The Thunderborn Heir: A Fae & Shifter Detective Supernatural Fantasy & Mystery

by Melissa Strydom

She has eighty years of law enforcement experience under her belt, and now she has to go undercover as a rookie to find out why fifty women went missing without a single trace.

Azaria Hale is a hundred-year-old Fae detective who is witty, determined, and enjoys picking fights with monsters twice her size, hunting creatures that give people nightmares, but still manages to find a way to show mercy where others cannot. When humans and creatures begin disappearing without a trace, she's sent undercover to a police station in Knysna.

She thought her mission would be simple: blend in, uncover the truth, and try not to punch her new infuriatingly arrogant, dangerously attractive training officer. As the investigation pulls her into a deadly world of trolls, vampires, mercenaries, and creatures born from nightmares, Azaria discovers the missing women were never the real target. She was.

For years, she's felt a mysterious presence beneath the surface, a part of herself she could never understand. Now ancient secrets are awakening, and the storm within her refuses to stay silent.

Because someone is coming for her.

And they know exactly what she is.

414 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 15, 2026

About the author

Melissa Strydom is a mom of four (yes, four!) because apparently, balance is her thing. Happily married since 2013 to an incredible husband, an excellent chef who can whip up a good cup of coffee and meal to help her with her writing.

When she’s not wrangling kids or dreaming up wild plot twists, she’s writing clean urban fantasy packed with magic, romance, danger, and just enough chaos to keep you turning pages.

She lives in George, Western Cape, where the ocean is never far and neither is her dream of one day seeing a great white shark and a whale shark up close. Preferably from a safe distance… maybe.

Reviews

[Joanna]

4 stars for me.

Great paranormal mystery with enemies to something more romance.Fae detective Azaria Hale going undercover to find out what is happening,but her training officer is not happy with her.Through the book they clash,kill some real monsters,and catch feelings that may get them in trouble.Lots of action,lots of cases to be resolved,and secrets about Azaria uncover.I liked the plot,and it's a great first book in the series.

Thank you auhtor for copy,my review is honest and my own.

[Hannah Sullivan]

Disclaimer: I recieved this as an ARC.

Mixed feelings on this one. It took me a long time to get into and I nearly gave up a few times, but stubbornness won!

I loved the variety of creatures and you can tell there is some really thoughtful world-building behind the story and I can definitely see the potential for the story to go places.

Not quite a 3-star read for me yet, more like 2.5, but there is enough here that I'm genuinely curious to see where the series goes next.

[Nickole]

Rcvd an ARC from the author.

We meet Cape Town detective Azaria who always seems to find trouble. Just turned 100 and been a cop for many many years she has seen it all. She was raised by humans, left in their doorstep with a note and a kitten named Caesar. She is fae and smtg else but doesn't know. Her captain tasks her to go undercover as a rookie in a neighboring town where females human and supernatural have vanished without any trace. Azaria meets humanoid, captain Magnus who knows the truth and is excited to see what she can do esp with her TO captain Nicholas. It's hard for Azaria to be a rookie esp when she has all the years experience but she likes to rub Nicholas the wrong way and get him to not underestimate her. Azaria holds her own and Nicholas knows for sure she isn't a rookie. Outside sources are working against Azaria. Plus she seems to have an ancient power wake up within her especially with all the storms happening. Drama, deceit, past trauma, new beginnings and finally finding out who you really are makes this a kickass story. Next book please!!

[Trisha]

Review of advanced copy from author.
Thank you so much to Melissa Strydom for the arc of this book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and can't wait for the next installment.

In a world of fantasy novels where someone "happens" upon magical powers, it was refreshing that our FMC was already fully aware of her fae heritage. It was also a nice change of pace to have this take place in our world and not a totally new one. Melissa does great work in giving the needed details for world building to bring us up to speed. Two centuries ago, the veil between the human world and the supernatural world was ripped open and the worlds united with many creatures now walking amongst humans. Like humans, some are good and some are evil. Detective Azaria (our FMC) lives in South Africa and helps hunt down the bad guys- specializing in the magical/supernatural. She's a total no-nonsense, sarcastic, 100 year-old fae who never physically aged past 21. She has some powers that are refreshing to see in a literary world saturated by more aggressive ones. The most intriguing to me was her calming power - which came in hand several times during her detective cases.

Our MMC, Nikolas, is a giant teddy bear with his own mysterious supernatural lineage that soon comes to light. He's a tough guy in the police field but starts to show this soft, caring side and goodness can he be charming!

Our two main characters start off with a sort of "oil and water" working relationship, but as truths come to light, respect is fully given and more is opened up. In the slowest of slow burns, there IS payoff! I am not a big fan of gratuitous, unnecessary spice, so this closed door, clean love story was very appealing. Plus! There is sooooooooo much room to grow this relationship in the next installments!

The minor characters are just all-around fantastic, but my favorites would be Caesar (who doesn't love a totally sarcastic, random guardian, lazy cat?!), Azaria’s og partner Grayson, and chief Magnus(I mean come on! He has my name!) Seraphina ALMOST has me won over.

Some cons for this story, hence my “only” 4 stars were that sometimes, Azaria's defensiveness of her skills came off way too cocky and I actually wanted someone to knock her down a peg. She could be super assuming of someone's behavior towards her and it came off as immature, not really jiving with the narrative of her being a 100 year old with 80 years on police force. Also, there may seem to be many "creature of the week” moments, but trust me there is a reason for everything!

If you are a fan of fantasy with real-ish world situations and settings, I think you will also enjoy this book like I did!
I still have some un answered questions, but things that are definitely bringing me back for book 2!

[Carolyn]

this review is for an arc I received from the author.

I don't usually like to give out 2 stars because each book is a labor of love for someone and some books just genuinely jive with some readers and not others, however there were a few things that took it from a 3 to a 2 star for me. To be honest, this book is written in a fairly immature manner and makes me think more of a YA academy style urban fantasy rather than the adult urban fantasy police procedural that the author intended it to be. Because of the writing style and structure of the story, it was really hard for me to buy in to the fact that Azaria is meant to be a 100+ year old fae detective who goes undercover. I will say though you may like this book if you don't mind surface-level plots and a fast-paced urban fantasy environment.

For all of the things I did not like, there were some that were not that bad.

So just some quick points as to why I gave it the rating I did.

-Immature FMC; a direct contradiction to the intended character premise (never known a detective to be so casual as the refer to everyone, from rookie, to co-worker, to victims by their first name and casually hug people. The author tried to write a strong-willed FMC, but she just came off as reckless and lacks any kind of respect for the chain-of-command.. In short, not believable of a senior police official. You can be abrasive and reckless and still competent, but I did not see competency in her behavior)
-Dialogue between secondaries and FMC seemed more like young adults rather than police professionals (half of the conversations reminded me of early 2000's WB/CW shows) I honestly would have rated this book higher if the setting was different.
-The MMC had no presence.
-Interesting plot. I liked the effort the author put in to build a case for Azaria in the beginning of the book, but it really needed more detail and world-building to make it more captivating.
-I liked the different magical races that were mentioned, but there was not enough story-building given to how the supernatural and the human world collides and co-exists. Even towards the end, when one of the people Azaria is hunting discloses the events leading up to them becoming an accomplice is being told to her, there is no gravity to keep me invested in Azaria's next adventure.  The races did not seem to have much of an impact and I did not see a difference between human or non-human. Even the taboo "hybrids" did not seem like a big deal.

I personally would not read the next book, but at the same time, I don't think this book is meant for me. I would recommend you read it though if you like a lot of the books in the YA or NA romantasy genre. 

[Allanna Butler]

I have officially read my first ARC 🥹 And since that also means writing my first actual book review, here we go!
Thank you to Melissa Strydom for giving me the opportunity to read The Thunderborn Heir.
I went into this not really knowing what to expect, and I ended up having a lot of fun with it. The easiest way I can describe it is that it gave me the feeling of being dropped into the middle of a really good D&D campaign, except someone decided the party also needed badges and a supernatural murder investigation 😂
There is magic, Fae, shifters, different abilities, complicated histories, and this whole supernatural world existing alongside a more familiar one. Add in an investigation and characters who all seem to know things you don’t, and there was plenty to keep me curious.
I think what I liked most was that the story doesn’t take itself too seriously. There are bigger things happening and some genuinely interesting mysteries unfolding, but there is also humor, personality, and banter throughout it. Azaria especially was just fun to follow. She’s strong without being invincible, cares deeply about people, has a mouth on her, and is perfectly capable of making questionable decisions (same, girl), which honestly just made me like her more 😂
And then there’s Nikolas.
Sir.
His dynamic with Azaria became one of the things I enjoyed watching the most, and it really reminded me of Chenford (if you know, you know 😉). By the end I was basically sitting there like, “Okay… so we’re going to talk about whatever THIS is in book two, right??”
There were definitely times when I wanted the book to slow down a little. Not necessarily because I was confused, but because I was interested. But honestly, wanting more of the world isn’t a terrible complaint to have about the first book in a series.
There were things I guessed and plenty of things I still have questions about, and I’m actually really excited to see what gets expanded on as the series continues. I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of what this world, and Azaria herself, actually has going on.
Overall, The Thunderborn Heir was a really fun introduction to a world I would happily spend more time in. If your idea of a good time involves magic, supernatural creatures, murder mysteries, sarcasm, found-family-ish chaos, characters keeping entirely too many secrets, and the general feeling that somebody probably failed an important perception check somewhere along the way… this might be for you. 😂
And for my very first ARC? I’d call that a win. ❤️

[Melissa Visser]

​Als je houdt van meeslepende Epic Fantasy met een flinke dosis magie, politieke intriges en personages die dieper gaan dan de standaard archetypen, dan is The Thunderborn Heir van Melissa Strydom een absolute aanrader. Strydom zet hiermee een krachtig debuut neer dat smaakt naar meer.
​Het Verhaal in een Notendop
​Het boek neemt ons mee naar een wereld die verscheurd wordt door oude vetes en de constante dreiging van machtige elementaire krachten. In het centrum van dit alles staat de protagonist, die plotseling geconfronteerd wordt met een erfenis die zowel een zegen als een dodelijke vloek is: de kracht van de donder. Terwijl er aan het hof complotten worden gesmeed en de vijand aan de poorten rammelt, moet de hoofdpersoon niet alleen leren omgaan met deze immense, onvoorspelbare magie, maar ook ontdekken wie er nog te vertrouwen is.
​De Pluspunten
​Sterke World-Building: Strydom heeft duidelijk veel tijd gestoken in het bouwen van haar wereld. De lore voelt rijk en gelaagd aan. De manier waarop magie (en specifiek de 'Thunderborn'-krachten) is geïntegreerd in de cultuur en politiek is geloofwaardig en fascinerend.
​Complexe Personages: Geen zwart-wit moraal hier. De personages maken fouten, hebben verborgen agenda’s en groeien gedurende het verhaal. Vooral de dynamiek tussen de hoofdpersoon en de bondgenoten (of zijn het vijanden?) houdt je constant aan het gissen.
​Vlotte Schrijfstijl: De actiescènes zijn filmisch en energiek geschreven. Je voelt de bliksem bijna knetteren op de pagina's. Daarnaast weet Strydom de emotionele lading tussen de personages goed over te brengen zonder dat het melodramatisch wordt.
​Een Klein Minpuntje
​Het tempo ligt in het begin van het boek behoorlijk hoog. Omdat er veel unieke termen, koninkrijken en magische regels worden geïntroduceerd, kan het de eerste paar hoofdstukken even duren voordat je je draai vindt. Maar zodra de basis staat, raast het verhaal in één ruk door naar de ontknoping.
​Eindoordeel
​The Thunderborn Heir is een stormachtig goed begin van een veelbelovende fantasy-reeks. Melissa Strydom bewijst dat ze een talent heeft voor het balanceren van grootse, epische gevechten met intieme, karaktergedreven momenten.
​Voor de liefhebbers van: Brandon Sanderson, Sarah J. Maas (voor de politieke spanning) en klassieke high-fantasy met een moderne twist.

[Kelsey Thomason]

I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a great start to what I hope becomes an amazing series. From the first few chapters, it throws you right into the action without feeling overwhelming. There is always something happening, whether it's solving a case, fighting supernatural creatures, or uncovering another piece of the mystery.
Azaria was easily my favorite part of the book. She's strong, sarcastic, fearless, and never backs down from a fight. I also liked that she's more than just a tough character. Deep down she's a genuinely good person who wants to protect others, even if it means putting herself in danger.
The world-building was done really well. There are fae, vampires, trolls, and other supernatural creatures, but I never felt lost or overloaded with information. Everything was introduced naturally as the story moved along, making it easy to follow while still leaving plenty of mystery to keep me hooked.
I also enjoyed the chemistry between Azaria and Nikolas. Their personalities clash in the best way, and the banter made me smile more than once. I'm excited to see where their relationship goes in the next book because it feels like there's still so much left to explore.
The mystery itself kept me turning the pages. With women disappearing and danger lurking around every corner, I was constantly trying to guess who was behind everything. Just when I thought I had the answers, another twist came along. The ending left me with plenty of questions and definitely made me want to pick up the next book.
Overall, I thought this was a well-written story with great pacing, memorable characters, and an interesting paranormal world. If you enjoy urban fantasy with mystery, action, supernatural creatures, and a strong female lead who isn't afraid to stand her ground, I definitely recommend giving this one a chance. I'll definitely be reading the next book to see what happens next.

[Pam Woolnough]

The Thunderborne Heir has an interesting plot that will immediately appeal to fans of Young Adult fantasy & paranormal romance.

An interesting blend of fae detective investigation and a secret heritage, weighed down by pacing issues & technical errors.

The story follows a 100-year-old Fae detective who goes undercover as a rookie to investigate a series of missing women. Along the way, she butts heads with her new training officer—leading to an enemies-to-lovers dynamic—while also uncovering secrets about her own hidden heritage & blending with a dragon fated-mates side story which has great potential.

I enjoyed the world building & introduction to multiple supernatural beings, however, the FMC comes off as reckless & disrespectful towards her chain in command, which made it difficult to believe she has decades of experience as a detective.

Despite the fantastic idea, the execution struggled to hold momentum. The reading flow was frequently interrupted by formatting issues, including a lack of page breaks between chapters & noticeable grammar and punctuation errors that made reading difficult. The narrative failed to keep me invested which made it difficult to stay fully engaged and I found myself having to put the book down and pick it back up often.

The writing style seemed immature & felt more of a young adult genre.

The conclusion felt anticlimactic and unsatisfying. Leaving the primary antagonist and the main investigation into the missing women disappear while focusing solely on the heroine discovering her Thunderborne dragon heritage.

After all that, while this may not be the book for me I am intrigued to find out what happens in the next book.

Thank you to the the author, Melissa Strydom, for providing an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.

[Bev booksandchocs]

I would give this 4.5 stars if I could.

I received an advance review copy of The Thunderborn Heir. Thank you to Melissa Strydom for the opportunity to read it.
A hundred-year-old Fae detective going undercover as a rookie? The premise of The Thunderborn Heir caught my attention straight away. I was excited to read something a little different, and it didn’t disappoint.
I liked the main character, Azaria Hale, immediately. She’s confident and capable, with just enough backstory to leave me wanting to know more. I enjoyed her witty comments and the banter she shares with the other characters. I’m especially hoping we get more interactions between Azaria and her original partner.
The investigation has plenty of twists and turns, including a few that genuinely surprised me. The dynamic between Azaria and Nikolas works particularly well, and their relationship develops naturally as we learn more about Azaria. I would have liked a little more time to explore Nikolas’s story, though, as well as more of the slow-burn tension between them.
The world-building felt cohesive, with believable character interactions and a story that held together well throughout. I particularly enjoyed the variety of supernatural creatures.
The final quarter felt a little rushed, and I would have liked to learn more about the veil, which I expect will play a larger role in the next book. Even so, the pacing didn’t detract from my enjoyment. Overall, this was an engaging read, and I’m looking forward to seeing what indie author Melissa Strydom writes next. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy romantasy with Fae and supernatural creatures, a strong investigation at the heart of the plot, and minimal spice that doesn’t overshadow the story.

[Madia Rossouw]

Dit was nou 'n verandering om paranormal fantasy te lees met bekende dorpe en ook bekende woorde tussen deur. Goeie verhaal met goeie karakter en storielyn ontwikkeling. Die fantasie verhaal wat afspeel was maklik om te volg en dit was moeilik om die boek neer te sit om aan te gaan met daaglikse lewe. Boek 1 los ons nie met 'n spannende slot nie so ons weet wat moet kom, maar ek sien uit daarna om te lees hoe Azaria haar veranderinge ervaar in boek 2 en watter gruwelike gediertes weer haar planne gaan belemmer.

Ek voel met tye het die skrywer te vinnig te veel informasie gegee, soos bv wanneer Nikolas met Azaria deel oor sy karakter en afkoms en daar kon dit minder breedvoerig beskryf geword het om die leser die kans te gee om te wonder oor die sy optrede en dan ook vir ons 'n langer en stadiger opbou gegee het.

Alhoewel dit 'n goeie fantasie storie is, vind ek dit werklik vreemd en met tye moeilik om hierdie fantasie wêreld te sien afspeel in gewone dorpe in Suid-Afrika. Die twee pas nog nie vir my so goed bymekaar nie. Miskien dalk net omdat fantasie gewoonlik gepaard gaan met 'n hele nuwe fantasie wêreld wat ons moet leer ken, ek self is nie heeltemal seker nie. Dit het wel alles makliker gemaak om die wêreld in gedagte te vorm terwyl mens lees van die plekke wat ons ken. Afrikaans gebasseerde woorde soos "Fynbos" en "bakkie" kon dalk vertaal geword het, alhoewel, ander skrywers gebruik tog hul eie Franse of Spaanse of Italiaanse woorde, etc. in hul eie stories, so ek neem aan dan hoekom nie 'n Afrikaanse skrywer ook nie.

Dankie aan die skrywer vir die ARC en die geleentheid.
Hierdie resensie is my eie opinie en word nie beïnvloed nie.

[Lady Surreal]

I loved the book, from start to end!
I found it engaging and very difficult to put down (which was not good when I had to work the next day and was up till 1am finishing the book). The story follows Azaria, a kick ass fae detective with a penchant for attracting trouble. The story introduces a supernatural world filled with magical beings, danger and intrigue, while following a central mystery that gradually draws the characters deeper into the world around them.
The characters were one of the stronger aspects of the book. I particularly loved the main character, Azaria—because who doesn’t enjoy a heroine with a knack for attracting trouble, but with the wit, determination, and strength to see things through?
The book has a similar feel to the fantasy works of Glenda Larke and Kate Forsyth, particularly in its sense of adventure, strong female characters and immersive fantasy elements. However, Strydom's writing style is more straightforward, with simpler language and sentence structures. While it lacks some of the depth and sophistication of Larke and Forsyth's prose, the simplicity makes the story very accessible and easy to read, and it suits the fast-paced nature of the story.
The story kept me thoroughly engaged from beginning to end, and I found myself genuinely reluctant to put it down. I would happily read more from Strydom—and will be eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
Thank you to Strydom for sharing an advanced reader copy of this book with me. This review is my honest opinion, and I'm leaving it voluntarily.

[Henriëtte]

Meeting some supernatural creatures in South Africa was such a nice change from most of
the fantasy/paranormal books I usually read. And mixing fantasy into the mundane makes even a boring day exciting.

We met our lead Azaria, a supernatural detective who loves her job and is good at it. She has also been doing it for years. Now she needs to become a rookie again - and knowing her from the first few pages I already knew there was going to be some trouble, and entertainment.

I loved getting to know Azaria and her snarkiness (not that I am sarcastic and snarky at all!). Her constant bickering with her new training offer caused some snickering and her overall bad-assness was fun to read. Even if she is supercharged she definitely does not walk away from a fight unscathed, and she also makes sure that people notice her - even if she doesn’t mean to.

If you love detective/mystery stories and fantasy/paranormal stories, you will enjoy this book where Melissa weaves the paranormal into the mundane. She makes you root for Azaria, and her human partner, which I hope we will see again in the second book, as well as for the characters you get to meet at her undercover station - yes, including her training officer.

And finding her true nature was of course the best part for me, but finding out more about her past in the second book will be great.

Thank you Melissa for bringing some fantasy home. I truly enjoyed it!

[Kristy]

Azaria as a 100+ half Fae has and interesting life as a Detective in Cape Town ever day is and adventure or a disaster it depends on who you ask but when some shady kidnapping takes place in another town her boss resigned her as and undercover rookie as if the first time wasn't bad enough her new T.O. is either going to cause her to hit him or something equally as tragic she may catch feelings for him and just what kind of shifter is he well she refuses to fall for him especially with his clingy siren girlfriend constantly harassing her so it looks like a fights gonna happen but all that will have to wait with kidnapping's, death threats, trolls demon like creatures from the depths of well wouldn't you like to know crazy warlocks other interesting creatures ugly stinky succubus and clueless vamps she may just finally find out who her real parents are and what the other half of her is and when everything hits the fan the one person she can trust may just be her future if they can survive the chaos coming for them. This is definitely slow burn with magical elements mixed with police crime solving and the biggest most evil ever and I'm wondering just how bad it is is it Daddy D, this secret council or something really unhinged guess all have to read the next book to see what happens and who's gonna betray Nicholas and Azaria next. I was allowed to read and advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Tara]

What a fantastic read!

Thunderborn Heir completely swept me away, and I devoured it in a single sitting because I simply couldn't stop reading.

One of my favourite things about this book was the world-building. It reminded me of the urban fantasy novels by Keri Arthur, with its incredible mix of magical creatures and supernatural beings all existing side by side. Every page introduced something new, making the world feel alive, expansive, and full of adventure.

I absolutely adored the heroine. She was witty, determined, and someone I genuinely enjoyed following. Her friendships - both with her human companions and non human companions- were some of my favourite parts of the story.

The banter, teamwork, and growing relationships felt authentic.

While I figured out one of the major reveals fairly early on, it was obvious enough that it didn't feel like it was meant to be a huge surprise. More importantly, there are still so many unanswered questions and larger mysteries that kept me completely invested in the story.

The ending leaves just enough of a cliffhanger to make you desperate for the next book without feeling incomplete. It left me excited rather than frustrated, and I can't wait to continue the series. This was my first book by this author, but it certainly won't be my last.

[Nia]

Action from Start to Finish

We are thrown into a world where paranormals are not so secret and crime is high. This book is fast paced and all action right from the beginning.
Although the crime was heavy the biggest one, was due to many secrets and a vendetta decades old.

Azaria was a strong female lead. I enjoyed her snarkiness and it was not over done, which is a plus. Nikolas was difficult to begin with but not a huge alpha douche. Once he was put in his place a couple of times and let into the club he became more likeable. Which also made the chemistry between the two pick up some. It was beginning to bud and I hope to see more of it in the next book and ins't forced.

As for the storyline, it was very interesting and I did not feel lost due to the fact that characteristics were explained as the story progressed in a smoothly integrated way. While some parts were predictable, they still presented the aha moment. A lot of bombshells were dropped towards the end of the book with some being answered and others leaving you hanging. With that being said I will be (im)patiently waiting for book two and all the new adventures to come!

[Bianca]

Thank you Melissa for the arc, this was such a refreshing twist on fantasy meets modern real world, i loved the real places mentioned around my town in South Africa. The characters were fleshed out and so much more awaits to be uncovered from so many of them that i can not wait to read the second book, i simply could not put this book down, the fast pace of the story, the missions and detective work thats been done, i cant wait to see more in depth detective work and finding out more about the MFC's past and how it will affect her future, what will the road have in store for the MMC and what he has just learned about his past and how the FMC ties into it as well. I want more background on Azaria's cat, what he is and more about them.

This book fills in many questions but also arizes so many more that needs to be answered and i can not wait to dig in deeper.

For a new Author Melissa Strydom is doing so well, iv read some of her other work which i enjoyed but this book and what seems to be a series is so far her best work and i cant wait to see her improve and let go more and push her boundries. Keep up the good work and im waiting anxiously for more.

[Landon]

ARC Reader
I completely adored everything about this. From the world building to the characters to the very concept.
At the beginning I did find myself thinking that Azaria was the last name of the main character, due to how Officer Azaria was worded. When officers are typically introduced, it seems that it is always by their last name rather than their first name. So I spent the first little section thinking that Azaria was not only the last name but that she was in fact a he. Not saying that woman can't be kick ass cops, just that is how I was reading it. Then she was truly introduced as female and I realized Azaria was in fact her first name. You don't even get her last name until a little further in the book.
I love the dynamic between Azaria and Nikolas (yes I kept reading Nikolas as Nikolai for a little bit). Funny how his brother's name ended up being Nikolai.
It was always interesting when new characters were introduced and finding out what they were.
I would love to know more about Orion and Greyson honestly. There were so many great characters involved in this book.
Azaria was the perfect combination of sass and boss energy.

[Kimberley Hall]

I received an ARC from the author and and have decided to leave an honest review


What an incredible story! If I'm being honest, I really wasn't sure what this would turn out to be at first but I decided to give it a go. I am so glad I did. I loved the FMC (Azaria) the most. Her personality was quite humorous at times and reminded me so much of myself. It's nice to see a strong female character gracing the pages again. I feel like we have too many damsels in fantasy nowadays. Bring back the badasses!! I found the story quite compelling and I loved the world the author immerses us into. I knew quite a few creatures that were encountered in the story, but there were some I didn't know at all. It was fun to see the little back stories on them and how they interacted between realms. There is a big secret about Azaria's lineage and I found myself wanting to figure out what that was! The ending was great and definitely left me wanting to know more. Oh my gosh 😱 What a ride! I can't wait to read book 2!!!

[Angelique Meeson]

I received this as an ARC from the author.
To be honest, initially I was a little disappointed because when I read the introduction, I thought it had basically given the whole story away before I had even started.

I could not have been more wrong!

The Thunderborn Heir completely surprised me. What followed was a story packed with action, adventure and intrigue that kept me hooked and constantly wondering what was coming next.

I especially enjoyed the balance of the story and how each character developed throughout the book. There was enough romance to add to the characters and their relationships without it taking over the plot or becoming cringy, which is something I really appreciate in a fantasy novel.

The further I got into the book, the more I wanted to keep reading, I honestly could not put it down! What I initially thought had been revealed at the beginning turned out to be only the start of a much bigger story.

If you read the introduction and think you already know where this story is going — keep reading.

Trust me. You don't. 😉

[Jay Hier-Jones]

Review of an ARC kindly provided by the author.

This was an enjoyable read with an interesting premise and plenty happening throughout the fast-paced story. I really enjoyed the mix of police procedural and supernatural fantasy, as it's not a combination I've come across very often. It gave the story a unique feel and kept me wanting to find out what would happen next.

I do think the story could have benefited from slowing down a little at times. There were lots of ideas introduced, and I would have loved more world-building and character development to really immerse myself in the setting. I also noticed a few typos and editing issues, which occasionally pulled me out of the story, although these may well have already been picked up in later edits.

All things considered, it's an impressive start to a series, and there's a lot of potential here. I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops in the next book.

[Penny Marks]

If you love great characters that are put in unique situations dealing with Trolls, Elves, Shifters, Shades, Incubus, and Jestlings to name a few. This is your book! You not only get fantasy, magical creatures, detectives trying to solve mysteries and a crazy world that all co-exist.
Just some of the characters you get are a fiery detective, Azaria who is not one to take orders or afraid. She is the first to break them, kinda goes along with Fae.
Nikola is a hot head, arrogant detective from another small town with lots of sudden disappearances he is trying to solve. Unfortunately things are not quite working out. Oh and did I mention he is HOT.
This book is absolutely never ending with twists and turns and shocking revelations you won’t see coming.
Book Two can’t get here soon enough! I can’t wait to get this book into the hands of my book friends. They will devour it like me.

[Jen]

Good afternoon dear readers, I was able to get an ARC for this book and was so excited to read!!!

If you are looking for a sassy detective who takes no shit please meet Azaria Hale! Part Fae she has been working as a detective for decades but when young women start going missing she is called onto the case as an undercover rookie.

Meet T.O Nikolas who is the lucky one that has to work with the miss attitude. Nikolas is a harden detective with a dark past but when things get crazy he is always reliable for the job.

Together the two must figure out what is going on through multiple cases and a whole arrangement of interesting characters!

Now I hear you asking, was it good?! I loved it and can’t wait for more from the upcoming author!

[Miranda Hawkins]

A fae detective? A world where magical beings and humans coexist? Sign me up.

This story pulled me in with its blend of mystery, magic, and secrets waiting to be uncovered. I loved following the investigation as new questions kept appearing around every corner. The MMC was equal parts intriguing and infuriating, which made every interaction that much more entertaining. As truths slowly come to light, the stakes continue to rise, leaving me desperate to know what happens next.

If you enjoy supernatural mysteries, hidden secrets, magical beings, and characters that keep you guessing, this is definitely one to add to your TBR. Just be warned: it ends on a cliffhanger that left me staring at my Kindle, wondering how I'm supposed to patiently wait for the next book.

[Samantha B]

Review of e-ARC received from author. Actual rating 4.5

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! It kept my attention from the very start. There were just enough twists and turns to keep the story moving along and me wanting to know more. I laughed out loud many times and I'm sure looked like a fool smiling while reading the fun banter between characters. Azaria Hale is a badass, strong, smart, and confident FMC which is exactly what I like. The modern setting mixed with mythological creatures was well done and "made sense." Low on spice level but that isnt a priority for me. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing how Strydom develops as an author 😊 This did read a little more like a YA novel for me which is why I placed it below 5 stars.

[whatclloves]

First of all thank you to the author, Melissa for sending me this book. I enjoyed this book.

I thought this was a typical Fantasy book. I was surprised how fast paced this was. I started this book at 10pm yesterday and stopped reading at 3AM co I have work at 9AM. I was not able to put it down as the story is already on its climax. I quite guessed that the FMC and MMC are both dragons. probably mates but it should be confirmed on the next book. I just wish there are more scenes for both the FMC and MMC where they get sweet with each other. The author dropped a bomb and there are too many loose ends in this book.

Anyway... I cant wait for Book 2!!!

[elowenreads65]

I really enjoyed this one! Azaria is a 100-year-old Fae detective who gets sent undercover as a rookie to investigate the disappearance of human and supernatural women. And honestly, watching her try to act like a rookie with all that experience was so much fun 😂
There’s mystery, supernatural powers, secrets, storms, past trauma, and plenty of drama. I also really liked watching Azaria figure out who she actually is while dealing with Nicholas, who definitely knows she’s not your average rookie.
There was so much going on, but it kept me interested and wanting to know what would happen next. Definitely a kickass story, and now I’m sitting here like… okay, where’s the next book?! 😩📚

[Kirsty]

Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book, my review is honest.

What a way to introduce a series. I loved Azaria from the start, and I utterly adore her whispered companion too. Action is there from the start and it keeps coming, holding interest well. The characters are well formed, and stay true to themselves. Once everything about Nikolas came out I was quite sure of what would come to be revealed about Azaria, but it didn't stop it being amazing to learn about. It was easy to keep reading, and difficult to put down. I have found an exciting new series with a very unique difference in one particular creature I have never seen before.

[PlotTwistsWithRackel]

The Thunderborn Heir was such a fun surprise. Melissa Strydom delivers a fantasy filled with rich world-building, intriguing magic, and characters I quickly became invested in. The story takes its time setting everything up, but every twist and revelation makes the journey worth it. I loved watching the protagonist grow into their destiny, and the ending left me excited for what’s next. If you enjoy epic fantasy with hidden legacies, political intrigue, and plenty of heart, this is definitely one to pick up.

[Vicki Bennett]

Thank to the Author for an ARC of this book, I happily give my honest review.

I had a really good time reading this book! It combined the elements of a good detective story with paranormal creatures of all walks and a mystery plaguing the FMC, Azaria. Following this very experienced detective go undercover and pretend to be a rookie police officer was hilarious. It introduces her to Nikolas, her training officer, who fears he's been saddled with a wet behind the ears newbie. That's when things start heating up.

Big twists at the end! A good time read!