The Eternal Hunt

by Hollis Sophia

For Wrenley Hawthe, life begins when she is sentenced to die.


An orphaned outcast, Wren is relegated to the fringe of her small town, forced to steal to avoid starvation. When arrested for thieving, it's in a prison cell the night before her wrongful execution that she finds her freedom in the form of the mysterious and artful assassin, Ryland, whose looks and charm are as lethal as his skill with a blade. An unexpected escape leaves Wren with no choice but to follow Ryland to the capital city in the hopes of starting anew, but their journey is wrought with unforeseen dangers from beasts both mythical and mortal. And, Wren begins to realize that behind the assassin's cunning tongue and devious smiles is a man with many secrets-if he is a man at all.


In Kingsmar, Wren is swept into a whirlwind of palace balls and courtesan affairs, battling both her growing desire for Ryland and a need to unlock the secrets he's so desperate to keep hidden. But, as new threats emerge putting Wren's life at risk, the truth of Ryland's immortal past and the chains that bind him to it are finally revealed. With his demons narrowing their chase, Wren must decide if she will follow Ryland-the assassin who holds both her heart and her future in his blood-stained hands-down a path that will lead either to the salvation or ruin not only of their fates but that of the entire continent's.

350 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2026

About the author

Hollis has been writing since she could first hold a pen, a passion she has carried throughout her life. When she isn’t scribbling stories, Hollis has a successful career in Public Relations and Strategic Communications and works as a freelance consultant for author marketing strategies. Originally from the United States, she resides in London and can often be found wandering its historic streets, visiting her favorite museums and perusing one too many bookstores. An avid traveler, Hollis finds inspiration from all her adventures abroad. She is the author of The Eternal Hunt, her debut novel and the first installment of The Moon Blessed series.

Reviews

[Laura The Busy Book Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed a low stakes fantasy and this was perfect. The writing flowed so easily. I read it in two days! I do think there will be high stakes in book two after that ending.

It felt like Ryland was the main character, and we learned more and more about him through Wren's eyes. I enjoyed his character and Wren's, but it did feel like insta love on his part. I missed that build up.

Wren ...I don't know what it was about her character, I liked her, but wanted more. She's sweet and humble. But she felt like a supporting character to Ryland. It might be because the other two characters have such strong personalities, and Aurelia steals the show. I hope she gets her moment now she's in the *spoiler* at the end of book one. She reminds me of Ciri in the Witcher before she comes into her own. I feel like she will grow and become the main character in book two.

Aurelia was by far my favourite character. She was living her life to the fullest with her circumstances. I loved the chapters about her, and I could read a book just about her and her story.

The story really started towards the end of the book and I think things are going to get really exciting! I can't wait!

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just everything. And more. This review is going to sound like a mess because I have too many thoughts. TLDR: favorite read of the year so far.

If you feel like listening to my brain explosion, here you go: honestly there is so much I love about The Eternal Hunt. To start, the intrigue starts right away. No waiting around. I was hooked from the beginning. This world is so cool. There are such interesting and unique details that make me feel like I’m in there with them and bring it to life. And it made my brain excited because it wasn’t just the same descriptions you always hear. The history was interesting (enough so that I read sections out to my boyfriend because they were cool!), the terrain and plant life was so fun (trees that look like they have eyes), the creatures unlike ones I’ve heard described before! So creative! But despite being so rich in its world building it also somehow achieved the status of being an easy read. I was able to fully enjoy it even on the busy days. It invigorated my brain rather than requiring intense attention.

Now, beyond this world that already captured me, there’s then the characters. Our FMC? Never have I related more to the main female character in a romantasy. She’s not some instant heroine badass. She doesn’t have endless stamina. But she’s not some frail breakable thing that becomes a badass in an instant either. She’s normal. Her thoughts are ones I relate to. She feels like someone you could know. And then there’s the MMC. Ridiculously charming, witty, arrogant in the best way, and knock your socks off hot in my head. Listen…I never thought I’d be drooling over a blond MMC — but here we are, I’m obsessed. Their banter and dynamic is everything.

There’s slow burn but satisfying flirting while you’re made to wait. Some people might argue it’s not slow burn when things happen book 1, but let me tell you I felt like I waited long enough😅 The love blooms quickly but it didn’t feel forced. I felt like with what transpires that I would’ve been in love too, despite the short time.

And then there’s side characters who are equally loveable and I hope are around still next book because yes yes yes to found family.

There’s genuine stress in here, moments that made me laugh out loud or cringe in embarrassment for the FMC, and moments that straight up had my feet kicking and I had to suppress schoolgirl-type giggles.

This book got me out of a slump and honestly I’m so upset that I now have to wait for book 2. I wish Goodreads allowed 6/5 starts for top tier reads because this is one and I will be shouting its praises from the rooftop for a while yet. I feel like I’m missing something in this review because I can’t say it enough how much I enjoyed this and how much it revitalized me. Books like this are why I love supporting indie authors and I genuinely think this deserves to take off and I really hope it does because I just KNOW people will eat it up. If you have any doubts, stop it. Go read this book and we can all have the best time suffering together.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had a much more calm, immersive get-to-know-the-world kind of way that feels refreshing. Instead of rushing from one dramatic moment to the next, it takes its time building something deeper, and I found myself completely drawn into it.

The characters, I really adored them, slowly revealing themselves layer by layer. It’s clear there’s so much more to come in future books, especially with the subtle hints woven throughout rather than relying on big, shocking plot twists.

Wrenley, the FMC, was such a standout for me. She’s ordinary in the best possible way!! No grand, over-the-top traits or powers, just a woman trying to survive while carrying the weight of her past. That realism made her incredibly relatable and grounded the story beautifully.

Ryland, our MMC and an assassin, is her perfect contrast. He’s shaped by darkness, haunted by his own past, and carries a quiet intensity that lingers in every scene he’s in. Together, they feel inevitable in a soft, simmering slowww burn kind of way.

But the character who completely stole my heart!! Aurelia. There’s something so warm and genuine about her presence. She brings that found family energy that makes the world feel less harsh, and her loyalty runs deep. She’s the kind of character you can’t help but hope plays an even bigger role moving forward. I’m also really intrigued by Asher and Addris... There’s just enough there to spark curiosity, and I’m definitely keen to learn more about them in the next books.

The world itself is rich and layered, filled with mortals, immortals, and gods, all woven together in a way that feels expansive without being overwhelming. The writing makes it easy to slip into this universe and stay there.

[Among The Bookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I love the way you say my name. You can’t disarm me like that now,” he rasps, revealing those dark, blazing irises again.
Ryland

🫠🫠🫠

Stop. The way Ryland disarmed ME with this comment!! 😍

I truly had a great time reading this book and I think the author has a really lovely writing style. I’m definitely going to continue on with the next book in this series!

It’s probably clear already that I really, really enjoyed Ryland as a character. He was such a perfect mix of fun and carefree while still being protective and strong. I loved how he was able to protect and care for Wren while also showing her what life has to offer as their journey unfolds.

I also felt like the book had a really nice balance between the higher-stake moments and the quieter scenes where the characters are simply spending time together. I personally enjoyed watching Wren and Ryland actually getting to know each other just as much as I enjoyed the action scenes.

The world building was really fun too. There are lots of stories and bits of lore woven into the world, along with some really interesting mythical creatures that we get introduced to along the way. I liked that some of the secrets start to unfold here, but there’s still clearly more waiting to be revealed in book two.

Getting to know Ryland and Wren throughout the story was something I really enjoyed. Both of them have been through some pretty tragic things, and I liked how that was handled. Even with everything they’ve gone through, they both keep moving forward and still find ways to hold onto a little bit of light in their.

[the book & mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌙 “The very sight of you is enough to bring me to my knees.” 🌙

The Eternal Hunt was the perfect romantasy read to escape these dreary winter months. The story jumps right into action and maintained a solid pace throughout. The plot was the perfect blend of mystery and secrets, action-filled scenes and romantically charged moments, culminating in a cliff-hanger that has me desperate for Book 2! The settings were vividly tangible with a magical essence, and the author’s descriptive writing and seamless dialogue made for such an enjoyable read. There was also something really nice about essentially knowing *spoiler* that the MCs end up together. There were no concerns about miscommunication or other love interests to distract which I appreciated.

Now, let’s talk about the characters. For a soft-FMC, I really enjoyed Wren. She wasn’t too bland or demure but also wan’t too much. And her and Ryland’s banter was *chef’s kiss. Which leads me to the MMC: Ryland. Rhysand and Xaden need to watch out because Ryland has become one of my new favorite MMCs! Despite being blonde, he carries the same lethal, enigmatic, cunning, and ‘touch her and die’ energy of our typical dark-haired MMCs and wielded them like the deliciously, dangerous character he is. Needless to say, this assassin had me melting into a puddle on more than one occasion.

And the side-characters did not disappoint either! Though we only meet most of them briefly, I’m already intrigued and really looking forward to better getting to know them, especially Addris and Asher. Already, I love Aurelia—her personality practically leapt off the page.

If you want a book that strays from the typical fae or shadow-power centric plots as most books focus on but still want a story with an exciting plot and our favorite tropes, then this should be your next read!

[Aluralyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You are the sun to my moon and I'll forever chase your light."

You bet I swooned a little reading that! Let me just say Wren is a lucky girl! This was a slow burn, he falls first, book that had me swooning over his protectiveness. I'll be interested to see how book 2 progresses.

[sam | sammylou.reads]

RTC!!