Review: Wisteria by Adalyn Grace
Blurb:
Blythe Hawthorne has never let anyone tell her what to do—not society, not her overprotective father, and certainly not the man she’s bound herself to, no matter how rude and insufferable he is. In fact, she’s determined to be a thorn in his side for the rest of her days, even as he ensures that her life in his palace is anything but a fairytale. But as Blythe discovers a new side of herself linked to his past, she’ll have to decide if she’s willing to let an unexpected spark ignite…and to discover the truth about who she really is.
Review:
“It’s said that the Wisteria Vine is a symbol of immortality. Blythe Hawthorne had often admired the flower – as deadly as it was beautiful, and resilient enough to thrive for centuries even if left forgotten.”
OMG you guys, this book had NO RIGHT to be so so so good. I really enjoyed Belladonna and Foxglove, but Wisteria blew me away. It’s not very often that a book three in the series becomes my favorite. But what the author has done with this series is very unique and ended up working out amazingly!
This is a fresh, original fairytale with subtle nods to the classics, and I absolutely devoured every page!
For Wisteria we follow Blythe for the main portion of the story, where Signa was the main character in Belladonna, they both sort of shared the narrative in Foxglove, Wisteria is where Blythe gets to really shine. It was fun to have a few chapters from other characters.
Interestingly, we go into this story already knowing who Blythe is, and who she is to Fate. But the characters themselves do not know this, and those that do, cannot speak of it. I think the author did this really well, she was able to create tension in an environment where we knew what was coming!
Blythe finds herself away from her childhood home for the first time in her life, and she struggles to connect to her new husband. He has isolated her, and she finds that she has nothing to do but miss home. When she accidentally invites her father to visit her in her new kingdom, she and Aris are forced to work together to create a brand-new world. We get to see her creativity come to life.
Aris has been forced into a marriage with Blythe while he thinks that another woman is his soulmate. It was refreshing to have a character driven by love—a deeply flawed yet romantic man—who felt both unique and relatable. He’s a change from the usual brooding male leads, burning as brightly as the sun instead of lurking in the shadows like Death.
“But Blythe has never met a challenge she didn’t like. ”
Beauty and the Beast – Lots of subtle connections here, she is forced into this situation by trying to save her father who has been falsely accused and was in jail. She and Aris also create a special room for Blythe that is a cozy library.
Sleeping Beauty – I found the term Sweet Briar entirely adorable and fitting, the ending where she grows brambles over the castle so no one can enter also reminded me of the Grimm story.
“One day, I promise that I will find you beneath the bend of a wisteria tree. Wait for me just a little longer.”
He would wait until every last star in the sky had faded from existence.
The reveal came at the most impactful time, and I was absolutely heartbroken for our characters. I loved the bittersweet ending they had, and I was really surprised how the author chose to do it! There were a million different ways it could have gone, and I was on the edge of my seat, flying through the story because I needed to know what would happen next.
“He could still call her whatever foul name he wanted. She rather enjoyed his creativity.”
This is going to go on my favorite reads of the year list, and it is an impressive closing to this series. I am looking forward to the Holiday Novella “Holly” coming out next year too!
Would reread? I would, the whole series YES, but this book, ABSOLUTELY YES.
Would recommend? Yes, I think fans of Bridgerton and One Dark Window would like this. As well as anyone who is looking for a fairytale retelling or a YA romantic fantasy with a bit of Gothic inspiration!
