House of Burning Frost (The Kingdom of Crows #5)by Olivia Wildenstein
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Synopsis:
FAKE AN ENGAGEMENT TO THE ICE KING TO TRAP AN ENEMY.
END THE SHAM BETROTHAL ONCE THE FOE IS CAUGHT.
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
If I were mortal, the epitaph on my tombstone would read: 'Here lies Isla Ríhbiadh, cherished daughter of Fallon and Lorcan, crown princess of Luce, and blunderer like no other.' Luckily, I'm an immortal shifter sorceress, so my countless slipups haven't resulted in my untimely demise. Yet. When my latest blunder lands me in the steam chamber of a very naked and very irritable Faerie king, I worry the pointy-eared Glacin will dispose of my body under six feet of solid ice. Instead, he suggests we get married. Our betrothal is purely strategic, meant only to trap King Konstantin's shifter-hating enemies. He's uninterested in finding love, and I'm uninterested in falling for a man who isn't my mate. A fool-proof alliance. Obviously, I'm a fool for thinking this, since nothing I ever do goes right. What starts as a friendly ruse soon turns into a perilous game. One that blurs the line between scheming and desire. Between childhood fantasies and adult realities. Between the Ice King and me. House of Burning Frost is a tale of peril, passion, and the power of love to transcend the confines of fate.
*This spicy standalone romantasy can be read without reading books 1-4, but, for more enjoyment, it's suggested to read the prior books.
Review:
House of Burning Frost was a steamy romantasy that was impossible to put down. With the most fabulous slow burn, sexual tension that was palpable, and moments that had me laughing out loud, I fell madly in love with this book. Mystery swirled within these pages, so I was always nervous for what would come next. With bargains, traitors, love, secrets, and friendship laced throughout this story, this book went straight onto my favorites list!
“Define little spell.”
“I could chop the tip off one of your fingers. I’d grow it back immediately.” His lips remain crooked.
“Tempting.”
Isla was someone I absolutely adored. She could be so brave and fierce, yet she could be uncertain and struggled at times with her blood casting. So when Isla had the most memorable meet cute with King Konstantin, I was nervous for her. They started off on the wrong foot, even if they had this beautiful chemistry between them. Yet with tension thrumming, I was waiting for the fireworks to explode.
When he lowers his hand, amusement has softened his own expression. “You will end up being the death of me, Miss Ríhbiadh.”
Konstantin had me from the moment he met Isla. He was charismatic, fair, protective, and logical. And when we got his point of view a little farther into the story, I was screaming! His thoughts…..oh you wouldn’t realize what they were underneath his icy facade. His country was in turmoil, and there was so much unrest, so we got to see how much he struggled with all that was on his plate. But we also got to see his thoughts towards Isla. And I absolutely loved them!
“Let the ruse begin,” the Ice King murmurs.
Watching Isla and Konstantin work together and try to find trust was so much fun! Especially when you throw a marriage of convenience on top of it. The fact that there was some animosity there, while they were pretending to be engaged, will keep you smiling. Their banter was fabulous and I loved how they messed with each other! At times it felt like they were going to explode. So with rejection, hope, and the kindling of more, I fell right along with them!
He guides my head down toward his and silences me with a kiss that streaks fire down my throat and into my chest.
While this book can definitely be read as a standalone, I can’t recommend reading the previous 4 books enough. You get to watch Isla’s parents fight for their happily ever after, and there’s so many characters from the past who make an appearance in this story. So I was cackling with delight each time a new one would appear haha. Also, the political intrigue kept us on our toes! With the mingling of fae, shifters, and humans, there was still a lot of tension and discrimination. The way it played into the storyline definitely kept me surprised!
“I don’t fucking trust anyone, Isla! I don’t even fucking trust my own general!”
Oh. That’s… unexpected. “Well, you should trust me. Or rather, you should have, for I want nothing from you. Nothing. Not your crown. Not your affection. Not your admiration. Not your coin. Nothing.”
“And I want everything!” he exclaims.
House of Burning Frost was a forced proximity, marriage of convenience that will keep you smiling from that first page to the last. And this steamy romantasy made me cry all the tears! Along with screaming with laughter too. I think this is definitely Wildenstein’s funniest books. So with the most fabulous ending ever, and getting to see so many favorites, I closed this book so happy! If you love romantasy, definitely add this one to your tbr!
“You, Isla Ríhbiadh, have set fire to my kingdom of ice and torched your way into my frozen heart.”
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
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