Journey to Aloria

Echoes of Aloria #2

by Brandy Stoker

Journey to Magic is Freedom but Love Can Be a Trap Echoes of Aloria, Book 2

Her magic is unbound. His past is a weapon. Their fated bond is burning bright... but some truths scorch everything in their path.

Malin Neldoreth thought fleeing Media was her greatest challenge. Now, armed with newly awakened, explosive magic, she navigates a treacherous world far wilder than she imagined. Her lifeline? Will Hawkson, the captivating rogue whose quiet strength has ignited a powerful, undeniable connection – a soul bond stretching between them, promising a love deeper than she ever dreamed... but she wonders if it is real.

Destiny demands more than just passion. As they sail towards the city of Aloria, Will's brutal history crashes ashore. A vengeful fire-wielding ex. He must learn how to be a husband and a father to a son he never knew, all while avoiding pirates, monsters, and a relentless order of assassins that threaten to tear his found family apart. Malin is forced to confront the dark choices Will has made, the stark contrast between her healer's oath and his deadly past, as well as her own haunting doubts about the nature of their magical connection.

With explosive magic, gripping betrayals, and a palpable romantic tension that electrifies every page, Journey to Aloria explores the complex journey of healing shattered trust and forging authentic love. This standalone adventure in a sweeping fantasy series plunges you into a world of pirate battles, forbidden magic, found family bonds, and a love so fierce it might just be a trap.

Perfect for readers who devour steamy fantasy romance, chosen one narratives with a dark edge, fated mates that may not work out as easily as expected, and epic adventures where heroes embrace their flaws and passion knows no bounds.

Fantasy RomanceSteamy / Sizzling / HotMagic / Magic Awakenings / Forbidden Magic / Explosive MagicAdventure / High-Stakes Adventure / Epic AdventureRogue Hero / Strong HeroineFound Family / Found Family BondsSoul Bond / Fated Mates / Chosen OnePirate Attacks / Pirate BattlesAssassins / Religious OrderAdult Fantasy RomanceTropes Included

Found FamilyForced ProximityMagic AwakeningRogue Heroes / Strong HeroinesSmoldering Passion / Steamy EncountersFated Mates / Soul BondChosen One / ProphecyReaders who enjoy your book might also

Jennifer L. Armentrout's From Blood and Ash High magic, intense romance, fated mates, political intrigue, action. (Very relevant for the "steamy fantasy romance" aspect).Laura Thalassa's Four Horsemen High fantasy, powerful beings, dark elements, strong romance.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance

515 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 6, 2025

About the author

Brandy Stoker is a storyteller at heart, weaving tales of love, resilience, and self-discovery that captivate readers and linger in their minds long after the final page. Raised in Bel Air, Maryland, Brandy draws inspiration from the charming landscapes and vibrant communities of her hometown to create relatable characters and vivid settings.

With a knack for exploring the intricacies of relationships and the beauty of unexpected connections, Brandy Stoker has earned a devoted following among romance readers. Her books blend heartfelt emotion with poignant themes, delivering stories that celebrate the power of love in all its forms.

When Brandy isn’t dreaming up new stories, she can be found sipping coffee watching koi on a cozy deck, playing Dungeons and Dragons or Board games with friends, or working with statistics and finance. An advocate for following one’s passion, Brandy encourages readers to embrace the joy of life’s surprises and believe in their own happily-ever-afters. A series of health scares and messy divorce left her embracing life and enjoying life on her own terms. This appreciation of independence and encouraging readers to find their own, comes through her books and offers readers with real situations that may help them in their own lives.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or discovering Brandy Stoker’s work for the first time, she invites you to dive into a world of heartfelt romance and unforgettable moments.

Reviews

[Sabrina 🧚‍♀️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The journey to Aloria was both an incredible second installment and a heart wrenching story. We follow our characters as they continue to try to learn how to trust and bond while experiencing a lot of difficult tasks.

Malin continues to grow into her power and tries to figure out how to trust Will with all of his secrets. She discovers that her fiancé is actually not dead and find out he’s not actually who she thought he was.
I was very happy that Malin had the strength to turn down all of Caelum‘s advances and that her father was there to support her throughout their rescue mission.

My heart hurts for Will in this book. What he goes through was extremely hard to read, and it was very powerful that he’s working overcoming the experiences he went through.

I wish there would’ve been more on Ellie and Zane’s journey when they were alone .

I’m loving where the relationship between Malin and Will is going. I do hope that we’re able to see more of Will’s secrets come out. Loving how much their bond continues to grow and looking forward on what that will actually look like once they are fully bonded.

In the end, I absolutely love this book and will continue to read this series.

[Sara-Jane Keenan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in a dark dystopian fantasy world with pirates, dragons, fae and magic, this book was full of action and suspense from the start. I hadn’t realised that this book was the second in the series but it was still easy to follow and explained enough back story from the first that it didn’t cause any issues. However I will definitely be reading the first book now as I have so many questions that I’m excited to find out.

Told in dual point of view with the main characters Malin and Will, I really enjoyed hearing both of their thoughts and perspectives throughout. The character progression was developed really well. We follow Malin as she is confused, hurting and terrified as she tries to get used to her new powers and adapt to this whole new world she’s been kept in the dark from. She’s a very likeable character, strong, fierce and independent and you really feel for her with everything she has experienced. Her character was giving me Jean Gray vibes for any X-Men fans out there and I’m looking forward to the next book to see how it unfolds. I enjoyed Will’s character arc too. He’s struggling with the consequences of his dark past in the resistance and worried that he will lose his family. He’s ready to give up his roguish ways and be a better man for his new found family.
Malin and Will are soul bonded and I enjoyed watching how this played out, because of course nothing is plain sailing. Their relationship is fiery and passionate and I like how they bring out the best in each other. I was expecting a little more spice from them but there were only a few scenes with them due to the constant threats and dangers they were facing. It was said to be a slow burn romance but for me it didn’t feel slow as they are already married and there’s passion from the start.

I enjoyed the found family aspect of this book. There’s a lot of secrets, revelations and hurt but they all band together. The supporting characters are strong and I particularly loved Aldrik and the children Ellie and Zee. They encounter a lot of different magical creatures on their journey too, which I thought were described in great detail so you could get a clear visual picture of them and their world.

Now the dark part. The book comes with trigger warnings for a reason and there are descriptive physical, psychological and sexually explicit torture scenes. It’s not for the faint hearted and I advise to proceed with caution and avoid if this would be difficult for you to read. I thought that the scenes were done really well and were very emotive. There was shock, disgust, anger, empathy and rage. The author created two very unlikeable bad guys Lydia the crazy ex-girlfriend and Nemilos the pirate captain.

This book ends nicely leaving suspense and anticipation for the next instalment. I’m dying to know what happens next and will definitely be waiting eagerly for it.

[Reba Maynard · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an ARC reader - I just finished Journey to Aloria and wow… this world pulled me in like magic. Twists I didn’t see coming, characters I couldn’t let go of, and a setting so vivid I swear I smelled the salty ocean air.

This book has so much to offer - Found family, soul mates, adventure, pirates and so much more.

Dark fantasy lovers, you need this adventure! 🏴‍☠️

[Evelyn A.R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so lucky to receive an ARC of Journey to Aloria, and wow what an incredible read! From the moment I started, I was swept into Malin and Will’s story. The worldbuilding is rich and immersive, the magic feels explosive and alive, and the emotional pull between the characters is impossible to resist.

What stood out most for me was how this book blends sizzling romance with high-stakes adventure. Between the pirate battles, dangerous assassins, and unexpected twists, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. At the same time, the story dives deep into themes of trust, love, and healing making it both thrilling and heartfelt.

If you love fantasy romance with powerful heroines, roguish heroes, found family, and a bond that feels destined yet complicated, this book is for you. I’m so glad I got to read it early, and I can’t wait to see even more readers fall in love with this series!

[Beverly Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story! It was a magical story with a lot of action. I loved reading about the characters on their journey and the obstacles they faced along the way. The details were vivid and really made you feel like you were in the story with them. I loved the romance between Malin and Will. I can't wait to see what's in store for them next!

[Lauren Head · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC read 💫 Journey to Aloria swept me away! Fierce heroine ✔️ Roguish hero ✔️ Pirate battles, assassins, magic, and sizzling romance ✔️ A thrilling + heartfelt fantasy romance you need on your TBR! 🌊✨

[Leafsongwarrior · Rating 4 out of 5]

Receiving a complementary copy from Voracious Readers Only, Journey to Aloria was immediately gripping within the first sentence. Throughout it I was continuously reading in anticipation of what might happen next. Highly recommend this read.

[Ashley Farrar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a must read. A fast-paced journey from beginning to end. This is the second book in the series, and I definitely recommend you read the first one too, it is just as phenomenal as this one. I did not want to put this down. You see the determination in the characters to journey to safety, find loved ones who were lost, and it ends with a sweet surprise for their little family. I feel in love with many of the characters and rooted for love from beginning to end. Fully of magic, spice, adventure, and heart pounding moments - it has it all. Get your copy today!

[Lizard03719 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a journey worth taking. The action starts on the very first page and continues throughout the whole book.
I found the characters enjoyable and found myself relating to Malin as she continues to discover who she is along the journey.
Some scenes were spicy (🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️) and intense and I was captivated and left me wanting more. (Make sure to check the trigger warnings)
The unexpected twists kept coming throughout the whole book and I never knew what was going to happen next.
If you want a book with pirates, dragons, adventure, suspense, and spice, then Journey to Aloria is for you.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, a solid 4.5 ⭐ read for me. A really engaging read.

We are dropped in the aftermath of a battle, no time to find your feet here. We are reintroduced to the main characters quickly with a few short chapters to cover both POVs.

Characters are well constructed and believable, making them easy to fall in love with and root for. I enjoyed the strong focus on family, both real and found.

The worldbuilding is an interesting mix of magic and technology which works well together. We are introduced into world of magic and adventure, and a family fighting for freedom.

The prose flows well, it is descriptive and vivid without being overly flowery, making it easy for you to follow the action, and get a feel for the surrounding without being slowed down. It pulls you into the narrative immersing into the world.

This book takes a much darker tone than book 1 (Escape from Media) but with the same twists and revelations we loved in that first one.

[Amanda Ho · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

This is one of those rare cases where the sequel is even better than the first, more of the story is developed and the story is so captivating and immersive. You truly feel that the writer picked You up and dropped you off in a front row seat of the action. The descriptions are amazing and the story is such a build up.

I was so excited to win this via Goodreads giveaways! Thank you!

And just to be clear; for those who didn’t see my first in the series book review, I did throughly enjoy but this is better as the first book needed more set up and character building and it made this sequel even more beautiful!

[BookNCaffenineMom · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line is excellent and the whole concept is very thought out. However, I had to stop reading it about 30% through due to the writing style. There were many run-on sentences and grammar issues that made it difficult to continue. I truly believe this story would have been incredible with some more editing. I strongly dislike leaving bad reviews since I know authors pour their heart out into creating these stories for us.

[Ember P · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an ARC reader I received a copy of this book for review and it sucked me in from the first page. This was one of my favorite books this year, filled with action, adventure, pirates, dragons and new found magic talents. This a a continuation of Escape from Media, where the new found family of Will and Malin are fleeing the ever vigilant clutches of Media, the city where magic is a crime. As Malin struggles to come to terms with the secrets and lies told by her mother, Will is afraid of revealing the truth about his violent past for the Resistance might drive Malin away and break their newly forged Soulbond. When dark members of Will's past emerge with deadly plans of their own, Will's only hope is to endure the cruel torture of the Pirate King and hope Malin has the strength and courage to lead a rescue before mind is broken for good. Malin has to confront unexpected secrets from her past and learn to trust new family as she races to reunite the scattered members of her found family. For anyone who likes a strong heroine, roughish, know-it-all men, enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat and enough spicy scenes to overheat your Kindle this book is for you. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book and the further adventures on the way to the sanctuary of Aloria

[Stephanie White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC copy for an honest review!

Big thing to be warned about is that this is the second book of a trilogy. I didn't read the first book and it took me about half the book in to catch up with the story.

We have sexually explicit scenes, sexual assault - mental abuse, action - thriller in this book.

This world is a bit steam punk - not dystopic like I saw so many post on Amazon. Magic exists, different races - elves, etc exist -

Our main female lead thought her life was one way - and it turns out that everything she pretty much believed was false - lies.

There is a human city that they chip people to keep them from manifesting their magic - the main character is one of those (and her family is involved with this).

In this book she is escaping to Aloria with her new husband, his new son (he didn't know he existed until a week before) her daughter, her mother etc etc. She handles all of these changes very well (father of her daughter supposedly being dead) and yet still standing fighting trying to save her children and mother at the end of the book.

I will defintely be buying the third book!

[Natalie Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journey to Magic is Freedom but Love Can Be a Trap is the kind of fantasy romance that grabs you by the heart and doesn’t let go. Malin’s story expands beautifully from book one her explosive new magic is both thrilling and terrifying, and watching her struggle to balance her healer’s instincts with the wild, destructive power she now wields makes her feel deeply real. Pair that with Will, a rogue whose past is as dangerous as it is compelling, and the tension between them practically leaps off the page. Their bond is swoon-worthy, yes, but also layered with doubts, scars, and difficult choices that make it all the more satisfying.

This isn’t just a love story it’s a tale of found family, forgiveness, and survival against impossible odds. Pirates, assassins, vengeful exes, and betrayals keep the pace relentless, while quieter moments of vulnerability remind you what’s truly at stake: healing, trust, and the fragile hope of something lasting.

[NyckiD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dystopian Adventure!!!

Just jumping in to this perilous adventure with book two and it definitely starts out with a bang‼️The characters are Strong and emotionally resilient. There’s a raw honesty of trust building between Malin and Will which enhances their (soul bond) relationship. Will is my new “Indiana Jones”! He’s ruthless, cunning and a cinnamon roll. Malin is my hero! She’s a baddie with magic 🪄 The found family is touching in a profound way☺️ There’s so many ways this journey is taking and I’m here for it👍🏾 Spice is 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Check those trigger warnings because there are some dark themes. This book held my attention and I had to know what happens next! If you’re looking for adventure, romance, intrigue, suspense, found family and spice then pick this one up!!

[Dark Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 2 in a series - reading book 1 is a good idea but not required.

I really enjoyed this dark dystopian fantasy romance - the world building was immersive, the descriptions very vivid, and the magic captivating.

The romance between our MCs, Malin and Will, was super hot and fun to read. I loved that Malin is strong and fierce, and the emotion in their relationship is so strong.

Highly recommend reading this one if you're up for an adventure!

[Harley · Rating 3 out of 5]

not for me

I can read anything and i will give any book a try but this just wasn’t for me.

I liked the concept but the way it was written and grammar and such I had to DNF

I wanted to like it and do see there are people that enjoy it. And just because it’s not for me doesn’t mean it’s not for someone else.

[Adams Hub · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book burned. The chemistry between Malin and Will practically leapt off the page, but what really got me were the quieter moments, the guilt, forgiveness, and rediscovery of self. As someone who’s wrestled with giving love a second chance, this story resonated deeply. It’s fantasy, yes, but it felt achingly human.

[Tabatha Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

She did amazing with the characters. I love the dynamic of the kids and I would gladly read it again just for them😁😁😁😁😊🥰