What do you think?
Rate this book
Golden Court #3
A Heart of Crimson Flames: The new unmissable conclusion to the heartwarming fantasy romance trilogy
Wolf pack politics, heart-pounding action, dark magic, newfound family dynamics, and shifter romance come to an explosive climax in the incredible conclusion of the Golden Court Trilogy by bestselling author A.K. Mulford.
The only thing more challenging than taming a sorceress is protecting her heart a second time…
War has begun, and the fate of humans and Wolves alike lies in the hands of three fierce members of the Golden Court scattered across every corner of Aotreas.
Briar Marriel, once the heir of the Golden Court, is now a prisoner in the heart of enemy territory. But when her ex-lover Maez – now a dark sorceress – comes to “rescue” her, Briar must decide if she’s willing to trust the twisted version of the woman she once loved or remain under the rule of the cruel King Nero. In a war where enemies wear familiar faces, escape might come at a terrible cost. But if she can harness Maez’s newfound magic, could it mean winning the war?
Meanwhile, Sadie with the help of Navin races to harness ancient magic that could turn the tide of the war. With their dragon at their side, the Songkeepers uncover long-buried secrets that could save their people – or destroy them all.
At the Golden Court, Queen Calla faces an impossible prepare for the looming battle or risk everything to rescue their twin sister Briar. With alliances crumbling and betrayal lurking at every corner, Calla must rally their court and lead their people into war, knowing the price of failure is unthinkable.
As war ravages the land, and love is tested by darkness, Briar, Sadie, and Calla must confront their pasts and find the strength to reclaim their future. In this epic conclusion to the Golden Court Trilogy, the battle for freedom – and for love – has never been more harrowing.
The only thing more challenging than taming a sorceress is protecting her heart a second time…
War has begun, and the fate of humans and Wolves alike lies in the hands of three fierce members of the Golden Court scattered across every corner of Aotreas.
Briar Marriel, once the heir of the Golden Court, is now a prisoner in the heart of enemy territory. But when her ex-lover Maez – now a dark sorceress – comes to “rescue” her, Briar must decide if she’s willing to trust the twisted version of the woman she once loved or remain under the rule of the cruel King Nero. In a war where enemies wear familiar faces, escape might come at a terrible cost. But if she can harness Maez’s newfound magic, could it mean winning the war?
Meanwhile, Sadie with the help of Navin races to harness ancient magic that could turn the tide of the war. With their dragon at their side, the Songkeepers uncover long-buried secrets that could save their people – or destroy them all.
At the Golden Court, Queen Calla faces an impossible prepare for the looming battle or risk everything to rescue their twin sister Briar. With alliances crumbling and betrayal lurking at every corner, Calla must rally their court and lead their people into war, knowing the price of failure is unthinkable.
As war ravages the land, and love is tested by darkness, Briar, Sadie, and Calla must confront their pasts and find the strength to reclaim their future. In this epic conclusion to the Golden Court Trilogy, the battle for freedom – and for love – has never been more harrowing.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2025
48 people are currently reading
7193 people want to read
About the author
A.K. Mulford
23 books2,030 followersA. K. Mulford is a bestselling fantasy author and former wildlife biologist who swapped rehabilitating monkeys for writing novels. They/she is inspired to create diverse stories that transport readers to new realms, making them fall in love with fantasy for the first time or all over again. They now live in Australia with their husband and two young human primates, creating lovable fantasy characters and making ridiculous TikToks (@akmulfordauthor).
Get the Okrith Novellas FREE at www.akmulford.com
Get the Okrith Novellas FREE at www.akmulford.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
November 5, 2025
**𝔄ℜℭ ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴** 𝔄 ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔬𝔣 ℭ𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔰𝔬𝔫 𝔉𝔩𝔞𝔪𝔢𝔰 𝔟𝔶 𝔄.𝔎. 𝔐𝔲𝔩𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔡 (𝔊𝔬𝔩𝔡𝔢𝔫 ℭ𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔱 #3)
Release Date: November 4, 2025
4.5⭐️3.5🌶
Music Theme Song: Heavy is the Crown by Linkin Park
This series continues to get more complex and interesting. A. K. Mulford continues to not disappoint with each installment I've read from her.
Briar Marriel has been taken captive by Evres and Nero, who is Grae's father and angry that his son has gathered more loyal wolves to him.
Maez and Briar were only able to spend a brief time together as a mated couple before they were torn apart by wolves conspiring to take over all the kingdoms. Maez did what she thought was necessary to save herself and her mate by taking in sorceress magic and becoming something that is not traditionally "good".
Briar and Maez's story is sort of a twist on Sleeping Beauty and the Evil Sorceress. With Briar being Sleeping Beauty and Maez being the Evil Queen, except Sleeping Beauty falls in love with the Evil Queen in this story.
Grae and Calla continue to travel from Kingdom to Kingdom and try and collect allies to fight with them against the corrupt Nero.
Sadie and Navin are on their own mission still to find and save Ora and use the travelling singers and their magic to help them against Nero.
This is one of those series that is deliciously complex and has a wide range of characters. Maez and Briar's story is a beautiful addition to this story set.
Themes/Tropes:
🍁Fated Mates
🍁Shifter Romance
🍁Mate captured and in need of rescue
🍁Multiple POVs/Mated couples
🍁Rivaling Kings/Kingdoms
🍁Evil King and Queen
🍁Possessed Sorceress
TW:
✨Domestic Violence
✨Attempted Sexual Assault
✨Gore
✨Violence
✨Monsters
✨Spanking
✨Sexual
Thank you to @netgalley for this arc copy for review!
Release Date: November 4, 2025
4.5⭐️3.5🌶
Music Theme Song: Heavy is the Crown by Linkin Park
This series continues to get more complex and interesting. A. K. Mulford continues to not disappoint with each installment I've read from her.
Briar Marriel has been taken captive by Evres and Nero, who is Grae's father and angry that his son has gathered more loyal wolves to him.
Maez and Briar were only able to spend a brief time together as a mated couple before they were torn apart by wolves conspiring to take over all the kingdoms. Maez did what she thought was necessary to save herself and her mate by taking in sorceress magic and becoming something that is not traditionally "good".
Briar and Maez's story is sort of a twist on Sleeping Beauty and the Evil Sorceress. With Briar being Sleeping Beauty and Maez being the Evil Queen, except Sleeping Beauty falls in love with the Evil Queen in this story.
Grae and Calla continue to travel from Kingdom to Kingdom and try and collect allies to fight with them against the corrupt Nero.
Sadie and Navin are on their own mission still to find and save Ora and use the travelling singers and their magic to help them against Nero.
This is one of those series that is deliciously complex and has a wide range of characters. Maez and Briar's story is a beautiful addition to this story set.
Themes/Tropes:
🍁Fated Mates
🍁Shifter Romance
🍁Mate captured and in need of rescue
🍁Multiple POVs/Mated couples
🍁Rivaling Kings/Kingdoms
🍁Evil King and Queen
🍁Possessed Sorceress
TW:
✨Domestic Violence
✨Attempted Sexual Assault
✨Gore
✨Violence
✨Monsters
✨Spanking
✨Sexual
Thank you to @netgalley for this arc copy for review!
September 2, 2025
A Hear of Crimson Flames gave me a satisfying conclusion!
I must admit I had a chip on my shoulder after book 2 and feared this may not come together right, but I was mistaken. It is romantacy with a steady pace, nuanced characters and an ending that felt well plotted and intentional. Often we (readers) find ourselves at the end of a series and the author rushing the ending, leaving us wanting. I would argue that Mulford wrote this trilogy with an ending in mind, and masterfully executed it.
The ending is what made me jump from a 3.5 to a 4 star rating! I feel good about where we left things off with our friends.
If you, such as myself, are tired of being left hanging in the end... give this trilogy a try. It is well worth the journey!
Thank you to A.K. Mulford, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this adventure!
I must admit I had a chip on my shoulder after book 2 and feared this may not come together right, but I was mistaken. It is romantacy with a steady pace, nuanced characters and an ending that felt well plotted and intentional. Often we (readers) find ourselves at the end of a series and the author rushing the ending, leaving us wanting. I would argue that Mulford wrote this trilogy with an ending in mind, and masterfully executed it.
The ending is what made me jump from a 3.5 to a 4 star rating! I feel good about where we left things off with our friends.
If you, such as myself, are tired of being left hanging in the end... give this trilogy a try. It is well worth the journey!
Thank you to A.K. Mulford, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this adventure!
May 27, 2025
This was such a great read—the final installment in the Golden Court Trilogy delivered an intense and emotional ending that truly lived up to the journey.
Wolf pack politics, dark magic, and heart-pounding action all come together in an explosive conclusion. I loved how the story balanced fierce battles with complex emotional arcs and evolving relationships. Briar, Sadie, and Calla each face impossible choices that test their strength, loyalty, and love—and I was completely invested in all of it.
The stakes were higher than ever, the romance was gripping, and the family dynamics added real depth to the narrative. A.K. Mulford wrapped up the trilogy in a way that was both satisfying and bittersweet. If you’ve been following the series, this finale is absolutely worth the wait.
Highly recommend to fans of shifter romance, found family, and fantasy with high emotional stakes. Thanks to NetGalley for the gifted ARC.
Wolf pack politics, dark magic, and heart-pounding action all come together in an explosive conclusion. I loved how the story balanced fierce battles with complex emotional arcs and evolving relationships. Briar, Sadie, and Calla each face impossible choices that test their strength, loyalty, and love—and I was completely invested in all of it.
The stakes were higher than ever, the romance was gripping, and the family dynamics added real depth to the narrative. A.K. Mulford wrapped up the trilogy in a way that was both satisfying and bittersweet. If you’ve been following the series, this finale is absolutely worth the wait.
Highly recommend to fans of shifter romance, found family, and fantasy with high emotional stakes. Thanks to NetGalley for the gifted ARC.
June 5, 2025
I had to sit with this one for a couple of days because I was genuinely torn on how to rate it. I really enjoyed the overall story arc across this trilogy but, I think this is just one of those books where I really wanted to love it, and there were things I loved! But also… I struggled.
Let’s start with the good: the ending. So many romantasy series spend hundreds of pages building up to an epic final battle, only to wrap it all up in one blink-and-you-miss-it chapter. Not here. This conclusion was well-paced and gave the characters enough room to actually live in the moment. That alone deserves some applause.
I also really appreciated how each love story in this series was different. No cookie-cutter romances, each couple had their own dynamic, their own flavor. Everyone’s version of happily ever after looked a little different, which felt very real. I had especially high hopes for Maez and Briar going into this book, and their story absolutely came through for me.
Now, here’s where it got tricky for me…
The spice. Oof. If you liked the slow burn in book one, brace yourself. Book two turned up the heat, and this one kept it cranked. For me, it was a bit too much. Not that I’m anti-spice (let’s not get dramatic), but the frequency and timing didn’t always feel like a natural fit with the story (same remark I had in book two). Fewer but meaningful moments would’ve had more impact.
And I’m just going to say it — I could not, for the life of me, keep Calla and Briar straight. From the start, my brain made an [incorrect] executive decision: Briar is the tomboy, Calla is the girly girl. That was it. No further edits accepted. Unfortunately, that mental shortcut did not help with the rotating POVs, especially with Sadie added in. I found myself flipping back way more than I wanted to just to figure out whose head I was in. They’re all strong, protective, and full of heart, but their voices started to blur together by the end. With so much going on, I think we lost some of the clarity between them.
Bottom line: if you’re into fantasy with a strong romantic core and don’t mind a generous helping of heat, this might be right up your alley. For me, it was a mix of high points and a few “hmm” moments, but I’m glad I stuck with the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Let’s start with the good: the ending. So many romantasy series spend hundreds of pages building up to an epic final battle, only to wrap it all up in one blink-and-you-miss-it chapter. Not here. This conclusion was well-paced and gave the characters enough room to actually live in the moment. That alone deserves some applause.
I also really appreciated how each love story in this series was different. No cookie-cutter romances, each couple had their own dynamic, their own flavor. Everyone’s version of happily ever after looked a little different, which felt very real. I had especially high hopes for Maez and Briar going into this book, and their story absolutely came through for me.
Now, here’s where it got tricky for me…
The spice. Oof. If you liked the slow burn in book one, brace yourself. Book two turned up the heat, and this one kept it cranked. For me, it was a bit too much. Not that I’m anti-spice (let’s not get dramatic), but the frequency and timing didn’t always feel like a natural fit with the story (same remark I had in book two). Fewer but meaningful moments would’ve had more impact.
And I’m just going to say it — I could not, for the life of me, keep Calla and Briar straight. From the start, my brain made an [incorrect] executive decision: Briar is the tomboy, Calla is the girly girl. That was it. No further edits accepted. Unfortunately, that mental shortcut did not help with the rotating POVs, especially with Sadie added in. I found myself flipping back way more than I wanted to just to figure out whose head I was in. They’re all strong, protective, and full of heart, but their voices started to blur together by the end. With so much going on, I think we lost some of the clarity between them.
Bottom line: if you’re into fantasy with a strong romantic core and don’t mind a generous helping of heat, this might be right up your alley. For me, it was a mix of high points and a few “hmm” moments, but I’m glad I stuck with the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
November 6, 2025
Just finished reading and listening to an advanced copy of a book that was just released on November 4th called, A Heart of Crimson Flames. I really enjoyed getting to listen to the audiobook while reading along for this story! This is a wolf-shifter romantasy, and it's the third and final book in the Golden Court series. Briar has been captured by the enemy, Sadie and Navin are trying to control monsters to help fight, and Calla and Grae are trying to form alliances before this war begins. I don't want to give too much away since this is the third book but this story is filled with action, adventure, monsters, fated mates, betrayal, humor, war, love, and magic. ✨ It's been quite a journey with these characters and all they've been through in this series. I'm so happy that the storyline ended really well! This was such a fun and entertaining series! 🧡📚
Thank you to the author, the publisher, Goodreads, and Netgalley for these ARCs of A Heart of Crimson Flames, in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, Goodreads, and Netgalley for these ARCs of A Heart of Crimson Flames, in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2025
3.5✨. The Golden Court series has been a wild ride, and this finale felt like a well-earned conclusion for each of the characters. The entire series has been thoughtfully developed, with shifter romances, immersive worldbuilding, and fantasy battles that keep you hooked. If you’re a fan of those elements, this is definitely a series to pick up. A.K. Mulford also deserves credit for the way they weave in diverse representation and handle it with care.
That said, this third installment did feel a bit overwhelming at times with the sheer number of POVs, each at different stages of the story and battle. I appreciated the moments when everything converged, because that’s when the narrative felt most cohesive and satisfying.
Overall, this is a solid series, worth the investment — you’ll be entertained, swept up in the adventure, and you definitely won’t be lacking for the spice. 🔥✨
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC.
That said, this third installment did feel a bit overwhelming at times with the sheer number of POVs, each at different stages of the story and battle. I appreciated the moments when everything converged, because that’s when the narrative felt most cohesive and satisfying.
Overall, this is a solid series, worth the investment — you’ll be entertained, swept up in the adventure, and you definitely won’t be lacking for the spice. 🔥✨
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC.
November 5, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.5 stars rounded to 5.
I love this world and it’s characters so dearly and I hope it isnt the end of an era.
Book 3 picks up with pure chaos at the forefront, our 3 main FMCs and their mates are on very different journeys. I will always be a huge advocate for multi POV because in this story we get 3 POVs and it keeps the story well rounded and we see how the different character paths intertwine and come together. There is a lot happening in this book and we’re coming to the end so I expected some real tough moments, heartbreak and triumph, and this book certainly met expectations on this.
I’m a huge fan of how everything comes together at the end, its a satisfying conclusion. I really do hope for some spin of novellas or something because I’ll happily read them.
I love this world and it’s characters so dearly and I hope it isnt the end of an era.
Book 3 picks up with pure chaos at the forefront, our 3 main FMCs and their mates are on very different journeys. I will always be a huge advocate for multi POV because in this story we get 3 POVs and it keeps the story well rounded and we see how the different character paths intertwine and come together. There is a lot happening in this book and we’re coming to the end so I expected some real tough moments, heartbreak and triumph, and this book certainly met expectations on this.
I’m a huge fan of how everything comes together at the end, its a satisfying conclusion. I really do hope for some spin of novellas or something because I’ll happily read them.
June 14, 2025
I am not okay now that this series is complete. The hangover is so real. I feel so attached to these characters!! The epilogue gives me hope that the world will live on!!
Now to get into the story!! I just loved how inclusive and loving this series has been. We get to watch characters struggle with identity, expression, perception, and so many REAL issues. Even though this is a magical fantasy setting with shifters and sorcery, the struggles are still so relatable.
It was so emotional to watch Briar and Maez's story unfold. I felt more was at stake for these two than Sadie/Navin or Calla/Grae.
I am also so relieved that we still had Calla and Sadie's POVs too! It kept the story seamless when moving from book to book.
Now to get into the story!! I just loved how inclusive and loving this series has been. We get to watch characters struggle with identity, expression, perception, and so many REAL issues. Even though this is a magical fantasy setting with shifters and sorcery, the struggles are still so relatable.
It was so emotional to watch Briar and Maez's story unfold. I felt more was at stake for these two than Sadie/Navin or Calla/Grae.
I am also so relieved that we still had Calla and Sadie's POVs too! It kept the story seamless when moving from book to book.
November 3, 2025
A HEART OF CRIMSON FLAMES is the epic finale I dreamed for Calla, Sadie, Briar, and the Golden Court extended family. All the story threads converge to fight back against power hungry tyrants that plague the kingdom. This book features revolution, resistance, and a bit of retribution. Timely for current events don't you think? And while it's obvious everyone is headed towards a grand battle, there are very important pauses to allow love and hope and softness to thrive. It's so well paced between impending doom and the intimacy between lovers. I craved the passion just as much as the stabbys. So I am recommending this to readers craving an exploration of rage alongside the softness of loving and being loved as your most authentic self. Enjoy the adventure!
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the advance digital copy to read and review.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the advance digital copy to read and review.
September 22, 2025
I was given an advanced reader copy of this book for review. The third and final book finds the main characters searching for love, happiness, and a world that’s supportive of all. The story line moves quickly with a few twists and turns along the way.
Overall, the character progression continues to build with each character finding themselves and who they want to be going forward. Each character is able to find their identify and develop a place within the world that is supportive of them.
Overall, the character progression continues to build with each character finding themselves and who they want to be going forward. Each character is able to find their identify and develop a place within the world that is supportive of them.
November 8, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy of this novel.
I wish I had good things to say, but the lack of world building and overkill of spice really did not do this book any favors. The plot didn’t even exist in parts and there were plot holes that just got filled with weird spicy time. However, I will say that one thing this book does right is offer representation.
1.5 stars rounding up for diversity representation.
I wish I had good things to say, but the lack of world building and overkill of spice really did not do this book any favors. The plot didn’t even exist in parts and there were plot holes that just got filled with weird spicy time. However, I will say that one thing this book does right is offer representation.
1.5 stars rounding up for diversity representation.
July 19, 2025
Unfortunately the third installment in The Golden Court series was a disappointment. This series had so much promise and I really enjoyed the first two books, however the final book I felt like focused way too much on the intimate relationships between the characters than the actual main story.
I wish that more time was spent developing and enhancing the steps to the end of the story including more espionage, mini battles, rebuilding of the kingdom, forming alliances etc.
I did enjoy the final scenes of the book as I felt they were relevant to the story. Those chapters had such great ideas and the descriptions of the scenes were wonderful. Overall this author is a great writer, but focusing more on the story and less on the intimate scenes would have vastly improved this final book.
A Heart of Crimson Flames by A. K. Mulford is available November 4, 2025. Check it out!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I wish that more time was spent developing and enhancing the steps to the end of the story including more espionage, mini battles, rebuilding of the kingdom, forming alliances etc.
I did enjoy the final scenes of the book as I felt they were relevant to the story. Those chapters had such great ideas and the descriptions of the scenes were wonderful. Overall this author is a great writer, but focusing more on the story and less on the intimate scenes would have vastly improved this final book.
A Heart of Crimson Flames by A. K. Mulford is available November 4, 2025. Check it out!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2025
I received the first book in this series in a Lit Joy box, and while it took me a while to actually read it, I instantly loved it. I loved the exploration of Calla's identity in the first one, I enjoyed watching them grow into themselves and becoming bold and unapologetically themselves. In the second book, It was refreshing to see Sadie battle her own inner prejudices and change the way she thought and beliefs she was raised with. Sadie choosing herself and choosing to be with who she loved was refreshing. And in this book, watching Briar break out of her perfect princess role and embrace another side of herself was touching.
Taken all together I feel this series has so much to give and show. Its an sweet balance between fantasy, character developlement, romance, and steamy scenes. It's got a little bit of everything.. from court politics, internal reflections, taking down corrrupt governments, and learning to love yourself. This third book really continues to explore those themes and follows our characters to their endings in a way that felt good for this story.
I had the opportunity to read both the audio and eArc versions of this book and it really made the experience for me. The Audio book continues to capture each character and I really loved the addition of Briar's voice to this novel. It was engaging and fun, and I definitely want to pick up more from this author. These narrators really brought this series to life for me and I can't recommend the audio versions enough!
If you love romantasy with all the things and a balance between spice and plot I would highly recommend this series. I am so glad I ended up with it on my shelf! Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced readers copy and ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Taken all together I feel this series has so much to give and show. Its an sweet balance between fantasy, character developlement, romance, and steamy scenes. It's got a little bit of everything.. from court politics, internal reflections, taking down corrrupt governments, and learning to love yourself. This third book really continues to explore those themes and follows our characters to their endings in a way that felt good for this story.
I had the opportunity to read both the audio and eArc versions of this book and it really made the experience for me. The Audio book continues to capture each character and I really loved the addition of Briar's voice to this novel. It was engaging and fun, and I definitely want to pick up more from this author. These narrators really brought this series to life for me and I can't recommend the audio versions enough!
If you love romantasy with all the things and a balance between spice and plot I would highly recommend this series. I am so glad I ended up with it on my shelf! Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced readers copy and ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2025
❤️🔥🐺A Heart of Crimson Flames by AK Mulford 🐺❤️🔥
❤️🔥 I hate spoilers and this is Book 3 of a trilogy so buckle up because I’m about to get REALLY vague 😁 This one follows three POVs: Our original fave Calla, who is holding down the fort and trying desperately to protect their people, my fierce bb forever Sadie, who is traveling and searching for ancient magic that can help win the war, and former heir Briar, who is 100% sick of being a pawn in everyone’s war games. These three badasses must go through their own journeys not only to find themselves but secure the future that they desperately want. One where peace reigns and their loved ones are safe. 🐺
❤️🔥 I absolutely love this series even though it tied me in knots! There is a ton of queer rep which really gave me life. It’s not necessarily a queer-normative society (not all over this vast world anyways) but the characters continue to fight the good fight against misogyny, bigotry, and despotism. Yes, the stakes are high my friends! 🐺
🎧 THE AUDIOBOOK. Please, if you like audiobooks then you must pick these up! We are blessed with three narrators: Vico Ortiz is back as Calla, I cannot stress enough how great they are! Bridget Bordeaux is back doing such great justice to Sadie’s feminine but strong personality. And now Elena Rey gives voice to Briar, who has the biggest transformation of all in this book. They were all excellent! I was able to speed this one up with no distortion. It was comfortable for me at 1.5-2x speed.
❤️🔥 Thank you so much to Harper Audio, the author and Netgalley for the ALC! All rambling opinions are my own. 🐺
QotD: If your partner’s heart was taken over by dark magic, would you try to win them back to the good side, or would you just go with it?
🫖 I paired this book with Crimson Berry tea from The Denman Island Tea Company. I visited Denman Island last year and it was fantastic!
❤️🔥 I hate spoilers and this is Book 3 of a trilogy so buckle up because I’m about to get REALLY vague 😁 This one follows three POVs: Our original fave Calla, who is holding down the fort and trying desperately to protect their people, my fierce bb forever Sadie, who is traveling and searching for ancient magic that can help win the war, and former heir Briar, who is 100% sick of being a pawn in everyone’s war games. These three badasses must go through their own journeys not only to find themselves but secure the future that they desperately want. One where peace reigns and their loved ones are safe. 🐺
❤️🔥 I absolutely love this series even though it tied me in knots! There is a ton of queer rep which really gave me life. It’s not necessarily a queer-normative society (not all over this vast world anyways) but the characters continue to fight the good fight against misogyny, bigotry, and despotism. Yes, the stakes are high my friends! 🐺
🎧 THE AUDIOBOOK. Please, if you like audiobooks then you must pick these up! We are blessed with three narrators: Vico Ortiz is back as Calla, I cannot stress enough how great they are! Bridget Bordeaux is back doing such great justice to Sadie’s feminine but strong personality. And now Elena Rey gives voice to Briar, who has the biggest transformation of all in this book. They were all excellent! I was able to speed this one up with no distortion. It was comfortable for me at 1.5-2x speed.
❤️🔥 Thank you so much to Harper Audio, the author and Netgalley for the ALC! All rambling opinions are my own. 🐺
QotD: If your partner’s heart was taken over by dark magic, would you try to win them back to the good side, or would you just go with it?
🫖 I paired this book with Crimson Berry tea from The Denman Island Tea Company. I visited Denman Island last year and it was fantastic!
November 5, 2025
The previous two books in this series were amazing and I was really curious how it would end. I was therefore really happy that HarperVoyager invited me to download a digital review copy through Netgalley.
In this book everything comes together. Everything that happened in the first book, everything we've learned and discovered in the second book, the character growth, it's all leading to this book and this story. At times that meant that there was less time for heavy emotions. In some cases that wasn't really needed anyway, we've read their journeys in detail already, but I would have loved a little more emotional moments for Briar en Maez, especially without smut.
What I absolutely loved about this book though is the finale. Quite often books are preparing for an epic battle, we learn that the enemy is dangerous and hard to conquer and then the final battle starts and within a few chapters it's over and everything went according to plan. That's not what happens in this book. The final battle is exciting, thrilling, dangerous, and our characters are kept on the tips of their toes and need to react fast.
I also liked that the author took the time to show us the aftermath. Although I understand that the main storyline ends once the battle is won and the characters can start their happily ever after, it's nice that we see what that looks like. It also helps to say goodbye. Especially the first two books in this series were really emotional and intense and I'm therefore a little sad that there won't be more books about these characters. However, as the book already said: Luckily there are a lot more tales to be told!
In this book everything comes together. Everything that happened in the first book, everything we've learned and discovered in the second book, the character growth, it's all leading to this book and this story. At times that meant that there was less time for heavy emotions. In some cases that wasn't really needed anyway, we've read their journeys in detail already, but I would have loved a little more emotional moments for Briar en Maez, especially without smut.
What I absolutely loved about this book though is the finale. Quite often books are preparing for an epic battle, we learn that the enemy is dangerous and hard to conquer and then the final battle starts and within a few chapters it's over and everything went according to plan. That's not what happens in this book. The final battle is exciting, thrilling, dangerous, and our characters are kept on the tips of their toes and need to react fast.
I also liked that the author took the time to show us the aftermath. Although I understand that the main storyline ends once the battle is won and the characters can start their happily ever after, it's nice that we see what that looks like. It also helps to say goodbye. Especially the first two books in this series were really emotional and intense and I'm therefore a little sad that there won't be more books about these characters. However, as the book already said: Luckily there are a lot more tales to be told!
September 6, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
A Heart of Crimson Flames by A.K. Mulford is third and final book in the Golden Court trilogy. The story picks up right after the end of book 2, with Calla and the various members of her Golden Court scattered across the land, all trying to prepare for an upcoming war with King Nero.
I feel like the author knew exactly how they wanted the saga to end and everything that happened in this book (and there was a lot!) was purposeful. It’s action-packed and full of character growth. The story is told from three points of view and each narrator is on their own path/journey for the majority of the book so the abrupt scene changes might throw some readers off. I enjoyed the fast-paced story and satisfying ending. It’s a HEA and while there were some emotional moments, I didn’t find myself getting too stressed out. Appreciated the diversity & queer representation throughout the book.
The only complaint I have, and it’s more of a funny thing than an actual complaint, is every time I read this in a public place where people could see what I was reading, the *spiciest* scenes would happen. I haven’t mastered a poker face yet so I felt like I had to put the book down and resume later. There were a lot of spicy scenes in this one and some of those scenes felt a bit out of place.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me a complimentary advanced reader copy of the ebook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and based off of this draft; the final publication may be different. Expected publication date is November 4, 2025.
A Heart of Crimson Flames by A.K. Mulford is third and final book in the Golden Court trilogy. The story picks up right after the end of book 2, with Calla and the various members of her Golden Court scattered across the land, all trying to prepare for an upcoming war with King Nero.
I feel like the author knew exactly how they wanted the saga to end and everything that happened in this book (and there was a lot!) was purposeful. It’s action-packed and full of character growth. The story is told from three points of view and each narrator is on their own path/journey for the majority of the book so the abrupt scene changes might throw some readers off. I enjoyed the fast-paced story and satisfying ending. It’s a HEA and while there were some emotional moments, I didn’t find myself getting too stressed out. Appreciated the diversity & queer representation throughout the book.
The only complaint I have, and it’s more of a funny thing than an actual complaint, is every time I read this in a public place where people could see what I was reading, the *spiciest* scenes would happen. I haven’t mastered a poker face yet so I felt like I had to put the book down and resume later. There were a lot of spicy scenes in this one and some of those scenes felt a bit out of place.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me a complimentary advanced reader copy of the ebook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and based off of this draft; the final publication may be different. Expected publication date is November 4, 2025.
September 12, 2025
And the trilogy is complete! If you like fantasy, werewolves, a sorceress, and lots of spice, then this one's for you.
I normally don't like excessive spice, so for me this book was a bit difficult to get through. The intimate scenes get pretty graphic and... creative. However I was very invested in the plot and wanted to know more about our characters. The ending was amazing from the different angles, it felt like I was watching a movie with various characters fighting from different parts of the castle! The twist on the king was a fantastic move. The battle sequences and family tensions throughout the story added to the excitement of the plot.
The story is told from 3 different POV which keeps the story moving. However I feel like we could've used either a longer book or removed some of the more intimate scenes to focus on filling in more details to the plot.
My only other issue is Blair's character development. I understand why it happened and how it contributed to the overall story, but I didn't find her choices believable. Her perspective and thought process seems different from the character we got to know in the previous two books, but it almost felt like a completely different person early on.
In the end, I really did enjoy this story! The right amount of happy ending, the right amount of heart-crushing. I think this is a very unique series and this book wraps it up well!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
I normally don't like excessive spice, so for me this book was a bit difficult to get through. The intimate scenes get pretty graphic and... creative. However I was very invested in the plot and wanted to know more about our characters. The ending was amazing from the different angles, it felt like I was watching a movie with various characters fighting from different parts of the castle! The twist on the king was a fantastic move. The battle sequences and family tensions throughout the story added to the excitement of the plot.
The story is told from 3 different POV which keeps the story moving. However I feel like we could've used either a longer book or removed some of the more intimate scenes to focus on filling in more details to the plot.
My only other issue is Blair's character development. I understand why it happened and how it contributed to the overall story, but I didn't find her choices believable. Her perspective and thought process seems different from the character we got to know in the previous two books, but it almost felt like a completely different person early on.
In the end, I really did enjoy this story! The right amount of happy ending, the right amount of heart-crushing. I think this is a very unique series and this book wraps it up well!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
November 2, 2025
I would recommend reading this as a series in order, but I skipped book 2 and didn’t have an issue following the story. It was exciting and steamy with multiple POVs and 3 different romances with the biggest emphasis on the sapphic romance between Briar and Maez.
The main plot was focused on overthrowing the patriarchy and freeing the people from corrupt leaders and tyranny. The magic within the story was incredibly interesting and reminiscent of some other books I’ve read in the past but the way the other combined it all was what drew me in and kept it exciting.
🎙️: Multicast narration and I loved it. There were multiple POVs and each character had a different voice, it added to the excitement and made it easier to follow along.
Romantasy
Shifter Romance
Fated Mates
Sapphic Romance (MF, MN, FF) - N stands for nonbinary
Second Chance Romance
The Villain Gets the Girl
Feminine Rage
Political Corruption
Magic & Monsters
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️: each couple got their freak on and some of them were very creative, each smut scene was explicit
The main plot was focused on overthrowing the patriarchy and freeing the people from corrupt leaders and tyranny. The magic within the story was incredibly interesting and reminiscent of some other books I’ve read in the past but the way the other combined it all was what drew me in and kept it exciting.
🎙️: Multicast narration and I loved it. There were multiple POVs and each character had a different voice, it added to the excitement and made it easier to follow along.
Romantasy
Shifter Romance
Fated Mates
Sapphic Romance (MF, MN, FF) - N stands for nonbinary
Second Chance Romance
The Villain Gets the Girl
Feminine Rage
Political Corruption
Magic & Monsters
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️: each couple got their freak on and some of them were very creative, each smut scene was explicit
November 7, 2025
A Heart of Crimson Flames was a great way to end the The Golden Court trilogy. I was concerned about where this series was going to end after book 2 but I’m satisfied with the conclusion.
I think our main characters, Briar, Sadie, and Calla, all experienced character growth over the series which was really apparent in this book. Calla was probably my favorite but that may have just been because Vico Ortiz narrated their chapters. Bridget Bordeaux and Elena Ray did good jobs as well with their narrations.
Thank you to HarperAduio Adult, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
I think our main characters, Briar, Sadie, and Calla, all experienced character growth over the series which was really apparent in this book. Calla was probably my favorite but that may have just been because Vico Ortiz narrated their chapters. Bridget Bordeaux and Elena Ray did good jobs as well with their narrations.
Thank you to HarperAduio Adult, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
November 3, 2025
A satisfying end to the Golden Court trilogy that follows three interconnected couples (and one set of twins) as they plot to overthrow a common enemy all while navigating new relationships, kidnappings and more. This was spicy, full of adventure and court politics and saw a return of past characters. You're definitely better off reading this after the first two books in the series. It was also good on audio and highly recommended for fans of authors like Katee Robert. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 18, 2025
I didn’t know what I was signing myself up for. I listened to this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt like this book truly ended the series and I wasn’t left on a cliffhanger or assuming what the ending could be.
I am rating it a solid 3 as it’s not written in away that I prefer but i did enjoy the plot and characters.
I recommend to those who love shifter romance, fantasy and found family.
Thank you A.K Mulford, and Netgalley for gifting me this ARC.
I am rating it a solid 3 as it’s not written in away that I prefer but i did enjoy the plot and characters.
I recommend to those who love shifter romance, fantasy and found family.
Thank you A.K Mulford, and Netgalley for gifting me this ARC.
November 30, 2025
This was the best of the three and a great finale to the series. Briar and Maez’s story was my favorite of the series although I did enjoy that the author circled back to the previous POVs we’ve seen in past books with them having some serious growth during this time.
The narrator was also lovely and perfect for the Briar’s POV. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4⭐️/5
The narrator was also lovely and perfect for the Briar’s POV. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4⭐️/5
November 4, 2025
Thank you so much for this arc! What a great conclusion to this trilogy. A strong continuation of both the story and the development of the characters! I’m not typically a fan of werewolf books, but that aspect of this book (and the series as a whole) is done in such a way that it works well.
Side note: Personally, this felt a bit too spice-heavy and it was impacting my enjoyment of the plot. I think this is mainly because there was very little in book one so I didn’t expect it to ramp up to this degree.
Side note: Personally, this felt a bit too spice-heavy and it was impacting my enjoyment of the plot. I think this is mainly because there was very little in book one so I didn’t expect it to ramp up to this degree.
September 1, 2025
4.5
This was the exact ending I was hoping for. The story unfolded beautifully, the writing was descriptive and flowed perfectly. There was just the right amount of spice to plot ratio! I truly loved this series, well done A.K. Mulford 👏🏻
This was the exact ending I was hoping for. The story unfolded beautifully, the writing was descriptive and flowed perfectly. There was just the right amount of spice to plot ratio! I truly loved this series, well done A.K. Mulford 👏🏻
November 2, 2025
A worthy ending to this queer romantasy trilogy. This time, we have 3 POV’s: Calla, Briar and Sadie. I’m really happy with how these chapters were interwoven and how you experience the story from all these sides. Even though I like some of the characters more than others, I still found all 3 storylines interesting. While reading this book, you get lots of emotions, various action scenes, character growth, struggles with identity and newfound powers, quite a lot of spicy scenes, magic, unexpected alliances, loss, and finally a HEA. Some things might have been a bit too easily resolved in my opinion, while other things were a bit strung out too much. Since it’s book 3, I can’t tell you much more without giving away spoilers. But I absolutely enjoyed this book and will be working my way through Mulford’s backlog 😊 I've read and finished this book in 2 days, that does count for something too, right?
If you’ve read and enjoyed the first two books, you’ll want to read this one too. If this is the first time you hear the Golden Court mentioned, you can always take a look at a River of Golden Bones, book one in this trilogy.
Pro tip: the audiobook is amazing too! Each POV character has its own narrator, so depending on the POV of the chapter you hear another voice. All three voices are distinctive yet pleasant, bringing their characters alive in their own unique ways.
Thank you Harper Collins and Harper Voyager for this eARC.
If you’ve read and enjoyed the first two books, you’ll want to read this one too. If this is the first time you hear the Golden Court mentioned, you can always take a look at a River of Golden Bones, book one in this trilogy.
Pro tip: the audiobook is amazing too! Each POV character has its own narrator, so depending on the POV of the chapter you hear another voice. All three voices are distinctive yet pleasant, bringing their characters alive in their own unique ways.
Thank you Harper Collins and Harper Voyager for this eARC.
October 19, 2025
4.75 ⭐️ 4 🌶️
What a journey! I loved this entire book. The story line wasn't predictable and I was so invested in all these relationships and politics. I love the multiple POVs we got here, it really kept the story moving forward.
While Calla and Grae take a bit of a backseat in this story, I still absolutely loved the new levels of character and relationship development they have here and their HEA was perfect.
I wasn't the biggest fan of Sadie and Navin's love story in the 2nd book but this one made me love them! I love that they both are breaking out of their boxes and figuring out how to be leaders in their own rights.
I wish we got more of Ora! I would love a whole book about them and their story because the interest is there. Love the Ora POV that we did get here though!
I left off A Sky of Emerald Stars STRESSED about how Maez and Briar's prospective stories would work out. I completely LOVED the villain love story that played out here. Briar has finally came fully inter her own vibrant power and it was so fun to watch her grow, definitely my favorite storyline in this book. I loved watching her and Maez struggle through a new dynamic when both of them has undergone so much change in a short time, it really shows how relationships cant withstand challenges when you accept and grow together.
the SPICE was perfection, honorable mentions to Navin and Sadie in the tent with the songs & all the hate love villain spice from Briar and Maez was a *chefs kiss*
UPDATE FOR ALC:
I read the eARC of this book a couple of months ago and absolutely loved the beautiful conclusion to this series and was so excited and grateful to receive this ALC of the audiobook. I fell in love with this series listening to Vico Ortiz narrate A River of Golden Bones, book 1 in the Golden Court Series. They have such immense talent for their craft and are a large part of why I have fallen in love with these books, adding in these other narrators, Bridget Bordeaux and Elena Rey, only adds to the richness of the representation through these inspiring and heart wrenching characters and stories. I am so sad to be leaving this world but I will definitely be relistening to these books again and again.
What a journey! I loved this entire book. The story line wasn't predictable and I was so invested in all these relationships and politics. I love the multiple POVs we got here, it really kept the story moving forward.
While Calla and Grae take a bit of a backseat in this story, I still absolutely loved the new levels of character and relationship development they have here and their HEA was perfect.
I wasn't the biggest fan of Sadie and Navin's love story in the 2nd book but this one made me love them! I love that they both are breaking out of their boxes and figuring out how to be leaders in their own rights.
I wish we got more of Ora! I would love a whole book about them and their story because the interest is there. Love the Ora POV that we did get here though!
I left off A Sky of Emerald Stars STRESSED about how Maez and Briar's prospective stories would work out. I completely LOVED the villain love story that played out here. Briar has finally came fully inter her own vibrant power and it was so fun to watch her grow, definitely my favorite storyline in this book. I loved watching her and Maez struggle through a new dynamic when both of them has undergone so much change in a short time, it really shows how relationships cant withstand challenges when you accept and grow together.
the SPICE was perfection, honorable mentions to Navin and Sadie in the tent with the songs & all the hate love villain spice from Briar and Maez was a *chefs kiss*
UPDATE FOR ALC:
I read the eARC of this book a couple of months ago and absolutely loved the beautiful conclusion to this series and was so excited and grateful to receive this ALC of the audiobook. I fell in love with this series listening to Vico Ortiz narrate A River of Golden Bones, book 1 in the Golden Court Series. They have such immense talent for their craft and are a large part of why I have fallen in love with these books, adding in these other narrators, Bridget Bordeaux and Elena Rey, only adds to the richness of the representation through these inspiring and heart wrenching characters and stories. I am so sad to be leaving this world but I will definitely be relistening to these books again and again.
November 3, 2025
Read the full review on my blog, Spectral Reads!
There's something to be said about finding yourself in the face of danger. Time and time again, the characters in The Golden Court trilogy have stumbled upon life-changing battles, and through the haze of death and sorrow, they're able to complete their journey of self-discovery.
Naturally, this trend continues in "A Heart of Crimson Flames." While we continue to get some scattered Calla and Sadie points of view, the main star of the show here is Briar as she works toward finding out who she's really meant to be in this world.
It's a journey that's similar to the strife our two former female main characters undertook, but for Briar, it's compounded even more by the fact that her mate, Maez, has been turned into an evil sorcereress. Not only must she determine who she really is inside, but she must also risk losing herself to the darkness to save Maez.
I love seeing female characters find their strength, and it was especially satisfying to see Briar break the shackles of princesshood and give her moniker, the Crimson Princess, new meaning. Seeing Briar stand up for herself - in more ways than one - and fight for the things she believes in is the type of motivational hero we need in this patriarchal age.
Beyond Briar's personal journey, the book focuses on the battle for Aotreas as Calla and Sadie lead their armies from different corners of the continent. This conflict is what we have been waiting for the entire series, and though I found the buildup ultimately fulfilling, I was slightly disappointed at how the battle progressed. In the end, it seemed like all of the preparations and previous political schemes were completely irrelevant to the outcome. The situation would have unfolded the same, no matter who showed up in battle.
Even so, I did not see the big twist at the climax coming, and I had real doubts about any chance of victory or hope. I won't say what happens, but I will say it all relies heavily on luck and circumstance. If you've read the first two books, you'll likely be able to figure it out pretty quickly once things start unfolding. It was more than a little convenient how everything came together, but in the end, it had the epic feel of a series-ending battle.
One of my favorite parts about this story is the romance. I don't identify as part of the queer spectrum, but I always love reading about sapphic characters because it makes me happy to see people being able to live their lives without interference. I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying that Briar and Maez's connection is strong, and while some of the love scenes were HIGHLY questionable (an emerald? really?), overall, I found them to be a fitting match for each other.
That said, because they've been fated mates since book one, there wasn't much in the way of romantic tension. Even though Maez becoming a sorcereress created some distance between them, they got right back into it like nothing happened after a bit of brooding.
In the end, I think "A Heart of Crimson Flames" delivers. It ties up our story cleanly and concisely, and each of the main characters' journeys feels complete and well-earned. Our trusty side characters, unfortunately, continue to act as unpaid extras without a personality, but we can't have everything. Regardless, I'd happily embark on a journey with Galen den' Mora and the Golden Wolf pack again, especially if we got to learn more about the rest of the world and the various human cultures (I'm still not over the fact that HUMANS are the most gender/gay-friendly species in this universe).
There's something to be said about finding yourself in the face of danger. Time and time again, the characters in The Golden Court trilogy have stumbled upon life-changing battles, and through the haze of death and sorrow, they're able to complete their journey of self-discovery.
Naturally, this trend continues in "A Heart of Crimson Flames." While we continue to get some scattered Calla and Sadie points of view, the main star of the show here is Briar as she works toward finding out who she's really meant to be in this world.
It's a journey that's similar to the strife our two former female main characters undertook, but for Briar, it's compounded even more by the fact that her mate, Maez, has been turned into an evil sorcereress. Not only must she determine who she really is inside, but she must also risk losing herself to the darkness to save Maez.
I love seeing female characters find their strength, and it was especially satisfying to see Briar break the shackles of princesshood and give her moniker, the Crimson Princess, new meaning. Seeing Briar stand up for herself - in more ways than one - and fight for the things she believes in is the type of motivational hero we need in this patriarchal age.
Beyond Briar's personal journey, the book focuses on the battle for Aotreas as Calla and Sadie lead their armies from different corners of the continent. This conflict is what we have been waiting for the entire series, and though I found the buildup ultimately fulfilling, I was slightly disappointed at how the battle progressed. In the end, it seemed like all of the preparations and previous political schemes were completely irrelevant to the outcome. The situation would have unfolded the same, no matter who showed up in battle.
Even so, I did not see the big twist at the climax coming, and I had real doubts about any chance of victory or hope. I won't say what happens, but I will say it all relies heavily on luck and circumstance. If you've read the first two books, you'll likely be able to figure it out pretty quickly once things start unfolding. It was more than a little convenient how everything came together, but in the end, it had the epic feel of a series-ending battle.
One of my favorite parts about this story is the romance. I don't identify as part of the queer spectrum, but I always love reading about sapphic characters because it makes me happy to see people being able to live their lives without interference. I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying that Briar and Maez's connection is strong, and while some of the love scenes were HIGHLY questionable (an emerald? really?), overall, I found them to be a fitting match for each other.
That said, because they've been fated mates since book one, there wasn't much in the way of romantic tension. Even though Maez becoming a sorcereress created some distance between them, they got right back into it like nothing happened after a bit of brooding.
In the end, I think "A Heart of Crimson Flames" delivers. It ties up our story cleanly and concisely, and each of the main characters' journeys feels complete and well-earned. Our trusty side characters, unfortunately, continue to act as unpaid extras without a personality, but we can't have everything. Regardless, I'd happily embark on a journey with Galen den' Mora and the Golden Wolf pack again, especially if we got to learn more about the rest of the world and the various human cultures (I'm still not over the fact that HUMANS are the most gender/gay-friendly species in this universe).
June 11, 2025
After being really disappointed with book 2 in this series I was nervous to tackle the finale. After giving myself a few days after finishing to decompress I’m finally sitting down to give my thoughts. First, I want to mention immediately off the back this book was so much better than its predecessor. The ending alone made everything worth it. But I’ll elaborate more on that in a bit. In terms of the overall story arc across the series I enjoyed it. But didn’t enjoy it enough to make it into my favorite fantasy series.
Now my first big pro like I mentioned was the ending. So many Romantasy books hype up a big battle. It gets barreled through and next thing we know everything is wrapped up done. Which as we all know that would never happen in real life. And yes I know this is fantasy but even fantasy books can incorporate that level of realism. This book did that. The ending was well executed and paced. And it gave our characters a chance to come down from that battle and actually start to live and move on from what they’ve endured. So thank you A.K. Mulford for giving humanity back to fantasy fiction characters.
Another pro I had in this one was the different romance with each couple. Now if you read my book 2 review your probably thinking, “Lexie you hated that element in book 2”. Yes, yes I know however I’m glad I gave it time to play out. Because A.K Mulford did a great job telling each couples story. They all their own dynamic and there was nothing watered down about any of them. Plus they all got happily ever afters in their own unique way. That in itself felt real and different. So I appreciate that I was proven wrong.
Now, here’s where my cons come in…
Even though in the end I enjoyed all the characters I still think there was way too many of them. The storylines at times got confusing to the point where I kept mixing people up. Like at one point I couldn’t remember who Briar was. Or I’d get Calla and Briar backwards. Then once Sadie was added in Oof. I knew I had to slow it down and re-read to keep track of what was happening. Plus all three of our leading ladies are strong, loyal and full of heart which is great but because of that their voices became a little muddled.
My next issue is honestly coming as a shock from me. But I think this book had a bit too much spice. You’re probably thinking, “what lexie no how could you say that?!?” I know, I know but when the spice is too cranked up and starts to overshadow the plot is where I start to have problems. The frequency and the timing of our spice scenes didn’t always fit. I wish for this books case we had less spice and more meaningful moments. But hey that’s me you decide for yourself if I’m right or wrong.
Overall, I enjoyed this trilogy and can confidently say I’d recommend it. Even though it’s not my favorite Romantasy series I still think it’s 100% worth the read.
Lastly big Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Now my first big pro like I mentioned was the ending. So many Romantasy books hype up a big battle. It gets barreled through and next thing we know everything is wrapped up done. Which as we all know that would never happen in real life. And yes I know this is fantasy but even fantasy books can incorporate that level of realism. This book did that. The ending was well executed and paced. And it gave our characters a chance to come down from that battle and actually start to live and move on from what they’ve endured. So thank you A.K. Mulford for giving humanity back to fantasy fiction characters.
Another pro I had in this one was the different romance with each couple. Now if you read my book 2 review your probably thinking, “Lexie you hated that element in book 2”. Yes, yes I know however I’m glad I gave it time to play out. Because A.K Mulford did a great job telling each couples story. They all their own dynamic and there was nothing watered down about any of them. Plus they all got happily ever afters in their own unique way. That in itself felt real and different. So I appreciate that I was proven wrong.
Now, here’s where my cons come in…
Even though in the end I enjoyed all the characters I still think there was way too many of them. The storylines at times got confusing to the point where I kept mixing people up. Like at one point I couldn’t remember who Briar was. Or I’d get Calla and Briar backwards. Then once Sadie was added in Oof. I knew I had to slow it down and re-read to keep track of what was happening. Plus all three of our leading ladies are strong, loyal and full of heart which is great but because of that their voices became a little muddled.
My next issue is honestly coming as a shock from me. But I think this book had a bit too much spice. You’re probably thinking, “what lexie no how could you say that?!?” I know, I know but when the spice is too cranked up and starts to overshadow the plot is where I start to have problems. The frequency and the timing of our spice scenes didn’t always fit. I wish for this books case we had less spice and more meaningful moments. But hey that’s me you decide for yourself if I’m right or wrong.
Overall, I enjoyed this trilogy and can confidently say I’d recommend it. Even though it’s not my favorite Romantasy series I still think it’s 100% worth the read.
Lastly big Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2025
Phew okay I have some thoughts about this one. Overall I did really enjoy this book and this trilogy as a whole, and I am glad that the ending felt pretty satisfactory, . This is an extremely diverse group of characters, as they say in their author's note "now more than ever is a time to support diverse storytelling" and they really nailed it with this one.
Now, I had a few critiques, mostly revolving around the character Briar. From my review of the second book I wrote "I'm really hoping for a Briar POV in the next book... Girl has been a damsel in distress for too many times, now it's time for her to get some agency and badassery of her own". So when this book is looking like it will be Briar and Maez focused, like the others were Calla and Sadie focused, I had high hopes. However, I was pretty disappointed with the character arc throughout most of the book. With all the typical POV shifts, it felt like everything was so dire every time we switched over to Calla and Sadie as they are battling to try to figure out how to win a war, but then we'd switch over to Briar and what is she doing? "Embracing her dark side" and having a bunch of sex with Maez. I don't know, it just always seemed so much less urgent during those sections. Plus it really felt like the darker traits came out of no where in this book. Maybe we just didn't get to see her enough in the previous books, but it felt like a really big tonal shift. I know I asked for her to be more of a badass, but until the very end it felt like she wasn't being true to herself in either form of the "perfect princess" or this darker version. It almost felt like the author thought to themselves "people seem to like a morally gray character in romantasy books, let me add one to my trilogy" without doing some of the background work to prepare for morally character choices.
The pacing of the final epic battle was very well done, big battles with lot's of moving parts are often hard to write and I think the author did an excellent job with it. My last little comment is that some of these villains didn't have a long drawn out enough death. I needed to see them suffer more for what they put these characters through!
Overall even with my critiques, I still had an enjoyable time reading this book and would recommend it and the rest of this trilogy to anyone who enjoys fated mates, found family, and some spice-three different couples with at least two spicy scenes each, plus a whole lot of romance in between.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the ARC!
Now, I had a few critiques, mostly revolving around the character Briar. From my review of the second book I wrote "I'm really hoping for a Briar POV in the next book... Girl has been a damsel in distress for too many times, now it's time for her to get some agency and badassery of her own". So when this book is looking like it will be Briar and Maez focused, like the others were Calla and Sadie focused, I had high hopes. However, I was pretty disappointed with the character arc throughout most of the book. With all the typical POV shifts, it felt like everything was so dire every time we switched over to Calla and Sadie as they are battling to try to figure out how to win a war, but then we'd switch over to Briar and what is she doing? "Embracing her dark side" and having a bunch of sex with Maez. I don't know, it just always seemed so much less urgent during those sections. Plus it really felt like the darker traits came out of no where in this book. Maybe we just didn't get to see her enough in the previous books, but it felt like a really big tonal shift. I know I asked for her to be more of a badass, but until the very end it felt like she wasn't being true to herself in either form of the "perfect princess" or this darker version. It almost felt like the author thought to themselves "people seem to like a morally gray character in romantasy books, let me add one to my trilogy" without doing some of the background work to prepare for morally character choices.
The pacing of the final epic battle was very well done, big battles with lot's of moving parts are often hard to write and I think the author did an excellent job with it. My last little comment is that some of these villains didn't have a long drawn out enough death. I needed to see them suffer more for what they put these characters through!
Overall even with my critiques, I still had an enjoyable time reading this book and would recommend it and the rest of this trilogy to anyone who enjoys fated mates, found family, and some spice-three different couples with at least two spicy scenes each, plus a whole lot of romance in between.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the ARC!
December 19, 2025
A Heart of Crimson Flames was the third book in this romantasy series by AK Mulford which was enjoyable. This third story carries on Calla and Sadie’s POVs while adding Briars to the mix. The addition of the POV in the second book definitely threw me off but by the third story I absolutely appreciated the switch up and really enjoyed seeing all areas of strategizing leading up to the war. We get to see Calla working to gain alliances after the end of the previous story, Sadie working with the song keepers and Briar dealing with Maez and her new found powers.
For the most part, I enjoyed having all three of their point of views going on. I enjoyed seeing how each of the three strategized about the “what’s next” and also seeing each of the three couples carry through their own arc. I will say Sadie’s POV definitely overshadows everyone for me. I loved learning more about the songkeeper’s powers. Their control over the monsters was so interesting to explore. Despite Navin being married (I still have beef with that), I think his and Sadie’s relationship is the most compelling. As much as I love fated mates, I appreciate the growth behind their relationship getting to where it was and liked their dynamic. Briar’s, despite being a nice edition, was definitely the weakest and felt the most filler. I think most of my issue was with Maez now that she was a sorcerer. I felt like her development and the emotional growth I was looking for was completely overshadowed by smut and filler scenes. I did really enjoyed Briar’s growth through. As for Calla, while I loved her in the first book, I feel like their story plateaued. I just was not compelled by their storyline as much in this third book.
I will say the ending of this book was fantastic. I truly truly loved that the final battle was not rushed. I felt like I was able to grasp what happened, why it happened, and connect it back to the earlier parts of the story which was amazing. It did not feel rushed at all which feels more rare with final battles nowadays.
Overall, this was an enjoyable trilogy full of shifters, sorcery, and other fun magic. The couples of this story are all engaging and fun. I will say there was some ill timed smut scenes earlier in the book that did take me out of the story because it just did not make sense, but other than that the pacing was decent. Thanks Harper Voyager and Netgalley for an earc. All opinions are my own.
For the most part, I enjoyed having all three of their point of views going on. I enjoyed seeing how each of the three strategized about the “what’s next” and also seeing each of the three couples carry through their own arc. I will say Sadie’s POV definitely overshadows everyone for me. I loved learning more about the songkeeper’s powers. Their control over the monsters was so interesting to explore. Despite Navin being married (I still have beef with that), I think his and Sadie’s relationship is the most compelling. As much as I love fated mates, I appreciate the growth behind their relationship getting to where it was and liked their dynamic. Briar’s, despite being a nice edition, was definitely the weakest and felt the most filler. I think most of my issue was with Maez now that she was a sorcerer. I felt like her development and the emotional growth I was looking for was completely overshadowed by smut and filler scenes. I did really enjoyed Briar’s growth through. As for Calla, while I loved her in the first book, I feel like their story plateaued. I just was not compelled by their storyline as much in this third book.
I will say the ending of this book was fantastic. I truly truly loved that the final battle was not rushed. I felt like I was able to grasp what happened, why it happened, and connect it back to the earlier parts of the story which was amazing. It did not feel rushed at all which feels more rare with final battles nowadays.
Overall, this was an enjoyable trilogy full of shifters, sorcery, and other fun magic. The couples of this story are all engaging and fun. I will say there was some ill timed smut scenes earlier in the book that did take me out of the story because it just did not make sense, but other than that the pacing was decent. Thanks Harper Voyager and Netgalley for an earc. All opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews