A review by jmcclelland17
Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth J. Hobbes

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

📚Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth J. Hobbes📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Spice Rating: Fade to black

✨Tropes✨
⚔️LGBTQIA+ Rep 
⚔️Healing from Trauma
⚔️Fae x Humans
⚔️One Bed

✨Initial Thoughts✨
Historical Fiction ☑️ Fantasy ☑️ Strong LGBTQIA+ representation ☑️
This was such a fun and unique read. It takes place just after WWI and our MMC Kit is still reeling from his time during the war. Kit not only has battle scars, but he also has guilt over loving and losing a fellow soldier, Andrew. He is supposed to marry his childhood friend Adelaide, who he does care about, just not romantically. When Adelaide meets and dances with a handsome stranger, Mr. Wilde, at their engagement party, she is more than just captivated. And when Adelaide enters a mysterious sleeping illness, it’s up to Kit to try to save her. He and Missy Dove, the woman who was with Mr. Wilde during the party, go into the land of the Fae to rescue Addie.

This story has such a wonderful message of self acceptance, healing from multiple forms of trauma, and forgiveness. I love that it’s also a standalone and therefore did not end on a cliffhanger. The story was nicely written and the ending was perfect.

✨Pros✨
  • The immersive world the author weaves.
  • The combination of historical fiction and fantasy. It felt like Downton Abbey meets Fae and I loved it.
  • Really great LGBTQIA+ representation. 
  • Valentine/Valentin. They were the only reason I could like Kit. Seeing him through their POV was a breath of fresh air for his character. They’re also a really lovable character in her own right.

✨Cons✨
  • I spent a lot of time not liking Kit’s personality. He is so confrontational at the best of times that it was hard to like him fully. I understand where the anger and mistrust is coming from and I think the author wrote Kit very realistically considering the trauma he went through. That doesn’t mean I necessarily like him any better during the first 2/3 of the story. Kit does grow and I did like him at the end.


Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.