A Deadly Vow

Fate of Vengeance #1

by J.D. Ronan, Christian Leatherman (Narrator), Chloe Ryan (Narrator)

Sabine Azterrin longed for death.

Used as a pawn in her father's war, Sabine spent her life captive to the King of Novear, her will commanded by a siphoning crystal. When she wakes up in the hands of her enemy, Sabine realizes her father committed the ultimate betrayal: a ritual bonding her magic to the Prince of the Solstice Kingdom. When the assassination fails, Keahi promises Sabine the one thing she will live for—revenge.

Keahi Aldeer was an instrument of war.

Forged into a weapon by his father, the General of Solstice sacrifices his blood, honor, and fate for the good of his kingdom. When the King of Novear, destroyer of the Veil of Seven, threatens to invade Solstice's territory, Keahi falls directly into his trap. He fears the magic in his veins will no longer be enough.

Fate had other plans...

Bonded to the daughter of his enemy's kingdom, Keahi proposes an unexpected alliance: a marriage to save them both. But when lies spiral out of control, holy matrimony isn't the only thing Keahi is lying about.

A Deadly Vow is a star-crossed debut from J.D. Ronan—the beginning of a dark and poetic high fantasy series burning with romanticism, suspense, and antihero anthems.

Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Romance, Magic, Enemies To Lovers, Dark

14 pages, Audible Audio

First published February 13, 2023

About the author

J.D. Ronan is a reluctant storyteller.

Her office is cluttered with stacks of worn notebooks, and pages of poetry hidden away in tiny wooden boxes.

When she isn’t writing. Ronan is an avid reader of the dark fantasy genre, and a self-proclaimed binge reader. Avatar the Last Air Bender, Mulan, Star Wars, and the 2005 Pride and Prejudice are her favorite comfort watches. Each of which is on a strict, alternating rewatch schedule where she cuddles up with a coffee, her two cats Peter and Lily, along with her husband.

Ronan thanks you for taking the time to find her book in this little corner of the world, and encourages all of her readers to check her content warning page prior to purchasing The Fate of Vengeance series.
​
May Darkness be with you.

Reviews

[astarion's bhaal babe (wingspan matters)]

Not feeling this. Might have to retry again someday.
I'm not even going to say I've DNFd this because I feel like it was doomed from the start.
It's not a bad book and the writing is nice, but you're catapulted into the story right in the middle of action, and for chapters you have no idea who's who and what's going on. I'm too exhausted by real life to engage with a book so challenging, right now.

[ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Speechless!!

I don't even have enough words to express how amazing the story was! The best book I've read. I knew that I would love the story and it was unbelievably amazing and mesmerizing. The writing was very unique style, the characters are just perfection, the powers are raw & elemental. There's so many things I loved in the plot, banters, actions, trust, mutual pining, the star crossed Enemies to lovers. Gods, MCs are the best because they are both from Enemy kingdoms and met in the middle of the war between them. Keahi and Sabine are both powerful and equals in every way. They are a force to be reckoned with! I loved how they interacted, flirted, teased, fought especially Keahi. He's the sweetest, caring, kind, gentle MMC I've ever seen and it's hard not to fall in love with him in just reading from his POVs. He's my book husband and my everything. Sabine's both stubborn to a fault and fierce female. It was slowww burn romance with enough tension to somewhat make it up but never enough. Oh my gods, how the last 30% kept in my edge of the seat and I had been biting my nails in both anticipation and anxiety. Just know that my emotions are all over the space in the end but it was a very good cliffhanger, but....I'm super excited to see what more happens with Keahi and Sabine. It was just a beginning...

[Lorianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, I think it had great potential but I was SO CONFUSED the whole time. I was constantly going back being like “did I miss something???” But nope. It just didn’t make sense. The characters were so wishy washy, it felt like their personalities changed every chapter.

The last like 25% of the book had me BAFFLED. I was reading and every two minutes I would say “HUH?????” Out loud. My husband laughed at me.

SPOILERS: I was SO UNCLEAR on what was happening in the whole sequence of the whole death / not death / the bond is broken/ oop no it’s not/ he’s in chains / oop actually he’s sleeping / oop now he’s MISSING/ now we’re having a weird truth meeting situation… I kinda get what the author was trying to do, like make you thing they’re dead but then everything is fine, but there was just way too much wtf happening in a very short amount of time and it made no sense at all and then all of a sudden they’re being attacked and then he’s a dragon.

It was SO WEIRDLY PACED and I think was missing a lot of detail. Unfortunate, because I really did enjoy some elements to it and like I said, I thought the story had such good potential.

[Nite0wl29 · Rating 5 out of 5]

War was haunting, death was hollow, but vengeance was retribution.

I knew right after I read the first chapter I was going to love this book. It didn’t disappoint! The chemistry between the two main characters was exquisite and everything that I love about a heart-wrenching slowburn romance. Tack on enemies-to-lovers and fated mates—*chef’s kiss*

I found the first couple chapters a bit confusing to follow, but once I got used to the worldbuilding and lore I was instantly hooked.

I’m so excited to see where the story goes after that ending!! I’m so invested in this couple’s story. The wait for book two next year can’t come soon enough!!

[Kilikina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’ALL. This was SO unexpectedly good. The tropes?? The angst?? The two most BADASS villain MC’s that just so happen to share a bond through magic?? IMMACULATE on all fronts.

The thing I love most about Indie books & authors is the feeling of discovering them before they blow up. I cannot wait for more people to read this because it has a ton of potential to blow up massively. This is the dark NA fantasy I’ve been waiting to find and read for ages.

Sabine & Keahi are my new fictional husband & wife PERIOD. They are everything and I absolutely adored them.

I NEED BOOK 2 NOW!

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok this was not for me.

It felt like it started in what should have been the middle of the story, so much was going on in the first few chapters but nothing was really impactful because I hadn’t connected to the characters yet.. also the dialogue in this felt so forced and the structure of the story was just all over the place. I usually hate duel POV in fantasy’s (not really this books fault but just thought maybe that was another reason I couldn’t connect with it)

The author has potential, the overall idea of the plot was intriguing just maybe not executed the best. But it’s on kindle unlimited so kudos for that 💫

[Keri · Rating 1 out of 5]

This Hurt My Head

There was potential for this to be an amazing story. Truly.
Sadly, the editor (if there was one) allowed this to go to print unrefined. The result is a story that feels like a toddler trying to explain Game of Thrones. You know something great is there, it is just completely disjointed and unintelligible.
I somehow managed to finish the book, but I won’t be reading the sequel.

[AC · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 THIS WAS GOOD. Unexpectedly so bc it started very weak. The first few chapters are way too confusing because there is zero context for everything and too much happening all at once. It’s extremely difficult to follow in addition to trying to understand the fantasy setting. But once u push thru it is SO WORTH IT!!

This is the type of slow burn, enemies to lovers, “marriage of convenience” I have been looking for and I love both the MCs sm. Their dialogue is so peak

Writing was nice but sometimes it was just doing too much and was overly complex bc of it. But overall still rly good!

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think that with a good editor or maybe some beta readers this book would have been amazing. We're kind of thrust into this world in the first 5 or so chapters and there was barely any time for us to figure out what was going on before we were given all these snippets of people's backgrounds and the lore of the land and what's going on this war or what this magic system is. A lot of times I felt almost like I was reading the second book in a series.

We also spend a great deal of time in Kaehi's POV which I thought just wasn't necessary since Sadine and him are basically struggling through the same problems. The only insight his chapters really gave me was to underline how little I knew about anything that was happening.

[Books_and_Crafts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked some parts of this book but MOST of it I was confused for. Idk it was ok

[a 🔮 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience reading this eARC, which in no way biased me. All opinions are my own.

Oh boy what can I say about this book, this might be shaping up to be one of my favorite dark fantasy series, period. AND WHY IS IT WHEN I LOVE A BOOK I CANNOT FORM THE SENTENCES TO EXPRESS MY LOVE FOR IT.

We’ve got A LOT of things going for this book

- elemental magic
- royalty
- political intrigue
- A CROCK POT ON LOW FOR 8 HOURS LEVEL OF SLOW BURN, (like I went feral over eye contact)
- angst
- the mutual pining that is oh so delicious due to the dual POV
- excellent banter
- idiots also liars in love
- enemies to lovers (you know the kind that might want to kill each other because they are prince and princess of enemy kingdoms)
- a forced marriage of convenience, also magically bound 👀
- an amazing set of side characters (DRAKKON I LOVE YOU)
- revenge plot (I support women’s rights, but more importantly I support women’s wrongs)
- “MY WIFE”
- Queer Rep

This book is written so beautifully I swear I have so many lines highlighted just because they are so pretty. Every time I think about this book, and remember that it’s a debut my ass is fucking floored.

In the end you’ve got a woman who wished for death, learn to want to live; and a man who was created to be a weapon, use his power for himself.

Sabine and Keahi are equals, they are opposite sides of the same coin. Their dynamic with each other is both adorable and frustrating (in a good way) because we as the reader know what’s in their mind, and what exactly they are keeping from each other. It makes for a very entertaining read, but you just wanna lock them in a room with fireball like whiskey so that they can just talk to each other.

There are so many scenes that I love, each of these scenes invoke a different emotion. This book made me feel so many things, I laughed, cried, giggled, you know the works.

This is an amazing introduction to the world, the characters, the story, the magic, everything. I cannot wait to read more of this series and I will be reading anything and everything this author writes.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ wow! Ok, this book was good. This was a dark fantasy, but not a dark romance. Check TWs, the themes can get a little heavy at times. With that being said, I really enjoyed this book. The characters felt like real people. The development was spot on. The tension was scorching. This is a slowburn! The worldbuilding and magic system was really intrigued and done really well. The only reason I didn’t give a 5 star was because I got confused and lost sometimes while reading 😅 thank you to the author for the arc and opportunity to read early. I am definitely looking forward to book 2 after that ending.

[Keyla · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was confused the entire time while reading this.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nah chef's kiss.

This book is not for everyone. It's not an easy genre to write or read, and the ones that get it, get it; the ones who don't, simply don't. You're either built for this type of books or you're not.

The beginning of the book is a little confusing because you're kind of landing in the middle of a story that's already developing, and it's not an easy start. It's like if the Catching Fire movie started when Katniss is being lifted up to the arena (iykyk).

You have questions, YES, AS YOU SHOULD. Some of them get answered, but the cliffhanger is good, so there's more to the story. Let's hold hands and hang on tight.

There's a twist that came out of left field that made me put down the book and walk it out. I was nauseous and all ☝🏼

No spice but that slow burning is BUUUUUURNINGGGGGG SO GOOD!!!!! Literally slipping into the lava, like the Jonas Brothers said. The tension is just 🤌🏻

Sabine? A baddie. She did nothing wrong. That's my girl and imma stick beside her.

Keahi? Cutie. I would absolutely call him cute and pinch his cheeks. And he would let me because that's the type of MAN he is.

Drakane stan reporting for duty 🫡

I'm so excited to see where the author takes this series. She completely knocked it out of the park with her debut. Me, personally, I will be seated ☝🏼

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know what to expect. I really enjoyed the dual POV and I absolutely fell in love with the characters. I hope we get even more about the mains and the side characters in the next books. Even though the FMC and MMC are technically? villains, it is hard to remember this while reading their POV. I was so drawn in and sympathetic to their plight. I think the best sort of villain is a relatable one. I can’t wait for the next installment from this debut author. I am excited to see where this story will go!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I want to say that this author has a TON of potential.

THINGS I LOVED:
1. Sexual tension

That broom closet! The tension there was off the charts! This author has a fantastic ability to write sexual tension, which reminds me of Karen Marie Moning.

2. Descriptions

This author does have great prose. The way she describes things are detailed and sometimes flowery, which is good, especially for fantasy.


THE PROBLEMS I HAD:
1. Pacing
My biggest complaint about the opening to the book is how it begins without any sort of introduction, dropping us in the middle of one of the character's POV. We get no introductory world building, no understanding of the character's motive. I would have preferred to get an introduction, with an explanation. It felt more like this book began at the 20-30% mark, with established relationships and motives already on the page. In later chapters, you don't know how time passes. Plot revolves around the FMC training, preparing for a battle, and just staying inside the castle. During this short time, the two characters begin to develop feelings, which was...too fast for me.

2. The slow burn
This burn felt off. One thing I always say is that slow burn doesn't just entail not having sex - it entails more than that. This includes feelings and the connection with the other person. From the very beginning of this book, there's a 'bond' that's established, and the MMC is ALREADY in the position of 'would die for this person', which feels off. This is something that should be built up, and falls flat. We have no context except 'there's a bond' for that kind of protectiveness. By the middle of the book, they both have 'feelings' for each other, but haven't really acted on the physical. These feelings (if this really is a long slow burn) should be pushed to much later in the series. I would even prefer physical things happening before feelings happen. By the end of the book, the FMC is calling MC 'my shadow' as an endearment. Basically telling him she'd die for him and she cares for him.

3. The MMC
As you read through the novel, the MMC is hot and cold. First, he's this big bad powerful man (who we never really learn anything about except he's been tortured by his father, he has scars everywhere, and he has a habit for self-hatred) and intimidating the FMC, then he's this blushing quiet man whose guilt is felt everywhere. He blushes quite a lot, which really feels odd, considering how dark and scary he's meant to be. The way he turns completely soft during any sort of smutty scene also felt a little off to me. I felt he should have been a little bit more possessive and harsh. Additionally, I felt we got WAY too much of his POV. I would have liked to see maybe a chapter or two, but leaving his POV out would have been much more mysterious and would have hardened him a bit in the reader's eyes.

4. The bond?
I'm still very confused as to the bond itself. It's never really explained how his 'mark' is taken by the FMC's king and placed on her body. It's never really explained how this forced the bond to establish to begin with? Then the wounds - why does he have wounds? Why aren't they healing? Why is he so reluctant to bond with her once they already began the bond? What is the difference between marriage and bonding? Why did he not tell her about the marriage?

5. The Back and Forth
The 'my darkness is too dark to be with you', 'I don't want to bond with you', 'I'm too broken to be with you', 'My past won't let me have a future', 'You can be with other people' was just too much. First, the FMC phrases it like she doesn't care for him at all, then, she cares about him a lot? He does too - enough to go and try to seduce her at a brothel, but then she pulls away completely because.....she's too dark?????????

6. The magic system
This was just not described at all? The gods existed, great. Yet there's still magic around. Where does it come from? How are the gods connected to it? What is his power? How is he suddenly a dragon out of nowhere? What did her dad do to her to put a 'veil' inside of her? What IS the veil?????? It was all so confusing!

7. The characters
There needs to be more than 10 characters in a book. There needs to be side characters to flesh out the world. It felt too empty.

8. The ending - what was happening? The last 40 pages completely confused me. He was tortured by his dad for x amount of time (we never find out how old he is) yet he completely destroys his father just for showing up and torturing his wife? (by the way, that felt like such a bizarre choice? Why is the father just showing up and hurting the wife...cause he could?)

I'm not trying to leave a bad review, but these are my general concerns. I BELIEVE this author could be fantastic, if she had a good editor. This story had elements that if reworked, could really shine on the page. She has so much potential, but it feels like this was published unedited and unrefined.

3.5/5

(Refer to this review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - it phrases everything much better than my fatigued brain can right now!)

[☾All of Meg☀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dnf 🥲 but it was good ish, maybe just good book wrong time? When book two comes out I’ll reread 💖

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book just confused me??? I’m not sure if it was the convoluted writing style or the poor pacing of the plot, but I was constantly confused. I felt like I was missing a lot of the important details needed to explain the magic system and the world building. I finished the book and still didn’t know what the overall purpose of the plot was.

I had no attachment to any of the characters because of the jumbled pacing of the story. I’m not sure who any of the characters are (personality wise) and what their powers consist of. There was also a lack of proper character and relationship development.

This just wasn’t the book for me.

[Brenna Hilkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can confidently say I would give this book way more than 5 stars. I would never have guessed this is the author’s debut book. The writing is impeccable. The characters are amazingly well written. The tension is HAWT. Morally grey and tantalizing all the way BBYYYY! I thoroughly ravaged this book.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, these characters, and this author! Enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience (ish), magical bonds, complex characters, the TENSION. Love love love 🖤 that ending 😮 I need the next book!!

[Kelsey Snook]

(I refrain from rating books I've edited)

[Josselin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, I want to thank the author for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange/request for an honest review. I want to start off with that this book was a very strong start to the authors career. Lets get into it.

I honestly don't know where to begin, so I will try to keep it short (Edit- I did not in fact keep it short) . There was times I really didn't understand what was going on and I felt as though the writing was very premature in the sense that it was giving too much in terms to the characters feelings and not enough to the plot. I know that it is supposed to be a character driven book, but in the end it left me confused as to what the over all goal of the book was regarding conflict and resolution. I understood profoundly what the characters were going through, but felt as though it was lacking in the backbone of the actual story. There was still portions of writing where I felt like it was too much too soon, and it made the plot twists less enticing. For example, right off the bat in chapter 3(Spoiler ahead) Keahi kills one if his own soldiers for a woman he doesn't even know who is his 'supposed' enemy, all because he was pissed he had laid hands on her. It's too much too soon, and although it is endearing its only chapter 3. That doesn't seem slow burn to me, that seems very much like okay we are on chapter 3 and 'touch her and you die' mode is on. Its slow burn in the physical sense but definitely not on the emotional. Not on his side any way. I would say its more of a 'he fell first' scenario even as you read on in the book. Like boy who you fooling?? You like her, we got it.

BUT that being said, and there's a big but here, stay with me, every time I felt like putting down this book or I felt like the writing was just lacking, the writer would somehow find a way to reel me back in such alluring way. The author really had a way of going, "oh you thought you were bored well..... here's something to bring you back in." and I could not stop reading. And let me tell you something. I wanted to read to the end. I wanted to find out what was going on and what was happening. I think that is a very important thing to note, if an author can keep a reader reading, then its a win. There were many parts of this book that I really enjoyed. It was a rollercoaster for sure. Hence my strong belief that this author is going places.

Do I believe that this book was not the best? yes.
Do I also believe that this author has some phenomenal potential to be one of the best? Also yes.

Because aside from all I said... there was some really badass shit in here. I think the structure just needs some work but overall... Hats off to J.D Ronan for hitting the ground running on this debut novel.

This is longer than I thought it would be, mostly because I have such mixed feelings because at times I really felt confused and at other times I liked it so I'm going to give it a 3 stars for the fact I was entertained and at the end of the day isn't that why we read.

To end on a positive note I will share some of my favorite quotes from this book that are chefs kiss in my opinion-

"Do not confuse the mold they have placed you in with who you truly are. No amount of power can corrupt what truly lies beneath."
"I wanted to tell him right then. I could feel him, too. the way his soul was on fire, and i was not afraid to burn."
"-the hand that struck was the hand that bled."
"I would no longer fear the darkness. I would become it."
"I do not let any man speak to me like that. I make no exception for kings."

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will not run from you or what you want. I am not afraid, my shadow. The darkness within you . . . calls to the darkness within me.

A Deadly Vow was deliciously wicked and dark, burning hot, and it makes you want to fan the flames.

I did not expect that ending and it was a delightful surprise.

The start was not like I'm used to with most books, and it is confusing a bit a the beginning, but it's definitely worth the wait, reading all they way through to the end.

This book was masterfully written in my eyes, as were the characters, the story and the plot, and the magic and secrets between the FMC and MMC. It was phenomenal and a wonderful dark fantasy, also a slow burn romance, but at the ending its clear that they care ( deeply) and they both know they care and they choose each other, despite how complicated things turned out, and how it all started (and the darkness they carry within themselves calls to the other like a beacon). They are both strong characters, and again it was a huge surprise, the reveal of Keahi, his history/past, who he is...or was...it's so interesting. And...don't get me started, I can go into a huge rant over it (the good kind, in the internal squealing) because-
A. I LOVE Dragon's.
B. I freaking love Keahi.
C. The ending had my insides turning upside down, from excitement.

I adore Keahi and Sabine. Watching the story unfold through both of their eyes, their point of views was an absolute treat and I savored every second of it, and the budding romance in this dark fantasy. Keahi was definitely not ad he seemed but I love him for it even more. And Sabine is a well written character, a great FMC and these two are a match well made, perfect for each other.👀🤭 I cannot wait to read the sequel to this book, I need it asap, I'm so excited.😆 I definitely side with Keahi and Sabine ✊️😏👀

A dragon’s battle cry shook the mountain.

(We do not have enough stories in my opinion with MMC that are...otherworldly, you could say. And I found this one, another hidden precious gem.)

Again, I can't emphasize, that ending, seriously, I am so thrilled, still reeling from the ending of this story. I am dying to find out what happens next and how the story will continue to unfold highly recommend this to all my fellow readers. Until next time, lovelies 😘.

[Bailey]

This novel had slowwwwwwwwww burn, fantastic side characters, tension, and an interesting magic system. What more could I ask for really? I cannot wait to read the next novel in this series by debut author J.D. Ronan.

This one took me awhile to get into, I can't lie. It's a character driven plot and I felt like the first half of the novel the characters were still finding their voice. There were several times, particularly in the first half of the book, that the writing was a bit convoluted in a way that took me out of the story because I was having to re-read and figure out what was trying to be said. I could tell the vibe the author was going for, but it just missed the mark for me there. HOWEVER, about halfway through it felt like that was happening significantly less and I don't know if that's true, or if my brain started to get used to the authors writing style but whatever it was, it worked.

I felt really confused by the magic system for most of the book, but by the end it was clear that that was the intention. One big turn off for me was feeling like I knew too much about the MMC too soon. I feel like what we learned about the FMC and the progression of how much we learned and when, felt much more organic. I felt a little forced into thinking the MMC was bad or suited his reputation, when what I was being shown was that he was a good person. There felt like a disconnect in how I felt I saw him vs what I was supposed to see.

Nonetheless, I am really intrigued to learn more about the magic system and the world in the next installment of the series. Though this book had it's faults, I couldn't completely put it down because I was intrigued by what was going to happen next and how the characters would develop. I am glad I didn't put it down, because the last half of the book was a bit more plot heavy and I was so eager to read the next chapter. I was interested in the characters, I was interested in the magic, I was interested in the plot. I found myself growing attached to the main characters and their development, as well as the side characters and how their stories will unfold.

I feel like the next installment will start to answer my questions about this world, and I can't wait to learn more of the realm's history.

[Aria Gonzalez · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be honest, I didn’t understand 90% of the story. It took me a while to finish because I kept getting so confused & I had to reread a lot of the chapters. I felt like this story was missing a lot of details & was extremely jumbled and chaotic. I enjoyed the characters but it felt like I wasn’t reading about the same characters a lot of the time. Their personalities kept changing in my opinion. My head hurt every time I read a few chapters, just trying to understand whatever it was that I had just read. I tried really hard to like this book, but towards the end all I kept thinking was that I WANTED it to end :( I’m sorry but I don’t think I’ll be buying this book when it’s released or buying book 2 when it’s released either. I’ll be saying goodbye to Sabine & Keahi.

[Kalista Neith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sabine is my new fictional wife. That is all.

A Deadly Vow is a beautifully written dark fantasy, SLOW BURN. It sinks its claws into you and doesn't let go. Ronan writing style is impeccable, breathing life into a world filled with characters who live and breathe off the page.

I could not put this book down and am still thinking about it weeks later. If you are looking for a villain romance, you've found it— They burn the world beautifully together.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

I read the first 50 pages and could not make sense of most of what was happening, who people were, or why they were important to the plot. Lots of talk of nefarious kings but so much info dumping it’s hard to make sense of why they are bad guys and what is happening in this world.

It’s a no from me.

[Catherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unclear writing and uninteresting.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me tell you how excited I was for this book. I listened to the author's podcast for a while now and when I found out she was releasing her own book I immediately ran to sign up. I was so impressed that this book had such a great cover. One thing I notice a lot with self-published authors is they lack on the cool eye-catching covers. Because let's be honest, we all judge a book by its cover, it's the first thing we see. This one is eye catching and beautiful. A book you would want to showcase on your bookshelf.

Now let's get into the characters. This book has dual point of view. Our main characters are Keahi and Sabine. I liked the characters, but I felt they weren't as in-depth as I would have liked. There were a lot of secrets with the characters that we didn't know anything about at all to add shock value, but I much rather have been in the know about a couple of these secrets. I felt like there was some romantic chemistry between them, but we never got a real taste of them as a couple. This book is a very slow burn. Don't go into this book expecting them to be together at all in this book. I'm expecting book two to have a lot more. For this book being a debut, I was okay with the characters being a little underdeveloped. I still enjoyed them, especially the side characters. I think I liked the side characters the most. Also, I have to mention how hot Keahi seems to be with his mask on and I love how much Sabine doesn't mind him without it even with all the scars. There's one thing at the end that was confusing and didn't seem like the characters were even the same person. I hope that they will be clarified in the second book.

The book is advertised as enemies to lovers, a marriage of convenience, and they are both villains. Yes, this is enemies to lovers but not as we have seen in a lot of books, they don't really have knives at each other's throats or anything. There is a marriage of convenience. But I really don't see the characters being shown as villains in this book. They really seem like they are fighting for good and survival.

The magic system is so confusing. I didn't understand how they got their powers or even what Sabine's power was at some points. Definitely needed a little more explanation of it. But what I could tell I liked the idea of that magic system itself. I think it made me think of avatar the last air bender.

I didn't really understand the world in which this book was set in. The war that's going on in the world isn't explained and is just glossed over. I really would have liked a decent explanation since we have two characters who are fighting against each other in this war. It's such a part of the characters that I would have thought we would get a little more. I'm not sure if maybe the author was worried about it being too long, but I would have loved it more to see it have more detail to in.

There were a lot of parts I had to go back and reread a few times because characters would be doing something suddenly and I didn't know how they got there. I think a few parts got left out. But even with that, I was impressed with the overall writing. I have read a lot of self-published debut books and this one is a hundred times better than a lot of them. I can't wait to see how this author's writing and storytelling improves.

Overall, I enjoyed it and saw great potential for this author and the story.

[Joana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very solid fantasy read!
The worldbuilding wasn’t too overly complicated and the plot was full of twists and turns. I loved loved the characters!! Morally gray, flawed, amazing characters!
Keahi and Sabine!!!! They were the best part of the book! The slowest burn that made me scream multiple times!

The only reason it’s not a 5 star read is because the writing style - although beautiful - could be confusing at times. There were some passages I had to reread a few times to understand.

THE ENDING THOUGH!!! I need the next book asap