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A Helm of Darkness: A Dark Fantasy Romance
Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, From Blood and Ash, and Throne of Glass, this romantasy debut delivers high-stakes adventure, slow-burn romance, and a heroine who refuses to be tamed.
She was forged for war—then sentenced to marriage.
Bound to a kingdom. Hunted by a prince. Marked by a monster.
For a thousand years, the Unseen Shield has protected Rhea Ashwood’s kingdom, trapping the Angel of Death and his demonic army beneath a shadowy dome. As a Guardian—one of the kingdom’s elite soldiers—Rhea has spent her life fighting the creatures that manage to break through. Among a male-dominated order, she serves in its rare all-female unit—disciplined, loyal, and bound to no one.
So when the King decrees that all eligible women, including her unit, must take part in the Ceremony—a forced marriage rite to “preserve the population”—Rhea is furious. Guardians have always been exempt. And she refuses to be bound to anyone, least of all the possessive Crown Prince.
In truth, Rhea has a far more pressing Jove, her bonded partner and closest friend—long presumed dead inside the Shield—is alive. Worse still, the Angel of Death has marked her as the key to his escape. Crossing the Shield to save Jove could doom the very world she’s sworn to protect.
Desperate for answers, Rhea turns to Kol, a sharp-tongued exile from the Banished—descendants of those who once served the Angel himself. Kol is reckless, infuriating, and far too tempting to trust. And when the Crown Prince forces his way into their mission, Rhea’s carefully guarded heart begins to crack.
With war looming and her heart pulled in three directions, Rhea must make an impossible
Rescue the boy who shares her soul…
Or risk everything for the one who threatens to claim it.
She was forged for war—then sentenced to marriage.
Bound to a kingdom. Hunted by a prince. Marked by a monster.
For a thousand years, the Unseen Shield has protected Rhea Ashwood’s kingdom, trapping the Angel of Death and his demonic army beneath a shadowy dome. As a Guardian—one of the kingdom’s elite soldiers—Rhea has spent her life fighting the creatures that manage to break through. Among a male-dominated order, she serves in its rare all-female unit—disciplined, loyal, and bound to no one.
So when the King decrees that all eligible women, including her unit, must take part in the Ceremony—a forced marriage rite to “preserve the population”—Rhea is furious. Guardians have always been exempt. And she refuses to be bound to anyone, least of all the possessive Crown Prince.
In truth, Rhea has a far more pressing Jove, her bonded partner and closest friend—long presumed dead inside the Shield—is alive. Worse still, the Angel of Death has marked her as the key to his escape. Crossing the Shield to save Jove could doom the very world she’s sworn to protect.
Desperate for answers, Rhea turns to Kol, a sharp-tongued exile from the Banished—descendants of those who once served the Angel himself. Kol is reckless, infuriating, and far too tempting to trust. And when the Crown Prince forces his way into their mission, Rhea’s carefully guarded heart begins to crack.
With war looming and her heart pulled in three directions, Rhea must make an impossible
Rescue the boy who shares her soul…
Or risk everything for the one who threatens to claim it.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 21, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 4, 2025
A Helm of Darkness is a captivating debut enemies to lovers romantasy with Ancient Greece inspiration, dark magic & prophecies, high stakes adventures and a strong heroine who is given impossible choices. The rich world building and unique celestial mythology vibes beautifully blend From Blood and Ash with Percy Jackson.
The story follows our heroine Rhea—a fierce and loyal captain who was forged for war, then sentenced to marriage. She is not afraid to question or challenge anything, whether it be world history, fated mate bonds, royal court politics or gender role dynamics. She is also determined to carve her own path, refusing to be controlled or fit anyone’s mold, and would sacrifice herself for others without hesitation, especially her own unit of female warriors. There is a focus on strong female friendships within her unit that I loved and hope to see more of.
The enemies to lovers romance is filled with slow burning tension, layered characters and a devastating love triangle that felt both natural and realistic. A mysterious & sassy exiled rogue holds her heart, while a swoony & protective Crown Prince holds her fate through a fated mate bond. I still can’t guess who Rhea is going to choose, but I know I absolutely can’t wait to see who she ends up with!
I loved A Helm of Darkness so much—and that ending!? Amazing. I did not see those plot twists coming at all! Thank you so much Roxann for sending me this copy! I can’t wait to read the sequel! If you love your fantasy romances with dark haunting magic, fierce heroines and devastating love triangles, I definitely recommend giving A Helm of Darkness a read!
The story follows our heroine Rhea—a fierce and loyal captain who was forged for war, then sentenced to marriage. She is not afraid to question or challenge anything, whether it be world history, fated mate bonds, royal court politics or gender role dynamics. She is also determined to carve her own path, refusing to be controlled or fit anyone’s mold, and would sacrifice herself for others without hesitation, especially her own unit of female warriors. There is a focus on strong female friendships within her unit that I loved and hope to see more of.
The enemies to lovers romance is filled with slow burning tension, layered characters and a devastating love triangle that felt both natural and realistic. A mysterious & sassy exiled rogue holds her heart, while a swoony & protective Crown Prince holds her fate through a fated mate bond. I still can’t guess who Rhea is going to choose, but I know I absolutely can’t wait to see who she ends up with!
I loved A Helm of Darkness so much—and that ending!? Amazing. I did not see those plot twists coming at all! Thank you so much Roxann for sending me this copy! I can’t wait to read the sequel! If you love your fantasy romances with dark haunting magic, fierce heroines and devastating love triangles, I definitely recommend giving A Helm of Darkness a read!
May 18, 2026
I feel really bad for dnf-ing this book because that author kindly gave me a free copy, but I feel like i have to be honest so people can grow in their writing. The prologue is very info dumpy, and while I did think it was kind of working, it felt like a lot. I feel like even thought we got a lot of background info in the prologue, it was missing in the rest of the parts I was reading. Additionally, there was not much description and I felt lost a few times. But I do think this book has an amazing premise, I just think the author needs more time to look at their writing. Thank you for letting me read this and I hoped my thoughts helped.
January 13, 2026
I encountered a few grammar issues, but it was good for a first book. I think she really tried for a plot twist at the end, which is never a bad thing. Under most circumstances, I think the one she went with would've been a great choice, but I don't think it fit the story. Despite those small issues, the story was engaging, and I look forward to book 2!
Did Not Finish
October 24, 2025The prologue is an endless infodump of "worldbuilding" that destroyed any interest I had in this book, which I got for free. I tried skimming the first chapter but this isn't very well-written (though it isn't horrible either) so it's a dnf from me
September 5, 2025
I love how this book is different from other fantasy books that I have read. It kept me on my toes through the whole book and even surprised me at the end which doesn't happen often.
March 28, 2026
Loved!
This was such a good read. Flowed well and the story was captivating. Hope the next book comes out soon!
This was such a good read. Flowed well and the story was captivating. Hope the next book comes out soon!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews