A sinful rogue. A sweetheart royal. And kingdoms between them…The RogueIn the Kingdom of Winter, Lyrik is a swaggering potioneer who hunts for wisdom—a brew that will shake the world.It’s the only secret he craves. Except for the one boy he can’t have.The RoyalNicu is an impish dreamer who hunts for wishes—a legendary star that grants yearnings.It’s the only mystery he desires. Except for the … grants yearnings.
It’s the only mystery he desires. Except for the one boy he can’t stand.
The Slow Burn
It’s been three years since they clashed, never expecting to see each other again. But in a land of glittering frost, they might discover something more than wisdom or wishes.
Something far more exquisite—and painful.
Dream is the fourth and final book in the Foolish Kingdoms historical fantasy series by Natalia Jaster. If you like magical royalty romance, enemies-to-lovers, and slow burn attraction, this seductive tale amidst castles and forbidden forests will enrapture you. Grab your copy now!
Mature young adult/new adult: sexual content and language. For readers 17 and older.
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“Sing me a song, Songbird.”
“He sang a carol about love, about many loves, about four loves. He sang about a foolish story, a dangerous story, a dishonest story, and a wishful story. He sang about a trick, and a dare, and a lie, and a dream.”
What an ending, what a journey, and what a dream this entire series has been. It all started with Nicu, so how perfect wasn’t it that’s how it ended as well? A beautiful ribbon to wrap up this tricking, daring, deceitful and dreamful tale. From the place it all started it also ends.
The nostalgia throughout the entire book was on the max. The years that had past, the hardships that had been overcome as well as hardships yet to be defeated all made a grand entrance together with all the main characters throughout the series. Together as one they were for sure a force to be reckoned with bringing so many strong and unique personalities to the table, but all united in one thing; equality for everyone in all the four Seasons. Nicu, being the catalyst for this change from the beginning, it was very clever having him be the resolution and center piece to it all as well. Him having to overcome his own hardships and difficulties that we only got to see scratch the surface in previous books was finally dwelled deeper into. He got his own tale and his own romance story.
I pretty much fell in love with Nicu from book one. So lovable, different and sweet that it was hard not to. Especially the heartbreak of his confusion and sorrow of being treated like a lesser person and a fool had him pulling at my heartstrings. I found myself constantly wanting to crawl into the story and give him a giant hug. At the same time I got to see him grow from an imaginative cheerful little boy to a man. Still cheerful with a wonderful childlike imagination but now with some reservations and mental scars hidden. I love how he interacted with Lyrik, them constantly drawn to each other and always butting heads. The strangely wonderful conversations and their opposite personalities drew me into the relationship like a fish on a hook. While it in the beginning dragged out a bit where nothing much happened, it soon enough picked up and I fell in love. I fell for brute-gone-soft Lyrik and once again the songbird Nicu. I fell for the drama, the struggles and I fell for their love.
If I wished one thing however, it would be that their relationship would have been given more room than it got. While they were the main couple in Dream, they sometimes completely disappeared behind the other power couples. Don’t get me wrong. I loved getting reacquainted with all the characters again, seeing Jeryn and Flare reunited. Seeing Poet and Briar being their wonderfully quirky and loving selves together with Nicu and seeing Aspen and Aire enjoying married life. However, it feel like the author spent too much time trying to show us how deliriously happy they all were that both Lyrik and Nicu were forgotten when they were supposed to be the the most important characters in Dream. Since I was hoping to see them all again it wasn’t the end of the world, but I just wished it had been a bit toned down.
Another thing not given enough room was the conflict. I mean, the fight and all was very well written, but instead of the story building up to that it kind of just come out of nowhere. If so many were displeased I feel like we would have seen it escalate throughout the book until it hit that boiling point. And sure, we got to see some sneering and laughing at Nicu and one particular person being downright nasty to him, but it wasn’t really anything that I could tell would lead to something. Even the resolution to all the fighting ended quickly. The means to how it ended was for sure unique and epic, but I feel like if it turned so ugly it wouldn’t have ended so easily with everyone happy just like that. It didn’t feel real to me.
Still, with the pervious characters and Nicu and Lyrik all together and happily ever after just around the corner I could easily forget the issues and move on. With the end came some new and exciting surprises that had my toes curling. While it might have been a bit too sappy and slightly unrealistic for me with everyone over the moon in love and happy I am still a sucker for happy endings and I could see no better way for this epic adventure to end. Were it all started it also ended, just as it should.
“And they were happy orange.”