Oro

Lightlark

by Alex Aster

A new romantasy novella written from the perspective of Oro, from #1 New York Times–bestselling author and #BookTok sensation Alex Aster

True love knows no bounds.

The novella is narrated by Oro and offers a window into his complex that of a king torn between desire for justice and passion for the woman he loves more than anything. It includes key moments from the ruler’s love story with Isla, told in his own voice.

Oro is certain to thrill listeners and test allegiances, leaving new and longtime fans second-guessing who they’re rooting for in the breathtaking battle for Isla’s heart.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Romance, Romantasy, Young Adult, Enemies To Lovers

10 pages, Audible Audio

Published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[alix flora 🌙 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always gonna be team oro for a number of reasons, one mainly because he’s hotter than Grimm imo. Grimm is just.. lowkey lil basic. I’m sick of the shadow daddies, they’re so overplayed. Gimme a brooding, sun king any day. ☀️

and yes, I’m going to completely spoil crowntide for myself the second it comes out because I NEED to know who she chooses 😭🙏🏻


UPDATE: ITS NOT THE END. SHE DOESN’T CHOOSE EITHER. KILL ME.

I want oro and Grimm to fu-

[Grayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glad I read this because it solidified that I will NEVER be Team Oro :) forever Team Grim. This just made me dislike Oro even more and rooting for his end 🫣

[Hayley Needs Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Im not a fan of Oro, hence why I started with his perspective, to me, while hes good intentioned and honourable, he's a bit...plain. hes not passionate, not particularly interesting. It was nice to see more of his character though, and his backstory.

[Ashley Galletti · Rating 3 out of 5]

#TeamGrim

[kaleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually don't like books that give a different POV of a story already once told... but Alex did this one justice. This actually gave more depth to Oro than what was portrayed in the original story in such a personable way. Oh, and sneaking in my fave narrator almost got me to team Oro.... almost ;)

[Eden · Rating 3 out of 5]

He’s a good book bf, but he’s not Grim.

I’ve never been team Oro, like he’s a typical book boyfriend. He cares for Isla and claims he’ll “burn the world down for her” but has he ever made her hot chocolate because he knows how much she loves it? I THINK NOT!

I swear I don’t understand team Oro, he’s too “righteous” and “Just” and “Merciful” to be Isla’s forever.

If Isla had just killed like 100 random people, Oro would say, “now why don’t we calm down and think about this for a second.” But Grim would be right by her side saying, “alright who’s next?”

I felt bad for this man for like .2 seconds when he and Grim became buddies, AND THEN HE STARTED YELLING AT HIM!?

LEAVE MY POOR BOY ALONE YOU BURNT BISCUIT!!

I’m sorry but the only thing I ever felt for Oro was pity, and let’s be honest, Oro has way too many problems to actually focus on loving Isla.

At this point she’s just his hot therapist.

Great story, but this hardly persuaded me to root for Oro.

#TeamGrim4Life

[SAMANTHA. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still #TeamGrim. I read Oro’s POV first as that’s what Alex said we should. This novella served two purposes for me: a great refresher into the Lightlark world and secondly, interesting background into Oro and Grim’s connections and their fathers. So that was really enjoyable.

[Brylee Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

ORO TALKS ABT ISLA THE SAME WAY ANDREW GARFIELD TALKS ABT EMMA STONE I CAN’T BE NORMAL ABT THIS

[KatorReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex wasn't talking to us Oro girlies when she said we would be switching sides.

[Paulina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't hate the book, but I do hate Oro.
prior to reading this book, I was #TeamGrim, I had no feeling for Oro positive or negative.
after reading, I am still #TeamGrim. and Oro is kind of annoying, selfish, and hypocritical now in my eyes.

I originally was not going to read Oro; I was just going to Grims. But then Alex said to read Oros first and that Grim does show up in Oros book. So, I took a chance, and it was a fine read, I just did not need any of this information LMFAO

[Audrey Gemme · Rating 4 out of 5]

My little Oro 💛 I love him so much. This just confirmed that I am in fact team Oro hehe

[Jordan Miner · Rating 3 out of 5]

even though I am team grim, no one can make me hate oro. I enjoyed reading about his past then his pov from lightlark.

[Jaiden Garden · Rating 4 out of 5]

[audiobook] GASP. I cannot WAITTTTTTTT for grims pov. BRB while i go reread the last two books. (Audible decided to lock the first one. Rude.

[dak ⋆.˚ ☾ .⭒˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝖔𝖗𝖔 💛 ☀️ 👑 🌖

🎧 + 📖 જ⁀➴ 3⭐️

this was fine. i don’t hate oro but i just don’t like him for isla so im just meh about him you know??
ily chase brown though💓

[Sam Donovan · Rating 3 out of 5]

full plot recap coming to a bookmas near you but also nothing really happens in this lol

[Jazz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ the first half was a little confusing only because it took place 500 years prior to ‘Lightlark’ and I didn’t realise 🤣 however the second half when we finally got to ‘Lightlark’ was exactly what I expected

[Emily Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

He’s my vote but I know he’s not winning boooo

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way that Oro LOVES Isla and is completely devoted to her… say less. Loved this just as much as the Grim novella. ❤️❤️

[Heathers_readss · Rating 3 out of 5]

This actually made me like oro less? What😅

[Brielle Roll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t expecting to fall this hard for Oro… but I am obsessed. Seeing everything from his perspective completely changed how I see him as a character. He’s so layered, so controlled, but you can feel the emotion underneath all that restraint, the loyalty, the love, the guilt. It’s everything I wanted from his point of view and more.

I haven’t even read Grim’s side yet and I’ve already switched teams. Oro has my whole heart now. The way he sees Isla, the quiet devotion, the internal conflict… it’s beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.

Alex Aster wrote his voice perfectly. It’s regal and precise, but full of emotion simmering just below the surface. This novella made me fall even deeper into the Lightlark world. It was so refreshing to read into this world in a first-person POV. I’d read a full-length novel from Oro’s POV in a heartbeat.

[Samantha Carrillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex said this would make us switch teams but 1000% she was talking to team oro… sorry #Grim for life😮‍💨

The wedding scene will forever be burned to my memory like the wedding from Crazy rich asians 🥹

[lifeasmegs_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am I team Oro now? Still need to read Grim’s side so final decision tbd

[Allison Agnello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important note- I would read this after Lightlark. It takes place before and during that book.

"I dont remember what sunlight feels like on my skin but when you look at me, it feels close. Centuries of darkness, and here you ste, a reminder that this cursed world still have beauty in it yet."

The pining, obsession and absolute denial around his feelings for Isla in this is perfection. His favorite color, place and seeing his literal dreams is so cute!

"Find your fire"

I loved seeing Oro and his mother in all the little glimpses. The desire to be better than his family yet how much he misses them held a lot of confusing internal emotions. He loved his brother but is determined to be different from him and not make the same "mistakes" by falling in love. Seeing his relationships with his friends and his brother were huge parts of him that we dont get to see much in the rest of the series.

His history with Grim mostly made me sad for both of them. They have so much in common and the dreams they have for their realms aligned well.

"Ive waited hundreds of years for her. Ill wait hundreds more." ❤️‍🔥

[Rachel (Get Booked with Rae) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven’t read the first lightlark book (possibly two) I would start there first. This book is an epic recap from Oro’s perspective. And even though I have been a very firm “team grim” this book had me wavering a little. Seeing how the events of his early childhood shaped him, his losses, his training and ultimately his perspective of the event in Lightlark was so so good. The audiobook narrator did a phenomenal job capturing his character. The emotions were so honest and so raw. I loved it. I had forgotten a lot of the first book events since it’s been a while since I read the first one, so this recap while I await the next book Crowntide was perfect.

I give this a 5 star rating. Because anything less would be a lie. And Oro hates liars. 🤭

Next up will be Grim’s side of the story….

[Cydnee Durk · Rating 3 out of 5]

KICKED my feet the whole time!!!!!

reading the first book, i had no idea who to root for in this MESSY little triangle. continuing the series? still have no clue. i love oro as a character, love him even more after getting his backstory and POV. put a lot more light on how why he was acting reallllll weird in book 1. his arch follows VERY similar to kai azer from the powerless series (same voice narrating for him as well;))

all i’m saying is isla did fall in love with him once and is CURRENTLY. oro didn’t deserve all the crap from book 2&3, ESPECIALLY if from the jump this is how we were feeling. prince of yearning frfr

never in my life have i been so conflicted on who the FMC gonna end up with but grimm’s backstory better put in some work. cause oro here is top dog rn

[Monet Daffodil · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oro
Author: Alex Aster

This book had me in a chokehold, y’all, and it was a novella! I’ve read all of the Lightlark books except the latest release (Crowntide), and while I’ve enjoyed the series overall, it hasn’t always stuck with me… until this one. I was not ready for it. Oro focuses on one of the main characters in the series, the ruler of Lightlark himself, and is told entirely from his perspective. We get to dive deep into his past: his family, his early relationships, his dynamic with Grim, and the choices that shaped him into the leader we know. His story was so compelling and emotionally layered, I was hooked on every single word. Honestly? I’m now contemplating a full Lightlark reread just because of this novella. 🫣

[Jacey Coe · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who is team Oro this was great. I do think he is a little whiny but in the long run I like him a lot more. To me Grim just seems so much like every single other morally grey Romantasy man out there. It’s obvious she’s going to end up with Grim in the end but I think it would be a very interesting twist is she really does end up with Oro.

[Imani · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT SHOULD’VE BEEN MEEEEE!!!! Fuck Isla, it should’ve been meeee!!!!!! I’ve been team Oro since the first book so this made me love him even more. I CAN FIX HIM!!! LET ME HAVE HIM!!!! Ink every word he’s said into my veins!!!!! I said before I’d like a threesome but i don’t care anymore, I’d die for Oro. Thank you for coming to my TedTalk.

[Bek Bound By Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better pacing than the Grim novella as a whole, but still just okay. I did enjoy getting more of his backstory and an explanation as to why he is who he is. (For about the first 30%). After that, it's mostly just a retelling of Lightlark from Oro's perspective, which ends up feeling mostly unnecessary. Those could've been broken down into a bonus chapter in a special edition of Lightlark.

[Ibha U · Rating 5 out of 5]

i hate oro but i love the book. THE END OF OROS BOOK MADE ME HAVE A MENTAL BREAKDOWN. ISLA IS UR FRIEND AT MOST. DO NOT LOVE HER. PLEASE DONT MAKE ME JUMP OFF A CLIFF ORO. LIKE I SWEAR U ALL UR BOOK DID WAS MAKE ME LIKE GRIM MORE TEAM GRIM!