The Black Lily
Author: Juliette Cross
Release Date: March 27, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Select: Otherworld
Tales of the Black Lily Book #1
ASIN: B06XC4R44J
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
Cinderella like you’ve never seen before…
With the threat of the vampire monarchy becoming stronger every day, the Black Lily must take drastic measures. As the leader of the underground resistance, Arabelle concocts the perfect idea to gain the attention of the Glass Tower. Her plan? Attend the vampire prince’s blood ball and kill him. Fortunately for Prince Marius, her assassination goes awry, and Arabelle flees, leaving behind only her dagger.
Marius is desperate to find the woman whose kiss turned into attempted murder, hunting for the mysterious assassin he can’t push out of his mind. But what he uncovers could change the course of his life forever…
I have loved everything written by Juliette Cross in the past and THE BLACK LILY was no different.
THE BLACK LILY brings us an eventful and unforgettable twist on the story of Cinderella. Arabelle might be a peasant that serves those above her, but she has a dangerous secret. Not only is Marius a prince, but he's a vampire. They lead very different lives, but their connection is too strong for them to go their separate ways.
I liked Arabelle right away, her strength and courage shined right through the pages. She doesn't shy away from the dirty work and she doesn't need someone to save her. She was pretty bad ass and I loved watching her work through numerous sticky situations. Marius was also easy to like. He was a little arrogant, but that was to be expected from the way he was raised. Even having said that, he was willing to listen and research the claims that were brought against his people—and even fight against them to right wrongs.
There was major chemistry between Arabelle and Marius from their first meeting and it only got stronger as the story went on. They worked very well together—when they finally started working together— and they were well balanced as a couple.
THE BLACK LILY has a lot of things going for it. It had great characters, a smooth and constantly moving storyline and the world was fun to dive into. I would love to continue reading about Arabelle and Marius, but Cross often changes main characters with each book so we will have to see what she brings us with THE RED LILY. If you're a fan of fairytale retellings with a paranormal twist, pick up THE BLACK LILY.
I gave it 4/5 stars
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.