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Mourning Dove Weep

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Guard your heart. The dead don't grieve when the living rot.

There are skeletons in every hall, carved on almost every wall, and depicted in the stained glass windows that line the enormous gothic castle. Ophelia is kidnapped from her student loans and brought to live among the nocturnal Unseelie Fae in Edgemoor, their capitol city of “Death”. Assassinations become a nightly occurrence, and she is terrified that she will be next. Valerius, the High King who arranged her kidnapping, has more planned for her. Not that he’s willing to share.

Mourning Dove Weep is a character driven dark fantasy romance about near-immortals and fated mates except the main characters are twenty-three and have no idea what they’re doing. 
* Illustrations by the Author with character portraits at the head of each chapter. 
* Multi-POV. 
* It is the first book of a planned duet.

From the Back Cover:

She’s spent her entire life wishing for him. He’s spent his entire life hiding her. Two halves of one soul, mates aren’t meant to be apart.

A MORTAL WOMAN

Ophelia is overjoyed to be rescued from student loans and thrust into the magical world of the fae. Her curiosity is both her greatest strength and most dire weakness. She explores Edgemoor and its inhabitants, and grows ever uncertain about their intentions toward her and the real reason she is there. As her focus shifts from romance to murder, she’s terrified to find her fairytale adventure turning dark.

AN UNSEELIE HIGH KING

High King Valerius is a known madman who will stop at nothing to fulfill his purpose. No matter who stands in his way. He blames himself for his parent’s deaths, and he’s horrified by the prospect of losing anyone else. Little does he know, every step he takes to prevent his greatest fear makes it all the more likely.

A SEELIE COMMANDER

Commander Callan is a man on the brink. With his work nearly complete, he’s ready to concede to his broken heart and embrace oblivion.

Despite appearances, the three couldn’t be more alike. All twenty-three, all orphaned, and all fate-bound to save the world. They face the perils of a nation on the cusp of collapse while navigating obstacles that even centuries cannot provide an answer grief, love, and unity. When independence, the tool that helped them survive, becomes the knife in their backs, they must learn to work together. Easier said than done, and with the stakes extending beyond just their own fates, the price of failure is extinction.

643 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 2, 2024

4 people are currently reading
39 people want to read

About the author

T. Bobwhite

2 books3 followers

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5 stars
14 (40%)
4 stars
11 (31%)
3 stars
7 (20%)
2 stars
2 (5%)
1 star
1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
1 review
July 22, 2024
Woow!! I love this so much!! This is I believe a debut novel by the author and it is so fantastic.

I really love how the book was written. Very neat and well-written. The inner monologue matches the dialogues so well. I really like how it so not overly descriptive to the point that it overwhelms the reader. Barely notice a grammatical error or typos too! I love the buildup of the plot and the world-building, well-thought out. It is obvious how the author focuses on the details and successfully executed her visions on the story well. The characters are great too! I am not big on multiple point-of-views but somehow the author makes it works, other than that the leads are introduced well; as I move along the chapters, the story progresses and you've got to know more the characters, and it was like layers kept getting unfolded and it will leave you at the edge of your seat. Overall, despite having 30 + chapters, it did not bore me out of my mind, in fact it did the opposite. The chemistry between the MCs were intense and just so beautiful! I love the dash of spice and sprinkle of angst in this one. It worked very well. I am convinced and very much was a sobbing mess. A rollercoaster ride and we are just on book 1!

I was amazed and left wanting more! So I am excited to the future works that the author will put out. All in all, this is an awesome debut novel!

Thank youu for this! I received an ARC for free and is leaving a review voluntarily! So much love and luck to the author's writing career!
73 reviews3 followers
July 22, 2024
I got this book as an ARC

I really thought this was written amazingly. I loved the main character.

I look forward to learning how Valerius initially learned that Ophelia was his mate-did they meet in childhood?

My two complaints with the book are that some scenes felt like they were included to lengthen the book-it dragged in places a little

Secondly the word “cooed” in one chunk of the book was used waayyy too much.

Overall this book was incredible and I look forward to the sequel
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Trisha.
19 reviews2 followers
August 2, 2024
I really enjoyed this world the author came up with. It was well written and enjoyable. It was also great that it wasn't a short one. I love bigger books. Will I read the next one? Sure will!

I am glad to have been part of this ARC to experience this first of what I hope is many books by this author! I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Lily.
199 reviews5 followers
August 7, 2024
Disclaimer: Received this book as an ARC and am choosing to leave a review for potential readers, and even the author, in case there's anything helpful for Book 2.

I had so many thoughts and am trying to grasp the right words to describe my feelings as I was reading this book until I finished it. Overall, I can't wait for the sequel to come, as there are so many tangents left open from this first book. Questions on more of the past history across the kingdoms, personal stories, and so much more.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and its characters from the beginning, and my regret is not starting this book sooner. It had me wrapped up in the worlds created and the different beings that lived within, as well as those on the outskirts of each realm.

This book combines sci-fi fantasy with a bit of paranormal and romance. There's not enough graphic scenes to deem this book erotica, although it teeters on the possibilities, if the author wanted to take it down that path. The romance is a slow burn and pretty frustrating at times with many misunderstandings, wrong perceptions, both intentional and unintentional.

My most frustrating reaction throughout the book is the lack of transitions from one plot of the story to the next. The content was good, but it just didn't flow right for me. When reading it, often times, it started to distract me from the story that was unfolding. There are points where whether it's a buildup of emotions or buildup of suspense or a reveal about to happen, only to then be taken to another moment that seems totally unrelated, out of context. At times, I had to flip back to other pages to see if I had accidentally skipped or lost my place, while reading. One example is the randomness of the intimacy expressed in the book, that is sort of plopped here and there, with no buildup for it to come, some of which is minor and some a little more detailed. Another example, there are some action suspenseful moments in a chapter, only to move on to something completely different in the next scene, sometimes not even to a full chapter.

As for the main and supporting characters, I really wanted to know more about Ophelia, Valerius, and Callan. Some pieces of their past are touched on, and maybe there's more to come in the second book. This first book leaves more questions than answers, as to how the state of affairs are where they're at for the kingdom, and how these three are to play their part. I can also see other future books written and devoted to Callan and the other generals and supporting characters, if the author wanted to continue this world. For as much as Ophelia is supposed to be this being that saves the world, there are hardly any solid details given at all in this first book that make you believe in the prophecy. Maybe that's intentional.

Although the book has some flaws in its writing style, I do look forward to continuing this story!
Profile Image for Leah.
67 reviews1 follower
July 24, 2024
I received this book as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Just this year I've leaned into the dark romantasy genre. This book fits well into this category. Overall, I found the story interesting, with various characters (fae, vampires, orcs, humans, etc) with varied personalities. Ophelia is regularly underestimated, which I love. And it has a decent opening scene. Like many fantasy books, the beginning drags a little as the author builds her world. I felt like the author got really into describing scenery when the same attention to detail was not paid to character exchanges, at times.

I also felt like the main characters' personalities did a 180 from how we were originally introduced to them. I assume that's based on the trauma we learn about through the story but I don't think it was fully flushed out or explained such a change (can't get into details without spoilers).

It has several tropes - MMC falls first, strong FMC who wants love, miscommunication, amnesia, secrets, touch her and die, kidnapping.

It's a big book and ends on a cliffhanger - which I don't love but understand why when you are writing a series. Overall, I give it 3.5 stars but rounded it up to 4 and will most likely continue the series as it's published.
Profile Image for Lost in the Library23.
71 reviews8 followers
August 4, 2024
I really liked this book! I don’t typically go for portal fantasies because I find they take me too much out of the story but this one I didn’t mind.

Ophelia, the FMC, is whisked away to Fae land by Callan, the Fae assigned to watch and protect her in the human realm. After being taken to a gothic castle, Ophelia meets Velarius, the mysterious yet handsome High King. She feels an undeniable pull to him and let’s just say their first meeting is quite memorable.

This story follows the characters Callan, Ophelia, and Velarius as they grow closer and as secrets and prophecies are uncovered Ophelia will discover where she is truly meant to belong.

This is for you if you like…
🖤Slowwwwww burn
🗡️Morally grey characters
🖤Gothic castle setting
🗡️Fae
🖤Political intrigue
🗡️Touch her and ☠️

What I liked…
-The gothic ethereal setting
-Ophelia’s backbone
-The romance and sexual tension between Velarius and Ophelia

What I didn’t love….
-I felt like large portions of the book could’ve been taken out without detriment to the plot.
-I think there could’ve been a great opportunity for more tension between Callan, Ophelia, and Velarius. There were definite love triangle or why choose vibes that could’ve been more developed.
-Better spice payoff. I loved the steam and tension between the two MCs but the actual spice felt too little too late.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Spice: 1.5🌶️
Steam: 🔥🔥
Profile Image for Lydia.
612 reviews1 follower
July 31, 2024
To say this book was well-written is an understatement. It was poetic and very descriptive. Honestly the way it was written reminded me a bit of Circe by Madeline Miller. I would say this book isn’t one just for fun but more like you need to be solely invested in. The author wrote it in such an interesting way that you have to pay attention fully.
The relationships are so compelling and complex. Most of the book is given from Ophelia’s POV so you don’t necessarily understand why Callan and Valerius are doing the things they are. When you read their POVs, you don’t understand why Ophelia is the way she is. It takes a while to understand their motivations and reasonings for why they do things. The main trio are very self-sacrificing and it can be hard reading why they do things.
This book deals with really heavy topics that aren’t for the faint of heart. A few being SA (not by the MMCs or on page), child neglect and abuse, attempted murder, and more. Definitely be aware of the heavy nature of this book.
I really liked this book and am excited to see what follows.
I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Nalli Reisender.
8 reviews
July 29, 2024
This book got me from the beginning. You have High King Valerius, who just wants to protect everyone he cares about; Ophelia, who refuses to bow to anyone and will protect those she sees need it no matter the cost; and Callan, who is surviving, trying to do the things that need to be done. People are out to get them, and they have to protect each other while trying to fulfill a prophecy. There are secrets and some betrayal, and it all goes together perfectly. This was not a why choose or love triangle; it was three different people's POVs in the third person. I loved this story, especially toward the ending and the cliffhanger. I can’t wait for the next one. I loved how the FMC did what she wanted and didn’t tolerate people telling her to settle down and behave. And Valerius, he was the best, always looking out for her and trying to protect her. I will be not-so-patiently waiting for the next book!
Profile Image for Cawdy.
11 reviews1 follower
July 17, 2024
I received the Arc and let me tell you this book was STUNNING to read. The detail, lets talk about the detail written in this book. I am stunned that someone can describe the sunset and sunrise alone in so much detail without being repetitive or dragging on. The world was setup so beautifully and built upon every page in a way that I never questioned how anything looked or felt. The main characters were given such unique personalities that I have never seen before and it was so easy to fall in love with them all. This book sent me on such an emotional rollercoaster that I was never sure what would happen next.
Profile Image for Audra Hull.
45 reviews
July 20, 2024
I received an ARC of this book, and I am grateful to have done so.

I found Mourning Dove Weep to drag in the beginning. T.Bobwhite seems to get bogged down in details and it causes the story to start a little stilted. About halfway through things really start to pick up and get interesting. But then the end of the book felt rushed and it seems to stop abruptly on a cliffhanger. I would have liked to have some more insight into major events that happened in the book. There are some major plot points that I felt needed to be more fleshed out.

All that said, a really great debut book for T.Bobwhite! A very slow burn with a little bit of spice at the end.
28 reviews
August 6, 2024
Great story


A strong amazing story. It flowed along in a slow burn story in a well planned plot which is long reaching and calling too I really enjoyed the Main female character Ophelia. She was on and off the wall at times in her actions. It was enjoyable to watch her. I love the interactions between Valerius and her in their slow burn. It made me want to watch them hurry and get together already. Also, excellent world building with great maps which I always enjoy in fantasy stories to get oriented.
An over story to read though may take a few days to get through the complexity and roughness at times. I enjoyed it greatly.
28 reviews
Read
August 8, 2024
A strong amazing story. It flowed along in a slow burn story in a well planned plot which is long reaching and calling too I really enjoyed the Main female character Ophelia. She was on and off the wall at times in her actions. It was enjoyable to watch her. I love the interactions between Valerius and her in their slow burn. It made me want to watch them hurry and get together already. Also, excellent world building with great maps which I always enjoy in fantasy stories to get oriented.

An over story to read though may take a few days to get through the complexity and roughness at times. I enjoyed it greatly.
Profile Image for Jessica Gray Hawk.
192 reviews2 followers
August 30, 2024
Thank you to the author for the ARC.

When reading this, I enjoyed the characters and the world building. However, Ophelia's character was personally hard for me to like. She was a walking contradiction.

The three main characters are Ophelia, Valerius, and Callan.

I enjoyed the story, but at some point the pacing slows down very quickly and then it speeds up for an info dump and then goes back to dragging. I enjoyed the premise, enjoyed Valerius and Ophelia together, but ultimately the book fell short of my expectations.

With a bit of clean up to pace the story better, I think this could have been a 4 star read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Erin .
9 reviews
July 24, 2024
The world crafted by T. Bobwhite is truly breathtaking. The meticulous attention to detail enhances the story's beauty. Although I've read numerous fantasy books, none compare to this. "Mourning Dove Weep" is genuinely unique, as T. Bobwhite not only features fae but also incorporates other supernatural beings, making this remarkable masterpiece shine even brighter.

I really think it has potential for more than one book, all the characters and the story can have more than a book, i see a high potential on it
Profile Image for Lauren Penner.
147 reviews5 followers
August 2, 2024
First of all, Ophelia is utterly unhinged and I love it! So much fun to read! I laughed out loud at her many antics. Gleeful revenge iykyk. I never got bored and I loved all the characters. I liked that the MCs are 23. Don’t get me wrong though, I def don’t dislike the idea of a 100 year old Fae pining and waiting for his fated mate to come along, but this was so refreshing!

I’m really looking forward to whatever else Ophelia has up her sleeve in the next book. And I can’t wait to get a physical copy in my hands. They are gorgeous!

Fav tropes:
Fated mates ❤️
Slow burn 🔥
Touch her and ☠️
Morally grey everyone 🩶
Gothic castle 🏰
Fae 🧝‍♀️
Vampires 🧛
Shifters 🦌
Royalty 👑
Shadow Daddy 🖤
Secrets 🤫
Betrayal 💔
Feminine rage 🔊
Impending war ⚔️

Fav quote:
“It was a romance novel come to life, dreams do come true.”
^I’m still waiting for mine 😂

Thank you T. Bobwhite for this book! I loved it!
Profile Image for Lia's Haunted Library.
356 reviews45 followers
August 2, 2024

I loved how the author crafted the world, the lore, and many of the characters. However, about 40% of the book felt like it was filled with exposition and minute details. Normally, I wouldn't mind this, but for some reason, I found the main character hard to stand. While the other characters were well-defined and had distinct personalities, the main character seemed to try to embody too many traits at once. Despite this, it's a strong debut from the author.

I received an ARC in exchange for this review.
Profile Image for Nupur.
475 reviews11 followers
August 6, 2024
It was an amazing book. The way the narratives, the POVs, and the thoughts were written were just flawless. It had a smooth outcome that made the reading experience all so much better. I enjoyed the book. The world was perfectly built making the reading experience enjoyable and keeping me hooked. It wasn't boring at all.
The chemistry between Ophelia and Valerius was so beautiful and interesting. Callan was a sweet character too. The fates and the bounds were all too intense in a good way. These things only made me want more of it.
Recommended to all.
Profile Image for Hadassah Smith.
165 reviews4 followers
July 12, 2024
The world that T. Bobwhite creates is absolutely stunning. The attention to detail is phenomenal and makes the story even more beautiful. I've read many fantasy books, but nothing like this, Mourning Dove Weep is truly unique because not only does T. Bobwhite include fae in her story, but she also includes other supernatural creatures in her story as well, which makes this beautiful masterpiece stand out and shine even more.
Profile Image for Kat M.
5,249 reviews18 followers
August 19, 2024
I really enjoyed the illustrations of this book, it added to the enjoyment that I could picture them. The characters were everything that I wanted in this universe and were written perfectly. I enjoyed getting into this world and how everything flowed together. It was a strong start tot the Mourning Dove Chronicles series and am glad I got to read this. T. Bobwhite wrote this perfectly and can't wait for more.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Cerissa Nowell.
11 reviews3 followers
September 13, 2024
This book has really interesting characters! The world building was fantastic! My only complaint is that it felt kind of repetitive and there was a lot of miscommunication between the characters. I think if this turns into a series it has a lot of potential to be really good! I just wish there was a little less miscommunication and little more action. That cliffhanger though 👀

Very excited for the next one whenever it comes out!
16.7k reviews158 followers
July 15, 2024
She is about to be taken from her life in school to a castle where it is all dark. The king has plans for her but he will not tell her. Life is not going to be easy for her. How will it all go? Can she escape? What does he have in mind for her? See how it will all go
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
Profile Image for GKP2460 .
4,344 reviews73 followers
July 15, 2024
Valerius is the high king of the fae and Ophelia is over the top, twisted woman he's set his sights on. Mourning Dove Weep is not my typical read but I will admit, the storyline is well written and the characters are great. There were as many lol moments as there were serious moments and I loved how absolutely fierce Ophelia is over those she cares about.
173 reviews1 follower
July 16, 2024
like the book even though it is two parter.
I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gem books and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is where I say the author gives enough information.
So, I do not give anything away.
1,156 reviews7 followers
August 4, 2024
I felt the pacing was a bit slow and some parts confused me especially at the beginning but the story was still enjoyable nonetheless. I loved the beautiful artwork in the book.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
14 reviews
August 7, 2024
PROS: Well written, great world building, the characters balance one another out and twists are well paced.

CONS: Fast paced, jumps very quickly with an expectation of the reader having read fantasy before. Not for the first-time readers.
54 reviews
August 8, 2024
I was please with this book I will be reading it again. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that reads the description and goes “uh idk?” Hahaha it’s really good.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for quillsandpages.
247 reviews10 followers
September 23, 2024
Okay, I started the book late so As soon as I finished it I am here for the review.

The book is good, Good story, a good plot good characters, and some serious trauma. So do read the warnings before reading it.

on the whole, the book is good. I recommend it.
Profile Image for Sara Cayson.
435 reviews6 followers
July 22, 2024
This book was perfect and hot. I loved each and every single part of this book. The story was everything and more.

Profile Image for Eva.
20 reviews
August 1, 2024
I liked the overall story, it's very slow burn. I just didn't really like the main character all that much.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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