To Charm a Dark Prince

The Iron Crystal, Book 1

By: Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Narrated by: Madeline Pell

Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

To save a kingdom, she must charm a monster.

Transported to the magical realm of Avalon, Gwen finds herself in the hands of its dark and beautiful ruler—Mordred, the prince in iron.

The prince holds total power in Avalon, trapping his rivals in an enchanted crystal prison. But he shows a strange gentleness to Gwen.

Seeing no other way to escape, Gwen strikes a deal with Mordred’s enemy. If she can break the crystal, she will be free to go home.

Gwen joins Mordred’s court with a plan to steal his heart and destroy his prize.

Desire sparks between them at once. But Mordred is a dangerous host. As they draw closer, his passion and anger burn brighter.

Gwen would be foolish to trust him. 

And even more foolish to betray his trust....

A gripping dark fairy tale and a seductive fantasy romance with slow-burning attraction, enemies-to-lovers banter, and an alluring villain. The Iron Crystal series will enchant fans of Sarah J. Maas, Elisa Kova, and Danielle L. Jensen.

©2023 Kathryn Ann Kingsley (P)2023 Second Sky, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd.

Didn’t want it to end

When I got near the last few chapters, I started to panic because I new I wouldn’t be able to immediately listen to the next one.

I never really got into Arthurian legends, but heard enough second hand to get everything I needed to know. I love the way Kathryn Ann Kingsley writes delicious and complicated relationships between people. Her sense of dramatic tension is incredible.

The narrator is great and skilled with her delivery of accents.

Kind of disappointed

KAK is one of my favorite authors in the genre and has been for quite some time. This may all be a matter of my preference for her dark romantasies and my expectations not being met, but I’m disappointed. This has “enemies to lovers” on the cover, and that it is not. I’m surprised, as KAK is usually incredible at writing morally grey characters — Valroy, Vlad, Erik, Izael. All of them are perfectly morally gray because we see them do evil in the story. Their threats to the world and characters are VERY clear. Mordred was morally off-white at best, and I felt very much like I was being told, instead of shown, that he’s “the bad guy”. He’s generally nice. This is more of a grumpy / sunshine than an ETL. Also, he didn’t really wrong her. Yes, she was held in his home, but he treated her quite well, save for his moodiness. ETL needs way more contention in order to live up to the trope. I also am usually obsessed with KAK side characters, but found that to be lacking in this one. I feel like I’ve read this novel many times in this genre, which is to say it’s average. The world could’ve been richer with all the legends, but was also lacking. I’m unsure whether this was supposed to be a YA novel, as that’s what I felt from the book, but I really enjoy KAK’s adult novels (not just for the fun stuff). I’m unsure whether I’ll continue on with this series. It felt like a different author wrote this altogether. I just wasn’t invested. It wasn’t poorly written, but it wasn’t memorable. I can feel her style in every other novels of hers I’ve read, but not this one. So, a bit of a heads up — if you’re looking for the same experience as the darker novels you’ve read, this isn’t it. But if dark romantasy isn’t your thing, you’ll likely enjoy this. Again, I absolutely adore everything else I’ve read from KAK, and I’ve reread those novels multiple times. This just didn’t do it for me.

KAK is the best!

I love all her books and this is no exception. The narrator is not my favorite but the story is good.

YA Intriguing Story Inspired by Arthurian Legends

I was transported into the captivating world of Avalon alongside Gwen, a young woman suddenly trapped in this magical realm. The story revolves around Gwen's struggle to unravel her newfound powers and navigate the complex dynamics of Avalon's court, ruled by the enigmatic and powerful Mordred. As Gwen strikes a deal to secure her freedom, a delicate dance of desire and danger ensues between her and the tyrant prince. Inspired by Arthurian legends, the plot offers an engaging blend of magic and intrigue. While the writing style and character depth lean towards a younger audience, the banter and plot-focused narrative keep the story compelling. Madeline Pell's narration in the audiobook brings the world and characters to life, enhancing the experience. This is a quick and entertaining read, particularly suited for those who enjoy plot-driven fantasies set in enchanting realms like Avalon.

Thoroughly enjoyable story, solid narration

I really enjoyed the premise of this story, and the narrator hits all the right notes. It is in dire need of a proofreader, but you can ignore those parts, mostly.