A Curse of Shadows

Wolves of Lunara #1

by Heather Renee

Everything I know is a lie.

For twenty-five years, I believed there wasn’t much to my mundane life. Then, the unimaginable happens, landing me in a world that shouldn’t be real, yet feels oddly familiar.

A father I didn’t know existed is dying and only their king can save him. Except he’s refusing to do so unless I make good on the contract I supposedly signed…five hundred years ago.

King Asher is beloved by his people, too attractive for his own good, and…a wolf god. He calls me his mate and his future queen, but I’m neither of those things. I’m just a human who was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

I’m not the lost wolf princess.

At least that’s what I tell myself until my memories start to return. I want to believe this is nothing more than a dream, but the longer I’m in Lunara, the more I realize…

My reincarnation didn’t just happen to go wrong. I was murdered, cursed to forever be reborn on Earth.

Now I need to figure out who’s responsible before it happens again and try not to lose my heart along the way.


This is the first standalone novel written within the Wolves of Lunara series. If you love wolf shifters, romantic fantasy, fated mates, reincarnation, and so much more, then you don't want to miss this one!

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy Romance

424 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2024

About the author

Heather Renee is a USA Today Bestselling author who lives in Oregon. She writes Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy novels with a mixture of romance, humor, and sass. Her love of reading eventually led to her passion of writing and giving the gift of escapism.

When Heather's not writing, she's spending time with her loving husband and beautiful daughter, going on their own adventures. She loves to hear from her fans, so visit her website: www.HeatherReneeAuthor.com and check out the Contact Me page for ways to connect.

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what I needed a fluffy fated mates romantasy ☺️

[Maizie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Curse of Shadows is the first standalone book in The Wolves of Lunara Series, and what a phenomenal read to start the series off!

🐺 Wolf Shifter Standalone
🐺 Fated Mates
🐺 Romantasy
🐺 Found Family
🐺 Mystery
🐺 Reincarnation
🐺 Secrets
🐺 Betrayals
🐺 Dual POV

This book is such a beautifully written friendship, respectful partnership, exquisite love story and truly addictive read. The world building was easy to understand and I enjoyed the inclusion of the Gods. There was lots of banter, mysterious goings on, lost memories returning, found family and of course, romantasy ❤️‍🔥

I adored the sassy FMC Isla and the Golden Retriever MMC Asher. Such strong characters and along with the side characters, I fell in love with them all. Well maybe not all of them, but as this is a spoiler free zone, when you read their story, you'll absolutely know who I mean!

Asher and Isla's love story was utterly heart warming and I adored it so much. The connection they shared and just how deep their love flowed was so precious.

The epilogue hinted about whom the second book, A Crown of Fates, would centre around, and I can't wait until I can feast my eyes on it. This new series of Heather's might gallop into the lead as my favourite series from her.

If you like dual POV, fast paced, suspenseful, angst filled, enthralling, heart pounding action and shifter romance, I highly recommend you don't get lost along the way and portal yourself straight into Polaris 💖🐺👑❤️‍🔥🫶

[Ashley Cestra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Wow. Wow. This is not my preferred genre, in fact I have been purposely ignoring Romantasy, because of all the hype… I’m not sure what got me to pick up this specific story but, boy was I wrong! A Curse of Shadows was FANTASTIC!
The plot was unbelievable, the characters felt so real and all the fantasy elements actually enhanced my enjoyment reading this book!
This author knocked it out of the park and I can’t wait for book 2!!!

[Gabrielle (belle.bookcorner) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a simple and spicy fantasy romance about found family, fated mates, alpha males who will only look at the FMC, wolf shifter and reincarnation then this one might be for you!

This story is told from dual POV, our main characters - Asher and Isla. The writing style is easy to read and the plot has a beauty and the beast vibes at the beginning.
I really like the world building with the portal between Lunara and Earth as well as the four different kingdoms. I wish there’s more explanation regarding how the magic of the portal works.

While the pacing is a bit slow, but I really find the mystery of the curse and reincarnation very intriguing. It kept me interested from the beginning until the big reveal.

As for the romance, at the beginning Asher and Isla didn’t exactly get along which I kinda wish last a little longer, I would love to see more bantering between them before eventually getting to know each other again.
The spicy parts are well written and not too much as it doesn’t take over the main plot.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read – it’s simple and not too complicated with unique world building and lovely characters.
I’m looking forward to read the next book about King Theo and Estee!

Thank you to Book of Matches Media and the author for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fast-paced read with wolf shifters, a curse that needs breaking, and a lost love that pulls at your heart. I really loved Isla! She was so relatable. And Asher? He’s a keeper!! I loved how patient he was with her. The worldbuilding was so fun to imagine, and of course the meddling gods are up to no good. The narrators, Lucas Webley and Michelle Sparks brought the characters to life. It was an addicting listen!
The ultimate betrayal is coming...but the real question is, will everyone survive?

A very special thanks to the author for the gifted copy.

[O’rion Risher · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got about halfway through before skimming. There’s just so many things that I have questions about that need answers and the author doesn’t actually answer them. I knew who the villain was from the first time they were mentioned, which was probably chapter 2…? Things are going so fast but also so slow and I really dislike having so much internal monologue all the time. The internal monologue was a bit redundant. I also don’t understand why she starts off holding such a large grudge and is so rude to the king from the second he steps in front of her. Some actions and thoughts don’t really line up with the personalities of the person randomly throughout the book.

There’s parts that the author forgot and made mistakes that bothered me. Some examples:

Isla is so tired that she goes to bed fully clothed and just throws the comforter over herself. Then she’s woken up and deals with Asher at the door and then decides to shower and she starts to take off her sleep shirt…. Umm she was in a sweater…

She’s running and looks back and she’s really far from the castle. Comes to a stop and then boom! Asher is suddenly there and she never once heard or saw him coming after her and she’s suddenly sitting down and he asks to sit by her. What? She was just running…

There’s also little parts that just don’t make sense and had me scratching my head thinking I was going crazy.

I did like the idea of the book and I like some of the descriptions used in the book… but it was missing things that may seem inconsequential, but end up taking away from the book as you start to notice them and it distracts from the rest of it.

[Caitlin Galena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall it was good. Was missing a little meat..maybe more world building? As with most shifter novels they say “mate” more times than I care for but overall the plot was good and a who done it that left you guessing for awhile.

[Hold-my-beer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Standard medieval fantasy world with photos, slacks, and sweaters. The FMC complains that the castle doesn't have an elevator. Asks medieval fantasy characters to let her make a phone call. If that's not brain damage from teleporting between worlds, idk what it is.

The characters don't have any distinct voices, they talk like millennials (or one and the same millennial). Ultra shallow story. Wish fulfillment at its best(or worst). I thought oh maybe you just have to be in the mood for a surface-level fluffy dumb story like this one, and it's not so bad, but the longer I kept reading the more I was convinced that there were no redeeming qualities. From its writing to characters to story, everything sucks here. Bland and boring.

[Amber's Book Cave · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're into wolf shifters, fated mates, and reincarnation, A Curse of Shadows is definitely worth checking out.

Isla’s world gets flipped upside down when she stumbles into a realm ruled by wolf shifters and meets King Asher, her mate who has been waiting 500 years for her to return. Their connection grows as they dig into the mystery of Isla’s mysterious past, and the chemistry between them makes for a fun, swoon-worthy romance.

The world-building is straightforward, and I loved the mix of mystery, magic, and the touch of sassiness from Isla and her sister Estee. I can’t wait to see where the rest of the series goes!

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic read! I loved all the twist and turns! So can't to read book two!

[Meg (bookish.apothecary) · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4.5 stars]

This was a fun and fast paced fantasy murder mystery with reincarnations and wolf shifters and spicy romance that had me flipping the pages. The reincarnations especially I thought were handled so uniquely because it was a natural and expected part of the world to be reborn and have memories of your past life.

I really enjoyed both Isla and Asher’s characters. Isla was smart and rightfully suspicious of Asher when she first lands in Lunaria. Asher’s love and dedication to Isla had no limits. And I loved Isla and Elodie’s bond so much! That hint at the end for the next couple has me so excited. And even some of the hints sprinkled throughout the book for potential stories in other kingdoms I’m really looking forward to.

The murder mystery was well done and had you suspicious of everyone. But I was especially suspicious of the culprit from the start 👀.

Thanks to the author for the ARC!

[Danielle Cramer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad writing, bad character development, the only thing it had going for it ended up being a dud. Wish I had just DNF’ed it.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wolf God Shifter, fated mates, cute romantic storyline with memory loss/regain from FMC. Twists - who killed her? Dark magic and a goddess that's very suss at the end. It'll be interesting to see what happens next. Dark handsome MMC that would die for her, says all the right things and is a typical alpha energy.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heather Renee kicks off the Wolves of Lunara series with A Curse of Shadows; I cannot tell you how much I loved this book.


The characters were great (including a few side characters who won my heart) and the world-building was great. I liked the incorporation of gods into the story but it was the overall plot that got me. This book had everything including one of the best romances ever. The utter and complete devotion and love Asher had for Isla made my heart beat faster. The couple shared a deep connection that couldn't be denied even if in the beginning Isla may have wanted to. I must give Heather credit, this book had some of the best romantic speeches I've ever read. Most definitely swoon-worthy.


As a big fan of murder mysteries, I can not tell you how much joy this book brought me. Isla has been reincarnated after being murdered but no one knows who did it. As the story progressed, I had a list of suspects on rotation in my head. I was putting clues together and had so many questions. It seemed like every two chapters I would change my mind about who the killer could possibly be and just when I thought I had it there was a twist, this went on until the killer was finally revealed.


A Curse of Shadows was excellent and just might be my new favorite Heather Renee book. I am so looking forward to seeing what else this series brings.

[Michelle Fritz PA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely mesmerizing with intricate world building and delicious second chance romance! This romantasy is a must-read if you crave fated mates, reincarnation, betrayal, pack drama, and one heckuva murder mystery. These characters are beautifully detailed, and the plot is oh so cleverly crafted. With twists and turns that will leave you gasping and an ending that will cast a warm glow to your heart, you'll be coveting a physical shelf trophy to display as you reread it many times to come.

Isla is this fierce woman who knows her own mind and refuses to be pushed around. When she's faced with a real life Beauty and the Beast reality, she's going to have to brave her own path while piecing together a past tragedy.

Asher's soul has been mourning his other half for centuries. Who can blame him when he'll do the unthinkable to keep his fated mate close!? He's the total package, too! Dreamy and determined, be sure to guard your heart, or he'll steal it away.

I cannot praise this unputdownable book enough! The writing is seamless and flowing while painting such vivid scenery and characters that will pull upon your heartstrings.

[Caitlin (cottagewitchreads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast paced shifter romance.

Isla has been living a lie. Ripped from her home, her family, and her real identity hidden from her for 500 years – She’s the lost wolf princess. And as much as she tries to deny that, the memories of another life start to return and a lot of things begin to make sense… she was murdered and left to live out her future reincarnations on Earth. But why? With the help of her long lost family, and the devastatingly handsome King Asher, she sets out to get the answers she desperately seeks.

I thought that this book was okay, it didn’t really grab my attention as much as the next shifter romance out there. There were some aspects that I did enjoy and some that were big let downs for me. The main one being that the villains' reasons for doing what they did were bad – they just didn’t make sense and held no substance. I had to read the words ‘blue vagina’ and I don’t think I’ll ever recover. I had to put my kindle down and stare at my wall. And some parts were just confusing, even when I reread them a few times stuff didn’t quite add up. However, there were redeeming qualities, as previously stated.

This story has action, magic, and romance. I enjoyed reading about Isla’s mission of discovery about her past, and her relationships with the people she lost after so long. The lore was interesting to learn about, as were the shifter elements. In particular, I thought the reincarnation aspect was really fun and the ideas and reasonings behind certain aspects of it were super cool. And the romance! Isla and Asher were equal parts devastating and sappy – a good combo if you ask me.

This was a fast paced book that was a breeze to read and despite it being quite lengthy it didn’t drag. Anyone that likes shifter romances should give this a read.

Thank you to Book of Matches Media and Heather for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Ashley Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Isla, our FMC, is human (or so she believes) and was raised in the foster system on Earth, after a few wrong turns, she's magically transported to a world full of magic. Insert King Asher - who has spent the last 500 years missing half his soul, his fated mate Isobella, who went missing without a trace.

Turns out, the land Isla has been transported to is full of wolf shifters and reincarnation, and Isla is the most recent version of Isobella and Ashers fated mate from all those years ago.

We face an adventure of figuring out what happened to Isla all those years ago, and watch her memories slowly return. And what an adventure it is! Honestly, I devoured the book within 24 hours - I literally couldn't put it down, a strong 4.5 stars!!

[𖤓𝔐𝔦𝔰𝔞☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first half but after that it kinda fell off to me and I didn’t really enjoy the ending. It was more just ok for me. Kinda anticlimactic really. It was the dad in the end but his reasoning was kinda..dumb? Also I didn’t like how the first smut scene was in the MMC pov….thats a ick for me bc why are we doing that 🤨

I was excited for the next book to read but it’s about Estee and I don’t care for her. Ever since she ran off on isla when she recovered her memories it kinda pissed me off. I know why she did it but isla was also going through shit and needed her. For days she was gonna and left her sister. All for her to not even come back on her own, they had to find her ass 🙄

all of that is why I took off a star lmaoo

[Alexandra II the nine lives of my library · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was about the same quality as the previous wolf shifter book I read. I knew who was the bad guy, there was no mystery to it really. Sometimes, the writing was weird. Wanted to be more flowery I think but it seemed forced, not natural. I liked that he was in love with her way before she was. But also I would have loved it more if we saw their previous life together, or even just snippets written as they were happening. These memories seemed like they weren’t even happening to the main couple.

[Kathy Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steamy dreamy Asher!

There are quite a few steamy make out scenes. I usually only read YA. I only state this because I want parents who care about what their kids read to be aware. And a lot of f-bombs. I really don't like those. That's why this one is one star less than a normal review for me. That being said I am a huge fan of Heather's. I have signed books & special editions.

The beginning of this book reminds me of something I would do while driving. Isla somehow gets on the highway going the wrong way. She is distracted by her thoughts and misses ages exists to turn around. The highway ends with a turnpike. There is nowhere to turn around & the lady in the toll booth insists she pay & keep the line moving. She could care less for her sob story. Isla keeps driving when her car disappears and she sees a bunch of lights. Eventually she ends up in another world. They instantly recognize her as a princess that disappeared over 500 years ago. She's taken to a castle where a grouchy King named Ashton gets upset because she has no memories of this world. He sends her to her room.

Isla immediately worries that her best friend (soul sister) is raising cane looking for her. As leverage to get her to stay Asher finds her father & threatens to kill him if she doesn't stay 4 weeks. As her fragile father heals he realizes Isla's best friend sounds like her sister who disappeared a year after her sister. Asher immediately sends two people to retrieve her. Did I mention that Isla & Estee (her sister) both have their appearance change when they enter this new world? Oops sorry. When they get her sister somehow she has some of her memories. Isla has a lot of overwhelming things thrust at her. Like she's a wolf shifter like everyone else. Neither woman can access their wolf for some reason. Throughout the book both women have memories come back that help them piece together what happened to them & whose responsible. In order for the wolves to live so long they are reincarnated. The only way for Isla to bond with Asher & get her wolf back is pretty brutal. However, both happen.

I feel so bad for Grayson Isla, & Water's father. He lost one daughter & then the other. The loss was so hard that their mom couldn't take it. She died of a broken heart. Leaving Grayson. That is why he was so fragile when Asher found him. He was starving himself to death. However, Asher being an Alpha King could heal him. Asher was so torn up when Isla disappeared. He had search parties looking for her for 100 years. He refused to move past it & take someone else as him mate. If he had they would have never had the strong bond he had with Isla. They were actually born on the same day which is unheard of. When Asher saved Isla from another wolf they spend time talking while they walk back to the castle. Asher is so sweet because I know it had to be so hard keeping his hands to himself. There were little touches here & there. He let her know he would never pressure her. He told her she was safe with him. And he encouraged her to talk to him and he never laughed at anything she thought or felt.

This does have a HEA. Even if there is a goddess that is creepy & tries to get Asher to make out with her. No can do when you have a mate. The ending has a small cliffhanger maybe we should call it a trench. Lol! Estee is in the next book & she to leave the Island.

[theromantasybookcorner._ · Rating 5 out of 5]

•🐺💙🐺•
╔.✩. .═══════╗
✨✨𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬✨✨
╚═══════. .✩.╝
💙🐺𝘈 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘦

───────✨☆✨───────

📚📝✨𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊•𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒✨📝📚
🐺𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝟷 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚆𝙾𝙻𝚅𝙴𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙻𝚄𝙽𝙰𝚁𝙰 𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂
💙𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴; 𝚆𝙾𝙻𝙵 𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙵𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚂; 𝙿𝙾𝚁𝚃𝙰𝙻 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈
🐺𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝚂𝙴𝙿𝚃𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙴𝚁 𝟻𝚃𝙷 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
╰┈➤𝙰𝚅𝙰𝙸𝙻𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴 𝙾𝙽 𝙺𝚄✨
💙𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐕𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐒: 𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻; 𝙰𝙳𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝚂𝙴𝙻𝙵-𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙲𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚈; 𝙳𝙰𝚁𝙺; 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻; 𝙷𝙾𝙿𝙴𝙵𝚄𝙻; 𝙸𝙽𝚂𝙿𝙸𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙶
🐺𝐏𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑: 𝟺𝟸𝟼 𝙿𝙰𝙶𝙴𝚂
💙𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄: 𝙶𝙾𝙻𝙳𝙴𝙽 𝚁𝙴𝚃𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚅𝙴𝚁 𝙼𝙼𝙲; 𝙵𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙳 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝚈; 𝙿𝙰𝙲𝙺 𝙳𝚁𝙰𝙼𝙰; 𝙼𝚄𝚁𝙳𝙴𝚁 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚈; 𝙵𝙰𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝙼𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚂; 𝚁𝙴𝙸𝙽𝙲𝙰𝚁𝙽𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽; 𝙱𝙴𝚃𝚁𝙰𝚈𝙰𝙻𝚂; 𝚂𝚃𝚁𝙾𝙽𝙶 𝙵𝙼𝙲
🐺𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ || 𝟻

───────✨☆✨───────

𝑀𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠💭🧐
Thank you so much to @heather.renee.author & @bookofmatchesmedia for my review copy of 𝐀 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒! This review is comprised entirely of my own thoughts & opinions, & is based on the copy I received.

This book was absolutely amazing! A Curse of Shadows is the first book in a set of interconnected standalones set in the Wolves of Lunara series, and it’s perfect for fans of wolf shifter romances, found family, and fantasy romance that also has a little bit of mystery going on!

This book was so unputdownable! The world building was so amazing, and easy to follow, and I kind of loved that we got to learn all about the world of Lunara right along with Isla, our FMC. She’s thrust into this world unexpectedly after growing up in the foster system on earth, and when she gets to Lunara, she finds out she’s the reincarnated mate of Wolf Shifter King Asher, our MMC. I loved getting to know our MCs! I’m such a sucker for a golden retriever MMC and Asher was the absolute epitome of that energy! He was super broody in the beginning, and possessive and growly but once he realizes that this isn’t going to fly with Isla, he becomes such a cinnamon roll for her! It made my heart melt reading their journey in this book and I loved every second of it. Asher’s feelings for Isla never skip a beat, even when she’s being stubborn and difficult about it. It’s really just so beautifully written!

I truly enjoyed the mystery element this book featured too! I loved trying to figure out the whodunnit scenario and was seriously blown away by the plot twists! There was so much that happened that I wasn’t expecting and I was constantly guessing at everything, in the best way!

Overall, I definitely recommend this one! It’s a great read for this time of year and if you’re looking for a new shifter romance obsession! I loved the epilogue and love that we kind of got to see who it ✨might✨ be about! I’ll definitely be continuing the series and can’t wait for the next book!

•🐺💙🐺•

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first standalone novel written within the Wolves of Lunara series. If you love wolf shifters, romantic fantasy, fated mates, reincarnation, and so much more, then you don't want to miss this one!

Everything I know is a lie.

A Curse of Shadows is the first book in the Wolves of Lunara series, which is a fantasy romance featuring fated mates and wolf shifters. I enjoyed that a Curse of Shadows took a little bit of a different spin on the fated mates concept. Here we meet our main character, Isla who stumbles into a whole new world to her. Here she meets wolf shifters and one of them tries to tell her that she is his long lost fated mate, and a wolf princess. Isla is cursed to reincarnate over and over again on earth, far away from her mate and the wolves. And she won't be able to stop the cycle unless she can figure out who cursed her (and killed her) in the first place.

I loved the mystery element woven into the story. A curse of Shadows was so easy for me to fall into. I really loved this book. Asher is the Wolf king, and he is just so wonderful and yummy. I loved him and Isla's story. If this story is any indication on the rest of the standalone books in the series, I know this is going to quickly become a favorite shifter series of mine. This was soo good! I can't wait to check out the next book in the series!

Check out a Curse of Shadows if you enjoy:
🐺 Dual POV
🐺 Wolf Shifters
🐺 Fated Mates
🐺 Romantasy with moderate spice
🐺 Murder Mystery
🐺 Reincarnation
🐺 Betrayals

And I also have to say that the hardcover edition of this book is SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL!! totally worth getting!

[❁ Ashton ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was plot heavy ! I loved it !

Isla was transported through an ancient portal and returned “home” . A place she seemed to be a stranger but knew deep down she felt the deep connection of her realm . She soon discovered that she was killed and sent to earth to reincarnate and now on a mission to find the truth before it happens again . With the help of her mate, Asher . When one was fated to be the mate of the Alpha King and to become hisQueen she may have had hidden enemies .

For 500 + years Asher, King of Polaris lived in limbo trying to survive without his mate whilst ruling his kingdom . Not knowing the truth behind Isla’s disappearance he lived in a constant battle of pain and regret . Having his mate return with no memories but he was loving and patient with her needs throughout the whole process. Their passion and chemistry was undeniable, they were the definition of pure love.

The pacing , the writing , their story - OMG I was invested in this so much! I was so set on who I thought it was behind the murders (that’s right! There’s more .. but no spoilers here! ) I was actually thrown by the real culprit ..

The emotional trauma I suffered is unreal ! My heart broke time and time again for Isla , Asher, Estee and Grayson, especially Grayson. He suffered enough losses and sacrifices . My poor heart !! I will admit this book got me crying ! I am not over it.. This is why I love the romantasy genre !

Tropes

🐺Dual POV
🐺 Wolf Shifters
🐺 Fated Mates
🐺 Romantasy
🐺 Murder Mystery
🐺 Reincarnation
🐺 Betrayals
🐺 Grief & Loss

[Liis · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5🌟

Rounded up because it wasn't catastrophic nor problematic.

The short description of the story grossly overpromises what is being delivered. The FMC gets transported into a different world from Earth where she turns out to be the spitting image of their lost princess. She is upset and would like to go back...until she decides not to be? From quite the beginning she is being led and dragged ever which way. Not a single original thought in my girl's head.
The MMC is just a guy and he is also a king and also a shifter. His two personality traits are anger because someone hurt/threatened/looked at his girl or love bombing because his girl exists.

The writing is very, very, VERY tell. No showing in sight. The dialogue is clunky and performative. The world-building is confusing, especially the reincarnation parts. They have corded phones to call for food and housekeeping I guess. Is there electricity? I could not tell you.

The plot is pretty easy to follow, though it is not explained enough. The villain of the story was pretty easy to guess though at some point I did think it had been made obvious cause it was a misdirect perhaps (it wasn't). I think if the different pieces of the story were to be cut and others built out in more detail there is something there. As it was, too many things just happened, they were not explained, and they almost never came back to play any part ever again.

[thespookybooknerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a good wolf shifter fantasy romance this was! There is so much that happens in A Curse of Shadows. It had my attention from the start. There's wolf shifters, found family, royalty, reincarnations, murder mystery, betrayals, and more! Found family is one of my top favorite tropes, and oh how I loved it. I found the whole reincarnation thing to be interesting, I haven't read many books involving that. I love a good murder mystery, and oh my gosh, did everyone seem suspicious or what!? I found myself never knowing who to truly trust. I was able to correctly guess early on, but ohh how I doubted myself. There's betrayals galore. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, I always love a strong, determined fmc, and Isla was just that. I also enjoyed getting to know our golden retriever mmc Asher. Every single time his full name was mentioned (which also happened to often be in a scolding manner), I couldn't help but giggle to myself. Asher Josiah Cromwell. All my Halloweentown loving self could hear was "Splendora Agatha Cromwell!" 🤣 Towards the end of the book there was some stuff going on that kind of gave me a touch of Vampire Diaries vibes. All in all, I really enjoyed my read of this beautiful book. It's a good start to the series, and I cannot wait to dive into book two next year. With the way things left off I'm even more excited for it!

[Ashley (andtheniwasbookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a quick, action-packed read with so much happening your mind will need a rest afterwards....this is your book!

I loved this so much! We got RIGHT to the point in chapter 1 and I was thrown off because normally there is that settle-in period where we are getting to know the characters. NOPE! Chapter 1: we meet Isla on Earth and then she found herself right in Lunara! I loved it!

The dual POVs with Asher are so much fun. I love when a MMC is dialed in to his feelings and actions and even when he doesn't behave correctly, he recognizes it and apologizes! Love the self-awareness!

There isn't necessarily a ton of character growth, but it is our FMC finding her way back to herself and accepting her current and past life. But Isla is herself through and through and it's so nice to see that she holds her own even when she has no idea what's going on.

The story line/mystery in itself has you wondering whodunnit and that adds a whole extra fun layer. OH! And let's start peppering in other kingdoms and gods being mischievous on the side? I see you, Heather!! And that epilogue!!

This is a growing world that I cannot wait to get more of! I'll be waiting for the next one!

Overall: Highly recommend!

[Dominique · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and simple read. I read this book in almost one sitting and can't wait to read book two!

If you're a fan of interconnected stand alone romantic fantasies with beauty and the beast vibes, wolf shifters, reincarnation, and fated mates with an adorable cinnamon roll mmc, then look no further. This book would make a perfect palette cleanser if you want to stay in the fantasy genre without overwhelming yourself with too much world building or overcomplicated magic systems. I found the simplicity of this world to be exactly what I needed and wanted out of a fantasy book - the world was magical and mysterious and I simply loved it.

I loved our main characters, Isla and Asher, so much. I instantly felt a connection to them and was rooting for them. I sort of wish their grumpy banter, in the beginning, had lasted a little bit longer, but I also loved how genuinely devoted Asher was to Isla. The mystery of Isla and Estee's past was also super intriguing and I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. I can't wait to read more about Estee!

Thank you so much to the author and Book of Matches Media for providing me with a complimentary copy in return for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

[Shayay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great!! Love the premise, and the characters had common sense! Love that! Such a cool setup; Isla is quite shocked when she finds herself transported to a different world. She’s even more shocked when it turns out that she may be the long lost future queen of this world, a wolf shifter, and that King Asher is her mate. Isla doesn’t believe any of it, but there does seem to be a familiarity to things. Love a good amnesia type of scenario!! Fun mystery surrounding what happened to Isla. We have interesting curses too. Good times! Plus, I love love love how committed and loyal mates are! Hundreds and hundreds of years, and the loyalty and devotion remains. So touching! Love the connection between Isla and Asher too. So sweet and that dose of passion! Love how supportive and honest they are with each other. Enjoyed the whole story! Well, maybe not Aurora; can’t stand characters like her, but overall, this story is super wonderful! So looking forward to the next one!! Also, I really want the story of a certain childhood friend of Isla’s story. He deserves to find a super awesome mate! This was such a good read!

[Jennifer Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fantastic read! It starts off with a bit of a beauty and the beast vibe to it, but that quickly goes away. You find out pretty quick that this is a fated mates story, but with a twist that leaves you guessing for a good majority of the book. You know right away that there's got to be more to Isla than what meets the eye, but Heather does a great job of giving us bread crumbs to follow to keep us turning the pages. Asher was everything a wolf king should be! He was big, strong, broody, growly and a whole lot possessive of his mate. His temper gets the best of him in the beginning, but once he realizes he needs to change his tune to keep Isla, he gets so gooey for her! I love the mystery aspect to this story, and the suspense of "what really happened". There's also a "who dunn-it" twists that I absolutely loved!! This was not your typical fantasy romance. It definitely kept me on my toes and wanting more! The spicy tension between Asher and Isla was just fantastic! I definitely recommend this book!

[Amber Crook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a fun romantasy with a lot of really interesting elements! There are wolf shifters, reincarnation, curses, fated mates and more!

Isla is living in Oregon and she somehow finds herself in a mystical land, where everyone recognizes her, calls her princess, and says she's been missing for centuries. Supposedly the King (Asher) is her mate and wants her to stay. She just needs to find a way home to be back with her best friend. Isla has to try and navigate a life that she doesn't remember, even though she should...

A Curse of Shadows was a fun surprise for me! It felt like a typical fated mates fantasy, but it had so many different pieces in it that made it unique! The mystery and Isla trying to get her memories back, as she's trying to figure out her feelings with Ash gave a lot of great tension.

Tropes:
Fated Mates
Missing Memories
Shifter Romance
Found Family
Curses

🌶🌶

Thank you, Heather and BOMM, for sending me a copy of this book!