"I do." Two words that signed over my soul to a monster, all to save a kingdom I knew little about. This isn't a fairy tale. No knights in shining armor, only kings fighting for power. And my heart is the key.
A game designed to shatter even the harshest of resolves. My husband wants to debase me. To break me. To destroy my spirit. To possess every inch of my soul through acts so heinous, I can hardly breathe. And he's using six men to do it. Including him. Adrik, Prince of Noxia.
Desire. Such a wicked twist of fate. Happily-Ever-After may not exist here, but amorous energy rises after a night of unbridled passion. A night I should hate, but don't.. A night I long to repeat.
"I love you." A statement I will never say. Not even to him--my dark prince who plays in the shadows, engaging me in a forbidden dance of hope and adoration. He promises me a new crown, in exchange for my heart.
Vengeance I will not be owned. I will rise above them all. And the only crown I will wear is the one drenched in their blood.
Author's Note: This is a dark paranormal romance. Please read the author's note at the beginning (available in the "look inside" feature) if you have any concerns about dark content.
***
"No permanent damage," Necros finally said. "She might be barren, but I want her alive."
Of course you do, I thought. He wanted her power, same as I did. "So only leave wounds that will heal under immortality?" Again the question was for the benefit of our audience. It would be such a shame to harm someone so gorgeous.
Necros nodded. "Blood is fine. You can even break bone. But only if she can recover without a scar. If I can't breed her, I might as well use her body for other means."
Another benefit of having her trained, I supposed.
Not that I agreed with any of this.
But I had to play along to get what I needed--her heart.
"Understood," I murmured, tracing the tip of my dagger down her corseted top. Her breathing remained steady as she floated in some faraway place, her imagination overtaking her reality. Alas, I couldn't allow her to stay there. I needed her focus and compliance to achieve my goal. "I want to teach you something, Valora," I said, my weapon nearing her belly button. "An important lesson on participation."
USA Today Bestselling Author Lexi C. Foss loves to travel and write in supernatural worlds. Paranormal romance is her favorite genre, but she dabbles in contemporary romance when she needs a break from the darker side of her mind.
Coffee is her addiction, swimming is her passion, and she has a not-so-secret adoration for eclipse chasing.
Lexi can be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
This was much darker than the usual Lexi Foss novel and just about what I was expecting From Anna Edwards. Together these two authors worked well and each complimented the other's style. I have read a lot of dark reads and this is probably about a 5 maybe a 6 on the dark scale. It is dark but it will all depend on where your own personal comfort level is. This contains both noncon and dubcon but wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be. I myself was quite thankful for that as my mood at this present moment is leaning more towards shades of grey rather than pitch black. But you do need to be aware that this story does contain some serious triggers. So Happily Ever Crowned is a fantasy story set in a fictional underworld and It truly is an imaginative undertaking. Valora is a political pawn in marriage between two kingdoms. She knows and accepts her duty even if at the same time she resents and also fears it. Her future spouse in this arrangement Necros King of the Dead, well let's just say he is a complete an utter ass. A callously cruel tyrant with a god complex is actually a nice description for him, words can't describe how truly despicable this demon king is and how he treats his new wife is truly shocking to behold. So in one of his many crimes against his wife King Necros stages a contest where his wife is the boon on offer to the winners. A ploy to break and humiliate her and also steal away any hidden power she may possess. A contender in this trial by combat is Adrik of Noxia or the prince of shadows here to reclaim his stolen throne by any means possible. Valora though an innocent in past events has something he needs and he is prepared to do whatever needs done to sate his need for recompense and reclaim his birthright even at the expense of her life. This was such a unique story and I read it in one sitting. I liked both Valora and Adrik equally. I think Adrik managed to temper the callous cruelty portrayed here for me as he just seemed so invested in Valora straight from the start despite his hidden agenda. Whatever his original gameplan it was quite apparent from on early-onset that he was team Valora and he adjusted his strategies accordingly. I also appreciated where this eventually went and was super glad a certain someone got his just deserts it gave me such sweet satisfaction witnessing his complete reversals of fortune. This was an intriguing start to this series and I am interested in seeing where this goes next. I voluntary reviewed a copy of Happily Ever Crowned: An Underworld Royal Tale (Underworld Royals Book 1).
On man, where do I start. I was pre-warned that this was going to be dark and I won't lie, it was dark. That being said it wasn't as much of a rough ride that I thought it was going to be. Which probably points to me be a deeply disturbed individual or more likely that I have previously read some pretty fucked up stuff. Wait can I say fucked in a review, I don't know but I guess I am about to find out. I think this might be banned from Amazon reviews, which means I will have to change my review on there rather than just doing my usual copy and paste.
Anyway, I absolutely loved the dynamic between Valora and Adrik and Necros can eat a giant bag of dicks (he totally got what he deserved) and I am going to have to change this part too when it goes on Amazon because they won't like me using the word dick. I mean they stopped a review when I used the word bitches (this was a comment on a huge spelling error that should have been beaches but was in fact bitches) but I have gotten sidetracked again.
This is a freaking fantastic book. You're life will be better for reading it. What the hell are you still sitting there, go and read this fucking book. I said fuck again. Shit, I mean crap.
I did receive an ARC and because the sky is blue and my dog ate the BBQ cover (WTF dog?!) I have given an honest review.
This could have been epic and dark and brutal but alas the authors seemed to get cold feet and had the heroine saved from all the darkness by the “acting in front of others only” anti-hero 🙄. Yes we all have read one of those...
We find out in the end Yet despite that and growing up in the underworld, our h is fluffy as one can get...loves to dress up in pink and wants to stand up for the female demons who apparently are poor (don’t ask...it didn’t make sense) and even when the demon who was going to rape her and do other nasty things to her (and also has a reputation of doing this to numerous others) is being beaten up by her husband, she tries to stop it...wtf?!?
This was meant to be about demons, devils and the underworld! It’s ok if the h is not little Bo Peep 🐑. A bit of 😈 would have been better.
However saying all this, I did enjoy the end where she came into her powers and kicked (a bit) of @ss (not too much as the hero needs to be the hero after all 🙄).
Dark, original, and fast-paced, the first fifty percent of this book had me in a vice grip... But then the forward plot momentum slowed to a crawl and it became predictable. So, I'm splitting the difference and giving it 3 stars.
Hell's Bells!!! That was intense! This has to be one of the most engaging captivating and heart-stopping reads of this year!
Two of my must-read authors together 😌 Edwards and Foss Not a combination I ever foresaw But Lucifer's blessings did it work!
Valora was raised to be the queen of Calucon - The wife to king Necros. It was her duty to her kingdom - a kingdom she only knew from afar... I'm not giving away anything else if I can help it.
How Valora survived the absolute horror that was her life will always elude me. I am not sure if her spirit was just that stubborn or if her need for revenge was just that powerful. She was everything a heroine should be. She had been molded, misguided and misused from the moment she took her first breath (wait for that revelation 😮 ). But something or someone 🤐 pulled back the veil and well you know the rest - The truth shall set you free. All hail the Queen!?
Necros... what can I say about that horrid pile of wasted space? A king 🤣 that's a joke if there ever was one. He was powerful in his own right and yeah he ruled a kingdom, but he was not a true ruler. He was debauchery, selfishness, insanity and the absolute worst of mans' darkest desires all wrapped up in a covering of flesh. He made me ill 🤢
Adrik... our sort of hero/anti-hero. He knows what he has to do. He knows the prophecy. He also acknowledges that it will cost a life. But what is the life of one over the loss of a whole race? The reclamation of a kingdom? It may just be - Everything.
This story takes the reader into the darker corners of fiction exposing the reader to the actions of the perverse, the unjust, the bloodthirsty and the outright depraved. There is very little light at the beginning of this story. Some rays do breakthrough midway and here and there through the story - But if playing in the dark isn't your thing you might want to rethink this journey Heed the warnings I myself, love the darker aspects of fiction and find I need the next in series now!! This does NOT end on a cliff hanger, it is a complete story for these two characters. I originally read a comp copy but I have pre-ordered a copy.
Wow. Dark, powerful, gut-wrenching, twisted, steamy and amazing.
This book takes you to the depths of hell literally as well as figuratively, and whilst not the very blackest of black it certainly had its moments. Whilst a lot of the darkness is implied or referred to in retrospect there are still plenty of edgy dub-con and non-con moments. In fact we get a very graphic and disturbing scene fairly close to the start and totally necessary to set the tone of the story.
I absolutely adored both Valora and Adrik, they had depth and, despite being paranormal creatures, felt both real and believable. Valora could so easily have felt weak but somehow this talented pair of authors kept her head above water and gave us a woman with huge depths of compassion and an inner strength that even she never suspected at. There was some pretty decent world building too, perhaps not the most complex I've read but more than sufficient to allow the story to hold its own.
Adrik had every intention of being a bad man but just had far too kind a heart. He was a wonderful hero and, for me, the story worked better that way as opposed to Valora having a magical vajayjay that miraculously alters his personality! It was great to see both characters grew and mature during this story, and in a way that felt entirely natural. Their connection and relationship was also well portrayed, and again was totally believable.
The story had an excellent mix of passion, evil and intrigue with some twists at the end that will leave your head spinning - even though the authors dropped a few little breadcrumb clues at the start! I loved that there wasn't instant forgiveness of certain people for their actions but that Valora didn't rule it out either.
And that little epilogue has me panting for the next book!
A darkly erotic tale of an underworld kingdom with dark themes, a damsel in distress, an anti-hero you hate to love and a King who is so sick and deranged that his twisted proclivities extend to his people.
The tone of this book is set very early on, so there is no mistaking that you are entering a world of rape, dub-con, torture and heartbreak. Overall I liked this book, the first half was fast paced and at times heart wrenching - the second half did drag at times and just became a series of bedrooms and hallways that almost blended into one.
Velora finds out on her wedding day that her marriage to Necros is anything but a fairy tale but she does what she sees as her wifely duty and tries to provide him an heir. When she fails to fall pregnant after six months King Necros declares her a barren wh*re and invites the entire kingdom to fight for a chance to win one night a week in her bed in an effort to break her.
Adrik, a vampiric like demon who lives in the shadows is one of these ‘contestants’ but his true purpose is revenge and he needs Velora and her hidden powers to achieve this. With his powers of telepathy he helps the Queen as she’s forced into unimaginable situations and convinces her to help him kill her husband.
Adrik, while his intentions weren’t always above board couldn’t be as heartless as he wanted thanks to his connection with Valora and we saw some touchingly sweet scenes between the two of them. Velora turned from a girl in a pink ballgown to a woman who learned to stick up for herself.
A dark romance with a strong MFC - Valora and a shady Prince - Adrik both brought together by a sadistic King - Necros (who is also her husband) but they dont know if they can trust each other? Its a great story and the main characters are good too. Yes some parts were a bit difficult to read but i think it goes to explain Valora's story and how she become a stronger character. A good read
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.
"I do" Two words that signed over my soul to a monster, all to save a kingdom that I knew little about. This isn't a fairy tale. No knights in shining armor, only kings fighting for power. And my heart is the key. A game designed to shatter even the harshest of resolves. My husband wants to debase me. To break me. To destroy my spirit. To possess every inch of my soul through acts so heinous, I can hardly breath. And he's using six men to do it. Including him. Adrik, Prince of Noxia. Desire. Such a wicked twist of fate. Happily-Ever-After may not exist here, but amorous energy rises after a night of unbridled passion. A night I should hate, but don't A night I long to repeat. "I love you" A statement I will never say. Not even to him-my dark prince who play in the shadows, engaging me in a forbidden dance of hope and adoration. He promises me a new crown, in exchange for my heart. Vengeance. I will not be owned. I will rise above them all. And the only crown I will wear is the one drenched in their blood.
This is a dark Paranormal romance. Really dark so you need to heed the author's warnings. I read a lot of dark books and this one is dark. I loved every single second of it and at times had to lay it down for a few minutes to gather my wits and then continue. I loved and I am not giving away anything about this book. you just need to pick it up and read it. Fans of dark paranormal books will love this book.
This is perhaps the darkest story I’ve read by Lexi. Pairing with Anna has brought out a side of darkness and depravity in several of the characters that chills and draws you in.
Valora is perhaps the most broken character I’ve read in quite a while. Married to the demon she was promised to and raised by since childhood. Not one of love, but one to protect a kingdom she doesn’t even know or remember. To a man hell-bent on possessing her and everything she is. When she isn’t the perfect, doting wife he desired, Necros sets out to truly break and mould her.
Adrik has his own reasons for hating Necros and rises to the challenge to break the queen. He plans to use her for his own purposes. Raised in one kingdom after his was destroyed, prophecy says Valora will be the one to help him gain his revenge. He just needs to stay dispassionate and cultivate her trust to do it.
Their attraction takes them both by surprise. Bringing out sides of each character they never thought would exist. Where duty starts as the driving factor, love and attraction may yet take over. If they can give up control and just follow where the heavens lead.
Filled with twists and turns that you don’t see coming, this story had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. This dark and twisted fairy tale is one you definitely don’t want to miss!
Dark and twisted but with a beautifully crafted romance rising from the ashes of utter depravity.
I love both of these authors and together they have created a brutally dangerous, violent version of the underworld with a host of utterly despicable characters (as you would expect of hell), but balanced by the light of goodness and justice.
Valora is forced into a marriage by a demon who only cares for his own power and pleasure, to protect a kingdom she doesn't know. Necros is determined to break her will completely, but Valora possesses an amazingly strong spirit, even though it seems she is destined for pain and unhappiness. Adrik has his own reasons for destroying Necros and knows getting close to Valora will be the key to his success.
This story takes us on a dark, twisted journey full of emotions, secrets, lies, surprises, eye-watering wtf moments (yes I'm talking about you Lavios 😱), action and some hot, steamy chemistry between some wonderfully unique characters. The writing flowed and I was gripped all the way through. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but certainly paves the way for more and I cant wait!!
I’ve just finished this masterpiece and let me tell you even though it has dark notes throughout, this story is not to be missed❣️Set in the Underworld, Valora has known since infancy what her future will hold and after months of preparation, she is about to marry a man she doesn’t desire, to become Queen of a Kingdom, to protect the home where she was born.....even though she only spent a few years of her life there😢
Adrik is on a quest for vengeance and has to earn Valora’s trust and heart to achieve his goals....but as time moves on, his objectives change😍
A stunning story that I absolutely loved, even though there were moments I wanted to pull my hair out...in frustration with some of the darker characters🤷♀️ I also liked that we will be getting another story by these two authors next year featuring Grigory and someone close to Valora💕 Thank you Lexi for my advanced copy for which I voluntarily leave my honest review😁
WOW!!! I was completely sucked into this story. I'm a massive PnR and Dark read lover, so with two of my favourite things combined I was excited to start this one. I read this Genre as my ultimate escapism from the mundane so it needs to grab my attention.
There's nothing better than getting lost in other worlds with a fantastic array of characters, some to fall in love or lust with and some to hate with a passion. I certainly got that and then some with this story.
This book had everything needed to stretch my imagination. It was a suspenseful, twisted tale fraught with danger and violence. There're terrifying secrets around every corner, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
Happily Ever Crowned will push your boundaries with its depravity and seduce your senses with its sizzling chemistry.
I loved every thrilling minute and can't wait for more. 💗
Be warned this story is DARK, so if you don't like DARK stuff, please don't read this book as you will hate it. Valora is a princess of a kingdom is about to be wed to the King of Death. This should be the best day of her life, but what if it's the worst, and the next day would not get better, but only worse? Nothing can be trusted in that world, only yourself but are you always reliable? I don't think so. After the wedding story moves forward where the true plot begins and It will make you sit on the edge of the chair the whole time. What will happen when her destiny will be sealed to be used by men that won her via fight? Is there any way out of it! Will Valora survive this nightmare? Any more details would possibly spoil the story for any other reader. I enjoyed this story so much that I would love to have book 2 with me right now!
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Whoa buddy what a ride this book was. Valora has been raised to fill the role assigned to her with nothing else added. This is why it is such a shock when her vows turn horrible as she is essentially taken for the first time in front of the everyone and this is only the beginning. I must say it takes no time at all for me to wish death upon her horrible husband though the other option don't sound all that great either. With one lone exception that could very well turn out to be her salvation if she can survive that long. A riveting dark paranormal romance that will have you rooting for the female MC to come into her own while wishing death upon all the others. The next book in the series should be quite interesting as well with a set up like this. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
I loved Happily Ever Crowned and Adrik. Definitely a twisted, dirty, story yet it’s a hot and steamy PNR! I can’t explain how much I enjoyed this book. Valora doesn’t belong in the world she was raised yet she has no idea how true that is. Just trying to do what’s right while not letting the dark kill her spark. Adrik is ready to fight for what’s should be his, starting with a royal asshat.
Title: Happily Ever Crowned: An Underworld Royals Tale
Authors: Lexi C. Foss & Anna Edwards
Genre: Dark Paranormal
Release Date: October 1, 2019
"I do."
Two words that signed over my soul to a monster, all to save a kingdom I knew little about. This isn't a fairy tale. No knights in shining armor, only kings fighting for power. And my heart is the key.
A game designed to shatter even the harshest of resolves.
My husband wants to debase me. To break me. To destroy my spirit. To possess every inch of my soul through acts so heinous, I can hardly breathe. And he's using six men to do it. Including him. Adrik, Prince of Noxia.
Desire.
Such a wicked twist of fate. Happily-Ever-After may not exist here, but amorous energy rises after a night of unbridled passion. A night I should hate, but don't.. A night I long to repeat.
"I love you."
A statement I will never say. Not even to him--my dark prince who plays in the shadows, engaging me in a forbidden dance of hope and adoration. He promises me a new crown, in exchange for my heart.
I crouched before her, bringing us to eye level with one another. “Do you know what your performance lacked earlier, little one?”
Silence swam around us, our audience awaiting her reply. Of which she gave none, her chin jutting out in a stubborn line that intrigued my instincts. It seemed the queen wanted to play. Good.
Her husband raised his fist as if to correct the behavior himself, but I held up a hand. “Allow me, My Lord.” I had a show to put on, one I hoped would gain me his favor and allow me some much-needed alone time with his wife. “It’s rude to ignore a direct question, Valora.”
Gorgeous light blue eyes met my own, her pupils flaring the tiniest bit to display her irritation. Mmm, she didn’t like this at all. Not that I blamed her. What would it take to prompt her rebellion? To provoke her enough to kill her own husband?
“Get it over with,” she demanded. “Fuck me, if that’s your choice. Use me. Do whatever it is you please, My Prince.”
Such fire and hatred. All for someone she hardly knew. I couldn’t help my resulting smile. “Enthusiasm,” I informed her softly, tilting my head to the side. “That’s the answer, sweetheart.”
Her lips flattened. “This game bores me.”
I chuckled, adoring this feisty side of her. “Does it? Shall we make it more interesting?” I slid my hand into my pocket, palming the blade I’d just used to take out half a dozen immortal men—for her. “Kneel.”
The king wanted a demonstration, so I would provide one unlike any he could have anticipated.
Wow, this book was a dark, hard road to traverse. It's beauty lies in the idea of surviving, thriving, and finally finding your happily ever after even when life has done nothing but beat you down. There were some parts that were very hard to read (abuse of every kind), but I understand that it made Valora, a queen with untapped power, emerge as someone powerful yet still kind.
Valora's development was great through this novel. She started off idealistic and naive only to be beaten down by her husband and his lackeys. When Adrik finds his way to court for his own reasons, they become allies. Neither one of them really wanted to desire the other and Adrik did use her in the beginning. But I loved how he owned his mistakes and let Valora lead instead of taking control like he would have preferred.
Adrik, the Shadow King, was a fun character to read because he was so quick and strategic, always one step ahead of everyone, including Valora. The way he allowed her to heal on her own terms, knowing exactly what she needed when she was lost and broken was beautiful. Their relationship did develop very fast, but with such high stakes it made sense that Valora and Adrik would turn to each other despite their every intention not to. It was hard (read the trigger warning at the beginning of the book), but like all books by this author there is a happily ever after.
It was really hard for me to rate this book, because I’m not quite sure what I just read. I did not enjoy the content, even though it’s not poorly written. But there are some really dark times in this book, and I almost DNFed it.
Necros, King of the Dead, ruler of a large kingdom in the Underworld for Lucifer, marries the queen whom he raised for that purpose in his palace, but then proceeds to abuse her physically, emotionally, and sexually. In the worst ways possible. He has high-ranking lieutenants from his army and other kingdoms come fight for the chance to have a night with his wife, to “teach” her sexually because he claims she’s worthless in the bedroom. So then she almost gets raped multiple times (although she IS raped by her husband, who cheats on her and doesn’t care about her safety or sanity at all), and she is beaten many times.
Enter Adrik. He is a Prince of the kingdom of Noxia (a vampire kingdom in the Underworld) who actually is the son of the King and Queen of the Shadow Kingdom that Necros destroyed. He has lived his whole life seeking revenge based on a prophecy that revolves around Necros’ wife. Which Necros also knows about which is why he married Valora. Valora has this power hidden deep within her that she didn’t realize she had, but it is slowly awakening due to all the torture she has endured. Prince Adrik intends to use her and her powers to destroy Necros. Of course, Valora actually ends up falling for Adrik, and then Adrik has to decide whether he is going to use and abuse Valora just like everyone else in her life, or if he will be able to defeat Necros some other way.
I almost DNFed at about 60%, but I pushed through to the end since I’d already invested that much time into the book. I just think this type of story isn’t for me. And then, at the end we find out that Valora’s whole life was basically a setup (certain people knew and planned for her to grow up with Necros and be abused like that), and I won’t say any more but it made me disgusted to think about.
Here’s the thing. I am interested in these authors’ other books, but it was because I already knew about the other books and wanted to read them. If I was basing my desire to read others solely off of this book, I wouldn’t be so sure. What drew me to this one in the first place was the cover.
Happily Ever Crowned was so much more than I was hoping! It's dark, depraved, yet somehow still filled with hope. Valora has been groomed her entire life to marry the King of Death. Something he uses to humiliate her. Yet Valora hopes to one day care for him. Until he shows his true colors. Until he shows the evil she knew always lurked in him. Then she learns she must fight. Fight for her freedom and fight for her power. It's a long road though.
Valora has been basically brainwashed to be subservient to her husband, always. Yet from the beginning she shows a spark of defiance. I loved watching that spark grow bigger and bigger everyday. It's a lot to change from the only way you've been raised. It took time, but when she emerged into the true queen she was destined to be? It. Was. Glorious. Now Adrick had me kinda iffy at first. You know his plan from the get go. But he falls so hard for Valora you can't help but be swept up in the emotions he exudes.
Now, be reminded. Happily Ever Crowned is dark and twisted, but it is also beautiful. Not only do you see an amazing love grow between the pages, you also see a woman come fully into herself. One who thought she was nothing. Watching her grow overshadowed the romance for me. (Even though the romance is swoonworthy) Valora is one of the characters that you can't help but want to become. She faces many horrific trials but still comes out on top.
Bravo Lexi C. Foss and Anna Edwards. You created a world I'll revisit over and over again and one I can't wait to see what happens next in.
This is the first book I've read from either author, but if this is an indication of their writing then I'll be reading more from them. This story is not for the faint of heart. While it is a paranormal - romance, it doesn't contain elements of rape, abuse, violence, and other dark themes. Don't let that dissuade you, though. This book is filled with longing, compassion, love. I was reminded that sometimes we must go through hardships and endure in order to become stronger and more compassionate. This book reminded me of that. Here's a run down : It's set in the Underworld or Hell is ruled by Lucie and is divided into kingdoms. Valora was given as a baby to be a bride to the cruel King Necros in exchange for him not destroying her patent kingdom. Now adult and married, Valora will learn the true depth of evil her husband will subject her to when he tells her she will be given to 6 other demons to be broken, beaten, used, and abused. She realizes they're is nothing she can do. Prince Adrik's entire family and kingdom were wiped out by the King. When he becomes one of the men chosen to break the Queen, he knows this is his chance to destroy the King. He never planned on caring for Valora, but when she starts to mean more to him than his revenge he has to make choices. Will he choose to hurt Valor to seek his vengeance or will he set aside it all for the woman he loves?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
WOW!I have just been to HELL and survived,freaking loved this dark story from these two amazing authors,i know Anna loves to delve into the dark side but this is the darkest i have read from Lexi,and i flipping loved it,ha what does that say about me.
This had lots of triggers that contains violence,rape,and abuse,but there was romance so don't let that put you off this pnr book as it delved into how this story was told and what goes on in the depths of Hell.Valora had been groomed her whole life to marry Necros The King of Death when she was twenty one, she only went through this so she could help her parents and there kingdom from being destroyed.
Volora is a pawn in the marriage between two kingdoms and she has to except her queenly duty's even though Necros once he has her in the bedroom he is despicable with how he treats her.This story gets darker the more you read with what goes on, how he wants to share her body with six of his finest warrior winners in a competition to humiliate her to kick start her powers,Adrik is one of the winners and get to have first go with her body, but he has a ulterior motive that he keeps to himself.
The dynamics between Adrik and Volora heat up and the passion and sex is smoking hot between this couple,even though Necros wants to break her she has a ally in Adrik as he shows her how to control her powers.This is definitely a dark and twisted fairy tail that you won't want to miss.Five Huge Dark Delicious Stars.
Valora has never been her own, she was promised to the King of Death. This way her parents and their subject are safe from him. The wedding is finally happening, she doesn't want to do it, but she will go through with it. But her wedding is not what it was supposed to be, her husband is is showing his true colors now. Necro's thinks he got what he wants, he will do anything to get it. That means doing everything he can to break his new bride. He decides to bring a group of men to together to break her. One of the men is Adrick, but Necros doesn't know what he is truly up too. Valdora has been humilated and thrown to the wolves by her husband, he even had her only friend attacked. When Adrick enters the picture, she doesn't know what to think or do about it. The both of them will work together to bring down the King of Death, but they both are holding back. Adrick will help her work her magic, while not giving her the full truth. When the worst happens, Adrick realizes his true feelings for Valora. He will tell her everything he has been hiding. Only then can they take on the King. There are alot of twist and trues to this story, this is a dark story, with alot of things people might find not for them.
This was an interesting story,the plot gets lost sometimes in with the more darker aspects of this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
"I do." Two words that signed over my soul to a monster, all to save a kingdom I knew little about. This isn't a fairy tale. No knights in shining armor, only kings fighting for power. And my heart is the key. A game designed to shatter even the harshest of resolves. My husband wants to debase me. To break me. To destroy my spirit. To possess every inch of my soul through acts so heinous, I can hardly breathe. And he's using six men to do it. Including him. Adrik, Prince of Noxia. Desire. Such a wicked twist of fate. Happily-Ever-After may not exist here, but amorous energy rises after a night of unbridled passion. A night I should hate, but don't.. A night I long to repeat. "I love you." A statement I will never say. Not even to him--my dark prince who plays in the shadows, engaging me in a forbidden dance of hope and adoration. He promises me a new crown, in exchange for my heart. Vengeance I will not be owned. I will rise above them all. And the only crown I will wear is the one drenched in their blood.
Wow this is one hell of a start to this series. I really enjoyed this from the start. Very engaging plot and story line that just grabs you straight away. Great world building and characterization. The range of emotions gone through this is intense and sometimes depraved so you have been warned there are some triggers involved in this. I can't wait to continue this series!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a book that almost lost me but then grabbed me and I'm glad. Now let me start with I'm a massive Lexi Foss/Anna Edwards fan and normally automatically love anything either write. Unfortunately this book almost lost me with the first 100 or so pages. It's so violent, so full of rape and degredation that it turned my stomach and was so hard to read that I almost gave up rather than read any more of the traumatic experiences.....but I persisted and then it became great.
I loved reading how Shadow Prince goes from an indifferent man with a mission in mind to someone who actually cares about and rethinks his position after getting to know who Valora really is. It was interesting to see how she learnt that she was stronger and more capable than she knew until finally she realised her full strength and embraced her powers and freed not only herself but the innocents of her kingdom.
The ending was a little confusing and disappointing, it just seemed to finish. It seemed that after all the action and horrific past there needed to be an explaination given and to me it didn't ring true. I understand the reasons given but........
Anyway, on the whole the main portion of the book was great, but trust me this is not a light easy read and it's not for the faint of heart. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series though.
4.75 stars Hell has never looked so dark as these two authors have delved deep to set one troublesome tone for the story that follows. I will caution those with triggers to proceed with caution as mentioned in the author’s note in the blurb. That being said, it is an encompassing read from start to finish. Valora is the chosen one to wed Necros, King of the Dead, in order to save her kingdom. Living a life of being coddled, she never expected what would befall her once she was tied to her intended. Helping her cope with her new life, Adrik is charged with helping to “train” Valora. Determined and steadfast, Valora is not one who breaks easily and she has a few secrets up her sleeve. Adrik has his own reasons for trying to sway Valora to his way of thinking. These two together are incendiary and their journey is not one that can be walked by the weak of heart. Although they are creatures with paranormal tendencies, watching the way their relationship unfurled came across as real and authentic. This is one well written storyline with drama, passion, twists and a hefty dose of comeuppance that is richly deserved. I cannot wait to see where these authors take readers next, I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Happily Ever Crowned is like nothing else I've read before. It's a dark, paranormal with a twisted edge - it was an absolutely fantastic read..
Valora has been forced to marry a demon who has been raising her since her parents gave her away. She wants him dead, for all the things he's done to her and subjected her to. No one should treat a Queen the way he does. Adrik has his reasons for wanting the King of the Dead, dead - he destroyed his home and his parents. He has a plan and knows what he has to do, but can he still go through with it after spending time with the Queen. They're both drawn to each other through a connection that they share. Unbeknownst to them, there is a reason for the connection. When secrets are revealed, everything falls into place.
I absolutely loved Valora and Adrik's story. I'm looking forward to reading more of the Underworld Royals. I'm a big fan of Anna Edwards' work so was drawn to reading Happily Ever Crowned but my first read by Lexi C. Foss. I have now found another author to look into.
That’s right I said it, a fairytale. I know the book’s description says this is no fairytale, but the origins of true fairytales, like the ones told by authors such as the Grimm Brothers, were actually dark and disturbing. With Happily Ever Crowned the authors have succeeded in crafting a modern version of a fairytale story that stays true to the origins of the genre spectacularly.
Seriously though, be warned this book is DARK. It may even have triggers for some people (make sure to check out the authors note in the beginning). There will be pain and torture. There will be moments of sick/twisted depravity and debasing acts, and there will be death...
Valora and Adrik’s story might test your limits but rest assured this book is worth reading every single word.
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review and I can say without question that I LOVED this book!! I can’t wait to see how this spins into a series.
I always enjoy the worlds that Lexi builds for her reads. The characters are well developed and even when I love them I sometimes hate them. Happily Ever Crowned was an interesting read because ( to me) it felt and read darker than her usual storyline and while I can follow her train of thought and why exactly the story needed to be told the way it was ... it was a little much for me. I wasn't expecting it. Still Adrik and Valora's story, despite the dark tones, was well played and for a while, I was truly wondering what the heck was going on and why Valora was actually so freaking special. A few twists and turns and bam! We've got almost all the who's and whys, until the very end where one last twist is tossed in and ... I didn't expect it at all.
So while I didn't particularly care for the dark undertones, even though they gave strength to the story I still enjoyed Adrik and Valora.