Fae,
MAGIC SCHOOL- SORTED HOUSES OMG, queer 🙌🏻🙌🏻
-he falls first/harder 😍😍 love triangle- brothers 🙈🙈
-this is kind of bumpy, the instalove mixed with randomly forgetting each other exists is bizarre. I’m on chapter 12 and I’m SO confused by these characters. OOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH 🤣🤣 I’m so dumb
⚠️drug use, drugging, coercion

[Melissa Prentice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an advanced reader copy.

I adored this story and all of the characters. Each voice is unique and compelling. I haven't read a ton of romantasy, mostly sticking to contemporary romance, but now I'm thinking I should expand my horizons. The world building is everything I would want it to be, consistent, compelling, and reasonable to understand. The love triangle is perfectly balanced for my taste. I left this story satisfied, but hungry for the next one!

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review - 4.25⭐️, This started out a little slow but really picked up about 1/3 of the way through and once I hit that point I couldn’t put it down! Loved the amazing world building and there were few unexpected twists. Can’t wait to read book 2!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Their Tangled Fates" is a book about lovers, fae and humans and magic, what's not to love!
Ellie enrolls in the Academy to follow on her father footsteps and hopes to make friends, Caeo and Reid (childhood best friends) enroll to give their life some purpose. Little do they know that their meeting will change everything and unravel secrets no one knew about.
I was hooked from chapter 1 as it's written in alternative POV's giving the readers full circle deep dive into how everyone thinks and acts. This book is written with emotion and is packed full of surprises!

[Autumn Breeze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from @Netgalley

This book grips you from the beginning, the character building is so strong and the world building is really strong. You grow attached the characters quite quickly in the book and this helps keep you engaged with the story from the offset.

The storyline is very interesting and it’s not your usual fantasy storyline. There are twists in it which you never see coming. I really enjoyed reading this book I couldn’t put it down. The underlying storyline is what ties you into the book to find out more about what is going to happen.

The characters and side characters add to the depth of the book, I loved the story and how you are captivated to find out what happens next. The multiple pov’s draw you into the book and the characters and their own unique perspectives.

The storyline brings relationships, changes and heartbreak. It’s a journey I just loved being immersed in.

I loved every second of this book I couldn’t stop reading. I cannot wait for book two to find out what happens next.

[Stephanie Dunigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ARC from the author for my honest review.

I loved this book! It had all my favorite stuff: magic, romance, banter, fae, and twists! I usually have the plot figured out long before I should, but this book kept me guessing. In fact, I’m still guessing what will happen in the next book.

I really enjoyed the characters and world building. The details that were explained to the fmc allowed me to imagine the beauty of the fae world through her eyes.

This was my first book with incantation. It was something different and new.

Looking forward to reading the next book this summer. Awesome job Briella Brezzo! You have a new fan ♥️

[Between the covers and pages]

3.75⭐

Okay but Their Tangled Fates by Briella Brezzo was a fun romantasy ride and I was lowkey obsessed while reading this ✨

This story leans hard into fate, magic, and a connection between the main characters that just will not leave them alone (my favourite kind of chaos). The plot follows them as they get pulled deeper into this destiny neither of them asked for, and I ate it up. Yes, some parts were a bit predictable, but honestly? I didn’t even care because I was having such a good time.

The CHARACTERS though 👀
The FMC was strong, stubborn, and made some questionable choices—but I loved her for it. She felt real and I was rooting for her the whole time. And the MMC??? Broody, protective, slightly tortured energy?? Say less. I am SOLD. Their chemistry carried this book so hard—so much tension, so much push and pull, I was screaming internally.

And the tropes?? This book KNEW what it was doing:

Fated mates / soul bond (!!!)

Slow burn with tension that builds and builds

Touch her and you die energy

Found family moments

Hidden powers / destiny vibes


It just hit all the right spots for a romantasy lover. I kept wanting “just one more chapter” and suddenly I was halfway through the book.

Overall, not a perfect read, but an enjoyable one. I’m invested, I’m emotional, and I will absolutely be picking up the next book because I need to know what happens next 👀✨

[Michelle Shamy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being pulled into a book rarely happens. But that’s exactly what this one did. I fell in love with Ellie right from the beginning. I thought making her character an incanter was pretty awesome. Because this is the first book I’ve read with a character being one. So of course I got comfortable and ready to really dive into this story. And I’ll say, I was not disappointed. I want to start off with the world building. It was wow. So beautifully done. And the description, so vivid. I really loved being able to step into this world and not only read this story, but watch it play out in my mind as well. The characters, both Ellie and Cari were awesome. I loved their connection. They worked so well together. It really pulled at my heart with them because of…iykyk. But I really enjoyed sitting in this world, seeing the characters, the world. The twists and turns were amazing. They kept me totally invested and needing to know what was going to happen next. It’s not often that a story intrigues me the way this one did. This was packed with so much. It really digs into your heart, brings out emotions, and spoils you with the romance and some spice.
I enjoyed this story so much. I can’t wait to read the next book and see how much more intriguing this gets.

[ReadingForTheVillain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Their Tangled Fates by Briella Brezzo is an absolute must read for fans of high stakes romance and intricate character dynamics. From the very first chapter, Brezzo hooks you with a beautifully complex plot that perfectly mirrors the messy, unpredictable nature of love and destiny.
What I Loved:
• The Character Depth: The protagonists are wonderfully flawed and deeply human. Their chemistry is palpable, and you can't help but root for them even when they are making questionable choices.
• The Emotional Stakes: Brezzo doesn't pull her punches. The emotional highs are euphoric, and the lows are genuinely gut wrenching. The angst is dialed up to a perfect ten.
• The Writing Style: The prose is smooth, evocative, and incredibly immersive. The world building and secondary characters add a rich layer to the overall narrative without distracting from the main romantic arc.
Why It’s a 4 Star Instead of a 5:
The only reason I’m knocking off a star is that the pacing felt a bit uneven in the middle. A few subplots dragged slightly, stretching out the tension just a little longer than necessary before building to the final climax.

Despite a minor midbook lull, the payoff is entirely worth it. Their Tangled Fates is a gripping, passionate, and beautifully written story about the strings that bind us together. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Briella Brezzo’s future work!

[Flip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advanced read copy from author.

This book had me hooked from the beginning with a wild journey of twists and turns.

We start with a magical Academy to learn incantation as a means to defend against fae magic in the war with fairies trying to steal their land. Briella Brezzo develops an awesome new take on magic systems in this story, but each magical system comes with its own set of consequences which not all our protagonists know or fully understand until it’s too late.

Strong friendships form the foundation of this story, following Ellie and Caeo as they try to find their places at the Academy. While Caeo falls first and hard, Ellie doesn’t take long to follow. But all of a sudden, without even realising, they seem to forget the other exists. At first, you as the reader brush off these lapses as Ellie just trying to be nice/repair wrongs and Caeo to tiredness and circumstance. Poor Reid stuck in the middle of all this, realising the gravity of the situation, then has to decide how far he would go to help his friends remember each other, and how much of his happiness he’s willing to sacrifice to do it.

The multi-point of views really kept the tension going and stopped you putting the book down because you wanted to know what was next for each of the characters. Never-ending twists kept you coming back, just when you thought you had it all figured out Briella threw in a new element that has you questioning the puzzle pieces you thought you’d pieced together already.

[Raine Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Their Tangled Fates is an ambitious romantasy that explores fate, connection, and the consequences of choice, but it didn’t fully come together for me.
I’m not typically a fan of insta-love, but I kept reading to see how it would develop.
While I understand the intention behind expanding into multiple POVs, I’m not sure it strengthened the story as much as I’d hoped.
The pacing also felt uneven throughout. The first half moved quite quickly, rushing through moments that could have carried more emotional weight, while the second half became increasingly complex.
I also found myself questioning the extended build-up at the Academy—while I can see it was meant to establish skills and stakes, it sometimes felt like filler rather than something that truly drove the story forward.
That said, there are some strong elements here. The central ideas around fate and intertwined lives are compelling, and the emotional stakes are clear.
Readers who enjoy intricate, multi-POV fantasy with romantic threads may find more to connect with.
Overall, Their Tangled Fates had a lot of potential, but didn't quite land for me.

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am calling it now: Briella Brezzo is THE indie author that you need to watch and read in 2026. Do not sleep on this book!

From the first page of the prologue, I was captivated by Brezzo’s storytelling. Our story begins with a mind-bending toddler breaking the curse his mother has on his father’s mind. The woman is then banished and all but forgotten.

The story flashes forward, and we meet Ellie on her way to the Academy of Andur. Shortly thereafter, we meet Reid and Caeo. At first, I felt like the pacing of the story was strange— I went back and reread things, looking for easter eggs, and couldn’t find much. BUT THEN, the memory curse on Caeo and Ellie was revealed, and everything started to make a lot more sense.

I thought the world was fully built at the academy, and we would be staying in the mortal realm for the rest of the story. BUT OH NO! That’s just when things are getting started in this universe! I CANNOT stress how beautiful Brezzo’s world-building and story-weaving is from this point forward. Once Emlyn, Taran, and Owena are introduced, Their Tangled Fates lives up to the title in every way!

Also…

THE CLIFFHANGER AT THE END WAS DIABOLICAL! I LOVED IT!!

[Divya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting fast paced romantasy that follows Eloise Detura as she moves into the academy to hone in on her incantation skills. She meets Ciao there and they both fall head over heels in love. However, things take a turn forbthe worse and their love is put through several challenges. The story was interesting and I loved the fae angle to the author spun on this tale. I loved Ciao's character but found Elli to be quite fickle. I cant wait to read the next part of this romantasy filled with love, magic and betrayals.

[Chaos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not at all what I expected. At first, I was very confused as to what the heck was going on. Felt like there were plot holes and that the author forgot details. I almost gave up but I pushed through because I really liked all the characters. Even the snarky ones. This author is a genius in how she put all the pieces together and then ended. Like holy crap. I absolutely adore Ellie! Shes very awkward for the most part of this book which makes her so endearing and funny. Both Reid and Caeo are charming and hilarious especially Reid when it comes to annoying the heck out of Ellie.

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was one that kept you reading to find out what happens next. Both the MFC, Ellie, and the MMC, Caeo, were well developed. I liked how they were independent from one another with their development. The supporting characters were well thought out. Ellie not really knowing what her life had already revealed and Caeo believing himself unworthy. The plot twist was an amazing surprise, but the fact that the whole truth still wasn’t revealed kept you reading to find out more. The story ending on cliffhanger wants to come back for the next book.

[books_n_ink217 Elizabeth Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from page 1! The magic system is different than anything I’ve ever read. The plot is so refreshingly different as well! Not the same cookie cutter Romantasy. I recommend reading this one if you’re looking to get into reading Romantasy as it doesn’t contain complicated world building systems. There is a cliff hanger but book 2 is already written and will be out quickly! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kristie Conaughty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this ARC from penpinery and Wow. This book had me sucked in from page one. The storyline is very engaging with beautiful world building, a very interesting magic system, a beautiful love story and killer overall story. The duality of the fae and humans and their magic is wonderfully thought out and written. It has just a little bit of spice sprinkled in there. I definitely got lost in this book and can’t wait to continue with the second book to finish out this story.

[KwentongKuneho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Their Tangled Fates is refreshing read for someone like me who’s more into thriller and horror. It’s fun to read through all the banters of the characters, their discovery of the reality of life outside their comfort zones, and the unexpected serious plot within the novel. It was light in a way that it gives you the Academe feels where the characters discovered their true capabilities and build their personalities fitting enough for the bigger plot ahead. It also has some light spice on it as early as the first few chapters. 🤭 I am keeping myself from providing much info as the woah moments are what made this novel exciting to read.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as an ARC provided by the author. And I am glad I got the opportunity. What a great book is this. I have read it in one setting and could not put it down. I loved the magical system. The world building was perfect to my liking and exactly what i need to understand the story. Do to the cliffhanger I need to read the second book.

[Nanioreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!!! I enjoyed this book from start to finish. It had such a great, solid storyline that was full of spice, twists, friendship, betrayal, and love. And the cliff hanger at the end?!?! I can’t wait, I NEED to know. Enjoyable read! I would recommend!

[Tay (Read With Tay) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was certainly very enjoyable! It felt somewhat nostalgic and I was very intrigued by the magic system and storyline. All in all, it was a great start to a duology and I look forward to reading the next book!

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book completely blind (as recommended by the author) and thoroughly enjoyed the twists as this world and story unfolded!