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The Winter Dark #2
When the Light Returns
Not yet published
Expected 12 May 26A deposed king and the powerful captive of a corrupt queen join forces in a sweeping fantasy of romance, magic, and redemption in this sequel to While the Dark Remains.
The long winter dark has been banished for good, and the mountain palace of the late king should be a sanctuary for Ballast Vallin, who has just assumed the throne. Instead, it’s a torment. Held to account for the sins of his father, Ballast must relinquish his crown and all claim to Daeros, the kingdom for which he risked so much. Worse, Brynja—his father’s former captive, the woman he loves—is the one who forces his hand.
Disgraced, Brynja is sent to Iljaria, a kingdom imbued with ancient magic. There she finds herself at the mercy of Queen Valrún, and is forced to aid in the queen’s quest to claim all the magic long thought irrevocably bound to the gods.
But then a shocking revelation about Ballast’s past brings him to Iljaria—and to Brynja. Together, amid secrets, magic, and betrayal, they must challenge the power-hungry queen to a battle that could ruin the world or remake it. For Brynja and Ballast, their most invaluable weapon is hope.
The long winter dark has been banished for good, and the mountain palace of the late king should be a sanctuary for Ballast Vallin, who has just assumed the throne. Instead, it’s a torment. Held to account for the sins of his father, Ballast must relinquish his crown and all claim to Daeros, the kingdom for which he risked so much. Worse, Brynja—his father’s former captive, the woman he loves—is the one who forces his hand.
Disgraced, Brynja is sent to Iljaria, a kingdom imbued with ancient magic. There she finds herself at the mercy of Queen Valrún, and is forced to aid in the queen’s quest to claim all the magic long thought irrevocably bound to the gods.
But then a shocking revelation about Ballast’s past brings him to Iljaria—and to Brynja. Together, amid secrets, magic, and betrayal, they must challenge the power-hungry queen to a battle that could ruin the world or remake it. For Brynja and Ballast, their most invaluable weapon is hope.
- GenresFantasy
479 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 12, 2026
3 people are currently reading
581 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Ruth Meyer
8 books914 followersJoanna Ruth Meyer is the author of five YA fantasies, including the critically acclaimed ECHO NORTH. She lives in Mesa, AZ, with her husband, son, two orange cats, and a giant grand piano named Prince Imrahil. She loves forests and rainstorms and stories that make her feel things, and in all likelihood, she’s drinking tea right now.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"When the Light Returns" is the 7th of Joanna Ruth Meyer's published books, all of which I have read and thoroughly enjoyed. In fact, I have listed them as being among my favorite books in general. “When the Light Returns” was beautifully written. The characters were full, and I really appreciated the character growth, especially from Ballast.
However, while Meyer is a brilliant author, sometimes the narrative could get lost beneath the heavy poetic nature of her writing. There were times when the plot and characters themselves did not feel full fleshed out due to heavy description and an almost overwhelming emphasis on the emotions of whatever characters were in the scene. That said, this is only my opinion, and I am sure that there are many people who would appreciate this style of writing.
I have fallen in love with all of Meyer's characters over the years and I was equally attached to those in "When the Light Returns." I loved the romantic and platonic dynamics, the weaving of timelines and POVS, and the darkness of the villain. I also loved the romance! It was sweet and intimate without being spicy (which I really appreciated). I especially loved the romantic relationship between Ballast and Brynja and all of its. . . developments. IYKYK.
Overall, I loved “When the Light Returns,” and the ending left me satisfied and content. I am so excited to see what other novels Joanna Ruth Meyer gives us and where her writing takes her. She deserves so much praise!
Thanks to 47North and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my full and honest review.
However, while Meyer is a brilliant author, sometimes the narrative could get lost beneath the heavy poetic nature of her writing. There were times when the plot and characters themselves did not feel full fleshed out due to heavy description and an almost overwhelming emphasis on the emotions of whatever characters were in the scene. That said, this is only my opinion, and I am sure that there are many people who would appreciate this style of writing.
I have fallen in love with all of Meyer's characters over the years and I was equally attached to those in "When the Light Returns." I loved the romantic and platonic dynamics, the weaving of timelines and POVS, and the darkness of the villain. I also loved the romance! It was sweet and intimate without being spicy (which I really appreciated). I especially loved the romantic relationship between Ballast and Brynja and all of its. . . developments. IYKYK.
Overall, I loved “When the Light Returns,” and the ending left me satisfied and content. I am so excited to see what other novels Joanna Ruth Meyer gives us and where her writing takes her. She deserves so much praise!
Thanks to 47North and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my full and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was fortunate to read the ARC of While the Dark Remains, and I feel equally grateful to have received the ARC of When the Light Returns.
In a genre where fantasy series can sometimes lose focus by stretching a story across too many books, this duology felt just right in terms of scope. The overarching conflict and its resolution were well-suited to a two-book structure, and I found the conclusion of the second book especially satisfying.
In When the Light Returns, I felt that Meyer noticeably strengthened in how she shaped the relationships between the characters. The deeper development in their connections made me even more invested in them and genuinely rooting for their growth. Without spoilers, the ending provided each character with the resolution and personal growth they deserved, which felt both earned and emotionally fulfilling.
That said, the pacing was the one area where the book fell a bit flat for me. Certain sections lingered longer than necessary, while others felt rushed. For instance, Brynja’s search for the gods for Valrun moved so quickly that it strained believability and left me wanting more depth in that part of the story.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed both books in this series. It’s a duology I would happily recommend to my book groups and could easily see myself revisiting in the future. Thank you again to NetGalley and 47North for providing these ARCs!
In a genre where fantasy series can sometimes lose focus by stretching a story across too many books, this duology felt just right in terms of scope. The overarching conflict and its resolution were well-suited to a two-book structure, and I found the conclusion of the second book especially satisfying.
In When the Light Returns, I felt that Meyer noticeably strengthened in how she shaped the relationships between the characters. The deeper development in their connections made me even more invested in them and genuinely rooting for their growth. Without spoilers, the ending provided each character with the resolution and personal growth they deserved, which felt both earned and emotionally fulfilling.
That said, the pacing was the one area where the book fell a bit flat for me. Certain sections lingered longer than necessary, while others felt rushed. For instance, Brynja’s search for the gods for Valrun moved so quickly that it strained believability and left me wanting more depth in that part of the story.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed both books in this series. It’s a duology I would happily recommend to my book groups and could easily see myself revisiting in the future. Thank you again to NetGalley and 47North for providing these ARCs!
December 28, 2025
Rating: 3.5 stars ⭐️
When the Light Returns is Joanna Ruth Meyer’s follow up to While the Dark Remains. The story moves from the single point-of-view of the first book into a multi-point of view novel, changing perspectives and timelines throughout the story. Our main character, Brynja, is joined by friend and foe alike as threat of invasion hangs over all of our kingdoms.
This story was a marked improvement over the first book, with the pacing greatly improved by the multiple perspectives. The story flowed better, and overall was more engaging. The theology is expanded a little more as our characters move through the world, but I would have liked a little more depth to the magic system.
Our main character is somewhat more active in this story than the first, though there is still a significant problem with our main character passively accepting the control of others. Other characters refer to Brynja as a schemer, or five steps ahead, and that hasn’t ever felt true to her characterization. In the first book, she seemed to barely survive but for the manipulations of others, so others’ trust in her ability to plan felt disingenuous.
The story still fell into many of the common tropes of the genre, which made it feel somewhat predictable. The ending of the story felt like it lacked substance, especially considering the losses of the previous book. The final solutions felt tidy, and felt out of our main characters’ control. I did enjoy the epilogue, which had some nice details about the long term fates of our characters.
Overall, this book was an improvement over the first. If you were really enamored by the first book, you’ll probably enjoy it. However, if you haven’t read the first book, this wasn’t solid enough to justify continuing on.
This book was provided to me on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When the Light Returns is Joanna Ruth Meyer’s follow up to While the Dark Remains. The story moves from the single point-of-view of the first book into a multi-point of view novel, changing perspectives and timelines throughout the story. Our main character, Brynja, is joined by friend and foe alike as threat of invasion hangs over all of our kingdoms.
This story was a marked improvement over the first book, with the pacing greatly improved by the multiple perspectives. The story flowed better, and overall was more engaging. The theology is expanded a little more as our characters move through the world, but I would have liked a little more depth to the magic system.
Our main character is somewhat more active in this story than the first, though there is still a significant problem with our main character passively accepting the control of others. Other characters refer to Brynja as a schemer, or five steps ahead, and that hasn’t ever felt true to her characterization. In the first book, she seemed to barely survive but for the manipulations of others, so others’ trust in her ability to plan felt disingenuous.
The story still fell into many of the common tropes of the genre, which made it feel somewhat predictable. The ending of the story felt like it lacked substance, especially considering the losses of the previous book. The final solutions felt tidy, and felt out of our main characters’ control. I did enjoy the epilogue, which had some nice details about the long term fates of our characters.
Overall, this book was an improvement over the first. If you were really enamored by the first book, you’ll probably enjoy it. However, if you haven’t read the first book, this wasn’t solid enough to justify continuing on.
This book was provided to me on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a fantastic continuation of the story begun in "While the Dark Remains". It's dark and complicated but still manages to stay ultimately hopeful. I thought that Saga's arc was especially gratifying- she didn't end up in a very good place after the first book, so her growth in this book was needed. There were a couple places where I felt like the mechanics of the story didn't quite make sense (especially with the time magic that's not explained super well), but overall the story is easy to follow and flows very well. The villains felt appropriately menacing but not flat; the underlying message made for some beautiful moments near the end. A great close to the duology.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and 47North for this ARC!
I was so happy to be back in this world, and this really felt like a satisfying ending to the duology. The way this book expanded the storytelling added a wonderful layer to everything I loved about the first one. At times the pacing felt a little off, but it didn’t detract from the story, and using time as a storytelling mechanic gave the experience a feel that matched the magic in a really interesting way. I loved the twists just as much as in the first book, and the characters had so much heart; I can already tell this is a duology I’ll want to re-read someday!
I was so happy to be back in this world, and this really felt like a satisfying ending to the duology. The way this book expanded the storytelling added a wonderful layer to everything I loved about the first one. At times the pacing felt a little off, but it didn’t detract from the story, and using time as a storytelling mechanic gave the experience a feel that matched the magic in a really interesting way. I loved the twists just as much as in the first book, and the characters had so much heart; I can already tell this is a duology I’ll want to re-read someday!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I read book one as a part of an Amazon First reads choice and was graciously allowed to read the ARC of book 2!
I rated book 1, 5 stars.. while I did find it had slow pacing I enjoyed the eventual outcome and the drastic twist the ending took and enjoyed my time with it.
Books 2 also had odd pacing but again, I enjoyed my time reading it, learning more about the characters and world they exsist in, and the plotting with the multiple pov. I feel like I cannot say more without revealing spoilers but if you enjoyed book 1 like I did, I can certainly say you will enjoy book 2!
I rated book 1, 5 stars.. while I did find it had slow pacing I enjoyed the eventual outcome and the drastic twist the ending took and enjoyed my time with it.
Books 2 also had odd pacing but again, I enjoyed my time reading it, learning more about the characters and world they exsist in, and the plotting with the multiple pov. I feel like I cannot say more without revealing spoilers but if you enjoyed book 1 like I did, I can certainly say you will enjoy book 2!
February 2, 2026
While I did not find book 2 in this duology as gripping and unpredictable as book 1, it was still enjoyable. Time travel in books is always an iffy and confusing topic for me so the story lost me in those parts and the ending seemed a little too nicely wrapped up. However, I was intrigued with the character development and growth so that had me wanting to know what happens next. This duology will definitely be something I re-read again in the future!
Big thank you to NetGalley and Joanna Ruth Meyer for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Big thank you to NetGalley and Joanna Ruth Meyer for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
It was my honor to receive an ARC from the author. This epic conclusion to the The Winter Dark duology shines bright in a world full of darkness. Strong LOTR vibes crossed with sacrifices that reminded me of childhood series favorite The Chronicles of Prydain. As with the last book, there are a lot of delicious twists and turns to discover. Recommended for anyone who understands the timely and timeless message of the power of stories where light prevails over darkness.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews