Foundling

Monstrous World #6

by S.E. Wendel

She wasn’t supposed to survive…

Far down the line of succession, Leita was perfectly unremarkable amongst her powerful family. That was, until the line was extinguished in a single night. Now the last of the royal fae, Leita must wear the crown she stole and break her people of their subsistence on magic.

Surrounded by suspicious courtiers and a capital in ruins, Leita's only solace is a seer's promise—that her dream of love and a family will someday come true.

Everyone wants him dead…

All Attalus Princeps wants is to live—not the simplest thing when his eldest brother is the cruel king of dragons. Being the affable, carefree one of his many siblings has kept Attalus alive; no one bothers plotting with or against him, and that’s just fine.

Except, now someone has. Or, that’s what the king thinks, and there’s no reasoning with him. Flight is a wounded Attalus’s only hope. But the fates must have a sense of humor, for even as he lays dying, the life he knew reduced to ash, he finds himself exactly where he needs to be. With her.

A love forged in fire and fate…

Leita isn’t what the faelands needs but all it has. This dragon claiming to be her mate isn’t what she imagined nor wished for. But she’ll have what she was promised, and no fae, no ancient magic, not even an enraged dragon king will take it from her.


Fans of Grace Draven, Ruby Dixon, and SJM will love this epic, steamy monster romance story! Check the author's website for content and trigger warnings. Mature content intended for readers 18+.
Book 6 stands on its own but will best be enjoyed after Faeling.

447 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 30, 2026

About the author

S.E. Wendel is a graduate of the MA Creative Writing program at the University of California, Davis. She loves maps, magic, and making epic fantasy worlds with romance thrown in. She has been writing fantasies since before she could even type (thankfully her mother was kind and patient enough to take dictation, but is relieved she can type for herself now)! From her first stories about raccoons hunting treasure on a haunted island to her latest sweeping epics, she loves to write strong heroines and noble heroes.
S.E. is a technical editor by day and in the evening loves to lose herself in her fantasy worlds and the stories of other amazing authors. She is currently working on the second part of the Broken Wings Duet. She loves her domineering orange tabby cat, true crime docs, tiramisu, pink nail polish, and swoony romantasies!

Reviews

[feliciaslibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ⭐️
ARC review

Foundling is the newest entry to the monstrous series and i had a great time reading this book. This time around we follow a fae queen fmc and a charming dragon mmc.
Attalus (mmc) is funny, playful, and overall a charming character that is going to make you love him within a heartbeat. And Leita (fmc), who’s the quite opposite of attalus, is realistic, loyal, and determined to make the right choicefor her people, yet having walls around her for protecting herself from getting hurt. Our girl has been through it.

I love the contrast between these two characters. Attalus who’s very charismatic and Leita who’s a little more feisty. Attalus sure had to put some work into eventually breaking down Leita’s wall for her trust. And once they get past that point, they fall for each other fast and hard. The protectiveness, the tension, the love between Leita and Attalus was palpable. I adore them so much!!
And as in true S.E. Wendel style, we have two cute animal companions on the team and I loved them so much. Thalia and Slinky has my heart 🥹

A big thank you to Sarah for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. All of my feelings and thoughts are my own 🫶🏻

Tropes:
🪽 fantasy monster romance
🐉 grumpy x sunshine (reverse)
🪽 fated mates
🐉 caretaking
🪽 pierced mmc
🐉 cute animal companions

[lo | chapterswithlo · Rating 5 out of 5]

arc review ⋆.˚ ☾⭒.˚

✉︎ there’s truly nothing like riding a dragon…

5 stars ★★★★★

𖦹 my review, very minor spoilers? | i loveeee this book! as soon as i heard dragon months ago, i was locked in! s.e. wendell’s books hold a special place in my heart. best monster romance author! i love these main characters, leita is so strong regardless of her past, she’s taken a position she never intended and has the world on her shoulders. i love the support we get from attalus towards her. he’s so thoughtful and charming. you can tell he has so much love for her. she’s closed off but she has good reason to be but once he starts breaking down her walls…. phenomenal. the banter is so enjoyable, attalus is such a FLIRT. he always knows what to say. i love the chemistry between them. he’s so attentive and dedicated to her. spice is so great, the last scene between them i was hoping we’d get and we did!!!! i was so excited to see that play out. leita is so driven and a force of nature. i love a strong, genuine female character. seeing her fight for her people is so inspiring. amazing world building and settings. the ending epilogue…. yes i am scared in the best way possible and yes i am counting down! i’d 100% recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a monster romance! all this character art that was created for this? some of the most beautiful work i’ve ever seen, can’t wait to buy some art prints! also i love the animal companions!! makes it so wholesome and the reveal from her unicorn thalia made my heart swoon!

𑣲 synopsis | the old fae queen ruled in madness. driven by power, she executed her entire bloodline in order to prevent her being overthrown. in faeling, we meet leita, the last unknown survivor of the family massacre the queen orchestrated. she’s discovered while hiding out, and she’s forced into the war against her will. she has no choice but to help defeat her aunt and free the faelands from a horrid ruler. she learns that if she takes the throne, she will find her mate and be blessed with a family. the seers promise isn’t the only thing that will happen when she becomes queen. leita must reconnect with the magic and save the people who have suffered at the hands of her aunt. on her journey of checking in with surrounding towns, she comes across an injured dragon, who happens to be her mate. our carefree dragon price, attalus is accused of a crime he did not commit and ends up injured. days of flying have landed him in a cave, half dead and weak. by the time he awakens, he’s shocked at where he is and who he finds, but is one hundred percent on board. together, can they figure out how to save attalus from the dragon king and how to get leita to reconnect to the lands she once knew?

☼ read if you like |

- fae queen x dragon prince
- fated mates
- touch him/her and die
- he falls first
- TAIL PLAY
- banter as foreplay
- he has a forked tongue

𐀔 favorite quotes and scenes |

- “While Leita might've thought she possessed stronger sense of right and wrong, when it came to Attalus, her morals were secondary at best.”

- "You hold my leash in one hand," he rumbled, "and my hearts in the other."

- "What a warrior Queen you'll make, agae. Defending the land in your righteous fury. Ride me into battle. We'll make the earth tremble with fear and envy both, Queen and consort together."

- “Every fae, from the palace to the city to the hinterlands, needed to understand that Leita was his mate, and before anyone thought again to harm her, they would have to contend with him.”

➯ sarah, thank you for arc! i am so honored to get the chance to read and review this! you never fail to bring a smile to my face while reading something you put so much love into creating!

[Lissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of Foundling. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A huge thank you to S.E. Wendel for selecting me to be part of the ARC team for Foundling. This is actually my first-ever ARC, which makes this one especially meaningful to me. I've read and enjoyed all of the previous books in the Monstrous World series, so getting the opportunity to read and review a new book in a world I've already come to love before its release made the experience even more special.

One of my favorite things about S.E. Wendel's Monstrous World series is how connected each book feels. Every story gives us a new couple, but the characters and pieces of the larger world continue to weave in and out of each other's stories. Foundling continues that while also giving us another glimpse at the bigger mystery developing underneath everything.

Attalus is charming, lovable, affectionate, and probably the character who won me over the most in this book. He's a dragon prince who has experienced a lot of loss and betrayal, and underneath his charm there's someone who genuinely wants a place to belong. I loved how readily he embraced his bond with Leita and how naturally he stepped into being her partner.

I especially loved Attalus as Leita's consort. Leita is the queen, and Attalus never seems threatened by that or concerned with proving that he's the more powerful person in their relationship. Instead, he takes the experience he gained from growing up as a prince and uses it to support her. Whether he's helping with her wardrobe, making improvements around the palace, or handling details of royal life that Leita hasn't necessarily paid much attention to, he takes pride in making her life easier. Some of those responsibilities could easily be viewed as traditionally domestic, but Attalus doesn't treat them as beneath him. He's secure in who he is, and I really enjoyed that about his character.

Leita, on the other hand, is fiercely independent, guarded, powerful, and very accustomed to handling things on her own. She's spent centuries protecting herself, and you can see how difficult it is for her to suddenly make room for someone else in her life. Where Attalus is much more willing to embrace their bond, Leita has to work through the walls she's built around herself.

And I'm not going to lie—she frustrated me sometimes. 😂 Leita has a tendency to operate from fear, especially where Attalus is concerned. Her instinct is to protect him at all costs, and while I understood where that came from, there were moments when protecting him crossed into taking away his ability to make his own choices. Attalus wanted to stand beside her and fight with her, not be kept out of harm's way, and I completely understood his frustration.

At the same time, that made watching Leita slowly open her heart to him even more satisfying. She has to learn how to trust someone enough to let him stand beside her instead of trying to carry and control everything herself. I also loved seeing her become protective of Attalus and watching their relationship develop into more of a true partnership.

Beyond the romance, I'm really intrigued by the larger story S.E. Wendel continues to build throughout this series. There are familiar characters, connections to previous books, and unanswered questions that make it clear there's more happening in this world than what we're seeing in any one couple's story. By the end of Foundling, I was already wondering where all of these threads are eventually going to lead.

Foundling was another really enjoyable addition to the Monstrous World series. I loved being back in this world, I really enjoyed Leita and Attalus together, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where S.E. Wendel takes the larger story next.

[Bonnie Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the aftermath of overthrowing the old, evil queen’s reign, Leita the new fae queen, is trying her best to win over her people and reconnect with the faelands. While traveling the fae countryside she’s shocked to come upon a raging wildfire and an injured dragon in the middle of it. Attalus has fled his homeland under the threat of false accusations by his brother, the dragon king. When he lands in the faelands, he expects to succumb to his injuries, not be saved by a beautiful fae queen. When Leita and Attalus understand that they are fated mates, they have to start making some hard decisions that will affect their growing trust and the future of the faelands forever. 💜

First of all, I’d like to say thank you to my queen S.E. Wendel for allowing me to be a part of the Foundling ARC team!! 🙌🏻 I love the Monstrous World series and these books so much! 💜 Now let’s get into it!

This is a very emotional but still very fun monster romance book.✨ S.E. Wendel always impresses me with her lovely descriptive writing style. Whether it’s about scenery, characters, or emotions, it’s just fantastic! 🙌🏻 While there are some heavy themes as Leita is dealing with centuries’ worth of trauma and distrust, there are some classic romantasy themes here too:

✨Fated mates
✨Grump x Sunshine
✨Opposites attract
✨Cutie animal companion

I love Attalus 😍 He’s charming and funny, but he’s serious about his mate and sensitive to her needs. I like Leita even if some of her decisions surprised me. But throughout the book, S.E. Wendel does a great job of reminding us that she was making these decisions from a place of trauma. My #1 favorite character in this book is hands down Slinky! 🙌🏻 The sassy little marten is so freaking adorable and funny! She deserves the world!! 😂 I’m so excited for this series to continue (Epilogue II had me absolutely SHOOK)! 🫪

This book has it all—romance, spice, fantasy, action, and characters you'll be obsessed with. If you love romantasy, you’ll love this book! 💜✨Foundling is releasing on August 30th!✨

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dragon with wings, scales, and a tail that does deliciously naughty things? Say less 👀

Attalus is a light-hearted, playful sunshine with supportive and touch-her-and-die energy, making him absolutely perfect for Leita.
And Leita? She’s been through it… I mean, her walls have walls. These two lost souls finding their found family was so beautiful!

Their nicknames for each other? Between Thalia, Leita’s unicorn and resident “Mama Mare,” Attalus calling Leita his doe, and Leita referring to him as her lizard… I was swooning and cracking up 😂

I also loved the pure dragon-and-treasure energy… his hoard, his love of jewels and soft fabrics, and of course, his kilt. You know, for the tail!

🦎 “One day soon, you’ll lay here for me in all your jewels and silver. I want to see you rival the moon and glow just as bright.”

Add in the adventure, danger, plenty of tension, found family, and some delicious spice, and this made for another exciting addition to the Monsters series… and I’m already impatiently waiting for the next book!

💫 Foundling (Monstrous World, 6) by S.E. Wendel
Monster Romantasy | Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine | Fated Mates | One Cave | Royal intrigue | Animal Friends | 251 pp | 4.5⭐
📌 Release Date: August 30th

💫 Favorite Quote:
“You hold my leash in one hand,” he rumbled, “and my hearts in the other.”
________________________________________

Thank you to S.E. Wendel for the opportunity to read and honestly review this eARC! All thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

[eclecticbychoicereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

My monster romance queen never fails to deliver, and I'm honored to be counted among her most loyal subjects. For Sarah truly is a queen: a queen of heart-wrenching romance, sizzling spice, and perfectly imperfect found family. But I wouldn't stop there. For Sarah is also the queen of exploring the deepest, darkest parts of one's soul, of confronting one's inner demons, and of charting one's road to healing. Sarah is the queen I bow to.

Foundling, Book 6 in her Monstrous World series, is a prime example of everything above. It is a tale of two lost, nearly broken souls finding their way to one another. They may be fated mates, but I'm sure they would find each other with or without the bond tying them irrevocably together. A dragon prince, lost in his quest to forget, and a Fae queen, lost in her duty to her people and her lands. An unlikely pairing? Perhaps to the untrained eye. To me, they are perfect for each other, complementing one another in every way that matters.

Attalus and Leita's beginning was far from easy, painted in blood and loss, and yet they never lost what makes them both unequivocally themselves. Their love bound them together, but it was their mutual healing of each other's wounds, seen and unseen, that truly sealed their bond and, in doing so, healed my heart, too.

Thank you, Sarah, for allowing me to read an early copy. My heart is forever yours.

[Denise O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leita and Attalus’s story will tear your heart apart and put it back together again, what they go through I just wanted to savour every moment reading this it just gave me all the feels ✨

𝕋𝕠 𝕊𝕦𝕣𝕧𝕚𝕧𝕖.𝕋𝕠 𝕃𝕚𝕧𝕖.𝕋𝕠 𝔽𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥

Leita carries a heavy burden, she’s now the Queen of the Fae something she never really dreamed of becoming she’d rather be in the wildlands with Thalia her loyal unicorn companion, it’s been centuries since she has been with her kind. She’s also waiting for her promised Azai and yearning for a life she wanted.

Attalus is a fugitive on the run from his family after being accused of tying to poisoned his brother. He’s kind no nothing but of blood and fire and now he’s in his own battle to survive. He’s a royal on the run.

When he meets Leita he’s curious about her, he flirts madly at her and for Leita she finds him insufferable at first cursing the fates for giving her a Dragon mate but as the story goes they share a lot more in common and she realises she would risk everything for him 💕💕and when they are together it’s just them, all their cares and worries melt away!

This was definitely an ultimate fantasy read for me, the world building, the emotional depth between Leita and Attalus, the yearning, the protectiveness, the happy moments, the shared vulnerability and the deep love they have for each other, it was just pure joy to read and for Attalus, she was his greatest treasure 💕💕

[Brittni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy fantasy monster romance that will have you cracking up and clutching your pearls!

Foundling is book 6 in the Monstrous World series, but it's my first S. E. Wendel book and I absolutely loved it! Following an orphaned Fae who must take on the heavy burden of being the new fae queen and a manwhore of a dragon prince who is running from his grief.

I LOVE Leita, she is so feisty and her initial reaction to the mmc is calling him a lizard which had me hollerin' 🤣 and Attalus is 100% without a doubt giving big time babygirl energy. He is such a goofy charmer and just wants to love on his surprise mate while she is completely furious about the situation.

There are several side characters that I immediately lived, including Thalia and Slinky. I would die for Slinky. This was such a fun read and I now plan to slowly collect the rest of the series because who doesn't love a good monster romance??

[Isa Newbury | reading_isa · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Thank you to the Author for the ARC; all opinions are my own.**

4.5 ⭐️
2.5 🌶

I think Attalus is my new favorite Monstrous World MMC. Foundling takes place roughly a year after the events of Faeling, and follows Leita as she tries to navigate her new role as Queen of the Fae and all that entails. She is scared and lonely and I think that her actions really reflect that later in the novel. Attalus is the perfect playboy to Leita's black cat exterior. He knows how to smile well and how to survive. And surviving is exactly how he and Leita meet. I loved that neither of them really fought the bond, that they talked things through and that Attalus was patient (well, as patient as a dragon can be) with her and she lets some of her walls crumble. The overall world of the MW novels is shifting and I am so excited to see where Wendel takes us next.

☆fated mates
☆dragon shifter prince x fae queen
☆magic
☆political intrigue
☆animal familiars