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Deathsworn
Not yet published
Expected 12 Jan 27DEEP IN THE UNDERWORLD, WILL LOVE BLOOM WHERE IT SHOULD NOT SURVIVE?
PRE-ORDER your new necromantasy obsession. . .
The Knight and the Moth meets Phantasma in this spellbinding gothic, enemies-to-lovers tale of life, death, and the dangerous bond between two sworn rivals.
Jonquil Foye wields the power of Life.
Her sworn enemy, Edmund Blackburn, wields the power of Death.
On the battlefield, they clash in a deadly duel meant to decide the fate of their warring cities—until their magics entwine and create a volatile being so powerful it drags them both deep into Death itself.
Forced into a reluctant truce, Jonquil and Edmund must navigate the treacherous underworld and confront the horrifying consequences of their own creation.
As time runs out, their alliance sparks a deeper attraction. But truces are fragile, and Death seems determined to ensure they never return to the land of the living. . .
Brutal, gorgeous, and heart-stopping, this gothic dark fantasy romance is perfect for readers who crave high-stakes tension, lushly dark atmospheres, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance with a touch of horror.
Tropes:
✦ True enemies to lovers
⟡ Yearning
✦ Forced proximity
⟡ Gothic Victorian setting
✦ Reylo vibes
⟡ Masked MMC
✦ Life & Death magic
PRE-ORDER your new necromantasy obsession. . .
The Knight and the Moth meets Phantasma in this spellbinding gothic, enemies-to-lovers tale of life, death, and the dangerous bond between two sworn rivals.
Jonquil Foye wields the power of Life.
Her sworn enemy, Edmund Blackburn, wields the power of Death.
On the battlefield, they clash in a deadly duel meant to decide the fate of their warring cities—until their magics entwine and create a volatile being so powerful it drags them both deep into Death itself.
Forced into a reluctant truce, Jonquil and Edmund must navigate the treacherous underworld and confront the horrifying consequences of their own creation.
As time runs out, their alliance sparks a deeper attraction. But truces are fragile, and Death seems determined to ensure they never return to the land of the living. . .
Brutal, gorgeous, and heart-stopping, this gothic dark fantasy romance is perfect for readers who crave high-stakes tension, lushly dark atmospheres, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance with a touch of horror.
Tropes:
✦ True enemies to lovers
⟡ Yearning
✦ Forced proximity
⟡ Gothic Victorian setting
✦ Reylo vibes
⟡ Masked MMC
✦ Life & Death magic
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication January 12, 2027
About the author
Meg Smitherman
8 books1,226 followersMeg Smitherman writes science fiction, fantasy, and horror books (all of which involve kissing). She studied Creative Writing at Brunel University London, where she obtained both her MA and a staggering amount of student loan debt. When not writing, Meg spends her time playing video games, reading fan fiction, and couch rotting. Based in Los Angeles, she shares her life with a chihuahua, a cat, and a handsome Englishman.
Follow Meg on social media!
Instagram: @megsmitherman
TikTok: @megsmitherman
Follow Meg on social media!
Instagram: @megsmitherman
TikTok: @megsmitherman
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 6, 2026
5 ⭐️ I was blessed with a bound manuscript and YA’LL. ABSOLUTELY IMPECCABLE. I have so many (screaming) notes in the margins, and so many drafts of this review saved, but I need a keyboard & I need to carefully review my giddy thoughts to make sure there are no spoilers, so full review to come but just know I LOVED EVERY BIT OF IT.
May 23, 2026
I was insanely fortunate to receive a very early copy of this book and I could not put it down. This is the very definition of “necromantasy.” We get genuine enemies-to-lovers here and the hate is so real. There are whispers of dark academia in the vein of Destroyer, with The Frost Queen’s Blade-esque romance. Jonquil and the Duke of Death’s travels through the forest of Death serves as the perfect backdrop—just unsettling enough to keep you on your toes as you watch them fall for each other. Magnificent.
Want to Read
June 23, 2026Ordered from B&N
January 2027
January 2027
Review of advance copy received from Author
I got my hands on an early e-ARC (beta ARC?!) back in October 2025, and I have been WAITING in to yap with yall about it! The restraint? Heroic. The payoff? Delicious.
I am permanently unwell over anything Meg Smitherman writes, and this one does not MISSSSS.
The Deets:
Jonquil Foye wields Life + Edmund Blackburn wields Death.
When they meet on the battlefield, their magic does not simply clash, it entwines, mutates, and births something catastrophic.
Obvi I have to share the tropes with you:
🖤 enemies to lovers (but really tho)
🖤 slow burn + mutual YEARNING
🖤 forced proximity in literal Death (HOT)
🖤 necromancer MMC (masktok assemble!!)
The world feels drenched in shadow and velvet, all gothic atmosphere and creeping dread, with a romance that coils tighter the deeper you go. There is horror here too (in classic Smitherman fashion), not just in the setting, but in what love costs when it is tangled up with power, grief, and survival.
If you loved The Knight and the Moth and Phantasma… this one is gonna hit.
I am permanently unwell over anything Meg Smitherman writes, and this one does not MISSSSS.
The Deets:
Jonquil Foye wields Life + Edmund Blackburn wields Death.
When they meet on the battlefield, their magic does not simply clash, it entwines, mutates, and births something catastrophic.
Obvi I have to share the tropes with you:
🖤 enemies to lovers (but really tho)
🖤 slow burn + mutual YEARNING
🖤 forced proximity in literal Death (HOT)
🖤 necromancer MMC (masktok assemble!!)
The world feels drenched in shadow and velvet, all gothic atmosphere and creeping dread, with a romance that coils tighter the deeper you go. There is horror here too (in classic Smitherman fashion), not just in the setting, but in what love costs when it is tangled up with power, grief, and survival.
If you loved The Knight and the Moth and Phantasma… this one is gonna hit.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you St Martin’s Press for the e-arc.
Oh my goodness, this is going to be a top favorite read in 2026. This book was the gothic, enemies-to-lovers book of my dreams. Speaking of dreams, it had such a cool, nightmarish atmosphere in the land of Death. It was beautiful, it was terrifying.
This book was full of so much amazing tension between the characters. Edmund is a new book boyfriend for sure. He was way more than you think in the beginning, and I love a freckled man. Jonquil’s power was amazing, and I felt for her so much. She had such a hateful mother. Dagmar was the perfect side character who made me laugh on several occasions.
This book made me cry several times. It was really a personified battling of one’s own inner demons. I’m going to be thinking of this book for a long time!
Oh my goodness, this is going to be a top favorite read in 2026. This book was the gothic, enemies-to-lovers book of my dreams. Speaking of dreams, it had such a cool, nightmarish atmosphere in the land of Death. It was beautiful, it was terrifying.
This book was full of so much amazing tension between the characters. Edmund is a new book boyfriend for sure. He was way more than you think in the beginning, and I love a freckled man. Jonquil’s power was amazing, and I felt for her so much. She had such a hateful mother. Dagmar was the perfect side character who made me laugh on several occasions.
This book made me cry several times. It was really a personified battling of one’s own inner demons. I’m going to be thinking of this book for a long time!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I got this book early in a giveaway and am so excited to have read it! Meg Smitherman is one of my new favorite authors and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I could have done with more tension and more enemying- but perhaps I am too used to my dark/ horrormance genres that I tend to lean toward. For a true romantasy, it more than fits the bill for enemies to lovers, though.
All in all I think I was expecting the tone to be darker, but I had a fun time reading it and really enjoyed the FMC in this one. The magic system was really interesting as well as the mechanics of the afterlife, and I liked that the time period felt different than you find in most romantasies.
If the ending had been a bit different it would have been a 4+ star read for me- but I won't post any spoilers on this review.
I could have done with more tension and more enemying- but perhaps I am too used to my dark/ horrormance genres that I tend to lean toward. For a true romantasy, it more than fits the bill for enemies to lovers, though.
All in all I think I was expecting the tone to be darker, but I had a fun time reading it and really enjoyed the FMC in this one. The magic system was really interesting as well as the mechanics of the afterlife, and I liked that the time period felt different than you find in most romantasies.
If the ending had been a bit different it would have been a 4+ star read for me- but I won't post any spoilers on this review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I was fortunate enough to win a giveaway for a bound manuscript from Meg and Saturday Books and OMG THIS DID NOT DISAPPOINT. When I tell you I pretty much ate this book up in one sitting. The goth-like desert setting. Death as a place. The unique concept of the construct. The tension and dynamic between Jonquil and Edmund. All of it was immaculate. I am but a simple creature and I knew this one would be for me when I saw the MMC is called the Duke of Death. And I was not wrong. I’ve been a huge fan of Meg since reading Thrum and, as always, she absolutely delivered. I will cherish my bound manuscript forever and I cannot wait to be able to discuss this book with others.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
06/25/2026-06/28/2026
Thank you so so much St.Martins Press (SMP Early Readers) for the gifted digital proof widget of “Deathsworn” by Meg Smitherman 💀
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Coming January 12th, 2027)
Deathsworn took us on a journey of grief, love, acceptance, and peace all in such a short time.
The amount of plot twists this book is full of while somehow maintaining a consistency in slow burn, plot unraveling and humor is phenomenal!
I mean plot twists after plot twists all wrapped tight in a bow!
This necromantasy was beautiful! 🖤
Seriously, the journey of Edmund and Jonquil finding themselves and each other in such a dark and twisted journey brought tears to my eyes! 🥹
Thank you so so much St.Martins Press (SMP Early Readers) for the gifted digital proof widget of “Deathsworn” by Meg Smitherman 💀
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Coming January 12th, 2027)
Deathsworn took us on a journey of grief, love, acceptance, and peace all in such a short time.
The amount of plot twists this book is full of while somehow maintaining a consistency in slow burn, plot unraveling and humor is phenomenal!
I mean plot twists after plot twists all wrapped tight in a bow!
This necromantasy was beautiful! 🖤
Seriously, the journey of Edmund and Jonquil finding themselves and each other in such a dark and twisted journey brought tears to my eyes! 🥹
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I already knew I would love this novel. Meg Smitherman is my number one autobuy author and her writing is magical. But, ultimately, Deathsworn exceeded my expectations in a way I could have never imagined. Reading it felt like walking in a dream. The world building is unmatched, the dialogue is sharp and witty, the prose is lush. Every moment of reading this book was an experience, there were no wasted pages or throw away scenes. From start to finish, I was entirely immersed.
Deathsworn is a necromantasy, and that genre fits it like a glove. It is a true enemies-to-lovers romance. Jonquil’s rage for the Duke of Death is palpable and she hates him with every fiber of her being. Their journey is nothing short of delicious. The softening of that hatred and rage is a sensitive thing, and it takes a masterful author to handle it so beautifully. Meg Smitherman is absolutely that. I cannot recommend Deathsworn, or her other books, enough.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press & Saturday Books for the early manuscript copy and digital ARC. These are my honest thoughts!
Deathsworn is a necromantasy, and that genre fits it like a glove. It is a true enemies-to-lovers romance. Jonquil’s rage for the Duke of Death is palpable and she hates him with every fiber of her being. Their journey is nothing short of delicious. The softening of that hatred and rage is a sensitive thing, and it takes a masterful author to handle it so beautifully. Meg Smitherman is absolutely that. I cannot recommend Deathsworn, or her other books, enough.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press & Saturday Books for the early manuscript copy and digital ARC. These are my honest thoughts!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews