A Reign of Embers

The Royal Spares #4

by Eva Chase

Can you make peace with the god of war?

The balance of power has finally swung in my favor—on the mortal plane. It seems one of our gods objects to my new position and will stop at nothing to unseat me.

I'll have to rely on every trick up my sleeve, all the devotion the men I love have to offer, and the faith that's kept me strong through so many trials before. Even if that means watching my princes walk away.

Will my schemes end up destroying the continent I've fought so hard to protect? Or is it still possible to build a better world out of all these embers?

*A Reign of Embers is the fourth and final book in the Royal Spares series.*

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dark Romance, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Magic, Why Choose

526 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 11, 2025

About the author

Eva Chase lives in Canada with her family. She loves stories both swoony and supernatural, and strong women and the men who appreciate them. You can visit her online at www.evachase.com.

Reviews

[Alayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to keep reading this book! From the start, the mystery grabs you, leaving you with so many questions and an unrelenting sense of suspense. The plot is full of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat, and each chapter makes you more eager to uncover the truth.

The anticipation is incredible, with the author skillfully layering clues and red herrings that leave you guessing. I'm especially excited for the conclusion, as the build-up promises an unforgettable payoff.
This book is a rollercoaster of emotions, mystery, and anticipation, and I truly can’t wait to see how it all unfolds. If you love thrillers that keep you guessing, this is definitely one you don’t want to miss!

[KMart Vet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really satisfying, character-driven, gods and politics-filled finale to the Royal Spares series. This one continues to lean even harder into this being Aurelia’s story, which, honestly, I appreciate. She’s always been the heart of this series, and it was great to see her continue to step into her power without endless trial sequences dragging the plot down.

I was especially happy with how each of the love interests got their own arc and resolution, some more prominent than others. Everyone found whatever peace they could with their messy families, and Marcus’s presence was a nice balancing force in the group dynamic this time around. Do I wish there had been some crossed swords? Always. That’s my personal Why Choose weakness. But even without that, the relationship moments were strong, and the emotional beats felt earned.

This book captured a lot of the drama and fun that made the first book memorable. Yes, Aurelia continues to border on Mary Sue levels of being good and right and beloved by all, but... I’m not even mad about it. Sometimes I want the girlboss fantasy and I love how soft she is. Overall, this was a great conclusion to a really fun and drama-filled series. Great for some escapism.

Thanks so much to booksirens for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: A Reign of Embers (The Royal Spares Book 4)

“𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴—𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴”

In the wake of betrayal, Aurelia and her men face off against the goddess’s influence and must navigate the dangers of court, threats of rebellion, and unite the empire.

Series Tropes:
👀 Multi POV
👯‍♂️👯‍♂️ Why choose
⛔️ Enemies to lovers
👑 Royals
💍 Arranged marriage
💀 Deadly trials
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Found family
⚠️ “Who did this?”
🩶 Morally grey MCs
🌶️ : open door

Aurelia faces opposition at every turn but remains unwavering in her vision for the empire. The challenges she and her men overcome to be together and the sheer devotion they exhibit makes their story
truly exceptional.

A Reign of Embers expertly blends elements of magic, meddling gods, and kingdoms on the precipice of war while intricately exploring the relationships Aurelia has with her men and the court she has cultivated.

This epic finale delivered everything my heart yearned for! The redemption storyline really shines and themes of sacrifice, duty, and hope resonate throughout the series. The Royal Spares series will have your heart on edge with each surprise and your heart aching and bursting in equal measure!

So grateful to the author for the review copy opportunity. This is my honest and voluntary review

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series was freaking amazing and I loved every minute of it.

I’m devastated it’s ended but this is going as one of my all time fav series ❤️❤️❤️❤️ I NEED THE SPECIAL EDITIONS😩

[Kiwi S · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, of course I love this book so much, and I’m sad the series has ended…but I feel like this book dragged on longer than necessary. I got a little bored at times, but I knew the good stuff was coming, so I kept going. I just wanted to be honest. I still believe it deserves 5 stars regardless.

[Mariaan Belinfante · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth and grand finale of a series set in a dystopian world filled with mythology attests to the creative wordbuilding of the author as well as her attention to detail, considering each book stacked over 500 pages. Aurelia had quite a hell of a life, surviving the bloody trials, humiliation by MarcLinus, the shocker of not 1 but 2 husbands, murder attempts on her life, etc., to finally having the godlen of war Sabrelle opposing her as the Empress through the Tribune Valiresse who's hell bent on dethroning her. All is not gloom and doom though, with her love for the men in her life, a lot of spice is around, new friendships and found family. Advising to read from book 1 as each book smoothly follows from where the previous end. Brace yourself for hours of entertainment.
I received an advanced review copy and leave this review voluntary Thank you BookSirens

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really satisfying series finale! Everything came together nicely and although the book follows the same kind of pattern, with tasks needing to be completed, it does focus on tying up all the loose ends. I of course don't wanna give away too many spoilers in this review, but I'm really glad that Amelia managed to stay true to herself up until the very end and I also liked the romance in this book and how that developed. And I'm not the only one wanting a spin-off series starring an all grown up daughter, am I?

[s.elle.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨📚 I've been waiting for this release since I DEVOURED the last book!! I absolutely LOVE a good Why Choose / reverse harem and the spice was great. The continuation of the plot was done so well, and I loved the relationship developments!!!

Rated 4⭐!!

Thank you Eva Chase and BookSirens for the ARC copy of this book!!!

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like Game of Thrones mixed with magic and mythology, this series is for you!

This book perfectly tied together the finale of the series!
I feel like this series would be such a good show to watch!

[Paige Wyatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book at much as I did the first two but it just didn’t grab me as much.

There were some strange words utilised in some smutty scenes that made me scream in embarrassment, one used the word fantastic…

Another: “Then I’m plunging into the most giddying place I’ve ever known.”
I think my soul ran away 🥲


I’m offering to oversee an official marriage ceremony between the three of you and her. You might not be able to celebrate it openly, but you’d know that your relationship is legitimatized, before imperial authority and the gods. If you’d all want that…”

It’s meant to be worn, and I couldn’t wear it as is either.” Marc pauses with a flick of his gaze toward me. “I had four rings made. I’ll give you the other to set aside… until such time as you might decide you’re happy seeing it on my finger as well.”

My confusion lasts only as long as it takes for the enemy soldiers to react. “Fuck,” one of them mutters. I strain my ears to pick up the rest of his words. “Jurnus too? I don’t like this.”

Just as I’m about to drag my gaze away before anyone finds my intent interest suspicious, a glow flares around my lovers. I freeze in place, but no one around me reacts to the pinkish sheen hazing the three princes’ silhouettes. Even Axius takes in my stiffened posture, glances over, and then looks back at me with obvious confusion. Am I the only one who can see it? Then it’s an omen meant just for me. The rosy glow thickens, streaming around my three lovers like the ribbons we used in our marriage ceremony. More light unfurls here and there in the shape of actual roses. Then the imagery fades away, leaving an ache in my throat and a stutter in my pulse

An image came to me not long ago,” she says. “Of you standing with my son—and two of the other princes the empire has taken in?—and declaring what he means to you. It felt so real… It was, wasn’t it?”

And woe betide us all if she strikes you down,” Queen Anahi says, sounding as if she actually means it. She dips her head to me. “Let us begin our relationship of cooperation in earnest now, Your Imperial Highness. I’ve already sent all the soldiers we can offer to the boats to set sail on your word. They’ll reach you as quickly as they’re able.”

[Katarina Petzold · Rating 5 out of 5]

The absolut perfect final zu thos series

[Booksbystarlightandshadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

*updated to include audiobook review*

Meg Sylvan and Aaron Shedlock have kept me engaged throughout this series and I have really enjoyed how they brought these characters to life. What an ending for Aurelia and her family this was; Aurelia has stayed true to her character throughout the series and met every challenge head on. As much as I love a redemption arc, I never believed that Marc would be my favourite by the end but here we are! From the moment the wedding band went missing I was a goner. Marc's development was really interesting as he had to adapt and unlearn everything he had grown up believing and although he wasn't innocent by any means, I never doubted his feeling for Aurelia weren't real. I would have loved a little more time spent with him and the princes though as they had years of history to unpack but I enjoyed what was on the page and how Marc had to work to earn their trust.

My favourite thing about this universe is the mythology and I liked how we got to explore more about the various Godlens in this book. One of the main concerns people seemed to have about Aurelia was that her chosen Godlen was the peaceful Elox, and this book showed that the actions of the Godlen were not black and white. I would have loved to have heard from Sabrelle directly as although she was a definite presence with Tribune Valerisse acting in her stead, hearing her motivations directly would have been interesting. The war leads to a final showdown which was a pretty epic conclusion and there were true stakes involved. I hope we get to see another series in this world as there is so much left to explore.

My interpretation of the star system;
3 stars - I enjoyed it; would read the author again
4 stars - I really liked it; I am invested and definitely want more from this author/series
5 stars - I loved it; I engaged with this book completely until I finished it and it is one I will re-read

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Onto the trash heap with this. I foolishly let booktok make me think this was going to be great. I love a reverse harem but I have NEVER read 4 books in a series and had not a single attachment to any of the characters. The plot wouldn’t be bad if I actually cared what happens to anyone in the book, I did not.

[Anna Burkemper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aurelia is a second born princess in a far away land that was conquered a few hundred years ago. As the royal spare, she has an uncertain future and has always known that her life was going to be used by her parents in whatever way would be the most advantageous for her country. She is here for it, because as a dedicate to the godlen Elox, all she wants is to help heal and bring peace to all.

Her parents reach out to the emperor who has a son, they offer up their daughter to be that son's wife, and the emperor agrees. She jumps in a carriage and spends a few weeks traveling and we join the story all ready in progress as she reaches the imperial palace.

As she presents herself to the tyrant emperor, her only hope is that in marrying the spoiled son, she might have a hand in helping to direct the ruling of the nation into a more caring and thoughtful direction. Instead, she meets the royal spares from the other conquered nations, 4 princes who hate her with a passion, and is witness to the emperor using her arrival as a way to teach his court a lesson. All the families who complained that their daughters should have had a chance to win the son's hand in marriage are forced to give their daughter instead into a competition. The winner wins the hand, all those who fail the challenges will die immediately.

Book 1 focuses on those trials and we see Aurelia come through them both traumatized as well as thoroughly in love with 3 of the princes from the conquered lands. The 4th prince is sweet but younger so they aren't romantic but are allies. At the end of the book, she's dancing at her wedding to the next Imperial heir, when the current emperor falls dead. Twist: she killed him and that was her and her family's plan the whole time.

Book 2 is her being married and the future empress, but as the next emperor, Marclinus must travel around the continent, visiting all the conquered countries, and completing trials to prove to the various godlens that he is worthy of his title. Only this is another round of trials, because as they travel, he continues to torture the people in the various countries, and she walks the fine line of mitigating the pain he inflicts while still only being seeing as the devoted new bride.

Her new husband is proving to be a sociopath, while her 3 lovers are giving her the strength she needs to carry on. Realizing that even though she only ever planned on murdering the 1 emperor, she's going to have to kill another if the madness is really going to be ended. 1 of the princes agrees to get her pregnant so that she can claim to carry the next heir, all while shoring up allies in court and abroad so that when her husband is dead, she'll have the support to be regent until their child comes of age.

Plot twist: she doesn't have a husband. She has two. Marc and Linus are twins whose father kept the secret their whole lives and they've always ruled together. But Linus is clearly getting more and more unhinged and Marc is asking her to help him kill his brother. But Aurelia can't know if this is yet another round of tests.

We get into book 3 and it's really more Aurelia walking the line, trying not to die all while ensuring both her husbands think she's madly in love with them. This is clearly untenable, considering how Linus is mentally falling apart and while Marc is showing a softer, more thoughtful side, he's clearly not sorry for the chaos and pain he and his brother cause.

Before the book ends, Aurelia gives birth to a healthy daughter and she and her princes hatch a plot to kidnap and kill Marc in secret, followed by a public death of Linus to place her on the throne. She admits to Marc all that she has done and who she really is, and he breaks. He tells her all her confessions only make him realize how amazing she truly is and how fantastic a wife he chose. Then Linus attacks her and the baby by setting her rooms on fire, Marc fight Linus off and saves Aurelia and the baby but Linus jumps out the window with his literal last breath so his body will be found.

Book 4 is Aurelia in love with her princes and trying to navigate her rule, while trying to figure out if Marc is anything worth saving. Spoiler alert, he is.

For being a why choose, this book isn't that spicy for me. When the spice does happen, it never really hits, either. I want it to, but the dynamic of the characters was just not that hot. Which is similar to how I felt regarding the full story arc hit. Like, it was good and I was happy to read all 4 books, but it was never great and maybe it could have been with just a little secret sauce added.

I'm not in a hurry to read other books by this author, but I certainly won't shy away from doing so. The fact that this was a booktoc rec made me very nervous and apprehensive at the outset, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

[Shannon Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

This was my favourite book of the series, by far! I may even reread the series 🤯 if you like character-focused court politics, with a dash of the divine/gods, and a why choose then this is a book for you.

I felt the pacing in this was A LOT better. Unlike the other books, we weren’t just working through a series of tasks moving from one to the next until the last 100 pages where everything kicks off. We also got a little more back in the romance department, too! Yay!

Ending: I thought the resolution to the series was nicely done. It felt well rounded with everything tied off. Although I would have liked the big army battle at the end to have lasted a little longer. It was over quite quickly for the amount of build up we had.

Aurelia: Look. Was she a holier-than-thou Mary Sue level character at the beginning? Yes. Did I judge her for it. Also yes. However, I may have finally started to actively like and root for Aurelia in the third book (!!) but I feel like she really came into her own in the final instalment. She was always clever with her schemes and quick witted, but she really took her power back in both the relationships and the throne. I liked that she really wasn’t afraid to do what was necessary for once (like stabbing the ‘traitor’). Old Aurelia would have never.

Marc: Feel less bad now for the Marc/Aurelia ship I was sailing in the last book now it was clearly planned 😂 what can I say, I love an enemies to lovers slow burn 🔥 Marc really grew on me as a character, he felt flawed but went on a journey to the point book 1 Marc is unrecognisable in comparison. Also yay for Marc POV chapters. “What has this woman reduced me to” being his first line is so fitting hahaha

Lorenzo: My baby boy. I’m glad he got a call back to the tree scene with Aurelia from book 1 at the end there. He was feeling a bit neglected throughout the couple books. I don’t think his relationship really developed all that much after book 2 which is my only complaint :(

Bastien: Again, I’m really glad he got a moment with his daughter where he could freely show his affection. I did think his paternal side was lacking since she gave birth where he didn’t feel as if he was trying to find reasons to hold/take care of Coraya. (Also he needs to count his lucky stars she didn’t come out with red hair)

Raul: I really enjoyed Raul. He became a softy by the end. Personality wise, I can tell how he grew as a person and learned patience and to control his temper throughout the books, which had always previously been an issue. I would have liked to have seen him lean on the princes/Aurelia more at times though, really exposing that vulnerable side more like the other two sometimes did.

Neven: I spent a good portion of this series bracing myself for the inevitable misguided betrayal of Neven and I am so pleased it never manifested. His confusion and journey throughout the series really made him feel like an authentic ‘younger’ and more naive character than the princes, which helped their dynamic as a family unit more. I would have liked to have seen/learned more about him though, I enjoyed the little glimpses I got.

General thoughts:

Bringing the gods into the dynamic was so clever as a plot point. I never guessed it would have went that way before this book and really brought a new level into the “what the fuck is she gonna do to get out of this one” element

I’ll say it again, the magic system is so intriguing and unique. I love the concept of the sacrifice for a gift and it can be anything for something of equal value. I like the fact it was also capped with physical strain, keeping the more “overpowered” gifts in check

Speaking of which, I’d read a book about the gods. I just knew Elox and Sabrelle have prior beef. I can feel the pettiness

Why were all of the princes parents absolute DICKS

I swear I was waiting for Bianca to be a snake in the grass right up until the last page

I would have liked to have seen more active consequences for the magic merging in the final battle. They made it a notable and serious discussion point where I thought it would come into effect later and we’d have to deal with some unforeseen consequences. Alas, she just lost a bit of her liver and that’s it? Nothing else? To no one else? A missed opportunity in my opinion that negated the risky nature they made of magic merging

It was a nice change to read a RH where the MMCs are initially jealous of one another, or at least unsure of the shared dynamic. Usually they’re totally down from the jump so this was a welcome change of pace

JUSTICE FOR KASSUM

I did think more people would find out about the Marc/Linus thing, I won’t lie

Neven and Evando spin off when??

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful end to a story filled with seemingly insurmountable challenges. This was a great way to end the series, and I loved how the autghor was able to round out and redeem seemingly irredeemable characters. The narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life. I particularly enjoyed hearing Aaron Shedlock. I've heard him voice some of my favourite characters in other audiobooks and he always does a particularly great job. I find his voice to be extremely appealing. The story balances the spice, with the love between the characters, and with the violence.

This last installment of the series built upon all of the very carefully laid groundwork that the author laid in the previous books. There wasn't much world building since the majority had already been thoroughly flushed out. The major character growth took place within one particularly important character, while the other characters returned like old friends.

The author created a believable and gradual shift in the way the courtiers, common folk, and other individuals in the story viewed Aurelia that made the story progress seamlessly. The level of angst in this book was markedly kess than in the previous books. The first book had the most with how high the stakes were and the level of violence. The level of cruelty between some of the characters was also dialed way back. These things were to be expected with the culmination of the story.

This story has love, loss, and all the feelings. I'd say it was a bit hard to get into at first, but I felt that way about books two and three, and only because of the emotional toll they took, and amount of violence in the first three books.

If you're looking for a somewhat serious, heavy, why choose romance, with not a whole lot of spice (two to three scenes in a pretty long book), with a pretty different take on a fantasy world, then you should take a try with this series. It was a heavy read with no comic relief and a lot of angst, so I'll definitely need a lighter palette cleanser after this read but I have to commend the author for her creativity in crafting this world. I can honestly say the abilities, rule set, and general world is unique. It was very well done, especially the FMC.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Reign of Embers" wrapped up Eva Chas's The Royal Spares series nicely. All the familiar characters return, and some side characters get more spotlight this time around. The three princes are back with Aurelia, and we get to see how everyone navigates the new dynamic with Marc and where he fits into Aurelia's world.

Series finales are tricky as you want solid buildup and satisfying closure, which this book delivers. But after sitting with it for a few days, something felt like it was missing. I really wanted to see Aurelia and Marc have more time to develop their romantic relationship, just the two of them. Actually, it would've been great to see her get more one-on-one time with each guy to really strengthen those individual connections.

The group dynamic dominated so much that I found myself less invested in the princes. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for reverse harem and why choose stories, but I need to feel that our main protagonist is genuinely drawn to each lover. That connection just wasn't as strong for me this time, and I get the theme was more around the "family unit" they had built.

There's definitely more plot and political intrigue, which was engaging, but I kept thinking the book needed to pick a lane: either lean into the group dynamics with a lot more smut, or spend more time building up each individual relationship so the group moments would hit harder.

Overall, it's worth reading and wraps up the series well. Just make sure you read the books in order. I'm rounding up to four stars, but it was more like a 3.5 for me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[jlreadstoperpetuity · Rating 4 out of 5]

🥀👑𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄👑🥀
𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒔—𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒔—𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒏.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 🌱📚
Aurelia has finally claimed the throne, but the divine disapproval isn’t over—one of the gods of war wants her toppled. With three devoted princes at her side (yes, the powerful polyam crew you’ve been rooting for), she must navigate plots, sacrifice, and political upheaval to secure a better future… or burn the empire to the ground

𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀🍵🪽
This finale is everything I wanted—heart-wrenching, fiery, and unflinchingly real. Aurelia’s growth from carted-off pawn in Game of Veils to Empress defending her legacy is absolute fantasy girlboss evolution. The emotional stakes? THROUGH THE ROOF. Every tender embrace, every whispered strategy in the throne room made my pulse race. And those divine stakes? Epic. Watching her rebuild the empire alongside her partners while facing god-blessed power plays had my inner cheerleader screaming “SLAAY!”

From deadly trials and political marriages to twisted court intrigue and found poly family, this series has been a marathon of emotional evolution. Each book deepens the world-building and deepens Aurelia’s resolve—through betrayal, growth, and even divine warfare . By book four, the character arcs come full circle and the emotional reunion? Legendary. If you've ever believed in power born of unity (and a little spice), this saga is your dream epic romance wrapped in regal chaos.

👑TYSM @authorevachase for always thinking of me when the new book on the series comes out. You just created a gem of a series ✨️

[Adena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has been a whirlwind of cutthroat competition, cruel torture, and constant testing for our heroine, but Aurelia is so much stronger than anyone can imagine. She handles herself with poise and diplomacy, and always displays the appropriate sentiments in public, even when deep down she is furious. After conquering all the trials through the first 3 books, you'd think she could finally rule in peace. But of course, there is a challenge to her legitimacy on the throne, and this time, she has to battle a deity. All she wants is to bring peace to a fractured country, but she faces opposition and suspicion at every turn. Luckily, she also has a harem of princes willing to do whatever it takes to make her dreams come true.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this series was the unique world the author has created. Each country has a rich heritage, which is thoroughly explored. People who live in this world choose one god (or goddess) to dedicate themselves to, and when they come of age they sacrifice a piece of themselves in order to gain the favor of their chosen god, and with it, some type of magical power. The unique abilities differ for everyone, so although magic is expected, one never knows quite how the ability will manifest, or how powerful it may be. The characters are very well developed, and the story is told through alternating perspectives, so we get a glimpse into the minds of several different characters.

I enjoyed this entire series, and I can't wait to see what's next from Eva Chase.

I volunteered to review an ARC of this novel.

[FloofyMooseReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth and final book the Royal Spares, a fantasy romance series set in the author’s Abandoned Realms world. There are numerous very dark elements to this story so please read the trigger warnings. I received an advance review copy and my thoughts are my own. Thank you to the author for my eArc.

Tropes and themes include:
✨Why choose (mfmmm)
✨Arranged marriage
✨Court intrigue
✨Preparing for war
✨Political unrest
✨Found family

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars 3/5 Flames
Nicknames: Rell, Star, Shepherdess

The Lovely: While book three had me falling even more in love with the MMCs, this book had me falling back in love with the FMC. I loved her passion and her commitment to protecting her people, but in her own way and on her own terms. I also appreciate how clever she is in coming up with solutions, both magically and mundane.

Recommendation: This falls into the “I loved how it ended but I’m sad to see the series end” category. I’ve fallen in love with the characters, both main and side, so I will miss them. This book/series takes place in the author’s Abandoned Realms world, which also houses her Rites of Possession series and a novella, Heart of Defiance. But, you do not need to read any of those prior to this series. If you like why choose fantasy romance with a strong heroine and lots of court intrigue, I think you would like this book.

[Madie Yuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eva Chase has done it again! I've been a fan of this series since I found it online last year and I've been eagerly awaiting the final book. It truly did not disappoint.

Some superb things about this series: the magic system, our main character, the romance, and the plot rhythm. This has one of the most unique magic systems where our characters have to sacrifice part of their body in order to receive a magical gift. It provides actual consequences to having magical powers and overusing their gift as well.

Our main character is easily one of the best parts of the series. She's very independent and thoughtful. All of her decisions she makes during this final book felt completely in line with the rest of the decisions she made in the earlier three books. It's very refreshing having a main character who doesn't rush into the action without thinking about it first.

The romance and plot rhythm. Eva Chase excels at both in the series. The romance isn't overwhelming in the series while the plot keeps everything moving in a way that makes you want to flip the page to keep reading more. I can't begin to emphasize how well the series is paced. I read this book in one day because I couldn't put it down!

Thank you Eva for a great series!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ah · Rating 3 out of 5]

We finally broke the mold!

The threat of war is upon the kingdom by those dedicated to the golden of war and they will do anything and everything to destroy the new empress. With threats from every direction she relies on those closest to her and aims to bring all the other golden to her cause.

This book finally gave us something new with having to address all the factors that entail war. We still did end up having an aspect of trials, but it didn’t feel as repetitive as it did in the previous books. There was still some political dealing of course, but on a bigger scale as help from the other kingdoms would be required. On top of that there was the ever present meddling of the golden and their gifts.

Magic played a much bigger part in all of this as well, I was glad to gain more insight on the rules it’s constrained by. Along with the magic we also got to delve further into the golden and what each of them represent in this universe.

It was great that the other characters finally had more influence on the circumstances surround their world. Their growth was so much more visible as they all came together to work towards the end goal driven by the FMC. There was one MMC specifically that really took the opportunity to continue his growth into someone worthy.

This was a good if repetitive series.

[Sylvana · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!

Book: A Reign of Embers by Eva Chase

I loved being back in this world alongside these characters!

“𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦. 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸.”

The last book in The Royal Spares series, this was such a great journey! I love how this story wrapped up. The court politics, intriguing world, unique magic system, and fierce characters. It has been amazing!

“𝘕𝘰 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨.”

This series is full of interesting plots and twists, and it's safe to say that Marc absolutely surprised me! I enjoyed the character developments, seeing everyone's full potential. Working together for the greater cause. The anticipation building up towards the ending was pretty exciting. Aurelia is such a sweet yet fierce character! I loved seeing her thrive

“𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘤𝘺. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.”

I want to thank the author for sending me a physical copy to read and review 🖤

[Ines · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the few series where my love for the storyline stayed constant from start to finish. Even the wait between books never took away any of my love for where the story was going; each book just sucked me right in. This final book leads up to the big battle every fantasy series needs, but for once the build-up to it was even better than the finale itself. And I don’t mean this in a bad way; I just loved how Aurelia needed to navigate the different godlen in this one, showing her wonderfully strategic brain every step of the way.

I truly love Aurelia as an fmc; she’s brave, courageous, true to her morals and beliefs, kind, and exactly who’s needed to bring a country peace. The men in her life are the balance she needs, and if you want to know if Marc becomes one of them or not, I highly suggestie reading this book.

Truly, this series has it all. Fleshed out characters, a fascinating storyline, multiple twists and turns, wonderful worldbuilding and a very satisfying HEA. I can’t wait to find out if there will be more in this world in the future, because I’ve totally fallen in love with it.

[Mica · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘁, 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗽𝗶𝗱, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪! 😌😗🫶

I’m not ready for this series to end!!!

All four books and I truly enjoyed ✨everything✨ in them. The storytelling is so compelling and the intricate political intrigue has my full attention. I love love love it!

As always, Aurelia is a standout character! She is the most ✨level-headed✨ heroine I’ve read in forever and I AM JUST SO OBSESSED ❤️‍🔥

The stakes were sky-high as she tried to keep her throne, prevent a war, while battling against a literal Goddess! All of this while caring for a newborn daughter and navigating her relationships with four men.

But if anyone can handle all of this, it would be Aurelia! She thinks ✨everything✨ through before acting. A true type-a heroine, really. The final boss of type-a heroines!

I also really enjoyed following Marc’s character arc, he almost reminded me of Zuko’s character development, and it is really done well. Marc had to deconstruct everything he knew, which isn’t easy, all while at rock bottom.

If anyone deserves a happy ending, it’s all of them!

-ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴀʀᴄ, ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ-

[Tasha Goulet · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an ending!

A Reign of Ember is the fourth and final book in The Royal Spare series. This fantasy RH book, like all the others, was filled with action, gods, and magic.

Aurelia has been an outstanding character from the very beginning. She has been devoted and clever and hasn't hid away from her weaknesses. In each book she has faced different challenges and fought against her demise. Of course, the fourth book would bring another challenge forward. And this time she has to face the champion of the Sabrelle, who doesn't believe she should rule.

The best thing about this book, the whole series really, was the intelligence and strategies that played out in so many different ways. Aurelia had to outwit and outplay others in the political arena she was forced into. To find the best ways to listen and understand what to do with her gift, as well as the princes' gifts. She had to find a balance while trying to win a war and do what was best for everyone around her. Great FMC!

I'm sorry to see this series come to an end, but I forward to what this author writes next.

[PelicanFreak · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sometimes blood must be shed to clear the ground for peace.”
—Aurelia

Conspiracies everywhere in this much-anticipated end to one of the most compelling series I’ve experienced.

What’s not to love about a slow-burn rebellion?!
I do recommend reading this series in order (and in completion). A lot happens in every installment and it’s a wild ride—every little detail makes the big picture even juicier.


🔥 Written in alternating, multiple POVs, like the rest of the series.
👑 Second chances.
🔥 Hardcore training.
👑 Strong female lead, one of the strongest I’ve met.
🔥 Fight scenes.
👑 Vi0lence, sometimes graphic.
🔥 Royals drama.
👑 Enemies-to-friends-to-lovers.
🔥 Endless conflict.
👑 Danger.
🔥Group scenes.
👑 War strategizing.

Overall:
There’s so much planning, plotting, scheming and danger—with those high stakes. I love it.
This entire series is binge-worthy and I will SO be back to do just that (assuming none of these titles inconveniently just disappear from my AudibleLibrary, like others before it have🤞🏻).

🎧 Audio:
Stunning—completely flawless production with a beautiful performance to boot. 5 stars.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Violent battles, magical warfare and divine intervention
Just when the empress thinks the worst of the battle for the empire has been overcome, here comes more trouble. A heroine who uses a lot of religious guidance to fight her battles. Aurelia is a strong and formidable character whom I definitely admire. She approaches her worship in different ways than past imperial rulers, looking to achieve the favor of the gods. She takes charge but also listens to others to advance her agenda.
I also like how the foster brothers all take a more active role in gaining allies and contributing to the cause in a productive way. A true battle for who will rule in the future, there are violent battles, magical warfare and divine intervention on both sides. It is a sad and strange world where the dedicates give up their body parts to gain magical abilities and the favor of the gods. A well written action packed and steamy final conclusion to this series. I received this book for free and voluntarily reviewed.

[Ashley Van Durmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a conclusion to Aurelia’s story in A Reign of Embers, Book 4 in the Royal Spares series.

Aurelia has faced many challenges throughout the series and comes face to face with her greatest one yet. With her opponent having the godlen of war on their side, trying to overthrow her, Aurelia must seek help from unexpected allies and get creative in her tactics to help unite the countries.

All of her men are right beside her, willing to do whatever it takes to make her dream of uniting the continent a reality. Even if it means working with someone who had hurt Aurelia in the past. Their devotion to her is unwavering and you can feel how much they all love her.

What I love most about this series is how strong and cunning Aurelia is, being a devoted to the godlen of peace everyone underestimates her and it drives her to prove them all wrong and she does it in spades. I love how she has separate relationships with all of the men along with all together and I loved seeing especially her and Lorenzo’s relationship come full circle in this story with a nod to the first book.

This is easily one of my favorite why choose’s and I am going to miss Aurelia and her men.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

[ReadingInPyjamas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this finale like a woman possessed. After the cliffhanger in A Dance of Shadows, I was emotionally feral waiting to see how Aurelia's journey would end, and let me tell you, Eva Chase DELIVERS.

This book is everything I wanted and more: gods meddling in mortal affairs, kingdoms teetering on the edge of war, and a queen who refuses to back down. Aurelia truly comes into her own as Empress, navigating betrayals, secrets, and the ever-tangled web of court politics with fire in her veins and love in her corner.

There’s so much to love:
✨ Enemies-to-lovers tension that sizzles
✨ A deliciously twisty redemption arc
✨ Political drama with teeth
✨ Found family vibes that had me soft
✨ And of course, some very steamy “why choose” moments that had me blushing into my tea

If you love your fantasy with high stakes, magic, complex characters, and a heroine who reigns with both steel and softness, The Royal Spares series is a MUST READ.