What do you think?
Rate this book
The Battleboxer Trilogy #1
The Sword Unbroken
The last person a champion battleboxer should love is the man who owns his contract.
Famed battleboxer Imalroc finally has a handler too inexperienced to control him. He can carve his way out of the blood-soaked arenas at last– just win a few more fights. And then put a sword to Rerdas Toriem’s lovely throat if the handler doesn’t surrender his contract once his winnings fulfill the bargain they made.
Rerdas Toriem is surrounded by danger– a leering duke who wants to keep him like a helpless trophy, a queen convinced he’s working against her, and a fierce battleboxer who will turn a blade on him at the first opportunity. His deal with Imalroc is his only hope of escape, but working with him means glimpsing the love-starved man beneath the armor. A man who might be worthy of his trust.
Rerdas and Imalroc both know they can’t give in to such a dangerous attraction. Relationships between handlers and battleboxers are utterly forbidden. But resistance crumbles with every passing day, and their tangled feelings are blooming into a perilous secret. If it’s discovered, Imalroc’s freedom and Rerdas’s life are forfeit.
A slow-burn, spicy m/m Fantasy Romance for fans of enemies-to-lovers, captor/captive, political intrigue and Captive Prince.
Famed battleboxer Imalroc finally has a handler too inexperienced to control him. He can carve his way out of the blood-soaked arenas at last– just win a few more fights. And then put a sword to Rerdas Toriem’s lovely throat if the handler doesn’t surrender his contract once his winnings fulfill the bargain they made.
Rerdas Toriem is surrounded by danger– a leering duke who wants to keep him like a helpless trophy, a queen convinced he’s working against her, and a fierce battleboxer who will turn a blade on him at the first opportunity. His deal with Imalroc is his only hope of escape, but working with him means glimpsing the love-starved man beneath the armor. A man who might be worthy of his trust.
Rerdas and Imalroc both know they can’t give in to such a dangerous attraction. Relationships between handlers and battleboxers are utterly forbidden. But resistance crumbles with every passing day, and their tangled feelings are blooming into a perilous secret. If it’s discovered, Imalroc’s freedom and Rerdas’s life are forfeit.
A slow-burn, spicy m/m Fantasy Romance for fans of enemies-to-lovers, captor/captive, political intrigue and Captive Prince.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 20, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
July 2, 2026
This book is free on Amazon (Canada) today (07/02/2026). 🙂
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Captor / Captive dynamic / Power imbalance
✅ Only one bed
✅ Fake dating
✅ Fakeout makeout
✅ Pace
✅ 2 POVs
✅(🆗) Politics
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: some gore, mentions of past murders, fights to the death, drugs
🔥 Spice level : 🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5
For some reason, this book did not hold my attention as much as I hoped it would. a little something was missing from the plot for me to truly be engaged in the story and to really care about the characters. I liked them, but I was not in love with them. Still, I have a lot of positive things to say, and I think the issue here was simply a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”.
I love the world-building and the ruthlessness of the battleboxers. It is what we usually find in fantasy books, but with some unique touches that are well integrated into the story. I also have to applaud the fact that there are no info-dumps, as I hate those. The writing in general was beautiful, without being over the top with the prose and descriptions.
The politics are a little muddled; I would have needed more details from the start to be more invested, I think. Since I was more or less invested in the politics and the fate of Rerdas’ aunt, I found the second half, which focused more on those two aspects, less engaging. The last part of the book happens away from the capital, and I enjoyed the change of setting and the fact that there were fewer conversations about politics and Rerdas’ aunt, even though the very reason they were traveling was to find more information about her. I have to admit that I did not care about Etiana, Rerdas’s aunt, or her part in a possible rebellion. I was even a little annoyed at Rerdas’ for his stubborness when it came to finding answers. I wanted to tell him to just let it be and focus on his life and his happiness. I do understand that he loves his aunt and feels responsible for her safety, but was not given much reason as to why he should uproot his whole life to find answers that would be better left hidden.
Sadly, we do not see much of Imalroc’s training, and Rerdas does not know a thing about battleboxing. It makes it hard to believe that he could be a competent trainer, or that Imalroc has a chance of regaining his strength and winning battles again. Thankfully, Imalroc seems able to train himself and does his thing quietly while Rerdas and his cousin are trying to navigate the court’s politics. Actually, we didn’t see much of Rerdas and Imalroc together until 40% of the book, and even then, their interactions remained cold and awkward until the last quarter of the book.
This is a slow slow-burn.The romance does not develop much until the last 10% or 15% of the book. It was realistic, but also almost too slow. Not because it takes too long for Rerdas and Imalroc to get together. Considering their positions and dynamics, it makes sense that they were not attracted to each other and never considered anything between them, but I feel we did not get enough chance to see them together as a couple. It’s a slow buildup that eventually leads to them admitting their feelings, and then the book is over.
There are many good tropes in the book, like fake dating, sharing a bed, or the good old fakeout makeout. Sadly, the fact that I did not care that much about the main characters made it harder to fully appreciate those tropes. I have to point out the fact that the author did a great job at putting those tropes in the book, with a context that makes sense. Things happen for a reason, not simply because the author wanted to check boxes on the trope list, and I appreciated that.
Poor Rerdas was useless with the Duke. I find it funny how he was cheering on his cousin, telling her that she needed to “take one for the team” and seduce the Duke to secure his patronage and protection, yet when he discovered that the Duke was interested in him instead of his cousin, he was quite useless. He couldn’t flirt at all, and I wonder how the Duke ever believed that Rerdas was interested in him. That being said, it is not necessarily a bad thing, because it fits with Rerdas’ personality. It only reflects badly on the Duke, because it makes him appear either naïve or not caring that Rerdas does not like him.
As I said at the beginning of my review, there are many very good things about this book, but I struggled to get into it. I do believe that it’s because of me and my mood, maybe, rather than because of the book… If that makes sense…
Follow me on Instagram 🙂
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Captor / Captive dynamic / Power imbalance
✅ Only one bed
✅ Fake dating
✅ Fakeout makeout
✅ Pace
✅ 2 POVs
✅(🆗) Politics
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: some gore, mentions of past murders, fights to the death, drugs
🔥 Spice level : 🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5
For some reason, this book did not hold my attention as much as I hoped it would. a little something was missing from the plot for me to truly be engaged in the story and to really care about the characters. I liked them, but I was not in love with them. Still, I have a lot of positive things to say, and I think the issue here was simply a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”.
I love the world-building and the ruthlessness of the battleboxers. It is what we usually find in fantasy books, but with some unique touches that are well integrated into the story. I also have to applaud the fact that there are no info-dumps, as I hate those. The writing in general was beautiful, without being over the top with the prose and descriptions.
The politics are a little muddled; I would have needed more details from the start to be more invested, I think. Since I was more or less invested in the politics and the fate of Rerdas’ aunt, I found the second half, which focused more on those two aspects, less engaging. The last part of the book happens away from the capital, and I enjoyed the change of setting and the fact that there were fewer conversations about politics and Rerdas’ aunt, even though the very reason they were traveling was to find more information about her. I have to admit that I did not care about Etiana, Rerdas’s aunt, or her part in a possible rebellion. I was even a little annoyed at Rerdas’ for his stubborness when it came to finding answers. I wanted to tell him to just let it be and focus on his life and his happiness. I do understand that he loves his aunt and feels responsible for her safety, but was not given much reason as to why he should uproot his whole life to find answers that would be better left hidden.
Sadly, we do not see much of Imalroc’s training, and Rerdas does not know a thing about battleboxing. It makes it hard to believe that he could be a competent trainer, or that Imalroc has a chance of regaining his strength and winning battles again. Thankfully, Imalroc seems able to train himself and does his thing quietly while Rerdas and his cousin are trying to navigate the court’s politics. Actually, we didn’t see much of Rerdas and Imalroc together until 40% of the book, and even then, their interactions remained cold and awkward until the last quarter of the book.
This is a slow slow-burn.The romance does not develop much until the last 10% or 15% of the book. It was realistic, but also almost too slow. Not because it takes too long for Rerdas and Imalroc to get together. Considering their positions and dynamics, it makes sense that they were not attracted to each other and never considered anything between them, but I feel we did not get enough chance to see them together as a couple. It’s a slow buildup that eventually leads to them admitting their feelings, and then the book is over.
There are many good tropes in the book, like fake dating, sharing a bed, or the good old fakeout makeout. Sadly, the fact that I did not care that much about the main characters made it harder to fully appreciate those tropes. I have to point out the fact that the author did a great job at putting those tropes in the book, with a context that makes sense. Things happen for a reason, not simply because the author wanted to check boxes on the trope list, and I appreciated that.
Poor Rerdas was useless with the Duke. I find it funny how he was cheering on his cousin, telling her that she needed to “take one for the team” and seduce the Duke to secure his patronage and protection, yet when he discovered that the Duke was interested in him instead of his cousin, he was quite useless. He couldn’t flirt at all, and I wonder how the Duke ever believed that Rerdas was interested in him. That being said, it is not necessarily a bad thing, because it fits with Rerdas’ personality. It only reflects badly on the Duke, because it makes him appear either naïve or not caring that Rerdas does not like him.
As I said at the beginning of my review, there are many very good things about this book, but I struggled to get into it. I do believe that it’s because of me and my mood, maybe, rather than because of the book… If that makes sense…
Follow me on Instagram 🙂
November 19, 2025
An absorbing, emotionally convincing slow burn with light fantasy elements: the focus here is political machinations, not dragons or magic, which is how I like it. Although "machinations" is over-egging the pudding, as far as our characters' involvement goes. Rerdas and Etiana are very much in the dark about their aunt/ mother's intrigues, and spend most of the book stumbling around in a political landscape they have neither the tools nor the knowledge to navigate.
This is a brutal world, but one where we are only getting glimpses of the scale of the horrors. The battleboxes are grotesque, and Imalroc's POV details the trauma they inflict on so many; and notwithstanding Imalroc's personal suffering, the fight scenes in front of packed arenas show how bloodlust, callousness, and dehumanization degrade a society far beyond the audience screaming in the stands. But aside from the battleboxes spectacles, there is much more going on off-page that we, like the spoiled nobles in the capital, are kept in the dark about.
Imalroc and Rerdas's gradual, tentative connection is well done, although Losano lurks in the background like an unwanted guest. When will this Chekhov's ex go off? I thought Rerdas was, on occasion, overly naive, and his reason for traveling to Draal seemed somewhat artificial. But it will be interesting to see how he changes over the course of the next books and, not least, how both he and Imalroc react to the change in the power and emotional dynamics of their relationship.
Note that Rerdas has a sexual relationship with a duke that I would describe as dubcon from his side. He accedes to the duke's advances because it will provide some degree of protection, and possibly material advantage, for his family, but he must force himself to go through with the encounters, and they are not enjoyable and on occasion physically painful. I thought this relationship was handled well: Umber is not written as a villain, per se, but a man used to get exactly what he wants, exactly when he wants it, and unable to recognize that the object of his desire is unenthusiastic.
All in all, a promising series start -- excited for book 2!
I got an ARC from GRR in exchange for an honest review.
This is a brutal world, but one where we are only getting glimpses of the scale of the horrors. The battleboxes are grotesque, and Imalroc's POV details the trauma they inflict on so many; and notwithstanding Imalroc's personal suffering, the fight scenes in front of packed arenas show how bloodlust, callousness, and dehumanization degrade a society far beyond the audience screaming in the stands. But aside from the battleboxes spectacles, there is much more going on off-page that we, like the spoiled nobles in the capital, are kept in the dark about.
Imalroc and Rerdas's gradual, tentative connection is well done, although Losano lurks in the background like an unwanted guest. When will this Chekhov's ex go off? I thought Rerdas was, on occasion, overly naive, and his reason for traveling to Draal seemed somewhat artificial. But it will be interesting to see how he changes over the course of the next books and, not least, how both he and Imalroc react to the change in the power and emotional dynamics of their relationship.
Note that Rerdas has a sexual relationship with a duke that I would describe as dubcon from his side. He accedes to the duke's advances because it will provide some degree of protection, and possibly material advantage, for his family, but he must force himself to go through with the encounters, and they are not enjoyable and on occasion physically painful. I thought this relationship was handled well: Umber is not written as a villain, per se, but a man used to get exactly what he wants, exactly when he wants it, and unable to recognize that the object of his desire is unenthusiastic.
All in all, a promising series start -- excited for book 2!
I got an ARC from GRR in exchange for an honest review.
November 11, 2025
I'm a complainy person who always has complaints, so let's get those out of the way first (but note that 4-star rating).
“The Sword Unbroken” is rough around the edges here and there: some misused words (e.g., “forbearers” for “forebears”), some clunky lines (“What?” Rerdas garbled incoherently), most significantly the appearance of the interrogator/psychologists called optologicians. It’s a terrific coinage, and the optologicians are scary as all get-out — but, with their quasi-supernatural powers, they come fairly late in a narrative which up to that point has been solidly grounded in material reality. It’s jarring: are we in an earthly alternative world, or in the realm of fantasy? I could have done with some clarification, in either direction.
All that having been said, I was carried along by the storytelling and the characterization. Battleboxers fight in an arena called the battlebox; they’re much like the gladiators of imperial Rome, except far worse treated by their owners and handlers, and far more feared by the general population. To their great credit, Sorcha Sam doesn’t prettify this revolting entertainment or the society that has spawned it, nor do they make the battleboxer Imalroc a secret cinnamon roll. He’s scary, he’s rageful, he hates his masters, and he kills efficiently. There’s a terrific combat sequence during which you’re likely to think that he’s behaving as he is out of mercy. Suffice it to say, expectation subverted.
It takes Imalroc a credibly long time to begin to trust the other main character, Rerdas, who has become his unwilling handler.
Rerdas is no cinnamon roll either. He hasn’t chosen to become a handler, but he tries to inhabit the role even as his ethics war with the expectations that come with it. For the sake of his family’s safety, he sleeps with an unpleasant nobleman who’s hot for him. He’s not happy about it, he doesn’t enjoy the sex, and there’s considerable pressure on him, but he also does his best to flatter and manipulate the man. He has a temper and we see him lose it — once, startlingly, at Imalroc; not that what he does as a result is all that terrible, but what’s telling is the length of time he sustains a white-hot rage as he goes in search of its object.
From Rerdas’s side as from Imalroc’s, trust takes a believable while to build. The two spend much of the book allied but still mutually suspicious and hostile.
As much as Rerdas and Imalroc interest me, I’m outright fascinated by Rerdas’s sister, Etiana. Oof, Sam is really leaning into the moral grayness here. Much credit goes to them for presenting Etiana’s behavior not only without authorial commentary but even without internal comment by Rerdas. He observes her behavior, so we the readers do too, but it doesn’t seem to strike him as remarkable. That too is a nifty bit of characterization: we can see what’s in front of Rerdas’s face, but he can’t. What’s getting in his way? Etiana and his aunt are his only family, so is he being obtuse because the emotional price of paying attention would be too high? Or is he being morally obtuse? Obtuse plain and simple? I’m hoping that the next book gives Imalroc a good look at Etiana in the relevant context, because my money’s on him knowing exactly what he sees.
3.75 stars happily rounded up. Thanks to the author and Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC, and I’m looking forward to more.
“The Sword Unbroken” is rough around the edges here and there: some misused words (e.g., “forbearers” for “forebears”), some clunky lines (“What?” Rerdas garbled incoherently), most significantly the appearance of the interrogator/psychologists called optologicians. It’s a terrific coinage, and the optologicians are scary as all get-out — but, with their quasi-supernatural powers, they come fairly late in a narrative which up to that point has been solidly grounded in material reality. It’s jarring: are we in an earthly alternative world, or in the realm of fantasy? I could have done with some clarification, in either direction.
All that having been said, I was carried along by the storytelling and the characterization. Battleboxers fight in an arena called the battlebox; they’re much like the gladiators of imperial Rome, except far worse treated by their owners and handlers, and far more feared by the general population. To their great credit, Sorcha Sam doesn’t prettify this revolting entertainment or the society that has spawned it, nor do they make the battleboxer Imalroc a secret cinnamon roll. He’s scary, he’s rageful, he hates his masters, and he kills efficiently. There’s a terrific combat sequence during which you’re likely to think that he’s behaving as he is out of mercy. Suffice it to say, expectation subverted.
It takes Imalroc a credibly long time to begin to trust the other main character, Rerdas, who has become his unwilling handler.
Rerdas is no cinnamon roll either. He hasn’t chosen to become a handler, but he tries to inhabit the role even as his ethics war with the expectations that come with it. For the sake of his family’s safety, he sleeps with an unpleasant nobleman who’s hot for him. He’s not happy about it, he doesn’t enjoy the sex, and there’s considerable pressure on him, but he also does his best to flatter and manipulate the man. He has a temper and we see him lose it — once, startlingly, at Imalroc; not that what he does as a result is all that terrible, but what’s telling is the length of time he sustains a white-hot rage as he goes in search of its object.
From Rerdas’s side as from Imalroc’s, trust takes a believable while to build. The two spend much of the book allied but still mutually suspicious and hostile.
As much as Rerdas and Imalroc interest me, I’m outright fascinated by Rerdas’s sister, Etiana. Oof, Sam is really leaning into the moral grayness here. Much credit goes to them for presenting Etiana’s behavior not only without authorial commentary but even without internal comment by Rerdas. He observes her behavior, so we the readers do too, but it doesn’t seem to strike him as remarkable. That too is a nifty bit of characterization: we can see what’s in front of Rerdas’s face, but he can’t. What’s getting in his way? Etiana and his aunt are his only family, so is he being obtuse because the emotional price of paying attention would be too high? Or is he being morally obtuse? Obtuse plain and simple? I’m hoping that the next book gives Imalroc a good look at Etiana in the relevant context, because my money’s on him knowing exactly what he sees.
3.75 stars happily rounded up. Thanks to the author and Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC, and I’m looking forward to more.
November 12, 2025
I got this book as an arc from booksirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I started this book for the romance, but the plot in this book was so good I would’ve still loved it if there wasn’t romance. The romance did take a long time to kick off. I only really started to feel it like 80% into the book, but the book kept me hooked and entertained through the entirety of it so that was fine. I said that I would’ve loved it if there wasn’t romance in it, but the romance was really good too.
I’m sure I would’ve finished this book in a single sitting if I had the time or chance to do so.
I haven’t had a favorite or a five star book in a while, and I’m so glad I can call this book a favorite (which is pretty rare for me as I am picky with my favorites)
The book did end in a slight cliffhanger and cannot wait to read the next books to this series.
I would definitely recommend this book because everything was near perfection, from the plot, the characters, the world, and the romance.
Enjoy 😘
I started this book for the romance, but the plot in this book was so good I would’ve still loved it if there wasn’t romance. The romance did take a long time to kick off. I only really started to feel it like 80% into the book, but the book kept me hooked and entertained through the entirety of it so that was fine. I said that I would’ve loved it if there wasn’t romance in it, but the romance was really good too.
I’m sure I would’ve finished this book in a single sitting if I had the time or chance to do so.
I haven’t had a favorite or a five star book in a while, and I’m so glad I can call this book a favorite (which is pretty rare for me as I am picky with my favorites)
The book did end in a slight cliffhanger and cannot wait to read the next books to this series.
I would definitely recommend this book because everything was near perfection, from the plot, the characters, the world, and the romance.
Enjoy 😘
November 20, 2025
The Sword Unbroken (OUT TODAY!) delivers true enemies-to-lovers with a slow-burn romance in a fantasy world full of political intrigue!
When his cousin makes a desparate attempt to get money for her ailing mother and purchases the contract of a battle-boxer, Rerdas, the second huntsman in the kingdom of Inofar, is tasked with becoming the handler and trainer to Imalroc, a disgraced battle-boxer who's been on a losing streak. There's no love lost between Rerdas and Imalroc but they eventually realize their goals might align and the reluctantly form an arrangement to work together.
In this fantasy world, battle-boxers are a type of gladiators who fight each other for sport and the amusement of the wealthy elites. Battle-boxers are seen as no more than props, tools, wild animals - essentially less than human and are treated as such by their owners. Imalroc has been doing this for years and he knows that no matter what a handler says or promises him, he can only ever rely on himself. And he definitely can't afford to let himself believe Rerdas is any different...
Guys! The political intrigue in this book? It's the good stuff! The Sword Unbroken is part 1 of the Battleboxer Trilogy and it's a fantastic debut from Sorcha Sam. The book's well-written and has an intricate but not overwhelming world-building that sets the scene for the story. There's also excellent character work and a real slow-burn enemies-to-lovers story that reminds me of Captive Prince which is not a comp I make easily!
This book really sets up the story and the characters while the romance is a slower build. I can't wait to see where it all goes - the other books are set to be released over the next year or so and I'll absolutely be reading!
Read The Sword Unbroken if you like:
❤️Enemies-to-lovers
🧡Forced proximity
💛Captor/captive
💚Slow-burn
💙Political intrigue
Thanks to the author for the ARC.
When his cousin makes a desparate attempt to get money for her ailing mother and purchases the contract of a battle-boxer, Rerdas, the second huntsman in the kingdom of Inofar, is tasked with becoming the handler and trainer to Imalroc, a disgraced battle-boxer who's been on a losing streak. There's no love lost between Rerdas and Imalroc but they eventually realize their goals might align and the reluctantly form an arrangement to work together.
In this fantasy world, battle-boxers are a type of gladiators who fight each other for sport and the amusement of the wealthy elites. Battle-boxers are seen as no more than props, tools, wild animals - essentially less than human and are treated as such by their owners. Imalroc has been doing this for years and he knows that no matter what a handler says or promises him, he can only ever rely on himself. And he definitely can't afford to let himself believe Rerdas is any different...
Guys! The political intrigue in this book? It's the good stuff! The Sword Unbroken is part 1 of the Battleboxer Trilogy and it's a fantastic debut from Sorcha Sam. The book's well-written and has an intricate but not overwhelming world-building that sets the scene for the story. There's also excellent character work and a real slow-burn enemies-to-lovers story that reminds me of Captive Prince which is not a comp I make easily!
This book really sets up the story and the characters while the romance is a slower build. I can't wait to see where it all goes - the other books are set to be released over the next year or so and I'll absolutely be reading!
Read The Sword Unbroken if you like:
❤️Enemies-to-lovers
🧡Forced proximity
💛Captor/captive
💚Slow-burn
💙Political intrigue
Thanks to the author for the ARC.
November 22, 2025
3.5 stars
This didn't go the way I expected at all! But not entirely in a bad way either.
Thank you to Sorcha Sam and Gay Romance Reviews for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
WHAT I LIKED
- Slow burn.I’m talking SNAIL’S PACE. Tbh, I didn’t exactly like it (I’m more of a “medium burn” girly) but you will if you enjoy extreeeeeeemely slow burn.
- World building. The trade off for that is some very in depth world building (honourable mention for optologicians!) and a leisurely unfolding of the plot that feels almost… indulgent. That being said, I’m not sure I completely sure I understand the political machinations as I was getting a little a little impatient for the romance (see above).
- Prose. Crisp and clean! Solid work here.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
- Pacing of the romance.Like I said this is some extremely slow burn romance but a key ingredient was lacking: PACING. I’d have liked more of the MCs being interested in each other (gazing, agonising, lusting etc) BEFORE they got together. The absence of that made things feel a little… contrived.
Expect
- Forbidden romance
- Forced proximity
- Fake relationship (towards the end)
- Size difference
- Slow burn
- Class differences
- Power imbalance
This didn't go the way I expected at all! But not entirely in a bad way either.
Thank you to Sorcha Sam and Gay Romance Reviews for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
WHAT I LIKED
- Slow burn.I’m talking SNAIL’S PACE. Tbh, I didn’t exactly like it (I’m more of a “medium burn” girly) but you will if you enjoy extreeeeeeemely slow burn.
- World building. The trade off for that is some very in depth world building (honourable mention for optologicians!) and a leisurely unfolding of the plot that feels almost… indulgent. That being said, I’m not sure I completely sure I understand the political machinations as I was getting a little a little impatient for the romance (see above).
- Prose. Crisp and clean! Solid work here.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
- Pacing of the romance.Like I said this is some extremely slow burn romance but a key ingredient was lacking: PACING. I’d have liked more of the MCs being interested in each other (gazing, agonising, lusting etc) BEFORE they got together. The absence of that made things feel a little… contrived.
Expect
- Forbidden romance
- Forced proximity
- Fake relationship (towards the end)
- Size difference
- Slow burn
- Class differences
- Power imbalance
February 2, 2026
*I received a free Advanced Reader Copy from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.*
Okay, to be transparent : I read the versions of the Battle Boxer series when they were on Wattpad and I I fell hopelessly and deeply in love with both of them. For the longest time, Sorcha Sam was the only reason I still had my Wattpad account cause her novels were just breathtaking and expertly crafted. I am over-joyed they are now officially published, and I cannot over-state how much I loved it. I wholeheartedly implore other people to read it and her other works.
Firstly, this is far more than a feel-good romance. It’s romance that is grounded in much, much more and because of that, it feels deeply earned.
The world-building is rich, drawing on notes of medieval history and fantasy while never overwhelming the story itself. I especially loved the political dimension. I’ve seen some reviews suggest that the world is initially impenetrable, but personally, I found the opposite: I enjoy that Sorcha Sam resists over-explaining or relying on bloated exposition dumps. Instead, the world unfolds naturally, and the author’s restraint makes it all the more immersive. I think it strikes a wonderful balance of not being too fantastical, which means it never distracts from the heart of the book: the characters. The joy of this novel is that you can read it numerous times and uncover where seeds are planted early and their significance becomes clearer with time.
The Sword Unbroken is compelling because of its multidimensionality. It’s not just a romance, but a story embedded within a fully realised world, running paralleling to political conflict, personal conflict, and desperate intrigue. I love how the politics unfolds and unravels in little drips of information, and how we remain in the dark just as much as the characters themselves. I find this deepens the plot’s overall tension.
The prose almost certainly deserves a special mention. The language feels so considered and poetic in places (I especially love the imagery she invokes with her metaphors/similes).
At the core of the novel lies a beautifully central conflict:
Rerdas values connection - family and his responsibility to them - above all else.
Imalroc values freedom above all else.
Sorcha Sam sets herself an immense challenge by writing a forbidden love between a handler and a battleboxer, but this conflict is not contrived and instead, feels expertly handled; the tension is palpable and real throughout.
The characters operate in a delicious moral grey areas.
Rerdas is particularly fascinating. He sees people — including, notably, himself — as resources to be used in pursuit of love and protection for his family. That irony becomes devastating the deeper he falls for Imalroc: he owns Imalroc’s contract and is, in effect, holding him hostage for reasons that are both selfish and selfless. Everything Rerdas does is for others ( his aunt and cousin are always at the forefront of his mind in his narrative) yet that doesn’t absolve him of the harm caused.
Imalroc, meanwhile, is enslaved, and this is never glossed over or romanticised. He arguably has firmer ethical boundaries than Rerdas, but it would not be unfair to say that, in his own way, he values his life and freedom above others. In battle boxing, survival requires killing. He could have been a poor fighter but instead, he becomes a ruthless one to preserve his own life and chance at freedom. In that sense, he is more similar to Rerdas than either of them might like to admit.
Both men sacrifice others, directly or indirectly. Rerdas sacrifices the lives lost in the arena, Imalroc’s freedom, and even his own body for his aunt. Both carry guilt. Neither wants to be where they are or who they’ve had to become.
Imalroc has historically been a fan-favourite and I can see why! He’s strong, sardonic and cynical and hilarious. Personally, I have a soft spot for Rerdas which may seem unexpected. But I adore his awkwardness, his clumsiness and his uncertainty. He is slightly naive, soft, and deeply caring, and that tenderness makes his choices and vulnerability all the more heartbreaking.
So with this level of internal and external conflict, it’s no surprise that this is a slow-burn romance which, as I mentioned, is definitely earned.
This is not your run-of-the-mill, cheap thrill romance. It’s layered, complex and emotionally vivid.
I truly, truly recommend it.
Okay, to be transparent : I read the versions of the Battle Boxer series when they were on Wattpad and I I fell hopelessly and deeply in love with both of them. For the longest time, Sorcha Sam was the only reason I still had my Wattpad account cause her novels were just breathtaking and expertly crafted. I am over-joyed they are now officially published, and I cannot over-state how much I loved it. I wholeheartedly implore other people to read it and her other works.
Firstly, this is far more than a feel-good romance. It’s romance that is grounded in much, much more and because of that, it feels deeply earned.
The world-building is rich, drawing on notes of medieval history and fantasy while never overwhelming the story itself. I especially loved the political dimension. I’ve seen some reviews suggest that the world is initially impenetrable, but personally, I found the opposite: I enjoy that Sorcha Sam resists over-explaining or relying on bloated exposition dumps. Instead, the world unfolds naturally, and the author’s restraint makes it all the more immersive. I think it strikes a wonderful balance of not being too fantastical, which means it never distracts from the heart of the book: the characters. The joy of this novel is that you can read it numerous times and uncover where seeds are planted early and their significance becomes clearer with time.
The Sword Unbroken is compelling because of its multidimensionality. It’s not just a romance, but a story embedded within a fully realised world, running paralleling to political conflict, personal conflict, and desperate intrigue. I love how the politics unfolds and unravels in little drips of information, and how we remain in the dark just as much as the characters themselves. I find this deepens the plot’s overall tension.
The prose almost certainly deserves a special mention. The language feels so considered and poetic in places (I especially love the imagery she invokes with her metaphors/similes).
At the core of the novel lies a beautifully central conflict:
Rerdas values connection - family and his responsibility to them - above all else.
Imalroc values freedom above all else.
Sorcha Sam sets herself an immense challenge by writing a forbidden love between a handler and a battleboxer, but this conflict is not contrived and instead, feels expertly handled; the tension is palpable and real throughout.
The characters operate in a delicious moral grey areas.
Rerdas is particularly fascinating. He sees people — including, notably, himself — as resources to be used in pursuit of love and protection for his family. That irony becomes devastating the deeper he falls for Imalroc: he owns Imalroc’s contract and is, in effect, holding him hostage for reasons that are both selfish and selfless. Everything Rerdas does is for others ( his aunt and cousin are always at the forefront of his mind in his narrative) yet that doesn’t absolve him of the harm caused.
Imalroc, meanwhile, is enslaved, and this is never glossed over or romanticised. He arguably has firmer ethical boundaries than Rerdas, but it would not be unfair to say that, in his own way, he values his life and freedom above others. In battle boxing, survival requires killing. He could have been a poor fighter but instead, he becomes a ruthless one to preserve his own life and chance at freedom. In that sense, he is more similar to Rerdas than either of them might like to admit.
Both men sacrifice others, directly or indirectly. Rerdas sacrifices the lives lost in the arena, Imalroc’s freedom, and even his own body for his aunt. Both carry guilt. Neither wants to be where they are or who they’ve had to become.
Imalroc has historically been a fan-favourite and I can see why! He’s strong, sardonic and cynical and hilarious. Personally, I have a soft spot for Rerdas which may seem unexpected. But I adore his awkwardness, his clumsiness and his uncertainty. He is slightly naive, soft, and deeply caring, and that tenderness makes his choices and vulnerability all the more heartbreaking.
So with this level of internal and external conflict, it’s no surprise that this is a slow-burn romance which, as I mentioned, is definitely earned.
This is not your run-of-the-mill, cheap thrill romance. It’s layered, complex and emotionally vivid.
I truly, truly recommend it.
November 15, 2025
How the hell do I talk about this book without absolutely gushing over it? It was such a fantastic read that I almost put it down and smacked myself for not coming up with the idea myself.
I LOVED all the nuances going on with this story and the characters, from the 'battleboxers', to the way the wealthy could pull on people's strings to get them to do what they want.
Rerdas was easily a favourite character for me. He's not a character who criticises the space he's in but refuses to budge, but rather he's someone who very much wants out. He's not afraid to lose it all if it means he can have freedom. A title, wealth, attention, isn't worth much to him without his family (sister and aunt), and he'd do anything for them.
Imalroc was a great character too. At first, I had to learn to tolerate him (much like Rerdas), but sooner rather than later, I was growing keen to see what I could pull out of him as a character. And as Imalroc started to let Rerdas in, we start to see this other side of a traumatised battleboxer and what he's gone through. Both men would throw away everything at the chance for freedom, but they just need to learn to trust one another. And that's not easy.
I was on the edge of my seat with absolutely everything. We had suspicious people using one another, Rerdas catching the eye of a man who has a bad reputation, and so many things piling up that always came back around to haunt.
Nothing the author did was by mistake in this story - it always lead to something else.
I honestly think this was one of the most original stories I've read in 2025! Can't wait for the sequel.
I LOVED all the nuances going on with this story and the characters, from the 'battleboxers', to the way the wealthy could pull on people's strings to get them to do what they want.
Rerdas was easily a favourite character for me. He's not a character who criticises the space he's in but refuses to budge, but rather he's someone who very much wants out. He's not afraid to lose it all if it means he can have freedom. A title, wealth, attention, isn't worth much to him without his family (sister and aunt), and he'd do anything for them.
Imalroc was a great character too. At first, I had to learn to tolerate him (much like Rerdas), but sooner rather than later, I was growing keen to see what I could pull out of him as a character. And as Imalroc started to let Rerdas in, we start to see this other side of a traumatised battleboxer and what he's gone through. Both men would throw away everything at the chance for freedom, but they just need to learn to trust one another. And that's not easy.
I was on the edge of my seat with absolutely everything. We had suspicious people using one another, Rerdas catching the eye of a man who has a bad reputation, and so many things piling up that always came back around to haunt.
Nothing the author did was by mistake in this story - it always lead to something else.
I honestly think this was one of the most original stories I've read in 2025! Can't wait for the sequel.
November 26, 2025
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
The Sword Unbroken is the first installment of the Battleboxer series by author Sorcha Sam. It’s set in a mythical kingdom with focus split between the personal struggles of the Toriems and the larger political intrigue that surrounds Inofar’s power-hungry queen and her court. For the first half or so of the story, most of the action centers on Imalroc and Rerdas as they navigate battleboxing as a disgraced fighter and an inexperienced handler. Interspersed with this are scenes showing both Rerdas’ “back up” plan of romancing the Duke of Umber and how tenuous Rerdas’ station in life is amongst more powerful nobles.
From start to finish, I was enthralled with this story.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
The Sword Unbroken is the first installment of the Battleboxer series by author Sorcha Sam. It’s set in a mythical kingdom with focus split between the personal struggles of the Toriems and the larger political intrigue that surrounds Inofar’s power-hungry queen and her court. For the first half or so of the story, most of the action centers on Imalroc and Rerdas as they navigate battleboxing as a disgraced fighter and an inexperienced handler. Interspersed with this are scenes showing both Rerdas’ “back up” plan of romancing the Duke of Umber and how tenuous Rerdas’ station in life is amongst more powerful nobles.
From start to finish, I was enthralled with this story.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
November 11, 2025
**I received a free Advanced Reader Copy from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.**
first of all: i want to thank the author for choosing me as an arc reader as this was my very first time applying to be one and actually being chosen! onto the review…
this book is EVERYTHING i was hoping it would be! action, intrigue, world building, fantasy politics and mystery with queer romance tied together to form a really incredible plot! i had to force myself to pace when reading so i could let everything build and sink in and im gutted to be finished already. i just want the story to continue and to see where things go NOW. i am already sitting here excited to read future installments because THIS is the type of fantasy book i love to read! i really enjoyed the tension between rerdas and imalroc and getting to know them in general. i cannot WAIT to see what happens in this fantasy universe in the future. i am HOOKED.
first of all: i want to thank the author for choosing me as an arc reader as this was my very first time applying to be one and actually being chosen! onto the review…
this book is EVERYTHING i was hoping it would be! action, intrigue, world building, fantasy politics and mystery with queer romance tied together to form a really incredible plot! i had to force myself to pace when reading so i could let everything build and sink in and im gutted to be finished already. i just want the story to continue and to see where things go NOW. i am already sitting here excited to read future installments because THIS is the type of fantasy book i love to read! i really enjoyed the tension between rerdas and imalroc and getting to know them in general. i cannot WAIT to see what happens in this fantasy universe in the future. i am HOOKED.
April 19, 2026
I NEED THE SECOND BOOK NOW
GIVE IT TO ME RACHEL
WHERE IS IT?!?!
February 2026 has come and gone!!!! HAVE I BEEN LIED TO?!?! WHEREISITWHEREISITWHERE?!?!?!?!!!!!
GIVE IT TO ME NOOOOOOOOOOOOW
I RECOMMEND TO EVERYONE
READ THIS
READ THIS
READ THIS
are you hypnotized yet?
READ THIS
READ THIS
REEEEAAAAD PLEASEEEE
so that the author releases the next installment quicker PLEASEEEE 😭 I’m going to diiiieeeeeeee I need it like waterrrrrrrrr ugh🧎🏽♀️➡️🚛
GIVE IT TO ME RACHEL
WHERE IS IT?!?!
February 2026 has come and gone!!!! HAVE I BEEN LIED TO?!?! WHEREISITWHEREISITWHERE?!?!?!?!!!!!
GIVE IT TO ME NOOOOOOOOOOOOW
I RECOMMEND TO EVERYONE
READ THIS
READ THIS
READ THIS
are you hypnotized yet?
READ THIS
READ THIS
REEEEAAAAD PLEASEEEE
so that the author releases the next installment quicker PLEASEEEE 😭 I’m going to diiiieeeeeeee I need it like waterrrrrrrrr ugh🧎🏽♀️➡️🚛
November 11, 2025
Read the ARC so this review is an ARC Review! This debut M/M romantacy is captivating and intriguing to any reader who are deep in this genre or even wanting to start dabbling into it. The world building is thought out and paints a picture of how the hierarchy of the story works. The characters are flushed and are able to be connected to and have the reader really feel for them and what they are going through. The romance is a slow burn that paces about in par for what you would think of when you read slow burn, with the addition of a type of “enemies to lovers” in a way. I really enjoyed the chemistry building between Rerdas and Imalroc as they interact with one another and begin to slowly break down their walls and trust one another. When they finally do give into their desire for one another the energy and how each feed off one another’s want and need make the scene heated but with heart behind it. The story premise keeps readers entertained and waiting to find out more and more as you read, devouring the pages until the end. The twist ending and cliffhanger really makes me eager for the continuation of the series! I cannot wait for the next installment and to learn more about the secrets of Inofar as well as continue to see the development of Redras and Imalroc’s relationship as the learn to love again through each other.
November 22, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5
ARC Review - Honest review
So initally I struggled to get into this book. I don’t know exactly why. I put it down for a bit and came back to it and boy am I glad I did. When I picked it up again I finished it over 2 nights. Slow burn ✅ Enemies to Lovers ✅ Forced Proximity ✅ This book is definitely more plot than spice, but the spice is spicy.
Rerdas and Imalroc are both trapped in their respective positions in life. But due to circumstances, they come together to help Rerdas save his aunt. I loved watching the 2 slowly change their views about the other and watching the relationship evolve. There were characters that annoyed me, royalty amirite? The only thing is now I have to wait for book 2 and I consider it a cliffhanger!
ARC Review - Honest review
So initally I struggled to get into this book. I don’t know exactly why. I put it down for a bit and came back to it and boy am I glad I did. When I picked it up again I finished it over 2 nights. Slow burn ✅ Enemies to Lovers ✅ Forced Proximity ✅ This book is definitely more plot than spice, but the spice is spicy.
Rerdas and Imalroc are both trapped in their respective positions in life. But due to circumstances, they come together to help Rerdas save his aunt. I loved watching the 2 slowly change their views about the other and watching the relationship evolve. There were characters that annoyed me, royalty amirite? The only thing is now I have to wait for book 2 and I consider it a cliffhanger!
November 11, 2025
I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest review!
Wow! This story really had me immersed! I was drawn in and intrigued by Imalroc right away! He is my favorite character and was written really well!
Rerdas was fun to read also, I loved his comentary when with the nobles.
I finished the story, and I'm still thinking about it! I wish I could just jump into book two! I want to know how the main characters will navigate going forward with their dynamic! Thank you for this story!
Wow! This story really had me immersed! I was drawn in and intrigued by Imalroc right away! He is my favorite character and was written really well!
Rerdas was fun to read also, I loved his comentary when with the nobles.
I finished the story, and I'm still thinking about it! I wish I could just jump into book two! I want to know how the main characters will navigate going forward with their dynamic! Thank you for this story!
January 2, 2026
As a former W*ttpad teen I loved this book! can't wait to reread the polished version. Well I've purchased and finished my copy and I can say it's just as good as I remembered! Rerdas is probably one of my favorite characters of all time. I find his struggle to protect his family by trying to scrounge up any favor or power he can find. While not really understanding how, to be very gripping and had me rooting for him.
Gladiator x handler/ historical/ royalty/ political scandal/ strong MC
plot: 5/5
characters: 5/5 (just for you Rerdas)
writing: 4/5
Gladiator x handler/ historical/ royalty/ political scandal/ strong MC
plot: 5/5
characters: 5/5 (just for you Rerdas)
writing: 4/5
July 17, 2026
I was provided a copy by the author.
Saw a call for ARCs for the sequel, and decided to submit myself. Took way longer than I planned to read the first book though. :/
Characters: ⯪
They aren't horrible, but there's no one who really stood out to me either. The only thing I could really say is that the characters in this book exist, but if you asked me to pick a favorite, I'd probably struggle.
Rerdas shines brightest at the beginning of the book, continually tearing at himself out of a duty to his family. I wish we could've gotten some flashback scenes of Uralta, and some deeper scenes with his cousin - something to really show us why he cares about these people, rather than just telling the audience that he cares about them. He does go a little off the rails towards the end (and not in a good way); the jump from "struggling noble doing whatever it takes to protect his family" to felt like a bit much.
Imalroc starts out alright. There's only so much you can do with the "fearsome warrior-slave who refuses to break" that hasn't been done before. He has some moments of great aura in the fights, but the fact that we never get a chance to see any scenes of him actually living up to his reputation (instead of just being told about them) kind of takes away some of his "wow" factor. Like Rerdas, his character development takes a bizarre turn towards the end (more on that later).
Not much I could say about the other characters. A lot of them feel like they exist to be helpful (ex Heckly) or exist to be hated (ex Umber) but they don't really get any development or interiority of their own.
Setting: ⯪
Like the characters, the setting is just kind of... there. Sorcha Sam creates a brand new universe for this story, but then a lot of it falls into Generic City or Generic Forest. It should also be noted that this is not a fantasy story, despite the genre label. The closest we get to any actually magical elements is one odd illness and a couple poisons.
Plot: ⯪
It exists. Towards the beginning, it moves painfully slow. There are moments of action with the battleboxer fights, but most of it is political scheming. The plotline with Umber was uncomfortable to read, to the point where I would dread the parts it came up, but it was supposed to be, so I guess I can give Sorcha Sam credit for that.
Things go a little nuts towards the end, when The only thing more infuriating than this plan is how easy it was to execute.
And then... the romance. Rerdas and Imalroc move deliciously slowly through the earlier sections of the book, gradually developing from discomfort & uneasiness (Rerdas) and disdain & wariness (Imalroc) into actually trusting one another. Then, in tandem with the ridiculous plotline mentioned earlier, , a plan that comes out of seemingly nowhere. After this, a lot of the scenes seem contrived to push Rerdas and Imalroc together romantically, making what was earlier a satisfying slow burn feel incredibly rushed. Their romantic feelings feel like they were pulled from nowhere, and don't feel natural for the progression of their relationship so far.
Writing Style: ⯪
"I didn't mean what I said to him," Imalroc mumbled, looking at his hands. "About not caring if he hurt you. I... wasn't really planning to-"
I know," Rerdas cut him off swiftly. "I trust you."
Imalroc's mouth went as dry as a desert. Nobody had said anything like that to him in a long time. He'd been handed something precious, and half of him did not want it, and the other half was willing to kill to keep it. It was so much simpler to hate and handler and know they hated you.
(chapter 18)
Personal Enjoyment: ⯪
It exists. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. Honestly, the most I felt was apathy. Also, I feel like there weren't enough cliffhangers. I wasn't compelled to hit the next chapter nearly as often as I probably should have been for an action based story.
On to the sequel!
Saw a call for ARCs for the sequel, and decided to submit myself. Took way longer than I planned to read the first book though. :/
Characters: ⯪
They aren't horrible, but there's no one who really stood out to me either. The only thing I could really say is that the characters in this book exist, but if you asked me to pick a favorite, I'd probably struggle.
Rerdas shines brightest at the beginning of the book, continually tearing at himself out of a duty to his family. I wish we could've gotten some flashback scenes of Uralta, and some deeper scenes with his cousin - something to really show us why he cares about these people, rather than just telling the audience that he cares about them. He does go a little off the rails towards the end (and not in a good way); the jump from "struggling noble doing whatever it takes to protect his family" to felt like a bit much.
Imalroc starts out alright. There's only so much you can do with the "fearsome warrior-slave who refuses to break" that hasn't been done before. He has some moments of great aura in the fights, but the fact that we never get a chance to see any scenes of him actually living up to his reputation (instead of just being told about them) kind of takes away some of his "wow" factor. Like Rerdas, his character development takes a bizarre turn towards the end (more on that later).
Not much I could say about the other characters. A lot of them feel like they exist to be helpful (ex Heckly) or exist to be hated (ex Umber) but they don't really get any development or interiority of their own.
Setting: ⯪
Like the characters, the setting is just kind of... there. Sorcha Sam creates a brand new universe for this story, but then a lot of it falls into Generic City or Generic Forest. It should also be noted that this is not a fantasy story, despite the genre label. The closest we get to any actually magical elements is one odd illness and a couple poisons.
Plot: ⯪
It exists. Towards the beginning, it moves painfully slow. There are moments of action with the battleboxer fights, but most of it is political scheming. The plotline with Umber was uncomfortable to read, to the point where I would dread the parts it came up, but it was supposed to be, so I guess I can give Sorcha Sam credit for that.
Things go a little nuts towards the end, when The only thing more infuriating than this plan is how easy it was to execute.
And then... the romance. Rerdas and Imalroc move deliciously slowly through the earlier sections of the book, gradually developing from discomfort & uneasiness (Rerdas) and disdain & wariness (Imalroc) into actually trusting one another. Then, in tandem with the ridiculous plotline mentioned earlier, , a plan that comes out of seemingly nowhere. After this, a lot of the scenes seem contrived to push Rerdas and Imalroc together romantically, making what was earlier a satisfying slow burn feel incredibly rushed. Their romantic feelings feel like they were pulled from nowhere, and don't feel natural for the progression of their relationship so far.
Writing Style: ⯪
"I didn't mean what I said to him," Imalroc mumbled, looking at his hands. "About not caring if he hurt you. I... wasn't really planning to-"
I know," Rerdas cut him off swiftly. "I trust you."
Imalroc's mouth went as dry as a desert. Nobody had said anything like that to him in a long time. He'd been handed something precious, and half of him did not want it, and the other half was willing to kill to keep it. It was so much simpler to hate and handler and know they hated you.
(chapter 18)
Personal Enjoyment: ⯪
It exists. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. Honestly, the most I felt was apathy. Also, I feel like there weren't enough cliffhangers. I wasn't compelled to hit the next chapter nearly as often as I probably should have been for an action based story.
On to the sequel!
November 13, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 — and if I could, I’d throw in the moon and a few of my remaining brain cells because wow.
The Sword Unbroken by Sorcha Sam absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible. It’s bad — really bad — not because the book is bad (it’s perfect, actually), but because now I’m suffering. Addicted. Desperate. Ferally pacing my living room because the next book doesn’t even exist yet. How am I supposed to move on? Sorcha, bestie, please write faster.
Let me say it again: it’s bad. Really bad. Not because the book is bad — no, no, no — because it was too good. Because now I’m broken. Addicted. Emotionally compromised. I’m counting days, hours, possibly minutes, until the next one exists.
But let’s talk about what destroyed me (in the best possible way).
We have Rerdas and Imalroc, handler and battleboxer — two men so beautifully, tragically, human in a world built on blood, grit, and power. These aren’t your standard fantasy archetypes; these are layered, aching, vivid souls who feel real. They’ve got scars you can practically touch, a bond that feels like it was forged in fire and heartbreak, and chemistry so sharp it could cut glass.
At first, I stumbled a bit through the opening chapters — I’ll admit it. New world, new terms, new names; my brain needed a moment to calibrate. But about thirty pages in? Oh boy. That’s when it hit. Suddenly I wasn’t reading anymore — I was living it. I was in the ring. I was in their heads. I was clutching my chest whispering, please don’t do this to me, while simultaneously flipping the next page because I needed to know.
The worldbuilding is jaw-dropping. It’s got that perfect balance between the harshness of reality and the allure of myth — detailed enough to sink your teeth into, but never bogged down by info dumps. It feels lived in. Breathing. Dangerously alive.
The writing? Gorgeous. Sorcha Sam has this rare ability to balance grit with poetry — every line hits just right. You feel the pain, the longing, the heat, the fury. You smell the dust, the sweat, the blood. You fall into it completely.
And the story? Don’t even get me started. It’s intense. Gripping. Emotional carnage wrapped in beauty. The tension doesn’t just simmer; it boils over. The twists hit like punches, the quiet moments hurt more than the loud ones, and by the end, I was half in love and half destroyed.
The side characters? Surprisingly brilliant. Not filler, not props — they add texture and stakes and heartbreak. And the cover? Excuse me, how dare a book look this good? It’s so beautiful I might just start a tiny shrine to it.
So yeah, I’m obsessed. Unapologetically. Irreversibly. I laughed, I cried, I kicked my feet like a teenager in love, and now I’m ruined. The Sword Unbroken didn’t just meet my expectations — it obliterated them.
And the cover?? Don’t even get me started — it’s so pretty I want to frame it, stare at it, and pretend it’ll magically summon book two into existence.
Now I’ll be sitting here, feral and dramatic, until book two drops — because I need it. I crave it. I’m ready to let this trilogy wreck me two more times.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 — and if I could, I’d throw in the moon and a few of my remaining brain cells because wow.
The Sword Unbroken by Sorcha Sam absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible. It’s bad — really bad — not because the book is bad (it’s perfect, actually), but because now I’m suffering. Addicted. Desperate. Ferally pacing my living room because the next book doesn’t even exist yet. How am I supposed to move on? Sorcha, bestie, please write faster.
Let me say it again: it’s bad. Really bad. Not because the book is bad — no, no, no — because it was too good. Because now I’m broken. Addicted. Emotionally compromised. I’m counting days, hours, possibly minutes, until the next one exists.
But let’s talk about what destroyed me (in the best possible way).
We have Rerdas and Imalroc, handler and battleboxer — two men so beautifully, tragically, human in a world built on blood, grit, and power. These aren’t your standard fantasy archetypes; these are layered, aching, vivid souls who feel real. They’ve got scars you can practically touch, a bond that feels like it was forged in fire and heartbreak, and chemistry so sharp it could cut glass.
At first, I stumbled a bit through the opening chapters — I’ll admit it. New world, new terms, new names; my brain needed a moment to calibrate. But about thirty pages in? Oh boy. That’s when it hit. Suddenly I wasn’t reading anymore — I was living it. I was in the ring. I was in their heads. I was clutching my chest whispering, please don’t do this to me, while simultaneously flipping the next page because I needed to know.
The worldbuilding is jaw-dropping. It’s got that perfect balance between the harshness of reality and the allure of myth — detailed enough to sink your teeth into, but never bogged down by info dumps. It feels lived in. Breathing. Dangerously alive.
The writing? Gorgeous. Sorcha Sam has this rare ability to balance grit with poetry — every line hits just right. You feel the pain, the longing, the heat, the fury. You smell the dust, the sweat, the blood. You fall into it completely.
And the story? Don’t even get me started. It’s intense. Gripping. Emotional carnage wrapped in beauty. The tension doesn’t just simmer; it boils over. The twists hit like punches, the quiet moments hurt more than the loud ones, and by the end, I was half in love and half destroyed.
The side characters? Surprisingly brilliant. Not filler, not props — they add texture and stakes and heartbreak. And the cover? Excuse me, how dare a book look this good? It’s so beautiful I might just start a tiny shrine to it.
So yeah, I’m obsessed. Unapologetically. Irreversibly. I laughed, I cried, I kicked my feet like a teenager in love, and now I’m ruined. The Sword Unbroken didn’t just meet my expectations — it obliterated them.
And the cover?? Don’t even get me started — it’s so pretty I want to frame it, stare at it, and pretend it’ll magically summon book two into existence.
Now I’ll be sitting here, feral and dramatic, until book two drops — because I need it. I crave it. I’m ready to let this trilogy wreck me two more times.
November 16, 2025
*I received a free Advanced Reader Copy from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.*
Enemies to lovers? Check. Slow-burn? Check. Political intrigue, interesting world building, strong main characters? Check, check, and check!
The Sword Unbroken is the first in the Battleboxer series. It centers around the relationship between the two main characters: Rerdas Toriem, minor noble and Second Huntsman in the kingdom of Inofar, and Imalroc, a famous battleboxer champion now seen as disgraced after losing several matches in a row. They're brought together when, in a desperate attempt to get the money to save her mother, Rerdas's cousin Etiana buys Imalroc's contract and Rerdas is forced to become his handler/trainer.
In this world, battleboxing is a gladiator-esque "sport" where fighters are thrown into a ring and forced to fight - oftentimes to the death. The fighters themselves are seen more as animals than people, and they're enslaved by their owners. Half the worldbuilding comes from the existence of this sport; readers learn about the society, the nobility, and type of kingdom Inofar is through the battlebox matches, which I enjoyed much more than many other fantasy novels I've read where the world-building is done through heavy exposition and simple info-dumping. And I loved the way the author described the fighting. It's hit-or-miss in novels like this, but the author did an incredible job describing the fights and how Imalroc moves. Some of my favorite scenes in this book were the battlebox matches.
The other half of the worldbuilding comes from the situation we learn Rerdas is in. His only family left in the world is his cousin and his dying aunt, who they keep hidden away in her house because she has the "sleeping sickness," an illness that will have the Crown knocking down their doorstep if they find out about it. To complicate matters, Rerdas learns his aunt was keeping secrets that may have marked her as an enemy to the queen in Kirinoll, and the playboy Duke Umber, who happens to be a close advisor to the queen, has his sights set on making Rerdas his newest conquest.
It wasn't hard for me to fall in love with the two main characters. Rerdas is loyal, stubborn, and determined. Imalroc is fierce, cunning, and desperate. The building tension between the two is well-done, and I'm glad the author decided to make them dual narrators instead of sticking to just one of them. Things don't heat up until the last few chapters of the book, but that suited their situation and the pace of the book perfectly.
The ending has a couple of nice twists that you half-see coming but are still entirely surprised by thanks to the characters' reactions. I do wish we could have gotten a map of this fantasy world, though, as I like having that as a reference in stories that are politics-heavy.
Overall, this book hit all my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, "there's only one bed," fake relationship, forbidden romance. All wrapped up inside a new fantasy world! Once I got started on this book, I had trouble putting it back down. I'm glad I read it, though I sort of wish I had found it when the entire series was already complete. I am antsy for the next book already!!
Enemies to lovers? Check. Slow-burn? Check. Political intrigue, interesting world building, strong main characters? Check, check, and check!
The Sword Unbroken is the first in the Battleboxer series. It centers around the relationship between the two main characters: Rerdas Toriem, minor noble and Second Huntsman in the kingdom of Inofar, and Imalroc, a famous battleboxer champion now seen as disgraced after losing several matches in a row. They're brought together when, in a desperate attempt to get the money to save her mother, Rerdas's cousin Etiana buys Imalroc's contract and Rerdas is forced to become his handler/trainer.
In this world, battleboxing is a gladiator-esque "sport" where fighters are thrown into a ring and forced to fight - oftentimes to the death. The fighters themselves are seen more as animals than people, and they're enslaved by their owners. Half the worldbuilding comes from the existence of this sport; readers learn about the society, the nobility, and type of kingdom Inofar is through the battlebox matches, which I enjoyed much more than many other fantasy novels I've read where the world-building is done through heavy exposition and simple info-dumping. And I loved the way the author described the fighting. It's hit-or-miss in novels like this, but the author did an incredible job describing the fights and how Imalroc moves. Some of my favorite scenes in this book were the battlebox matches.
The other half of the worldbuilding comes from the situation we learn Rerdas is in. His only family left in the world is his cousin and his dying aunt, who they keep hidden away in her house because she has the "sleeping sickness," an illness that will have the Crown knocking down their doorstep if they find out about it. To complicate matters, Rerdas learns his aunt was keeping secrets that may have marked her as an enemy to the queen in Kirinoll, and the playboy Duke Umber, who happens to be a close advisor to the queen, has his sights set on making Rerdas his newest conquest.
It wasn't hard for me to fall in love with the two main characters. Rerdas is loyal, stubborn, and determined. Imalroc is fierce, cunning, and desperate. The building tension between the two is well-done, and I'm glad the author decided to make them dual narrators instead of sticking to just one of them. Things don't heat up until the last few chapters of the book, but that suited their situation and the pace of the book perfectly.
The ending has a couple of nice twists that you half-see coming but are still entirely surprised by thanks to the characters' reactions. I do wish we could have gotten a map of this fantasy world, though, as I like having that as a reference in stories that are politics-heavy.
Overall, this book hit all my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, "there's only one bed," fake relationship, forbidden romance. All wrapped up inside a new fantasy world! Once I got started on this book, I had trouble putting it back down. I'm glad I read it, though I sort of wish I had found it when the entire series was already complete. I am antsy for the next book already!!
February 19, 2026
Okay so I first read an early draft of this book many years ago and loved it so i decided to apply to get an ARC and so here's my review!
And for context this is what I texted to a friend:
"Im 41% through my re-read (essentially) of A Sword Unbroken and ahhhh (happy squealing)
⸜(｡ ˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡"
Anyway so that's embarrassing but a true representation of my innarticulate feelings.
Overall i find it quite fun to re-read a story i first read many years ago because a character will be introduced and some long forgotten warning will go off in my brain where all I can think is "oh no...I dont like this guy" but I cant remember why.😅 The way the characters you aren't supposed to like are portrayed is something that i think says a lot about a book. Like the fact that I can dislike the and yet still find him kind of intriguing is a great sign.
The characters and their motivations are the core of this book for me.
Also worth noting that the fight scenes are immaculate (which is saying something because I usually get bored during action scenes). I enjoyed them then in this book.
I guess ill end off with:
I love a slow burn that is actually slow and not insta-lust. Praise🙏
I like that there is slow hints of tension and attraction, but by the time those feelings are getting noticed and coming to fruition they are both a little supprised by it. None of their relationship beats or emotional reveals feel forced.
I also quite enjoy power imbalances in books like this especially when theyre are done in such a way where one character essentially has "soft power" and the other has raw strength. It create an interesting dynamic to negotiate/navigate and allows for interesting scenarios to unravel.
Anyway, i love this book, and I can't believe it took me so long to write this review.
Much love and success!
And for context this is what I texted to a friend:
"Im 41% through my re-read (essentially) of A Sword Unbroken and ahhhh (happy squealing)
⸜(｡ ˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡"
Anyway so that's embarrassing but a true representation of my innarticulate feelings.
Overall i find it quite fun to re-read a story i first read many years ago because a character will be introduced and some long forgotten warning will go off in my brain where all I can think is "oh no...I dont like this guy" but I cant remember why.😅 The way the characters you aren't supposed to like are portrayed is something that i think says a lot about a book. Like the fact that I can dislike the and yet still find him kind of intriguing is a great sign.
The characters and their motivations are the core of this book for me.
Also worth noting that the fight scenes are immaculate (which is saying something because I usually get bored during action scenes). I enjoyed them then in this book.
I guess ill end off with:
I love a slow burn that is actually slow and not insta-lust. Praise🙏
I like that there is slow hints of tension and attraction, but by the time those feelings are getting noticed and coming to fruition they are both a little supprised by it. None of their relationship beats or emotional reveals feel forced.
I also quite enjoy power imbalances in books like this especially when theyre are done in such a way where one character essentially has "soft power" and the other has raw strength. It create an interesting dynamic to negotiate/navigate and allows for interesting scenarios to unravel.
Anyway, i love this book, and I can't believe it took me so long to write this review.
Much love and success!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2025
I Am Completely, Unrecoverably Hooked
This book is EVERYTHING I was hoping it would be! Action, intrigue, world building, fantasy politics, and mystery — all of it woven through with queer romance in a way that feels natural, intense, and incredibly satisfying. It’s the exact blend of elements that makes me fall in love with a fantasy novel, and Sorcha Sam delivered it flawlessly.
I had to actively force myself to pace my reading because every chapter pulled me in harder. I wanted to devour the entire story in one sitting, but at the same time I didn’t want to miss a single beat — every bit of tension, every reveal, every emotional shift. Now that I’ve finished, I’m honestly gutted. I just want to be back in this world, moving through the story with these characters. I want the next installment immediately — not tomorrow, not next month — now. That’s how deeply this book wrapped itself around me.
And I cannot say enough about Rerdas and Imalroc. The tension between them is so good — sharp, slow-burning, and beautifully complicated. Watching their personalities unfold, watching the walls between them crack, watching them circle each other emotionally and politically… it was addictive. They feel like real people, shaped by the forces around them yet still fighting to hold onto their own identities. I found myself rereading entire scenes just to catch every nuance in their dynamic.
The world itself is so richly built that it never once took me out of the story. Every political move, every magical detail, every piece of history felt like it had weight and purpose. This is the kind of fantasy universe that feels ready to explode outward into multiple books, stories, and perspectives — and I’m sitting here already imagining what future books could explore. The sense of depth is incredible, and it makes me want to sink in even further.
What truly struck me was how seamlessly everything ties together: the tension, the romance, the political stakes, the emotional arcs. Nothing feels tacked on or rushed. It all works together to build a plot that feels both epic and intimate, full of high-stakes danger while still grounded in deeply personal moments. That balance is rare, and it’s one of the reasons this book hit me so hard.
By the last few chapters, I was fully gone. Heart racing, mind spinning, completely invested. I’m still thinking about certain scenes. I’m still thinking about certain lines. I’m still thinking about what comes next — because I NEED to know. This book didn’t just entertain me; it lodged itself under my skin.
This is the kind of fantasy I live for — emotional, political, magical, character-driven, and impossible to put down. I am already counting the days until the next installment, because this universe is one I’m absolutely not ready to leave behind.
I am hooked. Completely, hopelessly, beautifully hooked.
This book is EVERYTHING I was hoping it would be! Action, intrigue, world building, fantasy politics, and mystery — all of it woven through with queer romance in a way that feels natural, intense, and incredibly satisfying. It’s the exact blend of elements that makes me fall in love with a fantasy novel, and Sorcha Sam delivered it flawlessly.
I had to actively force myself to pace my reading because every chapter pulled me in harder. I wanted to devour the entire story in one sitting, but at the same time I didn’t want to miss a single beat — every bit of tension, every reveal, every emotional shift. Now that I’ve finished, I’m honestly gutted. I just want to be back in this world, moving through the story with these characters. I want the next installment immediately — not tomorrow, not next month — now. That’s how deeply this book wrapped itself around me.
And I cannot say enough about Rerdas and Imalroc. The tension between them is so good — sharp, slow-burning, and beautifully complicated. Watching their personalities unfold, watching the walls between them crack, watching them circle each other emotionally and politically… it was addictive. They feel like real people, shaped by the forces around them yet still fighting to hold onto their own identities. I found myself rereading entire scenes just to catch every nuance in their dynamic.
The world itself is so richly built that it never once took me out of the story. Every political move, every magical detail, every piece of history felt like it had weight and purpose. This is the kind of fantasy universe that feels ready to explode outward into multiple books, stories, and perspectives — and I’m sitting here already imagining what future books could explore. The sense of depth is incredible, and it makes me want to sink in even further.
What truly struck me was how seamlessly everything ties together: the tension, the romance, the political stakes, the emotional arcs. Nothing feels tacked on or rushed. It all works together to build a plot that feels both epic and intimate, full of high-stakes danger while still grounded in deeply personal moments. That balance is rare, and it’s one of the reasons this book hit me so hard.
By the last few chapters, I was fully gone. Heart racing, mind spinning, completely invested. I’m still thinking about certain scenes. I’m still thinking about certain lines. I’m still thinking about what comes next — because I NEED to know. This book didn’t just entertain me; it lodged itself under my skin.
This is the kind of fantasy I live for — emotional, political, magical, character-driven, and impossible to put down. I am already counting the days until the next installment, because this universe is one I’m absolutely not ready to leave behind.
I am hooked. Completely, hopelessly, beautifully hooked.
December 2, 2025
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 𝟓/𝟓 ★ ꒱ ˎˊ˗
i'm devastated😭 & i only have myself to blame lmao😭 i knew this was only the first book in this series (trilogy?) which is incomplete bc this book is the author's debut!! (& what a debut!!!) plsss i need moreee😭 there wasn't even a bad cliffy tbh which makes me/my reaction even more ridiculous lmao but the way i'm hooked!!??!! i'm obsessed with this book & the two MCs😭😭😭 Rerdas & Imalroc, my broken sad boi babiesss😭😭💔💓
the slow burn was impeccable😭😭 all the feelssss!!!!!💔💘💘❤️🔥❤️🔥 y'all have no clue what these two made go through asjjdjdbjxjdjd i'm unwellin the best way????
and when they finally were on the same page!!!! ✨ SPARKS 🎆 FIREWORKS 🔥 i completely melted🫠🫠🫠 sooo worth it!!!😭🤧 but- what's next????!!!!??? aaaaaaaa
the world building was so intriguing, perfectly crafted!! it was giving Captive Prince & Hunger Games vibes⛓️⚔️ but it was still something fresh & new, and i got soo lost in this world😭😭 i wanna go back, let meee in⛓️⛓️🏰
i have to emphasize that this was really a slow-burn! there was lots going on plotwise too with quite a bit of world building (which all make the story a total page-turner too!) so the MCs's relationship developed slowly from enemies (especially from Imalroc's side) to reluctant allies to (kinda) lovers at last, and there's still much left to unpack in the following books! their gradual, tentative connection unfolds so beautiful & i loved all their little moments that lead to their explosive union💥🔥💓😭😭🫠 the next book can't come soon enough aahhh !! haha c,:
//i might write a more coherent review later haha, who knows💫 i really appreciate the opportunity to read an ARC via BookSprout, all chaotic thoughts, opinions are mine ofc, lol💫//
➥ ᴍᴍ
➥ ᴛʜɪʀᴅ-ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ, ᴅᴜᴀʟ ᴘᴏᴠ
🗡 ʜɪɢʜ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ
🗡 ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴇ × ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴏʀ
🗡 ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇs ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs
🗡 ғᴏʀʙɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘ
🗡 sʟᴏᴏᴏᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀɴ
🗡 ɢʟᴀᴅɪᴀᴛᴏʀ-ʟɪᴋᴇ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇʙᴏxɪɴɢ
🗡 ɴᴏᴍʙʟᴇᴍᴀɴ/ʜᴜɴᴛsᴍᴀsᴛᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ
🗡 ғᴀᴍᴇᴅ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇʙᴏxᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴀᴅ, sᴛᴀʙʙʏ ᴠɪʙᴇs
🗡 ʜғɴ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ?? ᴋɪɴᴅᴀ?? ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴄʟɪғғʏ???
➽ ʙᴇ ᴍɪɴᴅғᴜʟ ᴏғ ᴛʀɪɢɢᴇʀs !!
i'm devastated😭 & i only have myself to blame lmao😭 i knew this was only the first book in this series (trilogy?) which is incomplete bc this book is the author's debut!! (& what a debut!!!) plsss i need moreee😭 there wasn't even a bad cliffy tbh which makes me/my reaction even more ridiculous lmao but the way i'm hooked!!??!! i'm obsessed with this book & the two MCs😭😭😭 Rerdas & Imalroc, my broken sad boi babiesss😭😭💔💓
the slow burn was impeccable😭😭 all the feelssss!!!!!💔💘💘❤️🔥❤️🔥 y'all have no clue what these two made go through asjjdjdbjxjdjd i'm unwell
and when they finally were on the same page!!!! ✨ SPARKS 🎆 FIREWORKS 🔥 i completely melted🫠🫠🫠 sooo worth it!!!😭🤧 but- what's next????!!!!??? aaaaaaaa
the world building was so intriguing, perfectly crafted!! it was giving Captive Prince & Hunger Games vibes⛓️⚔️ but it was still something fresh & new, and i got soo lost in this world😭😭 i wanna go back, let meee in⛓️⛓️🏰
i have to emphasize that this was really a slow-burn! there was lots going on plotwise too with quite a bit of world building (which all make the story a total page-turner too!) so the MCs's relationship developed slowly from enemies (especially from Imalroc's side) to reluctant allies to (kinda) lovers at last, and there's still much left to unpack in the following books! their gradual, tentative connection unfolds so beautiful & i loved all their little moments that lead to their explosive union💥🔥💓😭😭🫠 the next book can't come soon enough aahhh !! haha c,:
⚔⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒐𝒎. ⚔⊹ ࣪ ˖
𝑰𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒐𝒄 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒍𝒚. “𝑯𝒆 𝒊𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚. 𝑯𝒆’𝒔—” 𝑰𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒐𝒄 𝒄𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒑𝒕𝒍𝒚. “𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒓.” 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈? 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑹𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚. 𝑯𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒐𝒄 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓.
//i might write a more coherent review later haha, who knows💫 i really appreciate the opportunity to read an ARC via BookSprout, all chaotic thoughts, opinions are mine ofc, lol💫//
➥ ᴍᴍ
➥ ᴛʜɪʀᴅ-ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ, ᴅᴜᴀʟ ᴘᴏᴠ
🗡 ʜɪɢʜ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ
🗡 ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴇ × ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴏʀ
🗡 ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇs ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs
🗡 ғᴏʀʙɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘ
🗡 sʟᴏᴏᴏᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀɴ
🗡 ɢʟᴀᴅɪᴀᴛᴏʀ-ʟɪᴋᴇ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇʙᴏxɪɴɢ
🗡 ɴᴏᴍʙʟᴇᴍᴀɴ/ʜᴜɴᴛsᴍᴀsᴛᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ
🗡 ғᴀᴍᴇᴅ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇʙᴏxᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴀᴅ, sᴛᴀʙʙʏ ᴠɪʙᴇs
🗡 ʜғɴ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ?? ᴋɪɴᴅᴀ?? ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴄʟɪғғʏ???
➽ ʙᴇ ᴍɪɴᴅғᴜʟ ᴏғ ᴛʀɪɢɢᴇʀs !!
November 16, 2025
This one was a doozy. 4.5 stars, seriously, it’s really good. Unfortunately, I was rooting for the wrong couple, and got attached to the wrong character, and got mad for the wrong reasons at the wrong people, and… it is an incredible story. I just want to grab Rerdas, and give him the world, because he tries so hard to keep his family safe and happy, sacrifices so much, even himself (and others), and I just wanted him to be happy with Umber. Why? I don’t know! He came across as such a knowledgeable and powerful Duke, and I just wanted Rerdas to have it made for him! I know, the blurb says it’s supposed to be a different couple, but somehow, in the few instances where we see Umber, I liked him quite a bit, and wanted him happy with Rerdas because I like them both. Yes, intrigues, misunderstandings, lies, political messes, and some more are a huge part of the book, but regardless of all the action and suspense and things left in the middle, the author does an amazing job at writing very real, relatable characters. Etiana seemed kind of silly at first, but then I realized how truly smart she is, and how hard she’s trying to help her mother. Imalroc is cunning and patient, and fights so hard to be free again… Marda is amazing, and I love the bluntness! And Heckly… I loved this story for how it affected and changed the characters in it, how circumstances and mistakes forced people to act a certain way, to leave their comfort zone and do things they never imagined they would do before, all to achieve their worthy goals. And even though the end does not justify the means, it’s so hard to not root for them because they’re well written, very relatable, and I keep hoping that Umber will not be as fickle as he seems and get his HEA. The author did a fantastic job at showing Umber as a likable character at first, and I have a hard time disliking him. It’s a very good book, and I can’t wait for the next!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 12, 2025
I received an advance copy of this book as a ARC reader and am volunteerly leaving a review. I'm not usually a fan of the slow burn, but the burn in this book made the wait worthwhile. When Rerdas, a young Huntsman struggling to protect his last remaining family from the cruel Queen, gets the unexpected chance to change his fortune by becoming the handler to the famed Battleboxer Imalroc, he has to decide if owning another person is worth the chance. And Imalroc, who has been forced to fight in gladiator style matches since he was a boy, see his inexperienced handler as a chance to finally escape the violent life he has been forced into. Can Rerdas convince the bitter Battleboxer to fight in order to save his deathly ill aunt? Will Imalroc be able to use his naive new owner to free himself from chains? Watching their stories unfold is pure cinema, as they slowly realize that their enemies are not each other but the deadly regime that has trapped them both. Rerdas 's only other option is becoming the concubine of a powerful lord in hopes of protecting his family, but finds himself trusting the dangerous fighter instead. Imalroc should be finding a way to kill his owner, but instead comes to realize that Rerdas might be the only person who has treated him like a man and not a piece of property. As deadly enemies circle, and the Queen is closing in, Rerdas and Imalroc must decide if they can trust each other enough to take a perilous journey to a foreign land in search of the secrets his comatose aunt once uncovered. And as they are pushed together they realize that instead of touching each other out of necessity, they might rather explore the budding attraction that neither of them can ignore. My Kindle almost melted when they finally give into their pleasure and find love can be found in the most unexpected places. 10/10 stars and eagerly awaiting the next book release. If you like enemies to lovers, slow burn, MM, and found family this book is for you.
November 17, 2025
I went into this book not quite knowing what to expect, and I ended up having a genuinely engaging reading experience. What stood out to me most was how confidently the author builds the world: instead of dumping information all at once, the story reveals its political tensions, family dynamics, and hidden loyalties piece by piece. It creates a sense of depth that makes the world feel lived-in.
The romance follows a very slow progression, almost more of a background hum than an active storyline for most of the book. But it works: the emotional pacing feels deliberate, and it gives the impression that the author has a long-term vision for how these relationships will evolve throughout the trilogy. Nothing feels rushed or artificially pushed forward.
One thing I found particularly intriguing was the introduction of several side characters who appear only briefly, but with just enough detail to make you wonder whether they’ll return in future installments—and if so, what role they might play. Those little hints made the world feel bigger than what we see on the page, and I’m curious to see which of those threads the author chooses to pull on later.
By the end, I realised how many secrets remain unsolved. Several mysteries are only lightly suggested, creating the feeling that there’s far more happening beneath the surface than the characters—or the reader—can fully grasp yet. I appreciated that the plot wasn’t predictable; unlike some fantasy stories where you can see the twists coming, this one kept its cards close, leaving me genuinely unsure of what might happen next.
The final chapters raise the stakes and leave just enough unresolved to make the next book feel essential. I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes from here.
Thank you to BookSirens for providing me with an ARC, and many thanks to the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The romance follows a very slow progression, almost more of a background hum than an active storyline for most of the book. But it works: the emotional pacing feels deliberate, and it gives the impression that the author has a long-term vision for how these relationships will evolve throughout the trilogy. Nothing feels rushed or artificially pushed forward.
One thing I found particularly intriguing was the introduction of several side characters who appear only briefly, but with just enough detail to make you wonder whether they’ll return in future installments—and if so, what role they might play. Those little hints made the world feel bigger than what we see on the page, and I’m curious to see which of those threads the author chooses to pull on later.
By the end, I realised how many secrets remain unsolved. Several mysteries are only lightly suggested, creating the feeling that there’s far more happening beneath the surface than the characters—or the reader—can fully grasp yet. I appreciated that the plot wasn’t predictable; unlike some fantasy stories where you can see the twists coming, this one kept its cards close, leaving me genuinely unsure of what might happen next.
The final chapters raise the stakes and leave just enough unresolved to make the next book feel essential. I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes from here.
Thank you to BookSirens for providing me with an ARC, and many thanks to the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Read
December 24, 2025This was engaging from the first few pages! This was what I was reading during meals, before bed, if I woke up in the middle of the night... didn't matter, I just wanted to read at least another page.
This was, for me, one of those books where I got to the last page and might possibly have yelled at the author (using my inside-my-own-head voice, thank you very much) because I didn't want the story to end and now I have to WAIT for the next book! I don't WANT to wait. I want to know what's going to happen next with Rerdas, Imalroc, and all the other characters.
This is a bit of a slow burn, but not a boring burn. I like slow burns, I like books that take some time to build-up to action, rather than just jumping in on page 1. I really enjoyed that the main characters were intelligent and had valid reasons for their thoughts and decisions, based on their own experiences. While there are times that I wanted to slap a character for being over-the-top stupid, I can't say that doesn't happen in real life as well. While I do think some things went a little fast for my personal taste, that could just as easily be because I wanted to lengthen the story. I also recognize that books as long as, say, "War & Peace" don't do so well in this day and age, so you can't have a 2000-page book just to keep me amused and happy. I have plenty of other books, but I do keep, occasionally, glaring at this one for being done.
Odds are extremely good that, like with my other favorite series in this sort of genre, I will reread all the first books every time a new book in the series comes out.
I do hope that we see more character development of the sister character (whose name I cannot remember how to spell for sure, I'm sorry), and the friend who is helping the family members. They were a little shallow as characters, in my opinion, but honestly, if that's the worst I can come up with for a book? Then the book is darn good.
This was, for me, one of those books where I got to the last page and might possibly have yelled at the author (using my inside-my-own-head voice, thank you very much) because I didn't want the story to end and now I have to WAIT for the next book! I don't WANT to wait. I want to know what's going to happen next with Rerdas, Imalroc, and all the other characters.
This is a bit of a slow burn, but not a boring burn. I like slow burns, I like books that take some time to build-up to action, rather than just jumping in on page 1. I really enjoyed that the main characters were intelligent and had valid reasons for their thoughts and decisions, based on their own experiences. While there are times that I wanted to slap a character for being over-the-top stupid, I can't say that doesn't happen in real life as well. While I do think some things went a little fast for my personal taste, that could just as easily be because I wanted to lengthen the story. I also recognize that books as long as, say, "War & Peace" don't do so well in this day and age, so you can't have a 2000-page book just to keep me amused and happy. I have plenty of other books, but I do keep, occasionally, glaring at this one for being done.
Odds are extremely good that, like with my other favorite series in this sort of genre, I will reread all the first books every time a new book in the series comes out.
I do hope that we see more character development of the sister character (whose name I cannot remember how to spell for sure, I'm sorry), and the friend who is helping the family members. They were a little shallow as characters, in my opinion, but honestly, if that's the worst I can come up with for a book? Then the book is darn good.
May 14, 2026
This book surprised me with how it layered the emotional stakes throughout the fantasy setup. Especially mixed with the fallen/on the way out nobility themes and the way the story explored power, status, and vulnerability. At first when our main character suggests his girl cousin make a sacrifice for the family good but then it gets turned around on him it was a delicious irony, and I admired him more for following through on his own proposition.
What really stood out to me as our leads got to know each other better was seeing the classic “I can fix him” mentality turned toward another man in a way that felt familiar. A beauty and the beast dynamic but without the simpering girl who charms with her innocence, but rather a determined man who endears with his honest goodness. There was something refreshing about watching the male gaze look at a hardened, dangerous man and immediately start imagining the softness underneath.
Learning about our Battleboxer and his past rings very similar to a lot of the military historical fiction/fantasy characters I've enjoyed in the past. This is someone who endured his suffering and stays angry about it rather than being broken.
I haven't read a lot of fantasy books where the queer element was not the primary plot driver (GUYS THEY ARE GAY LOOK AT THIS ISN'T IT COOL!!!) but just simply there, in the same way that the traditional hetero romance just belongs as part of the regular storyline.
I initially worried the forced romance setup would feel too tropey, almost like a dressed-up version of “there was only one bed,” but the bedroom scenes were genuinely steamy. Easily a 5-star read for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What really stood out to me as our leads got to know each other better was seeing the classic “I can fix him” mentality turned toward another man in a way that felt familiar. A beauty and the beast dynamic but without the simpering girl who charms with her innocence, but rather a determined man who endears with his honest goodness. There was something refreshing about watching the male gaze look at a hardened, dangerous man and immediately start imagining the softness underneath.
Learning about our Battleboxer and his past rings very similar to a lot of the military historical fiction/fantasy characters I've enjoyed in the past. This is someone who endured his suffering and stays angry about it rather than being broken.
I haven't read a lot of fantasy books where the queer element was not the primary plot driver (GUYS THEY ARE GAY LOOK AT THIS ISN'T IT COOL!!!) but just simply there, in the same way that the traditional hetero romance just belongs as part of the regular storyline.
I initially worried the forced romance setup would feel too tropey, almost like a dressed-up version of “there was only one bed,” but the bedroom scenes were genuinely steamy. Easily a 5-star read for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 12, 2025
**I received an electronic ARC through Gay Romance Reviews.**
Sorcha Sam presents a slow-burn fantasy with The Sword Unbroken. Battleboxer Imalroc has had enough of broken promises. He wants his contract to end by any means necessary. And he is almost out when his contract is sold to lesser noble Second Huntsman Rerdas Toriem. Rerdas has many secrets. His house is destitute. He and his cousin are caring for their dying aunt who is suffering from a sickness that would have her taken away if it were found out. But Rerdas' aunt was investigating something before she fell ill. Something that might prove their queen corrupt. With traps around every corner at court, Rerdas can only think to trust Imalroc with their plight in exchange for his freedom should they succeed.
This gladiatorial style of enslavement combined with Anglo-inspired court politicking creates an interesting balance of power and control in the structure of this world. I can understand the marketing toward fans of Captive Prince, though I somewhat disagree based purely on tone of the novel. This book is a bit less controversial in establishing and building a friendship and attraction between our main characters. That being said, there are still heavy themes and instances of dark content throughout.
I enjoyed the build between Imalroc and Rerdas, though I am not a slow-burn fan. The pacing felt appropriate given the situations at hand. The romance is definitely not the front and center issue so much as a B plot in this story. The mysteries of political corruption take the lead for this story.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with this story and will eagerly look out for the next installment in this series.
Sorcha Sam presents a slow-burn fantasy with The Sword Unbroken. Battleboxer Imalroc has had enough of broken promises. He wants his contract to end by any means necessary. And he is almost out when his contract is sold to lesser noble Second Huntsman Rerdas Toriem. Rerdas has many secrets. His house is destitute. He and his cousin are caring for their dying aunt who is suffering from a sickness that would have her taken away if it were found out. But Rerdas' aunt was investigating something before she fell ill. Something that might prove their queen corrupt. With traps around every corner at court, Rerdas can only think to trust Imalroc with their plight in exchange for his freedom should they succeed.
This gladiatorial style of enslavement combined with Anglo-inspired court politicking creates an interesting balance of power and control in the structure of this world. I can understand the marketing toward fans of Captive Prince, though I somewhat disagree based purely on tone of the novel. This book is a bit less controversial in establishing and building a friendship and attraction between our main characters. That being said, there are still heavy themes and instances of dark content throughout.
I enjoyed the build between Imalroc and Rerdas, though I am not a slow-burn fan. The pacing felt appropriate given the situations at hand. The romance is definitely not the front and center issue so much as a B plot in this story. The mysteries of political corruption take the lead for this story.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with this story and will eagerly look out for the next installment in this series.
November 24, 2025
-I received a free Advanced Reader Copy from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.-
The worldbuilding and character development is phenomenal for a series debut. While it is a romance, this is a slow burn hostile-strangers-to-lovers story that took a few chapters to truly sink its hooks into me. The first few steps of this regency adjacent world feature the slavery of roman-style gladiators, sexual contact under duress, and various degrees of intimidation. The first character’s introduction lays a grim foundation for the intrigue that leeches into every aspect of all of the main characters’ lives. Each one of them tiptoe through a political minefield in order to have their basic welfare, financial needs, and social needs met. The battleboxer Imalroc pulls himself back from stabbing his newly minted owners’ in the back and running for his freedom more than a handful of times. On the other hand, Rerdas jumps into training his first and only battleboxer while keeping a profoundly selfish duke just sexually interested enough to keep his family financially afloat using his influence. The leaps from socialite parties to gory gladiatorial arena battles are abrupt, but the underlying political tethers push and pull at the characters in a way that keeps you hooked until the last page. So much happens in the last fifteen percent of the book that it made the chapters preceding it feel a tad slow - not a slog by any means - but slow.
The slow burn element between two main characters takes until nearly the end to ignite, and the only spicy content beforehand only had one enthusiastically consenting character, and not the person you wanted it to be. Maybe all that manipulation and derision will pay off further in the sequel which I look forward to reading.
The worldbuilding and character development is phenomenal for a series debut. While it is a romance, this is a slow burn hostile-strangers-to-lovers story that took a few chapters to truly sink its hooks into me. The first few steps of this regency adjacent world feature the slavery of roman-style gladiators, sexual contact under duress, and various degrees of intimidation. The first character’s introduction lays a grim foundation for the intrigue that leeches into every aspect of all of the main characters’ lives. Each one of them tiptoe through a political minefield in order to have their basic welfare, financial needs, and social needs met. The battleboxer Imalroc pulls himself back from stabbing his newly minted owners’ in the back and running for his freedom more than a handful of times. On the other hand, Rerdas jumps into training his first and only battleboxer while keeping a profoundly selfish duke just sexually interested enough to keep his family financially afloat using his influence. The leaps from socialite parties to gory gladiatorial arena battles are abrupt, but the underlying political tethers push and pull at the characters in a way that keeps you hooked until the last page. So much happens in the last fifteen percent of the book that it made the chapters preceding it feel a tad slow - not a slog by any means - but slow.
The slow burn element between two main characters takes until nearly the end to ignite, and the only spicy content beforehand only had one enthusiastically consenting character, and not the person you wanted it to be. Maybe all that manipulation and derision will pay off further in the sequel which I look forward to reading.
January 19, 2026
The book had an interesting opening, but I wish we had gotten more establishment of the physical world in the first couple of chapters. I loved seeing the motivations of both of our protagonists so early. There was a very slow building of the plot in the first third of the story, and the actual beginning of the partnership between our main characters didn’t happen until almost a third of the way through the book. While I like the writing, I wish some of the events from the synopsis were integrated better into the first third of the book, based on the pacing of the last half of the story. I also feel like, with how slow the plot is advancing at this stage, I am missing a lot of information on the physical world that would have been interesting to get here and made the slowness of the initial third of the book more purposeful (al la Tolkien) instead of being slow pacing. I would have loved to have condensed the build with Umber to give more time for world-building.
I liked Imalroc's POV a bit more, so it was a bit disappointing that we got so much less of it than Rerdas. However, I really loved the slow build of the relationship between the two. It felt more like a genuine build to a proper relationship rather than something based on lust and plot convenience, and I genuinely cannot wait to see how their relationship progresses in the future books. The plot was interesting, though there were tropes that you could see coming if you read a lot of fantasy, and the pacing felt extremely quick in the last third. I wish it were more balanced with the first third.
I liked Imalroc's POV a bit more, so it was a bit disappointing that we got so much less of it than Rerdas. However, I really loved the slow build of the relationship between the two. It felt more like a genuine build to a proper relationship rather than something based on lust and plot convenience, and I genuinely cannot wait to see how their relationship progresses in the future books. The plot was interesting, though there were tropes that you could see coming if you read a lot of fantasy, and the pacing felt extremely quick in the last third. I wish it were more balanced with the first third.
June 11, 2026
I was lucky enough to be chosen as an ARC reader for The Sword Unbroken, Sorcha Sam’s debut novel, and all I knew going in was that one of the main characters was a “battle boxer,” the other was his handler, and they were going to fall in love. What I now know coming out of it, is what a battle boxer is (think fantasy pit fighter), a whole lot about a new fantasy world, and that I am obsessed and need more right now.
This book, while set in a fantasy world complete with a mysterious plague and a cultural sport of pit fighting, it feels so real with its feudal caste system, political intrigue, inter-country conflict, centuries of history, and human struggles. It starts out slow and has a very steady pace, which takes a little getting into, but this only heightens how real the story feels as you see everything the main characters are going through, from Rerdas’ struggle to secure financial stability for his family and find a cure for his aunt, to Imalroc’s daily existence as a battle boxer and lowest class citizen.
This romance is so slow burn, and I felt like I got to see each building block of what brought them together through the story. It was gritty and dark, and I loved the ever-present sense of eerie mystery that pervaded the story. A lot of parts were hard to read, but they only added to the high stakes feeling I had through most of the book.
With the widening world, growing love, and intensifying complications, I am so invested in seeing what happens in the next book!
This book, while set in a fantasy world complete with a mysterious plague and a cultural sport of pit fighting, it feels so real with its feudal caste system, political intrigue, inter-country conflict, centuries of history, and human struggles. It starts out slow and has a very steady pace, which takes a little getting into, but this only heightens how real the story feels as you see everything the main characters are going through, from Rerdas’ struggle to secure financial stability for his family and find a cure for his aunt, to Imalroc’s daily existence as a battle boxer and lowest class citizen.
This romance is so slow burn, and I felt like I got to see each building block of what brought them together through the story. It was gritty and dark, and I loved the ever-present sense of eerie mystery that pervaded the story. A lot of parts were hard to read, but they only added to the high stakes feeling I had through most of the book.
With the widening world, growing love, and intensifying complications, I am so invested in seeing what happens in the next book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews