A Reluctant Husband’s Review of A Court of Thorns and Roses (Audiobook Edition)

Here we go again. Another day, another insanely popular fantasy series that I’m late to. This time it’s A Court of Thorns and Roses, or ACOTAR, as the fandom has lovingly dubbed it. The first book came out back in 2015, so yeah, I’m only about a decade behind. Meanwhile, my wife tore through the entire series in about ten days flat.

Let’s Get One Thing Straight: Audiobooks Count

I’ll die on this hill: audiobooks are reading.

I spend a lot of time on the road, and audiobooks are how I can actually keep up with stories I’d never otherwise find the time to read. And no, listening to a single narrator tell the story isn’t cheating. My brain is still doing all the same work—visualizing characters, places, action—just like it would with a physical book. The only difference is I can do it while racking up highway miles.

So if you’re a “listening isn’t reading” person… sorry, but I’m counting it.

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What’s This One Even About?

Without getting into spoiler territory (for this book or the ones that follow), here’s the gist:

We meet Feyre, a mortal huntress doing everything she can to keep her family alive. One day, she kills a wolf in the forest—only it wasn’t a normal wolf. Turns out it was a faerie. And there are consequences for that. Big ones.

Dragged away from her family into the mystical land of Prythian, Feyre discovers her captor, Tamlin, isn’t just some masked faerie lord with piercing green eyes. There’s a curse. There’s danger. And there’s more going on in these lands than Feyre ever realized.

The story has roots in Beauty and the Beast, but Sarah J. Maas layers in her own sprawling world of courts, curses, and political intrigue. It’s fantasy through and through, with just enough romance sprinkled in to get readers hooked.

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The Narration

I listened to the original audiobook narrated by Jennifer Ikeda—not the new 10th anniversary edition that’s been re-recorded by Elizabeth Evans. Can’t speak to Evans’ version, but I can say this: Ikeda is excellent.

A narrator can make or break a book for me, and Ikeda nails it. She keeps a steady pace, her character voices are distinct without being cartoonish, and she never once pulled me out of the story. She may not reach my personal top tier (Ray Porter still reigns supreme), but she’s firmly in the camp of narrators I’d happily listen to again and again.

If you’ve been on the fence about this one because of the audiobook, don’t be. Ikeda makes it an easy listen.

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Reluctant Thoughts on the Story

Here’s the thing: I went into ACOTAR bracing for the “spicy” reputation that gets tossed around online. And while there are certainly romantic elements, this first book isn’t anywhere near the smut-fest I half-expected. Honestly, it’s tame compared to what the internet hype would have you believe.

Instead, what I found was a fantasy that’s easy to follow. The characters are distinct (I had zero trouble keeping names straight), the world-building is fascinating, and the pacing makes it approachable even for someone like me who doesn’t usually swim in this genre.

It’s a nice break from my usual diet of sarcastic AI-driven sci-fi (looking at you, Skippy), and it never once felt “girly” or like it was trying too hard to be edgy. It’s just a solid, entertaining fantasy story.

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The Verdict

So, was I reluctant? Absolutely. I started A Court of Thorns and Roses as kind of a joke, partly to spite all the hype, and mostly because my wife wouldn’t stop nudging me toward it after Fourth Wing. But the joke’s on me. Because not only did I finish the first book—I’ve already plowed through three of them. (Update: make that four)

I’m not out here swooning over book boyfriends or joining Team Tamlin vs. Team Rhys debates, but I am enjoying the storytelling and the world-building Sarah J. Maas has created.

Bottom line: If you’re curious and especially if you’ve got a lot of drive time to fill, the audiobook is worth it. Jennifer Ikeda delivers, the story is approachable, and it’s easy to see why this series has such a following.

You can find ACOTAR and the A Court of Thorns and Roses series on Audible.

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Reluctant Husband Reviews

This post is part of my ongoing Reluctant Husband Reviews series, where I dive into the books my wife and the rest of the internet keep shoving at me, often against my better judgment. Sometimes I roll my eyes. Sometimes I get hooked. Either way, you get the unfiltered truth from a husband who probably should’ve just stuck to comic books.

Check out my first Reluctant Husband Review: Fourth Wing

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