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The Choosing Chronicles #1
A Game of Love and Betrayal
He requires a wife. She needs to kill him. All’s fair in pursuit of love and revenge. What’s a vampire to do when the fae who made her an orphan is searching for a wife? Make him choose her and end his life on their wedding night, of course. Brynleigh has been carefully planning this for years. Her plan is date Ryker Waterborn, the Fae Representative’s son, make him fall in love with her, and kill him after they say, “I do.” Unfortunately, it isn’t going to be that easy. She won’t be the only one going after Ryker’s hand. Far from it. Two dozen men and women from around the Republic of Balance are competing in The Choosing in the search of their perfect partner. The catch? It’s a blind selection process, and contestants won’t see each other until they have selected their partner. Nothing will stand between Brynleigh and her revenge, not even a competition for love. A Game of Love and Betrayal is the first book in The Choosing Chronicles, a captivating enemies-to-lovers, new adult urban high fantasy romance.
406 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2024
6541 people are currently reading
78394 people want to read
About the author
Elayna R. Gallea
32 books2,000 followersElayna Gallea lives in beautiful New Brunswick, Canada with her husband and two kids. They have dogs and cats and enjoy touring their beautiful province whenever they can.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,070 reviews
March 18, 2024
A Game of Love and Betrayal by Elayna R. Gallea offers a fresh take on the classic blind date in high fantasy. The novel introduces readers to a world where vampires and fae exist, setting the stage for a complex web of love and revenge. Think of Love is Blind meets True Blood.
Brynleigh is a vampire with one goal: to exact revenge on the fae who orphaned her. Her plan is crafted—to seduce Ryker Waterborn and eliminate him on their wedding night. However, her scheme encounters unexpected obstacles when she finds herself entangled in a competition for Ryker's hand against numerous other contenders, plus he's a little easy on the eyes.
The author skillfully weaves together elements of romance, fantasy, and suspense, creating a captivating and original story that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. The sexual tension between Brynleigh and Ryker intensifies as they navigate their complex feelings amidst cutthroat competition. The blind selection process adds an intriguing layer of mystery and suspense, allowing readers to see these characters fall in love over a hidden veil with just the sound of their voices. I was utterly captivated by this plot and immediately swooned for Ryker. Brynleigh's journey is about fulfilling her vendetta, confronting her demons, and discovering unexpected truths about herself and those around her.
The supporting cast adds depth and richness to the story, each with their motives and secrets. The world-building is immersive, painting a vivid picture of a society where supernatural beings coexist with humans, each faction vying for power and dominance.
The author's writing is engaging, the plot is filled with action and mind-blowing twists, the spice is well-planned and just the right amount of heat, and the characters are well-developed, making for an enjoyable and satisfying read. The cliffhanger ending gutted me, and I'm eagerly waiting for the next one in the series.
Brynleigh is a vampire with one goal: to exact revenge on the fae who orphaned her. Her plan is crafted—to seduce Ryker Waterborn and eliminate him on their wedding night. However, her scheme encounters unexpected obstacles when she finds herself entangled in a competition for Ryker's hand against numerous other contenders, plus he's a little easy on the eyes.
The author skillfully weaves together elements of romance, fantasy, and suspense, creating a captivating and original story that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. The sexual tension between Brynleigh and Ryker intensifies as they navigate their complex feelings amidst cutthroat competition. The blind selection process adds an intriguing layer of mystery and suspense, allowing readers to see these characters fall in love over a hidden veil with just the sound of their voices. I was utterly captivated by this plot and immediately swooned for Ryker. Brynleigh's journey is about fulfilling her vendetta, confronting her demons, and discovering unexpected truths about herself and those around her.
The supporting cast adds depth and richness to the story, each with their motives and secrets. The world-building is immersive, painting a vivid picture of a society where supernatural beings coexist with humans, each faction vying for power and dominance.
The author's writing is engaging, the plot is filled with action and mind-blowing twists, the spice is well-planned and just the right amount of heat, and the characters are well-developed, making for an enjoyable and satisfying read. The cliffhanger ending gutted me, and I'm eagerly waiting for the next one in the series.
February 6, 2024
5⭐️ 3🌶️ first, i wanna say thank you to the author for sending me an ARC of this book. it’s my first one i’ve ever received, and im so grateful for the opportunity. second, i can’t believe im being left with this cliffhanger!!! omg this book was full of twists and turns. and from the description, you’d think this book would be predictable, right? i’m so happy i was wrong, cause i was constantly wondering what was going on the entire time. Ryker Waterborn has stolen my heart 🥹 he’ll be added to my book boyfriends list for sure. and seeing brynleighs character development was a wonderful part of this book. thank god the next book is coming late spring, i can’t wait for it!
February 8, 2024
Romantasy meets dating show. Pretty cool concept combined with social criticism. I really like it.
.
Through "The Choosing" we get to know Brynleigh and Ryker in a personal way that only a few novels do. Both seem very authentic because they cannot be categorized into good or evil - they have a lot in common, even if they behave very different - great love for the family, a lot of pain and, with it, secrets.
.
The ending was hard to bear and I'm excited to see what happens next.
Thank you for trusting me with an ARC, Elayna - I enjoyed your story 🖤
.
Through "The Choosing" we get to know Brynleigh and Ryker in a personal way that only a few novels do. Both seem very authentic because they cannot be categorized into good or evil - they have a lot in common, even if they behave very different - great love for the family, a lot of pain and, with it, secrets.
.
The ending was hard to bear and I'm excited to see what happens next.
Thank you for trusting me with an ARC, Elayna - I enjoyed your story 🖤
July 25, 2025
“Besides, what was a bit of change when the person you were changing for was your whole world?”
that ending? OH MY GOD. wow this book was just as good as i thought it was going to be and i KNOW the rest of the series is going to deliver. for how badass the fmc, brynleigh, is she’s also incredibly relatable and not insufferable. also i love how grief is portrayed in different ways here!
that ending? OH MY GOD. wow this book was just as good as i thought it was going to be and i KNOW the rest of the series is going to deliver. for how badass the fmc, brynleigh, is she’s also incredibly relatable and not insufferable. also i love how grief is portrayed in different ways here!
March 24, 2024
Skip this one
- no payoff to anything in the plot
- ends on a cliffhanger without ANYTHING interesting answered
- insta-love
- author tells instead of shows. Sometimes telling you the same thing multiple times.
- no payoff to anything in the plot
- ends on a cliffhanger without ANYTHING interesting answered
- insta-love
- author tells instead of shows. Sometimes telling you the same thing multiple times.
October 22, 2024
The start of this book had me mildly intrigued with how the story might unfold—coming off a few recent duds, the premise and writing of this book felt promising. Unfortunately my hopes began to fall pretty quickly.
[Potential vague spoilers below!!]
Both MCs’ inner monologues became *very* repetitive throughout the book, especially Brynleigh’s, which got old fast. The plot also veered in a direction I wasn’t anticipating and didn’t particularly love—however, I can accept this frustration may be a bit more rooted in personal preference.
Regardless, the pacing did the story no favors. Days or even a week often flew by between chapters; or when a big moment would happen (e.g. a surprise bombing attack or a huge secret finally being revealed), the author often glossed over these potentially big and meaningful moments and skipped ahead to hours or days later. The reader then only obtains the details of what occurred through the character reflecting back on the moment or getting spotty memories about the event that had previously occurred.
In regard to the characters, I often found myself craving more depth. They felt very two-dimensional. I had hoped we’d get more emotionally charged moments during the Dating Show portion to really show how Brynleigh’s walls were beginning to crumble and loving feelings were beginning to form.
I wanted to see the deep and personal moments/conversations between the two MCs that built up to them having this grand world-ending love they (mainly Ryker) claimed to have for one another; I wanted to see moments shared between them to make me *believe* they actually were in love. But I never got that. The care and interest between the characters felt more insta-lovey than anything, especially on Ryker’s end.
There were also some inconsistencies. For example, earlier in the book Brynleigh begins falling into bloodlust and losing her wits and control after not feeding for only a few hours after a rebel attack during the airing of the show. She even requires medical attention after the fact and is kept in a medical bed, separated from the rest of the participants for at least a day, I believe. … At the end of the book, Brynleigh finds herself in a situation where she is not able to feed for several days. And yes, during this time she seems to be miserable and starving, but she still seemed to have her mind? I wasn’t sure why she didn’t appear crazed with bloodlust in this particular situation after going without blood for several days, but in the previous scenario she did after only several hours. Idk.
I had a lot of hope when it came to this story and I greatly appreciate receiving an ARC copy of it to read and review, but AGoLaB sadly fell flat for me.
[Potential vague spoilers below!!]
Both MCs’ inner monologues became *very* repetitive throughout the book, especially Brynleigh’s, which got old fast. The plot also veered in a direction I wasn’t anticipating and didn’t particularly love—however, I can accept this frustration may be a bit more rooted in personal preference.
Regardless, the pacing did the story no favors. Days or even a week often flew by between chapters; or when a big moment would happen (e.g. a surprise bombing attack or a huge secret finally being revealed), the author often glossed over these potentially big and meaningful moments and skipped ahead to hours or days later. The reader then only obtains the details of what occurred through the character reflecting back on the moment or getting spotty memories about the event that had previously occurred.
In regard to the characters, I often found myself craving more depth. They felt very two-dimensional. I had hoped we’d get more emotionally charged moments during the Dating Show portion to really show how Brynleigh’s walls were beginning to crumble and loving feelings were beginning to form.
I wanted to see the deep and personal moments/conversations between the two MCs that built up to them having this grand world-ending love they (mainly Ryker) claimed to have for one another; I wanted to see moments shared between them to make me *believe* they actually were in love. But I never got that. The care and interest between the characters felt more insta-lovey than anything, especially on Ryker’s end.
There were also some inconsistencies. For example, earlier in the book Brynleigh begins falling into bloodlust and losing her wits and control after not feeding for only a few hours after a rebel attack during the airing of the show. She even requires medical attention after the fact and is kept in a medical bed, separated from the rest of the participants for at least a day, I believe. … At the end of the book, Brynleigh finds herself in a situation where she is not able to feed for several days. And yes, during this time she seems to be miserable and starving, but she still seemed to have her mind? I wasn’t sure why she didn’t appear crazed with bloodlust in this particular situation after going without blood for several days, but in the previous scenario she did after only several hours. Idk.
I had a lot of hope when it came to this story and I greatly appreciate receiving an ARC copy of it to read and review, but AGoLaB sadly fell flat for me.
March 18, 2024
It was worst than last season of love is blind on Netflix 😬
December 25, 2024
fun premise but I felt like I read the same 20 pages over and over with how repetitive this was.
One big snooze fest I could have done without.
One big snooze fest I could have done without.
May 7, 2024
Do we all read the same book? I have a high expectation when diving into A Game of Love and Betrayal. I expected a whirlwind of passion and suspense, but the reality left me feeling a bit deflated. It has premise and it has potential, but as I got deeper into the story, I couldn't shake this nagging feeling that something was off.
Brynleigh's badassery at the beginning had me pumped up, but as the story unfolded, she seemed to lose her spark. Provided that her power was strong, but she kept on getting “knock off unconscious”.
And Raker. He had the potential to be a swoon-worthy book boyfriend, but his overly rule-bound nature left me feeling “Oh this is another Dain”. I was hoping for a complex character rather than a golden retriever boy.
As for the plot, it trudged along at a pace that tested my patience. What I hoped would be a thrilling enemies-to-lovers saga turned out to be more of a slow burn, lacking the tension and excitement I craved. Brynleigh's constant inner monologues is quite repetitive, making me consider to DNF. The only climax plot might be the sudden bomb but still, I feel there wasn’t much explanation but it was always glossed over. Raker and Brynleigh’s conversation bores me which need editing as they have nothing to talk about lol.
Anyway, I just pushed myself through to the end, cause I was too curious. But even as I turned the final page, it still left me feeling dissapointed. It's safe to say I won't be lining up for the sequel anytime soon.
But hey, just because it wasn't my cup of tea doesn't mean it won't hit the spot for someone else. If you're into blind date fantasies, urban fantasy, slow burns, vampire-fae relationships are your thing, then this might be the book for you.
Brynleigh's badassery at the beginning had me pumped up, but as the story unfolded, she seemed to lose her spark. Provided that her power was strong, but she kept on getting “knock off unconscious”.
And Raker. He had the potential to be a swoon-worthy book boyfriend, but his overly rule-bound nature left me feeling “Oh this is another Dain”. I was hoping for a complex character rather than a golden retriever boy.
As for the plot, it trudged along at a pace that tested my patience. What I hoped would be a thrilling enemies-to-lovers saga turned out to be more of a slow burn, lacking the tension and excitement I craved. Brynleigh's constant inner monologues is quite repetitive, making me consider to DNF. The only climax plot might be the sudden bomb but still, I feel there wasn’t much explanation but it was always glossed over. Raker and Brynleigh’s conversation bores me which need editing as they have nothing to talk about lol.
Anyway, I just pushed myself through to the end, cause I was too curious. But even as I turned the final page, it still left me feeling dissapointed. It's safe to say I won't be lining up for the sequel anytime soon.
But hey, just because it wasn't my cup of tea doesn't mean it won't hit the spot for someone else. If you're into blind date fantasies, urban fantasy, slow burns, vampire-fae relationships are your thing, then this might be the book for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2024
Holy shit, this might be the pettiest reason I’ve ever DNF’ed a book. DNF after 3 pages.
“Brynleigh” 😑 the blonde and curvy assassin that couldn’t possibly be an actual assassin because she’s too pretty.
“Brynleigh” 😑 the blonde and curvy assassin that couldn’t possibly be an actual assassin because she’s too pretty.
November 19, 2024
DNF 83%
I just can't finish it... it is so badly written.
It is like the author had too many ideas and couldn't decide which one to put focus on.
The world is interesting.. all of the creatures - fae, vampires, shifters, gazilian types of elves - all in some kind of alternative universe. It's like mondern wold, technology and architecture is simmilar to modern times, only the continent and the republic geography is different.
It was interesting idea, but the author wanted to use everything.. maybe focus on only one or two races and not all of them? If you choose all of them, maybe explain how they live in harmony?
What do they do in this alternative world? Only professions explained are military ones and criminals... also, there are a lot of mentions of rules and laws, but B kills for her maker and no consequences?? During the choosing they were talking about their life and what they do and she just didn't tell anyone and didn't have any lie ready???
Another world related issue - there are a lot of rebel attacks which are not explained. Unreast among the poor... I have a feeling the author just needed a reason for choosing to be moved here and there so she put in the rebels, never planing to elaborate. Maybe I am wrong as I didn't finish the book, but in over 80% nothing regarding rebels and unrest was explained.
The book is seriously missing any other plot beside the romance.
Don't get me wrong, are good romantasies that focus mainly on romance plot, and the world is secondary. But then don't add million details if you are not gonna elaborate.
So the romance... to my disappointment it was insta love.
I was hopping for some enemies to lovers as it was advertised.. for any tention at all, but nothing. Love part is so fucking flat. Ryker is not even golden retriver, he doesn't have a personality. He is good at all fronts with deep and grovely voice. That's it.
There is too much telling and to little showing in the story. The author tells us they are taking about deep subjects without us seeing it or feeling emotional connection. It is very very flat.
So the choosing is like love is blind in alternative fantasy universe which is not my favourite idea, but it could be done in fun and interesing way.
But no..
The rules of the choosing are not clearly presented to the reader, and they are changed quite a lot through the story due to rebel attacks. When you change something that is not already explained to, for the reader it is harder to understand the significance of the change.
Oh and Valentina... the point of that character is to call B a bitch 3x in the book and that's it.
This author published about 15 books in 2 year span and all have the same ratings.. all 5 star reviews are by people who received the book from the author for review.. not really reliable, and even some of them rated it 2 stars.
This was a missed opportunity... if the author had so many ideas and romantasy genre is currently very popular, with good editing this could have been something.
I just can't finish it... it is so badly written.
It is like the author had too many ideas and couldn't decide which one to put focus on.
The world is interesting.. all of the creatures - fae, vampires, shifters, gazilian types of elves - all in some kind of alternative universe. It's like mondern wold, technology and architecture is simmilar to modern times, only the continent and the republic geography is different.
It was interesting idea, but the author wanted to use everything.. maybe focus on only one or two races and not all of them? If you choose all of them, maybe explain how they live in harmony?
What do they do in this alternative world? Only professions explained are military ones and criminals... also, there are a lot of mentions of rules and laws, but B kills for her maker and no consequences?? During the choosing they were talking about their life and what they do and she just didn't tell anyone and didn't have any lie ready???
Another world related issue - there are a lot of rebel attacks which are not explained. Unreast among the poor... I have a feeling the author just needed a reason for choosing to be moved here and there so she put in the rebels, never planing to elaborate. Maybe I am wrong as I didn't finish the book, but in over 80% nothing regarding rebels and unrest was explained.
The book is seriously missing any other plot beside the romance.
Don't get me wrong, are good romantasies that focus mainly on romance plot, and the world is secondary. But then don't add million details if you are not gonna elaborate.
So the romance... to my disappointment it was insta love.
I was hopping for some enemies to lovers as it was advertised.. for any tention at all, but nothing. Love part is so fucking flat. Ryker is not even golden retriver, he doesn't have a personality. He is good at all fronts with deep and grovely voice. That's it.
There is too much telling and to little showing in the story. The author tells us they are taking about deep subjects without us seeing it or feeling emotional connection. It is very very flat.
So the choosing is like love is blind in alternative fantasy universe which is not my favourite idea, but it could be done in fun and interesing way.
But no..
The rules of the choosing are not clearly presented to the reader, and they are changed quite a lot through the story due to rebel attacks. When you change something that is not already explained to, for the reader it is harder to understand the significance of the change.
Oh and Valentina... the point of that character is to call B a bitch 3x in the book and that's it.
This author published about 15 books in 2 year span and all have the same ratings.. all 5 star reviews are by people who received the book from the author for review.. not really reliable, and even some of them rated it 2 stars.
This was a missed opportunity... if the author had so many ideas and romantasy genre is currently very popular, with good editing this could have been something.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2024
This was a DNF for me. A first in a long time and I tried several times to get into it. The plot is great, FMC seeking revenge for her family’s death. In order to do so, she enters a dating show type ply to meet/marry the man who is responsible for her family’s death. I struggled with the instant connection these two characters had vs the classic slow burn I enjoy. It felt very fast paced and that isn’t my type of story I enjoy overall.
May 1, 2024
Welp- 33% in and that’s gonna be a DNF for me Cotton. I should have stopped when the AI chatbot host made an appearance…
August 1, 2024
Why is a powerful vampire assassin wearing leggings and crop tops???!!!
September 1, 2025
An entire book of reading *cue southern accent* “Brynleigh” every five seconds should be illegal. I do believe it is a form of psychological warfare and is a clear act of aggression towards the reader.
Other than the main characters name being like nails on a chalkboard, this book was subpar at its best. The beginning was interesting and I was ready to read more about this bad ass vamp chic on the road to revenge, but sadly that feeling didn’t last long.
From the very first conversation this dumb dumb head had with her mark, we the reader were taken on a violent and unwelcome merry go round ride of death. Death by what exactly? Oh thank you so much for askin-DEATH BY THE SAME FUCKING EMOTIONS BEING THROWN AT US OVER AND OVER AND OVER!! I hate this fae I need to kill him — wait I think I kinda like this fae dude — I wanna bang this fae —- and lather rinse repeat.
And let me be clear, these emotions our fmc was experiencing were the epitome of tell don’t show. I had no emotional connection to her or the mmc and yet I was constantly being lead down the path of her wanting to fuck his brains out. Honestly I was more connected to her when she wanted to kill him… I still want her to kill him!
Don’t even get me started on the not so subtle surprise of finding out *gasp* whaaatt it wasn’t even him that killed her family, it was his sister?!? Well shit bang, what a sweet pretty bow that was wrapped in for us so we should have no qualms about her liking this dude after all!
NO! We want to wrestle with liking this character that’s the whole point of enemies to lovers! Sweet baby Jesus help us all, this book was a disaster from the beginning.
Other than the main characters name being like nails on a chalkboard, this book was subpar at its best. The beginning was interesting and I was ready to read more about this bad ass vamp chic on the road to revenge, but sadly that feeling didn’t last long.
From the very first conversation this dumb dumb head had with her mark, we the reader were taken on a violent and unwelcome merry go round ride of death. Death by what exactly? Oh thank you so much for askin-DEATH BY THE SAME FUCKING EMOTIONS BEING THROWN AT US OVER AND OVER AND OVER!! I hate this fae I need to kill him — wait I think I kinda like this fae dude — I wanna bang this fae —- and lather rinse repeat.
And let me be clear, these emotions our fmc was experiencing were the epitome of tell don’t show. I had no emotional connection to her or the mmc and yet I was constantly being lead down the path of her wanting to fuck his brains out. Honestly I was more connected to her when she wanted to kill him… I still want her to kill him!
Don’t even get me started on the not so subtle surprise of finding out *gasp* whaaatt it wasn’t even him that killed her family, it was his sister?!? Well shit bang, what a sweet pretty bow that was wrapped in for us so we should have no qualms about her liking this dude after all!
NO! We want to wrestle with liking this character that’s the whole point of enemies to lovers! Sweet baby Jesus help us all, this book was a disaster from the beginning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2024
this was… mundane to say the least. the whole love is blind plot was fun but entirely too modern for a fantasy book to at least make it feel immersive 😭 the writing style was also not it… felt like wattpad! there was literally no depth to these characters and was very one dimensional. it was a fun read but a waste of time
July 14, 2024
Bad writing meets Vampire, meets the Love Island Villa
February 16, 2025
Obvs Ryker isn't gonna die, it's a damn duet book.
I could see the ending from miles away.
Hopefully second book won't be a disappointment.
I could see the ending from miles away.
Hopefully second book won't be a disappointment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2024
This is my first ever ARC invitation to read, so thank you so much to the author!
This book is definitely a great concept! I am a fan of love is blind and fantasy, and this book delivers both. It’s what I really loved about the book, the relationship that builds between Brynleigh and Ryker is cute and the enemy to lovers trope is wonderful as always.
Pros:
-world was a modern fantasy, described as a crescent city-esc world and that’s accurate
-the “choosing” was basically like the hunger games of this world, without the child death, cool idea to have it be broadcast for the whole nation
-Rykers POV was the more enjoyable one to read, I feel like his character was more well developed
-the build up of the relationship between B & R is nice to read
Cons:
-character names, Brynleigh, Jelisette? Just distractingly bad in my opinion, I really wish we had gotten a nickname or something.
-the choosing just felt half done, maybe there could have been production assistants to push some of the characters, Valentina was an interesting character and we really didn’t see any drama really which would have made the story more interesting.
-repetitive issue for the FMC was annoying, 100% understand that it was the main issue of the book but having to hear her think the same couple of sentences every chapter got old
Overall I’d like to read the next book just to see where this story goes after B and R leave off on rocky ground!
This book is definitely a great concept! I am a fan of love is blind and fantasy, and this book delivers both. It’s what I really loved about the book, the relationship that builds between Brynleigh and Ryker is cute and the enemy to lovers trope is wonderful as always.
Pros:
-world was a modern fantasy, described as a crescent city-esc world and that’s accurate
-the “choosing” was basically like the hunger games of this world, without the child death, cool idea to have it be broadcast for the whole nation
-Rykers POV was the more enjoyable one to read, I feel like his character was more well developed
-the build up of the relationship between B & R is nice to read
Cons:
-character names, Brynleigh, Jelisette? Just distractingly bad in my opinion, I really wish we had gotten a nickname or something.
-the choosing just felt half done, maybe there could have been production assistants to push some of the characters, Valentina was an interesting character and we really didn’t see any drama really which would have made the story more interesting.
-repetitive issue for the FMC was annoying, 100% understand that it was the main issue of the book but having to hear her think the same couple of sentences every chapter got old
Overall I’d like to read the next book just to see where this story goes after B and R leave off on rocky ground!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2024
Eh. Nothing really happens, and what does is predictable. Not terribly interested in the next one.
November 23, 2024
If Love is Blind and a Hallmark movie had a baby but make it ~*•fantasy•*~
February 23, 2024
RUN, don’t walk, to go buy yourselves a copy of Elayna R. Gallea’s latest masterpiece. A Game of Love and Betrayal is like Love is Blind, if there were vampires, shifters, werewolves, elves, fae, and more. And also if your favorite contestant wanted to kill the man who was falling for her. While Ryker (MMC) and Brynleigh (FMC) fall for each other, you will fall for them both.
Ryker is initially hesitant to join the Choosing, but does so to please his family. Brynleigh, on the other hand, jumped at the opportunity to participate in the Choosing and avenge her family. She just never anticipated that the man she’s been dreaming of killing for years would be…. a good and likable, maybe even lovable, person.
A Game of Love and Betrayal is engaging from the start, hard to put down, and overall just such a pleasantly unique twist in the fantasy romance category. I would rate the overall spice level a 2/5 🌶️. Be warned: this book will leave you on a cliff hanger and desperately wanting the second book.
Ryker is initially hesitant to join the Choosing, but does so to please his family. Brynleigh, on the other hand, jumped at the opportunity to participate in the Choosing and avenge her family. She just never anticipated that the man she’s been dreaming of killing for years would be…. a good and likable, maybe even lovable, person.
A Game of Love and Betrayal is engaging from the start, hard to put down, and overall just such a pleasantly unique twist in the fantasy romance category. I would rate the overall spice level a 2/5 🌶️. Be warned: this book will leave you on a cliff hanger and desperately wanting the second book.
October 17, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Automatic 5 star for me!!
Spice : 3.5/5🌶️🙂↕️🤪
This one had me hooked from the beginning! “The choosing” is almost identical to how the show “love is blind” is set up but with some twists!
The plot is set up immediately which I really enjoy! The world building was very easy to follow & the pace of the story was exactly how I like!! 😚🤌🏽
Our main female character Brynleigh’s internal dialogue had me rolling at times. I love the way she was written! As a girlie myself I have thought some of these same things 🤣 also shes a freaking vampire 😛 it’s hard not to fall in love with her!
Now our main male character Ryker.. he is quite the specimen! He has so much masculine energy it’s quite easy to see why Brynleigh finds it hard to resist his charm! The romance between these two was very hot!
He is definitely approved to be on my book BF list 🤣 I may have to make a book gf list just cause of Brynleigh!
The ending of course leaves us in SHAMBLES - not how I expected that to go at all but with the next book in hand, I’m all the way ready to go 🪑🍸
Spice : 3.5/5🌶️🙂↕️🤪
This one had me hooked from the beginning! “The choosing” is almost identical to how the show “love is blind” is set up but with some twists!
The plot is set up immediately which I really enjoy! The world building was very easy to follow & the pace of the story was exactly how I like!! 😚🤌🏽
Our main female character Brynleigh’s internal dialogue had me rolling at times. I love the way she was written! As a girlie myself I have thought some of these same things 🤣 also shes a freaking vampire 😛 it’s hard not to fall in love with her!
Now our main male character Ryker.. he is quite the specimen! He has so much masculine energy it’s quite easy to see why Brynleigh finds it hard to resist his charm! The romance between these two was very hot!
He is definitely approved to be on my book BF list 🤣 I may have to make a book gf list just cause of Brynleigh!
The ending of course leaves us in SHAMBLES - not how I expected that to go at all but with the next book in hand, I’m all the way ready to go 🪑🍸
December 24, 2024
Stop this is the first book i found because of an author promotion that i loved?????? Huh?????? Like i was hooked????? Tf????? Love is blind x the selection????? AND I ATE THAT SHIT UP LIKE IVE BEEN STARVING????
Want to read
December 24, 2024I need to read this NOW. I can feel it right to my DNA.
Damn work getting in the way.
I just know that this was made for me 🤣
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Update (24/12/24): DNFing this for now. I started this over a month ago and now don’t feel like picking it up again. I’m at 19%. I might return to it someday, but the idea of picking this up after a month turns me off 🙅🏼♀️ I feel like high fantasy - not a world where theirs paranormal beings AND ai. Ugh.
Damn work getting in the way.
I just know that this was made for me 🤣
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Update (24/12/24): DNFing this for now. I started this over a month ago and now don’t feel like picking it up again. I’m at 19%. I might return to it someday, but the idea of picking this up after a month turns me off 🙅🏼♀️ I feel like high fantasy - not a world where theirs paranormal beings AND ai. Ugh.
January 12, 2025
During this entire book your told how to feel. There is no lead up to guessing what to expect. Its an instant love match with romance scenes that feel forced into the book to add some smut. Very little actual plot to this book other then the bachelor style show that really doesn't give you much. There is some background rebel activity but we aren't told much of that. The ending ends in a cliffhanger that leaves me not caring what happens next as we are given no reason why the fmc ended up where she is to begin with. I will not be reading the second book.
December 26, 2024
DNF @ 70%
I made it 70% into this book before I decided not to finish it. As soon as she walked into that apartment, I walked out. The repetition was just too much at this point. Babes you didn’t have to make this a duet, I promise you could’ve just done the 500 page stand alone.
There were literally paragraphs upon paragraphs where we rehash what was said twenty times already. I couldn’t do it anymore. I had to free myself.
I made it 70% into this book before I decided not to finish it. As soon as she walked into that apartment, I walked out. The repetition was just too much at this point. Babes you didn’t have to make this a duet, I promise you could’ve just done the 500 page stand alone.
There were literally paragraphs upon paragraphs where we rehash what was said twenty times already. I couldn’t do it anymore. I had to free myself.
March 12, 2024
I have received an arc copy for this book ✨
Love is blind x Romantasy?! Sign me up!
Ryker and Brynleigh. This is the first book I read where the FMC is morally grey and has to do things she does not want to do, for the greater good. Or so she thinks.
I loved this story so much, the choosing, the love, the betrayal, the twists during the choosing, the characters found along the way. Brynleigh’s story was so sad and I did understand her motivation, however, it did pull me out of the story a little when she would mention over and over how hard this is.
Ryker was a great character, although this was the first time I read an MMC where he fell hard and fast - he seemed almost enchanted at times.
Their story was beautiful and best believe I cannot wait for the second book! That ending and the cliffhanger left me wanting more 🙌🏻
Love is blind x Romantasy?! Sign me up!
Ryker and Brynleigh. This is the first book I read where the FMC is morally grey and has to do things she does not want to do, for the greater good. Or so she thinks.
I loved this story so much, the choosing, the love, the betrayal, the twists during the choosing, the characters found along the way. Brynleigh’s story was so sad and I did understand her motivation, however, it did pull me out of the story a little when she would mention over and over how hard this is.
Ryker was a great character, although this was the first time I read an MMC where he fell hard and fast - he seemed almost enchanted at times.
Their story was beautiful and best believe I cannot wait for the second book! That ending and the cliffhanger left me wanting more 🙌🏻
March 19, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this romantasy with a dating show twist. Though set in an intriguing fantasy world (that I hope we get to explore more of in book two), this book introduces a somewhat modern concept with 'The Choosing' where males and females of various species (Fae, elf, vampire) participate in a blind dating competition to further their bloodlines and seek beneficial marriages. However Brynleigh, the FMC, is going in there not for love or marriage, but to kill. Brynleigh is a highly enjoyable character and Ryker (her target) is incredibly sweet and protective of those he cares about. I loved seeing Brynleigh battle with what she went there to do, versus what she felt after seeing Ryker's true nature. And that ending?? I definitely was not expecting it and I'll be watching out for book two to see what happens next.
March 8, 2024
Well, happy pub day to this book! I just also happened to finish it the day it comes out.
I loved everything about this book! I'm just mad it ended on a cliffhanger and I have to wait for book 2.
Imagine a book where Fae, vampires and shifters, galore, enter a dating competition (think Love is Blind). You get the dating drama, the fantasy elements, and more.
That's this book. I loved the writing style and became obsessed with Brynleigh and Ryker!
Don't mind me patiently waiting for book 2!
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙&𝘙 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘛𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬.
I loved everything about this book! I'm just mad it ended on a cliffhanger and I have to wait for book 2.
Imagine a book where Fae, vampires and shifters, galore, enter a dating competition (think Love is Blind). You get the dating drama, the fantasy elements, and more.
That's this book. I loved the writing style and became obsessed with Brynleigh and Ryker!
Don't mind me patiently waiting for book 2!
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙&𝘙 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘛𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬.
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