What do you think?
Rate this book
Cruel Goddess #3
Goddess of Promise and Pain: Portal Fantasy Romance
A fight for the fate of all worlds …
An inventor off kilter …
Nicoli snatched the wand of power and entered the domain of the Goddess and what he finds is beyond his wildest imaginings. He wants to be of service, just as he was in his homeland—or at least to convince the Goddess to save the people of the Claws—but he’s distracted, finding love with a woman he’d never imagined possible, although after everything she’s been through, she might not love him in return …
A wife conflicted …
Maria has a life she’d never dared dreamed a husband she loves, healthy children, and a prosperous land, but when Nicoli sends a message from beyond the sealed Toll Gates, she realizes that Celestl is not what it seems. Celestl’s leaders must decide if they should demand more for their people, but while some think they should, others are convinced it would spell disaster.
A sorceress unleashed …
The weight of the Atlas Web sits on Ava’s shoulders, but to fix the balance of magic, she must change the way things have always been … or perhaps return to how things once were. And with Var and the magical families out to stop her, Kush will finally have to pick a side ...
Goddess of Promise and Pain is the third and final book in the Cruel Goddess series. Featuring heart-stopping romance, found family, and plenty of plot twists, this is romantasy you won't want to miss.
An inventor off kilter …
Nicoli snatched the wand of power and entered the domain of the Goddess and what he finds is beyond his wildest imaginings. He wants to be of service, just as he was in his homeland—or at least to convince the Goddess to save the people of the Claws—but he’s distracted, finding love with a woman he’d never imagined possible, although after everything she’s been through, she might not love him in return …
A wife conflicted …
Maria has a life she’d never dared dreamed a husband she loves, healthy children, and a prosperous land, but when Nicoli sends a message from beyond the sealed Toll Gates, she realizes that Celestl is not what it seems. Celestl’s leaders must decide if they should demand more for their people, but while some think they should, others are convinced it would spell disaster.
A sorceress unleashed …
The weight of the Atlas Web sits on Ava’s shoulders, but to fix the balance of magic, she must change the way things have always been … or perhaps return to how things once were. And with Var and the magical families out to stop her, Kush will finally have to pick a side ...
Goddess of Promise and Pain is the third and final book in the Cruel Goddess series. Featuring heart-stopping romance, found family, and plenty of plot twists, this is romantasy you won't want to miss.
752 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2026
About the author
H.R. Moore
20 books163 followersHR Moore writes romantic fantasy, romantasy, fantasy romance, and paranormal romance.
All HR's books contain strong women, high stakes, plot twists, adventure, found family and plenty of romance, with charaters willing to burn down the current order to change things for the better.
She resides in the UK, loves audiobooks, and lives for book club.
All HR's books contain strong women, high stakes, plot twists, adventure, found family and plenty of romance, with charaters willing to burn down the current order to change things for the better.
She resides in the UK, loves audiobooks, and lives for book club.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 18, 2026
3.5/5
111 Chapters, 752 pages
Published: February 13, 2026 by Pinks Press
Multiple POVs, 3rd-person narration
Short/Mid-length chapters; Pacing was mid [takes time to process]
No spice
Soft DNF, 19%, ch.18/111
I really like this author, and I like that now we're at the endgame of the story, and we are seeing how the characters grew up and became adults.
-> I didn't really like adult Ava's personality. But I liked her before.
-> We get questions answered and the magic explained in this part.
I think the story reads a tad dry at times, so it's a hit or miss. I think H.R. Moore is a very intelligent lady, and she surprised me with that intellect each time in each of these books in the trilogy.
-> No further notes.
------------
pre-read:
This being a portal fantasy, I do not yet know how I plan on reading this. I think that I'm going to read each chapter, so that I absorb the whole plot, but we shall see.
111 Chapters, 752 pages
Published: February 13, 2026 by Pinks Press
Multiple POVs, 3rd-person narration
Short/Mid-length chapters; Pacing was mid [takes time to process]
No spice
Soft DNF, 19%, ch.18/111
I really like this author, and I like that now we're at the endgame of the story, and we are seeing how the characters grew up and became adults.
-> I didn't really like adult Ava's personality. But I liked her before.
-> We get questions answered and the magic explained in this part.
I think the story reads a tad dry at times, so it's a hit or miss. I think H.R. Moore is a very intelligent lady, and she surprised me with that intellect each time in each of these books in the trilogy.
-> No further notes.
------------
pre-read:
This being a portal fantasy, I do not yet know how I plan on reading this. I think that I'm going to read each chapter, so that I absorb the whole plot, but we shall see.
March 8, 2026
The final book in the Cruel Goddess trilogy brings together storylines that have been completely seperate until now. As tensions rise between worlds and long-held systems begin to crack, several characters are forced to confront truths about their histories, their magic, and the roles they’ve been playing in a much larger conflict. This intersection comes together in surprising ways, reshaping the stakes for everyone involved and changing so much of what readers thought they knew.
This is honestly such an ambitious trilogy. The earlier books followed separate storylines that felt mostly disconnected, so watching everything finally start to merge here was incredibly satisfying. What makes this installment particularly interesting is the introduction of the timeline element. Suddenly, we’re not just looking at different worlds and perspectives; we’re also getting past and present Ava. Past Ava is the character we’ve grown attached to throughout the series, while future Ava feels colder and more distant. Watching those two portrayals slowly inform each other makes for a really fascinating character study, even when it makes her harder to root for at times because she IS so complex here. Ava is still probably my favorite character when I look at the series as a whole, but she was definitely a little tougher to connect with here. Seeing the future version of her can be jarring after spending two books with the version we know. As the story unfolds and we learn more about what led her there, the shift begins to make more sense, but it’s still an uncomfortable journey. Which is absolutely a positive. It would have been far easier for the author to make this into four books without this jump in timelines, but Moore always seems incredibly comfortable playing with her craft, and it makes this series far more unique.
Interestingly, the character I found myself connecting with most in this book was Nicoli. Uncomfortable for me. His anxiety and constant desire to prove himself felt incredibly relatable, especially as he’s thrown into situations that are wildly outside his comfort zone. He does feel somewhat different compared to his earlier appearances, but given how completely out of his depth he is in this story, it worked for me. The focus of the narrative also leans much more toward Ava and Kush this time around, which made sense considering how closely their arcs tie into the larger story and conflict. My feelings about Kush have been a bit of a rollercoaster across the trilogy. I absolutely loved him in the first book, really struggled with him in the second, and now he's won me over again. One thing that did surprise me was how many previously important characters were almost completely dropped. It didn’t necessarily bother me outright, especially since the story becomes much more focused on Ava and Kush, but it was still a little jarring after spending so much time with those characters in the earlier books.
Where the book stumbled a bit for me was with the romance and spice. This series is at its absolute best when it’s diving into its complex world-building, the mechanics of its magic, and the psychological weight placed on these characters. The romantic scenes, on the other hand, often felt tonally out of place. Some of the dialogue in those moments is honestly pretty cringe, and it creates this strange whiplash where you go from layered fantasy storytelling to something that reads like an awkward fanfiction scene. I genuinely think the book would have been stronger with little to no spice at all. I despised the dirty talk. Aside from a few moments between Ava and Kush, it just didn’t add much to the story.
The beginning was also a bit slower for me, but once the larger pieces start falling into place, the momentum really builds. And considering how many threads this trilogy was juggling (multiple worlds, layered character arcs, complicated magical systems), it’s genuinely impressive how well the ending manages to tie everything together.
Overall, this was a really satisfying conclusion to a bold and unusual fantasy trilogy. It takes some big narrative swings and while not every piece worked perfectly for me, I really admire how ambitious and unique the whole series feels.
Thanks so much to the author and MTMC booktours for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
This is honestly such an ambitious trilogy. The earlier books followed separate storylines that felt mostly disconnected, so watching everything finally start to merge here was incredibly satisfying. What makes this installment particularly interesting is the introduction of the timeline element. Suddenly, we’re not just looking at different worlds and perspectives; we’re also getting past and present Ava. Past Ava is the character we’ve grown attached to throughout the series, while future Ava feels colder and more distant. Watching those two portrayals slowly inform each other makes for a really fascinating character study, even when it makes her harder to root for at times because she IS so complex here. Ava is still probably my favorite character when I look at the series as a whole, but she was definitely a little tougher to connect with here. Seeing the future version of her can be jarring after spending two books with the version we know. As the story unfolds and we learn more about what led her there, the shift begins to make more sense, but it’s still an uncomfortable journey. Which is absolutely a positive. It would have been far easier for the author to make this into four books without this jump in timelines, but Moore always seems incredibly comfortable playing with her craft, and it makes this series far more unique.
Interestingly, the character I found myself connecting with most in this book was Nicoli. Uncomfortable for me. His anxiety and constant desire to prove himself felt incredibly relatable, especially as he’s thrown into situations that are wildly outside his comfort zone. He does feel somewhat different compared to his earlier appearances, but given how completely out of his depth he is in this story, it worked for me. The focus of the narrative also leans much more toward Ava and Kush this time around, which made sense considering how closely their arcs tie into the larger story and conflict. My feelings about Kush have been a bit of a rollercoaster across the trilogy. I absolutely loved him in the first book, really struggled with him in the second, and now he's won me over again. One thing that did surprise me was how many previously important characters were almost completely dropped. It didn’t necessarily bother me outright, especially since the story becomes much more focused on Ava and Kush, but it was still a little jarring after spending so much time with those characters in the earlier books.
Where the book stumbled a bit for me was with the romance and spice. This series is at its absolute best when it’s diving into its complex world-building, the mechanics of its magic, and the psychological weight placed on these characters. The romantic scenes, on the other hand, often felt tonally out of place. Some of the dialogue in those moments is honestly pretty cringe, and it creates this strange whiplash where you go from layered fantasy storytelling to something that reads like an awkward fanfiction scene. I genuinely think the book would have been stronger with little to no spice at all. I despised the dirty talk. Aside from a few moments between Ava and Kush, it just didn’t add much to the story.
The beginning was also a bit slower for me, but once the larger pieces start falling into place, the momentum really builds. And considering how many threads this trilogy was juggling (multiple worlds, layered character arcs, complicated magical systems), it’s genuinely impressive how well the ending manages to tie everything together.
Overall, this was a really satisfying conclusion to a bold and unusual fantasy trilogy. It takes some big narrative swings and while not every piece worked perfectly for me, I really admire how ambitious and unique the whole series feels.
Thanks so much to the author and MTMC booktours for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ava is the daughter of parents who had been accused of damaging the world tree, and she was the sorceress out to amend what her mother in particular had caused. However she was in grave danger as Var and Hunter, his stooge, were out to capture her, not wanting her interference. Kush, supposedly her beloved, was torn between loyalty to his cruel father, and to the woman he loved. Kush would have to choose, but I really hated the many times he chose his father over Ava, and left her for so many years on her own. and I hated how she always took him back, and relied so much on him. Nicoli the great inventor who lived in Celestl decided to get to the tree, and once he broke through what he found amazed him, however he found himself quite without a role to play, so he pandered to the Goddess. Ava was being called the Goddess by many because her magical stone gave her powers which those from Celestl had always thought were a myth. She attempts many ideas trying to save the world tree, including closing down Celestl, and she is called ruthless and accused of being worse than her mother, however Ava knew that somehow bringing back the binary balance was the only thing that would save their worlds. Can she do this? And will Kush finally choose her over his evil father? This book gives us the amazing ending this beautiful series deserves, and I really enjoyed reading it. I particularly enjoyed reading about the free worlds, who let the trees bring about their own balance, and where people shared and were not greedy for power as those inside Dromeda. I also loved Billy and his quirky humour, even though Ava found him so annoying at times and most particularly I enjoyed reading about the magical house Ava inherited from her parents. Enjoy, I know I did.
March 7, 2026
ARC Read
The final book really leans into Ava’s story, and I loved finally getting to see how everything connects. The way the past and present are woven together works really well and adds a lot of depth to the overall story. It answers a lot of questions set up in the previous books.
The chapters are short, which made it really easy to keep turning the pages, and there are some genuinely emotional moments throughout. One of my favourite things in this book was seeing how much the characters have grown. Watching them push back against a corrupt system and start to take control of their own futures was really satisfying.
The found family elements are also at their strongest here, which I loved. The relationships and loyalty between the characters really shine and add a lot of heart to the story. There were a few sections that felt a little repetitive, but the pace picks up again and the story pulls you back in quickly. It’s a solid and satisfying conclusion that brings everything together nicely.
The final book really leans into Ava’s story, and I loved finally getting to see how everything connects. The way the past and present are woven together works really well and adds a lot of depth to the overall story. It answers a lot of questions set up in the previous books.
The chapters are short, which made it really easy to keep turning the pages, and there are some genuinely emotional moments throughout. One of my favourite things in this book was seeing how much the characters have grown. Watching them push back against a corrupt system and start to take control of their own futures was really satisfying.
The found family elements are also at their strongest here, which I loved. The relationships and loyalty between the characters really shine and add a lot of heart to the story. There were a few sections that felt a little repetitive, but the pace picks up again and the story pulls you back in quickly. It’s a solid and satisfying conclusion that brings everything together nicely.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I'm not sure where to start.
The first part of this book focused on Ava and Kush and there was a lot to learn. We finally got to see exactly how everything was connected.
I loved when everything came together and all our favourite characters were back. So much happened and it was fun to have them go back and forth in time to show why things ended up the way they did.
It was a wonderful final book.
Thank you to HR Moore for the arc and these thoughts are my own.
The first part of this book focused on Ava and Kush and there was a lot to learn. We finally got to see exactly how everything was connected.
I loved when everything came together and all our favourite characters were back. So much happened and it was fun to have them go back and forth in time to show why things ended up the way they did.
It was a wonderful final book.
Thank you to HR Moore for the arc and these thoughts are my own.
March 24, 2026
just couldn't get into this at all
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews