A cursed wolf. A marked sacrifice. A fate neither can escape.Harper was never meant for greatness. In a world of magic, she has none—no power, no purpose—at least, not one of her own. Her parents molded her for a singular a marriage built on status, not love. But Harper dreams of more, of a world that does not define her by what she lacks.
Aurora was once a legend, a name spoken in awe and terror—the Alpha of the Duskfang Pack, a force of nature wrapped in flesh and fury. But power breeds defiance, and defiance breeds punishment. Now, she is nothing but a guardian in the shadows, bound to a curse that stains the very land she prowls.
What begins as a mistake turns into something far more dangerous. Harper’s presence stirs a hunger Aurora thought long dead. But Harper is not safe in her arms, and Aurora is not safe in hers.
Their desire may be the key to breaking the curse… or the thing that destroys them both.
For as long as she can remember, Antonella Sinner has always had a passion for reading. Growing up, she always asked herself what she wanted to be and has always answered with the same: a writer, creating and fabricating stories she so wishes she could find on shelves. Today she writes dreamy romances full of paranormal beings of all kinds with a few touches of spice here and there.
Born and raised in New York City, Antonella lives with her beloved furbabies, Juliet, the Shih Tzu she’s had since she was nine, and her recent adoption, Major, the spoiled brat of a Persian cat her family loves to call the Pharaoh of the block. When Antonella isn’t writing her next fantasy she’s either binging a TV show or nose deep in a fantasy romance book.
Moon Bound Desires by Antonella Sinner is a dark sapphic romantasy. The world-building is minimal but works well within the plot. The characters are few but interesting. I enjoyed getting to know them. The writing style is engaging from beginning to end. I particularly like Harper's snarky personality. Her interactions with all the other characters are entertaining, and I chuckled a lot. The main pairing is a fated mate, kind of enemies-to-lovers dynamic, with some very steamy moments. Aurora's 'touch-her-and-die' attitude and possessiveness are contrasted with Harper's independent, stubborn streak. There is physical chemistry between the two, but I am not sure I buy the emotional side of things. Insta-lust for sure, but I would have liked to see them have more moments of emotional connection. I like the way the wolves' shifting was described as well as Harper's magic. I do feel like more information is needed to fully understand the system of magic, the separation of realms, and the prophecy. The climax was a magical battle, and it is action-packed and suspenseful. The ending is a cliffhanger. The author's notes ensure that the couple will have their day in a future novel. I am not sure if they will only be background characters or if they will receive a full novel focused on their story. Overall, I enjoyed the story, and I would read the rest of the series. I am giving it 3.75 stars, rounded up. #darkromance #fatedmates #shifters #magic #gods #demigods #instalust #IdDieForYou #IdBurnTheWorldForYou #enemiestolovers #curses #prophecy #touchheranddie #possessive #morallygrayMC #cliffhanger I received an ARC from the author. This is my honest opinion.
I enjoyed the premise of the book. Fated mates, curses, prophecies, angst. Harper with the need for independence. Aurora with the 'touch her & 💀' attitude.
It felt repetitive at times and didn't have as much as an emotional connection between the FMCs as I would have liked. I like the level of world building, but it felt rushed in some parts.
Overall, it is definitely a solid read. I would recommend it to those that are already into romantasy and sapphic reads.
Conceptually it has great bones, it just wasn't executed. This felt like a rough draft, like the outline just starting to take shape. It needs some major editing and building.
STARS 4 stars SPICE medium spice CHEMISTRY great chemistry ANGST good angst SLOW BURN no CLIFFHANGER yes - but complicated CHARACTERS Aurora and Harper
MY THOUGHTS I went into this one really excited by the premise. A wlw shifter romance in a magical forest with bonded mates, danger, and high emotional stake. For a good portion of the book, it absolutely worked for me. The romance is what kept me turning pages, even when the world-building didn’t fully click for me personally. I can admit I do get lost in fantasy sometimes.
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THE CHARACTERS The connection between the two Aurora and Harper was the strongest part of the story for me. Their bond felt immediate and intense in a way that really worked for the mates trope, and I was fully invested in their devotion to each other. I especially loved the protective instincts, the emotional pull, and the way their relationship grounded the story even during the chaos.
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THE BOOK The tension builds beautifully toward the end, and the final confrontation absolutely delivered. The stakes felt real, the danger was palpable, and the “touch her and die” energy was perfect. That full rampage moment kept me completely locked in, and I genuinely loved how intense and emotional that section was.
MY FAVORITE PART- THIS IS GOING TO BE COVERED UNDER SPOILER
WHAT I WISHED FOR My biggest wish was a bit more clarity and reassurance for the main couple’s journey. I’m usually fine with cliffhangers, but knowing there aren’t currently plans to continue their story left me feeling a little unsettled. I wanted to close the book feeling hopeful about their future, rather than uncertain about whether we’ll ever get to see their resolution.
TROPES Sapphic, Shifter romance, fated/bonded mates, protective FMC, Touch her and die
I was really excited to read this book when I read the blurb - a sapphic shifter fantasy book? Yes please. The actual implementation of the romance with the plot and world building however, fell flat for me.
The cursed alpha of the Duskfang Pack, Aurora, lives in the shadows, guardian of the forest where Harper has been warned her entire life, never to enter. Harper has been raised to have one purpose: marry well - but when she declines the newest suitor, her parents lock her in her room as punishment in the hopes she comes around. Instead of bowing to their wishes, she runs away. Straight to the haunted woods where Aurora prowls. It's there that the truth of Harper's birth comes to light, and the danger she is truly in.
The romance in this story had potential but it really didn't hit for me - it was "instant love/hate" but there weren't...feelings involved - it seemed all very surface level, and I was not invested in the characters at all, even by the end of the book. There were inconsistencies in the plot, and several times I had to double check that I hadn't skipped ahead by a chapter when things jumped forward without any rhyme or reason. The pacing felt very fast and choppy, with major plot points glossed over.
There's one spicy scene where the two main characters are suddenly in very different positions than they were in the sentence before, without any way for them to have gotten there - or acts happening that aren't possible based on the descriptions of their positions. I realize that advanced reader copies often have a final round of editing to go through, but in my experience that's a last check for typos, not intensive developmental editing or line editing which is what it needed in places.
I wanted to love it because I've been itching for a sapphic shifter romance, but ultimately this didn't hit the mark for me.
If you're into:
*fated mates *shifter romance *WLW *protective FMC *touch her and d!e *humans vs. magical beings *instant attraction *cliffhanger
Reviewed by Natalie for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner
This book gave me all the dark fairytale vibes.
Harper and Aurora are such a compelling duo—one cursed, one powerless, both drawn to each other in ways they don’t fully understand.
The romance is slow-burn and intense, and the world feels lush and dangerous. I do wish we got a bit more backstory on the curse and the magic system, but the emotional stakes and chemistry totally carried it.
If you like broody werewolves, forbidden love, and gothic fantasy, this one’s worth picking up.
I felt like this was an interesting read. The characters were few but overall well rounded and kept my intrigued. The world building was more minimal but worked for what the plot was. The description for the wolf shifting was very well done. This is a fated mate enemies to lovers kind of dynamic which I tend to enjoy a lot. There was some rather steamy moments sprinkled in with the funny snarky comments from the MFC Harper. I found her well written with her independence, her will to be her own along with the other MFC Aurora who is over protective and the if you touch her I'll hurt you vibe so they meshed wonderfully. My thing keeping from a 5 star rating is a little bit muddy sometimes in the characters journeys. I got lost and had to back track my read sometimes to make sure I understood. I also wanted a little bit more explanation about Harper and Aurora's abilities due to the magical world. Other then that I thought it was a fun read and I enjoyed it a lot.
This was a good read. I love me some wolf shifter dark fantasy books. Humans(Nulls) againsts magical beings is always a fun time. It’s a good slow burn that is very spicy and full of angst. There’s a good variety of mythical beings in the story that keep it fun and interesting. It’s got alot of action war old prophecies the old gods and goddesses and curses and old magic. The world building and banter were 5/5 the author did amazing and was very descriptive and made it fun. It holds your attention thru out the whole book because it’s one thing after another she’s on the run and running for her life and those around her. She finds her soulmate, learns her “family “ was never actually her family and awakens her true powers. The final battle at the end really was a give our all and die for her situation that was so intense. I loved this book alot I did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Moon Bound Desires has a really interesting premise, and the idea behind the story is what kept me reading. The concept is creative and engaging, and there are moments where the emotional intensity shines through.
That said, the pacing felt too fast for my taste. Major developments and emotional beats happened quickly, without enough buildup or time to fully connect with the characters. Because of this, the story felt like it was missing a bit of depth and emotional weight.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad read, and readers who enjoy fast-paced romance with unique ideas will likely enjoy it. With slower pacing and more character development, this story could have been even stronger.
It took me a while to click with this book, it was well written (with only minor errors) but I found the fmc unnecessarily bratty and sarcastic in the beginning, there didn’t seem to be a lot of chemistry between the fated mates, and I felt lost in where the plot was going. Just over halfway through I became much more invested in the story, the fated mates bond became more obvious, the action in the storyline was exciting, and it was well written and descriptive. Prepare yourself as this is a prequel and ends suddenly on a monumental cliffhanger that left me looking for more… will it be resolved? Will there be an HEA? I’m giving 3.5 ⭐️ and 3 🌶️
This book is fast paced and colorful in the best way. The world building is detailed and the story unfolds in a really exciting, engaging way. I loved Harper’s spark and sarcasm and absolutely swooned over Aurora’s bad assery and that calm, controlled hotness she brings to every scene.
The only real letdown for me was the ending. It felt less like a conclusion and more like the story just… stopped, which was frustrating after such a strong build-up. I still enjoyed the ride a lot, but the lack of a proper ending held it back from being a top-tier read for me.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review. This one had me conflicted. The writing was really well done, you can tell this is a talented author. However, I felt like I was constantly waiting for the plot to hit. It felt disconnected and directionless for most of the book. It never gave you a sense of you knowing what they're working toward. Even though it's a really interesting premise, I felt like I never knew the point of their actions so it was a bit of a struggle to keep reading. There is no HEA in this book, apparently there will be more.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Moonbound Desires by Antonella Sinner is a dark, sapphic fantasy romance that had me hooked from page one. With a cursed setting, dangerous prophetic magic, and a love story that blooms in the most unexpected place, this prequel is beautifully written and perfectly paced. Evocative, imaginative, and utterly addictive—don’t miss it when it drops Christmas week!
This book is fast paced which I liked! The story develops in a thrilling and captivating manner and the world building is meticulous. Harper’s snark and spark I enjoyed, and I loved how bad ass Aurora was the cool and collected woman that she was in every scene!!
There was a lot of anticipation, a lot of build up until the end. It’s an easy read to finish.
This book surprised me at every turn. Right when I thought I knew where the story was headed, I was wrong. It was well written and had a good spice level. Fated mates, werewolves, Gods and Goddesses, all kinds of magical creatures. I can't wait to read more about Harper and Aurora. If you're considering this - do it!
This was my first book from Antonella. The characters were well written, story line was fast paced, spice level was there and overall a good story. I love shifter characters and fated mates stories and Aurora and Harper are now two of my favorite characters.
This book had me at the first page . I couldn't put it down . The dynamics between Harper and Aurora kept me wanting more . By the end I found myself hoping for a happy ending. I am excited to see the growth in these characters in future publications.
This book gave me all the dark fairytale vibes. Harper and Aurora are such a compelling duo—one cursed, one powerless, both drawn to each other in ways they don’t fully understand. The romance is slow-burn and intense, and the world feels lush and dangerous. I do wish we got a bit more backstory on the curse and the magic system, but the emotional stakes and chemistry totally carried it. If you like broody werewolves, forbidden love, and gothic fantasy, this one’s worth picking up.