Book Review | The Enemy’s Daughter by Melissa Poett

Hello my lovely readers, it’s been a while. I haven’t been reading a whole lot until this summer and I think this book that I’m about to talk about is quite possibly my favourite book of the year (so far). I finished this book at 2am yesterday and I haven’t been this book hungover in a long time. I can’t stop thinking about this book, it could be my new obsession. Maybe it could be yours next after reading my review. Let’s see shall we… This was the book that got me back to my blog as I just need to talk about it some more.

The Enemy’s Daughter by Melissa Poett
Published by Harper Fire on August 14, 2025
Genres: Dystopian, Romance
Amazon | Waterstones
Goodreads

A stunning reimagining of Tristan and Isolde set in a dystopian world woven with magic. An addictive debut YA enemies-to-lovers romantasy—perfect for fans of Rebecca Ross and Sarah Underwood as well as books like Curious Tides, The Hurricane Wars, and Belladonna.
It’s been thirty-seven years since the Republic was destroyed. Now two settlements—the five clans and the Kingsland—fight for control of the untainted land. Though the five clans are outnumbered, they’ve finally struck, killing Kingsland’s brutal leader.
In the war that follows, Isadora, an eighteen-year-old healer, risks her life to help injured soldiers. But when she stops an attack from Tristan, a Kingsland assassin, his soldiers shoot her with a poisoned arrow. As Isadora lies dying, Tristan does the unimaginable: He offers to save her life using a rare magic.
In choosing to live, Isadora is unknowingly bound to the mysterious Tristan. Worse, even acknowledging the attraction between them allows him to glean fragments of her memories and the very knowledge he needs to destroy the five clans. But their magical connection works both ways. So to save her people, Isadora will have to open her heart to her most cunning enemy. Because in a race for ultimate survival, she’ll need to destroy Tristan and his people first.

This book is absolutely everything. I haven’t read anything like this since The Cruel Prince. I know that is high praise, but I haven’t felt anything like that since today. All I want to do is hug this book and just stay in the world. I’m not ready to move on from Tristan and Isadora this beautiful forbidden romance that I’ve been thrown into. I didn’t expect to love the book so much. All I knew about The Enemy’s Daughter was that it was a reimagining of Tristan and Isolde. I’ll be completely honest I don’t know this story, and I still don’t know as I was completely immersed by this story and these two characters instead.

The Enemy’s Daughter is set in a dystopian reality shaped by a collapsed modern world. Isadora is from Handoor with her father in charge of the town and the clans. Isadora is a healer, but as a daughter of the leader she has been stuck in the middle as a prize to be married off to bring the fall of Kingslan, their ‘enemy’. When news of their soldiers are injured she defies orders, only to be caught by the enemy’s son Tristan when she’s shot with a poison arrow. With her life hanging in the balance, he’s forced to use forbidden magic to save her. But whilst they are navigating their connection, you are thrust into the underlying political shifts, the motivations and truths of both civilisations are questioned and ultimately Isadora has to decide will she continue to be the pawn to their survival.

Isadora is a strong, kickass FMC and from page 1 we are rooting for her, her passion, her little moments of retaliation thrill the reader. She a rebel of her father’s desires and she seeks the wins like reading books from the old world and learning about the world that was. (Another case in point, I hated that books were banned in this clan, how??) There is no doubt that the spellbinding love of Tristan and Isadora captivates the reader. Their love is transcendent which is woven throughout the book. A mythical connection. An enemies-to-lovers forbidden romance that is messy but it’s those little moments that makes your toes curl and giggling out loud. I have to do a special mention of Enola, the Florence nightingale, mothering figure that you couldn’t help but adore.

I think what makes it such a captivating story is the world building woven throughout this YA dystopia. I feel the political intrigue and emotional tension that has built between the two civilisations is really unravelled through Tristan and Isadora’s connection and sparks a lot of debate. The conflict over of technology, new medicine and old medicine and how rights of people. I felt angered and tense especially with her father’s ideologies towards women and the ruling of strong men to guide this new world. Also the banning of books – what? Absolutely not. Melissa is a phenomenal writer it gave this book so many layers, and depth and you felt completely immersed that you couldn’t help but turning the page until the last in the early hours of the morning.

I felt so much throughout that book. I hadn’t heard of the this retelling before but I can say that this is the real story because it had me right here ❤️! What a sensational debut YA. I was connected to the book, the magic between the reader, the writer and the story was unparalleled. Also that last paragraph just perfect. It’s poetic, beautiful, captivating world building with the transcendent love that lasts forever. This is a new YA obsession that I have now ordered a special edition of this book too.

Thank you to Harper Fire for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.