Book Review: The Ever Queen by L.J. Andrews

⭐️⭐️⭐️ | It’s Okay. Still Recommend.

Read The Ever Queen if you like fated mates, pirate kings, and hurt/comfort with high emotional stakes.

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*This review is of the second book in this duology. If you want to read my thoughts on book one, here’s my review of The Ever King.

*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:

Badass FMC
Dual POV
Found family 🫂
On-page intimacy 🔴
“Who hurt you?”
🌈 Inclusive
Fated mates
Explicit language
❤️‍🩹Hurt/comfort

Book Boyfriend Meter: ❤️

Would date. (I can fix him)

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✨ Vibes:

• Pirates of the Caribbean — sea-faring chaos + pirate king energy
• A Court of Wings and Ruin — high stakes, war vibes, and emotional intensity

Basically: pirate king romance meets “we’ve been through too much” emotional damage.

💭 My Thoughts:

This one started strong.

Like—high stakes. Separation. Tension.

The MCs are apart at the beginning, and I was fully locked in, just waiting for that reunion.

And when it finally happens?

So good.

Exactly what I wanted.

…until it wasn’t.

Here’s the thing:

I love romance-heavy fantasy.

But this?

Felt like too much of a good thing.

The romance:

The MMC?

Still obsessed. Still devoted.

Very much “I would burn the world for you” energy.

But also…

Did you forget you are a dangerous, vicious pirate king??

Why are you sounding a little… simpy??

The constant declarations of love started to feel repetitive, and instead of building tension, it kind of flattened it.

And because the enemies-to-lovers arc was already completed in book one…

There wasn’t much left to develop.

So once they were back together?

The romance lost its edge for me.

The pacing:

The back half is where things started to drag for me.

I don’t know if it was the plot, the pacing, or the romance losing momentum—

But something just didn’t hit the same.

The first half had urgency.

The second half?

Felt slower. Less compelling.

Did I enjoy it?

Mostly.

Did it live up to book one?

Not quite.

This definitely reads like a duology where the emotional peak already happened—and now we’re wrapping things up.

That said—

I am continuing the series (new couple, same world 👀), and I’m cautiously optimistic.

📚Read Alikes:

If you’re here for emotional fantasy romance with high stakes and devotion:

A Court of Wings and Ruin — war, loyalty, and big emotional moments
Daughter of the Pirate King — strong FMC + pirate adventure vibes
Metal Slinger — strong FMC + forced proximity + sea-faring adventure Read my review

Should you add The Ever Queen to your TBR?

Yes—if you’re finishing the duology.

If you’re here for:

✔️ Fated mates
✔️ Emotional romance
✔️ Hurt/comfort dynamics
✔️ Pirate king energy

You’ll still enjoy this.

Real talk?
You could read up to the reunion (about halfway), be satisfied… and dip.

But if you’re invested?

You’ll want the closure.

🛒 Buy Now

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