Book: The Courtesan's Forgotten Prince by Megan Mackie
Reviewed by Michele (spicysithreads)
Thank you to the author for sending me an advance copy!
Lydia has made a name for herself in the Crimson Court—people call her the Beauty Virtue, and not without reason. She’s spent years navigating every kind of encounter with every kind of person, yet even she is caught off guard when a wealthy, enigmatic nobleman requests her company for an evening under two unusual conditions: she may speak only to him, and she must never see his face.
Damian was once the beloved crown prince, admired for his charm and striking looks. Now he lives as a shadow of that man—scarred, avoided, and whispered about. He works behind the scenes to protect his brother, the Emperor, but for one night he’s willing to risk everything just to be near the woman known as Beauty.
What neither expects is how deeply that single encounter will unsettle them. Afterward, they can’t shake the pull between them, and soon they’re drawn into a web of court intrigue, dangerous secrets, and political maneuvering that threatens far more than their hearts.
This story blended so many of my favorite tropes and somehow still managed to feel fresh. One of the things I loved most was how quickly Lydia connected with Damian. Even when everyone else recoiled from him, she didn’t treat him like a monster. She saw the person beneath the scars almost immediately. They were both hesitant to trust—how could they not be? She grew up surviving on the streets, making her own place in a world that never handed her anything. He was once the adored crown prince until the curse stripped him of everything: his beauty, his status, his friends. They’re both carrying so much history, and it shows.
I really liked how intelligent Lydia was allowed to be. She knew exactly how people underestimated her and used it as a weapon. She could slip into conversations, pick up on secrets, and read people in ways others completely missed. Damian, too, was such a compelling character. After losing his entire life, he poured everything he had into protecting the only family he had left.
The book was packed with schemes, betrayals, and political maneuvering from every direction, and I loved watching all the different factions plot their assassinations and spy games. I didn't like how Lydia was kept in the dark about so much. It didn't seem fair to me that they waited so long to tell her the whole story. Damian was drawn to her mind as much as her beauty, so it felt really wrong that he didn’t trust her with the truth. The lack of communication between Damian and Lydia got under my skin at times, but it made sense—they’re both guarded, both trying to protect themselves from being hurt again. Still, seeing both perspectives made their misunderstandings extra painful.
But the payoff was worth it. When they finally started working together near the end, using their strengths to outmaneuver the people threatening the empire, it felt so satisfying. They made such a powerful team once they actually let each other in.
This book is fast paced and I loved it!! Check it out of you like romantasy with the following tropes:
🥀 Beauty and the Beast retelling
🥀 Phantom of the Opera vibes
🥀 Victorian romance
🥀 Forced proximity
🥀 High heat
🥀 Court intrigue
🥀 Class difference
🥀 Secret Identity
🥀 Disfigured hero