The Sun's Offering

by Raven Ash

A woman who burns everyone she touches.
A frost prince.
A political marriage.

When a peace treaty is finally signed, a princess of fire is bound by marriage to a prince of frost.
In a realm of ancient magic and fractured alliances, loyalty is treacherous, love is forbidden, and peace demands a price.

For fans of The Bridge Kingdom and A Court of Thorns and Roses, The Sun’s Offering is a sweeping romantasy of enemies to lovers, slowburn tension and a strong FMC.

💛 Perfect for adult readers who

🔥 political marriage
❄️ Curses
💍 Political intrigue and courtly secrets
❤️ Slow-burn romance with tension
⚔️ strong FMC
📚 True enemies to lovers

The Sun’s Offering is the first book in The Cursed Courts series, a lush, romantasy world where elemental magic meets your favourite romantasy tropes

168 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 26, 2025

About the author

Raven Ash is the indie author of Stormbound in the Legacy of Olympus series. She lives in the UK with her partner and pet gerbils.

Reviews

[Sara Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Raven for sending me the ARC for this book!

I really enjoyed this one!
The world building is done really well and i loved how descriptive everything was. My imagination was running wild thinking how pretty the courts looked!

The FMC Aelia is loyal, head strong and fiery, and her witty comebacks towards the MMC Rhaziel, were awesome! She is taking no s**t from anyone! I loved the immediate tension between these two and i just know it will get so much better in the next book!

But that ending! Girl... I NEED more... it went way to quickly for me.

If you're a fan of these tropes, then this book will be for you!!

🔥Cursed Heroine
🔥Forbidden magic
🔥Frost Prince
🔥Arranged Marriage
🔥Slow burn
🔥Enemies to lovers

[Kims Book Coven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! the FMC is badass and I know now the brooding MMC is going to be one of my favorites come the next book. I love their love hate relationship and cant wait to see how powerful they both become, and hopefully the downfall of both kings 😁

that ending had me wanting more!!

thank you so much for sending me this ARC raven. I cant wait for book 2 and book two of stormbound.

*enemys to lovers
*slow burn
*cursed
*banter
*badass FMC

[Naomi Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ughhhhhh, this novella was so good, I only gave 4 stars because I wish it was a full length book 😭

I ate it up and finished it within 1 day.

The FMC is a strong, confident and cunning girl and the MMC is so brooding hahah, I love their banter and the ending!!!!!!

I NEED MORE!

So grateful to have been an ARC reader for this book and highly recommend it for a short romantasy read. I will be eagerly waiting for the next book😍

[Caitlyn Stern · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this book as I follow this author on social media and it seemed to be a really good concept but the story fell incredibly flat and was just sadly not what it was advertised to be.

The Story: 1 star
The plot itself is touted as having “political intrigue and court secrets” and if that’s really the case I could not find it anywhere. The entire first two thirds of the book was Aelia walking around random places and having honestly some pretty disturbing conversations with her twin brother. I don’t know where the author thought that siblings speak with each other in this manner but I’ve never told my brother that he was so handsome that I was distracted by him. We didn’t even meet the MMC until well past the 50% mark and when this is being described as “slow burn romance with tension” I again say where? The conversations were stilted like a teenager trying hard to seem nonchalant.

Characters: 1 star
There was no personality in any of these characters. Aelia had the *start* of a personality near the middle but again, the author went no where with it. The brothers were all stereotypical character archetypes - the soldier, the king, the diplomat, the goof ball and there was nothing in the prose that built on those archetypes.

The Romance: 0 stars
It didn’t even exist and you can’t tell me otherwise. I’m sorry but the surprise “omg we can touch each other even though we can’t touch anyone else without hurting them” is not a romance. It’s the start of an idea of a concept of romance.

The Writing: 1
When it comes to the writing itself, this book needs a good formatting and a better editor. Typos are abound which normally doesn’t bother me - but coupled with the other issues and the fact that the book is under 200 pages I couldn’t get past it. None of the paragraphs are indented, there’s dialogue from different characters all within the same paragraph, the spacing of the paragraphs are way off, and the pacing is all off. We spend 2/3 of the book doing absolutely nothing then suddenly the character is engaged, married, kidnapped, and thrown into an archaic game where she’s hunted down by people in the court she’s married into so they can kill her unless the MMC finds her first, (all this happening over the course of about 2 days) then the book ends.

[Chaarloou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um fucking excuse me!

Where do I start? So I start this book first few pages I’m like damn it I can’t pronounce the names correctly but we keep going and going! Few more pages in and I’m starting to ignore the dinner cooking in oven, few more pages in and I’m absolutely fucking hooked! Like a fish caught on a line I’m doomed, first all of all how well written and how well the descriptions of the people and the different lands! I love the story behind the family like what is that (also 4 brothers to a cursed sister poor girl), between scarred hands and secret keeping kings that alone would get someone going! Then you add in the main secret and it hits you that our girl is getting the bad man who is a cursed monster and I’m bloody angry at her brother, then coming to certain adventures and I can’t stop reading like really can’t bloody stop! My heart is literally in my mouth and screaming at my screen like an utter bitch because I'm left on cliff hanger wanting more and more! So now I need the next to be released because …. I just need it ok, I need to know what happens and god damn it I feel to read it over again but god what I’d do to restart my day and read it for the first time! Yes I sat and read the whole thing today and I feel absolute no regrets because I actually fucking loved it!!!!!

Roll on book 2 and I can’t wait for more people to read this book because who knew sun & frost both cursed and angry could be the start of something absolutely magical…..

[Tasha Foley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to sit with this one for a while before writing because there’s so much to unpack. Raven Ash has crafted a world I didn’t want to leave—the Sun Court is so vividly described it feels like a character in its own right. I could practically see the golden light shimmering off every surface.

The Sun Court Princes are absolutely captivating—I adore the roughness of Cyrus, the quiet of Lucien, and the deep connection between Lorien and Aelia. Makes me wish I were a twin. Honestly, I would read an entire book about their childhood with zero plot, just to watch their interactions unfold. Their dynamics feel so real and layered that I can’t get enough. Then there’s Alaric and his Queen, Calythra… meh.

The mystery surrounding Rhaziel and King Varathis adds an incredible layer of intrigue to the story. The author drops just enough breadcrumbs to keep you theorizing without giving too much away. I would absolutely love to experience this tale from Rhaziel’s POV—his perspective feels like it could unlock hidden truths and bring a whole new depth to the narrative.

If you love high-stakes court intrigue, lush world-building, and complex villains, this belongs on your TBR. The ending will leave you desperate for Book 2—I’m already counting down the days!

[Heather Altundağ · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finishing this book, I actually really enjoyed it and am super excited to see how the story continues. It does move very quickly and there isn’t much build up within the story. You are kinda just thrown in head first into the action, and it becomes clear early on what kind of “negotiations” are being made. I didn’t fully expect the ending to happen the way it did (it did throw me for a loop), BUT I did know something interesting was going to happen. 🤭 I do kinda wish, there was more world building (so I can get a better sense of it) along with more descriptors on the magic system. The magic system is talked about a little bit, but I kinda wanted to learn about it and what it entails. Hopefully we get more details on it in later books. I also really did enjoy this author’s writing style a lot. It is very flowy and lush, and you don’t see that very often sometimes in books. Although, they did use a lot of adjectives/ descriptors, and I feel like it took away from the story at times. Don’t get me wrong, I love good descriptors, but too many and just be overwhelming at times. Overall, if you are wanting a quick fantasy read that keeps you engaged the whole time, then this book will definitely be one you need to pick up. ☺️

[Shelbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sun’s Offering is such a beautifully written story, the writing throughout was almost poetic in the descriptions of people and places.

We journey with Aelia, a Sun Court princess, as she navigates her life away from her brothers, and away from her land. She experiences betrayal in such a horrendous way, yet copes with it so gracefully.

The only reason this isn’t a 5* is because I wanted more of Aelia and Rhaziel. I wanted to see how they progress, how they return court united and touching one another without their gloves! I feel like it ended too soon and it has me wanting to know so much more.

Zero spice, but slow enemies to lovers burn!

[A Novel Encounter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for this ARC Raven Ash, it was a great short and easy read and written beautifully.

The ending has left me needing more!! I do love a brooding MMC and love that the FMC had fire to her soul....quite literally 👏

The only thing I would mention is there is a part where Alaric advises "this is family business" to Calthyra but at no point did I see her brother Lucien speak within that - only her brothers Lorien, Cyrus and Alaric so might be worth adding something in about how he felt too (without giving any Spoilers!).

I loved the story and politics/magic system within it, and I'm excited to read the next book!! Don't keep us waiting too long 🤭

[Senta Schuuring · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the concept of the story, but I feel like the book was too short to really lure me in. The whole build up of the book made sense and than suddenly the book ended. I knew it was a short book, but the ending was so sudden. It actually feels as if the book has been split into two and I have only read the first part.

I am still interested to see how the story will continue in the second book, but I am not sure if it is a book a will pick up soon. I have mixed feelings towards this book and therefore it's difficult to really pinpoint what I liked and what I didn't like.

[Latisha Jahoor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I immediately need the next book. Like wow, what a way to end the first novel. The world building and descriptive details in the book were so well written that it made it so easy to delve into the world that the author created. I love a strong FMC and Aelia did not disappoint. Her banter with Rhaziel was soo good.
Thank you to the author for giving me an ARC of this book. This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Hazel Nyabadza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhhh why???? I NEED to know how it finishes.
Aelia is strong loyal and witty. She doesn’t let anyone think they can they can break her she carries herself with her head held high.
I believe Rhaziel has so many layers that I haven’t yet seen. He seems very complex and he doesn’t let just anyone in it seems.
Morally grey or is he just surviving and it has led to what the world see…a monster.
These two I feel are going to change each other and for the better change the world.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[Tiana Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish it was longer, I was captivated I loved the concept of this story. I really liked the FMC Aelia she had so many battles to over come and she did it all. I would read another like this, it was so easy to fall into, the description of the courts were amazing aswell i could visualise it very well.
put it on your TBR for sure!!

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to be given a chance to be an ARC reader for this indie novel. It’s not my usual or preferred genre but I really loved it. I think for me it was the depth behind the characters, their mannerisms and particularly their speech. Conversation felt so natural and by the end I found myself very invested.

A definite recommendation.

[Clare-Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the idea of this story but i wish it had been a full length book rather than a novella. its 37% in before you even meet the mmc then its the fastest wedding and home for the hunt which is over just as quick.

I'm just hoping there will be more books to fill in the gaps/give the story more depth.

[Carolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book.
An easy read if you find yourself with little reading time, simple but well structured story line.
This story promises a lot to come, and I found myself on the edge of my seat near the end.
Can't wait to know more about these characters and howthey will deal with their families and how their relationship will evolve...

[Book Obsessed Susanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as an ARC, which I was very gratefull for 🥰.. but it wasn't really for me. I liked the story itself, but the way it was written just didn't grab me unfortunately.

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fab but I wish it was a full length book! I was just delving deeper and I need more!

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you for letting me be an arc reader it was a really good book

[Hayls Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good quick read. I enjoyed the fact it ended on some sort of cliff hanger, will be looking forward to the next edition of this series