Alice in the Land of Clovers by Bethany Anne Lovejoy Review

Alice in the Land of Clovers by B.A. Lovejoy

Published: November 29, 2021  
Source: BookSirens
Format: eBook
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:

There were two facts that I was sure of; Wonderland was not real and I, Alice Grey, was a very ordinary young woman—it was impossible for me to be otherwise.

Or so I thought.

I had begun to accept that my father would not return from the war when his pocket watch mysteriously reappears and is stolen by a white rabbit. But just as I give up on catching the rabbit, I fall into a hole, landing somewhere that is most certainly not Oxford.

I soon realize that this is the Wonderland my father had told me stories about. But the White Rabbit of my father’s story is no longer a rabbit, he’s a man-- a king even, one with three charming brothers, all heirs to a far greater throne. Only one of them is destined to become the King of Cards and rule over all-- and he needs a queen.

Unfortunately, I have no interest in being anyone’s queen or falling in love; all I wish to do is return to Oxford. However, I cannot do it alone, I have to put my trust in someone. But the characters of Wonderland are far from ordinary and even further from trustworthy-- Each seems to have their own agenda, and someone does not want me to leave Wonderland at all.

If I stay, I could lose everything I’ve ever known, and if I leave, I could lose everything I’ve ever wanted.

Review:

I really hope this book gets the attention it deserves because OOOOH MY GOLLY was I squealing and giggling the entire time I was reading it. I first was interested in this title because it is the same as one of my most favorite Japanese otome dating games. AND LET ME TELL YA. IF YOU LOVE OTOME GAMES. THIS BOOK IS PERFECT FOR YOU. Okay enough fangirling, time for the review.

Characters. The main reason why I love all Alice in Wonderland re-tellings. Alice is a witty, strong protagonist that stands up for herself and knows how to swing her fists to protect herself. SHE DON'T NEED A MAN. Which she makes very clear in her unusual situation: she is faced with four bachelors from the kingdoms of Clover, Spades, Hearts, and Diamond, who each are looking for a bride to become King of all of Wonderland. 

• Fitz (White Rabbit, King of Diamond) Fitz is the one who tricks Alice into falling down the rabbit hole. He has one goal: make Alice his wife. The one word in his vocabulary? "Yet." But Alice doesn't love you?? "Yet." She doesn't want to be next to her kidnapper? "Yet." He's a posh snob who loves the rules and wants Alice if follow his. Be his or nothing.
• William (Mad Hatter, King of Clovers) William DOES NOT want to be king. It is almost humorous how much he is avoiding the title, yet, he is the only one engaged. I love all scenes with  him as it always sparked a crazy light. He has a warming personality when he is not off the walls bonkers which I appreciated in its little moments.
• Claude (Cheshire Cat, King of Spades) Claude is your typical flirt bachelor. He does not wish to find or fall in love but can offer a world of fun and dancing. He has his moments :)
• Kaeden (King of Hearts) From the start I knew I liked Kaeden. He's the shy, misunderstood, hesitant type who is the only one who is genuinely kind to Alice from the beginning. He understands the situation she was brought into and emphasizes with her. I can't wait to read more about him to be honest.

Pacing. The beginning of the book describes Alice's life in Oxford, England. She's seen as weird. Has fat ankles (a theme that comes up often). Typical Alice in the real world vibes. Then she falls down the rabbit hole and the adventure starts! From the beginning Alice has her own voice. She doesn't just go along with what everyone drags her along to and is set on her own agenda to get out of Wonderland and find answers about her father. I appreciated that she wasn't a weak female lead that needed someone to save her from every situation. 

Worldbuilding.  Love the magic of the world. My favorite is "Home", a house-rearranging ghost who looks out for Alice. B.A. Lovejoy did an amazing job building the world and the whimsical-ness of it all.

Romance. I mean. It's a reverse harem romance book. There's romance everywhere and everywhere you did not expect it to be. It's not all perfect, which I appreciated. Alice is faced with many different forms of love and must find one that is genuine and not a need for power. Also, UNEXPECTED SPICE. WOO!

Ahh I wish I could fangirl more about this series. I can't wait for the next book to see what happens next especially after that cliffhanger that left me screaming!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What is you favorite fairy tale?

Warm regards,

Diana Banana