A Fortune That Defies Fate

by R.K. Winters

Not all curses are meant to be broken
Willa Brown lives a life of oppression and suffering as the governor’s servant. She longs for the fairytale land depicted in her mother’s journal, her lifeline. But when she is forced to flee, Willa lands herself on a pirate ship in another world — the one she has been dreaming of this whole time, Nypheria.

Dash Avery is every bit the fierce pirate captain with a devoted crew to go along with his notorious reputation. He is lethal, a proficient keeper of secrets, and has no problem claiming what he wants. But beneath his brooding exterior is a man with a complicated past. One that Willa is determined to uncover.

When Willa discovers this world is dying, she joins Dash and his crew on their relentless journey to find a magical treasure. However, she quickly finds herself torn between worlds with nothing but her mother’s journal to guide her.

Willa must learn who she can trust and find the treasure before it can be used by others for a much darker purpose. One choice Follow your destiny or defy it all and choose the path that could destroy everything.

A Fortune That Defies Fate is Book One in The Curses of Nypheria Duology an adult, slow-burn romantic fantasy that will pull you into a fantastical world of pirates, tension and yearning-filled romance, ancient magic, an epic battle of curses, immortality, empowerment, and a defiance against fate itself.

469 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 6, 2026

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check trigger warnings for this one!

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐲𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐃𝐮𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲

Everyone get ready to meet your newest book boyfriend....Dash😮‍💨

“𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡. 𝐁𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝.”

My oh my what a book!! Everything was top tier - story, characters,writing, pacing, just overall amazing! And a debut?! Renae you killed it with your first novel, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be part of your arc team - let's be real, I was gonna read regardless🤭

"𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐚.”

An adult, slow-burn romantic fantasy that will pull you into a fantastical world of pirates, tension and yearning-filled romance, ancient magic, an epic battle of curses, immortality, empowerment, and a defiance against fate itself.

A pirate’s life for me🏴‍☠️⚔️
Wear a pirate’s hat.....👀

𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
💜Enchanted World
💜Feminine Rage
💜Curses & Secrets
💜Slow Burn to Spice
💜Mythical Creatures
💜Found Family
💜He's a Pirate

[Swan Dell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blow me down! 🏴‍☠️
What a mind-blowing debut!
5.5☆
From the very beginning it's so full of emotions and adventures. Perfectly paced according to the plot, garnished with good amount of foreshadowing. So the revelations and twists hit even harder.

Characters are so well written, starting with our FMC, Willa. So basically her journey and growth through it all, makes a great character development arc. She's a survivor & fighter and much more as we go deeper into the story. Love how she puts up hell of a fight when needed.

Dash! Omg! The pirate, the man, the MMC! He's written in such a way you yearn for him even before the couple start yearning for each other! You'll fall in love with his pirate part, captain part, and the male he is...every part of him is fall-in-love worthy! Not just his appearance & pirate-strength is dashing but his whole personality is!

Their chemistry...from banter to sizzling slow burn! I might want to wear captain's hat for completely innocent reasons. 👀
I loved how the author embedded many beautiful scenes with little gestures worth noticing.

And when the landscapes are being described, I literally lost myself in the pages, I was living inside of it! Such an awesome blend of serenity with darkness, of fairytale vibes with dark-n-piratey vibes.
What a beautiful storytelling ✨

Coming to the side characters, first of all Logan, loved this man from the very first appearance, the way he speaks. He is a total fun man and loveable and loyal. His backstory... I need this man to have a hea!😩❤️‍🩹
Also, Maeve, mysterious and...and what else you find on your own!👀
Honourable mentions: Spark & Fayn 🫶

And
Wdym the book could've ended anywhere but there! 🤯

Thanks to the author, my Capt'n! For trusting me with the ARC 🫡🏴‍☠️

[Breanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you mean thats the end of book 1!!!!!! I'm crashing out. Going to to stare at my wall and think about my life choices! WHAT!

This book was a masterpiece! A MASTERPIECE! ♾️⭐️ read for me, I'm utterly obsessed. I devoured this book like my life depended on it!

Ok think Pirates of the Caribbean, Sinbad, handmaids tale, and Peter Pan all mixed into one! This book grabbed me, pinned me against a wall 😏 and wouldn't let go! I was hooked from the first page. I felt that this book was very original and completely different from all the other ocean themed books I've read! This is one of my top 2 favorite pirate books!

Willa, the FMC, I LOVED her! She was everything I wanted in a heroine. She was so strong even when the world around her was constantly trying to tear her down and convince her that she was worthless. She was defiant, ambitious, snarky, and absolutely unbreakable. Her character arc was so good, and I loved watching her fight for herself and what she wanted.

And then there’s Dash. Dash, Dash, Dash. 😏 Why, hello there!

He is 100% book boyfriend material. The brooding, hard ass pirate captain? YES, PLEASE. He was ruthless when he needed to be, but underneath all that, he fiercely defended and protected the people he loved.

Also… can I wear his pirate hat? 👀 Asking for totally innocent reasons, obviously.

And the tension between these two?! WHEW. Think Will and Elizabeth levels of tension. My goodness! I could FEEL it radiating off the pages, and it was absolutely perfect. I ate up every single second of it. Their dynamic had me hooked!

Honorary mention: Logan.

That’s all I’m gonna say. 😂

He is my favorite side character, and honestly? He’s a main character in my eyes. I need more Logan!

Needless to say, I will be counting down the days, pacing around my room, and eagerly waiting for book 2 because I NEED IT. NOW. 😩🏴‍☠️

This book completely stole me, and I am officially ready to set sail for the next one 🏴‍☠️✨️🔥

[Dolce Fiama · Rating 5 out of 5]

You won't believe a debut novel would be that amazing unless you read this. I'm fully consumed by the story from first to last.
What. A. Writing.
The author is so magical with her words.
I love the way she describes things. It is to be mentioned how beautifully each of the landscapes depicted. And then there's the sizzling slow burn that has stolen my heart. I really enjoyed each and every scene.
I'm so obsessed with the characters especially Dash Willa Logan Meave Spark & Fayn. Oops there's too many on my list..😁
Willa is strong and bold. And Dash! Dash is way too Dashing! I love the fact : Dash enters Dashingly at every entry!😍 It gives me the Captain Jack Sparrow vibe at how he's always with rum and still has no effect on him. I'm impressed by Logan, he's loyal, friendly and supportive. And Meave is so sweet. Spark and Fayn are true companions.
Then there's this chemistry between Willash : makes it magnetic in a way how everything else fades when they're together. No matter the chaos, no matter the cost they'll always choose each other over anything. It's reckless & consuming but it's also the purest kind of devotion.

It's a perfect blend of pirate and fairytale.
The plot is full of surprises and when the secrets are revealed one by one, OMG! it hits like a dopamine shot!🫣

This is quite different from other pirate books. Its uniqueness made this book even more incredible.

But what the fuck is that ending! 😭

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 star material for sure!✨

I'm very grateful to have this ARC. I never thought my first ARC read would be that great.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever looked into a painting and thought of how much you wanted to be there. I know I have. In this book we get the chance to experience what happens to our FMC when she is hunted by guards and finds herself escaping their clutches by disappearing into a painting on the wall of her long time friend.

The start of this book hooked me immediately, talking about blowing the seeds from a dandelion. it was so descriptive I could actually envisage it. After all, haven’t we all done that, then shared that experience with our children. It evoked such nice memories. It kept me hooked throughout too.

The story is fast paced with high jinx and plenty of perilous moments. Misunderstandings and delicious yearning. A slow burn that turns spicy towards the end. Much flirtation between the MC’s and some secrets are revealed.

Willa is our Kick ass FMC and she has a heart of gold. She was orphaned as a child and grew up to become a maid in a lords manor. She eventually escapes after a series of incidents cause her to lash out, quite rightly so btw. She only manages to escape by disappearing into a magical world via a painting. Pirate Captain Dash is our MMC, Dash by name, dashing by nature. He is destined to end the cursse that is affecting all of Nypheria and killing the lands. He rescues a drowning Willa from the ocean she fell into and allows her to join his crew until they can sort out what or who she is.

[Alida Mujezinovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conversation with Gemini

Give me a book review of this book sutable for good rasds and instagram include that I really loved the book and found myself reading it any moment that i could. 

Goodreads Review

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

A Fortune That Defies Fate by R.K. Winters is an absolute showstopper! I genuinely loved this book and found myself sneaking in pages at every single chance I got—during lunch breaks, right before bed, and any spare moment in between. It is completely unputdownable.

This portal fantasy pulls you in right from the start with a delicious mix of high-stakes intrigue, magical treasures, and dark curses. The worldbuilding surrounding the sirens, witches, fae, and mythical creatures is so rich, but what truly drove the story for me was the incredible character dynamics. The main character’s fierce feminine rage is so well-written and cathartic, and the found family element adds so much heart to the high-seas chaos.

And let’s talk about the romance: if you love a pirate love interest and a slow-burn romance that eventually turns up the heat to pure spice, you are going to be obsessed. It hits every single trope in the best way possible—revenge, secrets, high-seas adventure, and a fate worth fighting for.

If you’re looking for your next fantasy obsession, pre-order this immediately!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ARC review~
I received an early copy of this book for free to review, but all opinions are my own as always.

Great debut novel!
I really loved this book. The main characters were endearing and witty, with just enough yearning to make an enjoyable read.
The initial world setting of the story was so horribly bleak and violent that I was so happy when the FMC Willa got sucked through a painting onto a pirate ship - anything was an improvement!
The author’s writing was very descriptive and I loved the imagery of the magical world.
I got a bit concerned when Willa looked like she was going to ditch the MMC for a Tamlin-esque prince, but thankfully she came to her senses and figured out he was an evil knob.
The MMC, Dash, was perfect - nice mix of menacing (to enemies of course) and grumpy and doting and protective and secretive. I did figure out his secret fairly early on, but I read a lot of romantasy so I can spot a trope a mile away.
The ending was tying up all the loose ends nicely, I was wondering how the author was going to come up with enough story for a sequel, and then BAM that cliffhanger. Now I have to wait an agonisingly long time for the next book!
This was a great debut novel by R.K. Winters, and I love to support a fellow Aussie.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pirates, magic, secrets, curses and a love to defy fate all comes to play in this DEBUT. Actual insane that this is a debut. It's a story that captures you from page one and draws you in quickly, keeping you hooked throughout the story. 

I'm so impressed by so many things in this book: all the little clues woven in and hidden, the different plot points, the depth of the characters. It's so easy to fall in love with our main girl Willa and the crew of the Rogue - especially Dash, our favorite brooding captain, and his first mate Logan. The pacing is well balanced, although it's a tad quicker toward the end of the story, and it wraps up things nicely before we're standing on the edge of the cliff that is waiting for book two. 

The author's love for pirates shines through, and it's definitely a highlight of the story. The Rogue quickly feels like home, and I'm already eager to get back into this world through a re-read when it's officially published. 

With that said, I also need to mention that this book, without a doubt, has the single best use of the trope "touch her and die" I've ever experienced. I'll probably always compare that trope to how it played out in this book and I'm not mad about it. Like, at all. Not even a little bit. I might need to go re-read it just because.

[Taryn Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

AFTDF is R.K Winters debut Romantasy novel, and my oh my, did she do an absolutely amazing job! There are Pirates, Fae, Sirens, Witches and all sorts of otherworldly creatures!


I absolutely ate this up! The slow burn and tension were out of this world. I really love me a slow burn, and this burnt nice and slooowwww.


I am also a lover of a good side character, and I am so pleased to say there are a few side characters who I can’t’ wait to get to know even better in book 2. There are also some characters in there that one loves to hate… because if a book doesn’t have you wanting to punch someone in the tit/junk, is the book even any good?!


The feminine rage and twists and turns kept me super engaged in this book. It really has a bit of everything that I love. ❤️


There is even some nice spice woven in there but definitely does not pull from the amazing plot and story line. AFTDF ends on a cliff hanger, and I seriously cant wait to see what happens next!


5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


2-3 spice 🌶🌶.5

[Samantha Kolhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for my arc copy!


This was such a fun read!! It really hooked me immediately and took me for a ride, there wasn’t a moment in this book that I was bored. I can’t believe this was a debut!!

The treatment of servants, especially women, in Dravonshire is barbaric. We get paid next to nothing,

In this book we follow Willa, who lives her life as a governors servant until she finds herself on a pirate ship. She’s been dreaming of this her whole life. Dash Avery is the fierce pirate captain with a crew full of pirates at his command. Willa is determined to uncover his secrets as she’s trying to unravel her own. With her mother’s journal to guide her she must figure out exactly who she can trust.

‘Captain Dash Avery is an attraction I don’t have time for. That’s what I need to keep chanting until my traitorous body knows it too.’

Can I just say I’m obsessed with Dash?? I was kicking my feet like a school girl whenever he showed up!! I really never wanted this book to end and I need the next one immediately please!!! This was amazing!

[S.J. Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give a higher star rating I would!
From the moment you open this book you’re sucked in, hooked from the very first line, and it holds you in a chokehold for the adventure of a lifetime.
At multiple points I inhaled so hard at plot twists that I audibly choked.
The slow burn tension is nothing short of delicious.
The twists and turns, the foreshadowing of the tiniest details you wouldn’t pay much attention to in the beginning but that come flooding back at the next reveal.
R. K. Winters has such a magical way with words, her imagery is magnificent, such detailed descriptions that you can visualise it instantly.

If you love Pirates Of The Caribbean, this book is for you… just trust me.
I await eagerly for the next instalment because seriously… what was that ending?

[C. O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy of this book by R. K. Winters herself and when I was reading it it wasn't hard to immediately feel everything the characters were feeling. I loved every twist and turn, with some shocking my socks off completely. I was in a whirlwind of emotions and experiences and I cannot recommend this enough. The careful love that they share in the pages and the adventure and longing to be free that drives Willa? I could relate to her so easily it felt like I was her. I cannot wait to reread this again. and I will be thoroughly excited to finally be able to buy a copy of the book when it releases in November. Thoroughly well done, R. K. and I cannot wait for the sequel 🙌

[CwtchesAndChapter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story follows Willa, who is living as a governor’s servant in the mortal realm and finds herself in a whole lot of trouble. While trying to escape the fate that has been laid out for her, she ends up at her godmother’s home, where she is quite literally sucked through a magical painting and dumped in the middle of the ocean.

Naturally, she’s rescued by a sexy pirate.

Enter Dash Avery, fierce pirate captain, professional keeper of secrets and owner of a ship full of pirates who somehow become found family along the way.

Willa soon discovers that the world she has fallen into is one she knows from her mother’s journal, and she finds herself pulled into a quest to recover magical items for a sea witch. Except every time they uncover something new, another mystery, secret or revelation comes along with it.

I was hooked from page one and genuinely loved how quickly the story pulled me into this world. There’s always something happening, but it was the mystery surrounding Willa, Dash and this strange magical world that kept me turning the pages because I needed to know what was actually going on.

This book has Fae, humans, pirates, portal magic, curses, found family, forbidden secrets, magical mysteries and a whole lot of WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL IS GOING ON?

If that sounds like something up your street, you absolutely need this one on your radar.

[Chloe Bradford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is the best pirate book I have ever read. Just perfect.

Dash is so charming and everything a pirate should be.

The story was so enchanting I just didn’t expect it.

I need book two.. now! How dare you leave me with that ending.

“I don’t think fate has anything interesting in store for me. I was born into a life where the rich get richer and the cruel gain more power.”

“I’m not your burden. I have spent my entire life fighting and looking after myself. Yes, I have made mistakes and yes, I have stumbled, but every time it made me stronger. I know you think I’m weak and not capable, but you are wrong.”

[Mackenzie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

WTF was that ending?! Poor Willa has been through the ringer!

Willa was such a strong FMC. I love how she fought back and never allowed others to make her feel less than. And I loved the found family she created with the pirate crew!

Dash. What a man. Protective and always wanting Willa to feel strong and powerful. He was touch her and 💀 hot.

Just going to go stare at a wall until the sequel comes out.

Favorite Quotes:
“As long as it’s my name coming from those pretty lips, you can call me whatever you want.”

“I would happily watch Nypheria shrivel to nothing, knowing I got to share the last days of its destruction tangled with you. Nothing else matters."

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this more than five stars I would!
I am so happy the author gave me a chance to ARC read this! I finished the book within a day!

From the very beginning the story is captivating and has you hooked. The main character Willa is such a likeable character and her development throughout the book is great! She has a slow burn romance with Dash, who also is a very likeable character!

The world building is fantastic! It’s so in depth and what a fantasy world should be like!✨

All I need to know now is when is the second book coming out?? That cliffhanger 😳

[Kirilee Lennerts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to be a beta reader and then an ARC reader for this book. Now, let me start off by saying that I am generally not a romantasy reader. However saying that, this novel took me on an epic adventure - and introduced me to some rather dashing heroes.
Willa’s journey - without giving any spoilers away - was an adventure in every way. To start off in a life you feel trapped in is something I think most readers can relate to… but then to be thrusted into the unknown… well the only thing to do is learn how to swim ;)
Now let’s quickly touch on the romance! It definitely was a “he falls first” sort of situation, and Dash is 100% an alpha (“touch her a die” sort of alpha). There were plenty of times it was a will they/ won’t they situation which only added to the beautiful slow burn. But once we got there - the spice was HOT!
Winters write in her own unique style that I’ve never read anything like before. It is refreshing, and made me really pay aware of the words I was reading. I’m usually a 3rd person/ dual POV kind of reader - so this was a shift for me as it is 1st person/ solo POV. But I was glad for it as we learn everything through Willa’s eyes as she learns to navigate unfamiliar lands and try to learn who to trust/ if she can trust them.
This was my first pirate Romantasy and I can’t wait for the second book! If you are looking for a fresh voice within the romantasy space, I highly recommend this novel.