Love Lethal, Death Divine

by Jelena Dunato

When Liana learns that her beloved husband, Prince Amron, was killed, she uses her half-divine blood to strike a bargain: the gods will send her back into the past and give her three days to make Amron fall in love with her. If she succeeds, she gets him back. If she fails, she loses him, and her divine powers, forever.
Seventeen years earlier, Melia is forced by her controlling father to marry Amron on the brink of the biggest peace treaty in history. But Melia has her own plans: to destroy the treaty and carve a new future with her rebellious lover, Ferisa.
As Melia’s betrayal sparks a bloody conflict, Liana realizes the gods have deceived her: she must help Amron earn Melia’s trust, even if it means losing him, or the future won’t exist. And Melia must decide whether to reveal the truth, knowing it could cost her everything – or let the kingdom burn to ashes.
A dark fantasy story of love and revenge, Love Lethal Death Divine blends the history of Eastern Adriatic with Slavic folklore, set in the same world as Ghost Apparent and Dark Woods, Deep Water.

Genres: Fantasy, Adult, Dark Fantasy, Romance, Time Travel, Fantasy Romance, Folklore

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 2026

About the author

Jelena Dunato is an art historian, curator, speculative fiction writer and lover of all things ancient. She grew up in Croatia on a steady diet of adventure novels and then wandered the world for a decade, building a career in the arts.

Jelena’s stories have been published in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, The Dark, Future SF and Mermaids Monthly, among others. She is a member of SFWA and Codex.

Reviews

[Saray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is...excellent. We follow two FMCs, both the complete opposite of each other, one who's soft, and the other one with such fire and determination. Both are connected by the same MMC. One of them married to him out of political obligation, and one who travels back in time for a 3 day count down to reclaim what she has lost. And the three-day ticking clock layered on top of the time warp gives everything this constant sense of urgency where you can't put the book down. The two FMC's perspectives, choices, and emotional arcs are what really drives the narrative. And the writing flowed so nicely. Only problem I had was that the style of the dialogue was inconsistent. It felt too modern at times and then it transformed itself back to the language of the era the book is set in. It would take me out of my trance whenever I caught it, but continued reading because the plot was just so interesting.

Thank you to NetGallery and Publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Jelena]

Love Lethal, Death Divine is a dark fantasy love story about two women fighting for everything they hold dear in a world on the brink of war. It is a story about doomed choices, generational trauma and wounds which cannot heal. It has angry, unapologetic, queer heroines, trickster gods and political turmoil. It's inspired by history of the Eastern Adriatic and Slavic folklore.
Love Lethal, Death Divine is a standalone sequel to my novel Dark Woods, Deep Water which doesn't require any previous knowledge about the world or the characters, but the readers who have read my previous works will find a few familiar characters and settings.

CW: violence, murder, abuse, death (parent, spouse, sibling)

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

[Bookishness]

~pre-read~ Received an ARC and I LOVEEE anything dark fantasy! The blurb immediately caught my attention and it’s unlike anything I’ve come across before. A woman bargains with the gods for three days in the past to make her dead husband fall in love with her again..

[Millie Abecassis · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I read the blurb, I wanted to read this book. I was fortunate to receive an ARC from the author, and it did not disappoint. The premise, the deceiving gods, the two alternating points of view, and Liana's three days in the past-now-present, everything flowed seamlessly and captivated me from beginning to end. A great read!

[Kylie Weigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Lethal, Death Divine is about two women in two separate pieces of time that are fighting against all odds to do one thing: save him, them and stop the turmoil barreling towards their timelines. With notes of queer love, battle, loss, sacrifice, the elements of Gods and their roles in the life of these characters and the story in which it plays out. It is a powerful story of devotion and love that makes you feel what the character is, beautifully detailed and immersive.

Liana and Melia are from different parts of the world and time and yet their paths cross in the most unexpected ways as they are both working to stop a war and at the center is Amron. A husband, prince and lover. But that is where love becomes lethal and the death to save that love divine. What wouldn't you do for love and Liana is the first jump head first to save it; an expert hunter with ties to the Gods themselves utilizes her worth and weighs the choices ahead to save her love. Melia the past, torn and too late to realize she wanted more than to be a pawn to a game set by her father, her own blood. She helped set things in motion with a blindfold over her eyes, but when she claims back her choices and rips the blind away - she has work to do and that is the biggest obstacle and challenge of all.
Amron, always doing his best and never good enough. The center of the past, present and future colliding on a massive scale. Duty first but there's a pull, a tether, his anchor but he doesn't know or who until he sees her. But things aren't easily undone and unveiling the true nature of her random appearance can disrupt more of the balance she's willingly teetering on for him. All he knows is his heart is isnt the woman with him in this time, but one from another; and he has no idea how or why.

This book was phenomenal and wonderful in all the ways a dark fantasy, folklore story should be with time travel and love that knows no bounds, that doesn't follow the laws of time and place. Highlighting the price of duty, the price to love and the toll it takes to protect not just your heart beating inside your chest, but the one outside of your body and the sacrifices we will accept to preserve even a piece of it.
I thoroughly loved this so much, I'm rereading it because I am without words and this review deserves more!!

Thank you to the author for the chance to advance read this for you. I loved it.

[sof · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story about love and revenge and the lengths we’d go in the name of either.

There’s something so deeply satisfying about finishing a book that achieved everything it set out to do. I had a great time reading this, and I felt serenely fulfilled when it was over. Often, I’ll finish a book wishing for more or noting where things were lacking in some capacity, but this wasn’t the case here. I think readers should go in knowing that this is a standalone fantasy; you’re not going to get the sweeping detail that you would in a series. Dunato does a wonderful job giving you just enough of everything to carry a compelling story.

My favorite aspect of the book was how utterly human and nuanced the FMCs were. Melia and Liana weren’t extraordinarily unique in a sense that they “aren’t like other girls” that you often get in a fantasy FMC. They read like two girls doing the best they could in the circumstances they were given and I loved watching how their choices, selfish and flawed and sometimes noble, influenced the chain of events.

I also thought the pacing was fantastic. Liana going back in time to change the course of the future made the stakes really high, where every choice was impactful. Her deadline of having three days brought about a sense of urgency that was great in maintaining suspense and momentum.

And that climax? You’re riding it for the last 30% of the book. SO much fun.

Overall, absolutely loved this one. It’s evident that Ms Jelena Dunato can WRITEEEE. I will be reading all her other works now thank youuu.

Thanks so much to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

5 stars

[Izzy⁷♡•° · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing por providing an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This book has a very intriguing plot specially with the time travel element, I liked the distinction between the two main characters even though Melia was quite frustrating to read from because of how naive she was. The pacing was very urgent because of the three days time limit and I felt like that also limited the exploration of the side characters. Overall I wanted this book to be longer and surprisingly I wish there was more romance, I felt like I needed more scenes between Liana and Amron, I know between the three days frame it could be hard in terms of timeline but, I would've liked more flashbacks.

I was a good read.

[AR Frederiksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as an ARC - and devoured it in one day, pretty much.

Some of the key elements that made this enjoyable to me:

1) The suspense and the ticking clock that keeps the pacing tight as you wait with bated breath to see whether things will work out as promised. The story essentially stretches over a couple of days, which can easily end up feeling like a slog to read 300+ pages of, but that's definitely not the case here. Dunato weaves in some good foreshadowing with matching plot twists towards the end that really help keep the pacing at a solid run.

2) The romance. I loved how mature and realistic the romance and the love story was between Prince Amron and the half-divine Liana in particular. This isn't a fresh romance, so to speak, but a lasting romance that is suddenly put at threat... and Dunato absolutely nails those emotional beats and inner worlds. Even across two timelines, their relationship had me 100% immersed.

3) Melia. I loved how Melia is an example of a character that is forced into a passive position and then does her very best to work with what she's got. Despite appearances, I found her quietly resourceful. This isn't as typical of a character to find in a story such as this, but I'm all here for more of that, please!

4) The way that they book ties in with the world and the cast of Dunato's other two books (DWDP and GA). You don't need to read them all to understand this one, but I had a lot of fun piecing things together across all three books when I was reading this one.

5) The prose. Dunato has such an excellent grasp on prose that flows and captures you and just doesn't really let you go. It has lyrical elements to it, yes, but it also just flows really well. There's a reason I read this book in one day, m'kay?

All in all, I was very much not disappointed by this book and will remain faithful to anything that Dunato writes in the future (whether set in the same world or not)!

[Liana Gold]

If a book has my name in it and Eastern Adriatic / Slavic Folklore.. you betcha I’m reading it.



Many thanks to NetGalley, Dark Matter Ink and the author, Jelena Dunato for the early eARC.

Publication date: April 7, 2026

[Sara Sidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

How far would you go in the name of love?

This book had everything. It got me with the cover and description, and the story delivered so satisfyingly.

Love Lethal, Death Divine is a story that centers around two women, Liana and Melia, who are following their set paths. Liana, a woman of divine blood upon hearing of Amron's death, is sent back 17 years in the past in order to save her beloved husband from his demise. Melia, from the same past timeline, is forced into a marriage with Amron by her father, who has greater plans. In order to stop a war and save the prince, what lengths would these two women go to?

This book was nothing short of captivating. I was fully engaged and invested from the very first page. This was emotionally complex. This was intense, and this was beautifully told. This story perfectly fulfilled what it set out to do. This was deeply emotionally impactful, with political intrigue, Gods, an imminent war, a marriage for peace.

Driven by love, there's nothing Liana wouldn't do to save her husband. She is of divine blood but never has a 'goddess complex'. She is strong and fearless, and her determination is what drives her. She is a phenomenal female protagonist who has you gripping to see her achieve her goal.

Melia is naive and forced into poor decision-making as she follows what she is told to do, instead of deciding for herself what she believes is the right thing to do. Her story was very engaging, and you see the conflict within her and do not know where her story will go.

I highly enjoyed how contrastingly different the two women are and seeing where their journey took them.

Amron is the centre piece of this story. He is kind and compassionate. It is easy to see how Liana is so deeply in love with him.

The story is captivating. The tension of not knowing where it will go keeps you yearning for more and more. The way the political intrigue and romance moulded together worked so effortlessly.

The characters, the plot, the pacing, the imagery, the worldbuilding, and the storytelling were all 10/10. Every scene felt like I was watching a movie. I haven't felt this way about a book in such a while, and this truly is so far one of my top 2026 reads. I will genuinely be raving about this book all year!

We have love, death, revenge, Slavic mythology, political intrigue, grief, and characters with depth. This story was rich and profound. This deserves 5 stars wholeheartedly, and not only will this book live with me, but I can not wait to see what else Jelena Dunato comes out with. Her storytelling is so rich and fulfilling.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Xpresso Book Tours, and Jelena Dunato for the incredible opportunity to read this arc and provide an early review.

[Faye Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slavic folklore and political intrigue combine in Love Lethal, Death Divine, a tightly paced standalone sequel to Dark Woods, Deep Water. 

I listened to the audiobook of Dark Woods, Deep Water about a year and a half ago, and although I couldn't initially recall all the details about the characters in that book, it did come back to me as I read Love Lethal, Death Divine. I definitely think you could read this book without reading the previous one though, although personally I'm glad I did read it, just for the extra impact and context!

I really got into the story about 30% of the way through, when Liana met Amron in the past. Their love story really grabbed me, and I was so rooting for them! At that point, my eagerness to see how their story would end compensated for Melia's chapters, which I was less into. But at a certain point in the story, everything went wild and chaotic and I wasn't sure that anyone was safe! I was just along for the ride at that point, hoping for the best for these characters, even Melia!

Love Lethal, Death Divine has politics, battles, fantasy, romance and character development in spades! And now that I've realised that there's actually a prequel novella in this world, Ghost Apparent, I'll be checking that one out too!

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

[L.N. Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE LETHAL, DEATH DIVINE is an absorbing dark fantasy, full of unforgettable settings, vicious gods, and the ugly realities of war. What I admire about this book is that everything in it feels true, even though it’s fiction. Dunato’s characters bewitched me, especially Liana and Melia, whose jealousy and loneliness, though so much alike, felt absolutely distinct. Reoccurring characters from other books, such as Queen Orsiana, continued to shape and add depth to this gorgeous and perilous world that Dunato has created, though LLDD was entirely able to stand alone. I also couldn’t help but slow down and savor the tightly written prose and creative descriptions throughout the book. Dunato has crafted something beautiful and challenging here, both a thoughtful commentary on war and violence and a clear-eyed examination of what it means to love another person. It was suspenseful, intelligent, and unflinching in its verity. I absolutely adored it.

Thank you to Jelena and Dark Matter Ink for the advance reader’s copy of the book.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the author for the ARC!

Love Lethal, Death Divine by Jelena Dunato completely captivated me. This book isn’t just a five-star read for me; it’s a story that stayed with me long after I turned the last page.

While I was especially excited knowing the author is Croatian (as am I), what truly made this book phenomenal was the story itself. The use of Slavic mythology was breathtaking. We so rarely see gods like Morana, Perun, and others from Slavic folklore take center stage in fantasy, and here they felt powerful, eerie, and integral to the world rather than decorative.

I was fully invested from beginning to end. Even in the final chapters, I genuinely didn’t know how the story would conclude, which made every page feel tense and meaningful. I loved the dual timeline at the start and the dual perspectives, which added layers of emotional complexity and moral ambiguity.

The characters were wonderfully written and distinct. Liana is fierce, brave, and driven by love and grief, while Melia, though more naïve at first, grows into clarity and strength when it matters most. Their contrasting journeys made the story richer and more emotionally grounded.

Dark, myth-infused, emotionally intense, and impossible to predict, Love Lethal, Death Divine is a stunning blend of love, sacrifice, fate, and revenge. It’s a book I adored wholeheartedly and one I would recommend to anyone looking for fantasy that dares to do something different, and does it beautifully.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, I love me some political intrigue.

Love Lethal, Death Divine is a darkly compelling fantasy centered around two women attempting to fight their fates, told expertly through Dunato’s lush prose. Liana has traveled back in time to save the man she loves, while Melia is using the same man to upend a fragile peace treaty and restart a bloody war. Both heroines have their own desires and moral codes, and the resulting clash makes for a spellbinding plot.

Liana’s divine blood gives her that magical edge I adore in fantasy protagonists, and love being her driving force - almost to the point of destruction - is one of my favorite character traits. I definitely prefer her to Melia, since she has both a stronger backbone and the moral high ground. Her determination to change the past raises the question of if the individual actions we take matter in the grand scheme of things, and her ending made me grin ear-to-ear.

I don’t hate Melia, but she is possessed of a certain naïveté she claims to be impervious to, and that makes her vulnerable to poor decisions. Although her ending was equally deserved, the complications of her character meant I didn’t know which direction her story would take until the climax, and that kept me engaged and hoping she’d make the right choice up to the very end.

Love Lethal, Death Divine is a story of love, loss, and the power to choose. I can’t wait to see what Dunato writes next.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come when my buddy read finishes! Initial thoughts, slightly chaotic but I loved it. 😈

(FINAL REVIEW:)

This was a wonderful return to the Adriatic-inspired world that Dunato has created. The characters are both new and old (though I will admit it took some time to remember who was who again 😅), and the plot filled in a question that had always lingered with me since the end of Dark Woods, Deep Water. I would like to preface this review by stating that I received an early advanced ebook from the author and that my enjoyment of this book was not based on this factor. Now on to the review! 😊

The story follows Gospara Liana of Abia and Princess Melia of Elmar in a super tense point of history for their kingdom. Both women are resilient in their own ways, but I did find myself favoring one over the other. 🫣

Liana is reeling from the fresh loss of her great love and will basically do anything to bring him back. I liked that she was selfish and overall a rather standoffish and uncouth character. I’m a firm believer that not all characters regardless of gender should be liked, but they should be understood and I got this with Liana. The development from doing things she wanted to accepting and respecting the decisions and wants of her partner was very refreshing in a sea of literature where one bends to the will of another. ❤️‍🩹

Melia, hmm. What can I saw after I just said I love unlikable characters. She’s socially awkward, blunt, and skittish but mixed with her complete lack of awareness in local politics and biased views of life were something that I just couldn’t get past at times. Her development, while achingly slow, was probably the best of the two because she finally grows a spine and does what she believes is best, not what others have told/fed to her. 😮‍💨

All in all, I had a wonderful time being back in this Southern Slavic/Adriatic-inspired world. The gods are creepy as Slavic gods are, and the political turmoil was the right mix to feel both urgent as well as well thought out. I also want to state that the other book and novella set in the same world can be read in any order, but my recommendation is Ghost Apparent (novella), Dark Woods, Deep Water, and then this book. ⚔️

Thank you again to Dunato for reaching out and offering this in exchange for an honest review. I had a blast getting to know Liana and Melia and have high hopes you’ll continue expanding with more stories in this world (maybe a novella about why Amron knows with a certain god so well 👀)! 🤞🏼

And again a thank you goes out to lookma.i.read for being the best reading buddy ever! ❤️

Publication date: April 7!

Overall: 4.5/5 ⭐️

[ciara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Ang Ontiveros. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/4⭐️s
A story with time travel and mythological world building? Yes!
Pros: This story was different from others I’ve read; overall it was good and interesting! I liked how the author made both FMCs different from one another and it was a well paced slow burn.
Cons: There were a few times I felt slightly confused and I felt certain topics were under explored.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who loves dark fantasy and Slavic folklore.

Huge thank you to NetGalley for this Advance Copy!

[Karolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Lethal, Death Divine is a dark fantasy that follows the lives of two women - Liana and Melia who are both faced with a difficult decision and one that will shape the future for everyone. One wrong choice and the future could burn.

The storyline is one of love and sacrifice. This standalone book takes place within a three day time period so when I say it was action packed, I’m not kidding. There were no “filler” chapters and every one served to add depth to the plot or the characters.

It took me about 4 chapters to understand what was happening (due to the time travelling concept) but as soon as this clicked, I had the book finished in 2 days 🙃. The constant countdown to the three days had me hooked and demanding to know more.

Love lethal, death divine is definitely worth adding to your TBR, it doesn’t follow a traditional fantasy love story plot and the blending of Eastern Adriatic and Slavic Folklore truly makes it a book that stands out from the rest.

So if you love a book that has;
Political Intrigue
Time travel
I would love you in every lifetime
Slavic Folklore

Add this to your TBR. Thank you to Net Galley and Dark Matter Ink for this ARC. Love Lethal, Death Divine comes out April 7th 2026 🖤♥️

[Radisson Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You, on the other hand, want nothing from me, but everything of me, and I’m happy to give it. Every breath, every heartbeat, every last drop of blood, for as long as I live. And once when I’m gone, it won’t diminish you in any way. You’ll still be your beautiful, fearless, unadulterated self.”

4.75⭐️

I know this just came out a little over a month ago, but damn this book deserves way more attention. I think this book showed up for me as an ad on social media and the blurb captured my interest so much that I decided to pick it up—and damn did it not disappoint!

This was such a riveting, emotionally impactful tale of love and vengeance, and how far one would go in pursuit of each. Everything in this book—the writing, the characters, the world building, and the plot—was fantastic.

With three days to fulfill a divine bargain to bring back a dead lover and a catastrophic war looming on the horizon, the story is tightly paced, with every moment carrying a sense of urgency that keeps you glued to the pages. Add in the time warp aspect and even the smallest actions felt like they had dire consequences for the future. There was heaps of political intrigue and scheming, creating a myriad of plots and subplots that had me constantly on edge, trying to guess what would happen next. There was absolutely no point where I felt like I could predict how things would turn out and I was continuously worried for everyone's safety. I was so afraid for the ending, but I think the author tied it all up in a satisfying way!

All the characters were wonderfully complex and felt believable in their behaviors and motivations. The two FMCs, Liana and Melia, are remarkably different from each other in nearly every way; Liana is headstrong and coarse, while Melia is naïve and awkward. The contrast between them made it interesting to go back and forth with their POVs, to see how their paths collided and how they reacted to each other and to the political chaos going on around them. I really love how flawed and human they both were. They were selfish and prejudiced sometimes. Other times, jealous and full of rage. They go through a whole wide range of intense emotions, but at the end of it all, they're just two women trying to survive, doing the best with the hand they were dealt and trying to save the people that they love. I definitely preferred Liana as a character by a long shot because I found her personality and arc more intriguing, but Melia undergoes some decent growth and has a satisfying arc herself. Despite my preferences, I found it easy to empathize with both of them :)

The romance, even though there wasn't much of it, was great! I adored how Liana and Amron's relationship in particular actually felt like a mature love between two adults who understand each other on a profound level. Their devotion to each other was incredibly heartwarming and had me getting emotional multiple times 😭 The situation Liana found herself in broke my heart and I was rooting for her and Amron so hard throughout the entire plot! Soul mates come up a lot in many other fantasy books (and the concept of soul mates doesn't come up in this book at all), but damn this is one of the few where they actually feel like it. They deserve to be together in every lifetime :')

I suppose if I had to nitpick something, I guess I'd say that the geopolitics was kind of confusing for much of the book, at least for me. I remember pausing for a few minutes while reading just to sit and think, trying to map out who hated who, who was from where, and which side everyone was on lmao. There was a map, but it was just barely useful. Would've been nice to have a more detailed map or even an appendix of the different kingdoms, loyalties, and royal/noble families.

Definitely going to check out this author's other books and follow their future releases closely! :D

🔖 Quotes
“But he didn’t want her opinion, he wanted her approval.”

“It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t know who I am, because I know who he is. I love him. And I can make him love me again and again and again, as many times as necessary.”

"But you’re irrelevant, a tool too dumb to see how it’s being used. Nobody cares if you live or die."

"I’ve had you a thousand times and I want you a thousand more."

“Every noblewoman knew from the earliest age that her body was not her own.”

“How weird it was, this readiness to kill a complete stranger for no reason other than following orders.”

“I am terrified, but what would be the point of showing it? I’m not mad, I don’t want to die, I don’t want the mob to break into this house and tear it down. If they attack, we’ll defend ourselves. But I came here understanding the risk, understanding this is a savage, bloodthirsty place that will probably see me as an enemy. I walked into it just like my brothers walk into battle—out of duty, seeking glory, ready for sacrifice.”

“There was no glory in death, no honor. There wasn’t even any dignity in it. Just pain and gore and nothingness.”

“I’m done with waiting. You believe the world revolves around your father—I used to think the same about mine. They’re so powerful, the masters of life and death, so huge they fill your whole horizon. But that’s a deception. The world is full of people, and every one of them has the power to change the course of events.”

“It was, in all measurable ways, a victory. And yet, it tasted like ash in her mouth.”

“She’d given all she had to give, and it wasn’t enough to get her what she wanted the most.”

“I have no better mirror than your eyes.”

[Scott S · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Love Lethal, Death Divine” is a fascinating read, one that I found to be a well-written mix of thrills and twists with an interesting theme. Add in strong character work to make for a story that was truly a joy to read.
I was able to read this story early, but already had it on my list anyway and the review’s my honest opinion.

[Dakota Fields Ryder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this from the author as an arc reader. I willingly leave a review.
I absolutely devoured this book!! The heartbreak, the loss, the character development and the writing flowed so beautifully.
This is a perfect blend of everything you need in a book!

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 ⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was very intrigued when I read the plot summary of Love Lethal, Death Divine !
We follow the POVs of two FMCs who are very different, but whose destinies are intertwined: Liana, a half-divine huntress who is the lover of Prince Amron in a country that has endured a long war with a neighboring empire, and Melia, a noble daughter who is forced to marry Prince Amron 17 years earlier. When Amron dies in Liana’s timeline, she bargains with the gods to go back in time: back to when he was married to Melia, right before the war. To save him, she has to make him fall in love with her again and prevent the war from ever happening.
I loved the plot, which felt unlike anything I’ve read before. I found it really interesting to read the POVs of the two women who are so important in Amron’s life across different timelines and to witness their interactions. I also found the main characters very likable.
First, we have Liana, who is fierce, strong, and doesn’t fit into society’s mold. Her love story with Amron is beautiful and sincere, but their happiness is restrained by the consequences of the war and Amron’s duties. Liana has divine blood, which grants her certain abilities and an unnatural long life, but her feelings are deeply human.
Melia starts as a shy and lonely girl, grieving her mother and brother, and reduced to a pawn by her manipulative and abusive father, who is secretly plotting against the king. She’s forced into an arranged marriage with Amron and sent away to a court where she isn’t welcomed. She’s such a gentle soul, and watching her navigate this hostile environment, surrounded by people trying to use her, was quite unsettling. Her relationship with Amron, while forced at first, blooms into something more complex and respectful. Her character development was amazing to witness. By the end of the book, she was my favorite character.
And finally, we have Amron, the prince both FMCs are trying to save. He’s a good man, but he tends to choose duty above everything else.
The ending of the story got me a bit emotional, if I’m honest. Overall, I really loved this book and Jelena Donato’s writing, her prose is beautiful.
Love Lethal, Death Divine is now available

[Amela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Lethal, Death Divine is the story of Liana, the daughter of a human and the goddess of the hunt, as she makes a bargain with the gods to save the love of her life, Prince Amron. The bargain of course takes a dangerous turn as she’s forced to travel back in time 17 years before Amron knows her, and try to get him to kiss her before 3 days pass. Amron is also still married 17 years in the past, to the daughter of another nation, Melia, who doesn’t seem to be able to get close to him.

Initially, the pacing of this book threw me off a little bit, it felt like it took a while for things to start happening, but once they did, it was impossible to stop reading. Liana is such an interesting character, doing whatever she has to to save the love of her life. Melia is also an interesting character, just trying to make her way in a world that she doesn’t feel like she belongs in, and trying to figure out how to love a husband who doesn’t love her. All of the political intrigue and drama was also so fun, all of the different betrayals and schemes that came into play were very fun and enthralling.

I also really enjoyed that this was rooted in mythology from the Balkans, which I feel like you don’t see very often!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dark Matter Ink for the opportunity to read this ARC!

[Grace -thewritebooks]

Thank you to NetGalley and Dark Matter Ink for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

What an all round fantastic book! I read this over 2 days and could barely put it down. I have made it well-known that I can't stand exposition and this book ticked all my boxes, throwing us straight into the action - and our fmc's past! I LOVED the two different perspectives: one felt very traditional fantasy warrior girl trying to take down the regime, the other was a woman more on the side-lines, it was fascinating to see the same events occurring from her perspective as an out of place royal.
It truly has to be one of the best feelings picking up a book and knowing you've found a gem within the first few pages, the writing was immaculate - crisp and fast-paced and had the perfect amount of politics vs relationships for me. Also love that it's a stand-alone, it meant that all the endings were neatly tied up with enough mystery still lingering to keep everyone satisfied. and guys I love love, so my little romantic heart was very happy

[libbie! ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Lethal Death Divine is a haunting, emotionally heavy fantasy about love, fate, and impossible choices. After Prince Amron is killed, Liana bargains with the gods for three days in the past to save him only to learn the cruel truth that preserving the future may mean helping him love someone else. As political betrayal, divine manipulation, and forbidden love collide, the story leans hard into sacrifice and tragedy, with no easy answers and real emotional stakes.

This book was good in a deeply bittersweet way, especially if you enjoy romances that hurt

ARC received via NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I love a good time travel story and this was almost really great, but the delivery often felt very confusing. Paragraphs randomly didn’t make sense and I kinda just had to go with the flow and hope later on it did, but they didn’t. However I really enjoyed a good portion, just wish it had been executed better.

[BookishKB]

🗡️✨ Love Lethal, Death Divine ✨🗡️
So excited to start this ARC!
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.

💔 What to Expect
• Time travel
• Second chance at love
• Royal politics
• Divine bargains
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours , Dark Matter INK and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Jasmine Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading this book, it hooked me in from the start! The dynamics between the characters were realistic and I enjoyed finding out what happened from the hook the book started on. I received this as an ARC by the author ✨ I look forward to seeing what else they write next.

[Florence Chien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Squarely among my top 3 reads of 2025. Love Lethal, Death Divine is a fast-paced and deeply emotional political fantasy where men scheme, gods sneer, and two solitary women on opposing sides of an imminent war must fight the world—and the divinity beyond it—to save the precious few things they're allowed to love from the grasping dark waters of death. A must-read for any fan of political intrigue that will have you holding your breath, shattered to pieces, then gently mended together with a comfort that will warm you even long after the final page.

A note on the serialization:
You do not need to have read Dark Woods, Deep Water or Ghost Apparent to understand everything in Love Lethal, Death Divine. In fact, this book is a perfect entry point. Each of the books will inform and provide context to each other, but they're not direct and continuous sequels of one another. My personal suggestion is that you start here, then read Dark Woods, Deep Water second, followed by Ghost Apparent last.

Love Lethal, Death Divine was practically written for me. I'm very much its target audience and I loved every word of it. Here's why:

Characters: 11/10
You came for the plot, but you'll stay for the characters. They're just so good. So good.

Liana is headstrong, pragmatic, and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. She's a touch selfish, always prioritizing her own purpose, but that's precisely why I love her. Abia is a harsh world, harsher still for women with no status, no background, no support. The gods—quite literally—robbed her of the one person who made her life worthwhile and meaningful, and she's striped of everything by those same gods before she's allowed to try to get him back. And her only resources? Her wits, her determination, and the knowledge of potential futures if certain events are permitted to pass. If Liana didn't fight and defend herself and her own interests, literally no one else will. She's a realist, a pragmatist whose deeply emotional goal drives her into some of fantasy fiction's most dangerous and daring strategies.

Melia is quiet and reserved, a fledgling thrown into the deep and dark waters of courtly politics with no instruction, no training, no mentor nor ally. It's truly "sink or swim" for Melia. I don't normal get attached to fledgling characters, but Melia grew on me really quickly. Her position in the intrigue is inherently passive, but she's constantly fighting the passivity, expectations, and ignorance that's arbitrarily shoved into her. She's trying her damn hardest to carve a place for herself in this brutal world, and when her father throws her squarely into the path of his insurgence, she fully comes into her own. This book would've fallen apart without Melia. She is Liana's foil, the dark and solemn counterweight to Liana's fire and chaos.

Amron is the singularity at the centre of this whirlpool of a story—but he doesn't know it. He is forever the comforting, soothing hearth that one comes home to at the end of a hard long day. I will literally refund your copy of the book if you don't end up swooning over his burning yearning suppressed by his gentle certitude toward his duties. (Unless you're not into men, in which case: You're right, Ferisa is better.) Sidenote: If you've read Dark Woods, Deep Water, you will certainly enjoy how different yet heartachingly familiar Amron is during his younger days.

Plot & Pacing: 10/10
The political intrigue is woven into the very foundation of the characters. This is definitely not a book where the characters merely react to the events. Liana drives the literal trajectory of the world in the first half of the book, and Melia the second. The back cover blurb might make it seem like a star-crossed romantasy, but it's first and foremost a political intrigue. The romance goes hand-in-hand with the political upheaval, and I've genuinely not come across another fantasy where the romance and political plots are so seamlessly integrated.

I don't believe the book is short by any means, but it felt quick and snappy. The story hits the ground sprinting and never sags. Liana and Melia being on opposing sides paints a well-rounded picture of all the events, conflicts, and consequences, and I love the added context and tension. You want both of them to succeed, but everything they do seems to always hurtle the other toward an inevitably tragic end because that's just the nature of opposition...

I won't spoil whether either or both of them end in tragedy. You should find out for yourself. The ending is tremendously satisfying.

Style & Prose: 11/10
I'm also a fantasy writer. I wish I knew how to write like this. I wish I had written this book. The prose is deeply—deeply—emotive. Every pain, every hopelessness, every burning desire and secret yearning, you feel it like a tingle down your back. The prose is laced with subdued elegance and the writing is masterful. You can study this book as a example of deep POV and flashbacks done right.

Worldbuilding: 10/10
Abia is a harsh world, and this is a dark fantasy. It's not Joe Abercrombie's levels of hardcore grimdark, but the darkness here comes from the cruelty and ruthless of the gods that be, the status quo, and all the people surrounding the MCs. If I were to (mis)quote Jean-Paul Sartre, this is a book that makes one realize: darkness is other people. (And the gods.)

I read Dark Woods, Deep Water back when the audiobook came out, and the chilling revelations about the gods stayed with me for a long time afterwards. Love Lethal, Death Divine took those chilling revelations and turned it up to 12. The gods are so bloody cruel. I love every bit of despair and suffering they caused.

But the worldbuilding also goes beyond the darkness. There is a full and vibrant world here. Being the third book in the same universe benefitted this novel greatly. You don't need to have read those other two to understand everything here, but those other books did all the groundwork to give you a refined and polished version of the world that never leaves you feeling like it's a facade with no substance underbeath.

In conclusion, should you read this?
Yes, if you like a deeply emotive book with characters who break your heart then slowly nurture it back to one piece.
Yes, if you like a political fantasy that's in fact more character-driven than plot-driven.
Yes, if political schemes and betrayals that shatter a main character's entire world is up your alley.
Yes, if your fantasy worldbuilding dark. Like actually dark and cruel and ruthless.
Yes, if you enjoyed any of the other books in the same world.
No, if you're not a fantasy reader, I guess, in which case: WHY ARE YOU HERE???

A kind thank you to Jelena for proving an ARC of this book.