Forced Faces

by Elowen Daire

Dina is a young elven girl taken from her home and forced into the life of a courtesan. She does everything she can to escape, clinging to every chance, every crack in the system that might lead her out.
Then she meets one of her clients.

A mysterious stranger with vitiligo marking his face, a tattoo that tells a story of its own, and a shameless, disarming smile that never quite leaves his lips.
Zeron moves through Perubia’s rooftops as if the rules do not apply to him. He watches too closely, speaks too freely, and refuses to treat Dina as something that can be owned.

They were never meant to become anything more. But when they do, something changes. Because the roles they were given were never meant to hold. And the more they resist them, the more dangerous everything becomes.

In a city ruled by factions, secrets, and silent expectations, choosing each other may cost them everything.

331 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 15, 2026

About the author

I write emotionally and morally grounded romantasy.
I don’t write smut, and I don’t really write what people usually label as “spice” either. At the same time, I don’t consider intimacy something shameful or something that must be erased from stories completely.
I see myself as an artist first, not someone trying to follow market trends. And because of that, if the natural emotional progression of a story reaches a point where a love scene truly belongs, then I write it. But I never write graphic scenes for shock value or include them simply for their own sake.
My stories often deal with difficult things, much like life does.
I never romanticize toxic relationships.

Reviews

[Faerierealm1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plot was intriguing from the start. Dina’s time as a courtesan felt like a frightening tightrope walk between Zeron’s kindness and her role as a woman meant to be used. The fact that her virtue remained safe was actually refreshing and made the story stand out for me.
The mystery surrounding the prophet kept me guessing throughout, and I’m sure many of those answers will come in book two—which I genuinely cannot wait for.
The journey both characters go through was tense, emotional, and at times hair-raising. I was especially concerned for Dina once she began training for the order because I honestly couldn’t see how she could leave without paying the ultimate price.
Dina was a naive young woman with a tragic past, ripped from her home into a world filled with courtesans and cruel people. Her character growth throughout the story was done really well, but she never lost her sense of right and wrong. She stood by her values even when it cost her.
Zeron was such a likeable scoundrel. Beneath the banter and charm was a shocking truth that gave his character real depth. It’s easy to see how his earlier life shaped the man he became. His cheeky humour and quiet kindness made him far more than what others believed him to be. I also loved how unwavering he was in his search and how willing others were to help him along the way.
This is a closed-door romance, which I personally appreciated. I’ve read too many books lately where spice feels added purely as filler or to attract a certain audience. The romance in this story felt honest, natural, and genuinely emotional. It made their love feel stronger and more meaningful.
Elowen Daire has a real talent for storytelling, and this is now the second of her books I’ve enjoyed. I give this story 5 stars for its feel-good nature alone.I finished it feeling positive, happy, and very ready for the next instalment of Dina and Zeron’s story.

I received an ARC copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily and honestly.

[Celine Tabone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel honoured to have had the priviledge to read this book early, it was a journey! Although I consider myself to be someone new to the fantasy and romantasy genre, I do feel that the start of this was a bit slow, especially since I didn't understand where the fantasy element would come into play. Initially, the story's purpose feels a bit vague but then towards the end I could see the true point of all that had happened. The second half of the book is definitely stronger and involved quite simple world plot and building which is good for starters. However, I do think this world will evolve further, especially with the cliffhanger that there was (it's not a traumatising cliffhanger but leaves you intrigued which is good).

Regarding characters, I really enjoyed Dina's character growth in this book and I hope this continues as I see the potential in her to become something really special. Till now, Zeron is not my fave mmc simply cause I feel that he feel for her too deeply too quickly for my personal liking. However, I do really like how the couple ended off and Zeron's shift in behaviour there. However, having said that, Zeron is definitely a man of many words (and too many nicknames) but also becoming a man that does acts of service which is amazing.

I will definitely be interested in continuing this series and I had a really good time reading this!


I received an advance copy of this book and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

[Liam Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read Forced Faces as an ARC reader, and it was already of impressive quality even before the final edit.

What I enjoyed most was how Elowen brings both the main characters to life. You can truly feel how much heart and soul she poured into the story. She actually fleshed out Dina and Zeron so well that following their relationship dynamics is deeply engaging. It’s an emotionally grounded romantasy that develops naturally.

I would have loved to see more of that same depth in some of the subplots and side characters, but that doesn’t change the fact that Forced Faces is a highly recommendable read. It is especially for readers who enjoy slow-burn romance with the right sense of sensuality.

The ending flows directly into the second book, which I’m currently reading. So I can already tell you that there’s even more awesome content by Elowen to look forward to.

[Tianna Maciej · Rating 4 out of 5]

The storyline in this book was well-written, and very much character driven. Personally, I had a hard time depicting the transitions between a few of the scenes.
Both main characters were incredibly well written. The descriptions of their appearances, movements, and their character development, made it easy to depict what the author envisioned. Dina's anxiety in the first half when being separated from the man she feels safest with is totally relatable. Zeron has a witty and jovial air around his character.

This book had some really interesting side plots, as well as the main storyline. I am definitely interested in reading the next book in the series.

Also the make-up of Zeron's companions reminded me of a Dungeons & Dragons party.

[Rosy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from the author for this book. I really enjoyed it. A cutesy little fantasy book that has a soft take on some what could be considered pretty harsh topics sometimes and a rag-tag bunch of adventurers to boot. One of the books that is a breath of fresh air quick read that is needed between longer harder hitting books. Poor Dina was put through the ringer in her life , I truly hope that in the second book things pick up for her and Zeron! Another thing I really enjoyed was the pronunciation guide at the beginning, a conversation between the author and one of her characters, such a lovely little quirky funny touch by Elowen to start off her story.

[Christina Barron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found that this novel was quite good however i did think it leaned more on to the adult category with the start of the novel. I really want to read the next instalment in this series asap. I really enjoyed reading about Dina and Zeron’s romance. I liked that at the start we got a pronunciation list and a list explaining the days of the week from Zeron’s perspective it definitely made me more interested to find out about him.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vicki Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book and am happy to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily. First of all, I LOVED the main male character, Zeron. Such a charming, mischievous scamp! He made the perfect hero for our Female main character, Dina. (Believe me, she needed a hero!) The story was quick paced with an interesting world and cast of characters. Book one feels like we are just scratching the surface of their story and I really look forward to book #2!

[rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was astonished by this book every chapter, the whole time I was so anxious for Dina and what would happen next. The end left me thirsty for more, I absolutely can’t wait for book 2.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[AJ Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an incredible read. I truly enjoyed it. The banter. The artwork. The imagery. I can't wait for the next one.

This one left on a cliffhanger but not a bad one that'd leave me frustrated. So, thank you for that.

I felt for Dina in this. So much anxiety built with each scene she was away from Zeron. Zeron though, he's an mmc all would choose.

[Morgan Hobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was funny and heartfelt! It had great pacing and I absolutely loved reading Dina grow and Zeron be emotional clunky!
I got the privilege of getting an Advanced Reader Copy.