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Rolling Hills Ranch #1
Beneath Dark Skies
In the wake of the zombie apocalypse, I thought things couldn’t get any worse. I was wrong.
Struggling to survive in a world turned upside down, I'm haunted by the loss of my parents and the recent disappearance of my twin, Holden. I can’t shake the feeling that everything is on the brink of falling apart again. Just when I'm about to lose hope, three strangers arrive at Rolling Hills, seeking help and refuge.
Adrian, Theo, and Kenji bring more than just survival skills—they bring a glimmer of hope and a sense of normalcy I haven’t felt in a long time. They integrate themselves into my life and the lives of those around me, becoming indispensable to our community. Their presence is both comforting and unsettling, as I grapple with the fear of letting anyone get too close.
Can I trust these newcomers? Can I let down my guard and open my heart, or will the secrets I hold bring everything crashing down once more?
In a world where trust is a luxury, and betrayal can be fatal, I must navigate the fine line between hope and heartbreak. Will I find the strength to let them in, or will my past fears keep me locked away forever?
*This is a full-length, 110k+ word book that contains content for those 18+ and may contain some material that readers may find difficult. Please read the trigger warnings at the start of the book. This is part one of a two-part duet and is a why choose romance, meaning the heroine will not have to choose between the three heroes.
Struggling to survive in a world turned upside down, I'm haunted by the loss of my parents and the recent disappearance of my twin, Holden. I can’t shake the feeling that everything is on the brink of falling apart again. Just when I'm about to lose hope, three strangers arrive at Rolling Hills, seeking help and refuge.
Adrian, Theo, and Kenji bring more than just survival skills—they bring a glimmer of hope and a sense of normalcy I haven’t felt in a long time. They integrate themselves into my life and the lives of those around me, becoming indispensable to our community. Their presence is both comforting and unsettling, as I grapple with the fear of letting anyone get too close.
Can I trust these newcomers? Can I let down my guard and open my heart, or will the secrets I hold bring everything crashing down once more?
In a world where trust is a luxury, and betrayal can be fatal, I must navigate the fine line between hope and heartbreak. Will I find the strength to let them in, or will my past fears keep me locked away forever?
*This is a full-length, 110k+ word book that contains content for those 18+ and may contain some material that readers may find difficult. Please read the trigger warnings at the start of the book. This is part one of a two-part duet and is a why choose romance, meaning the heroine will not have to choose between the three heroes.
500 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2024
355 people are currently reading
1071 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
October 18, 2024
A zombie romance I believe even Tina Belcher would approve of. This book comes with a playlist and so much more! Each character is so well developed with complex emotions and meaningful backstories. You learn the impact of the infected on nearly every person residing in the Rolling Hills ranch. I've mixed feelings about "why choose" romances just because I personally value monogamy. Even when it comes to reading romance, I enjoy the concept of your one and only. Regardless, I think the romance in this book was well written and that it made sense for the world situation they're in. Theo, Adrian, and Kenji are all book babes. The cliffhanger too! I've got to know more. I'll definitely be reading book 2 when it comes out.
Thank you so much for the ARC through Booksirens!
Thank you so much for the ARC through Booksirens!
December 3, 2024
GUYYYYSSSS !!! THIS !!! this book has been one of the most exciting things to fall into my hands this year !!! anyone else been looking for some cowboys and cowgirls? zombie apocalypse? why choose???
WELL my two dear, wonderful bookstagram friends (from the START of it all 3 years ago) Aida and Siera wrote the goddamn book !!! they so desperately wanted a romance book with all of these elements so they sat tf down and did the damn thing and i am so freaking proud of them !! huge congratulations for this accomplishment and thank you for letting me be a part of the process over the summer <3 ngl seeing my name in the acknowledgements did have me a lil 🤭
beneath dark skies follow farron as she navigates her new reality of a post-apocalyptic, zombie run world.. she's an absolute kick ass fmc who's care knows no bounds. then suddenly three gorgeous and caring men show up on her ranch (one stuck in a bear trap i may add)... whats a girl to do ??!
i really dont want to give much away because i just love this entire project as a whole- but i will say that if youre looking for something a bit different from the classic romance novels we have come to know and love, beneath dark skies is absolutely the one for you.
aida and siera so beautifully and wonderfully weave the lives of farron, kenji, theo, and adrian together- it was as perfectly romantic as it gets at the end of the world and book two is going to be action packed !!!
WELL my two dear, wonderful bookstagram friends (from the START of it all 3 years ago) Aida and Siera wrote the goddamn book !!! they so desperately wanted a romance book with all of these elements so they sat tf down and did the damn thing and i am so freaking proud of them !! huge congratulations for this accomplishment and thank you for letting me be a part of the process over the summer <3 ngl seeing my name in the acknowledgements did have me a lil 🤭
beneath dark skies follow farron as she navigates her new reality of a post-apocalyptic, zombie run world.. she's an absolute kick ass fmc who's care knows no bounds. then suddenly three gorgeous and caring men show up on her ranch (one stuck in a bear trap i may add)... whats a girl to do ??!
i really dont want to give much away because i just love this entire project as a whole- but i will say that if youre looking for something a bit different from the classic romance novels we have come to know and love, beneath dark skies is absolutely the one for you.
aida and siera so beautifully and wonderfully weave the lives of farron, kenji, theo, and adrian together- it was as perfectly romantic as it gets at the end of the world and book two is going to be action packed !!!
October 15, 2024
"The air is thick with the stench of decay, and I can feel the splatter of rotten tissue on my skin, a grim reminder of what I’ve become. With each hit strike, I can feel my humanity slipping away. As I bash the thing’s head in, shattering the skull and turning its face into mush, my rage ebbs away. By the time I’m done, I feel empty. Hollow."
I received this as an arc and started immediately. I was hooked after a few pages, and then life got the best of me, and I had to put it down for a couple of days. It. Is. All. I. Thought. About. Until. I. Could. Pick. It. Up. Again. And for good reason! Omg y'all, I absolutely loved being in the minds of Farron, Theo, Adrian and Kenji. I literally can't decide who my favorite boy is. They are all so great. Farron is the strongest FMC I've read about in a long time! I absolutely love the amount of detail the writers go into. Nearly every question i had was eventually answered. I CANNOT wait for book two, I'm so excited to see how this story ends.
Truly the most perfect zombie apocalyptic romantic read, you don't want to miss this one!
I received this as an arc and started immediately. I was hooked after a few pages, and then life got the best of me, and I had to put it down for a couple of days. It. Is. All. I. Thought. About. Until. I. Could. Pick. It. Up. Again. And for good reason! Omg y'all, I absolutely loved being in the minds of Farron, Theo, Adrian and Kenji. I literally can't decide who my favorite boy is. They are all so great. Farron is the strongest FMC I've read about in a long time! I absolutely love the amount of detail the writers go into. Nearly every question i had was eventually answered. I CANNOT wait for book two, I'm so excited to see how this story ends.
Truly the most perfect zombie apocalyptic romantic read, you don't want to miss this one!
February 3, 2025
As an OG The Walking Dead fan and a cowboy romance girlie, I was so dang excited when I heard about this book. And though I sort of wished we got a little more zombie action, I definitely give this story five stars all the way.
Life can be tough, especially when you have the entire weight of your family’s ranch and community on your back, in addition to carrying so much grief and guilt. Throw in the actual end of the world and things only get harder. This is the story of Farron and her literal and mental struggle through the Zombie apocalypse. Just when she is on the verge of breaking, three mysterious strangers arrive to the ranch and turn her world upside down.
This book explores themes of mental health, self discovery, humanity, and well, zombies. This book is suspenseful yet romantic in this why choose, cowboy romance. This story is different and unique in all the best ways and I was utterly enthralled by it.
And honestly, if zombies is not your thing, that’s okay! This book will definitely still interest you. This is a romance that features zombies but I would not go as far as to say it was a thriller in that aspect. Our main feature is the characters, this including our amazing fmc and the boys. I will say this story is for sure character driven, which I liked here because BOY are these characters absolute perfection.
This book lets off on a nice cliffhanger, which I am VERY excited about because I can’t wait to get more of this world and these characters. Definitely recommend you guys pick this one up✌🏻
Life can be tough, especially when you have the entire weight of your family’s ranch and community on your back, in addition to carrying so much grief and guilt. Throw in the actual end of the world and things only get harder. This is the story of Farron and her literal and mental struggle through the Zombie apocalypse. Just when she is on the verge of breaking, three mysterious strangers arrive to the ranch and turn her world upside down.
This book explores themes of mental health, self discovery, humanity, and well, zombies. This book is suspenseful yet romantic in this why choose, cowboy romance. This story is different and unique in all the best ways and I was utterly enthralled by it.
And honestly, if zombies is not your thing, that’s okay! This book will definitely still interest you. This is a romance that features zombies but I would not go as far as to say it was a thriller in that aspect. Our main feature is the characters, this including our amazing fmc and the boys. I will say this story is for sure character driven, which I liked here because BOY are these characters absolute perfection.
This book lets off on a nice cliffhanger, which I am VERY excited about because I can’t wait to get more of this world and these characters. Definitely recommend you guys pick this one up✌🏻
November 21, 2024
This was both not what I was expecting, but also something I didn't know I needed!?
A why choose, zombie apocalypse? Okay, I can get with it.
First and foremost, I have anxiety so sometimes dystopian books are a little too much for me. But this was SO well done in terms of world building. It was interesting to see how the farm was set up and established. The jump scare of the zombies did not make me feel like jumping off a cliff, so that's great. I almost want to say I wish I had more zombies????
As for the actual romance, I love all the boys but let me tell you brooding Kai is definitely mine. Theo and Farron's natural progression is TOP tier. Learning sign language for him??? Understanding Adrian's undying love and fear for his family??? Not letting Kai step all over her?? Farron is THAT girl.
The ending was such a crazy cliff hanger - I can't wait til it's released
A why choose, zombie apocalypse? Okay, I can get with it.
First and foremost, I have anxiety so sometimes dystopian books are a little too much for me. But this was SO well done in terms of world building. It was interesting to see how the farm was set up and established. The jump scare of the zombies did not make me feel like jumping off a cliff, so that's great. I almost want to say I wish I had more zombies????
As for the actual romance, I love all the boys but let me tell you brooding Kai is definitely mine. Theo and Farron's natural progression is TOP tier. Learning sign language for him??? Understanding Adrian's undying love and fear for his family??? Not letting Kai step all over her?? Farron is THAT girl.
The ending was such a crazy cliff hanger - I can't wait til it's released
October 10, 2024
“So whether you feel like sunshine or rain, you’re still everything to me. You’re mine.”
If you are anything like me then adding zombies to a RH romance just brings the book to a whole other level. I mean I grew up reading apocalyptic books so zombies were mentioned plenty of times in what I used to read. This just added the cherry on top to an already amazing book. I will also say that if you aren’t a fan of zombies and all that stuff I still think you should read this book because it is more romance (with zombies) instead of zombies (with romance). I’ll list some of the tropes at the end, but let me tell you there were so many good tropes in this book.
Farron is our FMC and let me tell you this girl is so freaking strong. I mean if I was in her position at the beginning of this book I would more than likely be sitting in the corner in the fetal position blubbering like a child. What does this girl do instead? Survive on her own facing so many challenges and then becomes the leader of a community where everyone looks up to her for answers. One thing I loved about Farron was that even though she has this undeniable strength, she still has so many struggles of her own that she tries to hide from everyone else. She was such a relatable character that even though she made progress in some parts of her relationships, she still had these backslides of doubt that stemmed from all the things she has been through.
The guys in this book were something else! Theo is just the perfect cinnamon roll book boyfriend and I just want to bubble wrap him up to protect him at all costs. He just gives off the calmest and compassionate vibes and he’s just so freaking adorable. Adrian is the tatted up, golden retriever book boyfriend of your dreams. You mean he can make me laugh and he wants to feed me? Sold! Kenji is our tall, dark and protective alphahole. I feel like he had his walls up for most of the book and we finally started to see them come down at the end of the book. So I’m hoping in book two we get a little more insight on him.
I feel like with standalones and duologies dealing with RHs it’s harder to build the group dynamic before the romance really takes place. This book did such a great job with having the guys already have such a deep connection and then Farron slowly connect with each guy at a different pace. I really liked that each relationship took a different route and that the timing for each guy was different. We have three very different guys in this group and each one brought something special that Farron needed that only they could give her. We have one guy who she connects to on such an emotional level and he just helps bring her peace. One is the laughter and joy she needs in her life to help bring her out of the darkness she feels. And the last I think will be her strength. The person she can go to so that she can finally hand over the reins and have him be in control instead of her constantly having the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Overall I think this was such an amazing book and after reading it I was so surprised that this was their debut book. I mean it was so well written and the plot was so interesting. We get some amazing characters as well as a dash or two of spice. I can’t tell you the amount of times I had to put this book down because I was laughing so hard. I can’t wait to read book two and see what happens because that cliffhanger we get at the end of book one was so good.
Rating: 4.5/5
What to expect:
~ Why choose
~ Zombie apocalypse
~ Slow burn
~ Cowboy and cowgirl
~ Deaf representation
~ Multiple POVs
If you are anything like me then adding zombies to a RH romance just brings the book to a whole other level. I mean I grew up reading apocalyptic books so zombies were mentioned plenty of times in what I used to read. This just added the cherry on top to an already amazing book. I will also say that if you aren’t a fan of zombies and all that stuff I still think you should read this book because it is more romance (with zombies) instead of zombies (with romance). I’ll list some of the tropes at the end, but let me tell you there were so many good tropes in this book.
Farron is our FMC and let me tell you this girl is so freaking strong. I mean if I was in her position at the beginning of this book I would more than likely be sitting in the corner in the fetal position blubbering like a child. What does this girl do instead? Survive on her own facing so many challenges and then becomes the leader of a community where everyone looks up to her for answers. One thing I loved about Farron was that even though she has this undeniable strength, she still has so many struggles of her own that she tries to hide from everyone else. She was such a relatable character that even though she made progress in some parts of her relationships, she still had these backslides of doubt that stemmed from all the things she has been through.
The guys in this book were something else! Theo is just the perfect cinnamon roll book boyfriend and I just want to bubble wrap him up to protect him at all costs. He just gives off the calmest and compassionate vibes and he’s just so freaking adorable. Adrian is the tatted up, golden retriever book boyfriend of your dreams. You mean he can make me laugh and he wants to feed me? Sold! Kenji is our tall, dark and protective alphahole. I feel like he had his walls up for most of the book and we finally started to see them come down at the end of the book. So I’m hoping in book two we get a little more insight on him.
I feel like with standalones and duologies dealing with RHs it’s harder to build the group dynamic before the romance really takes place. This book did such a great job with having the guys already have such a deep connection and then Farron slowly connect with each guy at a different pace. I really liked that each relationship took a different route and that the timing for each guy was different. We have three very different guys in this group and each one brought something special that Farron needed that only they could give her. We have one guy who she connects to on such an emotional level and he just helps bring her peace. One is the laughter and joy she needs in her life to help bring her out of the darkness she feels. And the last I think will be her strength. The person she can go to so that she can finally hand over the reins and have him be in control instead of her constantly having the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Overall I think this was such an amazing book and after reading it I was so surprised that this was their debut book. I mean it was so well written and the plot was so interesting. We get some amazing characters as well as a dash or two of spice. I can’t tell you the amount of times I had to put this book down because I was laughing so hard. I can’t wait to read book two and see what happens because that cliffhanger we get at the end of book one was so good.
Rating: 4.5/5
What to expect:
~ Why choose
~ Zombie apocalypse
~ Slow burn
~ Cowboy and cowgirl
~ Deaf representation
~ Multiple POVs
July 27, 2025
The vibes were vibing with this zombie apocalyptic romance 🖤🧟 An FMC who is such a badass-she is the go to person within their fenced in community, and finds herself taking care of one of the three men who show up at her community unexpectedly. However, all three men seem to have eyes for her…oof this was good. The ending had me in a chokehold-book 2 here I come.
January 3, 2025
bestie WHERE IS THE NEXT BOOK
October 13, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Things I loved about the book:
-Storyline was different compared to other zombie/apocalyptic books
-The FMC and MMCs were very fleshed out and you felt like you knew them
-Deaf & LGBTQ+ (even if not much info for now;)) representation
-Description of farm
-I kept reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next (unrelated to romantic relationship)
-I kept reading because I wanted to know how their romantic relationship progressed
-The amount of animals
-No animal deaths (pleaseeee don’t add any in the second book or if you do don’t make it graphic:))
Things my mind was changed (negative to positive) about during reading:
-The throwbacks / times of settings
-Not knowing about her parents/Trevor (i am impatient and i am actually really glad this was not revealed yet bc it creates anticipation, again normal thing authors do but i'm impatient)
Things that could have made this book 5 stars:
-I felt like there was a lot of telling vs showing
-I felt like there was a lot of extra detail I didn’t really need or care to read
-If an “odd” (i’m saying odd just bc its not used often in typical day to day language) phrase/metaphors was used once, it was used again in the same chapter describing something different—this only happened once that I can definitively recall but I feel like it happened multiple times
-why choose books sometimes teeter the line of being misogynistic bc of the amount of men & the girl being a ‘pick me’ but the FMC is not but i do wish there was someone or something to show she is not bc she only has the guys + her brother + his friends
Overall, this book was great and I’m super excited for the second book! I would definitely read other books by them.
Things I loved about the book:
-Storyline was different compared to other zombie/apocalyptic books
-The FMC and MMCs were very fleshed out and you felt like you knew them
-Deaf & LGBTQ+ (even if not much info for now;)) representation
-Description of farm
-I kept reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next (unrelated to romantic relationship)
-I kept reading because I wanted to know how their romantic relationship progressed
-The amount of animals
-No animal deaths (pleaseeee don’t add any in the second book or if you do don’t make it graphic:))
Things my mind was changed (negative to positive) about during reading:
-The throwbacks / times of settings
-Not knowing about her parents/Trevor (i am impatient and i am actually really glad this was not revealed yet bc it creates anticipation, again normal thing authors do but i'm impatient)
Things that could have made this book 5 stars:
-I felt like there was a lot of telling vs showing
-I felt like there was a lot of extra detail I didn’t really need or care to read
-If an “odd” (i’m saying odd just bc its not used often in typical day to day language) phrase/metaphors was used once, it was used again in the same chapter describing something different—this only happened once that I can definitively recall but I feel like it happened multiple times
-why choose books sometimes teeter the line of being misogynistic bc of the amount of men & the girl being a ‘pick me’ but the FMC is not but i do wish there was someone or something to show she is not bc she only has the guys + her brother + his friends
Overall, this book was great and I’m super excited for the second book! I would definitely read other books by them.
May 4, 2025
“𝘚𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦.”
I'm soooo happy the second book recently released, because damnnnn!!! That's a scary cliffhanger, and I need to know what happened immediately
Book: Beneath Dark Skies by S.A. Ashburne
“𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯, 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐’𝘮 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦.”
This is such an emotional yet heartfelt book! I feel very connected to Farron. The fight for survival, the traumas, and the mental struggles, it's beautifully written. This is not just a book about a zombie apocalypse. It's one about surviving your own personal struggles and how to live with them. Trying to accept that you deserve to be loved, even if it might hurt
"𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧. 𝘐 𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴."
The way the guys are written and how they connect with Farron both individually and as a group. It's so well done. It feels almost healing! The slow burn is burning. They're all so deserving of love. The care taking, the individual personalities, the found family feelings. I freaking love this book!!!
"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘬𝘺."
This is a beautiful story that doesn't shy away from all the hardships in life. Check your triggers
I'm soooo happy the second book recently released, because damnnnn!!! That's a scary cliffhanger, and I need to know what happened immediately
Book: Beneath Dark Skies by S.A. Ashburne
“𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯, 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐’𝘮 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦.”
This is such an emotional yet heartfelt book! I feel very connected to Farron. The fight for survival, the traumas, and the mental struggles, it's beautifully written. This is not just a book about a zombie apocalypse. It's one about surviving your own personal struggles and how to live with them. Trying to accept that you deserve to be loved, even if it might hurt
"𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧. 𝘐 𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴."
The way the guys are written and how they connect with Farron both individually and as a group. It's so well done. It feels almost healing! The slow burn is burning. They're all so deserving of love. The care taking, the individual personalities, the found family feelings. I freaking love this book!!!
"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘬𝘺."
This is a beautiful story that doesn't shy away from all the hardships in life. Check your triggers
May 26, 2025
Cowboys & Zombies… What More Could You Ask For?
Beneath Dark Skies deserves all of the stars! I grew up watching zombie shows, playing zombie games, and reading about all things zombie. This incredible book brought me so much nostalgia and joy.
The characters are all great and the plot is interesting. I’m usually not a huge fan of why choose romances, but it was very well done in this book. Each of the MMC’s had unique personalities and didn’t necessarily fit into any particular stereotypes. I loved everything about each one and surprisingly couldn’t pick a favorite. I LOVED the tension— I am a total sucker for a slow burn romance and this absolutely served 🔥 The FMC is strong both mentally and physically, she takes charge of her little community and I love how she is with each of the guys; she is stubborn but yet kind and isn’t afraid to do hard things.
I devoured this book— I couldn’t put it down, it even made me laugh out loud and ugly cry at times. I am an avid reader, and this duet has already become one of my all time favorites and I haven’t even read the second book yet! I will definitely be purchasing physical copies to display in my home library. I am so excited to see the FMC’s relationships develop in In Ashes of Dawn. S.A. Ashburne thank you both so much for this absolute gem, you have made me a huge fan and I will be reading anything and everything that you publish in the future.
Beneath Dark Skies deserves all of the stars! I grew up watching zombie shows, playing zombie games, and reading about all things zombie. This incredible book brought me so much nostalgia and joy.
The characters are all great and the plot is interesting. I’m usually not a huge fan of why choose romances, but it was very well done in this book. Each of the MMC’s had unique personalities and didn’t necessarily fit into any particular stereotypes. I loved everything about each one and surprisingly couldn’t pick a favorite. I LOVED the tension— I am a total sucker for a slow burn romance and this absolutely served 🔥 The FMC is strong both mentally and physically, she takes charge of her little community and I love how she is with each of the guys; she is stubborn but yet kind and isn’t afraid to do hard things.
I devoured this book— I couldn’t put it down, it even made me laugh out loud and ugly cry at times. I am an avid reader, and this duet has already become one of my all time favorites and I haven’t even read the second book yet! I will definitely be purchasing physical copies to display in my home library. I am so excited to see the FMC’s relationships develop in In Ashes of Dawn. S.A. Ashburne thank you both so much for this absolute gem, you have made me a huge fan and I will be reading anything and everything that you publish in the future.
October 13, 2025
“𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐞, 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲. 𝐀𝐬 𝐈 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠’𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐧, 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐡, 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐞𝐛𝐛𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲. 𝐁𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐈’𝐦 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲. 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰.”
so if you ever loved The Walking Dead (pre-death of Glenn of course) then i def think you’ll like this book. this had me feeling so many emotions for our girl Farron. the book is told in multi-POV, which also includes her POV from the very beginning of the zombies and current days. you read about her journey and struggles from the very beginning as she traveled back home to Idaho. the changes she had to go through and the emotions hit you and leaves you wondering just how you would feel or act in the situations she is placed in. and then you have her current daily struggle of leading the ranch and everyone living there, as well as being the only pseudo doctor. all while grief and actions of her past want to swallow a little more of her every day.
and then in come three strange men who she doesn’t want to trust and see her a little too clearly. they seem to fit right into the ranch. but can Farron let down any of her walls to let them in to truly help her?
tho this was a slower burn, this book had me hooked to know more about Farron and want to see her get her deserved HEA.
“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐢 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐮𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞. 𝐎𝐡, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞.”
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
MFMM, 1st person multi-POV
28 fmc, 28 mmc, 33 mmc, 33 mmc
zombie apocalypse, obsessed mmcs, ranch life, deaf mmc, 2 firefighter mmcs, foster brothers, slow burn, cliffhanger, 1st in duet
so if you ever loved The Walking Dead (pre-death of Glenn of course) then i def think you’ll like this book. this had me feeling so many emotions for our girl Farron. the book is told in multi-POV, which also includes her POV from the very beginning of the zombies and current days. you read about her journey and struggles from the very beginning as she traveled back home to Idaho. the changes she had to go through and the emotions hit you and leaves you wondering just how you would feel or act in the situations she is placed in. and then you have her current daily struggle of leading the ranch and everyone living there, as well as being the only pseudo doctor. all while grief and actions of her past want to swallow a little more of her every day.
and then in come three strange men who she doesn’t want to trust and see her a little too clearly. they seem to fit right into the ranch. but can Farron let down any of her walls to let them in to truly help her?
tho this was a slower burn, this book had me hooked to know more about Farron and want to see her get her deserved HEA.
“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐢 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐮𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞. 𝐎𝐡, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞.”
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
MFMM, 1st person multi-POV
28 fmc, 28 mmc, 33 mmc, 33 mmc
zombie apocalypse, obsessed mmcs, ranch life, deaf mmc, 2 firefighter mmcs, foster brothers, slow burn, cliffhanger, 1st in duet
November 11, 2024
I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. I stayed up till 4am devouring this book. From page one I was absolutely hooked.
Our FMC Farron is surviving in a world that's been overrun by zombies.🧟♀️
She makes it to her childhood ranch and reconnects with her twin brother.
But soon after her brother goes on a supply run by himself.
This book has 4 povs and we're also introduced to the three MMCs who show up at the family ranch.
I instantly became obsessed with each of these guys and their love/feelings for Farren only grew as story unfolds.
If you LOVE the walking dead TV show, you'll really enjoy this book.
-slow burn(🌶️🌶️🌶️)
-zombies apocalypse
-gore/unaliving
-4 person pov
-why choose
-furry sidekick
-secrets
-deaf representation
-found family
-community
-"look at him"
-tattooed MMC
-pierced MMC
-cliffy ending
Our FMC Farron is surviving in a world that's been overrun by zombies.🧟♀️
She makes it to her childhood ranch and reconnects with her twin brother.
But soon after her brother goes on a supply run by himself.
This book has 4 povs and we're also introduced to the three MMCs who show up at the family ranch.
I instantly became obsessed with each of these guys and their love/feelings for Farren only grew as story unfolds.
If you LOVE the walking dead TV show, you'll really enjoy this book.
-slow burn(🌶️🌶️🌶️)
-zombies apocalypse
-gore/unaliving
-4 person pov
-why choose
-furry sidekick
-secrets
-deaf representation
-found family
-community
-"look at him"
-tattooed MMC
-pierced MMC
-cliffy ending
May 24, 2025
Beneath Dark Skies is the first book in the Rolling Hills Ranch duet and I have to say that this is the book that we have all been craving for. It has everything I love. From a cowboy/western vibes, to the post apocalyptic setting, while also being a why choose romance.
The plot of this one is intriguing and mysterious. While the whole book is not action packed, it gives us just the right amount of survival to keep us on the edge of the seat. I also liked the character development, which was really well done and didn't have any weird set backs or fast paced developments that wouldn't make sense.
Overall, I would really recommend reading this one as it is one of my favorite books I have read this year. It is cozy and exciting and impossible to put down.
The plot of this one is intriguing and mysterious. While the whole book is not action packed, it gives us just the right amount of survival to keep us on the edge of the seat. I also liked the character development, which was really well done and didn't have any weird set backs or fast paced developments that wouldn't make sense.
Overall, I would really recommend reading this one as it is one of my favorite books I have read this year. It is cozy and exciting and impossible to put down.
October 17, 2025
"Beneath Dark Skies" ist bisher das beste Why-Choose, Zombie Apocalypse Buch, dass ich bisher gelesen habe. Während ich alle MCs liebe und auch ein riesen Fan vom FMC Farron bin, hätte ich mich nur ein bisschen mehr Action gewunschen und ein bisschen mehr von den Zombies, mir ist jedoch bewusst, dass diese Duologie mehr auf dem Character Development aufbaut und mit den Beziehungen zwischen der MCs zu tun hat. Das Ende mochte ich nicht so zu 100%, ich fand es ein bisschen geforced, nur um einen Cliffhanger zu erzwingen.
Aktueller Fav: Adrian
Tropes: Why choose, dystopian (zombie apocalypse), found family
Aktueller Fav: Adrian
Tropes: Why choose, dystopian (zombie apocalypse), found family
June 9, 2025
It's been an age since I've read a zombie book, so finding this reverse harem one had me too curious to ignore it. I'm glad I didn't!
Less zombie-focussed and more farm and romance-led, this cheese fest has some unique tropes and a fun style about it. As usual, we address the mandatory 'women in an apocalypse' moment with men doing their shtick. That scene aside, I really enjoyed this kinda fluffy book that still had me sobbing enough to puff my eyes.
I'm keen to see how much worse book 2 will leave me.
Less zombie-focussed and more farm and romance-led, this cheese fest has some unique tropes and a fun style about it. As usual, we address the mandatory 'women in an apocalypse' moment with men doing their shtick. That scene aside, I really enjoyed this kinda fluffy book that still had me sobbing enough to puff my eyes.
I'm keen to see how much worse book 2 will leave me.
Read
October 29, 2024Check your TW before diving into this one!
Super fun zombie apocalyptic SMUT. There was great representation for the deaf community and you could tell the author did her research beforehand!
The spicy scenes were written really well, and it was easy to fall in love with the characters. #teamtheo
Super fun zombie apocalyptic SMUT. There was great representation for the deaf community and you could tell the author did her research beforehand!
The spicy scenes were written really well, and it was easy to fall in love with the characters. #teamtheo
June 18, 2025
That was a very good read.
I wanna say is a slow burn page-wise, cause in reality it just takes couple of months for them to get intimate- but the whole book was super good.
Can’t say it’s plot heavy, cause it’s just the day-to-day and nothing much is happening but we get to know the main characters in depth.
Uhm, I wanted a bit more zombies? Like, it’s the apocalypse, was expecting more things to happen but I’m waiting for them to happen in the second book.
I still don’t get why they don’t use cars (?) and some other things that could be useful when it comes to an apocalypse but again the world building is good enough. There is no explanation about the zombies and how it started either.
Can’t wait for book two.
I wanna say is a slow burn page-wise, cause in reality it just takes couple of months for them to get intimate- but the whole book was super good.
Can’t say it’s plot heavy, cause it’s just the day-to-day and nothing much is happening but we get to know the main characters in depth.
Uhm, I wanted a bit more zombies? Like, it’s the apocalypse, was expecting more things to happen but I’m waiting for them to happen in the second book.
I still don’t get why they don’t use cars (?) and some other things that could be useful when it comes to an apocalypse but again the world building is good enough. There is no explanation about the zombies and how it started either.
Can’t wait for book two.
June 2, 2025
Riveting
The blurb caught my attention with this one. It's a bit slow moving but also still very riveting. Farron and the other characters are so well developed you can't help but become immersed in their lives. On to book two!
The blurb caught my attention with this one. It's a bit slow moving but also still very riveting. Farron and the other characters are so well developed you can't help but become immersed in their lives. On to book two!
May 6, 2025
a why choose romance set during a zombie apocalypse?? yes plz. i’m not even mad about the slow burn bc i loved the plot too much. is it safe to say i wish there were more zombies….
June 10, 2025
MFMM
FMC: Farron Hill
MMCs: Kenji, Theo, and Adrian
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice: 🌶️.5
FMC: Farron Hill
MMCs: Kenji, Theo, and Adrian
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice: 🌶️.5
July 21, 2025
omg a romance set in a post-apocalyptic world with zombies? yes pls
August 22, 2025
DNF
This was painfully slow and boring, not to mention the annoying going back and forth in time. I just couldn't get into the book.
This was painfully slow and boring, not to mention the annoying going back and forth in time. I just couldn't get into the book.
November 20, 2024
Review pending I’m gathering my thoughts 😭
June 15, 2025
Okay this book was amazing?! Zombies, reverse harem, found-family, season 2 of TWD vibes, PTSD and grief representation - AMAZING!! Even being a “why-choose” it somehow felt… natural? There’s no dubious consent, no blood-relation, a slowwww burn, excellent communication, everything from emotional to physical interaction is earned through trust. This was the most “realistic” zombie end of days story I’ve ever read. Yes there’s romance, but the main themes are trauma and healing, and the hard truth that healing is not linear. Every single character, main or side, felt well fleshed out and essential to the story. I cannot wait to jump into the second book after that cliffhanger, and I’m praying it’s just as good as this one. I kind of don’t want this series to end 😅
June 18, 2025
I did really enjoy this book, it was a fun mix between romance and ZOMBIESSSS! I’m a huge walking dead fan so this really made me happy. Also loved that the characters are older and not “freshly 18” 🤮…. It was a quick read and leaves on a huge cliffhanger but no worries the 2nd book is already out! BRB while I binge the 2nd one now!
FYI This is a spicy read 🌶️🌶️/5
Im not HUGE into spice but there is plenty of yearning and being OBSESSED with the FMC!
FYI This is a spicy read 🌶️🌶️/5
Im not HUGE into spice but there is plenty of yearning and being OBSESSED with the FMC!
March 28, 2025
Loved this!! Why choose, zombie apocalypse, spice, super good plot
May 1, 2025
I was absolutely obsessed with this duet. The character development, the angst, the romance, the drama, the family ties, friendships, and the banter, all of it was so fulfilling and had me captivated from the first page.
I giggled and kicked my feet, fought tears, was angry, and maybe fell a little in love with the MMCs (okay, a lot in love). The action is well written, but this IS a romance book that takes place during a zombie apocalypse, not the other way around.
I really can't wait to read about the other characters in this duet. 🥰
I giggled and kicked my feet, fought tears, was angry, and maybe fell a little in love with the MMCs (okay, a lot in love). The action is well written, but this IS a romance book that takes place during a zombie apocalypse, not the other way around.
I really can't wait to read about the other characters in this duet. 🥰
June 20, 2025
I did not anticipate the level of DEVESTATION this book was going to bring upon me. Worth it.
August 5, 2025
One thing about me- I LOVE romance. Another thing- I LOVE zombies and a post apocalyptic world. I watch zombie movies and play zombie video games. So to combine both of those things in a world I can experience like this has been so fun to read. It’s heavy on the emotions and truly get into these characters head and feel what they feel. Love the descriptive ways they portray the zombies anatomy and fighting them. And of course the romance is amazing. These are the books that you can fully immerse yourself in. I immoderately started book 2 and cannot wait to finish it!
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