Review: Falling for the Enchantress

Falling for the Enchantress by Lyndsey Hall is the latest ARC I completed from the To Win a Dark Heart multi-author series of villainous retellings. This book combines the legends of King Arthur and Robin Hood, a combination that I have seen in another book I reviewed recently. These stories complement each other well because both take place in medieval England, and both were famously adapted by Howard Pyle in the late 19th century. This book stands apart from The Arrow and the Sword in many ways, primarily that it focuses on different villains instead of heroes. Morgan Le Fay is known here as Morgraine, who must win over Stefano, the sheriff/witch hunter for Prince John.

The dark romance in this book begins with an accidental magical binding spell that would have fit in well with last year's Tethered Hearts series. Stefano is a witch hunter, which fits well with this time period and setting, and Morgraine is in hiding to protect herself and her coven. When an accidental tragedy strikes, she attempts to curse Stefano and instead finds herself magically bonded to him. Now, the only thing either of them wants is to be released from the spell that ties them to their mortal enemy.

This book falls squarely into the "enemies to lovers" category with a witch hunter falling for the witch he's hunting. The two hate each other for a good portion of the story, but like many others in this series, they begin to see each other differently after spending time together. The witch hunt theme is an interesting element that isn't frequently featured in fairy tale adaptations, as it was a challenging time for women in history. Throughout the book, Stefano must come to terms with the problematic nature of his profession.

As far as character development goes, this book was mid-range for me. I didn't have any strong feelings for or against either protagonist. Both were living their lives and trying to play out their roles the best they could by adapting to their mistakes. There were some nods and cameos from characters in both stories, but it was not presented as a full retelling of either legend. The book works best as a historical lesson about the problematic nature of witch hunts.

Falling for the Enchantress is a solid enemies-to-lovers romance set in medieval England, blending King Arthur and Robin Hood legends with a dark and intriguing magical twist. Lyndsey Hall's take on Morgraine and Stefano's story is engaging, though they are presented more as archetypes than unique personalities. I would recommend this book to history buffs who were fascinated by witch trials and fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope.