Title: Rings of Fate
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Page Length: 418
Pub. Date: Jan. 6, 2026
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Synopsis: She’s a barmaid who doesn’t believe in fairy tales. He’s a prince cursed to live one.
Aren Bellamore has no interest in being anyone’s princess. She’s too busy running the Raven’s Beak tavern, fending off unwanted marriage proposals, and dreaming of escape. But when a brush with death and a dangerously handsome stranger upend her life, Aren finds herself bound to a bargain that could change everything.
Prince Dietan has carried the cursed Rings of Fate ancient weapons of devastating power since childhood. The magic is killing him, and the enemies are closing in. To make the journey to reverse his curse, he needs a bride to hide his secrets. Aren wants freedom. Pretending to be his fiancée should give them both what they want.
But as their perilous journey pits them against political schemes, monstrous Kilandrar, and a growing attraction neither can deny, the line between make-believe and destiny begins to blur. And the fate of two kingdoms may depend on whether a cynical barmaid and a cursed prince are willing to risk their hearts.
Rings of Fate was such a fun read, and I honestly didn’t expect to tear through it as fast as I did. The story follows Aren, a barmaid who is sick of drunken marriage proposals and has spent her entire life putting others first, and Dietan, a cursed prince with magic bound beneath his skin. When fate and a near-death moment push them together, they strike a bargain to fake an engagement so he can secretly search for a way to break his curse. Of course, nothing goes according to plan, and the journey quickly becomes dangerous, complicated, and very emotionally messy in the best way.
Aren is such a fun protagonist! She’s sassy, sharp, practical, and so devoted to her family. She’s been taking care of her younger sisters and running her father’s tavern since she was young, and she has put her own dreams on the back burner. That sense of responsibility shapes everything she does. She also doesn’t believe in fairy tales or Prince Charming, so watching her get pulled into a world of magic, politics, and destiny was fantastic.
I adored Dietan. He’s so charming and confident on the surface, but underneath that is a man carrying an enormous amount of guilt, fear, and exhaustion from the curse he’s lived with since he was young. Seeing how isolated he feels and how carefully he guards his secret adds so much depth to his character and contrasts well with his charming, affable, and carefree facade. The chapters alternate between his and Aren’s perspectives, and the dual POV works really well in showing their thoughts, feelings, and differences, as well as their growing connection.
And the romance? So good! The chemistry between Aren and Dietan is amazing from their very first meeting. Aren is so sassy, and she constantly challenges him, much to his delight. I love their various nicknames for each other! Their banter is packed with humor, teasing, and simmering tension, and Dietan gives as good as he gets. He’s so drawn to Aren, especially her sharp tongue and refusal to be impressed by his title, and I loved how much he genuinely respects her strength. She pushes him to see life beyond duty and destiny, while he shows her that wanting more doesn’t make her selfish. Coming from such different worlds only makes their connection richer, and watching them slowly stop pretending and start trusting each other was so lovely.
The secondary characters, including Aren’s twin sisters and Dietan’s best friends, are also interesting, and I could easily see them being the focus of future books. The world-building is great, too. The magic, political intrigue, and monsters Aren and Dietan face are immersive and intriguing, and the fast pacing makes everything feel intense, suspenseful, and high-stakes. It’s definitely more dangerous than they anticipated, as Dietan searches for a way to save himself and his kingdom.
I really enjoyed this read! Fun and entertaining with great characters, fantastic banter, and a swoon-worthy romance, it’s a fast-paced and memorable romantasy and a great start to a new series. Special thanks to Entangled: Red Tower Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
- only one bed
- slow burn romance
- fake engagement
- forced proximity
- cursed prince
- dual POV
- he falls first
Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
Great review! I’m really eager to read this one, so glad to see how much you enjoyed it 🙂