Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: His Fairy Prince
SERIES: Dreamspun Beyond #38, Tit for Tat #2
AUTHOR: JS Harker
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 235 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 1, 2019
BLURB:
Tit For Tat: Book Two
A trick of fairy magic becomes a romantic treat.
Halloween is fantasy-loving college senior Greg’s favorite holiday, and he’s thrilled to explore a spooky puzzle—even if his friends prefer slashers over witchcraft. Luckily the gorgeous and otherworldly Alaric wants to sneak time alone with him. Unluckily Greg’s sworn off hookups. Still reeling from an intoxicating kiss, Greg opens a secret door…
…and steps through a portal to the enchanted realm Alaric is destined to rule.
Stranded with the alluring Greg, Alaric sets off across his kingdom with the man who might be the consort he’s always wanted. It won’t be easy—Alaric’s ex, the Lord of Spiders, wants to reunite with Alaric—but if Greg and Alaric succeed, they’ll find what they’ve always wanted: a place to belong.
REVIEW:
As far as a romantic story, this was not bad at all. For me, personally, I wished there was maybe a little more action or angst to it. It almost seemed to easy. But maybe I’m just weird lol.
Greg, for as long as he can remember, wishes he could live in another realm. After watching movies like Narnia, he would push on his closet walls all the time or something to that effect, praying for a way to leave the mortal world and be away from the misery he lived in. He had to admit, some of that misery was his own fault for not being faithful in relationships. But he really wanted to settle down and for someone to ‘get’ him. To see him and not laugh at him because he may be geeky or something. Or belittle him because his dreams were different from others. Or be threatened to be cut off and basically disowned from his parents for being gay. When he meets Alaric in the Haunted Escapes building, there was an immediate connection. But Greg had sworn off men for now. Wanting not to fall back into old patterns and concentrate on school work. But his so called friends were ruining everything, so Alaric came to ‘rescue’ him from his misery and prank those asshole friends. He saved him and went back in to mess with them more, leaving Greg to wander around and find a door that wouldn’t open at first. But somehow the lights around him shifted things and then he read the words and he was opening the door and in another world. He couldn’t believe it. But he quickly changed his mind when he almost lost his head and was almost then eaten by witches. But again Alaric saved him and showed him a world of his dreams. A place that actually felt like home. But the hard part was it was time for Alaric’s test and he had no magic. The kingdom would nudge Greg in ways they needed to go or Greg would figure out a way to bargain, until Alaric’s ex came rolling up and set everything in to turmoil. Which sent Greg running away and Alaric to find him, only to find both of their greatest fears on display before them. And both believing the other was just using the other and the love wasn’t real. So, now they have to pass this test and the rest of Alaric’s or it’s going to be bad news all around. Greg will stay in the mortal realm and Alaric will marry another. If they can just make it past……
I think my biggest issue with this book is the whole instalust to instalove thing. Maybe it’s because I’m cynical, but I don’t care for the instalove really in any book. I want to see intimacy and a real relationship. The good thing was because Greg was trying to stick to his celibacy, they were getting to know each other instead of hopping right in the sack. But because they hadn’t had time to build a stronger foundation with everything against them, the fears and doubts almost ruined what little they had. Any relationship is tough. Even if there is automatic chemistry and instant attraction. It still takes work and building. And being in the middle of a new world with royalty didn’t help. For Greg, he was still nothing. Or that’s how he felt. He didn’t belong in the mortal world, he felt. And now he felt like nothing in the Fae land because he didn’t know proper court etiquette or customs and such. And being made fun of by Ned, just set things back even further. At the end of the day, all Greg knew was that Alaric was the only place he felt home. But how could that be, if he wasn’t enough? Maybe the universe was still messing with him.
It’s a test of love and romance. It’s not a bad story. I didn’t read the first one so I don’t know how it correlates to this one. But I didn’t feel like I was missing anything so I’m assuming it can be left as a standalone. Give it a whirl and see what you think.
RATING: 
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