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Soul Binder
Two cursed souls. Bound in secret. With a love that could destroy empires.
Coll is an ordinary kitchen maid, or so she believes—until a buried secret shatters her world. When her stepfamily mysteriously dies, suspicion points to her, and a witch hunter is dispatched to drag her to the gallows.
Coll flees into a world of magic far darker than she ever imagined. Her only hope lies with Niccolo, a fearless mercenary with a lethal charm and secrets of his own. He swears to protect her.
But nowhere is she truly safe, as more than one hunter wants her dead.
Together, they must outrun their enemies, and as treachery tightens around them, Coll realizes a legacy of ruin pulses in her veins—one that could break the world or remake it with blood.
Soul Binder is an epic fantasy with a magical and heartfelt romance, and fast-paced action pierced with bloody intrigue and dangerous betrayals.
Coll is an ordinary kitchen maid, or so she believes—until a buried secret shatters her world. When her stepfamily mysteriously dies, suspicion points to her, and a witch hunter is dispatched to drag her to the gallows.
Coll flees into a world of magic far darker than she ever imagined. Her only hope lies with Niccolo, a fearless mercenary with a lethal charm and secrets of his own. He swears to protect her.
But nowhere is she truly safe, as more than one hunter wants her dead.
Together, they must outrun their enemies, and as treachery tightens around them, Coll realizes a legacy of ruin pulses in her veins—one that could break the world or remake it with blood.
Soul Binder is an epic fantasy with a magical and heartfelt romance, and fast-paced action pierced with bloody intrigue and dangerous betrayals.
500 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2025
7 people are currently reading
22420 people want to read
About the author
Kit Danforth
4 books40 followersKit Danforth is an award-winning playwright, poet, and novelist whose stories whisk readers into realms of magic, mystery, and myth.
With a passion for epic adventures, she writes sweeping adult fantasy and middle-grade quests filled with wonder and heart.
She grew up staging backyard plays where neighborhood kids, stuffed animals, and dolls became the stars of her latest dramas. That early love of storytelling never left her.
These days, she’s still a devoted keeper of a theatrical puppet troupe more than fifty strong—including tomtens, chameleons, wolves, dragons, and a very charismatic velvet lobster. On special occasions, she stages family shows complete with sets and opening nights.
Her home is brimming with books, art, and imagination. Inspired by Shakespeare, Tolkien, and timeless legends, her tales are penned in ink instead of performed beneath willow trees—but the magic is just as real.
When she’s not writing, she’s wandering art museums, researching ancient texts, and always thinking about what kind of challenges her characters will face next.
Whether on the page or the puppet stage, storytelling is her passion—and she’s always dreaming up the next adventure.
With a passion for epic adventures, she writes sweeping adult fantasy and middle-grade quests filled with wonder and heart.
She grew up staging backyard plays where neighborhood kids, stuffed animals, and dolls became the stars of her latest dramas. That early love of storytelling never left her.
These days, she’s still a devoted keeper of a theatrical puppet troupe more than fifty strong—including tomtens, chameleons, wolves, dragons, and a very charismatic velvet lobster. On special occasions, she stages family shows complete with sets and opening nights.
Her home is brimming with books, art, and imagination. Inspired by Shakespeare, Tolkien, and timeless legends, her tales are penned in ink instead of performed beneath willow trees—but the magic is just as real.
When she’s not writing, she’s wandering art museums, researching ancient texts, and always thinking about what kind of challenges her characters will face next.
Whether on the page or the puppet stage, storytelling is her passion—and she’s always dreaming up the next adventure.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 23, 2025
It’s a super fast and fun read, 5/5. I found the characters captivating. They were all complex and well-drawn. The historical world slides seamlessly into the magical world.
Col is a terrific heroine; she is strong and courageous, and you root for her immediately. I loved every second of it.
For more info on the review-
The story begins when Col had been lied to and accused of killing her stepfamily, and her overlords sent out a witch hunter after her, which was common then, as young women were often suspected of delving into magic. But the danger grows when you discover there are worse people after her…
You think there's no way she can survive. And then, you meet Niccolo!! the Italian mercenary, and then you think there's hope for the couple.
The lovers’ have romantic tension, humor, tenderness, and it touches you deeply. You worry about them and realize they're up against a deadly situation. But as their relationship develops, you learn how dangerous it is for everybody to be around her… She and her friends commit to embarking on an exciting adventure.
And as the greater world unfolds, there are a lot of twists and surprises, and you learn more about her capabilities and family history.
A much bigger plan is afoot!
If you love fantasy and complex worlds. I think you'll enjoy it. I can’t wait for the next part of the series.
Col is a terrific heroine; she is strong and courageous, and you root for her immediately. I loved every second of it.
For more info on the review-
The story begins when Col had been lied to and accused of killing her stepfamily, and her overlords sent out a witch hunter after her, which was common then, as young women were often suspected of delving into magic. But the danger grows when you discover there are worse people after her…
You think there's no way she can survive. And then, you meet Niccolo!! the Italian mercenary, and then you think there's hope for the couple.
The lovers’ have romantic tension, humor, tenderness, and it touches you deeply. You worry about them and realize they're up against a deadly situation. But as their relationship develops, you learn how dangerous it is for everybody to be around her… She and her friends commit to embarking on an exciting adventure.
And as the greater world unfolds, there are a lot of twists and surprises, and you learn more about her capabilities and family history.
A much bigger plan is afoot!
If you love fantasy and complex worlds. I think you'll enjoy it. I can’t wait for the next part of the series.
February 3, 2026
I was obsessed with Coll and Niccolo. The minute they are introduced, you hope the best for them. Coll lives a dreary life as a scullery maid, and her existence gets turned upside down, and after she is accused of killing her stepfamily, she’s cast out as a fugitive. She’s forced on the run, not knowing who she is or the truth about the family. On the run, Coll and Niccolo cross paths (great setup on how they meet., Niccolo tells her, “Perhaps one day, you’ll believe in the goodness of many rather than the evil of a few.” Aww. You can’t help but love him too. And the other characters are terrific. Especially Arthur, Spirit, and Tamsin! I love the way the characters speak their truth and lies. The world she’s entering is very mysterious, and the evil forces- whoa, I don’t want to spoil it, but you realize what Coll is discovering is only a little slice of what will come. I love the mystery and how the layers of the magical world are revealed page after page.
I highly recommend!
I highly recommend!
January 30, 2026
Wow, I just loved it. Col is an 18-year-old naive kitchen maid, and she finds out that everything she was told about her birth and upbringing is a lie, and you are immediately thrown into this mystery, as she figures out who she is. When blamed for killing her stepfamily, she’s on the run for her life. She meets Niccolo, a handsome mercenary, and you hope their romance will work out. I won’t spoil it for you, but I did not see the turns coming in this fast-paced fantasy. As you get deeper into the story, you realize Col is catapulted into a new world. And it's bigger and scarier, and her adversaries are lethal as the danger mounts. You stay by her side as she tries to figure out who she is. And Niccolo swears to protect her-oh, he loves her so much! And that gets terrifying when you find out who is after them. I can’t wait to read the next one!
September 5, 2025
This book just absolutely wasn’t for me. I found the characters to be extremely annoying and poorly written - Niccolo is an absolute caricature and Coll is insufferable. I felt like parts of this book were written separately and then just mashed together with no regard of what else was written before or after. There are hundreds of pages of just nothing happening, and then when there finally is some action it’s just flat and the characters find a way to make it boring. BookTok lied when it gave this recommendation. I’m so sorry, I hate to be a bad review when there are so few, but I just can’t let other people make the same mistake as me.
June 16, 2025
Soul Binder is a richly imagined tale of alchemy, betrayal, and fierce destiny. Kit Danforth writes with the deftness of Leigh Bardugo and the soulfulness of Robin Hobb—an intoxicating blend of poetic prose and razor-wire tension. Coll is the kind of heroine we ache for: lost, luminous, and utterly unforgettable. Her journey is harrowing and humane, crackling with dangerous magic and deeper truths. I heartily recommend this novel to anyone who still believes that fantasy can thrill the mind and stir the soul.
May 27, 2025
I love Coll and Niccolo! I plowed through this and could
not put it down. The characters are swept up into lots of adventure. Great world-building. Each character is so unique. Especially Arthur, Spirit, and Tamsin! The settings are wonderful too, especially the 1400s English forest and a magical lost village in time. I love the mystery and how the layers of the magical world blend into one larger story. Enjoy!
not put it down. The characters are swept up into lots of adventure. Great world-building. Each character is so unique. Especially Arthur, Spirit, and Tamsin! The settings are wonderful too, especially the 1400s English forest and a magical lost village in time. I love the mystery and how the layers of the magical world blend into one larger story. Enjoy!
June 17, 2025
I’m so sorry but I really didn’t like the book. The writing itself was decent, but the characters felt flat to me and I found it rather predictable. I really hate to be the first low review on a story like this, but I thought it had a lot of potential, it just unfortunately didn’t live up to my expectations. Maybe I’ll give it another read in a few months? Definitely curious to read more by this author.
February 19, 2026
I'm going to start this off by saying my rating is because this is not my kind of book at all.
This is the story:
Girl is a no body
Girl gets told she's special
lots of nonsense happens
Girl finds out she's magical
They beat the bad guys but one gets away
It was a lot of story for not a lot of story. As I said, this is not my type of book and unfortunately it was a slog for me to get through. Nothing against the author, just my opinion.
This is the story:
Girl is a no body
Girl gets told she's special
lots of nonsense happens
Girl finds out she's magical
They beat the bad guys but one gets away
It was a lot of story for not a lot of story. As I said, this is not my type of book and unfortunately it was a slog for me to get through. Nothing against the author, just my opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2025
No spoilers-
Danforth does a great job blending fantastical elements with a strong romantic plot, focusing on character development and emotional depth. I'm a big fan of her version of medieval England and how well the romance integrates with the fantasy setting.
Action, adventure, romance, swords, magic, and interesting characters sign me up.
Danforth does a great job blending fantastical elements with a strong romantic plot, focusing on character development and emotional depth. I'm a big fan of her version of medieval England and how well the romance integrates with the fantasy setting.
Action, adventure, romance, swords, magic, and interesting characters sign me up.
May 27, 2025
5/5!! It’s a super fast read. I found the characters captivating. They were all complex and well-drawn. The historical world slides seamlessly into the magical world.
Coll is a terrific heroine; she is strong and courageous, and you root for her immediately. I loved every second of it.
For more info on the review-
The story begins when Coll had been lied to and accused of killing her stepfamily, and her overlords sent out a witch hunter after her, which was common then, as young women were often suspected of delving into magic. But the danger grows when you discover there are worse people after her…
You think there's no way she can survive. And then, you meet Niccolo!! the Italian mercenary, and then you think there's hope for the couple.
The lovers’ have romantic tension, humor, tenderness, and it touches you deeply. You worry about them and realize they're up against a deadly situation. But as their relationship develops, you learn how dangerous it is for everybody to be around her… She and her friends commit to embarking on an exciting adventure.
And as the greater world unfolds, there are a lot of twists and surprises, and you learn more about her capabilities and family history.
A much bigger plan is afoot!
If you love fantasy and complex worlds. I think you'll enjoy it.
I can’t wait for the next part of the series.
Coll is a terrific heroine; she is strong and courageous, and you root for her immediately. I loved every second of it.
For more info on the review-
The story begins when Coll had been lied to and accused of killing her stepfamily, and her overlords sent out a witch hunter after her, which was common then, as young women were often suspected of delving into magic. But the danger grows when you discover there are worse people after her…
You think there's no way she can survive. And then, you meet Niccolo!! the Italian mercenary, and then you think there's hope for the couple.
The lovers’ have romantic tension, humor, tenderness, and it touches you deeply. You worry about them and realize they're up against a deadly situation. But as their relationship develops, you learn how dangerous it is for everybody to be around her… She and her friends commit to embarking on an exciting adventure.
And as the greater world unfolds, there are a lot of twists and surprises, and you learn more about her capabilities and family history.
A much bigger plan is afoot!
If you love fantasy and complex worlds. I think you'll enjoy it.
I can’t wait for the next part of the series.
September 5, 2025
Couldn’t put it down!
July 13, 2025
Great first book
I enjoyed this first book and am excited to see where this story goes.
The FMC had to run away in order to save her life after the passing of the bards' sons and wife. He was convinced she bewitched them. On her journey, she discoveries who she truly was.
I enjoyed this first book and am excited to see where this story goes.
The FMC had to run away in order to save her life after the passing of the bards' sons and wife. He was convinced she bewitched them. On her journey, she discoveries who she truly was.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews