⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Loved it! A must-own book.
Read The Poison Daughter if you like standalone fantasy romance with arranged marriage tension, unreliable narrators, a unique magic system, and a will-they-won’t-they romance that keeps you guessing until the very end.
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📖 What’s Inside:
- 💍Arranged marriage tension
- Dual POV with secrets on secrets
- Unreliable narrators 🗣️
- Plot twists that punch you in the face
- 🐎Only one horse supremacy
- Magic vs. non-magic conflict
- 🌈 Inclusive cast
- “Who did this to you?” energy
- On-page intimacy 🔴
- Explicit language
- A truly unique magic system
Book Boyfriend Meter: ❤️
Would date. (I can fix him)
💭 My Thoughts:
WOW. Just—wow. From page one, I was intrigued… but I stayed cautiously optimistic because I’ve been personally victimized by books that fall apart at the halfway mark. So I held my breath. Carefully. Nervously. Then around 40%💥 BOOM. The first major plot twist hit and I absolutely did NOT see it coming.
What makes this book so dangerous (complimentary) is the secrets. The dual POV is used perfectly. Each character is withholding information—not in a cheap way, but in a layered, character-driven way—and when those truths start surfacing? That’s when the story detonates.
I was genuinely shocked three or four separate times. Did I guess a single twist? NO. Were the clues there the whole time? YES. I LOVE being duped by a smart book.
Now let’s talk logistics: this is a standalone. About 650 pages. And somehow??? An entire epic fantasy romance arc fits inside it without feeling rushed or bloated. Around the 70% mark, I was staring at my Kindle like, how is this going to wrap up??? Because I’m so conditioned by series endings. Spoiler: it wrapped up beautifully.
The worldbuilding is impressive but contained. No lore dumps. No boredom. Everything unfolds naturally through the story itself, which is exactly how I like my fantasy served. AND THE ROMANCE. BABES.
There is a sex ritual.
I repeat: a SEX RITUAL.
It is hot. I will not elaborate further.
But Wait, There’s More!
But beyond the physical chemistry, there’s a constant will they / won’t they actually fall in love tension that lasts until the FINAL TWO PERCENT of the book. TWO. PERCENT. I was still questioning it. And yet—the ending was satisfying. All my questions were answered. I kept checking the progress bar like, HOW is this possible???
And then… the emotion. Oh, the emotion!!! I am not a cryer. My heart is apparently made of ice. This book? It made me ACHE. The ending was so heart-wrenching I had to stop reading multiple times just to emotionally recover before continuing. Actual pain. Real feelings. Unacceptable behavior from a book.
Why is no one talking about this?? This book is phenomenal and I will not be entertaining opposing opinions at this time. Thank you very much.
📚Read Alikes:
Once Upon a Broken Heart × From Blood and Ash × Kiss of the Basilisk (Yes, because of that ritual 👀)
Should you add The Poison Daughter to your TBR?
Hands down, YES.
Read it. Re-read it. Buy it in multiple formats. This is how standalone fantasy romance is DONE.
If this kind of standalone fantasy romance is your weakness, do yourself a favor and browse my standalone fantasy romance recommendations next. You’re welcome.
📌Want to remember this book for your next reading binge? Save this review on Pinterest so you’ll have it handy when you’re ready to dive in!
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