Elisabeth J. Hobbes' Dance with the Fae is an enchanting blend of historical fiction and fantasy, set in early 20th-century Great Britain. The story weaves together elements of fae lore with the societal norms of the time, creating a unique and captivating narrative.

Hobbes' writing is atmospheric and evocative, bringing both the historical setting and the mystical fae realm to vivid life. Her characters are well-developed and complex, with nuanced relationships that add depth to the story. The exploration of identity and societal expectations is particularly compelling, offering a fresh perspective on traditional fae tales.

The pacing is thoughtful, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the world Hobbes has crafted. While some sections may feel slower, the narrative builds towards a satisfying conclusion. Overall, Dance with the Fae is a must-read for fans of historical fantasy who appreciate imaginative world-building and character-driven stories.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

This was different than the typical fae book out these days and I liked it for that. The world building was good and I fell into the story easily.

Dance with the Fae is a historical fantasy that takes us back to 1919. Following the story of Kit, who has recently got engaged to Adelaide.

Whilst celebrating their engagement, Adelaide suddenly falls ill, falling into an unknown deep slumber, which occurs after her dancing with the elusive Mr Wilde.

Wanting nothing more than to find a cure for his beloved, Kit finds himself venturing into the world of the Fae in search of a cure for Adelaide, but this world itself is full of dangers and challenges he never dreamed he would have to face.

I loved this book! The way in which the story is told is captivating and keeps you entranced throughout. I enjoyed the way in which Kit's character developed as the story progressed, really allowing us to see his growth and the lengths he would go to for the woman he loves. A brilliant read I would definitely recommend to others.

*Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins and Elisabeth J. Hobbes for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.*

Enthralling romance, fantasy book with an interesting take on the Fae.
Slow start, but picks up half way through. Totally worth reading.

Dance with the Fae is the latest romance release about fae, a staggeringly popular category at the minute, but this was different to the rest.
Following the lives of Kit, or Christopher, an ex-soldier who just returned from fighting in World War 1. He is literally and figuratively scarred and traumatised from his time at War. The book opens at his engagement party to his longtime friend Adelaide. The pair grew up together, always understanding that one day they would be married. It doesn’t really appear that there’s a romantic relationship between the two but they both understand that the union is part of a greater responsibility than their own relationship but there is a clear platonic love between them. After two mysterious guests attend their engagement and cause a bit of a stir, the pair keep bumping into them, causing tensions not just between the betrothed but with other family and friends. After a strange interaction out in public the next morning, Adelaide seems to fall into a deep sleep unable to wake up. As the reader, we know something occurred with her and Silas where it seemed she was going back to the fae kingdom with him as his plan to seduce and entice her worked. Unfortunately Kit was harder to convince and ultimately he was left behind dealing with Adelaide as she was stuck in this trance state that the doctors were unable to help. One mysterious stranger remains, Miss Dove or Valentine as she’s called, remained behind. She was only given a week to try and get Kit to come back with her otherwise she was to return alone so they could resume the greater plan of rebuilding their word after the destruction of the war.
The pair embark on a journey to save Addie and Kit discovers a whole new world he didn’t know existed. Along the way he tries to deal with his grief and trauma from the war while managing the trials and rules of this new kingdom.
This was a promising read. I loved the setting and how the war played a part in the destruction of the fae kingdom. Kit’s character was promising. Recovering from mental trauma that wasn’t really recognised at that time and dealing with his sexuality which again wasn’t accepted. Unfortunately at around the 30% march I felt the pace slowed right down. I wasn’t fully engaged with the story and lost some of the enjoyment I had at the beginning.
Thank you for the eARC

Another I didn’t know if I’d like but again I thoroughly enjoyed it! Different in the best way! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

This book was brilliant in its world building, transporting me into what was like a fairytale! I adored Kit's character and his attitude as well as his relationship with Addie.

My 2 favourite Categories are historical war books and fantasy/romantasy books so this combining them for a hybrid category was chefs kiss for me. The story didn't quite live up to the expectation for me though mostly due to pacing making it hard to get into initially. Their relationship was beautiful though and felt sk authentic.

Elisabeth J. Hobbes delivers a mesmerising blend of historical fiction and fantasy in Dance with the Fae, an enchanting story that bridges the real and the mythical with effortless grace. Set in 1919, in the aftermath of the Great War, the book follows Kit Arton-Price, a man scarred by battle, both physically and emotionally, as he stumbles into a world beyond his understanding.

At his engagement party, Kit watches as his fiancée, Adelaide, dances with the mysterious Mr Wilde. By morning, Adelaide cannot be woken, and the local doctor attributes it to the baffling Sleeping Sickness, a real but little-understood epidemic of the time. But Kit soon learns that Adelaide’s fate is far more otherworldly. Drawn into the realm of the fae, he finds himself in a place of magic, danger, and deception—one that challenges everything he believes in.

What makes Dance with the Fae truly stand out is Kit himself. As a war survivor, he carries deep trauma and scepticism that makes his gradual acceptance of the fae realm feel natural and immersive. His resistance allows the reader to slowly uncover the wonders and perils of this world alongside him. Hobbes expertly balances the fantastical elements with a deeply authentic historical setting, making both the war-torn England and the fae court feel equally vivid and compelling.

With beautifully drawn characters, a rich atmosphere, and a story that feels both haunting and hopeful, Dance with the Fae is a unique and captivating read. A perfect choice for fans of historical fantasy and folklore-inspired tales.

3.5/5.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Kit Arton-Price transports readers into a richly atmospheric world where post-war land collides with the magical realm of the fae. After surviving the horrors of war, Kit's life takes a strange turn when his fiancée, Adelaide, falls into a mysterious Sleeping Sickness. What begins as a tragic mystery soon leads Kit into a hidden world of magic, danger, and secrets he never imagined. With a compelling mix of historical intrigue and enchanting fantasy, this novel is perfect for readers who enjoy stories of love and otherworldly adventure.

Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth J. Hobbes was a unique storyline with a somewhat rare male main character.

It was at around 25% in before Dance with the Fae pulled me in. The relationships between the characters grow naturally. The romance is very sweet. This ends without a cliffhanger and is wrapped up nicely.

The romance has a very modern fluidity that some will appreciate. It is subtle and natural.

The magic is explained really well.

Highly recommend.

I really liked this take on the fae word, and some of it reminded me of Holly Black. The setting postwar makes it for a welcome change of scenery, and it was lovely to read from a perspective of a young man stuck between the changing times.

The dialogues felt a bolt stilted at times, and the writing somehow disjointed - lack of description for example. But overall that didn’t have a huge impact on the story which was lovely, with some unexpected and welcomed twists.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Sadly DNF’ed this one but I’m not sure if it was my mood or the book itself, maybe I’ll revisit one day and give it another go.

Dance with the Fae is set post WW1 and centres around Kit who is dealing with the changes of returning from war back to his estate. Kit's fiancee gets the 'sleeping sickness' and Kit has to go to the realm of the fae to save her.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book and the world felt fun and interesting throughout. However it felt as though something was missing in the second half that was present in the first.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this eCopy to review

I recently read Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth J. Hobbes, this enchanting historical fantasy is set in 1919, right after the end of World War I. The story follows Kit Arton-Price, who is celebrating his engagement to Adelaide. However, the celebration takes a dark turn when Adelaide falls into a mysterious "Sleeping Sickness" after dancing with the enigmatic Mr. Wilde.

Kit, bearing the physical and emotional scars of the war, is drawn into a magical realm to find a cure for Adelaide. This realm is filled with danger and wonder, as Kit navigates the world of the fae. The novel beautifully blends historical elements with folklore, creating a unique and immersive experience.

The strengths of the book lie in its atmospheric writing and the rich, detailed world-building. The characters are well-developed, and Kit's journey is both emotional and captivating.

Overall, Dance with the Fae is a magical and engaging read that I would recommend to fans of historical fantasy and folklore.

Thank you for letting me read and review this book on Netgalley.

Initially I really liked this book and the beginning was really good however I ended up in a reading slump not long after and struggled to get through it a bit more. I think I'm going to do a reread sometime in the future to see whether it was just the mood I was in.

Overall, despite struggling to get through I would recommend. I think I had built my expectations really high which is also why it could have been more of a let down.

Unlike any fae romantasy book I’ve read!

4.5 🌟 I’ve really enjoyed delving into fantasy books that properly utilise fae lore lately, and I don’t just mean books with hot men with pointy ears. I’m talking all the bargains and trickery! And this book definitely delivered, and took me on such a fantastic adventure!

🥜🪻🥜🪻

Premise:
Following WW1, war hero Kit is struggling with his memories of the war and the shame of his hidden sexuality. At his engagement party to a family friend, he meets two mysterious strangers, who talk of another war in far away lands, that needs support.

When his fiancé, Adelaide falls into a ‘sleeping sickness’, he finds himself venturing into the lands of the fae to save her, guided by a shapeshifting / gender-shifting fae, Valentine. And is caught up in a quest to save Valentine from her enslavement and save their lands.

🥜🪻🥜🪻

It’s a very cleverly plotted book, with its utilisation of fae lore. The author’s note and how she put the idea together was very interesting!!

What I loved:

🥜 Kit! It’s rare that I read a fantasy book where the protagonist is a man, but I really loved Kit! He’s slightly broken and heartbreaking, but perseveres, and seems to find beauty in everyone.
🪻The whole gender shifting thing was very new for me in a book! But I loved how Kit was able to fully explore his sexuality, in a world that was so freeing. Valentine was a great character, although her background and positive attitude despite all that had been done to her, also broke my heart slightly!
🥜 The fae world. I loved the little magics, like singing to speed up a walk and the Dodo birds. And therapy time with the Unicorns. All the little touches, made me want to run away with the faeries!
🪻The plot. From the start to end, I was enraptured and read the book in a couple of days. The ending especially had me very stressed but I love how it all came together. The plot is a slower pace I’d say, but it allows for a really beautiful development of the characters’ emotional relationships!

All in all, a fab read! I understand the author has written a few other fantasy books and I’m very intrigued to explore them! But I would also 100% love it if she did more in this world. I think especially showing us the journey of Silas and Addie, which I would have loved to see in this book!

Let’s wait and see!

This story is about the battles that Kit gave and will give, a soldier who has lived through the First World War and is about to fight another battle in a fantasy world, the world of Fae.
Elisabeth J.Hobbes combines reality with fantasy in a nice way. She also describes in a very realistic way how the protagonist's mental health has been traumatized, thus making him a particularly likeable character. The descriptions of the world of the Fae were delightful and very vivid. Overall I think it is an easy to read slow paced fictional/historical story that I really enjoyed.

The premise of this book sounded so interesting—a scarred soldier recovering from the horrors of WW1 and is then sent on a journey with the fae in order to find his fiancé (that he is not attracted to), with promises of a bisexual main character.

However, I really tried but I could just not get into this book. It started off quite slow, and nothing much happened until about 30%, and by that point all hope for me getting into the book was gone. I really wished I had liked it, as the premise sounded interesting.

Thank you to HaperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the eGalley in exchange for an honest review.