”The Evergreen Heir: A Novel (The Five Crowns of Okrith, 4),” by A.K. Mulford. New York: Harper Voyager, 2023. 416 pages. $18.99 (paperback).

A bookworm to the core, Neelo Emberspear (they/them) would never leave the library if they could manage it. Even through Neelo doesn’t want to take the throne, their mother’s failing health means they may not be able to delay ascension for long. They also desperately want to escape their arranged marriage to the very handsome fae warrior Talhan Catullus (he/him).

When their mother – in a drug-addled state – manages to light the castle on fire, Neelo realizes that their duty cannot be escaped any longer. Between fighting to save their mother’s life so she stays on the throne and researching the drug that is afflicting their kingdom, Tal and Neelo bond over books. Can Neelo and Tal find love together and save their kingdom before the court is reduced to ash because of the witch uprisings?

This book is the fourth in a wonderful series. That said, you could read it as a standalone, and out of order, although I’d recommend reading them in order. Each book pertains to one of the five royal courts on the continent of Okrith. Neelo is the heir to the Southern Court. The series follows a group of royals as they fight against a violet witch uprising across Okrith’s five courts.

At the beginning of the story, Neelo is uncomfortable around people and out in the world in general. They are extremely introverted. They also have anxiety, which I related to so very much. That said, Neelo cannot escape their future role, and this story is us following them on the journey to accepting that role, themselves, and the love that others have for them.

As a bookworm who would love to spend all my time in my own library, reading everything I could get my hands on, I really loved every single scene with Neelo and books. Not only was there a library, but there were favorite books, hidden books, and all kinds of fun things that I just adored. Oh, did I mention the cat? If you love books, you’ll appreciate so many aspects of this story and Neelo!

The novel starts out at a slow pace, as the reader learns about the characters and their pasts. As an introvert, I related to the anxiety Neelo had when dealing with crowds of people or when they suddenly became the main focus of attention. Neelo’s unique personality traits also didn’t have to be “fixed” by the end of the novel, which made it that much better.

I love Tal, and I do wish we had a bit more time in the book focused on developing him as a character. That said, their romantic journey together was well done, and certainly a slow burn. The overall plot is self-contained in the novel – the “brew” or drug that everyone smokes is being tainted by someone or something, and Neelo is determined to find out who. Neelo’s investigation reveals some larger truths that affect the plot across the series, including some twists I wasn’t expecting.

We see our reoccurring main characters, meet new side characters, and encounter hints at possible future events. Rish, the brown witch who has helped raise Neelo, is amazing, and I loved her. She is supportive, caring, and funny to boot.

The world-building from earlier books in the series continues. We learn more about the magic system, traditions and mannerisms of the Southern Court, and the five courts’ history.

The central romance reveals how beautiful it is when friends become lovers. Neelo and Talhan have known each other their whole lives. Talhan easily accepts the idea of their arranged marriage, which was set up in a previous book. But Neelo is worried that no one will ever actually love them for who they are. As their romance grows, Neelo and Talhin discover that there are people who truly love them and will fight for them. This realization helps them build a strong relationship, and one that I enjoyed reading about greatly.

The plot had several twists and turns that I was not expecting. I love that I was taken by surprise a few times. It is not something that often happens, when you read as much as I do.

Things to love about this book: LGBTQ+ representation, a neurodivergent main character, a fated mates trope, a friends becoming lovers storyline, and an excellent magic system. It’s a slow-burn love story. I was getting rather antsy waiting for the romance to really start. Once it does, there is excellent spice!

Content warnings: Addiction is a big element of this story. It involves a “brew” or drug that is smoked/inhaled. There is also mis-gendering, but I believe this is handled well and shows what nonbinary people deal with.

A.K. Mulford became a TikTok sensation with the Okrith series, which she originally self-published. She is a bestselling author of fantasy who gave up rehabilitating monkeys to write novels, much to Booktok’s delight. She/they writes stories giving representation to many of the LGBTQ+ world, full of fantasy and love. She lives in Australia with her husband and two kids. You can find her on TikTok at @akmulfordauthor and on Instagram at @akmulford. If you love her books, you can also get the Okrith Novellas FREE at by signing up at “http://www.akmulford.com/newsletter”www.akmulford.com/newsletter.

– Reviewed by Fallon Willoughby, Assistant Professor, First Year Experience, Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College.