First of all, what the fuck?? Second of all, what the fuck?????

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect of this novella going in. It had a cover and synopsis that seemed to show a cross of fairy tales and fae folklore and the politics often found in historical fiction, a combination of which I hadn't really seen before. This all led me to believe it'd be an intriguing, but fun read because it seemed to be using pieces of stories I'd loved before. However, it ended up not being anything like what I was expecting, and not necessarily in a positive way.

While what the synopsis promised was definitely true and there, it was far from the focus. Were the debates tense and did the fate of Parliament hang in the balance? Definitely yes, though somehow it didn't always feel that way. Were there faeries and fae tricks and magic? Also, definitely yes, but it honestly mainly focused on how it was used to get high. Overall, I think I just went in with the absolute wrong expectations, though I'm not entirely sure if I can be blamed for that (was I supposed to just assume ‘High Times’ meant just, actually being high the whole time?)

Maybe if I'd connected more with the main character, I would have enjoyed this more. Instead, I found myself frustrated with her often and while I often like the style of character she seemed to fall into (himbo lesbian very interested in good times and good women), I didn't like this actual rendition. It didn't feel like there was enough real about her, and I felt like her actions and thoughts never went deeper than face value. I also didn't find most of the relationships compelling, whether it be platonic or romantic, which didn't help.

While there are things I generally appreciated about the story and world-building (it was actually a fairly interesting world and magic setup), those pieces never ended up being the true focus. I felt like I was constantly hoping the main character would turn her head and focus on something else, only she never did.

Overall, this book just wasn't really for me, though I'll never be sure whether it's the fault of my wrong expectations or just of the book itself not being for me. I won't write off the author entirely because the writing itself was strong, but the rest just didn't work for me.

Solomon’s Crown is an overall fun read with engaging writing, but had a bit too little substance for me to truly enjoy. It’s definitely a book that I enjoyed my time with, but not one that will stick with me for a long time.

There was a lot to this book that drew me in very quickly, and I found myself drawn in to both the relationship and politic dynamics (both between Richard and Philip and within their respective countries). There was a complex web of politics that kept Richard and Philip from both fully trusting each other and allowing themselves to get fully entangled in a relationship, and I felt like the author did a great job of weaving this web. I often feel like the plot points keeping two characters from entering a relationship in a romance book to be flimsy, and it often leads to frustration. However, the author did a good job of showing the true depth of the complications that would arise from their relationship, and that resulted in me both yearning for Richard and Philip to be together while also being entirely understanding of why they were hesitant (without being frustrated that the reasoning was silly or frivolous). It was a strong point of the book for me!

Unfortunately, I did have some issues with the pacing that led to my interest waning at points during the story, and it felt like certain aspects sometimes dragged on. A lot of time was dedicated to exploring the politics and historical setting of the book, and I feel like this began to take more and more focus as we neared the end of the book, with the romance often being overshadowed. While this would make sense in most books, the set-up and eventual end of the book was more romance focused. This meant that a lot of the political development in the second half of the book felt under-used. I found this especially true for the ending, where it felt like things just kind of suddenly worked out to make the romance end well, and didn’t necessarily ring true with the political aspects of the book. It overall left me conflicted, because while I overall found both the romance and the political plot interesting, they didn’t seem to actually work well together.

Overall, I had a fun time with this book and I do see myself trying out more novels by this author, even if Solomon’s Crown isn’t a new stand-out favorite for me. I definitely recommend it for those looking for a historical romance to read over a day or two!