Goblin Heart

This book is so good! The writing is fantastic and the story is such a great upending of traditional fairytales. I love Will and Luc together and separately and getting to watch them develop and watch the plot unfold was a delight. The side characters, too, are so well-done and add so much to the story.

I am so excited to have heard about this book. I’ve followed some of the author’s other work in different media and really love his strengths in worldbuilding, especially when it comes to the folklore of a world. Goblin Heart definitely didn’t disappoint - we’re introduced to a world that has been shaped by archaic magical wars that in some ways have prevailed into recent generations, which provides a subtle cage of political intrigue woven through with deadly magic that our heroes are enclosed in at the opening of the book. The main plot largely revolves around their finding ways out of the circumstances that have bound them, together, with help from a colorful cast of friends and allies in both the goblin and human kingdoms in this world. Will and Luc both make excellent romantic heroes in their own rights. Will is a character who seems to have learned, through some truly horrific childhood experiences, how to fly under the radar, and with his family of borderline-impoverished nobility barely clinging to the outskirts of their kingdom’s society, it’s been easy for him to go unnoticed (at least in the space of time before the events of the book) and therefore become more grounded in who he is and what he’ll stand for, as a young man, a son and brother, and an apprentice tradesman. While Luc has been surrounded with more of the trappings of high society growing up as a political prisoner in the castle of Morvane, he has been far more subject to constant scrutiny, and…

I loved this story from start to finish. This was a very well written story about finding the truth within yourself and love winning in the end. Will is full of anger when we first meet him and he likes to sneak away to the goblin village to work the forge while his mother and sister try to live the high life with no money while his stepsister plays Cinderella to them. Prince Lucan has essentially grown up under the control of the neighboring kingdom as a best friend to the crown prince. On a journey to right wrongs and return Luc's heart to himself, these two have to overcome the odds while major feelings come into play. I thought the world building and character development was phenomenal. Will's stepsister becomes a true sister and I loved the found family these two create with the goblins. This is a must read for any fan of the fables and fairy tales! I do hope we get to explore this world some more through some other characters' eyes. This is a standalone, and is complete as it is. However, I am quite curious as to what Kit and the guard get up to. Those two definitely grew on me and I loved how they bantered so well together.

Goblin Heart is a sweet grumpy/sunshine save your life so you try to kill me romance. Needless to say that there are some funny moments. There are also some dark moments as the whole story revolves around taking away someone’s will. Loxley manages to give us the drama while not drowning us in darkness. This story is also about found family. I love the diversity and the friendship code shown in this novel. I’m all about both of those ideas and to see it beautifully displayed here makes it an awesome read. There is action, chemistry, humor, and once again let me say that there is lots of diversity. There is magic, action scenes, and more than one couple getting together. Goblin Heart is all heart, sass, and family. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Prince Lucan has been living in the human court of Morvane. He is loyal to Prince Ramon because he really has no choice. His heart had been removed and a fake one inserted in its place. This leaves him effectively in the control of the King. On an outing with Ramon, the two meet Will Fletcher. Unhappy with his life, he spends most of his time working with a smith in the goblin Kingdom of Brightwood. As Luc and Will get to know each other better, Will resolves to restore his heart but first he must confront his past. Will had been mistreated and lived with the consequences. Luc had been mistreated, never allowed to live his own life. When they met, they bonded and found so many ways to work towards their common goal. It was fantastic to watch as so many joined in to help. A story filled with contrasting opinions; the goblin court had no problem accepting gender wishes and coupling while the Morvane court tied gender to acceptable restrictive conventions. The action built in intensity leading to a very satisfying end. You will be frantically turning the pages to see what happens next. Captivating from beginning to end, Goblin Heart is sure to please the MM paranormal reader. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.