Kissed by Iron and Glass
E.V. Everest
Publisher: Golden Bird Press
Publication date: April 23, 2026
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Rating:
When my stepmother sold me at auction, I thought I’d experienced the cruelest fate. I was wrong.
Because now I belong to the Iron King, a fae with a heart as cold and unyielding as the cursed iron that encases it. To keep his throne, he needs a queen–his fated mate. And I’m supposed to use my ability to protect him, to see through deception… by posing as one of his potential brides.
Assuming I can survive.
The Iron King’s Bridal Trials are a glittering nightmare of cutthroat fae and deadly secrets. His kingdom is on the brink of rebellion, and every fae lady is willing to kill for the crown.
But when the clock strikes midnight during my first dance with the Iron King, everything changes. Because maybe, just maybe the man I loathe might also become the man I love…if two hearts can break a curse of glass and iron.
My thoughts…
I hate comparing books, but this reminded me a LOT of The Selection but with a fae twist. I honestly didn’t see much of “Cinderella” in here other than having a father who dies, a step-mother who is not as nurturing as everyone thinks towards her late-husband’s offspring, and the rags to riches story. Other than that, she is cast out of her family home, sold in a auction, put in service at the palace to keep the king of the Midnight Court safe, all while under the disguise of being a contestant in the trials to become the king’s bride. So, I would say this is probably less of a Cinderella retelling and more of a “What if everyone from The Selection weren’t human, but fae instead?” kind of story.
I did enjoy the world the author built. I liked the the dynamics of the Midnight Court, the main characters, some of the side characters, and the trials. There was a lot going on in this story. Alette is kind of the outcast and has a target on her back the majority of the time when it comes to the other contestants. So, not only is she navigating the other women who would gladly stab her in the back… literally, but she also has to survive the trials which can be deadly on their own. On top of that, she’s magic bound to use her rare ability to see through glamours and ensure the King’s safety, without anyone knowing she has this ability, including the King.
This book is a dual POV told both in the King’s POV and Alette’s. So we see her going through the trials and navigating everything, but also get behind-the-scenes of what it’s like for the King to have to rule a kingdom he doesn’t want, while putting on this front for the masses while he hosts this competition for their new queen. Honestly, I kind of felt bad for the guy. Now, I didn’t know this was part of a series, and it’s evident that we a missing a few key things. The author does a good job in filling you in, but I still felt like I was missing a few pieces of the King and who he was leading up to this point. Like he was a predominant character in the previous story. I suppose, in the end, we were in the same boat as Alette when it came to knowing his backstory.
I did find this story to be enjoyable. I liked the magical elements, the slow-building romance, the competitions, and just the overall feel of this book.
