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The Fall of a Prince
Not yet published
Expected 15 Feb 26Katherine has regained her memories and the power locked within them. The First Trial is over, and the truth of who she was and what she has become can no longer be hidden. Now, with her memories restored and her place among the Five Champions of Fate made clear, she must face what comes next.
The Second Serenade begins. Each champion has one chance to win her favour before Fate makes his decision. One will fall, and the balance of power within the Trials will never be the same again.
But not every battle is fought within the Trials. As relationships strain and long-buried truths rise to the surface, Katherine must find her footing between her mortal heart and immortal power while shadows beyond the castle grow darker. Old enemies are moving unseen, their plans unfolding as the Trials consume her focus. When their reach strikes too close, Katherine faces an impossible decision. To save one she loves or surrender a part of herself she may never reclaim.
Every choice brings her closer to a destiny she cannot escape.
When the hurt of betrayal, weight of secrets, temptation of new beginnings, simplicity of humanity, and familiarity of home collide, The Second Serenade sees Fate decide who is unworthy to continue to compete for Katherine's heart, and ultimately, power.
The Fall of a Prince is the second book in The Ashes of Eyrondale, a slow burn romantasy series filled with memory, magic, and heartbreak. Perfect for readers who crave slow reveals, escalating stakes, and character-driven plot, this instalment deepens the story of love, power, and destiny where every victory carries a cost.
Prepare for The Second Serenade.
The Second Serenade begins. Each champion has one chance to win her favour before Fate makes his decision. One will fall, and the balance of power within the Trials will never be the same again.
But not every battle is fought within the Trials. As relationships strain and long-buried truths rise to the surface, Katherine must find her footing between her mortal heart and immortal power while shadows beyond the castle grow darker. Old enemies are moving unseen, their plans unfolding as the Trials consume her focus. When their reach strikes too close, Katherine faces an impossible decision. To save one she loves or surrender a part of herself she may never reclaim.
Every choice brings her closer to a destiny she cannot escape.
When the hurt of betrayal, weight of secrets, temptation of new beginnings, simplicity of humanity, and familiarity of home collide, The Second Serenade sees Fate decide who is unworthy to continue to compete for Katherine's heart, and ultimately, power.
The Fall of a Prince is the second book in The Ashes of Eyrondale, a slow burn romantasy series filled with memory, magic, and heartbreak. Perfect for readers who crave slow reveals, escalating stakes, and character-driven plot, this instalment deepens the story of love, power, and destiny where every victory carries a cost.
Prepare for The Second Serenade.
594 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 15, 2026
4 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Samantha de la Porté
2 books20 followersSamantha de la Porté is the indie author behind The Ashes of Eyrondale, a romantasy pentalogy that blends fantasy, paranormal romance, and magic realism in a world shaped by the ancient forces of Cosmic, Magic, and Destiny Power. She writes lyrical, intricately layered stories that explore power, identity, and emotional connection. When not writing or building digital marketing strategies, Samantha enjoys painting, travelling, discovering new cuisines, and attending live music events. The Awakening of a Princess is the first book in Samantha's debut slow-burn series, with The Fall of a Prince as the second.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Samantha for letting me be on the ARC team for book 2! I loved the first one, and this did not disappoint. Honestly though the cliffhanger!! What are you doing to us!
I keep changing my mind on the characters, and who they might, or might not, be. The champions and their handlers. I just can't decide. There are so many twists in the story you have no idea where you're going to end up but that's a good thing! It kept me on my toes and kept me reading when I probably should have been sleeping.
The details for the ball in this book were gorgeous! I wanna be there! The second task was....interesting. It sheds a light into the champions' back-stories a little and start to understand who they are with Katherine. No spoilers though! You'll have to read it to find out.
I cannot wait to see what happens in book 3!!!
I keep changing my mind on the characters, and who they might, or might not, be. The champions and their handlers. I just can't decide. There are so many twists in the story you have no idea where you're going to end up but that's a good thing! It kept me on my toes and kept me reading when I probably should have been sleeping.
The details for the ball in this book were gorgeous! I wanna be there! The second task was....interesting. It sheds a light into the champions' back-stories a little and start to understand who they are with Katherine. No spoilers though! You'll have to read it to find out.
I cannot wait to see what happens in book 3!!!
January 18, 2026
This was the second book in The Ashes of Eyrondale series. It follows the second trial and all of the fallout from it. It still gives clue murder mystery vibes, but with magic. I like that you have to follow along with all the characters to see what is happening. It can be a bit confusing to follow along with all the different characters, but the twists and turns and dying to put all the pieces together keeps you invested. I can’t wait to learn more about the new character introduced at the end! Thank you Samantha for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 ⭐
ARC provided by Samantha de la Porte in exchange for honest review.
The Fall Of A Prince continues the story of Princess Katherine and the champions selected by fate to compete in the trials to unite with her. With the ending of the second trial, a champion will be eliminated. This trial is called the Second Serenade, and involves each champion planning a date with Katherine, designed to show just what their union could look like. Everyone is expecting Bayne, the unexpected mortal champion, to be the one eliminated, including his mortal girlfriend and their friends. But when he is kidnapped, how far will Katherine go to save him?
This was an enjoyable Romantasy sequel which was incredibly rich in its world building, whilst still leaving enough mystery that you almost feel as the mortals in the story so at times - awestruck and not entirely sure what way is up. The five "date days" are so detailed and rich in their imagery, you almost felt like you were watching the events unfold on screen. The insights into each champion that came from those dates were very much needed, as there are so many characters to wrangle - it needed some wildly different scenarios to keep each one separate. That is one thing I do think this series suffers a little from - too many characters. I understand the need for that many champions, but there are their handlers, all the mortals (I suspect we will find out just why there are so many as the series progresses, but at the moment I'm really struggling to identify any specific mortal other than Jennifer), the representatives of the Fates overseeing the trials, and then specifically named characters on top. It's a lot of people to keep track of, and I frequently found myself having to flick back and forth confirming who was who. It meant that it took me a lot longer to get through this book than normal, which is really unusual for me.
Katherine is such an intriguing character, and I'm desperate to know what her missing memories are! She is so quick to go to bat for Bayne, even though they are fiery and have a tempestuous history. The book implies she knows who the fates will choose for her, but the book cleverly muddies the waters, so as a reader you have no idea. I adore her relationship with Alek, and am secretly rooting for them, even though the signs aren't pointing to him being the one. Her change after the events of Bayne's disappearance is ominous and as yet unresolved, so I can't wait to see where that leads in the next book in this pentalogy.
The last 20% of the book definitely sets the scene for book three. Katherine is still far from herself, but is determined to gather intel from a mysterious and seemingly malignant figure whom she has some form of past with. Her champions, plus the one who didn't progress to the next trial, are plotting their next move (although I imagine Bayne is just incredibly lost at that point, as he has no idea who this person is and what the history is with them).
Overall this was a good second part to what promises to be a Romantasy epic. The world building is phenomenal, the imagery is vibrant and rich, and the plotting is well thought out with lots of intrigue and mystery to keep the reader hooked. My only complaint is the sheer number of characters and trying to keep track of them, for me it made this a longer read than it perhaps should have been.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book!
ARC provided by Samantha de la Porte in exchange for honest review.
The Fall Of A Prince continues the story of Princess Katherine and the champions selected by fate to compete in the trials to unite with her. With the ending of the second trial, a champion will be eliminated. This trial is called the Second Serenade, and involves each champion planning a date with Katherine, designed to show just what their union could look like. Everyone is expecting Bayne, the unexpected mortal champion, to be the one eliminated, including his mortal girlfriend and their friends. But when he is kidnapped, how far will Katherine go to save him?
This was an enjoyable Romantasy sequel which was incredibly rich in its world building, whilst still leaving enough mystery that you almost feel as the mortals in the story so at times - awestruck and not entirely sure what way is up. The five "date days" are so detailed and rich in their imagery, you almost felt like you were watching the events unfold on screen. The insights into each champion that came from those dates were very much needed, as there are so many characters to wrangle - it needed some wildly different scenarios to keep each one separate. That is one thing I do think this series suffers a little from - too many characters. I understand the need for that many champions, but there are their handlers, all the mortals (I suspect we will find out just why there are so many as the series progresses, but at the moment I'm really struggling to identify any specific mortal other than Jennifer), the representatives of the Fates overseeing the trials, and then specifically named characters on top. It's a lot of people to keep track of, and I frequently found myself having to flick back and forth confirming who was who. It meant that it took me a lot longer to get through this book than normal, which is really unusual for me.
Katherine is such an intriguing character, and I'm desperate to know what her missing memories are! She is so quick to go to bat for Bayne, even though they are fiery and have a tempestuous history. The book implies she knows who the fates will choose for her, but the book cleverly muddies the waters, so as a reader you have no idea. I adore her relationship with Alek, and am secretly rooting for them, even though the signs aren't pointing to him being the one. Her change after the events of Bayne's disappearance is ominous and as yet unresolved, so I can't wait to see where that leads in the next book in this pentalogy.
The last 20% of the book definitely sets the scene for book three. Katherine is still far from herself, but is determined to gather intel from a mysterious and seemingly malignant figure whom she has some form of past with. Her champions, plus the one who didn't progress to the next trial, are plotting their next move (although I imagine Bayne is just incredibly lost at that point, as he has no idea who this person is and what the history is with them).
Overall this was a good second part to what promises to be a Romantasy epic. The world building is phenomenal, the imagery is vibrant and rich, and the plotting is well thought out with lots of intrigue and mystery to keep the reader hooked. My only complaint is the sheer number of characters and trying to keep track of them, for me it made this a longer read than it perhaps should have been.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book!
Review of advance copy
I loved this book even more than the first one. While the opening installment helped set the stage and introduce the world of Eryondale, this is where everything truly clicked for me. The characters felt more established, the emotional stakes were higher, and the story flowed with much more confidence.
Despite reading this as an ARC, it still had me completely hooked — I would have finished it far sooner if real life (work, kids, and everything else) hadn’t kept interrupting. Even so, I found myself constantly thinking about the story and eager to pick it back up whenever I could.
One of my favorite aspects was how unpredictable the champions remained. Just when I thought I had everyone figured out, the dynamics shifted again. The dates were a highlight and added depth, tension, and insight into each character without ever feeling repetitive.
Overall, The Fall of a Prince feels like the point where the Ashes of Eryondale series truly finds its stride. Stronger character development, emotional depth, and constantly shifting dynamics made this an engaging and satisfying read. I’m incredibly excited to see where the story goes next.
Despite reading this as an ARC, it still had me completely hooked — I would have finished it far sooner if real life (work, kids, and everything else) hadn’t kept interrupting. Even so, I found myself constantly thinking about the story and eager to pick it back up whenever I could.
One of my favorite aspects was how unpredictable the champions remained. Just when I thought I had everyone figured out, the dynamics shifted again. The dates were a highlight and added depth, tension, and insight into each character without ever feeling repetitive.
Overall, The Fall of a Prince feels like the point where the Ashes of Eryondale series truly finds its stride. Stronger character development, emotional depth, and constantly shifting dynamics made this an engaging and satisfying read. I’m incredibly excited to see where the story goes next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Mind-blown… again!! Book 1 had me hooked, but book 2?? Addicted!! There is just something about the way Samantha writes that grips you. I feel like The Fall of a Prince was a great build-up for what comes next in this series.
The book is written in a beautiful lyrical style that left me feeling both unsettled but deeply curious throughout. The storyline progressed more towards the end where the tension quietly intensifies, but needless to say I devoured this book and could not put it down!
The way every date was planned, speaks so well to the characters involved and you feel like you want to root for all of them. But I have my favorites after this book, and there are also some characters that got under my skin even more than before. I am left with so many questions and lingering thoughts, it goes without saying that I cannot wait for book 3!!
The book is written in a beautiful lyrical style that left me feeling both unsettled but deeply curious throughout. The storyline progressed more towards the end where the tension quietly intensifies, but needless to say I devoured this book and could not put it down!
The way every date was planned, speaks so well to the characters involved and you feel like you want to root for all of them. But I have my favorites after this book, and there are also some characters that got under my skin even more than before. I am left with so many questions and lingering thoughts, it goes without saying that I cannot wait for book 3!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Fall of a Prince by Samantha de la Porte is a strong sequel that is much better than the first book. I received an ARC of this title, and it was a great early read.
The story flows smoothly, with improved pacing and a far more engaging plot. The writing feels more confident, making the book more interesting and enjoyable from start to finish.
The character development is a standout, with deeper, more relatable characters whose growth feels natural. Overall, Fall of a Prince is an engaging and well-written sequel that shows clear growth in both storytelling and character depth.
The story flows smoothly, with improved pacing and a far more engaging plot. The writing feels more confident, making the book more interesting and enjoyable from start to finish.
The character development is a standout, with deeper, more relatable characters whose growth feels natural. Overall, Fall of a Prince is an engaging and well-written sequel that shows clear growth in both storytelling and character depth.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC received from Samantha for honest review. I just read the first book the day before and the pace and setting of both of these is amazing. I love the angst that is displayed between the characters and how it doesnt get overplayed. In some books they over do it and your just want to rip your hair out but the reasoning behind it all makes it understandable. The story is centered around the 2nd Trial that the champions and Katherine have to go through and the twist and turns throughout had me sucked in. The cliffhanger left me wanting more. I cant wait to see what book 3 has in store for us!
Review of advance copy
I received The Fall of a Prince as an ARC and I couldn't stop reading. This book took me through a rollercoaster of emotions and I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT! I cannot wait for the next book to come out! I am in love with this series!
January 22, 2026
Thank you Samantha for the ARC! I loved this one more than the first. The twists and turns keep you guessing throughout and I can’t figure out who I’m rooting for but man does Marko need a big hug or what?! ❤️ looking forward to the next
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you for the ARC! I enjoyed the book!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews