He was born to protect. She was taught to obey. But when their worlds collide, nothing will ever be the same.
Asher has always been the shield for the people he loves—his family, his friends, anyone in need. So when he finds Jade at a frat party, vulnerable and alone, stepping in isn’t a choice. It’s instinct. She doesn’t need a boyfriend, just someone to look out for her. And that’s exactly what he becomes. Until the lines blur. Until friendship isn’t enough. Until she’s his.
Jade has spent her entire life walking on eggshells, trying to please a mother who only cares about appearances. When she’s forced into a party she never wanted to attend, one night changes everything. The next morning, she wakes up feeling lost, broken—until she realizes someone was watching over her. Asher. The dark, tattooed stranger who makes her feel safe for the first time in her life.
With Asher, she finds strength she never knew she had. With Jade, he finds a love he never expected. But when secrets come to light and betrayal cuts deep, will their love be enough to survive the fallout? Or will the past destroy them both?
This was my first ARC read ever, and overall, it was a strong debut. The story was compelling, though occasionally a bit hard to follow. The author clearly put a lot of detail into each chapter, which made for rich storytelling but also created moments that felt slightly overwhelming. There were a few grammatical errors, but nothing that completely pulled me out of the story.
At its core, this is a healing journey with a solid HEA—and yes, the FMC truly does rise “from the ashes.”
Meet Jade: A sheltered girl on the brink of starting college, with a mother who treats her more like a burden than a daughter. Forced to attend a party with Sarah (her mom’s best friend’s daughter), Jade meets Hunter—Kyle’s friend and party co-host also Sarah’s love interest. After a round of beer pong and a suspiciously strong drink, Jade begins to feel off.
Hunter then leads her to the basement, where he takes advantage of her in her altered state. It’s not sugar-coated—he grapes her and leaves her vulnerable and exposed for others to find. (Trigger warning absolutely necessary for this one.)
Enter Asher: Hunter’s older brother, a tattoo artist and co-owner of From the Ashes. He’s convinced to come to the party by Kyle, and when he sees Hunter coming from the basement looking too pleased with himself, Asher gets suspicious. What he finds in the laundry room changes everything.
Asher rescues Jade and brings her to safety, starting her on a path of healing. He’s the epitome of a golden retriever boyfriend—protective, gentle, and loyal—but with a pit bull’s fierceness when it comes to those he cares about. Asher’s love for Jade is patient and all-consuming, and he cuts ties with Hunter once the truth comes out.
The ending is a bit predictable: they move in together while Jade pursues art and tattooing, then marry a year later and welcome a baby boy. Still, it’s a satisfying conclusion.
I’m definitely curious to read more about Ty and Roxie—both work at Asher’s shop, and their dynamic seems fun and fiery. There’s clearly more story to be told there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I love a found family story, but if you make the MMC a buff tattoo artist who rides a Harley I’ll drop everything to read it.
CHECK THE TW Jade goes THROUGH it in this book. Most of the storyline centres around her pain from both the last and present. One incident has her life is upside down and Asher comes in and turns her world right side up with his constant attention, patience and affection.
The storyline was so intense and heartwarming. I loved Asher and his protective side so much!
I love her other works but this one just took my heart! It’s the perfect mix, definitely worth the read! She did an amazing job of capturing the emotions of all characters, and giving us depth to love them. Wish I could re read for the first time again😢
From the Ashes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Alina Martyn Asher and Jade Make sure you read the triggers first because you might find some of this triggering. The amount of pain at these two characters Asher and Jade have both been through in their young lives is more than anyone could imagine. Unfortunately, they do not meet under the greatest circumstances but the chemistry these two have is undeniable even for the circumstances. The author did a great job, and this book is one I could not put down I had to read it and one ups and downs, and twists, and turns that I had to know! If I could give this book 6 stars I would because this is one I will definitely remember!
If you want a man very protective of his woman, you have to read this book. And when this man has a very good body, tattoos all over himself and rides a motorcycle? It’s easy for you to fall in love with him. He’s always there to pick up the pieces she needs, even when she’s not herself. She fights her demons from the past, but he's always there to protect her. And if you want spice, you will get it. 🔥 But please, always check the trigger warnings. Thank you for this ARC Alina and see you next time 🐦🔥🐦🔥
Had the pleasure of arc reading this and it 100% did not disappoint. Asher was a dream MMC 😍
It was the perfect amount of funny, spice and mushy love story. I was hooked from the first chapter, something about a damsel in distress FMC & a cinnamon roll MMC combo just pulls me in.
Definitely check your triggers before reading because it gets heavy at parts.
This standalone college romance set in Arizona is a sweet and spicy story about two damaged souls finding healing and love after a traumatic night.
Asher Lee, a heavily tattooed 25-year-old tattoo artist with a protective streak a mile wide, instantly stole my heart. His devotion to his younger brother and his immediate need to shelter Jade made him incredibly endearing. From the very beginning, Asher was tender, attentive, and determined to help Jade heal—not just physically, but emotionally. His use of “Baby Girl” might just melt your heart, and the Daddy/Baby Girl dynamic added an unexpectedly exciting layer of kink to their romance.
Jade Henderson, just 19, has survived more than her share of pain. After a heartbreaking past and a horrific night that changes everything, her slow-burn trust in Asher feels real and well-paced. Despite the trauma, her resilience shines, and watching her open up to love was genuinely moving.
The spice level is medium, but perfectly balanced with sweetness. Their chemistry is palpable, and the romance develops with just the right amount of emotional depth and playful tension. With low angst and no cliffhanger, this book is a satisfying and heartfelt read from start to finish.
ARC provided by the author, and I devoured it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I loved this story! The rawness, the emotion, the trauma, the love. I am not usually a fan of found family, but this one hit the mark for me! This story hits for a lot of people, I truly appreciated that. But definitely check your triggers with this, baby! I am, however, a fan of age gap and Zaddy Asher is giving all of the daddy vibes! I was obsessed with him before he was even called Daddy! Jade, on the other hand, I was not a fan of. I felt like maybe she was a little too weak. I don't know, I just felt like she should've stood up for herself more. The spice in this book was spicin for sure! 🥵 Jade and Asher's chemistry was off of the charts! Their first real spicy encounter gave me butterflies! Thank you, Alina, for the opportunity to read this! 🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌶🌶🌶
Oh man, what a rollercoaster of a book! Definitely started off with an explosion of emotion and never slowed down. Which, surprisingly, it wasn't a bad thing! Even with the quicker paced timeline, it didn't feel rushed. Every person got their moment and you could feel the heartache and the healing every step of the way. This book hit way too close to home in many ways with Jade and how she grew up so I connected with her on a deeper level. I felt her pain because I understood her pain and it made me love her character that much more. Asher is FIRE. Period. I will go to war for him. He's the perfect mix of golden retriever with a side of pure ✨man✨. He plays such a significant role in every aspect of the healing that Jade has to do. From being her rock to being her cheerleader, he lets her heal in her own way yet never deserts her. It's the perfect balance of protecting someone without smothering them in the process. I loved getting to witness how their relationship grew and adored the HEA that was tied up with a perfect bow.
Wow what an amazing book. The trauma Jade has experienced is horrible. My heart goes out to her. Asher is a hero. Saving, protecting and healing Jade as best as he can. I just love him. Their chemistry is just awesome. Jade and Asher are just awesome. I love how Jade found a family that treasures her for the amazing beautiful person she is. This book reeled me in beginning to end. Definitely check for triggers. I will definitely read more books from Alina Martyn!!!
Asher and Jade had me crying and swooning at the same time. Both of these two had been through so much. Some scenes has me feeling the feels - but that just made their growth together so much better.
Asher - Daddy - *swoon* The way I am feral for this man! The way he encouraged Jade's healing journey was beautiful written - Alina did so well capturing the chemistry between Asher and Jade.
I couldn't put this one down! it was dark and steamy - definitely ticked all my boxes!
This was bad. Plot was non-existent. FMC was incredibly needy and constantly whined (like literally). My favourite hate trope miscommunication was extensively used and the dialogue was so cringe that my gag reflex was gagging. There were also some very odd mistakes: one minute she had a brush in her bag, but in the next scene she hadn't brushed her hair because she had no brush. One minute she wanted to study business, then it was suddenly engineering, and then it was back to business.
Soo soo good! Such a sweet story line and wraps up everything nicely without leaving a “what the hell happened to so and so” I managed to chuckle during parts as well as I felt the fear pull from my chest during parts worth the read !
Found family, tattooed golden retriever MMC and a beautiful story of 2 people healing together! Yes please! There are trigger warning for a reason so make sure you read them. Our sweet introverted FMC Jade has the most horrific experience attending a college frat house party with the daughter of her mums best friend (FYI Sarah and mother dearest can go step on legos!) Asher our knight in shining armour happens to have been invited to the party by his younger party, despite not having the best relationship with baby bro he drops in after work only to discover Jade in pretty bad shape (check your trigger warnings). Unable to get her somewhere safe he takes her to his place. When Jade awakens Asher is by her side in whatever capacity he can be to aid and help her heal from the horrific trauma of not only the previous night but also the fall out of her mothers toxic and abusive behaviour. This book is a journey for both Asher and Jade and the traumas that life has thrown at both of them and how they support each other in healing, following their dreams and nurturing the beautiful relationship that grows between them and boy do these two have some serious chemistry in the bedroom! Asher is dream book boyfriend with his patience and understanding for everything Jade has gone through as well as the culmination of secrets and twists being revealed don’t deter him from supporting his girl. Jades journey of finding and surrounding herself with her chosen family, culminating in her being able to stand up to her mother. The found family surrounding Jade and Asher is beautiful and I love Roxie for being a ride or die for Jade! But I now definitely need a book on Ty and Roxie pretty please!
I completely loved and devoured this book, i love the story line and all the obstacles they over come 😍 honestlybwould definitely recommend and reread this book in the future 💕
I was super excited to read this book. I actually read it in a day because I could NOT put it down. Make sure you read the trigger warnings list! Jade went through some stuff growing up, and so did Asher. Then we read about some more stuff Jade goes through and how Asher becomes her safe space with no hesitation. I love how neither of the characters let their past really define the way they were with each other. If you love books where it is literally touch her and die, then this is a book for you. I loved seeing how protective Asher was, and how open he was about how he felt. There wasn't the usual push and pull and it was refreshing. Loved this book hands down, and will be checking out more of her works!
Loved it!!! This book was EVERYTHING I wanted in a book: instalove, he falls first, comfort, healing, protective, and obsessed. Asher was so perfect for Jade and I absolutely loved being part of the journey.
I will start with be sure to check your trigger warnings because your mental health matters. Now, what to say about this book. I love a found family story and this book is my top one. The journey and twist and turns that occurred in this book kept me hooked until the very last page. At first I was hesitant to continue this book but so glad I pushed through and finished it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
ARC READER 🔶🔶 MAKE SURE TO READ TRIGGER WARNINGS. This is a beautifully written story. First reading from this author and I’m in love. I love a book that keeps your attention and you don’t want to put it down!!! I love Asher and Jade!!! There’s going to be moments you will laugh your heart out and moments you may cry right along with them. I can’t wait to see what more comes!
I absolutely LOVED this book. I devoured it so quickly. its dark romance, so make sure you check the trigger warnings. the characters growth is amazing, in the end they still go the happy ending they both deserved. I will ALWAYS recommend this book.
From The Ashes by Alina Martyn releases May 6, 2025 🥀🖤✨
4 ⭐️ for Jade + Asher!
Small town found family with a tatted, protective, motorcycle riding MMC? Pack my bags and send me to Carver, Arizona 🥵 Jade + Asher’s love was a steamy fast burn and baaaaaby did it burn 🔥
It took me a while to warm up to Jade (30yo 👵🏻 v. 19 yo 👶🏼 It’s me not you, Jade🥴) but seeing her grow in the confidence and love of her new family was so rewarding.
From The Ashes really had it all with dual POV (bc we loooove seeing a man fall first 😏), betrayal, retribution, one hell of a tattoo appointment ❤️🔥, and a beautiful epilogue to wrap it all up in a pretty little bow.
Be sure to check TW, take care of your heart dear reader. Preorder now 👉🏻 https://amzn.to/4i3jBLI 🥀🖤✨
bb’s first ARC was so much fun! A million thanks of gratitude to Alina Martyn & team for this awesome opportunity 🫶🏻
First of all, please make sure to read the trigger warnings. The book is beautifully written, but nothing is worth stirring up painful memories. As the author herself says—your mental health matters.
Now onto the characters—I absolutely loved them. Asher is loving and protective. He would do anything to keep Jade safe, and I adored him for that. Jade also had a really strong character development, which made her very easy to root for. I really enjoyed the side characters as well and thought the whole tattoo parlor idea was such a cool idea!
If I had to point out one thing that didn’t quite resonate with me, it would be the portrayal of the antagonists. It’s hard to explain without giving anything away, but I personally would have loved to see a bit more depth behind their actions. They were easy to hate, which definitely worked for the story, but I felt that a little more insight into their motivations could have made them even more compelling.
That said, even with the heavy themes, this book was a very enjoyable read that brightened my evenings. I have to mention Asher again—he was incredibly sweet and considerate... and could be tough when needed. In other words, the perfect man (and covered in tattoos, too)!
This book is a sweet and spicy story about two people who've been hurt and find each other after a tough night. Asher is incredible protective of Jade right from the start. He wants to help her heal and make her feel safe. Their relationship is tender with a bit of naughty side to add some excitement to this. It's a great romance and you will root for them right from the start.
Complex story of overcoming trauma. Interesting mfc and mmc. Loved their dynamic and his role as a protector. Really enjoyable. The only thing I struggled with was the daddy kink. I've realised it's just not for me. But besides that plenty of character building and spice!
Asher and Jade, ooooh, say less! Two broken souls find home in each other. I love Jades growth as a woman, and Ashers care taker and dominate side. Their love is unexpected but is the most swoon worthy love!
Just two of my favorite quotes ...
"Because sometimes there are good and decent people in the world, and it's okay to accept their help when you need it."
"Did you not listen to anything I said before? I'd do anything for you, and I want to give you everything." "That means you're mine, darlin'. And I take care of what's mine."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Genre/Trope: College Romance Book Type: Standalone Book Length: Novel POV: Alternating Dual Setting: Arizona Male MC: Asher Lee is a tattoo artist and owner of his own tattoo shop. He helped raise his younger brother and feels a deep sense of protectiveness over those he holds close. Asher is 25 and is heavily tattooed with dark hair and light blue eyes. Female MC: Jade Henderson grew up with a terrible and abusive mother. She is manipulated into attending a college party that turns into a nightmare that will change her life forever. Jade is 19 and has long blonde hair and green eyes. Endearment: Baby Girl Spice Level: Medium Frequency of Spice: Medium Angst Level: Low Cliffhanger: No My Review: This was a sweet and spicy story about two damaged people who find each other after a traumatic night. I loved how caring and protective Asher was with Jade right from the beginning. He wants to help her heal and keep her safe enveloped in his arms. Asher and Jade’s relationship was tender with a side of Daddy/Baby Girl naughtiness that was unexpectedly exciting. The romance was great and I really enjoyed their journey to finding love. I received an advance review copy from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Check triggers warnings before reading! I finished this book in a day. It will have you wanting to cry, laugh and swoon. Asher and jade have the kind of love we all wish for. The spice level is on point. I highly recommend this book. I literally couldn’t put it down. Losing out on some sleep was worth the read. If you love protective, tattooed stubborn men, then you will definitely love Asher!
Who doesn't love a tatted mmc with touch her and die vibes. this book is a emotional roaler coaster, full of angst, romcom momens, spice and a good plot to put everything together. at first I felt angry at the author for what the fmc Jade went through but I quickly realised it is nessesary so that the mmc Asher and Jade can buid an even stronger relationship and for certain bonds to form. atleast Asher does make amenz in the end. really worth the read!!
I am in absolute love with this book. This one will be on my re-read shelf for years to come!
Jade has enough trauma to, unfortunately, live with for an entire civilization. This book starts out strong/intense but as long as you are aware of the TWs then you should be okay. The strength that Jade has blows me away, but she doesn’t know it, or at least she doesn’t believe it in the beginning due to her up bringing.
Enter Asher *swoon*. Asher is our hero who never meant to be a hero. Asher has already found his strength and is the one who helps Jade find hers. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he’s built and covered in tattoos 🔥
This was an easy read and if I didn’t have work/adult things to go, I probably would have finished this book in 1 1/2 days.
Found family is not my usual go-to but this one hit the mark.
I knew immediately how Asher fit into the situation and was dying for the big reveal. It did not disappoint. I’m a huge fan of the misunderstood and make up trope. This one was one point.
The trauma bonding between Asher and Jade was beautiful and the story was extremely well written. Absolutely incredible work and highly recommend.