Crystal Iris was such a refreshing read! I absolutely loved how it was grounded in the real world while still holding a subtle thread of magic throughout. The story never felt overly absorbed in fantasy—instead, the magical elements added just the right amount of intrigue without overshadowing the real-life setting.

One thing I really appreciated was the communication between the characters. There was none of that frustrating, drawn-out miscommunication you often find in books. The dialogue felt mature and clear, which made the relationships feel more authentic and enjoyable to follow.

The relationship between Iris and Hoyt did start off a bit fast and intense, but considering the influence of the amulets, it made sense within the story. It didn’t feel forced—just a little accelerated by the magical circumstances.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m definitely looking forward to continuing the series when the next one is released!

HELLO?? This was a hidden gem at its finest. Why was this so good and caught me completely by surprise how much I loved it.

The plot:
We follow our main character, Iris, who is working as an art professor and engaged to her childhood best friend and sweetheart, living a seemingly normal yet slightly dull life. At a young age, she loses her mother, and her father abandons her quickly after her mother's death. On her 30th birthday, she receives a gift (which ends up being a diamond neclace) from her father but after reading the note attatched realizes that her father is just passing it along under her mother's instruction to ensure that Iris receives the gift on her 30th birthday and not a day before. From the first chapter, we are introduced to the mystery of this peculiar necklace and the magic it contains.
As the story continues, we learn that this strange necklace is somehow tied to a man that Iris has never met before but is undeniably drawn to.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed the art history aspect all throughout this book. I felt like it gave it a little something to stand out from other romance/fantasy/paranormal novels and added dimension to a genre that can at times feel repetitive. I loved the mystery surrounding the necklace! Where did it come from? Why are Iris and Hoyt connected? Why did Hoyts father get so mad when him and his brother put the necklaces on? It gave me that "I don't need sleep i need answers" feeling, and I ATE IT UP.

The romance is part paranormal, part cowboy, which is very different, but these two elements were done in a way that they worked together flawlessly. There is a steady build of tension between Hoyt and Iris that was perfectly paced, giving you time to connect with each of the characters on their own and then root for them as a couple.
I searched frantically trying to find the 2nd book and was so disappointed when I realized it isn't released until March 2026 😭 I need the next book now!!

Huge thanks to Leblon publishing and NetGalley for my Advanced Reader Copy of Crystal Iris! I'm also sharing this review on Audible.

Thank you so much to Leblon publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook. The following review is my honest opinion.

In this romance novel with fantasy elements, we follow Iris. It seems as though she has it all figured out. She is an art history professor at Harvard. She is engaged to Aaron, her caring childhood best friend. However, everything changes when she comes into possession of a family prism necklace with magical powers. It connects her to a stranger, who has a prism necklace of his own and who she is not able to touch, even though that is all she craves.

This book had some good elements. For example, I was very intrigued with the prism/crystal and forbidden love/can’t touch storyline. Sadly, I couldn’t fully commit to story, because I felt uncomfortable with the fact that she was engaged and lying to her fiancé.
In my opinion this book could have been a lot shorter, especially the middle part. I felt like I got to know the characters very well, however I was slightly disappointed that the plot wasn’t as well developed. The ending took me by surprise and promises an intriguing storyline for book two!

The narrator did an overall good job of portraying Iris.

4 solid stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ overall this was really good and exciting. I felt like Iris was a whole fresh new kind of FMC, she was super smart, older, relatable, and very likable. Of course I loved Hoyt and his rugged Montana lifestyle and there were horses, which I love! The romance and hurdles were relatable with them and the long distance and navigating that part of the story. I was intrigued by the art history and educational information associated with it and how it was intertwined in the story, something new that I’ve not encountered.

Holy shit with the mystery/plot twist and the cliffhanger!!!! I have so many questions and theories and I just need the next book to find out what’s going to happen!!! I need answers on the prism and its power and Iris’s power to do the things she can!! (Don’t want to give anything away, the wait to the end is worth it!!!!)

Possible spoiler, read at your own risk!!!



Now the part I didn’t like, the emotional cheating between Hoyt and Iris while Iris was still engaged to Aaron, this part I connected with how some of the hallmark movies got about breaking up a couple where there’s no spark, it’s just a mundane relationship. While Hoyt and Iris did not do anything physical, it was set up where I wasn’t ok with her actions.

Spice 1.5/5 🌶️

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook

The best part of this audio book was the narrators ability to put emotion into the characters and really draw you into how they may feel. I really enjoyed the found family aspect and the art quotes at the beginning of each chapter.
Although not my usual choice of book, as it leans more romance with magic than true romantasy, overall it was an enjoyable listen.
The pace of the story was slower than I would of liked, slow burn but almost snails pace. The yearning and tension throughout did make up for some of this.
Cowboy romance elements where an interesting addition to the narrative
Review also posted on fable and good reads

This book had an intriguing premise with a nice blend of fantasy and mystery, and the world-building showed real potential. There were moments of vivid imagery and emotional depth that drew me in, especially during the more introspective scenes. However, the storyline sometimes felt a bit disjointed, and I found myself wishing for more character development and clearer pacing.

The audiobook narration was okay—pleasant enough to listen to, but lacking the dramatic range that could have really brought the story to life. Some characters sounded too similar, which made following conversations tricky at times.

Overall, it’s a decent listen with sparks of creativity, but it didn’t quite reach the level of immersion I was hoping for.

Thanks netgalley and leblon publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a more mature urban romance fantasy. The plot was ok.
Iris is a professor was gifted a pendant by her father that shatters all understanding of normality.
She is engaged but drawn to another a stranger that carries the same burdens she does.

This is essentially a romance however the chemistry wasn’t there for me at all. I love the ranch and that aspect away from the city though.

I think this series has a lot of bones to it but the flesh isn’t there yet. I think with a little editing, book cover change That could be great.

I didn’t hate it I just got a tiny bit bored.

Thank you though as the cliffhanger was good I will 100% be reading the next one.

A 3.5 for me, the story was good and the last few chapters lead up to a great cliff hanger for a second book making me want to know more about the prisms but I just couldn’t get over how much I disliked the main characters- iris didn’t have the balls to tell Aaron she didn’t love him so she broke his heart by emotionally cheating on him. Aaron was a needy spoilt brat and Hoyt just seemed off to me. When the next in the series comes out I may continue to read
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review, I also enjoyed the audiobook.

I was pleasantly surprised. This was a book I didn't expect to like so much.
The story (albeit a bit slow at times) was very exciting. I had no idea where it was going and I liked the mystery of it.

At the end of the book you get a few more answers and it ends with a cliffhanger. I will definitely want to read the next book. I can highly recommend it.

This audiobook wasn’t for me, explanation follows. But I’m sure others will like it a lot. If this book had come across my radar as a spicy romance novel about a woman, her feelings and confusion about choosing between two guys then I probably wouldn’t have listened to it. If by some chance I had listened to it, I would have given some extra stars. The narrative is fine on those terms. However, I picked it up for the fantasy element. Unfortunately for most of the book this is side-lined or just plain ignored for long periods, and certainly not developed along side the characters lives. Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for the audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc. I had a hard time really getting to this book and finding it enjoyable. While the synopsis sounded wonderful, the writing wasn’t well executed.
She’s in an engagement with someone she grew up with but doesn’t truly love, and she ends up with a necklace that feeds off the wearer’s blood and bonds to their soul and they cannot take it off. While trying to get answers about the prisms she meets another person who also is bound to a prism they start falling for each other but their necklaces keep them from touching and truly being with each other.
After sneaking off to go meet with her new friend to try to figure out their prisms her fiancé’s mother had her followed by a p.i. and he accused her of cheating and they break off the engagement. I feel like th writing could have been better plus the narrator made the story a little dull as well

Just wow! This book was so creative and unique. I was literally stuck in every moment with Iris and that ending… I need to know what happens next. The narrator was great and brought depth and dimension to the story through her voice.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️ An urban fantasy with art and alchemy elements.
It was a little slow for me to get into but I thoroughly enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter and the art piece descriptions sprinkled out as part of our fmc’s job.

A magical prism necklace that allows Iris to essentially astral project to a man she’s never met before, but yet once she actually meets him, they can’t touch without feeling pain! Not to mention he also has a matching prism of his own. While there’s definitely some spicy scenes, the romance did not take away from the plot and there was lots of magical elements throughout. Even from the beginning I was thinking “forget the finance, go for the mans that lives out in the mountains with his horse”. Hoyt, was that man! We get all the tension of a love triangle but tbh that fiancé had me so bored, I forgot his name most the time. Loved the support bestie the whole way through. But then that twist ending with a cliffhanger?! Diabolical. I can’t wait for book two and this is our reminder to not mess with magical artifacts we know nothing about lol.

3.75 stars- My favorite part of this book was the banter. The author did an incredible job developing their relationship and investing me into it. I've never read anything with a similar plot. I thought the premise with the crystals was incredibly interesting and I'm disappointed I can't finish the story, as of now, the author doesn't have a date for the next book. I tend to dislike reading incomplete series, but, this was worth the exception. I really loved Hoyt, he is absolutely everything. He's a hard working man who genuinely cares about Iris and wants her. He was kind and patient with her and didn't force her into anything she wasn't ready for. This is my first book by this author, I can only imagine book two will be so much better and I can't wait!

I truly wanted to love Crystal Iris. The synopsis was incredibly intriguing, and I had high hopes for an engaging read. However, I found myself struggling to connect with the characters, which made it difficult to become fully immersed in the story. The romance, unfortunately, felt rather forced, lacking the natural chemistry that makes a relationship compelling. Instead of drawing me in, it seemed contrived, which diminished any emotional impact it might have had.

Additionally, the pacing was far too slow for my liking. While I appreciate a well-developed narrative, I found myself growing impatient, waiting for something meaningful to happen. Although the writing itself is easy to understand and accessible, I believe this book is better suited to a different type of reader—perhaps someone who enjoys a more leisurely storytelling style or is willing to invest in the characters despite their shortcomings.

For me, however, it simply didn’t deliver the gripping experience I had hoped for. Sadly, I was left feeling bored rather than engaged.