3.5/5 Stars – A Promising but Uneven Start to a Fantasy Romance Trilogy

Courtney & Clarke Collins’s In the Name of Honor opens the Vows & Valor trilogy with ambition, heart, and a clear love for epic fantasy traditions. With its half-elven princess, stalwart guardsman, and looming threat of corrupted creatures, the story positions itself within the grand lineage of high fantasy sagas, while weaving in a romantic thread that promises both tension and tenderness. Yet while the novel shines in its emotional beats and worldbuilding potential, it occasionally struggles with pacing and depth, leaving the reader both engaged and wanting more.

The story follows Princess Kaleela, a half-elf mourning the loss of one father while fearing for another. When her human father is kidnapped by the monstrous Corrupted, she refuses to remain passive, demanding to take part in the perilous mission to save him. At her side is Dimitar, a loyal guardsman sworn to protect her. Caught between his oath to the king and his growing care for Kaleela, he is forced to make impossible choices as the two infiltrate enemy territory. Adding further weight is the looming presence of a vengeful creature determined to unleash devastation upon them all.

Where In the Name of Honor succeeds most is in its emotional core. Kaleela’s grief is drawn with authenticity, giving her more depth than the typical fantasy princess archetype. Her determination to step beyond the boundaries imposed upon her resonates, particularly in moments where her bravery clashes with her vulnerability. Dimitar, meanwhile, is a sympathetic counterpart — loyal, dutiful, and deeply human in his quiet conflict between following orders and following his heart. Their relationship, though rooted in familiar tropes of “forbidden romance between guard and princess,” has moments of genuine sweetness that hint at strong chemistry to be further developed in later books.

The worldbuilding shows promise, particularly with the concept of the Corrupted. The grotesque threat they represent, both physical and existential, injects real stakes into the narrative. The authors also craft an intriguing moral dilemma: can loyalty to crown and kingdom withstand the pull of personal love and honor? This theme enriches the story and makes its central conflict resonate.

That said, the novel isn’t without flaws. At times, the pacing drags, with stretches of dialogue or travel sequences slowing the momentum of the otherwise compelling plot. Some secondary characters feel underdeveloped, serving more as background than as meaningful contributors to the world. The romantic arc, while endearing, leans a bit heavily on familiar beats, and might leave seasoned fantasy romance readers wishing for more surprises. Additionally, while the prose is clear and accessible, it sometimes lacks the lyrical spark that would elevate the novel into something truly unforgettable.

Still, as the opening entry in a trilogy, In the Name of Honor lays a strong foundation. Its strengths in character emotion, its compelling central duo, and its clear setup for future conflicts all point to a series that could grow richer and more complex with time. For fans of epic fantasy with a romantic thread — especially those who enjoy themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the clash between duty and desire — this is a series worth keeping an eye on.

Final Verdict: In the Name of Honor is not a flawless first installment, but its heartfelt characters and thematic depth make it a rewarding read. At 3.5 stars, it’s a solid, if uneven, beginning that suggests better things to come as the trilogy unfolds.

Interesting read, enjoyed the story and world building
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read the Arc of this book

In the Name of Honor is the kind of fantasy that sneaks into your heart and refuses to leave. With dragons, betrayal, queernorm world-building, and one of my favorite tropes—“touch her and die”—this book delivers an unforgettable ride.

The characters are where this story truly shines. From fierce, loyal Ral to the absolutely lovable Olaf (imagine if Gimli and Tormund had a perfect grumpy-protector baby), every personality is rich and layered. The found family dynamics gave me all the feels, and even the villain had depth I didn’t expect.

Alternating POVs added tension and heart, and the blend of emotional stakes, epic fantasy, and humor made this a standout debut in the Vows and Valor series. I already want more with this cast—especially if there’s more Olaf, cheese thievery, and bodyguard tension to come.

I honestly couldn’t get into this book. I really tried to read it because I heard such good things. But I can’t love everything I read unfortunately.

Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publishers for this E- arc !

Unfortunately this story did fall flat for me and I had to DNF 🥹 This had so much potential, and the premise was promising but it just wasn’t for me ! It took me a WHILE to get through this because I didn’t want to give up , but I just couldn’t.

This was a dark and complex book and it took me some time to get through but overall it was a good story. I'm so very curious to see how the second book plays out. This book is slept on though for all you true fantasy girlies. The world building was very in depth at time and the emotions ran high. It harkened to classic fantasy through out the entire book and I felt myself getting lost in the story. 5/5

Unfortunately this just didn’t work for me.

The plot felt predictable, and I just couldn’t get into the romance! I wish I could have rooted for it more, but I felt so disconnected from it.

Thank you NetGalley, Shadow Spark, and the Collins authors for this e-ARC.

This was the first book I was ever approved for on NetGalley, but unfortunately, I just can’t continue on with it. I tried picking this one up again after a few months, and it just didn’t do it for me. I found the pacing to be slow, and when I read a fantasy novel, I have to be immediately engaged. Otherwise, it feels like I’m trudging through it, especially if I can’t use an audiobook to help me through the reading process if needed.

But that doesn’t mean that this book won’t be a fabulous adventure for someone else!

I liked how this book had more traditional fantasy vibes - knights, princesses, quests, goblins, elves, dragons and forest. That felt nostalgic and traditional which felt new because a lot of fantasy is not like this. It's exactly what I thought to would be.

The plot is entertaining and well executed, the quest storyline is enjoyable and nostalgic and the main and side characters were relatable and lovable. The plot and writing was well done and for the story. I really enjoyed this book.

I was really excited for this but unfortunately it fell flat for me. The premise sounded great but perhaps this authors debut isn’t going to be for everyone.

For fans of:
- Kingdom of Claw

Dimitar lives in a world infested by sinister, vile creatures called the Corrupted. He has spent his life training to fight these malicious creatures, but when King Connor, the ruler of a neighboring kingdom, is brutally murdered by the Corrupted, they go from being nightmares to combative adversaries. All Dimitar wants is to defend his people, arm and arm with his fellow knights, but he is instead assigned with the task of guarding his princess, Kaleela.

This book includes:
- Zombie-ish demons that will eat a man alive
- noble knights
- brothers in arms
- honorable kings
- a princess with a knack for getting herself into trouble
- rude-ass elves

This book has a great concept. Dimitar is very very likable and is probably the type of knight that I would fall desperately in love with. Kaleela is strong and I like that she is never embarrassed or afraid to express her feelings, even if she is feeling painful grief. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to deeply connect with any of the characters and wonder if they are a bit two-dimensional for me, or if the book just wasn't my cup of tea? Either way, I would still recommend this book to my pals.

I received this ebook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Courtney & Clarke Collins, and Shadow Spark Publishing for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted across my socials under the username @tinynightingales, check out my GoodReads profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863
my bookstagram account https://www.instagram.com/tinynightingales/
and booktok https://www.tiktok.com/@tinynightingales?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Highly enjoyable read. Characters are likeable and relatable. Setting (magic, history, races, countries, etc) was well put together, and coherent. Action was fast paced. Fun plot twists. Reminded me a bit of Sarah J. Maas and her work.

I just don't think I was the target audience for this one. Got about 40% into it and was just a put off by the constant disregard of safety to deal with the supernatural threat.

3/5 stars not my absolute favorite of a book but I definitely enjoyed it. But I did enjoy the elf’s in the book. I’m hoping book 2 will be more interesting in the series

This book was well written and had a great vibe! I’ve seen too many fantasy novels lately with bad writing so I really appreciated this one.

Adult novel with appeal for teens in terms of writing style and accessibility. This will also appeal to some LOTR fans and many fantasy readers who value a fast pace and familiar plot and character elements.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Spark Publishing for this ARC of *In the Name of Honor* by Clarke and Courtney Collins.

I ultimately decided to DNF this book at 60%, which was not an easy choice. It took me a long time to get that far, and I kept holding on, hoping the story would finally deliver on its potential, however this was just not the right fit.

*In the Name of Honor* presents a narrative that many may find appealing, but for me, it fell short. The pacing is extremely slow, and while I can appreciate a slow-burn romance, the plot felt stretched too thin, making it difficult to stay engaged. I wanted to connect with the characters and their relationships, but the gradual development felt more drawn out than immersive.

That being said, I can see how readers who enjoy intricate world-building with well-crafted settings and gradual storytelling might find something to love here. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. For readers who are patient with character arcs and plot-progression, this might still be worth exploring; however, for those seeking immediate engagement or action-packed sequences, it may not be the best fit.

Eh, I probably should have DNF'd this book. The plot was fine, but for some reason I felt like I was slogging through the entire read. The characters felt very one dimensional and I didn't feel an emotional connection to any of them. I'm also super confused why this is part of a series as it seemed to come to a conclusion at the end. The whole thing was fine, but I don't think this is a series I'll be continuing.

I enjoyed reading this book took a while to get into but I did! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

A classic good vs evil fantasy with a little bit of romance, this was a fun read. The romance was developed right from the beginning and done really well. The plot in general wasn't something I personally loved, but I'm sure other people would enjoy this more.