Prize for the King by Layla Fae is another Reddit recommendation, which means I was prepared for something smutty and unhinged. This why choose dark monster romance absolutely delivered, as promised, all the wild inhuman smut.
The Agnidari lay siege to the castle that Princess Cariane has called home her whole life. Taught that this formidable magical race of beings is nothing more than vicious animals, Cariane is terrified.
All she wishes for is a swift, merciful deal when the Agnidari take the castle, but instead she’s forced to wed their king, Magnar the Tyrant.
Cariane quickly learns that, despite their unfamiliar customs, the Agnidari are much more than their reputation tells. As she gets to know her new husband and his loyal knights, she must shed the shackles of propriety and embrace her own strength, for she will need every bit of it to survive the brutal political schemes in which she finds herself at the center.
Immediately, these characters captured my attention. Princess Cariane has four love interests, and while they sort of fit into traditional why choose archetypes, they do so in a way that feels creative and fresh. Perhaps because they are a whole new kind of magical race.
There is also amazing character art included in the pages of the book, even in the Kindle edition, and it adds a visual element that is both fun and helps the reader visualize these characters.
As warned in the author’s note, anatomical liberties are taken here with reckless abandon. Do not get too caught up in the how of it all, or you might lose all sense.
The romance in Prize for the King starts out teasing and tantalizing at first, but then becomes unapologetically filthy. This book embraces smut with joy, and it’s undeniably delightful to read, if you’re into that sort of thing. Which, obviously, I am.
This book is quite lengthy, but it doesn’t feel cumbersome, for the most part. It’s engaging and well-paced, in a world that is dark and sometimes cruel, but also mired in political intrigue. It’s like Game of Thrones if it was written by a woman with a wild imagination.
Prize for the King is a tale as old as time: Beauty and the Beast and the Beast’s Three Best Knights. Oh, you don’t know it? Weird. Even with all the dark and twisty parts, this book was an incredible ride. If you’re looking for an entertaining read and have no qualms about realism, look no further.
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