The Marked Prince

Written by M.A. Grant

Narrated by John Solo

The Summer Court is nothing like Sebastian remembers. The oppressed lower classes are drained of their magick, and around every corner political intrigues threaten an already unstable regime. Sebastian's only hope of surviving the Court and bringing home Prince Lyne's traitorous brother lies with Duine, a magickless Unseelie servant desperate to win his freedom. A servant for whom Sebastian, an estranged Seelie royal himself, is developing a dangerous and deepening affection.

But behind the mask Duine wears are secrets as dangerous as what's smoldering between them. And the more Duine helps Sebastian navigate Court life, the more it becomes clear the servant is not who he appears to be. How he came to be the whipping boy of one of the most powerful and corrupt faeries in the Summer Court is a truth Sebastian is determined to uncover, even if it puts him at odds with the very people who can lead him to the missing Unseelie prince.

When a powerful enemy steps from the shadows, Sebastian must choose: complete the mission and earn his place among the Unseelie who took him in, or risk his very life to ensure freedom for the man he loves.

Contains mature themes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Aug 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9781515940333

M.A. Grant

M.A. Grant fell in love with the romance genre while working at an independent bookstore. She spent a decade in the rugged beauty of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula before moving to the mountains of Eastern Washington. When she’s not calling out to passing ravens or making a cup of tea, she’s writing dark and moving stories.

Reviews for The Marked Prince

[Ashley Primrose · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love the originality of this series, but it gets frustrating to read at times. It’s so drawn out, and this book got to be a bit boring. I really didn’t feel the chemistry between them and though I love a good slow burn it really was just too slow for my tastes.

[akbouterse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.25 stars! I liked this book a lot. I liked book one but this really took this series to another level.

I think generally, I just enjoyed the plot of this book more than book one. I like that we're completely in the Faerie courts for this one. I liked how the set up of this book made for an increased level of protectiveness between Seb and Slaine. I love that mutual protectiveness in a romance and it was done super well here. The plot did slow down for me a bit in the later half when the more war stuff happened because that topic is personally less interesting for me but the relationship stuff was still really well done in that part.

I really enjoyed Seb and Slaine, but especially Slaine. We have one sense of him from book one that changes when we see him in this book and I really enjoyed getting to know him in this book. I enjoyed the relationship he developed with Seb right away. Even though it developed quickly, it felt very real and I really believed in the strength in of their relationship. I also think this author does a great job with complex family dynamics. You like the characters when you read about their relationship but you can still see the dark side of them in the ways they sometimes they interact with their family. It makes for a really interesting dynamic both with the family relationships and romantic relationships.

This book totally hooked me. It was the first book in a while where I really wanted to be reading them all the time. I liked book one but I really liked this one and I definitely want to read book three and see where this story ends up.

[marfisk_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You OverI read the first book in this series months ago, but the minute I saw the author in my NetGalley list, the strength of that story and characters came pouring back, making me eager to return to their world. The author did not disappoint.The Marked Prince is a continuation of the story began in Prince of Air and Darkness where the Winter Court is in isolation and the Summer Court is preparing for war. The details of the conflict never quite added up, with both sides blaming the other, but it also didn’t feel like a continuity error. In this book, we learn why. As with the first, though, it’s much more complicated than it seems, with multiple layers and characters driven by their weaknesses as much as their strengths.We already understand, in a gut-level way, just how far Roark will go for Finn, based on the first book. Sebastian’s very presence in the Winter Court is proof of that even if most are unhappy with his half-Seelie presence. They’re sure he’s a spy for the Summer Court, but they have no idea how impossible such an idea is in Sebastian’s eyes. He stormed out of his mother’s world in his youth to go live with his Unseelie father, and she did nothing to stop him. But the only reason he’s there is Finn’s friendship when his half-Seelie blood would have denied him refuge in either court.Roark may love Finn with everything he possesses, but it doesn’t change his upbringing. He gets Sebastian to agree to help them recover Roark’s brother, who has defected to the Summer Court, because Queen Mab ordered Finn to go. Between Sebastian’s dislike for the Summer Court and his shared worries over Finn’s health, the request doesn’t take much thought. But he lets his guard down a little too far and ends up returning to his childhood home as a spy when he meant to provide only intel.Remember what I said about more complicated?Once again, this book is a mix of high fantasy politics and intrigue. It’s set deep in a Summer Court in uproar, though with more of a focus on dress code and procedure because much of the story occurs at the actual court.Sebastian isn’t quite who he’s made himself out to be. Not that he lied, but he let people make their own assumptions based on his father and growing up on the edge of the Wylds. To be honest, that’s how he sees himself as well.Then there’s Duine, who is much more than he appears. As with the first book, we have both perspectives and know just what Duine hides behind his servant’s mask. A curse strangles his tongue so he cannot confess the truth no matter how deep his connection to Sebastian grows.Sebastian’s not stupid, though. He can tell there’s more to Duine’s story as the apparently magicless Unseelie servant he rescued from the grasp of his childhood tormentor guides Sebastian through the complexities of court procedure. He just doesn’t know the full of it.Their relationship develops beautifully with a connection running deeper than words, a lucky thing when Duine must choose every one to avoid crippling pain. The romance is filled with conflict and worry, but you can see their growing mutual respect and wistful hope spring to life. Their connection is much more than physical, though they manage one open door scene before their worlds fall apart once again. Every time they are together, the tension is tangible not just to the reader, but also to those around them. Some find this a threat, for good reason, while others are delighted to see Sebastian win happiness.You might have noticed, speaking of choosing words carefully, the mad dance I’m enacting between giving a glimpse of the story without spoiling anything not already in the back of the book blurb. The most telling point is the huge gap in my notes when I was too caught up in the story to make any. I figured out a crucial element about halfway that is supposed to be the big reveal at the end, but it didn’t undermine my enjoyment one bit–and I didn’t know for sure until it was confirmed.Ultimately, Grant offers another powerful story with high court mixed with down to earth in more ways than one. Celtic myths wind into a new whole through love, danger, manipulation, fear, and trust. Things are not quite what they seem, nor is everyone taken in by the false faces. Loyalties are tested, old truths retold, and a fabulous story brought forth through well-drawn characters.This is a middle book as far as the overarching tale of the war between Seelie and Unseelie, but it forms its own full and complete arc of courts and courtship that will captivate the romantic heart. I walk away satisfied on all fronts and yet eager for the next book to come.P.S. I received this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.