What do you think?
Rate this book
Solace of Elowen
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26Humans don’t value the Earth enough to earn her powers; that gift is reserved for creatures… until Princess Elowen.
Stolen from her training by the pirates her parents hired to capture her, Elowen immediately clashes with murderous beauty Isana. Being her prisoner, the princess and pirate become increasingly entangled. If the pirate crew fail to bring Elowen home alive, they face death, but Isana never anticipated being weakened by her. As the war advances, Elowen must decide who she is willing to lose, even if that’s herself. Explore the pain and desire between two women caught in a war made by men. All Elowen has ever wanted is to be free, so she must fight for it.
Stolen from her training by the pirates her parents hired to capture her, Elowen immediately clashes with murderous beauty Isana. Being her prisoner, the princess and pirate become increasingly entangled. If the pirate crew fail to bring Elowen home alive, they face death, but Isana never anticipated being weakened by her. As the war advances, Elowen must decide who she is willing to lose, even if that’s herself. Explore the pain and desire between two women caught in a war made by men. All Elowen has ever wanted is to be free, so she must fight for it.
- GenresLesbian
456 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 4, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 30, 2026
Firstly, a huge thank you to the author for sending me an ARC of Solace of Elowen!
This book had me absolutely HOOKED from start to finish. The angst? The slow burn? The loathing??? So so so painfully perfect!! Isana & Elowen had me kicking my feet one minute and screaming the next 😭
Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, another twist came along and proved me wrong. The tension, the emotional turmoil, and all the unexpected turns made this such a fantastic read!!
If you love your fantasy with plenty of angst, enemies-to-lovers energy, and twists that keep you guessing, this one is definitely worth picking up!!
This book had me absolutely HOOKED from start to finish. The angst? The slow burn? The loathing??? So so so painfully perfect!! Isana & Elowen had me kicking my feet one minute and screaming the next 😭
Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, another twist came along and proved me wrong. The tension, the emotional turmoil, and all the unexpected turns made this such a fantastic read!!
If you love your fantasy with plenty of angst, enemies-to-lovers energy, and twists that keep you guessing, this one is definitely worth picking up!!
June 7, 2026
WOW
I was so excited to get a ARC copy of “Solace of Elowen” and I’m extremely grateful for having the opportunity to read this before it’s official release.
I’ve been intrigued by the story since I started to follow Summer on social media.
Summer is a beautiful writer. The way she built this world is unmatched. My imagination was going crazy with every description of every inch of this world. The characters also! I had some emotional attachments to a fair few of these and Summer put me through it when reading about their individual journeys.
This is definitely up there as a top read for me this year. I havent read much fantasy but a sapphic romantasy about a sexy bad ass pirate has definitely encouraged me to read even more stories within the genre. Especially sapphic ones!
To put it simply - I LOVED THIS
It made me laugh, it made me tear up and it kept me interested from start to finish. I didn’t want it to end.
Amazing, you scorched this one Summer!!
If you like anything sapphic, fantasy and generally love strong, beautiful, bass ass main character women, READ THIS.
I was so excited to get a ARC copy of “Solace of Elowen” and I’m extremely grateful for having the opportunity to read this before it’s official release.
I’ve been intrigued by the story since I started to follow Summer on social media.
Summer is a beautiful writer. The way she built this world is unmatched. My imagination was going crazy with every description of every inch of this world. The characters also! I had some emotional attachments to a fair few of these and Summer put me through it when reading about their individual journeys.
This is definitely up there as a top read for me this year. I havent read much fantasy but a sapphic romantasy about a sexy bad ass pirate has definitely encouraged me to read even more stories within the genre. Especially sapphic ones!
To put it simply - I LOVED THIS
It made me laugh, it made me tear up and it kept me interested from start to finish. I didn’t want it to end.
Amazing, you scorched this one Summer!!
If you like anything sapphic, fantasy and generally love strong, beautiful, bass ass main character women, READ THIS.
June 3, 2026
Massive thanks to Summer for choosing me to be an ARC reader. It was an honour and a privilege to feast my eyes on this absolute masterpiece!
I don’t want to give too many spoiler so I’ll try to say what I loved about this book without spoiling anything. This book has everything I want out of a fantasy book! High stakes, fantastical creatures, and a romantic subplot that made me feel such an intense mix of emotions all the way through the story. I absolutely devoured this book in 2 days and I loved the writing style. The prose is lush and beautiful but also witty in the right places, and the dialogue is perfection. I absolutely loved the complexity of the relationships between the characters and even minor characters stood out because of such complexities, each one enriching the story further. It was well-paced and pivotal moments were so well-placed within the story which I really appreciated.
Overall, I have nothing bad to say! This is one hell of a debut and I’ll be thinking about it for a long time to come. It was an absolute pleasure to read.
I don’t want to give too many spoiler so I’ll try to say what I loved about this book without spoiling anything. This book has everything I want out of a fantasy book! High stakes, fantastical creatures, and a romantic subplot that made me feel such an intense mix of emotions all the way through the story. I absolutely devoured this book in 2 days and I loved the writing style. The prose is lush and beautiful but also witty in the right places, and the dialogue is perfection. I absolutely loved the complexity of the relationships between the characters and even minor characters stood out because of such complexities, each one enriching the story further. It was well-paced and pivotal moments were so well-placed within the story which I really appreciated.
Overall, I have nothing bad to say! This is one hell of a debut and I’ll be thinking about it for a long time to come. It was an absolute pleasure to read.
May 30, 2026
summer, i am so incredibly grateful i found this book of yours, and even more grateful to have been provided it as an arc read. you are truly meant for this!
from the very beginning, to the very last line, i was absolutely hooked. just when you think everything is starting to calm down and fall into place, another brilliant twist is there to keep the story alive. this has such a perfect blend of world building and character development, with the angst, yearning and confrontation to follow alongside. the two main personalities had tremendous banter and longing, even during their period of hatred. i am utterly invested, and will most definitely be purchasing the physical copy once it is released!
keep doing what you’re doing, and i thoroughly encourage every sapphic fantasy lover to get on board with this; you won’t regret it!!!
from the very beginning, to the very last line, i was absolutely hooked. just when you think everything is starting to calm down and fall into place, another brilliant twist is there to keep the story alive. this has such a perfect blend of world building and character development, with the angst, yearning and confrontation to follow alongside. the two main personalities had tremendous banter and longing, even during their period of hatred. i am utterly invested, and will most definitely be purchasing the physical copy once it is released!
keep doing what you’re doing, and i thoroughly encourage every sapphic fantasy lover to get on board with this; you won’t regret it!!!
May 31, 2026
Thank you SO much Summer for my ARC of this book. It was absolutely incredible and I was HOOKED from start to finish (hence finishing in 24 hours!!!)
“You, unfortunately, are a stark reminder that pure things can still flourish in this world.”
The slow burn? The forced proximity? Grumpy x sunshine? LESBIANS? YES!!!!!
This book gave me everything I needed and more. First of all the writing was BEAUTIFUL. Descriptions galore, perfect world building, *chefs kiss* characters. Obsessed.
I loved the dual POV - kept the book refreshing and exciting.
The powers, magic, war, everything was fast paced and exactly what I crave in a romantasy.
Beautiful ARC, loved it from start to finish.
Summer you are a genius and I love youuuuu
“I didn’t know my body could feel someone’s touch profoundly in my soul as I do with her hands on me.”
“You, unfortunately, are a stark reminder that pure things can still flourish in this world.”
The slow burn? The forced proximity? Grumpy x sunshine? LESBIANS? YES!!!!!
This book gave me everything I needed and more. First of all the writing was BEAUTIFUL. Descriptions galore, perfect world building, *chefs kiss* characters. Obsessed.
I loved the dual POV - kept the book refreshing and exciting.
The powers, magic, war, everything was fast paced and exactly what I crave in a romantasy.
Beautiful ARC, loved it from start to finish.
Summer you are a genius and I love youuuuu
“I didn’t know my body could feel someone’s touch profoundly in my soul as I do with her hands on me.”
May 31, 2026
First of all thank you so much to Summer for this arc!
This had everything in a fantasy that I like, with politics and war, sapphic romance, and found family as key themes. I was hooked by the story and the dual pov, as it felt refreshing to see both perspectives of the same event at times in the story.
The world building was beautiful, in addition to a slow burn romance and twists around every corner that had me guessing until the end. The pacing of the story was perfect for me, and I had no trouble absolutely devouring it.
This had everything in a fantasy that I like, with politics and war, sapphic romance, and found family as key themes. I was hooked by the story and the dual pov, as it felt refreshing to see both perspectives of the same event at times in the story.
The world building was beautiful, in addition to a slow burn romance and twists around every corner that had me guessing until the end. The pacing of the story was perfect for me, and I had no trouble absolutely devouring it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was my first ever ARC copy, so thank you so much to the author! I was sold the minute I heard sapphic pirates.
Let me start with the good! There are many things I really liked about the story and the characters, especially the dynamic between Isana and Elowen. Their interactions were realistic and intense, with so much chemistry right from their first meeting: so much yearning, desperation, and torturous flirting. In my humble opinion, this is the author's biggest strength. Their dynamic felt authentic and had me on the edge of my seat multiple times. It was exciting to follow their relationship develop, war around them and within.
I have read fantasy books for about 25 years and yet never anything like this book. I really enjoyed the original idea, and it got me thirsty for more pirate books! That said, I wish there had been more focus on characters beyond the main couple, as well as on world-building, which I found lacking. As an avid fantasy reader, I enjoy extensive lore and magic systems, learning more about the world the characters live in and getting a feel for life in their reality. This is something the book was lacking, in my opinion. Most of the time, it focused only on Isana and Elowen, despite introducing many interesting characters I would have liked to know much more about. Also, I was left wanting more ship-time! I was hoping for a more nautical setting, since I heard the word 'pirates'.
The pace of the book was fast, but this suited the storyline. The protagonists were constantly in a rush, and I felt like I was rushing with them, which made it more exciting. However, at times it felt too rushed. Maybe this is because I am used to more background information, world-building, and atmospheric descriptions, but now I am just repeating myself. There were still many mistakes at the time I read the book, which pulled me out of the movie in my head every time I stumbled upon a new one. I assume these will be fixed before publication, so if you read this review after publication, this hopefully won't be an issue anymore.
While this book is not one of my all-time favourites, I enjoyed reading it, and I am sure that many people will love it - as has been proven by the other ARC reviews I glanced at before writing this. So if this is the first review you read, go have a look at the other ones too, because so far I seem to be alone with my opinion. I wish I could have given more stars, but I want my reviews to be honest!
Let me start with the good! There are many things I really liked about the story and the characters, especially the dynamic between Isana and Elowen. Their interactions were realistic and intense, with so much chemistry right from their first meeting: so much yearning, desperation, and torturous flirting. In my humble opinion, this is the author's biggest strength. Their dynamic felt authentic and had me on the edge of my seat multiple times. It was exciting to follow their relationship develop, war around them and within.
I have read fantasy books for about 25 years and yet never anything like this book. I really enjoyed the original idea, and it got me thirsty for more pirate books! That said, I wish there had been more focus on characters beyond the main couple, as well as on world-building, which I found lacking. As an avid fantasy reader, I enjoy extensive lore and magic systems, learning more about the world the characters live in and getting a feel for life in their reality. This is something the book was lacking, in my opinion. Most of the time, it focused only on Isana and Elowen, despite introducing many interesting characters I would have liked to know much more about. Also, I was left wanting more ship-time! I was hoping for a more nautical setting, since I heard the word 'pirates'.
The pace of the book was fast, but this suited the storyline. The protagonists were constantly in a rush, and I felt like I was rushing with them, which made it more exciting. However, at times it felt too rushed. Maybe this is because I am used to more background information, world-building, and atmospheric descriptions, but now I am just repeating myself. There were still many mistakes at the time I read the book, which pulled me out of the movie in my head every time I stumbled upon a new one. I assume these will be fixed before publication, so if you read this review after publication, this hopefully won't be an issue anymore.
While this book is not one of my all-time favourites, I enjoyed reading it, and I am sure that many people will love it - as has been proven by the other ARC reviews I glanced at before writing this. So if this is the first review you read, go have a look at the other ones too, because so far I seem to be alone with my opinion. I wish I could have given more stars, but I want my reviews to be honest!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Firstly I want to thank the author Summer for sending me an ARC copy of this book!
I first heard about Solace of Elowen when I stumbled across Summer talking about her self publishing journey and explaining the premise for her debut book. I knew instantly that it was a book I was very interested in reading.
Solace of Elowen is -in a nutshell; a slow burn, sapphic fantasy filled with rage, angst and a politically charged plot to keep you hooked all the way through.
Alongside the incredibly compelling story, Summer's writing style is captivating all on its own. There is a healthy amount of detail, so I found it very easy to build a clear picture of the people and the world, without feeling bogged down and distracted from the plot.
The characters themselves feel well developed and full of life, with Elowen and Isana (the main two we follow) having full arcs and a lot of character development throughout the book. We also get to see a good insight into the side characters, which really helped me care for their stories too, and I quickly became just as invested in their stories as I did the MCs.
Overall Isana was my favourite, she is jaded and abrasive, and just very prickly. Which is exactly the kind of character I love. Not to mention she's a badass pirate who can kill just about anything, and watching her (very very slowly) soften to Elowen was great. I found the pace their relationship developed was realistic, with the slow build just making any interaction more satisfying.
If you think you know what is going to happen next in story, you're probably wrong. The plot it self progressed quickly, with constant twists and turns thrown in, in places I didn't expect.
The tone is definitely a darker one, with violence and gore, strained relationships, characters with long standing trauma, and a few incredibly difficult decisions. I do think Summer has handled the subject matter well, the characters feel flawed in a way that makes them real, and the audience having a clear understanding of their world and their pain, makes all of their choices (both good and bad) feel authentic.
For my tldr overall:
I really enjoyed this book, the characters and story really came to life on the page, the writing was excellent and the story felt like a refreshing take on sapphic stories I've read before. I can't wait to see what other books Summer writes.
I first heard about Solace of Elowen when I stumbled across Summer talking about her self publishing journey and explaining the premise for her debut book. I knew instantly that it was a book I was very interested in reading.
Solace of Elowen is -in a nutshell; a slow burn, sapphic fantasy filled with rage, angst and a politically charged plot to keep you hooked all the way through.
Alongside the incredibly compelling story, Summer's writing style is captivating all on its own. There is a healthy amount of detail, so I found it very easy to build a clear picture of the people and the world, without feeling bogged down and distracted from the plot.
The characters themselves feel well developed and full of life, with Elowen and Isana (the main two we follow) having full arcs and a lot of character development throughout the book. We also get to see a good insight into the side characters, which really helped me care for their stories too, and I quickly became just as invested in their stories as I did the MCs.
Overall Isana was my favourite, she is jaded and abrasive, and just very prickly. Which is exactly the kind of character I love. Not to mention she's a badass pirate who can kill just about anything, and watching her (very very slowly) soften to Elowen was great. I found the pace their relationship developed was realistic, with the slow build just making any interaction more satisfying.
If you think you know what is going to happen next in story, you're probably wrong. The plot it self progressed quickly, with constant twists and turns thrown in, in places I didn't expect.
The tone is definitely a darker one, with violence and gore, strained relationships, characters with long standing trauma, and a few incredibly difficult decisions. I do think Summer has handled the subject matter well, the characters feel flawed in a way that makes them real, and the audience having a clear understanding of their world and their pain, makes all of their choices (both good and bad) feel authentic.
For my tldr overall:
I really enjoyed this book, the characters and story really came to life on the page, the writing was excellent and the story felt like a refreshing take on sapphic stories I've read before. I can't wait to see what other books Summer writes.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Before anything else, thank you to Summer for letting me read Solace of Elowen ahead of release.
Going into this book, I knew it was Summer’s debut novel, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. What I didn’t expect was to get so invested in the characters and find myself constantly thinking about the story whenever I wasn’t reading it.
This was one of those books where I’d finish a chapter, tell myself I was going to put it down, and then immediately start the next one. Before I knew it, I’d read far more than I’d planned because I just needed to know what happened next.
I’m not a massive fantasy reader, which actually makes how much I enjoyed this book even more impressive. The world building was detailed enough to make the setting feel real and immersive, but never so heavy that I felt lost or overwhelmed. It struck a balance that kept me engaged from beginning to end.
The biggest strength of this book for me was the characters. They felt flawed, complicated and human. I found myself getting frustrated with them at times, rooting for them at others, and becoming far more emotionally attached than I expected. The relationship between Isana and Elowen was especially satisfying because it wasn’t rushed. Every shift in their dynamic felt earned, which made the emotional moments hit that much harder.
I also really appreciated how confident the writing felt, particularly for a debut novel. There were several moments where I thought I had worked out where the story was heading, only for it to completely surprise me. It never felt like a first novel. It felt like a story written by someone who had a clear vision of the characters, the world and exactly where they wanted to take the reader.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Solace of Elowen and I’m genuinely excited to see what Summer writes next. More than anything, this book reminded me how much I want to see more sapphic fantasy written with this level of care and attention. The genre deserves more stories like this.
Going into this book, I knew it was Summer’s debut novel, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. What I didn’t expect was to get so invested in the characters and find myself constantly thinking about the story whenever I wasn’t reading it.
This was one of those books where I’d finish a chapter, tell myself I was going to put it down, and then immediately start the next one. Before I knew it, I’d read far more than I’d planned because I just needed to know what happened next.
I’m not a massive fantasy reader, which actually makes how much I enjoyed this book even more impressive. The world building was detailed enough to make the setting feel real and immersive, but never so heavy that I felt lost or overwhelmed. It struck a balance that kept me engaged from beginning to end.
The biggest strength of this book for me was the characters. They felt flawed, complicated and human. I found myself getting frustrated with them at times, rooting for them at others, and becoming far more emotionally attached than I expected. The relationship between Isana and Elowen was especially satisfying because it wasn’t rushed. Every shift in their dynamic felt earned, which made the emotional moments hit that much harder.
I also really appreciated how confident the writing felt, particularly for a debut novel. There were several moments where I thought I had worked out where the story was heading, only for it to completely surprise me. It never felt like a first novel. It felt like a story written by someone who had a clear vision of the characters, the world and exactly where they wanted to take the reader.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Solace of Elowen and I’m genuinely excited to see what Summer writes next. More than anything, this book reminded me how much I want to see more sapphic fantasy written with this level of care and attention. The genre deserves more stories like this.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I will be thinking about this book for the rest of my life.
“‘Elowen swallowed, “you enjoy nothing more than watching me suffer.’
‘By my hand, no one else’s’”
Firstly, thank you to Summer for the arc! It’s been a pleasure to read, I implore everyone to read this as soon as possible.
I’m not entirely sure where to start, but this story is so beautifully delicate and heavy, it’s one I’ll think of daily for a long old time. It grips you from the first page, and is so blinking hard to put down! (I’ll let you know now, during reading this arc, I moved 300 miles away and any minute I could, I was reading).
A huge (incredibly massive) shout out to Summer’s writing, it’s original and fresh, it kept me engaged from the first word until the very last. Every single word served a purpose, the prose writing is beautiful and is very reminiscent of poetry. I feel as if I’ve read an author whose blood, sweat and tears you can literally feel on the page - a complete labour of love.
Every single character in the book is tangible. They’re a fully fleshed-out person with their own likes, dislikes and history. Just when you think they’re side characters we’ll never meet again, boom! They became integral to the plot, as do their historical relationships with each other. I really enjoyed that about Summer’s writing, just how when I thought I figured out where it was going, the plot would do a 180 degree turn with a fork in the road.
Elowen isn’t just a pretty princess in the slightest, her arc is one of my favourites of any character ever. It’s lovely to see her transformation, by the end, you’re proud of her, of who she’s become. Isana, my beloved. Isana is a force, there’s no sugar laden with her words but my god, she’s my favourite from the novel. She’s abrasive, loyal and incredibly impressive. I was constantly enamoured by Isana, her prowess (just for her Banshee’s alone) was second to none.
Elowen’s and Isana’s immediate tension, due to the runaway princess x pirate capturer relationship, was delicious. It’s amorous, fragile and gruesome. Finally an enemies to lovers where they are truly enemies! It’s a delicious slow-burn, you’re constantly between (or both as I found myself) screaming or kicking your feet at every single interaction they have. My favourite scenes have to be whenever Isana teaches Elowen how to fight, they’re the BEST - I cannot wait to reread them. You MUST go to Summer’s socials to see these two illustrated too, absolutely beautiful!
I cannot believe this is a debut novel, everything about it is incredible (hence there being 5 star only reviews). I’m grateful I was able to read this, I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy! You have blown me away.
P.S. Summer looks to be working on another sapphic fantasy, so quickly read this so we can all come back for a second!!
“‘Elowen swallowed, “you enjoy nothing more than watching me suffer.’
‘By my hand, no one else’s’”
Firstly, thank you to Summer for the arc! It’s been a pleasure to read, I implore everyone to read this as soon as possible.
I’m not entirely sure where to start, but this story is so beautifully delicate and heavy, it’s one I’ll think of daily for a long old time. It grips you from the first page, and is so blinking hard to put down! (I’ll let you know now, during reading this arc, I moved 300 miles away and any minute I could, I was reading).
A huge (incredibly massive) shout out to Summer’s writing, it’s original and fresh, it kept me engaged from the first word until the very last. Every single word served a purpose, the prose writing is beautiful and is very reminiscent of poetry. I feel as if I’ve read an author whose blood, sweat and tears you can literally feel on the page - a complete labour of love.
Every single character in the book is tangible. They’re a fully fleshed-out person with their own likes, dislikes and history. Just when you think they’re side characters we’ll never meet again, boom! They became integral to the plot, as do their historical relationships with each other. I really enjoyed that about Summer’s writing, just how when I thought I figured out where it was going, the plot would do a 180 degree turn with a fork in the road.
Elowen isn’t just a pretty princess in the slightest, her arc is one of my favourites of any character ever. It’s lovely to see her transformation, by the end, you’re proud of her, of who she’s become. Isana, my beloved. Isana is a force, there’s no sugar laden with her words but my god, she’s my favourite from the novel. She’s abrasive, loyal and incredibly impressive. I was constantly enamoured by Isana, her prowess (just for her Banshee’s alone) was second to none.
Elowen’s and Isana’s immediate tension, due to the runaway princess x pirate capturer relationship, was delicious. It’s amorous, fragile and gruesome. Finally an enemies to lovers where they are truly enemies! It’s a delicious slow-burn, you’re constantly between (or both as I found myself) screaming or kicking your feet at every single interaction they have. My favourite scenes have to be whenever Isana teaches Elowen how to fight, they’re the BEST - I cannot wait to reread them. You MUST go to Summer’s socials to see these two illustrated too, absolutely beautiful!
I cannot believe this is a debut novel, everything about it is incredible (hence there being 5 star only reviews). I’m grateful I was able to read this, I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy! You have blown me away.
P.S. Summer looks to be working on another sapphic fantasy, so quickly read this so we can all come back for a second!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I don’t even know where to start!!
Firstly, thank you SO much for letting me be an arc reader, defo a booktok girly’s bucket list moment so thank you.
I have only ever cried at a handful of books, but the way that this was written and crafted had me invested from the first chapter - that when life happens to the characters, as a reader, it felt like it was happening in front of you and with you. This was aided by the BEAUTIFUL descriptions and narration of the plot set in 3rd person POV. The way it was written, especially for a debut novel (wow), felt like poetry.
The dynamic between the two main characters, Isana and Elowen, was unmatched! Not only did you connect to their storyline but also to all the characters built into the plot (no spoilers but this played a big part into the tears!!). And as someone who doesn’t usually reach for fantasy as their go to genre, this was such an easy read to get back into the fantasy world and was structured so well that I just did not want it to finish!!
I’ll definitely be purchasing a copy when it comes out and I cannot wait to re-read it ⭐️⚔️💋🩵
Firstly, thank you SO much for letting me be an arc reader, defo a booktok girly’s bucket list moment so thank you.
I have only ever cried at a handful of books, but the way that this was written and crafted had me invested from the first chapter - that when life happens to the characters, as a reader, it felt like it was happening in front of you and with you. This was aided by the BEAUTIFUL descriptions and narration of the plot set in 3rd person POV. The way it was written, especially for a debut novel (wow), felt like poetry.
The dynamic between the two main characters, Isana and Elowen, was unmatched! Not only did you connect to their storyline but also to all the characters built into the plot (no spoilers but this played a big part into the tears!!). And as someone who doesn’t usually reach for fantasy as their go to genre, this was such an easy read to get back into the fantasy world and was structured so well that I just did not want it to finish!!
I’ll definitely be purchasing a copy when it comes out and I cannot wait to re-read it ⭐️⚔️💋🩵
Review of advance copy received from Author
One of the easiest 5 star ratings I have ever given, and to a debut author as well!!
Solace of Elowen is packed full of adventure, sapphic tension, insane worldbuilding and a bond that builds despite everything else happening in this world. Isana and Elowen are both beautifully crafted characters, their ambitions and drive so evident from the very beginning of the book - I was absolutely hooked from chapter 1 meeting Isana & her crew. Isana especially is one of the most fleshed out characters I have come across in recent reading, I loved the complexity of her emotions towards what’s happening and how that’s reflected in her reactions.The book boasts high attention to detail, a fantasy realm that constantly begs the question of
‘What if?' and with plot twists you will genuinely never see coming, everything about it pulls you in throughout the entire story. I am honestly so grateful to have had the chance to be a beta & ARC reader for this novel, and I am so excited for whatever Summer has in store next.
Solace is not a read you will regret!!
Solace of Elowen is packed full of adventure, sapphic tension, insane worldbuilding and a bond that builds despite everything else happening in this world. Isana and Elowen are both beautifully crafted characters, their ambitions and drive so evident from the very beginning of the book - I was absolutely hooked from chapter 1 meeting Isana & her crew. Isana especially is one of the most fleshed out characters I have come across in recent reading, I loved the complexity of her emotions towards what’s happening and how that’s reflected in her reactions.The book boasts high attention to detail, a fantasy realm that constantly begs the question of
‘What if?' and with plot twists you will genuinely never see coming, everything about it pulls you in throughout the entire story. I am honestly so grateful to have had the chance to be a beta & ARC reader for this novel, and I am so excited for whatever Summer has in store next.
Solace is not a read you will regret!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of advance copy received from Author.
I want to say thank you to the author for sending me an ARC of Solace of Elowen, it had me smiling, giggling (yes giggling) and ultimately crying my little eyes out. I don't usually review, but this book definitely deserves it. I LOVED the slow burn, the angst and push and pull of Isana and Elowens relationship, I wished more sapphic fantasy books were like this.
Besides from their amazing love story I really appreciate how the author depicted men with authority throughout the storyline and sadly how it reflects the society we live in. The writing was beautiful and kept me intrigued the whole time.
For a first book, I will say this author has huge potential and I cannot wait to see what they publish next (hopefully a sequel to this story perchance ???) and if you're looking for a read that's going to make you feel all the feels pick this up.
I want to say thank you to the author for sending me an ARC of Solace of Elowen, it had me smiling, giggling (yes giggling) and ultimately crying my little eyes out. I don't usually review, but this book definitely deserves it. I LOVED the slow burn, the angst and push and pull of Isana and Elowens relationship, I wished more sapphic fantasy books were like this.
Besides from their amazing love story I really appreciate how the author depicted men with authority throughout the storyline and sadly how it reflects the society we live in. The writing was beautiful and kept me intrigued the whole time.
For a first book, I will say this author has huge potential and I cannot wait to see what they publish next (hopefully a sequel to this story perchance ???) and if you're looking for a read that's going to make you feel all the feels pick this up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review – Solace of Elowen by Summer Reynolds
I just want to start by saying that I genuinely cannot believe this is Summer’s debut novel because everything about this book felt incredible!
I was hooked from the very first chapter and had no trouble devouring this book. The world-building was one of my favourite aspects of the story, it felt so immersive and thoughtful built that I was completely pulled into the world from start to finish.
I also loved the characters and their distinct personalities and individual journeys. I became emotionally invested in them very quickly, and i couldn’t wait to see how Elowen and Isana’s story would play out.
The combination of sapphic romance, a fantasy setting, and compelling characters made this such an enjoyable read. I finished this book wanting more, and I’m already excited to see what Summer does next (hopefully a sequel!).
Thank you so much to Summer for providing me with this ARC. I can’t even begin to explain how much I loved it.
I just want to start by saying that I genuinely cannot believe this is Summer’s debut novel because everything about this book felt incredible!
I was hooked from the very first chapter and had no trouble devouring this book. The world-building was one of my favourite aspects of the story, it felt so immersive and thoughtful built that I was completely pulled into the world from start to finish.
I also loved the characters and their distinct personalities and individual journeys. I became emotionally invested in them very quickly, and i couldn’t wait to see how Elowen and Isana’s story would play out.
The combination of sapphic romance, a fantasy setting, and compelling characters made this such an enjoyable read. I finished this book wanting more, and I’m already excited to see what Summer does next (hopefully a sequel!).
Thank you so much to Summer for providing me with this ARC. I can’t even begin to explain how much I loved it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Firstly, I would like to say a huge thank you to Summer for not only writing this masterpiece of a book but for also giving me the opportunity to read it early.
This book was honestly breathtaking, there was truly never a dull moment and it the writing was so good that I actually felt like I was part of the story.
I’ve struggled to find a good sapphic book that has been a good balance of plot/romance and this was absolutely perfect.
This book is filled with plot twists, secrecy, romance, action and betrayal and I would not change a single thing about it (it did make me cry a few times but I wouldn’t even change that)
The world building in this book was fantastic and i absolutely fell in LOVE with the land.
Overall this book was beautiful written, the characters were unique and loveable in their own ways and it was amazing to see their reactions with each other grow.
If you want to be emotionally wrecked this is absolutely the book for you ♾️/10
This book was honestly breathtaking, there was truly never a dull moment and it the writing was so good that I actually felt like I was part of the story.
I’ve struggled to find a good sapphic book that has been a good balance of plot/romance and this was absolutely perfect.
This book is filled with plot twists, secrecy, romance, action and betrayal and I would not change a single thing about it (it did make me cry a few times but I wouldn’t even change that)
The world building in this book was fantastic and i absolutely fell in LOVE with the land.
Overall this book was beautiful written, the characters were unique and loveable in their own ways and it was amazing to see their reactions with each other grow.
If you want to be emotionally wrecked this is absolutely the book for you ♾️/10
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review, 4.5 stars ✨ — I was hooked from the very beginning with this book, completely intrigued and definitely not disappointed with how the story progressed or how it ended. This being a debut novel is so, so good. Reynolds’s writing and character development is a pleasure to read, and I really did have a blast reading this one!
I absolutely adore Elowen and Isana as characters. I loved how their relationship progressed and even more so I loved that throughout the whole story, no matter what happened, they were both completely true to who they are.
The angst, as always, was something I thoroughly enjoyed. The romance subplot was the perfect amount for this fantasy book. I enjoyed the world building, the dynamics, the conflict between characters. It was fast paced and packed a punched!
I honestly would highly recommend this one, for fantasy lovers and for sapphic lovers. It was a really enticing story from start to finish, and I was as pleased with the ending as I was the roll out of the story. I could delve into this world and these characters more, to be quite honest. I was satisfied but left wanting more and to me that’s a great example of how a book should make you feel.
I absolutely adore Elowen and Isana as characters. I loved how their relationship progressed and even more so I loved that throughout the whole story, no matter what happened, they were both completely true to who they are.
The angst, as always, was something I thoroughly enjoyed. The romance subplot was the perfect amount for this fantasy book. I enjoyed the world building, the dynamics, the conflict between characters. It was fast paced and packed a punched!
I honestly would highly recommend this one, for fantasy lovers and for sapphic lovers. It was a really enticing story from start to finish, and I was as pleased with the ending as I was the roll out of the story. I could delve into this world and these characters more, to be quite honest. I was satisfied but left wanting more and to me that’s a great example of how a book should make you feel.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I felt lucky to receive a copy of the Arc for this book, especially knowing how much time and effort Summer had put into it.
I am glad to say that it certainly paid off, as every moment of this book was engaging, well written and most of all cohesive. I enjoyed the magic and fantasy system and politics, as it felt grounded and considered but not so heavy as to distract the reader or take away from the dynamics of the characters.
The characters and the romance itself were AMAZING! I am always always looking for sapphic romances to read and this ticked all the right boxes. Slow-burn, pirates and princesses, with grumpiness and brightness galore. Perfection! Amazing! HOOORAY! :D
I am excited to support you by buying a copy when it comes out so it can live on my bookshelf where it deserves to be!
I am glad to say that it certainly paid off, as every moment of this book was engaging, well written and most of all cohesive. I enjoyed the magic and fantasy system and politics, as it felt grounded and considered but not so heavy as to distract the reader or take away from the dynamics of the characters.
The characters and the romance itself were AMAZING! I am always always looking for sapphic romances to read and this ticked all the right boxes. Slow-burn, pirates and princesses, with grumpiness and brightness galore. Perfection! Amazing! HOOORAY! :D
I am excited to support you by buying a copy when it comes out so it can live on my bookshelf where it deserves to be!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I'd like to start by saying thank you to Summer for allowing me to be an arc reader for Solace of Elowen.
I had been following Summers self publishing journey on social media and thought why not apply to be an arc reader. And what an absolute treat that turned out to be! From the beginning i was hooked, i mean who doesnt love a sapphic fantasy novel!
The characters, plot and world building are captivating throughout the entirety of the book. Its a slow burn filled with angst and a smidge of violence.
I for one loved it. Having both Isana and Elowens POVs opens everything up, allowing you to experience so much more of the amazing and frightening world Summer has crafted.
Solace of Elowen is an incredible debut and i cannot wait to see what is next!
I had been following Summers self publishing journey on social media and thought why not apply to be an arc reader. And what an absolute treat that turned out to be! From the beginning i was hooked, i mean who doesnt love a sapphic fantasy novel!
The characters, plot and world building are captivating throughout the entirety of the book. Its a slow burn filled with angst and a smidge of violence.
I for one loved it. Having both Isana and Elowens POVs opens everything up, allowing you to experience so much more of the amazing and frightening world Summer has crafted.
Solace of Elowen is an incredible debut and i cannot wait to see what is next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow wow wow !!! I received this arc read from the author and was happy as knew it would be right up my street! This debut novel is incredible and I loved every second of reading it!
The characters are all so well written that you even know all the quirks of the side characters. The two main gals, Isana and Elowen are absolutely amazing. The chemistry they have straight from the off but the slow burn you go through reading it was just phenomenal.
This book was funny, spicy, violent, gruesome and I immediately want a second one.
I also really enjoyed how fast paced it was and how it kick started straight away as I struggle sometimes with how slow some books can be but damn, not this one!!
Thank you again Summer for letting me an arc reader for you, it was truly so good.
The characters are all so well written that you even know all the quirks of the side characters. The two main gals, Isana and Elowen are absolutely amazing. The chemistry they have straight from the off but the slow burn you go through reading it was just phenomenal.
This book was funny, spicy, violent, gruesome and I immediately want a second one.
I also really enjoyed how fast paced it was and how it kick started straight away as I struggle sometimes with how slow some books can be but damn, not this one!!
Thank you again Summer for letting me an arc reader for you, it was truly so good.
June 4, 2026
First of all thank you so much Summer for giving me the opportunity to be an ARC reader for Solace of Elowen this book completely consumed me!
This book is literally a REAL ennemies to lovers. The tension? The yearning? The angst? The forced proximity? Everything was so beautifully written that I felt every emotion like I was a part of it.
I loved how deeply emotional the story felt. The angst never felt forced it was raw, genuine and impossible not to get invested in. The details of the powers and the war was so well written and don’t even get me started on the plot twist! So much was happening all the time that I couldn’t help but be like okay one more chapter.
Summer, you are a fucking great author and I’ll be reading this book again and again!
This book is literally a REAL ennemies to lovers. The tension? The yearning? The angst? The forced proximity? Everything was so beautifully written that I felt every emotion like I was a part of it.
I loved how deeply emotional the story felt. The angst never felt forced it was raw, genuine and impossible not to get invested in. The details of the powers and the war was so well written and don’t even get me started on the plot twist! So much was happening all the time that I couldn’t help but be like okay one more chapter.
Summer, you are a fucking great author and I’ll be reading this book again and again!
Review of advance copy received from Autor
First of all, I am truly honoured and very thankful to the author for giving me the opportunity to read a copy before its release.
If you like fantasy, sapphics and complex character you'll love this book.
This book has it all. I absolutely loved how the author created this amazing world—big enough to feel immersive, but not so overwhelming that you get lost in it. The balance of description is perfect, making you feel like you are truly inside it. The characters are perfectly imperfect, which makes them feel real: not just a princess who doesn’t want to be one, or a half-elf brute who hates her. They feel human in their contradictions and growth. We all have ambivalent thoughts, and personal growth is rarely linear—this book reflects that beautifully.
I am someone who loves being surprised by plot twists, which this book delivered a few times. However, what I truly didn’t see coming was the ending. I would recommend tissues and an open mind for it. Even though it didn’t end exactly how I would have liked, I completely understand why it had to end that way, and it still managed to give a sense of a “happy ending” (at least for me).
I also loved the enemies-to-lovers dynamic and how their relationship evolves alongside their individual growth. It subverts the usual idea of the villain who would sacrifice the world for love and the hero who would sacrifice love to save the world.
Overall, I really loved this book. It hooked me from the very first chapter, and although the pacing initially felt a bit fast for me, then found it perfect.
If you like fantasy, sapphics and complex character you'll love this book.
This book has it all. I absolutely loved how the author created this amazing world—big enough to feel immersive, but not so overwhelming that you get lost in it. The balance of description is perfect, making you feel like you are truly inside it. The characters are perfectly imperfect, which makes them feel real: not just a princess who doesn’t want to be one, or a half-elf brute who hates her. They feel human in their contradictions and growth. We all have ambivalent thoughts, and personal growth is rarely linear—this book reflects that beautifully.
I am someone who loves being surprised by plot twists, which this book delivered a few times. However, what I truly didn’t see coming was the ending. I would recommend tissues and an open mind for it. Even though it didn’t end exactly how I would have liked, I completely understand why it had to end that way, and it still managed to give a sense of a “happy ending” (at least for me).
I also loved the enemies-to-lovers dynamic and how their relationship evolves alongside their individual growth. It subverts the usual idea of the villain who would sacrifice the world for love and the hero who would sacrifice love to save the world.
Overall, I really loved this book. It hooked me from the very first chapter, and although the pacing initially felt a bit fast for me, then found it perfect.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I recently had the privilege of reading an advance copy of Solace of Elowen and my goodness readers are in for such a treat!! I cannot say enough good things about this read. It had me gripped from the moment I started reading - the tension, the slow burn, angst, loathing - this book genuinely has it all. It's raw, it's honest and it's real. Summer is a phenomenal writer and I am very excited to read whatever she writes next. Seriously - read this book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Many thanks to the author for an ARC of Solace of Elowen. I enjoyed this so much- true fantasy is back. A cast of loveable (yet flawed) characters, a chosen-one who has to learn the depth of her powers and an incredible enemies to lovers romance. You really can’t go wrong. The writing was beautiful, a very clear voice whilst lingering on emotion that only heightened the stakes.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC and am leaving an honest true review.
This was the first book I have read in a while that I both haven't been able to put down and also forced myself to read slowly as I didn't want it to end.
The tension is perfect, the characters are complex and flawed and the story is fast paced and left me desperate for the next installment.
This was the first book I have read in a while that I both haven't been able to put down and also forced myself to read slowly as I didn't want it to end.
The tension is perfect, the characters are complex and flawed and the story is fast paced and left me desperate for the next installment.
July 24, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
thank you so much to summer for the arc of Solace of Elowen, i’ve followed the journey on tiktok for a while and it’s been amazing to get to see it all come to life🫶🏻
this is an absolutely incredible debut, there wasn’t a moment in this book where i was obsessed with what I was reading. Even when life got in the way and i couldn’t read for days at a time I was still hooked by the characters banter and their chemistry, this is what has been missing in sapphic books. true HATRED that turns to love in a SLOWWWWWWWWW burn. the found family aspect got me right in the feels, you get to experience each of these characters without feeling overwhelmed with the amount to follow - each are given their own personalities that you learn to love, even when you want to hate them. Isana and Fax i can’t ✋🏻
indie sapphic authors at the moment are doing absolute bits and i can’t wait to see what summer does next. I highly recommend this if you’re into any of the above, pirates, princesses, tensionnnnnnnnnnn that could be cut with a knife, and filthy mouthed ladies
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
thank you so much to summer for the arc of Solace of Elowen, i’ve followed the journey on tiktok for a while and it’s been amazing to get to see it all come to life🫶🏻
this is an absolutely incredible debut, there wasn’t a moment in this book where i was obsessed with what I was reading. Even when life got in the way and i couldn’t read for days at a time I was still hooked by the characters banter and their chemistry, this is what has been missing in sapphic books. true HATRED that turns to love in a SLOWWWWWWWWW burn. the found family aspect got me right in the feels, you get to experience each of these characters without feeling overwhelmed with the amount to follow - each are given their own personalities that you learn to love, even when you want to hate them. Isana and Fax i can’t ✋🏻
indie sapphic authors at the moment are doing absolute bits and i can’t wait to see what summer does next. I highly recommend this if you’re into any of the above, pirates, princesses, tensionnnnnnnnnnn that could be cut with a knife, and filthy mouthed ladies
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Author
A huge thanks to the author for sending me this book ! I love discovering new universes, especially indie ones. 🧚⚓️
Isana and Elowen are two beautiful characters, both strong and fierce, and the author managed to write two different voices. Their relationship is complex; they fight for each other, despite not always understanding their feelings.
The world building is strong and the universe rich.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t a top book for me because of the reasons below.
First, I couldn’t get attached to the characters and, as a result, I feel I didn’t have the reactions that were expected of me after some events.
Then, there was so much happening in the last five chapters that it didn’t really make sense. Too many revelations, so nothing was shocking anymore. Things were happening way too fast, so I didn’t have time to digest what I had just learned.
And I don’t like the solution the author chose to solve the plot. After all this build up, it all comes down to that? I find the ending deeply unsatisfying. Same with the lack of reactions about what happened. This could have been the start of a deeper reflexion about the use of one’s powers, but it was just brushed off to go find another quest.
I do want to say that I loved discovering this universe and all its characters!
Isana and Elowen are two beautiful characters, both strong and fierce, and the author managed to write two different voices. Their relationship is complex; they fight for each other, despite not always understanding their feelings.
The world building is strong and the universe rich.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t a top book for me because of the reasons below.
First, I couldn’t get attached to the characters and, as a result, I feel I didn’t have the reactions that were expected of me after some events.
Then, there was so much happening in the last five chapters that it didn’t really make sense. Too many revelations, so nothing was shocking anymore. Things were happening way too fast, so I didn’t have time to digest what I had just learned.
And I don’t like the solution the author chose to solve the plot. After all this build up, it all comes down to that? I find the ending deeply unsatisfying. Same with the lack of reactions about what happened. This could have been the start of a deeper reflexion about the use of one’s powers, but it was just brushed off to go find another quest.
I do want to say that I loved discovering this universe and all its characters!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Completely bias 5 stars, yet entirely true. I bloody loved writing this book!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews