MARRYING THE DARK KNIGHT (FOR HER MONEY) Vol. 1
by Sometime; created by Suoh
Available now
I don't always have my finger on the pulse of BookTok, but I have it on good authority that "enemies to lovers" is pretty hot right now. Enter Marrying the Dark Knight (For Her Money): the story of a struggling noble who marries a fearsome knight in order to earn enough money to save her ailing sister. The twist? The knight in question is secretly a woman, and no one must ever know!
Clarice is the daughter of a debt-riddled noble and the doting elder sister of the sickly Charlotte. Clarice would do literally anything for her little sister, even marry the most fearsome knight in the kingdom, Frost von Galleria. The wedding is interrupted by a battle, and the nuptial night is called off with a note pinned to the bedroom door (with three daggers). But Clarice is determined to thaw Frost's heart, and barging into the bedroom reveals that the always-armored Frost is actually a woman. But women aren't allowed to be knights, and even the king doesn't know Frost's true identity. To keep her head attached to her body, Clarice insists she's fallen madly in love with Frost, and thus would never reveal her secret.
What comes next, at least in the five chapters included in Volume 1, is a mad dash to win Frost over — both to get her inheritance and to not die. From convincing the four remaining terrified maids to play along to cooking delicious dinners, Clarice tries everything to keep Frost on her good side. But as she fights to save both Charlotte's life and her own, Clarice comes to a realization: Frost is kind of sweet, actually.
This genre-blending series combines gory dark fantasy with surprisingly adorable romantic comedy. Surprisingly (and pleasingly), Sometime's art suits both sides of the narrative. Combat is grim, gritty, and elaborate; at-home scenes are extremely cute. And neither feels out of place or "wrong" for its art style. Despite the narrative being driven by her need for money, Clarice is actually an extremely likable character with a big heart. If you like dark fantasy, this will be a great palate-cleanser between adventures; if you like romance, this will give you a bit more than the usual fluff to enjoy.
TEA PAIRING: A Date with Mr. Darcy
Clarice manages to impress Frost with her tea-making skills, and I like to imagine this floral/vanilla Earl Grey is the sort of thing she serves. It's also one of my favorite blends in the catalog, inspired by another cute and turbulent romance. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!
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