Book Review: The Mist Thief by L.J. Andrews

⭐️⭐️ | Meh, Won’t Recommend.

Or, I read it so you don’t have to. You’re welcome. If you’re curious to know why this one isn’t worth your time, read on for the deets:

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*FYI: I read this as an eRC (aka a digital review copy), and as always—you’re getting my honest, unfiltered thoughts.

📖 What’s Inside:

Fae + Elves
Dual POV
On-page intimacy 🔴
🫂 Found Family
Miscommunication
Explicit language
Arranged marriage 💍
Insta-lust
“My wife”

Book Boyfriend Meter: 💛

Hot. But not for me.

✨ Vibes:

Six of Crows — lawless kingdom + crew dynamics
A Fate Inked in Blood — political maneuvering + Viking-inspired world

Basically: gritty fantasy politics meets arranged marriage… with a heavy focus on romance.

💭 My (Brutally Honest) Thoughts:

I went into this with cautious optimism.

The FMC didn’t fully work for me in the previous book, and I wasn’t super attached to the MMC either…

But I was hoping their story would win me over.

It did not.

Now, the beginning?

Actually? Pretty strong.

The story grabbed my attention right away, and I thought—

Okay. Maybe this is going to turn around for me.

But here’s the thing: I never connected with the characters.

Not the FMC. Not the MMC.

And without that?

Everything else started to fall apart.

Here’s where it really lost me. The romance.

Once they both realized they were in love…

That was it.

The tension disappeared.

The stakes disappeared.

And suddenly the story became mostly about the spice.

Now listen—I enjoy a good spicy scene.

But when that’s all that’s happening?

It gets repetitive. Fast.

The back half dragged.

Badly.

And unfortunately, this is the second book in the series where I’ve had that same issue.

I hit a point where I wasn’t excited to read anymore—I just wanted to finish it.

And that’s never a good sign.

The bigger issue:

At the end of the day, this comes down to three things I need in a fantasy romance:

✔️ Tension
✔️ High stakes
✔️ Connection to the characters

And this one lacked all three—for me.

It’s been a while since I’ve rated something this low.

Mostly because I believe in DNF freedom.

And honestly?

If this hadn’t been an ARC, I probably would’ve DNF’d it.

That said—this one just didn’t work for me, especially after how much I enjoyed the start of the series.

👓 What to Read Instead

If you’re still intrigued by the premise and want something similar (but stronger execution):

Six of Crows — found family + lawlessness + characters you’ll actually connect with
A Fate Inked in Blood — political tension + Norse-inspired fantasy done right
The Bridge Kingdom — arranged marriage + real enemies to lovers tension Read my review

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Should You Add The Mist Thief To Your TBR?

Honestly? No.

If you’re here for:

✔️ Spice-forward romance
✔️ Arranged marriage dynamics
✔️ Fae politics

You might still enjoy it.

But if you’re here for:

❌ Strong character connection
❌ High tension and stakes
❌ A plot that holds up through the entire book

I’d skip this one.

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