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Echoes of the Void #3
The Changeling and the Dragon
I'll do anything to prove my love—but how can one woman ever hope to protect a dragon?
Stolen as a baby and raised unseelie, I don't belong anywhere. I once ran with the faery hunters, but the past seven years in the mortal world have taught me what it's like to be the prey of men.
So when I'm saved from certain death by a part-dragon sorcerer, I expect to become his plaything.
I never thought I'd be treated like family. To run through the woods again, my days filled with laughter.
To fall in love.
He's my master, and I know I can't have him. But when someone tries to kill him - when someone dares to hurt him - I'll stop at nothing to protect the man who gave me everything.
I would die for him.
But I'd much rather kill for him.
"The Changeling & the Dragon" is a standalone high fantasy romance that pairs a cunning dragonblood sorcerer with a fiery changeling, filled with mutual pining and near-misses that come to a satisfying happily-ever-after ending.
Stolen as a baby and raised unseelie, I don't belong anywhere. I once ran with the faery hunters, but the past seven years in the mortal world have taught me what it's like to be the prey of men.
So when I'm saved from certain death by a part-dragon sorcerer, I expect to become his plaything.
I never thought I'd be treated like family. To run through the woods again, my days filled with laughter.
To fall in love.
He's my master, and I know I can't have him. But when someone tries to kill him - when someone dares to hurt him - I'll stop at nothing to protect the man who gave me everything.
I would die for him.
But I'd much rather kill for him.
"The Changeling & the Dragon" is a standalone high fantasy romance that pairs a cunning dragonblood sorcerer with a fiery changeling, filled with mutual pining and near-misses that come to a satisfying happily-ever-after ending.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2023
166 people are currently reading
872 people want to read
About the author
Mallory Dunlin
18 books404 followersMallory Dunlin is a certified monster lover who cut her reader eyeteeth on fantasy epics. She combines her reading passions into writing romantasy novels with powerful women and traumatized, dangerous, non-human male leads.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
November 12, 2023
4.5 stars bc this book had me giggling and kicking my feet and everything
this was SO GOOD!!!
i adored the main characters - both were so unique (and we got dual pov - always a win!). i especially loved our fmc, she was funny and a little bit dark, but also so caring to those she loved (aka my #1 dragon wyrmling). speaking of that hilarious, adorable little baby dragon, i absolutely adored the lgbtq+ genderfluid rep, and thought the author wrote it so beautifully.
our mmc was also a precious little cinnamon roll, all i wanted to do was give him the biggest hug and tell him that he was perfect as he was, and the way his character developed throughout the book was amazing!!
plus the romance... i've never rooted for a couple so much, their pining was crazyyy!! i was concerned that the miscommunication would weigh on me, but it didn't really read like normal miscommunication trope, which i seriously appreciated. plus the smut was a win for me. and we had some wonderful tropes, such as some brilliant one horse/one bed gloriousness, which i will always absolutely eat up.
this book was also really captivating and such an easy read, i instantly ran to read more from the author once i finished. exactly the type of romantasy i needed. so cute!!
this was SO GOOD!!!
i adored the main characters - both were so unique (and we got dual pov - always a win!). i especially loved our fmc, she was funny and a little bit dark, but also so caring to those she loved (aka my #1 dragon wyrmling). speaking of that hilarious, adorable little baby dragon, i absolutely adored the lgbtq+ genderfluid rep, and thought the author wrote it so beautifully.
our mmc was also a precious little cinnamon roll, all i wanted to do was give him the biggest hug and tell him that he was perfect as he was, and the way his character developed throughout the book was amazing!!
plus the romance... i've never rooted for a couple so much, their pining was crazyyy!! i was concerned that the miscommunication would weigh on me, but it didn't really read like normal miscommunication trope, which i seriously appreciated. plus the smut was a win for me. and we had some wonderful tropes, such as some brilliant one horse/one bed gloriousness, which i will always absolutely eat up.
this book was also really captivating and such an easy read, i instantly ran to read more from the author once i finished. exactly the type of romantasy i needed. so cute!!
November 14, 2023
2.5⭐
This was a fun fantasy romance...
Out of everything, I really liked how different the main couple was from your typical fantasy romance. The FMC was straight forward. blunt, and confident in her abilities, while the MMC was outgoing, kind, and more than a bit insecure in his appearance.
Contrary to what the cover advertises, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this as a dark fantasy romance (it wasn't that dark), and it's definitely more of a slow burn. I definitely liked the first half more - because I'm a sucker for mutual pining - but I'm not sure I really liked the climax or end.
Edit:
The more I think about it, the less I like the ending and resolution.... Changing my rating to a 2.5⭐
This was a fun fantasy romance...
Out of everything, I really liked how different the main couple was from your typical fantasy romance. The FMC was straight forward. blunt, and confident in her abilities, while the MMC was outgoing, kind, and more than a bit insecure in his appearance.
Contrary to what the cover advertises, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this as a dark fantasy romance (it wasn't that dark), and it's definitely more of a slow burn. I definitely liked the first half more - because I'm a sucker for mutual pining - but I'm not sure I really liked the climax or end.
Edit:
The more I think about it, the less I like the ending and resolution.... Changing my rating to a 2.5⭐
March 29, 2024
Definitely a love hate relationship on this one for me. Qavan at the end... I wanted to slap the shit out of him 😂
July 28, 2025
Sersha and Qavan were such an interesting pairing, with his good humor and self hatred and her fierceness and wildness. They both were torn between two worlds, but in very different ways. I’m still kinda upset about Qavan’s choice that almost ruined everything tho. He was a sweetie pie but so dense sometimes. The world building was great and the complexities of the relationships with side characters were as well. Really liked the chronic pain rep.
Spice: 3/5
Triggers: violence, gore, rot, death of loved ones, murder, captivity, starvation, drowning, hypothermia, ableism, sexism, SA (off page, past), betrayal, poisoning, threat to child, transphobia, speciesism, soul destruction, threat of being eaten, hunting, discussion of bullying involving forced nudity
Spice: 3/5
Triggers: violence, gore, rot, death of loved ones, murder, captivity, starvation, drowning, hypothermia, ableism, sexism, SA (off page, past), betrayal, poisoning, threat to child, transphobia, speciesism, soul destruction, threat of being eaten, hunting, discussion of bullying involving forced nudity
July 9, 2023
My second foray into Echoes of the Void with TCATD
I started the Echoes of the Void series by first reading The Sorceress & the Incubus a few months ago; while I quite liked the book, it didn't draw me in the way The Changeling and the Dragon did.
This book was an absolute page-turner, and I pulled an all-nighter reading it.
What I liked most: The character of Esva/Malles.
Truthfully, I'm not sure I'm qualified to discuss the subject of transgender identities, but I do believe that Mallory Dunlin handled such a sensitive topic beautifully and with the utmost respect. I imagine it wasn't exactly easy to write about a complex character like this, but she managed it very well.
As for Sersha, she was an intriguing character with her deeply moving backstory and poetically poignant manner of speaking.
The language she spoke was also lovely- the phrase "hok'suritiq" (beautiful one) stayed in my mind.
Not only for the words themselves, but also because of how relatively rare it is for a woman in literature to wax poetic to a man and call him sweet words of affection in her native tongue.
Although she was a resilient, empathetic and extremely mentally strong woman, there were times when I felt that she disregarded pretty important issues in favour of swooning over Qavan.
That brings me to Qavan himself; he was such a sweet, compassionate and misunderstood man (or, uh, dragon)!
Although his issues with his body + disability were very much valid (and written respectfully), I did think that he seemed to be a little too insecure and there was just a smidge too much self-hate written into his characterization that hindered his relationship with Sersha.
As always, the world-building and lore are rich and carefully crafted. All in all, this is certainly one of Mallory's finer novels.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I started the Echoes of the Void series by first reading The Sorceress & the Incubus a few months ago; while I quite liked the book, it didn't draw me in the way The Changeling and the Dragon did.
This book was an absolute page-turner, and I pulled an all-nighter reading it.
What I liked most: The character of Esva/Malles.
Truthfully, I'm not sure I'm qualified to discuss the subject of transgender identities, but I do believe that Mallory Dunlin handled such a sensitive topic beautifully and with the utmost respect. I imagine it wasn't exactly easy to write about a complex character like this, but she managed it very well.
As for Sersha, she was an intriguing character with her deeply moving backstory and poetically poignant manner of speaking.
The language she spoke was also lovely- the phrase "hok'suritiq" (beautiful one) stayed in my mind.
Not only for the words themselves, but also because of how relatively rare it is for a woman in literature to wax poetic to a man and call him sweet words of affection in her native tongue.
Although she was a resilient, empathetic and extremely mentally strong woman, there were times when I felt that she disregarded pretty important issues in favour of swooning over Qavan.
That brings me to Qavan himself; he was such a sweet, compassionate and misunderstood man (or, uh, dragon)!
Although his issues with his body + disability were very much valid (and written respectfully), I did think that he seemed to be a little too insecure and there was just a smidge too much self-hate written into his characterization that hindered his relationship with Sersha.
As always, the world-building and lore are rich and carefully crafted. All in all, this is certainly one of Mallory's finer novels.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 6, 2023
3.5 Stars
The journey of a changeling finding her place in the material plane; being not quite human, not quite fae. The many names she goes by. As well as learning to navigate the Material plane and how it compares to the Ethereal plane, was a fascinating journey.
The story was a really slow burn. The interactions leading up to the main characters getting together was hotter than the actual event.
The main characters spent most of the book, thinking that the other could never have romantic feelings for them. There were so many points where you thought it's going to happen. Only for something or each other's lack of confidence in themselves to bring it to a halt. (In my head, I was Sabatian from the little mermaid singing kiss the girl.)
Some parts of the book were new to me. For instance there were scenes that were actually titled scene and would break down the events happening.
While the books is a duel point of view, it was heavy on the FMC point of view. If you are looking for hot and heavy throughout the book. This isn't it. If slow burns are your thing, this book is really great for that.
Overall the story was fascinating and kept me wanting to know what happens next. This was my first time reading this authors work. I really enjoyed it. I will definitely read more of her work.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The journey of a changeling finding her place in the material plane; being not quite human, not quite fae. The many names she goes by. As well as learning to navigate the Material plane and how it compares to the Ethereal plane, was a fascinating journey.
The story was a really slow burn. The interactions leading up to the main characters getting together was hotter than the actual event.
The main characters spent most of the book, thinking that the other could never have romantic feelings for them. There were so many points where you thought it's going to happen. Only for something or each other's lack of confidence in themselves to bring it to a halt. (In my head, I was Sabatian from the little mermaid singing kiss the girl.)
Some parts of the book were new to me. For instance there were scenes that were actually titled scene and would break down the events happening.
While the books is a duel point of view, it was heavy on the FMC point of view. If you are looking for hot and heavy throughout the book. This isn't it. If slow burns are your thing, this book is really great for that.
Overall the story was fascinating and kept me wanting to know what happens next. This was my first time reading this authors work. I really enjoyed it. I will definitely read more of her work.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 25, 2025
book club read, May 2025: pining
I decided to give this book a shot based on a thread on Reddit where quite a few people claimed that this is a book with s much pining that an evergreen area would pale in comparison. It was supposed to be a dark slow burn fantasy romance novel with soooo much pining I would basically lose conciousness.
Well.. I guess most people would consider it a slow burn novel, but for me this much pining from so early on, does not make it a slow burn romance.
The dark romance part I must have missed. George RR Martin writes darker stuff and he never markets it as dark. The hero was a cinnamon roll in plain sight. The heroine feared him a bit at first due to power dynamics, and that was also one of the reasons for the miscommunication related pining... but he was a cinnamon roll through and through. A bit too stupid to live cinnamon roll (Qavan, you know what idiocy you managed to do at 84% in, right after your first set of tango in the bedsheets), but a cinnamon roll none the less.
If anyone was dark, it was the heroine who was raised in the court of the unseelie... but even she had more badass words than deeds to share.
So yeah... 2.5/5
I decided to give this book a shot based on a thread on Reddit where quite a few people claimed that this is a book with s much pining that an evergreen area would pale in comparison. It was supposed to be a dark slow burn fantasy romance novel with soooo much pining I would basically lose conciousness.
Well.. I guess most people would consider it a slow burn novel, but for me this much pining from so early on, does not make it a slow burn romance.
The dark romance part I must have missed. George RR Martin writes darker stuff and he never markets it as dark. The hero was a cinnamon roll in plain sight. The heroine feared him a bit at first due to power dynamics, and that was also one of the reasons for the miscommunication related pining... but he was a cinnamon roll through and through. A bit too stupid to live cinnamon roll (Qavan, you know what idiocy you managed to do at 84% in, right after your first set of tango in the bedsheets), but a cinnamon roll none the less.
If anyone was dark, it was the heroine who was raised in the court of the unseelie... but even she had more badass words than deeds to share.
So yeah... 2.5/5
January 15, 2025
Beginning is the strongest part, but enjoyed the story overall.
When you first meet Sersha, she is running for her life. Thrust back into the mortal world after living her life as Unseelie, she does not have home or family. I felt such sympathy for her.
When her life is saved by Qavan, it was so lovely. He is the sweet, caring counter point to the prickly walls she has built up to keep herself safe.
I loved watch them grow to love each other, BUT the Pining, Slow-Burn went on too long, because the book itself was unnecessarily long.
The amazing world building, beautiful descriptions and character developement would have been just as good with 25% less book.
The Gardener and the Water Horse is still my favorite of this series, but this was still worth the read.
When you first meet Sersha, she is running for her life. Thrust back into the mortal world after living her life as Unseelie, she does not have home or family. I felt such sympathy for her.
When her life is saved by Qavan, it was so lovely. He is the sweet, caring counter point to the prickly walls she has built up to keep herself safe.
I loved watch them grow to love each other, BUT the Pining, Slow-Burn went on too long, because the book itself was unnecessarily long.
The amazing world building, beautiful descriptions and character developement would have been just as good with 25% less book.
The Gardener and the Water Horse is still my favorite of this series, but this was still worth the read.
September 4, 2024
This took unnecessarily long to read. Idk if it was because descriptions were lengthy, that maybe I wasn’t as enthused to read, or if the pacing just feel short but phew .. this was alot. If you told me this was only 360 pages I wouldn’t believe you cause it almost reads like a textbook. OUABH had 400 sumn pages and I BLEW through that so it’s not that I’m incapable.
I think the descriptiveness is good but it went into overdrive with this one. I did enjoy the representation in this book diving into topics of gender fluidity/dysphoria and how one navigates it. Both MC’s were cute in their own way, I enjoy a good dominating woman & Sersha delivered but was also kinda and understanding in her own way. Qavan was one of those scholarly types that aren’t all bulk & muscle but still a force to be reckoned with.
The book is VERY slow burn with most smut happening post the 70% mark & it’s only like 3x. Breakups late in the book only work for me if there’s enough time for me to forgive whoever f’d up, this wasn’t that lol
Idk I’m torn because I liked these characters as they are so different personality wise than you’d find in most romantasy but some things just fell short .
I think the descriptiveness is good but it went into overdrive with this one. I did enjoy the representation in this book diving into topics of gender fluidity/dysphoria and how one navigates it. Both MC’s were cute in their own way, I enjoy a good dominating woman & Sersha delivered but was also kinda and understanding in her own way. Qavan was one of those scholarly types that aren’t all bulk & muscle but still a force to be reckoned with.
The book is VERY slow burn with most smut happening post the 70% mark & it’s only like 3x. Breakups late in the book only work for me if there’s enough time for me to forgive whoever f’d up, this wasn’t that lol
Idk I’m torn because I liked these characters as they are so different personality wise than you’d find in most romantasy but some things just fell short .
November 6, 2025
3.8. Good storytelling and character building. I loved the changeling aspect of Sersha’s personality, just wished to know more details of her upbringing in Faery as it seems interesting and mysterious.
Qavan was great in a lot of ways, but his insecurities were a bit of a turnoff and he was downright foolish sometimes. He says he knows he is terrible at reading people but never had others around to help him when it counted most. That fool is the last person who should be making deals with fae.
All in all, I think I’m excited enough about the plots and other characters in the series enough to read the other stories in this series. I read this one totally out of order.
Slight spoilers below…
Esva was an awesome ball of joy. She transitioned sexes and names twice, the author going so far to give a “ce” and “cer” pronoun to account for being neither female nor male fully. That part of the story felt a little plopped into the plot. It could have used a little more foreshadowing. It felt abrupt, though it is obvious that the author was being inclusive of transgender people and I respect that, even shown in a dragon character.
Qavan was great in a lot of ways, but his insecurities were a bit of a turnoff and he was downright foolish sometimes. He says he knows he is terrible at reading people but never had others around to help him when it counted most. That fool is the last person who should be making deals with fae.
All in all, I think I’m excited enough about the plots and other characters in the series enough to read the other stories in this series. I read this one totally out of order.
Slight spoilers below…
Esva was an awesome ball of joy. She transitioned sexes and names twice, the author going so far to give a “ce” and “cer” pronoun to account for being neither female nor male fully. That part of the story felt a little plopped into the plot. It could have used a little more foreshadowing. It felt abrupt, though it is obvious that the author was being inclusive of transgender people and I respect that, even shown in a dragon character.
July 9, 2023
This story is a wonderful tale. It evokes so many emotions. It caught my attention right from the opening scene. Sersha is such a strong woman, fending for herself her whole life. Qavan is such a soft soul. It is refreshing to see an assertive female with a gentle male. Slow burn that is worth the wait. And Although it's a standalone, I just learned it's part of The Echoes of the Void set of books. I will definitely have to read them.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 26, 2024
I really enjoyed the pining from both characters, and I felt like it made sense given their respective backgrounds. However, the romantic dynamic between the characters just wasn't what I'm personally into, and what kept this from a 5. Also, I appreciated the author's inclusion of topics such as disfigurement, disabilities and gender identity that actually added to the story. My heart sort of broke at how h just can't have his hands near her neck again.
😢
Plot:
- h is captured on a ship as she tries to escape to another continent
- she jumps overboard, but ends up getting injured with a water horse
- she wakes up in what she realizes is the wizard's spire
- H appears and tells he how she was saved, while asking her questions
- she reveals she's a human changeling (kidnapped from her human parents and brought up in the unseelie court) and she also discovers that he's the sorcer
- she owes him a life debt and she stays at the spire, agreeing to be his ward's friend (she was also who saved her)
- she's wary of how her situation is too good to be true, but quickly relaxes as she realizes how genuinely friendly the other people in the spire are.
- despite H's extreme power, he is incredibly humble and kind, careful to not make others feel small
- H apologizes for touching her arm and h says how she takes no offense since she has sold her body before, and H is free to use her if he wants
- H is offended that h would even suggest he would force someone unwilling, and it is bc of this he fights his attraction towards her
- H, h and the ward (who's like a child dragon) settle into a comfortable rhythm of playing cards together each night
- during a picnic the baby dragon insists they go on, H and h share a tender moment where he makes her a magical flower crown and she kisses him
- H is plagued by his insecurities due to how society has not been accepting of his part dragon nature
- one of the healers commits suicide in front of h and poisons H and the baby dragon
- h rushes to the dining area to warn them, and helps console the baby dragon while H scrambles to figure out an antidote (luckily, his main magic is in poison and he's able to save them)
- they become even closer after the events
- h realizes H is in pain and insists on getting shoes to help address it
- when they finally go, they are forced to share a hotel room
- h strips in front of H to give him the clothes to transfigure and they both go to bed sexually frustrated
- h wakes up the next morning with them in an extremely compromising situation. When she wakes H, he's horrified that he would force himself on someone who couldn't say no. Meanwhile, h believes he's disgusted in wanting someone so inhuman-like
- They spend the day in town, and when h goes to tend to the horse, she gets jumped on by a gang. She gets overpowered and dumped into the harbor of the water horse who intends to eat her.
- H attacks the water horse with lightning and rescues h. h is shocked and touched that he cares so much about her
- they get home and share an intimate moment. H reveals how h is now part of the inner circle of his heart, and h shares that he is also and gives him her given fae name
- h goes to the greenhouse to calm down, and then H also goes there and masturbates to the thought of her. He's disgusted afterwards, and h hopes that it is bc he's upset at himself for his actions and not that he is disgusted by her
- the baby dragon keeps trying to set them up, and uses her gender changing dinner to trick them into a date
- h confronts him about the greenhouse situation, and they finally are on the same page about their attraction to each other
- they hole up in his room for several days as the rest of the staff in the spire sent them a note congratulating them on finally getting together and that they should enjoy their honeymoon
- h tells him about these dreams she's been having of a cave, and he reveals there's something trapped underneath the spire that might be causing the deaths
- he wakes up the next morning and doesn't tell h
- it's an old fae and she tells him that she can separate his human side from his dragon side. H is really tempted, and when she implies that h has just been with him to get to her, H starts believing her. h is revealed to be following him, and he starts strangling her
- she ends up taking the splitting spell, and H is horrified by the separate unseelie and human version of h
- he tells the old fae that he'll trade himself for her if she undoes the spell
- hearing this, despite how different the unseelie vs human sides of h are, they are unified in their desire to protect H, even at the cost of their own life. So, they manage to kill the old fae together
- Behind her are all of the dead halves of the people in the spire who had gone missing
- h is angry and hurt that H betrayed her and would then bind himself. She tells him she wants nothing to do with anymore and leaves
- H is devastated and h is devastated as well but continues her journey to unseelie
- H's friend finds h and gives her money. However, she also tells her how H has been, and that she once regretted not being able to tell the man she loved that she loved him when she almost died
- h recognizes that she loves H and that she is still human despite her unseelie nature that can't forgive
- h sends H a message to meet her in the fields where they had their first kiss
- H goes expecting punishment and h asks for his life. However, she doesn't plan on killing him, just keeping him forever
😢
Plot:
- h is captured on a ship as she tries to escape to another continent
- she jumps overboard, but ends up getting injured with a water horse
- she wakes up in what she realizes is the wizard's spire
- H appears and tells he how she was saved, while asking her questions
- she reveals she's a human changeling (kidnapped from her human parents and brought up in the unseelie court) and she also discovers that he's the sorcer
- she owes him a life debt and she stays at the spire, agreeing to be his ward's friend (she was also who saved her)
- she's wary of how her situation is too good to be true, but quickly relaxes as she realizes how genuinely friendly the other people in the spire are.
- despite H's extreme power, he is incredibly humble and kind, careful to not make others feel small
- H apologizes for touching her arm and h says how she takes no offense since she has sold her body before, and H is free to use her if he wants
- H is offended that h would even suggest he would force someone unwilling, and it is bc of this he fights his attraction towards her
- H, h and the ward (who's like a child dragon) settle into a comfortable rhythm of playing cards together each night
- during a picnic the baby dragon insists they go on, H and h share a tender moment where he makes her a magical flower crown and she kisses him
- H is plagued by his insecurities due to how society has not been accepting of his part dragon nature
- one of the healers commits suicide in front of h and poisons H and the baby dragon
- h rushes to the dining area to warn them, and helps console the baby dragon while H scrambles to figure out an antidote (luckily, his main magic is in poison and he's able to save them)
- they become even closer after the events
- h realizes H is in pain and insists on getting shoes to help address it
- when they finally go, they are forced to share a hotel room
- h strips in front of H to give him the clothes to transfigure and they both go to bed sexually frustrated
- h wakes up the next morning with them in an extremely compromising situation. When she wakes H, he's horrified that he would force himself on someone who couldn't say no. Meanwhile, h believes he's disgusted in wanting someone so inhuman-like
- They spend the day in town, and when h goes to tend to the horse, she gets jumped on by a gang. She gets overpowered and dumped into the harbor of the water horse who intends to eat her.
- H attacks the water horse with lightning and rescues h. h is shocked and touched that he cares so much about her
- they get home and share an intimate moment. H reveals how h is now part of the inner circle of his heart, and h shares that he is also and gives him her given fae name
- h goes to the greenhouse to calm down, and then H also goes there and masturbates to the thought of her. He's disgusted afterwards, and h hopes that it is bc he's upset at himself for his actions and not that he is disgusted by her
- the baby dragon keeps trying to set them up, and uses her gender changing dinner to trick them into a date
- h confronts him about the greenhouse situation, and they finally are on the same page about their attraction to each other
- they hole up in his room for several days as the rest of the staff in the spire sent them a note congratulating them on finally getting together and that they should enjoy their honeymoon
- h tells him about these dreams she's been having of a cave, and he reveals there's something trapped underneath the spire that might be causing the deaths
- he wakes up the next morning and doesn't tell h
- it's an old fae and she tells him that she can separate his human side from his dragon side. H is really tempted, and when she implies that h has just been with him to get to her, H starts believing her. h is revealed to be following him, and he starts strangling her
- she ends up taking the splitting spell, and H is horrified by the separate unseelie and human version of h
- he tells the old fae that he'll trade himself for her if she undoes the spell
- hearing this, despite how different the unseelie vs human sides of h are, they are unified in their desire to protect H, even at the cost of their own life. So, they manage to kill the old fae together
- Behind her are all of the dead halves of the people in the spire who had gone missing
- h is angry and hurt that H betrayed her and would then bind himself. She tells him she wants nothing to do with anymore and leaves
- H is devastated and h is devastated as well but continues her journey to unseelie
- H's friend finds h and gives her money. However, she also tells her how H has been, and that she once regretted not being able to tell the man she loved that she loved him when she almost died
- h recognizes that she loves H and that she is still human despite her unseelie nature that can't forgive
- h sends H a message to meet her in the fields where they had their first kiss
- H goes expecting punishment and h asks for his life. However, she doesn't plan on killing him, just keeping him forever
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2024
DNF @ 9%. Couldn't get interested in the story.
July 29, 2023
Was okay and worth a read to decide if one likes role reversal with a very very beta hero and alpha heroine. Not my cuppa unfortunately.
World building was good.
World building was good.
December 10, 2025
🌟 4
This was a cozy slow wind to an enjoyable ending. It reminded me a lot of the older fantasies I used to read but with more modern writing. It was gently fantastical.
Nowadays book-wise I’m used to men who take what they want, who are obsessive, possessive, controlling, and extremely dominant. Instead, here we have a man who has valid, deep seated issues from previous experiences and childhood, who struggles to read social subtext and cues, who panics in an emergency, who was overwhelmingly kind, gentle, and friendly. Quick to laugh, without great pride, happy to be the butt of good-hearted teasing. He was the sort of man who made himself small for the sake of others, and although this isn’t the type of mmc I usually salivate over in my book worlds, these are exactly the type of men I love in real life. Quavan was an easily loveable man/dragon, filled with flaws and honourable qualities. I really liked how gently submissive he was, not in a dom/sub kind of way, but leaning wtowards just a lack of pride. He was vocal in sex, sounding out his pleasure. The 𝒷𝑒𝑔𝑔𝒾𝓃𝑔! Holy moly. I didn’t realise till now how much I loved that, but watching this man beg just did it for me.
Our fmc Sersha was an intriguing combination of wild and settled. She loved the hunt and embraced the unseelie side of her just as much as her human side. I really liked how realistically she approached her survival. She just grit her teeth and worked through it, no drama or excuses. She was no wailing princess in need of a man’s help or attention. She tried, and strived, earning my respect. She was strong, and capable. When it came to Quavan, I liked seeing her evolution of feelings. The idea of him terrified her, but it was lovely seeing her opinion change and watching the trust build between them and seeing the attraction grow. I also felt like they complimented each other. Her ability to perform well under pressure paired well with his panic.
The YEARNING.
The romantic scenes were magical. Wildflowers and melodically sung spells. Magical gifts. When his loved ones were threatened Quavan changed into a otherworldly creature, with a singleminded need to protect what was important to him. A gorgeous slow burn.
Esva was a joyful secondary character.
Some of the things I didn’t like so much: I guess it’s not as gripping as I’d hoped. My guess is I added this book to my tbr pile because it had a man who yearned. Well, mission accomplished, that’s exactly what we got. However, the plot was interesting enough but slow.
This was a cozy slow wind to an enjoyable ending. It reminded me a lot of the older fantasies I used to read but with more modern writing. It was gently fantastical.
Nowadays book-wise I’m used to men who take what they want, who are obsessive, possessive, controlling, and extremely dominant. Instead, here we have a man who has valid, deep seated issues from previous experiences and childhood, who struggles to read social subtext and cues, who panics in an emergency, who was overwhelmingly kind, gentle, and friendly. Quick to laugh, without great pride, happy to be the butt of good-hearted teasing. He was the sort of man who made himself small for the sake of others, and although this isn’t the type of mmc I usually salivate over in my book worlds, these are exactly the type of men I love in real life. Quavan was an easily loveable man/dragon, filled with flaws and honourable qualities. I really liked how gently submissive he was, not in a dom/sub kind of way, but leaning wtowards just a lack of pride. He was vocal in sex, sounding out his pleasure. The 𝒷𝑒𝑔𝑔𝒾𝓃𝑔! Holy moly. I didn’t realise till now how much I loved that, but watching this man beg just did it for me.
Our fmc Sersha was an intriguing combination of wild and settled. She loved the hunt and embraced the unseelie side of her just as much as her human side. I really liked how realistically she approached her survival. She just grit her teeth and worked through it, no drama or excuses. She was no wailing princess in need of a man’s help or attention. She tried, and strived, earning my respect. She was strong, and capable. When it came to Quavan, I liked seeing her evolution of feelings. The idea of him terrified her, but it was lovely seeing her opinion change and watching the trust build between them and seeing the attraction grow. I also felt like they complimented each other. Her ability to perform well under pressure paired well with his panic.
The YEARNING.
The romantic scenes were magical. Wildflowers and melodically sung spells. Magical gifts. When his loved ones were threatened Quavan changed into a otherworldly creature, with a singleminded need to protect what was important to him. A gorgeous slow burn.
Esva was a joyful secondary character.
Some of the things I didn’t like so much: I guess it’s not as gripping as I’d hoped. My guess is I added this book to my tbr pile because it had a man who yearned. Well, mission accomplished, that’s exactly what we got. However, the plot was interesting enough but slow.
August 27, 2024
Okay
I have mixed feelings on this book. Too many concepts that I did not understand and the author did a poor job explaining. Too many words that I needed to look up and/or google. Some of which I couldn’t find a definition for. The author made up a world, and possibly languages that I could not get a full grasp of. Therefore it made it very difficult for me to fully immerse myself into the story. Too often I would read a passage and had no idea what it meant or what had happened. It often felt like I was reading riddles. The book also dragged on. It took me a long time to read. Qavan’s self deprecation and insecurities were exhausting by the end of the book. It felt like Sersha was the one putting all the effort into the relationship.
But on some positive notes this book was not boring. The characters were interesting and lovable. I loved the relationships and loyalty. I loved the fearlessness and how upfront and unpretentious Sersha was. I adored Esva/Malles/Azys/Ce, he had my heart from day one. I loved the thoughtfulness, humility, and sensitivity of Quaves. The author did a good job with character development. There were lines in the book that were simply beautiful. There were lessons that were profound
I have mixed feelings on this book. Too many concepts that I did not understand and the author did a poor job explaining. Too many words that I needed to look up and/or google. Some of which I couldn’t find a definition for. The author made up a world, and possibly languages that I could not get a full grasp of. Therefore it made it very difficult for me to fully immerse myself into the story. Too often I would read a passage and had no idea what it meant or what had happened. It often felt like I was reading riddles. The book also dragged on. It took me a long time to read. Qavan’s self deprecation and insecurities were exhausting by the end of the book. It felt like Sersha was the one putting all the effort into the relationship.
But on some positive notes this book was not boring. The characters were interesting and lovable. I loved the relationships and loyalty. I loved the fearlessness and how upfront and unpretentious Sersha was. I adored Esva/Malles/Azys/Ce, he had my heart from day one. I loved the thoughtfulness, humility, and sensitivity of Quaves. The author did a good job with character development. There were lines in the book that were simply beautiful. There were lessons that were profound
August 31, 2025
there was quite a bit i liked about this. i liked the world and the characters, i actually really enjoyed sersha and being in her head, and i didn't entirely hate the inclusion of qavar's chapters although a few times they felt redundant because they were just the exact same scene that we already read
i feel like the author put a lot of time and love into this and it shows. i will gladly read something else from this world.
all that being said, the plot was lacking and the book kind of dragged. this was very character driven and i wish the focus had just been entirely on them instead and internal conflict, especially because there were times it felt like they completely forgot about the plot outside the romance. i also never really felt a romantic connection between them, which isn't a bad thing, they just felt more like friends who were into each other sexually. and i definitely started skimming a little by the last like 20%.
overall not a bad read and i will definitely check out more from this author
i feel like the author put a lot of time and love into this and it shows. i will gladly read something else from this world.
all that being said, the plot was lacking and the book kind of dragged. this was very character driven and i wish the focus had just been entirely on them instead and internal conflict, especially because there were times it felt like they completely forgot about the plot outside the romance. i also never really felt a romantic connection between them, which isn't a bad thing, they just felt more like friends who were into each other sexually. and i definitely started skimming a little by the last like 20%.
overall not a bad read and i will definitely check out more from this author
June 9, 2025
3.7 stars ⭐⭐⭐ A piney, slow-burn fantasy with heart, but i have questions
A super slow-burn fantasy romance that hit the vibe I wanted. The pacing is definitely on the slower side, but if you’re in the mood for a pining MMC and a dual POV romance that simmers for a long time, this is it.
Spice is low.
I really liked Qavan. He’s piney, shy, and gentle, and his energy balanced Sersha’s more dominant personality so well. I just wish we had more of his perspective as the dual POV was around 90% Sersha. And I wanted to hear more from Qavan, especially with how emotionally rich he was as a character. Sersha is your standard FMC from a fantasy world - can fight, and has loads of knives hidden on her person.
Esva/Malles was written so well. Their personality really leapt off the page. they were endearing, and easy to picture.
I did take a star off because I couldn’t quite grasp Sersha’s changeling background. Why was she given to the fae? What was the bigger picture there? I’ve read all of Mallory Dunlin’s books and love their blend of character-driven fantasy and slow romance, but Sersha's background felt a little underdeveloped.
A super slow-burn fantasy romance that hit the vibe I wanted. The pacing is definitely on the slower side, but if you’re in the mood for a pining MMC and a dual POV romance that simmers for a long time, this is it.
Spice is low.
I really liked Qavan. He’s piney, shy, and gentle, and his energy balanced Sersha’s more dominant personality so well. I just wish we had more of his perspective as the dual POV was around 90% Sersha. And I wanted to hear more from Qavan, especially with how emotionally rich he was as a character. Sersha is your standard FMC from a fantasy world - can fight, and has loads of knives hidden on her person.
Esva/Malles was written so well. Their personality really leapt off the page. they were endearing, and easy to picture.
I did take a star off because I couldn’t quite grasp Sersha’s changeling background. Why was she given to the fae? What was the bigger picture there? I’ve read all of Mallory Dunlin’s books and love their blend of character-driven fantasy and slow romance, but Sersha's background felt a little underdeveloped.
July 17, 2023
The hero is very insecure. He is part swamp dragon and part human. He is a very powerful sorcerer.
He has wings, a tail, clawed feet, scales all over his body, and eyes like a viper snake.
Heroine was drowning and he saved her life. Now she owes him a life debt so she works for him as a servant.
She is attracted to him from the beginning. He is attracted to her. But he won't make a move because she owes him her life and she'd feel obligated to be with him.
She won't make a move either. So there is a lot of mutual pining.
It's friends to lovers theme. She helps him realize she really likes looking at him.
The hero makes a huge mistake. She is extremely angry (and she should be). Eventually it all works out.
He has wings, a tail, clawed feet, scales all over his body, and eyes like a viper snake.
Heroine was drowning and he saved her life. Now she owes him a life debt so she works for him as a servant.
She is attracted to him from the beginning. He is attracted to her. But he won't make a move because she owes him her life and she'd feel obligated to be with him.
She won't make a move either. So there is a lot of mutual pining.
It's friends to lovers theme. She helps him realize she really likes looking at him.
The hero makes a huge mistake. She is extremely angry (and she should be). Eventually it all works out.
August 31, 2024
Mallory Dunlin never fails to give me a book hangover. She spends time with her characters, who are deep and varied, emotional, evoking all the feels over the course of the novel. It’s an incredibly cathartic experience to read. Her MMCs are so unique-feeling in the way that they seem to really lose it over their FMC. There’s no tightly-controlled, muscle-bound alpha here to push her around. They need. And it’s hot AF. 🥵🥵🥵 I really identified with Qavan in this novel, the bullied, neurodivergent alien in me recognizing the one in him. And Sersha is so like my spouse in the way she is so accepting and comfortable with herself—even the unsavory parts. I loved her attitude and the way she accepts change so gracefully. It was a pleasure to read.
September 25, 2024
My lazy review of this book is: it's pretty cute. I mean, it gets kind of fucked up in parts, and the characters can be immensely frustrating at times, but it's essentially about two very damaged people coming together, then fucking it up, then coming back together. Both main characters are very likeable, the whole romance thing is very sweet and also very restrained. Honestly, I've read more than one Mallory Dunlin book and her restraint in holding off the smut until about 80% through the book was enormous. It would have worked just as well without any sex, honestly, but it wasn't bad at all with it. The ending was believably happy, for a fantasy novel. If you like romantasy where the mmc and fmc are actually kind to each other, you can't go wrong with this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2024
*2.5-3* stars. I was a huge fan of the first two books in this standalone "series", but this was a miss for me. While I like the beginning of the story with the FMC's arc and thought she had intrigue, the middle and end were very lack-luster.
The MMC and his spire were intriguing when first cameoed in the former book but he was insufferable and so insecure in this one. I didn't hate him, but he was very blah to me. Also I cannot stand the forced gender identity theme in this book. I'm about all inclusion if it's done well, but this felt very rushed and not fully fleshed out.
I don't feel like the plot was as strong as the other two books. It was still an enjoyable read with some good moments, but overall forgettable.
The MMC and his spire were intriguing when first cameoed in the former book but he was insufferable and so insecure in this one. I didn't hate him, but he was very blah to me. Also I cannot stand the forced gender identity theme in this book. I'm about all inclusion if it's done well, but this felt very rushed and not fully fleshed out.
I don't feel like the plot was as strong as the other two books. It was still an enjoyable read with some good moments, but overall forgettable.
July 10, 2023
This slow burn is worth the wait! I am impressed by the world building in this standalone. Every detail was necessary and helped form the mental image as I read along. Qavan is such a gentle soul and Sersha had to become so strong, it filled my heart to see these two characters develop and their story gain momentum. Prior to reading this book I wasn’t familiar with the book universe it is attached to, but now I want to read more!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 19, 2024
it’s 3:20am i cant even put any coherent words together so maybe tomorrow i’ll edit this
but i really liked this book.
maybe i’m obsessed with dragons but qavan is… babygirl. he’s babygirl and i love needy fictional men.
sersha is also a great fmc (even though it’s a bit funny that she’s a “fantasy redhead fmc”, she’s still great).
i love love love stories about the fae and i really liked the mithology and worldbuilding of echoes of the void and as soon as i finish my book queue, i’ll look into the universe again.
but i really liked this book.
maybe i’m obsessed with dragons but qavan is… babygirl. he’s babygirl and i love needy fictional men.
sersha is also a great fmc (even though it’s a bit funny that she’s a “fantasy redhead fmc”, she’s still great).
i love love love stories about the fae and i really liked the mithology and worldbuilding of echoes of the void and as soon as i finish my book queue, i’ll look into the universe again.
July 11, 2025
Misleading marketing aside—this is not a dark fantasy romance—there’s honestly not much to say about this book. It was, unfortunately, quite boring.
The author has a habit of overexplaining and overdescribing, especially during the characters’ excessively long inner monologues, which drag on despite the plot being basic and largely inconsequential. There’s a romance front and center, a murder mystery off to the side, and a light dusting of identity crisis involving mixed-species characters. And that’s it.
Nothing is done badly, but nothing is done well either, which leaves you with a perfectly mediocre read.
The author has a habit of overexplaining and overdescribing, especially during the characters’ excessively long inner monologues, which drag on despite the plot being basic and largely inconsequential. There’s a romance front and center, a murder mystery off to the side, and a light dusting of identity crisis involving mixed-species characters. And that’s it.
Nothing is done badly, but nothing is done well either, which leaves you with a perfectly mediocre read.
July 15, 2025
☆ 3.5 ⊹₊⋆
The big problem is that everything feels way too explained and super detailed, making it drag on longer than it needs to. The slow burn with the mutual pining is actually done pretty well.
Yes, romance is definitely the main focus with a bit of fantasy and a murder mystery thrown in.
No, it’s not really dark (thankfully no SA).
Yes, my shy dragon can be pretty annoying, but I get where he’s coming from and the real mvp of this book is my good girl esva💪🏻
💬dual pov (I need more of his pov tbh)
🧯3/5 spice
The big problem is that everything feels way too explained and super detailed, making it drag on longer than it needs to. The slow burn with the mutual pining is actually done pretty well.
Yes, romance is definitely the main focus with a bit of fantasy and a murder mystery thrown in.
No, it’s not really dark (thankfully no SA).
Yes, my shy dragon can be pretty annoying, but I get where he’s coming from and the real mvp of this book is my good girl esva💪🏻
💬dual pov (I need more of his pov tbh)
🧯3/5 spice
October 1, 2023
A slowburn that was WELL WORTH THE WAIT!
Holy world building. A little mystery. A lot of angst.
Qavan and Sersha's story was so beautiful. Their development was so strong! It evoked so many emotions, THE TENSION was just *chef kiss* and the spice was SPICING, y'all!
I wasn't aware that this book was part of a larger universe, but now I am definitely going to be looking into them!
I really loved the swamp-dragon characteristics and the gender identity rep!
Def recommended!
Holy world building. A little mystery. A lot of angst.
Qavan and Sersha's story was so beautiful. Their development was so strong! It evoked so many emotions, THE TENSION was just *chef kiss* and the spice was SPICING, y'all!
I wasn't aware that this book was part of a larger universe, but now I am definitely going to be looking into them!
I really loved the swamp-dragon characteristics and the gender identity rep!
Def recommended!
October 29, 2023
I liked and disliked this book at times.
I felt that the description in scenes went on for too long making the scenes unnecessarily big. The slow burn was too slow for me( started around seventy percent of the book) but the angst in the middle was good. Also, the attempt for plot aside from the romance was there but we didn't see a lot of it. I liked the romance between the mcs but I didn't really like the mmc and I wouldn't characterize this book as dark(as it says on the title).
I felt that the description in scenes went on for too long making the scenes unnecessarily big. The slow burn was too slow for me( started around seventy percent of the book) but the angst in the middle was good. Also, the attempt for plot aside from the romance was there but we didn't see a lot of it. I liked the romance between the mcs but I didn't really like the mmc and I wouldn't characterize this book as dark(as it says on the title).
November 14, 2023
😍🥹🥰
Oh- I have been STRUCK. I don’t have words for the wonder I’m feeling, the emotion which is not joy but is joyous. It is not pain- though it’s painful. It is not hope, or love, or any one emotion I can name- but it is a blend of many- a feeling of fullness, the experience of FEELING.
Each story in this series has grown my respect and love for Mallory Dunlin, each outshining the last- but also a yearning to read them again!
Bravo!
Oh- I have been STRUCK. I don’t have words for the wonder I’m feeling, the emotion which is not joy but is joyous. It is not pain- though it’s painful. It is not hope, or love, or any one emotion I can name- but it is a blend of many- a feeling of fullness, the experience of FEELING.
Each story in this series has grown my respect and love for Mallory Dunlin, each outshining the last- but also a yearning to read them again!
Bravo!
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