Burdened by Mist and Sorrow: A King Arthur-inspired Portal Romantic Fantasy

by A.M. Ross

Written for readers who love older main characters (36+), fast pace fantasy plots and slow burn closed door romance, King Arthur legends, diverse mythical creatures and side characters, friends to lovers, and a sassy canine sidekick guaranteed to live as well as the vibes of Firefly, The Mummy, and The Princess Bride.

Exiled fae lord Lancelot never thought he would make it back to the Mist Lands and his ancestral home. Now that the magical realm of Avalon has ended his exile, he’s not losing out on the chance to win his throne back from his power-hungry brother, Aberlin. He just needs to convince his former ally, King Arthur, that backing Lance’s power play is the right decision. Having Lance leading House Dwyn will balance the power structure between the three fae courts, lessening future threats to Arthur’s people in Avalon.

But King Arthur and his knights are not enamored with the idea of another fae war. Despite Lancelot helping them defeat the fae tyrant Mordred, Arthur initially refuses to provide military support. With the help of his former police partner, Gwen, Lance convinces Arthur to send an armed force to fight Aberlin. Progress is made to push back enemy forces until tragedy strikes.

Aberlin kidnaps Gwen. Knowing his brother’s twisted nature, Lance has only a small window in which to save the woman he secretly loves. But with the other two fae courts looking for weaknesses to exploit and his alliance with King Arthur crumbling, Lance isn’t sure who he can turn to or trust.

Now Lance is on a mission to rescue Gwen and prove to the other fae courts that he is a worthy ruler and powerful enough to rebuff their invasion. Between a harrowing rescue mission and then an epic quest, Lance must decide if he will also fight for a relationship with Gwen after her romance with the human knight Orin falls apart.

Lance is determined to not let his people suffer any longer. If Lance cannot ascend to the throne and convince the other fae courts of his power, then the Mist Lands will devolve into a full civil war. Mortals and fae alike will bleed. Lance must stop the looming conflict; otherwise, his people will be destroyed, and he will lose any chance to love the woman he so desperately wants.

334 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 13, 2026

Reviews

[Rachel Woodward · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I read an advanced copy of this book, and here is my honest review.**

4.5/5 stars

After the incredible experience I had reading A.M. Ross's first novel, I had high expectations for this second book, and it did not disappoint! Burdened by Mist and Sorrow starts us out in a post-Mordred Avalon, where our capable and strong heroine Gwen is working alongside fae and mortals alike to push back against Aberlin, Mordred's second and Lancelot's brother. This book was full of witty banter and baddassery, as well as epic quests and an incredibly rewarding romance. And -- the dog lives!

I would WHOLEHEARTEDLY recommend this novel to anyone who loves fantasy, the Arthurian legend, found families, and main characters who have a bit of life experience under their belts!

Things I loved:
- Gwen is not infallible. She has a past, and trauma, and there are moments that she can't hide how much those things are impacting her. But she is still incredible and powerful and strong. I needed so much to see both sides of her, and this story really brought to life the idea that you don't have to be whole to be loved, or to be exactly what someone needs.
- Lancelot is such a fun character! I knew I liked him in the first book, but seeing more of him as we follow his quest to return to his home was so fun. He is also multifaceted and complex, but also fun-loving and silly. Green flag, golden retriever energy for sure.
- We got a whole host of new characters (I won't give too many details because spoilers) but I am LOVING them! Again - so complex and well-written.
- The author includes a Character and Creature guide at the end of the book and this was VERY helpful!!

Other notes:
- I did feel a bit thrown into the story. The pacing at the start of the book was very quick, but I appreciated that we still got some reminders of who some of the characters were.
- The descriptions of Gwen's trauma were detailed and intense. I feel that it absolutely added depth to the story, and I would not change it! And, the author did provide appropriate trigger warnings, which is always appreciated. But for those unsure about those - please check into the trigger warnings before starting. I felt that overall, the healing journey was more than adequate to help soften the traumatic nature of the triggers.

Can't wait for book 3!

[M.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an ARC review and I thank the author for sharing a copy of their book with me.

This book picks up where the first one left off - Gwen and Orin together, having defeated Mordred, now have to contend with Lancelot's older brother who is an evil fae lord. On top of that their relationship is fracturing - Orin is using his over protectiveness as an excuse to try and change Gwen into being something she's not.

The author does a good job at retroactively developing Gwen's feelings for bestie Lance, who we know has been in love with her since book one. For me the book picked up when it focused more on Gwen and Lance, and the adventures they go on.

I'm not a huge fan of fey fantasy novels, but I'm sure readers who are into the whole fey court thing (and King Arthur) will eat these books right up. The author does a great job at describing the courts, the people and creatures that inhabit it, and paints a vivid world that feels so much broader and more real than book one. Orin's psychology and reason for doing things felt a bit self-destructing, but it worked, and the book has some great reflections on relationships, feelings of self-worth, and being with someone who accepts you for who you are.

I'm swinging between a 3 star and four star review on this. I enjoyed the book overall and felt it was well concluded, yet for me everything was slightly too much laid out on the page: the characters said and explained everything they were feeling, and the prose too, with nothing held back from the reader - not much room for mystery and interpretation, but I guess that also pays testament to Lance's character.

The perfect read for fans of King Arthur looking for a fey twist.

[Ivana Loustalot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burdened by Mist and Sorrow was such a vibe! I always enjoy reading King Arthur retellings, and this story didn't disappoint. Starting with Legend of Mist and Blade, book 1 in this series, we get to know Gwen and Logan from Littleton, USA. "Partners in crime", they were police officers working together in a cozy small town. And now, we know them as Avalon Champion and Lancelot! Add Knight Orin to the mix, and you'll get this love triangle messy romance 😁
I think Burdened by Mist and Sorrow was a little darker than book 1. There's a lot of suffering and trauma, written in an impressive way, so we get to experience everything with them. We have Gwen and Lance's POVs instead of Orin's like in book 1.
The fact that the MCs were older was a big YES for me, and I loved that the author included the joint pains and the menopause concept in the Fantasy World 🤭
There were a lot of twists and turns, old and new enemies, and a fool's quest that was funny, lovely, and frightening at the same time.
This book had a HEA ending for some of the characters 👀 but the Epilogue showed us that the story continues, and I honestly can't wait to read the third book!

Tropes:
⚔️ Arthurian Retelling
🌀 Portal Fantasy
🧙‍♂️ Older MMCs
🪄 Magic System
😩 Reluctant Chosen One
💔 Love Triangle
🫂 Found Family
🌙 Fade to Black Intimacy
👑 Fae Courts
🗺️ Fool's Quest
🖤 Trauma & PTSD

Beautiful Quote: "Leadership is sacrifice, Lancelot. Sometimes you may get what you desire, but sometimes you must let it go for the greater good."

[Jaimie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

After reading and enjoying the first book in this series I was so excited to get into this one and get Lancelot's story. One of the things that I loved from the first book that has carried over into this one are that our MCs are older, flawed, and totally relatable. Also, that the world is easy to follow, even for somebody that isn't familiar with the legend of King Arthur.

Gwen is working alongside the Lancelot to help him defeat his brother so he can take back over House Dwyn which has caused some ripples with Orin and when Gwen gets kidnapped by Aberlin (Lancelot's brother) everything just goes downhill. I was totally invested in this journey!

Gwen is strong and a total baddie but we see in this one that she isn't completely bullet proof and that she has a past, some trauma, and can't always hide her feelings. I loved getting to see this side of her too. And how Lancelot was just there for her no matter what? Perfect. He is a total green flag MMC! Lancelot is also just a fun character overall and I was so happy to get to see more of him.

If you're looking for a romantasy with older relatable characters, magic, found family, fade to black romance, an awesome canine companion, great banter and a good adventure then definitely check this out!

Huge thank you to the author for the early copy to read! I cannot wait to see how the journey wraps up in the next book!

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burdened by Mist and Sorrow is the successor to A.M. Ross’ Legend of Mist and Blade, a King Arthur inspired fantasy. It was riveting, in-depth character arc and teeming with magic. I devoured this story and its characters. I definitely recommend reading Legend of Mist and Blade as that book introduces new readers to the world dynamics and character backstories.

Gwen and Lancelot are a pairing that I wanted more of in book 1. I was giddy when Ross delivered a friends-to-lovers with longing that is paced perfectly. The emotions are written beautifully as the characters navigate a treacherous landscape. From the beginning I was hooked and wanted to cry for Lanceleot a few pages in. He certainly got his character arc developed from Legend of Mist and Blade and I’m here for it. Aside from Lance and Gwen, this story crafts a beautiful tale of camaraderie and found family in a world far from our own. Each character is endearing and the antagonists are complex and mysterious.

This book is one for the TBR and a highlight of my reading list so far this year. The cover is stunning and I can't wait for book 3. Thank you to A.M. Ross for the opportunity to ARC read this story.

[B Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

I received an early copy of this from the author.

This is book two in The Mist Land Chronicles series. The events in this book start 6 months after book one ends and we are following Gwen and Lance. Arthur's court is having a hard time pushing back against Lance's brother, Aberlin, after Mordred is defeated. Choas ensues, quests happen, magic and fae, mythological creatures, and the dog lives.

I really enjoyed the writing of this book. She feels like a well established fantasy author, strong characters, good world building, intriguing plot that was easy to follow, and swoon worthy romance. Gwen is a certifiable badass that is realistic about her abilities while also being accepting of her limits and the things that she needs to work on. Lance is golden retriever who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his court and the people that he cares about safe.

The pacing was a little fast for me, just in contrast to the first one which spent a lot of time world building and character backstories. Where this one jumped straight into the action and did not let up.

I would recommend this book to people who enjoy Arthurian legends, an FMC in her 30s, good PTSD representation, found family, fae, and magic.

[Hamail Haider · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me completely hooked from start to end. Although I haven't read the first book yet, the story was still so easy to follow and I loved the characters despite just getting to know them. Gwen and Lancelot were such interesting and well-written characters; I especially loved seeing older characters and seeing Gwen struggling with perimenopausal issues was such a validating sight because you don't get to see that alot in fantasy stories. Gwen's trauma was also represented without diminishing the affect it has on her character development.
Lancelot was such a sweetheart and I loved how careful he was with Gwen, protecting her without being too overbearing. He was so attentive to her needs and actually listened to her and I loved getting to see Gwen heal with him by her side.
I'm definitely going to read the first book and cannot wait for the next one! Jaina is such an interesting character and I'm so excited for her story!

[I.L. Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I did enjoy this book and while it does work as an interconnected standalone, there were some things that threw me, especially the references to our world.

Now, I didn't read the first book, Legend of Mist and Blade, but I feel like if I did, those references wouldn't pull me out of the story nearly as much.

With that said, I highly recommend reading both books but I'd start with Legend of Mist and Blade. I love that the characters are older, it's a nice change from what you normally see in romantic fantasy.

The writing is fantastic, and it's such an easy read. Overall, I loved it. The idea of Lancelot being a fae is really neat.

[Shandie McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received from Author. This is the second book in an interconnected standalone series. I really loved the premise of the story and was hooked from the beginning. I cannot wait to read more from this author.