Falling for the Huntsman ~ Review

Falling for the Huntsman

To Win a Dark Heart #12

By Leialoha Humpherys

Have you ever hidden yourself away? Malia has done just that. She's lived with the guilt of what she's done, but not of what she was accused of doing. No, she never sank that low. She's called "witch" and viewed with suspicion by the villagers, who should call her neighbor and healer.  

Alaric never wants to be poor or suffer again, and the means to his goal is whaling and building a fleet of ships around it. Alaric is not just good at his job; he's the best, and he has built an empire that is known across the seas. But when his ship is attacked, Alaric nearly pays for the treachery with his life. His rescue is the talk of legends, but only if he recovers to speak of it. And it is here that our two wounded "villains" come together. Malia is a healer and Alaric is nearly mortally wounded. 

Falling for the Huntsman is such a good read. It is one of those books that once you open it, you don't want to put it down. And when forced to do so, you just want to return to this faraway island world and dive back in. This was a wholly unique blending of Snow White and Hansel and Gretel set in an exotic, tropical location. I love it when a book makes me want to find more titles set in its story world, and Falling for the Huntsman does just that.   

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

A Villainous Twist on Snow White and Hansel & Gretel

Two villains. 

One shipwreck. 

A queen’s betrayal that could ruin them all.

Alaric, the infamous huntsman who once saved Princess Sereth, has built a brutal whaling empire without her crown or favor. Feared, powerful, and as untouchable as the sea, he’s the kind of man no one crosses. But when a mysterious ambush leaves him shipwrecked, he wakes in the care of a quiet woman who seems to loathe him on sight.
Malia has spent years in exile, her name twisted into legend after two lost children fled her forest home and never returned. She lives with pain and guilt, hidden far from the queen’s reach… until the sea tosses a wounded whaler onto her shores.

He’s sharp edges and control. She’s soft silence and secrets. But the more time they spend together, the more their guarded hearts begin to unravel. And when the truth surfaces—about the ambush, the queen, and their own pasts—they’ll have to decide if love is enough to survive what comes next. Falling for the Huntsman is a lush, romantic retelling that weaves together Snow White and Hansel & Gretel. After betrayal, exile, and near-death, a ruthless whaler and a reclusive witch are forced together on a faraway island, where old wounds burn and forbidden feelings spark.

Perfect for fans of slow-burn romance, cozy danger, and villain redemption arcs, "Falling for the Huntsman" is the twelfth book in the To Win a Dark Heart series, which retells fairytales as old as time—but this time it’s the villain’s turn to get a happy ending.

Falling for the Dark Mage ~ Review

Falling for the Dark Mage

To Win a Dark Heart

By Lucy Winton

Seraphina is a disappointment. She knows that in her mother's eyes, she is useless, with only skills in creative magic. Her mother plans to marry her off, only as a bride to a king is she of worth. Seraphina does not wish to marry to further her mother's cruel and criminal ways. She has plans, but then a mage on the run for cursing his prince is welcomed into her mother's criminal empire. 

Damario is the missing ingredient in Phyllida's plans to control not only a criminal empire but the kingdoms around them. His curse was powerful, and she needed to create an unbreakable curse to expand her power. 

But when Seraphina and Damario form a friendship, something shifts. Seraphina knows that her chance to escape her mother's clutches and plans may be thwarted.

This was a well-paced retelling that kept my attention from the opening scene. An engaging tale that is unique, with whispers of the originals woven together to create something new. Appropriate for teens and up, with nothing to cringe at in the romance department.

I was provided a complimentary copy with no expectations. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

A mage desperate to escape. 

A stranger with a dark past. 

An alliance that could free them both.

Seraphina is a disappointment. The daughter of a dark mage, she is unable to cast curses and can only create three charms. The sole way she can benefit her mother’s criminal empire is as a bride.

The first attempt ended badly, with her mother flying into a rage and cursing the reluctant groom to be frozen into his Bear form. Now Seraphina bides her time, practicing her Creative magic and waiting for her chance to escape.

When a newcomer arrives at the fortress, Seraphina’s mother takes a strong interest in his talents. On the run from cursing the crown prince of a neighboring kingdom, Damario could provide her dark mages with the one thing that’s missing from a curse they’re perfecting.

Seraphina’s escape plans are jeopardized when a familiar figure from her past appears. She is determined to leave the fortress, but can she manage it in time? And will Damario give Seraphina a reason to stay?

Falling for the Dark Mage is the eleventh book in the To Win a Dark Heart series, which retells fairytales as old as time, but this time it’s the villain’s turn to get a happy ending.

Of Hope and Honor ~ Release Day

 I'm thrilled that Of Hope and Honor

is celebrating its Book Birthday!

That's right, one of the stories that I have been

working on for the last year is finally here! 

Here is a little bit about the three stories that my fellow authors and I had so much fun bringing to life.

Rémy and the Rats by M.K. Minnick
A town beset by a plague of rats. A young man, struggling to make his way in the world. A surprising inheritance that might offer the solution to both. But when Rémy is double-crossed by Saint-Thaddée’s treacherous mayor, he will have to choose between forgiveness and vengeance—either giving up on his dreams, or reaching out to take them by force. Will he take matters into his own hands, or rest in a Hope worth trusting?

Water's Gift by Meagan Myhren-Bennett (me)
When Princess Aveline’s brothers are lost seeking the legendary Water of Life, she joins forces with Prince Arthyr, who seeks the healing water for his father. United by shared loss and guided by their faith, they brave a perilous path into the Alundras Mountains, where obedience means survival and trust is imperative. To save their families, they must trust the Master to guide their steps as their shared quest draws them together.

Beneath Sand and Stars by Kelsie Engen
Princess Coral, fourth in line to Tepor’s throne, refuses to be claimed as a prize in a royal marriage race and flees into the desert, knowing capture means death. Disguised as a servant in a northern palace, she finds hard-won freedom, purpose, and an unexpected connection with a kind prince. But when a Fae-ordained test and a deadly plague threaten to expose her, Coral must choose between hiding in safety—or facing the truth.

I totally fell in love with Aveline and Arthyr, 

and can't wait for you to enjoy their story. 

I retold the fairy tale The Water of Life for this story

and did a mashup with another fairy tale also

titled The Water of Life. There were similarities in both--three brothers

and a quest to find and bring back some of this healing water.

But the reasons for bringing it back differed in both tales.

It was fun weaving these two tales together while

making the story my own.

Falling for the Wolf ~ Review - Release Day

Falling for the Wolf

To Win a Dark Heart

By Megan Charlie

Tasia may have told Prince Frank something about her family that she shouldn't have. Well, that was the last time she'd be able to spill the beans and betray their trust, because she was sent to a different kingdom to relatives she had never met. Talk about culture shock. What's worse, no one wants anything to do with her. Which is problematic when she needs to get a job and contribute to the household. 

What's a girl to do when there are no available jobs for her? Take the only one available—delivering medicine to an old woman known as Grandmother. One delivery a week, surely Tasia can handle that, can't she? Evidently not, because she gets lost in the woods. She needs help and happens to stumble upon Mitch.

Mitch is cursed. There is no other word for it, and now he's saddled with Tasia because she stumbled upon his secret. Now he's stuck helping her get from town to Granny's house. He's counting down the days until he can leave the town behind and start over somewhere else again. And he refuses to be anything but brusque and surly with Tasia. No way is he ever helping someone willingly again. 

Nope, not happening ever. 

So, yeah, that changed. And now the two of them must work together to stop an evil plot that could totally ruin their lives for however long they live. Right sounds totally dire. But they have a plan. Or will have a plan. They need to think of a plan. 

This is a cute story that brings together the villains from Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella in a delightful, fun reimagining from the POV of the other side of these well-known fairy tales. Mitch and Tasia are such opposites that they truly need one another to thwart the danger that has surrounded them and maybe their own Happily-Ever-After.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts expressed are my own.   

About the Book:

A woman who betrayed her family

A rogue hiding a hairy secret

And a blackmail arrangement with unexpected consequences

After her stepsister marries the crown prince, Tasia is shipped out of the country to live with relatives she’s never heard of before. Blamed and scorned for her role in that debacle, Tasia struggles to make a new life for herself amongst a community that doesn’t care for outsiders. But even that is less nerve-wracking than her weekly trips through the woods to deliver a basket of “goodies” to the sinister old woman known only as Grandmother.

Mitch helped a naive girl travel through the woods once before. After having his heart viciously yanked out and stomped on, he’s not doing that ever again. When Tasia comes along, all innocent smiles and no sense of self-preservation, he vows to stay far away. But she stumbles upon his furry little secret and he reluctantly agrees to play protector in exchange for her silence.

What seems like a simple arrangement soon becomes complicated as enemies from the past begin cropping up in unexpected places. When Mitch and Tasia stumble onto a villainous plot with far-reaching consequences they must choose between looking out for themselves or risking everything for faceless strangers. With lives–and possibly their hearts–on the line, how will two recovering villains decide what to do? And will their choices be compatible? Or just another betrayal?

Falling for the Wolf is a retelling that combines elements of Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. Set after the events of each of these stories, this no spice romantasy is the 8th book in the To Win a Dark Heart series which retells fairy tales as old as time, but this time it’s the villain’s turn to get a happy ending.

Falling for the Crystal Fae ~ Review

Falling for the Crystal Fae

To Win a Dark Heart #4

By Anabelle Raven

This book captured me from the opening scene: 

My heart never stopped beating, but my imprisonment was its own form of death. It separated me from my throne, my power, and my tea.

This gave me such a sense of Khiona's pain and the reasoning behind her desire for vengeance.

When Khiona finds a lamp, she never expected to find someone imprisoned within it. Someone with the power to release her from her own prison. Someone who needs her as much as she needs him.

Andar has finally found a way to escape his prison, a prison that allows him access to unlimited power, but only at the bidding of another. He plans to help Khiona just long enough to trap her in his prison.

Of course, nothing goes quite to plan. Andar and Khiona are not what the other is expecting. Slowly, they start having trouble. How can you use someone when you start forming an attachment to them? 

I loved watching the transformation as these two made their way from the Winter Kingdom to the Autumn Kingdom. This was a story of second chances and redemption. Excellent reading.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

A vengeful queen.

A sorcerer chained by magic.

A truce with power to destroy the realms.

Khiona once ruled her fae kingdom with an icy fierceness—until humans twisted her magic into a prison she could not escape.

Andar once collected enough power to control the cosmos, but he was bound so he could only use it at another’s bidding.

Alone, Khiona and Andar were captured, safely removed from society and trapped in prisons as unique as the villains themselves. But when an earthquake brings them together, they both devise ways to use each other to achieve their ever-distant dreams.

Complications arise when those dreams do not align with each other and new feelings interfere with old agendas. Will the most powerful tyrants known to fae finally bring the world to its knees? Or will they destroy themselves with their own opposing plans—especially when none of those plans included falling for each other?

Falling for the Crystal Fae is a fairytale novella that combines fantasy elements of The Snow Queen and Aladdin. Set after the events in each of these stories, it is brimming with new adventures, dangerous dragons, redemption, betrayal, and a no-spice, sweet romance love story.

Falling for the Crystal Fae is the fourth book in the To Win a Dark Heart series, which retells fairy tales as old as time, but this time it's the villain's turn to get a happy ending.

Author Interview with Katherine Weda

 Today, I'm thrilled to share with you, my recent interview with Katherine Weda, one of the authors in the upcoming book Love & Loyalty.

Who is your favorite comfort read author?

Gosh, this is a hard one, but I'll try to give a straightforward answer. I love Joy Jenkins, who is the author of a contemporary novel, A Secret Service, along with the companion series, Open Case File, which is comprised of three one-shot collections following the characters from her novel. I have read A Secret Service at least once a year since purchasing it back in 2022. Joy and her characters never get old, and I hope she writes more someday.

Who, past or present, is one author you would like to mentor you?

Madisyn Carlin is an author I would love to have mentor me. She is an author who has written so many amazing, wonderful non-magical Christian fantasy novels and novellas and I wish I could pick her brain for how she delivers such complex and gripping stories that keep readers turning pages without the magic.

If you could have a cup of tea with anyone, who would it be?

I would love to have a cup of tea with a number of people, including three well-known British authors, but I think what I would enjoy most is sitting down with both sets of grandparents (3/4 have passed on now) and talk to them about what life was like as they were growing up. 

Who is your favorite character in your novella?

Do I have to pick just one? Fine, I'd have to say I enjoyed writing Malakai's character, even though I relate to Esther. I don't know how to explain it, I just really enjoyed writing Malakai's perspective scenes, and seeing things unfold from his point of view. Again, I do relate to different aspects of Esther and Malakai's characters, as both represent parts of me, Malakai is just, somehow, more relatable.

What is a favorite part of writing your novella?

My favorite part is including pieces that link back to the original fairy tale. I have, of course, taken liberties in this retelling, such as the fact that Malakai is not the crown prince (as he is often portrayed) and the fact that Esther's father is still alive (whereas he is dead before or dies soon after the start of the story in the original and many retellings). 

Also, I really enjoyed working with sibling bonds/dynamics, especially since I have a younger brother and wanted to portray an active sibling relationship (whereas other works in progress don't have such strong of a sibling element). I am giving a disclaimer now: any and all interactions between the royal children are inspired by but not directly copied from, my own interactions with my brother. 

Is there a specific line or scene from Project Dance that you feel pointed the entire story in a specific direction?

Without giving too much away, I think that the scene between Malakai and his brother, Adam, right before the first ball, is very powerful and after I added it, I went back to earlier chapters and tweaked some things to make it even more meaningful.  

What one question would you like to be asked, and how would you answer it?

I would love to be asked "what's next?" by my readers, since I have so many ideas yelling at me for attention that it's hard to keep track.  

The funny thing is, when I thought up Esther and Malakai's story, I didn't intend for there to be more in this world…but then I met a whole cast of characters along the way and began to learn their stories, several of which we begin to see hints of in this novella. School is, at the moment, my priority, but I am already hard at work plotting and brainstorming the next book(s). 

I'm keeping most of it under wraps for now, but my newsletter subscribers will be the first to know any updates. However, one thing I can share is that almost all of the books I have planned in the Kingdoms of Havengard have at least one main character introduced in my Love & Loyalty novella. 

Thank you, Katherine, for taking time to let us get to know you. I know I'm looking forward to reading Love & Loyalty. If anyone wants to preorder the book you can find it at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9S4975F

Want to keep up on Katherine Weda? You can connect with her online at the following links.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author.k.weda/

Newsletter Signup: https://author-katherine-weda.kit.com/a7455e0a4e

2026 is Here and Bookish News!

 Hope everyone had a lovely holiday.
I have submitted my story, Water's Gift, which you will be able to
enjoy in March 2026.

I can't wait for you to read my retelling of
The Water of Life, 
which will be published in 
Of Hope and Honor.

Preorder the ebook for only $2.99
(Now on sale for 50 % off)

https://us.amazon.com/dp/B0F9S7NT5B/

Tropes Of Hope and Honor

Do you love clean, no-spice fairytale retellings? Our fantasy fairytale anthology, Of Hope and Honor, comes out March 10, 2026, from Beyond the Bookery! Here’s a sneak peek of some tropes in the three novellas in the anthology!

Water’s Gift by Meagan Myhren-Bennett (@bloomingwbooks )

Beneath Sand and Stars by Kelsie Engen (@kelsieengen )

Rémy and the Rats by M. K. Minnick (@mkminnickbooks )

Which trope are you most excited about?

You can preorder the eBook for 50% off the regular price at
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F9S7NT5B

Guess the Fairy Tale Retelling ~ Of Hope and Honor