A Union in Thunder

by Hannah Eaton

In war-torn Proventium, noble daughters earn suitors with a dowry far greater than magic. Lacking offensive powers, Lavinia Bruis is determined to prove her healing magic is not a liability through an auspicious match. Though the match she longs for, her childhood love, Oran, is out of reach, she always expected to survive in a loveless marriage. What she never expected was to catch the interest of the king—a husband three wives have not survived.

Plagued by rebellion and the Wasting, a rot draining the land, King Alaric is desperate to find the kingdom's salvation. When he deems Lavinia the bride prophesied to end the turmoil, she is fated with an impossible task, one that, should she fail, will earn her a place on the executioner's block. Faced with the brutality of King Alaric's rule, Lavinia must confront her true her kingdom, her family, or her heart.

Fire wielder Oran Lennox's loyalty and heart had long been torn between his homeland, subjugated Tythmore, and his love, Lavinia. Refusing to endanger Lavinia with the rebel cause his father died for, Oran felt doomed to love her from afar until the fates of Lavinia and Tythmore become intertwined. Committing to the rebellion may be the only way to save both Lavinia and Tythmore from King Alaric's cruelty.

As the binds of the prophecy demand they decide between using their magic to fight for their warring homelands or the home they've found in each other, Oran and Lavinia must discover if their love is strong enough to fight fate.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance

371 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2026

Reviews

[fromthestudyof · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GODDDD

finished this approx 20 seconds ago & trying to form a single complete thought is proving difficult

To know:
- Fantasy kingdom where power grants you influence at court
- She’s the daughter of a royal house. Has healing abilities
- Her father insists she’s married off this season
- The one man she wants, she can’t have (her brother’s best friend!!! TEAAAA!!!!!)
- Brother’s BFF: Tall. Hot. Fire magic. Down - all caps - BAD for her


rapid fire reactions:
- Oran. Hot. Literally.
- Him casually turning a guy to ash with little to no effort!!!!!
- when I see her brother it’s ON SIGHT
- no like can someone kill [redacted] immediately????
- I love her aunt & Ruby <3
- I was so stressed out during that scene at the end I was holding my breath thinking someone was gonna interrupt
- desperate for Oran to just straight murder everyone if I’m honest - SORRY IT’S TRUE
- I don’t hate Rhodes & I won’t apologize for that opinion!!!!

Had an absolute BLAST reading this & am left with my jaw hanging open and the need for book two in my hands immediately

Five stars. Fantasy romance readers will love this. Historical romance readers will love this. I LOVED THIS.

update: I will kill [redacted] with my bare hands - THAT WEASEL

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHUT UP! This is by far one of my favorite romantasy reads of all time. THE YEARNING. That is how it’s done. I need book 2 immediately!!!!

[Molly G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone get me a beta blocker because my adrenaline is through the roof after the last 75 pages of this book. Romantasy meets regency and I’m hooked.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I neeeeeed book two!

[Madelyn P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, no notes.

The yearning 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼

Need book 2 ASAP.

[Katelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE STARS OH MY GOODNESS

my heart hurts for Vin and Oran. And FUUUUUUUUCK her family, I can’t stand a man who wants to control a woman, especially a family member.

I cannnnnot wait for the next book, this story is truly so good and the yearning between the two is unmatched.

[Carol Dash · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's difficult to believe that this is the first novel from the creative mind of this talented young author. It's a clever new twist on medieval magic. Great story, great characters. Can't wait to read the sequel!

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a phenomenal book!! I loved it from chapter one. It was enthralling and the characters were so lovable! I cannot wait for book 2!

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance and fantasy have long been written off as frivolous, too fluffy to merit any level of acclaim because somehow feminine spaces and the promise of happily ever after are both synonymous with a lack of depth. But, the magic in romantasy lies not in the worlds, mythology, and yes…literal magic. It’s in the power of hope and its ability to be dangerous, revolutionary, even, to the women at the center of stories like this one.

Come for the yearning, stay for the subversion of gender roles and women stepping into their power.

[Karla Eaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not usually read this genre; I usually reserve a 5 star for the greats like Morrison and Fitzgerald and Boyle. Here is the epiphany: I realize that a really great book doesn't need to be awarded and lauded by the throngs. It needs to grip you with the story and the characters as well as speak about a powerful truth. This novel does both.

Beyond the compelling story of Lavinia and Oran, the tale speaks of the truth of women through centuries- that they had to and have to reconcile the conflict of being simultaneously told we are irrelevant and essential at the same time, dismissed, yet controlled because of our importance. Lavina's love story is compelling, but her realization of the stress all women in her world suffer because of their lack of autonomy truly elevates this novel. Don't let the romance and heat of this story beguile you into dismissing the power of the underlying themes.

I love the complexity of the tale and the stark truth of its message. I cannot wait to see how this resolves itself in the sequel. The author better hurry up!

[Alayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I’ve been drowning in you for years. I love you. I have loved you for so long, in truth, I don’t know who I’d be without it.”

“I thought there was no greater torture than seeing you and knowing I could not have you. Then it was the profound torture of seeing you with someone else…now I know the real torture is you being in a moment of pain, feeling even a hint of fear. I cannot bear it. I would suffer anything if it meant you were happy.”

I went in with low expectations, but wow this was not what I thought it would be! The regency/fantasy vibes were great. The yearning was perfect. Lavinia- I wish you had a better family, one that loved you and valued you for you. Oran- the best, no notes. Anyone with the last name Bruis that is not Vin, deserves to be punched. Alaric makes my stomach hurt every time he is mentioned. Rhode surprised me. Opal, Ruby and the aunt were great.

[Kayla Montalto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. It’s such a breath of fresh air for the romantasy genre. I enjoyed the pacing more than I thought I would. The intricacies of the court politics, and the world building wasn’t boring and droning on. I valued how complex each and every character was. Normally, I find myself groaning and moaning at FMC but every decision Lavinia made seemed plausible and I can only imagine how immersed the author was in her own world. Oran was such a sweet character, I found his quiet, calming but powerful nature to be a stark contrast to what I’ve read in the past. It made their relationship feel real and you couldn’t help but root for them.

[Emily Brumback · Rating 4 out of 5]

I genuinely just don't have much to say. It's a lot of just unspoken affections between the two main characters. There is just not a lot of stakes built up, it all seems very chill until things happen. Writing can feel a little juvenile or sloppy at times. I just honestly expected more to actually happen, but instead it ends up on a cliff hanger. Just not much to write home about, I guess. I can say I'm intrigued for the second book and looking forward to it, it just felt like very little happened in this one which I struggle with. Maybe it just will be a good solid set up for more to happen in the second.

[Stormy Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you looking for a well written, steadily paced, unique magic system that is set in a world with kings, lords, and courting? This is the book. I loved the pace, i didn’t feel thrown into a world of magic i didn’t understand. There is an empathetic kind FMC and a brooding fire wielding MMC. This book does have non descriptive/fade to black SA. The only reason I didn’t do five stars is due to some minor redundancy.

[Shanelle Cripps · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book surprised me and I am really looking forward to the sequel. The yearning was top notch. The main characters actually talked throughout the book instead of having a miscommunication tropes every other page. The main characters and a lot of the more involved side characters were well developed. Some of the less important side characters were kinda forgettable with too many names/titles. The conversation flow could be improved in a few spots, it wasn't always clear who was speaking.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh I’m going to look like a really bad person as the fifth ever reviewer it was just too slow for me don’t hate me!!

[Anne-Sophie]

chiant

[Kelsey Pfaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The yearning in this whole books is real 🥵
I really enjoyed the fantasy world & can’t wait for the next book 👀👀

[Whitney Torres · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bring back men who yearn!

See my first highlight note for my biggest gripe about this book. Other than that, I’m hoping additional details in book two will clarify some plot gaps, so I’ll withhold judgement for now since it could possibly be intentional.
.
.
.
.
.
SPOILERS INCOMING, YOU’VE BEEN WARNED
.
.
.
.
.
.
Notes for myself as a refresher before book 2:
Oran and Lavinia are mutually in love but not together. Oran is the son of a Tythmore traitor but has been raised by his uncle as a Lennox… he’s secretly working with the Tythmore rebellion and doesn’t want Lavinia to get wrapped up in that, so over the years he has rejected her advances.

Lavinia is expected to wed the king due to a prophecy about a healer helping him cure the wasting and, surprise, Lavinia is a healer.

Near the end of the book, they finally admit they love each other. Wed in secret. Lavinia’s brother, Leith (real POS), finds out but keeps the secret so as not to get the wrath of their father, Lord Bruis, as Leith was supposed to help the senior Bruis secure a proper betrothal (to the king).

Book ends with Lavinia returning to King Alaric (but she’s been married to Oran through a blood tie) and the king announces to his people that Lavinia is to be the next Queen. The end. We know it’s setting things up for Lavinia to help Oran and the Tythmore rebels overthrow the king… and cure the wasting? Currently, we don’t know what the wasting is and what is causing it.