4.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc! This was such a fun read. I had a feeling I would like this book from the beginning especially since Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney princess movie. She did an amazing job of keeping the baseline of the story but then making it her own. I enjoyed it from beginning to end and I am left with no confusion or questions! Sybelle and Varius was written so well and explained so well that I could picture them. The spice was also the perfect amount and gave just enough. Everything about this book was magical and really enjoyable. I definitely recommend this book!!

Crown of Briars is a dark and steamy retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It is a must read for Romantasy Lovers!

I appreciated the fact that you could see the original story of beauty and the beast woven in to the new and darker elements. It was a good blend! It kept me engaged and interested in what was going to happen next.

When I saw this was a spicy Beauty & the Beast re-telling, how could I resist?
(I couldn't, and neither should you)

Then, R.L. Perez hit us with this dedication, and I knew I was in the right spot:
"To all the readers who were disappointed when the beast transformed into a human. Varius, in all his monstrous glory, was written for you."

A few reviewers mentioned they didn't enjoy the monster spice aspect of the book and I think the author couldn't have made it any more obvious that you should expect that. So, if that's not your jam (which is fine), don't read it! But if that's fine (or even great) for you, 10/10 would recommend.

I ate this book up in 2 days (547 pages)!! I received an advance review copy at no cost, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


Loved:
- The evolution of the FMC
- Enemies to lovers
- Mind-to-mind speaking
- The gemstone magic
- That it's a stand-alone read (so hard to find in romantasy)
- Dragon friend/familiar

Didn't Love:
- There's a little bit of a miscommunication trope but it's not the whole book (thank goodness)

I came into this blind due to Netgalley, but I'm hooked~!
Sybelle is the femc I always love to read as my main character in a book.. Strong, resolved, and motivated to her goal. The plot kept me engaged and I really enjoyed what I read! This was beautifully crafted.

If you love a steamy dark Romance, with dragons, magic stones, devilish court politics and an incredible Library, then look no further. This beauty and the best retelling by R.L. Perez will have you hooked from the first page.

"I cannot lose you, Sybelle. Do not make me choose between you and my people, because I will choose you."

When Sybelle, a human with fae blood is sent to marry Varius a seelie beast to save her kingdom, she is unaware of his plans to use her to break his Curse and free his people from the Necro Shadows.

The Earthern and Shadow courts have been honouring an agreement for generations, sacrificing young women to keep deathly shadows and monsters at bay. But no-one could forsee the tangled web of magic and fate that could cause a king to choose between his kingdom and a human girl.

I was hooked from the first page, the perfect mix of fierce FMC and grumpy beast, instantly igniting that burning sexual tension. The tensions simmers throughout until we enter the iconic library and let's just say, I will never be able to look at a library in the same way again. Both Sybelle and Varius are written beautifully, elevating the story off the page and creating loveable multi-layered personalities.

The mix of humans, fae, seelies, witches and even dragons keeps your turning that page and delving deep into the magic system of the world. I loved the use of the stones to create an intricate magic system heightened by the elixirs, herbs and fae blood.

The castle, all knowing and extremely grumpy, is an incredible idea and addition. You never know where a door will take you
and the castle has its own ideas of what and where you need to be. It adds perfect comic relief and never did I think I would be feeling anything or laughing because of a stone building. I did feel I wanted more from the world building, simply because there was so much more I wanted to know, I wanted to explore the forest and the shadowed roads and create a whole world.

R.L.Perez tackles the ideas of identity, Lost and found family and acceptance in such a beautiful, engaging way. Which had me falling in love, screaming at my screen and holding my breath. There are content warnings of blood, violence and strong sexual content.

If like me you have always wondered if there is more to every fairy tale and can't resist a steamy sexual tension then this book is for you. All books in 'The Crowns of Fae' books can be read in order or as standalone. A must for every bookcase.

Thank you to NetGallery and Victory Editing for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Reviews available on Goodreads now and coming soon on my Instagram page.

I had to dnf @ 30 % it just wasn’t the book for me
I’m so sorry I like beauty & the beast but this retelling just didn’t match my vibe

Thank you to Willow Haven Press, R.L. Perez, and NetGalley for providing me the e-arc for Crown of Briars!

This book blew me away and was thoroughly addicting as I completely devoured it in just over 12 hours. I was a woman possessed as I read chapter after chapter and could not put it down.
I’m always interested in seeing what authors do with retellings of popular fairytale stories and this one did not disappoint. Beauty and the Beast is such a beloved classic that I feel sometimes the retellings can be overdone, but Crown of Briars was done in a way that stayed true to its fairytale roots but was also original in the way it went about the plot and curse of the beast.
Sybelle’s magic was unique with her use of gemstones, and I loved watching her character development as she realizes everything she was taught might not be true.
Varius was everything I wanted in ‘The Beast’ and more. His rage, torment and desperation to save his people but also not become the monster his father was makes for a great tortured MMC. I also loved that this retelling is really about embracing the beast and not just about breaking the curse to return to their seelie forms. The curse truly felt high stakes.
I loved how as soon as they decided to go all in, Sybelle and Varius were wholly dedicated to each other and there was no doubting the other after that. I loved their dynamic and how their relationship evolved past all the prejudices they each had learned about the other’s race. I felt like their relationship was done incredibly well and the tension building throughout was worth it for when it finally exploded into some swoon worthy spice.

All in all, this book had me completely hooked and I can’t wait to read more by this author and more stories from this world.

Crown of Briars is a dark retelling of Beauty and the Beast but it’s so much more than that! It keeps to the theme without being identical to the original story and I absolutely devoured this book!


Beauty and the Beast was my favourite film as a child so when I saw this version of it, I just had to read! I was hooked from the first chapter and read over half of it in one sitting! The characters were absolute perfection. Sybelle was such a badass FMC. She was strong, smart and capable. I also think I fell a little bit in love with Varius too.

The author did a fantastic job of setting the scene and giving a glimpse into the world without making it over complicated and difficult to follow as sometimes can happen with fantasy books. The writing was captivating, suspense in all the right places and I found myself on the edge of my seat (and neglecting things I should be doing🫠) at parts waiting to see what happened next.

ARC Review — Crown of Briars by R.L. Perez
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (rounded)

Thank you to NetGalley and Willow Haven Press for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Crown of Briars is a dark, fantasy-infused retelling of Beauty and the Beast — and as a fairytale retelling enthusiast, I’m happy to say it delivered on its promises. The story follows the key beats of the original tale but with a darker edge and a high fantasy twist that made it feel both familiar and fresh.

🖤 The Characters

The main characters were well-crafted and engaging. I especially appreciated the dynamic between the leads, though I found myself wishing for a bit more depth in the Beast’s development — I expected a touch more internal conflict and emotional tension.
That said, the Beast being a shadowy, winged, tailed “dark prince” type gave me definite Fourth Wing + ACOTAR + The Cruel Prince vibes, which I absolutely loved. (Though I’ll admit… the color choice wasn’t my favorite — but that’s a personal preference.)
The side characters felt a bit underdeveloped, but they served their purpose within the story.

🗡️ The Plot & World

The dark fantasy setting was immersive, and I appreciated how the MMC consistently respected boundaries and consent — refreshing in this genre. Although he had a bit of a temper, any misunderstandings between characters resolved fairly quickly, which kept the pacing sharp.
The dragon character was a standout, though I found myself wishing we had learned more about her.

🔥 The Twists & Spice

I half-suspected someone, so the twist took me by surprise (though in fairness, I had nearly forgotten about this one).
The spicy scenes were intense — written for readers who enjoy their dark fairytales with a generous dash of heat. They delivered on tension, with a touch of delicious guilt woven into the experience.

⸻

✨ Final Thoughts

Crown of Briars is a solid, engaging standalone and a compelling retelling. While I craved a bit more depth in some aspects, it still hit the right notes for a dark romance fantasy. Perfect for fans of fairytale retellings who like their beasts shadowy, their stakes high, and their romance intense.

I love this series so much. Each book has such a great and dark twist on a classic tale. I love the beauty and the beast elements in this. They were there in such unique ways. The romance in this was amazing and you could really see it build up and grow. I just loved everything about this book.

Firstly, thank you to the author and netgalley for sending me this ARC copy! I absolutely loved reading it and it definitely is one of my favourite romantasy books!
This is a retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale but with twists and steamy scenes that are absent in the original story! 🙈 And oh! This book has "My wife" trope in it🤭
Anyone who loves Sarah J. Maas, shadow daddies and dragons I am telling you this book is absolutely a catch! ❤️
I believe you will be drawn to this story as much as I was into it and you will not want to put the book down until it's finished.🙈 The world building by the author is so immersive and so good that it will capture your imagination!
This was an absolutely lovely story where our MMC (the beast, shadow daddy) and our FMC (the beauty, who is a human princess) work their differences out and slowly start to trust each other. Here our MMC is a winged beast and there is also a sassy raven shifter side character who plays a huge role in the story! The whole story is based on a dramatic curse and dark magic. It is a mixture of courtly intrigue, dark fae magic, witches, beasts, dragons and obviously steamy romance!!!
I loved how the book was so easy to follow and damn!!! R L perez has a solid writing style that will get you hooked immediately from the first page!
Overall I loved the book so so much that I finished reading it in 3 days span!🙈

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading paranormal romance, adventure, dragons, shadow daddy trope, beauty and the beast tale. This book serves all of these in abundance 🙈

I ended up giving this book 3.5/5 stars.

While I enjoyed the read, there were things that didn't resonate with me.

The things that did work for me:

Overall the story was enjoyable, and the take where the beast stays beastly was refreshing. Sybelle's magic was interesting; I really enjoyed the different gems and the facets of magic it opened up for her. I like the found family with the maid; the friendship between them was really cute.

Things that didn't work for me:

The MCs for me suddenly went from hating/detesting each other to being all over each other at/after one revel. Personally, I would've liked more buildup there. I needed that sexual tension/angst vs. just sudden lust out of nowhere.

Overall it was an easy, spicy read with some interesting anatomy on the beast part that made for an enjoyable ride.

Thanks, NetGalley and R.L. Perez, for the ARC.

Read this if you like:
🌹 Fairy Tales retold for Adults
🌹 🌶️ romantic fantasy series
🌹 books with gorgeous covers

Thank you to Willow Haven Press, RL Perez and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I can't fault this at all! an adult Beauty and the beast retelling, im in!
I adore everything about this story. Monster MMC, strong FMC. An enemies to lovers, slow burn. From the first chapter I was completely hooked and this story was just brilliant the whole way through. I love romantasy, and the fact this is a standalone makes it so good as I hate cliffhangers. I have now bought the first in this series

Crown of Briars is a spicy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and I was here for ALL.OF.IT.

Do you want arranged marriage? Done. Do you want forced proximity? Done. Do you want enemies to lovers? Done. Do you want “touch her and die” MMC? Done. Do you see where I’m going with this?

The world building was impeccable and there was so much information, but not an overwhelming amount. I was quickly drawn into this fantasy world and enjoyed following Sybelle and Varius's journey. I was captivated from the beginning of this book and enthralled with the workings of Sybelle’s magic she possessed, alongside her relationship with her dragon.

Varius truly stole my heart and had me swooning throughout and other moments he had me enchanted by his command and leadership.

Sybelle and Varius together was everything! From the times they hated one another to the times they loved one another there was no denying their chemistry.

"Be my wife. My queen. My everything. Please."

Between the angst, spice, and world building, Crown of Briars had its fair share of heart-pounding, mind racing, chest clutching moments and I loved every beautiful and beastly minute of it.

*Thank you R.L. Perez and Willow Haven Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and R. L. Perez for providing me with an eARC for review ✨

Publication Date: August 4, 2025

In this Beauty & the Beast retelling, Sybelle of the Earthen Court has been born, bred, and trained to kill her betrothed, the King of the Shadow Court, to end him and his magic’s reign of terror. But everything is not as it seems, and as she spends her days with Mr. Shadow King Varius himself, his cast of unseelie advisors, and a castle with a sense of humor, she starts to wonder if her loyalties have been misplaced. And why does Varius keep asking for her blood?

I absolutely DEVOURED my trip to Valora. I picked this up and the next thing I knew, hours had flown by and I was 300 pages into Sybelle and Varius arguing with each other and notching that tension up higher and higher. Everything about this world felt so unique—the magic system, the physical traits of the unseelie, the threat to the kingdom—but it was never overwhelming or hard to decipher. At the same time, though, I never felt like I was being talked down to when concepts were explained, or like I was reading a fantasy textbook, and that made for an extremely immersive experience. When I finished I felt like I had been teleported out of the world back to Earth, and I had to sit for a bit to reacclimate.

She does burn slooooooowly, but deliciously, so if you’re looking for that, pick this one up right now. Overall, I was enthralled the entire time. I couldn’t wait to see how Varius and Sybelle would vex each other next, and the supporting cast of characters were delightful. Sybelle and Varius felt like such real people, with flaws and a complicated sense of who they were, and it made them even more intriguing to read about. It stayed true to its Beauty & the Beast roots without feeling like just a simple remake, where all the plot points and twists and turns were the same—this one takes you on a blast of a journey all its own. I can’t wait to pick up the rest of the books in this series and enjoy them all!

Review has also been posted on Goodreads, Fable, and Storygraph. Review will also be posted on Instagram on July 21, 2025.

4⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read Crown of Briars in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This Beauty and the Beast-inspired fantasy blends action, fae magic, dragons, and slow-burn romance 👑🐉💘. Azure, the loyal, mind-talking dragon bonded to the FMC from the start, completely stole the show 💙. The sentient castle was another highlight—it added charm and mystery to the setting 🏰. The romance leans into enemies to lovers and arranged marriage tropes, with some real steam. While the first half moved a little slowly and the world-building wasn't particularly deep, the secrets and court intrigue gave me Bridge Kingdom vibes and kept me hooked. The FMC did come across a bit childish at times, but her bond with Azure and emotional growth helped balance that.

Also, I couldn’t stop picturing the Beast as a red-skinned orc with curly hair and goat horns—and honestly? It worked 😅❤️‍🔥. He’s got definite shadow daddy energy, brooding and powerful. And sometimes, the real monsters aren’t the ones with claws and wings.

A solid pick for fans of fairytale retellings, fae courts, dragons, and romantic fantasy with bite.

#CrownofBriars #NetGalley

Crown of Briars by R.L. Perez
A dark and steamy Beauty-and-the-Beast retelling featuring cursed royalty, court intrigue, dragon familiars… and one very conflicted princess with a plan.

Princess Sybelle is no stranger to sacrifice—every generation, a bride is sent to marry the fearsome Wraith King, cloaked in magic and shadows. She’s prepared to die… until she decides she’d rather kill him instead. With her dragon familiar by her side, Sybelle enters a deadly magical competition, determined to uncover the secrets that bind her kingdom and the man who’s supposed to be her doom. What she finds is far more dangerous—truth, temptation, and a connection she never saw coming.

What I Loved

Sybelle’s steel-core resolve: This girl walks into her fate with a plan and doesn’t flinch. She’s smart, strategic, and absolutely someone you’d want on your team during a magical coup.

The Wraith King oozes charisma and mystery: Monster? Maybe. But he's layered, sharp-tongued, and unexpectedly vulnerable.

The worldbuilding is beautifully crafted: Think magic that pulses with danger, whispered histories, dragon familiars, and political scheming with deadly consequences.

The romance has tension, stakes, and bite: No insta-love here—just two enemies circling each other with wariness, heat, and unresolved grudges.

What Didn’t Land for Me

The middle slowed a little too much: A few chapters wandered into world mechanics and court logistics just when I wanted more action.

Side characters felt a touch undercooked: With such a rich world, I kept hoping a few secondary players would leap off the page more.

Exposition sometimes dimmed the emotional heat: The romantic arc built nicely, but occasionally got tangled in the info-dump weeds.

4 stars—for a richly imagined fantasy, a heroine with grit and fire, and a romance that burns its way through layers of deception and duty. Crown of Briars delivers magic, political mayhem, and emotional depth in a way that lingers long after the final page.

If you like your fairy tale retellings with thorns, shadows, dragons, and sharp-tongued characters who don’t play by the rules—this one’s for you.

Hi there,
I will copy my review that I posted on Bookmory and Goodreads and Amazon below. I just wanted to say that I absolutely adoooored this book. I was hooked from the first chapter and from there became obsessed with the characters, the story, the dual POV, the elements of the classic tale and of course the new elements and twists and turns. This has been the most amazing book and I am dying to read more from you!! I understand this is book 2, there seems to be a novella too according to your kick starter, and at the end you say the next book is her Snow White friend Eira and I can’t wait!! I’m also running to get the first book and I absolutely need all of these books as physical copies for my shelves. Thank you so much for accepting me to arc read this, you’re my first arc read and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity for this amazing book!!

Review below:

O…M…G!! Absolutely hooked from the first chapter, I couldn’t get enough. This book was painful to put down and so addictive when I picked up!! One of the best Beauty and The Beast retellings I have read, with elements from the classic tale to amazing twists you don’t see coming!! Absolute praise to R.L. Perez for Crown of Briars, I am beyond excited to read more!!

When I tell you I inhaled this book. I quite literally did in under 48 hours. What a fantastic read. There are plenty of beauty and the beast retellings out there. Some are great and some not so much. This one? AMAZING