Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I thought this was going to be a quick, easy read but unfortunately it did not keep my attention at all. I was bored and found myself becoming easily distracted. It was pretty clear that Dora is a neurodivergent character, I was hoping that everyone including herself would love her as she is but the implication the book gives is that those who are neurodivergent only have half a soul. I found myself thinking about this bit so much that I honestly couldn't tell you much more about the book.

Underwhelming and if I didn't already have the other books I wouldn't bother with them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I have tried to read this one several times since I was approved and unfortunately can't get into it, so am officially DNFing it.

Half a Soul was a cute, quick read. The central concept was interesting; missing half her soul, the heroine Dora is fearless and therefore shameless, which is a problem in a Regency world of strict social rules and propriety. It also allows for some interesting parallels with real life disability or neurodivergence, which the narrative touches on without going into too much detail (I would have liked more detail!). Class is another major theme, as is the hypocrisy of a system that values arbitrary standards of ‘respectability’ while relying on cruelty and exploitation. Atwater is occasionally a little heavy handed with this messaging, outright stating that the fae viewed humanity like the aristocracy views the lower classes, but it’s refreshing and interesting to see class acknowledged at all in a Regency Romance. That said, I liked that we still get plenty of the balls, glitz and courtly romance that define the genre!

The romance itself was fairly predictable (quasi-enemies to friends to lovers) but sweet nonetheless with some standout lines that warmed my heart and great banter. I enjoyed Elias as I do have a soft spot for a curmudgeonly eccentric with a secret heart of gold… I also liked that Atwater takes the time to focus on our heroine’s relationship with her cousin too, so it’s not all about the romance. I love sisterly bonds of solidarity in my fiction! That said, there was a hint of ‘pair the spares’ at the end and after the main climax of the story there’s a little kind of epilogue (if that’s the right word) which summarises the rest of their lives in about a paragraph. I suppose it was trying to evoke the ‘And they all lived happily ever after’ conclusion of a fairy tale, but since it didn’t match the main writing style it felt a bit rushed. I suppose the sequels might elaborate. As for the writing, I really appreciated that Atwater mostly maintains a decent Regency register, with occasional lapses into modernisms. Still, there were some great turns of phrase, dialogue and descriptions, though I noticed there were also a few clumsy phrases and typos here and there. All in all, I enjoyed Dora and Elias’ journey and, although I don’t feel particularly compelled to pick up the sequels, I would recommend Half a Soul to anyone looking for a lighthearted but politically aware Regency Romantasy.

This book may be shorter than the average fantasy novel but it packs such a punch. I discovered this one after looking for the perfect mix of historical, fantasy and romance and this is just that. The characters are engaging and utterly lovable, and I can really see how this is a great series for people new to the Romantasy genre.

This book is like Bridgerton meets ACOTAR and I am all here for it!!! It was sweet and gripping and a nice palate cleaser between books - deffo recommend!

I absolutely love a book with a clearly neurodivergent character at the centre of it
This is Bridgerton with faeries in it.
Dora and her cousin Vanessa travel up to London for The Season, ostensibly to find husbands but in fact to fix a strange affliction that bedevils Dora. We meet the kind Albert and mysterious Elias plus some truly horrid villains. It's delicious and the perfect by the pool read.

This was unfortunately a DNF for me: I was not in the place to read it at the time, I will try to give it another chance in the future.

3 stars

I don't tend to read a lot of romance, requested this on a whim because it was getting rave reviws online and... it was OK.
I quite liked the fey plot, which was whimsical and reminiscent of classic fairytales (though a light and fluffy version). The plot had some originality and the fantasy aspect evolved in an interesting way. I also thought the historical fantasy setting was done well.
Unfortunately, I found the female protagonist very bland and boring to read. She is a bit of a watered down Cinderella - she's selfless, she's an orphan and has a mean aunt. I don't know if this was intentional, that her character was purposefully ?less, because she only had 'half a soul', but it didn't work for me as a reader.

There is very little tension and the romance was twee, sugar-sweet and simplistic. If you're looking for a nice, gentle, low stakes fantasy romance you may like this.
I don't think it was neccessarily bad, but definitely not something I particularly enjoy.

“Bridgerton meets Howl’s Moving Castle” ? Say no more! I immediately knew that this would be my next favourite book. I instantly fell in love with this beautiful historical romance set in magical, charming and whimsical version of Regency England.

When Dora Ettings, our main character was only 10 years old she encountered a Fearie Lord who wanted to steal her away. Her cousin, Vanessa managed to fight him off using only her iron embroidery scissors and in doing so Lord Hollowvale left with only half of Dora’s soul. As a result of this curse Dora has trouble feeling certain emotions what leads to many awkward situations and misunderstandings.
When Dora grows up and time comes to make her debut in society (aka get married) she travels to London with Vanessa where she meets with an army of meddling mothers plotting to ensure the most advantageous matches to Vanessa and her. Dora isn’t really interested in marriage, she is most happy to lead quiet, sensible life without all the fuss of balls, dinners and constant battles one needs to lead when entering social scene… and then she meets strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier and is immediately drawn back into dangerous, and peculiar faerie affairs.

I really enjoyed characters in Half a Soul. Dora is quiet, reserved person and although not someone who reacts emotionally she is very self aware and intelligent with a good sense of humour.
On the other hand we have Elias. Witty and charming but also little grumpy sorcerer. (Did someone say Howl?) And although Elias and Dora are different in character they are similar in being outsiders to society. The struggle to fit in the restraints of polite society draws them together and makes them perfect companion for each other.
The romance is a slow burn, sweet and gentle with few moments that made my heart beat faster. (My favourite kind)
I really enjoyed the mystery and magical elements of this world.

I highly recommend this book for fans of cosy historical romances with magical elements. (And faeries! The mean kind and not ‘look how big is my wingspan’ kind…)

My review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater is a mixture of regency romance and magic.

When I say it's got regency romance in it, it's more Georgette Heyer than Julia Quinn!  But with faeries as well!

I enjoyed the story, and found it to be a good romp, with characters that were varied and fun!

If you're looking for a fun story to read on holiday, then this is a good book to pick up!

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Little, Brown Book Group.

This Book Captivates you from the 1st Chapter! Its like Bridgerton meets Acotar! A wonderful 1st person account from a witty and wonderful character! All characters are likeable and easy to get on with and somewhat relate too.

The overall writing style is easy flowing at at a nice steady pace not too fast or slow! Each chapter has you engaged and wanting to read more with a world full of mystery around the corner and twists sprinkled within the plot.

The romance plot is somewhat refreshing , satisfying and slow burn but intriguing to say the least!

Highly reccomend this book!

It had a promising start but quickly lost its charm as I began to dislike the characters, their interactions, and the direction of the plot.

This one just sadly doesn't appeal to me at the moment and I'm not sure if I'll ever get around to it.

I feel so bad but it happens sadly!

A wonderful Cross between fantasy and a historical romp abit like a mix up between Bridgerton and a ya Faye fantasy . A really good easy escapist read . Really enjoyed it , a strange premise that really works .

I absolutely loved this!

I usually dont enjoy historical romance but this had the perfect amount of fantasy mixed in. The characters were lovable, and the plot was intriguing throughout.
Dora was a fantastic main character and I loved the way she brushed off some of the norms of society and just did what she wanted, without falling into the "not like other girls" trope.
The gradual romance between her and Elias was very well written and such good slow burn.

An Interesting regency tale with fantasy mixed into it. Many Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review:
Plot- So it was genuinely really interesting to see a Fae Regency romance story from a Debut author that actually works? It has the witty banter, the historical yearning and longing aspects and some fantastic plot points that kept me hooked. The pacing was a bit strange and never quite settled, but once you got used to it I quite enjoyed it.

Worldbuilding- This was done really well and i loved seeing the regency side mesh almost seamlessly into the fantasy side.

Characters- The lead characters were well developed and thought out, but some of the side characters came across as being there just to exist more than adding anything to the story.

Overall:
An enjoyable story for some regency escapism with a dash of fantasy.

I don't know why I waited so long to read this, it has some of my favourite things - Regency setting and Faeries/magic. It was a fantastic read, and I managed to get through it in a few hours it was such a breeze to read. I adored all of the characters, especially the MC Dora as she was so unique.

I've seen and read so many books about Faeries and their dangers, but the idea of half of your soul being taken is definitely a new one for me - I loved seeing how Dora changes throughout the book, especially after she met Elias and it was fascinating watching that relationship bloom between them.

I am now looking into buying the rest, it could easily become a favourite series!

I absolutely loved this! It was the perfect blend of historical romance and fantasy, with lovable characters, fun writing, and a riveting plot. Dora was a fantastic main character and I loved the way she brushed off some of the norms of society and just did what she wanted. The gradual romance between her and Elias was very well written and such good slow burn, and I was so happy with how the story ended (though the very final few paragraphs were intriguing and left me with a few questions). The short story was also probably one of the best tie-in short stories for a book/series that I've ever read. It was a great addition, filling in the backstories of Albert and Elias and showing us how they met and become friends, as well as elucidating a particular scene that we got hints of during the book. This is definitely one of the best books I've read in 2023 and I'm looking forward to picking up the rest of the series!

This exciting, Regency-era fantasy was entirely captivating. I love how the author wrote this historical fantasy, seamlessly weaving in familiar threats (like meddlesome mothers) and unfamiliar threats, like faeries! Thank you for the ARC!

I didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought. Although I don’t think it’s the fault of the book, I didn’t enjoy the writing style of the author. Unfortunately that put me on a hard place to enjoy the book. I think people should try it and see if they enjoy the writing style, if they do they might enjoy the story the author told. I found it hard to connect to the characters meaning I didn’t care about what happened. This I turn made it hard to care about how the story would unfold.