The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats, # 2)
By: Mary E Pearson
Publication: November 13, 2025 by Tor
480 pages
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Fae
Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)
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Goodreads description--Everyone needs something to hold onto, even if it’s a lie.After Bristol Keats nearly loses her beloved King Tyghan to the monsters her mother had unleashed, their love deepens to a whole new level. Together, Bristol and Tyghan work to understand and reconcile their differences, moving forward with their common goal of saving Elphame. But when a daring rescue attempt turns into a disaster, and a beloved knight dies, Bristol is forced to confront the fact that her mother is more powerful than she could have ever imagined—and more dangerous. Meanwhile, Tyghan’s heart is laid bare when he encounters his former best friend and betrayer again, Bristol's own father, and must wrestle with a new secret that throws everything he thought he knew about his past into question.
Bristol is Elphame’s last chance for survival, but where do her loyalties truly lie? If she fully embraces the magic that has always been her birthright, she could become a different kind of monster from her mother. Is she willing to risk losing the people she loves most, if it means keeping them safe?
Brimming with dark secrets, lush world-building, and addictive romance, The Last Wish of Bristol Keats is the unforgettable conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's first adult series.
The Courting of Bristol Keats was such an enjoyable book for me in 2024. I feel like it has been overlooked because I don't remember hearing anything about it when it released or at all this past year. But Mary E Pearson has written some really great books, in my opinion. I knew I would want to continue the series.
Bristol has been through a lot. In the previous book, almost everyone in her life has lied to her and betrayed her. Her parents have kept so many secrets from her. For one, her mother is fae. And considered evil among the fae. Her father betrayed his best friend for his wife. They escaped to the mortal world and have been bouncing around in hiding ever since, constantly looking over their shoulders. Bristol's mother and father both returned to the fae world separately. I can't remember exactly why she did, probably got caught somehow by the bad guy who has been using her. And Bristol's father left to search for her. The girls, Bristol and her sisters, thought he was dead. Bristol is apparently half fae. Why the other two sisters aren't also is beyond me. I guess they didn't inherit any power, even if they are technically half fae. Bristol goes to the fae world searching for her father, but meets Tyghan and his kingdom. She falls in love with Tyghan, but he's been keeping some secrets from her, too. He needs her help to close a portal, oh, and he's the best friend that her father betrayed. Side note, the guy she was sleeping with/dating back in the mortal world who also kind of ghosted her is a bad dude trying to take over the fae world, also controlling her mother, and also probably has or did sleep with her mother. Gross!
So to say that Bristol isn't in the best place is an understatement. Especially because she recovers fairly well in this book. She and Tyghan decide that what they have is worth fighting for. And they decide to put in the work. I really appreciated their relationship because it showed that, on one hand, relationships take a lot to make them work, forgiveness being key, but on the other hand, it showed that sometimes we just have to decide that we're going to stay and work it out with the one we love.
Bristol has even more going on. Her parents placed a magical parasite on her to dampen her powers when she was very young. And it's kept her powers in check, but it's been there for so long that removing it might kill her. Yet she will never be able to close the portal she needs to do with it still there.
There were many side stories woven together perfectly. Mary E Pearson did a wonderful job tying all the loose ends up nicely. I had a few questions about things and a few pieces I didn't absolutely love about the ending, but in the end, I was happy with how everything worked out.
I listened to The Last Wish of Bristol Keats on audio so that means I don't have any quotes saved to share with you. The narrator, Brittany Pressley, did a wonderful job. I never got pulled out of the story due to narration, and that's huge for me.
The Last Wish of Bristol Keats was very well done, and I hope to see it on more lists and recommendations through the upcoming year. I'll be giving it 4.5 Stars. Have you read or listened to The Last Wish of Bristol Keats? What did you think? Let me know!
PS, I wouldn't mind a spin off since I enjoyed this world so much and many of the side characters would make delicious options to delve more into.
