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Radiance #3
The Sword-Witch's Heart
Huddling for warmth—with a man he hates.
Rejected by his ruthless family and the god he betrayed them for, Leth is desperate for a chance to prove himself. A purpose for his sword and magic. Anything beyond the legacy of restraint and repression that’s broken him down again and again.
But his new quest comes with an infuriatingly familiar companion.
Evain draws power from human desire. Every heated glance or tender touch feeds the flames of his magic. He has little patience for a frigid sword-witch who hates anything demonic—but somehow, traveling with pretty Leth makes Evain feel stronger than ever.
On the rare occasion Leth deigns to look at him.
Wild magic and winter nights throw them together, and cracks start forming in their first impressions. Leth wants more than a purpose from Evain, and Evain wants more than heated glances from Leth. But Evain’s hiding a secret that could shatter their fragile trust: he isn’t human.
And Leth can’t afford weakness when his family’s out for blood.
The Sword-Witch’s Heart is a gay fantasy romance, with demons, hurt/comfort, huddling for warmth, and a friendly carnivorous demon horse.
Rejected by his ruthless family and the god he betrayed them for, Leth is desperate for a chance to prove himself. A purpose for his sword and magic. Anything beyond the legacy of restraint and repression that’s broken him down again and again.
But his new quest comes with an infuriatingly familiar companion.
Evain draws power from human desire. Every heated glance or tender touch feeds the flames of his magic. He has little patience for a frigid sword-witch who hates anything demonic—but somehow, traveling with pretty Leth makes Evain feel stronger than ever.
On the rare occasion Leth deigns to look at him.
Wild magic and winter nights throw them together, and cracks start forming in their first impressions. Leth wants more than a purpose from Evain, and Evain wants more than heated glances from Leth. But Evain’s hiding a secret that could shatter their fragile trust: he isn’t human.
And Leth can’t afford weakness when his family’s out for blood.
The Sword-Witch’s Heart is a gay fantasy romance, with demons, hurt/comfort, huddling for warmth, and a friendly carnivorous demon horse.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2022
132 people are currently reading
809 people want to read
About the author
Tavia Lark
29 books785 followersTavia Lark writes m/m fantasy romance and erotica. Her favorite romance tropes include hurt/comfort, sharing a bed, and enemies to lovers. She writes from a sunny little apartment with the constant "help" of her fluffy cat. He just really likes typing, okay.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
September 13, 2024
This book is exactly what I wanted it to be!!! A breath of fresh air compared to last one ngl… 😅. I absolutely loved Evain and Leth’s dynamic, the slow-burn was on point!! And everything gets a whole lot more interesting once we learn what Evain is 👀👀. A few rough spots in the plot here and there but otherwise everything seems to fit pretty nicely. Arthur and Shae return in this one and I was so happy to see them again 😌. Now for the big question, if this book can be read without reading “The Paladins Shadow” and I think it can. There were some major things that happened in the last book (including both Evain and Leth being introduced). However, I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to get the gist of what went down. Besides we have a completely different plot here so they won’t constantly be referring back to past events. Overall, I call this one a solid enemies to lovers mixed in with that slow-burn and good old hurt/comfort and I’m living for it!!
September 2, 2023
" I was wrong about you.”
Tercera y última parte de la trilogía Radiance. La verdad es que nada más terminar el segundo libro corrí a por el siguiente pidiendo mentalmente que la historia fuese de dicho personaje y voila, poco decir que me gustó tanto como el primer libro.
Siento que fue una historia interesante, aunque algunas escenas un poco densas, pero en general estoy bastante contenta con el resultado, además la autora te deja cerrada la trilogía bastante decente. Asimismo, tengo algunas pegas como es profundidad de personajes y escenario, pero lo importante es que me lo he pasado bien leyendo y es lo que importa.
Totalmente recomendada y no hagan caso a la portada.
Tercera y última parte de la trilogía Radiance. La verdad es que nada más terminar el segundo libro corrí a por el siguiente pidiendo mentalmente que la historia fuese de dicho personaje y voila, poco decir que me gustó tanto como el primer libro.
Siento que fue una historia interesante, aunque algunas escenas un poco densas, pero en general estoy bastante contenta con el resultado, además la autora te deja cerrada la trilogía bastante decente. Asimismo, tengo algunas pegas como es profundidad de personajes y escenario, pero lo importante es que me lo he pasado bien leyendo y es lo que importa.
Totalmente recomendada y no hagan caso a la portada.
July 8, 2022
I loved the first book in this series and had to DNF the second, so I had no clue what to expect with this one. While I do think in terms of context, it would have been ideal to have read the second book, I didn't feel overly lost here, thankfully, and I quite enjoyed it!
Both of the characters were interesting and I very much enjoyed their connection. Perhaps moved a bit quickly, but not so much that it felt too insta-love, and it did make sense given one of them is a lust demon, and they already knew each other. The plot was interesting, though I did think it got a little muddled in terms of ultimate goal, etc, and distracted by the romance. Not the most flawless of executions, but fun!
Both of the characters were interesting and I very much enjoyed their connection. Perhaps moved a bit quickly, but not so much that it felt too insta-love, and it did make sense given one of them is a lust demon, and they already knew each other. The plot was interesting, though I did think it got a little muddled in terms of ultimate goal, etc, and distracted by the romance. Not the most flawless of executions, but fun!
March 24, 2022
This is my favorite one out of the series for sure. Poor sad lonely Leth and his sad lonely bus ride vibes, and then cocky yet thoughtful Evain….the cutest combo. I don’t have much else to add tbh, demon puppy horse was adorable too.
March 3, 2022
Well, this book made me very giddy and satisfied 😍
I was already curious with Evain and Leth from the second book, The Paladin's Shadow. Evain flirts with everything that moves and it seems to aggravates Leth. I felt giddy with the potential sparks. And I was right... it was DELICIOUS!!
Evain hides a secret ( and after the Unbinding, Evain needs to keep the world safe by closing the rifts that can make demons come into the human's world. For that, Evain enlists several people (which includes our necromancer, Shae, and his knight fiancé, Arthur, from the first book, The Necromancer's Light) to help him.
Leth is not exactly happy to be part of the group but he has been rejected by the god he prays for, he doesn't have Valor, and his family hates him for being a 'traitor' (since Leth helps Ronan and the Locksmiths to unbind gods). This journey gives Leth purpose, even if he has to spend it with the infuriating Evain.
I LOVED THEIR STORY SO MUCH!! I loved how Evain took care of his little Leth - when he realized that Leth was attracted to him. I loved how Leth slowly gave in to his feeling for Leth. It was delicious, it was lovely, it was great! I loved every pages of this book. This is one of my most satisfying reads so far. So, 5-stars it is!!
I was already curious with Evain and Leth from the second book, The Paladin's Shadow. Evain flirts with everything that moves and it seems to aggravates Leth. I felt giddy with the potential sparks. And I was right... it was DELICIOUS!!
Evain hides a secret ( and after the Unbinding, Evain needs to keep the world safe by closing the rifts that can make demons come into the human's world. For that, Evain enlists several people (which includes our necromancer, Shae, and his knight fiancé, Arthur, from the first book, The Necromancer's Light) to help him.
Leth is not exactly happy to be part of the group but he has been rejected by the god he prays for, he doesn't have Valor, and his family hates him for being a 'traitor' (since Leth helps Ronan and the Locksmiths to unbind gods). This journey gives Leth purpose, even if he has to spend it with the infuriating Evain.
I LOVED THEIR STORY SO MUCH!! I loved how Evain took care of his little Leth - when he realized that Leth was attracted to him. I loved how Leth slowly gave in to his feeling for Leth. It was delicious, it was lovely, it was great! I loved every pages of this book. This is one of my most satisfying reads so far. So, 5-stars it is!!
July 21, 2022
A perfect little book. It had all the elements I love in a book (demons! emotional hair braiding! magic! horse!) and didn't drag anything out unnecessarily. What would've made this infinity stars is if the demon had an interesting dick but he had a boring old human dick. C'mon, Tavia, you can do better.
July 18, 2022
Oh...boy. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. Nearly every problem I had with Book 1 (The Necromancer's Light) was repeated here but unfortunately, the problems were even worse with this one. Plus, the author made specific plot choices that had been done differently (and much better) in Book 1, which added to my lack of enjoyment. All that being said, the story finally took off in the last 30% and that's where the book finally properly took advantage of its premise. Unfortunately, I can't in good conscience give a book more than 2 stars if I only enjoyed the last 30%.
(please excuse my dumbing down of fantasy elements in the following review; I'm terrible at remembering the technical terms and beautiful explanations that fantasy authors provide)
Rushed Enemies-To-Lovers Progression
Like in Book 1, the romance pacing in this book was terrible. However, Book 1 had Shae and Arthur go from strangers to friends to lovers. The strangers to friends part was extremely well done so only the friends to lovers part was rushed. In this book, we have the characters going from enemies to lovers and none of it was realistic. First - Leth had a fantastic reason for not liking Evain but unfortunately, that reason was never brought up during the main story. This was fantastic but I ended up disappointed when Leth never brings this up with Evain and it's never an issue. Leth's dislike for Evain seems to exist just because, which wasn't true and thus, it was wasted potential.
Making the enemies aspect worse is that Evain never truly dislikes Leth. We're told many times that he dislikes Leth but none of his behavior in the story supports this. Then there's the warpspeed at which the enemies aspect gets resolved. Basically, Leth can't stand Evain then they're forced to share a bed at an inn and Evain buys Leth new clothes, then Leth decides he actually likes Evain. Fast forward a few days and they're having sex, fast forward a week and they're declaring their love for each other.
As I said, Book 1's romance was also rushed but it was nothing compared to this situation. After getting to the climax plotline at 70%, I understood why the author had to get the romance to a certain point by then (basically, the outcome of the climax plotline depends on Evain and Leth being an established couple who are madly in love) but it still didn't excuse the bad pacing. If an author knows they're planning on writing a relatively short story (in fantasy terms) AND they need the MCs to start having sex at 50% and be 'in love' by 70%, it's ludicrous to start with them being firm enemies.
Too Many Pointless Side Characters
A big part of why the romance was even more rushed here than in Book 1 was the amount of page time given to pointless side characters. In Book 1, Shae and Arthur go on a quest together and nearly every scene involves them interacting with each other, which allows their relationship to progress. But in this book, the author made the unfortunate (IMO) choice to devote much of the first 50% to pointless side characters. Evain and Leth go on a quest but unlike in Book 1, they're part of a large group and I had to suffer through page after page of side characters bantering with each other, chit-chatting with either Evain or Leth and generally taking the attention away from the MCs.
In particular, I hated that the half a dozen female characters all seemed to have the exact same personality so I couldn't tell them apart (I'll refer to them as FCs (Female Clones) from here onwards). Plus, the FCs were all focused on romantic drama between themselves, which had nothing to do with Evain and Leth. When I'm reading an MM romance, I don't want the first half rushing the MM romance and constantly interrupting it for the sake of FF romance between side characters. Even worse - the FCs had NO IMPACT on the overall story, which meant I never cared about any of them. Sadly, this point was emphasized at the end of the story when Evain and Leth had successfully dealt with the big Bad Situation themselves, and then two FCs show up...and all they do is banter a bit before the group leaves.
To give credit where it's due, I was initially annoyed at Arthur and Shae being part of the pointless side character hoard where their only purpose was to be sappy and lovey-dovey (I know some readers love that but I don't). BUT - Shae's presence served a very important role near the end of the story and his existence (ie him being a necromancer) allowed a really cool twist to take place, so I was okay with it.
Evain Stole The Show
Evain was a wonderful character but unfortunately, he's the type who is a scene chewer. He was extroverted, physically stunning, powerful, rich, experienced and Leth couldn't compete with any of that. Leth was quiet, had very minimal magic skills, was younger, was smaller and weaker, had limited life experience and didn't have a lot of money/education/knowledge. Basically, Leth didn't bring anything to the table that would put him on equal footing with Evain. Even worse - Evain had such a big personality and had so many skills that Leth constantly faded into the background. The author kind of shot herself in the foot by making Leth's only superior skill be sword fighting...but then creating a very magic-based story where magic ability is much more important than swinging a sword around. The reason I loved Book 1's Shae and Arthur as a couple is because they both had strengths and weaknesses and most importantly, their weaknesses complimented the other person's strengths. But in this book, I didn't really care about Leth and I didn't understand why Evain was so crazy about him.
The Positives
As in Book 1, I liked the magical elements of this world and how the author set everything up in an interesting or understandable way. I skipped Book 2 so I had to scramble a bit to catch up with events, but my knowledge from Book 1 and the author's explanations in this one were enough for me to understand what was happening. In particular, I like how the author doesn't shy away from showing some of the darker magic that takes place in this world. In both books, there's an equal focus on god-based (good) magic and demon-based (bad) magic and the demon stuff is portrayed with the darkness and gore that it calls for.
In addition, I LOVED the final 30%. The first 70% of the story felt like the author was dragging her feet, meandering all over the place with no clear direction but the final 30% was fantastic. Readers know from the start of the story that so I was anxiously awaiting that reveal and I knew it would lead to the temp-break-up-at-70%. The reveal happened in a really unexpected way, which was great! I thought there would be a big lead up or a big climactic battle or something, but there wasn't. It was a quiet moment where Evain isn't expecting his cover to be compromised and that made the situation even more heartbreaking when Leth figures things out. That was really well done.
Lastly, the author did an absolutely FANTASTIC job pulling together nearly every plot thread and important character (note: FCs were obviously not included) to create an intense, emotional and meaningful final climax and resolution. Evain's true nature and his relationship with Leth were essential, as was Leth's history with the military and his strained relationship with his brother. The author also used Shae's presence and him being an necromancer to add even more intense drama to the situation. Everything was incredibly well done.
I only wish the rest of the book had been plotted as well as the final 30% had been.
(please excuse my dumbing down of fantasy elements in the following review; I'm terrible at remembering the technical terms and beautiful explanations that fantasy authors provide)
Rushed Enemies-To-Lovers Progression
Like in Book 1, the romance pacing in this book was terrible. However, Book 1 had Shae and Arthur go from strangers to friends to lovers. The strangers to friends part was extremely well done so only the friends to lovers part was rushed. In this book, we have the characters going from enemies to lovers and none of it was realistic. First - Leth had a fantastic reason for not liking Evain but unfortunately, that reason was never brought up during the main story. This was fantastic but I ended up disappointed when Leth never brings this up with Evain and it's never an issue. Leth's dislike for Evain seems to exist just because, which wasn't true and thus, it was wasted potential.
Making the enemies aspect worse is that Evain never truly dislikes Leth. We're told many times that he dislikes Leth but none of his behavior in the story supports this. Then there's the warpspeed at which the enemies aspect gets resolved. Basically, Leth can't stand Evain then they're forced to share a bed at an inn and Evain buys Leth new clothes, then Leth decides he actually likes Evain. Fast forward a few days and they're having sex, fast forward a week and they're declaring their love for each other.
As I said, Book 1's romance was also rushed but it was nothing compared to this situation. After getting to the climax plotline at 70%, I understood why the author had to get the romance to a certain point by then (basically, the outcome of the climax plotline depends on Evain and Leth being an established couple who are madly in love) but it still didn't excuse the bad pacing. If an author knows they're planning on writing a relatively short story (in fantasy terms) AND they need the MCs to start having sex at 50% and be 'in love' by 70%, it's ludicrous to start with them being firm enemies.
Too Many Pointless Side Characters
A big part of why the romance was even more rushed here than in Book 1 was the amount of page time given to pointless side characters. In Book 1, Shae and Arthur go on a quest together and nearly every scene involves them interacting with each other, which allows their relationship to progress. But in this book, the author made the unfortunate (IMO) choice to devote much of the first 50% to pointless side characters. Evain and Leth go on a quest but unlike in Book 1, they're part of a large group and I had to suffer through page after page of side characters bantering with each other, chit-chatting with either Evain or Leth and generally taking the attention away from the MCs.
In particular, I hated that the half a dozen female characters all seemed to have the exact same personality so I couldn't tell them apart (I'll refer to them as FCs (Female Clones) from here onwards). Plus, the FCs were all focused on romantic drama between themselves, which had nothing to do with Evain and Leth. When I'm reading an MM romance, I don't want the first half rushing the MM romance and constantly interrupting it for the sake of FF romance between side characters. Even worse - the FCs had NO IMPACT on the overall story, which meant I never cared about any of them. Sadly, this point was emphasized at the end of the story when Evain and Leth had successfully dealt with the big Bad Situation themselves, and then two FCs show up...and all they do is banter a bit before the group leaves.
To give credit where it's due, I was initially annoyed at Arthur and Shae being part of the pointless side character hoard where their only purpose was to be sappy and lovey-dovey (I know some readers love that but I don't). BUT - Shae's presence served a very important role near the end of the story and his existence (ie him being a necromancer) allowed a really cool twist to take place, so I was okay with it.
Evain Stole The Show
Evain was a wonderful character but unfortunately, he's the type who is a scene chewer. He was extroverted, physically stunning, powerful, rich, experienced and Leth couldn't compete with any of that. Leth was quiet, had very minimal magic skills, was younger, was smaller and weaker, had limited life experience and didn't have a lot of money/education/knowledge. Basically, Leth didn't bring anything to the table that would put him on equal footing with Evain. Even worse - Evain had such a big personality and had so many skills that Leth constantly faded into the background. The author kind of shot herself in the foot by making Leth's only superior skill be sword fighting...but then creating a very magic-based story where magic ability is much more important than swinging a sword around. The reason I loved Book 1's Shae and Arthur as a couple is because they both had strengths and weaknesses and most importantly, their weaknesses complimented the other person's strengths. But in this book, I didn't really care about Leth and I didn't understand why Evain was so crazy about him.
The Positives
As in Book 1, I liked the magical elements of this world and how the author set everything up in an interesting or understandable way. I skipped Book 2 so I had to scramble a bit to catch up with events, but my knowledge from Book 1 and the author's explanations in this one were enough for me to understand what was happening. In particular, I like how the author doesn't shy away from showing some of the darker magic that takes place in this world. In both books, there's an equal focus on god-based (good) magic and demon-based (bad) magic and the demon stuff is portrayed with the darkness and gore that it calls for.
In addition, I LOVED the final 30%. The first 70% of the story felt like the author was dragging her feet, meandering all over the place with no clear direction but the final 30% was fantastic. Readers know from the start of the story that so I was anxiously awaiting that reveal and I knew it would lead to the temp-break-up-at-70%. The reveal happened in a really unexpected way, which was great! I thought there would be a big lead up or a big climactic battle or something, but there wasn't. It was a quiet moment where Evain isn't expecting his cover to be compromised and that made the situation even more heartbreaking when Leth figures things out. That was really well done.
Lastly, the author did an absolutely FANTASTIC job pulling together nearly every plot thread and important character (note: FCs were obviously not included) to create an intense, emotional and meaningful final climax and resolution. Evain's true nature and his relationship with Leth were essential, as was Leth's history with the military and his strained relationship with his brother. The author also used Shae's presence and him being an necromancer to add even more intense drama to the situation. Everything was incredibly well done.
I only wish the rest of the book had been plotted as well as the final 30% had been.
June 8, 2024
Spicy!
October 29, 2022
This was by far the best book and best romance in the series. This one had a bit more substance and a LOT more chemistry between the mains.
March 11, 2022
Tags: fantasy, witch and desire demon, enemies to lovers, only one shrine in a snowstorm, going on a quest
This was really fun. It took me a few chapters to get into it, but then the rest flew by. Exactly the kind of story Tavia Lark does best. Would recommend.
This was really fun. It took me a few chapters to get into it, but then the rest flew by. Exactly the kind of story Tavia Lark does best. Would recommend.
March 27, 2022
I liked it! Book one is my absolute favourite. This was a solid 3.5/5 for me.
September 3, 2024
4.5 stars.
"Evain regrets desperately that he can’t take the time to chase him like he wanted to—to court him for weeks, months, years if need be, until Leth’s walls of restraint and distrust erode away."
It was a satisfying ending to a very enjoyable series.
This one was so much more sexy than the other two.
Leth was a character that really had my interest from the moment he appeared in the second book,he was someone who was hurt so much by the world but still tried his best to do the right thing and my heart hurt for him.
Evain was such a flirt and a very fun character to read about but when he was truly sincere he would melt your heart.
This couple was so hot,they were full of passion and love in equal measures and I loved that,the lust was balanced by the love.
I like how the author wrote both characters equal to each other and not one depending on the other,they both depend on each other(the same in the other two books in this series too).
The plot of the whole series was really interesting and I liked how in each book we have different arcs that are connected to the larger plot.
In conclusion this was a very fun series and I would definitely read more by this author .
P.S : I adore how each cover represents each protagonist and the power they posses and how each title represents what the love interest is for the protagonists .
"Evain regrets desperately that he can’t take the time to chase him like he wanted to—to court him for weeks, months, years if need be, until Leth’s walls of restraint and distrust erode away."
It was a satisfying ending to a very enjoyable series.
This one was so much more sexy than the other two.
Leth was a character that really had my interest from the moment he appeared in the second book,he was someone who was hurt so much by the world but still tried his best to do the right thing and my heart hurt for him.
Evain was such a flirt and a very fun character to read about but when he was truly sincere he would melt your heart.
This couple was so hot,they were full of passion and love in equal measures and I loved that,the lust was balanced by the love.
I like how the author wrote both characters equal to each other and not one depending on the other,they both depend on each other(the same in the other two books in this series too).
The plot of the whole series was really interesting and I liked how in each book we have different arcs that are connected to the larger plot.
In conclusion this was a very fun series and I would definitely read more by this author .
P.S : I adore how each cover represents each protagonist and the power they posses and how each title represents what the love interest is for the protagonists .
September 9, 2024
Edit after reread 2024/09: even better than I remembered. It's so swonny. I want the whole book tattooed on my skin
"I wish I could share my power with you," Evain says. "So you could feel in your soul exactly how much I want you too."
I like the premise of reluctant allies having to go on a magical quest together. This allows for a lot of fun tropes and some good hurt/comfort, including “Who Hurt You”, Huddling Together for Warmth, Only One Bed, Only One Tent, and (the superior trope, imo) Only One Horse. What a fun pairing too (and a big height difference with one MC being only 5"3, which I loved)! Leth is an uptight and serious sword-fighter/witch who is looking for a purpose after being rejected by his powerful family and the god he betrayed them for, while Evain is fun-loving drama queen that draws power from human desire (incubus-like). Both characters were part of Ronan’s group in the second book and we already knew they don’t get along, their personalities clashing a lot.
The magical aspect was fun: Evain could feel someone was lusting after him because he was gaining power, but was oblivious for a little while that it was coming from Leth. And once he knew, he was teasing, but also sweet with his attention and how he took care of Leth, even before anything sexual happened between them. And the desire magic created some fun “sorry, but I need to touch/kiss you NOW” scenarios. Both were great characters, I loved Evain’s dramatics and I really felt lonely for Leth. I loved their chemistry and I really felt all the tension, the yearning and the softness between them.
Those books aren’t standalone. Book 2 had a lot of world-building and allowed this one to be a little lighter on the plot and magic system explanations. It was slower-paced than the second book but more fun, in a way, and I couldn’t put it down. The writing is simple, but excellent imo, and the book hits all the little tropes and story beats I love. I liked all the cold/wintery feels of Lyrisenia. And I also love a magical demon carnivorous horse.
I received a free copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.
"I wish I could share my power with you," Evain says. "So you could feel in your soul exactly how much I want you too."
I like the premise of reluctant allies having to go on a magical quest together. This allows for a lot of fun tropes and some good hurt/comfort, including “Who Hurt You”, Huddling Together for Warmth, Only One Bed, Only One Tent, and (the superior trope, imo) Only One Horse. What a fun pairing too (and a big height difference with one MC being only 5"3, which I loved)! Leth is an uptight and serious sword-fighter/witch who is looking for a purpose after being rejected by his powerful family and the god he betrayed them for, while Evain is fun-loving drama queen that draws power from human desire (incubus-like). Both characters were part of Ronan’s group in the second book and we already knew they don’t get along, their personalities clashing a lot.
The magical aspect was fun: Evain could feel someone was lusting after him because he was gaining power, but was oblivious for a little while that it was coming from Leth. And once he knew, he was teasing, but also sweet with his attention and how he took care of Leth, even before anything sexual happened between them. And the desire magic created some fun “sorry, but I need to touch/kiss you NOW” scenarios. Both were great characters, I loved Evain’s dramatics and I really felt lonely for Leth. I loved their chemistry and I really felt all the tension, the yearning and the softness between them.
Those books aren’t standalone. Book 2 had a lot of world-building and allowed this one to be a little lighter on the plot and magic system explanations. It was slower-paced than the second book but more fun, in a way, and I couldn’t put it down. The writing is simple, but excellent imo, and the book hits all the little tropes and story beats I love. I liked all the cold/wintery feels of Lyrisenia. And I also love a magical demon carnivorous horse.
I received a free copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.
October 18, 2022
4.75
This was FABULOUS.
The perfect conclusion to this gorgeous, ridiculously fun trilogy. I'm going to miss these characters, and their completely bonkers found family so damn much.
Evain and Leth's journey towards love, and their much-deserved HEA, was magical to witness. Tavia Lark depicts a story that's enemies-to-lovers at its absolute finest, with all the secret pining, the hidden pasts and the sexual tension that a reader can wish for.
I absolutely adored both leads to bits: they're so different from one another, but they make so much sense together. Evain's a flirty, charming and absolutely lovely dream of a demon, and Leth's a prickly, grumpy badass, and their banter, the tension between them, their more sweeter, intimate moments... all of that was fantastic. PLUS, all the times Evain looked after Leth?! The coat, the scarf, the pill? GAH, Tavia Lark is a master at creating big, not-so-bad, scoundrels who are willingly and shameless wrapped around their love interest's finger.
And the plot was so gripping, and the world-building as magically vivid as the previous books.
I'm very sad to have finished this story, but I'm so looking forward to reading more of Tavia Lark's stories. I'm certain they're going to be as fantastic.
This was FABULOUS.
The perfect conclusion to this gorgeous, ridiculously fun trilogy. I'm going to miss these characters, and their completely bonkers found family so damn much.
Evain and Leth's journey towards love, and their much-deserved HEA, was magical to witness. Tavia Lark depicts a story that's enemies-to-lovers at its absolute finest, with all the secret pining, the hidden pasts and the sexual tension that a reader can wish for.
I absolutely adored both leads to bits: they're so different from one another, but they make so much sense together. Evain's a flirty, charming and absolutely lovely dream of a demon, and Leth's a prickly, grumpy badass, and their banter, the tension between them, their more sweeter, intimate moments... all of that was fantastic. PLUS, all the times Evain looked after Leth?! The coat, the scarf, the pill? GAH, Tavia Lark is a master at creating big, not-so-bad, scoundrels who are willingly and shameless wrapped around their love interest's finger.
And the plot was so gripping, and the world-building as magically vivid as the previous books.
I'm very sad to have finished this story, but I'm so looking forward to reading more of Tavia Lark's stories. I'm certain they're going to be as fantastic.
July 10, 2022
what surprised me most about this series is how different each of the books were to be honest. each had a totally unique story that was captivating in its own way. shae's story is still my most favorite but the other two are a close second.
February 28, 2022
I enjoyed The Sword-Witch's Heart more than I thought I would. The reluctant allies going on a heroic quest together with characters that are almost the total opposite of one another made for interesting shenanigans and tropes to be used throughout the story. Leth, the serious and uptight sword-witch who is looking for a purpose in his life after having lost his family and the blessing of his deity openly dislikes Evain, the fun-loving, utterly extra demon of desire who makes no qualms that he finds Leth desirable. Both have been previously introduced in The Paladin's Shadow and this book really fleshed them out. I enjoyed the journey I had with these two and I grew really fond of them.
The additional lore we got here is intriguing and I'd love if the other places could be explored more if ever there would be other books in this universe. The magical aspect is fun and did open doors to a lot of tropes which were done nicely. The pacing of this book is just right with enough focus being given to the characters, advancement of the general plot and the development of the romantic relationship. The writing is simple and straightforward which suited the story. I love the overall vibe of Lyrisenia and I am quite happy to see Shae and Arthur in this story.
Definitely recommend reading the series in general.
This would be a 4.25 stars out of 5 stars.
I received an ARC of this book and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
The additional lore we got here is intriguing and I'd love if the other places could be explored more if ever there would be other books in this universe. The magical aspect is fun and did open doors to a lot of tropes which were done nicely. The pacing of this book is just right with enough focus being given to the characters, advancement of the general plot and the development of the romantic relationship. The writing is simple and straightforward which suited the story. I love the overall vibe of Lyrisenia and I am quite happy to see Shae and Arthur in this story.
Definitely recommend reading the series in general.
This would be a 4.25 stars out of 5 stars.
I received an ARC of this book and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
March 25, 2023
March 2023 re-read: I probably enjoyed this a bit more on re-read, but it’s still my least favorite of the Radiance trilogy. I think establishing the animosity between these characters entirely in book 2 was a mistake, because it makes Leth’s change of heart less impactful, and Evain’s previous annoyance with Leth seem less plausible. But I loved their interactions in this book, especially Evain’s surreptitious caretaking, and felt they were well-matched. The non-romance plot was compelling and made me wish for more stories in this world. I wish this book had been longer so both the romance and the non-romance plot could have been more fully explored.
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Original review: I didn’t love this quite as much as the previous book in the series, but it was still a solid read. The excellent worldbuilding from the first two books continues, and if anything I wished there had been more history provided for both of our MCs, because both were linked to some longstanding factions/places that we haven’t read much about in the series. Leth and Evain had exactly the dynamic I was hoping for after their introduction in book 2, though I would have liked it if the animosity phase of this book had lasted longer; the reasons they’re at odds are developed more in the previous book than in this one. I’m not sure if Lark plans to continue the series further, but if not, this is a good way to round it out.
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Original review: I didn’t love this quite as much as the previous book in the series, but it was still a solid read. The excellent worldbuilding from the first two books continues, and if anything I wished there had been more history provided for both of our MCs, because both were linked to some longstanding factions/places that we haven’t read much about in the series. Leth and Evain had exactly the dynamic I was hoping for after their introduction in book 2, though I would have liked it if the animosity phase of this book had lasted longer; the reasons they’re at odds are developed more in the previous book than in this one. I’m not sure if Lark plans to continue the series further, but if not, this is a good way to round it out.
October 23, 2024
4.5 stars, my favorite out of the three!!!
February 18, 2024
2024 re-read: Past-me was right, I did indeed enjoy this re-read, two years later.
2022 review:
I've enjoyed all three of these books so much; Lark had some kind of direct line to Terri's Ideal Fantasy Romance Series with the great characters and the exemplary worldbuilding. I enjoy the author's prose and humor, and she can write a good sex scene--mostly because it's clear that they're love scenes, whether the characters are there yet or not.
This particular pair has been at odds the entire time, so nothing's easy. Until it finally is. Before all hells break loose. I look forward to reading them all again in a few years.
2022 review:
I've enjoyed all three of these books so much; Lark had some kind of direct line to Terri's Ideal Fantasy Romance Series with the great characters and the exemplary worldbuilding. I enjoy the author's prose and humor, and she can write a good sex scene--mostly because it's clear that they're love scenes, whether the characters are there yet or not.
This particular pair has been at odds the entire time, so nothing's easy. Until it finally is. Before all hells break loose. I look forward to reading them all again in a few years.
March 1, 2022
I think I may have preferred this over the first book, though they are pretty neck and neck.
April 10, 2022
Love and adventure
This is the third and final book in the Radiance series
I have like each book progressively more as they build on the world and the characters
I really liked the relationship dynamics and the romance between the characters and I want more of it!
I'm sad it’s over but this gives me another three books to add to my would reread shelf
This is the third and final book in the Radiance series
I have like each book progressively more as they build on the world and the characters
I really liked the relationship dynamics and the romance between the characters and I want more of it!
I'm sad it’s over but this gives me another three books to add to my would reread shelf
December 7, 2024
4,5 ⭐️
I love when the MC is feral for his love interest. The yearning was a.ma.zing
I love when the MC is feral for his love interest. The yearning was a.ma.zing
February 25, 2022
I love Leth. He has integrity, heart, and so much skill, as well as a sincerity that not even his horrible family and the disappointing results (for him) of an act of extreme bravery and sacrifice can really make a dent in. Leth deserves all the good things, and has had precisely none of them, which is why, I think, I loved how much of Evain’s love is expressed through acts of care and comfort (as well as in other, more erotic ways, as you might expect from a demon who feeds on lust). There’s a strong “opposites attract” vibe between them, and while there’s ostensibly an enemies-to-lovers dynamic as well, precisely neither of them ever seem really sincere about the enemies part. Leth’s annoyance is really badly disguised attraction, and long before Evain figures that out he’s still utterly head over heels for Leth. (Face it, guys, if the completely oblivious paladin thinks you’re giving off couple vibes, those vibes are strong). Their mission is noble, the supporting characters are, with the exception of the villains, delightful. Many of them are, in fact, familiar faces, and it was also lovely to see the characters from previous novels in the series living their best lives, with plenty of love and happiness and humor. As a side note, three cheers for a certain demon “horse” who definitely deserves a few more adventures-- I wouldn’t be sad at all to see him make his way somehow into future books. All in all, a really enjoyable read.
*An ARC of this book was provided to me by the author and I have chosen to leave an honest review.*
*An ARC of this book was provided to me by the author and I have chosen to leave an honest review.*
October 16, 2022
That was great. What a satisfying trilogy. I think I liked this book the most, but still, each book held its own appeal. Here we have Leth and Evain, characters we met in the previous book and were told hated each other's guts. They embark on a dangerous journey with a company of mages (including some familiar faces from book one - shoutout to Shae and Arthur!) to seal up rifts between the demon and human realms. Guts are hated, attraction is fought, secrets are revealed and battle are waged. It was all the fantasy you could possibly want. Tavia Lark is a great author and world-builder, and she needs to keep doing what she's doing because it is working for me.
January 7, 2025
I can’t pick a favorite!
I loved all three books in this series. I thought this one was going to be almost enemies to lovers, but it went a different direction than I expected (but adored). There were some fun twists on the “only one bed” trope (only one tent! Only one horse!) and lots of exciting action/adventure. One thing I didn’t anticipate is how *sweet* these two would be together. The *spoiling* that takes place… I am so here for it!!! This entire trilogy is a strong recommend from me.
I loved all three books in this series. I thought this one was going to be almost enemies to lovers, but it went a different direction than I expected (but adored). There were some fun twists on the “only one bed” trope (only one tent! Only one horse!) and lots of exciting action/adventure. One thing I didn’t anticipate is how *sweet* these two would be together. The *spoiling* that takes place… I am so here for it!!! This entire trilogy is a strong recommend from me.
July 25, 2022
4.5 stars my favourite in the series.
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January 16, 2025
Character- 4/5
Plot- 4/5
Pacing- 3.75/5
Entertainment- 4.25
Rating- 4/5
This book is a return to form for this series, and follows one of the more interesting side characters from the 2nd book, Evain. A lustful and outrageous flirt, Evain is a very engaging character that has a somewhat turbulent relationship with our other point of view, Leth. Leth is a disgraced warrior that belongs to one of the original god worshipping sects that locked away their deity from the first two books. As a result of his upbringing, Leth has an less than polite view of Demons and those that contract with Demons, meaning Evain is on his shit list.
This creates a rather tense if not hilarious relationship between the two, with many of the funniest interactions coming from their back and forths. It also adds a little substance to their growing romantic connection, as they learn to overcome their preconceptions of one another in order to pursue something more together. This seems to be the main conflict of the book, with each character both having to overcome this flaw within themselves.
The plot facilitates the return of our first protagonists Arthur and Shae, who add enough to the story to justify their relevance, but not so much that they overshadow our new main pairing. The story itself lends itself to a simple story structure again, but with the additional world building and pre-established world, more time can be paid to developing the characters and flushing out their pasts. This provides the book with a lot more substance than its predecessors and gives us, the reader, more to chew on.
I think what people will enjoy the most about this book is the way in which our two main guys develop over time, allowing themselves to set aside their own personas, and show one another their true selves. Yeah this book is great, and contains quite a nice romance story in a interesting fantasy world. Considering this is the last book in the series, I was expecting a bit more finality in the plot, but it almost remains incomplete, which I would say is the main outstanding flaw in this one. Other than that, yeah i'd recommend this nice little read.
Plot- 4/5
Pacing- 3.75/5
Entertainment- 4.25
Rating- 4/5
This book is a return to form for this series, and follows one of the more interesting side characters from the 2nd book, Evain. A lustful and outrageous flirt, Evain is a very engaging character that has a somewhat turbulent relationship with our other point of view, Leth. Leth is a disgraced warrior that belongs to one of the original god worshipping sects that locked away their deity from the first two books. As a result of his upbringing, Leth has an less than polite view of Demons and those that contract with Demons, meaning Evain is on his shit list.
This creates a rather tense if not hilarious relationship between the two, with many of the funniest interactions coming from their back and forths. It also adds a little substance to their growing romantic connection, as they learn to overcome their preconceptions of one another in order to pursue something more together. This seems to be the main conflict of the book, with each character both having to overcome this flaw within themselves.
The plot facilitates the return of our first protagonists Arthur and Shae, who add enough to the story to justify their relevance, but not so much that they overshadow our new main pairing. The story itself lends itself to a simple story structure again, but with the additional world building and pre-established world, more time can be paid to developing the characters and flushing out their pasts. This provides the book with a lot more substance than its predecessors and gives us, the reader, more to chew on.
I think what people will enjoy the most about this book is the way in which our two main guys develop over time, allowing themselves to set aside their own personas, and show one another their true selves. Yeah this book is great, and contains quite a nice romance story in a interesting fantasy world. Considering this is the last book in the series, I was expecting a bit more finality in the plot, but it almost remains incomplete, which I would say is the main outstanding flaw in this one. Other than that, yeah i'd recommend this nice little read.
August 3, 2022
Third (and final book, for now ?) in the Radiance series ~
Plot: Finally a book that seemed more interesting than the other two ! The whole plot was kinda simple but still hooked me, we can say the same about the romance where they didn't just fall into each other arms 🤌
Main Characters: We're back with two Locksmiths members, Leth and Evain, one is rejected by everything and everyone, the other hide a big secret (no not that you wicked mind 😏)
What could possibly go wrong ?
EVERYTHING !!!
We have the typical ennemies to friends (?) to lovers and YES YOU GOT ME AT THAT TROPE 😗
I loved seeing they relationship evolve, the little dance around each other and how stupidly horny they're !
Of course once Leth got hold of Evain's secret everything started going to shit, that was necessary to make they reunion more meaningful though.
They're my favorite couple that's for sure, I need more of them now 🥹
Side Characters: Helloooo my baby Shae and his golden retriever are back!!! *Scream into the abyss*
That made me so happy 🥹
We have others characters back like: Ronan, Karis, Freya and Tanner
But news ones too: Mara, Haldis, Tanny, Bricks, Darren and some more
Of course the evil guy is easily guessable but the power of love (literally, I'm not lying...no really believe me 🧑🦼) end up kicking his ass so everything end up well 😗✌️
Rating: 5/5* Leth and Evain deserve their HEA 🧡
Plot: Finally a book that seemed more interesting than the other two ! The whole plot was kinda simple but still hooked me, we can say the same about the romance where they didn't just fall into each other arms 🤌
Main Characters: We're back with two Locksmiths members, Leth and Evain, one is rejected by everything and everyone, the other hide a big secret (no not that you wicked mind 😏)
What could possibly go wrong ?
EVERYTHING !!!
We have the typical ennemies to friends (?) to lovers and YES YOU GOT ME AT THAT TROPE 😗
I loved seeing they relationship evolve, the little dance around each other and how stupidly horny they're !
Of course once Leth got hold of Evain's secret everything started going to shit, that was necessary to make they reunion more meaningful though.
They're my favorite couple that's for sure, I need more of them now 🥹
Side Characters: Helloooo my baby Shae and his golden retriever are back!!! *Scream into the abyss*
That made me so happy 🥹
We have others characters back like: Ronan, Karis, Freya and Tanner
But news ones too: Mara, Haldis, Tanny, Bricks, Darren and some more
Of course the evil guy is easily guessable but the power of love (literally, I'm not lying...no really believe me 🧑🦼) end up kicking his ass so everything end up well 😗✌️
Rating: 5/5* Leth and Evain deserve their HEA 🧡
May 30, 2025
This is probably my favorite couple of the 3 Radiance books - a highly disciplined warrior witch who is the runt of the prestigious family who mistreated and abandoned him paired with a desire demon who wants nothing more than to spoil and press care into him for a shared lifetime of centuries? Come on, it's not even close. (Despite my enduring love for my brat Karis in book 2.)
Plot and depthwise, this is probably somewhere between books 1 and 2, definitely more plot and secondary characters than 1, but the plot pulls in a little closer to more personal stakes rather than world and spiritual ones. (Not that there aren't world stakes involved, just to a lesser degree.) The secondary characters didn't pull me in as much this time (with the exception of the wonderful return of Shae and Arthur), and I feel like the real fear and danger of climax got diffused before it could really get going, but those are really my only gripes with this one.
Really enjoyed this series, definitely going to check out more of Lark's work.
Plot and depthwise, this is probably somewhere between books 1 and 2, definitely more plot and secondary characters than 1, but the plot pulls in a little closer to more personal stakes rather than world and spiritual ones. (Not that there aren't world stakes involved, just to a lesser degree.) The secondary characters didn't pull me in as much this time (with the exception of the wonderful return of Shae and Arthur), and I feel like the real fear and danger of climax got diffused before it could really get going, but those are really my only gripes with this one.
Really enjoyed this series, definitely going to check out more of Lark's work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2023
Another one I really enjoyed (although, yes, I skipped book 2 because I'm nothing if not a vibes reader with my kindle books). The characters here were enjoyable and I really liked the worldbuilding and continued exploration of religion and culture, which worked well. Both Leth and Evain were fun characters to read, and although I felt like there was a bit of lack of development, that was probably on me for skipping book 2, so I'm not holding that against this one. I do still have a bit of an issue with the pacing with these relationships, which seem to develop really well but then as soon as the couple gets together, they're totally in love and ready to get married. I guess I just want to see more of the actual relationship develop, rather than just the build up. But this was still very engaging with a good blend of action and romance and an exciting and creative climax and ending. Just like with book one, I'd recommend this one to someone into this similar comfort genre I've stumbled into of queer fantasy romance
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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