ebookreview | [ 684 ]

Never Ever After (Never Ever After #1) by Sue Lynn Tan

Genre:
Cinderella Retellings, Retellings, Chinese Folklore, Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Netgalley,
Ancient China, Fairytales, Book Series, Romantasy

Publication Date:
October 28, 2025

Page Numbers:
368

Read/Finished Date:
September 11th, 2025 - September 12th, 2025

Rating:
5/5

Premise:

Not all fairy tales end happily ever after in this Cinderella-inspired fantasy by the bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess—for fans of Renée Ahdieh, Tahereh Mafi, and Stephanie Garber.

Life in the Iron Mountains is harsh and unforgiving. After the death of her beloved uncle, Yining has survived by becoming a skilled thief and an even better liar. When she acquires an enchanted ring that holds the key to a brighter future, it is stolen by her step-aunt, and Yining must venture into the imperial heart of the kingdom to seize it back.

Amid the grandeur of the palace, Yining catches the eye of the ruthless and ambitious prince, who tempts her with a world she’s never imagined. But nothing is as it seems, for she’s soon trapped in a tangle of power, treachery, and greed—her only ally the cunning advisor from a rival court who keeps dangerous secrets of his own. To break free, she must unravel the mystery of her past and fight for a future that both frightens and calls to her.

This sweeping fantasy romance inspired by Cinderella and a Chinese fairy tale is the first in a breathtaking new series by the acclaimed author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

Review:

This is my second book by Tan, and it was everything I ever imagined. A Cinderella-inspired romantasy filled with palace intrigue, myth, and magic meant to snag a reader within its grasp and keep them entertained until the end of the story. The characters are well-developed, and the storyline pulls you into the ancient world of the Iron Mountain, where our female lead, Yining, must learn to survive and avoid being placed at the mines as her uncle had been. When her cruel step-aunt betrays her at a ball, Yining will do anything to retrieve her precious ring, even if it means staying at the palace and entangling herself with two dangerous men: the ruthless Prince Zixin and the secretive Jin.

HEAR ME OUT: The romance is a slow burn. It is NOT rushed. It's not insta. It's filled with so much tension that it is enough to burn the pages down. I love romance like this. I love that it is not sudden and that it is not quick. It is built brick by brick, layer by layer. Romances like that have become really hard to come across, but this one ticks off the slow burn box for me.

The world-building is amazing. Tan pays special attention to detail when it comes to creation, and that is why I love her writing style. You get a story with the world-building, and it's not an information dump. It's slow and over the course of the book.

Is it bad that I want book two to come out quickly? LOL But I can understand the need to craft a tale that will continue to draw readers into a world that will entertain for a long, long time.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC.