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Ashborne: Defiance
Ashborne is a standalone, slow-burn, mythical creatures romantic fantasy set in the Emberquell world of the Flameborne and Shadowborne duets. Perfect for fans of Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing, and Sarah J. Maass's ACOTAR series, Ashborne is an enemies to lovers fantasy in which a noblewoman is bonded by a dragon, but must fight to keep her place—and her heart—against the man who swore he'd never trust a woman again.
His greatest battle isn't war... it's wanting her.
Just weeks from an arranged marriage to a man old enough to be her father, Lady Grace Barnslow encounters Voski, a dark, enigmatic dragon rider from a neighboring kingdom… who despises her on sight.
While Grace was born to a world of silk and silver, every privileged choice determined before her birth, Voski is everything the realm admires in a An accomplished man of few words, with intellect and wiles as sharp as his blade. Though he is cold to the point of cruelty, Grace is unable to resist his savage allure.
When Voski discovers Grace's unsettling stealth, he intends to return home, leaving her in the velvet cage of the enemy's castle. But his plan is waylaid when a wild dragon Chooses her—and bonds his dragon.
Sucked into the bonfire of a she-dragon’s heat, Voski goes to war with himself, and the draw of a dragon bond. Yet, in the wake of his triumph at resisting both, he finds himself standing not on the bloodied field of victory, but in the ashy remains of what might have been.
As Grace proves her courage and compassion, time and again, yearning for his approval, Voski comes face to face with the festering wounds of his past. If he cannot overcome them, Grace will be lost forever. Not only to a rejected bond, but to the very man Voski A noble of power, who seeks little but a womb, and the prestige her blood grants him.
Fly into a brand new, enemies-to-lovers romance, set in the mythical landscape of author Aimee Lynn's Chosen, in which the chains of duty, placed on a high-born woman with a heart for adventure, threaten to break the man whose scars run deeper than desire... Even for his soulmate.
Tropes and content Romantasy with spice, dragons and dragon rider romance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fated mates, rejected bond, touch her and die, found family, strong female lead, slow burn to high spice, fantasy academy romance, and much, much more!
*****
Genre and Series This Emberquell Academy duet is a romantasy book for adults / romantasy with spice (though the first volume is slow burn.) These romantic dragon books are brimming with forbidden love storylines, "Who did this to you?" and a female lead who grows from weak to strong.
His greatest battle isn't war... it's wanting her.
Just weeks from an arranged marriage to a man old enough to be her father, Lady Grace Barnslow encounters Voski, a dark, enigmatic dragon rider from a neighboring kingdom… who despises her on sight.
While Grace was born to a world of silk and silver, every privileged choice determined before her birth, Voski is everything the realm admires in a An accomplished man of few words, with intellect and wiles as sharp as his blade. Though he is cold to the point of cruelty, Grace is unable to resist his savage allure.
When Voski discovers Grace's unsettling stealth, he intends to return home, leaving her in the velvet cage of the enemy's castle. But his plan is waylaid when a wild dragon Chooses her—and bonds his dragon.
Sucked into the bonfire of a she-dragon’s heat, Voski goes to war with himself, and the draw of a dragon bond. Yet, in the wake of his triumph at resisting both, he finds himself standing not on the bloodied field of victory, but in the ashy remains of what might have been.
As Grace proves her courage and compassion, time and again, yearning for his approval, Voski comes face to face with the festering wounds of his past. If he cannot overcome them, Grace will be lost forever. Not only to a rejected bond, but to the very man Voski A noble of power, who seeks little but a womb, and the prestige her blood grants him.
Fly into a brand new, enemies-to-lovers romance, set in the mythical landscape of author Aimee Lynn's Chosen, in which the chains of duty, placed on a high-born woman with a heart for adventure, threaten to break the man whose scars run deeper than desire... Even for his soulmate.
Tropes and content Romantasy with spice, dragons and dragon rider romance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fated mates, rejected bond, touch her and die, found family, strong female lead, slow burn to high spice, fantasy academy romance, and much, much more!
*****
Genre and Series This Emberquell Academy duet is a romantasy book for adults / romantasy with spice (though the first volume is slow burn.) These romantic dragon books are brimming with forbidden love storylines, "Who did this to you?" and a female lead who grows from weak to strong.
486 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2026
About the author
Aimee Lynn
26 books218 followersAimee Lynn was born in Oregon and grew up in New Zealand. She dreamed of being a novelist from the age of seven, but as a Gen-Xer, was informed it wasn’t a realistic career. Instead, she went to college to be a journalist and (very realistically) never completed her degree. It wasn’t until her mid-thirties, after a marriage, a corporate career, and a family, that she rediscovered the joy she’d found in writing fiction. Now, she thanks God for giving her a husband whose love inspires romance, and who isn’t threatened by Jason Momoa.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 22, 2026
another winner
I was so excited when I learned that Voski would have his own story and boy did Aimee Lynn deliver. The emotional back and forth in this is incredible and so well written you get sucked right in. Reading the thoughts going through Voski’s mind as he’s trying to navigate all these massive changes, his fear and terror and sadness, you just want to reach into the book and hug him. It’s rare that a book with such drastic changes in emotion, the ups and downs, is so well written. I’ve read a lot of books that have not nailed this the way Aimee did. Others I’ve rolled my eyes and thought “good god just freaking communicate and this would be over”. This is not that. This such a depth of emotion for Voski, such well written torment that when I finished I sat back and went, “damn” and let out a breath. I absolutely cannot wait for book 2.
I was so excited when I learned that Voski would have his own story and boy did Aimee Lynn deliver. The emotional back and forth in this is incredible and so well written you get sucked right in. Reading the thoughts going through Voski’s mind as he’s trying to navigate all these massive changes, his fear and terror and sadness, you just want to reach into the book and hug him. It’s rare that a book with such drastic changes in emotion, the ups and downs, is so well written. I’ve read a lot of books that have not nailed this the way Aimee did. Others I’ve rolled my eyes and thought “good god just freaking communicate and this would be over”. This is not that. This such a depth of emotion for Voski, such well written torment that when I finished I sat back and went, “damn” and let out a breath. I absolutely cannot wait for book 2.
August 22, 2026
I don't even have words for the endings to this book. I may even consider waiting to read the second book until the third comes out. My heart was ripped from my body stomped on and then given a small ray of light before end of book. Aimee you truly are a remarkable writer. The world you create, the tension between characters, the dragons and snark. Even to include Bren and Donavyn as little side insights was just unbelievable. Definitely staring at the wall at the end of this one.
If you want the man that has had a tortured past, even if you have no clue what it is, if you like the heroine that acts fearless and has such a need to feel life, then this is your next read.
If you want the man that has had a tortured past, even if you have no clue what it is, if you like the heroine that acts fearless and has such a need to feel life, then this is your next read.
September 9, 2026
So good
The author has done a wonderful job continuing the Fury knight story with these characters. While Grace may not have the confidence just yet, she will eventually. It almost makes me feel bad for Voski. Voski seems to have a lot of trauma he hasn’t dealt with. I hope they can work it out. I laughed and I was frustrated with the characters at times only because they were being stubborn.
The author has done a wonderful job continuing the Fury knight story with these characters. While Grace may not have the confidence just yet, she will eventually. It almost makes me feel bad for Voski. Voski seems to have a lot of trauma he hasn’t dealt with. I hope they can work it out. I laughed and I was frustrated with the characters at times only because they were being stubborn.
August 24, 2026
4.5 Happy I don't have to wait to long for the next one.
August 22, 2026
When I tell you I was strapped in, buckled up, all the way on board and whatever other sayings there are when I saw this new romantasy and that it featured dragons… my excitement lasted all of about 6% of the book and continued to wane until I eventually DNFd at 18%. I was gonna say, this must be geared toward a much younger crowd than I am, but maybe that’s doing a disservice to them. The little bit of the book that I read was just constant back-and-forth between the two main characters, literally chasing, running away, chasing, running away; giving into desire, fighting it, giving into desire, fighting it. All the while making vague statements about their reasoning and what’s going on instead of just freaking speaking plainly and getting everything out in the open. Also, there were several moments where one of the main characters would set a boundary of don’t touch me or don’t follow me and the other person would disregard it repeatedly. Oh, and the book literally starts with someone very important going missing and then heading off to find them, but that becomes a non-issue just a few pages later as they fight lust for each other. Save me from friends like them. Anyways, things were progressing so I assumed I was making progress and was shocked to find I still had 1500 pages left. So that’s when I bounced. The end.
September 13, 2026
I absolutely couldn’t wait for Ashborne: Defiance to be released. I absolutely ate up Aimee Lynn’s Flameborne & Shadowborne duets and when I found out she was releasing a trilogy featuring charaters introduced in those 4 books, I couldn’t wait for the next adventure to begin.
What I loved most about this first story, is how different this FMC & MMC are from the FMC & MMC in her other books. The dynamics are also very different. It was really easy to slip back into the Emberquell world while still feeling how original and different this series is from the prequel series.
Ashborne: Defiance picks up right where we last left off with Voski in the previous books so I definitely recommend readng the other four books to get the most out of this one but also so as not to spoil what happens before you get to read it.
All her characters are orginal and Amiee Lynn does an excelent job of making you feel the emotions of the characters you are reading about.
This series of books are slept on and a must read. I’m so grateful that books 2 & 3 will be released in September and October so you won’t have to wait long to see how this series will end.
What I loved most about this first story, is how different this FMC & MMC are from the FMC & MMC in her other books. The dynamics are also very different. It was really easy to slip back into the Emberquell world while still feeling how original and different this series is from the prequel series.
Ashborne: Defiance picks up right where we last left off with Voski in the previous books so I definitely recommend readng the other four books to get the most out of this one but also so as not to spoil what happens before you get to read it.
All her characters are orginal and Amiee Lynn does an excelent job of making you feel the emotions of the characters you are reading about.
This series of books are slept on and a must read. I’m so grateful that books 2 & 3 will be released in September and October so you won’t have to wait long to see how this series will end.
August 27, 2026
this book was like crack
The only way I can describe this book it was like crack to me. I could not stop reading.
Every page had me hooked. I love everything about this world and I love the fact that this book sent more on the keep and the squad Brother.
It felt like there was so many personal touches.
I like the fact we got to revisit Bren
I just love this book so much
I was doing like really long shifts and I was sneaky reading chapters if I was going
I love the world building I love the fact that we’re in this dragon world when the dragons are giving advice, they’re making jokes
I love the whole found family, camaraderie and just like the humour of the situations
I cannot wait for the next book
The only way I can describe this book it was like crack to me. I could not stop reading.
Every page had me hooked. I love everything about this world and I love the fact that this book sent more on the keep and the squad Brother.
It felt like there was so many personal touches.
I like the fact we got to revisit Bren
I just love this book so much
I was doing like really long shifts and I was sneaky reading chapters if I was going
I love the world building I love the fact that we’re in this dragon world when the dragons are giving advice, they’re making jokes
I love the whole found family, camaraderie and just like the humour of the situations
I cannot wait for the next book
September 2, 2026
These are not tears you see from me at that ending….nope. I’m not crying…🤣. Talk about an incredible continuation of the world of this world with such a complicated MMC. I admit i read almost non stop and the direction this story took really surprised me and i loved it! I love graces character. She’s strong but humble. And our boy voski… my heart bleeds for him. This book did not disappoint in the least and i devoured almost 700 pages in one night . It was a nice change just being in the heads of our main characters in a world we already knew and loved. Not much world building and that was fine. The dynamic of the characters was flawless and so real. So glad book 2 is out soon
August 26, 2026
I LOVE this book!! FABULOUSLY written plot, relatable characters that you really want to crawl into the story cause they are so good.
This is a SLOOOOW burn. Enemies to maybe something. This book builds a truly beautiful relationship.
Voski was such a mysterious character from the Emberquell books (you don’t HAVE to read them, but you totally should!! 😉 So worth it!). I wanted to learn more about him, so when I saw this was coming out and he would be the MMC… 🎉🎉
And Grace, relatable woman. Not a teenager!! Her story kept me turning the pages. I LOVE this character. She is so determined to succeed.
I think this was my favorite of Aimee Lynn’s books so far.
This is a SLOOOOW burn. Enemies to maybe something. This book builds a truly beautiful relationship.
Voski was such a mysterious character from the Emberquell books (you don’t HAVE to read them, but you totally should!! 😉 So worth it!). I wanted to learn more about him, so when I saw this was coming out and he would be the MMC… 🎉🎉
And Grace, relatable woman. Not a teenager!! Her story kept me turning the pages. I LOVE this character. She is so determined to succeed.
I think this was my favorite of Aimee Lynn’s books so far.
August 30, 2026
I’m in love with this author
If you love kickass women and snarky, intelligent dragons and found family this is for you. Please read the Flameborne series first so you know the background and other characters. Aimee Lynn has an incredible way of bringing this world to life. I love the way she writes about trauma and uses to make her characters stronger to overcome it. These books make me have love in my heart and I am eagerly awaiting the next book. 💕
If you love kickass women and snarky, intelligent dragons and found family this is for you. Please read the Flameborne series first so you know the background and other characters. Aimee Lynn has an incredible way of bringing this world to life. I love the way she writes about trauma and uses to make her characters stronger to overcome it. These books make me have love in my heart and I am eagerly awaiting the next book. 💕
September 14, 2026
❤️❤️
I absolutely devoured this book!! I also wanted to slap Voski upside his head! 🤣 I can't wait for the second one!! This is what I needed!! This series just keeps getting better!!! ❤️ Worth the read and head space it takes!! Aimee you are an amazing author!!!
I absolutely devoured this book!! I also wanted to slap Voski upside his head! 🤣 I can't wait for the second one!! This is what I needed!! This series just keeps getting better!!! ❤️ Worth the read and head space it takes!! Aimee you are an amazing author!!!
August 31, 2026
I'm so into this story. Voski was my favorite side character in Flameborne and I'm delighted he is the MMC for Ashborne. His struggles and story are captivating and I'm itching for book 2 already
September 3, 2026
I was hooked after the first chapter. Though I feel the middle dragged on a bit too much, the hanging at the end was *chefs kiss*
September 5, 2026
Another brilliant book from Aimee, so felt like hitting Voski
Over the head with a brick 😂. Can’t wait for the next book in this series to be released
Over the head with a brick 😂. Can’t wait for the next book in this series to be released
August 27, 2026
The only way I can describe this book it was like crack to me. I could not stop reading.
Every page had me hooked. I love everything about this world and I love the fact that this book sent more on the keep and the squad Brother.
It felt like there was so many personal touches.
I like the fact we got to revisit Bren
I just love this book so much
I was doing like really long shifts and I was sneaky reading chapters if I was going
I love the world building I love the fact that we’re in this dragon world when the dragons are giving advice, they’re making jokes
I love the whole found family, camaraderie and just like the humour of the situations
I cannot wait for the next book
Every page had me hooked. I love everything about this world and I love the fact that this book sent more on the keep and the squad Brother.
It felt like there was so many personal touches.
I like the fact we got to revisit Bren
I just love this book so much
I was doing like really long shifts and I was sneaky reading chapters if I was going
I love the world building I love the fact that we’re in this dragon world when the dragons are giving advice, they’re making jokes
I love the whole found family, camaraderie and just like the humour of the situations
I cannot wait for the next book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews