Dreams of Ash and Smoke

by Brooke Marie

The first in this standalone romantasy series, Dreams of Ash and Smoke is for lovers of marriage of convenience, dual povs, and fated mates.

"You are the shining star in my dark night sky and I will cherish you always."

Verena was promised to the prince of Zorya, but fate had other plans. After enduring abuse and hardship for the sake of this kingdom, she escapes and makes a deal with the king of the northern kingdom.

King Eryx of Khyrel suffered a tragic loss and now faces a cryptic prophecy about his future. When a mysterious fae appears with an offer that could save his kingdom, Eryx agrees to a convenient marriage with Verena.

As war looms and secrets are revealed, their fate hangs in the will they destroy their continent or ensure its prosperity?

(Please note this is a debut novel independently published. There might be some errors or mistakes but please don't let that take away from the story. Feel free to let the author know in a review or in a message about any mistakes you might find. Thank you.)

Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance

358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 8, 2024

Reviews

[Lillie Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super impressed by this debut author's work! I was fully engaged with the characters and plot the whole time - it was sparkly and fun while still high stakes. The cover is beautiful! I enjoyed this better than some of the viral booktok romantasy novels- so I really hope it gets some of that traction and love! I will be recommending it and reading the next installment for sure.

[Abby Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personally loved it, had a great story line loved the characters. Cover is also super cute , could use a little more dialogue between characters but over all great book !

[Molly | mollysbookself · Rating 3 out of 5]

This debut fantasy novel offers a compelling plot with easy to understand world-building and intriguing characters. Verena and Eryx’s journey is filled with unexpected twists and an engaging exploration of fate versus free will. The author’s creativity shines through in the layered relationships and the high-stakes political dynamics between kingdoms.

However, the story would benefit from additional editing to enhance its clarity and flow. Some sections felt rough around the edges, which occasionally pulled me out of the immersive experience. With some polish, this book could truly shine and reach its full potential.

That said, for a debut, it’s clear the author has a lot of promise. I look forward to seeing their growth in future works!

[Tasha Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like the story had a good plot but there were often times where I would read and re-read what I had just read because I feared I was missing something, only to discover I was not. Often times we would jump from one location to another and it felt like the book was rushed. I wish I knew a little more backstory on the main characters as opposed to the little information that was introduced.

I think the book overall had great potential and would love to see some additional editing for the sake of flow.